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I'm on verizon and I have an upgrade available next tuesday and am looking at using it as soon as possible(totally frustrated with old phone.) Originally, I was thinking I would like the Droid Bionic, and since its release date is so close to my upgrade date, it seemed like that would be the route to go. However, I recently started doing some research on where I could find the best prices for a phone, and found the discounts on Amazon to be excellent! At this point, I can't imagine the Bionic costing anything less than $300, maybe 250 on amazon, but the Xperia Play is being offered for FREE!! The $300 price tag is a little hard to stomach, and I'm thinking if I get the play now, I can wait for the 2nd generation of LTE devices without the battery concerns.
I'll admit that I hadn't really considered the device before because I didn't think I'd be much of a gamer on a cell phone. I play games now, but they are mostly like angry birds, words with friends, robo defense, and other simple games without a real need of a dedicated controller. The phone being free, however, compelled me to do a bit more research.
Now, after reading nearly every review and watching nearly every video on the play, I am seeing more and more things I like about the device. I even went to the verizon retail store and played around with one (and some of the other contenders) for awhile. There are a few things I like about the Play, and some others that are of a little concern, and I was hoping that some of these questions could be answered by someone who has used the device for a period of time.
Some Good points:
I really like the feel of the phone, it feels different and "unique" even when closed compared to the endless range of black slabs out there. Being a guy who doesn't need to cram the phone into a pair of skinny jeans, I don't find it too bulky to handle.
Is this comfortable for everyday usage, though? Does the phone feel solid in the hands without all the security devices on it like in the store? Are the buttons workable? I wouldn't say I have exceptionally large hands, but they aren't small either, will I find it awkward to press those small front buttons or the unlock/power button?
Seeing a vanilla build of gingerbread was very, very nice. It reminded me of handling the nexus S and how impressed I was when I first saw it after using HTC Sense for nearly 2 years. Is there any real functionality lost because of this? Also: Since It is a vanilla build, I would assume OTA upgrades may be easier to obtain(sort of like the original droid) Does anyone know of Sony's plans to continue support for this (Maybe up through ICS)? I have been stuck with 2.1 for what seems like forever, and don't want this to be a problem in 2 years when I'm trying to download an app that isn't supported in older versions of Android. I'm not opposed to rooting, but I think that manufacturer support says something about what a company thinks of its products.
OMG THE SCREEN!!! I don't know about anyone else, but to my eyes, that is just about the best looking screen I have ever seen, even compared side to side to the qHD display on the Droid X2 I prefered the display on the Play hands-down. However, I am wondering if the front coating is durable. I don't think I would want to put a screen protector between my eyes and that gorgeous LCD.
In general:
Is the phone responsive for everyday tasks? (Gmail, Calender, Texting, Phone Calls, Internet Browsing, Music playback, Youtube, Facebook, Maps, Weather, News Widgets (such as pulse)) I use these all daily quite frequently and it can sometimes take up to 30 seconds just to open up my messaging app after receiving a notification of a new message. I doubt any more modern phone could be this bad, but any hint of slowdown now could be a bad omen of what is to come. I'm not too concerned with multitasking except for maybe loading a webpage while I switch over to messaging to answer a text, or for running an update service for weather notifications in the background.
Is it easy to type on compared to other phones in the 4 inch class? Does the shape or design of the phone impede this in any way? It was kind of hard to tell in the store due to the security devices in place.
With the usage described above (checking email, facebook, news, weather, etc. approximately once per hour, with about 30-45 minutes of phone calls, 20-30 texts, and less than an hour of gaming a day) would it be reasonable to expect this phone to last all day on a single charge? I currently have a large extended battery for my phone and it would be nice to not have that extra bulk. If this isn't reasonable, are there extended batteries/covers available for the play?
Is the lack of internal storage a problem, or is it possible to install apps to sd? (and is the speed acceptable if done so)
Any general bugs/glitches that should be known before deciding on this phone?
Anything that the phone might be a little zippier at if it had a dual core processor (besides more graphically intense games)?
How is the call quality/ability to hold a signal? This has been stated in a few reviews, but I am hoping the that issue has been fixed as of now (specifically the phone reverting to 1x in an EVDO area) I am in the city so signal strength shouldn't be an issue, but the ability to hold 3G definitely is.
How is the camera? I'm not looking for an SLR replacement, just something that will take snapshots where you can tell what something is without excessive noise/blotchiness. Is the front camera as horrible as they say? No one seems to post examples of pictures taken with that. Also, there is some confusion as to the HD recording capabilities of the phone. From what I have gathered, it is possible, but there are several steps involved. What are these steps?
Any possibility of Netflix support in the future?
In general, are you owners happy with your decision, and is it one you would repeat if you had to do it today (given the advantage of the Play being at least $130 cheaper than my next consideration, the Droid X2)
Sorry this post has been kind of long winded, I think I have addressed most of my concerns about the device in question that have not been answered by reviews from months ago (possibly prior to some software bug fixes)
Thank you in advance for your help!
The phone feels pretty solid for everyday use, and the curves make it easy to hold in a pocket.
If your worrying about a screen protector, SURPRISE. Theres already one on there.
I've never had any problems with the apps for everyday use. They open quickly, and pulse works quite well.
Some people find battery an issue, I dont. In between trains I do about 2 hours of gaming, check email every 2 hours, post Twitter updates, and still have half a charge by the end of the day.
The camera isent as great as other phones, but it works.
For Netflix support, you can find the .apk someone on the XDA site, and it works perfectly.
Get it if your into gaming on the touchpad.... Otherwise I don't see why you should.
For a phone that has nearly the same specs as the galaxy s, it runs a lot smoother. There are no lag issues, it has ran everything I've thrown at it smoothly.
Sent from my XPlay using XDA App.
I m using the PLAY too, and I found my HD2 with android runs a bit smoother.
the SE software is improving thou, it has been 2 updates, and the speed actually increase after each update.
Only get it if you want to have a game pad or the NAVIGATION pad (up down left right)
i love using the play with navigation pad.
I cant find any other current android phone with navigation pad other than the play.
Deoxlar said:
Get it if your into gaming on the touchpad.... Otherwise I don't see why you should.
For a phone that has nearly the same specs as the galaxy s, it runs a lot smoother. There are no lag issues, it has ran everything I've thrown at it smoothly.
Sent from my XPlay using XDA App.
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I'd say it's worth it.
The only real thing that might keep people from taking it seriously is the fact that it's not a dual-core phone. When you actually see it's performance though, you notice immediately and forever after that it's silky smooth even on a single-core.
It's replaced damn near everything I use; and, most importantly: manages to be great at gaming without being mediocre at anything else.
I'm definitely interested in gaming on the gaming pad, as I can say pretty definitively that the reason I don't play too many games on my phone is because the controls are cumbersome or feel like the games are "dumbed down" to be able to be played with lackluster controls.
