Related
Alright, so right off the bat I just want to say that this isn't a doom and gloom thread (I hope), but it's an issue I wanted to ask you guys about since I'm on my 2nd phone now and I've had cosmetic issues with both. I want to love my phone, I just want one that won't give me problems first! I will post pictures soon, to show you guys what I'm about to describe below.
Both phones have had minor (but very annoying) imperfections involving the casing. My first phone was the most problematic. First off, the battery cover did not sit flush. I did not realize how much of a difference this made in terms of build quality until I got my second phone. My 1rst phone would creak and click when pressure was applied to the back and it just did not seem like a very sturdy device. This was not the case with the second phone (which had a back cover that fit perfectly) as there was no creaking or clicking, it felt rock solid just like its supposed to. Also, there was a small chip and discolouration of the teflon coating on the bottom left front face of the first phone. Again, nothing major but still not something that I was not pleased about given the price of the phone.
Unrelated but my first phone also had the purple tint issue which is the main reason I returned it and bought a new one (I couldn't outright swap because I don't live in the US). My second phone came in and luckily it did not have the tint issue. All I can say is WOW, what a difference it makes having a proper screen!! The black colours actually look crisp and dark, and there is absolutely no tint at low brightness.
So the screen was good. I checked the bottom left hand to see for any issues with the teflon, and there were none. I checked the backplate and like I mentioned earlier, it was perfectly flush. So far so good BUT.. again there were some cosmetic issues! Along the left side of the phone there was a tiny chip and some of the grey finish was off. Also, on the back, the bottom teflon piece did not sit flush with the rest of the device.
Once again, these are minor yet annoying things (but who knows, maybe I just have OCD!). The big issue from the first phone was the screen and the creaking, both of which are resolved with the second device, but I'm i'm contemplating whether I should return this one as well to go for one that is "perfectly built".. I mean, if this phone was store bought I would have no hesitation. I would just go there and make them open the boxes until I found a device that had no imperfections.. But it's just a real hassle having to continually ship my old device back, purchase a new one (while waiting two weeks to get credited back my $600 for the first device), and waiting for it to arrive. I also don't want to risk getting another phone with the purple tint issue..
Sorry for the long winded post, but basically what I wanted to ask was do you guys have any manufacturing imperfections with your phones??. I'm not talking about faulty screens or weak antennas, but actually design or cosmetic flaws. Do you guys have any and have you learned to just accept them or have you returned your devices and successfully gotten the "perfect" device.
Thanks, and hopefully I can get some pics up soon. Feel free to post your own so we can compare!
I got mine for free at this year's Barcelona MWC and luckyly i've had no issues whatsoever regarding hardware or aesthetics. An I say luckyly because obviously if I haven't bought it and I don't live in the US I would most definitely not get it replaced.
jasrups said:
Sorry for the long winded post, but basically what I wanted to ask was do you guys have any manufacturing imperfections with your phones??. I'm not talking about faulty screens or weak antennas, but actually design or cosmetic flaws. Do you guys have any and have you learned to just accept them or have you returned your devices and successfully gotten the "perfect" device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So which are you really looking for? Manufacturing defects or design flaws?
Are you looking for functional defects or cosmetic only defects?
Are you look for process-gone-completely-wrong defects or are you looking for minor imperfections resultant of process variation?
It is certainly possible to have a bad screen or a bad antenna as a manufacturing defect. There is also minor variation in any manufacturing process - this is normal. The trick is to keep the variation controlled well enough that the process consistently produces acceptable quality product. Note: No manufacturing process produces perfect parts, and minor imperfections are not necessarily defects. Normally, a design flaw impacts manufacturing quality only if the design requirements are too stringent for manufacturing capability.
I know you started out saying you did not want yet another thread bagging on the N1, but without clearer objectives, you've left it wide open for just that.
Mmm I love the build quality, it's very rigid and solid.
There is one imperfection that I noticed like 3 weeks of constant use.. The bottom piece, the one with "htc" on it, is a little bit more raised on one side (in comparison to the silver band on the back) than the other side. I'm talking 0.5mm difference that you can't see, only feel when comparing.
I'm writing that off as absolutely negligible and too tiny to even think about.
DarkDvr said:
Mmm I love the build quality, it's very rigid and solid.
There is one imperfection that I noticed like 3 weeks of constant use.. The bottom piece, the one with "htc" on it, is a little bit more raised on one side (in comparison to the silver band on the back) than the other side. I'm talking 0.5mm difference that you can't see, only feel when comparing.
I'm writing that off as absolutely negligible and too tiny to even think about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. I thought about popping it off (it's just retained by a couple of clips) and attempting to re-seat it, but I see no problem with it. It's not like the 2nd batch of the iPhone 3G, where there was 1mm gaps between the plastic back and chrome bezel. I'm shocked no news blog picked up on that, it was fairly widespread.
ATnTdude said:
Same here. I thought about popping it off (it's just retained by a couple of clips) and attempting to re-seat it, but I see no problem with it. It's not like the 2nd batch of the iPhone 3G, where there was 1mm gaps between the plastic back and chrome bezel. I'm shocked no news blog picked up on that, it was fairly widespread.
