[Q] newbee looking for android phone - G2 and Desire Z Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

hi all im a new bee to android and i am looking at 2 phones the vibrant and the g2 i do like the vibrant because of the screen you can see it well in the sunlight not sure about the g2 yet has anyone used in bright sunlight? Here is my problem i need animated weather maps for my job i know the vibrant only has 2.1 now is there any walk around to get weather maps to animate on 2.1 or should i look at the g2 please i need some help. your suggestions would greatly help
thanks in advance

AMOLEDs are known for poor readability in bright light. SAMOLED helps, but it's still not as good as a decent LCD AFAIK.
Go with the G2.

I had the phone in direct sunlight yesterday and it was clear to me. Way better than my old hd2.
I miss the big screen.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

Jorsher said:
AMOLEDs are known for poor readability in bright light. SAMOLED helps, but it's still not as good as a decent LCD AFAIK.
Go with the G2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't know what you're talking about. The SAMOLED beats the snot out of most LCDs in direct sun.
But if the guy needs animated maps, G2 is the phone for now.

Jorsher said:
AMOLEDs are known for poor readability in bright light. SAMOLED helps, but it's still not as good as a decent LCD AFAIK.
Go with the G2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't know what you're talking about. The SAMOLED beats the snot out of most LCDs in direct sun.
But if the guy needs animated maps, G2 is the phone for now.

Kubernetes said:
You don't know what you're talking about. The SAMOLED beats the snot out of most LCDs in direct sun.
But if the guy needs animated maps, G2 is the phone for now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whoa now, calm down there buddy.
Maybe you missed the "AFAIK" in the post. Try re-reading before getting sand in your v-giny.
http://www.androidcentral.com/screen-technology-showdown-amoled-vs-lcd-vs-samoled-direct-sunlight
The difference isn't that amazing.

These are the resaons why I choose not to get the Vibrant:
1. The housing of the case is made of cheap, painted plastic. it flakes and chips easily and I was concerned the phone would not last 2 years.
2. The Samsung UI was not user replacable without rooting the phone. I should not have to root my damn phone in order to get the UI expierence that works best for me.
As for the G2, I am on the fence about keeping it or not. Some issues are coming to light that are quickly adding to the "I don't like list". Among these:
1. the Keyboard design maybe less durable that I thought.
2. Battery life is borderline on what I find acceptable. This may be solvable, but I don't know yet.
3. the phone is thicker than I thought I could live with.
4. The volumn control is easily hit while using the keyboard.
5. The screen is harder to see in direct sunlight than the myTouch 3G I have owned for the past year.
6. T-Mobile _may_ have instrumented some hardware to interfere with might right to use the device as I see fit.
7. Though not strictly the phone, I have yet to see > 4Mpbs sustained in the Redmond/Seattle areas.
8. I am having a hard time hearing callers by naturally holding the phone to my ear. I find that I need to move the ear grill around my ear to keep a consistent, understandable volumn.
What I like about the G2:
1. Screen size is perfect and indoors, is really nice.
2. Though a little thick, the width and hight of the phone make it easier to handle than the myTouch 3G.
3. Though I may find issue with the durability, the design for expsoing they keyboard is nice.
4. Android 2.2 is very fast on the hardware and the UI expierence is a joy to use.
5. Andriod 2.2, in general, is much more polished than in 1.6 found on the myTouch 3G.
6. Tethering via USB with PDAnet continues to work well for my limited needs.
7. The camera, for a cell phone camera, takes great pics. I was able to get night pics the myTouch can't take and my Canon SD940 has trouble with without fiddling with it.
8. Email and data access are just simple much easier.
9. The dialapp is much better than Andiord 1.6. No lag and no werid defaults.

thanks for the quick responses if anyone else has anything to say it woud be great

Engadget says "If you're looking for a top-tier Android player with little in the way of compromises, look no further. The G2 has arrived." Don't get me wrong SAMOLED looks brilliant that SLCD isn't too bad. But in the long run, software is what matters and thats why I feel the G2 is > then the Vibrant.

mtl171 said:
But in the long run, software is what matters and thats why I feel the G2 is > then the Vibrant.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ehh, the software is important but so is the hardware to run it. I think the G2 is a very capable phone that's going to last a long while and receive many software updates. I had my G1 since the day it came out until yesterday... mostly due to the big developer base keeping it current with new hacks and features. I hope the G2 gets perma-rooted and goes the same way as the G1. Even if it doesn't, this is an incredibly fast, solid phone - hardware and software-wise. IMO.