I have seen the performance a good single core phone can have (including that of the Play), but am kind of wondering, is it a little too late in the game to even be considering anything other than a dual core phone (I'm having this same delemia over possibly going with the Droid charge) I skimped a little on my first android phone, and because of my experience with that, I am scared that something I get that isn't top of the line now will be utter crap in 18 months - 2 years time.
The combination of acceptable (or great, according to some) performance, the game pad, and the price (in that order) make this appealing.
Sony Tablet S or P coming this month
I just got mine yesterday and I definately recommend getting one.
Feels solid, awesome games and its gonna get better soon as Playstation are soon to announce PSP games for the Xperia Play.
GO GET IT!!!
ps3taker said:
Sony Tablet S or P coming this month
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But these are tablets, is there any chance of a device with a form factor similar to the play coming anytime soon?
I got the xperia play around a month ago maybe 3 weeks ago. The phone is very solid its super fast i have not had any slow down with the phone to this date so dont worry about the core cpu's yet.
The phone is awesome, its amazing for gaming and if your still not into that its still an awesome phone i would say its the best single core phone you can buy.
The only thing i am disappointed about with the phone is the **** wi-fi radio it has terrible signal, it keeps me connected most of the time but around my house i usually only have 2 bars but with my brother's iphone and my old android phone i would be having 3 - 4 bars.
clewis said:
I got the xperia play around a month ago maybe 3 weeks ago. The phone is very solid its super fast i have not had any slow down with the phone to this date so dont worry about the core cpu's yet.
The phone is awesome, its amazing for gaming and if your still not into that its still an awesome phone i would say its the best single core phone you can buy.
The only thing i am disappointed about with the phone is the **** wi-fi radio it has terrible signal, it keeps me connected most of the time but around my house i usually only have 2 bars but with my brother's iphone and my old android phone i would be having 3 - 4 bars.
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Yeah i have the same issue, Galaxy S II has full reception and my Xperia only gets around 2-3 bars although it does keep reception. Thinking Sony might update the modem driver with the next update *fingers crossed*
Yea, the wifi is definitely weaker then most devices. I went out to buy a netgear range booster router and it fixed my problem though.... I can't believe how good netgear routers are...
Sent from my XPlay using XDA App.
the only reason i can think to make you buy the phone is the gaming pad. that is all. you will never get a better gaming experience on any other latest phone like Galaxy X II or Droid. i mean never
its a gaming phone and target for gamer. i strongly suggest you look for other phone if you not into gaming. i just dont want you to regret it when you bought it.
regarding the wifi, the signal reception is working great if i point the device to the router directly
just my opinion..
Like other have said, if you game on your phone get it. If not, get something else. All the rest is just waving your hands.
It is a solid android phone with a game pad. Nothing more, nothing less. If you never slide your game pad out, why carry it around? If you do slide it out, supported games (including emulators) are a completely different experience to every other phone. I cringe thinking about what Minecraft would be like if I had my thumbs all over the screen.
before i go rambling about my previous phones, all i can say is:
GO FOR IT
putting that aside, i was previously using a hd2 running android via the sd. i also had a htc desire issued by the office. i was content with both phones until the office decided to get rid of the desire. apparently, marketing was able to strike up a good deal with the network provider and thus issued us a bunch of iphone 4s. with the desire gone, i was thus left with my hd2 to run android. the problem was, i wanted a purely dedicated android device given that i would most likely never visit windows again. don't get me wrong, the hd2 is fantastic as it's reputed to be the most versatile (and hackable) phone. i've been reading up on the xperia arc as it has nice reviews. however, i was attracted to the xperia play even more because of in my opinion it's taken the lead in the "swiss army" fight amongst phones. i'm not a true gamer but i have enjoyed playing ps1 back in the days. with that, the play allows me to revisit those days and once again play with my fav games.
secondly, the phone itself is fantastic overall. the interface is fluid, i've experienced no hangs or freezes (not counting the psx game that doesn't run with fpse). battery is awesome and i really love the loudness of the media player. this was one of my gripes when i was still using my hd2: the volume needed to step up a notch or 2. i got myself the white xperia play and people in the office are really loving it.
i've already rooted my unit. as i have home and contents insurance i'm not worried about damaging my play. but say i did run into a situation which results in my phone being bricked/damaged/etc. i would most likely get my insurance company to replace it with the same. unless i find the other phones such as the evo or sensation coming up with a gamepad AND something else that the xperia play doesn't have, i'm definitely sticking to this phone for quite a long time.
Actually, if you are not into gaming.... After you get the phone and see the games available... You will be!
Sent from my XPlay using XDA App.
Got my HTC One yesterday and wow i thought this is one good looking phone, fired up quadrant and saw the score rocket up to 12500 whilst my s3 was just finishing the test with a score of 6300, all is well, camera is great, UI is a little bland rows and columns are a bit too big for my liking but i thought i'd hang in there, then the back button breaks, literally would take no input at all (this is on a phone about half an hour old) so swapped it for another brand new one and the back button is working again.
Next day (today) i installed real racing 3 and six axis app (after rooting of course) and went to set up the pad for a game, HTC has messed up with the bluetooth drivers again, no six axis.
Real racing 3 runs on very high settings perfectly, however there is one problem, the phone gets so hot i actually felt uncomfortable holding it, it was so hot i couldn't continue playing any more. I had noticed that it was a little hot when simply browsing but gaming just sent it into boil mode.
On a contract for £46 a month and for two years, these issues will make me hate this phone, so tomorrow morning i will be getting this cancelled and never going back to HTC again, unless they sort these issues in the future (something i highly doubt)
I'd missed HTC after being with Sammy for the last year but i'd forgotten about the silly things that HTC does like the bluetooth drivers and how could i forget them removing the code for the CRT effect?
Won't be getting the S4 either as it's probably only going to be the quad with the adreno gpu, which is why i went for the HTC in the first place.
Sad times.
Think i'll be giving my S3 another whirl and sticking with it until something actually groundbreaking surfaces.
I know to some that these issues might not be that bad but for me it's too much of a pain to live with.
first : do you have scientific proof that the six axis is not working, or the app is not optimized to work with the six axis?
second : real racing is a high demand game, it's only natural for the phone to heat up. try playing on the nexus 10, u have a chest warmer for winter
third : so crt effect is a deal breaker for you? then it's your problem. go back to samsung, dont buy htc. end of story
keywords : VERY HIGH SETTINGS.
and your skin is probably baby skin, browsing is WARM, not HOT. there's a difference between WARM and HOT. and u mentioned hot to the point u cant hold it anymore? samsung fanboy exaggeration
good thing the most intensive games i play are GBA emulators and Candy Crush Saga, I'll love this phone.
Hmmm..
The overheating issue is good to know about. That has to be my pet peeve with any handheld device. Either way, I never judge a phone by it's stock firmware. I would flash a nightly build and see how the phone handles it, overall I think we can all agree that the hardware is fantastic. HTC's software isn't mandatory.