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Click to collapse
Well it's the almighty apple, they don't wanna disappoint their readers that the calculator that they paid $500 for is also cheaply built.
I have a question that (um..) kinda relates to this. I'm having a hard timing saying this so bare with me. You know when technology is first released that is has alot of problems and bugs but overtime it seems that the problems die down because the companies that produce the phones (xboxs, iphones, ps3, etcs) get smarter and make things differently or better...
Well my contract with t-mobile is up in 46 days and I was planning on getting a nexus one. I don't plan on getting it engraved. My question is that do you think my phone will be made when I order it or do you believe its been sitting in a warehouse since March 26th (guess) just waiting for somebody to place a call? I've seen those cool "making of nexus one" videos on youtube and figured i'd ask you guys. Thanks to whoever answers.
yup, i have similar issues. i initially thought they actually shipped a refurb unit to me. turns out i'm not the only one. now i'm not that worried
attn1 said:
So which are you really looking for? Manufacturing defects or design flaws?
Are you looking for functional defects or cosmetic only defects?
Are you look for process-gone-completely-wrong defects or are you looking for minor imperfections resultant of process variation?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
attn1, I could have been more clear in my last statement, 'design flaw' was a vague term. I meant cosmetic only defects and minor imperfections as a result of process variation. I know that with any product that is mass produced on an assembly line you will get variation from device to device. This thread wasn't meant to bash this variation but just to compare what other people have experienced with their phones.
Like I said, my first phone was awful, it had both functional and aesthetic problems. My second phone seems to be fully functional but still has a few (albeit minor) aesthetic imperfections. I must say though, I got my Brando Gel case in today and it looks great on the phone! It covers up the unevenness on the bottom teflon piece as well as the blemish on the left side of the phone very nicely.
My nexus came with a scratch or bubble on the inside of the screens glass. They told me i'd get a refurb in exchange(even though it's about a week old), I told them i'd think about it. Think i'll be calling back and demanding a brand new device.
ihearttreo said:
My nexus came with a scratch or bubble on the inside of the screens glass. They told me i'd get a refurb in exchange(even though it's about a week old), I told them i'd think about it. Think i'll be calling back and demanding a brand new device.
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Click to collapse
That kinda scares me because I'm picking up a nexus one in 46 days (contract with t-mobile will be up then) and I dont want something like that to happen to me. I'll keep my fingers crossed. I would demand a new one too
Have had no issues with mine until yesterday when the trackball stopped scrolling left. Refurb sans engraving rolling in tomorrow. All told still much better quality then my G1 or Blackberry.
Sent from my Nexus One using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
No tint nothing amiss as far as build quality that I can notice. This is the best built (visually and as far as any creakiness or such) phone I have ever owned and the first one I have had without any perceptible flaws out of the gate.
OK! So to all of you who has a Nexus One with cosmetic imperfections on the BOTTOM plastic piece on the BACK, with the labeled HTC, i may have a cure for you.
So, with me I HAD a slight imperfection on the right side, about a 1mm gap. It was annoying and I have some slight OCD (used to be worse). One day last week or so, that part of my phone became VERY hot, probably 101-105℉. While that plastic was hot, it was a little bit bendable. I used a rather large amount of force, and over about three times of doing this, the plastic is flush with the metal, and the rest of the phone.
So try that if you're super partial to your device like me. Or if you dont wanna deal with HTC, like me.
ZachTM
"refurbished" sounds bad but really its a more taken care of device isn't it? It's been tested to a further degree so its more likely to come without flaws perhaps or am I reaching?
DMaverick50 said:
"refurbished" sounds bad but really its a more taken care of device isn't it? It's been tested to a further degree so its more likely to come without flaws perhaps or am I reaching?
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Click to collapse
no. you're reaching high... its been refunded and fixed.. haha
so you are using someone else's phone who now owns probably a new device. brand new is the way to go, especially if your device is a week old...
I hear about huge problems, glass risen over the edges, dead screens, unresponsiveness, yet the only issue I have is a creak.
When I press the upper left edge of my Nexus 7, it emits the slightest creak imaginable.
It would never bother me, if I didn't know it was there. But I do.
And I think it's a problem.
I mean that when a manufacturer makes a cheap product with poor QC, then issues a warranty, the customers should by all means take advantage of that. I know Asus had only a few months, but is it that hard to have someone part out a stronger glue, one that doesn't become water when it is >60°F?
Now that I see how many have this problem, is start to worry. Will the next one be worse?
Now my Galaxy Nexus has served me well since December 20th or so, and when I compare the quality and solidity, it is a goddamn toy. The buttons clack, the ports are loose, the screen is hideous, and it makes me wonder.
What to OEMs do for QC? It feels like they don't give two cents whether they put out a decent product or not, it just has to be profitable. I get that profit is important, but do they need so much that the customers regularly get shafted?
I would pay Transformer price for a Transformer quality Nexus. Easily.
But I am way off topic here. Back to the original question.
Should I return it?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
upstandingcitizen said:
I hear about huge problems, glass risen over the edges, dead screens, unresponsiveness, yet the only issue I have is a creak.
When I press the upper left edge of my Nexus 7, it emits the slightest creak imaginable.
It would never bother me, if I didn't know it was there. But I do.
