Develop Bugs

Should I get this phone?

It is August 3 2013 and this phone has been out for a little while now. I am looking for a new phone because I need to switch carriers. I currently have a Galaxy Note 2 and I absolutely love it. I see that Sony announced they will update it to 4.3. The screen is only 0.5" smaller then my Note 2. The Sony has a higher resolution though. The battery life doesn't seem to be a problem for most of you (I checked the battery thread). Do all of you who currently own the Sony absolutely love the phone? Do you wish you tried a different phone? I love the look of the phone.
I am stuck between the Galaxy S4, HTC one, and this ZL. The S4 seems to have a ton of bloatware that I will never use but since the Google edition was announced, I might be able to flash a stock version of android on it once they figure out the battery drain issue. Same goes for the HTC one. I love the Sony for no apparent reason. It looks like a decent phone on paper and I remember reading about how Sony is really making an effort to help out developers. They also seem to keep updating this phone (4.2.2 and 4.3).
I need to decide soon so I appreciate any responses!
Edit** was this phone really just released 4 months ago? For some reason I thought it was older.

It's your decision of course and nobody here can really make that decision for you... it's a very subjective topic and you will get 100 different "answers".
However, I'll give you my highly subjective and personal opinion... for what it's worth.
I have both the Z and ZL, a GS3 and have had an HTC One. The GS3 is a reliable and usable phone that is easy to mod. It does everything well, except the screen is really unreadable outside. The 2 particular key points for me on phones, other than the ability to function reliably as a phone, are a good notification LED and a decent FM radio. The Radio is quite passable on the GS3. I bought an HTC One to replace the GS3 and was both impressed by some aspects and seriously disappointed by others. The notification LED is a joke and the FM radio was chronically insensitive to the point of being worthless. Plus the speaker grilles didn't fit correctly. It lasted a week and then got returned.
The GS4 doesn't have an FM radio... pathetic discrimination
Anyway, on to Sony...
The Z was bought in lieu of the H1. I've always liked Sony and SE phones, they are designed in Scandinavia and it shows, certainly in the electronic design and qualification. I also bought the ZL whilst on a business trip in Germany a week or two later. Both phones are great, but I prefer the ZL - because it is physically smaller (thicker but nicer to hold), has a better screen (higher brightness and contrast plus better viewing angles), no flaps to mess about with, the Sony logo is on the phone not the ASF (gives you more options) and has a slightly better notification LED. The FM radio is fantastic on both, although for some reason the Z is more sensitive, by about 10% I reckon. I also prefer the easy access SIM and SD card slots. The loudspeaker on the ZL is not restricted by waterproofing and is thus a fair bit louder...
So for me, the ZL is my phone of choice. It does everything I need and well. Sony are quick with updates and there are no obvious bugs. The UI is rather less "Noddy" than TW and less intrusive than Sense. The call quality is excellent too, in case you need to use it as a phone!!!
So it's down to what is important to you...

That was a awesome post very informative of different phones. I just got a zl to replace my broken HTC one xl and I love it I'm a big Sony fan they make solid products and I've never had a issue and when I have Sony has been quick to respond. It's a good choice
Sent from my Xperia Arc using xda app-developers app

It's honestly a great phone and highly underrated. Maybe it is a very polarizing phone, in that some hate it while others absolutely love it.

Well it's down to what your needs are.
For custom roms development support go for either Htc one or S4.
For sound Htc one.
For screen brilliance HTC One or possibly S4. Zl screen looks washed out and very poor viewing angles.
Camera. ZL or S4.
Memory Zl or S4.
Smoothness UI Htc one.
Design HTC one.
Speed HTC One or S4.
Notification light ZL or S4.
Premium build HTC One.
For me it has to be HTC One.

riz157 said:
Well it's down to what your needs are.
For custom roms development support go for either Htc one or S4.
For sound Htc one.
For screen brilliance HTC One or possibly S4. Zl screen looks washed out and very poor viewing angles.
Camera. ZL or S4.
Memory Zl or S4.
Smoothness UI Htc one.
Design HTC one.
Speed HTC One or S4.
Notification light ZL or S4.
Premium build HTC One.
For me it has to be HTC One.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had someone offer me a HTC One + $50 the other day. I just don't see the appeal.

Which HTC One has...
4G (LTE)?
notification toggles?
support to microSD card, including SDXC (I still believe Sony will really fix it )?
Sony design?
Sony UI and Sony exclusive widgets?
full integration with Sony products (PS3, Bravia, Muteki, Music Unlimited...)?
movie player with BE2?
a full 5" screen almost to the edge of the bevel of the phone?
a 2013 main camera (against the 2009-compatible 4 Mpx from HTC one?)

Andre Verissimo said:
Which HTC One has...
4G (LTE)?
notification toggles?
support to microSD card, including SDXC (I still believe Sony will really fix it )?
Sony design?
Sony UI and Sony exclusive widgets?
full integration with Sony products (PS3, Bravia, Muteki, Music Unlimited...)?
movie player with BE2?
a full 5" screen almost to the edge of the bevel of the phone?
a 2013 main camera (against the 2009-compatible 4 Mpx from HTC one?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The One has LTE and notification toggles. To the OP. I switch phones A LOT so I've had all the big boys and I have to say the ZL is a really nice phone. The One is definitely a good competitor though. As for the S4 that has been my least favorite as it feels so cheap and i hate the home button. It all depends on personal preference but as for me I'll probably keep this for the next 2 months and then get the Moto X.