PapaRhino said:
good thing the most intensive games i play are GBA emulators and Candy Crush Saga, I'll love this phone.
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exactly, nobody, else 15% of the community plays super high demand games on their phones. phones are just for everyday convenience ; browsing, small time entertainment, calls, sms, etc. those high end games are designed for tablets.
tell me which is better off, playing crysis 3 on your phone at work or playing it at home after work?
some people just dont get it
shiningarmor said:
first : do you have scientific proof that the six axis is not working, or the app is not optimized to work with the six axis?
second : real racing is a high demand game, it's only natural for the phone to heat up. try playing on the nexus 10, u have a chest warmer for winter
third : so crt effect is a deal breaker for you? then it's your problem. go back to samsung, dont buy htc. end of story
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Wow u are an arse aren't you!
First of all, i don't need scientific proof that the six axis app doesn't work, it is to do with the bluetooth HID protocol that HTC favours, it has always been this way with phones with HTC sense, probably always will.
Secondly, I am fully aware that Real racing 3 is a high demand game, partly the reason me playing it on a high performance device, the phone should not get that hot, i have an s3 which runs the game just as well, even the One X runs it well without getting as hot as this one did, i know whats acceptable and whats not.
And lastly, i didn't say that not having CRT is a deal breaker alone, i said that it's one of the many things that HTC has done that has caused me to send this lump of crap back to the shop and get my contract cancelled.
I didn't come on here to argue with anyone, i don't even know you and your comment is just rude, don't blindly defend the HTC one you probably bought because you're attempting to justify the price you paid for it, it's making you looks like a ****.
For me these are issues i can't be dealing with and i put this up here so that anyone thinking of getting this phone is aware of the problems that i had and can take them into consideration.
Plus i'm not a fan boy either, check my history and you'll see that i've been with HTC since the beginning of their android reign, and i don't have baby soft hands either lol, what are you on? I've been a roofer before and worked in construction for a long time, tell me anyone who's hands are baby soft when they've been lumping slates up onto a roof for a few years.
I've paid for high end games because i wanted to, i bought the phone because it's capable of running any of them. My choice, not my fault the phone can't chill out.
dladz said:
Wow u are an arse aren't you!
First of all, i don't need scientific proof that the six axis app doesn't work, it is to do with the bluetooth HID protocol that HTC favours, it has always been this way with phones with HTC sense, probably always will.
you seem so sure, can you actually provide proof? if you can, then everyone will be notified of the issue instead of "it's just you" issue
Secondly, I am fully aware that Real racing 3 is a high demand game, partly the reason me playing it on a high performance device, the phone should not get that hot, i have an s3 which runs the game just as well, even the One X runs it well without getting as hot as this one did, i know whats acceptable and whats not.
like you said, you love to root and flash roms and kernels. custom kernels are leagues ahead of stock kernels. tried running RR3 with stock kernel on the s3 and one x? you phone will melt. dont ask me why, because i own a one x and im using it now, playing candy crush saga melts the phone.
And lastly, i didn't say that not having CRT is a deal breaker alone, i said that it's one of the many things that HTC has done that has caused me to send this lump of crap back to the shop and get my contract cancelled.
one of the many things? then i stand up to my point. just go back to samsung. we dont need people like you to demotivate potential buyers
I didn't come on here to argue with anyone, i don't even know you and your comment is just rude, don't blindly defend the HTC one you probably bought because you're attempting to justify the price you paid for it, it's making you looks like a ****.
i've mentioned this on another thread. what i say is merely based according to what people REALLY uses in a smartphone. not in the minority who plays crysis 3 (exaggeration) on their phone and uses their phone as a server and etc.
For me these are issues i can't be dealing with and i put this up here so that anyone thinking of getting this phone is aware of the problems that i had and can take them into consideration.
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based on my observation, you are the only one who complains the phone gets too hot to hold, others are saying slightly warm. to strengthen your point, care to post some battery temperatures so that we may deem whether it is too hot or normal? not that it's a burden since you are rooted
Mod u can close this thread if you like, apparently my opinion which is based upon one days usage isn't something that people want to hear? Perhaps a few days with the phone themselves will open their shut eyes.
I never wanted to cause a flame war here, just wanted to help someone dodge a bullet that i took previously.
closed on OP's request.
Additionally having one for myself I can also NOT acknowledge the heat-claims the OP makes here.
Hi all of you, happy Z2 owners, who struggles from overheating issues. As I feel from reaction of Sony representatives, overheating will not be improved or fixed, my personal opinion is that it is a hardware issue, not software, and Sony do not even want to confirm overheating as an issue, it is considered to be normal for them, when camera gets warm (base don their reply).
So, what we could do now is to sit and wait till we get or not get any help, or we could try to do something.
First of all, all these major sites, as Gizmodo, Engadget, The Verge and so on... Non of them didn't mention anything serious about the overheating. Moreover, none of them does not mention about it now either, but if you take a look to the number of user who experience the overheating problem, you see that there is a lot of us.
Should we maybe try to point the attention of the major online publishers to the problem, also to the behaviour of serious company, who throws raw product to the market and closes eyes when they see serious problem.
The second option is to think about some collective claim to Sony and deliver it to them by media channels.
Me personally could just change the faulty device in the store, it is not going to be too big problem for me, as it is clearly obvious fail of device, when camera is not working properly. In case if there is ANY limitation in timing of filming, it should be mentioned in technical data PRIOR sale of the product, otherwise it is hidden defect. But I am really upset about the behaviour of such company as Sony and I would really wish they acknowledge their mistake and help all of us at once.
Personally, I don't understand what the big deal is with this overheating issue. I understand that people want to "futureproof" themselves because they "might" get a 4k display in the future but honestly, "futureproofing" should never be a factor when when it comes to the ever-changing world of electronics.
Samsung placed a 5 minute limit on their 4k and Sony decided to toss things up and give it a dynamic limit based on temperature. I go to concerts and many conventions and have yet to run into a situation where I thought "hey, it'll be a good idea to record this in 4k." While I understand your frustration about Sony not really addressing the issue, they did come out and say that people should only record in short clips.
If you're still really interested in recording long 4k videos and pushing your device to the limit then check out these threads:
Pesetio made a discovery that undervolting your phone could help slow down the heating of the phone thus longer 4k video - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2776605
Jackos released a mod where he pushed the thermal limit up 10 degrees celsius and this basically allowed you to ignore the overheating message and record 30+ minutes of 4k video - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2777712
However, after reading many "overheating" posts on this forum, I think a lot of people agree that the limiter is there for a reason and the longevity of the device supersedes our desire for longer 4k video recording.
