Database Info

Lets talk about Android

I have been having numerous arguments with people regarding Android vs the rest.
We all know that Android is an operating system, that is used by many phone manufacturers - therefore it CANNOT be compared to iPhone directly and vise versa!
Same thing is about Windows OS.
What I am trying to say is that Android equipment manufacturers have to step up the game. I believe that making a new phone every other month is a BIG NO NO. Especially when the phone is not well tested.
As an example, I own myTouch 4G. First one had a washed out screen and not working Genius button. Second one had a spic of dust under the screen, but lucky for me - it had both good screen and eMMC. So I decided to keep it. Other folks have their phones die on them because of the bad eMMC chip.
Similar issue goes to the G2 (I read about bad eMMC chips). I also heard that Sensation has some issues too!
I witnessed people exchanging up to 7 phones, and yet to get a good one.
On the other hand, Samsung devices are seem to be very plastic on the touch. I did held them in hand. Yes, the screen looks gorgeous, but the phone itself feels bad in the hand.
LG is another story.
I haven't tried or read about SE phones.
You would ask, why the hell did I write this all?
I simply want to voice my opinion. I just sick to see all these phones popping out and then read that one has bad power button, another has 2 types of screen, and then get one of them. I really want to see Android rise up in class!
Heck for not having problems I could have gone with iPhone, but I am an Android fan and chose it because it can do what I need!
I believe with the resources that Samsung, HTC, LG and other have - they can do so much better!
Lets discuss what bad sides Android phones have and what can be improved. I think it is more productive topic than fighting over blindly.

The reason for Samsung's "plastic" feel is durability, you drop a metal phone then the weight is going to make it more likely to break, the plastics Samsung uses often just has the back pop off, maybe a scratch.
As for HTC, they're just not a quality company. They build devices that are pretty from afar but once you use them they often have horrid flaws. Very little quality control.

There's nowhere near the level of QC there used to be in the 'real' smartphones - Treos, Communicators, iPAQs etc.
I think they do a pretty good job, there's a fit and finish for just about every taste out there today. The target audience has changed a lot, the userbase has expanded exponentially, plus there are many more manufacturers today, all vying for a slice of the pie - price competitiveness has a lot to do with this, too.
It sucks, but these things are built to be thrown away. Why pump billions of dollars into the fit and finish of something outdated two weeks after it hits the streets? Sucks for us, but 'near enough is good enough' for the manufacturers, and fair enough in my opinion

z33dev33l said:
The reason for Samsung's "plastic" feel is durability, you drop a metal phone then the weight is going to make it more likely to break, the plastics Samsung uses often just has the back pop off, maybe a scratch.
As for HTC, they're just not a quality company. They build devices that are pretty from afar but once you use them they often have horrid flaws. Very little quality control.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed about Samsung durability, I've dropped my phone on probably every surface and it is still good.
As for android there many problems with the OS. No hardware acceleration is probably big on my list. My nexus runs pretty good but I do notice lag from time to time. Stock browser is a joke to use, hella amounts of lag when viewing pics and forget about even viewing flash, so opera for me.
I hope ICS will live up to the hype, because I'm really digging the Nokia and windows mobile deal. Only time will tell...
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App

I was rooting for androids latest iteration to blow at least iOS out of the water but if that leaked nexus build is a final it doesn't even look smooth on a nexus device...

Who know?Probably NOT a final build as it as no acceleration. Word is that ICS will have hardware acceleration for both the interface and browser.
We will see.It does look impressive though....
On quality:My HTC Desire is horrendous, all buttons are almost dead, that has to do with quality. On the other hand my Huawei IDEOS X5 is surprisingly good for what i paid for (hint: zero but costs about 199euros).
If you want quality go for a truly expensive and good phone like the gs2, if not buy smething cheaper.
P.S. the buttons on the iphone 4 HAVE problems.3 of my friends went to the applestore to change them.That is not good build quality imho.

Eh, I like dells build quality though they fail as a software company. Honestly though I do hope ics is more impressive than it looked in that video because that was just slow and choppy, then again I guess the default UI of android isn't what's supposed to sell android. It's the customization options available.

I have a HTC Desire HD, and in my oppinion Android+Sense is the best mobile combo. all the good things from android + an awesome HTC skin.
Company's like Samsung don't make skins for their phones. I think that they should start making them. Ans if they do that, i might buy a Samsung phone or something like that after my HTC. But if they dont start making skins, i don´t want them...

i like my desire with htc sense, also like iphone with long time battery.

z33dev33l said:
The reason for Samsung's "plastic" feel is durability, you drop a metal phone then the weight is going to make it more likely to break, the plastics Samsung uses often just has the back pop off, maybe a scratch.
As for HTC, they're just not a quality company. They build devices that are pretty from afar but once you use them they often have horrid flaws. Very little quality control.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
i own HTC devices with metal... and all of them are broken, chipped so badly i have to pull out my sandy paper or file to smooth the metal back out, because the phone shell has been ripped apart after many close encounter with the floor
since i switched to Samsung the plastic design has proven that it can handle the drops much better than the metal

I got an issue with samsung and their software updates.
I've been lucky so far with HTC. Good build quality and frequently updated software.
If I need to trade off iphone quality for the freedom of Android, I will.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

There got to be some military grade glass, that will hold all kinds of abuse. My back cover of Glacier is already swinging from side to side. I really hope that this upcoming Nexus will fix all of the issues I, and many other, have with Android phones build quality.
I still do not get, where did samsung got info that 4.65" screen is good for everyone?

hmm. interesting thread, and views.
my experience hasn't been so great with samsung phones. i had a samsung moment and that thing was terrible. and apparently the gs2 is having some problems as well. users have reported problems with the screen/display having some kind of stain like color on it, and the wifi antenna has also been reported by many to be skittish.
not surprising to me. that's what happens when you push a device out based on deadlines rather than completion of thorough testing. regardless of what company is putting the phone out - HTC, samsung, LG... any of them will have problems if they don't ensure a good testing phase pre-release.
i went from the moment to the evo 3D, and the difference is night and day. and i have handled a gs2 and all i can say is i am not impressed. it feels weak and flimsy and in the end, it's still a samsung to me, with the samsung company behind it. i will never own one. but that's just me.
meanwhile, my evo 3D seems to be just a powerhouse in the performance area. i consistently hit quadrant scores over 4300 and linpack scores of 100+ and RL benchmark is completed in about 18 seconds.
there are merely a couple phones out there putting numbers like that down consistently. i know it is that fast in reality, as well, because performing tasks such as viewing, zipping, and opening pdfs from my work email are done extremely fast, and significantly faster than when the phone wasn't rooted with a custom rom/kernel.
just my opinion, but if you can't see the advantage in power and functionality in the android OS, you are not using your phone for anything other than playing games and texting.

