# The 'what phone shall I get next' conundrum. HTC One? Galaxy S4? Nexus? Note?



## editor (Apr 26, 2013)

It's a #firstworldproblem to be sure, but I really can't make my mind up which of these beauties to get.  







I REALLY love the look of the HTC One but the lack of a removable battery and storage is going to bug me. The Samsung S4 looks pretty damn good too and has all the features I want but I'm not totally convinced yet.






The surprise one may be the new Nexus of course - when it's announced - and   then there's the outsider of the Note. I've seen more and more people using these things now and now that I've got over the size shock, I'm starting to like the cut of its jib very much indeed.

Anyone else facing a similar decision?


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## astral (Apr 26, 2013)

I have the Note two and I am a big fan.  Most of the note one bugs have been ironed out and it's not ridiculously big after a couple of weeks...


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 26, 2013)

Loving the note 2 and as everyone says you get used to the size real quick. 

You can also get it way cheaper then the s4 which was a consideration for me.


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## mauvais (Apr 26, 2013)

How long are you going to own said phone for? If you expect more than say 18 months, then battery swap matters, and I'd want to be certain that there were good aftermarket ROMs, except in the case of the Nexus where (unmolested) updates come easy. I know the forthcoming support for the S4 looks a bit dubious at this point.


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## Supine (Apr 26, 2013)

Just plumped for an S4. Supply issues mean I'm going to be without a phone for another week


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## Callum91 (Apr 26, 2013)

I had this issue today as EE was doing a pretty good offer. Ended up with the iPhone 5 and my bro went for the S4 in black. Pretty happy with our purchases I'd say and now we're both on 4G too.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Apr 26, 2013)

How often do you people buy new phones: once a year?


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## editor (Apr 26, 2013)

Johnny Canuck3 said:


> How often do you people buy new phones: once a year?


Not sure who "you people" are, but my current phone is over two years old.


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## editor (Apr 26, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> I had this issue today as EE was doing a pretty good offer. Ended up with the iPhone 5 and my bro went for the S4 in black.


I'm over small screens!


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## Ax^ (Apr 26, 2013)

this one


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## Callum91 (Apr 26, 2013)

Tbh I've downgraded on the screen size front (gone from a HTC One X) and I'm not bothered so far. It's quite nice to be able to do things with the phone one handed.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Apr 26, 2013)

editor said:


> Not sure who "you people" are, but my current phone is over two years old.


 
You people, are the people enthusing over new phones. I'm not super tech-savvy, so I don't keep up with the multiplication of phones. I've had a cel phone for years, but have owned maybe 4 cel phones in my life. I keep them till they break.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 26, 2013)

Johnny Canuck3 said:


> You people, are the people enthusing over new phones. I'm not super tech-savvy, so I don't keep up with the multiplication of phones. I've had a cel phone for years, but have owned maybe 4 cel phones in my life. I keep them till they break.


 
That seems to be an average of just over two years for me, so I've owned a fair few.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Apr 26, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> That seems to be an average of just over two years for me, so I've owned a fair few.


 
I've had good luck. The first was a Motorola that I had nothing but problems with. The second looked like that Nokia above, and was like a tank: lasted for years. Third one was some sort of flip phone. I would have kept using it, but we switched providers, and I got this latest one. I think I've had it about three years now.


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## stuff_it (Apr 26, 2013)

Johnny Canuck3 said:


> You people, are the people enthusing over new phones. I'm not super tech-savvy, so I don't keep up with the multiplication of phones. I've had a cel phone for years, but have owned maybe 4 cel phones in my life. I keep them till they break.


I normally get one at least every two years, either it breaks or I loose it or if I'm really lucky I'm on a 24 month contract and get a new one and get a spare. I need those spares, please refer to the first part of this post.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 26, 2013)

I flog the old ones on ebay and keep a £5 nokia as a spare. Even a two year old broken smartphone can get a decent price, provided you avoid sending it to nigeria.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 26, 2013)

Johnny Canuck3 said:


> I've had good luck. The first was a Motorola that I had nothing but problems with. The second looked like that Nokia above, and was like a tank: lasted for years. Third one was some sort of flip phone. I would have kept using it, but we switched providers, and I got this latest one. I think I've had it about three years now.


 
I hope you're getting a decent discount on your monthly bill once you've paid for the phone. They never offer this, you've got to give them a call and switch taffifs (in the UK at any rate) once the contract has expired.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Apr 26, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> I hope you're getting a decent discount on your monthly bill once you've paid for the phone. They never offer this, you've got to give them a call and switch taffifs (in the UK at any rate) once the contract has expired.


 
For a number of reasons, phone rates in  Canada are the highest in the world. It has to do with a govt that protects the domestic corps that run cel phones in this country.

So what is this word 'discount'?

I think phones have become the new cars. Back in the Sixties and probably earlier, it was a  big deal every year when the new model year of car came out.  I can still remember it. The new models showed up around September.

People with a few bucks would rush out to get the latest Chev with the new rear fin design, or the new hood ornament etc. It was a sign of status to have the newest model of whatever. A big buzz was generated in the media.

Now, they do the same thing with phones. And people rush to buy the latest one.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 26, 2013)

Johnny Canuck3 said:


> For a number of reasons, phone rates in Canada are the highest in the world. It has to do with a govt that protects the domestic corps that run cel phones in this country.
> 
> So what is this word 'discount'?
> 
> ...


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Apr 26, 2013)

That's true; but I think that's all being done for marketing reasons also. Before, you had a computer and a phone. Then you had a laptop and a phone. Then you had a tablet and a phone. Now they're putting the computer in the phone. That's good because you have two things in one, but all that's happening is the phones are getting more expensive, and the phone companies are eating into the market share of companies like Dell and Gateway.