Related

Things i hate about the HTC Desire

I really miss a few features on my HTC Hero. Sadly it seems like the Hero was much more userfriendly when it comes to hardware design choices.
1. PenTile Matrix Display freaks me out. I can see the rough edges very easily. Makes my eyes having problems with focusing because the edges seem blurry. I have read a lot about this problem prior to getting an Desire so i shouldn't complain. Still it's much more visible than some people try to make it sound. Especially in white text/ black background.
2. Hardware Buttons: Call Buttons...yeah everybody can see that the Desire doesn't have those, and that's not my main gripe. My MAIN problem is that i can't wake this damn screen with ANY other button than the POWER Button, which happens to be positioned at the most uncomfortable position available. It was so much more user friendly on the Hero where i can wake and unlock the screen by two hardware buttons at the bottom.
3. Android Market is SLOW: Why is the Android market like 500 times slower to start a download than my old hero?
4. trackpad: the trackwheel for the hero was more precise.
5. color saturation. welcome to the candy land! Reds and orange colors burn into your eyes. some people like that.
6. it killed my microsd card...well ok i don't know if this is the desires fault but still: suddenly my sd card was shown as faulty. On the PC is works without any problems, but i had to format it in order to use it with the desire.
Of course there are some good things too, like the speed. The desire is really fast, but not THAT much faster than the Milestone. And the overall built quality is great.
Everything you mention is why I LOVE my Desire - vibrant colours, awesome screen, optical pad instead of ball which only ends up breaking/getting clogged with dust...can't fault it IMO (except the Market, it is a bit slow but meh)
according to your point nr 6. did you always safety remove it after plugging in to the PC ?
well i'm sort of used with the "power button to wake the device" since i had a winmo device before the desire, so i don't really see it as a bad thing
cez10 said:
according to your point nr 6. did you always safety remove it after plugging in to the PC ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'm using windows 7 64bit and never did that, my sd card was show as faulty once so i powered off the phone took out the card, putted in my pc and saw that everything was working fine, putted it again in the phone and never had a problem again.
EddyOS said:
Everything you mention is why I LOVE my Desire - vibrant colours, awesome screen, optical pad instead of ball which only ends up breaking/getting clogged with dust...can't fault it IMO (except the Market, it is a bit slow but meh)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
awesome screen? Have you seen the Motorola Droid live?
About the colors, they are not reproduced correctly as many tests have proven. But i already said that this is also a personal preference.
But the bad resolution quality (comapred to the droid) of the PenTile Matrix display is not a matter of preference, because nobody would prefer the PenTile concept compared to the usual RGB per Pixel approach.
cez10 said:
according to your point nr 6. did you always safety remove it after plugging in to the PC ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no, and actually i believe this was the problem. I only unmounted the sd card using the desire/hero, but never ejected the card on windows prior to that. Just recently i found out that i have to eject the card via windows before unmounting it.
#1
You say I shouldn't complain... then don't I don't have any problems with my eyes.
#2
Why would you need call buttons? My screen turns on as soon as I pull it from my ear (proximity sensor) quite easy to touch the big red bar then isn't it?
#3
My market doesn't appear to be any slower, and download is only improved, I have a 20 mbit connection and with my hero on wifi I would max get 500kb/s
The desire reaches full connection speed @ 1500kb/s so download from market is a lot faster.
#4
More precise but it got dirty very quick, mine even changed color from white to yellowish (maybe I should stop smoking) but not only nicotine sticks to it. Everything sticks to it.
Shahpur.Azizpour said:
awesome screen? Have you seen the Motorola Droid live?
About the colors, they are not reproduced correctly as many tests have proven. But i already said that this is also a personal preference.
But the bad resolution quality (comapred to the droid) of the PenTile Matrix display is not a matter of preference, because nobody would prefer the PenTile concept compared to the usual RGB per Pixel approach.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've not seen the Droid, nor do I want to. Motorola phones are some of the WORST I've ever had the pleasure (or not) to use. I've no issues with the Desire's screen and bar the slight pink issue I can't fault it.
As said, this is all personal opinion but putting a thread about why you hate a device in the forum where people who love it frequent is asking to get flamed!!
EddyOS said:
I've not seen the Droid, nor do I want to. Motorola phones are some of the WORST I've ever had the pleasure (or not) to use. I've no issues with the Desire's screen and bar the slight pink issue I can't fault it.
As said, this is all personal opinion but putting a thread about why you hate a device in the forum where people who love it frequent is asking to get flamed!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He only hates a few parts of it, not the whole thing, what's wrong with that?
I agree on most points, though this is my first android phone. The first thing I noticed when I turned it on was the jagged line thing because of the pentile display, its no way near as nice looking as a display should be with that ppi. It kind of defeats the point of a hi res screen.
But other than that and the fact that sense sucks compared to stock ui, I love this phone
I must either not have this jagged line or not noticed it but I have no idea what you're on about!
EddyOS said:
I must either not have this jagged line or not noticed it but I have no idea what you're on about!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol you will have it as it's impossible to not. Its easiest to notice on the edge of each key on the keyboard. You can quite clearly see the individual pixels, which you shouldn't really see on a high res screen
EddyOS said:
I must either not have this jagged line or not noticed it but I have no idea what you're on about!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
your eyes probably don't notice it, which is actually very good in this case.
Sadly my eagle eyes can see it very clearly. I just have to wait a few year, then i won't see the problems either.
But believe me the Motorola Milestone Display is just better by a huge margin. I had a testdevice for my blog for about 2 months, and the display is fantastic.
samac92 is completely right, when he says that the pentile technology defeats the point of having a (pseudo) WVGA resolution. If you ever have the chance to compare the Motorola droid vs. Desire display, do it. The difference is huge, because the droid has real WVGA resolution as every pixel has RGB color informations, while pentile pixel only have two color informations per pixel.
I've got perfect 20/20 vision, I just probably haven't looked close enough tbh - a slightly jagged keyboard really doesn't bother me. Coming from the HD2 with it's huge (but washed out) screen this is a god send and easily the best phone I've had...and I've had a lot!!
No doubt something else will come out in future but for now I honestly have no issues with the Desire. If I did I'd be rid of it
Plus, the Milestone is a HORRID looking phone...nothing new there, eh Moto??
#1: i was hoping that the pentile problem wasn't as bad. But sadly it is quite bad indeed.
#2 i don't need call buttons at any cost, i need hardware buttons at the bottom of the device (don't care if its a call button or any other button) which can wake up the screen, and put it so sleep mode. I don't want to reach out to the power button every time, as this is not a natural movement when holding the device with one hand.
Also redialing using the "start call" button was very comfortable as you would directly open the dialer app. It's quicker than having to use a shortcut app on the homescreen imho.
#3 not the download itself is slower. but the time that passes until the download starts. There are time where i have to wait for 3-4 minutes until the download starts. Having a good downstream is great, but on my hero i have the app installed before the download starts on the desire on some occasions.
Stafflover said:
#1
You say I shouldn't complain... then don't I don't have any problems with my eyes.
#2
Why would you need call buttons? My screen turns on as soon as I pull it from my ear (proximity sensor) quite easy to touch the big red bar then isn't it?
#3
My market doesn't appear to be any slower, and download is only improved, I have a 20 mbit connection and with my hero on wifi I would max get 500kb/s
The desire reaches full connection speed @ 1500kb/s so download from market is a lot faster.
#4
More precise but it got dirty very quick, mine even changed color from white to yellowish (maybe I should stop smoking) but not only nicotine sticks to it. Everything sticks to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EddyOS said:
I've got perfect 20/20 vision, I just probably haven't looked close enough tbh - a slightly jagged keyboard really doesn't bother me. Coming from the HD2 with it's huge (but washed out) screen this is a god send and easily the best phone I've had...and I've had a lot!!
No doubt something else will come out in future but for now I honestly have no issues with the Desire. If I did I'd be rid of it
Plus, the Milestone is a HORRID looking phone...nothing new there, eh Moto??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you are right, the HD2 was somehow blurry and washed out.
The sad thing is that i don't have to look close to see the rough edges on the desire display. i can see it very easily.
But you really miss out on the milestone display, you don't have to wait for future devices to blow out the desires display out of the water. After seeing that milestone magic, the desire display is just no contest anymore. I would have opted for the milestone, but other than the display the desire just has much better hardware specs like RAM and CPU. i also like sense.
And the milestone doesn't have the new launcher style of the N1 after the 2.1 update, but still the plain old boring android 1.x launcher.
I wouldn't be caught dead with the Milestone - every review I've read has said it's crap and a screen just isn't enough to have a phone I'm afraid...
Desire FTW!!
EddyOS said:
I wouldn't be caught dead with the Milestone - every review I've read has said it's crap and a screen just isn't enough to have a phone I'm afraid...
Desire FTW!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmm very interesting as nearly all known media like engadget and gizmodo as well as all big media in germany really praised this device.
I praised it on my blog review too. And i'm definetly not preferring motorola usually. I'm a HTC fan starting from MDA Compact (HTC Magician) days a decade ago.
The Milestone was the first real killer Android device which sold some impressing numbers. Of course the HTC Hero wasn't bad either, but it didn't have the impact that the droid/milestine had.
Well I've just looked long and hard at the keyboard and I can't see any individual pixels.
But I am 40, so that might be another benefit of getting older.
It was the very first thing I noticed on the Desire, even though it took me a while to find what it was. I don't think good or bad eyesight has anything to do with us noticing or not noticing the PenTile issue. I also see issues on HD tv's and expensive HD Projectors, that no one else sees. And no, my vision is far from perfect. I don't wear glasses, but other than that, my sight is average at the most. So I guess it has to do with how your brain process the visual input. Oh, and I am over 40 too
3. Android Market is SLOW: Why is the Android market like 500 times slower to start a download than my old hero?
Download appbrain from the market then you can use the appbrain.com site for apps then sync to your phone from your pc.
That site is faster to use than the market place

The Biggest Issues and Gripes of the Galaxy Nexus?