I played this bubble game, it's fun. After a few rounds I found myself always stopped in the middle by the app ad and when I restarted the game, the previous records were all gone. Annoying!

Europa. said:
I played this bubble game, it's fun. After a few rounds I found myself always stopped in the middle by the app ad and when I restarted the game, the previous records were all gone. Annoying!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love the relevance! Made my day so far

I agree with most of your arguments, but there's nothing we can do about it.
Manufacturers are still going to release one smartphone per month because people are used to buy tons of different phones to show to their friends.
More smartphones = more profit.
Doesn't matter if for the market it would be a lot better to play with only one "model" like iPhone does.
Let's hope that Google's Nexus can step up its game and be the iPhone rival.

First Impressions HTC Doubleshot

Coming from a G2, I wanted to give you guys some insight of my initial impressions of the Doubleshot in Khaki...
THINNESS: The absolute first thing I noticed when I picked up this phone is how thin it is. It is remarkable how HTC can cram a keyboard into a phone this thin. It's only about 1mm thinner than my old G2, but wow what a difference it makes.
SCREEN: Definitely better than the G2, even though it's the same resolution and size. Somehow, it's a bit brighter and a bit sharper. Not anything extraordinary better, but the S-LCD makes a difference. It seems that under battery usage the screen takes up a good percentage. The S-LCD must take a lot more power than the G2 with its super TFT screen. I usually see the percentage for the screen around 50%.
BUILD QUALITY: This is where the phone starts to decline. The build is very solid and tight, but it feels very slick in the hand. Back cover is completely smooth. Every time I slip it in my pocket and take it out, I'm scared of dropping the phone. It's so thin that it's hard to grip. Difficult to slide the keyboard out as well, due to thinness. I wish there was some rubberized material around the phone, or soft touch finish on the G2. Even though it's a high end phone, the build still feels cheap. Apart from the few metal accents (such as around the rim of the phone), it's all plastic. Which makes me wonder why it's so heavy...
I have noticed that DUST does seem to get caught in the gap between the screen and the main keys. It could end up under your screen if you're not careful. It's understandable given the keys are actual buttons and not a part of the digitizer. Usually whenever I see dust starting to get caught, I take a piece of paper and just run the edge through the gap. It gets all the dust out.
SPEED: You can tell this phone is fast. Even on the stock rom, I knew this phone would be very fast. RAM seems limited though, with about 140mb for you to use once everything is loaded (stock rom). Curiously, benchmarks show much lower ratings than my old G2 OCed to 1.5 GHz. The phone is faster for sure though. Games to used to lag, no longer do. Even when running multiple apps, the phone does not slow down at all. Running a senseless rom, I have peak RAM anywhere from 275 up to 300MB free, with almost all background tasks killed, apart from a few essentials.
KEYBOARD: Oh boy, did HTC drop the ball on this one... Throughout all the android qwertys I have owned, this sadly has to be the worst. It will definitely take some time to get used to. Motorola Cliq>MyTouch 3G Slide>G2>MyTouch 4G Slide, in terms of keyboard rank for the phones I have used so far. The keys are fairly flat and have very little response and feedback. Very slick and hard to feel for. I appreciate the fact that the phone is so thin, but I'd rather have a slightly thicker phone phone to accommodate one of my main input mechanisms. With time, you can get used to anything though.
After spending a few days with the keyboard, I am glad to say it's much better. The first day or two felt terrible with this keyboard. Almost no feedback at all. But the more you use it, the more you pick up on the slight feedback YOU DO get from it. It's like trying to find the pulse on an old diabetic patient. The more you look for it, the more you will find it.
This may be personal grooming, but I've noticed that it's easier to type on the keyboard after having cut my nails than when they have grown out. It makes your finger a bit smaller and a little easier to feel for feedback, just saying...
SPEAKERPHONE: This speaker is much louder and deeper sounding than the one in the G2. Although it does get covered easily and the sound gets muffled out almost complete. This is a bad placement. For example, if you reach into you pocket to get your phone, your hand automatically covers the sound vent and then no one can hear your cool ringtone
Speakerphone still has the same flaws as I mentioned before. When playing a game in landscape mode, you do tend to cover the speaker when you're not paying attention. And then you wonder where the sound suddenly went and why it disappeared.
CAMERA: I haven't found a single scenario where this camera has not amazed me yet. It is truly stunning that a camera could be this good in a phone. Every time I have taken a picture with another phone, I always try to justify how bad it is, with the fact that it's only a camera phone and not a dedicated camera. But with the Doubleshot, I have to wonder at why I even need my camera for about 90% of my shots anymore. There has not been a single scenario where the camera has performed subpar so far. Flash is very good on this camera. Does not interfere with the photo quality at all. Usually the LED is placed so close to the camera lens, that it interferes with the image quality and actually makes the picture look worse. That was the case with every other camera phone that I have had. But not with this one.
HEADPHONE JACK: I have noticed that the headphone jack isn't ideally placed. It off to an angle if you look closely, and that could prove to be a wear issue on your buds, especially if the connector is a straight plug. It's much better to text with though, because it allows your fingers to get situated well around the phone when texting and have headphones plugged in at the same time.
BATTERY: There's no other way of putting it, the battery life is going to be bad. I'm not the kind of person that believes in toning a phone down to get better battery life, but with this phone you may have to. Realistically, with light-moderate use a user will get about 8 hours of run time before the battery is dead. The vast majority of users have said that the aftermarket Anker battery proves to be MUCH better vs stock.
My setup: 100% brightness, wifi always on, no mobile data, gmail push, pulse reader updates every hour, fancy widget GPS weather every 15 mins, and display on for collective time of 1 hour. I get about 10-12 hours on a charge (mainly because I don't use mobile data).
Will update this review the more I get acquainted with my new baby

