[Question] Keep it, or not? - Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I found a Galaxy S4, model SM-975L, and I'm wondering if it's worth the repair. I don't know if the phone works, the device has a messed up battery (it has nail polish on it) and the screen is cracked. I did try to plug it in but the screen doesn't turn on, I do feel a vibrate though. My only want is to put Lineage OS on it and use it as a backup (I already have a Nexus 5X and a Nextbit Robin, as well as a few iPhones) and possibly play music from it

I think this phone has a locked bootloader which means no TWRP or Lineage.

I don't believe it's worth repairing, especially in 2018. For the amount you spend on repairs you could easily buy a new phone to do what you want.

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[Q] [DISCUSS] HD2 Damaged - Opinions Requested!

So over a trip I went on, my beautiful HD2 stopped working. I have my suspicions as to what caused the damage, but they still come off as odd. Basically, I had my HD2 working perfectly ... I went into the bathroom to take a shower ... and I guess it was steamier than usual [since I was in a different climate than usual] ... the next day the device would vibrate to indicate boot but only display a faint logo onscreen of the ROM I am using [meaning backlight broken] then it would turn off after trying to boot I guess. I checked out the phone, looked for damage or water or anything ... couldn't find anything significant. I did notice that the tags on the phone and batter, which I learned are for water detection, had turned red. That struck me as odd because it wasn't the first time I had the phone in the bathroom with me. In any case, at this point the device won't even turn on ... plugging in the charger does nothing. It is basically dead.
NOTE: AT NO POINT DID THIS PHONE GO INTO THE SHOWER OR TOILET OR WHATEVER. IT WAS PLACED DOWN ON A DRY SURFACE BEFORE THE SHOWER.
So I am going to T-Mobile tomorrow, see if they will be kind to me haha. I highly doubt it, because the tags don't lie .. regardless of whether or not I feel it was a valid case of "water damage".
So, if they give me warranty and provide me with a new HD2, then this thread will be useless, but under the assumption they don't ... I was wondering if the HD2 is the phone to stick with.
I think it is great and all, but I always wonder if there is something better.
I was reading that the Nokia N8 can be run on T-Mobile USA when unlocked, I am not sure of the truth behind that ... but the specs on that device look pretty awesome. I just don't like that it is a huge switch from WinMo/Andro/WP7 capabilities. It also doesn't have that XDA-Developers community backing.
That is basically all I was thinking in terms of alternatives ... any other thoughts?
Man that really sucks about your HD2, and that is very curious that the water indicators turned red. I also don't think you will get much love from T-Mobile either because of the water indicators. But I say get another HD2, I know it is starting to become a older device now but to me there is just no other phone out there that can stand up to the awesomeness of the HD2. Besides you know if you get anything besides a HD2 you will be kicking yourself in the butt later on for not getting another HD2.
The Nokia N8 will not keep you happy, there are issues with both the software and hardware, similarto the issues Nokia software has been displaying from the 5800/5530 software fiasco.
I would never go near a top range nokia - they have lost the plot over the last 2/3 years. all imho of course
I have a myTouch 4G/HTC Glacier and the phone is a beast. screen looks awesome(but not as big as hd2), hspa+, 768mb RAM, front facing camera, etc...lots of nice ROMS and great devs. Im running cm7 rc4 on mytouch and get 30+ hours on a full battery charge
So I went to T-Mobile today ... they instructed me to call Customer Care and they should be able to send me a new device. Looks like I am sticking to the HD2.
I am still curious though: I am aspiring to be a Software Developer (actually, Cornell CS '15 ), and for that reason I know the HD2 is a great phone for me [I think it is like 5 different OSes it can run]. I have been curious, because I haven't had the time to sit down and do this myself, which OS is best to have on NAND ... since now the HD2 can do WinMo, Andro, [and WP7?] on boot. I feel like WinMo is a great choice, because then I can use HARET to boot Android ... but then I can't use WP7. And if I choose WP7, then I am stuck with just that. And if I choose Andoird, then I am stuck with just that.
I dunno ... just something to ponder I guess Opinions are greatly appreciated
Keep checking this thread m8 for ppl's views on OS.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1020358
Cyclonezephyrxz7 said:
So I went to T-Mobile today ... they instructed me to call Customer Care and they should be able to send me a new device. Looks like I am sticking to the HD2.