I still prefer to use either a desktop or laptop, but that's because a lot of what I do involves photography, at least as a hobby, and I prefer a larger screen for that. But I realize I'm in the minority.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 26, 2013)

Johnny Canuck3 said:


> That's true; but I think that's all being done for marketing reasons also. Before, you had a computer and a phone. Then you had a laptop and a phone. Then you had a tablet and a phone. Now they're putting the computer in the phone. That's good because you have two things in one, but all that's happening is the phones are getting more expensive, and the phone companies are eating into the market share of companies like Dell and Gateway.
> 
> I still prefer to use either a desktop or laptop, but that's because a lot of what I do involves photography, at least as a hobby, and I prefer a larger screen for that. But I realize I'm in the minority.


 
For me it means a desktop and phone, which also probably puts me in a minority.


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## stuff_it (Apr 26, 2013)

Johnny Canuck3 said:


> For a number of reasons, phone rates in Canada are the highest in the world. It has to do with a govt that protects the domestic corps that run cel phones in this country.
> 
> So what is this word 'discount'?
> 
> ...


It's not just a status symbol though if you genuinely use all the functionality that a smartphone gives. If you don't use many of the extra features it can seem like unnecessary bling but if you don once the phone is a bit older you do start to notice how slow it is compared to newer models. 

Honestly you would think we were queuing up outside the Apple shop or something the way you say it.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Apr 26, 2013)

stuff_it said:


> It's not just a status symbol though if you genuinely use all the functionality that a smartphone gives. If you don't use many of the extra features it can seem like unnecessary bling but if you don once the phone is a bit older you do start to notice how slow it is compared to newer models.
> 
> Honestly you would think we were queuing up outside the Apple shop or something the way you say it.


 

It most definitely is a status symbol, especially for younger people, and in certain sectors of society. You might not be queuing up outside Apple - but lots of people do.


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## Callum91 (Apr 26, 2013)

Johnny Canuck3 said:


> It most definitely is a status symbol, especially for younger people, and in certain sectors of society. You might not be queuing up outside Apple - but lots of people do.


Yeah, idiots. Take pictures of them so you know who to avoid in future.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Apr 26, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> Yeah, idiots. Take pictures of them so you know who to avoid in future.


 
They even bring tents here; and not just for phones, but for certain new games, etc etc etc.

I figure in different times, those same people would be the frontline cannon fodder in some dictator's army.


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## stuff_it (Apr 26, 2013)

Johnny Canuck3 said:


> They even bring tents here; and not just for phones, but for certain new games, etc etc etc.
> 
> I figure in different times, those same people would be the frontline cannon fodder in some dictator's army.


But what's your point? Should we not be discussing phones in the tech forum because some nobber somewhere goes camping just to get an iPhone?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 26, 2013)

If screen size wasn't an issue, I'd be very tempted by the One. I do miss the unibody design of my Desire HD and now I've got 32 gb, removable storage isn't the issue I thought it was.


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## stuff_it (Apr 26, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> If screen size wasn't an issue, I'd be very tempted by the One. I do miss the unibody design of my Desire HD and now I've got 32 gb, removable storage isn't the issue I thought it was.


TBH I have a miniSD slot on my desktop and I'm a massive slacker - I quite like being able to just pull the card out and shove it in the front of my computer.


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## MBV (Apr 26, 2013)

How far off is the new Nexus?


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## Hocus Eye. (Apr 26, 2013)

Looking at the reviews of the S4 leaves me not feeling too bad about being at an early stage of my contract on the S3. It seems I am not missing out on much because most of the fancy new features are not something I urgently need and the rest of the phone is very like the S3 but with an even bigger screen.


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## Mojofilter (Apr 27, 2013)

editor said:


> I REALLY love the look of the HTC One but the lack of a removable battery



This.
Total deal breaker with a phone which reportedly has such poor battery life.

Shame really because that aside it looks an awesome phone. Same with the last gen, I had a One X which I managed to swap for an S3 because of the wi-fi issues but really it was the battery.
I was getting 10 hours of moderate usage before it needed charging which frankly is fucking shit.

I was a bit gutted because the One X performed much better than my S3 in every other department.


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## skyscraper101 (Apr 27, 2013)

It is disappointing to see the HTC One, as well as the Nexus 4 (and presumably the new Nexus too) going the way of Apple on the non removable battery thing. Especially as phones get more and more power hungry and the need to carry spares is bigger than ever. It's a sad shift in design if you ask me.


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## Chz (Apr 27, 2013)

A USB battery trumps a removable one every time. You don't need a second charger for it, you don't need to power your phone off to use it, it's no larger or heavier. The *only* disadvantage is having a cable attached to your phone while it charges off it, which is more than made up for by the fact that you can use ALL of the power in it and not have to swap when there's 10% left or something. In addition, an integrated battery allows for thinner phones, better thermals, and better battery life management firmware.

Now I can understand that some people have a use for SD card slots (I don't), but Google's deprecating them anyhow so Samsung's going to have to fork Android in the future if they want to keep putting them in.


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## Mojofilter (Apr 27, 2013)

Disagree, I've got a USB battery and use it to some extent, but ultimately a spare battery fits discreetly in my pocket. A USB one doesn't.

Even if it did on its own, it wouldn't with my phone and the cable.


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## Chz (Apr 27, 2013)

The key is that the modern phones will charge off the USB battery instead of running off it. You only need to attach it for as long as you need to. It wasn't a big deal to swap batteries when a Nokia powered on in 5 seconds, but some of these damned things take well over a minute to turn on now.

Added bonus is that you can get a small and slim USB battery if you like, or if you have the pocket space you can have a big, fuckoff one that will run the phone for a week.