Hey folks, I may be swapping my HTC Amaze 4G for a Galaxy Nexus soon, but before I do, I'd like to know the general opinions of the downsides to owning a Galaxy Nexus! I've read about a lot of the weaknesses of the Galaxy Nexus, but until I actually own one, it's pretty hard for me to pinpoint the legitimacy of these points that I see in video reviews and whatnot, so I'd like to ask you guys regarding your first hand experiences with the device. List your complaints about the Galaxy Nexus here, any contribution is appreciated!
What I've come up with so far:
- lack of microSD card
- camera is decent but not as good as it could've been
- although the screen is gorgeous, the pentile display doesn't allow it to be as clear and crisp as it should be
- build quality of the phone leaves much to be desired
I plan on rooting and installing custom ROMs as soon as I bring the device home, so please put that into consideration as well
Thanks in advance!
- lack of microSD card:
this one had me worried too when i first got the nexus but its not that bad you just have to keep and eye on the storage.
- camera is decent but not as good as it could've been:
its still pretty good and plenty good enough for casual pics. This is a phone we;re talking about, any $200 camera will take better pics than most phones maybe with the exception of the nokia 808 but that thing is more camera than phone.
- although the screen is gorgeous, the pentile display doesn't allow it to be as clear and crisp as it should be:
best screen ive used, imo its the best screen on a phone until the gs3 comes out with its rgb 720p super amoled plus screen. There are better screens that are 720p rgb but they are LCD not amoled, depends what you like better both have their advantages.
- build quality of the phone leaves much to be desired:
My major complaint with build quality are the screen inconsistencies. check out this thread for more info. otherwise the phone is solid, i really like the curved design it feels more natural against your face or in your pocket.
if you are getting a straight trade for the amaze than you are getting the better part of the deal.
There is absolutely nothing I can complain about, as I come from a Nexus One. I'm not even entitled to complain.
- pentile... i can see the pixels very easily on my gnex compared to an iphone4... i still prefer AMOLED though
- frontlit CMOS camera
- no cheap pogo-pin charger
everything else about this phone is pretty much perfect
The screen is totally clear as pentile isn't so noticeable at such a high resolution. Not sure where you heard that.
And the build quality is actually superb, super solid and no creaking at all. Its very impressive.
RogerPodacter said:
The screen is totally clear as pentile isn't so noticeable at such a high resolution. Not sure where you heard that.
And the build quality is actually superb, super solid and no creaking at all. Its very impressive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hear a slight creaking from the "lid".
Low ringtone audio
Razer(x) said:
Low ringtone audio
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
volume+ will sort that
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
- lack of microSD card
Not an issue for me
- camera is decent but not as good as it could've been
I really wish the camera was better, this is my biggest gripe.
- although the screen is gorgeous, the pentile display doesn't allow it to be as clear and crisp as it should be
Not an issue, love the screen
- build quality of the phone leaves much to be desired
Not an issue, I like the back-plate, curved design and weight off the phone is spread out so it feels optimum light
I was using AKOP and now stock 4.0.4, I sometimes experience data drops, all of a sudden bars turn gray, I just reboot the phone. I'm sure it'll be fixed at some point.
Overall fantastic phone.
My biggest gripe is that I can't think of a gripe. I like being pensive, angry, bitter, despondent, even aggressively violent, but this phone has turned me into a lovable cute like a puppy type cuddle bug.
mudferret said:
My biggest gripe is that I can't think of a gripe. I like being pensive, angry, bitter, despondent, even aggressively violent, but this phone has turned me into a lovable cute like a puppy type cuddle bug.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This deserves a thank you.
Biggest gripe? Not being able to make a reliable phone call with this device. My device suffers from what's known as the "audio reboot" or "one-way audio" issue. Not every device has this issue so if you buy Nexus, it's a crap shoot. Or, if you enjoy installing custom ROMs you may also not suffer from this issue. And finally, while I haven't found 100% definitive proof of this, it seems that it's only the Verizon/CDMA version that suffers from this... I don't think anyone with the AT&T/GSM version has this problem.
The next update, which was scheduled for "sometime in March" then "early April" - both which came and went and still no update - is supposed to fix this issue. If it does not, I'm going with another device. I need my phone to function as a phone and right now, it does not do that on a reliable basis.
Honestly, other than that one (but very important) issue, the device is flawless.
No SD card is my only gripe but I knew that going in. So I can't complain all that much. Just gotta manage data more often and can't keep backups on phone as aggressively.
bow chicka wow wow.
My complaints are more so concerning the Os as opposed to the phone itself. Sometimes my widgets stop working, Beautiful Home the time stays stuck and I have to reboot. And often times the YouTube widget will not load. I'm using ADW Launcher EX, don't know if that has anything to do with it but it happens. I have screen burn in too. Where the navigation bar is and the virtual buttons on the bottom of the phone. Whenever I watch a full screen video or movie it's noticeable, and it's hard to ignore once you notice it. I wish they would have put in a better GPU and not one that is 2 years old too because the longer I use the phone the more it lags don't know if it's the ram or GPU but it lags from time to time. And the reason Google hasn't fixed whatever needs to be fixed so it can be as smooth as Crapples IOs is beyond me. But it's better than the Nexus One. So I'm good until the Quad Core Nexus is released.
From my Sexii G Nexii 4.0.4
[email protected] said:
My complaints are more so concerning the Os as opposed to the phone itself. Sometimes my widgets stop working, Beautiful Home the time stays stuck and I have to reboot. And often times the YouTube widget will not load. I'm using ADW Launcher EX, don't know if that has anything to do with it but it happens. I have screen burn in too. Where the navigation bar is and the virtual buttons on the bottom of the phone. Whenever I watch a full screen video or movie it's noticeable, and it's hard to ignore once you notice it. I wish they would have put in a better GPU and not one that is 2 years old too because the longer I use the phone the more it lags don't know if it's the ram or GPU but it lags from time to time. And the reason Google hasn't fixed whatever needs to be fixed so it can be as smooth as Crapples IOs is beyond me. But it's better than the Nexus One. So I'm good until the Quad Core Nexus is released.
From my Sexii G Nexii 4.0.4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nova launcher prime.
bow chicka wow wow.
I only wish that there was universal mass storage or sd card support so the thing would work with my car stereo. Going from stereo integration to aux cable was kind of a buzz kill.
And the camera is ok but I wish it were better too.
The phone is so slick you'll likely drop it and the screen may break. Better get a protective case for it. My Diztronic Rev3 case was inexpensive and adds needed grip. Great phone, otherwise IMHO.
I too came from an Amaze 4g...and man do I miss the camera. I was running bulletproof...but still doesn't come close to how smooth the Gnexus is. If you were looking to upgrade, id say go for it...but if your coming from a sense device, you might wanna check out the HTC one s or X.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
babymatteo said:
I too came from an Amaze 4g...and man do I miss the camera. I was running bulletproof...but still doesn't come close to how smooth the Gnexus is. If you were looking to upgrade, id say go for it...but if your coming from a sense device, you might wanna check out the HTC one s or X.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought I saw your name around the Amaze 4G forums before
I'm sure I'll miss the camera too, but it's a tradeoff I'm willing to make for an overall better phone, plus I never really liked Sense anyway since it has way too much overhead on the OS
Thanks so much for input people, much appreciated!
One thing I forgot to mention was the screen burn-ins, I've heard that they get pretty noticeable after 6 months or so... can anyone provide some insight on this and if there's a possible solution/prevention?
what i hate is the sound whenever i set it on a table or something...it rattles (i know its the autofocus on the camera...its waaaaaay to loose on this phone)

[Sprint] - Time for upgrade. GSIII a worthy upgrade? Or hold off...