@HeartUnderBlade, actually we encourage overheat for all of functions of camera. When we take some pictures, video camera with full hd and high temporary of weather. After that overheat and shut down camera. Maybe some guys live in country that the weather is cool. I think they won't encourage this issue. My opinion, sony should behave properly if not numerous guys will be leave them.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
harrynghiem said:
@HeartUnderBlade, actually we encourage overheat for all of functions of camera. When we take some pictures, video camera with full hd and high temporary of weather. After that overheat and shut down camera. Maybe some guys live in country that the weather is cool. I think they won't encourage this issue. My opinion, sony should behave properly if not numerous guys will be leave them.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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While I understand your frustration, I think encountering the overheating message should be considered a good thing if you value the longevity of your device. Imagine if you never encountered the overheating message, your phone could be damaged in the long run by user-error and you'll never be able to fix it. However, I think a very small percentage of people actually experience overheating in anything other than 4k and I would try to replace your device if that's the case. Do keep in mind that I noticed you're from Viet Nam which is a country that can get very hot and humid so that could play a HUGE role in the overheating of your phone.
HeartUnderBlade said:
While I understand your frustration, I think encountering the overheating message should be considered a good thing if you value the longevity of your device. Imagine if you never encountered the overheating message, your phone could be damaged in the long run by user-error and you'll never be able to fix it. However, I think a very small percentage of people actually experience overheating in anything other than 4k and I would try to replace your device if that's the case. Do keep in mind that I noticed you're from Viet Nam which is a country that can get very hot and humid so that could play a HUGE role in the overheating of your phone.
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Me, personally, do not care about 4k video. But, when I download something over 4g, i am not able to use camera at all, as it is too hot. When i turn on photo mode (usual still photo), in about 7-10 minutes without even taking some pictures the camera turns off.
I do not want, neither intend to do something with voltage. As a costumer, I am buying finished product, that should work as it should work. If it does not work as promised (and I am not an advanced user, i would say), it is a fault of manufacturer. They MUST react.
Anton Sh. said:
Me, personally, do not care about 4k video. But, when I download something over 4g, i am not able to use camera at all, as it is too hot. When i turn on photo mode (usual still photo), in about 7-10 minutes without even taking some pictures the camera turns off.
I do not want, neither intend to do something with voltage. As a costumer, I am buying finished product, that should work as it should work. If it does not work as promised (and I am not an advanced user, i would say), it is a fault of manufacturer. They MUST react.
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For the downloading and using a camera, I personally don't even think you should be pushing your phone to that limit. The camera can be very intense on your phone considering the image stabilization, high def image/video, and the high framerate that Sony put into the camera. If we know that Sony placed a thermal limit on the camera then why would you go into a camera knowing that you're downloading something and not expect it to overheat? When you say that it gets too hot, do you mean it just gets too hot to the touch or does it overheat (as in you get the overheat warning)? I would expect it to overheat considering it's put under that much load of having to write download data while writing data from the camera.
As for the 7-10 minute thing, I actually think that's normal. If I turn on my camera and just leave it idle then it shuts off by itself. I mean... why would you care if you leave a camera idle without doing anything? It seems a bit silly, don't you think since it just wastes battery at that point.
HeartUnderBlade said:
For the downloading and using a camera, I personally don't even think you should be pushing your phone to that limit. The camera can be very intense on your phone considering the image stabilization, high def image/video, and the high framerate that Sony put into the camera. If we know that Sony placed a thermal limit on the camera then why would you go into a camera knowing that you're downloading something and not expect it to overheat? As for the 7-10 minute thing, I actually think that's normal. If I turn on my camera and just leave it idle then it shuts off by itself. I mean... why would you care if you leave a camera idle without doing anything? It seems a bit silly, don't you think since it just wastes battery at that point.
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If you use ipad or iphone. Please turn on camera on your iPad and leave it for 10 minutes. If it turns off itself, go to apple and they will change your device for 99% (if you are under warranty). I am not sure if you are Z2 user or not, if you are not, you will not understand. The device is getting hot whatever you do, so you are not able to film/take pictures.
I am not going to argue with you, this thread is for people who experience the problem and is ready to act. If the company sells you something, it should work as advertised. If not, this should not be issued/sold without additional comments from manufacturer.
I cannot imagine that my BMW will turn off the engine because i use air conditioner, or air conditioner will be turned off automatically if i drive in sport mode.
205
Of course, about iPad or iPhone, i mean turning off because of overheating, not auto lock.
HeartUnderBlade said:
While I understand your frustration, I think encountering the overheating message should be considered a good thing if you value the longevity of your device. Imagine if you never encountered the overheating message, your phone could be damaged in the long run by user-error and you'll never be able to fix it. However, I think a very small percentage of people actually experience overheating in anything other than 4k and I would try to replace your device if that's the case. Do keep in mind that I noticed you're from Viet Nam which is a country that can get very hot and humid so that could play a HUGE role in the overheating of your phone.
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Total agreement for 4k issue. However, if we take some picture and encourage overheat message. I think that is big deal. I am used some phone before s4, iphone 5, s3 ... But i haven't seen yet. What do you think if you take the z2 and come in beach with your friends and take around 10 pictures and shut down camera. Because overheat. My friends reported numerous time same cases.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Anton Sh. said:
If you use ipad or iphone. Please turn on camera on your iPad and leave it for 10 minutes. If it turns off itself, go to apple and they will change your device for 99% (if you are under warranty). I am not sure if you are Z2 user or not, if you are not, you will not understand. The device is getting hot whatever you do, so you are not able to film/take pictures.
I am not going to argue with you, this thread is for people who experience the problem and is ready to act. If the company sells you something, it should work as advertised. If not, this should not be issued/sold without additional comments from manufacturer.
I cannot imagine that my BMW will turn off the engine because i use air conditioner, or air conditioner will be turned off automatically if i drive in sport mode.
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You know, I was not here to argue with you. I'm just saying that some of the issues might not even be a big deal. If you've noticed, a lot of the "overheating" threads have started to die out and threads about coping with the issue is starting to emerge. It shows that this community is starting to somewhat accept that the overheating message may be there as a precaution. I think you missed my point about the camera turning off while in idle. I don't think that's an overheating issue but rather a feature the camera app is programmed to do to prevent it from useless staying on and wasting your battery. I haven't done any extensive testing but leaving my camera on idle, it shuts off. However, when I move it around and click a few buttons every once in awhile, it stays on.
I think funky0308 made a very good point when he said "Overheating FC isn't error or bug, that's added for a purpose." http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53295417&postcount=10
Also, it's silly to compare a car to a phone...A car has an engine, belts, a whole gallon of liquid coolant, and a radiator. Your phone, it's a bunch of computer hardware that is calculating a lot of data in a small enclosed space with nothing but a heatsink to try to cool down your phone. If you really want to compare a car to a phone then take all the cooling features out of your engine (including all the fans and radiator) and let's see if your engine overheats or not.