I think the answer depends on your timetable and perspective:
On 8/7, the LG G2 is going to be announed, which will be the first American-carrier snapdragon 800 phone. A month later, Samsung is expected to announce the Note 3 and a Galaxy S4 advanced. By the late fall, there should even be a Nexus 5.
Battery may not be a problem for us... but we don't have notes. We have small phones with giant screens and have (relatively) low standards like a phone lasting 12 hours on a charge rather than the Note's 2 day/no charge norm.
--
I like the ZL (bought 3 months ago). It has met my needs pretty well. I find that it's easier to make a mistake flashing mods and have bootloops needing reflashes... compared to my Samsung experience. I dislike its bluetooth stack... as I have to disable wifi for it to facilitate phone calls in my car. I have a slight feeling of it being the stepchild of the Sony family, as the developer of the only kernel stopped supporting the phone (he never owned it) and the custom roms are not as numerous as the Xperia Z. I had an AT&T LG Optimus G (same processor, smaller screen, wider body) directly before it and the SGS3 before that. I don't wish I had the HTC One.

I have checked almost every review available on the internet and they all wish the device had better screen and camera.
The screen has poor viewing angles and camera is gainy in low light and looses focus even in bright light.
Well I don't want to base my idea totally on reviews, since they compare it with the best.
Will you guys recommend if the Screen and camera quality are at par with a high end phone, so that I can consider buying it?

ajhavery said:
I have checked almost every review available on the internet and they all wish the device had better screen and camera.
The screen has poor viewing angles and camera is gainy in low light and looses focus even in bright light.
Well I don't want to base my idea totally on reviews, since they compare it with the best.
Will you guys recommend if the Screen and camera quality are at par with a high end phone, so that I can consider buying it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trust me, screen quality is much much better after the Update. Camera vise its really improved. If i am at a party with friends its like they want me to click pics from my ZL and day light pics are just great.
Compression Issue has been fixed in HDR. So its less noisy in low light condition with HDR.(Really Improved)
close up i would prefer my ZL.
But macros are not that great.
New update increased screen responsiveness. Frankly speaking Its getting better in every update.
But Beware, in Some phones there seems to some sort of Microphone bug which i am facing right now.(software May be as it works in everything else like recording)
Happy with Sony Xperia ZL Using from Past 5 Months.
Price has also been reduced. so its a best buy as of now.

IMO,if you need phone that trending (more dev support),go for HTC One or S4,since it also have Google Edition
but here few advantage of ZL to me:
-compact size 5' screen: -it slightly thicker than z,but more compact,it have thin bezel (fit into my pocket)
-omnibalance design: -slightly curve on the back,which support better grip,not need for cover since it make from plactic (still look premium)
-don't have to worry to put with key in pocket (still you should at least use screen protector to prevent direct scratch)
-camera : hv 13mp back n 2mp front,can recorded full hd video,have hdr,and hv dedicated shutter key with 2 press mechanism
image captured viewed beautiful on the phone with bravia engine 2 on
-notification light: at bottom,look really premium to me
-hv expandable storage (compare to HTC One)
-hv ir blaster: can control tv (compare to xperia z)
-speaker: average to me (htc one better i think) but it still able to make me up in the morning (i'm a heavy sleeper xD )
the earphone include is good enough (but can't compare it with high end earphone)
-sony software that does matter : walkman,album,movie,etc- support BE2,xloud,clearphase equalizer,which make music better
disadvantage:
-highly under rated (less dev support,however most dev in xperia z do port to zl,we still hv CM,PAC support )
-camera apps takes some times to launch (about 1-2 sec)
-screen does hv limited viewing angles but still visible in bright sunlight (with the help of UI itself that mainly white/grey colour)
Last word: xperia ZL does not hv the hype of other phone such as HTC One or S4 but it does hv enough power to run almost any apps in the play store,moreover with gr8 support from sony,i believe you could stay in stock firmware for quite sometimes,i used to unlock my bootloader and use custom rom for a week (to do this make sure you read all FAQ first if you not used to sony devices) but i'm back to stock and i'm happy with what sony offer to me
---------- Post added at 10:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:39 AM ----------
ajhavery said:
I have checked almost every review available on the internet and they all wish the device had better screen and camera.
The screen has poor viewing angles and camera is gainy in low light and looses focus even in bright light.
Well I don't want to base my idea totally on reviews, since they compare it with the best.
Will you guys recommend if the Screen and camera quality are at par with a high end phone, so that I can consider buying it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i suggest you bring ur current phone and compare it with zl at retail shop,i u satisfied then grab it,if not choose others,review is useful but sometimes the company hv push updates to the phone to fix/improve the problem appear,while review stay the same,for example we recently received updates that improve touch sensitivity,ram management,camera low-light performance,etc,the latest firmware changelog can be view here

Ya I wasn't really looking for a specific yes or no. I was looking for things like: are you happy with it? Things you like about it and things you dislike. Did you find out anything after you bought it that you wish you knew before you bought it?
I really wish I could wait for the Note 3 but I need the phone basically this week. I am not a heavy user so I am pretty sure the smaller battery in this phone will be fine. My current Note 2 is amazing though. I understand that there will always be a better phone that is out or coming out soon. The Sony zl is free at Rogers right now so if I hate it that much I can sell it and get a nexus 4 or something. I don't really care about custom roms that much anymore. I used to care more because my first android phone was an LG G2x and they never updated it so I had to rely on custom roms for upgrades. As long as Sony will update it for another year or 2 ill be happy.

htc one vs sony zl
After many reviews online, I could not decide between One and ZL, so I bought both on eBay for my personal evaluation but will sell the other one later. HTC One is very good phone, high contrast screen, hi-powered speakers and responsive touch (very good if you want to watch YouTube). But, my choice is Sony ZL. There are much talks on the internet about washed screen on ZL. Do not believe it and I tell you why. For some reasons Sony designers chose to use the theme with dark grey background and white letters which is easier for eyes for long time but losing on sensation of hi-contrast. However, if you can choose a dark theme, it will change the game. Also, latest updates for ZL tend toward black background. Really, do you think that Sony, that makes TVs, laptops and professional monitors can not make phone screens? The speakers of One is better but that does not apply for the speaker when you make a phone call, which is sensational for ZL with xLoud and noise canceling enhancements. Overall the ZL looks and feels much more modern with very thin bezel while the One feels like an upgrade from old one. I thought BraviaEngine is there for commercial reasons but its really good when you watch movies and videos.