I am due for an upgrade, now. I am coming from an OG EVO. I have not been keeping up with phones lately. Obviously this is a GSIII sub forum, so I am expecting biased answers. I asked a few other places as well.
Check out a couple of in depth reviews.
If your going Android. (which i presume is why you asked) you will not find a better device. The only one that comes close would be the HTC ONE X, But no expandable memory, removeable battery, etc.
http://reviews.cnet.com/samsung-galaxy-s3-review/
jhoffy22 said:
I am due for an upgrade, now. I am coming from an OG EVO. I have not been keeping up with phones lately. Obviously this is a GSIII sub forum, so I am expecting biased answers. I asked a few other places as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on your preferences... the two obvious choices would be the GSIII or Evo 4g Lte...
I used the Evo for a few days before getting the GSIII and the deciding factor was pretty much the poor multi tasking and the lack of a removable battery on the Evo. It does boast a superior display imo and a slightly better camera. I find I'm getting the same battery life on my GSIII probably a little more. I would suggest going to a store and use both for a few minutes, you should be somewhat familiar with HTC sense but Touchwiz isn't that horrible.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
Iphony89 said:
Depends on your preferences... the two obvious choices would be the GSIII or Evo 4g Lte...
I used the Evo for a few days before getting the GSIII and the deciding factor was pretty much the poor multi tasking and the lack of a removable battery on the Evo. It does boast a superior display imo and a slightly better camera. I find I'm getting the same battery life on my GSIII probably a little more. I would suggest going to a store and use both for a few minutes, you should be somewhat familiar with HTC sense but Touchwiz isn't that horrible.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought the Galaxy line was notorious for having AWESOME screens. You're telling me that the EVO LTE's LCD2 is actually slightly better?
How do these screens compare to the Iphone 4s?
I don't own a GSIII..I'm really just here to see how LTE is looking for GSIII users in Dallas. I own a EVO LTE and here's what I got for ya
iphony is right . Multitasking is a little off...meaning, you go from the browser to the music app and the music app reloads. Go back to the browser and the browser reloads. Kinda annoying. The update for the phone kinda fixed it but not really.
Dev scene isn't as great so you're really gonna have to be satisfied for how the phone is right off the ****. The devs have managed to fix the multitasking issue but I don't know to what extent. I'm still on stock and I'm happy with it.
The screen is pretty damn sweet. I came from an iPhone 4S and I haven't really noticed a difference. Still seems like a retina display to me, just a bigger screen.
The big plus for me is the beats audio EQ...because that EQ plus switching the beats audio mode to urBeats puts the audio quality on par with the iPhone. Audio sounds real good.
Other than those things...you'll probably get the same experience. It all comes down to the little things the phones do that you like- so you're really just gonna have to play with both them.
---------- Post added at 01:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:45 PM ----------
jhoffy22 said:
I thought the Galaxy line was notorious for having AWESOME screens. You're telling me that the EVO LTE's LCD2 is actually slightly better?
How do these screens compare to the Iphone 4s?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I saw you posted this a minute or so before mine so I'll just repeat what I wrote..
going from the 4s to the EVO...it felt exactly the same. It seems just like the retina display..the only difference I can see with my eye is screen size. So it's pretty much a bigger iPhone 4s screen. It's gorgeous. Unfortunately I have my phone in an otterbox so the quality is degraded
And another thing about the screens...
The 4s, idk what it uses for its screen, but you don't need a screen protector. There is 0 smudging...it's like it cleans itself or something. The EVO 4G LTE is not like that. idk about the GSIII...I've yet to get my hands on one.
jhoffy22 said:
I thought the Galaxy line was notorious for having AWESOME screens. You're telling me that the EVO LTE's LCD2 is actually slightly better?
How do these screens compare to the Iphone 4s?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screens are both great, the screen on the evo just stands out more to me, while the GSIII has a more natural looking colors. That being said I went with the GSIII because it's a better overall phone and I tend to prefer Samsung phones, but a few things on the Evo did make it a hard decision.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
jhoffy22 said:
I thought the Galaxy line was notorious for having AWESOME screens. You're telling me that the EVO LTE's LCD2 is actually slightly better?
How do these screens compare to the Iphone 4s?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The S III uses a pentile display, meaning images aren't as sharp as the Evo's and you'll see some pixelation or the "pentile effect" if you have good eyes. The E4GLE's display has warmer and more "realistic" colors than the S III's "saturated" and cooler colors. It's also a little sharper and you can't see the pixels, or at least I couldn't. I also found that the S III's screen was a lot dimmer in sunlight than the Evo's.
That said, I still stuck with my S III because of the massive development that will happen in the coming months.
As for the iPhone comparison you would have to get that from someone else, not my cup of tea.:beer:
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
The EVO LTE screen is sharper but the GS3 has all the benefits of amoled displays (darker blacks, beautiful colors). The EVO LTE is also going to be hard to put custom software (roms) on because it's bootloader is locked and any exploits are patched.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
jhoffy22 said:
I thought the Galaxy line was notorious for having AWESOME screens. You're telling me that the EVO LTE's LCD2 is actually slightly better?
How do these screens compare to the Iphone 4s?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Love my gs3...but screens...lmao...
LCD kicks any version of amoleds ass all day long.
You can make the "oooh but the blacks are so much better ...." well that's great but everything else is garbage.
Don't get me wrong performance wise the gs3 is full of win, and fanboys will start whining how they like the galaxy screens, but there's not even a fair comparison as the lcd2 is far superior to any Samsung screen.
The fact of the matter is the htc rezound STILL has the best screen of any of any phone on the market. Slcd2 screen of the 1x comes close.
Sammy is so far behind in screen technology its ... strange.
BUT I will say the gs3 is a different and refined version of the samoled screens and its tolerable.
People who say the gs3 screen is better don't have a clue, and obviously its merely a personal preference, and not based on facts.
S-amoled(yes even pluss) is VERY saturated, whites are just omg horrible.
Also this gives the false pretense of how your images are from the camera.( which btw is neck and neck with one x)
BUT the pros out weigh the cons and the gs3 IMO is the best phone on the market.
If htc ups the aentie , which it appears they might I will probably go back.
But .... its iffy.
No removable battery
No removable storage...
Deal breaker for me
I really like having tons of development, and everyone here is pretty cool. Although I'm sure ill be called a troll for my truth about the screen FACTS. RRAAWWWRRRR!!!!
:cyclops:
Get the gs3!
Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2
Much to the dismay of the salesperson I spent literally two hours playing with the Evo 4G and the SGS3 side-by-side at the local Sprint store a week or so ago, and this after reading every review and comparison I could find. Choosing between the two was VERY tough IMO. I ultimately went with the SGS3 and couldn't be happier.
Re; the screen being better on one versus the other... I think it largely comes down to your eyes. I've personally always loved the AMOLED screens, exaggerated colors and all, but my eyes aren't what they used to be so for me that brightness and saturation is actually a big plus. When I compared the two phones side-by-side I frankly couldn't tell the difference for the most part. It seemed like in some apps one would be a little better, and in some it was the other way around. Also, the whole pentile thing with the SGS3- again, my eyes being what they are, I can't resolve the pixels at all anymore no matter how much I squint, so for me that's a complete non-factor.
In terms of performance, all I know for sure is that the SGS3 is without question the smoothest experience I've ever had on any Android phone. The HTC seemed perfectly comparable though. I've seen various benchmarks that put one on top of the other (and then other benchmarks that reverse things) so, to me, you're probably talking about a relative wash here.
Build quality and feel.. .this one is weird because I've seen a few people saying the SGS3 feels cheap and not made well and that doesn't match my opinion at all. Yes, the chassis is plastic, but it feels like quality to me. There's definitely no bowing or creaking or any of that stuff. It feels solid and well-made to me for sure. Oh, and FYI, mine has been dropped from roughly 4 feet on a kitchen floor already with no ill effect, and no case or anything, so at least to a fist approximation it's sturdy (hopefully I don't test it any more than that! LOL) The HTC also feels like a quality device. Again, to my sense I'd call it a wash. The SGS3 I believe is a little thinner and lighter, which I sometimes find myself wishing it weren't, but most of the time not. The HTC does have that little kickstand, which is a nice plus, but come on, I don't know too many people that would consider that a deciding factor either way.
I like having the replaceable batter for sure, that's always a nice thing. Historically I've used extended batteries in my phone so a replaceable battery is required, but I'll tell you, my SGS3 has so far given me stellar battery life and it doesn't seem necessary. Still, nice to have the option. Similarly, being able to swap in a bigger SD card is nice too (although I have everything I can imagine ever wanting on my phone and it's only half-filling my 32Gb card so I'm probably done there... if the 32Gb model had been available at the time I would have gotten that and just not used a card frankly).
