Database Users

[Q] Next Freedom phone

Nexus One was appealing because it was stock and no bloatware. Now that Verizon has ruined the Nexus Galaxy, what phone should I get?
I would stick with my N1, but the touchscreen issues really slow down my typing and the light sensor has gone bad. I'm Tmobile and obviously willing to pay for unlocked phones and/or rooting to CM. Native-battery-percentage-4-life
Amaze 4g
Samsung SII

Maybe the Galaxy S2 LTE or whatever it's called?
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk

The Verizon one?
Sent from my Nexus One using xda premium

hebetude said:
The Verizon one?
Sent from my Nexus One using xda premium
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Uhm, I'm really not that familiar with service operators over in the united states, seeing as I'm from beyond the ocean. Sweden, actually, if you didn't notice the flag
I've heard mostly good about T-mobile, so maybe you ought to buy one of their phones?
But I've heard rumors saying the LTE will only be released here in Europe.

hebetude said:
Nexus One was appealing because it was stock and no bloatware. Now that Verizon has ruined the Nexus Galaxy, what phone should I get?
I would stick with my N1, but the touchscreen issues really slow down my typing and the light sensor has gone bad. I'm Tmobile and obviously willing to pay for unlocked phones and/or rooting to CM. Native-battery-percentage-4-life
Amaze 4g
Samsung SII
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Galaxy note is very tempting, that or wait until next batch of phones with quad core, GS3 or other. I am probably going to cave and just get the GS2, it is a beautiful device even with the lower resolution.

Yeah ces is next week. I think I will be waiting as well
Sent from my Nexus One using xda premium

Theshawty said:
But I've heard rumors saying the LTE will only be released here in Europe.
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I am beyond the ocean as well, but I believe LTE versions are typically only for CDMA based phones. So Verizon in the states uses LTE. GSM phones are the more common worldwide versions.
And to the OP, you can get a non-Verizon Galaxy Nexus, as long as you import it. As far as I am still aware, there are still no GSM versions of the Galaxy Nexus available in the states (at least through any carriers, some places may have imported them from Europe).
I too am eagerly awaiting CES. I am eligible for my upgrade with T-Mobile US in February (I am in a unique situation with them with me being overseas), and I hope they get something like the Galaxy Nexus but with a sdcard slot. I don't get why they wouldn't put that in there

To make it simple for simple like the kindle and iphone
Sent from my Nexus One using xda premium

hebetude said:
Nexus One was appealing because it was stock and no bloatware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, I got it because I knew it would get the dev-love. I've been on custom roms since the day I got it (mostly CM). Stock Android is just as boring to me as bloatware would've been annoying to me - either way I don't have root.
Want to get a GN but are worried about bloatware? Get it and get a custom rom - it's so obvious what to do with a Nexus.

[Q] i9500 vs i9505 vs The 'Google Edition' S4

I'm going to buy the S4 in a few weeks, and I can't decide which one to choose, especially after google released the one running vanilla android.
The international, i9500 exynos variant is the best one, I think, as its the international version and it might get more dev support.
on the other hand, the i9505 snapdragon variant is more reliable when it comes to dev support, as qualcomm does release the source code for its SD600 processor.
The google edition, as its going to support LTE, i think will be based on the i9505, as our dear Samsung very conveniently disable the LTE radios on its exynos processors.
So I am confused which one to buy.
If i get the i9505 (snapdragon), would i be able to flash an AOSP/AOKP rom perfectly, without any issues? Like will I be able to switch between AOSP and touchwiz without any hassle? and as the google edition will have the same chipset, would i be able to run rock solid and bug free aosp roms on it? (i honestly am more inclined towards touchwiz than aosp/aokp, but i dont mind switching for some time)
Also, I heard that i9500 has a better camera sensor, and has slightly better battery life than i9505. Is that true?
And qualcomm is going to release the snapdragon 800 within a couple of months, and i dont want to buy a phone for about $800 (nearly 50k in rupees here in India) only to realize that my latest gadget is now obsolete. I have already experienced that with my iPad 3 .
I'll be moving to USA in august for college, and honestly, i dont think LTE would be much use to me as 3G is more than enough for my needs. Plus LTE is a huge battery hog.
Also, as our dear Samsung does not release source code for exynos, more CM/AOKP/PA devs will move towards the i9505, and with that logic, the i9500 should get more support from devs working on TW based roms, like salesale and :indie: (I love neatrom on my S2).
So which one should I get?
P.S. Only the i9500 version is available in India, I'll have to get the i9505 from amazon if I end up buying that.

