Related
I have prepared this thread to help myself and others compare and contrast the different phones and hopefully come to a decision here. If anyone has anything to add to the comparison that I have missed, please list it and we can get it all chocked up.
For the record. I have only listed something as a "Disadvantage" if I believe that the category is below what we would expect of the average Android.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advantages:
ATRIX
Battery Life - This is a big thing for me. I can make my vibrant last through a 14 hour day by crippling every single possible feature. But people here are saying that the Atrix runs solid though 30 hour periods. This is a huge plus for me.
Higher Resolution (even if its fake) - Even though this resolution is fake and can actually cause text to blur, I can say first-hand that I saw the screen in action at a local wal-mart and found it to be acceptable by my standards. I think it may help overall with browsing. The GS2 has a larger screen size, and no pentile matrix display, which could possibly be considered better. This is one that may work out to be a tie.
Tegra 2 - I list this as an advantage not because it is faster, the various benchmarks for either processor seem to be inconclusive at this point. I am listing it as an advantage because it has its own series of games optimized specifically for it, and because Google has chosen to build their framework around tegra 2.
Webtop - I am initially hesitant to even mention this. The phone has a webtop environment, it is most likely Debian Linux and it is said to also be very sluggish. If, in the future, devs gain access to this environment and find ways to optimize it and add in worthy apps such as Chrome and open office, then this will be a massive advantage, but right now it is pretty much just a gimmick.
The webtop interface retains its session when you disconnect it. So you can plug the phone back into another dock and go right back to what you were doing. This is one of the good things about webtop.
Laptop Dock - We all know it is hideously overpriced right now and maybe in the future a cheaper solution will be available. But regardless of how you get the dock, it is an advantage to run your apps in full screen, even if you don't use the sluggish webtop interface and firefox.
The dock charges your phone, but plays sound through your atrix speakers, it has no speakers of it's own, you can answer calls by removing the phone, picking it up on bluetooth or by just yelling at it from behind the laptop. The phone retains its session when you remove it and there is no special unmounting procedure, you just grab it and run.
GALAXY S2
Screen - Bright beautiful and extremely rich. Those who have seen the screen firsthand have claimed that there is nothing like it at all and that it is miles above even the old Super Amoled display. The 4.3 inch size is also a bonus for those of us with large hands. This is probably the best overall feature of the Galaxy S2.
Camera - 8 Megapixels, and 2 megapixel front facing camera. People say that megapixels don't really matter in the long run but the Atrix camera is also said to have a purple wash to it and that the video can be splotchy in certain situations.
Design - Even though it looks way too much like the iPhone, this phone actually looks exceptionally nice. I like the three button design much better than the 4, the search button is pretty useless overall. The thinness of this phone is also amazing if you are into that sort of thing. Naturally it may come down to the US carriers to ruin the design, but by it will likely be summer before that happens.
32GB internal storage - Expect to pay for it, but it is there, you get 64 gigs total with this phone.
Gingerbread - The Atrix won't likely get gingerbread until at least this summer, this phone will have it much sooner if you get the international version coming sometime this quarter.
Gyroscope - This phone has it, do any apps support it? Not sure, but it is there.
NFC - In the off chance that any stores upgrade to NFC this year, you will have the ability to use it. NFC may have other uses that we haven't envisioned yet. It is a protocol, so it can be applied to just about anything. You could potentially set it up to unlock your home, cars could start with it, whatever.
So it has a lot of potential use other than having your money stolen from you.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disadvantages:
ATRIX
Bootloader - To sum it up for those not familiar, the phone can be rooted, a custom ROM can be flashed, but the kernel cannot be altered at all. (someone will likely correct me here) but if part or all of the webtop code is contained in the kernel somehow it will be difficult to alter it to add new software or make it run more efficiently. This would be a terrible shame.
I can tell you that Team Whiskey has made my Vibrant browse faster than I have seen in Atrix videos, with half the memory and a single core processor. It is scary to think of what this phone could actually accomplish if Moto decided to allow it.
Motoblur - I read that this requires you to sign up for an account before you can even use the phone. I find it alarming that Motorola has decided to help themselves to all this information and it makes me wonder just exactly what they really have access to and why.
Crippled FM radio - WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY. All of these phones have both transmitters and receivers for FM. So can someone tell me why in god's name anyone would disable them? FM radio has many more uses than just listening to local stations and why again should I have to burn my limited data on
internet radio when there is a receiver right in my phone?
GALAXY S2
Heat - My current Galaxy S runs very hot already, if the screen is active while the phone is being charged it will heat up to what seems to be a very dangerous temperature. The pre-release Galaxy S2 was said to be scorching hot after running with the screen on and the charger active.
Fail File System, Hideous and crippling lag - Update: the galaxy S2 is said to not use RFS. Chock one up for Samsung.
Updates - Samsung has a horrible reputation for updates when working with US carriers, even for new phones. If it was not for this community I would have likely given up on Android and Samsung altogether. Although I know that part of the update delay has been t-mobile, it is also in Samsung's interests to ship out new phones instead of updating their old ones.
Battery Life I have a feeling that Samsung tried to push the limits to get their phone to be as thin as possible and I am worried that they have done so at the expense of battery life. We won't know for sure until it gets in people's hands but I expect the battery life to be subpar.
NO HID Bluetooth Support (possibly) - I have had a black wiimote sitting here for 6 months waiting to connect to my Vibrant. I love emulated classics but action games are near impossible to play with the on-screen kb. So if you want this feature, I would make sure that the GS2 has it first, because it is not likely that it will.
Availability - What it really comes down to now. Unless you want to shell out over 1000 for the phone, you will probably need to wait 5 months from now for any kind of US availability this summer. And don't doubt that those versions will become crippled and even more bloated in the process. But again there is no locked bootloader here.
Ok I think that covers it. Having written all this down, I think I am really leaning more toward the Atrix. There just doesn't seem to be anything else out there now that will be able to match it at the moment. And as you can see, our experience with Samsung has not been exceptional.
Good comparison there. I am also looking at the exact 2 models and thank you very much, looks like Atrix will too be my choice.
I guess I'll get the atrix laptop dock too and prays for the devs here to make it all better. Otherwise, I think its still a good piece of hardware I don't mind owning.
""Samsung's dual-core, Gingerbread-powered Galaxy S II has appeared on Play.co.uk alongside a tentative SIM-free price and release date. According to Play, which is currently taking pre-orders for the phone, it'll ship Mar. 31 for £599.99 (~$960). Pre-release prices are never guaranteed to be accurate and are always subject to change, but £599 seams like a realistic price point for the Galaxy S II, as it's slightly higher than current single-core offerings from other manufacturers.""
Just published at androidcentral. £599.99 (~$960)?? Get a grip..
Not bad, just a couple of things to note that I thought of while reading. First, the screen resolution can be arguable considering the Pentile screen that the Atrix uses. That gives the SGS2 more sub pixels, but then it's a bigger screen, so less (I believe) pixel density still... it's really kind of a toss up, but I think they will both look great. I think the lower resolution and bigger screen on the SGS2 will look just fine with the full 3 subpixels per pixel.
Also, the SGS2 looks nothing like an iPhone. I wish people would stop saying that about every phone that comes out. Apparently every square black phone with a screen is an iPhone now.
And also it's been reported that the SGS2 does not use RFS.
The Galaxy S2 looks like a great phone, but even as much as I hate Motorola's implementation of the lockdown...I can't *STAND* Samsung for updates. They've promised up and down that they would release updates for every phone since Android came out, and they've delivered on about 3 of those promises...out of probably 20. They are *HORRIBLE* at updating devices and they don't even apologize when they cancel. I would *never* buy a Samsung on the hopes that it would get an updated OS.
