Database Users

Considering the Nexus 4 - What are its major flaws?

I currently have a Nexus S which I have had for 2 years now. I'm considering the Nexus 4, was going for the S4 but this is half the price, and the iPhone 6 would be too far out and the iOS would not be to my liking.
I know I cannot really go wrong with the Nexus 4 - it's loved by every reviewer, and not because of its price - the price is only a bonus.
What are its major flaws? I have a few things I was curious about:
- Screen touch sensitivity/fluidity. When your finger touches/swipes on the screen, does it behave like an iPhone 5 or the Galaxy S3/4/Note II devices? I personally like the sensitivity to your finger from the iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy devices. I don't have this in my current Nexus S but definitely would like it in my next phone.
- Battery life. Can it last 14-16 hours, with let's say, 2-3 hours of screen time or so?
- Camera. I've seen some sample pictures, was not too impressed, but as long as it's decent I'm fine.
- Headphone output? I heard the headphone output is lower than other devices from a video. Not sure if significant.
That's all for now. :good:

Just wait for the Nexus 5. Only 3-4 months away.

Tbh I've considered that, but it'll be announced in October, released in December, and if I want it with my carrier it'll probably hit in perhaps March/April of 2014, unless I choose to buy it from the Play Store.
I also heard it packs in a lot, and I think Google's going to price it high this time around. Either way, my current carrier is offering the N4 16GB for only $300 outright. So its price seems lower than market value, and it for some reason is hard for me to wait.

I upgraded from by Galaxy S (Same as the Nexus S) in Feb.
- Screen touch sensitivity/fluidity. I would say the same, hard to notice the difference.
- Battery life. 5+ hrs on screen time with WiFi on (I dont have data so thats not in use). It was a definate improvement from Galaxy S.
- Camera. There is a mod floating around that allows you to get better quality pictures at the cost of a larger file size.
- Sound. NOTHING beat Galaxy S's sound chip. I was disappointed a bit here.
- Overall animation/fluidity/framerate. Stock android on N4, even the most overclocked Galaxy S with the most slimmed rom cannot come close to these speeds.
- Size. I like smaller phones that fit into my pocket easier. Galaxy S wins here but thats a personal choice. HD videos play exactly to scale on the N4, you just feel immersed.
- Physical features. You can't drop it, glass on both sides, bumpers/cases probably won't do anything. It's also heavier. No removable battery or SD card. I made the mistake of getting the 8GB, dont. Doesn't feel plasticky/cheap like the Galaxy S.
ROM support is very nice here, I think it's just as good as when Galaxy S was in it's prime.
You have to get it, try getting it through your provider ($300 in canada for the 16Gb via koodo whereas $366 shipped from goolge for the 8Gb)

OnlySkills said:
Tbh I've considered that, but it'll be announced in October, released in December, and if I want it with my carrier it'll probably hit in perhaps March/April of 2014, unless I choose to buy it from the Play Store.
I also heard it packs in a lot, and I think Google's going to price it high this time around. Either way, my current carrier is offering the N4 16GB for only $300 outright. So its price seems lower than market value, and it for some reason is hard for me to wait.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Buying from Play Store is better anyway, at least for T Mobile USA.
What can the Nexus 4 do that your Nexus S can't? The Nexus 5 will be even better than the Nexus 4 on all scales. It is rumored to be based off the LG G2 which will have stereo speakers, bigger screen, improved camera, and much more. Maybe even launched with Key Lime Pie(?)
Just wait for it.

1. Low earpiece/mic
2. Camera speed slower than GN, need to be very steady for HDR
3. Storage can be challenging to manage, we need 32/64 nexus...
4. MTP is slow in general, and touchscreen goes crazy when charging from my PC
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Ace42 said:
1. Low earpiece/mic
2. Camera speed slower than GN, need to be very steady for HDR
3. Storage can be challenging to manage, we need 32/64 nexus...
4. MTP is slow in general, and touchscreen goes crazy when charging from my PC
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My touchscreen never goes crazy when charging from a PC.

i had a nexus s for long time, loved that thing. yes, it does have great sound, especially with voodoo, but the nexus s is merely a childs toy compared to the nexus 4. heck, the galaxy nexus was a large step from the nexus s. you will love the nexus 4. coming from two samsung phones in a row(ns and gnex), i first thought that not having a plastic back was the nexus 4s' major flaw, but now i dont mind
oh, and some photos, all hdr mode..
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Touch sensitivity is quite good for an android device similar to the nexus s, but the nexus 4 has lower touch sensitivity than it is capable of because of the touchscreen drivers, this problem has supposedly been fixed in the upcoming android 4.3 update but honestly touch response is very good you won't have a problem.
As for battery expect 4-5 hours sot on WiFi and 3-4 hours on 3g.
Photos in good lighting conditions are quite good but in low light its another story so if you take pictures in good light you'll be okay.
I find the sound output to be fairly reasonable its quite loud I don't think you'll have a problem with it unless you need to drive something huge with a high impedance, for normal headphones/earphones its loud enough.

