Upgrade from Defy - Defy General

Hi all.
I've had my trusty Defy now for nearly 2 years, and am 4 months shy of my contract end date - but I have no idea what to replace it with.
I'm currently running Epsylon's CM9 ROM, and have always liked the ability to switch ROMs at will, so something with good ROM development is essential.
I love the size of the Defy, something which gave me little choice 2 years ago, and I'm seeing less choice now. Ideally, I'd like a small sized phone rather than a tablet wannabe, but if there isn't anything then I'm open to suggestions.
I mainly use my phone for email, surfing and video playing (YouTube mostly). I'd like something quick, as I'm impatient, but with a good battery life (my Defy's battery started well, but currently only holds charge for a few hours - I'd like a battery that won't give up before my next contract renewal).
Is this the right place to post this? Do ex-Defy owners still visit? I've no idea, but I would appreciate people's opinions.
Thanks.

simon211175 said:
Hi all.
I've had my trusty Defy now for nearly 2 years, and am 4 months shy of my contract end date - but I have no idea what to replace it with.
I'm currently running Epsylon's CM9 ROM, and have always liked the ability to switch ROMs at will, so something with good ROM development is essential.
I love the size of the Defy, something which gave me little choice 2 years ago, and I'm seeing less choice now. Ideally, I'd like a small sized phone rather than a tablet wannabe, but if there isn't anything then I'm open to suggestions.
I mainly use my phone for email, surfing and video playing (YouTube mostly). I'd like something quick, as I'm impatient, but with a good battery life (my Defy's battery started well, but currently only holds charge for a few hours - I'd like a battery that won't give up before my next contract renewal).
Is this the right place to post this? Do ex-Defy owners still visit? I've no idea, but I would appreciate people's opinions.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I just got the Motorola Droid RaZr for a really good price. Motorola is a good brand (except for bootloader crap )
It has lots of dev, and is REALLY thin.
Hope this may help

Thanks for the reply. I quite like the razr, but it just seems like a giant compared to my defy.
Sent from my MB525 using xda app-developers app

Maybe something like the Sony Xperia P or U would be something for you
They arent really big and not very expensive

And in favour for the xperia http://m.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_s_will_get_vanilla_android_as_a_google_experiment_-news-4669.php
Although it has the same screen size as the RAZR. Plus Adam gave a thumps down in his disasambly video for the RAZR. I like the looks of the RAZR more and dislike Sony but still would want it more.

I have a razr xt910 and it's nice, but not much of an upgrade from my defy IMO. Development on Defy is actually superior IMO too. I'm actually thinking about an iphone for my next phone just to play with something different. I'm waiting for Iphone 5, if it has good voice quality microphone i'll probably get one.

just check out xperia acro s ... same as xperia s (roms are compatible) but with sdcard extension and ip57 rating

I'll go for a Galaxy S2 as soon as I'm selling my Defy. A little old but still very supported around here. And giving the prepay prices in Romania is not worth going on contract.

I've searched the internet for about one week (documenting stuff) and after that period I ended up ordering a Xperia Acro S ... black ...
Oh boy oh boy ... I can't wait to arrive
I'll keep my defy as a backup phone.

I'm tempted by the Xperia S. I hate the size, but if I want something that actually upgrades what I already have in my Defy then I'm guessing I have to move with the times. I looked at the Xperia U - it's small, and looks nice, but just doesn't feel like it offers much more. The change from Sony to put the Xperia S on to vanilla Android also seems like a great option.

Have a look on HTC One s , the screen is only a tiny bit bigger, the case itself doesn't impress as it is quite big but it seems a very good phone for the next 2 years
Sent from my MB526 using XDA Premium App

If it wasnt for my Defys IP67 abilities it wouldnt have survived, so my next Android phone will have to be water resitant ( ie can survive being droppped in water ) whats out there.....
not much, there is a Sony ericsson/sony Xperia something or other, but thats not being released in the UK.

