Develop Bugs

Note 2 vs nexus 4

So guys I'm in a dilemma here I have both phones right now sealed in the box I don't know which one to keep and which one to sell. I'm in Canada so lte works on the nexus 4. What do you guys suggest ? Thanks

One for work one for play ;p
sent from outside ur window

twanskys204 said:
One for work one for play ;p
sent from outside ur window
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I was in the same dilemma as well. If you don't mind the size, the Note 2 is the better choice. The Nexus 4 may get the faster updates but we're on xda anyway so pretty much any phone with a good community will get updates.

Personally, if I had a choice between those 2 phones, I would prefer the Note 2. I'm a bit biased because I've been with Samsung for so long and I don't trust any other brand other than them. LOL. But from an unbiased point, the Nexus 4 provides faster updates (as mentioned), the Krait processor, and it's Google. Note 2 has a bunch of useful features and now we have some very reputable and brilliant developers in our community which will jump start our development. There's even an Android 4.2 (WIP) coming for us!

offwiththeface said:
So guys I'm in a dilemma here I have both phones right now sealed in the box I don't know which one to keep and which one to sell. I'm in Canada so lte works on the nexus 4. What do you guys suggest ? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note 2 hands down...more features and great dev support.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

I've used both and ended up sticking with the note 2 there's nothing out there right now that can compare to its specs not even goggles own baby
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium

Did you ask this same question in the Nexus 4 section? lol...It's gonna be hard to get an unbiased opinion when you ask a question like that in a section specifically for one of the phones
Having said that, I had the LG Optimus G, and aside from the LG skin (which wasn't TOO horrible) it was a good phone, but I still promptly exchanged it for a Note 2 and don't regret it one bit. I have never had good experiences with LG phones. The display was beautiful though.

I have a note 2 and my buddy has a nexus 4. I thought the nexus 4 screen looks way better then note 2 screen hands down in my opinion. The build quality and feel of nexus 4 is also much better. However no removable battery no lte, and no sd card support are major deal breakers. 16gb is just not enough with games and apps installed. At least if they made a 32gb version.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium

The nexus 4 has some attractive points. LTE maybe less of an issue if you in Canada. The screen is nice and it's a fast performer.
But for me the lack of MicroSD and non-removable is a no go for me. Not only is battery life on the Note 2 awesome, but I have a spare battery i can use if every needed. I also really like having the s pen and the 5.5" screen i greatly enjoy. The size of the note is not for everyone, I'm OK with it.
You have to decide how important each of these factors are to you. Once you do that I'm sure you'll be happy with your choice.

If note 2 was made by LG and nexus 4 by Samsung, I'd say go for nexus 4...
Personally I'm staying away from anything LG, I had enough gray hair with LG Nitro HD, thank you very much.

[email protected] said:
If note 2 was made by LG and nexus 4 by Samsung, I'd say go for nexus 4...
Personally I'm staying away from anything LG, I had enough gray hair with LG Nitro HD, thank you very much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're lucky you never tried the Thrill then...
I need more time before trying LG again. The guy at the AT&T store tried to get me to buy the Optimus G when the Note was not in stock yet. The nexus might be okay if LG isn't responsible for the software.
Sent from my Note ][