I am still curious though: I am aspiring to be a Software Developer (actually, Cornell CS '15 ), and for that reason I know the HD2 is a great phone for me [I think it is like 5 different OSes it can run]. I have been curious, because I haven't had the time to sit down and do this myself, which OS is best to have on NAND ... since now the HD2 can do WinMo, Andro, [and WP7?] on boot. I feel like WinMo is a great choice, because then I can use HARET to boot Android ... but then I can't use WP7. And if I choose WP7, then I am stuck with just that. And if I choose Andoird, then I am stuck with just that.
I dunno ... just something to ponder I guess Opinions are greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you choose WP7, you can run Android off SD card via MAGLDR.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
So its official, adios HD2
I wish the device weren't so darn expensive! Unless I get paid as I am expecting for a little job I did recently, I may have to put off my hopes to get another HD2 for a while.
Anyone have any good recommendations of where to buy a New or LIKE New HD2 cheap? ... I can deal with superficial damage on the back-side, as long as the camera lens and the entire front side have NO damages to them [and of course the phone functions like new]. I have scavenged ebay a bunch today...best offer I could find was about 300$ for a brand new device, 280$ for a Like-New that fits my criteria ... 250$ for a like-new that is a little less appealing.
*note: changing the thread title so it doesn't seem to go off topic
Cyclonezephyrxz7 said:
So its official, adios HD2
I wish the device weren't so darn expensive! Unless I get paid as I am expecting for a little job I did recently, I may have to put off my hopes to get another HD2 for a while.
Anyone have any good recommendations of where to buy a New or LIKE New HD2 cheap? ... I can deal with superficial damage on the back-side, as long as the camera lens and the entire front side have NO damages to them [and of course the phone functions like new]. I have scavenged ebay a bunch today...best offer I could find was about 300$ for a brand new device, 280$ for a Like-New that fits my criteria ... 250$ for a like-new that is a little less appealing.
*note: changing the thread title so it doesn't seem to go off topic
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may be willing to sell my hd2
So I ended up buying a new [Used] HD2. I was told that the only issue was the metal plate over the batter [which I saved from my old HD2] ... so I was fine with it. I just got it today, it had a few minor scratches on the screen as well as what i think is a tiny Crack. So I am debating putting up with it, or calling the guy up and asking him what is up with that...
I purchased it on eBay ... so I just wanted your opinion on this: I bought it pretty cheap [235$] in comparison to other offers on the site, and the description was:
HTC HD2 (T-Mobile) cell phone
Used but in overall excellent condition
The only issue is that the metal cover on the back has some scratches, nothing major, screen is excellent
Includes phone /w battery and charger only, charger is not the original HTC charger, but it works 100%t
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I called the guy up to ask a few questions: Is it just the back-plate that has superficial damage? Has the device been tested to work as though new? The screen has nothing on it? And the guy basically told me that the back-plate was the only issue. Now that I have the phone, though, there are those minor scratches, and that small crack on the screen, as well as the cover to the earpiece missing/worn so it is silver now, and also the top right and left corners have a bit of damage.
Basically, when I put the soft-shell cover I have over it [stock], I can't see any of the superficial things except the screen, so they don't bother me as much. After all, it was listed USED, so I expected so much. I am just concerned about the SCREEN. If it is a crack on the screen, it will just get worse with time, am I right? If it were a scratch I could deal with it MAYBE, but being a crack I just don't want to have to look towards buying a THIRD device later on due to a cracked screen ...
[by the way, this crack wasn't a result of shipping I think ... it was in a nice thick layer of bubble-wrap and none of the bubbles had popped.]
So what is your opinion? Should I call this guy up, see what the deal is? Or should I deal with it?
Opinions appreciated!
EDIT:: Here are some low-res photos [one close-up, one far away]. I had to use my Exca to take them, I couldn't find my camera
www.chicken-eggsolutions.com/Max/IMAGE_026.jpg
www.chicken-eggsolutions.com/Max/IMAGE_027.jpg
Swapping just the one piece is harder than swapping a glass digitizer screen combo, since to get them apart involves baking the phone for so many minutes at (I think it is) 60 degrees, then you will need to glue the new one back to the digitizer.its not just a simple swap. Plus the screen is the last piece in the stripdown process, EVERYTHING comes apart before you get to the screen.
