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Good morning all,
I created this thread in the Inspire forums and thought I'd bring it over here too. It's just my experiences as a daily carrier of both of these devices. It's aimed at people torn between the two handsets, and also to help me ultimately choose which I prefer to keep. Only one will survive.
I've included my running updates in the OP.
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Hello all!
I've had the daunting task to pick between these two phones for the last couple days. I went into the store to actually get the devices in my hand and fully expected to walk out with the Atrix. I've always had a soft spot for HTC, ever since their WoMo phones. I saw the Inspire and was super impressed at how solid the phone felt in my hand. The phone felt very responsive, and I already knew the XDA Inspire team was cranking out some awesome stuff.
I then grabbed the Atrix and was not nearly as wow'd as I had expected to be. I've been following the phone since it's announcement, and pretty much had made up my mind on the spot to pick it up. After spending a half hour goofing around with both phones, I decided the Inspire really won my heart.
Then it happened... The cold sweats... The tossing and turning in bed at night. Images of the Atrix's Tegra 2 laying waste to the earth and doing vile things to my Inspire. My horrid indecision had struck. I decided that I had obviously made the wrong choice, so the next morning I headed off to the store and bought an Atrix without returning my perfectly set up Inspire. I wanted to play with them both side by side and just return whichever one didn't make me happy.
That was a bit over 24 hours ago. After spending the last day with both of the handsets, I am closer to a decision, but it's damn tough. My overall thoughts and struggles follow:
Motorola Atrix:
-Pros:
- Bright, higher resolution screen
- Dual Core processor (even though I thought the experience was pretty weak)
- Battery (theoretical, as I haven't had it long enough to fully experience)
- This goes to the hardware again, but this phone is quite a bit more future proof.
- The handset is light enough to not remind you it's in your pocket at every step.
- GPS (This is the most rock solid phone GPS I've ever used)
- Incredibly loud speaker
- Tons of ram
- HDMI out
-Cons:
- Cheaper build quality (I feel like I need to qualify this. The phone feels solid, but the battery door is, for lack of a better word, brittle)
- Very poor color representation on the otherwise beautiful screen.
- MotoBlur - This is just a very inelegant, unrefined overlay...
- Strange compatibility issues with certain apps
- multiple force closes
- Weak social media integration
- Odd bouts of lag when least expected
- Locked Bootloader (most don't care about this, but it matters when you have a primary developer that has a history of slow patches, feature adds, and os releases.
- Chicklet keyboard is a touch small for me and requires some focus to not miss type.
**FOLLOW-UP**
- I've removed the call quality knock from the Atrix device. It turns out it was entirely my own fault, and while some people, including Motorola, are reporting issues with sound quality on some devices, mine isn't one of them.
HTC Inspire:
-Pros:
- Excellent build quality (the aluminum uni-body is a joy to hold, and has the extra added benefit of being able to be used to fend off an attacker)
- Beautiful 4.3" screen (Yes, it is big, but I'm a fan)
- Sense (I'm not a fan of these proprietary UI's, but Sense shows that HTC can offer up an experience that is easy to like, and provide an attractive interface for a phone OS that is sometimes described as clinical looking)
- The brilliant development community (currently running CoreDroid /drool)
- Very snappy performance from the second gen Snapdragon CPU
- Tons of ram (Not as much as the Atrix, but enough to be a "ton" in my eyes)
- Lovely camera (I used to not care, but I have a new son, so suddenly a camera climbed up the ladder of important features)
- Fantastic out of the box social media integration
- Has that "Just works like it should" feel to it.
- Very clear call quality
- Second best phone gps I've used
-Cons:
- The screen washes out to a grey slab in direct sunlight
- Stock battery life is horrid
- "Electric Razor" ear screen can have some jagged edges and chafe your ear
- Battery door was a ridiculous design decision
- Very current gen hardware (doesn't mean a whole lot if you're not going to be riding this phone for the next two years, but a new day has dawned and it's name is "Multi-core")
- Stock external speaker/notification volume super weak
- odd placement of the number button on the keyboard (thanks iPhone for etching that into my brain)
- recessed power and volume buttons can be a bit tough to find.
- No internal storage (this is just ridiculous)
- Relatively weak GPU
There you have it. That's what I've come up with so far. At the moment, I'm leaning toward the Inspire, as so many of those issues can be (and have been) corrected through roms. In the end, I just don't really get the warm fuzzies from the Atrix. I feel like it's a brilliant set of components tied together with a really sorry software suite, and a manufacturer that doesn't really understand the strengths of their chosen platform, or the customers that choose it.
I will continue carrying both of the devices for the next couple days, but at the moment, the winner is most definitely the Inspire in my eyes. It just feels like it's been polished to a wonderful android flavored candy shine, and with the community behind it, there's really nothing I feel the device won't be able to handle for quite some time.
**Update 1**
The inspire's build quality is top notch. The screen is perfectly alligned and allows no notable give for me. There is also no more light bleed than you expect from an lcd panel, and none to the touch. The battery cover is a pain. Its actually so well fitted that you have to break it in over multiple removals in order to confidently take it off without breaking it. The sim cover fits nicely, and doesn't pose the same pain that the battery cover does. There is a slight raised edge in the center of the sim cover that takes it just out of flush. Its nigh unnoticable. Viewing angles on the inspire's slcd are fantastic. I can see it clearly in a near complete 180 degree angle, with little to no noticable color bleed. It obviously dims as you move from dead center.
The atrix is in the same boat with build quality for the most part. The phone has a good weight, metal rails down the side, well alligned screen, and mostly tight fitting components. I do have some issues here, though. Mainly with the back cover. As noted in my initial post, its very brittle, thin plastic. If you think I broke a sweat taking the inspires battery cover off, you should have seen me trying to get the battery on the atrix. I pulled the top clip free, and almost bent the cover in half fighting the mid phone clips. Also, the back cover on my atrix doesn't line up flush on one side. The last couple issues are the "creakynesss" of the handset. When I grip the phone tightly I can feel the plastic components giving, and settling into place. Not terribly bad, but noticable. The last issue is the fingerprint scanner. It's been pointed out in some reviews, but the scanner is off center on some devices and just looks shoddily thrown together and misalligned.
The atrix beautiful qHD screen also washes out and tints yellow when viewed at extreme angles.
