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So with iPhone not including NFC on their new baby, are they trying to just develop their own service(so they can cash in as usual) or do you think they are trying to kill NFC payments all together for some system they "think up". Heck maybe they just want that to be the one new thing they add so people get the 5s in 6months...
It just seems like with Google Wallet being about the only option right now and the carriers trying to get their own going people will end up giving up on it if it doesnt get organized soon. Dont get me wrong I think its a great idea and I use GW on my S3, but of coarse had to hack it to get it going, so the average Joe will never even know what this is until its standard and available to any phone with NFC. Plus there is too much doubt , which I can sort of understand on NFC payments. I can see how some can think it might be open to fraud. But once they use it and see it requires a PIN and have to touch the pay pad they will understand its not just sort of across the room wifi beam that can be intercepted or something. I just think these guys need to get it going and educate the masses on it or this will fade out before it gets started. Just like QR codes, the US is always behind the times and once they catch on the rest of the world is thinking of the next big thing to replace that old system.
That would be me!! lol. Amazon made me an offer I couldn't refuse -$159- I got the free year of prime- I paid for it last year by accident and ended up getting a lot of use out of it, so this made it easy. And the phone was $60 (after putting $99 towards prime), and I opened an amazon CC which gave me $40 in an instant credit- so this phone was $20 in the end!! plus taxes of course.
Before I pulled the trigger I looked to XDA to see where development was for this phone- and it looks like it is picking up and starting to move- so I will be getting this new fire phone tomorrow!!! I have to confess I have been using an iphone 5s (JB of course!) for the last year and a half and have been missing the challenge of rooting, romming, and making the best out of the hardware that is lacking due to poor software.
My plan is to put on the latest update and add google play market- leave it unrooted for now and see how it goes. But I am keeping my eye on beta CM11 and seeing how far it goes with CM 13 possibly in the future!!
@ggow- you seem to be very ambitious with this phone!!!! You are doing some great work and I am following your development closely :good::highfive:. I have never used safestrap before, but I may just have to give it a whirl. You make it very tempting
Why was I interested in this Fire Phone??? I bought a kindle 7 hdx last year and hacked that to run google market and it turned out to be a pretty great tablet that I also got a great deal on. It has the fire OS running along side google market with a great launcher running to swap back and forth. So kindle, instant videos, amazon music, and all the google apps too. It's specs were very close to the ipad mini and was a third of the cost. I gave it to my daughter to use in NYC running on att and she has had no complaints with how I modded it. And she is not very techy! :silly:
I am getting a little bored with my 5s and wanted a bigger screen- I passed on the 6+ since we are no longer getting subsidies and $850 for a phone seems ridiculous!! I don't know if 0.7 inches will make much of a difference, but for $20, I just had to find out
I have a Fire Stick TV also and I want to see how they work together. Very excited to receive this phone tomorrow.
Even after all the horrible reviews I read and watched on you tube!! Hopefully these modifications developed here will make it great!
Geez!!!! 75 views and no comments? Come on people- loosen up and let me know if you love your fire phone or hate it or Hate me cause I got it so cheap:silly: Please share your experiences with your Fire Phone. By now it's a year old, but still looks like a great phone for $60. I am basically a really cheap bargain hunter and wait for things to go on sale. This was really a good one.
Share what you did to make it a great phone! Would love to benefit from your experiences.:highfive: Do you love the Fire OS? Do you love the Market? Or CM11? Please share And I thank you in advance:good:
Great phone for the money. If throw yourself into the Amazon ecosystem the fire OS works quite well but I think only Jeff Bezos has done that so far. I'm using it with a custom launcher at the moment but when cm11 is final I might adopt it.
sashusmom said:
Geez!!!! 75 views and no comments? Come on people- loosen up and let me know if you love your fire phone or hate it or Hate me cause I got it so cheap:silly: Please share your experiences with your Fire Phone. By now it's a year old, but still looks like a great phone for $60. I am basically a really cheap bargain hunter and wait for things to go on sale. This was really a good one.
Share what you did to make it a great phone! Would love to benefit from your experiences.:highfive: Do you love the Fire OS? Do you love the Market? Or CM11? Please share And I thank you in advance:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since you asked:
The hardware is incredible for the price. The antutu benchmark puts it slightly faster than a galaxy s5. However, the bells and whistles (extra cameras, 3D, etc) are irrelevant at best. -- The os is terrible. It works well enough but is far behind other smart phones' os. Also, Amazon's wish to completely control your "experience" gets in the way of good hardware. If you root and then add gapps and the google now launcher, the phone is better to use, but still feels wrong, especially when certain apps can only be added through amazon's app store. -- Finally, I'm still irked by the locked bootloader. It was at this stage I put it in the drawer to use as an emergency backup - or maybe a "mini-gamer" for kids.
