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I've had the phone over a week now and I'd like to give my insight as to what I love and what I dislike in comparison with the Nexus.
Just a few sentences.
First off about me: I'm a big texter, I use Twitter, Facebook, IM and general browsing the most, as well as listening to a lot of podcasts and music. SO here are my impressions taking this into account.
The screen: it is hard to fully express how much nicer this feels than the Nexus screen, but suffice to say whites are whiter, colours seem truer and tactile response is noticeably improved. The screen feels more close to your finger somehow...it's hard to put into words. Visibility in sunlight is noticeably better - not quite as visible as iPhone but perfectly acceptable.
Build quality of i9000 is not on a par with the Nexus in terms of its chassis, which seemingly uses cheaper plastics compared to the Nexus' metal architecture. I was still fairly happy with the Samsung's build quality at first but subsequently noticed little microscopic scuffs appearing on the battery cover and a little dink on the bezel. I swear I have only had the phone in my pocket and haven't been throwing it around. Although it isn't exactly in bad condition now I still resent the fact that after only TEN DAYS of careful use and pocket-placement I am already able to detect small signs of wear. On the other hand the screen on the i9000 looks to be of higher build quality - it is made from Gorilla Glass and to look at doesn't seem susceptible to dust contamination as the relatively highly-mounted Nexus digitizer.
The loudpeaker is important to me, and the Nexus had a crappy, hissy loudspeaker. Thankfully the Samsung i9000 speaker is more powerful with richer dynamics and less hiss. It is on a par with the iPhone 3G, if not slightly better as it seems a bit louder...great for listening to podcasts.
Camera.
Like-for-like testing of the Nexus and Galaxy in daylight shows what appear to be richer and sharper pictures on the Samsung. I suspect (judging by their use of rubbish loudspeaker components) that HTC use pretty bog-standard camera optics; and although the Nexus is pretty good most people would favour the Samsung shots under default conditions. The Nexus wins at dim-to-low-light shots though just because it has a flash and is therefore usable in more varied conditions. Video capture on the i9000 is just leagues ahead of the Nexus which not only records at a lower resolution but also produces muddier images with dreadfully low-quality audio. The Samsung also offers a consistent framerate of 30fps and handles low lighting really quite admirably compared with the Nexus.
UI
Since the i9000 only has Eclair there are a few notable missing features found only in Froyo. Despite this the Galaxy still outperforms the Nexus in all the Benchmarking tests I've seen. I haven't performed any benchmarks myself but a side-by-side comparison of both devices (Nexus with Cyanogenmod 6.0 RC) shows noticeably smoother scrolling on the Galaxy S in all apps, including the browser. There are some nice extras too: like quick access to WIFI, Bluetooth, Silent switch and Vibration mode from within the notifications bar. I also like the fact that you can change to different fonts on the i9000 across the whole UI. This gives the OS a slightly different feel which is nice.
Input -
This really fails the Galaxy S i9000. I've really come to realise how much I miss having some form of trackball with the Galaxy S.
On the face of it things seem fine; in fact RAW TEXTING on the i9000 is a lot more pleasurable than on the Nexus not only because of the greater screen real-estate but also because the screen itself is more responsive....but the caveat is that lack of a trackball or optical trackpad...
There is no reason why Samsung couldn't have included an optical button (as seen on the Omnia among other Sammy phones) to facilitate text selection. Judging by the iOS-inspired Touchwiz 3.0 it SEEMS that Samsung want some of the minimalism of the iPhone hardware and UI but what they have failed to notice is that the iPhone uses a long-press magnifying glass feature across the ENTIRE OS which allows for VERY EASY text selection, copying and pasting. Android, and Touchwiz does NOT include such a facility - just a half-hearted cursor pad in the default keyboard which is obtained by long-pressing the numeric button. This facility is clunky at best, useless at worst, since it necessitates using only the Samsung default keyboard if you wish to do any cursor movement, or irritatingly swapping from your preferred keyboard (such as my favoured Droid X IME) back to the default keyboard, then back to the preferred keyboard again. I've found myself having to do this a few times as it is often practically IMPOSSIBLE to select a passage or move the cursor to the exact right place without a d-pad or trackball. This really is a major failing for me and completely ruins things.
*EDIT* i've found that swiping from the Swype to the Sym key in Swype opens up a cursor system. I've tried to get along with Swype and haven't succeded so far but i'll give it a try again .
Media -
Owing to the great speaker, listening to podcasts on the i9000 is a pleasure. Music also sounds acceptable. The music control panel which shows up in the notifications bar when you are playing tracks is also genuinely useful.
One of the i9000's main selling points is not only its ability to record HD video but also to PLAY it. I've tested it with about twenty 720p clips from Youtube, and a number of 720p WMV files and it hasn't skipped a beat. Genuinely wonderful smoothness of playback. I haven't found a video of 720p or less that it wouldn't play as yet, although the BBC iPlayer downloads from Myplayer played without sound and necessitated Rockplayer.
Anyway I'm running out of steam now....but to conclude: I'm getting rid of the Galaxy S: it's a combination of overall build durability and a lack of nice, simple hardware features like a trackball and notification light that make me think that there will be something better along for me soon. I really like the phone and find it a joy to use but the few annoyances have spoilt it for me sadly.
If anyone near the midlands, UK wishes to buy an unlocked, unbranded Galaxy S with unopened accessories for a £290 before it goes on eBay then drop me a line.
Any other questions I will be happy to answer.
leoni1980 said:
simple hardware features like a trackball and notification light
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Click to collapse
Not to be an ass, but if you knew you wanted those features, then why did you get it? It's obvious from any picture of a SGS that it doesn't have a trackball. And early reports from this forum would have informed you that it doesn't have notification lights...
Of course one does have to wonder why Samsung didn't go all out. How hard would it have been to add camera flash among those other things you listed.
You might be interested in the Desire HD that's rumored to be coming out sometime soon.
Leoni,
I know you're not exactly in love with the swype keyboard yet, but I think you'll love it fiercely once you get into it. You know how I hated swype in the past, I think, because of my fierce liking for Tengo. But even I can like swype keyboard, and like it a lot.