**Update 2**
I've been using the Atrix today as my primary carry handset, and I must say PROPS to Motorola on this battery... I've been beating on it for all I can muster and with almost two full hours of HSPA+ web surfing, Angry Birds while waiting for my food, poking around in the marketplace, and trying out apps, the phone has dropped 25% of the battery in 7 hours of heavy use. I'm pretty damn impressed with that. My focus would be on the charger right now. I'll be going through the exact same process on the Inspire tomorrow to see how everything shakes out.
**Update 3**
I've been carrying my Atrix for the last two days, and I have to admit... It's amazing... I don't mean to sound disappointed, quite the contrary, but I was coming closer to making my decision, and now I'm struggling again.
New Revelations/Findings:
- The little hitches you sometimes see in games like Angry Birds, when scrolling and pinch zooming are all gone... Like, completely gone. That goes for every game/app i've played that is relatively intensive with animation or processing. The Inspire is definitely no slouch, but the performance edge is fully in the Atrix's court.
- The external speaker of the Atrix is LEGEND-(Wait for it)-DARY! I hopped on a conference call last night and it was right on the edge of being as good as the dedicated conference speakers at my office. Really outstanding.
- The screen is also really pretty. I, once again, had to run from hospital to hospital yesterday and while outside was able to see every color, icon, and word on my screen. It made me secure in the fact that no matter where I took the device, i would be able to rely on it 100%, and it would perform as well as I could ever ask for.
I've been using the anti-glare/anti-fingerprint Case-Mate screen protectors on both of the devices since i've purchased them, and these things just destroy the fidelity of the screen. I will be getting my Realook protectors tomorrow, and will get to experience a bit more vibrance from both screens.
I'm still fairly disappointed with the color reproduction of the qHD screen. It's really in your face when you have the two devices sitting side by side. The SLCD screen of the Inspire is much more natural looking.
MotoBlur is still a disappointment, but after setting up LauncherPro Plus and getting Beautiful Widgets, and exploring LauncherPro's new facebook widget (think FriendStream). It's become nearly a non-issue. I've been using ADW as well, and it's great, but the Atrix seems to love LauncherPro, and I love LauncherPro... Guess that's a match made in Android heaven.
My experience, for most part mirrors yours. I went from the Captivate to the Inspire to the Atrix. I kept the Inspire for about a week and immediately missed the screen on the Captivate.
The Inspire's screen is definitely sharp, but I like the contrast on the captivate. The black text sharpness on the Atrix is really good and very comparable to the Inspire and both beat the pants off the Captivate.
I'd have to disagree with the build quality of the Inspire. Yes, aluminum feels solid compared to the plastic on the Atrix and does give you that solid quality feeling, but I had the same plastic alignment issues with two Inspires I went through. The plastic parts just doesn't line up evenly with the aluminum. The battery door was never a problem with me because of the gaps were plastic met aluminum. I was always able to get my finger nails in two places to pull the cover off easily and without destroying the soft touch cover.
Call quality on the Inspire's headset speaker always sounded tinny and lack the volume of the Atrix. The loudspeaker is really, really weak on the Inspire. The Atrix's loudspeaker has surprisingly good range, I hear a semblance of bass when playing media.
Security wise, the fingerprint scanner is a really good feature on the Atrix, makes me wonder why no one has done it before on a mobile phone. So much faster to unlock securely without a passcode or drawing.
The camera on the Inspire is better than the Atrix. The Inspire's pics come out with more contrast and better color. The Atrix has sharp images, but the color look a little washed out and there way more noise. Seems like Motorola wanted sharper images and turn down the noise reduction. Noise reduction is a big killer when it comes to image sharpness.
+1 just for referencing Barney Stinson.
Haha no, but really, this is a good comparison of the Inspire and the Atrix. I agree with most, if not all, of your pros and cons. I really can't help but emphasize the battery life though. I usually end up having to buy a spare battery and charger set for my smartphones, but it seems really unnecessary for the Atrix. If you're a power user, that's reason enough to pick the Atrix over the Inspire.
I agree almost 100%
I sit here with both phones still. I love the Inspire, and Gingerblur on the Atrix makes me love the Atrix.
The interwebz speed is what is forcing the Inspire as my daily driver at the moment.
I have gone through 3 atrix's already, when i have it, i want to sell it, as you can see in my signature, and when i sell it, i want one. thus #3....
I almost NEED to wait and see 4g... and this backhaul att speaks of....
And then there is the Samsung infuse/enfuse? idk... But they say when its dropped, it will most certainly have the capable speeds, as will the 2 other flagship "4g" phones.
I treat my phones with utmost care, as i usually am selling them for the new and next best thing, and want to ensure they can be purchased as a 10/10 quality. That being said, I will say the case-mate case i have on the inspire gives GREAT protection, but makes a big phone even bigger, the atrix with the bodyglove feels tiny in my hands after 2 weeks of driving the inspire... I recently sold another iphone4, and it reminded me of the atrix in my hands, not build quality, as you mentioned above, but size...
4.3 qHD would be a perfect mix for me, and I am sure is what is in store for future HTC devices... but for now, I am in the same dilemia many are.
to Inspire, or not Inspire and Atrix my way through the rough of it...
to the avg user, hdmi out is no biggie, but to the ub3r geek in me who likes to VPN home, CIFS mount shares, and stream, hdmi is a big deal....
oh woe is me.....
Today Inspire still drives me to and from.... CM7rc4 battery gets me through the day, even as an Exchange Admin with more email on touchdown then most people, including gmail push...
But that said, i come right back with the atrix could get me past a full day!
like the good old Blackberry days..
theres my 2 cents, thrown into the pot, both heads up...
~killster
I'm so sick of these threads.
Man_of_Leisure said:
I'm so sick of these threads.
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Then don't read 'em... Problem solved.
Divinedark said:
Then don't read 'em... Problem solved.
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Just like you have the right to create threads, I have the right to respond to them. If you don't like that, you want a blog, not a forum.
Man_of_Leisure said:
Just like you have the right to create threads, I have the right to respond to them. If you don't like that, you want a blog, not a forum.