Then came ggow and his work to bring CM11 to the phone. Thanks to him, I now use it as my daily driver. I have added Xposed Framework with a few modules, all my favorite apps, and the phone is great! The only annoyance is that there are very infrequent random google play services stops which quickly correct themselves leaving a msg that needs to be swiped away. This is no big deal and ggow might have this fixed by the time you read this. Ggow also mentioned bypassing lollipop (CM12) and looking to "M" for his next major upgrade. How this will happen with a locked bootloader I don't know, but all praise to the person who brought my firephone backed to life.
Enjoy your firephone.
I bought the Fire Phone 6 months ago (I think, don't remember), when it was $189 (and a year of Prime). Having a phone with those specs at $90 was a great deal and hard to refuse. Bought it, got it, and the first day of using it I was amused with how different it was from stock Android. I had a Nexus 5, which got stolen, and I wandered with a low-end phone until I bought the Fire Phone. The Fire Phone couldn't be more different from the Nexus 5, software-wise. I saw the lock screen, toyed with it and thought: "Wow, it moves depending on where I look it from, nice!" (my first lock screen was the one with the time made from the stars and the moon with below it) but also "Did Amazon really need 4 cameras just for that? It might drain my battery" and "Which real-world use could I give to this feature?"
Yes, it was nice to see how things moved thanks to the Dynamic Perspective feature, at least at first; then, like all novelties, my attention to it faded and eventually I disabled it. Having my battery drained wasn't worth for a feature I wasn't paying attention to and which the only real-world use I could think of was showing it to some friend to surprise them a for a little time. And because this phone doesn't have a removable battery, I couldn't afford to lose it for some gimmicky feature.
Then I saw the Carousel, which is the home screen where the most recent apps are shown, with the notifications below it. They were affected by the Dynamic Perspective too. I hated that dotted pattern they used for the Carousel, and then I tried to change it for, say, whatever picture this phone could've come with.
I went to Settings, and was surprised to see, first, that that annoying dotted pattern was there too, and then that there wasn't a way to change the wallpaper. I thought "Come on, it's 2015, every OS in the friggin' world has a way to change the wallpaper. It's the most basic form of customization. Even Apple (which I don't hate), with all that walled garden feeling, allows you to change the wallpaper." But Amazon's FireOS didn't (I haven't ever seen a Kindle Fire tablet). My phone shipped with version 3.6.8, and we had to wait until May to see such a basic feature with the upgrade to 4.6.1. I got annoyed by that, but there was nothing I could to about it.
I checked the pre-loaded games, which make heavy use of the same Dynamic Perspective. I half-liked the Planet Blocks game and played it for a while. After that, I forgot I had it and remained hidden.
Then I went to the Appstore to see what was new. I knew the Appstore didn't have any Google app, and understood it. Amazon had an equivalent to every Google app and, even though I didn't like how they looked, they got the job done, and that was what mattered. Downloading and installing was what I was used to, and updating was a breeze.
But I guess I missed some apps that weren't on the Appstore and was lazy to not sideload all of them. I needed to see good ol' Google on this phone, so I went to XDA and checked if there was a way to sideload Google Play Services. After all, underneath all the Amazon skin and no traces of Google, FireOS was Android at the heart (3.6.8 was based on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, which was pretty outdated even then). There was a way to install Google Play Services, and there was a way to root the phone too, but only if you were brave (and foolish) enough to downgrade to 3.5.1 (it was a bad idea, because if you did that, there would be problems with the Amazon account registration and also some nasty overheating issue). So, I stayed with just installing Google Play Services. It went smoothly and finally got Google. With the Play Store I'd be able to download and install SwiftKey and maybe Google Now Launcher or Nova Launcher.
I got no luck with SwiftKey. It installed, but then you couldn't use it unless you activated it via ADB. After that, got SwiftKey. And about launchers, they worked, except for widgets (which weren't supported in FireOS) and the wallpaper (there was a way to change the wallpaper in Nova; you could choose the image, but it never worked; you had to like the black background because it was the only option). I checked other launchers, some supported widgets (not all widgets, but some) and some found a way to change the wallpaper. I stuck with Buzz Launcher, which made the phone look and work most similar to Android.