The copy/cut and paste being poorly designed as compared to iPhone will be something that we had to put up with, no matter which Android phone we switch to. Granted at HTC has the iPhone-like copy and paste facility, but that's not available uniformly across the system and across all applications. So, I reckon there isn't much effective difference across different android phones in this regards. I know the lack of trackball makes text selection difficult, but not impossible I believe. But with or without trackball, the design are all bad. Perhaps a future firmware could redo cut and paste from the ground up again and get it right.
Overall, when I read your comparison, I thought it was overwhelmingly positive towards SGS, a lot more then Nexus. It was the conclusion which took me by surprise.
INeedYourHelp said:
Not to be an ass, but if you knew you wanted those features, then why did you get it? It's obvious from any picture of a SGS that it doesn't have a trackball. And early reports from this forum would have informed you that it doesn't have notification lights...
Of course one does have to wonder why Samsung didn't go all out. How hard would it have been to add camera flash among those other things you listed.
You might be interested in the Desire HD that's rumored to be coming out sometime soon.
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Click to collapse
It's not so much a lack of trackball that's the problem so much as a complete lack of innovation with respect to compensating for the lack of a trackball. Ironically HTC sense implements a good system very similar to (perhaps even BETTER than) the iPhone's magnified system within the Desire browser, yet the Desire requires such a system far LESS than the i9000 owing to its optical trackball.
Text selection on the N1 is very easy in the browser: click in the trackball, move the arrow cursor click again to highlight. It's such a pity that Samsung didn't devote a little more time to core features that make the user experience more friendly and enjoyable rather than making those ugly widgets and pointless add-on apps.
Dont get me wrong I do really like the phone but it just feels too proprietary, too unfinished and too lacking in development support compared to.the N1, despite its many nice features.
INeedYourHelp said:
Not to be an ass, but if you knew you wanted those features, then why did you get it? It's obvious from any picture of a SGS that it doesn't have a trackball. And early reports from this forum would have informed you that it doesn't have notification lights...
Of course one does have to wonder why Samsung didn't go all out. How hard would it have been to add camera flash among those other things you listed.
You might be interested in the Desire HD that's rumored to be coming out sometime soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also switched from Nexus One to Galaxy S, and didn't realize how much I'd used the trackball until it was gone. Same with the camera flash led. I knew they weren't on the SGS, but didn't think I'd miss them. I definitely do. Unlike the original poster, they're not deal-breakers for me, but throw in those two oversights and the plastic back/frame and I feel like the SGS, which had the potential to be the PERFECT phone for the next several months at least, can't claim that title clearly. I'm not getting rid of mine, though. I love Swype (Shapewriter even more) and can deal with the lack of easy text selection.
distortedloop said:
I also switched from Nexus One to Galaxy S, and didn't realize how much I'd used the trackball until it was gone. Same with the camera flash led. I knew they weren't on the SGS, but didn't think I'd miss them. I definitely do. Unlike the original poster, they're not deal-breakers for me, but throw in those two oversights and the plastic back/frame and I feel like the SGS, which had the potential to be the PERFECT phone for the next several months at least, can't claim that title clearly. I'm not getting rid of mine, though. I love Swype (Shapewriter even more) and can deal with the lack of easy text selection.
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Click to collapse
I've already sold my Nexus. I have a 32gb iPhone which Apple have fixed for me after I left it faulty and unused for months so Im thinking of going back until something new comes along. I got the Galaxy on upgrade and suspect (as with all samsung phones) that its value will plummet very rapidly so i'm going to sell it while I can still get a reasonable price on it. Maybe I'll buy the Droid x, maybe the iPhone 4....maybe the Desire HD....either way I'm selling the Galaxy S before it gets any tattier.
I agree with the points of the OP, I'm in the same situation, coming from a Nexus One to the Galaxy S. I'm coming to a different conclusion though: I'm keeping the Galaxy S. I find the cell signal/reception to be significantly better, pretty outstanding actually. Also, it just feels much faster in terms of data both via 3G and Wifi.
It's still early, the Nexus One has had a lot of time to mature. I believe the ROMs along with the upcoming 2.2 will give the Galaxy S the polish it needs. As for the casing, well, the material will certainly scuff faster but I'm not really feeling the back plastic is too cheap-- it feels just like my old iPhone 3G, which no one accused of feeling cheap.
leoni1980 said:
The loudpeaker is important to me, and the Nexus had a crappy, hissy loudspeaker. Thankfully the Samsung i9000 speaker is more powerful with richer dynamics and less hiss. It is on a par with the iPhone 3G, if not slightly better as it seems a bit louder...great for listening to podcasts.
Input -
This really fails the Galaxy S i9000. I've really come to realise how much I miss having some form of trackball with the Galaxy S.
This facility is clunky at best, useless at worst, since it necessitates using only the Samsung default keyboard if you wish to do any cursor movement, or irritatingly swapping from your preferred keyboard (such as my favoured Droid X IME) back to the default keyboard, then back to the preferred keyboard again. I've found myself having to do this a few times as it is often practically IMPOSSIBLE to select a passage or move the cursor to the exact right place without a d-pad or trackball. This really is a major failing for me and completely ruins things.
*EDIT* i've found that swiping from the Swype to the Sym key in Swype opens up a cursor system. I've tried to get along with Swype and haven't succeded so far but i'll give it a try again .
Anyway I'm running out of steam now....but to conclude: I'm getting rid of the Galaxy S: it's a combination of overall build durability and a lack of nice, simple hardware features like a trackball and notification light that make me think that there will be something better along for me soon. I really like the phone and find it a joy to use but the few annoyances have spoilt it for me sadly.
If anyone near the midlands, UK wishes to buy an unlocked, unbranded Galaxy S with unopened accessories for a £290 before it goes on eBay then drop me a line.
Any other questions I will be happy to answer.
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Click to collapse
The ending was a surprise to me, but to each there own.