And I think it's a problem.
I mean that when a manufacturer makes a cheap product with poor QC, then issues a warranty, the customers should by all means take advantage of that. I know Asus had only a few months, but is it that hard to have someone part out a stronger glue, one that doesn't become water when it is >60°F?
Now that I see how many have this problem, is start to worry. Will the next one be worse?
Now my Galaxy Nexus has served me well since December 20th or so, and when I compare the quality and solidity, it is a goddamn toy. The buttons clack, the ports are loose, the screen is hideous, and it makes me wonder.
What to OEMs do for QC? It feels like they don't give two cents whether they put out a decent product or not, it just has to be profitable. I get that profit is important, but do they need so much that the customers regularly get shafted?
I would pay Transformer price for a Transformer quality Nexus. Easily.
But I am way off topic here. Back to the original question.
Should I return it?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Return it for a replacement if it bothers you. Asus needs to get there act together, and you deserve a quality unit! Plus, what if the creak gets worse after your return period ends?
Also, I don't think you know what your asking for with the transformer price and quality. Some have had great experience, but many have not. I had a transformer prime, and I can assure you that the price was way higher than the build and software quality. I'm just hoping that google forces Asus to do a good job with the firmware on this device.
I currently have a galaxy S2, I have a case on it pretty much 24/7. I want the Z3 compact as it is the best phone for people who want small phones. I love being able to do everything and reach all parts of my S2 with my hand, I cant do the same with these large 5inch + phones.
Anyway I am hearing reports of cracking on the back,front or even both sides of the phone. Am really scared, because I don't want to just splash out £350 and it breaks after a week. People have been getting cracks while having cases on it even, some people say it cracks while it is in the pocket just randomly.
Basically I really want this phone but I am worried about how easy it is to crack.
I've dropped mine from waist height twice now and had it fall in the crevices of my car seats. No screen protector, phone is still mint.
Sent from my D5803
HellzHere said:
I currently have a galaxy S2, I have a case on it pretty much 24/7. I want the Z3 compact as it is the best phone for people who want small phones. I love being able to do everything and reach all parts of my S2 with my hand, I cant do the same with these large 5inch + phones.
Anyway I am hearing reports of cracking on the back,front or even both sides of the phone. Am really scared, because I don't want to just splash out £350 and it breaks after a week. People have been getting cracks while having cases on it even, some people say it cracks while it is in the pocket just randomly.
Basically I really want this phone but I am worried about how easy it is to crack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjDE8z-_bHU&noredirect=1
http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s3/193035-galaxy-s3-cracked-screen-defective-not-dropped.html
http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s-ii/132590-galaxy-s2-cracked-screen-normal.html
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1257090
http://bobmckay.com/life/case-samsung-galaxy-s4-screen-crack
http://support.t-mobile.com/thread/38170?tstart=0
Never buy another smartphone then since they all "have screens break for no reason".
Statistically the chance that yours will crack spontaneously is still very very small. These communities are really very misleading in trying to get a global image of how common a problem is. As I mentioned in another topic, if you were to walk into a hosptal, and make your conclusion about the human species purely based on what you saw in the hospital, you would conclude humans are very sick and crippled species. But once you leave the hospital, you see only healthy people everywhere you look.
My suggestion (also what I am planning on doing)... Wait until after November 3rd, for everyone to get their American Z3 Compact. check this forum a week after to see if the topics about the screen sporadically cracking jump substantially in activity.
If not, I will order by 11.10.14.
HellzHere said:
I currently have a galaxy S2, I have a case on it pretty much 24/7. I want the Z3 compact as it is the best phone for people who want small phones. I love being able to do everything and reach all parts of my S2 with my hand, I cant do the same with these large 5inch + phones.
Anyway I am hearing reports of cracking on the back,front or even both sides of the phone. Am really scared, because I don't want to just splash out £350 and it breaks after a week. People have been getting cracks while having cases on it even, some people say it cracks while it is in the pocket just randomly.
Basically I really want this phone but I am worried about how easy it is to crack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not true and do not believe everything you hear and read about this subject. The handling of these machines have to be prudent. If you drop a laptop on the floor for sure nonitor breaks.right.
dropped mine once
been a month approx. no crack nothing. im pretty careful tho..most of the time.
also, no case.
Just a suggestion, can everyone with such issues (or worry, like here) post in one of the dozen threads that already exist on that topic?
Guess that would help to keep the forum somewhat cleaner, thus more readable...
Our forum is a bit "undermoderated"
I'd say the chance of getting a spontaneous crack is about 1:1000 or even less. That would assume 0.1% of phones have the issue. That a far less chance than you going to prison this year (1:200) so I'd say don't worry about it.
HellzHere said:
I currently have a galaxy S2, I have a case on it pretty much 24/7. I want the Z3 compact as it is the best phone for people who want small phones. I love being able to do everything and reach all parts of my S2 with my hand, I cant do the same with these large 5inch + phones.
Anyway I am hearing reports of cracking on the back,front or even both sides of the phone. Am really scared, because I don't want to just splash out £350 and it breaks after a week. People have been getting cracks while having cases on it even, some people say it cracks while it is in the pocket just randomly.
