I think that the current solution to the module layout is inefficient.
The area of the partition (marked in yellow) itself equals to at least another small module, IMO, a phone can't have so much 'dead' space and the more features a phone has the better. The partition area and the magnets also add weight to the device which could otherwise be used for more features.
Secondly, instead of 'wasting time' on fancy new features that we've never seen before, they should focus on getting the phone and modules to work together and release it for consumers for now and then later focus on these bleeding edge tech.
Thirdly, if water will spill on the back they could potentially sip through the cracks and get to the connection causing a short circuit and oxidation.
Lastly, the more expensive parts and the time to assemble them means the consumers would have to pay more. The whole point of this project is to make smartphones more accessible by making this significantly cheaper than current smartphones.
I think a back cover with clips or some mechanical locking mechanism to hold all the modules would be a much better solution. It will probably make switching modules a bit more complicated but it shouldn't be harder than changing the battery on a current smartphone (like in the Galaxy S line), in Ara's case it would be like changing several batteries.
TL;DR: I think a back cover to hold all the modules in place would be a much better solution because of the 'dead space' of the partition, weight, water protection and cost.
I think that the modules would also make the phone quite annoying to hold with the current design - the modules themselves seem smooth, but the partitions between them appear to stick out slightly more than the modules themselves, resulting in a bumpy surface. If I do buy an ara phone, I will definitely buy/create a case for it if they keep the current design, purely due to the annoyances created by the lumps and bumps.
I agree
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I agree also. They probably have thought about it also.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
The frame does not stick out from the modules from what I saw till now.
I guess there will be back covers that comfort your hold.
I think they decided to use this method mostly because it is different and people will recognise you when you use it. Despite of that, it is significantly smaller than Xperia Z for instance and you should be able to hold it comfortably.
And I like the design, even more that you can print your own covers...
What I question is, how big the battery modules will be....
Gesendet von meinem Xperia ZL mit Tapatalk
Why not 3rd party TPU bumper cases?
That should do the trick, it will hold everything together + protection
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Just as I said.
But the point about water and safety is true... Maybe there will be done kind of "rubbers", ultra thin that tighten the gap between where the shell touches the endo? I guess things like that will spread if the ara becomes a hit
Gesendet von meinem Xperia ZL mit Tapatalk
I agree with the back cover idea but at the same time I do like the look of the design that they've done with it. As for the liquid damage worries, like keenofhiphop said about the rubber, the modules themselves will probably be sealed units with the only opening being the connectors which might make them somewhat waterproof hopefully
GT-i8730 Asseveration 1.0.0
They are definitely not waterproof. You could see at the first Dev con that is just a metal kind of box with a plastic shell, it's like a lunchbox made from aluminum: tight but not waterproof.
I, too, like the design. It's special and while it is the definition of pragmatical, it as well is unique and the fact that you can individually change it by printing shells tops off every other device around here. You don't like the design? Buy a cover...
I heard someone complain about the Epms and why they would not use any mechanics, but that way there will not be trouble with breaking connectors and warranty due to physical activity.
And they do not take up much space and hold tight.
Gesendet von meinem Xperia ZL mit Tapatalk
I think they did not considered the back cover as the primary idea here is freedom of changing the modules quickly and adding new features, like say your battery is dyeing so you replace it quickly with another battery module while on the other hand the back case will make it a little difficult and will cost a little bit of time.
keenofhiphop said:
They are definitely not waterproof. You could see at the first Dev con that is just a metal kind of box with a plastic shell, it's like a lunchbox made from aluminum: tight but not waterproof.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are not waterproof - yet. The pre-alpha modules are not ready for prime time. Judging them right now is a little silly. Who knows what will come in the months to follow.
Covers are a good idea indeed, but you never know when Ara might be partition less and actully support the idea of orignal Phonebloks? using Lego like stuff as modules and there base would go in the holes on the main body
I love the design of the phone for the same reason I have a clear window on my PC. If I help build something or if I play a part in putting it together or whatever the case may be, it makes that experience much more personal and I have a lot more pride in the device. If I'm proud of something, then I'm gonna show it off, its as simple as that. So I like the "raw" look of the phone and it's semi-exposed modules.
Yeah. Why not use transparent modules to show of the processor or so
Per Regenbogen von meinem Moto G geKANGt.
I think your supposed to be able to hotswap modules. I don't mind the current design, but it should have some kind of border that goes on the edge of the phone to secure the modules better.
Hotswap or not, they look like they could slide out with very little force. Dropping your phone and having to pick up the dozen pieces doesnt sound that fun. I dont think you should be able to remove your memory module without turning the device off and as such a shell somewhat like a galaxy or whatever would be ideal
The poibt of the EPMs is that they need quite a bit of force to take off, once locked they even demonstrated that...
the critics
Hello everyone,
from what I've read here i can see that some are still thinking the old way about a smartphone.