As for the screens, I don't really notice much of a difference. I'm a pretty severe audiophile and videophile and although I can tell a difference it's absolutely not enough to make me go with one phone over another. I'm coming from an iPhone 4 which has the best screen to date on a mobile phone...and even between that and my Atrix I barely see a difference. They're both fantastic screens.
hotleadsingerguy said:
The Galaxy S2 looks like a great phone, but even as much as I hate Motorola's implementation of the lockdown...I can't *STAND* Samsung for updates. They've promised up and down that they would release updates for every phone since Android came out, and they've delivered on about 3 of those promises...out of probably 20. They are *HORRIBLE* at updating devices and they don't even apologize when they cancel. I would *never* buy a Samsung on the hopes that it would get an updated OS.
As for the screens, I don't really notice much of a difference. I'm a pretty severe audiophile and videophile and although I can tell a difference it's absolutely not enough to make me go with one phone over another. I'm coming from an iPhone 4 which has the best screen to date on a mobile phone...and even between that and my Atrix I barely see a difference. They're both fantastic screens.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The updates aren't really an issue for people who visit sites like this. I would never rely on Samsung to update my phone. My Captivate has been running 2.2 for ages while they just released the update for everyone else. Yes, Samsung sucks at updating, but the hacking community will always get it done regardless.
I must be the only one, but i use the search hotkey absolutely all the time. I love it and I realize that you can hold menu for the same effect on the SGS2, but i'd prefer to have the 4th hotkey than their ugly stupid home button. It is not an iPhone, embrace uniqueness samsung.
eallan said:
I must be the only one, but i use the search hotkey absolutely all the time. I love it and I realize that you can hold menu for the same effect on the SGS2, but i'd prefer to have the 4th hotkey than their ugly stupid home button. It is not an iPhone, embrace uniqueness samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really miss the hardware home key! The orientation of the 4 buttons makes it a bit awkward to thumb navigate since its so close to the bottom. Its actually one of the things about the sgs2 that is making me think twice about my atrix. Despite how much I love it.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Man_of_Leisure said:
I really miss the hardware home key! The orientation of the 4 buttons makes it a bit awkward to thumb navigate since its so close to the bottom. Its actually one of the things about the sgs2 that is making me think twice about my atrix. Despite how much I love it.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't mind if the buttons were hardware, thats another debate. I just want all four of them!
The back button is beyond crucial. Maybe back and home should be two hardware with the other capacitive? For symmetry, obviously a concern for samsung .
I definitely want the new Galaxy S 2. I've heard that the Atrix was a huge let down. I used to own a Captivate and I loved everything about it except the ****ty build quality and lack of flash for the camera. It was so smooth with voodoo and custom roms. The Galaxy S 2 will have an amazing screen and I think it will do average on battery consumption. Just my 2 cents
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
King Shady said:
I definitely want the new Galaxy S 2. I've heard that the Atrix was a huge let down. I used to own a Captivate and I loved everything about it except the ****ty build quality and lack of flash for the camera. It was so smooth with voodoo and custom roms. The Galaxy S 2 will have an amazing screen and I think it will do average on battery consumption. Just my 2 cents
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
****ty build quality? Like hardware wise? I personally think the Captivate is the nicest of all of the Galaxy S phones. The hardware itself has been absolutely wonderful for me. The software quality leaves a lot to be desired from a stock standpoint though.
AJerman said:
****ty build quality? Like hardware wise? I personally think the Captivate is the nicest of all of the Galaxy S phones. The hardware itself has been absolutely wonderful for me. The software quality leaves a lot to be desired from a stock standpoint though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The plastic build was a huge downgrade for me, especially coming from a beautiful iPhone 4. I'm much happier with the Inspire 4G now though. HTC Sense is amazing and super smooth, and HTC build quality is great. The phone feels ultra solid.
SGS2 is apparently RFS-free. Also, some versions will have Tegra2 instead of Exynos - hope this includes us.
People knock Samsung's plastic designs, but they're actually a lot harder to break than the "well-built" iPhone 4.
Very good write up man, these are the posts that I like to see.
By looking at my signature, you can see that I just got the Atrix as well, and I love the phone. Amazingly fast, awesome screen (love the higher density and the effect itbhas on the overall experience), and the battery is pretty good too.
I'm seriously thinking about buying the laptop dock, but I don't know how well that will perform, and I haven't seen any live videos of it.
I really like the design and specs of the GS 2, but there are a lot of possible problems holding me back....
Rooted/ROM Captivate (For Sale)
Rooted Atrix
FLAC Vest said:
Very good write up man, these are the posts that I like to see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot, bro.
I am no engineer and I can't build tools. But I can put a few thoughts together and provide someone with some information.
This is an amazing community and what people do here is outstanding, I just want to do what I can to add to that.
King Shady said:
The plastic build was a huge downgrade for me, especially coming from a beautiful iPhone 4. I'm much happier with the Inspire 4G now though. HTC Sense is amazing and super smooth, and HTC build quality is great. The phone feels ultra solid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
S2 looks like meizu m9
I have both and a Galaxy S 2 on order
Why? I really liked the Captivate. My plan was to use both but the Atrix is so much more fun to use I'm selling the Captivate. Well, maybe. Maybe not.
Yesterday after I removed the SIM card and replaced it, the Atrix went bonkers with freezes and instability issues. After numerous soft resets, two factory resets and replacing the SIM card, SD card and battery a couple of times it seems to be back to normal. I suspect I had reinserted the SIM card incorrectly but maybe there was another issue.
So why would I pay $1000 for the Galaxy S 2? The Captivate was that much fun. Although I'm sure we will be able to do more custom rom's shortly on the Atrix, the Galaxy S 2 sounds like an even bigger blast than either. And boy oh boy does that LG 3D look interesting. But you have to draw the line somewhere.
Here is what the Atrix has that the Captivate does not:
1-better graphics and screen quality, dynamic and vivid visuals, a joy to read and watch (text as well as video quality is sharp and crisp, very clear)
2-more interactive features with outside devices (i.e. computers)
3-interacts more efficiently with e mail, voice and text programs (really like the way it handles multiple incoming calls especially when you are already on one-notification, instructions and directions for handling)(I can now actually use Excel spreadsheets and Word documents) (works well with contacts)
4-updated browser can handle more types of video content and pop up windows better
5-it feels better when you hold and talk or watch or do most anything with it (I did make one call and even though I could hear the other party clearly they could not hear me-I do not what happened.)
My friends all tell me I should get an iphone. I had one for years and the Androids are far more fun. I'll never return. I don't think. LG 3D anyone?
I think Tegra2 is actually a disadvantage for Atrix 4G.
As a new generation dualcore processor, it's early, but not strong.
It's video playback ability of H.264 is limited, but H.264 is currently the most frequently played format.
It has no neon support, big loss on processing power.
Till now Tegra2 has not proven itself in Graphics power. In benchmarks it's no superior to Hummingbird.
However the performance of Mali400MP on GS2 is also questionable, so just wait and see...
hotleadsingerguy said:
The Galaxy S2 looks like a great phone, but even as much as I hate Motorola's implementation of the lockdown...I can't *STAND* Samsung for updates. They've promised up and down that they would release updates for every phone since Android came out, and they've delivered on about 3 of those promises...out of probably 20. They are *HORRIBLE* at updating devices and they don't even apologize when they cancel. I would *never* buy a Samsung on the hopes that it would get an updated OS.
As for the screens, I don't really notice much of a difference. I'm a pretty severe audiophile and videophile and although I can tell a difference it's absolutely not enough to make me go with one phone over another. I'm coming from an iPhone 4 which has the best screen to date on a mobile phone...and even between that and my Atrix I barely see a difference. They're both fantastic screens.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 great post!
King Shady said:
The plastic build was a huge downgrade for me, especially coming from a beautiful iPhone 4. I'm much happier with the Inspire 4G now though. HTC Sense is amazing and super smooth, and HTC build quality is great. The phone feels ultra solid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See, I don't understand that. There is far less plastic on the Captivate than the majority of the phones out there. The front is all glass, and the back is mostly metal. It's only the top and bottom on the back that are plastic, and they have both felt very solid to me since I got the phone on launch day. I came from an iPhone 4 as well, and granted nothing compares to the iPhone 4 in build quality, the Captivate definitely doesn't seem bad at all to me.
