-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Android |OT3| This thread is incompatible with all of your devices.
- Thread starter ThatObviousUser
- Start date
- Status
Nicktendo86
Member
Thread worthy? IPad mini with retina screen distant third behind nexus 7 and kindle fire hdx
http://www.cultofandroid.com/45984/...lay-shootout-against-nexus-7-kindle-fire-hdx/
http://www.cultofandroid.com/45984/...lay-shootout-against-nexus-7-kindle-fire-hdx/
You can try but I would suggest getting a link that's not from, what it looks like, an Android biased website. "Cult of Android" doesn't really scream "fair" even though there's a source there from the tests
Nicktendo86
Member
Haha yeah true, I dunno think we all know the iPad mini kinda sucks compared to other tabsYou can try but I would suggest getting a link that's not from, what it looks like, an Android biased website. "Cult of Android" doesn't really scream "fair" even though there's a source there from the tests
The Faceless Master
Member
Old. Even the Apple fans immediately noticed the color reproduction difference between the mini and the Air.
i've had my s2 for 2 years now and as of a month ago my contract is up so i'm eligible for a new phone. overall, i've been pretty happy with it - my only gripes really are for some reason when i try to make a phone call it doesn't do anything (no ringtone or anything) and my phone has always had a green tint to the screen. also, in the last 6 months it randomly locks up or resets but i'm not sure if that's a software issue or because i dropped it or something.
anyway, i was looking at getting a iphone 5s but it is a lot more than i want to pay. i'm in australia and everything is generally more expensive here - currently i pay $50 AUS a month for my phone/calls/data/etc and ideally do not want to pay more than $55. for the same amount of calls/data/etc my options are:
iphone 5s - $69
iphone 5c - $60
galaxy s4 - $62
galaxy s4 mini - $52.
galaxy s3 - $48.
i'm leaning towards just getting the s4 mini as its basically the same price and from the few reviews out it seems fine. any reason why i shouldn't? as long as i can send messages and upload some shit to twitter/instagram occasionally i'm not that fussed.
edit: while i'm here - why does the GPS on my phone SUCK so bad? is this a known issue with the s2, or did i just get a dud? could it be due to my carrier? i'd say 75% of the time (often when i most need it) it just won't lock on at all, or is completely inaccurate - this is even if i am in the middle of melbourne or sydney or something.
anyway, i was looking at getting a iphone 5s but it is a lot more than i want to pay. i'm in australia and everything is generally more expensive here - currently i pay $50 AUS a month for my phone/calls/data/etc and ideally do not want to pay more than $55. for the same amount of calls/data/etc my options are:
iphone 5s - $69
iphone 5c - $60
galaxy s4 - $62
galaxy s4 mini - $52.
galaxy s3 - $48.
i'm leaning towards just getting the s4 mini as its basically the same price and from the few reviews out it seems fine. any reason why i shouldn't? as long as i can send messages and upload some shit to twitter/instagram occasionally i'm not that fussed.
edit: while i'm here - why does the GPS on my phone SUCK so bad? is this a known issue with the s2, or did i just get a dud? could it be due to my carrier? i'd say 75% of the time (often when i most need it) it just won't lock on at all, or is completely inaccurate - this is even if i am in the middle of melbourne or sydney or something.
did you read my post at all? s4 is above what i want to pay, most reviews seem to say that the mini would be fine what i want to do. my carrier doesn't have the xperia, but it does have the htc one (again, too expensive - $67). i was basically deciding between an s4 mini vs iphone 5c (s4 is $10 cheaper a month). i'll get a s4 mini and hope for the best.
The Faceless Master
Member
GPS is a known issue with the GS2, gotta use custom roms to fix.
S3 over S4 minis at
- HD screen
- better CPU
- more storage
- bigger battery (Smaller screen on S4 mini likely cancels this out)
S4 mini
- LTE
- more ram
- The cameras appear to be similar.
- Both run 4.3
If you care about updates at all, the S3 mini has not been updated from 4.1 so it's possible the S4 mini will not be updated from 4.3 either. No idea if S3 will be updated to 4.4 but I'd assume so.
- HD screen
- better CPU
- more storage
- bigger battery (Smaller screen on S4 mini likely cancels this out)
S4 mini
- LTE
- more ram
- The cameras appear to be similar.