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## stuff_it (Apr 27, 2013)

Mojofilter said:


> This.
> Total deal breaker with a phone which reportedly has such poor battery life.
> 
> Shame really because that aside it looks an awesome phone. Same with the last gen, I had a One X which I managed to swap for an S3 because of the wi-fi issues but really it was the battery.
> ...


Not just that - I have yet to see a smartphone that they can guarantee it will never ever crash and need the battery taken out in the two years you own it.


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## renegadechicken (Apr 27, 2013)

stuff_it said:


> Not just that - I have yet to see a smartphone that they can guarantee it will never ever crash and need the battery taken out in the two years you own it.


Never had a crash that couldn't be resolved by using the 'hard' reset keys on the iphone in the years Ive owned them.
As Ed knows i looked at the HTC One and S4 prior to updating and choose the HTC One and have not been disappointed with it. The storage card issue is a non issue for me, i use cloud storage as i dislike having to poke cards in and out of phones, camera's etc and into readers - and with the HTC One you get 25gb of drop box storage for free for two years.

My only issue i guess is the cost of replacing the screen, the HTC One cannot be DIY repaired and my screen replacement is costing £214 - not sure if the s4 is self repairable, but if it is that could have been the deal breaker for me. Spec wise and for my use the HTC One met all my phone/gadget needs.

Plus it looks and feels bloody awesome - it is a pure delight to hold and just stare at. It's fast 1.7 but the s4 is faster 1.9 - same chip though. Battery useage hasn't been an issue for me and i use the phone for everything it can do, surfing, downloading, watching movies, listening to music, reading documents etc.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 27, 2013)

If battery life is an issue, I'm going to sing the notes praises again. Where as my last phone struggled to last the day if you actually wanted to use it much, I'm now getting almost two.


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## stuff_it (Apr 27, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> If battery life is an issue, I'm going to sing the notes praises again. Where as my last phone struggled to last the day if you actually wanted to use it much, I'm now getting almost two.


I'm tempted by the note mainly for the graphics input functions which I think will be useful for my engineering. It looks like you can get them on O2 with a similar package to what I have now (which is enough for me) for £22.50 so hopefully by November when my contract runs out it will be in budget.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 27, 2013)

stuff_it said:


> I'm tempted by the note mainly for the graphics input functions which I think will be useful for my engineering. It looks like you can get them on O2 with a similar package to what I have now (which is enough for me) for £22.50 so hopefully by November when my contract runs out it will be in budget.


 
I'd expect it get cheaper by then as I think that's when the 3 will be out. I'm paying a little more at £26, but gives me unlimited data, texts and a shit load of mins.

The main use I've found for the stylus is playing fruit ninja.


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## editor (Apr 27, 2013)

Chz said:


> A USB battery trumps a removable one every time. You don't need a second charger for it, you don't need to power your phone off to use it, it's no larger or heavier.


Nah. you're wrong. I can easily fit two spare batteries in my back pocket. Not so easy with a USB charger and the (easily forgotten) cable.


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## Callum91 (Apr 27, 2013)

I think the whole replaceable battery thing is somewhat of a red herring. I've never heard anyone (non techie) ever wish they could take the battery out of their iPhone etc, it's just something else to lose/forget to bring with you. It's a nice feature but one that waaaay down the list for the majority of people. A better battery in the first place is much more desirable imo.


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## beesonthewhatnow (Apr 27, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> A better battery in the first place is much more desirable imo.


Yep. I wish they'd all stop this obsession with making them thinner than a cigarette paper. Make all the current designs just 2mm thicker and fill all that space with battery. They would be just as usable, just as easy to put in your pocket, but you could have a phone that could run for a couple of days.


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## Callum91 (Apr 27, 2013)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> Yep. I wish they'd all stop this obsession with making them thinner than a cigarette paper. Make all the current designs just 2mm thicker and fill all that space with battery. They would be just as usable, just as easy to put in your pocket, but you could have a phone that could run for a couple of days.


Exactly. They keep pushing for thinness but people protect their phones with bulky cases, thus making all their engineering utterly wasted. Give me a phone with reasonable heft to accommodate a bigger battery over some thin sliver of metal that cuts into your hands any day of the week. I've had my iPhone 5 for less than 24 hours and I've already bought a case for it.


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## FridgeMagnet (Apr 27, 2013)

Yah. Every smartphone owner I've ever met consistently bitches about the battery life of their phone. I don't want to fuck about buying spare batteries, I want a battery that's fit for purpose in the first place. I don't mind charging once a day but it shouldn't run out during the day itself.

Also, it shouldn't need the owner to constantly audit running apps / notifications / GPS usage / whatever the OS allows, just to make sure you don't take it out of your pocket after not using it all day and find it's at 5%.


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## skyscraper101 (Apr 27, 2013)

My main issue with not having a removable battery is that I haven't seen a convincing argument as why it's necessary to prevent swapping out their battery.

It may be a non issue for many but why restrict what people want to do with the phone? The whole appeal of Android phones is being able to tinker with them in a way iPhones don't allow. Making them more like iPhones takes away some of that appeal for no apparent benefit.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 27, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> My main issue with not having a removable battery is that I haven't seen a convincing argument as why it's necessary to prevent swapping out their battery.
> 
> It may be a non issue for many but why restrict what people want to do with the phone? The whole appeal of Android phones is being able to tinker with them in a way iPhones don't allow. Making them more like iPhones takes away some of that appeal for no apparent benefit.


 
I'm guessing it's easier to make sleek unibody designs if you don't have to worry about letting people into it.


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## mauvais (Apr 27, 2013)

You'd all bitch and moan if the phone was twice as fat and heavy.

If you're going on a business trip or to a festival, it's great to know you can have double or triple the battery life just by swapping one out. The only argument against is that you can also achieve this with a portable charger, but they're unwieldy.