I hoped Amazon would sometime hear what users here at XDA (and everywhere else) had to say. The Fire Phone was a great piece of hardware, but its software was a bummer. People were trying to google it but all you could do was sideload Google Play Services. The bootloader was locked (and still is), and the Towelroot method for rooting didn't work for 3.6.8, so downgrading was the next stage for googling up the device. I remember seeing some guys here at XDA offering some money to the first person to unlock the bootloader, and some people sending a letter to Jeff Bezos himself to unlock it and then also a Change.org petition, taking the example of the HP TouchPad tablet (it saw new life after HP unlocked its bootloader, after which people flashed Android instead of the built-in webOS, becoming the second-most selling tablet of 2011). It never happened.
Then it was the question if the phone would ever receive a FireOS 4 update (based on Android 4.4 KitKat), given its lackluster sales. It finally happened on May, and came with very necessary changes to help customize the phone.
This new version would eventually be rooted via Kingroot, which is a very shady-looking app for rooting. It worked, and then there was a way to change it for SuperSU, a more reliable root app. With all the long wait, knowing a developer found a way to flash a ROM even with the locked bootloader was a relief. I flashed it as fast as I could. Now I'm using Cyanogenmod 11 and it's great (no trace of Amazon). It's still beta (the developer uploaded the first build just 4 days ago), but it works pretty well right now, and it'll only get better.
Now we can use a phone that has a great price and good specs with a great OS to match. To the people out there wondering if the phone is worth the price (right now it went back to $449 and comes with a year of Amazon Prime, with $99 alone, so the phone's real price is $350), no, it's not, you could get a OnePlus One at that price (which comes with Cyanogen OS), or a Moto X, or a Xiaomi Mi4, or many other great phones below $350 (and then if, and only if, you want Amazon Prime you can subscribe). When it gets a big discount, which happens from time to time (last one was this week and the price went down to $159), it gets more attractive (especially if you were going to subscribe to Amazon Prime). The phone has many gimmicky features which are really useless, uses an OS that is difficult to adapt to, and is overpriced most of the time (no wonder Amazon failed to sell it at launch at $199 with AT&T contact, or later at $649 unlocked, or now at $449), but may be a great deal when bought at discount (this week the real price of the phone was $60, and at that price you cannot get any smartphone off-contract) and if you're willing to tinker with the phone and flash a ROM (Cyanogenmod 11 is the only one right now, but might be more in the future), it makes a pretty good phone.
A quad-core Snapdragon 800 CPU, with Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB of RAM, a 13MP rear camera and 2.1MP front camera, 1080p recording, 32GB of built-in storage and now the ability to flash Cyanogenmod 11 for just $60? I'd buy it.
Wow!! Great responses guys. I thank you for taking the time to offer your opinions and I really look forward to receiving my Fire phone
Got my Fire phone!!
I really like the screen- overall size of the phone is not really bigger than my 5s but the screen real estate is a little bigger. It's not so lite that you will drop it or so thin you will drop it either. When I use my 5s bare, I have a hard time hanging onto it. It's in a wallet case that I can get a good grab onto. I like a little heft to it and it does feel good in your hand.
I have the incipio folio case on this fire phone that I got for $10 from ATT online store. That was a really good deal. Also did a screen saver just because I like them and the protection from minute scratches they provide.
So, on my Amazon account it was registered to me and the free prime was added on. When I went to set up the phone it requires you to register again to your account and I got all errors that it couldn't be done at this time, blah blah blah. I researched it and apparently this was a big problem at launch too.
So I updated it to the latest of 4.6.1 (820) and tried again, same deal. It just wouldn't register. So I de-registered it on my computer, and tried again on the phone, no go. You can't use the phone without it being asso. with an amazon acct- no apps at all are usable, even the preinstalled ones. So I chatted online, they couldn't help me and wanted to have their Fire Team support call me back- but I couldn't at that time so I will deal with it tomorrow. I'll have to search this forum and see if there's any info about it.
In the meantime I got the google apps working so now I at least have a pretty good list of apps, but no amazon services working yet. I still have to add a sim card and check the basic call functions- since it is a phone.
The benefit of picking up a phone that is a year old is you guys have already tackled the tough parts of rooting, modding, roms, etc. I checked out this forum before purchasing and was pleasantly surprised that you just made the break through just this week for CM. I may have to check that out! I have the att Mega and that poor orphan phone is so crippled most guys just walked away. I Love it for it's 6 inch screen size. The iphone 6+ was in my thoughts but can't justify that price tag. My mega was a penny when we still did subsidies.
I thank you all for your perseverance and hard work and your stick-to-it-ive-ness:good: This could actually be a decent phone with all the modifications. I am hoping I can leave it as is and swap between the Fire OS and the Nova launcher. Hopefully I'll get it registered correctly tomorrow. It's nice getting back into android after apple. I like them both- but I do get bored.