As long as you're happy with what you have now though, that's what matters. I just think the Inspire is a bit of a waste of money considering it's lack of power compared to all the other phones coming out now. It feels like it's last generation still. I did play with it a little at the AT&T store though, and it seemed nice. If it had come out last summer with the Captivate (even if it didn't have 4G), I might have gotten it. Now I'm going to wait until a dual core offering I like though.
Hi folks,
Having been an owner of many HTC's, I just wanted your advice as to whether or not you think it's worth purchasing the HTC One?
I had the One X and wasn't that impressed and ended up selling it and going for the S3, which I like, despite the numerous S-Apps which I never use :/
Anyway, I'm due an upgrade and can't decide what to go for.
HTC One (looks good)
iPhone 5 (I know the 5s or 6 will be out come Sept, but at least iPhone's sell for more on eBay should I want to sell my phone and buy a new one)
Samsung Galaxy S4 (lots of new functions)
I really want to like the HTC One, but the mediocre camera is putting me off :/
Sent from my GT-N8010 using xda app-developers app
It's the best phone I've ever had and my timeline goes; iPhone 3GS, HTC Sensation, S2, Note.
The speakers and build quality are second to none + it's lightening quick
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
kurtish said:
Hi folks,
Having been an owner of many HTC's, I just wanted your advice as to whether or not you think it's worth purchasing the HTC One?
I had the One X and wasn't that impressed and ended up selling it and going for the S3, which I like, despite the numerous S-Apps which I never use :/
Anyway, I'm due an upgrade and can't decide what to go for.
HTC One (looks good)
iPhone 5 (I know the 5s or 6 will be out come Sept, but at least iPhone's sell for more on eBay should I want to sell my phone and buy a new one)
Samsung Galaxy S4 (lots of new functions)
I really want to like the HTC One, but the mediocre camera is putting me off :/
Sent from my GT-N8010 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you like your s3 then it makes sense that you will like s4 too, its just the same, only improved.
having said that, i wouldn't rule out the One based on the fact that you didn't like the One X - as I'm sure you have seen, HTC pretty much went back to the drawing board in every single area.
try both.
EDIT. is it worth it? absolutely yes.
i'd go with the gs4. it offers much more than the one and is also faster, with better battery life, and sd card support. I won't even mention the barometer and thermometer lol. But if you like aluminum, go with the one. I personally think the GS4 looks much more minimal and sleeker than the one.
boodies said:
i'd go with the gs4. it offers much more than the one and is also faster, with better battery life, and sd card support. I won't even mention the barometer and thermometer lol. But if you like aluminum, go with the one. I personally think the GS4 looks much more minimal and sleeker than the one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Come on.... That is TOTALLY your opinion.
The guy is trying to make a decision so saying stuff like that as if it is fact is not needed.
Faster / battery life is also not completely known.
Stick to the facts in future.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
boodies said:
i'd go with the gs4. it offers much more than the one and is also faster, with better battery life, and sd card support. I won't even mention the barometer and thermometer lol. But if you like aluminum, go with the one. I personally think the GS4 looks much more minimal and sleeker than the one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those are just the things you want a phone needs too have.. Sd card.
The battery is only 300 mah larger then the one but itll definitely has too deal with the software that runs on the phone. So no, the S4 doesnt has a better battery life and yes it has a largerbattery. But it depends on the software.
If like me - and as you have that you dont use the s-functions on the S3, then the S4 has no real advantage over the One, it's just going to be more of the same and a UI that hasnt really changed for years and has apparently take a step back to Froyo.
Iphone 5 - yep good phone, if you want just a phone.
Can you see where I am heading?
Why yes... Mercedes C class and BMW 3 series do look much sleeker and minimalistic as compared to a Ferrari 458 and Lamborghini Aventador.
*sigh* PLEASE, let's not make (this into) another comparison thread that might be closed.
Yes, the HTC One is definitely a contender in the slew of smartphones that will be available in 2013. I would suggest looking at the features and reviews of the various phones to find one that will completely suit your needs. Every phone will have pros and cons for different people.
For example, if you're looking at solely camera functions, HTC One will definitely perform better in low light, compared to SGS4 and iPhone 5 cameras. If that is something you look for in a camera, then you should more seriously consider the One. If you want a better all-around camera and don't need or want low-light features, then you should look into other phones.
It's really difficult for anybody to tell you whether the One is worth it for you. Depends 100% on what you look for in a phone, which is different than what the next person wants in their phone.
Pathetic why are Samsung fans trolling our forums is beyond me
Inferiority complex?
The camera is not mediocre but pretty good. If camera is the most important aspect of a phone to you then do your research properly. Try both out, however HTC one is the best phone out there performance is top notch second to none.
Most who own it or tried it have recommended it.
actually GS4 has better performance (fact) better battery life (fact) and is a better phone overall imho.
And you know this because you've been using the gs4 for the last 16 days right?
What do you mean, you haven't got one because it hasn't been released yet?
Oh! You looked at a spec sheet and made assumptions! Silly me. I thought you'd had 16 days of hands on experience. Sorry, my bad.
Sent from my Tricked out HTC One via xda-developers application
I tried the HTC One the other day, because i am still debating whether or not to go with that or the S4.
It has a luxurious feeling(htc one) but for me, the way it layed in my hand wasn't totally awesome, then again, never had an aluminum phone.
I find the camera very much overrated, being made up to be the "new shizzle" deffo, but this is the first generation of the new shizzle and i am not all to impressed with quality.
The major turn off for me was the position of the power button, it feels awkward in the top, but then again, might just be me being used to it sitting on the side of it.
Imo though, don't just go with what looks pretty but runs well, a cover can do much to the cheap feeling of the samsung, i know i am getting one on mine, if i decide for the S4
--
How many more of these threads will arrive..
mate..go to the shop and use one..
buy one if you dont like it return it
if your taking out a contract and find out you dont like it..return it and exchange
buy one if you dont like it sell
Theres a lot of ways if you find out you dont like the phone.
asking this sort of question in a device specific forum will give you 90% positive answers to your question and 10% honest ones.
working on the fact that we are easily swayed as people..the 90% will get your attention and the honest ones will be 'thanks but theres more positive comments than yours' type scenario
an honest answer..
iphone 5 if you want everything done for you
samsung gs4 if you liked there other phones in the s range
htc one if you like the way htc have tried new ideas..
This is my viewpoint above. This is neither 10% honest or 90% positive
if i was being real itd be
buy apple if you want to be a sheep and carry a really crap and underachieving phone.Then you can be in the 'in' crowd
Buy an s4 if you dont like htc.
Buy a htc one because i like it so you should as well
forgot to add..
zzzz
To be honest, all I use my phone for is Facebook, watching vids on youtube, taking photos (generally for Facebook). I try not to use it for calls, but people keep phoning me
I'm not entirely sure by the whole 'low light' photo thing as I usually just turn the flash on if it's dark
I like the look of the blink feed on the One too. Looks quite nice and it's about time they updated some if their stuff.
I just hope I don't sign up for the One, and in 2 weeks time the OneA is announce with an 8 Ultapixel camera, because that's part of the reason I gave up with HTC. Too much of the same thing when they should just concentrate on one very good device :banghead:
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Tetsumi06 said:
And you know this because you've been using the gs4 for the last 16 days right?
What do you mean, you haven't got one because it hasn't been released yet?
Oh! You looked at a spec sheet and made assumptions! Silly me. I thought you'd had 16 days of hands on experience. Sorry, my bad.
Sent from my Tricked out HTC One via xda-developers application
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Several reviewers has made test over a few days or so, where the samsung genereally pulled ahead with round about 1/3 more battery life, which is alot, but well that depends on what they used it for really, it has a lot to do with software, so when the HTC One gets updated to 4.2.2 it might be fixed (one can hope)
boodies said:
actually GS4 has better performance (fact) better battery life (fact) and is a better phone overall imho.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HTC One is better IMHO.
Better screen, better materials.
Battery is bigger on the S4 so it should perform better - wooppy-effin-doo.