Samsung has also, in my opinion, done a good job augmenting Android without wrecking it. TouchWiz isn't terrible, but I don't run it myself... but aside from the launcher, some of the added features they've given us are nice. Sure, some are a bit gimmicky, and some aren't winners, but there's more good than bad, and they've done it without diverging immensely from stock Android. I say kudos for Samsung this time around, I think they nailed it and haven't gone too far either way. Some will still prefer a stock ICS experience of course, and I hear ya on that, I was running Cyanogen on my Epic before I got my SGS3, but in this case I don't at all mind and in fact LIKE the changes.
One other consideration is that historically Samsung has been pretty slow getting Android updates out to us (partly them, partly carriers fault). We don't know if that will be the case this time around, although I think it's worth noting that we've had already two OTA updates on Sprint so far I believe. Yes, minor updates, but still, that's in only a few weeks' time. I think this bodes well that Samsung may be set to do a much better job getting us our updates faster than in the past. Remember, they managed a nearly simultaneous multi-carrier release for the first time and have a top seller on their hands, I suspect they may not want to ruin that momentum getting us Jelly Bean at a minimum sooner than later. HTC, on the other hand, has historically been good with updates, better than Samsung certainly, so that's something to consider.
I think the bottom line, what I concluded in the store that day anyway, was that I was probably going to be very happy no matter which I chose. They're both great devices. Is the SGS3 worthy? Abso-fraggin'-lutely! Is there a better choice? Possibly, but it's a tough, tough call IMO.
fzammetti said:
Much to the dismay of the salesperson I spent literally two hours playing with the Evo 4G and the SGS3 side-by-side at the local Sprint store a week or so ago, and this after reading every review and comparison I could find. Choosing between the two was VERY tough IMO. I ultimately went with the SGS3 and couldn't be happier.
Re; the screen being better on one versus the other... I think it largely comes down to your eyes. I've personally always loved the AMOLED screens, exaggerated colors and all, but my eyes aren't what they used to be so for me that brightness and saturation is actually a big plus. When I compared the two phones side-by-side I frankly couldn't tell the difference for the most part. It seemed like in some apps one would be a little better, and in some it was the other way around. Also, the whole pentile thing with the SGS3- again, my eyes being what they are, I can't resolve the pixels at all anymore no matter how much I squint, so for me that's a complete non-factor.
In terms of performance, all I know for sure is that the SGS3 is without question the smoothest experience I've ever had on any Android phone. The HTC seemed perfectly comparable though. I've seen various benchmarks that put one on top of the other (and then other benchmarks that reverse things) so, to me, you're probably talking about a relative wash here.
Build quality and feel.. .this one is weird because I've seen a few people saying the SGS3 feels cheap and not made well and that doesn't match my opinion at all. Yes, the chassis is plastic, but it feels like quality to me. There's definitely no bowing or creaking or any of that stuff. It feels solid and well-made to me for sure. Oh, and FYI, mine has been dropped from roughly 4 feet on a kitchen floor already with no ill effect, and no case or anything, so at least to a fist approximation it's sturdy (hopefully I don't test it any more than that! LOL) The HTC also feels like a quality device. Again, to my sense I'd call it a wash. The SGS3 I believe is a little thinner and lighter, which I sometimes find myself wishing it weren't, but most of the time not. The HTC does have that little kickstand, which is a nice plus, but come on, I don't know too many people that would consider that a deciding factor either way.
I like having the replaceable batter for sure, that's always a nice thing. Historically I've used extended batteries in my phone so a replaceable battery is required, but I'll tell you, my SGS3 has so far given me stellar battery life and it doesn't seem necessary. Still, nice to have the option. Similarly, being able to swap in a bigger SD card is nice too (although I have everything I can imagine ever wanting on my phone and it's only half-filling my 32Gb card so I'm probably done there... if the 32Gb model had been available at the time I would have gotten that and just not used a card frankly).
Samsung has also, in my opinion, done a good job augmenting Android without wrecking it. TouchWiz isn't terrible, but I don't run it myself... but aside from the launcher, some of the added features they've given us are nice. Sure, some are a bit gimmicky, and some aren't winners, but there's more good than bad, and they've done it without diverging immensely from stock Android. I say kudos for Samsung this time around, I think they nailed it and haven't gone too far either way. Some will still prefer a stock ICS experience of course, and I hear ya on that, I was running Cyanogen on my Epic before I got my SGS3, but in this case I don't at all mind and in fact LIKE the changes.
One other consideration is that historically Samsung has been pretty slow getting Android updates out to us (partly them, partly carriers fault). We don't know if that will be the case this time around, although I think it's worth noting that we've had already two OTA updates on Sprint so far I believe. Yes, minor updates, but still, that's in only a few weeks' time. I think this bodes well that Samsung may be set to do a much better job getting us our updates faster than in the past. Remember, they managed a nearly simultaneous multi-carrier release for the first time and have a top seller on their hands, I suspect they may not want to ruin that momentum getting us Jelly Bean at a minimum sooner than later. HTC, on the other hand, has historically been good with updates, better than Samsung certainly, so that's something to consider.
I think the bottom line, what I concluded in the store that day anyway, was that I was probably going to be very happy no matter which I chose. They're both great devices. Is the SGS3 worthy? Abso-fraggin'-lutely! Is there a better choice? Possibly, but it's a tough, tough call IMO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung will still be slow with updates. They always be. This isn't their first flagship. There is a pattern. Their is history.
Sent from my SGS3!
I've had this phone for about a week now and I absolutely LOVE it. It's been an awesome device so far.
ubigred said:
Samsung will still be slow with updates. They always be. This isn't their first flagship. There is a pattern. Their is history.
Sent from my SGS3!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But this is their first flagship that has the same hardware and build across all US carriers. And they also threw in 2GB to "future proof" it for Jelly Bean, so Samsung is definitely getting serious.
El Nivek said:
But this is their first flagship that has the same hardware and build across all US carriers. And they also threw in 2GB to "future proof" it for Jelly Bean, so Samsung is definitely getting serious.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well said.
This is the best android device available currently. No question.
jhoffy22 said:
I thought the Galaxy line was notorious for having AWESOME screens. You're telling me that the EVO LTE's LCD2 is actually slightly better?
How do these screens compare to the Iphone 4s?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Amoled of this phone is a step back from the Super Amoled Plus which I believe was a choice by Samsung made for ease of manufacture. I read something along those lines. Plus, on the home screen espescially, the screen if dimmer than what Galaxy line users are used to. The European version already got an update to address this issue, who knows when it will arrive over here. The dimness issue is fine for browsers and other applications that you are able to set individually. Of course I can't find it now, but there is a tips and tricks thread that lists it. I love this phone but I won't lie, it is fragile. Already dropped mine just 2 1/2 feet and the screen shattered to hell. I was on my way to buy a cover when it happened. Plastic bezel recessed below screen level offering no protection at all unlike my old Vibrant. That phone could take a tumble. Definitely worth to buy, but select you cover in advance!!!
I like my GS3 so far its a smooth phone! But My reception just flat out sux and I live right in the middle of dallas! There is a few bugs like the brightness sliding thing with the pull down and worst of all when im on google and I go to type in a search and the predictive searches show up below, it will let me touch it but it wont load! I HATE THAT!!! It was either this phone now or wait another 6 months! Soooo...
I just wanna know when we step into the present and recieve LTE like we are paying for!
freakboy13 said:
LCD kicks any version of amoleds ass all day long.
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You know what they say about opinions....
ydoucare said:
You know what they say about opinions....
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Click to collapse
I shall attempt to be polite.. but it's not an opinion, regarding brightness. It is objective. Yes you may prefer an AMOLED Screen. But the fact is, it's much, much dimmer. Compare EVO or HOX by S III Screen. S III is half as bright. Then of course PenTile on S III is blurry. And Black crush was visible to me in 5 seconds...all details of gray are lost. THen there are the tints, ink marks, etc. But again the worst thing is how DIM it is. S III is half as bright as a droid. Pathetic!
I am going to use my S III for 14 days. I don't think I will be keeping it though. For me anyway, AMOLED is just crap. And the bright colors? I'm sure they could do that with a filter on LCD too. It's a gimmick. Oh gee, Sammy cranked saturation. They mucked with the color table. Gee how clever Samsung. Anyone could do that. It causes Black Crush and colors are simply not accurate.
Not impressed. At all. S III Screen:: SUCKS.
So return it then, nobody is gonna line up behind you and do the same.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app