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## skyscraper101 (Apr 27, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> I'm guessing it's easier to make sleek unibody designs if you don't have to worry about letting people into it.


 
So the argument for not having changeable batteries is it's easier on the manufacturer that way, so just deal with it?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 27, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> So the argument for not having changeable batteries is it's easier on the manufacturer that way, so just deal with it?


 
No you don't just "deal with it" you buy a phone that has the feature. I was just speculating a reason why HTC may have gone down this route. I bought a Samsung, so do have the option, but the build quality is noticeably different to Apple and HTC handsets. That said, the Desire HD managed a nice metal case with access to the battery, even if it was a complete pain (hard to do when new, fell of to easily after a few years)


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## Chz (Apr 27, 2013)

If you've ever seen the inside of an iPhone, the benefit is that the battery no longer has to be a monolithic rectangle. The iPhone battery is pretty much *everywhere* that there aren't already other parts.

Edit: Bugger me, but the new one isn't like that. They've just found a way to make it cheaper. One of the iPhones did use a Macbook-like polymer battery that fit into every crevice.


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## FridgeMagnet (Apr 27, 2013)

mauvais said:


> You'd all bitch and moan if the phone was twice as fat and heavy.


I'm not sure I would bitch about having a phone that was twice as fat as absurdly thin and twice as heavy as basically weightless. I have pens that weigh more than this.

Swappable batteries are still just a poor attempt to make up for not having a big enough battery in the first place. Or a phone/OS that uses too much power.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 27, 2013)

I think if we're going to see more built in batteries, at least more manufacturers could follow Motorola (not often I'll say that) and offer a model which is a bit thicker with an extended battery.


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## mauvais (Apr 27, 2013)

FridgeMagnet said:


> Or a phone/OS that uses too much power.


Or a user. I haven't done any testing for ages but we once put a ZTE Blade (Android 2.x) into airplane mode, left it alone and it managed something like 31 days before it ran out of power.


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## FridgeMagnet (Apr 27, 2013)

mauvais said:


> Or a user. I haven't done any testing for ages but we once put a ZTE Blade (Android 2.x) into airplane mode, left it alone and it managed something like 31 days before it ran out of power.


Turn it off completely and it would probably last even longer!


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## mauvais (Apr 27, 2013)

FridgeMagnet said:


> Turn it off completely and it would probably last even longer!


The point is that it's all radio comms, not some inherent overhead from the OS - although you could argue that it allows or even encourages bad app behaviours with regard to it, especially when considered as a set.


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## FridgeMagnet (Apr 27, 2013)

mauvais said:


> The point is that it's all radio comms, not some inherent overhead from the OS - although you could argue that it allows or even encourages bad app behaviours with regard to it, especially when considered as a set.


I mean that droid and iOS allow different controls and access. That was arse covering on my part as I don't have a droid, but everyone I know who does bitches just as much as I do about my iPhone's life.

I think the OS could make a much better contribution though. I was in an office yesterday where I noticed my phone had lost about 10% an hour doing nothing, because the signal there was shit and it was presumably constantly hunting. I've seen this in other environments and everyone else who worked there confirmed it. Why was it doing that? If I can easily identify situations where I need to turn my phone to airplane mode or it dies, that means the phone is badly programmed.


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## mauvais (Apr 27, 2013)

That's inherent to 3G, which doesn't penetrate well inside buildings and basically sucks as far as radio goes. You're right about some bad behaviour (like prioritising shit Wi-Fi over good 3G) but there's only so much that can be done. Airplane mode in your case is unacceptable to the majority because they value that slim chance of a call getting through.


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## thriller (Apr 29, 2013)

You got to be a retard to choose the nexus 4 out of all these.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 29, 2013)

thriller said:


> You got to be a retard to choose the nexus 4 out of all these.


 
It's several hundred pounds cheaper then the other options, so isn't bad value for what's still a pretty modern smartphone.


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## gentlegreen (Apr 29, 2013)

astral said:


> I have the Note two and I am a big fan. Most of the note one bugs have been ironed out and it's not ridiculously big after a couple of weeks...


I wish I'd been videoing yesterday when I encountered a skinny roadie cyclist in full Lycra taking a call. I really should have stayed around to see where he kept the enormous thing.


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## skyscraper101 (Apr 29, 2013)

Much as I loathe the fact you can't remove the battery, I'd still plump for the Nexus 4 and go on a cheaper tarrif.

I haven't seen any review of the Galaxy S4 that has convinced me that any of its bells and whistles are worth the extra markup and are anything more than a gimmick that'll get very little real world use. All that smart face detecting stuff is largely a novelty.


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## Callum91 (Apr 29, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> Much as I loathe the fact you can't remove the battery, I'd still plump for the Nexus 4 and go on a cheaper tarrif.
> 
> I haven't seen any review of the Galaxy S4 that has convinced me that any of its bells and whistles are worth the extra markup and are anything more than a gimmick that'll get very little real world use. All that smart face detecting stuff is largely a novelty.


My brother has the S4 and he's turned all the sensor shit off. Ironic.


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## FridgeMagnet (Apr 29, 2013)

thriller said:


> You got to be a retard to choose the nexus 4 out of all these.


Not "retard". Please.


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## bi0boy (Apr 29, 2013)

Chz said:


> It wasn't a big deal to swap batteries when a Nokia powered on in 5 seconds, but some of these damned things take well over a minute to turn on now.


 
A whole minute without the internets?


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## thriller (Apr 29, 2013)

FridgeMagnet said:


> Not "retard". Please.


 
ok. you got to be a stupid cunt to choose nexus 4. cheers.


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## skyscraper101 (Apr 29, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> My brother has the S4 and he's turned all the sensor shit off. Ironic.