Performance wise there is not much of a difference and not enough to be a deal breaker for anyone on the fence.
kurtish said:
To be honest, all I use my phone for is Facebook, watching vids on youtube, taking photos (generally for Facebook). I try not to use it for calls, but people keep phoning me
I'm not entirely sure by the whole 'low light' photo thing as I usually just turn the flash on if it's dark
I like the look of the blink feed on the One too. Looks quite nice and it's about time they updated some if their stuff.
I just hope I don't sign up for the One, and in 2 weeks time the OneA is announce with an 8 Ultapixel camera, because that's part of the reason I gave up with HTC. Too much of the same thing when they should just concentrate on one very good device :banghead:
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you use it just for that, well i wouldn't upgrade, it's a better quality photo, but that is just about it what you get with a brighter screen
Several factors to choose this or that phone..
Build quality comes first for me not power. Is why i never owned Samsung phones and stuck to HTC. HTC feel solid, despite the dust under the screen issue they had.
SD or no SD.. To me is not important.
Battery life depends on what power the phone packs.. and also what ROM you put in it if you choose to S=Off and offcourse Dev support
...camera.. if it is important.
I have little hopes for next iPhone.. They fooled me once already upgrading from 4 to 4S a while back which i regretted. I wouldn´t even get the 5 if i knew otherwise. Personally im done with iOS, the iPhones bore the hell out of me.. even when jailbroken.. besides i have an iPad.
Who came from a Galaxy S3? And how do you like the change? I'm coming over from being loyal to Samsung since the vibrant ( was HTC only before that). I Havnt liked the iterations of sense on previous HTC phones that's why I have been going with Samsung. Is the new sense 5.0 a lot better?
Those switching from s3 to one I would appreciate your opinions
my opinion is that I would never by a cheap piece of over priced plastic ever again. still holds true after holding an S4 yesterday.. software alone doesn't win me over.
me
I come from a galaxy s3....
I dont regret it a bit...
Wait till you hear the speakers....you will love it...
xdracco said:
my opinion is that I would never by a cheap piece of over priced plastic ever again. still holds true after holding an S4 yesterday.. software alone doesn't win me over.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I always thought you buy HTC for the software and Samsung for hardware. I still have an sgs2 with jb touchwiz (almost the same as the sgs3 ) but I believe Samsung is still lightyears behind HTC software wise. When I got the sgs2 I went for its specs but in the end it's software that gives you a pleasant experience and that pleasant sense experience turned to be very hard to port to Samsung devices.
I previously had a Galaxy Nexus with a port of TouchWiz on it, does that count?
I've actually owned both HTC and Samsung phones, and to this day I still prefer HTC. I started with the Nexus One, and really loved the build quality. I remember disliking the Nexus S when it came out because of its really cheap plastic construction. Samsung did finally win me over with the Galaxy Nexus because of the 720p screen, but it didn't take long to start getting some AMOLED burn on the top and bottom of the screen, and that really annoyed me. Plus the blacks on the N1 and GN weren't really true black anyway, as you can see the "black" pixels are actually still dimly lit when viewing the phones in complete darkness. It's a moot point compared to the display quality of the new Super LCD3, which is pretty acceptably "black" for me in low light.
By going back to the HTC One, I don't have to worry about screen burn, and I get the awesome HTC build quality. Most of my friends that still prefer Samsung are rocking a Note instead, because the S-Pen is really the only unique feature that they need. All the other TouchWiz specific apps are just rehashes of existing Google and other third party apps, so there's no point in spending extra to get the Samsung experience. There's also much less bloat in Sense 5, and I actually love using the IR blaster, and I think BlinkFeed is a pretty decent alternative to Flipboard and Google Currents, at least when I don't want to spend a lot of time configuring my news feeds.
For me, Sense 5 pretty much hits the sweet spot in terms of additional functionality versus bloat. I'm still accustomed to having huge developer support on Nexus devices, but I'm more comfortable running stock Sense than I was with stock Android, and may just keep the stock ROM for a few more months, or even indefinitely.
godutch said:
I always thought you buy HTC for the software and Samsung for hardware. I still have an sgs2 with jb touchwiz (almost the same as the sgs3 ) but I believe Samsung is still lightyears behind HTC software wise. When I got the sgs2 I went for its specs but in the end it's software that gives you a pleasant experience and that pleasant sense experience turned to be very hard to port to Samsung devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
true. very true. the software, in the end, is what end users will adapt to. personally, i don't care about the stock software as I end up customizing it anyways. however, i cannot agree that Samsung is for hardware unless you mean bleeding edge hardware and not so much the plastic. Even then, I could care less if a CPU is 200MHz faster than X as memory is a better determining factor, for me anyways.
I came from gs3 lte with 2GB of ram and I still have it. I use gs3 from time to time because I have some game on it with my data.
I have to say, WOW! The One is just so much better in every aspect, I mean every, I cannot think a single thing which it lacks of.
The screen is much clearer, sharper, lighter, it does not have the over saturated colour but still provide deep black.
The smoothness of the os is just so much better on One, even they both have 2 GB ram, s3 just lags here and there, even the basic things. When I did not get the One, I never realised the lag, but now I really can't go back to s3.
The sound, the build quality, the specs, and the camera, do I need to mention again?
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
I personally came from an HTC Desire HD, but my girlfriend has an S3 and for a while I thought I was going to go with one. Great phone and very slick. The plastic construction didn't even bother me as much as I thought it would. I really loved my DHD in the beginning but the newer Sense updates made the phone feel more sluggish IMO, so I was pretty much decided on either an S3 or Nexus 4. The way I saw it, I wasn't going to get an S4 because the improvements were pretty incremental, with a huge amount of bloatware and gimmicky features that I wasn't interested in. Considering I could get an S3 for free on a cheaper, better contract, it just didn't seem worth it.
Anyways, once I saw the phone I was tempted to go back to HTC, and trying it out in person totally cemented it. The screen, speakers and camera are fantastic, and Sense actually provides useful, and completely unique features that really appealed to me. It obliterates Touchwiz in speed and minimalism, whilst improving on the stock Android look and feel. HTC Zoe, lowlight photography and HDR microphone are killer features that I would really miss now if I was to switch to any other phone. It's the best bit of tech I've ever used, and has completely restored my faith in HTC.
To top it all off it's also cheaper than an S4, meaning I'm finally on an unlimited data plan for an extra £12 per year compared to what I was paying before. So with cloud storage I don't even need expandable memory. HTC has done so much right with this phone, and while I can see it's not perfect for everyone, it comes as close as humanly possible for my needs.
I came from S3 having owned S2 before that. Waited till S4 was released to have play with it not impressed soon as held one knew I had to get it. The speakers are awsome so is camera and features everything about it really lol
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
I came from s3 and I'm happy s3 is laggy, and TouchWiz is evil
---
DimonVideo.ru
Didn't come from a GS3 but I do respect that phone alot. Fantastic device.
However, I was heavily debating between the GS4 and the One. I must say, the One takes the cake, hands down.
Sense 5 is beautiful, fast, and functional - not nearly as bad as it used to be. I (truly) have not noticed any lag at all yet.
In my personal opinion, I don't care for the GS4 based off the design and TouchWiz.
After you hear the speakers, use the camera, and hold the One... I think you'll be sold, I was.
Just my 2 cents, friend. Let us know what you decide!
I went from a HTC Desire Z --> S3 --> One.
In fact the only reason I chose S3 over the One X last year was because I needed AWS (was on Wind mobile for a while). I actually would have bought the One X if I had the choice.
To me, the S3 is kind of ugly. The plastic (especially the flimsy battery door) really made the phone feel cheap. It's not to say that all plastic phones are cheap, only the way samsung makes them. I had a Nokia N9 for a couple of months and loved the build quality.
The screen on the One is definitely nicer. I prefer the bright, crisp look of LCD vs the pentile screen of the S3.
And the thing that really sucks on samsung devices is the touchwiz. It doesn't matter if you are running gingerbread or jellybean, it pretty much looks the same.
And coming from an desireZ I was surprised that the roms were not compatible even with the identical hardware (ie Wind S3 vs T-mobile S3). With my DZ i used to flash G2 roms all the time even though they had different hw. It seems to be the same case for the One.