When you ask such question in Note 2 forum, my feeling is that you are going to get some bias answer.
I have both phones, and I think both phone are top notch in their own way. Here's what I think:
Nexus 4
- Very solid build, the construction is as solid as iPhone. Feels great in hand.
- The display does produce some relatively accurate colour compare to my IPS displays. I do a lot of photo editing/viewing. On the other hand, the sAMOLED does throw the colour off a bit by over saturated (nature of AMOLED), with the "natural" profile on Note2, it does become closer to real colour. Pixel density on the N4 is also better, but it's not critical as the Note 2 display is pretty sharp with the sAMOLED HD.
- AOSP, AOSP, AOSP! If you aren't a fan of Touchwiz, this is what you should keep. Not just the updates, as they don't come everyday. It's the user experience. Samsung does add a lot of neat feature that many can't live without, but in my honest opinion, AOSP does provide a nice layout and great feature out the box. I am also not a huge fan of Samsung's oversized UI, either.
- Believe it or not, the on screen button is a very important "feature" of N4 - You now have a place to put your thumb when you hold the phone, especially when passing the phone to people to show them stuff...without accidentally touching any of the buttons. However, also because of the on screen button, you do lose some screen estate.
- Buttery smooth, yes, smoother than the "more powerful" Note 2
- The price - You are indeed getting a lot of phone for the price that you are paying.
- Battery is medicore, partially due to bugs of 4.2 I believe. Dead locks are draining the battery.
- Lack of SD card might be a deal breaker for you. It isn't for me.
- Camera sucks.
Note 2
- Huge display, this is probably the max that you can carry with the borderline portability. The display is beneficial for reading stuff, browsing, sharing contents with friends
- The battery is ridiculous. The size, with the power management of the software makes it unreal. I get average 2 hours of light/moderate usage per 10%, on LTE.
- Touchwiz - To use the full features of the Note2, you probably don't want AOSP. The S-Pen works well with touchwiz, and I find touchwiz works well with large displays due to the oversized UI elements
- Size - It's pocketable, but it's not extremely comfortable. Taking in and out, using it in public, talking on it looks very awkward. No matter how big your hands are, how big of a person you are, this IS larger than your average phone by a lot
- One hand usability - Samsung does have some one hand accessibility but in general, reaching for places around the screen is a struggle with one hand
- Great sound - Speaker, and headphone jack.
- Strong vibrator
- S Pen - Unless you have a use for it, it's a gimmick. It's fun to fool around with it, but the hype tends to die off quickly
- FAST charging. Nexus 4 is fast, but Note 2 is even faster consider it's massive battery. This is a very important feature to me.
- Impressive camera, but not that it's any/much better than that of SGS3
- Oh, if you don't have a 7" tablet yet, this should fill that gap a bit.
As it stands, Note 2 has some very attractive points to me, such as the large display for reading and the insane battery life that makes me not to worry about being close to a charger. However, I don't feel comfortable using it on a daily basis due to the size. WIth that said, I am using a Note 2 now as I gave my Nexus 4 (8GB) to my other half. I have a 16GB coming in a month, and I will re-evaluate it again by then.
These two phones are pretty much Android in it's best form in today's market, and they are not substitutable for each other due to the different nature of them. The phone war has evolved to beyond to the specs-war just like computing world. The "better specs" of Note 2 doesn't necessary determine whether the phone is better or not, and with that said, Nexus 4 specs is pretty impressive too. You need to pick your own base on your need
Hope it helps a bit with your decision! Any more specific questions you have that can help with your decision, just ask. It's a tough one to make.

Awesome thanks for the input its a huge decision I think of will end up keeping the note
Sent from my SGH-T879 using xda app-developers app

The Nexus 4 ultimately had too many drawbacks for me to consider it. The thermal throttling issues with the S4Pro processor, the non-swapable battery with less than stellar battery life, the limited storage without microSD expansion, the glass back prone to cracking, and no LTE. And now we find out that the Nexus 4 cannot support USB-OTG, so all those who bought one thinking they could move files over to an external drive are SOL. No USB keyboards/mice/Dualshock etc. Not a big deal if you have bluetooth peripherals, but I want to have as many options as possible. The Note II is a superhero in that regard...

I have the Note 2 and personally love it, but if you don't need the size, then nexus 4 is a much better option. I love the vanilla 4.2 JB and the screen is much crispier, any build quality is top notch [I have both phones]
If note 2 had a 1080 display then, I would so Note 2 hands down.

Get a quality BT headphone and you won't have to worry about how you look to other people...personally I really could give a rats behind how others think...but hey that's just me...
Nexus vs Note II...to me it all comes down to do you want the biggest best phone or a smaller phone that doesn't offer as much.
S-pen is there if you need it...and it's always better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
ASOP...http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2046616..it has a few minor glitches...but if this is your thing...then enjoy it.
Smoothness...drop this one in...http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2028661 add Nova launcher and tweak it...and your golden...
Memory card...your going to want one...just to fill up with all of the videos you'll be watching and music you'll be rocking to...
My advice...prop them both up side by side and watch any video on it...browse the internet..then ask yourself...which offers you what you want/need to enjoy it with
Mac

Mac11700 said:
Get a quality BT headphone and you won't have to worry about how you look to other people...personally I really could give a rats behind how others think...but hey that's just me...
Nexus vs Note II...to me it all comes down to do you want the biggest best phone or a smaller phone that doesn't offer as much.
S-pen is there if you need it...and it's always better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
ASOP...http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2046616..it has a few minor glitches...but if this is your thing...then enjoy it.
Smoothness...drop this one in...http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2028661 add Nova launcher and tweak it...and your golden...
Memory card...your going to want one...just to fill up with all of the videos you'll be watching and music you'll be rocking to...
My advice...prop them both up side by side and watch any video on it...browse the internet..then ask yourself...which offers you what you want/need to enjoy it with
Mac
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Click to collapse
Mac,
No offense but I think your post is pretty bias.
- Yes, you can always bring a BT headset, but shouldn't you be able to hold a phone comfortably on your face instead of having to depend on a BT headset in order to not look silly? Also, how about the people that don't like bluetooth headset in general?
- S-Pen, yes, it's better to have but at what cost? Size of the phone?
- Touchwiz isn't without it's own glitches, whether AOSP or not is a pure preferences whether it has bugs or not. I actually find touchwiz works well with GN2, AOSP won't.
- Smoothness, sorry, Note 2 just isn't as smooth as a N4 no matter what launcher you put in. It could be due to settings, but out the box even with Nova, it's not there.
- Memory Card - why must he get one?
I do agree with Note 2 having better specs, but the cost is the size. If you can live with the size and Touchwiz, there isn't a reason not to get Note2....but only if you can live with the size.
Cheers.