Basically I really want this phone but I am worried about how easy it is to crack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@HellzHere
Hi Hellz
Sorry but I've got a z3 compact and simply can't recommend it. That's a lot to like about it on paper but after mine experienced a modest fall onto carpet, which resulted in the back of the case cracking, I don't want others to suffer the upset that I have. The design is flawed IMO. The choice of materials are inappropriate for typical everyday usage.
Most of the high end xperias seem to use glass front and back . To me, this is insane. It creates a nice aesthetic but is significantly at the cost of practicality. The z3 compact doesn't use dragontail or gorilla glass... or at least Sony do not specify the materials used on their website beyond "tempered glass".
My previous phone was an HTC desire (yes the original one) and this has been dropped on occasion, onto pavements, etc, and one occasion in a carpark (for no other reason than it slipped out of my hand during use). I did not use a case with it and the worst that happened was a crack across one corner of the screen.
There is no way that the z3 compact could tolerate similar drops or falls. I do not consider myself to be careless with stuff but this new phone is a pain in the butt. For example, It WILL slip off surfaces, due to the low friction / high gloss nature of the handset.
If you are determined to get one, you MUST get a case for it.
I waited two years before a handset came on the market with the specifications that I was looking for. I am utterly gutted that mine is now broken, after only having it for a fortnight and it only being subjected to a very modest level of external stress. I did not even drop the phone - it slipped off a surface.
Then there is the issue of self-cracking. This is reasonably well documented and doesn't just apply to the z3 and z3 compact. Sony would have us believe that this only occurs in a small number of cases. I don't think it's common-place but it's happened to enough people for Sony to quietly repair stuff for free, under certain circumstances. Admittedly, Sony only really started doing this after two high profile UK consumer rights organisations / programmes got involved in the matter (watchdog and Which). The impression I get (from anecdotal evidence) is Sony does it grudgingly.
All I'll say is have a look at this xda-dev survey thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/z3-compact/general/sony-xperia-z3-z3-compact-glass-survey-t2900149
What I found interesting is that out of the 439 surveys, 26% reported back of case cracks, compared to 18% of the front screen.
However, of that 26%, over two thirds reported NO impact cracking i.e. there seems to be vastly more people who've experienced self-cracking than drop or fall damage.
Reviews also comment on the phone heating up A LOT during some forms of usage i.e. a possible reason for self-cracking.
Finally, from my personal experience, the camera sounds good on paper but underperforms. Some images look great yet I got pixellation on 20mb images in high light level conditions. I wasn't impressed. I also struggled to get the flash to illuminate a short distance, low light situation properly as well. More annoyingly, my friend had a galaxy S4 and her flash was virtually blindingly bright in the same situation. Then there's the issue about losing camera performance if you decide to root (apparently some of the low light level camera algorithms are DRM protected and the DRM keys get wiped when you root).
I just wouldn't go for a sony handset again - the phone design simply can't handle real-world stresses.
Just to be fair though, the screen's pretty good (in terms of brightness - you really can use it at minimal levels inside, which I'm sure helps massively with battery drain - I'm not commenting on resolution / PPI). I've found the battery performance to be simply great (probably the best feature for me). However, I'm realistic about usage (i.e. I don't have GPS, wireless and data on unless I need it, I typically pop phone into airplane mode overnight, etc - for me the biggest drains on batteries come from the display and the cellular radio). I got 4 days out of it, with approximately 40 mins worth of charging (because of wired syncing with my desktop). Admittedly for the last 30% of battery I put it onto stamina mode. Note this wasn't high level usage, just phonecalls, texts, some browsing, twitter, some facebook / youtube... but definitely not constant, screen-active usage.
The CPU's pretty strong too. Transitions between homescreens is super slick. I've not had slow down at any point. I haven't tried playing games with it though, beyond low-graphically taxing apps. Not too much bloatware and you can disable certainly some of it. Charging is good on it. I've got copilot as my satnav on it and a 1A car charger still produced a net positive charge rate (even though the sony charger is 1.5A). Charging from empty to full, with phone switched off is around 2.5 hours.
I hope this helps you a bit.
Cheers,
Gary
gazzawazza said:
@HellzHere
Hi Hellz
Sorry but I've got a z3 compact and simply can't recommend it. That's a lot to like about it on paper but after mine experienced a modest fall onto carpet, which resulted in the back of the case cracking, I don't want others to suffer the upset that I have. The design is flawed IMO. The choice of materials are inappropriate for typical everyday usage.
Most of the high end xperias seem to use glass front and back . To me, this is insane. It creates a nice aesthetic but is significantly at the cost of practicality. The z3 compact doesn't use dragontail or gorilla glass... or at least Sony do not specify the materials used on their website beyond "tempered glass".
My previous phone was an HTC desire (yes the original one) and this has been dropped on occasion, onto pavements, etc, and one occasion in a carpark (for no other reason than it slipped out of my hand during use). I did not use a case with it and the worst that happened was a crack across one corner of the screen.
There is no way that the z3 compact could tolerate similar drops or falls. I do not consider myself to be careless with stuff but this new phone is a pain in the butt. For example, It WILL slip off surfaces, due to the low friction / high gloss nature of the handset.
If you are determined to get one, you MUST get a case for it.