ZL is a awesome device. Its that developers don't do anything currently. There is a dev kamarush who said if he get the device he will do the kernels. But he didn't have money AFAIK. Some1 should come and help the community. Looks like we gotta donate a device to a very well know xda member: suggestion - tonyp, slim_rick, pulser_q2 etc etc
Sent from my C6503 using Tapatalk 4

Never really understood the issues people are having with the screen. All the reviews made it out to look like it was the most horrible screen on a phone to date. That is simply not the case. Having came from a galaxy note 1 I can honestly say the screen is on par with it. The viewing angle issue is a joke and should be experienced first hand and not from some reviewer with his head stuck up his ass. Thank god I got this phone despite what the reviews said. I'd have missed out on a great device.
Sent from my C6503

Agree that the screen (as stated in my post above) is not at all bad. Better than the XZ
Sent from my C6503 using xda premium

devilsshadow said:
Never really understood the issues people are having with the screen. All the reviews made it out to look like it was the most horrible screen on a phone to date. That is simply not the case. Having came from a galaxy note 1 I can honestly say the screen is on par with it. The viewing angle issue is a joke and should be experienced first hand and not from some reviewer with his head stuck up his ass. Thank god I got this phone despite what the reviews said. I'd have missed out on a great device.
Sent from my C6503
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree 100% ! I just love it.
The viewing angle is indeed deficient but I dont care. Its still bright and colorful. The FM radio and the loads of media formats it can play built in, are a great plus for me Really enjoyable device. Cant wait for an aokp 4.3 custom rom

unoo said:
Ya I wasn't really looking for a specific yes or no. I was looking for things like: are you happy with it? Things you like about it and things you dislike. Did you find out anything after you bought it that you wish you knew before you bought it?
I really wish I could wait for the Note 3 but I need the phone basically this week. I am not a heavy user so I am pretty sure the smaller battery in this phone will be fine. My current Note 2 is amazing though. I understand that there will always be a better phone that is out or coming out soon. The Sony zl is free at Rogers right now so if I hate it that much I can sell it and get a nexus 4 or something. I don't really care about custom roms that much anymore. I used to care more because my first android phone was an LG G2x and they never updated it so I had to rely on custom roms for upgrades. As long as Sony will update it for another year or 2 ill be happy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i would not sure if there will be update for 2 years,you said u used note 2,so r u using the s-pen heavily,i hv a friend that like to sketch cartoon with his note 2,and i think that phone really suitable for him,if you one of them,you should wait for note 3,if not,i suggest you give zl a shot,nexus 4 also a good phone but i choose zl instead of nexus 4 when i buy it because i want to hv expandable storage n i also use fm radio quite frequently,i use zl since early 3 april until today and so far i'm happy with it.what i like mainly the phone shape,different from other and the only thing i dislike is the camera takes some times to load as i mention earlier,hope sony will fix it later on

ihsan123 said:
i would not sure if there will be update for 2 years,you said u used note 2,so r u using the s-pen heavily,i hv a friend that like to sketch cartoon with his note 2,and i think that phone really suitable for him,if you one of them,you should wait for note 3,if not,i suggest you give zl a shot,nexus 4 also a good phone but i choose zl instead of nexus 4 when i buy it because i want to hv expandable storage n i also use fm radio quite frequently,i use zl since early 3 april until today and so far i'm happy with it.what i like mainly the phone shape,different from other and the only thing i dislike is the camera takes some times to load as i mention earlier,hope sony will fix it later on
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never use the sPen. I don't care about the speakers either because I never use external speakers in a phone. I never heard anything bad about the screen but I make the assumption that sony makes TV's so that can make a decent cell phone screen haha. The more I think about it, I just want a properly functioning phone. If Sony updates it then that is great but as long as it is smooth and everything works then ill be happy. It is going to be my phone for the next 3 years so it needs to last!

Is the LG G3 the right device for me?

I have been using Galaxy S3 for the last 2 years, along side 7000 mAh zerlolemon battery.
overall my experience with it, considering it was my first smartphone, was OK.
but now I'm looking for:
a bigger screen & a good looking one! (5.5"+)
better camera (S3's camera sucked!)
better speakers & sound quality overall (i watch YouTube a lot at work, some /movies/TV show as well)
newer & less laggy hardware (S3 is just to old, although i run custom roms on it!).
removable battery & SD card storage.
the LG G3 seems to answer all of my wishes from a new smartphone. but i read about a lot of bugs & defects complaints using google search, which scares me a bit!
what do you guys think? would love to hear your opinions, which will be more valid then online reviews of short use since you had the phone for longer time! good & bad stuff.
I probable will buy the 32GB storage unite, since it has bigger ram & the extra 16G will do only good since the camera files will be heavier compared to the S3!
thanks in advance .