Just be careful what bands the phone supports. I think if you in the States it would be wise to get your carrier branded version
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium HD app

Obagleyfreer said:
Just be careful what bands the phone supports. I think if you in the States it would be wise to get your carrier branded version
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium HD app
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as both the i9500 and i9505 are unlocked and unbranded, I think I'll go for either of them, as they will be compatible with all bands worldwide, not only US and India. Also, I prefer not to be tied to a network with a contract. (I'm more of a free bird )
But the question that remians in, which one should I go for? The i9500, the i9505, or the stock google edition?
The google edition will be based on i9505, so on one hand i'll recieve updates as soon as they are released, but would i be able to switch between AOSP roms and TW-based roms?

diwakarchopra said:
as both the i9500 and i9505 are unlocked and unbranded, I think I'll go for either of them, as they will be compatible with all bands worldwide, not only US and India. Also, I prefer not to be tied to a network with a contract. (I'm more of a free bird )
But the question that remians in, which one should I go for? The i9500, the i9505, or the stock google edition?
The google edition will be based on i9505, so on one hand i'll recieve updates as soon as they are released, but would i be able to switch between AOSP roms and TW-based roms?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just received my i9500 a week ago and I am lovin it! The phone is one heckuva beast and I have yet to run into any problems with it. Also a heads up, I've heard TouchWiz runs smoother on the i9500 than the i9505 as it is optimized for it better. The camera is definitely one of this phone's highlights and I can say for myself that I see the differences in camera sensors/image quality between the two.

Sorry for the late reply, I was busy with my high school finals!
And thank you all for your opinions, but im still pretty much confused on which one to go for. the i9500 or thr i9505?
As I said before, the variant needs to be GSM, and only two networks in the US offer GSM: AT&T and T-Mobile.
I'll be moving to West-Lafayette, Indiana in a couple of months, therefore, I need to know which one of the two (AT&T and TMobile) would support the GS4 properly. I dont care about 4G LTE as HSDPA+ is fast enough for me, but I've heard that some frequencies don't work properly on those networks, resulting in poor reception and slow data transfer speeds.
So, it would be really helpful is someone could point me in the right direction, should I go for i9500 or i9505? I'm a bit more inclined towards i9500.
Thanks in advance!

Go for the one with Samsung's modified version of Android. Don't wait for the Google Edition. The advantage with this one is as soon the Google Edition drops, there will be AOSP ROMs for the Samsung edition S4 but the vice-versa won't be true.

echenze said:
Go for the one with Samsung's modified version of Android. Don't wait for the Google Edition. The advantage with this one is as soon the Google Edition drops, there will be AOSP ROMs for the Samsung edition S4 but the vice-versa won't be true.
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That's all fine, but now I'm asking which one should I go for? the i9500 (Exynos) or the i9505 (snapdragon)? I'm not sure which one would work better in Lafayette Indiana on AT&T or T-Mobile (in terms of network coverage, 3G download/upload speeds etc)

S4 or S4 active

Just trying to see if I want to keep my active or just get the 32gb version and give my son my 16gb. The active seems to be laggy compared to the s4 but all the cases don't fit and I think there's more to the changes. The storage does show over 10gb available versus the 9gb on my s4. Does anyone think development will be a factor or will most i337 roms work once a recovery solution is available? I have both now but just curious what others think. This is not to pit one against the other just curious. Will other carriers carry the active?
Sent from my i337 using xda premium.

I don't think the i337 roms will work since the camera and screen are different they'd have to be ported. And the regular s4 will have much more development especially since it isn't carrier exclusive or anything.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

[Q] Which Galaxy S4 for AT&T / Root

Hello -
I'm considering getting a Galaxy S4. I heard and read elsewhere that there are some issues with rooting on the AT&T device (no good recovery procedures, etc.)? This will be my first android device, but I'm fairly technical (and a developer) - I used to be more active on these forums in the windows mobile days. Here are some details regarding what I'm looking for:
Ability to remove all the bloatware from the device, and run a fairly stock Android version, retaining my ability to customize
Ability to use all frequencies on AT&T, including 4G (and not just on one band)
Stability
Would like a ROM that has USB audio support - I have several USB DACs and when I am done using this as a primary phone, I'd like to try using it as a dedicated media player / 4G hotstpot in my car.
Large infrastructure for device compatibilty and accessories
Decent camera/camera software
Good navigation software that works even where data connections are spotty
Choice of colors (probably want a grey/black device - I do not like the white S4)
Expandable memory (or 64GB onboard)
Replaceable / expandable battery support - this one is a nice to have, not a must
It looked like the Google Play edition had all the same bands/antennas as the AT&T version, but I'm not sure. Deal breaker there is the 16GB and white only options. Which version of this phone should I get, assuming this is even the right phone for me? Will the Note 3 be better?