- Both run 4.3
If you care about updates at all, the S3 mini has not been updated from 4.1 so it's possible the S4 mini will not be updated from 4.3 either. No idea if S3 will be updated to 4.4 but I'd assume so.
Heads up: Reddit Sync is on sale for $1 and a major redesign with the card UI is rolling out this weekend.
Probably the best Reddit app I used on Android. Though, I hope the developer fixed the comment loading + large cache storage.
Anyway, you can get it here:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.laurencedawson.reddit_sync.pro
Probably the best Reddit app I used on Android. Though, I hope the developer fixed the comment loading + large cache storage.
Anyway, you can get it here:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.laurencedawson.reddit_sync.pro
The Faceless Master
Member
as far as battery goes, if you're comparing the Exynos non-LTE GS3 to the GS4 Mini...
BeyondPod unlock key is 50% off today. I'm still really happy using this app, it seems like it has pretty much every feature you could want from a podcatcher. Only downside is that there are tons of settings and options which can be a bit daunting.
the Android Store really needs an easy way to see what's on sale
Kill Your Masters
Member
Play Newsstand is neat, but the lack of sub categories puts me off. I have a Sports and a Football category in Flipboard, but can only have Sports on Newsstand.
At least they added some sort of categories compared to Currents though.
fake edit: So there are "Topics" it seems. Searching for "soccer" gives me the sport category as "topic" result...and Football aswell. So it seems hidden somewhere (as in, I have to search for a specifig topic, can't add it from a list) or am I missing something here?
edit: oooh so the small grey category icon on each news is clickable and gives me the option to subscribe to this sub category.
Ok I'm correcting myself, this is actually great.
At least they added some sort of categories compared to Currents though.
fake edit: So there are "Topics" it seems. Searching for "soccer" gives me the sport category as "topic" result...and Football aswell. So it seems hidden somewhere (as in, I have to search for a specifig topic, can't add it from a list) or am I missing something here?
edit: oooh so the small grey category icon on each news is clickable and gives me the option to subscribe to this sub category.
Ok I'm correcting myself, this is actually great.
waiting for PocketCast to go on sale :/
Tasker rarely goes on sale. Only time I saw it go on sale the past two years was when it updated to the Holo UI (and it wasn't even that good of a redesign lol)
bean breath
Member
I need some advice.
Yesterday I bought the $20 ZTE Awe doorbuster at Target and was happy with it until I installed Netflix and noticed a dead/stuck pixel(s) when I was watching a movie. What are my options?
I have 30 days to return/exchange it at Target (unless they have an exception for BF Deals that I don't know about). I don't want to get my money back and I'm pretty sure no stores in my area will have any stock for at least a few days. But if I do choose to exchange it, should I wipe the phone first knowing that they might not exchange it or do they handle that themselves? I'm thinking if they honor the exchange, I should have their mobile clerk activate the new one in store so I can check it before hand and make sure it's not worse than my current phone.
Or should I go through ZTE's warranty procedure? I have a one year warranty so could I just deal with it for a while and get a new phone later?
The thing about the pixel is it's imperceptible to me unless I'm watching a dark scene that takes up the whole screen and then it's the only thing I notice, it might be difficult to demonstrate it at the customer service desk. Or should I just deal with it and be happy I got a cheap ass phone?
Yesterday I bought the $20 ZTE Awe doorbuster at Target and was happy with it until I installed Netflix and noticed a dead/stuck pixel(s) when I was watching a movie. What are my options?
I have 30 days to return/exchange it at Target (unless they have an exception for BF Deals that I don't know about). I don't want to get my money back and I'm pretty sure no stores in my area will have any stock for at least a few days. But if I do choose to exchange it, should I wipe the phone first knowing that they might not exchange it or do they handle that themselves? I'm thinking if they honor the exchange, I should have their mobile clerk activate the new one in store so I can check it before hand and make sure it's not worse than my current phone.
Or should I go through ZTE's warranty procedure? I have a one year warranty so could I just deal with it for a while and get a new phone later?
The thing about the pixel is it's imperceptible to me unless I'm watching a dark scene that takes up the whole screen and then it's the only thing I notice, it might be difficult to demonstrate it at the customer service desk. Or should I just deal with it and be happy I got a cheap ass phone?