Related

wonder why every one loves the defy so much

titles says it all.
you know i picked up my phone because im REAL ROUGH with my phones. (lost 2 to jetskis and 2 to just plan old wear and tear) i loved the idea of a phone that if it was raining i wouldnt have to worry about pulling it out and drowning it or if i banged my leg on something while at work i wouldnt destroy my phone.
Now i NEVER expected to have a phone that would see this much support. i mean motorola just put out the droid x, this phone is a little weird looking (i dont really like the white and black) it has a smaller screen then ur average smart phone and its not the most powerful thing out there.
But have any of u noticed the amount of love us defy owners are getting???? the phone was rooted REAL fast. we had 2.2 by what the 2nd month the phone was out. now we have 2nd init AND cm7 (2.3). i mean the droid x doesnt get anywhere near that much attention from the developers and people where SWEARING it was the big next thing.
honestly im just shocked that my phone is faster smoother and prettier then my friends droid x, then to top it off i can drop it into a puddle pick it up and start searching the web with no problems. its a beautiful beautiful thing
i just want to thank ALL the people that have become as taken with this phone as i have (who knew motorola could do something right) and then taken time out of there lives to make it better.
rugged but sexy, tough but fast and on top of it is android OS. ahh.. just the perfect blend. until motorola defy 2 comes out (which I hope is already planned) am sticking with this as my main phone along with my other devices. I even created a new xda account for the love of motorola defy. ;]
my 2.1 defy feels miles faster than my brothers 2.2 Samsung Galaxy Ace and his Ace keeps locking up for no apparent reason. People moan about the Defy only having an 800MHz processor but it must be implemented really well, his Galaxy ace cannot play snes and megadrive games smoothly where as they are spot on on my defy
its beautiful, fast, very well supported, amazing display, android os, rugged, and its the perfect size. i mean, 4" screen is too big for my hands, but 3.7" is just perfect. and of course, its by far the best phone for this price!
Sent from my MB525 using XDA App
Powerfull, compact, rugged, i like the all display design, superb reception, strong and clean speaker (when not defective) high resolution display, flash support, good graphic card, nice overclock, low price, better developers community ......what else?
Sent from my MB525 using Tapatalk
Defy has the personality/functionality of a water-resistant watch. So, when you come to think about it, that's exactly what a smart phone should be.
You got to touch it to know it...
It's not too big like HTC desire models and it's not too small you unable to type sms.
Features and functionality.. above posts said it all
Many reasons: first of all, the roughness. Then, it is easily customizable (something quite rare in a Motorola phone). Somehow, it was also very well coded, so things run smooth on it, even without overclocking (even though OC lets me play Modern Combat 2 with absolutely no lag). Also, nice display, very decent camera (specially after you enable 720p recording), and, most of all, the excellent cost-benefit. With the data plan I got from my carrier, it only costed me 50% more than a X8 or a Galaxy 5 would cost (149 reais - the currency here in Brazil - against R$99 of the SonyEricsson or the Samsung phones). The only other phone I saw such an active developing community was the HTC Magic (consequently, the HTC Dream, too). But, with the Defy's hardware, developers can do even more.
I bought the phone after 20 days of exclusive research on HTCs, SAMSUNGs, and offcourse MOTOs. considering the price, look, CPU, internal memory, toughness, .... it is by far the best available.
I would not regret buying it.
I wanted a new phone with a keyboard and android, there was nothing i liked out at the time so i got the defy because of the ruggedness. So far it's already saved itself and me from having to buy a replacement due to a large drink spill on a table.
I've also been the cause of a few different HTC's early retirements due to accidental dropping's and submerging them in liquid, so im very pleased with the defy.
Also mhz means nothing when your comparing completely different types of chips. And the 800mhz in the defy is very good.
To add, Defy is amazingly fairly priced. With all the ruggedness, you pretty much pay for 1 (toughphone or Andromobile, choose), get 2 for free.
Oh and we all love MotoBlur
I had to choose from a iPhone 3GS (8gb) SGS 1 and Moto Defy. Of course Defy . It's a well priced smartphone, good looking on black, powerfull and light. I got it for 99 euro's on 2 year 17 euro data plan but the price could have dropped to as much as 50 euro's depending on how much minutes and SMS you wanted.
I hope Motorola unlocks the bootloader in Q4 as i saw people saying here. And in 2012 it gives us the Defy 2 . I can say Motorola is back in business.
For me it does everything i need it to do and more
Deonix said:
I hope Motorola unlocks the bootloader in Q4 as i saw people saying here. And in 2012 it gives us the Defy 2 . I can say Motorola is back in business.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Moto is in business since they released Droid/Milestone. Let's hope that they keep their word regarding the unlocked bootloader. Though I am also looking forward to Defy 2, it also means my Defy will become old when the upgrade comes out
Pros:
+ Compact. 3.7" Screen yet is more compact than the iPhone except in thickness.
+ Rugged. The only Android phone out that is durable.
+ Price.
Cons
- Not the latest Android
- Locked bootloader
- Camera is below average
- Faulty earpiece design (fixed?)
MrBelter said:
my 2.1 defy feels miles faster than my brothers 2.2 Samsung Galaxy Ace and his Ace keeps locking up for no apparent reason. People moan about the Defy only having an 800MHz processor
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Click to collapse
The Defy is technically in the same class as the big phones, Samsung Galaxy S, HTC Desire, iPhone 4 etc, in terms of processing power and screen resolution.
Samsung Galaxy Ace is a mid-range phone similar to LG Optimus One. They are in a different class altogether.
IMVHO Motorola did a technical masterpiece with the Defy. Although the screen is almost as big as the iPhone 4 the area around the screen is minimal. They wasted almost no space.
Out of curiosity, anyone here considering a move to Casio's G'zOne Commando?
While perhaps more rugged than most smartphones, the Defy is not a rugged device. The Commando on the otherhand, meets several Military 810G rugged compliance specifications.
I am thinking about it and can live with the slightly smaller screen. What I cannot live with is Bing and Verizon bloat, so I am curious to see the community support.
Sent from my MB525
Raccroc said:
Out of curiosity, anyone here considering a move to Casio's G'zOne Commando?
While perhaps more rugged than most smartphones, the Defy is not a rugged device. The Commando on the otherhand, meets several Military 810G rugged compliance specifications.
I am thinking about it and can live with the slightly smaller screen. What I cannot live with is Bing and Verizon bloat, so I am curious to see the community support.
Sent from my MB525
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's an interesting phone :
Pro's :
-Even more rugged than the Defy
-A few more sensors than the Defy (Temperature and so on)
Con's :
-Very ugly phone
-USA Only
Pro & Con (At same time) : Froyo (Yes it comes with Froyo but the Defy can easily have 2.3.4 CM7 ,so still a win )
It is rugged and looks like one,but take in fact the Defy doesnt look at all rugged and it is.
Also you dont know its GPU,or if it has a dedicated one,Defy has a PowerVR 530 for sure.
Basically theire both good,depends on which you want to lean twards,for the most rugged but same time heavy(& ugly)phone,get the Casio,for just a rugged phone,get the Defy....and for a sensible plastic thingy,get anything else lol.
Respect
I like the battery-performance of my Defy. 3 full days including a 6 hour geocaching trail with GPS-connection. That's ok...
skattegat said:
I like the battery-performance of my Defy. 3 full days including a 6 hour geocaching trail with GPS-connection.
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Click to collapse
What the ! which ROM are you using ? and did you clear off some useless apps?

Since you've had the Arc for a while now...are you happy with it or do you regret it?

Now that its been out a bit do you still love the Arc or wish you bought something else?
I am getting my new phone tomorrow finally, going to stomp into Rogers and pick it up cash...but I am still STILL stuck : /
I am trying to decide between the Xperia Arc, Xperia Play, and Nexus S...
So you guys still happy with the Arc? I am leaning towards the Arc the most but don't want another x10 mistake : (
Thanks
Happy, happy, happy.
Don't regret it at all, only thing I find annoying is the massive amount of Bloatware... but that could easily be sorted out if I wasn't just too lazy to work myself through the root thread.
That depends? What kind of phone did you have before? And make sure you update to2.3.3 or you wont be happy
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mikesarc said:
That depends? What kind of phone did you have before? And make sure you update to3.3.3 or you wont be happy
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung Captivate.
Oh I should say that I plan on keeping the device stock.
I have the Arc since the beginning of May and I'm really happy with my Arc.
gunstar3035 said:
Samsung Captivate.
Oh I should say that I plan on keeping the device stock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the Captivate before. Still like it more than the arc. Loved the feel of the device, felt solid (the arc feels cheap at first since it way lighter and the back cover is made of plastic) and of course, the S-AMOLED is beautiful, no matter what some fanboys here have to say.
Still, the arc is a performing device, a sexy one at that and very comfortable to use. The Exmor camera is sick and the screen displays real, beautiful colors.
By the way, Rogers apparently announced they will have the Infuse 4G so you might want to add that device on your list.
Sent from my LT15a using XDA App
Not another thread ...
I'm still happy with my arc. It is still the best branded android phone in the market in my point of view.
Sent from my LT15i
ShyamSasi said:
Not another thread ...
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Click to collapse
Oh I am sorry, you don't like threads on a forum? LMFAO
Anyways other than the asshat I quoted, THANK YOU for all the input and insight guys. I have a day to think about this still but you've helped a lot, so thank you
gunstar3035 said:
Samsung Captivate.
Oh I should say that I plan on keeping the device stock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is fine keep it stock rooting and you may brick your phone! But you should look and make sure that you will be happy look on you tube and see what is out there? If your looking for battery life look into htc sensation or galaxy s 2
Sent from my LT15i using XDA Premium App
I come from an iPhone 2 ( yep the first one ) and LOVE my ARC. I have fun playing with all the apps, moding the themes, it's sexy, looks nioce, works well.
I love the Arc. Haven't regretted it for one second. Still I can't compare to the other devices. For me it's fast, the screen is beautiful. I can't get enough of it.
First few days the battery didn't last long but now I easily get through the day.
Love my Arc. Also before the 2.3.3 update. ;-)
Sent from my LT15i using XDA App
Totally great phone. In almost every aspect.
Seeing as I swapped a samsung galaxy s for my arc I'm very pleased with it ;-)
Sent from my LT15i using XDA App
I'm still very happy with my Arc. Now that we have custom kernels and the work on cm7 really has begun, it gets even better. I admit the battery cover isnt the best out there (very glitchy, fingerprint magnet, sometimes squeaks), but thats about it. It's snappy, it's beauitiful, except the battery cover well made, it has a gorgeous screen...
I'll chip in; very happy with the Arc. In my work I get to play with everything O2 sells and what did it for me with the Arc is the blend of it looking and feeling very smart to use, having a great camera and Sony Ericsson's committment to supporting it and keeping it up to date.
Back to back with the Galaxy S II, the Arc is less responsive, but has fewer battery chewing bugs*. Realistically**, the S II's biggest advantage over the Arc isn't the processor or internal RAM, but the onboard storage, meaning users don't need to buy a memory card for 12 Gb or so of space for media.
*in my experience and readers may vary.
**I know, I know, I'm a geek by trade but I'd get bored of justifying the S II by talking about dual core processors and 800+ Mb of program memory...
davidsteele1975 said:
I'll chip in; very happy with the Arc. In my work I get to play with everything O2 sells and what did it for me with the Arc is the blend of it looking and feeling very smart to use, having a great camera and Sony Ericsson's committment to supporting it and keeping it up to date.
Back to back with the Galaxy S II, the Arc is less responsive, but has fewer battery chewing bugs*. Realistically**, the S II's biggest advantage over the Arc isn't the processor or internal RAM, but the onboard storage, meaning users don't need to buy a memory card for 12 Gb or so of space for media.
*in my experience and readers may vary.
**I know, I know, I'm a geek by trade but I'd get bored of justifying the S II by talking about dual core processors and 800+ Mb of program memory...
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Click to collapse
nice commentary.
had the arc sins launch. and i love it.... nuff said
edit
aint the s2 dual core just too 500 cores? it aint 2 1ghz cores is it??
and is there really any point in dual core? are any of the apps even coded to make use of 2 cores?
if i right now had to choose the arc or s2 damn its a hard one..... on paper...... it would have to be the s2............ but there so so close the only way to really pick is to have a proper play around with them.....
there both around the same price 500 pound so go in the shop and tell them you would like to see and have a good play with both phones 500 pound is alot of money for a phone make sure you pick the right one for you
ps..... watch for the back of the s2 ( bat cover its proper crap) its about as thick as a hair
Admitted SE loyalist who was persuaded to stay on board after X10 debacle by SE's new found commitment to upgrade more expeditiously.
Bought Arc at launch in NA and am very happy with the device in all respects.