cy88 said:
shouldn't you be able to hold a phone comfortably on your face instead of having to depend on a BT headset in order to not look silly?
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Click to collapse
Caring about what other people think of you holding a phone to your face reeks of insecurity to me. "Looking Silly" is the last thing that would sway me from buying an excellent device.
Remember how small phones used to be ten years ago? It wasn't that long ago when people also thought 3.5" smartphones were huge.

cy88 said:
Mac,
No offense but I think your post is pretty bias.
- Yes, you can always bring a BT headset, but shouldn't you be able to hold a phone comfortably on your face instead of having to depend on a BT headset in order to not look silly? Also, how about the people that don't like bluetooth headset in general?
- S-Pen, yes, it's better to have but at what cost? Size of the phone?
- Touchwiz isn't without it's own glitches, whether AOSP or not is a pure preferences whether it has bugs or not. I actually find touchwiz works well with GN2, AOSP won't.
- Smoothness, sorry, Note 2 just isn't as smooth as a N4 no matter what launcher you put in. It could be due to settings, but out the box even with Nova, it's not there.
- Memory Card - why must he get one?
I do agree with Note 2 having better specs, but the cost is the size. If you can live with the size and Touchwiz, there isn't a reason not to get Note2....but only if you can live with the size.
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cy8888, that's funny you said Mac's post was biased because that's exactly what I thought when I read your long post above.
Remember, the OP asked what people thought and the reply's have been, for the most part, just that. Almost every statement you made in your lengthy post was "your opinion", certainly not facts. For example, I use the S-Pen daily and love it's added benefit and it, in my opinion, is not a gimmick as you stated.
So, no need to call out another forum members post when he is doing the same as you...giving his opinion as requested by the OP.:angel:

andrawer said:
Cy8888, that's funny you said Mac's post was biased because that's exactly what I thought when I read your long post above.
Remember, the OP asked what people thought and the reply's have been, for the most part, just that. Almost every statement you made in your lengthy post was "your opinion", certainly not facts. For example, I use the S-Pen daily and love it's added benefit and it, in my opinion, is not a gimmick as you stated.
So, no need to call out another forum members post when he is doing the same as you...giving his opinion as requested by the OP.:angel:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was bias because I love/have the Note 2 so much but the size, right?
What I said: "S Pen -Unless you have a use for it, it's a gimmick." - You do, so it's not a gimmick for you for sure. I know a few people that do have a use for it and I am impressed with how they make use of it for work purposes.
Which other point of my post is pure bias? I simply listed out the things I from with using both devices, I never said one is better for another for everyone. However Mac did say that "you are GOING to want one", "BUGS with 4.2", etc etc to just praise the Note 2. OP is trying to make a decision, and words like that aren't going to make his choice easier is it?
UCLAKoolman said:
Caring about what other people think of you holding a phone to your face reeks of insecurity to me. "Looking Silly" is the last thing that would sway me from buying an excellent device.
Remember how small phones used to be ten years ago? It wasn't that long ago when people also thought 3.5" smartphones were huge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I might have worded it wrong, but the fact that it's bigger than normal does draw attention. Yes, you can choose not to care about anyone thinks at all, but there are some actually "dont" want to draw that type of attention with a device. It is a fact that Note 2 is humongous, and that's ALSO it's selling point. Unless you have a need and can live with the size, otherwise you might want to look at other alternatives like SGS3 (which i have one sitting here also if you want comparison) that offers something in the middle.
I apologize if I've rubbed anyone the wrong way, wasn't the intention.
Cheers!

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
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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?
Click to expand...
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..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rain? Seattle? Pfft.....

Thetenthdr said:
Rain? Seattle? Pfft.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It rains here 24.7 in the winter.

Yes, yes it does.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

Exchanged HTC one for s4 OMG AMAZING

Ok so I have had the s3 and the note 2 prior to switching to t-mobile, when I switched I figured id get the HTC one since I didnt or wouldnt have had that option with verizon, I must say I hated the phone. The hardware is nice dont get me wrong but the software SUCKS. The camera SUCKS. even the camera software is no were near as nice and useful as it is on the S4. I am so friggin happy with the s4 I dont know why I thought I would like the One. It may be the best device in the world for some but Id have to say to go from a samsung to an HTC Is like going backwards, and I even thought the gestures and smart scroll and all that would be to gimmicky and never get used but honestly, I love it!
Anyway, I just had to vent this. There were so many things wrong with sense in my opinion and if I can make anyones choice easier and allow them to be satisfied then hope I helped.