Nicktendo86
Member
I cannot get over how good the moto g is for the price, breathtaking.
http://www.androidcentral.com/moto-g-available-just-99-tesco-mobile
http://www.androidcentral.com/moto-g-available-just-99-tesco-mobile
Sounds like a stuck rather than dead pixel if you can see it when the screen is dark (dead pixels are black). It's apparently sometimes possible to fix stuck pixels by rapid flashing bright colours on the screen. There's an app by a GAFer which attempts to do just that. Worth giving it a shot, at least.
Otherwise try to get it exchanged back where you bought it. That will be far less hassle than doing an RMA with the manufacturer.. Just pack everything up apart from the phone and don't wipe it until they've agreed to the exchange.
bean breath
Member
Thanks for the app link. It only appears on a black screen, I tried the fix for 15 minutes but it's still there. Trying it again for 30 minutes.
I can demonstrate the stuck pixel with the app, so if it's still there I'm taking it back next week. I do feel a little embarrassed to be taking back a $20 phone because of this tiny dot, hopefully they don't give me a hard time.
me too. and it's annoying how it's so hard to see what's on Sale.
anyone using AppSales to track?
my phone is being weird recently.. all kinds of sync issues with Google+ etc :/
Aesius
Member
Hey guys, is it worth it to upgrade from a Galaxy Nexus to an HTC One? I still love my Nexus, but it's starting to feel a little slow and it's randomly rebooting pretty frequently.
I can upgrade to an HTC One for $30 through Dell (Verizon) and I get a free pair of in-ear Beats headphones, which I would likely sell.
Good deal?
I can upgrade to an HTC One for $30 through Dell (Verizon) and I get a free pair of in-ear Beats headphones, which I would likely sell.
Good deal?
From a gnex? Absolutely worth it IMO. HTC one is great. I went that path.
Thinking about it and will sell note 2. Might like something a tiny bit smaller.
Yes, its a great upgrade. I just upgraded from the GNex myself and it was a much better experience. (to Nexus 5 though but its similar enough.)
Jazzy Network
Member
Won't you lose unlimited data?
Aesius
Member
I never had it. I have only 4 gb/month.
Honestly, I'm more confused than ever. The HTC One looks awesome, but apparently the LG G2 blows it out of the water, specs-wise? The buttons on the back look funky though. And then there's the Moto X?
I'm not totally opposed to paying a little for a brand new phone if it's more "future proof" as I tend to keep my phones for a full two years. Would I be better off waiting until spring and getting a Galaxy S5?
If Verizon got the Nexus 5, I would get it and be done.
Just because it's different doesn't make it confusing. Touch and play around with shit and you'll learn it. My mom was able to figure out how to use an HTC Incredible so you can learn how to use Android after spending some time with it.
As for apps, what were your most used on iOS?
Jazzy Network
Member
I have a One and the biggest thing going for it is Boomsound. No other mobile device comes close to the sound it has. It's hard for me to go back to a standard speaker. It's also a better feeling device than most other devices cause it's metal. Also the screen is amazing.
Can't go wrong with the G2 either. The buttons might feel weird though. The battery life from all accounts seems godlike. Knock-on is cool as well. You'll also have to deal with LG's UI which I don't think is that bad, but I can see how people can hate it. It really does look all kinds of ugly.
Twitter and Spotify mostly. A few photography related apps as well. Other than that, it was just music related apps. I'm under the impression I can download zip files and extract them to the Android music library? A specific app for that?
Yes, you can use something like Total Commander or ES File Explorer to do it. Personally, I do it on PC since its faster and most of my music is on Google Music as well.
The apps I install first are
Not rooted:
App Sales - App that tells you when apps go on sale in the market for 25% or more
Reddit Sync - I linked to the Pro version but there's a free one as well. The pro is on sale so I just linked to that.
Snapseed - An additional image editor in complimentary to the already built in one in Gallery
Playboard - It can recommend you apps. The Android App thread also has subscriptions handled by Divvy to show you some good apps you can get
Shazam - You might already know this. Helps you know what a song is called by just pointing your phone to the source of the music
Tasker - Automates certain tasks for you and can actually replace a ton of apps that you'd need to buy by creating the write profile. There's a very steep learning curve though but once you learn it, it's worth the money
Rooted:
Rom Toolbox Pro - All-in-one solution to root tools such as file managers, kernel tweaks, CPU tweaks, Scripter, etc. Although, I'm not sure how well it works on Kitkat.