I waited two years before a handset came on the market with the specifications that I was looking for. I am utterly gutted that mine is now broken, after only having it for a fortnight and it only being subjected to a very modest level of external stress. I did not even drop the phone - it slipped off a surface.
Then there is the issue of self-cracking. This is reasonably well documented and doesn't just apply to the z3 and z3 compact. Sony would have us believe that this only occurs in a small number of cases. I don't think it's common-place but it's happened to enough people for Sony to quietly repair stuff for free, under certain circumstances. Admittedly, Sony only really started doing this after two high profile UK consumer rights organisations / programmes got involved in the matter (watchdog and Which). The impression I get (from anecdotal evidence) is Sony does it grudgingly.
All I'll say is have a look at this xda-dev survey thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/z3-compact/general/sony-xperia-z3-z3-compact-glass-survey-t2900149
What I found interesting is that out of the 439 surveys, 26% reported back of case cracks, compared to 18% of the front screen.
However, of that 26%, over two thirds reported NO impact cracking i.e. there seems to be vastly more people who've experienced self-cracking than drop or fall damage.
Reviews also comment on the phone heating up A LOT during some forms of usage i.e. a possible reason for self-cracking.
Finally, from my personal experience, the camera sounds good on paper but underperforms. Some images look great yet I got pixellation on 20mb images in high light level conditions. I wasn't impressed. I also struggled to get the flash to illuminate a short distance, low light situation properly as well. More annoyingly, my friend had a galaxy S4 and her flash was virtually blindingly bright in the same situation. Then there's the issue about losing camera performance if you decide to root (apparently some of the low light level camera algorithms are DRM protected and the DRM keys get wiped when you root).
I just wouldn't go for a sony handset again - the phone design simply can't handle real-world stresses.
Just to be fair though, the screen's pretty good (in terms of brightness - you really can use it at minimal levels inside, which I'm sure helps massively with battery drain - I'm not commenting on resolution / PPI). I've found the battery performance to be simply great (probably the best feature for me). However, I'm realistic about usage (i.e. I don't have GPS, wireless and data on unless I need it, I typically pop phone into airplane mode overnight, etc - for me the biggest drains on batteries come from the display and the cellular radio). I got 4 days out of it, with approximately 40 mins worth of charging (because of wired syncing with my desktop). Admittedly for the last 30% of battery I put it onto stamina mode. Note this wasn't high level usage, just phonecalls, texts, some browsing, twitter, some facebook / youtube... but definitely not constant, screen-active usage.
The CPU's pretty strong too. Transitions between homescreens is super slick. I've not had slow down at any point. I haven't tried playing games with it though, beyond low-graphically taxing apps. Not too much bloatware and you can disable certainly some of it. Charging is good on it. I've got copilot as my satnav on it and a 1A car charger still produced a net positive charge rate (even though the sony charger is 1.5A). Charging from empty to full, with phone switched off is around 2.5 hours.
I hope this helps you a bit.
Cheers,
Gary
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When drawing conclusions from that survey, you should not ignore that fact that people are far more likely to post about their dissatisfaction than about their satisfaction, meaning that people who are having issues with their device are far more widely respresented on the internet than people who are not having any issues. So if, in that survey, only 17 % of participants had their front glass crack, and 27% had their back glass crack, then the real-world percentages are likely FAR lower than those in the survey and it's all because people with faulty devices are FAR more likely to find the survey than people with devices that don't have any faults.
I've had this phone for a month now and still nothing has cracked. The phone hasn't overheated either. It does feel warm at times, maybe even more than most other phones but that is because glass conducts heat to your skin much faster than plastic does.
I doubt that the design is bad; a faulty batch of glass is a much more likely explanation.
degraaff said:
When drawing conclusions from that survey, you should not ignore that fact that people are far more likely to post about their dissatisfaction than about their satisfaction, meaning that people who are having issues with their device are far more widely respresented on the internet than people who are not having any issues. So if, in that survey, only 17 % of participants had their front glass crack, and 27% had their back glass crack, then the real-world percentages are likely FAR lower than those in the survey and it's all because people with faulty devices are FAR more likely to find the survey than people with devices that don't have any faults.
I've had this phone for a month now and still nothing has cracked. The phone hasn't overheated either. It does feel warm at times, maybe even more than most other phones but that is because glass conducts heat to your skin much faster than plastic does.
I doubt that the design is bad; a faulty batch of glass is a much more likely explanation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the response @degraaff
Regarding the survey - I get your point but the survey responses did surprise me with the number of users NOT reporting problems. I felt that made the survey far more realistic that, say, typical forum posts, where complaints and problems are more likely to be documented than positive experiences .
My personal experience regarding heat is that the phone has been pretty cool for the vast majority of the time but did experience some noticeable localised heat last night, for no apparent reason - phone had powered up but I had no additional elements active (i.e. wireless, GPS, data, etc, weren't active). I'd expect a relationship between component activity and heat generated. Also, it was noticeable because I'd not noticed it previously.