From all comparisons I've read, this has a better speaker than the iPhone 3G (not sure about anything beyond that), the iPhone 3G didn't even have as good a speaker as the iPod Touch 2.
leoni1980 said:
"This facility is clunky at best, useless at worst, since it necessitates using only the Samsung default keyboard if you wish to do any cursor movement, or irritatingly swapping from your preferred keyboard (such as my favoured Droid X IME) back to the default keyboard, then back to the preferred keyboard again. "
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Click to collapse
I am either misunderstanding or you have it wrong, I use SwiftKey and I can select text, and select text very well. The screen is so accurate and I don't have to do much. Wherever my cursor is it will start there, so if I'm not where I need to be I move the cursor there which typically takes one touch, then I select my ending point which again I get right more often than not. Where I'll agree with you though is in apps, I read engadget and God is there touch accuracy off in that app for whatever reason. I have to literally be a cm away from the location I want and maybe above/below where I want. Typically I just settle for retyping extra...a trackball here would be marvelous.
distortedloop said:
I also switched from Nexus One to Galaxy S, and didn't realize how much I'd used the trackball until it was gone. Same with the camera flash led. I knew they weren't on the SGS, but didn't think I'd miss them. I definitely do. Unlike the original poster, they're not deal-breakers for me, but throw in those two oversights and the plastic back/frame and I feel like the SGS, which had the potential to be the PERFECT phone for the next several months at least, can't claim that title clearly. I'm not getting rid of mine, though. I love Swype (Shapewriter even more) and can deal with the lack of easy text selection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tenshi888 said:
I agree with the points of the OP, I'm in the same situation, coming from a Nexus One to the Galaxy S. I'm coming to a different conclusion though: I'm keeping the Galaxy S. I find the cell signal/reception to be significantly better, pretty outstanding actually. Also, it just feels much faster in terms of data both via 3G and Wifi.
It's still early, the Nexus One has had a lot of time to mature. I believe the ROMs along with the upcoming 2.2 will give the Galaxy S the polish it needs. As for the casing, well, the material will certainly scuff faster but I'm not really feeling the back plastic is too cheap-- it feels just like my old iPhone 3G, which no one accused of feeling cheap.
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Click to collapse
I was thinking of getting an N1 in addition to my Galaxy S. I'm in Korea and the N1 has been available for about a month, I got my Galaxy S about 3 weeks ago when they first came out. Now they are moving to unlimited data and free tethering so I was thinking about going with 2 devices. Samsung Hub just reported that FroYo is coming to Korea in about 2 weeks though, which takes some of the steam out of me wanting the N1.
What do you 2 think? Would you get the N1 unlocked, without a plan? I was 67% going to get it when I heard the data plans, then now it's flipped to 33% now that I heard FroYo...what to do?
Good balanced review, though I am surprised at the conclusion
The SGS certainly has some annoyances compared to my old N1+Froyo, however I'm confident the SGS firmwares will improve on this great hardware.
For me, camera flash = consistently rubbish looking photos; I don't miss visual notifications because the SGS is in my pocket and its more important the phone be loud; Cut-and-Paste - yes a little easier using the N1 trackball but I seem to rarely want to do c'n'p except to share a URL or whatever; Positioning the cursor was definitely easier using a trackball but I'm a big fan of Swype and I use the cursor positioning so rarely that it's not a big deal for me to use the Swype cursor keys. The iPhone definitely has the superior c'n'p implementation, but for a function I use so infrequently I don't miss it that much (before the N1, I was on a iPhone 3G).
For me the trackball/cursor issue ismt just about being able to cut copy and paste, its about being able to get the cursor back where it was supposed to be if it happens to move! And it seems to happen to me a lot
just so you can see my point, try typing out a sentence here on these forums within the browser then move the cursor slightly....see how efficiently you can put the cursor back where it should be
I can see where Leoni is coming from and why his decision makes sense though. With iPhone 4, Droid X, and Desire HD in the horizon, it does make sense. Leoni has experienced just about every phones available. The only thing i wonder is if he's leaving enough money for his retirement.
eaglesteve said:
I can see where Leoni is coming from and why his decision makes sense though. With iPhone 4, Droid X, and Desire HD in the horizon, it does make sense. Leoni has experienced just about every phones available. The only thing i wonder is if he's leaving enough money for his retirement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EDIT**** The trackball-less system strikes again
I don't know what you mean Eaglesteve: in the last year i've only owned an iphone 3G, T-Mobile G1, Sony Ericsson C905. HTC Magic, iPhone 3Gs, HTC Hero, HTC HD2, Motorola Dext, Samsung Galaxy, Samsung Omnia 2, Google Nexus One, HTC Desire and a Samsung Galaxy S....
;-)
leoni1980 said:
I don't know what you mean Eaglesteve: in the last year i've only owned an iphone 3G, sony Ericsson C905.
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Click to collapse
Is that right? I thought you had an HD2 and HTC desire as well, no? What about Nexus one? BTW, why did you get an iPhone 3G instead if 3GS last year?
eaglesteve said:
Is that right? I thought you had an HD2 and HTC desire as well, no? What about Nexus one? BTW, why did you get an iPhone 3G instead if 3GS last year?
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Click to collapse
See my revised post. Ironically the cursor decided to move and in the process of trying to get it back in place I hit 'submit Reply'. Can you see why I am getting annoyed with this phone now??
Yes I KNOW there is the XDA app 'brought to me by Tapatalk' but I just don't blinking LIKE it....
OMG...I know you've tried many phones but not in my wildest dream that many, hahaha.
eaglesteve said:
OMG...I know you've tried many phones but not in my wildest dream that many, hahaha.
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I forgot to mention the Nokia 5800 and the cheap N95 I picked up.
One or two devices barely saw a week's usage!
I still like the iPhone for pure 'appliance' slickness and have loads of iPhone docks and external battery add-ons; sadly I despise Apple's closed ecosystem. I may yet change my mind about the Galaxy S - I'm just particularly irritated with it this morning.
miker71 said:
Good balanced review, though I am surprised at the conclusion
The SGS certainly has some annoyances compared to my old N1+Froyo, however I'm confident the SGS firmwares will improve on this great hardware.