Greenify - Hibernates specific apps that you choose so that it doesnt drain battery when your screen is off. It's a bit like a task manager but I find it better
Titanium Backup Pro - Get the pro version in addition to this. It backs up your apps, app data and can restore it if anything goes wrong.
Quick Boot - Easily reboot your phone, boot into recovery, or boot into bootloader. You can also shutoff your device
F-Droid - Not exactly a root app. This is another software repository that has only open source software there. There are apps in there that were useful but were taken down by Google in the Google Play Store. Not because they were harmful but because it broke the ToS.
And some more. I might write something on Prism for this so I can just link future users there
Oh, and the app thread is here where there's much more apps to discover:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=457282
So I get a free upgrade tomorrow with Verizon and was going to get a Galaxy Note 3. Is there any reason not to get it? I want a bigger phone, because I am used to keyboards on phones. I liked my Motorola Droid 4 for awhile, but now I'm not a fan of those anymore. I figure if I can't type on the screen with my fingers I could always use the stylus.
If you're into modding your devices, there's apparently a hardware trip that detects when you root your phone. I'm not sure if that was worked around since I didn't really look into it since September.
As for the keyboard... since it's a huge screen, you'll probably have no problem typing. And after using a software keyboard, you might eventually like it because of the increase speed in typing. And you can always just switch keyboard software if you don't like the built it on. Swiftkey is a good alternative and it's on sale now.
Eh, never really looked into modding phones. The Droid 4 had a full keyboard so I was already able to type fast, but I am just hoping that the learning curve on a touch keyboard isn't bad. I will look into Swiftkey if I don't like the default one. Thanks for the info.
I was thinking mainly because you have to put pressure on a physical keyboard which causes a slightly slower typing speed. On a software key, you can just tap quickly and move on to your next key.
I don't know, if you get it, you can post your impressions on the transition
Swiftkey really is worth paying the money for. its much better than the stock keyboard and is also on sale right now.
The Faceless Master
Member
Got my Google Wallet card today...
Like a previous poster, I use ES File Explorer for that. In terms o fapps to be honest, I use Google apps the most and will probably do the same. I think that on the Nexus 5, all of them come preinstalled so there's nothing you need to do there. Keep in my that you direct stream videos from Google Drive. Also, I've hooked up my speakers to my TV so I can use Chromecast to stream from YouTube or HBO Go, controlling with my tablet while I'm chilling on the couch. Netflix and I believe Pandora is supported so far with more support coming. Useful apps I use include:
Google Music (most used by far next to maps)
Google Maps
Keep
Gmail
Falcon Widget (great Twitter widget, you probably won't even need the twitter app after setting this one up and using it)
feedly (news aggregater from any rss feed. I have anything from world news and tech to sports and hip-hop coming thorugh)
Dropbox (set it to auto upload so all my photos are backed up automatically on Wi-Fi. You can do the same thing with Google Photos I think)
MX Video (plays all video formats well)
Facebook Messenger
Nova Launcher (one of the best launchers that's fully customizable)
Themer (this is actually another launcher: use people's pre-made Android themes that you can customize to your liking
Playstation App
Titanium Backup
WiFi Power Saver
Yahoo Weather
Simple Calender (great looking widget for your calender)
SMS Backup & Restore
IMDB
As a alternative browser try Dolphin Broswer first. Chrome is fast, but uses up more battery than most browsers.
The voice controls and voice texting actually work extremely well. I pretty much mainly use voice by saying OK Google and setting my alarm for the next day. Takes less than 7 seconds compared to digging through menus.
zomgbbqftw
Banned
Fucking Viber has turned into a piece of shit with that Viber out bullshit. For some reason it doesn't recognise my contact list and pushes it to viber out calls. That never happened before it existed. Cunts.
Also, when the fuck are Google going to fix Hangouts so that video calls hang up properly. For what seems like an age they just don't disengage. Whatsapp should fuck them both up and introduce true voice calling and video calling.
Also, when the fuck are Google going to fix Hangouts so that video calls hang up properly. For what seems like an age they just don't disengage. Whatsapp should fuck them both up and introduce true voice calling and video calling.
- Status