If I were you I'd consider asking for some money back and live with the crack, or if he wont go for that tell him you want full refund. But you need to be quick, eBay will support your claim but leave it too long makes it look dodgy.
as for cracked screen getting progressively worse, that's not necessarily the case. I dropped mine ages ago (several months) and it now has around 8 or9 large cracks, all the way through the glass radiating from one corner all the way up to the top, and they are no worse now than when it happened, (i have a screen protector to save my fingers from possible sharp bits) though the rigidity has suffered greatly, and it now creaks and groans when it gets pressure in my pocket.
Yeah, I figured so much about the screen ... Turns out what I have is screen+digitizer, but the cable for the digitizer isn't in any condition where it will work again, haha. I didn't expect/want to do a screen-replace when I took apart my broken HD2.
Yeah, I know I have to act quickly for eBay to hold up a better case, in case the guy doesn't want to be easy about it. I just got the phone literally an hour ago in the mail.
I'll try to have some more higher-res photos up by tonight because I am still not sure if it is just a nasty scratch, or a crack...and as you can see my Excalibur doesn't exactly take a good picture haha. What I find odd is that usually a crack starts at the edge of the glass and progresses inwards, but this one starts in the middle of the screen and has like 3 little 'legs' of it coming out. I'm not scratch/crack expert so I can't really say ... I'll just have the photos up later.
Otherwise, I'll probably call the guy up tomorrow, see what the deal is/is going to be.
I would demand a Partial refund if you are happy enough with the phone.
If you get it, buy a zagg invisible shield screen protector to preven the crack from getting any worse. Had some good and bad luck with ebay purchases, but thats a story for another thread
Could be a pressure crack, I have a friend with a desire HD and he sat down with it in pocket, and a lighter against the screen, and he has a similar sounding crack, a few small cracks radiating out from a tiny central chip.
Okay, so I got the higher-res images ... the links are as follows:
www.chicken-eggsolutions.com/Max/IMG_0278.jpg
www.chicken-eggsolutions.com/Max/IMG_0279.jpg
www.chicken-eggsolutions.com/Max/IMG_0280.jpg
www.chicken-eggsolutions.com/Max/IMG_0281.jpg
I think that 280 shows it the best, the others give you a view of it in respect to the whole phone. It isn't huge or anything ... decently sized. When the screen is on, I really have to look to find it. Besides feeling it with my finger as I swipe over it, I wouldn't really be bothered by its being there. My friend said it seems more like a surface scratch, but unlike the other scratches, I can actually feel this one [which is why I think it is more like a crack]. Ohh semantics!
In any case, just another curious question. Seeing as I just got the phone, I haven't put on any custom ROM or anything, assuming I would have to settle an issue potentially, but I realized when trying to hook the phone up to my computer that the SD card didn't register. It had registered just fine earlier today, and at my friends house. Then I didn't use it for maybe 4 hours. Then just now it didn't register. It was fixed with a reboot. Is this likely an OS thing that will be fixed with a new flash of a better ROM [this is running a STOCK rom by the way]. This phone would be pretty limited without its MicroSD Card slot. I just want to make sure that if that is a hardware issue, I bring that up.
I guess this will be the final post/update:
I talked to the guy, and he offered me either to ship it back at my expense [but still get a full refund], or he could give me $25 for the inconvenience/hassle. Having really thought about it, looked at the scratch/crack. I took him up on the latter offer.
I guess it just means I should be more careful when using the phone. After all, its like I said: I can't notice it unless I look for it when the device is on. Its a shame that there was a crack on the screen, but for $200, I think it is a darn good bargain. Also, the MicroSD card slot has been working just fine...I think it was an OS thing. If the MicroSD card slot does turn out to be an issue, hopefully it is within the next 40 days, haha, so I can still get it covered by Buyer Protection. Further, I simply cannot find a price as good as that
So, I guess this is the end of this thread. Thanks to anyone who helped

[Q] How is your Optimus 7 holding up?

Hi everyone!
I was just wondering how everyone's Optimus 7 is holding up! Searching in Google I did not find that many problems... but I've been through hell with it!
First there were some fixed color vertical lines in the display... this was around 9 months after purchase. I did get bothered, but since they require 1 month (!!!) to send the repaired phone back to you here in Italy, I didn't send it.