Note II user trying an Xperia ZL

Just picked up an Xperia Zl (C6506) and using it on Bell Mobility Canada. I currently use a Note II (came from a Note I prior, and an iPhone 4S before that). After just a few hours here are my thoughts (I'll update this later as I get to try battery power and reception a bit more).
I will be using this for a week or two for sure, and I'll either give this to my wife and grab a Galaxy S4, or I will keep this and get an Xperia ZL for the wife too. I'll decide when the S4 comes out, but so far I could happily live with this device.
Obviously, the points below are incomplete. I'll update over the next few weeks:
Screen:
- Nice and sharp. Boy was I more worried than I should have been about the 'terrible' viewing angles. I am picky about the display too, so I was worried I would not like it. Display is fine (yes, colours washed out a bit on an angle but its really not a big deal).
- Screen size is great! If the Note's screen size has you spoiled, the Xperia is a good device to move to if you want a smaller 'pocket' footprint.
Build quality/Size:
- Feels great in the hand. The plastic feels better quality than the Note II or S3s. Does not feel cheap.
- Wife who has iPhone 4S loves it too (she has very small hands, unlike the big ones I have). She says it "does not feel dainty like the iPhone". I asked her if she would be happy with it and she said she will use this no prob, and she hates big phones.
- Feels great in the pocket (but I did not mind the Note II in my jeans so that that into account).
Performance:
- snappy scrolling and app launching. Comparable to the Note II (in my eyes).
- Took my 64GB microSD card no problems. It was formatted by my Note II (not sure of the file format) and the ZL took the card and reads all the data already on it without an issue or need to reformat.
Conclusion (after 3 hours of use):
- Nothing to worry about as far as screen size and screen quality if you are a Note II user.
There's already a thread regarding this in the Q&A section as many of us (ZL owners) have/had note2. I've done my comparison of the two here. Anyway thanks for sharing your views!
Dpk1 said:
There's already a thread regarding this in the Q&A section as many of us (ZL owners) have/had note2. I've done my comparison of the two here. Anyway thanks for sharing your views!
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Click to collapse
Haha awesome. I did not look too closely at the Indian ZL thread. Looks like your experiences are close to what I am seeing (the model numbers of the Note II and ZL differ mostly in just the available modems correct?)
chriskwarren said:
Haha awesome. I did not look too closely at the Indian ZL thread. Looks like your experiences are close to what I am seeing (the model numbers of the Note II and ZL differ mostly in just the available modems correct?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I guess. Lol, we do share quite similar thoughts !
came from note 2 here as well. loving the phone!
Sent from my C6502 using xda premium
hyelton said:
came from note 2 here as well. loving the phone!
Sent from my C6502 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
So actually whats the Difference you found in Xperia Zl vs Galaxy Note II ?
Why you choose Zl, instead of getting S4?
All people having complain about viewing angle, I also want to go for Xperia Zl but now by people reviews I really disappointed to go for it, but I love Xperia Zl
If you're another victim of the viewing angle plot, get your self a s4 and end convo now. What is the matter with people and viewing angles? **** is a useless extra that Samsung fan boys dug out their ass to justify the flat looking icons their Ui looks. And even so, who looks into their screens from an angle? Rreally? Common people.
Sent from my LT29i using Tapatalk 2
Lusterboi said:
If you're another victim of the viewing angle plot, get your self a s4 and end convo now. What is the matter with people and viewing angles? **** is a useless extra that Samsung fan boys dug out their ass to justify the flat looking icons their Ui looks. And even so, who looks into their screens from an angle? Rreally? Common people.
Sent from my LT29i using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No Brother you are wrong I'm not victim of Bloody viewing angles, but I'm just try to asking actually How the screen of Xperia Zl is looking ???
Because I love the Simplicity of Sony UI & also compact design,
One-thing more is ntt-docomo Xperia is using looking better than normal Xperia line, do you know about it?
jhony.liver said:
No Brother you are wrong I'm not victim of Bloody viewing angles, but I'm just try to asking actually How the screen of Xperia Zl is looking ???
Because I love the Simplicity of Sony UI & also compact design,
One-thing more is ntt-docomo Xperia is using looking better than normal Xperia line, do you know about it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Compared to other flagship, screen is good. Nothing spectacular, but nothing to keep nagging about either. You see so many complaining about it, because there is very little wrong with the ZL. The best thing to do, if you are on the fence, would be to compare them once the S4 is out. The screen looks insanely sharp on their new ads.
As for the NTT DOCOMO version, remember that its bootloader will be locked. Whether its unlockable or not, you will need to check.
I think you need to decide if you want
Soft buttons or Sammy style buttons
Dedicated camera button or not
Touch whiz or Sony styling
Lcd or amoled
Removable battery or not
When you have decided you have made your decision.
The rest just doesn't matter.
Processor - you won't know the difference
Camera - both good
Battery life - comparable
Good luck.
Sent from my C6502 using xda premium
Week 2 after trading Note 2 for X ZL
I was in the same boat as you. Actually, I loved my Note 2 I used the hell out of it, the screen size was enough that I almost completely abandoned my Nexus 7, it just fit the gap between Tablet and phone so close that I hardly ever felt myself needing to switch to the Nexus 7.
Not to mention the battery was awesome and I don't remember ever having a day where I didn't get a full day of heavy use out of it. It was my favorite gadget ever so, as you can imagine, I was a bit reluctant to give it up easily. I actually had no real intention of selling my note 2 but I've had it for a while and it started to show it's age.
I was in a mobile shop the other day and I saw a ZL there. It was used 2 days and almost $200 dollars off the new price. In the end it cost me a grand total of $50 and heavily used, year old Note 2 as a trade in. Pretty damn good deal if you ask me. The phone was in mint condition. I had some experience with the Xperia Z which a friend bought and I really, really liked it. At first I was kind of sad that the Z was not available but I couldn't pass it up at that good of a deal. Now having used it for a couple weeks, I like the ZL much, much better than the Z
So, two weeks in and I am super happy. I love the ZL completely. I was a worried I wouldn't like it as much because the screen a little smalled but the nearly invisible bezel on the ZL and the build quality made it all worth it. ( I would love to see a 5.5" screen on the next version of it )
All in all I don't regret my decision at all and I don't think I will be giving it up anytime soon ( that is maybe until the note 3 is released, or the fabled Xphone from Motorola ) until then I will love and enjoy my ZL.
I do have a few minor issues with the ZL. First and foremost it seems to get a bit warm pretty quickly, I'm not exactly sure why this is but I never had any heat issues with any of my previous phones ( samsungs and nokias mostly )
People mention the viewing angles, and I honestly can't understand why this is an issue. With A TV I could understand because you sometimes have to sit at weird angles., but on a mobile I don't understand why anyone would want ( or would be able to ) use their phone at any angle that would cause any problems. In my experience the ZL has an awesome screen, althoughI did notice a single dead pixel which kinda makes me sad but you can't really notice it.
My other issues are simply, I can't find any aftermarket stuff for it in my area. There are no cases or anything to speak of so I am super paranoid about dropping it.