For me, camera flash = consistently rubbish looking photos; I don't miss visual notifications because the SGS is in my pocket and its more important the phone be loud; Cut-and-Paste - yes a little easier using the N1 trackball but I seem to rarely want to do c'n'p except to share a URL or whatever; Positioning the cursor was definitely easier using a trackball but I'm a big fan of Swype and I use the cursor positioning so rarely that it's not a big deal for me to use the Swype cursor keys. The iPhone definitely has the superior c'n'p implementation, but for a function I use so infrequently I don't miss it that much (before the N1, I was on a iPhone 3G).
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Click to collapse
I think that the soft d-pad of the Galaxy works suprisingly good when it comes to text selection. It is triggered by default in the newest firmware (don't believe it is triggered in the older firmware).
Anyway one can manually trigger the soft d-pad by holding down the "?123" button on the standard samsung keyboard. Very nice feature....
appelflap said:
I think that the soft d-pad of the Galaxy works suprisingly good when it comes to text selection. It is triggered by default in the newest firmware (don't believe it is triggered in the older firmware).
Anyway one can manually trigger the soft d-pad by holding down the "?123" button on the standard samsung keyboard. Very nice feature....
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Click to collapse
But that necessitates using the default keyboard and despite trying to like it for four days straight I just found it very unlikeable
leoni1980 said:
But that necessitates using the default keyboard and despite trying to like it for four days straight I just found it very unlikeable
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Click to collapse
I think it all depends on the device you are comming from. I come from a HTC HD2 and the keyboard is a relief for me. (due mostly to the better cap. touchscreen of samsung)
It's good to have device by device comparisons. But I think one always have to take into perspective the platform or device one particular person is comming from. For a HD2 user the nexus maybe worse than the galaxy. For a nokia user maybe not. Persons are historically situated
Pre 3 seems great, the keyboard looks solid, screen is gorilla glass, 3.6" is way better than 3.1" curved pebble shape means it will feel great in hand and while 1250 mAH seems low this is a 2nd gen snapdragon so it does require lower power to operate.
what you think its chances of success ?
masker said:
Pre 3 seems great, the keyboard looks solid, screen is gorilla glass, 3.6" is way better than 3.1" curved pebble shape means it will feel great in hand and while 1250 mAH seems low this is a 2nd gen snapdragon so it does require lower power to operate.
what you think its chances of success ?
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Click to collapse
I would buy it.. but it should've come out last year
I am waiting for it. I'm currently using a Pre-, have used other phones but keep coming back to webOS
I kind of want to jump from a nexus one to a pre3; however, it needs to have T-mobile 3g. :/
i'm currently on the Evo and debating between getting the Xoom(Wi-Fi Only) or the Pre3 and the Touchpad. Just waiting for some more details
hakuchi18v said:
I would buy it.. but it should've come out last year
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Click to collapse
The processor its using wasn't out last year.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
contradude said:
The processor its using wasn't out last year.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
No, but i meant the phone in general, even with a decent processor from last year... The overall phone being released early last year or even in the middle it would've been good for HP.. My opinion
I just ordered an unlocked GSM Pre2 for use on AT&T (freebie, zip, zero, nada). Why? Because it's free, and because I can deal with it until something better than the Pre3 hits the market.
Even though I actually *WORK* for HP, I don't have a whole lot of faith in the Pre3's chances at success...Now, if HP can manage to get a BETTER mobile device out by Q4 '11/Q1 '12, then there may be hope.
Notably missing from Pre3: 4G (at least HSPA+ support on GSM, or some sort of LTE on other carriers). It's shameful for a new phone to launch in Summer '11, and it's NOT 4G. *EFFING SHAMEFUL*
I personally would also prefer a landscape slider, but that's only because I've never had a Palm, and have had two Touch Pros (TP1, and TP2) for the last two years. I've gotten used to the larger keyboards. If they do it, I WILL buy it. Plain and simple.
BTW - I watched the Feb 9 event. I was excited waiting for the Pre3 to blow my socks off, only to be underwhelmed. I DO really like the TouchPad, which is the one thing I wasn't expecting to get excited about. Go figure.
Honestly, I have tried a Pre...for 30 days. I liked it, but it wasn't tempting enough for me to switch from Nexus One to it. I received a Pre2 from a good friend (who got two for free), and I have used it extensively for about a month now.
However, I still use my Optimus 7 (WP7 device) for daily use, and despite all of WP7's shortcomings, I would not recommend Pre2 over a WP7 device.
Pre3 could have been a success if and only if HP delivered like Apple; Introduce the product, then release it within one month.
Of course, mobile landscape is FAR from being decided. Android's rise was surprising in 2010. WP7 might pull off something similar (now with Nokia on board as well), and you never know, HP might just sell a lot of WebOS devices. However, Pre3 is not going to be a great success. WebOS, since HP will put it in EVERYTHING, will be a success and an appealing platform for developers, but not so much when it comes to smartphones.
Hi,
I have Pre and will buy Pre 3. I had few Android phones (HTC Desire, SE X10 and Moto Milestone (Droid in US) and Windows mobile (SE X1 and TP2) and i must say that Android doesn't come nowhere near the effortless usability of WebOS out-of-the-box and with few apps.
I am using it for managing tasks, calendars, contacts and notes (private and business with Exchange) and I must say it is working without any problems. Unlike Androids, especially with Exchange. I am not a FB or Twitter user so I won't comment on that.
I don't need mega screens (I had them and I would trade it for physical keyboard any time) or black slabs since I want the phone to be pocketable. I actually really like the Pre's form factor, small and convenient. And Pre 3 will have better build quality, higher resolution, better keyboard, better screen and faster speed. It will also feature new WebOS - the OS that I like most.
I tried the WP7 and frankly, I don't want to go to old Palm OS functionality (single tasking) just for the sake of looks, which I also get tired with fast (I have been testing the Omnia 7 for two weeks and returned it back). MS can pull it off but I think that in this incarnation it is just not worth it. Beside i have the same restrictions on the marketplace as I do with Palm on both Android and WP7 (only free apps, no paid ones).
So, yes, I will buy it when the time comes. My wife already put a reservation on my Pre which she also prefers over her current SE X8.