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So even though it is 3 am here, I just got off the phone with fire phone support and I was told it was a system wide outage and there are many people having this problem. They will get back to me!! I won't hold my breath here
**************************************************************************************************************
Talked again to amazon and I am "on the list" to have this registration fubar sorted out. She took additional info- my mac address on the phone specifically, and supposedly this will be fixed OTA magically. We'll see.
I do have a working sim in and phone calls work fine. I have issue with the tinny sounding speakers that are suppose to be stereo- Sounds terrible- especially with music clips ringtones. Pandora sounds bad too. I did read the reviews about the sound and it appears to be true.
******************************************************************************************
So Amazon finally fixed the registration problem OTA. I can now access my Amazon stuff. Problem solved.
It's been a few years since I've had an Android phone. All my past phones I've rooted, for various reasons. Most of them involved custom kernels, themes, and Cyanogenmod. What are some of the best reasons to root, and best reasons to stay stock?
If I root, I'll need to return my phone to Verizon and order one from Google, or wait and hope someone unlocks the bootloader. Either way I'm returning it for the 128GB version.
Thoughts?
The main reason I root my device is for Adaway so I can block ads with the HOSTS file at a global level (no ads in apps, yay!). Heck, I already have the bootloader unlocked, don't care if it breaks Android Pay (don't use it anyways other then to store my rewards cards information) and waiting for cf to work his magic on getting root working on this sexy device.
Down side of rooting is that you don't get the updates that gets pushed out unless you do it yourself (that and no Android Pay if that's something you use like I said above).
In terms of keeping the Verizon version or getting the Google Play version, if it was me, I'd get the Google Play version (which is what I did, second time I've gotten a phone outside of Verizon so they can't control my device). Although I'm sure after enough time someone could probably crack the bootloader but you never know.
I root for many reasons. Prominent among them is the ability to change the colors of the UI. White backgrounds are hard on my eyes and so over the years I have used CMTE, Layers, TBO, and now Substratum to change to darker backgrounds. Some apps have a dark mode you can use without root, but many do not. Root opens up a whole new dimension of customizations not only in appearance but also in performance.
scsa20 said:
In terms of keeping the Verizon version or getting the Google Play version, if it was me, I'd get the Google Play version (which is what I did, second time I've gotten a phone outside of Verizon so they can't control my device). Although I'm sure after enough time someone could probably crack the bootloader but you never know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tmettler5 said:
If I root, I'll need to return my phone to Verizon and order one from Google, or wait and hope someone unlocks the bootloader. Either way I'm returning it for the 128GB version.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I must be missing something. Why do smart people like you guys still buy Google phones (Nexus, Pixel) from Verizon?
ringochan said:
I must be missing something. Why do smart people like you guys still buy Google phones (Nexus, Pixel) from Verizon?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably because of the discounted 2 year or monthly payment option. Some smart people still have smaller budgets or wives who wouldn't understand laying out $800 - $1000 to replace a phone just because you want to root. Those people hope someone will figure out a way to unlock and root. I've got the money but my wife would go ballistic
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Premium HD app
With all due respect, buying a google phone without rooting and tinkering with it is like going to michelin starred restaurant to pay $100 for a glass of water. Oh, and my reasons are the freedom of customizability and custom kernels, custom kernels can make your phone twice as fast with even better battery life if done right.
ringochan said:
I must be missing something. Why do smart people like you guys still buy Google phones (Nexus, Pixel) from Verizon?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't got it through Verizon. I said I got it through the Google Store (thus the outside of Verizon part). Screw getting phones through Verizon. Hate that they forced locked down bootloader's.
herandy said:
With all due respect, buying a google phone without rooting and tikering with it is like going to michelin starred restaurant to pay $100 for a glass of water. Oh, and my reasons are the freedom of customizability and custom kernels, custom kernels can make your phone twice as fast with even better battery life if done right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was true with Nexus phones. The Pixel is being marketed as something else entirely. I think we'll be hard pressed to see any real gains from devs here. Google is putting a lot of work into these phones. I trust the minds at Google this time moreso than the devs on here.
Nitemare3219 said:
That was true with Nexus phones. The Pixel is being marketed as something else entirely. I think we'll be hard pressed to see any real gains from devs here. Google is putting a lot of work into these phones. I trust the minds at Google this time moreso than the devs on here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not impressed with the "minds" at Google.
For me to pay that kind of price, I need, at least 5.75" screen, front stereo speakers, higher degree of water proofing. Also, to echo a famous quote : "White UIs must die!" And those bezels! Ugh!