Got my ZL today...

...and will send it back tomorrow.
It's a pity, the display is even worse than my 2 year old LG optimus speed, and I'm not talking about the viewing angles. Colours are washed out far more as expected, the icons look terrible compared to my old phone. I tried to calibrate the display as mentioned somwhere here, didn't get better.
Besides the display the vibration sucks. I like typing text with a little vibration, but ZL is far too loud. I cant't feel vibration, I just hear it.
I wanted a new phone to make a step forward, but not in this direction...
Damn,I'm really disappointed, I thought this is THE phone for me...
So goodbye sony community!
sturmtruppler said:
...and will send it back tomorrow.
It's a pity, the display is even worse than my 2 year old LG optimus speed, and I'm not talking about the viewing angles. Colours are washed out far more as expected, the icons look terrible compared to my old phone. I tried to calibrate the display as mentioned somwhere here, didn't get better.
Besides the display the vibration sucks. I like typing text with a little vibration, but ZL is far too loud. I cant't feel vibration, I just hear it.
I wanted a new phone to make a step forward, but not in this direction...
Damn,I'm really disappointed, I thought this is THE phone for me...
So goodbye sony community!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am planning to get the white one, then see your post.I've experienced the same screen color issue with The Xperia T
I think you mean realistic display rather than over saturated crap that's on most phones. I actually find the display
Temperature with the styling quite mature and refreshing.
The vibration needs some tweaking but it's not a deal breaker.
Sent from my C6502 using xda premium
Vibration can be set to low there's an option in the menu, seems like you never liked the zl from the start. Most of things you are complaining can be fixed, well except the viewing angles
sturmtruppler said:
...and will send it back tomorrow.
It's a pity, the display is even worse than my 2 year old LG optimus speed, and I'm not talking about the viewing angles. Colours are washed out far more as expected, the icons look terrible compared to my old phone. I tried to calibrate the display as mentioned somwhere here, didn't get better.
Besides the display the vibration sucks. I like typing text with a little vibration, but ZL is far too loud. I cant't feel vibration, I just hear it.
I wanted a new phone to make a step forward, but not in this direction...
Damn,I'm really disappointed, I thought this is THE phone for me...
So goodbye sony community!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I find it comical that members feel the need to open a new thread only to voice their displeasure. Thanks for your opinion and best of luck with whichever device you obtain next. I wish I had such trivial things to fixate on as vibration sensation.
I had a previous unit where the vibration was loud it made a very cheap sound. I eventually replaced the unit due to a bad camera everything was noisy. My new unit is much better, the vibration is no longer strange in any way. Maybe some bad units going around.
augie7107 said:
I find it comical that members feel the need to open a new thread only to voice their displeasure. Thanks for your opinion and best of luck with whichever device you obtain next. I wish I had such trivial things to fixate on as vibration sensation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
#firstworldproblems man. (shakes head)
htc fan89 said:
seems like you never liked the zl from the start.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol... yes, that's why i bought it...
Do you mean the colors are washed out head on? If thats the case, then you should try getting a different unit. My screen looks really good. Its only when you tilt it does the screen wash out real quick. It sucks and detracts the quality of the phone, but the pros of the ZL far outweigh something which wont matter to me as i rarely look at the screen from an angle.
As for the vibration, I didn't notice yet before you mentioned it. But yes, it does seem a little weak.
I got my phone like 3 days ago, not having any issues with it. Screen looks great while watching videos or playing games. I don't need that blue tint or any of those oversaturated crap.
rycexboi said:
I got my phone like 3 days ago, not having any issues with it. Screen looks great while watching videos or playing games. I don't need that blue tint or any of those oversaturated crap.
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Click to collapse
Yep, thats why I absolutely detest AMOLED screens! However, no reason Sony couldnt have put in a LCD that looks as good as the One X. The screen on that phone is spectacular
augie7107 said:
I find it comical that members feel the need to open a new thread only to voice their displeasure. Thanks for your opinion and best of luck with whichever device you obtain next. I wish I had such trivial things to fixate on as vibration sensation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1, no need for a new thread.. if it was an in-depth review that's another story...
up to the user
I just read this thread now and I agree good luck to you on whichever phone you like and hopefully it is all you want it to be.
I have now gotten into a seemingly 6 months or less cycle before I decide to try something new...ugh
The only thing I have to say is having an unlocked phone is so much better as you are not tied into the cell providers Android update cycle (if they want it) and their bloatware.
One more thing, having had a note I am not a fan in general of the crazy colore on the AMOLED screens.
As it is it is a feeling - I just love my ZL (and my Nexus 4 is going bye bye - I do have a Nexus 10)
glovesave said:
I just read this thread now and I agree good luck to you on whichever phone you like and hopefully it is all you want it to be.
I have now gotten into a seemingly 6 months or less cycle before I decide to try something new...ugh
The only thing I have to say is having an unlocked phone is so much better as you are not tied into the cell providers Android update cycle (if they want it) and their bloatware.
One more thing, having had a note I am not a fan in general of the crazy colore on the AMOLED screens.
As it is it is a feeling - I just love my ZL (and my Nexus 4 is going bye bye - I do have a Nexus 10)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As compare to Nexus 4,How is looking your Xperia ZL Colors(I'm not asking about viewing angle), is it possible to Put Stock Android in Zl if yes anyone try it,How the experience feel with stock?
hmm
Those over saturated screens make the screen look amazing. Why did you guys choose to get an xperia? I'd rather get the s4 because its easier to root and plus there's always a ton of ROMs for it
I like Sony for their design. If samsung would change the design from plastic to something better then I wouldn't mind buying one from Samsung. The phone feel too light and like holding a toy in your hand...
jhony.liver said:
As compare to Nexus 4,How is looking your Xperia ZL Colors(I'm not asking about viewing angle), is it possible to Put Stock Android in Zl if yes anyone try it,How the experience feel with stock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The colors seem very comparable, neither phone has over-saturated colors. The ZL screen is gorgeous, but if you are looking for a deal, the Nexus is it for 350.
username2k13 said:
Those over saturated screens make the screen look amazing. Why did you guys choose to get an xperia? I'd rather get the s4 because its easier to root and plus there's always a ton of ROMs for it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Screen tech is a matter of personal choice. Those over saturated colors give me a raging headache if i look at the screen for a long time, i.e playing games, watching movies. I dont know how exactly to put this but LCD screens just LOOK more sophisticated and toned down. Uhh, like a printed sheet of paper. Unlike AMOLED which looks like a kindergarten kid went wild with crayons on the screen.
And Samsung phones easier to root? Building ROMS for them are a PITA. Ask every single dev who has completely abandoned Samsung phones. there might be plenty of ROMs sure, but all of them have some or the other problem. Not to mention the fact that Samsung are a bunch of liars.
sturmtruppler said:
...and will send it back tomorrow.
It's a pity, the display is even worse than my 2 year old LG optimus speed, and I'm not talking about the viewing angles. Colours are washed out far more as expected, the icons look terrible compared to my old phone. I tried to calibrate the display as mentioned somwhere here, didn't get better.
Besides the display the vibration sucks. I like typing text with a little vibration, but ZL is far too loud. I cant't feel vibration, I just hear it.
I wanted a new phone to make a step forward, but not in this direction...
Damn,I'm really disappointed, I thought this is THE phone for me...
So goodbye sony community!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why did you order this phone in the first place ??? Dont you think you should read/watch reviews before getting a $600.00 phone ?
anirudh412 said:
Screen tech is a matter of personal choice. Those over saturated colors give me a raging headache if i look at the screen for a long time, i.e playing games, watching movies. I dont know how exactly to put this but LCD screens just LOOK more sophisticated and toned down. Uhh, like a printed sheet of paper. Unlike AMOLED which looks like a kindergarten kid went wild with crayons on the screen.
And Samsung phones easier to root? Building ROMS for them are a PITA. Ask every single dev who has completely abandoned Samsung phones. there might be plenty of ROMs sure, but all of them have some or the other problem. Not to mention the fact that Samsung are a bunch of liars.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completely agree, here. I came to the ZL from nothing but Samsung phones (Captivate, Galaxy Nexus, SGS3), and I much prefer the ZL's screen to any Samsung phone screen. For one, I can never read Sammy screens when outdoors on a cloudless sunny day, even with the brightness at maximum. I have had no issues reading the ZL screen in the same conditions, which I'll take over better viewing angles and oversaturated colors any day. As for comparing to LG screens, well, if I'm not mistaken, LG also makes amoled screens, so I wouldn't expect much different than Sammy screens there -- last I checked, the two were suing each other over the technology. The ZL compared to the N4 -- I must say, I finally saw an N4 in person this past weekend, and the screen on it is quite beautiful. I still like my ZL, though, and the lack of LTE radios in the N4 makes it a non-issue for me, no matter how pretty the phone might be (and I'm not keen on a glass back anyways).
I do agree that it would have been great had Sony used something as nice as the LCD in the One X, though. That screen was amazing looking (I had the pleasure of seeing one in person when my brother had a One X for awhile).
Good luck to the OP in finding a device that meets those expectations -- the ZL is the first AT&T LTE capable unlocked phone to hit the USA, and that's a big part of why it intrigued me, too. I suspect it'll be awhile before there's another device like that ...