Marijan
If Sprint sells it, I will probably buy it. I love Web OS and it's multitasking capabilities, just can't stand that small screen with no flash 10.1
I'm super excited about it. I just got a pre- to play with because my G2 won't sync with my work Exchange calendar and I need to send it off for repair. I'm so impressed by the pre- I might sell the G2 when it gets back. There's only 2 things I don't like about the pre- hardware, and pre3 addresses both those things. Processor speed is the first, which I can forgive because it's a 2009 phone. Resolution is the second, although I like the 3.1 inch size. My G2's screen looks much better because of the higher res, but I wish the phone wasn't so big and it's battery life is terrible which I think the screen is a large contributor to battery drain.
Pre3 is looking like the perfect phone for me
auTONYmous said:
Notably missing from Pre3: 4G (at least HSPA+ support on GSM, or some sort of LTE on other carriers). It's shameful for a new phone to launch in Summer '11, and it's NOT 4G. *EFFING SHAMEFUL*
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Click to collapse
I hope this doesn't offend you, but you sound like a spoilt brat. 4G isn't available everywhere yet. Some countries don't have it at all. I'm sure it's very nice, but for many it's not "notably missing", it's an unnecessary (unusable even) luxury.
auTONYmous said:
I personally would also prefer a landscape slider, but that's only because I've never had a Palm, and have had two Touch Pros (TP1, and TP2) for the last two years. I've gotten used to the larger keyboards. If they do it, I WILL buy it. Plain and simple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got a pre- to use while my G2 is being repaired. I agree with you that large landscape keyboards are awesome, but I wouldn't dismiss the smaller portrait keyboard if I were you. I think the pre- keyboard is just as good as the G2's. I was quite surprised actually because it looks so small. I think it's the fact that I don't have to turn my phone that makes up for it's size.
Shouldn't this be in the General section, rather than Software Development?
Had a Pre- from launch day and *loved* it. However, it kept breaking and O2 refused to repair it any longer and gave me a Galaxy S. Lovely handset but I miss WebOS. I can't wait for the Pre3 to hit the UK and I'll buy on launch day. However, they're shooting themselves in the foot be announcing it without a release date. Specs look great by today's standard, but it needs to hit soon. Maybe launch with the Touchpad and do an offer on buying both? I'd be all over that like a rash!
WebOS is SOOOO superior to Android and iOS its beyond belief. I just have little faith in HP's ability to execute!
LDJ said:
Had a Pre- from launch day and *loved* it. However, it kept breaking and O2 refused to repair it any longer and gave me a Galaxy S. Lovely handset but I miss WebOS. I can't wait for the Pre3 to hit the UK and I'll buy on launch day. However, they're shooting themselves in the foot be announcing it without a release date. Specs look great by today's standard, but it needs to hit soon. Maybe launch with the Touchpad and do an offer on buying both? I'd be all over that like a rash!
WebOS is SOOOO superior to Android and iOS its beyond belief. I just have little faith in HP's ability to execute!
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Click to collapse
oh god...eeww lmao
Can't say anything about Pre3's chances of success but when it's out I'll be replacing my Pre+ with one. I've used all the major mobile OS's (except BB) and WebOS is the one that I feel most comfortable on. After using iOS and WP7 and Android I kept coming back to my Pre+. Once you've used WebOS, Android feels clunky and iOS feels like a toy. I've been using WebOS as my everyday OS for 9 months now and occasionally I switch to my HD2 (running either Android or WP7) and I just hate it! Sure Android's come a long way since I got my HTC Hero GSM, (then switched to Moto Milestone) but there's just too many keypresses involved to get stuff done! It's how I felt about Symbian S60 (used it for 5 years before switching to Android) and now WebOS makes me feel that way about Android!
The only things that have been bugging me about my Pre+ is the lack of some apps I like to use on iOS/Android and the low screen res. The Pre3 resolves my screen woes with that 3.6" 800x480 screen (which I know will make the OS even more beautiful) and the apps, well hopefully as time goes by and HP pushes WebOS onto millions of devices that will solve itself.
Another thing is the portrait keyboard, landscape keyboards just don't do it for me. The Pre keyboard is a love or hate item. I love it, and if what the early reviewers are saying about how good the Pre3 keyboard is then bring it on!
What do people here think the battery life will be like on this device?
personally I will be jumping from samsung epic to pre 3
webos is best for my usage and needs
Ive used a pre - and plussed one able to oc to 1.2. I also created over 20 patches (some of you might know who I am) so I do love WebOs. I love the elegance of WebOs but until there are real apps (really how many twitter apps do we need) Ill have to wait. The pre3 looks great but if it suffers from the slow app opening syndrome like the Pre-,+, and 2. i will definitely have to pass. Maybe by pre4 hp will get their **** together.
Im currently on a Vibrant running the mighty Bionix after taking my phone on a rom marathon all the way to 2.3.5 and back.
Ive realized touch screen keyboards annoy the crap out of me and I rather use a qwerty keyboard... Samsung will soon be releasing the Galaxy M Pro and Motorola will release the Pro+ - both qwerty Android phones... Which one would you choose? Ive never owned a Motorola smartphone so I dont know how they are in terms of build quality and xda ROM development.
Just get a blackberry. Android qwerty phones are pretty terrible tbh. The new os7 blackberries are battery smooth... Tried them yesterday, and was a bit shocked bh...
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
I agree with N8ter. If you must have a qwerty keyboard, get a BB.
BB OS is way tooo primitive for me, hence why the Android qwertys are appealing to me.. perhaps the new ones coming out may be better? What makes the older ones terrible?
JD76 said:
BB OS is way tooo primitive for me, hence why the Android qwertys are appealing to me.. perhaps the new ones coming out may be better? What makes the older ones terrible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Spoken like someone who hasn't uses a bb7 device, or even a bb6 device.
Enjoy those terrible keyboards android phones. Rim has patented their keyboards so the chances of getting one as good on an android phone is slime to none.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
i had a motorola droid and i it was a great phone. the build quality and feel of the droid was so much better than the vibrant. i havent tried a newer motorola, but i wish tmobile would get a powerful motorola phone. oh yeah, the gps worked perfectly on the droid.