It should have every new feature and therefore a waste of space for borders is a waste of possibilities. Wrong!
Will you use your camera, high end GPU, LTE, flashlight, fingerprint sensor, WiFi, NFC, audio jack, HDMI port, USB port, speaker's and what ever else your phone has all at the same time? Or will you take pictures and share them over the internet, another time play a game on it and so on.
The medium sized model has 8 slots at the back, i guess WiFi and NFC can go in one, or even together with mobile and LTE. Another is CPU, GPU, camera, battery and sensors like gyroscope. Still at least one left. Maybe for another camera for 3D movies. Or a second battery so you can use it for several days.
If you don't need one, swap it with another one. They are not big, keep them in your purse or so.
Another thing was of they fall off easily. No!
They use electronic magnets to keep them in. When turned off they are very weak but strong enough to hold them in when you move and turn your phone, but nearly unremovable when turned on. A modified version of Lollipop will enable you to change most of the modules while the system is running. A weak CPU and battery are included in the Endo, so nothing will happen. You can guess you will have some kind of menu where you can choose which module you want to remove so the magnets turn off.
Why no backcover or pins to hold the modules?
Because they can wear off or even break. If you want to change modules often, like you have different camera modules for different occasions, a simple one for daily use, one with optical zoom and one with a big sensor for darker pictures, you will damage your phone sooner or later.
The phone normally is 9,7mm thick, same as normal smartphones, a cover would make it thicker. If you like one, get one. They surely will be available, because everything is modular.
It's not waterproof. Why is that a problem for you?
Every less expensive phone is not and this phone is designed for the 5 billion people who don't have a smartphone yet, because it's very cheap and customisable for every need. If you want it waterproof, there surely will be modules or covers available that guarantee you that, but they will cost a bit more, simple.
Why should the first version of a completely new way of handling the mobile hardware market put everything out at the same time. Get this piece of high-tech-art to work smoothly. That's what Google promises. And what they also promise is that everybody can participate in its evolution.
So if you have ideas on how to give that phone a new feature, think it through and try to form it into a sellable solution. This time you can not only complain and hope it's done better next time. No, you can improve it or even invent it.
It's time to use our brains finally!
I agree with that. It is not good enough
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ProjectAraTalk.com - let talk about Google project Ara
xysawq said:
Why should the first version of a completely new way of handling the mobile hardware market put everything out at the same time. Get this piece of high-tech-art to work smoothly. That's what Google promises. And what they also promise is that everybody can participate in its evolution.
It's time to use our brains finally!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Man, you summarised all what I wanted to say;
The project must start very simple, it's aimed to be sold for the majority of consumers, not adding x, y, x', y', x'' and so on... This way they'll lose a very large layer of consumers, for it requires more knowledge about electronics than the normal.
Afterwards there can be any accessories or additions as you guys want. The hundred step way starts with a step!
Related
Why dont they make a flash tool that plugs into your micro usb port or replaces the battery cover, so we can finally take pictures with a flash?
I dont believe this would be too hard..would it?
Using flash takes away all shades and your pictures will look like 2D drawings. Applies to any camera off course
himalayasplaya said:
I dont believe this would be too hard..would it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would, as the USB port can't give any power.
Just get yourself a keychain flashlight... or even better, a camera.
darfri said:
Using flash takes away all shades and your pictures will look like 2D drawings. Applies to any camera off course
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uhhhhhhhhhhhh?
darfri said:
Using flash takes away all shades and your pictures will look like 2D drawings. Applies to any camera off course
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is the biggest crock of S*** I've heard in a while. I guess all of those professional photographers who use flashes are wrong, huh?
bluedragon1971 said:
That is the biggest crock of S*** I've heard in a while. I guess all of those professional photographers who use flashes are wrong, huh?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which is better, a less than ideal photo (and I'm not a photographer so cant confirm the effects) or a far to dark/totally black photo?
I know NOTHING of programing these phones, but from a mechanical stand point, I'm not too bad. Is there anyway to trigger something out the USB port when the camera is ready to pop? Something so that the light doesn't have to be on constantly, but can come on only when the camera is ready to snap, like a standard digital camera works? I can probably fab up a back cover with a flash built into it...
Why is this an issue? I fail to see any correlation at all between the equipment used by a professional photographer, and the convenience of a simple 3MP snapshot camera included in your phone. You were given a suggestion that addressed your problem and apparently you were quite upset by it. So, my turn... This IS NOT a 10 - 12 MP Canon, Nikon or Leica! Its to snap a quick shot of something for later reference - an event, a schedule, a location, a photographic note, if you will. The camera in your phone is not the primary device or function of your phone - its an 'added function' that can be effectively used as intended, or complained about by those that can't fully appreciate its capabilities!