Roastmeat said:
I upgraded from by Galaxy S (Same as the Nexus S) in Feb.
- Screen touch sensitivity/fluidity. I would say the same, hard to notice the difference.
- Battery life. 5+ hrs on screen time with WiFi on (I dont have data so thats not in use). It was a definate improvement from Galaxy S.
- Camera. There is a mod floating around that allows you to get better quality pictures at the cost of a larger file size.
- Sound. NOTHING beat Galaxy S's sound chip. I was disappointed a bit here.
- Overall animation/fluidity/framerate. Stock android on N4, even the most overclocked Galaxy S with the most slimmed rom cannot come close to these speeds.
- Size. I like smaller phones that fit into my pocket easier. Galaxy S wins here but thats a personal choice. HD videos play exactly to scale on the N4, you just feel immersed.
- Physical features. You can't drop it, glass on both sides, bumpers/cases probably won't do anything. It's also heavier. No removable battery or SD card. I made the mistake of getting the 8GB, dont. Doesn't feel plasticky/cheap like the Galaxy S.
ROM support is very nice here, I think it's just as good as when Galaxy S was in it's prime.
You have to get it, try getting it through your provider ($300 in canada for the 16Gb via koodo whereas $366 shipped from goolge for the 8Gb)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can drop it with a bumper on and screen protectors. I dropped mine onto concrete and accidentally stepped on it. Lol its perfectly fine except for the scratch on my screen protector
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Gets extremely hot when gaming. I'm not sure whether this causes damage, but it makes me sweat on the device.
Both 3G and Wifi have connection issues. This may be fixed in software, but I'm not sure.
Speaker sound isn't as good as some other phones.
Being totally flat, it sits flush on a surface and the speaker is covered, muting notification sounds.
Being made of glass, there's twice as much breakable surface.

I upgraded my Nexus S for the N4 about the time it launched, so I know how slow it must be getting.
While its not perfect, I wouldn't trade it for anything on the market. It's a nexus device, which has the major benefit of being the first to be updated and having more stable ROMs, which you will miss from other devices.
The battery is not as good as I would have hoped for, but it will get me through the day as long as I'm not using it constantly. With mobile data on, I can get 2 hours of SOT (Screen on Time) if I wasn't playing games.
On the topic of the screen, I can tell you that the stock color calibration is extremely washed out. It's a good screen, they just botched the calibration. I remember looking at it for the first time and being really disappointed because of the faded look of colors like blue. This is something that is easily fixed by a non-stock kernel like Franco's Kernel, which is the one I use. The calibration I have right now looks amazing.
While the headphone output is quiet by the standards of most phones, I don't notice it unless I plug it into something like external speakers, or my car.
Also, it's probably worth noting that the 4.3 update that was leaked yesterday is supposed to drastically improve touch sensitivity.
and I would probably wait until at least the 24th of July on the off chance that Google announces lower pricing or a higher capacity version.

Touch Pretty darn smooth. Without a screen protector that is. But even with a sp you'll be able to swipe like no other. Response is top notch and definitely on par with new released phones. (Just my opinion)
Battery If you're a heavy user the battery might slack. If you're an addict, don't get this phone lol. But if you're able to balance data / running apps / screen time / etc. this phone will be perfect. (Choose the right rom & kernel, or just stay stock with a nice kernel)
Camera I don't use it that much but its alright, not the best out there. If you're some fancy photographer I doubt you'll be satisfied. But still takes pretty nice pictures as long as you take it right
Headphone I literally listen to music all day if I'm out of my house. No doubt the output is nice and clear, but it all depends on what type of headphones you're using.
This phone isn't a super computer. It lags when it needs to and produces slight flaws as you use it. But then again, what electronic doesn't
In the end, it all depends on the user's preferences. But if anything, I'd recommend waiting for the N5.

One of the most annoying things about the N4 is undoubtedly the fact that notifications etc cannot be heard when the phone lies flat with the screen up. Many calls have been missed due to this fact...

lazer155 said:
My touchscreen never goes crazy when charging from a PC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I touch in one spot it reacts like I hit another location.

I have to say, it is SLIPPY. It slips off everthing, even when i think its a flat surface!

OnlySkills said:
I currently have a Nexus S which I have had for 2 years now. I'm considering the Nexus 4, was going for the S4 but this is half the price, and the iPhone 6 would be too far out and the iOS would not be to my liking.
I know I cannot really go wrong with the Nexus 4 - it's loved by every reviewer, and not because of its price - the price is only a bonus.
What are its major flaws? I have a few things I was curious about:
- Screen touch sensitivity/fluidity. When your finger touches/swipes on the screen, does it behave like an iPhone 5 or the Galaxy S3/4/Note II devices? I personally like the sensitivity to your finger from the iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy devices. I don't have this in my current Nexus S but definitely would like it in my next phone.
- Battery life. Can it last 14-16 hours, with let's say, 2-3 hours of screen time or so?
- Camera. I've seen some sample pictures, was not too impressed, but as long as it's decent I'm fine.
- Headphone output? I heard the headphone output is lower than other devices from a video. Not sure if significant.
That's all for now. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do u run custom Roms/kernels on the nexus s?
If you want the same experience x100 then the nexus 4 is for u.
I went from a nexus s to a nexus 4 and I'm more than happy. Android + iOS smoothness.
Flaws:
The touchscreen unresponsiveness is not major (very soft touches don't register sometimes) and it is remedied with either a custom kernel in 4.2.2 or with the upcoming 4.3 (new touchscreen driver).
Screen colors are a bit washed, but with the same solutions as above screen is beautiful.
The phone is made of glass, so it is not as resilient to falls as the nexus s.
Some people experience notification delays on specific WiFi routers. Never had such problem myself.
The phone tends to get hot when in mobile network or under heavy use (because its glass). Can be solved with custom kernels, undervolting/underclocking (this is the most tweakable phone ever).
No issues with audio.
Camera is good. Not the best, but acceptable quality.
Battery life is typically between 4 to 6 hours screen on time, on WiFi, which is pretty good in my opinion.
P.s. this phone offers the smoothest android experience from every other phone I put my hands on.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

urmothersluvr said:
You can drop it with a bumper on and screen protectors. I dropped mine onto concrete and accidentally stepped on it. Lol its perfectly fine except for the scratch on my screen protector
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dropped mine without bumper and just got a few scratches
btw is an awesome phone