I had used S3 for nearly 2 years as my daily driver and it was a pretty good piece because of it's customizability. But, recently I received the G3 as a birthday gift and even though it's design and hardware impressed me, i felt like something is missing. Sure, it has that beautiful screen, sexy curves, overall amazing design, and an amazing camera but the UI tends to stutter a lot which is really wierd considering the amount of power the snapdragon could deliver. It should have been a child's play, but apparently it isn't. Also, the display has an exagerated software applied sharpening, which to this day i still can't see the benefit of it making your fonts at different sizes look ugly. Furthermore, the hardware gets sometimes so hot from simple tasks making it simply unbeareable for your hands.
When i encountered ocasional lag with my S3 i understood that I was asking too much from an old hardware, but i never expected a new-gen phone to behave like this. We will have to wait and see what improvements the custom roms could bring to the table.
If you spend a lot of time watching and listening videos, the speaker does it's job honorably while the so called premium headphones felt less dynamic than the S3's. At this point, the M8 could be a better deal it's only downside being the display size (- 0.5'' ).
To be honest, I still dont know what to say. I guess i have big expectations from a flagship.
I strongly suggest trying the phone before buying it.

Since S3 is only phone you had any upgrade will be good. Just choose what do you prefer in phone. Htc for speakers, G3 for screen, samsung for water resistance. Battery life and performance are pretty much same for all of them. Try them out all and you will see which one suits you best
I used to have S3 too, only thing I miss is very black screen. But that's about it. G3 is better in every way.
If you dont care about your phone being outdated fast, you can also get Z3
Sent from my LG-D855 using XDA Free mobile app

I myself have switched recently from S3 LTE to the G3.
On the S3 a lot was possible with mods, ROMs and solutions from this great community :good: , it was and is a great phone.
My impressions on the G3 in comparison to S3 LTE are:
+ good speed and responsitivity
+ larger screen is nice
+ input handling (touch screen) seems more responsive to me
+ good signal qualities
+ excellent battery life
- community much less developed (no wonder, its pretty new and bump! is just out)
- wireless charging much more fidgety
- considerable more bulk (well, can't have it all )
- display is not as crisp and bright as with S3
Overall I am happy with the new phone and not looking back.
Axel

Great summary ccs16rocks. My feelings are exact to yours. In order to reduce many of the issues you identified, I had to root, modify, etc but this has not fixed all of the issues. I've changed my framework to ART and launcher to Nova, disabled all animations, scaling, etc. as well to help with stutter and slow downs, that helped dramatically.
After all of the work that I've put into the phone, there are still some things that I cannot fix or improve and I don't think they can be.
-Camera speed: I'm used to iPhone 5/6 performance/speed. There are apps that can speed up shooting, but none can reach the speed of an iPhone. Luckily there are tons of apps out there, if you have the time to try them and find the right one. I've been through a bunch so far and The apps that do work well (speed/performance), usually don't have any other features that seem practical to have integrated into the app. (video, square, panorama, etc)
-Battery life: I'm using a variety of tools/task killers/etc to minimize what's running, eating battery life or slowing the phone down. This varies and I can't seem to find a real solution to extending battery life any longer other than just not using the phone :laugh:
That being said, I'm happy with the phone. The hype over the quality of the camera is odd to me though. Primarily because it's nice, but it isn't that great. Maybe it's better than other Android camera phones?
Another major concern is, with all the rooting/hacking/modding I've done to get the phone to operate more efficiently, I'm curious as to how I can upgrade to Lollipop when it comes out, since LG G3 handsets are getting it soon

Just want to thank everyone who replied .
after reading your comments, i decided to stay with the current S3 and skip the LG G3. although it's specification sound perfect for me, i just don't want to risk getting a new phone with all this possible bugs and defects! I will just wait until the note 4 or nexus 6 drop to a normal price in my country, don't mind waiting 6+ month for that. it's not like the S3 is a bad device, it does the job well enough for now.

If you read enough stuff on the internet ALL phones have stuff wrong with them - To me the G3 has some minor software hic ups with its launcher, nothing that makes it worth not buying.

Make sure not to buy the 16GB version, because the lag is REAL. The colleague from the USA might be delighted with the their 32GB beasts, but as for european costumer who are offered only the 16 giggs... Id be better without it. Seriously guys the europeen version is crap without any serious modifications!

The G3 is a wonderful device. As well I just wanted to say not everybody's phone laggs. I've had my G3 since launch and I only experienced very minimal lag and once I rooted and made a few small changes in trickster mod it's been nothing but good times.

KI_YOOU said:
Make sure not to buy the 16GB version, because the lag is REAL. The colleague from the USA might be delighted with the their 32GB beasts, but as for european costumer who are offered only the 16 giggs... Id be better without it. Seriously guys the europeen version is crap without any serious modifications!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In EU 32GB with 3Gb RAM version is also available.
Sent from my SM-910c using Tapatalk

silicij said:
In EU 32GB with 3Gb RAM version is also available.
Sent from my SM-910c using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well its not available in SPAIN and Bulgaria carriers.

[Q] From G3 to Galaxy S6?

Hi guys, i have a friend who bought G3 not long ago, and he want to replace it with Galaxy S6. let's assume if he would, outside of lower battery, does it really hold any substantial benefit over G3?