Landscape keyboards are kinda bad. Plus its impossible to get a consistently high typing speed on them (4 me). So much reach needed so often.
Problem I had with the droid ii keyboard was how stiff the keys were. It was really incredible feeling like I had just left the gym after typing on one of those...
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
I had a my touch slide 3g and loved it and could type faster on that than I can on the Vibrant. Maybe check out the new slide and see what you think. And I have to agree with others here if you want a portrait keyboard get a blackberry.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Love touchscreen keyboard,
but is Motorola have a better sound quality based on its crystaltalk?
I own 2 AT&T Fuzes (HTC Touch Pro). Bought 1 on 11/8/208. The day it was released in the U.S.
I owned an AT&T Tilt 2 (HTC Touch Pro2) for a little more than a year.
and now I own an LG Quantum.
With all 3 devices, the slide out keyboards worked well and it's easy to get to all the keys. Just use your left thumb for the left side of the keyboard, and your right thumb for the right side of the keyboard. Doing that will avoid any reach issues. Take some time to get used to and learn any odd key placements and you should be able to pump out text at a more rapid rate than with an on screen keyboards where there is no real tactile feel aside from a vibration.
With the suggested words list in Windows Phone 7, I am finding that I use the slide out keyboard much less than with the other devices. With it, I am entering text as fast as I used to with swype.
You might also want to wait until Tuesday when the masses get Mango. It's supposed to have speach to text for text messaging and will read them to you as well. Much better and safer when driving. In most or many states it's illegal to text and drive, not that the law has stopped anyone from doing it though.
http://crackberry.com/blackberry-venice-slider-spotted-once-again-some-clearer-images
Anyone going to switch to this device? My Relay has been loyal to me for the last 4 years, but I think it's about time to get a new QWERTY.
I would if it wasn't so freaking huge!
That thing looks exactly like the S6 Edge with the keyboard closed. I'm intrigued, but I'm typically not one to drop the coin on a flagship phone.
I was thinking about getting this before I knew it had android. Now, I'm definitely getting it! Probably the last android qwerty ever if it flops.
hey
i think im gonna get this one ...
I cannot wait. I just hope it is real, because the company said they would not ditch their Blackberry OS because it is more secure than Android.
I will switch to this phone right the second they accept pre-orders if it is really qwerty Android.
You know they've done good when the phone makes you think about it 3 times or more. I like the Venice and I think it will have its fair share of success (Sammy Fan) :good:
Blackberry does not do preorders , once they set a release date , it will be out.
As someone writing this on my Photon Q, I am really really excited about a phone for once! I hope it will have good battery life or a removable one at least. I use my arrow keys like crazy so I'm glad to see the touch sensitive keyboard!
For sure it's a very interesting device, I want one at least for a drivetest I hope for a reasonable thinness and weight, with a battery of 2800mAh at least.
BTW, anyone has any idea about the weight?
New video:
http://m.crackberry.com/blackberrys-android-powered-venice-caught-hands-video
Looks like a really great phone, would've strongly considered it if I didn't already upgrade.
Still remember the good old days with my Motorola milestone 1 and love the idea of having a hardware keyboard again! If the bat is big enough/the phone lasts long enough i will definitly jump in this!
Looking forward for an European launch!
Cheers
it's really tempting. i love the combo of slider + curved display + nearly stock android but i need to see battery and camera tests before going for it cuz Blackberry has never been big in the camera department and battery was good only in non-touchscreen devices
I'm getting this phone for sure. I'm sure it will be locked down like fort Knox but I don't care. I'm ready to move on from 2012 galaxy relay.
mikedemoda said:
it's really tempting. i love the combo of slider + curved display + nearly stock android but i need to see battery and camera tests before going for it cuz Blackberry has never been big in the camera department and battery was good only in non-touchscreen devices
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what you mean by good battery only in non-touchscreen devices. My Z30 routinely lasts two days without a charge overnight easily.
Looks great. I prefer tactile keyboards instead of on-screen ones, so I'm always on the lookout for stuff like this.
I have a DROID-4, and I love it (and its keyboard) dearly, but can't deny that it's an old device that is not even supported anymore.
The Blackberry Priv / Venice will definitely be in my wishlist. I usually hate portrait-style keyboards, but for some reason it looks good on this phone. Watched a hands-on video of it, looks pretty sweet, and the specs are that of a flagship phone. I don't think we'll get a NEW Android QWERTY phone from other manufacturers anyway.
This thing looks HUGE (which is great!) so the portrait keyboard layout shouldn't be too hard to adjust to. G4 tier specs are still an upgrade over the Note 4. Only things we don't know about it are
-battery size/ life
-price
-fast charging/ wireless charging
-Fingerpring scanner on keyboard? (space bar maybe)
Pretty sure it will NOT have a fingerprint reader in the keyboard. The Priv has a capacitive sensitive keyboard like the Passport (which is used for scrolling and gestures), so I somewhat doubt it will have space for fingerprint hardware.
I currently have Motorola Droid Turbo, and I'm not going to lie I love my phone so much even though it is not new still have the latest specifications and amazing battery life even better than any phone released in the past days.
However, qwerty keyboard are magical to me so I have to have the Blackberry Priv. But do you think guys it will be updated on time and have got support? Or will it be ditched? And what would happen if Blackberry didn't sell enough from it? Would they discontinue it or even sell out the company? Haha
I hope it would be reasonably priced to be able to match the new Nexus devices.
I've been waiting for a good slider for a long time and the Priv was pretty much it. Sadly, it's not to be. I went to the store yesterday to try it out. Within seconds I realized this phone wasn't for me. The keyboard is tiny. It is usable but very small, I typed 3 sentences and my thumbs started hurting. 10 minutes after I was done typing the thumbs continued to hurt. I realized this is for the diehard blackberry users, not for us who've been using sliders with a bigger, more comfortable keyboard.
I understand with every new keyboard there's a learning curve. Hell, even between laptops there's a learning curve, but with this phone there may be way too much, and long messages will be pretty uncomfortable.