I wouldn't wait for n5 as it's rumored to have a 5" screen which I feel is too large.
Here's a pic I took with the phone
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Overdose1986 said:
I dropped mine without bumper and just got a few scratches
btw is an awesome phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dropped my 4 times because it keeps slipping down the table only slight scratch on the back glass
only around 2-3 ft

Switching from Xperia Z3 to LG G3

This is not a trolling topic. This came from a casual Z3 user.
I pre-ordered the Z3 on Sony store and got it. The phone was great, screen was pleasant to look at, no lags ever happened, but there were too many cons that took over the pros imo:
- The battery was not that great, I've installed GSAM App since day one, and now the average screen-on time is only 5 hours, maximum is 6h30m. I've tried resetting the phone via Pc Companion... no luck. I mainly use the phone for Facebook, Web browser, taking pictures, and music, no heavy games.
- I've dropped it several times due its f*cking slippery glass panels. So far there's no crack but the aluminum sides are slightly damaged.
- It's so uncomfortable to hold. Sony made premium phones for sure, but it's not practical... the Z3 is just a beautiful metal slab but not really a phone. In my opinion, the curved back is much much more comfortable to hold in hands.
- Wifi range is horrible. I've tried putting the Z3 next to the LG G3 and Moto G, the Z3 lost signal frequently, the other 2 were fine.
- Glass back panel = fingerprint magnet.
- Finally, the most disappointed feature - Camera. I don;t know what the heck Sony did to their Z3, but the camera is just average to me. Plus it does not focus well while recording videos, even with normal macro shots; Superior Auto sucks; too tiny flash; a lof of Noise; a lot of disappointments.
- Not to mention that it fails so badly on cosmetic look. Huge gaps; unsymmetrical panels; bulging nylon corners. They are not a big deal for me, but compared to other phones in terms of cosmetic build, Sony has to work harder.
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So if you want to change, what is the point of this thread?

My thoughts exactly

If you want even less screen time G3 is your phone. Congrats. I hope u will see thats a mistake I own both phones so..

Maybe you got a bad unit, mine has excellent signal I came from a G2 which I still love.
I remeber some HTC One Xs and Nexus 4s had an issue where the v shape pins on the casing weren't properly touching the pin on the motherboard causing very low WiFi signal. I had to use paper in between on my One X lol.
Anyway exchange it., if you are willing otherwise enjoy your new G3. But I and many here can attest that the Z3 gets excellent reception.

As @hzmenxd said, if you want much less screen on time, then go ahead for the G3. I used it for 3 months and nearly threw it out the window, battery life was horrible and lots of lag even after freezing and deleting apps and ROM improvements. Maximum screen on time I got was 4 hours and that with a 15 hour full charge, minimum brightness, conservative governor and other improvements. Just get a case for the Z3 and it'll fine.

OMG. If you are changing to G3 just for the casing form you have no idea what you are doing.I played with the G3 (the 2GB of ram version) and in terms of fluidity my old N4 beats him. Don't know what the hell LG did with the software but it sucks big time (lag, stutter, memory frees up by restarting the launcher and so on). Don't know about the 3GB version if it has the same problems. I almost got the G3 but I turned to the Z2 (Z3 to expensive in my country) and for 370 euro brand new with 2 year warranty it was a barging.
In conclusion it is your choice, but think twice.

rjhellel said:
As @hzmenxd said, if you want much less screen on time, then go ahead for the G3. I used it for 3 months and nearly threw it out the window, battery life was horrible and lots of lag even after freezing and deleting apps and ROM improvements. Maximum screen on time I got was 4 hours and that with a 15 hour full charge, minimum brightness, conservative governor and other improvements. Just get a case for the Z3 and it'll fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No no, this makes no sense. Obviously, going to a phone with a much shorter rated SOT is the answer. Getting a $10 case to solve at least 3 of the listed problems is crazy.

You could have caught 4 of these 7 gripes in the store. If you invest a pile of money in a personal gadget, do you research. You don't have to understand benchmarks and all the techno babble to go and test the keyboard and the camera and see how it feels in the hand. Shiny dark surfaces collect fingerprints. That is not Sony's fault. I got the white one for this reason.
In regards to the build quality, you could just have a bad unit. Perhaps you should have swapped it right away. If you drop it because of the slippery back, put a case or a sticker on it.
No offence, but I think this is kinda your own fault.

5-6HR SOT on a stock ROM is amazing. You can't even get that on the OPO.
I had the G3 and the average is around 4HR SOT, and that's with both debloated stock and super tweaked AOSP.

se1000 said:
No no, this makes no sense. Obviously, going to a phone with a much shorter rated SOT is the answer. Getting a $10 case to solve at least 3 of the listed problems is crazy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My bad, I should have made myself more clear:- my point about the case was simply for the "slippery" feel of the glass and aluminium body. In terms of camera, simple solution is use Google's Camera and/or use Perfectly Clear to fix any noise in the pictures. The WiFi signal is fine on mine and never had any issues but can be boosted with root or an app called WiFi Optimizer I think. As @abhinav.tella said, it might just be a bad unit.