 
Yep, same on my Galaxy Nexus and its 'face detection unlock.' Totally rubbish gimmick. It barely ever works unless you're in the perfect lighting conditions and even then has to think for a second about it. Be wary of any phone selling itself on face detection. It's a solution to a problem which does not exist just to claim it has one up on the competition.


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## Kid_Eternity (Apr 29, 2013)




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## editor (Apr 29, 2013)




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## editor (Apr 29, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> Yep, same on my Galaxy Nexus and its 'face detection unlock.'


I don't even want to use my mush to unlock a phone. I'm happy enough using the screen pattern unlock.


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## yield (Apr 29, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> Much as I loathe the fact you can't remove the battery, I'd still plump for the Nexus 4 and go on a cheaper tarrif.
> 
> I haven't seen any review of the Galaxy S4 that has convinced me that any of its bells and whistles are worth the extra markup and are anything more than a gimmick that'll get very little real world use. All that smart face detecting stuff is largely a novelty.


I've seen the nexus 4 and it's a great phone for the money. I'd recommend it, bought sim free if you can afford it and a decent cheap sim only deal.

Ed what has your network offered you?


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## editor (Apr 29, 2013)

yield said:


> Ed what has your network offered you?


I'm on GiffGaff so I'm free as a bird. I like the Nexus 4 but I'd rather wait to see the next model as it's been around a while now.


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## yield (Apr 29, 2013)

editor said:


> I'm on GiffGaff so I'm free as a bird. I like the Nexus 4 but I'd rather wait to see the next model as it's been around a while now.


You know what you want but the Nexus 4 came out only at the end of last year.

Specs Nexus 4 versus Samsung galaxy S4
http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=5048&idPhone2=5125


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## editor (Apr 29, 2013)

yield said:


> You know what you want but the Nexus 4 came out only at the end of last year.
> 
> Specs Nexus 4 versus Samsung galaxy S4
> http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=5048&idPhone2=5125


The lack of a SD card slot ruffles.


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## yield (Apr 29, 2013)

editor said:


> The lack of a SD card slot ruffles.


What takes up most of your memory? Music?


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## editor (Apr 29, 2013)

yield said:


> What takes up most of your memory? Music?


Photos videos and music. And apps, as some games can be chuffing huge.


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## yield (Apr 29, 2013)

editor said:


> Photos videos and music. And apps, as some games can be chuffing huge.


For that fair enough.

See what the new Nexus is like. The new android is smooth.


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## gawkrodger (Apr 29, 2013)

I have an HTC One. It is phenomenal. Never thought I'd like a phone this much. Battery life no-where near as bad as I was expecting given what some people were saying.

Can't get a fecking screen protector for it anywhere yet though


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## yield (Apr 29, 2013)

gawkrodger said:


> Can't get a fecking screen protector for it anywhere yet though


They're listed on amazon. http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb...screen+protector&sprefix=htc+one+scre,aps,199


----------



## editor (May 1, 2013)

I still can't decide but I've not had a proper go with the HTC One or the S4. 
There's certainly no shortage of satisfied HTC customers on Phones4U (where it costs £489 unlocked - ouch!).
http://www.phones4u.co.uk/shop/shop...Affiliate_85386#sthash.TPWJ58Xt.peduuzq0.dpbs


----------



## renegadechicken (May 2, 2013)

gawkrodger said:


> I have an HTC One. It is phenomenal. Never thought I'd like a phone this much. Battery life no-where near as bad as I was expecting given what some people were saying.
> 
> Can't get a fecking screen protector for it anywhere yet though


Mine came with two HTC One screen protectors


----------



## Sunray (May 2, 2013)

Lots of people are saying the HTC one is a very nice phone. But what is wrong with the old one?  It looks a nice phone last time I saw it?

I've dropped out of the upgrade cycle, going to see how long this my 2010 iPhone 4 lasts before I'm forced into a new one.  Say what you like about Apple products, the build quality is great so I am going to test that supposition to its death.  Its a recon unit so should be good for many years yet.


----------



## editor (May 2, 2013)

I had a quick grope (oo-er) of the HTC One and it really is a splendid feeling handset. My S2 is starting to through the odd wobbly and I could almost-just-about justify an upgrade if I get a more capable camera.


----------



## renegadechicken (May 2, 2013)

I got mine back yesterday after the repair.....and man i'm in love with the HTC One all over again

I have to admit being impressed with the reset sync...the only app and settings it didn't reinstall automatically was the tapatalk 2 one for some odd reason.

eta it now has a case and screen protector....horse/door/bolted


----------



## editor (May 3, 2013)

Interesting comparison between the S4 and HTC cameras:
http://blogs.computerworld.com/smartphones/22096/samsung-galaxy-s4-vs-htc-one-camera


----------



## Sunray (May 3, 2013)

The s4 has a disappointing camera looking at those shots. The one produces far more natural looking shots, the s4 seems to be tinted a little red and has terrible low light performance.


----------



## editor (May 3, 2013)

Sunray said:


> The s4 has a disappointing camera looking at those shots. The one produces far more natural looking shots, the s4 seems to be tinted a little red and has terrible low light performance.


Thing is, I've seen about five of these comparisons and they all seem to give different results. The Lumia 920 seems to be the best camera by miles, the after that, the iPhone5 is very good, as is the HTC and S4 ones - but none manage to excel across the board.


----------



## Chz (May 3, 2013)

It's software, mainly. They've all got sufficient hardware to produce usable shots. Not perhaps suitable for an 8x10 print, but usable. If any of them would just have an option to minimize processing, it would be ideal for the fussy person who photoshops everything.

That being said, the Nokia and HTC are vastly better than everything else if you need to shoot in low light without a flash. But that's more the realm of a proper camera.


----------



## editor (May 3, 2013)

Another comparison which has left me just as confused!