The things that bug me about the One are the missing menu button (I know there are some hacks available) and the fact that NAND is write protected (until we figure out S-OFF). I also miss the quick notification menu settings but I'm sure there are apps/hacks that can add this functionality (haven't bothered looking yet).
I also came from a GS3. Its an underwhelming experience on many aspects in comparison to the One. Hated the lag when opening contacts and the dialer, evil Touchwiz. Very uninspiring.
Having said that it was an older device.
The One is just mesmerising....in all the right areas.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
Came from the S3 and it was a great upgrade
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
I came from the S3. I love the One. To me Sense 5 is less "cartoonish" than touchwiz.
The cool Touchwiz features like smart stay and such were cool at first but after a while a never used them. To me the incredible sound on this device trumps everything else for me. I watch YouTube and use speaker phone all the time. It makes such a different to use those things on a phone like this.
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
I still love my S3. It was my first truly fast phone and was the largest upgrade in speed, features, and screen. It always worked perfectly and I really didn't "need" an upgrade, but my wife did so I got the One and gave her my S3
The One seems nice so far. There are a few qwirks I'm hoping HTC can address soon, but I expect to like this phone just as much.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
I'm coming from an S3 as well. I'm far happier with the One than I ever was with the S3. I always found that Samsung gave their phones a ton of features that never really seemed to work. Like using the accelerometer to flip between pages and using the front facing camera to see my face so that if I'm lying down it doesn't auto rotate. These are great features on paper but in practice they never worked or didn't work very well. The HTC One is pretty much a no frills handset (compared to the S4 in terms of features) that's beautifully designed. Honestly, I hope HTC does well with this phone, it's finally an android experience that I've been happy with.
Came from the GS3. I wasn't sure I wanted the gs4 because it was so similar to the gs3. Once i held the htc one, it was over.
s4
I came from a S4,I didn't like the plastic and now with my One I'm so happy!!
I love sense,build ,sound,display etc etc..........
byebye Samsung!:fingers-crossed:
I came from the Canadian dual core galaxy s3 and I have to say that the One is at least 1000 times better. Sense isn't filled with a bunch of useless software things that clutter up your phone and the battery life is incredible. Not to mention that in games it's much quicker and have yet to experience any lag at all in any games including modern combat 4 which lagged like hell on my SGS3
Hi,
I know I'm pretty late to the game since this phone launched on Feb and it's Sept already.
I just recently thought of replacing my phone and I always liked the HTC One.
However as time goes, the One specs appear to be shadowed by other competing devices. I know Snapdragon 600 is nothing to sneeze at, but I'm talking about, well a year later or so. Will it still be relevant?
I had a bad experience with my Xperia Pro, while Sony is nicely handing ICS upgrade, its hardware simply can't cope with modern, multicore and ram-hogging apps.
I'm leaning to Xperia Z1 but more-or-less turned off by its screen size. (I hate gigantic phone).
Camera is not a deciding factor.
There are rumours saying HTC going to release One+ or something, but I'm taking it with a grain of salt, most likely the Tablet One will come first.
Should I buy HTC One? Or get another more recent device? Or wait for M8?
I'm sorta long term user, will replace phone every two years if nothing is wrong with the current one.
Thanks in advance, I could really use any One's user advice.
Sent from my MK16i using xda app-developers app
I got one today, and it is by no means a slouch and I can't see it becoming slow anytime soon. Maybe in 18 months time, but it's perfect at the moment. It may not get Android 5.0 when it comes out officially next year (Maybe), but the developers on XDA will surely support it.
It's still one of the best phones available, however at this point in the year, I think I would wait to see what the N5 looks like officially.
I'm already tempted by the G2.
Same question. I know you all have the HTC one but to me what's the selling point? I got a gs4 and someone wants to trade me a 32g HTC one. Besides storage, beats audio, less bloat, and build quality. why would the HTC one be better than gs4? Sell me on it
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337
For OP I suggest Z1,G2 if you are looking from newest devices. If i were you i would buy one of this phones. But if you don't like big phones, then One is perfect choice. It's beautiful, strong, good software and not bad camera. Main disadvantage to me is battery and log charging. I came from S4 because of lag. but overall S4 is realy nice device - good battery, very nice camera (i used it when i was on my vacation in Greece), nice screen and size.
---------- Post added at 06:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:28 AM ----------
[email protected] said:
Same question. I know you all have the HTC one but to me what's the selling point? I got a gs4 and someone wants to trade me a 32g HTC one. Besides storage, beats audio, less bloat, and build quality. why would the HTC one be better than gs4? Sell me on it
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are lucky with your S4 when i don't see why you should change to One
[email protected] said:
Same question. I know you all have the HTC one but to me what's the selling point? I got a gs4 and someone wants to trade me a 32g HTC one. Besides storage, beats audio, less bloat, and build quality. why would the HTC one be better than gs4? Sell me on it
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At this point, if you are an average user, which means you use smartphone just for read/reply email&news, social networks, gaming stuff, watch one or two videos, listen to music clips, then you are fine with this phone. The major features missing from other devices are Boomsound speakers, Zoe, Blinkfeed and soon to be released Android 4.3.
The other benefit is that you can find decent price. You can trade in an old iPhone or find special offers for HTC One easily. This doesn't happen for those latest devices.
ps. It might be better to keep the comparison stuff out of this thread. Otherwise this thread might be closed soon.:highfive:
@WhizzWr
you might want to see this
http://www.pocket-lint.com/review/123671-sony-xperia-z1-review
size, weight, screen and sound quality are issues on the Z1 as well as the high density camera sensors suffers in 1:1 precision due to the tiny pixel size
Came from the MK16i to the HTC One
After updating to ICS, the lag was horrible on my Pro. I rooted and flashed many ROM's but none were good enough.
So I bought the One.
If your main concern is that the phone will become slow within a year or so, then forget it. Google itself is pushing the new Nexus 7 which has a modified S4 Pro. The S600 on the One should be as fast as that one, at the very least. And because Google itself pushes new versions of Android every year or so, the One should be fast enough until after Android 4.4 Kitkat.
Now if you are worried about developers creating apps for S800 processors, then be cool. The S800 hasn't hit the Samsung Galaxy line yet at which point it will probably reach maximum market penetration.
And when you say memory hogging apps and stuff, I can only think of one case: games. All other apps like Facebook, Twitter and what not are designed to work on the maximum number of phones. Their aim is again market penetration and not faster performance. You can argue that it is a combo of both but I hope you see the point I am trying to make.
Now if you are thinking about games: fret not. The best/most demanding/a large number of games are usually made for iOS and then ported over to Android. So in this case you should probably be praying that Apple doesn't come up with better hardware than it already has. Because until this point Android phones and specifically Qualcomm has been able to reach upto or in some cases beat Cupertino's best hardware.
So relax, have fun and buy the One.
P.S: If you feel that the One is slowing down after a year or so, then again unlock -> root -> overclock.
True in regards to gaming, currently the GPU is faster than the iPhone 5 even when running at 1080p
Its pure performance lies between the iPhone 5 and 5s however when games are scaled from 720p or less they can still match the iPhone 5s (like Asphalt 8)
keeping in mind gaming on the HTC one requires root if you want to disable thermal throttling and boost CPU for accelerometer heavy 3D games and if you want to unlock it to full speed 487mhz
iPhone 5s GPU, Egypt HD offscreen 1080p: 56fps
HTC One GPU 487mhz 4.3, 3.17 firmware, Egypt HD offscreen 1080p: 48fps
iPhone 5 GPU, Egypt HD offscreen 1080p: 29.7fps
Everyone, lot of thanks for your opinion, I'd expected some bias since this is HTC One forum, but I think a lot of your answers are quite impartial. :victory:
@I Am Marino @pokosik
One thing I liked of HTC is its physical design: the dimension, colour tone and material.
Nexus devices are great, but I'm not really into Google's plain design, that's about the same with Samsung and LG. Those phones are definitely not bad, but if I can choose HTC One, I'll choose HTC One, if design aspect is the only single consideration.