Google assistant is nearly useless to those of us who prefer not to publicly audibilize our searches. So all I would gain would be a snappier OS and a first rate camera. Too many cons outweigh the pros. I wish Google and the sort of folks that they appear to be targeting all the best. I also hope there is much Dev activity for it.
ringochan said:
I must be missing something. Why do smart people like you guys still buy Google phones (Nexus, Pixel) from Verizon?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ease of access, availability, no need for an application for financing, the expectation that someone will crack the bootloader, buying in a no tax state.
wtherrell said:
I'm not impressed with the "minds" at Google.
For me to pay that kind of price, I need, at least 5.75" screen, front stereo speakers, higher degree of water proofing. Also, to echo a famous quote : "White UIs must die!" And those bezels! Ugh!
Google assistant is nearly useless to those of us who prefer not to publicly audibilize our searches. So all I would gain would be a snappier OS and a first rate camera. Too many cons outweigh the pros. I wish Google and the sort of folks that they appear to be targeting all the best. I also hope there is much Dev activity for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
-I do wish the screen size was larger considering it has on-screen buttons, and that massive chin... no reason it couldn't have been 5.7" again.
-Stereo speakers would have been nice too. No idea why they couldn't copy the iPhone and HTC 10 considering the speakers are in the same position. Maybe a dev will actually make this happen if the earpiece is capable.
-I actually love the UI.
-Everyone hates the bezel. I think they did it to keep a larger battery in the phone, and to probably make it look like an iPhone to the masses.
-Google Assistant is great. I never really used voice commands much, but I have been forcing myself to use them more. They are incredibly quick, efficient, and convenient. No reason to not use them even in public dude. Who gives a damn what people think about your searches. You're never going to see the same people in public anyway.
The snappy OS and first rate camera are things that Android has absolutely needed in a phone. The Pixels bring the best of ALL the basics. And no phone has really done that with Android before. OEMs get too caught up in adding gimmicks and "features" and end up slowing down the phone, hampering basic usability (i.e. what we use our phones for 90+% of the time).
Nitemare3219 said:
-I do wish the screen size was larger considering it has on-screen buttons, and that massive chin... no reason it couldn't have been 5.7" again.
-Stereo speakers would have been nice too. No idea why they couldn't copy the iPhone and HTC 10 considering the speakers are in the same position. Maybe a dev will actually make this happen if the earpiece is capable.
-I actually love the UI.
-Everyone hates the bezel. I think they did it to keep a larger battery in the phone, and to probably make it look like an iPhone to the masses.
-Google Assistant is great. I never really used voice commands much, but I have been forcing myself to use them more. They are incredibly quick, efficient, and convenient. No reason to not use them even in public dude. Who gives a damn what people think about your searches. You're never going to see the same people in public anyway.
The snappy OS and first rate camera are things that Android has absolutely needed in a phone. The Pixels bring the best of ALL the basics. And no phone has really done that with Android before. OEMs get too caught up in adding gimmicks and "features" and end up slowing down the phone, hampering basic usability (i.e. what we use our phones for 90+% of the time).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do hope they tweak it later to allow typing to the assistant like Allo but I guess then it's not a whole lot different than typing in the search bar anyways.
Nitemare3219 said:
-I do wish the screen size was larger considering it has on-screen buttons, and that massive chin... no reason it couldn't have been 5.7" again.
-Stereo speakers would have been nice too. No idea why they couldn't copy the iPhone and HTC 10 considering the speakers are in the same position. Maybe a dev will actually make this happen if the earpiece is capable.
-I actually love the UI.
-Everyone hates the bezel. I think they did it to keep a larger battery in the phone, and to probably make it look like an iPhone to the masses.
-Google Assistant is great. I never really used voice commands much, but I have been forcing myself to use them more. They are incredibly quick, efficient, and convenient. No reason to not use them even in public dude. Who gives a damn what people think about your searches. You're never going to see the same people in public anyway.
The snappy OS and first rate camera are things that Android has absolutely needed in a phone. The Pixels bring the best of ALL the basics. And no phone has really done that with Android before. OEMs get too caught up in adding gimmicks and "features" and end up slowing down the phone, hampering basic usability (i.e. what we use our phones for 90+% of the time).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good points. I'm glad you trust the uncaring public. I, however, don't. I guess I am just slightly paranoid that way. Also there are many situations where it might disturb other folks to have me gabbing on my phone. Sure, assistant is neat but just not worth it to me. Still, I find myself checking on the availability of the 128gb model as if I am irresistibly drawn to it. My heart wants it but my head is saying no.
There's every reason to root, and only one reason to not root.