The multitasking/twin app view feature on the S4 is also pretty compelling...






http://blog.laptopmag.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-vs-htc-one


----------



## Sunray (May 3, 2013)

I think what that's saying, its so close to call that its become personally subjective rather than one being better overall than the other.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 3, 2013)

Buy the one feels right/you can afford. They're all nice phones.


----------



## Callum91 (May 3, 2013)

I'd get an iPhone 5. The S4 feels/looks too flimsy and Touchwiz is horrid.


----------



## Badgers (May 3, 2013)

Callum91 said:
			
		

> I'd get an iPhone 5. The S4 feels/looks too flimsy and Touchwiz is horrid.



I have an inkling that Ed has ruled out the iPhone


----------



## editor (May 3, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> I'd get an iPhone 5. The S4 feels/looks too flimsy and Touchwiz is horrid.


I don't want one thanks. That's why the title specifically doesn't ask about phones with squinty little screens.

Interestingly enough, the latest T3 Magazine doesn't even list the iPhone 5 in its top five handsets any more.


----------



## editor (May 3, 2013)

Here's Samsung's latest advert. I still can't make my mind up between the S4 and the HTC One.


----------



## sumimasen (May 3, 2013)

I've not read the thread, but Note 2 is amazing. Had it a few days, and blown away. Totally manageable to hold... And then you have the screen, S Pen, the battery life... Kicks the S3's butt, and I damn near love the S3.


----------



## Badgers (May 3, 2013)

When is the new Note out? August/September time?


----------



## Supine (May 3, 2013)

So,  I've been getting used to my new S4 today. 

First impressions - it doesn't feel too light or flimsy.  It looks great.  After 4 years of using an iPhone the OS feels years behind iOS.  It's simply much harder to use,  less polished and less intuitive.  I'm kind of enjoying getting used to nee ways of doing systems.  I'd definitely recommend apple to anyone who isn't tech savvy. 

I


----------



## Supine (May 3, 2013)

^ that proves I still need to get used to auto correct...


----------



## editor (May 3, 2013)

Supine said:


> So, I've been getting used to my new S4 today.
> 
> First impressions - it doesn't feel too light or flimsy. It looks great. After 4 years of using an iPhone the OS feels years behind iOS. It's simply much harder to use, less polished and less intuitive. I'm kind of enjoying getting used to nee ways of doing systems. I'd definitely recommend apple to anyone who isn't tech savvy.
> 
> I


You'll be surprised how quickly you get used to Android and, if you're like most reviewers,  you'll find it very hard to go back once you realise the things it can do and the way you can set things up to suit you. 

Tbh, I found it hard to work out how to do things when I switched to an iPhone for a while.


----------



## Mojofilter (May 4, 2013)

There's always going to be a learning curve when you're using an OS that's new to you.

Tbf Android's is probably a little steeper than iOS's, but once you're used to it Android is easier to use in my experience.
(I've got an S3 & an iPad Mini, so I have no allegiance to either system)

I'm often mildly inconvenienced by something that iOS doesn't do that Android does, but never the other way around.


----------



## renegadechicken (May 4, 2013)

I hated going back to the iPhone following my "accident" with the HTC one and that was only after having the HTC for 8 days.  
Played with the s4 and still happy with my choice but yes so close between them it is subjective and I'm glad I went with the looks


----------



## Callum91 (May 4, 2013)

editor said:


> I don't want one thanks. That's why the title specifically doesn't ask about phones with squinty little screens.
> 
> Interestingly enough, the latest T3 Magazine doesn't even list the iPhone 5 in its top five handsets any more.


4'' is hardly a ''squinty little screen'' but sure, if you want an inferior phone I'd get the S4/HTC One. Why not even go the whole hog and get a Windows phone? Fanboyism has utterly ruined tech.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 4, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> Fanboyism has utterly ruined tech.



Said with not a trace of irony


----------



## Callum91 (May 4, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> Said with not a trace of irony


I'm no fanboy, I've used every OS currently available, Android for the longest of those. I've had my iPhone 5, what, a week? My first iPhone (not first iOS device though) and it's already better than everything else I've used. I ummed and ahhhed about my purchase for a few days after, ''Should I have gone for the S4? Or the HTC One?''. I'm glad I didn't, they don't do anything my iPhone doesn't. All the fancy sensors of the S4 are annoying and get in the way and the One is just like accepting that your child is never going to do as well as you'd like it to do. The iPhone is the smart choice imo, cheaper than the others, feels nicer physically, gets updates quickly etc.

Oh and you can use it with one hand like a human. Handy for texting whilst you're walking down the street. For the sake of the thread title I'd go for either the One or the Note 2. Or neither and just wait for the next Nexus phone.


----------



## renegadechicken (May 4, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> Oh and you can use it with one hand like a human. Handy for texting whilst you're walking down the street. .


 
I have mahoosive hands so can one handed text with the One


----------



## Callum91 (May 4, 2013)

renegadechicken said:


> I have mahoosive hands so can one handed text with the One


It was the one thing that made me get rid of my first Galaxy Note. I was walking down the street, felt the ''phone'' vibrate, took it out my pocket to reply to the text and bam, I had to stop and stand still whilst I typed. It was traded for the Nokia Lumia 800 the next day


----------



## ChrisFilter (May 4, 2013)

Maybe you have little hands? 

He said, typing one-handed on a Note II.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (May 4, 2013)

One handed typing on Note II for Andre the giant and other mutant hand folk?


----------



## editor (May 4, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> All the fancy sensors of the S4 are annoying and get in the way and the One is just like accepting that your child is never going to do as well as you'd like it to do. The iPhone is the smart choice imo, cheaper than the others, feels nicer physically, gets updates quickly etc.


Strange then that almost every single reviewer has placed the HTC One or the S4 at the top of the list of the very best phones currently available. Not sure how S4's sensors can be "annoying" when you can turn them off either. How long did you have an S4 for to discover this annoyance, btw?


----------



## editor (May 4, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> 4'' is hardly a ''squinty little screen'' but sure, if you want an inferior phone I'd get the S4/HTC One.


And there you go again. Obsessed.

There's nothing 'inferior' about the HTC One or S4. They're two of the best phones money can buy.


----------



## Callum91 (May 4, 2013)

editor said:


> Strange then that almost every single reviewer has placed the HTC One or the S4 at the top of the list of the very best phones currently available. Not sure how S4's sensors can be "annoying" when you can turn them off either. How long did you have an S4 for to discover this annoyance, btw?


I couldn't care less what the ''reviews'' say. My bro has the S4, it's nice but not as nice as my iPhone. How am I obsessed, dear Editor?


----------



## ChrisFilter (May 4, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> I couldn't care less what the ''reviews'' say. My bro has the S4, it's nice but not as nice as my iPhone. How am I obsessed, dear Editor?



You're not obsessed. You're just fanboiing with the best of them. 

It's fair enough. It's all just self-justification for the purchase you've made. We all do it. It's reassuring. Helps make the rampant consumerism we suffer from taste a bit better.


----------



## Callum91 (May 4, 2013)

ChrisFilter said:


> You're not obsessed. You're just fanboiing with the best of them.
> 
> It's fair enough. It's all just self-justification for the purchase you've made. We all do it. It's reassuring. Helps make the rampant consumerism we suffer from taste a bit better.


I'm a fanboy? Yeah, alright, whatever


----------



## illuminatus (May 4, 2013)

The Xperia Z is a brilliant buy.....


----------



## Callum91 (May 4, 2013)

illuminatus said:


> The Xperia Z is a brilliant buy.....


Aye, it's a lovely phone.


----------



## ChrisFilter (May 4, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> I'm a fanboy? Yeah, alright, whatever



What do you think makes a fanboi? It's tribalism. 

You've tied your colours to the mast of iPhone 5 tribe and are dismissing other tribes despite popular evidence that suggests they have better phones.


----------



## Callum91 (May 4, 2013)

editor said:


> And there you go again. Obsessed.
> 
> There's nothing 'inferior' about the HTC One or S4. They're two of the best phones money can buy.


I'm not denying they're good phones, I'm merely suggesting the iPhone 5 is better. I've had 10+ hours hands on time with both the S4/HTC One and of the two I'd pick the One. Touchwiz is just too horrible to get along with, it's been one of the things that has put me off Samsung Android phones altogether. Sense is much nicer.


----------



## Callum91 (May 4, 2013)

ChrisFilter said:


> What do you think makes a fanboi? It's tribalism.
> 
> You've tied your colours to the mast of iPhone 5 tribe and are dismissing other tribes despite popular evidence that suggests they have better phones.


I'm not dismissing anything, nor have I tied my colours to any mast. I've used _all _of the mobile OS's and _for the moment _iOS is winning my favour. I'd happily have a HTC One if you offered it to me.


----------



## illuminatus (May 4, 2013)

The new Xperia range is so underrated...


----------



## ChrisFilter (May 4, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> I'm not dismissing anything, nor have I tied my colours to any mast. I've used _all _of the mobile OS's and _for the moment _iOS is winning my favour. I'd happily have a HTC One if you offered it to me.



I'm just fucking with you. 

I really don't care about tech anymore. This weird feverish obsession with it, espoused in threads like these (not by you), is really off-putting.


----------



## Callum91 (May 4, 2013)

I love tech but hate the people who use it


----------



## editor (May 4, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> I'm not denying they're good phones, I'm merely suggesting the iPhone 5 is better.


You can suggest whatever you like, but I think I'll go along with the vast amount of expert opinion posted elsewhere.

Best smartphone: HTC One
Best smartphone: HTC One
S4: http://www.t3.com/best-gadgets/smartphones 
etc etc.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 4, 2013)

I think it's worth pointing out that yet again, with plenty of net use the battery on my note 2 is still at 60.

Now I've got used to the fast chip and huge screen, this is the biggest wow factor as I have no chance to recharge in the day if I need it.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 4, 2013)

illuminatus said:


> The new Xperia range is so underrated...



I do hope more companies follow Sony and make their high end phones waterproof.


----------



## editor (May 4, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> I do hope more companies follow Sony and make their high end phones waterproof.


I can't say it's something I put high on my list of priorities.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 4, 2013)

editor said:


> I can't say it's something I put high on my list of priorities.



Different needs isn't it? More useful then a barometer or an s pen/latest Samsung feature to me. 

I've got a waterproof case for mine as I often work outside and nothing kills phones like a few months in damp pockets.


----------



## purenarcotic (May 4, 2013)

ChrisFilter said:


> Maybe you have little hands?
> 
> He said, typing one-handed on a Note II.


 

I have very small hands, and a handspan abnormally so.  I have an S2 at the moment and it's really fucking hard to text on it.


----------



## editor (May 4, 2013)

purenarcotic said:


> I have very small hands, and a handspan abnormally so. I have an S2 at the moment and it's really fucking hard to text on it.


Do you use SwiftKey?


----------



## purenarcotic (May 4, 2013)

editor said:


> Do you use SwiftKey?


 
Yup, it helps, but I still get cramp in my hand if I hold my phone with one hand for long.  And I don't get two fingered texting, I was always a one handed texter and it's hard to break the habit. 

Not sure what phone I'm going to go for after.  I really like my S2 but I'd like a phone that doesn't make my hand hurt.