I think I'm going to emphasize on the hardware durability and future-proof-ness aspect.
what are you guys thinking? (e.g @Liam0102 said One won't slow anytime soon, perhaps in 18 months).
@hamdir thanks for the review. I have read it. Z1 has some quirks, but they are relatively minor compared to its form-factor.
Big screen is nice. A lot of things like watching movie is better of bigger screen, but my problem lies within holding and handling a large phone. 5 inch phones feels and looks awkward when I hold it. Perhaps it's just a matter of getting used to it, but holding those 5 incher feels strangely like being an attention seeker shouting "here look at my phone" I'm not sure but I think it's also gonna be easier for those prying eyes LOL.
Yet another runours there going to be Z1 mini.. will definitely look at it.
IMHO Z1's slab glass design is classy, but i'll choose One anodized aluminium any day of the week.
I'm still open to any suggestion.
Cheers! :victory:
Which one do you guys prefer HTC one or galaxy s4?
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Switched from the s4 to HTC one yesterday.loving it so far. don't miss any of the touchwiz gimmicks from the s4, had rooted and gone with pacman Rom anyway.
Loving the build quality of the one.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
@WhizzWr
Well the HTC One is not that small either but certainly lighter and more pocketable than the Z1
but there is one factor you are forgetting here
both the speakers, earphones and sound recording quality on the HTC One are still unmatched, out of this world even
if you ask me its worth the asking price itself, equally if you like shooting photos of your friends and family HTC Zoe, low light and video highlights are gold
as for durability the HTC One is a sealed single piece design, also the metal is a little slippery, a cover like the official double flip cover or at least a transparent slim cover is a must, it also prevents you from feeling the heat during heavy use since the HTC One body is design as heatsink for the CPU, it can heat but it quickly gets of rid of it as well
Hmm, thx guys, maybe I'll switch
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Don't forget there's the Z1 Mini! There are images rolling around with it next to the Z1. Rumored to have the same specs just with a smaller, iphone sized screen.
IMO I'd wait until after 4.3 if getting this phone. You may end up with one of the purple low light cameras. The final 4.3 release is supposed to fix it apparently.
getbacktosrinu said:
After updating to ICS, the lag was horrible on my Pro. I rooted and flashed many ROM's but none were good enough.
So I bought the One.
If your main concern is that the phone will become slow within a year or so, then forget it. Google itself is pushing the new Nexus 7 which has a modified S4 Pro. The S600 on the One should be as fast as that one, at the very least. And because Google itself pushes new versions of Android every year or so, the One should be fast enough until after Android 4.4 Kitkat.
Now if you are worried about developers creating apps for S800 processors, then be cool. The S800 hasn't hit the Samsung Galaxy line yet at which point it will probably reach maximum market penetration.
And when you say memory hogging apps and stuff, I can only think of one case: games. All other apps like Facebook, Twitter and what not are designed to work on the maximum number of phones. Their aim is again market penetration and not faster performance. You can argue that it is a combo of both but I hope you see the point I am trying to make.
Now if you are thinking about games: fret not. The best/most demanding/a large number of games are usually made for iOS and then ported over to Android. So in this case you should probably be praying that Apple doesn't come up with better hardware than it already has. Because until this point Android phones and specifically Qualcomm has been able to reach upto or in some cases beat Cupertino's best hardware.
So relax, have fun and buy the One.
P.S: If you feel that the One is slowing down after a year or so, then again unlock -> root -> overclock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aha! an ex-PRO user! you must also understand my lagging agony
...and your answer happens to be about the exact answer I'm looking for! :highfive:
The iOS port comment is especially insightful, I never thought of that! Thanks! that's a lot of explanation.
Additionally, While I'm a casual gamer, I'm a heavy multi-tasker (e.g switching a decent amount of apps, opening *a lot* of browser tabs, a little high on widget usage also).
Do any of you think One going to slow down in a year for that usage scenario??
hamdir said:
@WhizzWr
Well the HTC One is not that small either but certainly lighter and more pocketable than the Z1
but there is one factor you are forgetting here
both the speakers, earphones and sound recording quality on the HTC One are still unmatched, out of this world even
if you ask me its worth the asking price itself, equally if you like shooting photos of your friends and family HTC Zoe, low light and video highlights are gold
as for durability the HTC One is a sealed single piece design, also the metal is a little slippery, a cover like the official double flip cover or at least a transparent slim cover is a must, it also prevents you from feeling the heat during heavy use since the HTC One body is design as heatsink for the CPU, it can heat but it quickly gets of rid of it as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed, 5inch vs 4.7inch isn't that far apart. You are spot on, pocketable is the keyword. I'm actually more a 4-incher guy, but One design is rather efficient in terms of space usage (no extra gaps, etc), thanks to it's unibody build.
Sound quality is a big plus, will note that.
I don't take photo a lot. Any decent camera will do.
Again I appreciate everyone who has give their share of opinion.
Thread closed,
Phone comparison threads are not allowed. Which this has turned into.
First of all let me make it clear I. Love. This. Phone. No question this is the best - functionality wise - phone I have had in more than 10 years. Because it is my daily driver and the attention grabber everywhere I went (until the S6 edge came out) I am even more disappointed/disturbed by Samsung treating the phone, and those that really like, as disposable.
Because Samsung billed this as a concept phone there is virtually ZERO real development for the edge panel since it was announced last September. The bad part is that Samsung themselves could have made useful panels but instead they dropped the ball. How many months more will we see that the panel store is "coming soon"? Instead of exploiting this feature and keeping us engaged it is now an exercise in futility hitting the download button to see the same panels or virtually useless ones that are not in a language you don't understand or is of zero use.
Then there s the ROM aspect. I used to do more flashing that Barry Allen back in the day. Have you seen the number of fully functional ROMS for this phone. It is slim to none. It seems Sammy's lack of passion to push the phone has pushed chefs to other devices. This is squarely on Samsung.
Lastly, I am an accessory fiend - admittedly. Finding GOOD accessories and add-on's to this phone have be like finding the Lost Ark of the Covenant. From buying 9 different screen protectors that promise to protect the actual edge - that don't or looking for a functional case almost everything is a chore or a serious waiting game. they have sucked the fun of really getting into this device - for me at least.
If this new article is to be believed they are even going to cut down on some of the specs from the Note 5 equivalent: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ge-2-features-leaked/articleshow/47204012.cms. I will not believe it until I see it but I do not feel good about the next iteration of the phone either. When you consider that there is no removable battery in the S6 nor a micro slot either things do not look good.
If things go as the article states and I see that the marketing and exposure for the Note Edge 2 or anemic I will stick with what I have now. Again, I love this phone which makes the stagnant interaction on this board and in products tick me off more. This could have easily been avoided.
I totally agree with everything you have said. I was so excited about the Galaxy Edge announcement! A phone with two screens and great specs. I still love my phone but like you I am extremely disappointed at the lack of development for our devices. I too used to flash a new ROM every few weeks but I can't. I also can't believe Samsung took their eye of the ball and stopped giving us Edge owners (people who put faith in their 'concept' design)exclusives or even panels (which was promised).
I have made a few posts in the DEV section asking why we have so few ROMS/tweaks etc. Apparently it is to do with not having the source code..even though it has been released..so I'm not sure if this is the real reason etc
I kinda agree as well. This phone has been rather dissapointing to me. Not because of lack of potential but lack of support and development. This phone had the potential to be epic but it is now shadowed by the over hyped s6 edge. Oh well. Im guessing because the s6 edge has had a great bit of responsiveness and praise the next note edge will be better supported. I kinda am torn with the idea of a smaller screen but 5.5 is still a good size screen.
Sent from my SM-N915P using XDA Free mobile app
I absolutely disagree entirely
---------- Post added at 06:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:38 AM ----------
Let me explain. ...
It's supposed to be a useful accessory. .... not a full blown new gadget.
When u look at it in that context it is incredible.
Just the
1) nightclock
2) edge board as the app tray
3) quicksetting shortcut functions
4) a second screen when dealing with quick functions such as music player etc
Are enough to make this worthwhile as adding tangible beneficial functionality.