Derpling said:
Hi guys, i have a friend who bought G3 not long ago, and he want to replace it with Galaxy S6. let's assume if he would, outside of lower battery, does it really hold any substantial benefit over G3?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes
S6:
Better processor
Better RAM
Better Software
Better Camera
Better build quality

I heard the s6 is fragile compared to g3

t-shock said:
Yes
S6:
Better processor
Better RAM
Better Software
Better Camera
Better build quality
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Derping asked: "Does it really hold any substantial benefit over G3?"
I would say no.
What t-shock wrote is mostly true if we compare technical specifications, but hardware benefits are not noticeable in everyday use, and software quality is matter of individual taste..
Sent from my LG-D855

draskome said:
Derping asked: "Does it really hold any substantial benefit over G3?"
I would say no.
What t-shock wrote is mostly true if we compare technical specifications, but hardware benefits are not noticeable in everyday use, and software quality is matter of individual taste..
Sent from my LG-D855
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I own both devices and I will say that s6 feels a bit better that the g3
Screen and camera is the main differences
PS You're absolutely right

My cousin came from the states a few days ago and he has the s6 edge i have the s5 and g3. To be honest i didnt saw that much difference. Well the screen on edge rocks and the camera ummm. Took a pic with my s5 and ne with the edge the same position 4 seconds of difference and i cant say theres a difference. Yeah its new but for me its just that.
Enviado desde mi LG-D855 mediante Tapatalk

Derpling said:
Hi guys, i have a friend who bought G3 not long ago, and he want to replace it with Galaxy S6. let's assume if he would, outside of lower battery, does it really hold any substantial benefit over G3?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm looking at going backwards actually. From S6 to G3 (or even G4).
"Stupid!" Some would say....
"Ahh, I see what you're doing there..." others would suggest...
I've never had an iPhone (outside of work) and never will. Absolutely hate them. If I want to blend in with the mainstream 'zombie' public, I'd buy one...and so, I pledged allegiance to the Samsung Galaxy flagship on the release of the S1. I Loved the SGS1; thought the S2 (and S2 in 4G) was brilliant in every way and the best in the series. I didn't like the bubble-like screen on S3 (you cant use a screen protector properly) and the S4, S5 and S6 were getting bigger, heavier, more powerful (killing batteries quicker) and lacking in key features that I considered "important" as a user.
My complaints:
1. S6 build. It's advantageously a disadvantage...
The best thing about Samsung for me, was it wasn't Apple. It was on the andrio0d platform and the phone internally and externally was customizable to how the user saw fit. Now, you can argue the battery-encased in the shell, lack of SD card expandability and "all metal/glass" surroundings is great (you are probably an Apple fan), but to me it works against the S6....customization lacked big time. Let's not forget the S5 was dust/water resistant for a plastic back/removable battery and all ports on phone weren't covered! Also, keep these stupid nano sims for the iPhones, please...We have micro now #smallenough
2. Power/Battery:
I don't "multi-task overload" and usually only have a few apps running at the same time. Not really a big gamer outside of the occasional Angry Birds, yet I was STAGGERED learning how much my battery dropped from LIMITED use. 10 minutes looking at my phones messages and emails and 5% was gone in the blink of an eye. I can't get a full day out of it and I'm the furtherest thing from what would be considered a phone-a-holic. So again, such advantages of this phone in it's ability to cope with the most demanding apps, and graphics in high end mobile games, is biting it in the ass as its OVERLY using too much of the available battery.
3. FM radio
If you're like me, this makes you laugh the S4 and S5 had FM radio chips installed, but Samsung de-activated them. Why?! Who the f*ck knows. They present you with a ferrari and remove the engine...kinda makes it a moot point. I want to listen to live sports on radio...I can't do that unless I can tap into specific 3rd party apps and in some cases, certain times/streams aren't even available....use a LIVE FM RDS radio and it is. The S4-6+ missing this makes zero sense.
I could go on, but I won't. I will admit that in the hand, the phone feels fantastic. As did the S5. The processor of CPU/GPU are far superior, the camera is better and ultra-responsive, the UI might be new to you if you're not familiar, but easy to use. 4G speeds are SUPER fast, WIFI connectivity a breeze, but the more Samsung liken their phones to Apples and cut out common features and shorten battery lifespans, the quicker they will lose customers like me. If you add in the extra horsepower, compensate with either a bigger battery, or more efficient battery sucking less power.
For me, the G3 or G4's camera of 13 or 16MP will suffice...I'm a photographer with a great DSLR, a phone will never replace it and the RAW shooting option on the G4 (possibly G3) is a great option. The phone is a little BIG for my liking, but again, that's LG trying to copy the latest Iphone sizes for you...the GB RAM and storage are on par with market leaders at the moment and the option to use your own battery, manually reset the phone, add a SDHC card for photos/video (particular for RAW images) are just more reasons why I'll go for the option that gives you greater flexibility.
RoOSTA

Really interesting views and thoughts in this thread, gonna jump in....
Ive owned all the Samsung Devices (except the S6), IMO, samsung are pulling an Apple and the prices are starting to creep up, S6 or IPhone 6, Iphone 6+ or S6 Edge, yes its starting to happen.. Samsung are pulling their way back after the S5 flop and boy, are they letting everyone know about it.. oh and charging for it as well
Now that we have 5.0 L, I personnaly think the G3 is awesome. Its had it problems.. the OS being laggy, which Removing Smart Notice cures, the camera taking time to mature and lack of basic manual controls (EV, ISO, WB, Manual focus, Bracketing, Shutter speed etc) and LG still havent fixed the headphones hiss / distortion even after 2 massive updates (4.4 & 5.0), although there are workarounds, but I still love the G3.. why...
Beautiful Big Screen, Great Camera with one of the best OIS systems around (even better than Nokia at times), beautiful audio, great button placement, lovely sturdy robust build (even though its plastic), nice Themes and OS cutomisation, and now under Lollipop (20h), a great OS experience... lets just say I ditched my HTC One M9 for the G3.
Until they release a Tizen powered device, Ill never buy Samsung again.. because no matter how much they slim it down and dress it up.. Touchwiz is still Touchwiz and its like a kids cartoon. The camera looks impressive however, and now theyve added OIS, it seems impressive..
IMO if I was you, Ide get the G4, which is released on the 28th, which is much cheaper than an S6.