Then it started rebooting a lot... gave some memory errors... and then finally would lock at the LG logo after rebooting a few times. Obviously at this point I sent it to repair... Ah, and the touchscreen was also not responsive at times.
I got it back, and the service center said that they made "electronic repairs". Fair enough, but... the touchscreen was still not responsive at times (the other problems were fixed)!
Then I send it again... got it back, now they said the exchanged the full motherboard. Should be fixed now, right? WRONG!!! Still the same problem!
Today I just sent it ONE MORE TIME to the repair center... I've been now almost two months without my phone, and I bought it only 13 months ago.
I've really lost faith in LG by now... So, what's YOUR experience with the phone? Am I unlucky or are these problems really common?
I've had no issues, and I can't really return mine as I live in the US and am using an unsupported phone.
The gorilla glass was a big seller for me because I hate screen protectors and even when they are on I still manage to scrath the glass. Aside from a minor scrath on the one side, the phone has taken my abuse with flying colors.
Was able to update and unlock my phone and runs quite well on AT&T's network.
Though there have been other reports of the issues you have had, I guess I'm just lucky.
not lucky too, my phone is now in service after a month use, i had problems with touchscreen
u talked about "not responsive at times", mine was working for itself - running application, scrolling on it's own, etc., once i look at the screen and had about 200 appointments
and as i red somewhere here, it was worse when i connected the phone to a charger, the difference was that i used original charger
My family use two E900 and two E906. No problems so far with the phones after a couple of months
Hardware wise it's fine and i am still pleased with it, it does not get recognized anymore by Zune though so probably i will be left behind when the new update comes up lol.
I have 2 of them and both of them randomly restart... I cannot use them anymore! LG Service in my country is unreliable and I'm saving money to buy 2 other models... LG devices are crap and I wouldn't say that if they were trying to support their customers with firmware updates or even some official announcements...they have left us eating their s%^& instead...
I bought one last October and it works fine till now (i receive all the updates)
It is vodafone branded and never flash it .
Well, mine (vodafone de) got a problem with the battery (poor) and video recording. It just freezes the camera app after I click cam button to end the recording.
Since I'm in russia and the service is in deutschland... it's dumb to send it back and then here again) It's easier to buy $300 lumia 710 here / $150 focus on ebay. Since I don't really use recording, i don't mind, I'll wait for wp8 devices.
As for the updates - flawless! I got them almost instantly, loving vodafone and LG support for the platform.
After 8 months mine started randomly reboot on its own, and as LG Support is not working across Europe I am now fighting seller (Amazon) to repair it. If not, I try to sell or repair and sell it.
And as I was never happy with WinPhone I hope I will get my money back and go for Android or iPhone afterall. Use to have WinMobile-system phones since 2004 but new Windows Phone is just a great mistake of Microsoft - greed is not always good advisor.
Hi All,
My Optimus is holding up quite well. I did have issues with the intermittent shutdown / reboot. This has disappeared since 8107 (maybe simply some luck?). I flashed my phone with a firmware from the forum here (thanks Nasirahmed), since then I have a dutch ROM and tethering. Then I updated with the force method to 8107 (I have little patience ).
Hardwarewise my Optimus has been topnotch. I dropped it from considerable heigth a few times and after reassembly of the battery and batterydoor it still works very well and there is no visible damage. Quite different from my former HTC diamond 2 and Xperia. The Xperia disintegrated spontaneous, got repaired and continued disintegrating. The Diamond 2 fell three times (from less heigth) every time there was visible damage and eventually the screen got broken (and repaired I must say). So I think the Optimus is a quite sturdy device.
Windows phone 7 is nice and fast, has considerable limitations (compared to for example Android and WM6.5) and I doubt it if I would buy a WP7 again.
My two cents.
Ronald
My phone came up today from the third visit to the repair center... let's see if it is finally OK!
About the Gorilla glass, something weird happened to me: after I dropped a few water drops on the screen back in December, some "air bubbles" appeared on the screen... When I first took the phone to assistance, the guy just said that it was the screen protector (???) and just removed it (in front of me), so indeed there is a screen protector... I neved noticed it before the bubbles appeared.
Anyway, if the glass of the screen is Gorilla Glass, why does it comes from the factory with a screen protector? Do I need to buy a new one (he said this wasn't covered in the warranty...)?