Anything else is a bonus and won't really add much more utility. Yes it would be nice but won't add that much.
I'd bought this after some indecision as was pretty sure it wouldn't get developer support given the limited numbers. Took the plunge because the edge was just too enticing.
Couple of months on, am quite happy overall. The phone itself, as everyone agrees, is fantastic. Plus,
1. Lots of cases now, from flip to non flip. Range covers the edge as well as leaving it open.
2. Screen protectors have been a pain, especially the lack of glass ones. The plastic ones, however, do cover the full edge, and are quite smooth. You have to wait for a week or so for all the bubbles to vanish and the surface to really smoothen out, though.
3. ROMS are in short supply, but as if now, find it is responsive enough without too many tweaks. A lot of the mods for Note 4 work quite well, which eases the pain.
4. The Samsung panel store started well and then died out. But there are quite a few very useful productivity panels coming on play store now. I particularly like the quick settings and quick contacts ones. Still some shortage of content based feeds etc, but don't think that will be resolved.
So some minuses, but overall still very good. No thanks to Samsung, of course (which is the point of the OP, I suppose) ☺
4.
arbit12 said:
I'd bought this after some indecision as was pretty sure it wouldn't get developer support given the limited numbers. Took the plunge because the edge was just too enticing.
Couple of months on, am quite happy overall. The phone itself, as everyone agrees, is fantastic. Plus,
1. Lots of cases now, from flip to non flip. Range covers the edge as well as leaving it open.
2. Screen protectors have been a pain, especially the lack of glass ones. The plastic ones, however, do cover the full edge, and are quite smooth. You have to wait for a week or so for all the bubbles to vanish and the surface to really smoothen out, though.
3. ROMS are in short supply, but as if now, find it is responsive enough without too many tweaks. A lot of the mods for Note 4 work quite well, which eases the pain.
4. The Samsung panel store started well and then died out. But there are quite a few very useful productivity panels coming on play store now. I particularly like the quick settings and quick contacts ones. Still some shortage of content based feeds etc, but don't think that will be resolved.
So some minuses, but overall still very good. No thanks to Samsung, of course (which is the point of the OP, I suppose) ☺
4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) I agree about the range of cases but prefer the a flip that covers the edge. ...
Imo the protection is more important than the visibility.... 99% of the time u need the edge only. ... there is no problem with leaving the flip open. Eg when using as a night clock.
2) I think screen protectors are pointless. ...especially if u have a flip case.
Any protector inevitably takes away from usability.
I agree to an extent with the op. I guess one of the things I am most disappointed about is that ever since lollipop came out for our edge phones, the main features that were HUGE turn on to the edge screen have been removed. Case in point, the camera button that was on the edge screen is now off to the side of the phone. Even what little they offered in the edge screen in kit Kat has been reduced even further with lollipop. I truly feel that as great as this phone is, I should have stayed with my note 4. The edge was seriously overhyped to bring us in and then dropped like raw egg on concrete.
Sent from my SM-N915P using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2
I love love this phone. When I heard that S6 was to be edged both sides I was very disappointed in what they did to that generation. No removable battery and slot for SD card , I feel like I'm look I ng at a CrApple phone. If this is the way Samsung is going, I'll keep this phone till it dies and look elsewhere.
Sent from my SM-N915P using XDA Premium HD app
djsbad said:
I agree to an extent with the op. I guess one of the things I am most disappointed about is that ever since lollipop came out for our edge phones, the main features that were HUGE turn on to the edge screen have been removed. Case in point, the camera button that was on the edge screen is now off to the side of the phone. Even what little they offered in the edge screen in kit Kat has been reduced even further with lollipop. I truly feel that as great as this phone is, I should have stayed with my note 4. The edge was seriously overhyped to bring us in and then dropped like raw egg on concrete.
Sent from my SM-N915P using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Am wondering whether to upgrade. Could you mention any other negative changes? Thanks.
arbit12 said:
Am wondering whether to upgrade. Could you mention any other negative changes? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If u like playing around with ROMS etc... then don't buy it.
If u r not fussed by that sort of stuff. ... there isn't a better phone in the world.
Should have clarified. I already have the edge. Wondering whether to upgrade to Lollipop
sand1303 said:
I kinda agree as well. This phone has been rather dissapointing to me. Not because of lack of potential but lack of support and development. This phone had the potential to be epic but it is now shadowed by the over hyped s6 edge. Oh well. Im guessing because the s6 edge has had a great bit of responsiveness and praise the next note edge will be better supported. I kinda am torn with the idea of a smaller screen but 5.5 is still a good size screen.
Sent from my SM-N915P using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that for the most part the disappointment comes at the hands of Samsung. sure, would I love for the battery to have been bigger and give me a solid 6 hours screen time...of course. but from form factor, wow factor, functionality standpoint this phone is awesome. I just feel that by abandoning it - at launch - they left a lot on the table.
djsbad said:
I agree to an extent with the op. I guess one of the things I am most disappointed about is that ever since lollipop came out for our edge phones, the main features that were HUGE turn on to the edge screen have been removed. Case in point, the camera button that was on the edge screen is now off to the side of the phone. Even what little they offered in the edge screen in kit Kat has been reduced even further with lollipop. I truly feel that as great as this phone is, I should have stayed with my note 4. The edge was seriously overhyped to bring us in and then dropped like raw egg on concrete.
Sent from my SM-N915P using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I, personally, feel I got everything I expected and more. Especially from a superficial perspective. This phone turns heads -and go a few numbers for me :good: based on people not knowing what the heck it was. I actually got 6 people to buy the phone base on my conversation with them about all its features. With lollipop coming so late/ changing accustomed to features, the panel store sucking and limited to no development I can see how "overhyped" could be applied but for me its only from the standpoint that my expectation level was higher from a Samsung support and development standpoint.
countryg1rl said:
I love love this phone. When I heard that S6 was to be edged both sides I was very disappointed in what they did to that generation. No removable battery and slot for SD card , I feel like I'm look I ng at a CrApple phone. If this is the way Samsung is going, I'll keep this phone till it dies and look elsewhere.
Sent from my SM-N915P using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Amen brother! I saw the S6 in silver and was impressed by the look of it. when I saw the emasculated features of the side panels the first thing I thought of was: they are going to do something monumentally horrible to the note edge 2. Then I read the article I posted. I have not rooted the phone because, for the most part, it is a beast out the box. But if you are going to make the screen smaller, no removable battery, no card slot and have continually crappy support and development then I will stick with what I have until something better comes along. The sad part is that I am REALLY brand loyal. If you treat me right I will get in line to hand you my money for what I believe is something worthy to be purchased. Samsung is really making me question them. Yes, the note 5 is probably going to be a beast but I really like the Note edge dangnabbit and want them to just do what's right by the people they sold the edge to.
arbit12 said:
Should have clarified. I already have the edge. Wondering whether to upgrade to Lollipop
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I took the plunge cuz so many people who flashed it said it made the phone run faster. no such luck here and my battery drains faster. If I could un-do it I would. But everyone's experience is not the same.
arbit12 said:
Am wondering whether to upgrade. Could you mention any other negative changes? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In all honesty, the phone itself is awesome! I love the note edge. The problem is samsung development. They could have blown this to the moon and beyond, but it seems like they are trying to pull backon the edge screen. Even kitkat had more to offer than lollipop. The lollipop update has removed quite a bit of the edge screen features that made it so attractive to begin with.
I'd still buy the edge, but if they keep removing edge screen features, then id rather go back the note 4
Welcome to Samsung Folks
As much as I hate to say it, this is no different from what Samsung has always done in the past. This is their business model. The sooner they can obsolete devices, the sooner they can sell more.
The amazing thing is that they get the device to the point where it works very well, with the bare minimum features and stability they can get away with, and then totally forget about the device. The Gear S on my wrist, the Note 10.1 2012 and 2014, the Note 2, all of these devices Samsung got to work, worked out the majority of bugs, and left them without looking back.
This is what they do. Sadly, you buy a Galaxy device for what it is now, not what it can become in the future. They are locking them down tighter so developers can't do anything anymore, and carriers are loving every moment of it.