atleast hold on to it incase u hate the g3 for whatever reason?
I jumped from a g2 to the z3 since it was the latest in the market... Took a long while for root but it finally got there.. I'm really hating the factory rom and still waiting on cm/aosp to be available as a bug free alternative..
I dunno how Sony likes having all those variants of the z3.. And the only one we have here is the dual sim version which really lacks behind in development since it's not the international version used everywhere...
Anyways from my experience with lg I'm most probably getting a g4 as soon as it's available (which should be sometime around Q3)
For the meantime I'll keep quiet and use the z3 all thanks to its 3100 mAh of power

rjhellel said:
My bad, I should have made myself more clear:- my point about the case was simply for the "slippery" feel of the glass and aluminium body. In terms of camera, simple solution is use Google's Camera and/or use Perfectly Clear to fix any noise in the pictures. The WiFi signal is fine on mine and never had any issues but can be boosted with root or an app called WiFi Optimizer I think. As @abhinav.tella said, it might just be a bad unit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with you, I was being very sarcastic in my previous post

se1000 said:
I agree with you, I was being very sarcastic in my previous post
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh right

Thanks guys for your honest opinions. I admit most of them were my faults. I think I'm gonna keep the Z3 to test it for some time before making a decision. But the SOT was really a rip off for such a hype on the Z3. I know the G3 has much less SOT for sure, that's a fact, but 5 hours on Z3 was just ridiculous. Everybody got at least 6 hours, but mine barely (or never) reached that level.

bluesky2111 said:
Thanks guys for your honest opinions. I admit most of them were my faults. I think I'm gonna keep the Z3 to test it for some time before making a decision. But the SOT was really a rip off for such a hype on the Z3. I know the G3 has much less SOT for sure, that's a fact, but 5 hours on Z3 was just ridiculous. Everybody got at least 6 hours, but mine barely (or never) reached that level.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, in your screenshot the Z3 was at 22hrs and it still had plenty of juice left? Are you not getting through a day? What exactly are you looking for with 8hrs of SOT if at the end of the day you have battery left over and will plug the phone in?
There are a lot of factors that play into battery life, two big ones are power hungry apps, and signal strength.

I was always using Xperias, I even learned how to theme and dev on it...
But then I decided I had enough of Sony and solde my few months old Z2 to buy Note 4...
Believe me mate...grass isn't greener at neighbour yard...it's a same grass with a same bugs
You'll have exactly the same issues, questions and doubts with any brand.

I do have to say that while the phone works pretty well, it is uncomfortable to hold and the glass on the back pisses me off more and more every day. I still like the phone though.
Sent from my D6616 using Tapatalk

One thing that I do agree with OP is that if you are not used to the flat back glass construction, then you are just not used to it. I have been using a lot of Sony phones, so the flat back doesn't really piss me off. Instead of "palming" the back, I "grip" it with my index finger and my ring finger, which makes it very normal to hold.
Users who are more used to the curved back of the g3, motox and motog will feel that the flat back is not as ergonomic, and they are not wrong. The G3 feels more comfortable in the hand than the Z3, but it's not like the Z3 is a massive spike ball that you can't hold it for even 5 minutes.
Regarding the battery life, yeah, if you are not satisfied with the Z3 battery, then you are not going to be satisfied with the G3 battery. This is not an opinion, it's a FACT. G3 has a higher pixel count for its screen with a smaller battery. using LTE on it and it will die within 8-10 hours of heavy usage.
I can offer you some advice for your Z3 if you want to improve the battery life:
1. If you are not in a LTE plan, then use 3G only, that will help the battery by a ton.
2. Some small games (Free games) are quite suspicious, as they use location data all the time when possible. I was surprised when a prolific game such as Ridiculous Fishing was using the location service on my z3 and used up a lot of battery during idle periods. Uninstalling it helped to increase the battery by a few hours.
3. Google Now - this son of a ***** is a big battery killer. Turns it off if you don't use it.
4. Location services - this son of a ***** too.

The lag on the LG G3 is mind blowing! Besides.. All the apps look like a cheap and crappy version of Sony app, especially the G3 album app haha , and that back power off/on button? God. Lol.. But yes, is a sexy phone.. Good luck

*Д Device specific reviews Д* Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3

Welcome to the home of the Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3
Device Reviews Thread​
In this thread please post the following:
Your personal reviews
Written reviews found online
Any and all
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videos can be posted in this thread (no need for 30 different YT threads)
:good:
Lets enjoy the input of others regarding their point of view.
Not all points of view may represent your thoughts, so please do not disrespect the views of others​

PhoneArena's video review:

My quick 2-cents on this device thus far....
Pros:
- Build quality is ecstatic for such a low price. Very sturdy and no creaks.
- The screen is absolutely gorgeous. I've been using a G2 and I've enjoyed it's IPS display, but I think this Idol 3's trumps it. It's brighter and colors seem to pop out more. Can't rave enough about the screen.
- The external speakers are absolutely loud and crisp. I honestly think it's really close to the quality the HTC M series have... If the M9's speakers are a 10/10, I'd have to give the Idol 3's an 8/10. They're that good.
- Speed wise, things seem fast. I don't game much on my phone, and if I do it's those simple mobile games, but everyday tasks will fare just fine on this device.
- Love the almost stock Android feel!
Cons:
- While I love the build quality, the back plate has a very cheap feel/look to it. Though it's not really a complaint since I expected it. Granted, I'm not really the type to care about build materials but I know it matters to a lot of people. As long as the phone is sturdy, I'm happy. (My dream would be if dbrand made skins for this phone)
- Not a fan of the Alcatel Launcher or it's icon pack. (Nova FTW)
- Camera is so-so. Seems to be on par with my G2's camera, which isn't bad by any means, just not the best.... but then again, for the $199 that I paid for it, how can this be a con... right?
- For the life of me I can't get the double tap to wake feature to work... Does anyone know if it's something I have to enable in settings? I've tried to look and can't find anything. Thanks
- Can't think of any other con at the moment... I'll edit this if I find more.
So far this device is an absolute steal at at $199! What have you guys thought so far?