I removed my screenprotector also. It annoyed me, and the device has Gorilla glass, so what can happen??
No issues here. In fact, its been an incredibly stable & sturdy phone for me.
Ive dropped it more times than I care to admit to & it has very little to show for it.
The screen has only one tiny scratch, no idea how it happened considering I have been at it with a chisel, screwdriver, keys, drill & craft knife since to see if they do any damage. That screen is near indestructible.
I love how well built it feels. I pulled off the charger cover a few months after buying it (which was as soon as it was available in the uk)
Software wise, Ive not had many problems either. Used to have the odd random restart here & there, but that was fixed when mango appeared.
So yeah, still a happy chappy
Sincerely? Like s**t.
It's the worst phone I have ever had. WP7 is great, no complains here. But considering how tight the OEM specs for WP7 is, LG screwed in everything they could.
The screen is just average at best;
The camera is probably the worst in 1st gen Windows Phone;
The physical buttons are a good idea, but they are too big and the plastic is too cheap. Specially the Windows button;
The battery-life is short, really short. Before and after Mango;
And the random resets, at least once a day, sometimes in the middle of a conversation.
My next phone will be another Windows Phone, but I will never buy anything from LG again, not only phones...
GolfVR6 said:
Sincerely? Like s**t.
It's the worst phone I have ever had. WP7 is great, no complains here. But considering how tight the OEM specs for WP7 is, LG screwed in everything they could.
The screen is just average at best;
The camera is probably the worst in 1st gen Windows Phone;
The physical buttons are a good idea, but they are too big and the plastic is too cheap. Specially the Windows button;
The battery-life is short, really short. Before and after Mango;
And the random resets, at least once a day, sometimes in the middle of a conversation.
My next phone will be another Windows Phone, but I will never buy anything from LG again, not only phones...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't agree with all your complaints, even though I will also not go to LG again due to my own problems. Anyway, before all the hardware faults I had, my main complaints were:
1) VERY, VERY bad auto white balance in the camera. When the flash was on, 70% of the times I got completely blueish images.
2) I like the idea of actual physical buttons... but not this noisy! When in bed these buttons can actually wake my girlfriend (yes, she is a light sleeper).
I have no problems at all; only the battery is draining too fast even with all battery saving options turned on and also in airplane mode But the hardware buttons are great! It´s great that you never can hit them accidentally And I love the aluminium backcover, it looks so good! The display is also good, but in daylight its sometime hard to read... Now I´m only missing a custom rom and some apps or games like Tap Tap Revenge
Apparently battery life is a common problem among optimus 7 users. I haven't had any problem with mine (I've had mine for 6 months) except for a terrible battery life while HDSPA connection is on.
mine is rebooting like crazy now. I'll bring it today to my dealer, for repair. but I think LG will screw me, because mine is vodafone-rebranded, and originally it was OPN. Although the issue has nothing to do with the flash, and they certainly know that, because it seems that sooner or later, al Optimus 7 will start rebooting and fail the SD
My Optimus 7 started rebooting randomly, and also the battery wasn't lasting as long.
Buying a new (real LG) replacement battery seems to have cured both problems
Time to say something positive about the E900
It is the best mobile in terms of reception that I ever had. 2G, 2.5G, 3G (HSDPA) are stable and fast (T-Mobile in Germany). Compared to my former devices (HTC Legend and Samsung Galaxy S) this is excellent.
The Wifi reception is even better than my laptop's Wifi (Dell Latitude E5410) and definetly best among my three mobile phones.
Wifi tethering works absolutely flawless, no need for cables anymore.
I received updates always with one of the first waves (besides tethering which arrived first on Vodafone branded devices). For the old HTC Legend as well as the Samsung Galaxy S there are no more firmware updates expected. But LG and Microsoft still deliver updates for the first generation LG E900. That's what I call a good service.
Sure, there are some points the E900 is not rocking. The display is very bright at night (you can light up a whole cinema ) and doesn't have the colors of the AMOLED displays but we knew that before buying it. But the TFT doesn't have the gaps between the pixels like AMOLED displays.
And the camera is no DSLR. With good light conditions it is ok for snapshots. But for real photos I would never use the optics of a mobile phone. And I don't want LG to integrate a fullsize DSLR chip and lenses. That won't fit in my pocket
Ah, yeah, the random reboots. Had that issue on my device as well. But it occurs less often than my Samsung Galaxy S is hanging completely.