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You are absolutely correct. I appreciate your need to contribute completely unrelated, and pointless reflections on your own worthless personal opinion in my thread. So many others that are trying to decide between these two devices will find your additions to the subject of this thread invaluable. I truly hope that you will continue to follow that urge to spout your own polished, self-important drivel in the rest of the threads on this forum. If you don't, you will effectively be robbing us of your wisdom.
I'm sorry that I wasted your time reading my relatively well researched and thought out comparison between two close competing devices on the same carrier. From this point forward I'll be sure to continue adding to the typical device war crap like "TEH ATRIX IS A$$" and what not. That should sate your thirst for informative and entertaining topics on this forum.
Again. I'm very sorry.
Man_of_Leisure said:
Just like you have the right to create threads, I have the right to respond to them. If you don't like that, you want a blog, not a forum.
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+1 I'm pretty sure there's already at least fifteen threads about Inspire vs Atrix. I thank you for taking the time to compare both and noting their strengths and weaknesses but like I said, there's already a ton of these threads and they just repeat the same opinions/info.
Clienterror said:
+1 I'm pretty sure there's already at least fifteen threads about Inspire vs Atrix. I thank you for taking the time to compare both and noting their strengths and weaknesses but like I said, there's already a ton of these threads and they just repeat the same opinions/info.
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It's true that there are a lot of posts that contribute this kind of information, but this one in particular was well thought out and written, and that helps provide a better reference for those interested. I also value those posts that say good things about devices. A lot of posts tend to complain about whatever device they're talking about. It's nice to have some good things to say in order to balance out the amount of user feedback.
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
Yea... the majority of threads you see with this same general topic are basically just "The Atrix BLOWS!!!! I'm going back to my Inspire" blah blah blah. He was polite enough to explain his thoughts on the phone thoroughly, and go through his overall opinion on the phone over time, showing what has changed in his mind about each phone. Can kinda think of it more as a "phone review" than a "disgruntled customer".....
There are many Inspire / Atrix threads I've read but this one is a good, unbiased, well written everyday user experience. +1 for op.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Divinedark said:
I do have some issues here, though. Mainly with the back cover. As noted in my initial post, its very brittle, thin plastic. If you think I broke a sweat taking the inspires battery cover off, you should have seen me trying to get the battery on the atrix. I pulled the top clip free, and almost bent the cover in half fighting the mid phone clips. Also, the back cover on my atrix doesn't line up flush on one side. The last couple issues are the "creakynesss" of the handset. When I grip the phone tightly I can feel the plastic components giving, and settling into place. Not terribly bad, but noticable. The last issue is the fingerprint scanner. It's been pointed out in some reviews, but the scanner is off center on some devices and just looks shoddily thrown together and misalligned.
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The battery cover design is one of the things I really like about the Atrix. It is flexible on my phone, not brittle at all. It fits well and is a breeze to get on and off -- after the first time. The first time I was also a little scared and it caught at the middle a little. Since then, it is trivial to do. Of course, it spends most of its time covered by two layers of Otterbox Commuter in my case.
I have not noticed any creakiness -- seems very solid to me. It's reinforced by the Otterbox, so I might not ever notice anyway.
My fingerprint scanner doesn't seem to work at all. I get nothing but too short a swipe messages (works for me about 1 time out of 20). I have been assuming this is due it being placed down in a little hole by the Otterbox. I'm perfectly willing to give that up to get the extra protection and reduced slipperiness. My last unprotected phone (BB 9000) only made it a year before I dropped it many times including into 2 feet of water (don't ask, I need to be drinking to talk about it).
Yea.... i had the Defender for a day or so before i returned it for that one reason. Made it a bit more tricky to use the fingerprint reader. Found that too many times when i went to swipe (almost typed Swype in there... and no, not even on my phone. haha) my finger, it would wind up getting stuck with the outer soft casing of the Defender and either stop mid-swipe or skip part of my fingertip.
fingerprint scanner works great for me; when i first got it i thought it would be a useless novelty.
Slade8525 said:
fingerprint scanner works great for me; when i first got it i thought it would be a useless novelty.
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Not saying it doesn't work great. It works phenomenally. The issue is that some cases.... or mostly the OtterBox Defender, has quite a large hole where the fingerprint scanner resides.... and part of that hole is surrounded by the soft silicon/rubber of the outer shell of the case, which can make trying to get a solid swipe across the fingerprint reader a bit of a pain.
This is a pretty good review. I too left for an inspire and couldn't be happier, but I can see why people like their Atrix. Having cm7 was the deal breaker for me but if roms aren't a big deal the Atrix might be a better fit. I also had two phones with extremely bad call quality issues but I hear that's more of an isolated thing.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA Premium App
I came from the captivate...to the atrix to the inspire and back to the atrix ...the only thing I miss from the inspire is htc sense
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
slimslim said:
There are many Inspire / Atrix threads I've read but this one is a good, unbiased, well written everyday user experience. +1 for op.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
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+1 great unbiased and amusing post. I was about to moan when I saw how long your post was, Divinedark but your well thought out/written comparison made me finish it without realizing it.
Well written OP. It's actually like two reviews of both phones and not just which beats which.
Thank you.
HI all
I was wandering how is the build quality in this phone?
I would love to give it to my girlfriend but was just wandering after hearing/reading some negative comments about galaxy s 1 build.
Thank you in advance for any comments, or links to articles or such.
Regards
Kirior
I think it's awesome. Even it's plastic, it's really assertive and the back cover stays so tight. Just the opening is a bit tricky... But you only need to do this once, luckily. If you need to change sim-cards or memory cards daily, then I don't recommend this phone.
Samsung isn't known as "Samsuck" for no reason. Buy her an HTC phone. I would steer clear of any Samsung phones.
Sent from my HTC using XDA App
stop trolling, it's pretty good even though its plastic it feels solid
Its fine really, solid despite the choice of materials, feels a lot better in the hand than the original.
Link to more detailed thoughts:
http://blog.clove.co.uk/2011/05/16/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-real-user-reviewpart-one/
As the posts above is saying; Nothing to put on the build quality
/CK
PureH2O said:
Samsung isn't known as "Samsuck" for no reason. Buy her an HTC phone. I would steer clear of any Samsung phones.
Sent from my HTC using XDA App
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God what a ****-nuckle..
Sent from the best phone in the world...
I think a light phone is better. Much less likely to break when dropped because over the same distance there will be much less kinetic energy to dissipate on impact.