Reasons to root:
Kernel modifications to increase battery life. (Sure the Pixel can go 2 days easily on one charge, but why not make it 3?).
Filesystem access. The heart of any computer should at the very least give you filesystem access. It boggles the mind why phones won't give this option when this is a computer that you carry with you every day. Maybe you want to write your own apps, hide personal files somewhere outside of the visible directories like Downloads.
Breaking down barriers carriers put forth to limit you in a walled garden. Whatever it may be. Video codecs for example. Open source media servers that aren't approved on the app stores, I can go on and on.
Only reason to not root:
Android Pay. I absolutely love this ability. I personally think that you SHOULD be able to use this option while rooted. Using SU app, and encryption of your card should be enough to protect your card information. (Don't say it can't because it can.) Rooted apps cannot work unless you give them access via the SU app as added security, and even if they manage to grab your encrypted card information because you allowed some program you've never heard of root access and it steals your encrypted account information, it would take them 1 million years to brute force decrypt it if using a high enough encryption scheme on it. You can just change your virtual account on a whim, and do so ever 6 months, cancelling your old account in case it was ever grabbed making the old one null and void for the hacker if he does eventually get lucky and break it. Your account will never get owned if these practices were followed.
Blatently not allowing you choice to use something like android pay is big brother coddling you like a baby. I'm a grown ass man, and know how to secure my ****. If you don't know how to, then you shouldn't be doing it as your the reason Google puts these sort of restrictions on phones like mine.
MichaelMcC said:
Probably because of the discounted 2 year or monthly payment option. Some smart people still have smaller budgets or wives who wouldn't understand laying out $800 - $1000 to replace a phone just because you want to root. Those people hope someone will figure out a way to unlock and root. I've got the money but my wife would go ballistic
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are actually confusing me more. I checked both Verizon and Google Store's pricings and financing options and saw they are pretty much the same.
Verizon -- $0 Down (for qualified customers) $36.24/mo for 24 months; 0% APR Retail Price: $869.99 -- sim locked maybe?, and locked bootloader.
Google Store -- $869.00 or $36.21 / Month x 24 times, thru Google Store Financing -- sim free, and unlockable bootloader.
scsa20 said:
I didn't got it through Verizon. I said I got it through the Google Store (thus the outside of Verizon part). Screw getting phones through Verizon. Hate that they forced locked down bootloader's.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly!:laugh:
tmettler5 said:
Ease of access, availability, no need for an application for financing, the expectation that someone will crack the bootloader, buying in a no tax state.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...
---------- Post added at 11:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:15 AM ----------
nikitis said:
There's every reason to root, and only one reason to not root.
Reasons to root:
Kernel modifications to increase battery life. (Sure the Pixel can go 2 days easily on one charge, but why not make it 3?).
Filesystem access. The heart of any computer should at the very least give you filesystem access. It boggles the mind why phones won't give this option when this is a computer that you carry with you every day. Maybe you want to write your own apps, hide personal files somewhere outside of the visible directories like Downloads.
Breaking down barriers carriers put forth to limit you in a walled garden. Whatever it may be. Video codecs for example. Open source media servers that aren't approved on the app stores, I can go on and on.
Only reason to not root:
Android Pay. I absolutely love this ability. I personally think that you SHOULD be able to use this option while rooted. Using SU app, and encryption of your card should be enough to protect your card information. (Don't say it can't because it can.) Rooted apps cannot work unless you give them access via the SU app as added security, and even if they manage to grab your encrypted card information because you allowed some program you've never heard of root access and it steals your encrypted account information, it would take them 1 million years to brute force decrypt it if using a high enough encryption scheme on it. You can just change your virtual account on a whim, and do so ever 6 months, cancelling your old account in case it was ever grabbed making the old one null and void for the hacker if he does eventually get lucky and break it. Your account will never get owned if these practices were followed.
Blatently not allowing you choice to use something like android pay is big brother coddling you like a baby. I'm a grown ass man, and know how to secure my ****. If you don't know how to, then you shouldn't be doing it as your the reason Google puts these sort of restrictions on phones like mine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
More reasons to root:
o backup and restore apk and data anytime.
o nandroid backup for ability to test things.
o custom roms for obvious reasons.
o exposed anyone?
o ability to upgrade to new os versions even after phone makers stopped supporting the devices.
o to satisfy the addictive urge to flash every week!