Oh, and those professional cameras listed above don't make or receive phone calls, don't have e-mail or voicemail capabilities, don't play my mp3s or videos, can't use wifi to browse the internet or for online banking or for etc., store GBs of data other than pics & video, function as a gps unit, open or edit my Office docs, use text messaging, or play a myriad of games! And yet they cost from $699 to $999 apiece! How do those manufacturers' sleep at night? And you won't find a forum for support anything near as intense and complete as the XDA-Developer's Forum - all for what you can afford to donate!
Now I don't mean to preach, so here's examples: instead of a daily to-do or task list, I can take a quick series of photos to remind me! Pix of ATM card to remind me to go to the bank, of a loaf of bread or carton of milk to remind me to hit the grocery store, of the Suburban's front end to call for an appointment to get the front-end aligned, of the dog to remember his vet appointment, and of a document I need to complete by end-of-business! Those pix are worth a thousand words, and the time it would take to write detailed notes to myself! Then simply delete photos as tasks are completed! Too cool! At the store over lunch and see a new Sony LCD HDTV you like? Take a photo of it, along with the pertinent sales tag info, and research it later at home on the internet! Meet someone you haven't seen in a while? Take a photo to remind yourself to tell the wife that night, with that picture to enhance your tale! Need to match paint for a room in the house with the colors of the furnishings or rugs? Take a series of pictures with you to the hardware store. Take a photo of a suspicious vehicle 'just in case'? An accident, a surprise event, a crime or disaster? You at least have the camera in your phone - its way better than no camera at all. For your 'Keepsake Memories' get a decent camera, complete with a flash!
Hope this helps put things in perspective for you.
BTW, this was a rant - not a discussion or an argument, so keep your opinions to yourself. I've said what I wanted to say!
BigDad_1
When I started this thread I did not intend it to go out of control. I was just wondering if anyone knew where to get one or how to make one.
This is more along the lines of what I was looking for, except for the Kaiser instead of the iPhone: http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/snaptureflash-gives-iphone-makeshift-camera-flash
I think a new back cover that has a built in flash would be awesome. If someone makes one, and it works, I'll certainly buy one.
I think about how much I miss my flash on my old phone all the time. That was a huge blunder leaving it off the Kaiser. Even if you never use a flash on your pictures, it was a handy flashlight. But it was certainly nice to have a flash for pictures too.
himalayasplaya said:
When I started this thread I did not intend it to go out of control. I was just wondering if anyone knew where to get one or how to make one.
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Click to collapse
Don't worry, the thread isn't 'out of control' you just need to take heed of what kilrah has already posted. The USB port on the Kaiser isn't a host port so it doesn't (and cannot be made to) behave like an ordinary USB port on your PC (well not without some serious electronic redesign work far beyond what we as non phone designer sorts could come up with). Other options must be investigated.
Was the USB comment directed at me? I was just wondering if there was a way to trigger the flash 'remotely'.
as for some sort of add on flash, my dad has made several LED units, self contained, that fit in a 3/4 inch copper pipe cap. Mostly made of brass, it includes a switch and is heavy. He used it as a night lite for something like 7 days str8 on a single 2032 battery. Granted, it is not sleak, but it was self contained.
The main problem with a 'flash' is that the camera app wouldn't be able to process the picture any faster (focus on it and make adjustments for light) before snapping it because the camera app wouldn't know that a flash would be coming soon to compensate for a flash... unless we have a camera programer in our midsts? Or, can a camera app be ported from a flash enabled device, or do the OEM flashes stay on as long as a flash is called for, so there is no 'compensation' per se?
I am getting ready to purchase a TyTN II parts phone, I'll have to see what I can do with it. I've got a few ideas up my sleave. Does anyone have what the Proprietary USB B port pin out is, both sides of the tongue?
if anyone makes this invention i will gladly buy it from them ASAP
Heh, I've started working on it... at this point, I'm not working on making it interface with the camera, it will have an external switch and be something you turn on when you want it, and could also be used as a flashlight to light your way in the dark...
I am also toying with having it light up when ever the camera is in use, but I need to find a dead kaiser (the phone I own, so the phone I'm developing for) in order to work on some sort of interface for automatic operation...
Anybody got a Kaiser with a crushed screen and case that I could tinker with? *grins*
SaltyDawg said:
I think a new back cover that has a built in flash would be awesome. If someone makes one, and it works, I'll certainly buy one.