Sent from my HTC Hero using XDA App
Not to be a fanboy, but you do want your phone made of lead or what?
PureH2O said:
Samsung isn't known as "Samsuck" for no reason. Buy her an HTC phone. I would steer clear of any Samsung phones.
Sent from my HTC using XDA App
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To try and add some value to an otherwise useless post, I haven't owned a Samsung phone since the CDMA i730 Windows phone. It was a funky phone without a lot of joy and some really questionable design choices. From there I had a succession of HTC phones spanning six years. They were all solid, ran well, and gave me little to complain about. I got an LG phone which I kept for a whopping three weeks before realizing it was a pile of rubbish. So, with an unbiased view, I chose the Samsuck GS2 and couldn't be happier. Back on topic, the build quality is great. Fit, finish, style, feel are all what you'd expect from a high-end device. Alas, because it's shiny parts are exposed front and back, all that beauty has to be hidden by a case which makes it look pedestrian. I just got my Case-Mate tough case today and the phone now looks mummified. Oh well, at least it's protected.
I really dont understand the questions about build quality the sgs or sgs2. My orignal sgs(vibrant) was heavy duty. Yes its light and yes its made out of plastic. But ive dropped my vibrant from various heights and the battery cover never popped off, no marks on screen or anything. Both phones, specially the sgs2 feel like a lighter, thinner HD2. Niether feels flimsy, cheap, breakable.
One of the Hd2s ive owned fell from bathroom sink to tile floor, and shattered after a 3 -4foot drop.
Build Quality is important to me as I work with dogs(90%) and other various animals. Besides the psycho owners, I deal with psycho 200pound dogs on a daily basis. I get bumped, biten, jumped on, rubbed, attacked etc all day, everyday. Not a single scratch, scrap, dent on the sgs2 and thats with no protection for 3 weeks.
Now the only bad quality choice samsung and other manufactors use is the damn cheap silver/chrome/aluminum bezel around the phones. Since I dont use cases consistently im prone to scratch the bezel by the end of ownership.
Another plus is the couple cases I do have dont add extra bulk like other phones. Im waiting on quality extended batteries to come.
HI guys
Thx for all replies, all in all i have bought SGS2 for her. She is in heavens now i guess that's all that matters and she does take care of the phones so i know i will not land on the floor or such just wanted to make sure.
thanks again and for me the thread is closed.
Kirior
I find the build quality of the S2 pretty decent although I had my doubts when I just got the phone. After using it for a couple of weeks I think the build quality is fine and I'm sure this phone will last a long time.
However, today I had the HTC Sensation in my hands for the first time and I must confess that the build quality of the Sensaion is clearly better.
The build quality is much better than i expected. Yes, it is plastic, but feels pretty solid, no creaking or flex. I have an SE Arc also, similar thickness, but would say that the gs2 is easily the more high quality build of the two.
Regarding the battery cover, it is thin and flimsy, but i cant imagine a new one costing much if you needed one. What bothers me more is the texture, it feels more slick than a shiny back, but a case might fix that.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
The phone isn't going to win any aesthetic prizes but it looks like very post iPhone mobile out there, nothing hideously ugly but nothing amazing. It's just a massive 4.8 inch OLED screen which is amazing to look at that you aren't going to be looking at the rest of the phone.
All this pentile complaints are unfounded, most of the people complaining weren't at the event so don't know what it looks like in person. Wait till the phone is in stores and then make your decision, however I really doubt at 306PPI and 720 resolution that you'll see a difference side by side with the GS2, unless you try and find a fault.
Comes with the CPU that we expected and has benchmarked well already, has a GPU that I was disappointed with at first but also has benchmarked better than anything else out there atm. 8MP camera is the norm, it isn't all about MPs anyways, I'm much more interested to see if the pink spot in the camera has gone and if the lag gone from the GS2 as well. So I'm not disappointed with the hardware at all, it looks like it'll be the fastest and have a good enough camera.
Sorry for admitting this but I think Touchwiz is better than stock Android. I tried to go from Touchwiz back to stock GB on the GS2 as everyone said it was crap and I couldn't, it had much better features. Looking at Samsungs new updates to it for ICS, it just looks amazing and much better than stock ICS, which I thought was a major disappointment. S Voice shuts up the Apple fanbois and the feature I'm excited for is the Picture in Picture stuff, that looks worth it alone for me. I dunno who Samsung have hired to make Touchwiz good since the GS2 but they should be paying them more lol.
I just don't see how people complain about the phone, what do they expect? Yeah the phone is made out of plastic, have you ever owned an iPhone 4? If you drop it the back shatters and the metal always gets dented or scuffed, I used to own one before the GS2. I personally think Plastic is a much better material for a device you will probably drop and most people get an iPhone and put a cheap plastic cover on it and never see the phone under it either. So that makes the phone look worse and makes it much bigger, it probably gets dirt under it and scratches the phone anyways. I dropped my GS2 many times and it never shattered or broke, if the back cover broke then just buy another one, plastic is cheap to replace!
The other great thing is it has a micro sd slot and removable battery, which are features you'd all be moaning are gone if they tried to make the phone out of another material. All these other phones are made Unibody to make them feel more sturdy and yet they lack what people on these forums want.
I don't get the complaining, I'm going to see it in a store and if I like it in person then buy one. I think it looks great and what I expected from the GS3. All the leaks too didn't big the phone up to being this mad crazy super phone that changes the world or whatever. So I don't see what people were expecting...
I have ur same opinion, totally agree
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
Same opinion also.
Its the iPhone effect as I call it - Everyone will always find something to moan about but will still end up buying one and loving it. It will sell in the millions regardless.
Pretty much agree. I think the phone looks pretty decent, then again the whole zen theming is kinda my thing anyway, so I might be kinda biased. Also I really don't understand whats the problem with the homekey, I actually MUCH prefer having a real homekey than onscreen buttons... They take up screen space cause burn in and I hit them by accident ALL THE TIME.
The screen is a bit of a letdown but I think AMOLED HD+ is just not ready yet and with that resolution pentile isn't that much of a problem. Also once you go AMOLED you can never go back, those washed out blacks on an LCD are just unaccaptable for me..