Regarding the design, I'm sorry but using thin glass on something that is likely to experience impact damage is bad or at very least highly unrealistic design. There's no need to use glass on the rear of a phone, certainly not for visual requirements (i.e. it's not a display). It's an aesthetics and presumably weight decision. I guess it would help radio performance (although I don't know where the antenna is). I believe metal typically attenuates radio signals, so glass would be a good alternative. I guess it comes down to how much priority one gives to the durability of a phone though.
I rang Sony about an hour ago and they gave me a ballpark figure of £40 for repairing the back. This was based on the rep's experience with the cost of replacing a Z2 rear panel. Still a very costly lesson and I think Sony or resellers need to warn customers about the benefits of case protection, given the materials used in construction. I know I'll get flak for saying this (ridiculously unrealistic) but I'd like to think that a retailer (or Sony, if they had the balls to do this) saying "for god's sake, get a protective case for this phone as it's literally made of glass" would lead to more customers respecting them. After all, Sony chose to use glass in the main panel construction. They could even charge a wee bit more and just bundle a case in with the phone. That would potentially cover them and give end-users a choice about protecting their phone from first use.
Cheers,
Gary
gazzawazza said:
It's an aesthetics and presumably weight decision. I guess it would help radio performance (although I don't know where the antenna is). I believe metal typically attenuates radio signals, so glass would be a good alternative. I guess it comes down to how much priority one gives to the durability of a phone though.
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Sony puts an Apple-esqe priority on industrial design, so one shouldn't be surprised to see them trading ruggedness for aesthetics. Without moving the antennas to the phone body (which is encumbered by several patents), you need a non-metallic back for good RF performance. In addition to looks/feel, glass is vastly superior to plastic for it's thermal properties. It conducts heat 5 - 10 times better than most structural plastics. In a design as compact as the Z3C that is actually a significant technical advantage. That also means that users will notice short duration heat spikes (typically due to the radios having to drive RF power way up to cut through temporary interference) much more than with a plastic housed phone.
The reports of rear glass breakage do appear to be statistically significant, even after you factor in the self-selecting aspect of the survey. But this seems more like an issue with material or production quality, or perhaps insufficient design margin for CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) mismatches. My Nexus 4 with a glass back has survived two years of use and a half dozen drops with nothing more than the standard Google bumper for protection. So glass can be used effectively. It will be interesting to see if later production Z3Cs (Sony US is expected to start shipping phones next week) fare better than early production.
kopsis said:
Sony puts an Apple-esqe priority on industrial design, so one shouldn't be surprised to see them trading ruggedness for aesthetics. Without moving the antennas to the phone body (which is encumbered by several patents), you need a non-metallic back for good RF performance. In addition to looks/feel, glass is vastly superior to plastic for it's thermal properties. It conducts heat 5 - 10 times better than most structural plastics. In a design as compact as the Z3C that is actually a significant technical advantage. That also means that users will notice short duration heat spikes (typically due to the radios having to drive RF power way up to cut through temporary interference) much more than with a plastic housed phone.
The reports of rear glass breakage do appear to be statistically significant, even after you factor in the self-selecting aspect of the survey. But this seems more like an issue with material or production quality, or perhaps insufficient design margin for CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) mismatches. My Nexus 4 with a glass back has survived two years of use and a half dozen drops with nothing more than the standard Google bumper for protection. So glass can be used effectively. It will be interesting to see if later production Z3Cs (Sony US is expected to start shipping phones next week) fare better than early production.
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Hey @kopsis
thanks for the input mate.
Just for assistance to others, my manufacture was 14w37 (might have mentioned that earlier) but just for reference.
Not sure that early production comment makes me feel better #labrat :crying: Obviously understand what you mean though.
Have to say z3 compact does feel good in the hand. Really like the way Sony have somehow made the edges (not sides) grippy without being sharp. Pretty easy to hold phone and I reckon the size is just right for one-handed use, although I do have to re-grip with hand to reach farthest corner (top left, as I'm right handed) of screen.
Out of curiosity, when you say bumper, is that just side protection or back too?
Cheers,
Gary
gazzawazza said:
the survey responses did surprise me with the number of users NOT reporting problems. I felt that made the survey far more realistic
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That's a flawed argumentum a contrario.
gazzawazza said:
Out of curiosity, when you say bumper, is that just side protection or back too?
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The original N4 bumper was sides only, though the lip extended a millimeter or two beyond the glass in front and back so the glass wouldn't make contact in a low drop to a smooth flat surface. https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_4_Bumper_Black?id=nexus_4_bumper_black&hl=en
It does beg the question, if you're going to sell a phone with glass on both sides, why not have something like this available at launch for the cautious buyers? Even the design purists at Apple made a bumper available upon release of their first front/back glass design (iPhone 4). It doesn't even have to be a great design (leave the aftermarket room to innovate) as long as it gives buyer's a usable option while waiting for something better. Hey, Sony -- PM me if you'd like me to come lead your mobile products division
Iruwen said:
That's a flawed argumentum a contrario.
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is this really relevant?
I simply felt that rather than having a survey chock full of negativity, the fact that we had a strong majority of responses which DIDN'T cite problems was indicative that perhaps the survey was more rounded than one might have anticipated.
I would accept on reflection that we don't know whether the distribution of answers is a true reflection of total owners' experiences. Obviously a bigger sample would make the stats more credible.