I watched videos of Samsung's developer conference and it was sparse. No one wants to mess with their devices anymore, and sadly, people messing with their devices is what got them to where they are now. That is what's changed. Just like jailbreaking iPhones was huge early on but fizzled out after Apple started to sell more devices based on the eye catching features outweighing the desire for customizability, rooting and building custom roms is fizzling out as Samsung sells crocksh*ts of Galaxy devices that have three or four excellent features that keep people buying them blindly without caring about customization.
Blogs are ignoring these issues brought up by OP because they are being paid or coerced or conned by Samsung into glorifying everything about the S6, while actively ignoring the Note. "If we give you this tester device, you aren't allowed to talk negatively about any of our other devices, and are limited to saying X, Y or Z about those other devices."
Samsung knows that the Note is the BEST phablet, or really, it is the BEST Android phone out there. Hands down. I'm not saying that because I like it, I'm saying it because based upon the balance between features and price, it is number one.
I have a Nexus 6. It isn't all that it is cracked up to be, and I wonder whether that's because Google is slacking off. In any case, I bought the Nexus a few days ago, and I'm already done with it. It is clearly a baseline phone. Current roms have nothing but kernel mods, everyone is trying to make it more "buttery smooth," and Xposed has been trampled by Samsung's big boot.
So what's really going on? Is Samsung thinking they don't have to try so hard because no matter what any other manufacturers do, they won't be able to match Samsung's eye catching features? Look at LG's attempts. They are good, but not ground breaking.
In any case, Google and manufacturers are taking back our customizability from us, and forcing us into the iPhone model, while throwing out a bone here and there and acting like Android is still the customizable and open ecosystem it has always been.
There it is.
sbrownla said:
As much as I hate to say it, this is no different from what Samsung has always done in the past. This is their business model. The sooner they can obsolete devices, the sooner they can sell more.
The amazing thing is that they get the device to the point where it works very well, with the bare minimum features and stability they can get away with, and then totally forget about the device. The Gear S on my wrist, the Note 10.1 2012 and 2014, the Note 2, all of these devices Samsung got to work, worked out the majority of bugs, and left them without looking back.
This is what they do. Sadly, you buy a Galaxy device for what it is now, not what it can become in the future. They are locking them down tighter so developers can't do anything anymore, and carriers are loving every moment of it.
I watched videos of Samsung's developer conference and it was sparse. No one wants to mess with their devices anymore, and sadly, people messing with their devices is what got them to where they are now. That is what's changed. Just like jailbreaking iPhones was huge early on but fizzled out after Apple started to sell more devices based on the eye catching features outweighing the desire for customizability, rooting and building custom roms is fizzling out as Samsung sells crocksh*ts of Galaxy devices that have three or four excellent features that keep people buying them blindly without caring about customization.
Blogs are ignoring these issues brought up by OP because they are being paid or coerced or conned by Samsung into glorifying everything about the S6, while actively ignoring the Note. "If we give you this tester device, you aren't allowed to talk negatively about any of our other devices, and are limited to saying X, Y or Z about those other devices."
Samsung knows that the Note is the BEST phablet, or really, it is the BEST Android phone out there. Hands down. I'm not saying that because I like it, I'm saying it because based upon the balance between features and price, it is number one.
I have a Nexus 6. It isn't all that it is cracked up to be, and I wonder whether that's because Google is slacking off. In any case, I bought the Nexus a few days ago, and I'm already done with it. It is clearly a baseline phone. Current roms have nothing but kernel mods, everyone is trying to make it more "buttery smooth," and Xposed has been trampled by Samsung's big boot.
So what's really going on? Is Samsung thinking they don't have to try so hard because no matter what any other manufacturers do, they won't be able to match Samsung's eye catching features? Look at LG's attempts. They are good, but not ground breaking.
In any case, Google and manufacturers are taking back our customizability from us, and forcing us into the iPhone model, while throwing out a bone here and there and acting like Android is still the customizable and open ecosystem it has always been.
There it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude, the market moves a an absolutely blistering pace.. Before one device is even completed the tech inside of it is basically obsolete think of it from an research and development standpoint. They have to develop the best device they can, which I feel they do a damn good job at, so during the time of development they have to already be looking ahead to the next iteration of the same device. It's a giant cycle of constant improvement that takes time to design, to then develop, to implement it , and then market the **** out of it and in background the new device is already begun it's design and development process .. Samsung more so that not, delivers a top of the line device consistantly.. we here on xda tend to be more knowledgeable and more used to the tech than the average consumer whom maybe coming from some crap device to even a note 3 which would blow their mind not to mention the note 4 or edge. Come on Samsung is constantly smashing the competing oems in tech and design. Htc doesn't count because their internals are absolutely horrible, I don't care what it looks like because I know it's a pile of garbage. LG just looks at Samsung and then kangs the f out of them. Their ui is so twiz like it's not even funny. Except it runs like crap. Nice cams that's it. Samsung does a damn fine job in my opinion. Better than any other oem by miles. They aren't perfect, but they are still the best.
jdidtht said:
Dude, the market moves a an absolutely blistering pace.. Before one device is even completed the tech inside of it is basically obsolete think of it from an research and development standpoint. They have to develop the best device they can, which I feel they do a damn good job at, so during the time of development they have to already be looking ahead to the next iteration of the same device. It's a giant cycle of constant improvement that takes time to design, to then develop, to implement it , and then market the **** out of it and in background the new device is already begun it's design and development process .. Samsung more so that not, delivers a top of the line device consistantly.. we here on xda tend to be more knowledgeable and more used to the tech than the average consumer whom maybe coming from some crap device to even a note 3 which would blow their mind not to mention the note 4 or edge. Come on Samsung is constantly smashing the competing oems in tech and design. Htc doesn't count because their internals are absolutely horrible, I don't care what it looks like because I know it's a pile of garbage. LG just looks at Samsung and then kangs the f out of them. Their ui is so twiz like it's not even funny. Except it runs like crap. Nice cams that's it. Samsung does a damn fine job in my opinion. Better than any other oem by miles. They aren't perfect, but they are still the best.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No one argues, it is the best of the tippity top phones on the market.. the argument is in the developement and lack of support. Its like buying a laptop in order to have adobe photoshop where ever you are, and then finding out that they will no longer offer adobe photoshop to that one model. And then you find out that the next model of the same laptop is getting adobe photoshop, office suite pro, 283tb of unlimited cloud storage, and a date with sofia vergara with a garanteed handjob.... tell me you wouldnt be just a lil upset.. lol
arbit12 said:
Should have clarified. I already have the edge. Wondering whether to upgrade to Lollipop
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've recently upgraded to lollipop and at first I hated it - made my phone run slow, hot, and the battery drained super fast. As much as I hated doing it, I did the dreaded factory reset and restore, painstakingly loading back on the hundreds of apps and settings. But so far it's been worth it and the phone feels snappier than before. I can't really comment on battery life yet but hopefully that will be better too.
As for negatives I don't like that you can't deactivate the lollipop style notifications as now when browsing YouTube the notifications cover the screen.
Regarding the camera, I actually prefer to have the shutter button on screen, as it's easier to hit and the position of my fingers mean that I know longer get a finger in the shot!
I really wish I saw this thread yesterday!!! I just came home with the Sprint variant and found this two minutes after I updated to Lollipop and rooted.. Are you serious? Did I just drop $800 on "THE BEST DEVICE SINCE SILICON WAS DISCOVERED!!" that is basically a Betamax player already?!? (showing my age with that reference..) If I read y'all correctly, I'm stuck with TouchWiz, I can't discover that perfect "unknown" little custom ROM to flash, and I basically ruined the eponymous Edge by upgrading from 4.4.4? Really? K.. deep breath...
Lollipop has killed the Edge. It was a great phone out of the box with Kit Kat. Although AT&T shoved the update down our throats, the community has come through with a downgrade. Development has been slow but im sure and hope itll come around. Its my daily driver and I am more content with smaller mods and full functionality over full blown customization.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using XDA Premium HD app