People were expecting WAY too much. If they really did use a ceramic body people would complain about the pricing because it would be a hell lot more expensive. The hardware in this phone is very good ,zero shutter lag and the improved camera software are really great and some of the gimmicks look really practical (I can see me use popup play all the time). Oh and btw. with the tiny camera sensors in smartphones image quality will actually get worse by bumping up the Megapixel count, but I guess people will never understand that..
TouchWiz is not the most beautiful launcher out there, but it is one of the smoothest (the new version looks even smoother) and I find alot more appealing than Sense. Sense is actually one of the reasons I'd never get a HOX along with the poor unreplacable battery and the lack of an mircrosd card slot.
Once it hits the shelves I'm sure people will stop complaining and see what a nice device samsung has made here. It is not a revolutionary update but it is a pretty good update and I will use it until the next S phone comes out or if the other companies will come to their senses and give us back microsd card slots and removable batteries.
Same here, personally I love the look, what were HTC thinking with the no SD or replaceable battery.
What happens in a year or so when all the batteries start falling over!
I think this version of Touchwiz looks the best personally and I love the new icon style, it feels much more like Ubuntu or something.
The features in Touchwiz though just make it much better than stock ICS, that is if they work...
Yep, i'm bored of the iphone look and welcome change.
Well said folks and i agree totally, look forward to getting this phone
Can't agree more. The pebble blue looks great. The only thing I still worry is the battery life. I hope it is better than gs2 with the 2000 mah battery. I have been spoiled.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA
Having read the"designed by lawyers" article I'm buying just to laugh at Apple as they scratch their heads over what to sue for this time! And I like the look and I bet it gets a big female following too
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium
I think it looks great and possibly even better when you get it in your hands. And it's a distinct samsung design. They have a good brand and it's time to trust in it, I think.
I for one did not like the design one bit when I first saw it, but then it kind of grew on me, and I've now pre-ordered two. The whole "designed for humans" slogan didn't make much sense to me, but after actually taking the time to investigate the shape of the sgs3 up close, it dawned on me just how comfortable the thing will be in your hands. The iPhone 4/4S is in my opinion absolutely horrible when it comes to ergonomics, and the SGS2 does not win any prizes in that category either, and now Samsung has designed an ergonomically sensible phone that will fit into your hand perfectly, and thus has been designed with human use in mind. Instead of just having something pretty to look at, like the post 3GS iPhones have been, we now have something that'll be comfortable to handle and hold for long periods of time.
I for one can't wait to get my hands on my new phones!
Will buying depending on when its released for us. I do hope a Bigger battery comes out around release with it being a slim 2700 or even 3000 would be amazing. Add a little bit to the phone and its fine.
I think it looks ok.. Nothing really to dislike. I would say the Samsung widgets could do with some attention. The widgets on my sgs2 are inconsistent. Look at the agenda widget next to the clock. It looks like they have been downloaded from different developers. If they had made the widgets look consistent that would be an improvement. Look at sense for example. The widgets are slick.
The weather widget on the sgs3 is ugly and won't really fit with many wallpapers.
I find this quote applicable:
The take-home message: People don't like change. The Galaxy S III represents a departure from the design aesthetic the S-line has carried on for the last two years. Instead of more of the same, Samsung opted to continue along the design route it forged with the Galaxy Nexus. And guess what? It's welcomed. Personally, I'm tired of the rectangular phones.
...Samsung didn't cater to the sheep-mentality. Earlier I said, it met all my expectations. I was wrong. It went beyond expectation. Samsung delivered gave the world a stand-out [completely different] device....The trust that Mr. Savov indicates is being lost is untrue. The opposite is valid: Samsung continues to build trust among it's faithful, while earning and winning the trust of newcomers by pushing the boundaries in its latest flagship. Like most outrageously designed products (Bangle's BMW designs come to mind), at first, they startle, but over time, you come to appreciate how far-reaching the design perspective was. Samsung is looking ahead to what we will understand to love, once we dispense with the "sheepish" attitude that drawn to the same old rectangular slab that employs the same old tired heuristic.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/4/2998912/how-samsung-renewed-my-love
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Click to collapse
Which is not to say I agree with him on the S3's "beauty" and "falling in love", but that a lot of the reactionary crap spouted here was just because people hate change. The same thing happens everytime facebook makes a major UI change, then people get used to it. Given this, there is a minor irony in that "sheep" thing.
I honestly don't know why there is so much backlash on the design. It looks great!
The ugliest phone this generation has got to be the Nokia Lumia series.
1. rear flash and speakers. way too exposed
2. not a big deal but it does bother me. just make it smaller.
3. home button. if they kept curve on both sides the same it would look like the shape of the phone, it would look nicer.
4. curves too much and looks like the top part is also smaller...should be the other way around if you want to save the phone from dropping.
5. size. for people who wants a bigger screen. that's where the Note comes in. but for a phone to use with one handedly and with the thumb. it say it's too big for the majority.
might change my mind later down the road, who knows.
prob still get it, just to toy around and its newer but not for full price.
The front is very identical to Nexus devices which I like, but the back is quite metrosexual, they should have given its some pattern, which would help with grip too. I guess they'll be some custom back cover for it. It would have looked nicer with the curved body.
I just bought a Nexus instead, so if anyone asked me what it is, I'll say its the new SIII: http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/2707/nexuss3k.jpg
Will wait till Christmas and get myself a global SIII when it lowered price after the American versions are released. Hopefully the price lowered as fast of a rate as the Nexus, by $350 after six months, but unlikely this time as quadcore is still new and S series is popular.
Don't forget, there were quite a few complaints about the S2 when it came out.
Same exact comparisons were made against the sensation
I do like most of the external design except for the rear battery cover. Maybe someone would make a nice replacement cover that's less slippery
I disagree with the op,
I think this phone will indeed win in the looks department. Like i said before I was too overhyped initially. Expecting it to be made with T1000 metal with Phasers shooting out the side. Now, I can see that it's one of the most beautiful minimalist phones ever made. I think it will win in the aesthetic category.
Hello everyone. I haven't received my N4 yet, but I thought I'd check out the forums a head of time to I know what the phone will be like.... But now I'm nervous about it.