And finally, there is a lack of custom roms out there for the ZL. This is more because I'm a Rom addict and not smart enough to bake my own ;D
I rooted it and unlocked the boot-loader out of the box I would love to put PAC Rom on it at some point.
Again, it took my 64GB SD card with no problems.
The battery life is not as good as the Note 2 but it is very, very good. I make it through a whole day, with heavy use no problem.
In closing, if you are on the fence about trading in your Note 2, don't be. It's a worthy upgrade.
chriskwarren said:
Just picked up an Xperia Zl (C6506) and using it on Bell Mobility Canada. I currently use a Note II (came from a Note I prior, and an iPhone 4S before that). After just a few hours here are my thoughts (I'll update this later as I get to try battery power and reception a bit more).
I will be using this for a week or two for sure, and I'll either give this to my wife and grab a Galaxy S4, or I will keep this and get an Xperia ZL for the wife too. I'll decide when the S4 comes out, but so far I could happily live with this device.
Obviously, the points below are incomplete. I'll update over the next few weeks:
Screen:
- Nice and sharp. Boy was I more worried than I should have been about the 'terrible' viewing angles. I am picky about the display too, so I was worried I would not like it. Display is fine (yes, colours washed out a bit on an angle but its really not a big deal).
- Screen size is great! If the Note's screen size has you spoiled, the Xperia is a good device to move to if you want a smaller 'pocket' footprint.
Build quality/Size:
- Feels great in the hand. The plastic feels better quality than the Note II or S3s. Does not feel cheap.
- Wife who has iPhone 4S loves it too (she has very small hands, unlike the big ones I have). She says it "does not feel dainty like the iPhone". I asked her if she would be happy with it and she said she will use this no prob, and she hates big phones.
- Feels great in the pocket (but I did not mind the Note II in my jeans so that that into account).
Performance:
- snappy scrolling and app launching. Comparable to the Note II (in my eyes).
- Took my 64GB microSD card no problems. It was formatted by my Note II (not sure of the file format) and the ZL took the card and reads all the data already on it without an issue or need to reformat.
Conclusion (after 3 hours of use):
- Nothing to worry about as far as screen size and screen quality if you are a Note II user.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you're a flash a holic and you made a new account and this is your first post?
thx bro for the review btw. this is good to hear as I am also considering Sony Xperia ZL, but strictly for the ROMs (because I thought development for Sony was better, vs Samsung's AT&T Note 2 ROMs which I found a bit lacking even after one year).
I'm currently on GSM Galaxy Nexus which has a boat load of ROMs to flash.
I might wait a year to see how the development shapes up. I will get the ZL that comes with LTE support so I'm reading around for a while.
abuayyoub said:
I was in the same boat as you. Actually, I loved my Note 2 I used the hell out of it, the screen size was enough that I almost completely abandoned my Nexus 7, it just fit the gap between Tablet and phone so close that I hardly ever felt myself needing to switch to the Nexus 7.
Not to mention the battery was awesome and I don't remember ever having a day where I didn't get a full day of heavy use out of it. It was my favorite gadget ever so, as you can imagine, I was a bit reluctant to give it up easily. I actually had no real intention of selling my note 2 but I've had it for a while and it started to show it's age.
I was in a mobile shop the other day and I saw a ZL there. It was used 2 days and almost $200 dollars off the new price. In the end it cost me a grand total of $50 and heavily used, year old Note 2 as a trade in. Pretty damn good deal if you ask me. The phone was in mint condition. I had some experience with the Xperia Z which a friend bought and I really, really liked it. At first I was kind of sad that the Z was not available but I couldn't pass it up at that good of a deal. Now having used it for a couple weeks, I like the ZL much, much better than the Z
So, two weeks in and I am super happy. I love the ZL completely. I was a worried I wouldn't like it as much because the screen a little smalled but the nearly invisible bezel on the ZL and the build quality made it all worth it. ( I would love to see a 5.5" screen on the next version of it )
All in all I don't regret my decision at all and I don't think I will be giving it up anytime soon ( that is maybe until the note 3 is released, or the fabled Xphone from Motorola ) until then I will love and enjoy my ZL.
I do have a few minor issues with the ZL. First and foremost it seems to get a bit warm pretty quickly, I'm not exactly sure why this is but I never had any heat issues with any of my previous phones ( samsungs and nokias mostly )
People mention the viewing angles, and I honestly can't understand why this is an issue. With A TV I could understand because you sometimes have to sit at weird angles., but on a mobile I don't understand why anyone would want ( or would be able to ) use their phone at any angle that would cause any problems. In my experience the ZL has an awesome screen, althoughI did notice a single dead pixel which kinda makes me sad but you can't really notice it.
My other issues are simply, I can't find any aftermarket stuff for it in my area. There are no cases or anything to speak of so I am super paranoid about dropping it.
And finally, there is a lack of custom roms out there for the ZL. This is more because I'm a Rom addict and not smart enough to bake my own ;D
I rooted it and unlocked the boot-loader out of the box I would love to put PAC Rom on it at some point.
Again, it took my 64GB SD card with no problems.
The battery life is not as good as the Note 2 but it is very, very good. I make it through a whole day, with heavy use no problem.
In closing, if you are on the fence about trading in your Note 2, don't be. It's a worthy upgrade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow. I'm impressed with the reviews from Note users.
At this point the lack of Roms that's stopping me. I had the XS and used the KA roms and see he is developing for the the ZL which is good.
never stock always tweaked
I had a ZL for 10 days, loved the build quality & size. I would have kept it, but the locked bootloader convinced me that it wasn't worth keeping it. I did find battery life is longer on the Note2. I am hanging on to my Note2 for now.
me too came from note 2.. the phone is pretty badA$$.
I'm surprised I'm not the only Note 2 user looking at this phone... I wonder what it is about it that attracts the Note 2 userbase??
Question for those who have switched regarding the screen, how are the blacks? I know they aren't AMOLED black, but are they still pretty dark?
arthurbrownleeiv said:
I'm surprised I'm not the only Note 2 user looking at this phone... I wonder what it is about it that attracts the Note 2 userbase??
Question for those who have switched regarding the screen, how are the blacks? I know they aren't AMOLED black, but are they still pretty dark?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They're ok, about average for a TFT screen. Nothing compares to AMOLED when it comes to blacks.
Not a note 2 owner
I was torn between Xperia ZL and note 2, because here in my country, they are sold for almost exactly the same price.
With much thinking and reading, I have decided to go for the ZL mainly because of: Compactness, and a brighter future ahead in terms of development support (as I see it).
Getting it next week. Sooo excited
JRBT24 said:
I was torn between Xperia ZL and note 2, because here in my country, they are sold for almost exactly the same price.
With much thinking and reading, I have decided to go for the ZL mainly because of: Compactness, and a brighter future ahead in terms of development support (as I see it).
Getting it next week. Sooo excited
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup its a great phone but don't bother to sell your note 2 ...
Sent from my SM-G900F using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Confessions of a young Fanboy