essaudio said:
Hello -
I'm considering getting a Galaxy S4. I heard and read elsewhere that there are some issues with rooting on the AT&T device (no good recovery procedures, etc.)? This will be my first android device, but I'm fairly technical (and a developer) - I used to be more active on these forums in the windows mobile days. Here are some details regarding what I'm looking for:
Ability to remove all the bloatware from the device, and run a fairly stock Android version, retaining my ability to customize
Ability to use all frequencies on AT&T, including 4G (and not just on one band)
Stability
Would like a ROM that has USB audio support - I have several USB DACs and when I am done using this as a primary phone, I'd like to try using it as a dedicated media player / 4G hotstpot in my car.
Large infrastructure for device compatibilty and accessories
Decent camera/camera software
Good navigation software that works even where data connections are spotty
Choice of colors (probably want a grey/black device - I do not like the white S4)
Expandable memory (or 64GB onboard)
Replaceable / expandable battery support - this one is a nice to have, not a must
It looked like the Google Play edition had all the same bands/antennas as the AT&T version, but I'm not sure. Deal breaker there is the 16GB and white only options. Which version of this phone should I get, assuming this is even the right phone for me? Will the Note 3 be better?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want a GS4 that works on AT&T, and you want LTE, you have two realistic choices:
1. The SGH-I337 AT&T carrier-branded variant. The pros are that you can get it in 32GB and you have color options. You also get a ton of software features that are built into Touchwiz, including the amazing camera app. The cons are that the most recent firmware has a bootloader that's locked down tighter than a crab's ass. You can root it, but custom recoveries and ROMs are off the table.
2. The GT-I9505G Google Play Edition. The pros are that it's got an unlockable bootloader, it gets Android updates very quickly, and it's not full of carrier and Samsung junk. You can root or flash custom recoveries, kernels, or ROMs very easily a-la Nexus devices. The cons are that it's 16 GB and it only comes in white. Also, you lack some of the cool software features that Touchwiz provides because the phone runs stock Android.
If you want a GS4 that runs on AT&T but don't care about LTE, you can also buy an unlocked GT-I9500 or GT-I9505 from Europe. With either of those devices, you'll get HSPA+ on AT&T, but no LTE.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

oldblue910 said:
If you want a GS4 that works on AT&T, and you want LTE, you have two realistic choices:
1. The SGH-I337 AT&T carrier-branded variant. The pros are that you can get it in 32GB and you have color options. You also get a ton of software features that are built into Touchwiz, including the amazing camera app. The cons are that the most recent firmware has a bootloader that's locked down tighter than a crab's ass. You can root it, but custom recoveries and ROMs are off the table.
2. The GT-I9505G Google Play Edition. The pros are that it's got an unlockable bootloader, it gets Android updates very quickly, and it's not full of carrier and Samsung junk. You can root or flash custom recoveries, kernels, or ROMs very easily a-la Nexus devices. The cons are that it's 16 GB and it only comes in white. Also, you lack some of the cool software features that Touchwiz provides because the phone runs stock Android.
If you want a GS4 that runs on AT&T but don't care about LTE, you can also buy an unlocked GT-I9500 or GT-I9505 from Europe. With either of those devices, you'll get HSPA+ on AT&T, but no LTE.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
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Thanks for your help. If I get an AT&T S4 phone used, is there something I should ask about which firmware it's on, where I still have the ability to root without recovery restrictions?

essaudio said:
Thanks for your help. If I get an AT&T S4 phone used, is there something I should ask about which firmware it's on, where I still have the ability to root without recovery restrictions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. You'll want it on I337UCUAMDL or I337UCUAMDB. If it's on anything else, forget it. haha
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

You have another choice.. get the tmobile s4.. works perfeft with att lte.
Sent from my SGH-I337M using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
---------- Post added at 01:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:12 AM ----------
And unlocked bootloader
Sent from my SGH-I337M using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

niceppl said:
You have another choice.. get the tmobile s4.. works perfeft with att lte.
Sent from my SGH-I337M using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
---------- Post added at 01:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:12 AM ----------
And unlocked bootloader
Sent from my SGH-I337M using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Yeah, the problem is it's SIM locked to T-Mobile and they have a horrible device unlock policy.
Sent from my Galaxy S4 GT-I9505G using Tapatalk 4

oldblue910 said:
Yeah, the problem is it's SIM locked to T-Mobile and they have a horrible device unlock policy.
Sent from my Galaxy S4 GT-I9505G using Tapatalk 4
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Click to collapse
Buy an unlock code they are cheap

daraj said:
Buy an unlock code they are cheap
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And it may or may not work.
Sent from my Galaxy S4 GT-I9505G using Tapatalk 4

... go cellunlocker.net my friend is tmobile s4 and it worked...
Sent from my SGH-I337M using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

oldblue910 said:
And it may or may not work.
Sent from my Galaxy S4 GT-I9505G using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Usually these services have some sort of a guarantee or refund of the sorts. I, personally never had any problem with codes not working.
cellunlocker is a good site like mentioned above

[Q] "Easiest" S4 to flash new ROMs?