I recently switched from a G2 as well and thought the same thing about the keyboard. After about a week you get used to it.
Sent from my HTC myTouch_4G_Slide using XDA App

gtmaster303 said:
...
SPEED: You can tell this phone is fast. Even on the stock rom, I knew this phone would be very fast. RAM seems limited though, with about 140mb for you to use once everything is loaded (stock rom).
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know this is a review of first impressions, and I appreciate that window into what someone thinks coming from a different device. This is the first android cellular device i've owned (second device total - nook color being the other) and I have no basis of comparison. This device IS my entry to the smartphone scene, so posts like this give me great insight.
( I quoted the RAM part because this is a function of the BLOAT in the stock ROM, if you cut out all the BS you can easily climb above 200 megs waiting and ready on boot. Don't forget a certain amount is not user accessible, due to being allocated for system use ( CPU/GPU etc...) But this is a first impressions thread, so not trying to take away from that, just trying to bring awareness )

gtmaster303 said:
Coming from a G2, I wanted to give you guys some insight of my initial impressions...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
good review, and I agree with all of it.
as others have said, you get used to the keyboard, and in the end it seems no worse (at least to me).
I recommend getting a case for this bad boy, helps with the slickness, and protects against damage. There is a thread in accessories forum that details various options. Well worth the 10-20 spent in my opinion.

Honestly, I warrantied three phones until I got one in which the keyboard gave me some kind of response. My keys actually click now.

Am I the only one who forgot about the keyboard as soon as I saw how fast it was?
Plus you didn't say anything about the camera. It is such a great improvement from what we had on the G2. I actually haven't come across a phone with a camera that can perfom as well as this in low light with no flash!
Also the front facing camera is something I always felt the G2 was missing right from the day I bought it. It makes skype so much more usable and makes sense in actually flashing a rom with the video gtalk app.
Plus let me be the first to mention this in the DS forum. I HATED WHERE THEY PUT THE SD CARD IN THE G2! FUUUUUU! It was so annoying to have to shut down your phone just to take out the card. I used to load up movies and series for when am on the go/on the road a lot on a seperate card. What is the "eject external card" for if I had to freaking yank out the battery just to get to it?!
Another thing to note is that as much as people may hate on the DoubleShot's earpiece I overlook that because now I have a fully visible notification LED,and not hidden behind a mesh which sometimes made it not clearly visible when outdoors...
The soft coating on the G2 too was a disadvantage as it was so much easier to pick up scratches and scuffs than the DS. Infact thanks to my worry that DS would suffer the same fate, I ordered the rubberised hard cover on the same day I ordered the DS.
The hinge on the G2 was a cool feature but when it finally got loose, I hated it more than I ever fancied it in the first place. I'm glad that the DS comes with a really tight slider which no amount of shock/fall could force it open.
The G2 got the 3 shortcut keys on the Keyboard, the DS got the home, menu and back buttons. Which imo makes me spend more time on the keyboard with the DS than the G2 coz am able to navigate faster and easier with the keyboard on it. I know you may not agree with me but that too makes the DS's keyboard feel more complete than that of the G2.
Another thing I felt was a bit of a failure on the G2 was the back of the top hinge which was stuck with adhesive which you had to peel off to expose the screws. For a device that is praised for its 'solid and partly metalic buid' I really didn't like the idea of using parts that were stuck to the external body with adhesive. I haven't pulled apart the DS yet, but at least the finish on the back part of the slider seems to be much better.
I don't hate the G2, it was an excellent phone, but there things about it that make me feel am much better off with the DS.
sent via a Phone Booth

gtmaster303 said:
BUILD QUALITY: This is where the phone starts to decline. The build is very solid and tight, but it feels very slick in the hand. Back cover is completely smooth. Every time I slip it in my pocket and take it out, I'm scared of dropping the phone. It's so thin that it's hard to grip. Difficult to slide the keyboard out as well. I wish there was some rubberized material around the phone, or soft touch finish on the G2. Even though it's a high end phone, the build still feels cheap. Apart from the few metal accents (such as around the rim of the phone), it's all plastic. Which makes me wonder why it's so heavy...
KEYBOARD: Oh boy, did HTC drop the ball on this one... Throughout all the android qwertys I have owned, this sadly has to be the worst. It will definitely take some time to get used to. Motorola Cliq>MyTouch 3G Slide>G2>MyTouch 4G Slide, in terms of keyboard rank for the phones I have used so far. The keys are fairly flat and have very little response and feedback. Very slick and hard to feel for. I appreciate the fact that the phone is so thin, but I'd rather have a slightly thicker phone phone to accommodate one of my main input mechanisms. With time, you can get used to anything though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Disagree with the build quality, to be honest. I don't really mind the weight of the phone, it feels nice in the hand. Strong plastics are better to make a phone anyways because it isn't as easily deformed.
I definitely agree with the keyboard though. Coming from a Model M, I was expecting a little more from the keyboard. I almost *always* accidentally hit "B" when trying to hit the backspace. I wish the keyboard had *slightly* more raised keys as well as requiring a bit more force to get a key to register.

Limewirelord said:
Disagree with the build quality, to be honest. I don't really mind the weight of the phone, it feels nice in the hand. Strong plastics are better to make a phone anyways because it isn't as easily deformed.
I definitely agree with the keyboard though. Coming from a Model M, I was expecting a little more from the keyboard. I almost *always* accidentally hit "B" when trying to hit the backspace. I wish the keyboard had *slightly* more raised keys as well as requiring a bit more force to get a key to register.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't mind the weight, it's just there's not enough metal to justify it. If it has that much plastic in it, it should definitely be lighter.
Overall, the phone is very well built. Solid but not as premium feeling as you would expect.