The other issue is the actual placement of the keyboard. The phone is too big and heavy. This is essentially the same size as the Blue Angel, just not as heavy. However that keyboard was, for some reason, easier to use than this one. Being that the BA was thicker, it had good grip. The Priv doesn't. I felt it was going to slide out of my hands, which added to the stress of holding it, which added to the uncomfortable typing. All in all I played with it for a good 20 minutes, and I just am not convinced. I may have to bite the bullet and get a non keyboard phone...
devis said:
I've been waiting for a good slider for a long time and the Priv was pretty much it. Sadly, it's not to be. I went to the store yesterday to try it out. Within seconds I realized this phone wasn't for me. The keyboard is tiny. It is usable but very small, I typed 3 sentences and my thumbs started hurting. 10 minutes after I was done typing the thumbs continued to hurt. I realized this is for the diehard blackberry users, not for us who've been using sliders with a bigger, more comfortable keyboard.
I understand with every new keyboard there's a learning curve. Hell, even between laptops there's a learning curve, but with this phone there may be way too much, and long messages will be pretty uncomfortable.
The other issue is the actual placement of the keyboard. The phone is too big and heavy. This is essentially the same size as the Blue Angel, just not as heavy. However that keyboard was, for some reason, easier to use than this one. Being that the BA was thicker, it had good grip. The Priv doesn't. I felt it was going to slide out of my hands, which added to the stress of holding it, which added to the uncomfortable typing. All in all I played with it for a good 20 minutes, and I just am not convinced. I may have to bite the bullet and get a non keyboard phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I moved away from a BlackBerry with a physical keyboard a few years ago, and then had to use one with a physical keyboard again, it usually makes ones thumbs hurt since on a screen you're tapping, on a physical keyboard you tap the button, but have to press down as well.
I'm interested in actually feeling what the Priv feels like, I don't think I'll be able to get it in my country for another month or so, but I thought the Priv might be heavy, BlackBerry phones usually feel heavier.
I have the phone and it's great so far. Yes typing on keyboard may seem tiresome and slow but once you get used to it, u will ove the fact that u have the whole screen estate to type long emails chats etc. The phone build quality is pretty good too and slim bezels considering front speakers.
varun.gid said:
I have the phone and it's great so far. Yes typing on keyboard may seem tiresome and slow but once you get used to it, u will ove the fact that u have the whole screen estate to type long emails chats etc. The phone build quality is pretty good too and slim bezels considering front speakers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't forget you can set keys as short cuts and the keyboard is capacitative so can be used like a limited track pad. Unique features for productivity.
And, of course, you do not even have to use the physical keyboard.
Im not sure how the Priv could be seen as slippery. I've played with a couple now, and also own a Z30 with the same back material. The glass weave is an extremely grippy material. I can hold my Z30 at probably a 60 or 75 degree angle with only three fingers flat on the back
Damn, it's been a while I'm waiting for it, I loved my htc desire Z (2009).
But no manufacturer tried to do a physical keyboard since then...
But what the hell BB?!?
Most providers will sell it almost at the same price as an iphone 6s.
Even the note 5 is half cheaper!
BB was know for replaceable battery and FM radio, which was I small difference compared to others. Anddd they get rid of it .
What's their marketing goal?
BB have hard time : Lets sell it at way higher price than most of flash ship phones, remove some nice features and let the rooting difficult.
( I believe rooting not necessary equal to security flaws )
oVeRdOsE. said:
Damn, it's been a while I'm waiting for it, I loved my htc desire Z (2009).
But no manufacturer tried to do a physical keyboard since then...
But what the hell BB?!?
Most providers will sell it almost at the same price as an iphone 6s.
Even the note 5 is half cheaper!
BB was know for replaceable battery and FM radio, which was I small difference compared to others. Anddd they get rid of it .
What's their marketing goal?
BB have hard time : Lets sell it at way higher price than most of flash ship phones, remove some nice features and let the rooting difficult.
( I believe rooting not necessary equal to security flaws )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Motorola Photon Q (XT897) 5 row keyboard slider - last best qwerty phone FYI.
I also have 2x G2's/DZ's, and the original G1/Dream.
The Photon Q design with the side (landscape) slider 5 row (similar to the G1) is probably the best layout, just needs to be built again with update specs.
Sent from my XT897 using XDA Free mobile app
varun.gid said:
I have the phone and it's great so far. Yes typing on keyboard may seem tiresome and slow but once you get used to it, u will ove the fact that u have the whole screen estate to type long emails chats etc. The phone build quality is pretty good too and slim bezels considering front speakers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The issue I had when I tried it out at the store was that i didn't think i could get used to it. I've used sliders for nearly 10 years now, and never had an issue getting used to a physical keyboard, including the BB 7390 or the 8200 which i used myself or the other models which I supported in my job. This one just doesn't seem to do it... and i was so looking forward to having an high specs phone. Oh well...
The other issue is that ATT wants a 35 dollar restocking fee if I return it, and since this phone is nowhere else but ATT, I just don't feel I should shell out 35 dollars so that i can try it out for 2 weeks.
devis said:
The issue I had when I tried it out at the store was that i didn't think i could get used to it. I've used sliders for nearly 10 years now, and never had an issue getting used to a physical keyboard, including the BB 7390 or the 8200 which i used myself or the other models which I supported in my job. This one just doesn't seem to do it... and i was so looking forward to having an high specs phone. Oh well...
The other issue is that ATT wants a 35 dollar restocking fee if I return it, and since this phone is nowhere else but ATT, I just don't feel I should shell out 35 dollars so that i can try it out for 2 weeks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can always buy the unlocked version for a whopping $700 and return it, free of charge.
Since the keyboard looks mediocre at best, and that's the only reason I want this phone, I'll pass.
I'm getting the unlocked model and will use it on T-Mobile. I'm sure the keyboard leaves much to be desired but I'm sure this will be the " last of the Mohicans " as far as keyboard sliders go. Especially if it flops. It's been said marshmallow will come to the priv. So the only other chance could possibly be project Ara, but I haven't heard anything about that in quite some time.