Reading the forums I see there are a lot of you guys saying that there are speaker noise, rattling camera, and other defects. Is the Nexus 4 really a defective phone or are there a lot of members here with OCD? (No offense, I've had my OCD moments too)
I was getting excited for a new phone (desperately need one) but now I'm not sure. Are there any of you guys who didn't find defects with the phone and are truly happy with it? Does every Nexus phone release with some quibbles?
Thanks
nexuscanvmx said:
Hello everyone. I haven't received my N4 yet, but I thought I'd check out the forums a head of time to I know what the phone will be like.... But now I'm nervous about it.
Reading the forums I see there are a lot of you guys saying that there are speaker noise, rattling camera, and other defects. Is the Nexus 4 really a defective phone or are there a lot of members here with OCD? (No offense, I've had my OCD moments too)
I was getting excited for a new phone (desperately need one) but now I'm not sure. Are there any of you guys who didn't find defects with the phone and are truly happy with it? Does every Nexus phone release with some quibbles?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Quit listening to overly nitpicky people.
I came from an iPhone 5 which is arguably, in terms of production and build quality, one of the better made phones and I can tell you that the N4 is simply a great phone. I've had it for a few weeks now and am enjoying it tremendously.
I saw all the threads, and while there are a few negatives to the phone, a lot of it is very and I mean very minor. With the exception of battery life (which is another topic in itself) the phone is fine and you will love it.
I got my phone in the second batch at the end of last week. I have found zero issues or defects with my phone! Not even a tiny hairline scratch!
I love my phone. I love the way it feels. I love how smooth it is. I love everything about it and have zero hardware issues......and I'm pretty critical when it comes to the details.
My one issue had to do with AT&T and their horrible service. I switched my account around and messed with APN stuff and now thats all better
Edit: as for battery life, I got 30 hours out of a single charge with moderate use. If you use it heavily, youre going to have battery issues unfortunately but I only charge my phone every 1.5 days
No speaker noise, no rattling here. Although what I can say is, the bottom and top of the plastic rim area has slight creaking, if you push down on it hard enough (not to worry though).
The buttons annoy me quite a bit, compared to the superb build quality of the iPhone 4/4S buttons these buttons are just pfft. They creak, and require you to hit the center of the button (where it clicks) to get the desired function. The sides of the button are virtually useless and go down on the side you push. That REALLY bugs me, but I'll live.
But these 2 issues are not issues that should prevent you from getting the phone. Sure, it won't reach Apple product standards, but it reaches the top of any Android Device I've ever seen. The Gorilla Glass 2 is also very sturdy.
Better quality phones out there I'm afraid. I feel a bit let down. The n4 feels solid but yeah there seems to be a lot of issues..
It has been hyped up a lot I think. It hasn't got great battery, or camera and there's better screens out there too. The performance feels smooth but benchmarks aren't breaking. Something sucks all the juice fast too.
Build wise its solid to hold. But mine for example has loose buttons, not great.
Lots of reports of shattering glass and easy breaks. Impact tests prove this too.
Video recording is.. Ok...but sound could be better, sounds very compressed on videos. Music sounds ok but iPhone sounds better IMO.
I haven't had issues with call quality yet.
Thanks for the positive affirmation guys. I'm upgrading from an Optimus T. It was a really good phone for the price (on prepaid) and wasn't too bad all around. There were some issues of freezing and slow downs but I think that may just because of the software LG had on it, which is why I wanted a pure android device. So hopefully the N4 will fit my needs.
Hear the same ol' complaining but yet when you ask anyone if they're willing to give up their phone, no one will.. you know why? Because it's awesome.
The phone is fast, it's smooth and it's every bit what a smart phone should do.
I for one don't sit there and mash my phone between my fingers or shake my phone till the insides come loose. I had more issues with the iPhone's stupid home button that kept losing sensitivity after months of use.
With some of you guys, did the phone exceed or meet your expectations?
if ur a nitpicky kinda person (and there are a lot on XDA), then u will find faults w/the phone and feel dissatisfied. I upgraded from a Nexus S to this so I'm perfectly content w/the phone. Others who switch from equal or better phones such as the GS3/Iphone/etc might not feel the same level of satisfaction.
I'm coming from a Galaxy S III and couldn't be happier with the Nexus 4. The build quality is outstanding. The device feels solid and is very well built. The only thing I miss from the S III is how the blacks were extremely black. If you are coming from the optimus T then you will seriously enjoy the Nexus 4.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
jnewman1991 said:
I'm coming from a Galaxy S III and couldn't be happier with the Nexus 4. The build quality is outstanding. The device feels solid and is very well built. The only thing I miss from the S III is how the blacks were extremely black. If you are coming from the optimus T then you will seriously enjoy the Nexus 4.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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Hi Guys.. Similar sort of situation. Struggling to make my mind. Got my samsung galaxy s3 a week ago and quite happy so far but today ordered google nexus 4. Do not need it but want it. Now worried about LG brand and built quality. To be frank i have not done any research or comparsions. Need ur expert advice as I am coming from samsung s3 and S2...
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Haven't had a single problem with the N4. Had the Gnex before and even with the extended Samsung battery for the Gnex my N4 runs circles around it. I just charged it last night and it ran for 1d 15h 23m and it wasn't even dead yet. I don't use it any differently than my Gnex so I'm quite happy with the battery life. I was also connected to LTE but most of the places I go have wifi which is usually the case for most people. There's nothing wrong with the N4 people just like to be picky.
Quality is very good. Not crazy about the chrome-plated-plastic bezel and buttons, other than that it is fine.
Build quality is outstanding.
Gorgeous display (people complaining only about the limitations of the technology)
Amazingly smooth curved display. This just feels awesome to use... Blows any other glass out of the water (iPhone included) its so smooth...
If you get one with none of the normal defects (which most phones don't have) then you will get a premium phone at a decent price. I feel like I underpaid. Most people are nitpicking and should try making a phone themselves.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
sum-xda said:
Hi Guys.. Similar sort of situation. Struggling to make my mind. Got my samsung galaxy s3 a week ago and quite happy so far but today ordered google nexus 4. Do not need it but want it. Now worried about LG brand and built quality. To be frank i have not done any research or comparsions. Need ur expert advice as I am coming from samsung s3 and S2...
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
If you like your battery life, stick with the S3.
I am really happy with it and it is great except I really wish the headphone jack was on the bottom.