First Impressions, and initial Issues?

Hardware is beautiful and working great thus far, coming from a blackberry z10.
issues:
- noticed the best buy demo units are slightly snappier and quicker vs the verizon one that was released
- spigen cases i tried covered up thr mic holes at bottom by charger so need to change cases now (reported in another thread)
- i config'd my 5 non-gmail email accounts (hotmail, outlook, yahoo, etc) and noticed my battery was draining like crazy, 50% gone in like an hour, phone was super hot, and then i realized ghe inbox for all accounts was not syncing and phone keeps retrying constantly. after thorough testing, the issue was that if "group by email conversations" was setup for each account under account advanced settings, once i disabled this for all my accounts, the device was flying, no hot phone, and battery was great
1. I am surprised Wiz is not the usual mess and I am not compelled to go to Nova yet.
2. Radio reception for data is the same as the S3 and S4. Same high battery drain and hottish device in weak signal areas. Good though in medium or better signal areas.
3. Display is great, but still would rather have a great 1080p for battery more battery life.
4. Audio output is low from the audio jack, but Poweramp's gain increase fixes this.
5. Sound quality from the audio jack is good.
6. The speaker is okay, but could be better.
7. Charge time with included charger is fast.
8. Performance is as great.
I would like to agree with everything above and add:
1. Switched to Nova Launcher and is a bit snappier.
2. Not sure how much faster this phone is compared to my LG G3 real world.
3. I must say the N4 stock UI is faster than the LG G3 stock UI.
4. Samsung should really take a page from HTC One M8 or the LG G3 for audio sound quality and output. Both of those phones smoke my N4 especially in volume loudness.
Using Neutron Player and Westover W40s with all lossless recordings. Definitely need to crank up the preamp a bit.
5. Feature set is Awesome so far.
Arie McD said:
I would like to agree with everything above and add:
1. Switched to Nova Launcher and is a bit snappier.
2. Not sure how much faster this phone is compared to my LG G3 real world.
3. I must say the N4 stock UI is faster than the LG G3 stock UI.
4. Samsung should really take a page from HTC One M8 or the LG G3 for audio sound quality and output. Both of those phones smoke my N4 especially in volume loudness.
Using Neutron Player and Westover W40s with all lossless recordings. Definitely need to crank up the preamp a bit.
5. Feature set is Awesome so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agree note 4 stock ui smokes g3 stock ui
Everything is a positive for me but recent app button (wish it was menu on one tap and recent button was long press on home button hopefully root will fix) and screen wake for text msgs besides that its perfect
any bluetooth issues? Or is it just my accessories (jawbone speaker, car stero)--doesn't even see device
Yes I put it in discover mode while scanning
minor issues
I'm finding that the audio jack is really finnicky with different types of headphones. Some don't work at all. I've seen in the store some are compatible with Apple or Android, is there a way to tell the difference by looking at the plug?
Also I agree that this phone looks incredible, however when looking at the black version, if you look inside the USB port it does appear to still be plastic with some sort of metal coating. This is also evident if you remove the s pen and look at the back case. It is a whitish gray color. The antenna lines through the sides of the case are also white where the bevel is on the front and back. It doesnt bother me at all, just something that I noticed.
One last thing is that on certain videos on YouTube I don't have the option for 1440p. I know on my tab s I had to go back to an earlier version of youtube to get this. Does anyone else have this option for videos on YouTube that are 1440p on their computers or tablets?
Are any of you getting extreme lag with Facebook and instagram?
Cons:
1. The stock launcher is slow. Nova is tons better.
2. Had to turn off all those animations within the developer menu. Device is much speedier now.
3. Glass protectors shows this halo effect because of the 2.5 glass. Wish they just left the screen completely flat.
4. Fingerprint scanner works great with my index fingers but not my thumbs. But once lollipop hits I won't be using the fingerprint scanner for unlocking purposes. A Bluetooth or NFC device will work nicely.
5. Root on the Verizon model may come to Kitkat but it might be near impossible on Lollipop.
6. And where the heck is Gear VR?
Pros:
1. The display quality is better vs Note 3
2. Touchwiz actually looks nice when it comes to the settings menu.
3. The IR blaster strength is so much better vs the Note 3. I don't have to point straight at my devices.
4. The build is a clear step up. Feels super solid.
5. Best camera I've used in a smartphone.
6. Gear VR is the primary reason for upgrading to the Note 4.
The 3 apps I recommend for this phone is:
AcDisplay = Moto X like notifications
Gravity Screen = Turn phone on and off without the power key. Wave hands over the proximity sensor to see AcDisplay and place phone face down to turn off.
Smart Remote = Unleash the true potential of the IR blaster.
Yes I get the the lag on Facebook as well
arkgrotto811 said:
Are any of you getting extreme lag with Facebook and instagram?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no phones flies on everything.
new issue. bezels are chipping and scratched already. going to go in and get new note or ask for refund
oneandroidnut said:
no phones flies on everything.
new issue. bezels are chipping and scratched already. going to go in and get new note or ask for refund
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. Mine came with scratches on the bezel right out of the box. Might just be exchanging for the turbo or getting a new note 4. Still in my 14 day return period! ?
asides from technical issues, physical issues included from other posts
- not that many cases have the proper mic holes for VZW N4
- most glass screen protectors are causing halo effects, manufacturers still working on them
Chuckleb0ne said:
Same here. Mine came with scratches on the bezel right out of the box. Might just be exchanging for the turbo or getting a new note 4. Still in my 14 day return period! ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
seriously!? glad im not the only one. i am returning for the refund (minus $35 restock fee) and probably going to buy dev ed note but we will see. going to go in tomorrow or this weekend when turbo is out. i have until nov 5th
oneandroidnut said:
seriously!? glad im not the only one. i am returning for the refund (minus $35 restock fee) and probably going to buy dev ed note but we will see. going to go in tomorrow or this weekend when turbo is out. i have until nov 5th
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, I watched the Verizon employee take it out of the box and immediately hand it right to me. The first thing I noticed was the scratch on the top lol. It really disappointed me. Anyways I hope the turbo is in the stores tomorrow so I can make a quick exchange. Does it take a couple days to do a even exchange? I bought my phone from a Verizon retail store.
Chuckleb0ne said:
Yea, I watched the Verizon employee take it out of the box and immediately hand it right to me. The first thing I noticed was the scratch on the top lol. It really disappointed me. Anyways I hope the turbo is in the stores tomorrow so I can make a quick exchange. Does it take a couple days to do a even exchange? I bought my phone from a Verizon retail store.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow i dont know how mine got it. it came off all in my case and it is a mess. and i am just returning for refund. i havent even opened factory battery yet lol and they should exchange in store no problem
oneandroidnut said:
wow i dont know how mine got it. it came off all in my case and it is a mess. and i am just returning for refund. i havent even opened factory battery yet lol and they should exchange in store no problem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea they have to accept it if it doesn't show screen damage and really bad damage.