I think about how much I miss my flash on my old phone all the time. That was a huge blunder leaving it off the Kaiser. Even if you never use a flash on your pictures, it was a handy flashlight. But it was certainly nice to have a flash for pictures too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
/agree
I used the flash on my S710 as NIGHT LIGHT all of the time. I think an external flash able to slide in an touch the battery contacts would be cool. Een if you had to turn on the light by a little switch built into the back cover. 5V should be MORE than enough power to light up maybe 3-5 small LED lights. Even if they werent connected to the cam directly, im sure it would help a lot in low light situations. Just my 2 cents I like this idea
I am in the process of comunicating with LED suppliers, and will begin mocking something up here in the coming weeks... I'll keep you posted.
A couple of questions for potential users... What is better, to make a cradle to slip the phone into, to make the components fit completely with in the format of the phone now, or to make the phone slightly larger (like an extended battery pack)?
The advantage of a craddle is that it can be put on and removed fairly quickly... Downside is that it would be hardest for me to make... (grins)
The advantage of the lights fitting within the format of the phone now is that you don't have to have something extra, or an extra large phone, to carry around. Perimatly mounted, and ready to go at all times... the down side is reduced performance because of no extra batteries, and possibly fewer LEDs, and the fact that the owner of the phone would possibly have the hardest time installing it.
The advantage of an extended battery type back cover is that you can get extended battery usage (by use of separate batteries for the LEDs), and nice balance between easy on/easy off and size... the downside is that the phone would be slightly larger, and you would have to carry the extra back cover if you didn't always want the phone bigger, but wanted the option for a flash.
The cradle idea would be the most expensive by far, and quite probably out of my reach at this time.
The extended back and original size formate are going to be fairly close in price I have the feeling.
The extended back will probably be the easiest to build, but personally, I'd rather not use that style.
So, what do _YOU_ think?
I think Mag light and all problems solved
Seems alot to do for a camera that isn't very good anyway, but good enough for snapshots.............. After all it's not an SLR..............
The best one, in my opinion, would be an entirely new battery cover that had LED lights mounted in it, and was not any bigger than the original battery cover.
Something that is permanently mounted, and basically a part of the phone, and not making the phone any bigger (it's already a brick). Maybe a little larger than the regular battery cover, but not a lot. Hopefully not enough to notice. I'm not worried about battery life as this would only get used for a few minutes every day (at the most).
I don't know if that is even possible, but if it is, I'll take 4 of them.
Nobody ever uses an external GPS receiver, so maybe the stuff could go in right there?
stylez said:
I think Mag light and all problems solved
Seems alot to do for a camera that isn't very good anyway, but good enough for snapshots.............. After all it's not an SLR..............
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, a maglite would work... but I take many photos with my camera when I can't put both hands in position to illuminate the subject and hit the shutter... I go to the car salvage yard alot, and if I can't see a part good enough from my vantage point, I'll hold my phone up and snap a picture from there to see if it is worth digging for, for example.
As for it not being an SLR, MOST digitial cameras are NOT slr... and MOST people do not shell out tons of money for an SLR. If you don't like the camera phone, that's fine... you can carry a second item. For the rest of us, we'd like to improve on a decent useable camera, so we will, Thank you.
SaltyDawg said:
The best one, in my opinion, would be an entirely new battery cover that had LED lights mounted in it, and was not any bigger than the original battery cover.
Something that is permanently mounted, and basically a part of the phone, and not making the phone any bigger (it's already a brick). Maybe a little larger than the regular battery cover, but not a lot. Hopefully not enough to notice. I'm not worried about battery life as this would only get used for a few minutes every day (at the most).
I don't know if that is even possible, but if it is, I'll take 4 of them.
Nobody ever uses an external GPS receiver, so maybe the stuff could go in right there?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehehe, my wife never uses her GPS at all, but I use an antenna adapter from Wilson Electronics along with a mini whip antenna with a magnetic mount... it go from 1-2 bars on a bad day (with TomTom Navigator 6), to a full count of 5 bars... unplug the antenna, and it goes back down, plug it back in, and it bounces back up...
I've looked into using that area, but it really doesn't afford much in the way of space, and I'm not too keen on modifying the original fabric of the phone itself, it just doesn't seem 'right' to me.
Your vote has been tallied.
Hi, fella forumers! I'm just wondering: how many of your Defy have lost (or still retain) its waterproofness up to now?
Mine has lost this quality about half a year ago. At first I noticed that there were vapours gathering inside the screen, which would go away if I opened the back lid for a while. But once the micro-USB port totally stoppoed functioning that I wasn't able to charge the battery, so I have to got it repaired. I was told that circuit board has water stains which caused the malfunctioning...
It's actually my seconf Defy, which was bought in Oct. 2011, after I've forgotten my first Defy in taxi... I was pretty satified with Defy at that moment and really value its waterproofness, so I didn't hesitate to buy a second one while there were already a lot of more advanced (but not waterproofing) smart phones on the market. Therefore, its waterproofness just lasted for roughly two years, which is much shorter than I had expected. I thought for at least five years it would be as new as just rolling out of the assembling line every time I washed it under tap water - but it turned out to be not the truth, sadly.