Lol.
Welcome to amazing world of samsung.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda premium

bikrame said:
Lol.
Welcome to amazing world of samsung.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, like I said I had the S3 and then the note 2. The note 2 being the phone I had about a month ago before we switched to t-mobile. lets just say I was going through some serious withdrawals having the note 2

dandiele said:
Well, like I said I had the S3 and then the note 2. The note 2 being the phone I had about a month ago before we switched to t-mobile. lets just say I was going through some serious withdrawals having the note 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol. Welcome back then lol
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda premium

A friend of mine at work just got the HTC One and I must say, yes hardware wise it's a nice looking phone and the speaker quality is the best around no question. Other than that, the software was Meh, no 4.2.2. Thank God I went with the GS4, made the right decision.

A lot of people probably hate TouchWiz too until they got used to it. Count me as one of them (well actually, I didn't hate it). For me, I'm a Samsung guy and have had in succession the Note 2, S3, and now S4. A family member of mine has the Nexus 4 and while the phone was so debloated, so stock, I felt it was missing so many features. Yes, some people will love it that way, no bloat and pure Android. I'm so used to TW and all its (fancy) features, I feel any other phone is not as powerful if they don't have the same features.
Obviously, Sense is a different launcher/style than a lot of us are used too (by us, I mean the Samsung folks). That doesn't mean it's horrible. I for one would love to try out the Sense theme, if I can get my hands on an HTC One. I'm all in for new/different features - like Windows 8. A lot of people hated it from the start because it was so different, so not intuitive they say. In response, I have to say, get used to it before making the judgment. It's taken me a couple months just to get used to Windows 8. Certainly, the Metro I don't care with, and would prefer Win7. Until I can do the same thing with Sense, I can't say whether the difference with TW makes it better, worse, or it's just different than TW.

I feel you made the wrong choice. Those additional features will only be used for showing off and you only have about 8 GB of storage compared to about 28 on the one. Speakers are the best and I'm sure HTC will do a good job pushing out updates. Lastly, the one's screen is better and not as big so it is easier to use. I was going to get the s4 at first but then I asked myself what I really wanted. That's why I routed for the one
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

androidskillz said:
I feel you made the wrong choice. Those additional features will only be used for showing off and you only have about 8 GB of storage compared to about 28 on the one. Speakers are the best and I'm sure HTC will do a good job pushing out updates. Lastly, the one's screen is better and not as big so it is easier to use. I was going to get the s4 at first but then I asked myself what I really wanted. That's why I routed for the one
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good for you, I'm happy I had an sd slot so i can switch from my 64gb to my 32gb where I store my movies to my 16gb where I have my tv shows. Am also glad I am able to have an extra battery in case I will be able from my charger for an extended period of time. But if you dont like having those options then good for you!
Sent from Flip's Galaxy S4

Dont turn this into a One vs S4 thread, both phones are amazing. I'm a Samsung guy and i fell in love with the One, as long as you're happy with your phone then its all gravy. This thread is kinda pointless too btw.

To each their own.
Me personally, neither phone could sway me away from the N2.
Fancy pants Note ||

Neither phone impressed me. Samsung pulled an apple trick it's the same freaking phone! HTC did the same thing, no removable battery and no expandable memory! I'm waiting for the S5 or the next Gnex. Just my 2cents. Meanwhile I'm wearing out my S2.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app

bigox said:
Neither phone impressed me. Samsung pulled an apple trick it's the same freaking phone! HTC did the same thing, no removable battery and no expandable memory! I'm waiting for the S5 or the next Gnex. Just my 2cents. Meanwhile I'm wearing out my S2.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, if the htc had expandable memory and removable battery I might, MIGHT, have gone with the one. It really is a beautiful phone and I would love to have those front facing speakers. But for me no exp memory and nonremovable batt = fail
Sent from Flip's Galaxy S4

Plastic and about 8 Gb of storage = fail
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

androidskillz said:
Plastic and about 8 Gb of storage = fail
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Metal phone with a plastic case and no expandable memory/battery = epic fail
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

Why all the hate?? We're all here for the same reasons, regardless of what phones we choose to buy. Different things are better for different people.