Best new phone after S4Mini ?

Hi Guys,
I'm a favorite user of our S4mini. But having it for almost 4 years now i'm starting to see it gets a bit old. I have used several custom ROMs, but in the end all are ending up a bit slow..
So i'm looking for a follow up device. Any tips? Right now I'm thinking on buying the Galaxy S7..
New phone should be;
- Fast, 'flagship' specs
- A great custom ROM community
- Good camera
- If possible, not to BIG (s4mini size is perfect, but hard to find i guess)
thats all

Wait for new Sony x compact. The current one is really good but I'm sure new one will be better.
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

Mascarponi said:
Hi Guys,
I'm a favorite user of our S4mini. But having it for almost 4 years now i'm starting to see it gets a bit old. I have used several custom ROMs, but in the end all are ending up a bit slow..
So i'm looking for a follow up device. Any tips? Right now I'm thinking on buying the Galaxy S7..
New phone should be;
- Fast, 'flagship' specs
- A great custom ROM community
- Good camera
- If possible, not to BIG (s4mini size is perfect, but hard to find i guess)
thats all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oneplus 3 or 3t

Here is my story...
Was looking for something compact and lightweight like s4 mini and also reasonably powerful (don't need flagship power. AMOLED and non stock Rom is also must. Bought a LENOVO P2. ...used for 2 months and sold it. Pros: Good battery life and ultra fast charging. What i didn't like was size and weight...too big for my hands. Also didn't like the Rom as it was close to stock.
Then i bought zuk z2. Liked nothing. Specially the LCD display. I will never buy anything if its not AMOLED and that too SAMSUNG calibrated. Device was thick and boxy....ergonomics were poor.
Moral of the story: only flagship cpu and very big bbattery don't make a good device. Its balance and optimisation of everything. And my opinion is SAMSUNG has mastered the art of making fantastic android smartphones. I hate stock,Los/based, miui etc. After trying everything....touchwiz(tweaked) and Flyme os are the top.
So far i have short listed GALAXY A5 2017. Though it is still large to my standards. ....after the recent price cut it seems the most viable option to me. Thanks for reading.

I started with trying to replace 2013 moto x. Tried the following :
Galaxy alpha
Galaxy a3 2016
Galaxy a3 2017
Sony z5 compact
Sony x compact
Oneplus x
Now running galaxy s5 and s4 mini both on RR and working pretty good. I prefer size of s4 mini but it is Lil under powered.
Wish I would have kept oneplus x. Now waiting for new Sony compact.
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

I have decided on the HTC 10, now that the price had dropped to ~ 1/2 of the launch price. It is one of the better "ex-flagship" type phone that is not too big, still is plenty powerful even tho it has last year's Top SOC.
Unlockable bootloader & great ROM support, and solid build. Design is a bit dated, but I think it will be a solid phone for me. (Ordered on-line, awaiting delivery ....)
The S7 is my second choice - better screen, better camera. But I am leery of the glass back, and the use of micro USB rather than USB-C swayed me towards the HTC. Plus Samsung's update record is spotty, and you can only get ROM support if you get the G930F variant. And Sammy seemed to have added multiple hurdles to the bootloader unlocking process compared to the S4 mini.

I was pretty much in the same predicament as you. After first giving the new Nokia 6 a chance, I decided that the screen (5.5 inches) is too big for my liking, especially coming from a S4 mini with a 4.3 screen, so I returned it.
I then decided to get the S7 (flat; not the edge variant) a chance, and so far I'm happy with it. If you get one with an Exynos processor, there are enough different roms to choose from (https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s7/development).
Plus, it's also Samsung so it's not something completely new. Yes, the screen is larger as well (5.1 inches), but with a nice back case to get a better grip on the phone it's still decent and not too big if you ask me.

BlackDontCrack said:
I was pretty much in the same predicament as you. After first giving the new Nokia 6 a chance, I decided that the screen (5.5 inches) is too big for my liking, especially coming from a S4 mini with a 4.3 screen, so I returned it.
I then decided to get the S7 (flat; not the edge variant) a chance, and so far I'm happy with it. If you get one with an Exynos processor, there are enough different roms to choose from (https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s7/development).
Plus, it's also Samsung so it's not something completely new. Yes, the screen is larger as well (5.1 inches), but with a nice back case to get a better grip on the phone it's still decent and not too big if you ask me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What rom you recommend?
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

mario24601 said:
What rom you recommend?
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me first say, I don't consider myself an expert like that. I've only tested a few so far.
For example, Official LOS, which worked quite well. The only problem was that my S7 (SM-G930F) unfortunately has different camera sensors than most others. It looks like sometime in the last 1-3 months, Samsung has started to also use Sony camera sensors instead of the regular Samsung ones, which are not yet supported by LOS, so my camera isn't working when using LOS. It just stays blank.
The developers are aware of that and there might even be a fix for this issue, but I haven't researched it that thoroughly.
I wanted a rom with root, Xposed (Xprivacy, Gravitybox, and a whatsapp module) and all the main features, so I'm now using Helios 7.20 with Magisk and Xposed enabled. So far, everything I need is working, so no complaints on my part. I haven't updated to 7.21 yet, so I can't tell you how that version works.
Battery life is okay. No huge drain, but then again I have gps and all them location services disabled, but my data connection is turned on 24/7.