Well, I have to admit that I did wash my Defy regularly - in fact almost everyday, because - well, 'scientists' say that computer keyboards and mobile phones (previously it was traditional telephone) collect more germs, etc. that toilets. So eveytime I was back home, I just put it under the tap water, briefly let the currents to go through it. It shouldn't hurt, right?
Right now my Defy is completely 'hydrophobic'. I no longer dip it in water. I guess I will continue to use it for a year or two. Still, the fact is not up to my high expectation.
So, I would like to see if this is my own unfortune or a normal phenomenon. It's quite critial to know the result because if I do change my mobile phone, I would definitely choose a waterproofing one still. But now my confidence for such phones has been significantly weakened. If new phones repeat this fate after just a couple of years, I don't think it's really meaningful to pay more money for this not-long-lasting porperty.
Maybe the manufacturing technoligy has already advanced - phones nowadays are tougher than their predecessors?
Well, mine is about 8 months old (yes, I could've bought a newer device but thats a different story). In my time of using this phone, I would only say its water resistant and not exactly waterproof. Sometimes when I dip it in water (either to clean it after a busy day outdoors or when friends want to test it), i realize that some traces of tiny droplets do make it inside (looks like vapor sometimes). But it does not enter the battery area. This is probably due to the rubber lining. It still worries me as these traces of tiny droplets did somewhat enter.
I would suggest cleaning it with a wet cloth instead. Treat the waterproofing like it is an emergency feature...just in case
If and when you want to switch phones and still want waterproof, I'd say look at Sony. If you need removable battery, the Xperia ZR looks promising and if you don't mind not being able to access the battery, their other models are alright too. For me personally, battery life is important.
R u using any custom ROM?
My defy is waterproof to a great extent, but steam does enter, and sometimes condenses on the inside of the screen, and the camera lens. But under running water/rain no water enters. I once kept it in a bucket of water for some time, and a few drops made it to the edge, or maybe they came from the cover itself. So, it's good enough for me
Sent from my MB526 using Tapatalk 4
Mine lost 6 months back. the rubber round usb port got deteriorated and then came off. Now i cant cover usb port with the lid. cant find it selling anywhere either.
coldfusionhybrid said:
Well, mine is about 8 months old (yes, I could've bought a newer device but thats a different story). In my time of using this phone, I would only say its water resistant and not exactly waterproof. Sometimes when I dip it in water (either to clean it after a busy day outdoors or when friends want to test it), i realize that some traces of tiny droplets do make it inside (looks like vapor sometimes). But it does not enter the battery area. This is probably due to the rubber lining. It still worries me as these traces of tiny droplets did somewhat enter.
I would suggest cleaning it with a wet cloth instead. Treat the waterproofing like it is an emergency feature...just in case
If and when you want to switch phones and still want waterproof, I'd say look at Sony. If you need removable battery, the Xperia ZR looks promising and if you don't mind not being able to access the battery, their other models are alright too. For me personally, battery life is important.
R u using any custom ROM?
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Yes, I've been flashing Quarx's roms.
I agree with you that Sony's Xpreia might be a good candidate, but it's only IP57 or IP55, right? So the grade is even lower than our Defy.
In fact it seems that nowadays at the market there are only two major series of waterproof smart phones: Sony's Xperia and Samsung's Galaxy S4 Active. Some sources mentioned that the latter is not that water-resistent. Of course there are other tougher phones which are heavily-armoured, but there are twice thicker and heavier - real bricks. Some have suggested that Lenovo's S750 is the next Defy, but as far as I can see, the technology used for waterproofness is the same of Defy's. Naturally I doubt if it will last longer than Defy.
IMHO, I think, at least in my case, the water enters into my Defy mainly through the back battery lid. It's made of a piece of platics that bends after year's using, so there comes the gap between the rubber band. Also, as vai0 has mentioned, the USB lid is vulnerable for the same reason. There's no conern for the headset jack, because it's totally made of rubber.
Anyway, I wish factories like Samsung and Lenovo will not follow Motorola and just make only one shot for good, but will keep designing new tough phones to the market.
By the way, I don't think phones like Moto X applied with nano-coating does not make too much sense, since the phone's still not watertight after all.
ymyzhifeng said:
Yes, I've been flashing Quarx's roms.
I agree with you that Sony's Xpreia might be a good candidate, but it's only IP57 or IP55, right? So the grade is even lower than our Defy.
In fact it seems that nowadays at the market there are only two major series of waterproof smart phones: Sony's Xperia and Samsung's Galaxy S4 Active. Some sources mentioned that the latter is not that water-resistent. Of course there are other tougher phones which are heavily-armoured, but there are twice thicker and heavier - real bricks. Some have suggested that Lenovo's S750 is the next Defy, but as far as I can see, the technology used for waterproofness is the same of Defy's. Naturally I doubt if it will last longer than Defy.
IMHO, I think, at least in my case, the water enters into my Defy mainly through the back battery lid. It's made of a piece of platics that bends after year's using, so there comes the gap between the rubber band. Also, as vai0 has mentioned, the USB lid is vulnerable for the same reason. There's no conern for the headset jack, because it's totally made of rubber.
Anyway, I wish factories like Samsung and Lenovo will not follow Motorola and just make only one shot for good, but will keep designing new tough phones to the market.
By the way, I don't think phones like Moto X applied with nano-coating does not make too much sense, since the phone's still not watertight after all.
Click to expand...
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The Sony may be ip55/57 but its good enough from what I've read. As for Samsung, I didn't suggest it because I don't like how they design things. Its appalling and I feel as if its insulting the consumer with their designs and material finish. Unfortunately, Samsung is one of the very few manufacturers that constantly deliver on 2 other important things (to me); removable battery and expandable storage. Still won't buy from them. But hey, thats just me. As for Lenovo, I have not tried it yet. Personally, I'm looking at the Xperia ZR at the moment if i choose to change (will still keep my Defy+ as secondary if i change ). A review in case you're interested too
Yeah, nano-coating isn't really water-proofing. I find it more like a water resistant protection. Sometimes there are phone models that become popular to the point that accessory makers produce cases that offer some sort of protection against water/dust. Thats something you can look at as well (with caution of course)
Defy is not water proof, it is water resistant. I did never wash it or put it into water and it is still in good condition (bought 06/2011), now with Android 4.4.
I'm replacing it with an XCover2 (IP67 certified) and also there the manual warns to immerse it in water although it has an underwater camera.
Hi everyone,
As said on tittle, I'm looking for a smart watch with the following requisites:
- Android complete 4.2 or higher
- Cell phone itself (gsm/wcdma)
- IP68?
I need it for swimming/surfing/similar, due to my work, I need to be contactable (calls/email) everytime, and sometimes I go swimming/surfing.
I bought an Imacwear M7, but the people said it's not ip67 and that it will die if I use it on the sea.
Does anyone tried this? Any other smartwatch? Any other options?
I'm a little bit lost, need your opinion and/or experience
Thanks a lot
none of the standalone (phone) watches will be fully water proof, because of microphone/speaker, if ever there will be one
some of them might claim water resistance but i wouldn't wear them not in shallow water, let alone the sea
the Sony Smartwatch 2 for example, claims to be ip57, but can't survive a shower. that watch doesn't even have a microphone or speaker
might be build quality related though
Swimming and surfing plus speaker and mic? That's 1 ATM (10m/30ft) rating at a minimum. No such creature exists, yet. It is possible to do, but companies would rather sell fashion smartwatches with laughable IP ratings instead.
Send it away and have it Liquipelled. http://www.liquipel.com/
SerialKilla said:
Send it away and have it Liquipelled. http://www.liquipel.com/
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Don't waste your money. Tried that on three smartwatches, as well as a fourth project smartwatch of my own. It doesn't work. The treatment wears off when it comes in contact with pretty much anything. Oil deposits in the air from cooking, your skin, cloth, sand, dirt.
airtemisa said:
Hi everyone,
As said on tittle, I'm looking for a smart watch with the following requisites:
- Android complete 4.2 or higher
- Cell phone itself (gsm/wcdma)
- IP68?
I need it for swimming/surfing/similar, due to my work, I need to be contactable (calls/email) everytime, and sometimes I go swimming/surfing.
I bought an Imacwear M7, but the people said it's not ip67 and that it will die if I use it on the sea.
Does anyone tried this? Any other smartwatch? Any other options?
I'm a little bit lost, need your opinion and/or experience
Thanks a lot
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I use Tempo Trainer Pro watch. U can find it here http://www.proswimwear.co.uk/ . It's includes a clip for dry land exercise. I am sure you will find it better then apple watch or Garmin.
I still havent found what im looking for...
Like I said before, no such creature exists. The best you can hope for is a regular smartwatch and then have somebody like me mod it to get it to a 1ATM (33ft) WR rating.
Hi lokifish Marz.... I´ve been thinking about doing that in my M7 smartwatch, but finally never tried it.
If finally doesnt appear that desired model, i will try to mod it for submersing
The M7 is like the Omate and is a serious pain to get IP67, much less anything better than that. About the only sort of easy way to get past a useless IP rating is fill the entire case with RTV silicone sealant, otherwise you are looking at a complete teardown and machine work.
I've been trying with liquid neoprene. It seals perfectly, very fluid, very good handling and also cheap!
Now I need to identify all the holes of the watch and work then properly.... It should work!
List of ingress points that need to be addressed to reach a minimum of 1 ATM water resistance needed for swimming/surfing;
Case back (requires complete redesign of seals or permanent sealing of back to case)
Case back screws and screw holes (requires complete redesign of seals or permanent sealing of screws into the case)
Buttons (requires complete redesign of button seals)
Camera (requires removal and filling of camera housing of replacement of housing glass)
Speaker (requires secondary sealing layer between speaker and outside)
Mic (requires secondary sealing layer between MIC and outside)
SIM Slot Door (requires sealing of screw holes and better gasket)
Charging contacts (requires the contact assembly in the case back be remounted and sealed using marine epoxy)
Display (requires the case be redesigned or pressure injecting sealant or marine epoxy from the backside)
Antenna ports (requires the bands be removed, the ports cleaned out. The bands then need remounting and a stiff silicone sealant be injected into the ports)
MIC and speaker secondary seal will negatively affect audio performance. This is however required as MIC and speaker damage will occur otherwise.
Display sealing issues are due to the lack of a large enough lip for the display to be mounted on to provide a proper seal
*Alternative approach (Untested)
Completely seal the display,PCB, SD Card, SIM Card, and battery in one solid block of silicone or some other water resistant material. Drawback is this seriously affects usability of the buttons, camera, MIC, and speaker. This also makes SIM, SDCard and battery swapping impossible.
(I've had over two years to think about this as well as attempt to get the TS and it's clones to pass a proper 24hr immersion test at 10m/33ft/1ATM. To date, I have not succeeded.)
Uffff.... so... you need to do a master.... its a marathon!
Thanks Lokifish... i think maybe i wont try...
i95,android 4.3,ip65,dial/answer phone call,you can know more from tinydeal.but i think Lokifish is right,no smartwatch can survive after a long time in the sea.
jack5847 said:
i think Lokifish is right,no smartwatch can survive after a long time in the sea.
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Not exactly true. If he wanted a companion smartwatch it's not the hard at all. The issue is with him wanting to be able to do that with a standalone, or otherwise known as a watchphone. That requires far more engineering. The closest he could get to any out of the box solution would be the massive Timex Ironman ONE GPS+ and all that would give him is something similar to SMS texts and that's it. The other option is a decently made standalone then seal it completely with a SIM inside. He would lose the mic and speaker function but would at least be able to send/receive texts and know who's trying to call him. Not a pretty solution but it would work.
I think i´ve got it!
Doodgee S1.
I dont link to any shop, but you can find it very easy. I´m waiting for some reviews...
airtemisa said:
I think i´ve got it!
Doodgee S1.
I dont link to any shop, but you can find it very easy. I´m waiting for some reviews...
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Again, ignore any IP67 rated. IP67 is 1m/3ft immersion with absolutely no moving allowed.
I agree with Lokifish - I don't think that animal exists. I just bought the No 1 A10 to evaluate it for workouts, including swimming...
http://www.gearbest.com/smart-watches/pp_286212.html
...and am looking at the D5 for "office wear". I have to admit that I'm more attracted to the idea of "one watch to rule them all" - but - I'm also looking at $56 for the A10 (I bought it when it was on sale) and $130 or so for the D5 (or similar) so for the total outlay it's a pretty compelling use case. I was an original Omate TrueSmart backer and was profoundly disappointed. After spending $360++ for a watch that *wasn't* waterproof I went the "dedicated exercise computer as a watch" route - in the form of the Polar V800. I had to wait another year or so for smart notifications to show up (for Android) and Polar *still* hasn't done some basic data integration with 3rd parties like MyFitnessPal and the like. That was another $500+ and it *still* doesn't collect accurate heart rate data in the water. So - there's that... and of course there's no *real* smartwatch functionality to speak of.
I had considered the Garmin fenix 3 - and the recent addition of on-device HRM is interesting - but I'm mostly a swimmer so I'm going to be using a chest-worn device if I go that route. But *if* I did that it would be another $600-800 plus the cost of their data-recording HRM strap. As it stands now - I'm done with dropping multiple C-notes onto one-off projects and half baked tech from "the big companies". I'm going to nickel-and-dime my way through and figure out a way to make it work with multiple devices (with a LOT of help from my friends at XDA). I have the Bragi Dash coming in (sometime in February at last count) which I'm hoping will give me accurate HRM/oximetry data while swimming - and I'll be working to merge that data with the stroke/SWOLF data I gather from the wrist-worn device.
Side note: One of the advantages of the dual-device theory just occurred to me - in that I *can* carry a portable battery-pack charger and have one on charge when the other is on my wrist. So there's some element of continuity/back-up, should something go sideways with one device or another. When my TrueSmart would go dead I felt pretty naked, when it worked and was relatively performant from a battery perspective.
Anyway, I think this class of device will take some time to sort out as the companies figure out what the market(s) will bear in terms of durability and cost.
This fix made Z2 rock solid on flat surfaces. Used little rubber "dots" on the cover. Been using for 1 week now.
[emoji1] you'll have to use a very strong adhesive for the doors to stay in place if you use the phone in your pocket regularly
Sent from my ASUS_Z00AD using Tapatalk
There are actually cases that have a flat back, but they add some thickness to the phone.
glock24 said:
[emoji1] you'll have to use a very strong adhesive for the doors to stay in place if you use the phone in your pocket regularly
Sent from my ASUS_Z00AD using Tapatalk
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Been in and out of my pocket many times without any problems. Also I should stress that the "dots" are on an aftermarket case, not the stock case.
lollyjay said:
This fix made Z2 rock solid on flat surfaces. Used little rubber "dots" on the cover. Been using for 1 week now.
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These supporters will unstick shortly. I've used these "legs" from DIY set for some equipments, so i know their resistance
When first HTC device (i think, it's their stupid "invention") with rounded back released, i've almost immediately thought it's very bad design, not compatible with operations on table.
And for my "surprise" i saw how many devices with such stupid design were released from different manufacturers. Zenfone 2 is my first device with rounded back, and i see i was 100% right. It's really really stupid design! It's absolutely not for on-table use.
And these clitoris volume buttons design...
Well, at least i know now what kind of phones i have to avoid in the future
sorg said:
These supporters will unstick shortly. I've used these "legs" from DIY set for some equipments, so i know their resistance
When first HTC device (i think, it's their stupid "invention") with rounded back released, i've almost immediately thought it's very bad design, not compatible with operations on table.
And for my "surprise" i saw how many devices with such stupid design were released from different manufacturers. Zenfone 2 is my first device with rounded back, and i see i was 100% right. It's really really stupid design! It's absolutely not for on-table use.
And these clitoris volume buttons design...
Well, at least i know now what kind of phones i have to avoid in the future
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You are of course correct. But, they are also cheap and I bought dozens for very little money. I haven't had to replace one yet, but for the convenience I'm willing to put up with the possibility that they will eventually come loose.
Hi,
I was thinking to replace my current device (thl t100) with something new and the main feature is Dual-sim for me.
As 1st I've seen new elephone p9000, but it has small community and as you know that means no software updates/mods/ports.
2nd option was Oneplus two, but I've read about some bugs and no CM mod
3rd is Wileyfox Storm - as I see it has officially CM 12, what is great, as you'll get updates.
So you think it is good investment for next two years ?
That's true in that it'll almost certainly get updates, but this phone has a very small community too, and... well the stock rom has simply insane CPU settings that eat up battery.
if you ask me i will recommend getting Huawei Honor 5X £150 or £170 from Amazon.
Huawei Honor 5X made of metal aluminum. and has a finger print scanner. best budget phone right now.
you can see spec's of the phone by google search and can see reviews from techRadar etc.,
My girlfriend has a Honor 5x and I have the Wileyfox Storm. I prefer the Wileyfox over the Honor because of the terrible EMUI on the Honor and the clean cyanogen UI on the Wileyfox. Pity though that there are no cases
Johndawolf said:
That's true in that it'll almost certainly get updates, but this phone has a very small community too, and... well the stock rom has simply insane CPU settings that eat up battery.
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I have a horrible feeling that it may have been me who put it that way in the first place elsewhere.
It's not so much that it's dreadful for battery life with the stock settings by comparison with other phones, more that you can get a worthwhile amount of extra life by changing from the rather gung-ho interactive governor set as default.
The screen is very nice, it feels comfortable in a trouser pocket, it has enough onboard storage that you're not going to feel too cramped if you sacrifice the MicroSD slot for a second SIM. As a bonus you have proper sources to roll your own firmware, unlike the vast majority of phones sold.
On the other hand, there's something awful going on with the circuitry for the backlight on the back button (in early revisions at least) that might fry the LED. I'm living with it rather than sending it back for a fix as I use the thing for bedtime reading and having a panel of glowing lights appear every time I flip a page is much worse than having to remember where buttons are in the dark.
Edit for patjepoep:
There are third party cases, but you might be better off with one of those swish glass screen protectors instead. I got one to keep until the factory installed plastic film protector started to develop matte spots and was thrilled by the way it was only a bit of a bugger to install rather than the usual living hell. It also cleans up a treat just by spending a few minutes in a pocket. I'm using the one from Orzly.