I've been lurking around the forums for about a week now and thanks to the folks who contribute, I've been able to root, carrier unlock (tested to work with AT&T and Tmo), and side load a few ROMs on my I337 without bricking or even tripping KNOX. So again, thanks to all who contributed to those tutorials!
Unfortunately, the phone I bought came with MK2 pre-installed and since I'm a noob I wasn't aware of the limitations of this version until after reading these forums. You guys have saved me from bricking my phone though!
So my question... Do any of the other US variants of the S4 (aside from the I9505G) have similarly locked down bootloaders like the I337 (assuming latest OTA has been applied)? I'm gathering from various posts that AT&T was the only carrier implementing such nonsense. I'm asking because it seems like other models (M919, I545, and L720) sell for less on eBay and I'm considering selling my pristine I337 for another model. I want to make sure I don't end up with similar restrictions if I make such a move.
Secondly, can either the L720 or the I545 be unlocked to work with Tmo and AT&T in the US? I assume they all have the same radios, maybe just a firmware lock on frequencies?

The locked down bootloader should be only AT&T and Verizon.
The I545 should work on Tmobile and AT&T. . The L720 will not work on Tmobile or AT&T due to it being CDMA.

If you're liking for something you can rom and root easily and isn't carrier locked consider the nexus 5. I love it no carrier bloat and no gimmicky stuff you'll only use once.
Sent from my Nexus 5

I strongly agree with "jd1639"
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Kaze105 said:
The locked down bootloader should be only AT&T and Verizon.
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Click to collapse
Good to know. Thanks!
Kaze105 said:
The I545 should work on Tmobile and AT&T. . The L720 will not work on Tmobile or AT&T due to it being CDMA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand that Verizon and Sprint use CDMA, Tmo and AT&T use GSM. But phone wise, don't all four US carrier S4 variants contain the same radios? Did Samsung actually yank CDMA radios from the GSM variants and vice versa? just looking for clarification.
Let me ask another way... if you guys were to recommend an S4 for US GSM networks that could be "easily" ROM'd/root'd at will, which would you suggest?
I've considered the Nexus 5 very heavily, but I prefer the hard buttons on the S4 because they seem to leave a bit more screen real estate than the soft buttons on the N5. I'm somewhat trying for an N5 like experience on the S4. Yeah, I want to have my cake and eat it too.

Rickerdo said:
Good to know. Thanks!
I understand that Verizon and Sprint use CDMA, Tmo and AT&T use GSM. But phone wise, don't all four US carrier S4 variants contain the same radios? Did Samsung actually yank CDMA radios from the GSM variants and vice versa? just looking for clarification.
Let me ask another way... if you guys were to recommend an S4 for US GSM networks that could be "easily" ROM'd/root'd at will, which would you suggest?
I've considered the Nexus 5 very heavily, but I prefer the hard buttons on the S4 because they seem to leave a bit more screen real estate than the soft buttons on the N5. I'm somewhat trying for an N5 like experience on the S4. Yeah, I want to have my cake and eat it too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For a bit more cash they have the Google Play Edition S4 from the play store as well at $649.00
None Touchwiz OS
https://play.google.com/store/devic...oogle_Play_edition?id=samsung_galaxy_s4&hl=en
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

jball said:
For a bit more cash they have the Google Play Edition S4 from the play store as well at $649.00
None Touchwiz OS
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
I think I left out the most important part... I'm cheap, er um, I mean very frugal. My like new I337 from ebay only cost me $370, so I'm looking to replace it with something around the same price that's more "hackable". This is why the Nexus 5 looked so appealing directly from the Play store. but, again, the screen on the N5 gets robbed a bit by the soft keys.
So, I guess I'm looking at an M919 (Tmo variant) as the best bang for the buck in terms of hacking friendly S4's. Is that the general consensus?

Honestly the keys aren't that bad once you have your hands on the Nexus 5 .the lack of a menu/settings button is a bit odd but the phone makes up for it in stock smoothness
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk