another note on samsung - i watched some of the first part of the S4 unveil and "android" wasnt even mentioned at all.

3/14/2013 9:40:36 PM

Quote :

"fuck you...i played that for like an hour straight this morning after you posted it "

3/15/2013 6:31:35 AM

^^ makes sense, they are launching Tizen soon. They are going to distance their marketing from any other OS's so they don't have to compete with themselves, the new product is their phone and not their competitor's OS.

3/15/2013 9:46:38 AM

LOL at the comments

http://www.wral.com/samsung-refreshes-iphone-challenging-galaxy-line/12224135/

Quote :

"the entire form factor is Apple through and through. NFC and blinky lights are just window dressing on what is essentially an iPhone knockoff."

3/15/2013 10:22:31 AM

the galaxy SIV is ugly as shit, it looks nothing like an iPhone

the HTC One looks kinda like an iPhone, but only in the sense that they share a similar very broad industrial design

3/15/2013 10:27:04 AM

Looks like us Droid RAZR Maxx Owners are finally getting the official Jellybean upgrade OTA.
Though if you use PDANet/FoxFi you have to carefully consider whether or not to upgrade as
apparently Jellybean disables Wireless Wifi Access Point sharing.

3/15/2013 10:37:14 AM

^yep; I have the Maxx and just got the OTA tonight. I had completely forgotten about the JB update.

The cards feature is nice and hopefully useful; the widget kinda sucks... needs to be a consistent size and not change based on # of cards. I wish the activation (saying google) worked full-time instead of just when in-app. It would be nice if searching through this pulled up the actual result in more searches rather than just a regular web search.

3/15/2013 9:25:35 PM

so...the HTC one won't be available on the big red network, eh?

http://www.androiddoes.net/news/htc-confirms-the-one-will-not-be-available-at-verizon/

[Edited on March 17, 2013 at 9:39 PM. Reason : though i thought i'd read about them offering a "dna plus" that would have the same specs]

3/17/2013 9:37:32 PM

I've got 6 of the 8 Osmos HD achievements in Arcade mode...the 6th and 8th modes are pretty tough

3/17/2013 9:38:23 PM

[Edited on March 17, 2013 at 9:45 PM. Reason : .]

3/17/2013 9:44:32 PM

I wonder if the rumors about the Nexus 5 will turn out to be anything real. Though it probably wouldn't be on Verizon either. Might be time to abandon carriers.

3/17/2013 10:07:30 PM

After VoLTE becomes prevalent, and since lte bands are wide open to any device, I expect Google to push hard.... Just a waiting game until then I think.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Google launch an MVNO to bypass the bullshit either

3/18/2013 1:54:40 PM

I'm due for an upgrade in exactly 5 months from now. Any idea what the flagship devices will be then?

3/18/2013 2:28:00 PM

Samsung SIV?

3/18/2013 2:46:16 PM

Galaxy Note 3 in Q3 I believe.

3/18/2013 2:54:05 PM

^^ That's what I was figuring...just didn't know what else was on the horizon.

Any vanilla Android phones being rumored that was worth getting excited about? (I won't be excited if it doesn't have LTE)

3/18/2013 3:10:41 PM

Motorola phone supposedly launching in June/July... But there's no concrete leaks yet. It might be a sham.

3/18/2013 3:40:32 PM

^^Considering Nexus 4 wasn't released on LTE, I doubt it...

3/18/2013 3:51:35 PM

it doesn't matter whats available in 5 months, because in 5 months something will be "just a couple" months away so you'll end up waiting for that. but then something else will be "just around the corner", so you'll have to wait for that too.

3/18/2013 5:08:55 PM

Personally I'm looking forward to sapphire crystal cell phone screens.

3/18/2013 5:41:14 PM

For verizon, Droid Razr Max OR HTC DNA? Assuming DNA battery life isn't as good, either of them have external batteries?

[Edited on March 18, 2013 at 6:16 PM. Reason : .]

3/18/2013 6:13:11 PM

my wife has razr maxx hd and loves it

no problems at all and the battery lasts forever

3/18/2013 7:17:24 PM

^Ugh, I wish I had that instead of the regular Droid Razr. Jumped on it too soon, too too soon. The Razr was 2 for $199 and the MAXX was $199 at the time.

Also, I JUST got Android 4.1.2 today from Verizon.

3/19/2013 12:05:57 AM

Quote :

"Considering Nexus 4 wasn't released on LTE, I doubt it..."

It's rumored the Nexus 5 won't have LTE either...but the GNex did, so I was hoping another would come out with it.

Quote :

"it doesn't matter whats available in 5 months, because in 5 months something will be "just a couple" months away so you'll end up waiting for that."

I'm not going to wait for anything. I never do that.

Quote :

"Galaxy Note 3 in Q3 I believe."

I'm not sure I can do 5.8" inches plus (no homo)

3/19/2013 2:56:41 AM

Quote :

"I'm not sure I can do 5.8" inches plus (no homo)"

ditto...that's closer to a 7" tablet than it is to what used to be considered a LARGE phone (4.3")

i think something around 4.3" is perfect...i'd probably get something around the 4.8" range (and MAYBE 5") if it had everything i wanted, but anything else is simply too large unless you are specifically looking for a phablet

3/19/2013 7:40:21 AM

Except the Galaxy S4 is 5" but the phone is physically smaller than the 4.5" S3. I would agree though. My Note 2 is pretty big. I don't think I could go much bigger.

3/19/2013 10:56:05 AM

I have the Note 2 for work now. While I love everything about it and it was my choice to get it over the S3, iPhone 5 and several others, I think it is too big for most people. However, I'm 6'4 and have gigantic hands, so the device is wonderful. The multitasking and the S-Pen are amazing.

I have a Galaxy S3 for a personal phone and can't believe the difference in size between the 2. That said, both are great devices and the screen real estate is the best part about both. After seeing a co-worker's iPhone 5, I have 0 regrets. A lot of times when I'm at a client I'm browsing the web for fixes on my phone and it's a lot easier when you have as much on the screen as you do.

3/19/2013 11:23:30 AM

Quote :

"Except the Galaxy S4 is 5" but the phone is physically smaller than the 4.5" S3."

good point

the bezel needs to be taken into account, which is why i'd probably go 4.8-5" and still be happy (if they were slim)

meh, i won't be getting a new phone anytime soon, so it's irrelevant

and i really don't think i'm ever going to buy a phone with a locked bootloader ever again...which means VZW is out (as if they're ridiculous pricing wasn't already a good reason to leave)

3/19/2013 11:25:17 AM

Does anyone else feel like Google is starting to slack off on innovation?

The new BlackBerry is supposed to have an amazing web browser and tools for work/life balance. (android does not do either well)


Examples:

Why is there no option to set a schedule for the days and times that your email syncs? Many people who are not that important would like to turn their work email off at 6 or 7pm.

Push to talk? Not a feature of android despite Google OWNING Motorola??? Motorola???? Think about that.

Android browser was revolutionary in 2009, now it sucks and website popovers cause it to crash and freeze.

What do you do if you cant find your device and want to log in to your Google account and locate it via GPS? Trick Question...you don't.

How do you remotely lock your device, and put your "please return tocontact info)" info on the screen?

None of these features are particularly revolutionary...but they should be easy to implement and would be nice to have hardwired in to the OS...

3/19/2013 10:13:33 PM

if only android was extensible enough to have apps that allow you to do all of that already

3/19/2013 10:28:49 PM

Why is there no option to set a schedule for the days and times that your email syncs? Many people who are not that important would like to turn their work email off at 6 or 7pm.

Silent Time Lite app

Push to talk? Not a feature of android despite Google OWNING Motorola??? Motorola???? Think about that.

HeyTell app

Android browser was revolutionary in 2009, now it sucks and website popovers cause it to crash and freeze.

Dolphin? Chrome?

What do you do if you cant find your device and want to log in to your Google account and locate it via GPS? Trick Question...you don't.

Pocketfinder app

How do you remotely lock your device, and put your "please return tocontact info)" info on the screen?

Lookout Mobile Security app

3/19/2013 10:41:12 PM

yeah, i'm going to have to say that the extensive app market is what makes android so much better than iOS and (obviously) windows...and you can almost always find something to do what you want, do it well, and do it for free

the default mail client won't connect to my work email, so i use aquamail...which is feature-rich and free...i'm fairly certain it has the ability to schedule "quiet time"

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.kman.AquaMail

and if it doesn't, who cares? i use go power master to disable everything but the radio from 11pm-7am...it saves me quite a bit of battery and it disables ALL data-related notifications (if someone really wants to get a hold of me, they can call or text)...you can have it turn off the radio, too, if you'd like

also, i find the included widget to be pretty handy

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gau.go.launcherex.gowidget.gopowermaster

i see no value in PTT, but that's just me...i don't like talking on the phone as it is

and yeah, really...i don't know anyone who uses the stock browser...dolphin is my go-to, but i keep chrome installed for some reason

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.mgeek.TunnyBrowser
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.android.chrome

want to find your phone? where's my droid...i won't go into all the features, so just check it out

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alienmanfc6.wheresmyandroid

i've heard of the aforementioned lookout mobile security app, but i haven't tried it out...it might do more than where's my droid

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lookout

EDIT: where's my droid allows you to send text message commands to your phone (from another one or google voice or whatever) and get text responses including the GPS coordinates, google map link, and street address

lookout requires an account to be set up with the developer, but then lets you locate your phone using that account...it also automatically saves the location of your device ("signal flare") to your lookout account before the phone dies, so you can see where it was last

i've never used lookout, but i installed it and set up an account

[Edited on March 20, 2013 at 9:02 AM. Reason : .]

3/20/2013 8:46:28 AM

I miss PTT a lot, but I am in A/E/C and often on jobsites

3/20/2013 9:36:17 AM

Well then there's the obligatory response, there's custom ROMS & kernels for Android which pretty much allows you to do anything you want. See Cyanogenmod for starters.

3/20/2013 11:29:21 AM

^ that's true...i have NEVER actually run stock from the manufacturer...it just never seemed to make sense given that custom ROMs are almost guaranteed to be better

eclipse on my bionic is rock solid and slimmer/faster than most others...and when we get JB next month, i'll hold off until there's a slimmer/faster (read: AOSP/AOKP) ROM to throw on it

3/20/2013 11:52:06 AM

I'm still running stock Touchwiz JB on my Note 2. I don't really see the difference between that and a custom rom if you install a launcher. In fact if I were to run a custom rom I'd lose all the Samsung/S-pen/motion functionality.

3/20/2013 12:03:04 PM

I lost all interested in modifying the OS on my device once the Mobile Hot Spot became part of my plan.

3/20/2013 1:46:28 PM

^^ i've never owned a samsung device...just HTC and motorola...so perhaps samsung doesn't suck huge donkey nuts like sense and blur

in my (admittedly limited) experience, there are still ROM options that strip away the bloat and leave you with the manufacturer's interface

i'm not criticizing anyone for keeping their phone stock...i just know that i will ALWAYS get a faster phone with less crap i don't want anyway if i go with a ROM, so it's MY preference to pass on what verizon and the manufacturer have tried to stick me with

^ you know what's awesome? mobile hotspot you don't have to pay for

3/20/2013 2:05:15 PM

I'm sure most know this already, but you don't have to root/ROM to enable free mobile hotspot service on your phone (though sometimes the apps cost a few bucks one-time)

eg: https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=SVTP&hl=en

3/20/2013 2:15:06 PM

^ sometimes...i'm not exactly clear on the details, but it was my understanding that with the bionic and its locked bootloader, those apps don't work (that was new with ICS, though...they worked fine for folks on GB)

i made it work by using SQLite to modify the system's requirement to check with verizon before using the mobile hotspot built into ICS, though

3/20/2013 2:21:39 PM

Yeah it's certainly a phone specific thing, but I've seen it work on my un-rooted GNex and my buddie's un-rooted S3, fwiw.

Quote :

"--- PHONE COMPATIBILITY --- Designed for Samsung Droid Charge. Some users report it also works with: * Samsung Galaxy Nexus (no USB), Stratosphere, Exhibit, Exhibit 2, Galaxy S 2, Galaxy Gio, Intercept, Attain, Fascinate, Galaxy Note, Transform, Conquer, Epic, Sidekick 4G, Doubletime, Captivate * Motorola Razr, Bionic, Droid 3, X2, Photon * HTC Wildfire S, Amaze 4G * Pantech Crossover, Breakout * Dell Streak * Sony Xperia arc * LG G2x, Ally, Optimus C, Optimus V, Optimus S * Huawei Ascend 2 * T-mobile G2, Comet (Huawei Ideos U8150) NOT compatible with most HTC, EVO, Photon, Rezound, Inspire, Samsung Prevail, Motorola Triumph, Casio Commando, LG Spectrum, Motorola Bravo,"

[Edited on March 20, 2013 at 2:37 PM. Reason : ]

3/20/2013 2:33:54 PM

Quote :

"in my (admittedly limited) experience, there are still ROM options that strip away the bloat and leave you with the manufacturer's interface"

Define bloat. I disabled everything Samsung/AT&T I didn't want. I also experimented with CM roms and there was literally nothing additional running on my stock Samsung build once I disabled what I didn't want.

The thing I did notice about CM and other roms was the little bugs and the inability to do OTA updates. Not to mention the inability to use the Samsung features I DID want (motion, s-pen, etc).

3/20/2013 2:51:24 PM

^^ i know it says that...but just google "tether bionic ics" and you'll see what i mean...far more people report tethering apps not working at all than those who report that they do...as one of those for whom tethering apps didn't work, using the built-in hotspot feature with a simple database edit was a perfect alternative (and, truthfully, i like not having another app installed, when the OS can do what i want already)

^ again, to each their own...bloat is stuff i didn't ask for, don't want, and have to remove...sure, some of it just takes up space, but why would i want less space for crap i don't want? if you're happy with samsung and at&t's bloatware on your phone, that's great...i, however, was not interested in anything HTC or motorola had to offer and to think verizon had a single thing of value to offer me is laughable

i have never used a vanilla CM ROM because i have always found a far more streamlined (namely AOSP or AOKP) option...as for stability, i have never once had a stability problem with a ROM that claimed to be stable...betas and ones that tell you they have bugs? of course, but i don't usually install those

truly, let me make it clear that i'm not knocking on folks who don't use ROMs...i just prefer a faster phone with a smaller software footprint and more (non-carrier/manufacturer) options, so that's what i use

3/20/2013 3:26:07 PM

s-pen is the main feature of the phone, it would be silly to get rid of it

3/20/2013 3:35:22 PM

^ i know nothing about s-pen...if it's a "main feature", i would assume most ROMs would come with it

i don't know, though...i don't have the phone, so i've never had a reason to see what options are available

and it certainly DOES change from phone to phone...the unlocked bootloader of the thunderbolt meant that was open to most anything...the locked bootloader of the bionic means it's a lot more restrictive (but at the same time, i suspect the offerings are far more stable)

3/20/2013 3:40:52 PM

i don't think ROMs come with s-pen

its factory "bloat"

[Edited on March 20, 2013 at 3:43 PM. Reason : really useful factory bloat]

3/20/2013 3:42:53 PM

But you're implying a phone is faster if you use a non-carrier rom. I don't think that is the case. What I'm saying is you can disable/uninstall any bloatware you don't want and the processes will be gone. I don't see how it's any different than a CM, AOSP, or AOKP rom.

In fact I looked and I couldn't find a difference (for the most part) between my Samsung rom and CM10 when looking at running processes and CPU usage.

I'm just saying it's not really reasonable to say (at least in my experience) a phone is faster simply because you're running some other rom.

Quote :

"i just prefer a faster phone with a smaller software footprint and more (non-carrier/manufacturer) options, so that's what i use"

Again the size requirements for some of these applications are so tiny they're hardly relevant. If you disable them they're a non-issue.

I just don't think it's worth the trouble to deal with custom roms, updating yourself, losing certain Samsung features I use, etc. I'd even argue a carrier rom in some circumstances would be faster than any other custom roms because they allow you to leverage built in phone functionality you couldn't otherwise use.

3/20/2013 3:46:48 PM

Quote :

"i don't think ROMs come with s-pen its factory "bloat""

as i suspected, google thinks you're quite wrong...there are plenty of ROMs that include s pen

Quote :

"But you're implying a phone is faster if you use a non-carrier rom. I don't think that is the case."

yes, i think that's the case far more often than not

Quote :

"What I'm saying is you can disable/uninstall any bloatware you don't want and the processes will be gone. I don't see how it's any different than a CM, AOSP, or AOKP rom. In fact I looked and I couldn't find a difference (for the most part) between my Samsung rom and CM10 when looking at running processes and CPU usage. I'm just saying it's not really reasonable to say (at least in my experience) a phone is faster simply because you're running some other rom."

i can tell you have very little experience with custom ROMs (though you've admitted as much)...and i don't mean that as a criticism, i'm just pointing out that if you spend the time doing the research, you'll realize there is FAR more that goes into a streamlined ROM with a good dev than you currently realize

Quote :

"Again the size requirements for some of these applications are so tiny they're hardly relevant. If you disable them they're a non-issue."

this goes back to your lack of experience...go look at the image sizes of de-bloated ROMs...if you have a phone with an unlocked bootloader, you're looking a half the size

it isn't just removing a couple of apps...you'd have a point if it were, though

Quote :

"I just don't think it's worth the trouble to deal with custom roms, updating yourself, losing certain Samsung features I use, etc."

and that's fine...backing up a phone's data, apps, and settings, then making a nandroid backup so i can fully restore the image if i so choose, and then installing a new ROM and loading the data takes about 30 minutes...most of which is just waiting while it does things...when i was looking for my favorite, i'd throw a ROM on the phone while at work...it's not complicated

and updating from one version to another is usually a case of dirty flashing, which takes no less time than a regular OTA update (and it's optional, so you can wait for others folks to tell you if it's worth it)

Quote :

"I'd even argue a carrier rom in some circumstances would be faster than any other custom roms because they allow you to leverage built in phone functionality you couldn't otherwise use."

well, that's not true at all

you don't need to defend your choice to stay stock...i totally get that it's more work than fun for a lot of people, and they aren't interested in the advantages (and in some small cases, the potential disadvantages of losing manufacturer/carrier customizations)

but the things you really can't argue is that dev ROMs are usually (i certainly don't want to make a blanket statement here) faster, take up significantly less space, allow for more customization in look, feel, and functionality, and frequently add features unavailable to someone running even a rooted stock ROM...if those things don't matter to you (and really, i get that some people just don't care), then there's no reason to bother with it

[Edited on March 20, 2013 at 4:05 PM. Reason : dirty flashing, not dirty wiping ]

3/20/2013 4:01:33 PM

quagmire has a computer with 16GB of RAM, but no programs installed because he doesn't want anything to use his RAMs!

3/20/2013 4:09:38 PM

I am not like morally opposed to modding my phone, its just that I only have one cell phone now and if I fuck it up I am gonna be

3/20/2013 4:22:27 PM