Double tap to wake, go to settings and it's the first setting under "device" enable slider to double to wake.

Double Tap
I have Nova Launcher installed and double tap does not work. Double tap does however work on the stock Alcatel skin. In the Nova Launcher settings you have to pay for the premium to get the double tap feature.

Don_GT said:
I have Nova Launcher installed and double tap does not work. Double tap does however work on the stock Alcatel skin. In the Nova Launcher settings you have to pay for the premium to get the double tap feature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got nova prime running with double tap to wake and sleep working. You could always pin a "screen off/sleep" app to your home and tap it to sleep.

redeyss said:
I've got nova prime running with double tap to wake and sleep working. You could always pin a "screen off/sleep" app to your home and tap it to sleep.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you apply double tap to wake and sleep via Nova? I don't see it in the Gesture settings within the app.

mackster248 said:
How do you apply double tap to wake and sleep via Nova? I don't see it in the Gesture settings within the app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Assuming you have the paid version, nova prime. Download "screen off and lock" app from play store first. After installed, nova settings, gestures, assign screen off app to double tap gesture. Alternately, just double tap empty portion of screen while running nova as home and you will be prompted to allow screen off app to assume that gesture. Let me know if you get it, good luck!

redeyss said:
Assuming you have the paid version, nova prime. Download "screen off and lock" app from play store first. After installed, nova settings, gestures, assign screen off app to double tap gesture. Alternately, just double tap empty portion of screen while running nova as home and you will be prompted to allow screen off app to assume that gesture. Let me know if you get it, good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perfect. Thanks man! Works great.

So far I'll mirror mackster's review, spot on! Nice phone and quick with great screen. I crushed it while installing my apps but it didn't get hot, just a little warm, which impressed me.
I'm worried about the camera. I took about 8 shots and so far not so good. Let me play with it for a couple days and I'll get back to you. I too was using a G2 the last few weeks after selling my G3. G2 camera has ois and was pretty decent. Idol 3 reminds me of nexus 5 cam, decent but only under ideal light, which is what all the pre release reviews said. G2 seems to get a sharper image in good light.
This really looks, feels, and behaves like a $600 phone from late 2013/early 2014 IMHO. I paid $199 and I'm worried about scratching or dropping it, then have to remind myself it cost a third of a flagship phone and I'm going to use and abuse it without all the anxiety that comes with a huge price tag. Probably slap a glass screen protector on it and a skin if available but that's it!

redeyss said:
So far I'll mirror mackster's review, spot on! Nice phone and quick with great screen. I crushed it while installing my apps but it didn't get hot, just a little warm, which impressed me.
I'm worried about the camera. I took about 8 shots and so far not so good. Let me play with it for a couple days and I'll get back to you. I too was using a G2 the last few weeks after selling my G3. G2 camera has ois and was pretty decent. Idol 3 reminds me of nexus 5 cam, decent but only under ideal light, which is what all the pre release reviews said. G2 seems to get a sharper image in good light.
This really looks, feels, and behaves like a $600 phone from late 2013/early 2014 IMHO. I paid $199 and I'm worried about scratching or dropping it, then have to remind myself it cost a third of a flagship phone and I'm going to use and abuse it without all the anxiety that comes with a huge price tag. Probably slap a glass screen protector on it and a skin if available but that's it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here! I planned on not using a case on this thing... but it's so damn thin that I may have to lol. It's just hard to hold due to how thin it is. I asked dbrand if they would make skins for this phone, and their reply was "maybe". So I'm holding out for dear hope that they are. Yeah, camera does seem a little bad. And you're right about the G2's camera in great lighting conditions, it really is well above average in that aspect.
As much as I love this phone (so far), Alcatel really blew it with the name lol. I hate the "idol" name and that font at the back of the phone. If dbrand makes skins for this, I'll be fully happy.

redeyss said:
So far I'll mirror mackster's review, spot on! Nice phone and quick with great screen. I crushed it while installing my apps but it didn't get hot, just a little warm, which impressed me. !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here as well.No major issues using apps. Installed and used phone for awhile didn't get hot at all. Only performance issue I saw was closing many recent apps from recent app screen. Screen is nice and very bright. Blindingly bright. The speakers a loud and sound good. Also the sound out of the audio jack is very loud too which I'm happy about. I tried to use the stock launcher but I missed some features from Nova so I had to install Nova Prime. That's not a knock against Alcatel tho. Today I'm happy with it. We'll have to play around with it for awhile.

Guys, I'm struggling with this camera! Just did a series of comparison photos with my G2, one M8, and the idol 3. Indoor shots of my son with overcast light coming in windows behind me. Colors washed out and details soft and muddy. M8 had best color reproduction and G2 had best detail and sharpness. I switched to Google camera and results improved noticeably but not dramatically, with truer color and crisper images. I tried with and without "eis" electronic image stabilization enabled and didn't seem to make a difference. This could be a deal breaker for me but I'll keep trying, please post your results.
PS, t. Stark perhaps a photo thread is in order.

can u try camera mx or some others from appstore? been using it for sometime.
the sensor itself shouldnt be that much of a difference since its the same widely used i guess.
Sent from my LG-D838 using XDA Free mobile app

gavolo said:
can u try camera mx or some others from appstore? been using it for sometime.
the sensor itself shouldnt be that much of a difference since its the same widely used i guess.
Sent from my LG-D838 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will try camera MX but hope to hear from others so I know it is or isn't a defect in my particular phone. Yes its that bad....

redeyss said:
I will try camera MX but hope to hear from others so I know it is or isn't a defect in my particular phone. Yes its that bad....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you set it to 13 megapixels? I haven't done a comparison with my g2 yet. From the little pics I took. It seems okay.

guapinoy said:
Did you set it to 13 megapixels? I haven't done a comparison with my g2 yet. From the little pics I took. It seems okay.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep 13mp and played with settings. G2 has Xcam mod but still miles better. Will try and post pics later from PC.

Moved

my impressions after 2 days:
positives:
1. awesome battery life. i would guess 6+ hours screen time easy.
2. speakers are absolutely awesome.
3. the screen is very bright. wish we could reduce it (might give longer battery life to boot!).
4. no problems with wifi or other things like heat etc.
5. user experience is fast enough - better than nexus 4.
6. excellent build quality.
negatives:
1. camera (ok for the money)
2. need root desperately. to change DPI.
3. biggest negative - tmobile reception is like 10dB lower than nexus 4. at my work, where signal is poor, i used to get LTE with that phone, but now I can't. seriously thinking on returning this .
antutu 64bit score is 33000.

deepasadish said:
3. biggest negative - tmobile reception is like 10dB lower than nexus 4. at my work, where signal is poor, i used to get LTE with that phone, but now I can't. seriously thinking on returning this .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, I've noticed my reception has decreased significantly coming from my HTC One M7 and even the ZMAX is getting better LTE reception. I usually get full bars at home and work but i'm down to 2.
considering returning the phone also and trying out the zenfone 2 since i'm in an area where band 12 is being used by a public tv network and wont benefit me at all.

Asus Zenfone 2 Review USA Spec 4gb/64gb version

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In this review i am looking at Asus’s flagship phone for 2015 the Zenfone 2 complete with 64gb of storage and 4gb ram (most in any phone to date). As a flagship it is going up against some stiff competition such as the Galaxy S 6, the LG G4, and the One M9. With the specs Asus’s top version of this phone boasts it fits well into that crowd but there are areas that they did need to “skimp” on in order to reach that magical $299 unlocked price. There is a lower spec’d version of the Zenfone 2 for $199 unlocked but it does come with a slightly slower processor and 2gb of ram. We shall be focusing on the higher end one here.
Look & Feel​
As you can see from the pictures i was able to grab the red version of the phone. i’m a huge fan of red so any phone released with a red option already gets a bit of an edge in my mind but i won’t let that come into my decision here. I do like that they left the front of the device all black so all you can see in the front is the small chrome speaker grill, chrome Asus logo and the hardware keys. I think it looks rather tastefully done and it does have the premium look that many seem to want these days.
The back of the phone is plastic but they do a good job hiding that a bit with a “metallic” finish with a bit of texture that help in keeping a grip on what is a large phone. It is not a fingerprint magnet by any means. In my opinion it feels even a little better in hand then last years LG G3 even is the Zenfone 2 is a bit taller thanks to those hardware keys. I personally am not a fan of these but many are...all comes down to your taste. Taking more design cues from LG the Zenfone 2 has its volume rocker is on the back. They did opt to put the power button in my opinion the worst spot on such a large phone... Dead center on the top of the device. Not only that... It's also quite "mushy" giving little to no tactical response to let you know you actually pressed it. The Zenfone 2 does have double tap to wake and sleep function as well but it did not work as intended to me all of the time.
The device’s dimensions are 152.5 x 77.2 x 10.9 mm (6.00 x 3.04 x 0.43 in) and weighs in at 170g (6.00 oz) It is a bit thick but the sides slim down to 3.5mm which make it much nicer to hold. What i will say is where the front glass on the phone meets the small “chin” below the hardware keys there is a very noticeable sharp lip. Not enough to hurt but enough to become annoying in my short time with the phone. Overall it’s a well designed phone and for the price.
Under the Hood​Under the back cover you will find a micro SD card slot for up to 128GB of expandable storage and 2...count them 2 sim card slots. This is a bit strange to have in a phone in north america but very common in other areas of the world. I did test this out and switching between phone numbers was easy enough but only sim slot 1 can handle 3g and LTE. The second slot is only for 2G and Phone calls. Inside you will also find a 3000mAh battery but this is not user removable which is a bit of a shame but that’s the way most phones seem to be going. Do note that this phone comes with Intel’s version of quick charge and the $299 version of the phone comes with a high amp quick charger. It does work with all chargers with Qualcomm’s Quickcharge 2.0 spec as well.
User Interface​The Zenfone 2 comes out of the box running Android 5.0 Lollipop which is nice to see. I did receive an OTA right after turning on the device but the version number stayed at 5.0. Everyone is now waiting on phones to get 5.1 but Asus am an interested to see how up to date they keep their not flagship. I will say that this phone as the most “bloatware” I have ever seen on an unlocked device. Even comes running Cleanmaster out of the box...classy. Asus is nice enough to let you uninstall much of it but for the review I wanted to keep most of it intact. I did uninstall Cleanmaster as it was just too annoying to deal with. I do however like that almost all of the phones apps live in the Play Store and can be updated without having to wait for a full firmware update. Nice moves.
Over all Asus stuck to the material design aspects of Lollipop with its revamped ZenUI. The menus are in list view and are easy to navigate. The notifications pulldown is close to stock with few differences but the quick toggles have been completely re-skinned and are customizable. I actually like the way this works and give you a quick brightness slider and access to some of the tools you may use most often on your device.
The only part of the UI i really have a problem with is the one you see most often...the launcher. To get into Google Now you must long press the home button then swipe up... not the most intuitive or the best implementation of this feature. There is also no google now hotword support built into the launcher. It took me about a day to install the Google Now Launcher and all is well.
Performance​ One word can describe the performance of this device...Fast! With 4gb of ram to work with i would expect nothing less. Couple that with the Intel Atom Z3580 clocked at 2.3GHz (Intel Atom Z3560 1.8 GHz in the 2gb version) and this thing is a screamer. I have had Zero slowdowns or stutters since i started playing with it and that is also after loading it up with all of my personal apps and having all of my accounts syncing all of the time. Pretty great!
On the graphics and video handling of this device it was again very good. Running the PowerVR G6430 (same as the iPhone 5s) it has no problems playing some of the most intense games. Its pushing a 1080P screen so not as many pixels as many of the other 2015 flagships. I do not run benchmarks on my phones but can tell you that you will not be disappointed.
Display​ The phone boasts a 72% screen to body ratio which is not too shabby. It comes with a 5.5 inch 1080p IPS display which come out to be 402ppi and to my eyes it is perfectly adequate. Images look sharp and its 3 built in screen modes. Comes set on the balance mode out of the box but has a Reading to cool things down and a Vivid mode which really makes colors pop like on the GS6, even a mode to let the user make their own settings. I left mine on balanced. Where the display does not do well is with readability outdoors. It does not get bright enough to overcome even an overcast day. At the same time does not get dark enough when trying to watch a video or read a website in pitch blackness...my eyes did feel strained. The display is just fine but it is clearly one of the areas that Asus had to give a little to keep the price down.
Camera​ In the press and at the US launch event this is the one area Asus spent the most time talking about. Asus is very proud of this camera and they should be...it is quite good. Lets start out front where the Zenfone 2 is rocking a 5 Mega-Pixel, Fix Focus, Wide View, camera with Asus’s PixelMaster tech. It takes decent selfies and has many modes to help you tweak them to your liking. Out back is a 13 Mega-Pixel camera with Asus’s PixelMaster tech. While the mega-pixel count may seem low for a flagship phone today it actually takes some good shots. In good lighting it did very well. It does not has the optical image stabilization of some of the more expensive phones but it even does well in dim to low light situations. Not the greatest camera but one the best i have seen at this price point for sure.
Battery Life​ One of the most important specs in any mobile device and I am happy to report that the Zenfone 2 delivers in the battery life department. I an not easy on my phones battery. I have all of my social media as well as 4 google accounts and 8 other email accounts constantly updating in the background. While testing i kept the phone on auto brightness. With its 3000mAh cell I was always able to through a whole day with some to spare. As mentioned before it does not have a removable battery but the quick charging is definitely a plus if you have really been hammering on it for a few hours.
In Conclusion​ Asus really wants to make it clear that they are coming to play. The Zenfone 2 delivers in many areas and ticks all the right boxes for what most would want out of a flagship level device. With that said even though Asus is comparing this phone to the likes of the GS6, I am much more comfortable comparing it to the 2014 flagship phones from all of its competitors. The GS5, the LG G3, the HTC One M9, let’s even throw the Oneplus One in there… all still cost more when purchased new and unlocked then the Zenfone 2 at $299 for the top model. I think that is the biggest win here for Asus. Lets not forget that it starts at just $199 unlocked! That is what most flagships smartphone cost for their lowest spec model on contract.