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kopsis said:
The original N4 bumper was sides only, though the lip extended a millimeter or two beyond the glass in front and back so the glass wouldn't make contact in a low drop to a smooth flat surface. https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_4_Bumper_Black?id=nexus_4_bumper_black&hl=en
It does beg the question, if you're going to sell a phone with glass on both sides, why not have something like this available at launch for the cautious buyers? Even the design purists at Apple made a bumper available upon release of their first front/back glass design (iPhone 4). It doesn't even have to be a great design (leave the aftermarket room to innovate) as long as it gives buyer's a usable option while waiting for something better. Hey, Sony -- PM me if you'd like me to come lead your mobile products division
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agreed. Btw Mr VP Sony Mobile division, perhaps encourage your designers to NOT use glass too Ty very much
HellzHere said:
I currently have a galaxy S2, I have a case on it pretty much 24/7. I want the Z3 compact as it is the best phone for people who want small phones. I love being able to do everything and reach all parts of my S2 with my hand, I cant do the same with these large 5inch + phones.
Anyway I am hearing reports of cracking on the back,front or even both sides of the phone. Am really scared, because I don't want to just splash out £350 and it breaks after a week. People have been getting cracks while having cases on it even, some people say it cracks while it is in the pocket just randomly.
Basically I really want this phone but I am worried about how easy it is to crack.
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We have same question... and still investigate from many Forum Post... I hope I got better answer to pick this phone or not...
worry not dear friends, apparently the guys at another thread has managed to get the people at evolutive labs to make the rhino shield crash guard bumper for the xperia z3 compact!
evolutive labs did one for iphone previously and it got so many backers/pledgers for it....hopefully we can do the same for this one..so come and join in the fun peeps! they need to get 1400 pre-orders before they can start production of this wonderful thing
(sorry you have to edit the link as i could not post url)
Rhino Shield Crash Guard Bumper for iPhone: https www kickstarter.com/projects/1081571316/rhinosheild-crash-guard-slim-impact-bumper-for-iph
PRE-ORDER HERE:
Rhino Shield Crash Guard Bumper for Z3 Compact: http www evolutivelabs.com/pages/crashguard-sony-z3-compact
Is the Sony Xperia 10 as good-looking as you are (despite your receding hairline, adult-onset acne, and massive weight gain)? Rate this thread to express whether you think the Sony Xperia 10 is attractive. A higher rating indicates that you would even go as far to say that the Sony Xperia 10 is a beautiful phone.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
you like it or hate it. i like it, theres nothing better than a plastic back (i assume its plastic, right?)
no need for ugly cases making my phone even more thick.
i also like the missing chin, the navbar fills this place well. so the look feels symmetrical, sort of.
i found nothing annoying about the design.
this phone needs only a thin screen protector glass, then you good to go.
It has an aluminum back.
It has Corning Gorilla Glass 5, so no need for a screen protector.
Looks great in photos, can't wait to get it in hand.
pcloadletter1 said:
It has an aluminum back.
It has Corning Gorilla Glass 5, so no need for a screen protector.
Looks great in photos, can't wait to get it in hand.
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Back is plastic. But phone looks great.
I have it in hand and cannot tell. I have read different reviews stating it's has a polycarbonate, solid aluminum or a aluminum coated back.
Either way, looking forward to the xperia 1 as I enjoy the form factor than the pixel 3xl.
Back is Polycarbonat. The Part round USB C connector is Aluminium.... I use the device few Weeks now
I really NOT recommend to buy this phone, because it's absolutely useless! After 4 month of continuous use, the phone produces various kinds of bugs. Quite often I unable to receive phone calls because the dual sim handling is poor. I often realise missed calls via operator message. Quite often the camera app unable to save a picture after it's triggered even if the phone is rebooted. "Stamina" battery saver makes more unstable the phone, it turns much less responsive, than "normally". This phone in use only 4 ( FOUR! ) monts, and the battery has to be charged twice a day despite the fact that it's not extremely used.
Even the materials used to build this phone are piece of sh*t, the blue painting has already went from the corners. The camera cover is made of PLASTIC, so it has already scrathed after a week of use.
What is also annoying, that the positions of the volume buttons. With this ratio of screen, it's pretty hard to use the phone with one hand, and it's difficult to push. Really funny that the phone has to be pushed to your face, because the position or poor quality of the ambient sensor lets to operate the touch screen while calling.
Summary, if you don't want to waste money for something that is only good for piss you off, DO NOT BUY THIS PHONE!!!
blackpower91 said:
I really NOT recommend to buy this phone, because it's absolutely useless! After 4 month of continuous use, the phone produces various kinds of bugs. Quite often I unable to receive phone calls because the dual sim handling is poor. I often realise missed calls via operator message. Quite often the camera app unable to save a picture after it's triggered even if the phone is rebooted. "Stamina" battery saver makes more unstable the phone, it turns much less responsive, than "normally". This phone in use only 4 ( FOUR! ) monts, and the battery has to be charged twice a day despite the fact that it's not extremely used.
Even the materials used to build this phone are piece of sh*t, the blue painting has already went from the corners. The camera cover is made of PLASTIC, so it has already scrathed after a week of use.