Summarizing I am happy with the E900 and I will continue to use it as long as LG and Microsoft provide support for it. It was a great deal to buy it a year ago for just 190 EUR.

Broke my GS4 screen, couldn't CWM, switch to Nexus 5?

So a couple months back I pulled my Galaxy S4 (i337) out of my pocket to find a spider-crack smash on the right side of the home button. I've used the phone since they with the cracks going all the way up the screen. I bought the replacement screen, tools, and 2mm tape to repair it myself an I end up cracking the digitizer (ugh...).
My phone has an insurance plan through AT&T with a $200 deductible. But I've been a little intrigued by the Nexus 5 as of late. Backing up a bit I spent the last week getting my GS4 rooted and I've been unsuccessful installing Clockworkmod to do a proper backup and I've been wanting to install ROMs to try and get rid of the Samsung/ATT bloatware but I haven't had any luck (phone build is MK2).
Anyway, my question I wanted to ask people is should I pay $200 and get the phone replaced and wait for a suitable ROM to be available down the road or is it worth paying $349+tax to get a 16MB Nexus 5?
My main concerns about the N5 have been battery life, no external storage, and poor camera compared to the GS4, and the on-screen buttons taking up screen real estate. Thoughts? Suggestions?
This got moved between sub-forums so just refreshing so others can see. Thanks!
RavynX said:
My main concerns about the N5 have been battery life, no external storage, and poor camera compared to the GS4, and the on-screen buttons taking up screen real estate. Thoughts? Suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In addition to what you mentioned, keep in mind that the battery is not replaceable and is the same crap as LG, Sony, Apple and HTC. Once your battery dies, your phone dies with it which is also from an ecological point of view very questionable. I´d try to get a S4 produced before August 2013 so you don´t need to worry about Knox or region lock and can flash whatever you like and be free :fingers-crossed:
Chalao said:
In addition to what you mentioned, keep in mind that the battery is not replaceable and is the same crap as LG, Sony, Apple and HTC. Once your battery dies, your phone dies with it which is also from an ecological point of view very questionable. I´d try to get a S4 produced before August 2013 so you don´t need to worry about Knox or region lock and can flash whatever you like and be free :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I think you can replace the battery but you void your warranty by opening the case on the Nexus 5. I ended up going with the insurance claim to get a replacement GS4. It would probably take me forever to find a used GS4 on Craigslist that hadn't had its software updated or had a bad IMEI. Ah well. I'll keep my hopes up for the next one that doesn't have Knox on it, bleh.
That and we're in the process of buying a house so I don't have the luxury of waiting after thinking about it for a couple of days. Meh. =/

Anyone come from an S5?

So I made the mistake of trying to replace the charging port on my S5 myself, and when I put everything back together, the screen is unresponsive. Shoulda just stuck with backup batteries.
Anyway, now I'm debating paying $150 to fix the screen or biting the bullet and getting an S7 on eBay for ~$350. Since I'm really only looking for stock/debloated, which I can get on the S7, I feel like I'm only losing removable batteries (which sucks), but getting a better... everything else... for about $200 more than I'd have to pay anyway to fix my S5.
Is there anything eke I'm not thinking of that I'm gonna lose coming to the S7? Any issues I should check buying on eBay? (Like if it's already on Nougat, problems rooting). And... are you liking the upgrade?
Looking for opinions/suggestions.
Thanks!
arl16 said:
So I made the mistake of trying to replace the charging port on my S5 myself, and when I put everything back together, the screen is unresponsive. Shoulda just stuck with backup batteries.
Anyway, now I'm debating paying $150 to fix the screen or biting the bullet and getting an S7 on eBay for ~$350. Since I'm really only looking for stock/debloated, which I can get on the S7, I feel like I'm only losing removable batteries (which sucks), but getting a better... everything else... for about $200 more than I'd have to pay anyway to fix my S5.
Is there anything eke I'm not thinking of that I'm gonna lose coming to the S7? Any issues I should check buying on eBay? (Like if it's already on Nougat, problems rooting). And... are you liking the upgrade?
Looking for opinions/suggestions.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I upgraded from the S5, the one that was able to have the bootloader unlocked through that exploit found about a year ago.
I have the edge version since the battery life was much bigger. I think the stock S5 battery was 2800mah and the S7's is 3000mah while the S7 edge is 3600mah. That was my biggest decision maker right there.
I miss the ability of using a good tempered glass screen protector (since I have the edge) and the IR blaster but other than that this phone is worth the upgrade.
I had root and Xposed but now I'm running 100% stock. Took me a while to get used to but root in my opinion wasn't worth it for the lag and loss of battery life.
It's nice to have wireless charging built right in instead of a new back cover or chip you had to place inside of the phone. I actually bought a 3D printer just to make a case that would fit with the wireless charging cover and now it just collects dust.
Just out of curiosity, how is the screen unresponsive? Does it turn on at all? Or does the touchscreen just not work?
Hey @Outbreak444 - thanks for responding.
Yeah, I was thinking about the Edge for that very reason. Battery life isn't really an issue on a day to day basis, but on trips, it's huge for me.
I went to the Super Bowl a few years back, and people were cramming around any outlet they could find to get their phones juiced - we ended up not seeing some friends for hours after the game because their phones were dead. I've been at all day tailgating for night time college games and watched the same thing. And golf trips - using GPS on the phone, and then wanting to go out boozing after a round? Nightmare for some guys - I pop in a new battery and I'm good to go. So I'm having a hard time convincing myself to drop that feature alone.
I've done some Xposed stuff in the past, but I'm at the point now of just wanting debloated stock, which I've had with little to no lag, and pretty decent battery life (which again, isn't too big an issue with extra batteries.)
Oh, and the screen does come on and looks fine, but all I can see is my lockscreen - can't even type in my security pin. Completely unresponsive to touch. If you've ever opened one or seen a video of someone doing it, I know I knicked the ribbon in the top right corner that connects the screen to the motherboard - like seriously, a couple mm tear = screen dead. I guess Samsung really didn't want me in there - it's like 1mm from the edge of the screen - way too easy to hit.
I'm also wondering why the price on the S7s have dropped this fast - even with the S8 coming soon, I thought they'd still be upwards of $450-$500. Low demand from the Note debacle?
So I'm still wondering, other than a better camera and better internals, what features would entice me to step-up. I kinda feel like phones have gotten to the point of computers - as long as you've got a fast internet speed, incremental processing power in the device is getting less and less important.

New tablet after Pixel C?

After 2 years and 1 month my Pixel C got the split screen and black screen issue and seems to have died. I spent an hour on Google chat seeing if they could resolve the issue but they wiped their hands and said get a local repairer to fix it. The problem is no local repairer's are able to fix it as Google don't make it anymore, so they don't have the parts! I need a new tablet. I don't want to go down the Apple route if possible. Does anyone have a recommendations for cheap, powerful rootable tablets 10 inch in size? I was thinking about the Huawei Mediapad M5, but after Google's announcement yesterday I am not so sure. Any idea's?
At this point, Samsung is basically the last bastion of powerful Android tablets. I don't think they have unlockable bootloaders but I'm not 100% on that. The tab s4 has a SD 835 and the s5e has a SD 670. Both have similar cpu performance to the tegra X1, though the GPU will be worse on both. That said, they both can be had for around 400-600$ depending on spec. Tablet size I believe is the same, but the screen is bigger and oled. More RAM and more storage by default. I wish there were more options, because I too was looking at the mediapad m5 until the other day. Now I'm looking at either one of these Samsung tablets, or just picking up a used pixel c. Hope that helps a little.
If you don't want a Samsung tablet (I can't stand Samsung) then you might be better off just buying a used Pixel C off of eBay. They are going for between $150 and $200. I think you are going to have trouble finding a better deal than that.
There are some interesting tablets out of China using iPad and Microsoft Surface screens. They are cheap and you need to be careful about finding one that has a community of supporters. TechTablets maintains a list of recommended tablets that have been reviewed. You have to understand that you are not getting something of the quality of a Pixel C or iPad. That being said, you get a ton of bang for your buck. Especially if there are community-based ROMs available for them. https://techtablets.com/recommended-chinese-tablets-brands/
You also might want to check out the Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 Plus if you want something that is getting active development on XDA developers. It uses a 16:10 screen which is kind of a balls aspect ratio for a tablet in my opinion but it has decent guts and can be had for $285-$300 on AliExpress. I just got its 8" little brother, the Mi Pad 4. The MIUI OS that it comes with is not horrible but it's a lot better once you install an AOSP ROM on it like Havoc OS.
Thanks for your input. I have decided to get the Huawei tablet, so we'll see what happens. Oddly since Google told me to do one and I was unable to get it fixed by only local suppliers I found a video on youtube showing the problem and a possible (maybe temporary) fix.
It involved lifting the top of the screen from the back and adjusting the display ribbon cable. I tried it, but couldn't do it and cracked the screen in the process (hairline).
The day after Google emailed and said they were assessing my chat with them and asked if there was any liquid damage to the tablet and to send them 4 pictures of each side of the tablet (front, back and both sides).
Why do you think they want to do that, and if they were going to give me a refurbished tablet do you think they still will if I explain my story with a link to the youtube video? Cheers for any replies in advance.
mightywhites29111971 said:
Thanks for your input. I have decided to get the Huawei tablet, so we'll see what happens. Oddly since Google told me to do one and I was unable to get it fixed by only local suppliers I found a video on youtube showing the problem and a possible (maybe temporary) fix.
It involved lifting the top of the screen from the back and adjusting the display ribbon cable. I tried it, but couldn't do it and cracked the screen in the process (hairline).
The day after Google emailed and said they were assessing my chat with them and asked if there was any liquid damage to the tablet and to send them 4 pictures of each side of the tablet (front, back and both sides).
Why do you think they want to do that, and if they were going to give me a refurbished tablet do you think they still will if I explain my story with a link to the youtube video? Cheers for any replies in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am curious, did you ever hear back from Google?
12paq said:
I am curious, did you ever hear back from Google?
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Click to collapse
I did. I sent them the pictures of my device and explained to them how I got the crack, which I got when trying to follow this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb3By2Z-Zt4
They said as it has physical damage they would not do anything. Even though I explained the damage was done trying to fix the device as they or no-one else would. They didn't even offer to look at it, as the problem is the ribbon cable for the screen, and me trying to open the device up will not have affected what was the issue in the first place. Google's customer service is abysmal. Apple would not treat its customers this way IMO.
Odd. Sorry that went ****ty for you.
A year ago I tried to fix my Pixel C's stuck power button and cracked the screen badly. I told Google what happened and they sent me a new Pixel C. I didn't purchase a protection plan and it was more than a year old... I don't get it. ?
I'm selling my Pixel C 32Gb in like new condition with adapter & cover through Amazon EU Fulfillment. It is bootloader unlocked and comes with latest Pixel Experience installed. Shipping & payment will be done through Amazon so if interested, send me PM for the link.
12paq said:
Odd. Sorry that went ****ty for you.
A year ago I tried to fix my Pixel C's stuck power button and cracked the screen badly. I told Google what happened and they sent me a new Pixel C. I didn't purchase a protection plan and it was more than a year old... I don't get it. ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Neither do I. Not even a cursory offer to look at it and then say it was my fault. It's like they're saying 'we dont' make tablets any more so if you have any problems then tough ****'. I now have the Huawei Mediapad M5 and as nice a tablet as it is it's not quite the same
I am keeping an eye out for a new tablet but I am pretty picky about it so I might have to wait. I essentially would like the Pixel C again* but faster and with more Android appropriate hardware (think GPS, haptic feedback, better touch screen, cameras that don't entirely suck in every way possible). Either same size with larger screen (smaller bezels) or a bit larger overall would be good too. The new Samsung tablet with the SD855 is something I'll look at. The rumored Nvidia tablet also will merit a look. But for now I will save my money.
*This to me means a decent keyboard accessory, mostly stock/Google Android, open bootloader, and higher quality components.
I've been debating what to upgrade to for awhile now. Then I noticed on eBay there was a seller who is unloading a batch of near new Pixel C 32gb. I sniped an auction at the end and got one for $122.00 US. The tablet is almost new and running fine. For the price, I am going to stay with the Pixel C for a bit longer.
If this is an option for you guys check out eBay. It prolonging the inevitable, but the price is right.
I also hope that mine will run forever. I have it now for about three and a half years and it's still going strong. If mine goes down, I think about getting another one before I try any Samsung tablet. I can't stand anz of the current models, to be honest.
What about Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 Plus? It has Snapdragon 660 and I saw a price of $225.

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