dandiele said:
Ok so I have had the s3 and the note 2 prior to switching to t-mobile, when I switched I figured id get the HTC one since I didnt or wouldnt have had that option with verizon, I must say I hated the phone. The hardware is nice dont get me wrong but the software SUCKS. The camera SUCKS. even the camera software is no were near as nice and useful as it is on the S4. I am so friggin happy with the s4 I dont know why I thought I would like the One. It may be the best device in the world for some but Id have to say to go from a samsung to an HTC Is like going backwards, and I even thought the gestures and smart scroll and all that would be to gimmicky and never get used but honestly, I love it!
Anyway, I just had to vent this. There were so many things wrong with sense in my opinion and if I can make anyones choice easier and allow them to be satisfied then hope I helped.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's interesting, I recently purchased a TMO Galaxy S4 coming from a 2.5 year old HTC Sensation and I have *almost the exact opposite experience. The hardware (screen, form factor - obviously - it's just plain insane) and the camera software/interface is top notch! But the remainder of the experience felt like I was put back onto some odd looking, super sized font version of froyo - and not just by looks, I immediately noticed a drop in usability in some key aspects of the OS (e.g. email, sms, dialer, launcher) vs what I had gotten used to with HTC Sense.
Either way, not trying to be a troll. It's funny what we get used to and come to expect based on past experiences. The S4 will have to go back (thanks TMO return policy!) and it's gonna be me and the "old" HTC Sensation for a while longer. (I'd get the HTC One, but have to agree - no SD cards slot? wtf lol)
s13

But it has 32gbs
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Towle said:
Why all the hate?? We're all here for the same reasons, regardless of what phones we choose to buy. Different things are better for different people.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't know but it is entertaining
-------------------------------------
If I have helped you, please hit the "Thanks" button
-Sent from one of my Obsessions

Have both the One and the S4, use the s4 more than the one. Thinking if I should just still the One.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2

sensati13 said:
It's interesting, I recently purchased a TMO Galaxy S4 coming from a 2.5 year old HTC Sensation and I have *almost the exact opposite experience. The hardware (screen, form factor - obviously - it's just plain insane) and the camera software/interface is top notch! But the remainder of the experience felt like I was put back onto some odd looking, super sized font version of froyo - and not just by looks, I immediately noticed a drop in usability in some key aspects of the OS (e.g. email, sms, dialer, launcher) vs what I had gotten used to with HTC Sense.
Either way, not trying to be a troll. It's funny what we get used to and come to expect based on past experiences. The S4 will have to go back (thanks TMO return policy!) and it's gonna be me and the "old" HTC Sensation for a while longer. (I'd get the HTC One, but have to agree - no SD cards slot? wtf lol)
s13
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had a similar and also slightly different experience. I also came from an HTC Sensation which I've had for about 2 years, previously owned the og Galaxy S (Vibrant), and instead of the S4 I chose the HTC one, and got the GS4 for my wife instead.
Here are my observations since I actually have both phones and can compare them with NO bias...
-A lot of the online mainstream reviews you'll read between the two hit the nail on the head. The One imo is a better "phone". It does indeed have less features then the S4 (although many of them are gimmicks like the eye scrolling/tracking, airview, and a few others) but the speakers are far superior, which obviously aids for anyone who ever uses speakerphone or plays music and videos, the call quality is also a little better, the phone is more fluid and faster than the GS4 with basic functions like scrolling screens etc, and the phone of course has a MUCH more "premium" feel. Sense 5 is MUUUUUCH better than past versions of Sense and like a lot of review say, it *DOES* improve over stock android in actual useful features. The look is subjective of course but it's flat, useful and fast, and to me that's all that matters. The camera is better than any past smartphone I've ever used (Tmobile Dash>G1>Vibrant>Sensation>One) so I like it personally, but compared to its rivals like the GS4 I guess it's not the best, but does everything I've ever asked of it VERY well so no complaints from me.
The GS4 on the other hand has a superior camera. The camera on the One isn't bad at all, and kills the Gs4 in low light conditions and the aspect ratio and wide lense captures waaay more in each frame, but the GS4 has more camera features, packs a crapload more detail in each shot, has some pretty useful camera modes the One doesn't have, and is just generally better. The Galaxy might not be made of aluminum like the one, but it's lighter and imo actually feels better in my hand (without a case). Once you add a case in the mix, hand feel is null and void obviously but if you like to go commando the Gs4 feels better and will probably hold up to abuse better than the One due to the polycarbonate body and gorilla glass 3. The screen on the Galaxy is bigger than the One while the actual phone altogether is lighter and smaller so that's pretty nice, but it's not really THAT noticeable to be honest. One huge, huge advantage the Galaxy has over the One is removable storage and battery, which *USED* to be a deal breaker for me back in the day, but I've learned to live without them since I got my One, so either way it's a definite advantage but I guess how much so is up to the user. The Galaxy also has native quick settings built in which the one doesn't have (yet), so minor issue but another positive for the galaxy.
As far as negative for each, I'm actually on my second One already. Somehow my camera lense glass cracked even though I keep the phone in case and have never dropped it or bumped it. It just appeared one day in addition to the top speaker grill starting to separate from the body. Weird, but I got it replaced and the replacement is doing fine and actually stands up to overclocking and undervolting better than my old unit, so that made me pretty happy lol. That's really the only issue I've had with mine, but on the whole, the phone is definitely more fragile than the Galaxy WITHOUT a case. It scratches easier, dents, chips, etc...while the Galaxy doesn't.
The Galaxy feels better in hand (caseless) than the One, but it's slippery as hell and slides around easily and can be more prone to being dropped. Again, only an issue without a case, but this is my observation.
Touchwiz...personally I think it's a mess. I don't care for the look, as many have said it feels like your still running Gingerbread 2.3. The look hasn't changed much since I had a Vibrant running Touchwiz from 3 years ago, and while Touchwiz DOES have some unique features and generally does more than Sense and stock android...it's just ugly as hell while doing so lol. The Galaxy also does feel a tad slower and microstutters every so often while the One is almost always fluid and seems much smoother even tho it's running a newer version of android and has slightly better specs on hardware...it just doesn't "feel" like it. Other than that it's a fantastic phone and we haven't had any problems with it whatsoever unlike the One.
Between the two...if I just had to pick one, it's a toss up. I prefer my One honestly but I can see the advantages of the Galaxy S4 with it having more features so I'll just break it down like this...
Usefuleness as an actual phone
One>S4
Camera
GS4>One
In hand feel, portability
One=GS4
Usefulness as a multimedia device
GS4=One
Expandability
GS4>One
I will say that between the two if this even matters to anyone...I get WAAAAAY more props and questions and even jealous stares directed towards the One lol...