Also for your information, yes... I own an iphone, ipad, and I'm one of the few people that owned the Z2 when it started to roll out.
harrynghiem said:
Total agreement for 4k issue. However, if we take some picture and encourage overheat message. I think that is big deal. I am used some phone before s4, iphone 5, s3 ... But i haven't seen yet. What do you think if you take the z2 and come in beach with your friends and take around 10 pictures and shut down camera. Because overheat. My friends reported numerous time same cases.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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Your issue does sound like it might be a defect. I've read of a small handful of people experiencing the overheating message just from regular photos. I believe those people sent it in for a repair under warranty and received new devices which fixed their problems. Try contacting the place you bought it from or a Sony store nearby.
HeartUnderBlade said:
You know, I was not here to argue with you. I'm just saying that some of the issues might not even be a big deal. If you've noticed, a lot of the "overheating" threads have started to die out and threads about coping with the issue is starting to emerge. It shows that this community is starting to somewhat accept that the overheating message may be there as a precaution. I think you missed my point about the camera turning off while in idle. I don't think that's an overheating issue but rather a feature the camera app is programmed to do to prevent it from useless staying on and wasting your battery. I haven't done any extensive testing but leaving my camera on idle, it shuts off. However, when I move it around and click a few buttons every once in awhile, it stays on.
Also, it's silly to compare a car to a phone...A car has an engine, belts, a whole gallon of liquid coolant, and a radiator. Your phone, it's a bunch of computer hardware that is calculating a lot of data in a small enclosed space with nothing but a heatsink to try to cool down your phone. If you really want to compare a car to a phone then take all the cooling features out of your engine (including all the fans and radiator) and let's see if your engine overheats or not.
Also for your information, yes... I own an iphone, ipad, and I'm one of the few people that owned the Z2 when it started to roll out.
Your issue does sound like it might be a defect. I've read of a small handful of people experiencing the overheating message just from regular photos. I believe those people sent it in for a repair under warranty and received new devices which fixed their problems. Try contacting the place you bought it from or a Sony store nearby.
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Ok, so i am not sure if my device is faulty as well, but i am sure it is not ok, when you, for example, watch youtube for 10 minutes, turn it off, than turn on photo camera and it turns itself off because of overheating (all other apps are closed at this moment)
My two penny's worth, I have been sat out in the sunshine trying to take pictures, ok it is warm, but this is England, we're talking 23degrees, but my camera won't take more than a couple of pics without shutting down.
Loving the phone otherwise, but the camera has always been a major factor in my choice of phone.
Anton Sh. said:
Ok, so i am not sure if my device is faulty as well, but i am sure it is not ok, when you, for example, watch youtube for 10 minutes, turn it off, than turn on photo camera and it turns itself off because of overheating (all other apps are closed at this moment)
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When you put it into that perspective then your device may be one of the few that might be faulty. I'm able to watch HD videos on streaming apps for hours and then use my camera and it'll be fine.
Guest69 said:
My two penny's worth, I have been sat out in the sunshine trying to take pictures, ok it is warm, but this is England, we're talking 23degrees, but my camera won't take more than a couple of pics without shutting down.
Loving the phone otherwise, but the camera has always been a major factor in my choice of phone.
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The same here regarding the choice of phone and the same story about filming or taking pictures in a sunny day.
BUT this post is not about it but what should we do about it. Somehow SONY has to answer us and acknowledge the problem. Ok, even if it is a few, they need to issue the confirmation that there might be this problem on some devices and what should we do about it. This is how the company should react to their mistakes.
The problem is with thermal handling the way I see it , the phone heats up because all cores are running at max frequency on longer duration. Sony mut have configured the kernel aggressively. It is likely possible this was done to allow 4k video recording even at short minutes time.
Sent from my almighty Xperia Z2
nealkoy said:
The problem is with thermal handling the way I see it , the phone heats up because all cores are running at max frequency on longer duration. Sony mut have configured the kernel aggressively. It is likely possible this was done to allow 4k video recording even at short minutes time.
Sent from my almighty Xperia Z2
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Non-techie question, does it really necessary to use all cores at max when watching video? Or downloading data over 4g/wifi?
Relax guys, they are most likely working on the problem and will come with the solution of undervolting the cores or work on camera app resource efficiency.
One question, what ambient temperatures are you guys having problems with? Or better, where do you live? (Country and city)
HeartUnderBlade said:
Personally, I don't understand what the big deal is with this overheating issue. I understand that people want to "futureproof" themselves because they "might" get a 4k display in the future but honestly, "futureproofing" should never be a factor when when it comes to the ever-changing world of electronics.
Samsung placed a 5 minute limit on their 4k and Sony decided to toss things up and give it a dynamic limit based on temperature. I go to concerts and many conventions and have yet to run into a situation where I thought "hey, it'll be a good idea to record this in 4k." While I understand your frustration about Sony not really addressing the issue, they did come out and say that people should only record in short clips.
If you're still really interested in recording long 4k videos and pushing your device to the limit then check out these threads:
Pesetio made a discovery that undervolting your phone could help slow down the heating of the phone thus longer 4k video - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2776605
Jackos released a mod where he pushed the thermal limit up 10 degrees celsius and this basically allowed you to ignore the overheating message and record 30+ minutes of 4k video - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2777712
However, after reading many "overheating" posts on this forum, I think a lot of people agree that the limiter is there for a reason and the longevity of the device supersedes our desire for longer 4k video recording.
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If the phone is genuinely getting red hot then of course you need to do whatever necessary to stop the phone overheating and causing harm to components (including the battery) but there IS an issue that can't be ignored/discounted even if some people aren't experiencing it.
The key question is: Is it hardware and therefore unfixable, or is it poor software that is causing the phone to run too hot despite there being no actual need for it to get that hot?
It's not just 4K video (I've come to accept that, unless Sony decides to undervolt as in the possible solution mentioned above, 4K video will be limited. It's not the end of the world, as while I may record some things in 4K it isn't going to be of any substantial length), it's just taking ordinary pictures.
Using mobile data also seems to be another factor. If you have, say, Photos or Dropbox uploading pictures and video in the background, that can also cause the phone to get red hot.
If you've got a good 4G connection and an unlimited data tariff, why wouldn't you want to upload stuff there and then (rather than waiting for Wi-Fi or when charging)? Doesn't seem to be a problem on other phones.
Sure, Google or Dropbox could fix things by having a setting to only auto upload when there's no other (major) CPU usage, but surely a Snapdragon 801 device isn't under stress because two things are happening at once? Uploading a file and taking a photo. If that pushes the phone to overheat, there HAS to be something Sony can do to fix it.
Guest69 said:
My two penny's worth, I have been sat out in the sunshine trying to take pictures, ok it is warm, but this is England, we're talking 23degrees, but my camera won't take more than a couple of pics without shutting down.
Loving the phone otherwise, but the camera has always been a major factor in my choice of phone.
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Precisely. If you are getting the camera shutting down so it can 'cool down', when it's just 21-23 degrees (albeit humid and probably hotter when the phone is in direct sunlight) then you have to start wondering. God help those who take their Z2 to somewhere hot this summer hoping to take loads of photos and video.
Mind you, if it's by a pool then you can always dunk it in to cool it quicker!
Hi guys...
Although I agree to OP and I found this overheating as a quite big problem I expect this to happen.
Z2 has same Snapdragon 800 overclocked and named 801 so that's not device that could record 4K at this setup.
But...
I'm long time Sony user and I'm absolutely sure they will do everything they can do fix this.
It could be fixed quite easy as we all see (simple undervolting will do the trick)
Z2 is Sony's new way and after Z1 which I still have and I still believe it's great device, Z2 is next logical step with a expected issues.
Is that OK, of course not...
But, as I said, lets wait for a next bigger firmware update (I heard it's on its way).
You'll know when it comes because it'll have "2" instead of "1" (17.2.A.x.x.x) and I'm sure we'll have great device after that...
We all know 402 didn't do that so we have to wait new release.
Maybe we get 4.4.3 in that, next, big update...
If they don't find a way to fix that problem in next two or three updates then we all know it's hardware issue and we should find a way how to claim our rights.
To end this long post...
I totally support OP idea but let's give them a chance to fix that...
If that was only 4K problem I wouldn't say anything but heating (not overheating, at least not on my device) is present on video playback, on LTA download....
Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk
Well, crap. Just when I am in the market to buy the Z2, I find this issue. Panama is a warm, tropical climate, and I am a bit concerned that the overheating isssue will be even worse here!
Is anyone else using the Z2 in such a climate?
I've read many reviews and watched dozens regarding the performance of this phone but I wanted to get some real user experiences. I'm planning to upgrade to this from my G3 which is hands down the worst phone I've ever had. So far, this phone looks promising but I wanted to know how it performs. My G3 lags really really bad and overheats to 95c+ which led to me having to downclock it. How does the XStyle (Pure) perform? Does the phone lag when multi tasking? How hot does the CPU get? Does it throttle? I don't really care for battery life as I'm never too far from a charger.
I'd really appreciate some answers to my questions as my current phone is really getting on my last nerves.
Thanks.
95c+ ??????????? 95 degrees centigrade is equal to 203 degrees Fahrenheit!
Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
The hottest my phone has gotten is during initial setup, when it was downloading all the apps and I was setting them all up... That was about 117f (47c). It did it again right after I flashed TWRP and did my first Nandroid. But normal use, I haven't noticed it over 107f (41c), but I don't play games or do anything real intense on it. Just music and videos for the most part. My M9 got around that temp and ran that way more often with the same basic task.
I don't notice any real lag...There are some quirks that it has that will hopefully get worked out with an update. By "quirks" I mean the slight glitch when you rotate the phone 180 degrees while listening to music....That's the stereo separation swapping sides. I also noticed a slight glitch when listening to music stored on my SD card too, about every 4th or 5th song it will just do a real short "glitch" or "pause" like it's trying to catch up. I've tried a few other, class 10, SD cards and they all seem to do it for some reason? Not a big deal for me, but if I was playing them for people it might bother me a little.
I've read where people said Chrome was laggy, but coming from an HTC M9, I really don't notice anything that bothers me.
As for throttling, I haven't noticed any.....But I haven't gotten it hot enough for long periods at a time for it to do any (if it does).
I've been using mine for about a week and a half and the performance is great. I play a lot of Hearthstone on the phone and it's really smooth even with Facebook chats overlayed on it. My phone gets to mid 90's sometimes. It happened a lot the first few days, but has even out after that.
jaseman said:
95c+ ??????????? 95 degrees centigrade is equal to 203 degrees Fahrenheit!
Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Yep. The phone shuts down after reaching 96c. I saw the high temperature warning way too many times before I downclocked.
tele_jas said:
The hottest my phone has gotten is during initial setup, when it was downloading all the apps and I was setting them all up... That was about 117f (47c). It did it again right after I flashed TWRP and did my first Nandroid. But normal use, I haven't noticed it over 107f (41c), but I don't play games or do anything real intense on it. Just music and videos for the most part. My M9 got around that temp and ran that way more often with the same basic task.
I don't notice any real lag...There are some quirks that it has that will hopefully get worked out with an update. By "quirks" I mean the slight glitch when you rotate the phone 180 degrees while listening to music....That's the stereo separation swapping sides. I also noticed a slight glitch when listening to music stored on my SD card too, about every 4th or 5th song it will just do a real short "glitch" or "pause" like it's trying to catch up. I've tried a few other, class 10, SD cards and they all seem to do it for some reason? Not a big deal for me, but if I was playing them for people it might bother me a little.
I've read where people said Chrome was laggy, but coming from an HTC M9, I really don't notice anything that bothers me.
As for throttling, I haven't noticed any.....But I haven't gotten it hot enough for long periods at a time for it to do any (if it does).
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Thanks for the reply, your post made me more confident in choosing this phone to replace my g3.
SkuzeeII said:
I've been using mine for about a week and a half and the performance is great. I play a lot of Hearthstone on the phone and it's really smooth even with Facebook chats overlayed on it. My phone gets to mid 90's sometimes. It happened a lot the first few days, but has even out after that.
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Mid 90 Celsius?
Fahim92 said:
Yep. The phone shuts down after reaching 96c. I saw the high temperature warning way too many times before I downclocked.
Thanks for the reply, your post made me more confident in choosing this phone to replace my g3.
Mid 90 Celsius?
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YOU, fahim, mean fahrenheit.
I had LG G3 prior to MPXE and it never got this hot. I did however applied thermal paste. Anyways, MPXE is a good phone, definitely run cooler than G3. Its heavier and bigger than G3. Battery life is on par with G3. I find brightness and colors much better than G3.you won't regret this phone.
Spike96 said:
YOU, fahim, mean fahrenheit.
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No, I know the difference and it is most definitely reaching upwards of 90 Celsius. Here's proof - http://imgur.com/a/OlrGP I've used other temperature monitoring apps and they all show the same, even CPU-Z.
Thanks for the replies everyone. I appreciate it a lot
Gr8man001 said:
I had LG G3 prior to MPXE and it never got this hot. I did however applied thermal paste. Anyways, MPXE is a good phone, definitely run cooler than G3. Its heavier and bigger than G3. Battery life is on par with G3. I find brightness and colors much better than G3.you won't regret this phone.
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Thanks for the reply, mate. I'm definitely gonna place an order for this phone soon!
One last thing before I order it. I know that KitKat had removed the ability to be able to completely use the memory card, I.e, downloading stuff onto memory card. Has lollipop fixed that? I had to root my G3 and install a SD card fix in order to download torrents onto it as I mainly download on my phone now. Would I have to do the same with the Moto X?
I've read a lot of mixed info about it, including severe overheating, massive battery drain, limited functionality, etc. But those reviews were all old and for the Pixel/XL.
Has anyone here tried it out with the Axon 7 that can give their opinion on it? I've been considering it, now that Nougat is finally available, but at $113 CAD (yay taxes) that's a steep price for what appears to be a piece of cloth with bluetooth mini remote. As far as I know all the sensors and processing hardware are in the phone itself, unlike Samsung's VR headsets.
Cyrus D. said:
I've read a lot of mixed info about it, including severe overheating, massive battery drain, limited functionality, etc. But those reviews were all old and for the Pixel/XL.
Has anyone here tried it out with the Axon 7 that can give their opinion on it? I've been considering it, now that Nougat is finally available, but at $113 CAD (yay taxes) that's a steep price for what appears to be a piece of cloth with bluetooth mini remote. As far as I know all the sensors and processing hardware are in the phone itself, unlike Samsung's VR headsets.
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I have a daydream view and have been playing with it for a few weeks now. At first, it was underwhelming. A lot of the apps available are really gimicky. But, after taking the time to find apps that would suit me, I have really enjoyed it. I got the headset for 49 dollars when they went on sale recently, and I still feel like that price is a stretch. You are right, it really is just a couple of pieces of glass, cloth, and a bluetooth remote. There is a workaround, where you can use another phone as the remote and just use google cardboard for the viewing device. I did that at first, but it was difficult to use the phone as a controller, since you don't have the tactile feel of the buttons. As far as the phone goes, it gets pretty warm, Once, I made it to 53 degrees celsius. But, it didn't shut the phone down and that was a one-time thing. It hasn't been super warm since. I don't know if that helps.
BJHiltbrand said:
I have a daydream view and have been playing with it for a few weeks now. At first, it was underwhelming. A lot of the apps available are really gimicky. But, after taking the time to find apps that would suit me, I have really enjoyed it. I got the headset for 49 dollars when they went on sale recently, and I still feel like that price is a stretch. You are right, it really is just a couple of pieces of glass, cloth, and a bluetooth remote. There is a workaround, where you can use another phone as the remote and just use google cardboard for the viewing device. I did that at first, but it was difficult to use the phone as a controller, since you don't have the tactile feel of the buttons. As far as the phone goes, it gets pretty warm, Once, I made it to 53 degrees celsius. But, it didn't shut the phone down and that was a one-time thing. It hasn't been super warm since. I don't know if that helps.
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It does help, thanks. But I'm wondering, how long were you typical sessions, and what were you running?
Cyrus D. said:
It does help, thanks. But I'm wondering, how long were you typical sessions, and what were you running?
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I usually use it for 45 minutes to an hour. I really have just been playing around with all sorts of apps. Most of those sessions were in the Netflix VR app and in a game called Archer E. Bowman. I have also used it for non-daydream apps like litchi for flying my phantom drone. Interestingly enough, the time that the phone got really hot, I had it plugged in and was using a non-daydream app (roller coaster VR).
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using XDA Free mobile app
BJHiltbrand said:
I usually use it for 45 minutes to an hour. I really have just been playing around with all sorts of apps. Most of those sessions were in the Netflix VR app and in a game called Archer E. Bowman. I have also used it for non-daydream apps like litchi for flying my phantom drone. Interestingly enough, the time that the phone got really hot, I had it plugged in and was using a non-daydream app (roller coaster VR).
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using XDA Free mobile app
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Well it's not surprising at all that your phone was overheating considering you had it plugged in while using an app, nearly any phone would become really hot if you do that. These fast charging methods all (aside from Oppo/OnePlus's Dash Charging) do the voltage conversion in the phone, it's mind boggling how stupid that is, and yet that's how they work. Another thing that's infuriating to even think about is the internal design if you know what it is. I've seen an A7 taken apart and... it uses the BATTERY as a heatsink, yes the battery, the thing that degrades and loses maximum charge due to heat. The heat pipe is set up in a way to basically pass the SoC's heat directly to the battery.
So overall I guess what you're saying is good news, 45-60 mins typical usage and only overheating while having it plugged in is far better than all the reports I've seen about the Pixel/XL while using VR. Thanks once again.
I watched a two hour movie in two sessions, one with the phone plugged into a battery pack. It got warm, but nothing out of the ordinary. I would suggest the Full-size VR app for web browsing and viewing movies on the SD card.
The headset is definitely worth the money but the phone's power button is placed in the worst position possible - something that's true just for holding in the right hand as well!
got ours yesterday. Pretty interesting. very much in its infancy tho but you can see the potential. I agree about power button placement is a slight issue.
phone does get very warm. phone gave a warning once. I removed the case and that seemed to help. NOt really a big deal
I got the headset a couple of days ago because of the Nougat update, I've used it for playing games like need for speed VR and watching videos with YouTube VR and Skybox, also hooked it up to my PC to stream VR Games with trinus VR and such.
As someone who only had the original cardboard and then a cheap plastic headset, I'm in love with daydream, it doesn't compare at all to any full size VR like the Oculus or PlayStation VR but the quality is pretty good for a $50 device, I think it's worth it at this price.
On the performance side I was also worried because I've read the reviews and issues with the pixels but I have to say I'm amazed with the axon, it does get hot after a while but never had performance decrease, just a notification about the battery being hot, 53c (127f) was the highest I've had and that was after more than an hour of continuous VR usage. I was surprised that the phone cools down very quickly after exiting VR, ZTE has some great thermal management in this CPU, battery lasts long enough for my sessions of VR I've been getting like %25 drain for almost an hour in VR, so enough to watch a movie if at half battery most likely, but with QC 3.0 this is a none issue for me. People forget your phone is blasting away at full brightness, rendering 3D scenes with 3D positional audio while tracking every sensor and keeping an active low latency Bluetooth connection, NFC, a Cellphone connection and an Internet connection . I think it's pretty amazing.
Well there's only a single company selling the thing on Amazon which I never heard of but I said screw it and ordered it because there was only 1 white one left and it's my last day of Amazon Prime. Hopefully it doesn't stain too easily... and Xposed arrives soon because I'm not upgrading to Nougat until it does.
adampdx said:
I watched a two hour movie in two sessions, one with the phone plugged into a battery pack. It got warm, but nothing out of the ordinary. I would suggest the Full-size VR app for web browsing and viewing movies on the SD card.
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Sorry I'm not sure what you're referring to when you say Full-size VR app, as I said I'm waiting on Xposed before upgrading to Nougat so I can't install Daydream apps yet.
BritSwedeGuy said:
The headset is definitely worth the money but the phone's power button is placed in the worst position possible - something that's true just for holding in the right hand as well!
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chamilun said:
got ours yesterday. Pretty interesting. very much in its infancy tho but you can see the potential. I agree about power button placement is a slight issue.
phone does get very warm. phone gave a warning once. I removed the case and that seemed to help. NOt really a big deal
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Can't it just be placed in upside down so the strap doesn't press the power button?
rpsgrayfox said:
I got the headset a couple of days ago because of the Nougat update, I've used it for playing games like need for speed VR and watching videos with YouTube VR and Skybox, also hooked it up to my PC to stream VR Games with trinus VR and such.