The SafetyNet is a great threat for most of us here. Some apps, including Android Pay, won't run anymore. If more apps start utilizing the system, we won't be able to enjoy our phones and everyone will be migrating to the Appleland:crying:
hi my name is abdelrahman and i am new to samsung i happened to carry huwaei and sony mobiles before but i always wished to carry a note phone since its the flagship of android ...sadly it caused me to hate samsung and its ridiculous apps
1) Contacts display options the description doesn't appear like Huawei (my older phone) and this is not a hard option to do just put viewing options in contacts display SO I CAN SEE THE DESCRIPTION OF EACH CONTACT UNDER ITS NAME which is very important to me and i didnt find any application that have this option also instaklling the huwaei contact app on my note10+ failed i dont know why
2) No smart select for the sim card it's only either select one of the sims always to be used or select the sim each time (my huwaei used to know that if i am calling my contact on his number for example x the phone was used to make the phone call with sim 1 for example because i used to do this for some time and the phone picked it up automatically....and so on
3) Connectivity Issues (it's very slow switching between networks)
4) No dedicated 4G mode it's bundled with 2G/3G/4G which is frustrating there must be a seperate option for 4G only like the wcdma only option on my older mate 8 there used to be a 4G button in the notification panel which enforce the use of only 4G network
5) Music media players that comes with the device doesn't fast forward or rewind the song itself and cant be done by linking it to the bluetooth of the car (solved by downloading another player but i was surprised by this problem really i didn't think that this is an option since now i cant be hand free while driving because i have to scroll the music playing bar now just to fast forward or rewind)
6) The need to say hi bixby every time u want to use it is ridiculous there must be something about it
Seems like you need to go back to Huawei....
I ame from iPhone 1st,2nd and 3rd gen, then I switched over to Samsung and never looked back. Each platform has its ups and downs...
Sent from my SM-N975U1 using Tapatalk
Jiannu1385 said:
Seems like you need to go back to Huawei....
I ame from iPhone 1st,2nd and 3rd gen, then I switched over to Samsung and never looked back. Each platform has its ups and downs...
Sent from my SM-N975U1 using Tapatalk
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my friend for sure u will never look back to iphone since its not on the same level of the competition what i mean is how can a 4 year old phone from a chinease manufacturer have small features but very vital like this and samsung doesnt
Different phones offer different options, pretty much always. A 4 year old phone will have things newer phones got rid of, there are definitely times where they get rid of things we liked and used (like an IR blaster for example). Also, OS updates almost always lose some options from the previous version. I held off on updating my Note 9 to Pie because I liked the available options of Oreo better. Still have my Note 9 on Oreo, still like the drop down quick settings better than my Note 10+ has on Pie. That's just an example.
Unfortunately, there is always some give and take when changing phone brands, OS systems, etc. Overall newer phones are overwhelmingly better, but there are still things that we wish we could have back that get lost over time.
I second that opinion, maybe you should go back to Huawei.
I can't comment on dual SIM, since I don't have it, but for example #1 personally I much more prefer Samsung way, than the way you describe Huawei does it. Much cleaner that way and I really don't need any descriptions on most of my contacts, like really do I need descriptions for Dad, Mom, wife or Elisa my daughter? If I need descriptions I put them in the title like Jimmy -plumber, chinese broadway etc.
While I understand you got used to do it your way, yours maybe not the only or even better way, personally I would either accept it or leave. Can't help with number 3, never had that issue, #4 I think there are settings for this, but don't remember where, because I would never use it, if there is no LTE signal of course I want to have any connection available, much better than nothing and I think there is a setting to always prefer LTE. #5 as you already found out particular player/car BT issue and #6 I never used Bixby can't comment much, but I would imagine there have to be some way to tell the phone you're talking to it, instead of friend? no? Maybe try hello Google instead. BTW that newest Huawei 30 pro looks like an awesome phone, was even thinking of getting it myself, if it only had s-pen.
pete4k said:
I second that opinion, maybe you should go back to Huawei.
I can't comment on dual SIM, since I don't have it, but for example #1 personally I much more prefer Samsung way, than the way you describe Huawei does it. Much cleaner that way and I really don't need any descriptions on most of my contacts, like really do I need descriptions for Dad, Mom, wife or Elisa my daughter? If I need descriptions I put them in the title like Jimmy -plumber, chinese broadway etc.
While I understand you got used to do it your way, yours maybe not the only or even better way, personally I would either accept it or leave. Can't help with number 3, never had that issue, #4 I think there are settings for this, but don't remember where, because I would never use it, if there is no LTE signal of course I want to have any connection available, much better than nothing and I think there is a setting to always prefer LTE. #5 as you already found out particular player/car BT issue and #6 I never used Bixby can't comment much, but I would imagine there have to be some way to tell the phone you're talking to it, instead of friend? no? Maybe try hello Google instead. BTW that newest Huawei 30 pro looks like an awesome phone, was even thinking of getting it myself, if it only had s-pen.