Chuckleb0ne said:
Yea they have to accept it if it doesn't show screen damage and really bad damage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yup im just going to go in and not say a word about anything just say i want to return too many good phones right now i dont know what to get and check out turbo while i am there lol
My wife and I both got new note 4s this weekend. I wanted to wait for a black one (BB only had white), but yesterday was the last day to get the $200 trade in on my ancient Evo. Overall, it's been a good experience. I noticed that I have a bit of a gap on the right side of my white note 4, but it is less of a gap than I had on my old GS3. I got a case that covers the gap, anyway.
Things I love:
1. The spen is very cool. There's so much that I can do with it, and am still figuring it all out.
2. I've never had a phone that had such good radios. Places that I normally struggle with 3g get me a couple of bars of 4g. My GS3 was terrible with the radios. Really, just terrible. I'm not sure if there is another current phone that has radios this good.
3. The screen really is a thing of beauty. Pictures are sharp, and colors are bright and vibrant.
4. The build quality is solid. The phone feels great. The buttons all have solid click feedback. Serious thought went in to the aesthetics of this phone. I've never had a complaint about that on any Samsung phone that I've had or used.
Issues that I'm having:
1. The wifi is terrible. I have a Netgear Nighthawk router. I've played with the settings a bit, and nothing that I've done has made a difference. None of my other electronic devices are having a problem. Well, except for my wife's note 4.
2. There is an ever so slight greenish tint at the very bottom of the screen that's only visible on white screens. Sometimes I am not even sure if I'm seeing it. My wife does not see it at all. I do tend to be picky about screens, and will willingly return an electronic device because of screen issues. It's most noticeable on lower brightness, and not noticeable on full brightness.
3. The viewing angles on this aren't that great. Mine is actually better than my wife's. If I tilt her phone even a bit, it starts to look greenish. Mine will do it as well, but it takes a more extreme angle.
4. The colors ARE amazing, except for white. White isn't really well represented on either of our phones, unless the brightness is cranked up.
5. Chalk this one up to personal preference. The phone is huge! The GS3 is so much smaller than this. I've read a lot of comments that say that you just need to give it a bit of time to get used to the size. I've only had it for a day, so it remains to be seen if I will adapt.
These seem like a lot of complaints, but really, they're minor. For the most part, this is a solid phone with a TON of cool features. I've been looking at all of the phones for quite a while, and there simply isn't another phone with this array of neat stuff.
The thing is, I feel like there really aren't any phones out there that as good as this one. Looked at the iPhone like I do every time my contract is up, and there's really nothing new there. I really have to laugh at NFC that can only be used for Apple Pay. The droid turbo seems ok, but looks a bit dated. And it's sort of a fat phone, though it's much more pocketable than the Note. I also spent some time looking at the G3, and just didn't like it. I'm not even sure why. Maybe it was the skin.
I am not sure what I'll end up doing with it, because I don't know what I'd get if I did return it. I don't want to exchange this one just for a perceived screen issue that might only exist in my mind and that I probably won't notice two weeks from now. Participating in a screen lottery only leads to madness, and I've been down that path before. My GS3 didn't have the most uniform screen, and I totally forgot about it. Because both of our Note 4s have wifi issues, I'm guessing that it's not hardware related.
I think what it comes down to is, can I adapt to the size?
usmaak said:
My wife and I both got new note 4s this weekend. I wanted to wait for a black one (BB only had white), but yesterday was the last day to get the $200 trade in on my ancient Evo. Overall, it's been a good experience. I noticed that I have a bit of a gap on the right side of my white note 4, but it is less of a gap than I had on my old GS3. I got a case that covers the gap, anyway.
Things I love:
1. The spen is very cool. There's so much that I can do with it, and am still figuring it all out.
2. I've never had a phone that had such good radios. Places that I normally struggle with 3g get me a couple of bars of 4g. My GS3 was terrible with the radios. Really, just terrible. I'm not sure if there is another current phone that has radios this good.
3. The screen really is a thing of beauty. Pictures are sharp, and colors are bright and vibrant.
4. The build quality is solid. The phone feels great. The buttons all have solid click feedback. Serious thought went in to the aesthetics of this phone. I've never had a complaint about that on any Samsung phone that I've had or used.
Issues that I'm having:
1. The wifi is terrible. I have a Netgear Nighthawk router. I've played with the settings a bit, and nothing that I've done has made a difference. None of my other electronic devices are having a problem. Well, except for my wife's note 4.
2. There is an ever so slight greenish tint at the very bottom of the screen that's only visible on white screens. Sometimes I am not even sure if I'm seeing it. My wife does not see it at all. I do tend to be picky about screens, and will willingly return an electronic device because of screen issues. It's most noticeable on lower brightness, and not noticeable on full brightness.
3. The viewing angles on this aren't that great. Mine is actually better than my wife's. If I tilt her phone even a bit, it starts to look greenish. Mine will do it as well, but it takes a more extreme angle.
4. The colors ARE amazing, except for white. White isn't really well represented on either of our phones, unless the brightness is cranked up.
5. Chalk this one up to personal preference. The phone is huge! The GS3 is so much smaller than this. I've read a lot of comments that say that you just need to give it a bit of time to get used to the size. I've only had it for a day, so it remains to be seen if I will adapt.
These seem like a lot of complaints, but really, they're minor. For the most part, this is a solid phone with a TON of cool features. I've been looking at all of the phones for quite a while, and there simply isn't another phone with this array of neat stuff.
The thing is, I feel like there really aren't any phones out there that as good as this one. Looked at the iPhone like I do every time my contract is up, and there's really nothing new there. I really have to laugh at NFC that can only be used for Apple Pay. The droid turbo seems ok, but looks a bit dated. And it's sort of a fat phone, though it's much more pocketable than the Note. I also spent some time looking at the G3, and just didn't like it. I'm not even sure why. Maybe it was the skin.
I am not sure what I'll end up doing with it, because I don't know what I'd get if I did return it. I don't want to exchange this one just for a perceived screen issue that might only exist in my mind and that I probably won't notice two weeks from now. Participating in a screen lottery only leads to madness, and I've been down that path before. My GS3 didn't have the most uniform screen, and I totally forgot about it. Because both of our Note 4s have wifi issues, I'm guessing that it's not hardware related.
I think what it comes down to is, can I adapt to the size?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a note 3, give it a few weeks, and the phone becomes "normal" size. I had issues with size when I first got my note 2.
No voice command to turn off the alarm clock?
I don't know if I just am unable to find it but have you guys figured out if there's a voice command to "STOP" the alarm clock? I loved it back when I was using my Note 2. I am pretty sure that this feature also existed on the Note 3. Did Samsung decide to take this feature out on the Note 4? It may not be a big deal but it still was such a convenient feature.

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