Pixel C v.s. Galaxy Tab S3

I have the Pixel C right now and been using it for the best part of a year and a half and it has been quite good, very smooth interface and probably not as silky as the Pixel phone but light-years better than my old Nexus 9.
Question is, as good as it has been, a few things are bugging me now. First is the age; it is almost 2 years old now and while it has been getting updated rather quickly the latest Oreo update seems to be stretching the limits of the aging hardware, because I've seen no absence of lags and stuttering on Oreo that weren't as noticeable or pronounced as it was on Nougat 7.1.2. In fact these performance hitches are enough for me to consider wiping all my important (but not too important, just a few apps and games) data and downgrade back to stock 7.1.2, since the YouTube app is just horrendous on Oreo, but I haven't gone around to it yet.
The more important thing is the Tab S3. The Android tablet market is all but dead with nothing but crappy budget devices released but the S3 seems to be a major contender for the best Android tablet, and I can see why. It does have a crap 2016 processor (given the release date of March 2017 you'd expect it to have at least 821 or 835, or better yet, a more optimized Exynos 8890 or 8895), but it still handily beats the clock speed (2.15 vs 1.9) of the X1 chip in the Pixel C and RAM (4 vs 3). But given the Pixel C's obvious advantage with the absence of any memory-hogging skin, I am having doubts on upgrading because of hardware. Speaking of which the S3 also has the quad-speaker advantage and the HDR capable AMOLED panel, not to mention the glorious S-Pen. So given all these clear advantages the S3 has over the Pixel C, is it worth the "up"grade? Or is the S3 just another crap tablet with a bunch of gimmicks like the S2 and still packed with all the useless junk that Samsung tends to cram into their devices?
Note that I use my tablet for purely entertainment purposes, I don't have the keyboard and I just use my Pixel C for videos, games, and web browsing (I reserve productivity for an actual Laptop). I generally value performance over everything else as a result.

pixel c has more rom and kernel development and it is very smooth and perfect for gaming thanks android stock and lineage based roms
tab s3 has touchwiz and as we know touchiz lags and has performance issue
it would be a best if google release a new tablet
but for now pixel c is best android tablet ( the display doesnt have hdr but is a quadhd ltps very good display)

And you'll get quicker updates than the S3. Samsung are woeful at updating their devices.

My nexus 9 crapped out and needed a new tablet and got the S3. I looked at the pixel c but since it's 2 years old ruled that out. You're right, there is no good android tablet now. The s3 is good but it's just a tablet. Nothing special. I haven't even rooted it yet because of the stupid knox and voiding the warranty if I trip it. I have no idea when it'll get oreo. My nexus 5x is running it now and it'll probably won't be until next year that samsung finally releases it. The samsung bloat is not that bad and most of it you can disable.
There's basically no development on it and very little activity in the forum. So if you're into that don't expect much.
If I had the pixel I'd wait and see if something else comes out, preferably from google. But I don't know how likely that is.

There's actually a good tablet on the market, but it's small. It's the Huawei mediapad M3 with kirin 930 and 4 gigs of ram. I tried it for two weeks and absolutely loved it; amazingly fast and fluid, super lightweight and a gorgeous hi-res screen. In the end I sent it back because the long 8.4" screen, resolution is superb but you have to hold it so close to your face because it's too small.
So it's no alternative to the pixel C but its fast and high end. I have hopes that Huawei will decide one day to make a 9.7 inch version, I would buy it immediately.

ASW1 said:
There's actually a good tablet on the market, but it's small. It's the Huawei mediapad M3 with kirin 930 and 4 gigs of ram. I tried it for two weeks and absolutely loved it; amazingly fast and fluid, super lightweight and a gorgeous hi-res screen. In the end I sent it back because the long 8.4" screen, resolution is superb but you have to hold it so close to your face because it's too small.
So it's no alternative to the pixel C but its fast and high end. I have hopes that Huawei will decide one day to make a 9.7 inch version, I would buy it immediately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought the mediapad m3 used the kirin 950? it's hard to find out what's going on with the specs. The 32G model comes with 3G ram and the 64G with 4g ram. Where I live so far I only found the 32/3 model. I also would like the larger screen size... I have a Tab S2 and it's pretty good. There is no lag from touchwiz. I use Nova launcher anyway and it's lightning fast. And I get OTA updates on Nougat. Not every month but they are updating it. No complaints whatsoever.
So I am also trying to decide whether to go with the mediapad M3 (the T3 looks like a serious downgrade from every angle) or the Tab S3. There is a new google Pixel isn't there? But I guess it's like 1,000 dollars and probably not worth it.

midnightrider said:
I thought the mediapad m3 used the kirin 950? it's hard to find out what's going on with the specs. The 32G model comes with 3G ram and the 64G with 4g ram. Where I live so far I only found the 32/3 model. I also would like the larger screen size... I have a Tab S2 and it's pretty good. There is no lag from touchwiz. I use Nova launcher anyway and it's lightning fast.
So I am also trying to decide whether to go with the mediapad M3 (the T3 looks like a serious downgrade from every angle) or the Tab S3. There is a new google Pixel isn't there? But I guess it's like 1,000 dollars and probably not worth it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right it's the kirin 950. I tried the model with 4 Gb ram and its unbelievably fast and snappy.
Much more so than the pixel C that I finally bought.
The screen of the M3 is seriously small though, 8.4 inches diagonally which sounds ok but it's really narrow. Feels like you're just looking at a large phone.
That's why I decided in the end to keep the pixel C instead, even though it's older, slower and lacks a fingerprint scanner.