I'm not surprised, to be honest at the price point there are far better Android devices out there. And I know may BB users are convinced it'll be a game changer but I'm not.
The starting price is insanez and the build quality isn't anything particularly good.
Ok phone, but not for me. On screen keyboards are so good now that they are even much better and faster than real physical BlackBerry keyboard. Maybe if they got into Android few years earlier. How can they move on if they can't let go?
I've had mine for two days.... it runs REALLY hot. Just browsing, it gets warm instantly. Battery life is great when you're not actually using the thing. I lost something like 2 percent overnight. But as soon as you pick it up and start using it, it heats up a lot. I've been running android on my s5 for years so I know I don't have anything particularly nasty running in the background. I had a little reddit browse for half an hour in bed after waking up, and the battery went from 99 down to 85 in that short time.
The keyboard is good, but it lags. If you double type a letter, it doesn't keep up. Typing google gives me 'gole' sometimes, for example. Also, you can type from the home screen to universal search. However, because the process isn't killed upon exit, i search for 'google' the first time, and then later in the day i'm after 'spotify'. The problem is, the new search is 'googlespotify' which obviously brings up nothing.
There's also movement in the screen when the slider is closed, i can tap on the left half and feel the whole screen move.
Overall I think it could be a great phone but the software is very slow, and just very inefficient. Lags all over the place, and the physical keybaord just can't be missing inputs like that. I've got a few days left to decide if I can make it work. If not I will return it. It's too much money to be 'sort of happy'
Dejan92 said:
Ok phone, but not for me. On screen keyboards are so good now that they are even much better and faster than real physical BlackBerry keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Better than a blackberry keyboard? Maybe. Better than my Samsung Relay keyboard? Not a chance. I find it rare to see a touch keyboard user able to walk and type without looking at their screen. I do it flawlessly on my 5-row relay keyboard.
Picked this lovely device up last night, and have been putting it through its paces. Thus far, here is my analysis of things, which hopefully will answer some concerns users have had.
The heat/battery issue: I believe the causes here are largely related to apps, though reception may also be a factor. As noted in another thread, the core system apps in the phone do not immediately inform you that they require updating, and you will only know to update them by accessing the app's page on the Play Store. I've seen this with other Android 5.0 devices, though, so I suspect it might not be unique to the Priv. Once I updated all the core BB apps, the phone was significantly more stable and have had less heat and drain issues on that front.
I mention reception, as there appears to be a flaw with LTE reception. Whether it is hardware or software, I'm not certain, though I have a hard time believing it would be software, but when running the phone on LTE, I am lucky to get more than 1 bar of service anywhere in the city of Toronto, which has excellent coverage. My former device, the LG F3Q, was able to get 5 bars of LTE practically everywhere in the city, and most certainly did at my office. Right now, my Priv is seeing 0~1 bars of LTE coverage at the office. Forcing the phone to 4G/HSPA+ helps things a bit, I get 3-4 bars, but that's not really a solution. On crackberry, a lot of users are reporting the same problems with reception, so it appears to be a device-wide problem, and I'm certain BB will address it however they need to.
So, between those two factors, I believe that is the source of the heat/battery drain.
In terms of build quality otherwise, the phone is quite excellent. I don't understand the upset about the keyboard, I find it very excellent, and it's certainly more finger-friendly than pre-10 BB devices, which is all that I've used.
My only complaints on the build quality are somewhat minor nitpicks, such as placement of the power/volume buttons (I'd have preferred them reversed), the placement of the 3.5" jack (why the bottom?! even the holster case doesn't account for the placement!), and the size of the camera bezel. It sticks out so far that I'm slightly paranoid to set the device down on flat surfaces.
All-in-all, for me, this device is as close to perfection as I could have ever hoped in a device. Once the antenna problem is resolved (which I can't see not being resolved, otherwise it'll be a massive failure for the company), I'll be extremely satisfied. It may not be the device for everyone, but it is the device for me.
TPMJB said:
Better than a blackberry keyboard? Maybe. Better than my Samsung Relay keyboard? Not a chance. I find it rare to see a touch keyboard user able to walk and type without looking at their screen. I do it flawlessly on my 5-row relay keyboard.
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Click to collapse
Well yeah, i was thinking about typing when you looking at keyboard... Typing without looking at screen will never be flawless. :fingers-crossed:
Dejan92 said:
Well yeah, i was thinking about typing when you looking at keyboard... Typing without looking at screen will never be flawless. :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've known people who claim they can do it, but I haven't seen it. I'm frequently on the go. I walk and text all the time. Walking and texting is such a problem that the last company I worked for would escort you off the campus for attempting it.
Meanwhile I'm looking straight ahead while doing it and don't understand it at all lol
schmandroid said:
Motorola Photon Q (XT897) 5 row keyboard slider - last best qwerty phone FYI.
I also have 2x G2's/DZ's, and the original G1/Dream.
The Photon Q design with the side (landscape) slider 5 row (similar to the G1) is probably the best layout, just needs to be built again with update specs.
Sent from my XT897 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The moto wasn't a flagship. Development was dead even at the beginning. Most north america carrier don't sell it or even advertise it.
So, imho, that wasn't the ''last good'' physic keyboard device.
The desire Z had pretty impressive performances when rooted. 800mzh stock, and 1.8ghz stable OC.
oVeRdOsE. said:
The moto wasn't a flagship. Development was dead even at the beginning. Most north america carrier don't sell it or even advertise it.
So, imho, that wasn't the ''last good'' physic keyboard device.
The desire Z had pretty impressive performances when rooted. 800mzh stock, and 1.8ghz stable OC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DZ had a 4 row keyboard, unlike the G1, which had a 5 row, so I consider that a step backwards.
The Priv also has a 4 row, so entering numerical data will require holding or double tapping a function key mid sentence.
Photon Q has 5 row.
Whether it is/was sold at a convenient store to you is irrelevant - with a sim mod, it is usable everywhere around the world. I guess you've missed out.
Compared to the G2/DZ, the PQ is a much more powerful & up to date device - if it wasn't, I wouldn't be using it.
Sent from my XT897 using XDA Free mobile app