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it has an m-pen btw ...the problem is here mobiles are very expensive i cant also buy this mobile now so i feel like kinda fooled into this brand ...i guess this options wont be a must for u but it made my life easier
anbo2015 said:
it has an m-pen btw ...the problem is here mobiles are very expensive i cant also buy this mobile now so i feel like kinda fooled into this brand ...i guess this options wont be a must for u but it made my life easier
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I understand, once you past free return period, or if you don't even get one, it can be frustrating to switch to new phone and find out it works different, but at least for contacts the workaround I gave you should be easy enough? Also, if you really need phone set to LTE only I'll try to dig out the instructions?
Regarding Huawei m-pen, it's good to know, but if the pen is not stored inside the phone, I'll keep on loosing it, I tried that before, unless there is a case with build-in pen storage, because that could work.
You should change back to Huawei. Then you might find something useful in Samsung but not in Huawei.
I don't want the description below the contact, then will make the contact list extra long to scroll. I usually put the name and the company name just behind the name. If I really want the description like emails, I just click the name to see it.
I don't use 2 sim cards. But I think you still can choose which sim card to call. Just extra steps.
There is no 4G alone option. It is not a bad thing. I tried to set it 3G only, but when I traveled, where the place has bad 3G service, then no one can call or msg me but I totally forgot I did that. So no 4G only might be a good thing for places with inconsistent 4G coverage.
To fast forward a song, just drag the progress bar. If you want a fast speed, it is in the setting.
Just long press the power/Bixby button can bring up the Bixby voice. So you doesn't need to say Hi Bixby. Surprisingly you are using Bixby when the rest of us not.
pete4k said:
I second that opinion, maybe you should go back to Huawei.
I can't comment on dual SIM, since I don't have it, but for example #1 personally I much more prefer Samsung way, than the way you describe Huawei does it. Much cleaner that way and I really don't need any descriptions on most of my contacts, like really do I need descriptions for Dad, Mom, wife or Elisa my daughter? If I need descriptions I put them in the title like Jimmy -plumber, chinese broadway etc.
While I understand you got used to do it your way, yours maybe not the only or even better way, personally I would either accept it or leave. Can't help with number 3, never had that issue, #4 I think there are settings for this, but don't remember where, because I would never use it, if there is no LTE signal of course I want to have any connection available, much better than nothing and I think there is a setting to always prefer LTE. #5 as you already found out particular player/car BT issue and #6 I never used Bixby can't comment much, but I would imagine there have to be some way to tell the phone you're talking to it, instead of friend? no? Maybe try hello Google instead. BTW that newest Huawei 30 pro looks like an awesome phone, was even thinking of getting it myself, if it only had s-pen.
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It does work with their spen but it's not built in
For Contacts and Dual Sim issue, there are several Apps that can do the function you require like Truecaller and for Music as well, you can try 3rd party Apps
I have a friend that moved over from a Samsung and misses their voice activation for taking a picture. He just says "Shoot" or something similar. I'm curious if there's any way we can do it on our phones?
gribbler said:
I have a friend that moved over from a Samsung and misses their voice activation for taking a picture. He just says "Shoot" or something similar. I'm curious if there's any way we can do it on our phones?
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Just say, Ok Google, take a picture., Or Ok Google, take a selfie.
Yeah I'm aware of that, but he's looking for a single word while in the camera app and not have to ok Google. It's enough of an issue to make him sell the pixel and move back to Samsung
gribbler said:
Yeah I'm aware of that, but he's looking for a single word while in the camera app and not have to ok Google. It's enough of an issue to make him sell the pixel and move back to Samsung
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That would make him sell his phone? Wow. I guess everyone's priorities are different but this seems extreme. Maybe he didn't like this phone in the first place.
Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk
No I find some little things like that can be real annoying. I had a P20 pro for a couple months but missed a lot of features that made me sell it and go back to google. He's a photographer and sometimes he's wearing gloves or has muddy hands and doesn't want to handle the phone much.
If you root your phone, you can install a Magisk module called "Active Edge Mod for Pixel Devices". With this, you can customize the action taken when you squeeze the active edge on the sides of the Pixel.
I personally have it set to the standard function (opening Google Assistant) for nearly everything, but if I have the camera app opened it will take a picture as if I pressed the shutter button. That seems like such a minor thing, but it actually is very handy, especially when wearing gloves, or when you only have one hand available to hold the phone.
I'm going to assume this is too much for your friend, but I just wanted to post that there are some unique features available.