What made YOU choose S4?

What made you choose this device instead of others? Will you select your next smartphone based on the same criteria or do you care more about some other spec?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2

I'm a Samsung fan boy, I've liked Samsung as long as I can remember and it was a shame I was never able to get a Samsung phone, I wanted the sgs1 but got the Evo instead, wanted to upgrade to the sgs2 but samsung wouldn't announce when it would come out and ended up getting a Motorola phone, and when the sgs3 came out I was broke... now come the SGS4 around, I bought it on launch day and it came to me the 30th I was really really happy... I'm going to get every reiteration of the phone as long as my pockets allow it...
Sent from my SGH-M919

I've been using iphones since it first released. Iphone2g, iphone 3g, iphone 3gs, iphone 4 then iphone 4s.
Over the years, I've grown tired of apple locking their firmwares to limit user customization; and the only way around was to jailbreak- a major pain in the behind. So the first reason is ease of personal customization.
Second, the screen size and ppi.
Third, the option to expand memory and switch battery.
And lastly, the popularity of S3.

a few reasons actually :
1) expandable storage
2) removable battery
3) community/developer support
a) why I picked Snapdragon > Exynos
4) Generally positive experience from past Samsung purchases. I've owned a few HTC devices and felt really burned in the past by how poorly they support their products in the long-term, haven't heard many good things about LG (other than the Nexus 4). Although I like Apple's stuff, and own an iPod I like Android's openness and flexibility to switch between Stock and AOSP

Copypasta from another thread:
This was my very first smartphone purchase, so I had to weigh all the factors. In the end, I went with the S4 because....
-It has removable/expandable memory. I plan on using my phone for a LOT of media consumption, and depending on the cloud to store all my stuff won't do it for me since I'm going to use T-Mobile on a 5GB/month data plan. Spotty coverage and limited data means cutting down on cloud usage.
-Removable battery. I figure carrying a spare battery ensures I can go a whole day of heavily using all these awesome phone features and apps without worrying about getting tied back down to a wall outlet.
-Better hardware like the CPU, RAM, Camera (for the most part it seems), and sensors.
-More software features. I can't wait to try out stuff like dual-shot and air view!
-The S4 has Mobeam, which should ensure I can largely replace my wallet and a lot of physical membership cards and just use the IR on my phone to purchase items and get discounts.
-It has a bigger screen while still maintaining a fairly small profile and a high pixel density.
-I prefer AMOLED/OLED to LCD on my TV's. All the issues not withstanding, I love the contrast ratios, the rich colors, and the saturation. It makes watching movies a blast. So I'll naturally prefer the same on the phone.
-From all the video reviews and articles I read, I think I'll end up preferring TouchWiz to sense. Once I use the fixes people have posted here and elsewhere to clear up the lag, the phone should be snappy. It will probably feel really snappy to me anyway since I've never owned a smartphone before.
Overall, as someone who is just entering the big boy league of the mobile phone market, it seems I couldn't have arrived at a better time. The S4 seems like the device for me to start with. If it turns out to be all that and more, I could see myself getting an S5 or whatever is the big kahuna next year.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And I actually just got my S4 today and I'm completely blown away. I've been busy downloading apps on my home wi-fi and playing with the device most of the day. I feel like a caveman who just discovered my first computer.