Hello XDA Community,
I got my first smartphone in middle school. It was my first phone. The T-Mobile Shadow (Windows Mobile). I was 13 then. Now I'm 18, and in College. I spent my free time in doing the easy mods the community created. I got the MyTouch 3g as soon as it came out and started flashing roms. Then, the Nexus One came out and I immediately came up with a scheme to convince my sister to take my old phone so I could get the Nexus One. Anyways, I got it in 10th grade and life was sweet. I was happy. I became a "crack flasher". So I had the phone for a while and decided then to get the Galaxy S3.
As for the Galaxy S3...
I don't know about this phone. I've had it for less then a year. Obviously, I became an HTC fanboy growing up with HTC phones. My friends all got HTC phones. We all flashed roms and enjoyed ourselves. But when this phone came out, I had to make a hard decision. The removable battery, expandable storage (and T-Mobile availability) made it a good choice. It was unlike the HTC One X in those regards. (My friend got that phone) The HTC One just came out. I want it now.
Why?
Well I suppose I'm not that happy with the S3. I got a 64gb micro sd for it. I thought I could replace my ipod. I was so wrong. I hate all of the music players on Android. I regard music too highly to be happy with the Android music experience. Anyways, that's not going to change with any new Android phone. I've learned to live with that. The screen is nice, but it doesn't compare to other displays I've seen. I guess it's because I keep the DPI kind of low and expect crispness? The LG Nexus 4 has an amazing screen also and works very well. The biggest thing though, that I really dislike about this phone, is the build quality. I hate the plastic feeling. I hate the gloss and fingerprints. It feels so cheap. And, the UI isn't even liquid smooth. I've flashed a lot. I guess I'm comparing it to the Nexus 4 now, as I've played with that a bit. I've got very close to really quick, but I'm not satisfied. I paid a lot of money and invested my hopes in this technology but I'm not pleased.
I've found that throughout the time I've owned this phone, I've thought a lot of different things. I've considered Windows Phone, Blackberry, and even iPhone, just because I want something sexy that works well. But I'm an Android man.
I don't know if this is because deep down, I'm an HTC fanboy. Or if it's because I'm a Google fanboy and love Nexus phones (or a combination?). i hate these second thoughts I'm getting after such a long time of having the phone. It's not long enough to justify an upgrade. Am I cursed with being unimpressed forever growing up with so many innovations around me?
Do share your thoughts for me on this. I just wanted to share,
Cheers,
ywindlass
Tl;dr
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
We all have our wish lists for that single, perfect phone. I know I certainly do. Whether it's the IPhone's/HTC's/Sony's great hardware/build quality, or the pure Android experience offered with Nexus, or Samsung's wide array of software features/apps, the "perfect" one.
I love technology and I love my smartphone. I love rooting, flashing, trying out a thousand different things on my phone. But why should I care about it (the smartphone) so much? Of course I have invested lots of money into my smartphone, but it's not healthy to be consumed so much by smartphone. I know I'm going a bit off-topic, but really I'm just trying to tell you, just get a phone for what it really was for, to call, to text. I know apps are so convenient nowadays because we have everything in a device, but sometimes it's not bad to do it old-fashioned.
Get a phone that you will use now and a while. Get a phone that can serve its purpose. While a phone may have many features or many apps, I highly doubt a student or a professional will find use for it every single hour of the day. Most of us I assume probably aren't developers, and even as hobbies, it shouldn't consume much time.
GG2012 said:
We all have our wish lists for that single, perfect phone. I know I certainly do. Whether it's the IPhone's/HTC's/Sony's great hardware/build quality, or the pure Android experience offered with Nexus, or Samsung's wide array of software features/apps, the "perfect" one.
I love technology and I love my smartphone. I love rooting, flashing, trying out a thousand different things on my phone. But why should I care about it (the smartphone) so much? Of course I have invested lots of money into my smartphone, but it's not healthy to be consumed so much by smartphone. I know I'm going a bit off-topic, but really I'm just trying to tell you, just get a phone for what it really was for, to call, to text. I know apps are so convenient nowadays because we have everything in a device, but sometimes it's not bad to do it old-fashioned.
Get a phone that you will use now and a while. Get a phone that can serve its purpose. While a phone may have many features or many apps, I highly doubt a student or a professional will find use for it every single hour of the day. Most of us I assume probably aren't developers, and even as hobbies, it shouldn't consume much time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is by far the best advice I have seen on xda ...ever.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
ywindlass said:
Hello XDA Community,
I got my first smartphone in middle school. It was my first phone. The T-Mobile Shadow (Windows Mobile). I was 13 then. Now I'm 18, and in College. I spent my free time in doing the easy mods the community created. I got the MyTouch 3g as soon as it came out and started flashing roms. Then, the Nexus One came out and I immediately came up with a scheme to convince my sister to take my old phone so I could get the Nexus One. Anyways, I got it in 10th grade and life was sweet. I was happy. I became a "crack flasher". So I had the phone for a while and decided then to get the Galaxy S3.
As for the Galaxy S3...
I don't know about this phone. I've had it for less then a year. Obviously, I became an HTC fanboy growing up with HTC phones. My friends all got HTC phones. We all flashed roms and enjoyed ourselves. But when this phone came out, I had to make a hard decision. The removable battery, expandable storage (and T-Mobile availability) made it a good choice. It was unlike the HTC One X in those regards. (My friend got that phone) The HTC One just came out. I want it now.
Why?
Well I suppose I'm not that happy with the S3. I got a 64gb micro sd for it. I thought I could replace my ipod. I was so wrong. I hate all of the music players on Android. I regard music too highly to be happy with the Android music experience. Anyways, that's not going to change with any new Android phone. I've learned to live with that. The screen is nice, but it doesn't compare to other displays I've seen. I guess it's because I keep the DPI kind of low and expect crispness? The LG Nexus 4 has an amazing screen also and works very well. The biggest thing though, that I really dislike about this phone, is the build quality. I hate the plastic feeling. I hate the gloss and fingerprints. It feels so cheap. And, the UI isn't even liquid smooth. I've flashed a lot. I guess I'm comparing it to the Nexus 4 now, as I've played with that a bit. I've got very close to really quick, but I'm not satisfied. I paid a lot of money and invested my hopes in this technology but I'm not pleased.
I've found that throughout the time I've owned this phone, I've thought a lot of different things. I've considered Windows Phone, Blackberry, and even iPhone, just because I want something sexy that works well. But I'm an Android man.
I don't know if this is because deep down, I'm an HTC fanboy. Or if it's because I'm a Google fanboy and love Nexus phones (or a combination?). i hate these second thoughts I'm getting after such a long time of having the phone. It's not long enough to justify an upgrade. Am I cursed with being unimpressed forever growing up with so many innovations around me?
Do share your thoughts for me on this. I just wanted to share,
Cheers,
ywindlass
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Back when you were content with your phone(s), things were growing much slower than they are now. At the current rate that phones are being released, it's guaranteed that there will be a new and better phone that you will want within the first year. Companies don't want you to be content with a phone for too long. I bet Samsung has better features right now that could have been added to the s4, but they want to save those for the s5.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
I agree on almost all of your points. I've had my share of android phones (G1, Moto Charm, G2x, and now Galaxy S3) and I'm beginning to become disappointed with the experience of this phone compared to that of a newer android device or even an iPhone and it's been only 8 months since I've purchased it. I don't quite agree with you on the music issue as I'm a music junkie myself with a 7 gig library but poweramp has transformed my android music listening experience into a great one.