I think the quality of the nexus 4 is sshhitty. Se the YouTube link. Don't know how many got this problem. I have the same problem. Don't know what to do? I actually bought my nexus from eBay Germany and I am living in Denmark. Nexus 4 is not available in Denmark yet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXHvSEUsv7Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Coming from a Galaxy Nexus, the N4 exudes high-end to me. It looks very sleek. It's about the same weight. I feel more nervous about carrying around naked until my case comes in as it definitely feels more fragile due to the all-glass construction. I didn't notice much of a boost in terms of speed or responsiveness but in terms of 4g speeds it's more than double what I was getting on the GNex; I averaged about 18mb/2mb on several tests on T-Mobile, which is f'n fantastic! I tether a lot with my laptop, so this alone is worth the upgrade to me. I like to flash custom ROMs, but there really aren't many out there right now, so I'm currently running stock rooted, which I find is missing a lot of the shortcuts and features I like in the custom ROMs.
My only real gripe so far is the Clock app. I used my GNex as a bedside clock at night and on the GNex you could just tap it once and the screen would dim out to barely visible at all, but on the N4 it's way too bright in bedside mode, to the point I can't use it as a clock anymore!
Overall, verrry nice phone and build. Mine rattles near the camera, but I found my GNex does as well and so does my wife's iPhone 4. I don't see it as a defect at all. No loose buttons.
I think the Nexus 4's build quality is the one of the best among other phones. It doesn't have that plasticky, inexpensive feel that other Android phones have. This is much more on par with an iPhone. Yes, I did just compliment an Apple product. (You have to admit, they look nice.)
The glass on both sides really helps with that, and I haven't had any of the problems you've listed.
I'm one of those nitpicky guys. I have 5 different Galaxy Notes trying to find a good one. I absolutely love my N4. No issues whatsoever. Antenna good. No creaks. No yellow tinting. No scratches and I've been checking every day since it is currently without a case and I carry it in my pants pocket. Screen is really good though I do miss the amoled blacks. Battery life is great. Had 50% left at the end of the day yesterday with light to moderate use.
Everything about this phone is pretty amazing but, my main concern is the durability. HTC can do pretty well in bend tests based on what I've seen. The problem with this phone is there is a lot of chassis missing for that glass back.
I know it's a bit soon to speculate but, it's no longer a small risk when it comes to the initial outlay and I may just sit this one out for once as my 6p and 5x are both doing quite well considering I went naked after about a month. The 5x is my work phone and I have dropped it all over the place, spilled tea on it, and it lives in my back pocket during transit.
I really hope Google did their homework on this one because all eyes are on them now.
yeah, the glass panel's exposure scares me a bit. HTC's had a history of absolutely bang-on build quality, so that leaves me feeling good, but glass is glass. honestly, i was really hoping for a soft curved back like HTC has been known for, which is a crazy help for keeping wear down on normal use (obviously doesn't help drops). I am reluctantly awaiting potential bumpers since clear skins never last or look worth a crap, or maybe just go full retard on a Live Case.
fitchpuckman said:
yeah, the glass panel's exposure scares me a bit. HTC's had a history of absolutely bang-on build quality, so that leaves me feeling good, but glass is glass. honestly, i was really hoping for a soft curved back like HTC has been known for, which is a crazy help for keeping wear down on normal use (obviously doesn't help drops). I am reluctantly awaiting potential bumpers since clear skins never last or look worth a crap, or maybe just go full retard on a Live Case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha! I always start with an i-Blason or anything really robust. After the screen starts to fade it comes off for something smaller or fully naked depending on the device. I think with this phone it will never see the light of day.
GMonkey said:
Haha! I always start with an i-Blason or anything really robust. After the screen starts to fade it comes off for something smaller or fully naked depending on the device. I think with this phone it will never see the light of day.
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Click to collapse
for sure. once it's in hand for a few days, I'll make a call, plus more case options will have surfaced by then, and people wills tart weeding out the dumb OEMs that misalign port openings on their first manufacturing runs. i'm hoping to keep this naked as long as possible. historically, cases weren't for me, but that changed with my 5x. love the diztronic on my it, it's done a masterful job of protecting the phone's shell from the embarrassing amount of discoloring it experienced in the first 3 weeks i owned it and didnt have it dressed up..."get the blue-ish colored one, they said. yeah it's matte but it wont collect dirt, they said...". jerks.
The glass on the back worries me.
And what annoys me about it is that there doesn't seem to be any functional justification for it.
fitchpuckman said:
for sure. once it's in hand for a few days, I'll make a call, plus more case options will have surfaced by then, and people wills tart weeding out the dumb OEMs that misalign port openings on their first manufacturing runs. i'm hoping to keep this naked as long as possible. historically, cases weren't for me, but that changed with my 5x. love the diztronic on my it, it's done a masterful job of protecting the phone's shell from the embarrassing amount of discoloring it experienced in the first 3 weeks i owned it and didnt have it dressed up..."get the blue-ish colored one, they said. yeah it's matte but it wont collect dirt, they said...". jerks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just wish I had the patience to wait. I think I'll be settled once I see the relevant tests. If I could drop the case I'd be well happy
catachresistant said:
The glass on the back worries me.
And what annoys me about it is that there doesn't seem to be any functional justification for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not just the glass. There are 2 antenna slots in the frame at random places. I fear bendgate
catachresistant said:
The glass on the back worries me.
And what annoys me about it is that there doesn't seem to be any functional justification for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NFC antenna is there, it won't work through metal
Sent from my GT-I9505G using XDA Free mobile app
You know, people do say a lot of bad things on Nexus 4's glass back. Mine still intact perfectly after almost 4 years of use...
lazinase said:
You know, people do say a lot of bad things on Nexus 4's glass back. Mine still intact perfectly after almost 4 years of use...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that depends....mine got a hard scratch a few weeks later for laying it on a Glass table. Probably a bad movement and a tiny grain of sand under the phone
So after this I always try to put the charger's cable under the phone.
Sent from my Nexus 5X
Matridom said:
NFC antenna is there, it won't work through metal
Sent from my GT-I9505G using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
And yet my HTC One manages NFC just fine (presumably through the large circular camera hole).
catachresistant said:
The glass on the back worries me.