As someone who only had the original cardboard and then a cheap plastic headset, I'm in love with daydream, it doesn't compare at all to any full size VR like the Oculus or PlayStation VR but the quality is pretty good for a $50 device, I think it's worth it at this price.
On the performance side I was also worried because I've read the reviews and issues with the pixels but I have to say I'm amazed with the axon, it does get hot after a while but never had performance decrease, just a notification about the battery being hot, 53c (127f) was the highest I've had and that was after more than an hour of continuous VR usage. I was surprised that the phone cools down very quickly after exiting VR, ZTE has some great thermal management in this CPU, battery lasts long enough for my sessions of VR I've been getting like %25 drain for almost an hour in VR, so enough to watch a movie if at half battery most likely, but with QC 3.0 this is a none issue for me. People forget your phone is blasting away at full brightness, rendering 3D scenes with 3D positional audio while tracking every sensor and keeping an active low latency Bluetooth connection, NFC, a Cellphone connection and an Internet connection . I think it's pretty amazing.
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Thanks for the detailed info. 53C should be perfectly fine, funny that's exactly what the first person reported as well. It's really high for a mobile device, but it shouldn't be dangerous... at least I hope the battery isn't that sensitive, because as I said they use the battery as a heatsink.
Sorry, autocorrect. Fulldive app. I even changed that twice.
Well I received mine today and there's still no sign of Nougat Xposed so I just used it without Daydream and I have to say:
Cons:
- The lenses are tiny and not adjustable, I was really hoping for better lenses since that's basically the entire cost of this thing.
- It's not exactly the most comfortable thing in the world, the strap sucks, it really needed to a top strap.
- It's designed for some sort of giant Neanderthal nose, it has so much room it could fit 2 of my noses in it.
- Putting the phone in upside doesn't always work since it can hit the volume button that way instead of power button, that and not all apps flip upside down.
- The "Snow White"/light gray looks nothing like the pictures, it's straight up grey.
Neutral:
- No app works perfectly well for it that I've seen yet, I might be forced to wait for Nougat/Daydream apps (I tried installing the apk, won't install on 6.0.1).
- The remote does nothing on 6.0.1 aside from connect.
Pros:
- The lenses are clear enough especially compared to the garbage plastic lenses others use, and it works for my eyes despite not being adjustable.
- Despite the sucky strap the fact that it's lighter than plastic models makes up a lot in the comfort department. That tiny difference in weight makes the device usable with that subpar strap.
Tl;DR - For a $100 device I expected a lot better quality, but this might be the best that can be had for the Axon 7, I guess I'm stuck waiting on Nougat Xposed until I find out just how good this thing is.
adampdx said:
Sorry, autocorrect. Fulldive app. I even changed that twice.
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Fulldive is awkward and doesn't work for me. When you hold one position to select something, it doesn't work for whatever reason when I have the phone inserted in the DD View, it just does the loop/circle then nothing happens. If I have the phone out of headset then it works. Either way it doesn't seem like an easy to use app.
Cyrus D. said:
Tl;DR - For a $100 device I expected a lot better quality, but this might be the best that can be had for the Axon 7, I guess I'm stuck waiting on Nougat Xposed until I find out just how good this thing is.
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Click to collapse
I'm sorry that you've had a poor experience. I paid $50 for mine and find it comfortable, easy to wear for long periods of time, and the Daydream app performs very well. Fulldive is awkward, but once I learned how to properly use it, it made a world of difference.
Hi, I'm really happy there is a discussion to the Daydream headset. I'm also sceptical on the quality (sure is better than cardboard...), but another thing is that besides the controller, I don't understand what's the hype about it? Seems pretty average, no top strap..
I'm also looking to get some VR for the Axon, however the ones that I've seen are really not optimal - all of them press either volume or in most cases the power button. I guess that the ZTE VR won't really be produced now with the Daydream support (or available to get in another way), so are there any feasible alternatives?
Hi. Does anybody have these problems with Daydream? Initial tiles doesn't load properly and install button on VR Play Store doesn't appear...
Please everyone interested in daydream on LOS vote for this bug https://jira.lineageos.org/projects/BUGBASH/issues/BUGBASH-284?filter=allopenissues
I have one, it's alright. No deal breakers, but it's not great either.
In terms of software, The apps are just not there yet. There are a ton of video portals, unfinished game demos, and apps that we already knew from Cardboard, and honestly not much else. I hear Samsung Gear VR has a much richer set of apps, so Daydream really needs to catch up. Add to that the Lineage OS issues (mentioned above), which exclude Daydream from working properly with LOS-based ROMs., and the software situation is not great. I think we need to give it some time.
In terms of hardware, it works but is quirky. Lack of a top strap is not great, leads to most people over-tightening the rear strap. The optics are okay, not great, with a 90 degree field of view - Better than most Cardboard clones, but well below dedicated headsets, or even Samsung Gear VR. Light can leak in from the back, but you can stuff a tissue or something between the side and the face pad to compensate. It's light and fairly comfortable, though, and gets the job done.
The remote works well, and the idea of putting a trackpad in your hand that can sense both taps and clicks, plus a pointer, gives you a lot to work with. It drifts, though, which means you'll be using that recenter function a lot.
Overall, while it may sound like I really don't like it, VR is really cool, and Daydream, for $50 (on sale), is a great way to jump into it. Just bear in mind that it feels like a promising beta more than a finished product.
To answer some of the questions and concerns in this thread:
The power button on the Axon 7 isn't really an issue. No, you usually can't put the phone in upside-down - Some apps will tell you to flip it when you try, others will have glitches like InMind 2 having upside down subtitles. Instead, just pull the latching band to the left a bit as you secure the phone, and it will clear the power button no problem. I believe the latest stock firmware disregards power button long-press when in Daydream mode, too, so there's that too.
Overheating is somewhat of an issue. If you use Daydream for gaming for an hour straight, yeah the phone gets hot - 63C or so is the highest I've seen, and I use the included case which may trap in more heat too. It hasn't been a problem affecting performance, and while the battery does drain fast, it's not really draining faster than you would with a more traditional game.
I'm actually surprised at how little battery is used considering the heat it puts out.
I like it. I think it works smooth. Mostly good for watching movies or shows. Not a lot of games available.
Note: It exacerbates the Do Not Disturb issue. It, just like the schedule, can turn it on but can't turn it off. Disable the access to prevent the issue.
BJHiltbrand said:
I usually use it for 45 minutes to an hour. I really have just been playing around with all sorts of apps. Most of those sessions were in the Netflix VR app and in a game called Archer E. Bowman. I have also used it for non-daydream apps like litchi for flying my phantom drone. Interestingly enough, the time that the phone got really hot, I had it plugged in and was using a non-daydream app (roller coaster VR).
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Hi, were you able to fly your DJI drone in VR with the google daydream? I have looked everywhere on the web for answers but couldn't find anything!