ASW1 said:
You are right it's the kirin 950. I tried the model with 4 Gb ram and its unbelievably fast and snappy.
Much more so than the pixel C that I finally bought.
The screen of the M3 is seriously small though, 8.4 inches diagonally which sounds ok but it's really narrow. Feels like you're just looking at a large phone.
That's why I decided in the end to keep the pixel C instead, even though it's older, slower and lacks a fingerprint scanner.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I agree. The 8 inchers are dangerously close to an S7 Edge in size and how they feel and look. I may go for it anyway if I can find the 64G model. If not I'll probably buy the Tab S3 since I'm happy with the S2. I think the extra 1G of RAM will be worth it. Samsung has some nice addons over stock 'droid and almost completely non-bloaty.
---------- Post added at 10:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:17 AM ----------
Is nougat OTA available for the m3 btw?

I just purchased an S3 and I'm comparing it side-by-side with my Pixel C.
It's too soon to compare battery life, although I don't expect the S3 to last quite as long. The Pixel C lasts forever.
But so far I see a number of advantages on the S3.
- SD card (not that I care)
- S-Pen (not really my thing either, but great for Pictionary with a Chromecast)
- Fingerprint sensor
- Vibration
- GPS
- Slightly faster, but not night and day.
- Slightly more vibrant screen. It's capable of being more saturated with certain settings but only if you want to go blind. With tolerable settings the difference is minor.
- Camera flash. Everyone makes fun of tablet cameras but they forget about scanning documents. It's hard to do without casting a shadow.
- No 30-second delay when it's unlocked
- Easier to download drivers. I can't do ADB with my Pixel unless I find a Windows 7 computer.
Pixel C advantages
- slightly larger screen, although at these sizes it doesn't matter much
- higher resolution - again, side-by-side it doesn't jump out at me.
- Less customized, so it works like I'm used to
- Custom ROMs
- On-screen buttons that always rotate to the bottom of the screen
I think there will eventually be some ROM development for the S3. But if not, perhaps Oreo will let me apply some themes.

badwiring said:
I just purchased an S3 and I'm comparing it side-by-side with my Pixel C.
It's too soon to compare battery life, although I don't expect the S3 to last quite as long. The Pixel C lasts forever.
But so far I see a number of advantages on the S3.
- SD card (not that I care)
- S-Pen (not really my thing either, but great for Pictionary with a Chromecast)
- Fingerprint sensor
- Vibration
- GPS
- Slightly faster, but not night and day.
- Slightly more vibrant screen. It's capable of being more saturated with certain settings but only if you want to go blind. With tolerable settings the difference is minor.
- Camera flash. Everyone makes fun of tablet cameras but they forget about scanning documents. It's hard to do without casting a shadow.
- No 30-second delay when it's unlocked
- Easier to download drivers. I can't do ADB with my Pixel unless I find a Windows 7 computer..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see how screwgle can sell devices without an SD card. That's just insane. S2 doesn't have vibrate, cool to hear the S3 does. I wish the S2/S3 had a notification LED. Not having that is stupid. Yeah the screens on the Galaxy S2/3 are the cat's meow. Really great color and clarity. Battery life on my S2 is just meh. Used to be better, now it seems not to last very long. I noticed some charging issues with one of the Nougat updates. I blame software for this.
I like the Samsung addons and you get some freebies with it like 100G of Onedrive, MyKnox/Secure folder, and a cloud that isn't screwgle. Good encryption options for the device and SD cards. Not bloaty and runs great with Nova. Did not like the stock launcher. Nova is the first thing that goes on any Android device.
badwiring said:
Pixel C advantages
- slightly larger screen, although at these sizes it doesn't matter much
- higher resolution - again, side-by-side it doesn't jump out at me.
- Less customized, so it works like I'm used to
- Custom ROMs
- On-screen buttons that always rotate to the bottom of the screen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of all that nothing seems important except for the ROMs and the buttons. I hate that the Samsung hardware buttons are friggin unusable in landscape. Dumb!
I guess the S3 is the best big screen tablet right now and maybe the Mediapad M3 is the best 8 incher. They can put 6 or 8G of RAM in a phone, why not a tablet? And bring back Exynos 8 bangers and leave the Qualcomms in phones where they belong

If I have one big gripe about the Samsung buttons it's that in addition to being where they aren't expected, they aren't lit. You have to learn where they are.
But today I picked up my Pixel C and i was looking for the Samsung buttons even though the onscreen ones were plainly visible.
The S3 battery has done reasonably well.
But it's the strangest thing that matters. As soon as I typed on the Pixel I missed the vibration. I have it set really low - 4ms - but it just makes typing feel more like typing.

Oh, I meant vibrate for notification. I turn vibe off on all Samsung devices because it can cause keyboard lag. I suck at typing though.

If you don't care about the s-pen, pixel C is still a better device especially for gaming. Look at some benchmarks, Nvidia's X1 process in pixel C is much better than Tab S3. I'd hold on to the Pixel C for now. There is no good android tablet on the market at the moment.

no absence of lags and stuttering on Oreo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My Pixel c was terrible straight after the Oreo update, so laggy and slow. A factory reset followed by a restore from backup sorted it out and I've not seen any lags or stuttering since. It might be worth trying this before downgrading the firmware.

I made sure I wiped System Cache after I updated to Oreo. No issues at all for me.