Back to the S3, I've found that the battery life and build quality have been very sub par for me. Plus the pentile display is nothing to rave about either. Being only a sophomore in high school and tied to my family's family plan on T-Mobile, I really don't have an option to switch. I desperately want a Note 2 or Nexus 4 but financially I'm screwed. Even with the Nexus 4's low price I'd have to wait for the rumored 32gb version for storage reasons but that'd set me back $400 for shipping and tax. The S3 isn't even worth that anymore used.
All in all, I feel as if I should've waited for the Note 2 or Nexus 4 before getting the S3. Don't get me wrong, it's an awesome device that's suits all of my needs fine but there are definitely better choices out there from the perspective of a critical tech junkie such as myself.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda app-developers app
You can see the phones I've had in my signature, all 3 Nokias were indestructible...the old flip phone, I threw it at a wall and it exploded into a million pieces, put it back together and the thing still works...man they really knew how to build phones...
The Nexus One was a great phone. I had to drop it and break the internal screen (oddly enough the outer glass didn't crack at all.). But it felt great in my hand, it was very solid and built well.
The Nexus S was kind of disappointing I have to say...Almost completely the same specs and I felt it wasn't built as well. I sold it for my GS-II
That stupid thing was the retarded stepchild of the S-II fleet...the poor developers were stuck with GB while T-Mobile picked its ass holding back all the updates. ****ty screen for sure, visible display flaws, poor PPI, cheap feeling...I never wanted to get a Samsung again. But I did...
The S-III was a huge improvement to say the least...I'm very satisfied with it. It does feel cheaper than say my old N1, but I think it feels a lot better than the NS or t989. Honestly with a screen protector and an otterbox commuter case, it's just fine. And as long as I have my Cyanogenmod, I don't care what software the thing comes with . Barring anything crazy coming out anytime soon, I don't see myself getting another phone until this falls apart.
In my eyes, as cliche as it may be, since my most important factors are Cyanogenmod and otterbox (or equivalent) case availability, all I care about are the specs. I sure hope screens stop ****in growing though...this one is almost too big as it is...
BTW: I sold my t989 on eBay for $350, all I had to do was unlock the thing, instantly increases it's value by a good $150. Always unlock your phone before you sell it, it will sell for much more.
nyyankees1237 said:
I agree on almost all of your points. I've had my share of android phones (G1, Moto Charm, G2x, and now Galaxy S3) and I'm beginning to become disappointed with the experience of this phone compared to that of a newer android device or even an iPhone and it's been only 8 months since I've purchased it. I don't quite agree with you on the music issue as I'm a music junkie myself with a 7 gig library but poweramp has transformed my android music listening experience into a great one.
Back to the S3, I've found that the battery life and build quality have been very sub par for me. Plus the pentile display is nothing to rave about either. Being only a sophomore in high school and tied to my family's family plan on T-Mobile, I really don't have an option to switch. I desperately want a Note 2 or Nexus 4 but financially I'm screwed. Even with the Nexus 4's low price I'd have to wait for the rumored 32gb version for storage reasons but that'd set me back $400 for shipping and tax. The S3 isn't even worth that anymore used.
All in all, I feel as if I should've waited for the Note 2 or Nexus 4 before getting the S3. Don't get me wrong, it's an awesome device that's suits all of my needs fine but there are definitely better choices out there from the perspective of a critical tech junkie such as myself.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Referring to the music, my library exceeds 30 gigs and I've just found it irritating to sync and manage. Not a huge issue though. I think we're on the same page though. I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks that way about the device. The thing is that I can get the HTC One spending all of my current savings, but then of course that means no new phone in the coming months. And Later this year there are just too many rumors about this "X Phone" and the new nexus... Idk.
zander21510 said:
In my eyes, as cliche as it may be, since my most important factors are Cyanogenmod and otterbox (or equivalent) case availability, all I care about are the specs. I sure hope screens stop ****in growing though...this one is almost too big as it is...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see where you're coming from. I got a huge Seido case for my S3, and then took it off after about a month. I dropped it afterwards (about 9 feet onto my subwoofer, long story) and nothing happened luckily. I like it better without a case. I guess looks would be a smaller factor then. Maybe, I should just snap that huge case back on and try to hold out until the holiday season... Idk lol. Thanks for the reply. :good:
I agree, I'll wait for the next nexus or galaxy note 3 with some saved money.
Perfect phone for me though:
High quality metal build (aluminum perhaps)
1080p 5+inch screen
3000mah+ battery
2ghz quadcore processor
2gb+ ram
Micro SD card slot
64gb+ internal storage
Stock android (for nexus updates)
8+ megapixel camera
Front facing speakers
Not insanely expensive lol
A guy could dream. Can anyone get it right?
ywindlass said:
Hello XDA Community,
I got my first smartphone in middle school. It was my first phone. The T-Mobile Shadow (Windows Mobile). I was 13 then. Now I'm 18, and in College. I spent my free time in doing the easy mods the community created. I got the MyTouch 3g as soon as it came out and started flashing roms. Then, the Nexus One came out and I immediately came up with a scheme to convince my sister to take my old phone so I could get the Nexus One. Anyways, I got it in 10th grade and life was sweet. I was happy. I became a "crack flasher". So I had the phone for a while and decided then to get the Galaxy S3.
As for the Galaxy S3...
I don't know about this phone. I've had it for less then a year. Obviously, I became an HTC fanboy growing up with HTC phones. My friends all got HTC phones. We all flashed roms and enjoyed ourselves. But when this phone came out, I had to make a hard decision. The removable battery, expandable storage (and T-Mobile availability) made it a good choice. It was unlike the HTC One X in those regards. (My friend got that phone) The HTC One just came out. I want it now.
Why?
Well I suppose I'm not that happy with the S3. I got a 64gb micro sd for it. I thought I could replace my ipod. I was so wrong. I hate all of the music players on Android. I regard music too highly to be happy with the Android music experience. Anyways, that's not going to change with any new Android phone. I've learned to live with that. The screen is nice, but it doesn't compare to other displays I've seen. I guess it's because I keep the DPI kind of low and expect crispness? The LG Nexus 4 has an amazing screen also and works very well. The biggest thing though, that I really dislike about this phone, is the build quality. I hate the plastic feeling. I hate the gloss and fingerprints. It feels so cheap. And, the UI isn't even liquid smooth. I've flashed a lot. I guess I'm comparing it to the Nexus 4 now, as I've played with that a bit. I've got very close to really quick, but I'm not satisfied. I paid a lot of money and invested my hopes in this technology but I'm not pleased.
I've found that throughout the time I've owned this phone, I've thought a lot of different things. I've considered Windows Phone, Blackberry, and even iPhone, just because I want something sexy that works well. But I'm an Android man.
I don't know if this is because deep down, I'm an HTC fanboy. Or if it's because I'm a Google fanboy and love Nexus phones (or a combination?). i hate these second thoughts I'm getting after such a long time of having the phone. It's not long enough to justify an upgrade. Am I cursed with being unimpressed forever growing up with so many innovations around me?
Do share your thoughts for me on this. I just wanted to share,
Cheers,
ywindlass
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Companies are getting us used to crave new things within very short periods of time, an example of this is the fact that new phones, tablets or any kind of electronics pop every 4 to 6 months, which is done to satisfy our non-basic needs of always having the latest gadgets, and to create more profits or economic growth for the typical capitalist corporations. We've been spoiled to have new tech very fast, which is in a way bad as this craving (or addiction?) can easily go out control and we can be left bored with very new gadgets in our hands or even go into debt t o satisfy this craving for more. This spoiling behavior makes us feel the need to want more or not to be satisfied with what we have and we can quickly become slaves of technology if we dive too deep into it, hence what you are feeling when you say that you are growing unimpressed with so many innovations or not satisfied or please with the current technology. Perhaps I'm going a bit of topic, but is worth to be aware where we stand as consumers and the invisible ways corporations play with our "addictions" or "needs" for the latest.