What is also annoying, that the positions of the volume buttons. With this ratio of screen, it's pretty hard to use the phone with one hand, and it's difficult to push. Really funny that the phone has to be pushed to your face, because the position or poor quality of the ambient sensor lets to operate the touch screen while calling.
Summary, if you don't want to waste money for something that is only good for piss you off, DO NOT BUY THIS PHONE!!!
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Mate, Sony is not for you, change brand. Here all we are Xperia fans
gioyocho said:
Mate, Sony is not for you, change brand. Here all we are Xperia fans
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I used to love the old fashion line (SonyEricsson & early Sony Android devices, expecially Walkman), because there were build & sw quality behind the brand. Quick and useful phones, brilliant design, tons of cool custom made ROM (Cyanogen) in the past. Nowadays it's like sh*t for a lot of money, and there is nothing just a logo.
Don't worry, I've already changed (currently using xiaomi) . In my opinion a basic functionality of a phone is be able to make a call, but Sony could not provide this properly (at least this device). Poor housing, defective camera (even after restart), poor battery lifespan etc. I don't care the brand if a device is durable and suitable for a normal everyday needs.
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Ps: It's made of trash
blackpower91 said:
I used to love the old fashion line (SonyEricsson & early Sony Android devices, expecially Walkman), because there were build & sw quality behind the brand. Quick and useful phones, brilliant design, tons of cool custom made ROM (Cyanogen) in the past. Nowadays it's like sh*t for a lot of money, and there is nothing just a logo.
Don't worry, I've already changed (currently using xiaomi) . In my opinion a basic functionality of a phone is be able to make a call, but Sony could not provide this properly (at least this device). Poor housing, defective camera (even after restart), poor battery lifespan etc. I don't care the brand if a device is durable and suitable for a normal everyday needs.
---------- Post added at 11:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:48 PM ----------
Ps: It's made of trash
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Ericsson is past, Xperia is different state. If you are tasty man, you must love Sony. I bought it about 100$, almost new. In that case, everything is comfortable for me. Build quality i love, daylight cameras, sound, system, click voice, battery life is an average, it is one day, but for me it lasts from morning to evening. 10 Plus has better battery. And screen is not good, that's why you should try flagman model, if you have enough money, It costs much, expensive. What about xiaomi, it is only for less budget users, i don't like. You must not have a phone, which is not for you
Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
Love this folding phone
XDA_RealLifeReview said:
Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
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Click to collapse
Coming from a Note 8, I always felt it was a bit too big in my pocket pants as I usually place it inside my right pants pocket. Samsung was offering a sweet discount on the new Z Flip 5G, so I sprang for it. When folded, it's a bit thick but fits inside my pocket like a champ. The phone itself is very nice looking, I got the Mystic Bronze. It's very striking in appearance, jewel-like. Definitely a fashion statement. I've had strangers ask me what phone it is. They are invariably surprised at the folding aspect of this phone. This is the future, everyone will be sporting a folding phone in a few years. I'm just living in the future today.
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It's a great phone. I don't know why you wouldn't want it. Yes, it's expensive but it's worth every penny. Love this phone.
So, I've had it for a week, coming from a S9+, I love it. As has been mentioned, you can get some significant discounts, I would not have pulled the trigger without them.
I read a lot of reviews and felt pretty informed by the time the phone arrived; however, there are some things that I have learned in the past week.
The Screen - The reviews cover screen quality and I was not disappointed. Two things I did not encounter in any reviews that have been eye opening. First, polarization. When viewing the phone vertically the screen is almost unreadable while wearing polarized glasses. This is annoying, once rotated beyond 45 degrees it is usable and is perfect when viewed horizontally. For me, this is a problem when driving as I use the phone for GPS, not a big deal, but I did have to go find a new phone holder for the car that will support the horizontal mount. Also, this makes quick checks of the phone and prolonged use out in the sun a challenge, either take off the glasses and squint, struggle to see through the polarization, or flip sideways. Second, the screen protector. Many reviews mentioned the screen protector and all seemed to present a reasonable level of durability, although, Samsung seems to expect a replacement during the life of the phone. Unfortunately, within two hours of getting the phone I had inadvertantly gouged the screen protector. I tried to open the phone by sliding my thumb in the middle and flipping up (thumbs up). My thumb nail (just cut the day before, definitely not long) dragged across the screen as the phone opened and left a long dent. It was still there the next day when I put my own screen protector on (yeah, I know, Samsung says don't do that), but now I couldn't show it to you if you asked. Samsung's screen protector may have eventually 'self-healed' but I wasn't waiting around to find out. My recommendation, get a removable but strong screen protector, just be careful when you take it off, don't take off Samsung's. Finally, just to reiterate what was in the reviews, the screen is a fingerprint magnet, your own screen protector will help with that.
App Pairs - Something I used once in a while on my S9+, app pairs are not available on this phone (right now), but the rest of the Edge features are still there. There is now an ability to switch into split screen mode with applications from the edge bar, it is confusing and more difficult to execute. What is worse is that the phone and OS/UI will support them, SmartSwitch copied my existing pairs over, I just can't create new ones. Samsung, give me back my app pairs, please.
That's about it, as I said, it has been great so far, I'll update this is I come across anything else.
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