For me, its just has swag!
Sent from my GT-P5113 using xda premium

1) Expandable battery. After having an extended battery on my GS2, I can't fathom having a phone that I really have to hope can last all day.
2) Even with custom ROMs, hearing all the crap HTC owners had to deal was a major negative due to lack of support from HTC.
I really wish I could get those awesome speakers on the GS4 though.

thehelios said:
1) Expandable battery. After having an extended battery on my GS2, I can't fathom having a phone that I really have to hope can last all day.
2) Even with custom ROMs, hearing all the crap HTC owners had to deal was a major negative due to lack of support from HTC.
I really wish I could get those awesome speakers on the GS4 though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup same reasons and same regret also
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

I've had HTC phones up until now and I've been pretty happy with them.
I've had to replace the battery in my EVO 3D, as well as my wife's Mytouch 4G. So, for me, a removable battery is a really important feature. Also, I wanted to have expandable storage and put large apps and pics on the SD card, so the S4 won easily over the HTC One.
The aluminum body of the One does nothing for me...I put a case on every phone I own anyway. But the One's speakers seem nice.
For my next smartphone, I think I'll still look for the same things.

I switch to the s4 because T Mobile gave it to me absolutely free no $20 a month fee completely free. I had to complain to retention quite a bit because I was having issues with my galaxy s2 and they caved in and said I'll go ahead and give you one for having so many issues with your phone and I don't want to lose your business.
works every time
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda premium

Spastic909 said:
I switch to the s4 because T Mobile gave it to me absolutely free no $20 a month fee completely free. I had to complain to retention quite a bit because I was having issues with my galaxy s2 and they caved in and said I'll go ahead and give you one for having so many issues with your phone and I don't want to lose your business.
works every time
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude, teach me lol. I tried doing that when the S3 came out because I was having a lot of problems with my s2 but all i got was a credit lol
Sent from Flip's Galaxy S4

got mine s4 just because i wanted to get a new phone, and i wanted to switch to unlimited data plan.. i was thinking first of getting xperia Z (about $525 cash) but there was some complaints about earpiece volume from users, so i decided to get a contract tmobile with S4
Basically the loudness of earpiece of Xperia Z made me choose the S4.. (i had an Xperia ION and earpiece on this phone was horrible, i could not hear anyone in loud places... )

Basically I got sick of HTC and sense.

Would you recommend the Nexus?

I'm thinking of buying one, it's in the price range I'm looking at ($80-$100 on swappa), and it seems like it still has good dev support.
The Nexus is almost 3 years old, those that still have it, are you keeping it because you like it, or just because (don't want to loose your data plan for example).
Thanks
Dan

It's a decent phone and there is still some Dev support. I bought mine about a year ago and have been satisfied. Battery life sucks compared to newer phones signal isn't to great compared to my RAZR. But all in all it having an unlocked BL on Verizon makes it all worth while. I thoroughly enjoy mine and will only move if nexus 6 is unlocked on Verizon.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

I can join my previous speakers. It has a very bad battery, it's lags often in apps and the screen is very worn because of this early AMOLED technologie, BUT if you have only 100€ its one of the better phones. I'm using it right now because my nexus 5 were broken and I really like it because it just works. However if you have $50 more to spend when you should buy the moto g. It has clearly more power and offical support by motorola.

no. this phone is terrible, and i'm currently looking into buying a replacement battery for my S3 since it's been sitting in my drawer and i have no idea where the battery went, plus it's broken
i can probably find some way to fix it on ADB, but if not, i'll just wait until i upgrade then i'll get the oneplus one
seriously this phone sucks, there is nothing to recommend about it

No man dont do it .. phone performance is pretty random, dont know why, sometimes it flies like an S4, sometimes it lagz and freezes like an S1..

I've been very satisfied with my phones performance. But I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like to mess around with kernels, ROMs and settings.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Maximinus I said:
I've been very satisfied with my phones performance. But I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like to mess around with kernels, ROMs and settings.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Thanks for all the responses. I actually do like flashing roms. Should've given more info in OP. I currently have a verizon s4 but since a warranty replacement a few months ago i no longer have an unlocked (exploitable) bootloader and am stuck with touchwiz roms and no custom kernels.
Use my phone mostly for web browsing, xda app, Pandora, Google music - no gaming, coupled that with the fact that i can use the $100-$125 difference I'll make after selling the s4, thought this phone might work.
Will have to think about it a bit more.

rrrrrrredbelly said:
Thanks for all the responses. I actually do like flashing roms. Should've given more info in OP. I currently have a verizon s4 but since a warranty replacement a few months ago i no longer have an unlocked (exploitable) bootloader and am stuck with touchwiz roms and no custom kernels.
Use my phone mostly for web browsing, xda app, Pandora, Google music - no gaming, coupled that with the fact that i can use the $100-$125 difference I'll make after selling the s4, thought this phone might work.
Will have to think about it a bit more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, web browsing has become hard since 4.4.x. To be honest, KitKat is a mess on this phone. I hope new GPU drivers and 3.4 kernel will help.
If I were you I would buy a Moto G.