Just a couple notes --- you can reach Google now by holding down the home button for a moment and swiping up. Discovered this through serendipity [emoji14]
And it's odd how everyone talks about the screen being hard to see in sunlight, since I have absolutely no trouble seeing it in direct sunlight with my transition glasses. I must have weird eyes or something [emoji14]

jerflash said:
The only part of the UI i really have a problem with is the one you see most often...the launcher. With no swipe up from home to reach google now you are relegated to using Asus’s google search widget. There is also no google now hotword support built into the launcher. It took me about a day to install the Google Now Launcher and all is well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can pull up to Google Now from the home button. Press the capacitive home for a second and Google Now icon shows up. Just slide finger to it once it does. And from Google Now, you can set the 'OK Google' keyword to be used from any screen.

richard_rsp said:
You can pull up to Google Now from the home button. Press the capacitive home for a second and Google Now icon shows up. Just slide finger to it once it does. And from Google Now, you can set the 'OK Google' keyword to be used from any screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hey thanks for the tip i did not come across that at all while using it. still not very intuitive or the best implimentation

TOT_tomdora said:
Just a couple notes --- you can reach Google now by holding down the home button for a moment and swiping up. Discovered this through serendipity [emoji14]
And it's odd how everyone talks about the screen being hard to see in sunlight, since I have absolutely no trouble seeing it in direct sunlight with my transition glasses. I must have weird eyes or something [emoji14]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those are some special glasses lol

Interesting! I use transition lens myself and this is good news! Still waiting for my phone to arrive though. ?
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Free mobile app

Overall speed

Would you say that the Samsung Galaxy S9 is "fast" in day-to-day use? A higher rating indicates that you think the Samsung Galaxy S9 exhibits fantastic performance. Like, is it as fast as your tears when you watch The Titanic?
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!