And what annoys me about it is that there doesn't seem to be any functional justification for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
RF radiation passes through glass, not metal. Your antennas are behind the glass.
doitright said:
RF radiation passes through glass, not metal. Your antennas are behind the glass.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone has antenna lines.
catachresistant said:
The phone has antenna lines.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, but Google chose the glass back for a reason. Clearly it was more expensive to do than just a full metal back with antenna lines.
My guess is they did this for a very good reason.
catachresistant said:
The phone has antenna lines.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Says who?
Note: a line doesn't mean an antenna.
Ok, so I caved in and got an iPhone 7 a week ago on their upgrade program. That way I'm not spending so much in one hit. I've bought a smart battery case and I got nearly 12hrs usage yesterday with a lot of camera activity and gaming thanks to the double battery power. I can do most of what I was doing on my 6p and in a lot of cases more. There seems to be some minor perks for the iOS versions of the Google apps. For once I'm going to wait for my contact renewal in January and keep an eye on all the news with these phones. If they turn out to be the real deal then I can get more than what I would have got if I was buying it like I normally would a Nexus. So in 3 months the winner can be my daily driver and the runner up can be my work phone. I must admit iOS has certainly matured since I last had a serious look. If you actually take the time to configure it to your way of working it's actually the same. I still use all the same apps I was using, even my password keeper. All my friends and family have started to wonder if I'm having a midlife crisis because I was so anti Apple and I can only admit I was wrong. It's something you have to openly experience to understand.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
GMonkey said:
Ok, so I caved in and got an iPhone 7 a week ago on their upgrade program.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GMonkey I've just asked if anyone here have used an iPhone recently and after that I read you post.
Do you recommend me to try the iPhone 7 now that the Google Phone has the same price?
My last phones: Galaxy S3 (I hate Touchwiz) -> Galaxy Nexus > Nexus 4 > Nexus 5 > xperia Z5 Compact (I regretted this decision. Bad camera) > Nexus 5X (excellent camera like the Nexus 5 and 6P)
I'd like to know how is the iPhone 7 compared to the 5,X (specially the camera without HDR+) and using only Google Apps and Google Sync (not iCloud, iTunes, etc. Just Google apps). Can you replace Siri with Google Now?
Considering this...do you recommend me that jump? Or I'll miss Android a lot?
Thanks
Sent from my Nexus 5X
thesebastian said:
GMonkey I've just asked if anyone here have used an iPhone recently and after that I read you post.
Do you recommend me to try the iPhone 7 now that the Google Phone has the same price?
My last phones: Galaxy S3 (I hate Touchwiz) -> Galaxy Nexus > Nexus 4 > Nexus 5 > xperia Z5 Compact (I regretted this decision. Bad camera) > Nexus 5X (excellent camera like the Nexus 5 and 6P)
I'd like to know how is the iPhone 7 compared to the 5,X (specially the camera without HDR+) and using only Google Apps and Google Sync (not iCloud, iTunes, etc. Just Google apps).
Considering this...do you recommend me that jump? Or I'll miss Android a lot?
Thanks
Sent from my Nexus 5X
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a tricky one because there are pros and cons. The good thing is that you have 2 weeks to make your mind up and apple are pretty good at disputes from what I hear so you could always try it for a bit. It's another world compared to the 5x (which I'm still using as my work phone) because of battery, camera, and the fact it's water resistant. It depends on what you like about Android. If you like all the Nougat features with notifications etc and rely on quick charge then you may struggle. If you don't mind losing out on the openness of Android then you'll like iOS enough to switch. I use inbox, google play music, movies, books, keep, YouTube, google drive, sheets, docs, and slides in exactly the same way as before. Google has been clever in building its own ecosystem within iOS and I can still share things to drive and keep etc as I did before. You can still keep documents offline and keep them synced. Google photos still syncs and it also supports iOS only features like moments. Drive and it's related apps have a password feature which is nice to have. I still use a password manager. In apps it only works on some, others you need to copy and paste. It works fine in safari if you press the share button on a log in page. My photos are far better than my 5x and 6p. 3D Touch is amazing, anyone who says it isn't hasn't given it a good shot. It's given me the ability to hold down on an app icon for shortcuts or preview links or images etc. People complain that google puts more effort into iOS apps and it's just because it's easier to cater for a small number of devices. Other developers seem to be doing the same. The only limitations are what the OS won't allow which I prefer out of privacy. Remember with Google we are the product and the ad space buyers are the customer. There are 2 main ways to make money in the software space. 1. Is by selling a solid solution and 2. By offering a free solution that has other ways of making money. This is why Facebook is the largest media company in the world without ever uploading a single photo of their own. It's been built by our efforts and so has Google. With this in mind you know who will be the better option when things go wrong. I used to avoid Apple shops like it was someone else's church so I had no idea how they operated. They didn't have an issue with me being an android user and they spent so much time with me even after the sale was made. I've been back in since to ask questions as it's not for from my office and it's like I've got my own little XDA shop to walk into but, I won't get shot down if someone disagrees with me. When you realise that some of your favourite android blogs also have sister sites that are iOS based and all the fanboy anger is driven by them you realise it's ok to like both and I now visit both websites and follow both podcasts. Sorry to have gone on for a bit, I just wanted you to know it's not just about the product as the service behind it and the community that support it are equally as important.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Hey and what about replacing Safari with Chrome. Apple Keyboard with Google Keyboard and Apple Maps with Google Maps? Is this a good idea? I have years of custom words saved in Google Keyboard.
Can you also replace the main gallery with Photos?
I'm really tempted to try an iPhone 7. However I don't think I can buy it just to try it. If I bought it, I would use carphone warehouse shipping it to Barcelona. (Here in Spain it's much more expensive than there).
Regarding Nougat stuff...well I'm using a lot the new DoubleTap to fast switch between the last 2 apps and I love it... But sometimes it lags in the poor 5X with limited RAM.
Sent from my Nexus 5X
I was lucky enough to run into a Google Rep at a Best Buy. From the short demo she was kind enough to give me it looked like she was using the phone as her daily driver. The device had a nick in it on the corner from what looked like a drop but the back and the glass seemed fairly flawless to me.
The back glass is Gorilla Glass based off of the tech specs. Also one thing I'd like to note is that the FRONT of the device is NOT 2.5D, the back window is. At least nowhere near as 2.5D as the iPhone.