I love the looks of both the Nexus 4 and the HTC one better than my Galaxy S3, but no removeable battery and no expandable memory? Get serious? I can deal with a plasic back, the price I paid tells me it's not cheap! Anyways, I don't agree with anything else you said. This phone was awesomly fast out of the box and now I have a custom ROM that even improved on that. Plus, I prefer Samoleds although I admit Samsung could do better. A 1080p screen with Super Amoled + with a different pentile arrangement would be nice. My next phone is most likely to be the Note 3, Samsung is just at the edge of innovation right now, too much so for me not to buy. Can't wait!
nyyankees1237 said:
A guy could dream. Can anyone get it right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would say my dream phone would be:
-1080p 4.75in (no bigger, no smaller) super-fancy spaceage whatever screen that can actually get its brightness as low as possible at night, and stays clear and readable in direct sunlight...
-1.5ghz+ ultra-energy efficient 4+ core processor.
-2GB+ RAM
-Micro SD card
-16+ GB internal storage
-Removable back cover and battery
-NFC, Barometer, compass, so many sensors I can start a weatherstation lol.
-Vibration with adjustable intensity from barely felt to earthquake magnitude.
-Latest Cyanogenmod stock, with options to auto-update to stable, M, or nightly releases (a guy can dream...)
-A rear camera that can shoot 1080P video and instant-shutter, no noise high quality pictures, and a front camera capable of doing an HD Skype call.
-2 front-firing speakers (one on bottom, one on top that doubles as earpiece); a rear-facing mic for the camera, and a bottom-facing mic for phone calls
-Capacative buttons underneath screen (menu, home, back in that order)
-24-hour runtime battery
-Body of carbon fiber (the durabilty of plastic with the feel of metal)
-Super gorilla glass whatever that can withstand a 5-foot face-down drop.
I would pay a good $450 for that phone.
Can't forget the holographic keyboard.
Scores over 10,000 on quadrant, I saw a stock HTC one today score 9133 on quadrant running stock 4.1.2. That was impressive.
I like your dream phone.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
zander21510 said:
I would say my dream phone would be:
-1080p 4.75in (no bigger, no smaller) super-fancy spaceage whatever screen that can actually get its brightness as low as possible at night, and stays clear and readable in direct sunlight...
-1.5ghz+ ultra-energy efficient 4+ core processor.
-2GB+ RAM
-Micro SD card
-16+ GB internal storage
-Removable back cover and battery
-NFC, Barometer, compass, so many sensors I can start a weatherstation lol.
-Vibration with adjustable intensity from barely felt to earthquake magnitude.
-Latest Cyanogenmod stock, with options to auto-update to stable, M, or nightly releases (a guy can dream...)
-A rear camera that can shoot 1080P video and instant-shutter, no noise high quality pictures, and a front camera capable of doing an HD Skype call.
-2 front-firing speakers (one on bottom, one on top that doubles as earpiece); a rear-facing mic for the camera, and a bottom-facing mic for phone calls
-Capacative buttons underneath screen (menu, home, back in that order)
-24-hour runtime battery
-Body of carbon fiber (the durabilty of plastic with the feel of metal)
-Super gorilla glass whatever that can withstand a 5-foot face-down drop.
I would pay a good $450 for that phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll take two! Haha
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
The power of a desktop computer, specifically i7 3770k, gtx 580 sli x3, 24gb ram, 256gb sd, all in a sexy Nokia n9 form, running windows 8.
Thats my dream phone. Seems realistic enough.
---------- Post added at 11:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:22 PM ----------
ywindlass said:
Hello XDA Community,
I got my first smartphone in middle school. It was my first phone. The T-Mobile Shadow (Windows Mobile). I was 13 then. Now I'm 18, and in College. I spent my free time in doing the easy mods the community created. I got the MyTouch 3g as soon as it came out and started flashing roms. Then, the Nexus One came out and I immediately came up with a scheme to convince my sister to take my old phone so I could get the Nexus One. Anyways, I got it in 10th grade and life was sweet. I was happy. I became a "crack flasher". So I had the phone for a while and decided then to get the Galaxy S3.
As for the Galaxy S3...
I don't know about this phone. I've had it for less then a year. Obviously, I became an HTC fanboy growing up with HTC phones. My friends all got HTC phones. We all flashed roms and enjoyed ourselves. But when this phone came out, I had to make a hard decision. The removable battery, expandable storage (and T-Mobile availability) made it a good choice. It was unlike the HTC One X in those regards. (My friend got that phone) The HTC One just came out. I want it now.
Why?
Well I suppose I'm not that happy with the S3. I got a 64gb micro sd for it. I thought I could replace my ipod. I was so wrong. I hate all of the music players on Android. I regard music too highly to be happy with the Android music experience. Anyways, that's not going to change with any new Android phone. I've learned to live with that. The screen is nice, but it doesn't compare to other displays I've seen. I guess it's because I keep the DPI kind of low and expect crispness? The LG Nexus 4 has an amazing screen also and works very well. The biggest thing though, that I really dislike about this phone, is the build quality. I hate the plastic feeling. I hate the gloss and fingerprints. It feels so cheap. And, the UI isn't even liquid smooth. I've flashed a lot. I guess I'm comparing it to the Nexus 4 now, as I've played with that a bit. I've got very close to really quick, but I'm not satisfied. I paid a lot of money and invested my hopes in this technology but I'm not pleased.
I've found that throughout the time I've owned this phone, I've thought a lot of different things. I've considered Windows Phone, Blackberry, and even iPhone, just because I want something sexy that works well. But I'm an Android man.
I don't know if this is because deep down, I'm an HTC fanboy. Or if it's because I'm a Google fanboy and love Nexus phones (or a combination?). i hate these second thoughts I'm getting after such a long time of having the phone. It's not long enough to justify an upgrade. Am I cursed with being unimpressed forever growing up with so many innovations around me?
Do share your thoughts for me on this. I just wanted to share,
Cheers,
ywindlass
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
" I want something sexy that works well"
Get a cerulean n9. Though the s3 hardware is very much superior to the n9, the n9 just wins hands down IMHO.
I have both phone and u would pick the n9 over the s3 any day of I didn't water damage the power switch on my n9.. Grrr Seattle rain..
wardoc22 said:
The power of a desktop computer, specifically i7 3770k, gtx 580 sli x3, 24gb ram, 256gb sd, all in a sexy Nokia n9 form, running windows 8.
Thats my dream phone. Seems realistic enough.
---------- Post added at 11:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:22 PM ----------
" I want something sexy that works well"
Get a cerulean n9. Though the s3 hardware is very much superior to the n9, the n9 just wins hands down IMHO.
I have both phone and u would pick the n9 over the s3 any day of I didn't water damage the power switch on my n9.. Grrr Seattle rain..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those specs would definitely be amazing haha. But yeah, I did end up getting the HTC one, and I think I'm happier. I havent even rooted yet and I'm still content. It just works so well. Everything is so clean and sexy.
nyyankees1237 said:
I agree, I'll wait for the next nexus or galaxy note 3 with some saved money.
Perfect phone for me though:
High quality metal build (aluminum perhaps)
1080p 5+inch screen
3000mah+ battery
2ghz quadcore processor
2gb+ ram
Micro SD card slot
64gb+ internal storage
Stock android (for nexus updates)
8+ megapixel camera
Front facing speakers
Not insanely expensive lol
Perfect phone for me though:
A guy could dream. Can anyone get it right?
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Click to collapse
By your specs, would the Google S4 be it?
BTW, my dream specs:
1080p 5+inch screen
3000mah+battery
2ghz quadcore processor
3gb ram
Micro SD card slot
128gb+internal storage
Stock android
12+MP camera
4+MP front camera
Wireless charging
Front facing speakers
FM radio (for my mom)
LTE
Inexpensive
wardoc22 said:
Grrr Seattle rain..
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Rain? Seattle? Pfft.....
Thetenthdr said:
Rain? Seattle? Pfft.....
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Click to collapse
It rains here 24.7 in the winter.
Yes, yes it does.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