Home button delays the same as in Galaxy S8, that's why you don't remove the physical one

I have owned the exynos variant for about 2 weeks. I use it having decreased the animation time and there is absolutely no stutter. I've come for the s7 which is no slouch and can feel that this is the most refined experience yet. You can't go wrong. I can't lie I had 'terrible' battery for about 1 and half weeks. But it's much better now.

stevenl23 said:
I have owned the exynos variant for about 2 weeks. I use it having decreased the animation time and there is absolutely no stutter. I've come for the s7 which is no slouch and can feel that this is the most refined experience yet. You can't go wrong. I can't lie I had 'terrible' battery for about 1 and half weeks. But it's much better now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about the gpu performance?

kyooohei08 said:
How about the gpu performance?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely no sloucher in gaming performance. Does not lack performance whatsoever, can handle all games including the Honkai Impact 3 at max settings with no fps drops. Its basically the second best gaming performer right now outperformed by the SD845. but although battery life is not bad, apparently SD845 is better in every way. This year i'd actually consider the SD845. What device do you currently own? Because that way i might advise you wait for the S10 where they will actually improve efficiently a lot with the new 7nm chips.
Edit: Don't get me wrong, i love the S9 even though i owned the S7 previously. The features it includes such as the Dolby Atmos supported stereo speakers, headphone jack and the great experience Touchwiz offers in my opinion. Touchwiz just looks better than stock android which otherwise is boring in my opinion and other manufacturers are still refining their experience. And if you don't like touchwiz? Get a launcher or even change your theme to your liking. Hopefully Samsung will increase the amount of software updates due to Project Treble support too.
It's just that depending on your device and its state, i'd wait for the S10 which i reckon will be the 'holy grail' (unless they somehow screw it up). By then performance wouldn't be a issue whatsoever and battery life should increase and hopefully capacity too.
Any more questions feel free to ask. I'm willing to help.

stevenl23 said:
Definitely no sloucher in gaming performance. Does not lack performance whatsoever, can handle all games including the Honkai Impact 3 at max settings with no fps drops. Its basically the second best gaming performer right now outperformed by the SD845. but although battery life is not bad, apparently SD845 is better in every way. This year i'd actually consider the SD845. What device do you currently own? Because that way i might advise you wait for the S10 where they will actually improve efficiently a lot with the new 7nm chips.
Any more questions feel free to ask. I'm willing to help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Woah thank you alot! Im having this kind of feeling where I am dissatisfied with the s9, especially with exynos, yet you made me calm. I got s5 from Dubai with Snapdragon which is surprising since SD is only available in US and in China, and this year, I hope that my model going to have on 13th of April is SD too. Im really excited! Anyways, coming from s5 to s9 is considerably a "good" upgrade, isnt? My screen is dying and it cant wait for s10 anymore :laugh:

kyooohei08 said:
Woah thank you alot! Im having this kind of feeling where I am dissatisfied with the s9, especially with exynos, yet you made me calm. I got s5 from Dubai with Snapdragon which is surprising since SD is only available in US and in China, and this year, I hope that my model going to have on 13th of April is SD too. Im really excited! Anyways, coming from s5 to s9 is considerably a "good" upgrade, isnt? My screen is dying and it cant wait for s10 anymore :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most definitely, an upgrade from the s5 to s9 will be huge.
What i'd recommend you do to get around 4 and a half hours of screen on time is the following.
Turn off location services. Or revoke app permissions for any app that doesn't require it. Including Google maps because for some reason it tracks where you are constantly. That is if you prefer it on for Samsung find my phone.
Get a dark theme. And and try to keep your wallpapers dark once you've enabled it because for oled screens, only the required pixels turn on. I currently use Black_Edition_V2
Turn off NFC (unless you pay using your phone)
Go to Wifi, advanced (click the 3 dots on top right) and enable Wifi power saving mode. and disable turn on wifi automatically.
Enable power saving mode (Only turn on decreased 10% screen brightness, don't limit CPU or any of that.) Screen is super bright already so you won't notice a difference but apparently you get an extra hour of stand by time.
Turn on Dolby Atmos (it's off automatically for some reason)
Depending on your usage or preference, disable or enable always on display. I personally have it on a schedule.
Give it just over a week or so to learn your usage behaviour and once a week or so for the first month, discharge your phone fully and recharge fully.
Also what i'd recommend is turning on developer mode and putting animator duration scale to 0.5x. Your phone will feel much faster, and it'll be able to keep up so don't worry. This is your preference.
I might have missed some things, but this is what the basic changes are. But compared to the S5, it will be a beast. With all the android phones out there having notches, i reckon the S9 is still the best all in one device!
Otherwise enjoy your phone!!! :good:

stevenl23 said:
Most definitely, an upgrade from the s5 to s9 will be huge.
What i'd recommend you do to get around 4 and a half hours of screen on time is the following.
.
.
.
Otherwise enjoy your phone!!! :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow truly helpful! Im pretty sure alot will benefit as well from your post. Very informative. Thanks mate!

best and faster speed thanks a lot of <a herf="https://rojgarresult24.com/">vijay singh</a>

With the latest update to Pie, have noticed very good performance

stevenl23 said:
Most definitely, an upgrade from the s5 to s9 will be huge.
What i'd recommend you do to get around 4 and a half hours of screen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, changing s5 to s9 will be good, but I couldn't stop laughing at second sentence...
Check this:
crdroid oreo plus some fiddling with mtweaks:
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8hrs and 3 mins sot, 10% batt left.
7.5 hrs fhd content playback with gettube with wifi on, plus background download plus some other things(that took another 30 mins).
No battery savers, etc.
CrDroid 4.7, Ainur MK III, ViperFx 2.6.0.4., JDSP 1.9., Aimp 2.90. Soundset, that melts brain in action. Every player uses this snd driver's replacement set there(magisk+lowlevel setups for sound)...so.
F dolby bs and stock system.