I'm using Gnex for a half a year. I bought used. So not because of data plan.
For me Gnex can still give what i need for "normal" daily use - sms, browser, messenger, driving assist, news reading, some games ....
So it depends on your need
best regards

It's a beautiful device, but it's definitely not the best. I absolutely love the unobtrusive design of the front -- just plain black. The phone is the exact right size for me, and the volume and power buttons are in exactly the right place; however the bezels are quite large in comparison to newer phones. This makes the structural integrity of the phone better, but it isn't really nice to me. The back of the phone has a comfortable plastic "grippy" feeling that makes it easy to hold, especially with the curved extrusion at the bottom by the speaker grill.
The speaker is awful, as with all Samsung devices. It's a back-facing speaker that's tiny and easy to cover up. Not much of a problem if you use earphones like I do.
It easily lasts me through a school day, though it only lasts about 4 hours streaming video. Its dual core processor is definitely outdated and consumes far more powererformance than any modern phone.
The screen is on-par with the Galaxy S3 screen, which isn't a compliment. It's low-resolution in comparison to new phones (1280x720), it's hot (as in it actually feels hot) and consumes a heck of a lot of battery very quickly. The colour is amazing, vibrant and simply gorgeous... but, within a few months, you get screen burn-in which is especially noticeable in low light -- speaking of which, the screen in low light is far worse than any IPS with a slightly grainy image, though it does retain a good contrast. Its slightly curved display prevents it from scratching anything facing down and, in my opinion, makes it easier to touch things at the top of the screen.
The phone's radio is only GSM (unless you're going for Sprint or Verizon), so if you're wanting LTE, tough luck. It also doesn't have FM or AM radio if you're into that.
The camera's not the best, but it does the job. The flash is often over-bright, and lacks HDR, motion stabilisation and is only 5 Megapixels. Front camera is 720p.
So why buy this phone? If you can get it really cheap, go for it. If not, go for something newer like the Moto X, Moto G, Nexus 5 or the upcoming Nexus 6 for a similar, updated experience.
Just remember, it's truly an Android modder's dream. It's extremely mod-able with a decent sized community. In my opinion, it is still the best phone I have ever used. I find that just the pure feeling and look of the phone is enough to keep me with it. Also, with recent additions to the phone like F2FS, graphics drivers, new kernels, new ROMs etc., the phone is still very usable for just about everything -- even most gaming.

For $100 i would buy it. The moto g is comparable and faster but almost $100 more. But I think your question is already answered
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Free mobile app

bought mine for 70 dollars one month ago, definetily worth it.

I would much rather use an s4 with touchwiz than use a galaxy nexus. The gnex is the second worst android phone that I've ever owned.

You really can't compare a three year old phone to a phone that is just over a year old. Of course the s4 will be better but touchwizz yuck it would probably be just as slow as a galaxy nexus.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Appreciate everyone's response, thanks

It's a good phone when it was released but the battery life is quite short even though I don't have a lot of apps on it. When the battery life is in the red, it usually last around 5 minutes then it shuts down. I think it was better than than iPhone 4 at its time since it was one of the first phone with a larger screen.

I agree with the other posts.
Honestly, I think CM10 runs amazing on the phone and the signal is actually quite good with that version. 4.4.4 doesn't do well on it for the signal...at least for me. I have been trying many ROMs / Kernels and I have the same luck with them all. I only have mine because I bought it for like $80 on ebay and still have the unlimited plan with Verizon so I don't want to upgrade to a new phone unless I pay the big dollars.
Battery life...is crap like everyone else states. I bought three batteries for this phone for that reason and always have it plugged in, which is why I actually have burn in from my apps.

I own GNex for almost 3 years now and here are few things coming into my mind right now:
Terrible camera
Terrible speaker (Very low volume)
Slow as hell
Worn screen
Incredibly short battery life
Also, with such limited memory multitasking is pretty much not existent if you like installing many apps
Honestly, there is not a single day that I don't want to throw my unit against the wall.
Do yourself a favor and stay away from this peace of junk.
N4 would be a much better option http://swappa.com/buy/nexus-4-unlocked/us

rrrrrrredbelly said:
I'm thinking of buying one, it's in the price range I'm looking at ($80-$100 on swappa), and it seems like it still has good dev support.
The Nexus is almost 3 years old, those that still have it, are you keeping it because you like it, or just because (don't want to loose your data plan for example).
Thanks
Dan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm keeping it because I don't have much money on a new phone and there isn't much on the market that really makes me want to spend anything.
The Galaxy Nexus is a really ****ty phone. If it wasn't a Nexus it would get zero respect from me.
I mean for an old and cheap phone, it's probably the best you can buy at this moment but I'd suggest saving a few more dollars and getting something better.

kobik77 said:
N4 would be a much better option http://swappa.com/buy/nexus-4-unlocked/us
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Click to collapse
Thanks but on verizon, looks like that gsm only.