Will you buy another Xperia?

So just wondering how everybody feels here, after your experience with the XZL, will you buy another Xperia device?
I myself am conflicted. I loved this device when I bought it, the way it's built and the hardware were awesome. Plus I love the screen.
But I actually feel like this was a bad investment now. Sony takes ages to make software updates, and then takes ages to actually really roll those out (seriously 2 months between starting it and it getting to me?).
The customer service is pretty awful, and on top of that the expensive laptop I bought from them last year is no-longer supported an I need to fiddle about with it now to install drivers.
So on the one hand I really like the hardware they make, but on the other hand I feel like I'm not getting any value from it past the first 6 months of its shelf life. And that's simply not something I want to experience when I pay the kind of money the stuff costs.
How about you?
I love sony and their products..
Their build quality is awesome, not crappy plastic like samsung.,
Lovely ui
But I hate the way they update us..
Sony makes good hardware and good software but every manufacturer needs a lot of time.
But I will not invest in one more Sony because there is one better investment. An unbeatable one:
Project ARA
Gesendet von meinem Xperia ZL mit Tapatalk
Build quality? Crappy screen for flagship phones! Bad viewing angles (xperia z, xperia z1 and my ZL). Even mid range Moto G had better screen. Thank God! now they fixed it in xperia z2. Severe heating issues in xperia z2 that force closes after 2 mins while recording 4k videos. Only good things are looks. Flagship phones for every 6 months. That's insane. Sony releases n number of phones. Instead they should concentrate on few phones.
Yeah absolutely
I will buy XZ2...
Well not now, maybe couple years later xD
Probably not. Their phones are getting too big for my liking. Sucks though, as i love the camera and walkman apps.
Honestly the XZL is a nice phone, but owning one kind of feels like I've signed up for something that's nearly unsupported in the dev community... *shrug*...
It feels like we're constantly waiting for an update to actually push out... (eg .230 and now .233)
For me this is a perfect phone.
I don't care about viewing angles, when I look at my phone I look at it straight ahead and not from the side. In fact, I would prefer even worse viewing angles so when I'm using my phone in the train or bus my neighbour isn't able to see what I'm doing...
Updates are ok! I once had a lg phone, it took them two years to get android 4.0 running... And 2.3 was full of bugs, didn't get any bugfix release.
This phone has a great hardware and a very cool UI. No need for me to run any custom rom. Rooting is very easy, so the social media crap can be deleted (in fact facebook as a system app is the only negative point so far).
Short answer: yes, I will certainly buy Sony again. And again I will not get it through my provider, I will buy it in store to get an unlockable bootloader.
I will switch back to Samsung or go with a Nexus the next time. The CM support is just crap for my xperia zl and many other xperia device.
The XZL is my third xperia. After this, I'm going with nexus. I've been so disappointed in so many ways.
Xperia X8, X10Mini Pro, X10, Arc S, PLAY, Pro, Mini Pro, Live With Walkman, P and Xperia ZL..
this is my tenth xperia's phone, probably i would get Samsung Galaxy K Zoom after this.. it has 20.7MP with XENON Flash..
I really miss a phone with XENON flash.. last phone i owned with xenon is lumia 1020, before that is SE Satio..
My question, why sony didn't want to include Xenon flash to it's Xperia?
Sent from my C6502 using Tapatalk? What is Tapatalk?
The XZL is my second xperia and i like sony, the UI is one of the best i see in an android phone, the walkman app is amazing, i dont have any plans of change it anytime soon, but i will probably buy another xperia, or a nexus..
Love my ZL but I won't buy another unless they produce another the same size. All the newer stuff have giant bezels and make the device way to big. Also don't like the glass backs.
I think whatever I buy next will be a Google play edition...
Sent from my C6506 using Tapatalk
You know the main things that made me move towards the XZL over other phones were:
Camera
Walkman
IR blaster
The other specs were covered by other phones, but since I had this I noticed that while the camera is really nice, I bought a much better one from the store. Walkman seemed cool and all, but Poweramp which I still had from before was superior in pretty much every way. And Samsung is now putting IR blasters on everything they make.
And others use Sony's camera sensors as well. So the only way Sony could really persuade me to stay with them is if they made my experience with this phone so good, that I stay out of solidarity.
But so far they have done their level best to alienate me, slow as hell updates, which when they finally arrive are so buggy that they feel unfinished, and terrible customer service.
This entire time I feel like I have an unfinished product in my pocket or hand, it never feels complete or well finished. Which is not cool if you spent this kind of money in one go.
So really, I could just buy a Samsung and continue using the apps I bought and have a better experience than this.
If the next Xperia got a camera like Lumia1020 (manual focus/xenon), surely i'll cancel my order for Samsung K Zoom and go for another Xperia..that would my eleventh Xperia phone ?
i'm a die hard fan of sony product, even home theatre and tv at my home is sony branded..
even my car audio system also is sony branded.. ?
Sent from my C6502 using Tapatalk? What is Tapatalk?
Absolutely not - unfortunately, as it turns out, the Xperia Support is probably the most terrible you can get. I made a post on it in their forums, but I doubt it'll lead anywhere. If you're curious: http://talk.sonymobile.com/t5/Xperia-Z-ZL-ZR/Horrible-Support-Xperia-ZL/m-p/751775#U751775
Yes.
This is my second xperia (X10 was the first). The only thing with this phone I still not getting used to is the front camera. I love the size and if Sony releases another handset like this, I would give it a try.
Meister_Li said:
Absolutely not - unfortunately, as it turns out, the Xperia Support is probably the most terrible you can get. I made a post on it in their forums, but I doubt it'll lead anywhere. If you're curious: http://talk.sonymobile.com/t5/Xperia-Z-ZL-ZR/Horrible-Support-Xperia-ZL/m-p/751775#U751775
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Click to collapse
oh damn, this made me lose all my trust to Sony.. well f**k you sony for terrible customer care..
Sent from my C6502 using Tapatalk? What is Tapatalk?
Personally I don't care much for the Sony software, I'm using PA 4.4 and I'm quite happy with it, and any other phone I get will probably end up being the same.
What it really depends on is if they make a phone with everything I want in terms of hardware, currently what comes closest is the Oppo Find 7, if that was 5" it'd be perfect, but alas there's the trend to make phones bigger...
I'm pretty happy with my ZL so I'll probably end up waiting another year at least before getting a new phone.

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