Coming from the G2 as well, I'd have to say the Keyboard is a lot worse as well. I actually wish they had the MT4GS's design similar to the G2's. I loved the way the G2 lifted up to slide.

gtmaster303 said:
BUILD QUALITY: This is where the phone starts to decline. The build is very solid and tight, but it feels very slick in the hand. Back cover is completely smooth. Every time I slip it in my pocket and take it out, I'm scared of dropping the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm gonna guess that you have the kahki one, then? I've had both and I can tell you, the khaki one is WAY slicker than the black. With the khaki one, I almost dropped it every time I pulled it out of my pocket. It was just so freakin' slippery everywhere. The black one is a more grippy, soft-touch kind of material and it's far easier to hold onto.
So if you really can't take it and don't want a case, check on eBay for OEM black battery covers. The one I'm using now is the khaki phone with a black battery door. Still shiny and reflective bezels but a nice grippy battery door. Best of both worlds.

ryaninc said:
I'm gonna guess that you have the kahki one, then? I've had both and I can tell you, the khaki one is WAY slicker than the black. With the khaki one, I almost dropped it every time I pulled it out of my pocket. It was just so freakin' slippery everywhere. The black one is a more grippy, soft-touch kind of material and it's far easier to hold onto.
So if you really can't take it and don't want a case, check on eBay for OEM black battery covers. The one I'm using now is the khaki phone with a black battery door. Still shiny and reflective bezels but a nice grippy battery door. Best of both worlds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, that's a great observation. Yes, I am using the khaki cover. I will see if I can switch with my friend because she has a case over her black one anyway
Thanks for the tip! You solved the issue exactly how I would've liked.

gtmaster303 said:
Wow, that's a great observation. Yes, I am using the khaki cover. I will see if I can switch with my friend because she has a case over her black one anyway
Thanks for the tip! You solved the issue exactly how I would've liked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using the PowerMat Battery case. Gives it a nice weight, and grip. Only 10-20USD on T-Mobile.Com.
Sent from my HTC myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk

gtmaster303 said:
Wow, that's a great observation. Yes, I am using the khaki cover. I will see if I can switch with my friend because she has a case over her black one anyway
Thanks for the tip! You solved the issue exactly how I would've liked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem, glad to help. I never would have figured it out unless I'd owned both the khaki and black ones personally. It was pretty startling how much more slippery the khaki one was.

As I keep saying, this phone is a real beast. HTC needs to start listening to its consumer base again and give us vanilla Android and stop screwing us.
Delivered via candygram for Mr. Mongo.

I have added/updated the review to include the headphone jack and battery

gtmaster303 said:
BATTERY: There's no other way of putting it, the battery life is going to be bad. I'm not the kind of person that believes in toning a phone down to get better battery life, but with this phone you may have to. Realistically, with light-moderate use a user will get about 8 hours of run time before the battery is dead. The vast majority of users have said that the aftermarket Anker battery proves to be MUCH better vs stock.
My setup: 100% brightness, wifi always on, no mobile data, gmail push, pulse reader updates every hour, fancy widget GPS weather every 15 mins, and display on for collective time of 1 hour. I get about 10-12 hours on a charge (mainly because I don't use mobile data).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, anker is the right solution for someone that wants something better then the absolute fail the HTC battery represents.
If you want a perfect solution, Mugen is a better answer, but I personally run anker in one phone, both my stock batteries in the other, and the difference is drastically noticeable.
@ 1.7GHz with tv-out and using FPSE to emulate a playstation, I get just under 3 hours of steady gameplay before it starts to reduce performance at around 18% coming from anywhere between 95-100%.
I wouldn't be so mad at HTC about the battery issue if it just died fast, but the battery causes a significant amount of heat under heavier use, and that damages the device itself. That is unforgivable, even taking into consideration that HTC is not a battery company.
For someone using the device as a phone and minimal other use, the stock battery is likely -just- sufficient.
For anyone cracking open even a sliver of the machines potential it instantly becomes a liability, before any of the standard gripes about battery life on a phone.
(remember - dual core processor - it will eat more juice then a single core phone on avergage, but use less to get big jobs done)

Blue6IX said:
I know this is a review of first impressions, and I appreciate that window into what someone thinks coming from a different device. This is the first android cellular device i've owned (second device total - nook color being the other) and I have no basis of comparison. This device IS my entry to the smartphone scene, so posts like this give me great insight.
( I quoted the RAM part because this is a function of the BLOAT in the stock ROM, if you cut out all the BS you can easily climb above 200 megs waiting and ready on boot. Don't forget a certain amount is not user accessible, due to being allocated for system use ( CPU/GPU etc...) But this is a first impressions thread, so not trying to take away from that, just trying to bring awareness )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think people shouldn't harp on "free ram". In this environment its a good thing for memory to be used. Android was designed to be used on mobile devices. The way that it handles memory is much more efficient to say a PC running Windows. With a decent task manager or view you would see that while they are taking up memory (which is otherwise unused) they are not using any cpu cycles. This allows for a much more fast feeling and fluid experience.
Let's say I use Opera the browser, later I decide I want to watch youtube videos. When ever I decide to go back to Opera its being pulled from ram rather than internal or external storage.
When you really need the ram for an application, game, etc Android will automatically unload which ever inactive process it deems necessary.
I do agree that the stock rom comes with excessive bloatware and other unnecessary features. I use JKILO's deoxed rooted stock rom in which I absolutely remove all the bloat and extra features I don't need or use. Runs amazing now, no need for OC in my opinion.

The only thing that bothered me when I first got this phone were the random reboots stock sometimes had. Other than that the phone was and still is awesome especially coming from the old mytouch 3G.

revo420 said:
I think people shouldn't harp on "free ram". In this environment its a good thing for memory to be used. Android was designed to be used on mobile devices. The way that it handles memory is much more efficient to say a PC running Windows. With a decent task manager or view you would see that while they are taking up memory (which is otherwise unused) they are not using any cpu cycles. This allows for a much more fast feeling and fluid experience.
Let's say I use Opera the browser, later I decide I want to watch youtube videos. When ever I decide to go back to Opera its being pulled from ram rather than internal or external storage.
When you really need the ram for an application, game, etc Android will automatically unload which ever inactive process it deems necessary.
I do agree that the stock rom comes with excessive bloatware and other unnecessary features. I use JKILO's deoxed rooted stock rom in which I absolutely remove all the bloat and extra features I don't need or use. Runs amazing now, no need for OC in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, which is why task killers are so bad.
The reason I mentioned the RAM was because what is using it is as important as having it - when I said over 200 megs sitting waiting and ready was to show what was available for user consumption on the apps of THEIR choosing and not HTC or T-Mo.
Given that this is a first-impressions thread, I thought it might be good to see just how much the carrier-level Bloat had an effect on that experience.
Definitely good counsel to let Android handle the RAM, and keep that management out of the userspace level.

Should i be regretting buying a nexus 5

I've read alot of the threads and it does seem like alot of mixed reviews about it... i'm coming from a s3 so i'm hoping i'll be impressed besides the screen (sorry i love amoled)
i hope the problems everyone been talking about is gonna be fixed by google updates or what not

you're coming from an S3?
Prepare to have your pants blown off by a pure google experience.

spitefulcheerio said:
you're coming from an S3?
Prepare to have your pants blown off by a pure google experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well i broke my s3 a couple months back and been with the bb9900 but i did vow to buy the next google flagship
ahahah i've been with the google expirience from roms but not from a nexus maybe it'll be a difference

there is a difference. Something you'll learn quickly: pure google developed by thousands of people for a certain device will always be smoother than a port done by a small group of people.

I came from an S3 myself, I ran AOKP on it most of its life. IMO, the N5 easily tops it in all aspects. The screen is ridiculously sharp, and color reproduction is great compared to the S3's pentile display. The camera works SO MUCH better in lower light scenarios that it's not even funny. Actually, it works better in every scenario that I've tried so far. HDR+ is also quite nice and can really make for some great shots. Battery life I can't really comment on since I just got it today, but I've already gotten more screen on time out of it than I ever managed with my S3, and the N5 came out of the box at 80% charged for me.

So, two big things to remember:
1. The people most prone to posting experiences online are going to be those with either an overwhelming positive or negative experience, and based off of my admittedly personal observations, negative reports almost always outweigh positive ones in terms of passion (if not quantity) - regardless of the quality of the product. In other words: one or two frustrated people tend to make infinitely more noise than ten to twenty happy ones; consequently, that doesn't mean the product in question is a dud.
2. This is the inaugural batch of hardware. There are going to be a few minor kinks in this first batch that will be fixed with the next production runs from the factory. Usually this is very minor. Unrefined edges, very slight chassis tweaks, etc. Part and parcel for impatience and immediate gratification is the roll of the dice that you might get a unit that is... a bit alpha
All this being said, the answer to your question is...
Absolutely not.
Mine is going to be delivered tomorrow, but there have been enough variances in the reports and reviews for me to definitely believe that most units are of excellent quality, and any "lemons" out there are well within the bounds of what is to be expected from an initial hardware distribution. Plus, it also helps that almost all gripes seem to be more software related than hardware - and will be fixed by Google in the coming weeks.

if there's something wrong with it, dont be afraid to RMA it immediately. especially on a first batch of hardware. put it throw all the tests you can at it, i bet you could google this and find out a great set of apps to run on it as soon as you get it. i like cpu and gpu benchmark apps as well as a flashing color screen testing apps(to check for bad pixels), plus any testing that you yourself will be doing. like extended periods of gaming or youtube watching or even just browsing, even if you dont plan on every playing a game for 2 hours straight, do it and see if there's any hiccups.

From my experience and research, if you get one with no defects than your in great shape.
If you do get one with a defect like me (speaker defective causing massive distortions in phone calls and most audio) then you had a really bad day.

neok44 said:
From my experience and research, if you get one with no defects than your in great shape.
If you do get one with a defect like me (speaker defective causing massive distortions in phone calls and most audio) then you had a really bad day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bro why not just call google and get a replacement before its to late =D

Im also really unsure with my decision buying the N5.. Im coming from an Xperia Z which is IMO a good Phone, but not really that smooth.. Do you think it will be a big step up?
Sent from my C6603 using xda app-developers app

[Q] Talk me out of getting a G Flex 2

So we've all read and watched review after review of the laggy, thermal throttling, flop of a device the G Flex 2 is. Nonetheless, I'm still interested in this device, and I do not know why. Maybe because I enjoy tinkering and using tech that others don't. Maybe because reading some owners' reviews here seem to paint a different picture.
Are you happy with this device and feel a lot of the issues were addressed?
The only thing holding me back is the total lack of a dev community. This seems to be held up by a current un-unlockable bootloader, correct? I really don't like skinned Android, but have honestly never used LG's skin before. If a CM or stock port could be guaranteed I think I'd pull the trigger on this.
Thoughts?

dimex said:
So we've all read and watched review after review of the laggy, thermal throttling, flop of a device the G Flex 2 is. Nonetheless, I'm still interested in this device, and I do not know why. Maybe because I enjoy tinkering and using tech that others don't. Maybe because reading some owners' reviews here seem to paint a different picture.
Are you happy with this device and feel a lot of the issues were addressed?
The only thing holding me back is the total lack of a dev community. This seems to be held up by a current un-unlockable bootloader, correct? I really don't like skinned Android, but have honestly never used LG's skin before. If a CM or stock port could be guaranteed I think I'd pull the trigger on this.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are no guarantees but I am happy with my choice. I use the us model which has 3 GB of ram. Never even had one stutter. It also does not get very warm like my nexus 6 did. The only downfall I have is being on at&t I will likely never see an update.
Sent from my LG-H950 using XDA Premium HD app

Well, here it goes..
First of all, I have H955 version ( 16gb/2gb).
A couple of days ago , I read that a 5.1.1 update is starting to roll out, which is pretty great, taking the fact that many MANY other devices are still on 4.4 and 5.0. That said, a user that got the update , said that now we have an option for OEM unlock, which is a step closer for getting custom roms ( at least, I think ). Also, update also brings some under the hood optimizations , such is less buggy home and lower temperature while using the phone.
Now, my opinions with the current 5.0.1 - and you have to believe me on this - I have no lags. At all. Those slow downs are just not there - luncher gets reset sometimes after using chrome, and the phone gets hotter when using it for a long period of time, but other than that.. Phone works awesome, apps open instantly, launcher is not buggy etc..
Next the heating issue - it is only there when I play games, browse in chrome for some time (although, sometimes faster , after 2,3 minutes of browsing - dont know why).
The screen - this is very IMPORTANT . Some users, like me, have yellow spots on display when there is a grey background - only visible on that and maybe some greyish bcgrnds AND with brightness turned to 0%.. A say this is important because it can be annoying from time to time - IF YOU CAN SEE IT! Some users have no such issue (if it is an issue). It is a part of production process etc etc etc.
To summarize - I like my g flex 2 . You can see that from all the above. It is great looking, fast phone with great camera. What else is there not to like? It is a personal preference though. There are many great phones out there, like the upcoming LG G4, SG Note 4, HTC OneM9 and many other phones. If you ask me , I would always choose flex 2, and with the upcoming 5.1 android (I cant wait for it) it is a win. I am aware that many users are reporting lags and issues with the phone but I dont have them.
Take your time. Take in consideration , for example , new LG G4. Talk to someone else who has this phone. But in the end, dont let someone convince you in to buying any phone - you will be using it, and you will have to live with its pros and cons. Big text, I know, live long and prosper.

And I think the same way. Is it possible that the G Flex 2 so bad? I have a G3 with CM based rom and I am very pleased with it. But the design of the G Flex 2 like very much. Weak development support for it worries me and if so I'll probably have to skip it.

dimex said:
So we've all read and watched review after review of the laggy, thermal throttling, flop of a device the G Flex 2 is. Nonetheless, I'm still interested in this device, and I do not know why. Maybe because I enjoy tinkering and using tech that others don't. Maybe because reading some owners' reviews here seem to paint a different picture.
Are you happy with this device and feel a lot of the issues were addressed?
The only thing holding me back is the total lack of a dev community. This seems to be held up by a current un-unlockable bootloader, correct? I really don't like skinned Android, but have honestly never used LG's skin before. If a CM or stock port could be guaranteed I think I'd pull the trigger on this.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can, i suggest that you wait 2-3 months. Not only for price drop but to see how the other 810 phones settle down. If you read reviews of other810 phones and check their performance all seem to suffer fron the same problems. For example xiaomi mi note pro, nubia z9,htc m9, even oneplus 2. If you like big dev community oneplus 2 is your choise.
I personally bought flex2 because we had in greece a big discount for only one day 300euro unlocked. If i had missed the discount i would have waited 2-3 months

dimex said:
So we've all read and watched review after review of the laggy, thermal throttling, flop of a device the G Flex 2 is. Nonetheless, I'm still interested in this device, and I do not know why. Maybe because I enjoy tinkering and using tech that others don't. Maybe because reading some owners' reviews here seem to paint a different picture.
Are you happy with this device and feel a lot of the issues were addressed?
The only thing holding me back is the total lack of a dev community. This seems to be held up by a current un-unlockable bootloader, correct? I really don't like skinned Android, but have honestly never used LG's skin before. If a CM or stock port could be guaranteed I think I'd pull the trigger on this.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me this is my 6th phone in one year so I can compare pretty good.
I must say it is not a bad phone. Have some lag here and there but it is manageable. It is not that smooth as an oneplus one for instance.
The heating is there, don't expect to play games for long, as the heating eats the battery.
General Battery performance is ok, I have there no complaints.
I also like the camera it is one of the best I used so far.
I think this is a solid phone but the standard price is just to high. If you pay the full price I would not go for the Flex. For that money you are better of with a more standard phone like the G4. It is more reliable and will get more attention during the years.
I got my for 400USD, for that I think it is okay, but still not that good value as an oneplus one.
Sent from my LG-H955 using XDA Forums

I really love mine although I had my problems with it at first. Mine had a tendency to thermal throttle fairly easily but even then it was quite fast and smooth. After adding a copper shim and modifying the thermal configuration file I like it a lot more. Although it wasn't slow before it's now even smoother and faster. I have the AT&T 3GB version which seems to not suffer from the kind of lag the 2GB version initially had. I'm also really impressed at how many apps I can open without them closing in the background. Battery life is about the same as my Galaxy S4 with a 3000mah battery. It really depends on what you do. It has great standby time but if you push it really hard like a complex 3d game it may not be so great. On normal use I get about 4 to 5 hours of on screen time. Mine also came with light yellowish tint that really wasn't very obvious unless I had a white or grey background. I still asked AT&T for a replacement and the new one came with a much even toned display and no more yellow.

dimex said:
So we've all read and watched review after review of the laggy, thermal throttling, flop of a device the G Flex 2 is. Nonetheless, I'm still interested in this device, and I do not know why. Maybe because I enjoy tinkering and using tech that others don't. Maybe because reading some owners' reviews here seem to paint a different picture.
Are you happy with this device and feel a lot of the issues were addressed?
The only thing holding me back is the total lack of a dev community. This seems to be held up by a current un-unlockable bootloader, correct? I really don't like skinned Android, but have honestly never used LG's skin before. If a CM or stock port could be guaranteed I think I'd pull the trigger on this.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best thing to do is wait a bit if you can, just to see if development picks up.

Thanks everyone for your feedback. Ya, this phone interested me for some reason.
I'll keep checking back.

My 50 cent's
G3 is a little smaller with same screen size, a lot better resolution (i can see pixels on G Flex2 from close distance) on a nearly half the price, so it is up to You
P.S.
G3 is looking better (but this is personal teist)
P.P.S.
I have G3 and from 2 days is using Flex2

I love the Flex 2. it's a great phone. i am using it since release in Germany and in the first two weeks it gets very fast very hot, but since an update everything is fine. Great battery life, a lot of Power. But if i can change it, i would pick the 3GB RAM model

I dont have the phone either so im in the same boat as you. I would wait for the g4 to come out not just because its going to be an amazing phone. But if lg is using some unlockable bootloader they will probably use it on the g4 as well and if that happens it will get unlocked much faster since its a flag ship. With any luck then that can be applied to the g flex and cm for all.

TheAxiks said:
I love the Flex 2. it's a great phone. i am using it since release in Germany and in the first two weeks it gets very fast very hot, but since an update everything is fine. Great battery life, a lot of Power. But if i can change it, i would pick the 3GB RAM model
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also have the 2gb ddr4 version. The 3gb version has ddr3 or ddr4?

kutulu32 said:
I also have the 2gb ddr4 version. The 3gb version has ddr3 or ddr4?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't think the Snapdragon 810 could use anything but DDR4. Honestly I don't think there's a way to tell but considering how much the 3GB version costs as well I would assume it does have DDR4.

you are probably right! I just couldn't confirm it 100% the reason that the difference doesn't show up in benchmarks maybe be fault in memory controller. lol

I got a really good price for the phone so I'm biased. That being said I did go for the phone because of the design itself and it's not a choice that I regret.
For the first couple of days having the phone I did experience the overheating issue. I tend to back up my devices and reset them often and in this case I found that a full factory restore solved the overheating issue.
As for the lag it's noticeable from time to time if you have multiple things going on at once like playing a game while downloading files while streaming music.
As stated earlier with the g4 right around the corner I was certainly wait and see how that one pans out giving its going to have that much better of a system on the inside, and possibly the ability to use custom roms, which I do miss.
Sent from my LGLS996 using XDA Free mobile app

I had the LS996 (32GB/2GB) version of G Flex 2. It is freakin terrible. If I wasn't so busy this past month, I would've traded it in. It was so bad that I spent a hundred dollars and got a GS5. Even after the ZV5 update and the thermal and hotplug mods I've made, it still over heated, froze, and lagged... I called it quits when I started having to do a force shut down (holding the power button until the phone turns off).

I have the 32GB / 2GB model. In my experience, the screen is a little grainy, but I'm fine with it. With the latest 10d update, the phone is a lot cooler, although it will still thermal throttle after some usage. Performance is a lot better as well, but it still can be improved. It continues to freeze in Chrome, so I use the stock web browser that comes with it. When the phone is hot, browsing through menus becomes sluggish and slow, something I really hope they will fix. Battery life is okay, but when you start playing games, or do any processor intensive stuff, it becomes real bad. (Probably the Snapdragon 810's fault) Camera photos are a little washed out, not as sharp as other phone cameras out there, but it produces very vibrant colours. Focusing is a little slow at times, laser focus not working too well, especially up close to an object. The self-healing back isn't doing a very good job. Just being in my pocket (with nothing else) and placing the phone on some tables, it has collected up many scratches. Screen brightness doesn't go very low, so I use an app called Lux to take care of that.
The Dual Window feature is limited to certain apps, unlike Samsung's Multi-Window, but at least it's there. QSlide is useless for me, and so is Quick Memo. Knockcode, on the other hand, is nice to have, very convenient to unlock the phone with one hand. But if you happen to use face unlock, it might interfere with knock code, and you might end up just locking the phone by using the double tap feature, since the phone unlocks when you are still knocking the code.
It's still running Android 5.0.1, so I hope all of this can change with the 5.1 update or when Android M gets released in the future.
I got this phone, because I wanted to try something new. It's a curved screen that can bend, of course it would catch my eye. Even hearing about all the overheating problems, I decided to invest in this two years journey with this phone. Overall, I regretted, an S6 is a better choice in my opinion, it runs a lot better. But if you are all-in for the curved screen, I suggest you wait a while more to see how this phone performs in future updates.

Kidsnd274 said:
I have the 32GB / 2GB model. In my experience, the screen is a little grainy, but I'm fine with it. With the latest 10d update, the phone is a lot cooler, although it will still thermal throttle after some usage. Performance is a lot better as well, but it still can be improved. It continues to freeze in Chrome, so I use the stock web browser that comes with it. When the phone is hot, browsing through menus becomes sluggish and slow, something I really hope they will fix. Battery life is okay, but when you start playing games, or do any processor intensive stuff, it becomes real bad. (Probably the Snapdragon 810's fault) Camera photos are a little washed out, not as sharp as other phone cameras out there, but it produces very vibrant colours. Focusing is a little slow at times, laser focus not working too well, especially up close to an object. The self-healing back isn't doing a very good job. Just being in my pocket (with nothing else) and placing the phone on some tables, it has collected up many scratches. Screen brightness doesn't go very low, so I use an app called Lux to take care of that.
The Dual Window feature is limited to certain apps, unlike Samsung's Multi-Window, but at least it's there. QSlide is useless for me, and so is Quick Memo. Knockcode, on the other hand, is nice to have, very convenient to unlock the phone with one hand. But if you happen to use face unlock, it might interfere with knock code, and you might end up just locking the phone by using the double tap feature, since the phone unlocks when you are still knocking the code.
It's still running Android 5.0.1, so I hope all of this can change with the 5.1 update or when Android M gets released in the future.
I got this phone, because I wanted to try something new. It's a curved screen that can bend, of course it would catch my eye. Even hearing about all the overheating problems, I decided to invest in this two years journey with this phone. Overall, I regretted, an S6 is a better choice in my opinion, it runs a lot better. But if you are all-in for the curved screen, I suggest you wait a while more to see how this phone performs in future updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the dual window there is a mod if you check the android developement thread. It needs editing build. prop. It works ok as far as i experienced.

kutulu32 said:
For the dual window there is a mod if you check the android developement thread. It needs editing build. prop. It works ok as far as i experienced.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, was using it until the 10d update. There seems to be a problem during the rooting process after the update, so I can't use the mod now.

how happy are you..

So, i got mine OP6 yesterday, damn it is a nice phone i love it.
But how happy are you with it. And what would you change to the hard-software..

Battery percent in circle.
Proximity sensor to activate ambient display.
Speaker sounds a bit tinny.
That's about it from me
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

I just wish the vibration motor felt more like a Pixel 2XL or iPhone 8/X

Coming from an OPO this is light years in advance. I don't think I could ever go back to a phone with less screen retail and no gestures. Having said that, it is far from perfect:
The glass back is so slippy it makes the phone useless without a case.
The battery life is better than my old phone, but not as good as I was hoping.
There is no thermal paste or cooling on the SOC.
The rounded corners on the screen are annoying and pointless.
Not sure if I should swap my Midnight Black to mitigate #1, but given it is a glass back I'm not sure that is going to help really. On the flip side I do appreciate the improved signal a glass back brings.

lordjan1986 said:
So, i got mine OP6 yesterday, damn it is a nice phone i love it.
But how happy are you with it. And what would you change to the hard-software..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got mine yesterday as well. My previous phone was a note 8. I'm very pleased with the OP6 so far. At this point I wouldn't change anything except it is quite slippery. I feel like I'm holding a baby.

I definitely hope to see an improved camera performance in a future update. My OP6 produces smudgy images that seem way too processed. A Google camera port on my old OP3 produces much better quality photos, so there's that.
Otherwise the rounded corners of the screen are a little reminiscent of an old-school TV and I struggle to ignore them.
Performance is beastly AF.

1. An option in settings to have always on display
2. Speaker volume and tone to be improved. When I had the 5t on Oreo beta the speaker was really good for a single speaker, this one just sounds a bit shallow. Enabling the earpiece speaker would be a plus if they could implement it.
3. Bluetooth drop outs. I'm finding it losses connection to devices temporarily (not due to range)
4. Option to have Google now as the left hand page rather than shelf.
5. Was thinking of a 5th for ages however in the main really happy with it and all the above could be fixed in an update. Let's just hope they don't wait too long and forget about us 6 users because they are working on the 6T!

In love the round corners, they are so cool looking, I got the mirror black and I love the way it looks. I think the phone is fantastic.

Pros of oneplus6
1. Snappy Processor for the Price - Snapdragon 845 is one of the fastest processors
2. A Tall and Notch-ed Display - The AMOLED display of the OnePlus 6 produces rich, bright and crisp colors.
3. Taste of Android P - model for which Android P Beta would be available.
4. Headphone jack!

Vinegar Joe said:
Coming from an OPO this is light years in advance. I don't think I could ever go back to a phone with less screen retail and no gestures. Having said that, it is far from perfect:
The glass back is so slippy it makes the phone useless without a case.
The battery life is better than my old phone, but not as good as I was hoping.
There is no thermal paste or cooling on the SOC.
The rounded corners on the screen are annoying and pointless.
Not sure if I should swap my Midnight Black to mitigate #1, but given it is a glass back I'm not sure that is going to help really. On the flip side I do appreciate the improved signal a glass back brings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
where did u find out it had no thermal paste or cooling?

masri1987 said:
where did u find out it had no thermal paste or cooling?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z47gXtbXjw

Yikes. Throttling will be bad.
montecarlo5 said:
Watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z47gXtbXjw
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

montecarlo5 said:
Watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z47gXtbXjw
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, that's the one.
Incidentally throttling is not bad right now (I did some quick and dirty tests in another thread), but might be an issue down the line. AFAIK the 5/5T had the same problem. Anyone know how they've held up in the last 6/12 months?

masri1987 said:
where did u find out it had no thermal paste or cooling?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably jerryrigeverything tear down videos.
Am I happy? Yes and no. Didn't care for pixel. Miss my note 8. Nexus 6p is still my favorite device but battery issues kept me away. Personally think Huawei handles battery and speed(with bells and whistles) just as good. But emui.
Op6 is a get what you pay for. I think they can do better at the 530+ price. I probably take a lost but I'm going g to hold out until the next update. If things are not imporved I'll sell it for something else. Probably lose a $1 per day of ownership.
Battery life and maybe speed(not as dramatic as people make it vs others) is where the phone beats everything else. Nice to have unlocked bootloader/root. Feels like Nexus days.

intruda119 said:
Probably jerryrigeverything tear down videos.
Am I happy? Yes and no. Didn't care for pixel. Miss my note 8. Nexus 6p is still my favorite device but battery issues kept me away. Personally think Huawei handles battery and speed(with bells and whistles) just as good. But emui.
Op6 is a get what you pay for. I think they can do better at the 530+ price. I probably take a lost but I'm going g to hold out until the next update. If things are not imporved I'll sell it for something else. Probably lose a $1 per day of ownership.
Battery life and maybe speed(not as dramatic as people make it vs others) is where the phone beats everything else. Nice to have unlocked bootloader/root. Feels like Nexus days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i came from Note 8, for me the Note 8 was good but it was a lot of hype too. the camera was amazing but the reason i got the Op6 and sold my Note 8 was for dev purposes... the note 8 dev community is small

Just got mine today and love it so far. Buttery smooth and lightning quick. It has so much customization built in that I don't feel the need to put a custom rom on it. At least for a while.

masri1987 said:
i came from Note 8, for me the Note 8 was good but it was a lot of hype too. the camera was amazing but the reason i got the Op6 and sold my Note 8 was for dev purposes... the note 8 dev community is small
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was one of the crazy people who actually found bixby useful. Without Tasker and being able to voice command mobile hotspot was great. Battery life was on par. Device community and not very many options out here for old school Nexus type devices.
Not a bad phone just thought by the 6+ device, some of the hardware compromises would finally be on par.

Vinegar Joe said:
Yup, that's the one.
Incidentally throttling is not bad right now (I did some quick and dirty tests in another thread), but might be an issue down the line. AFAIK the 5/5T had the same problem. Anyone know how they've held up in the last 6/12 months?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used a OP5 for the last 11 months and to be honest, I didn't noticed some kind of throttling. Maybe there was, but I never noticed fps drops while playing with a Nintendo DS/PSP emulator (which seems like a good indicator).

Looking at the teardown videos they DO have thermal pads (the black slightly shiny things) so it isn't quite as 'bare' as suggested. Probably not as good as thermal paste, but I'm not exactly up on mobile phone cooling. Maybe someone better than me can provide some insight? I wonder how common this is in other phones.

My problems with it are the too small battery (resulting in **** battery life compared to other current phones), the mediocre camera, and no vibration that can be felt/heard whatsoever.
Rest (whatever is left) is ok.
I should probably return it and get full refund and spend money on something more proper.