----------



## editor (May 4, 2013)

purenarcotic said:


> Yup, it helps, but I still get cramp in my hand if I hold my phone with one hand for long. And I don't get two fingered texting, I was always a one handed texter and it's hard to break the habit.
> 
> Not sure what phone I'm going to go for after. I really like my S2 but I'd like a phone that doesn't make my hand hurt.


Maybe the S3 mini would do the job.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (May 4, 2013)

This thread shows quite nicely that they're all the fucking same now.


----------



## editor (May 4, 2013)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> This thread shows quite nicely that they're all the fucking same now.


Well, yes and no. There's still differences that are pretty important: things like the size of the screen, build quality, whether there's an SD card slot and removable battery and (something that may definitely sway me) the provision of IR remote control.


----------



## renegadechicken (May 4, 2013)

editor said:


> .......... the provision of IR remote control.


 
Haven't been able to use this as we don't have a telly/video/dvd etc, but a friend has it and says it's pretty useful.


----------



## editor (May 4, 2013)

renegadechicken said:


> Haven't been able to use this as we don't have a telly, but a friend has it and says it's pretty useful.


It's one of those things that seems so ruddy obvious it's mad that every phone doesn't already come with it.


----------



## free spirit (May 4, 2013)

editor said:


> Well, yes and no. There's still differences that are pretty important: things like the size of the screen, build quality, whether there's an SD card slot and removable battery and (something that may definitely sway me) the provision of IR remote control.


I don't understand. wtf do you want to be able to remote control your phone for?

I mean outside of terrorist type home invasion incidents where you want to confuse the terrorist into thinking you're actually behind them to give you the chance to jump them from a different direction.

The whole point of them surely is that they fit nicely in your pocket so they're never out of reach.


----------



## free spirit (May 4, 2013)

renegadechicken said:


> Haven't been able to use this as we don't have a telly/video/dvd etc, but a friend has it and says it's pretty useful.


ah, right.

so not remote controlling the phone.


----------



## editor (May 4, 2013)

free spirit said:


> I don't understand. wtf do you want to be able to remote control your phone for?


You're not quite up to speed here. The IR features means you can control your TV, video, PVR, amp any other gadgets that are currently filling up your home with piles of separate remote controls.


----------



## renegadechicken (May 4, 2013)

The IR lets you program the phone to replace all your existing remote controls.

Dam my slow typing...

But i do use the airmouse pro app to control my pc/media center


----------



## editor (May 4, 2013)

Mind you, I like the idea of a remote control phone that could jump down the stairs and put the kettle on in the morning.


----------



## free spirit (May 4, 2013)

editor said:


> You're not quite up to speed here.


correct.



editor said:


> The IR features means you can control your TV, video, PVR, amp any other gadgets that are currently filling up your home with piles of separate remote controls.


I'd probably not be able to get over the irrational fear that the phone would catch the remote's regular habit of disappearing for days on end before magically reappearing somewhere we'd definitely looked.


----------



## renegadechicken (May 4, 2013)

editor said:


> Mind you, I like the idea of a remote control phone that could jump down the stairs and put the kettle on in the morning.


and make some toast


----------



## editor (May 5, 2013)

free spirit said:


> I'd probably not be able to get over the irrational fear that the phone would catch the remote's regular habit of disappearing for days on end before magically reappearing somewhere we'd definitely looked.


You can at least ring up your mobile to find it.


----------



## editor (May 8, 2013)

I should be getting a HTC One on review next week so I'm quite excited at seeing how it performs.

Here's another S4 vs HTC One comparison: http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/review/2265733/samsung-galaxy-s4-vs-htc-one-head-to-head-review

(The HTC wins)

Here's another (the HTC loses to the S4 and iPhone 5): http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-57581522-85/samsung-galaxy-s4-shootout-versus-htc-one-iphone-5/

Confusing!


----------



## Vintage Paw (May 8, 2013)

editor said:


> You can at least ring up your mobile to find it.


 
Not if all you've got is your mobile phone 

I may be in the market for a new phone soon. The home button on my iPhone 4 has been getting more and more temperamental. I'm trying to cope with it for as long as humanly possible, but it's at the stage where it can take upwards of 10-15 presses before it'll register properly - nearly every time.

Despite the fact that I've bought a shit tonne of apps over the years (since the 3G, anyway), I'm not automatically going to go for the iPhone 5.

I saw a couple of amazing reviews for the nexus 4, but I admit to knowing the square root of fuck all about Android phones and what the deal is with them.

If I was going to focus on anything in particular that I'd want in the phone, it would be ease of use, a decent camera - doesn't have to be the absolute best one out there though (camera apps and games are what I'll use the most apart from your standard phone stuff), and the ability to carry around a spare battery if I go away - that would be absolutely excellent.

Anyone got any decent links where I can do a bit of a 'beginners guide to what the fuck android is' reading?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 8, 2013)

Vintage Paw said:


> Not if all you've got is your mobile phone



It's about all I use Skype for


----------



## skyscraper101 (May 9, 2013)

I'm quite intrigued by the sound quality on the HTC. It does sound way superior to anything I've seen on another handset.

Given the amount of attention given to screen and display improvements over recent years it's nice to see at least one manufacturer finally taking sound quality seriously. Obviously it's still a phone so its never going to be _that _outstanding, but it sounds pretty decent on the video below, and that's significant enough to make listening to the radio, or speakerphone/skype, or watching youtube clips a lot more enjoyable.

For me it's certainly way more useful than a humidity sensor, or 'eye controlling' a video clip.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 9, 2013)

I'm on my phone as can't watch it, but how can you tell sound quality from a video?


----------



## skyscraper101 (May 9, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> I'm on my phone as can't watch it, but how can you tell sound quality from a video?


 
He does an on/off comparison with some hip hop and a decibel meter and the beats audio function (which can be switched on and off). Even from youtube I can tell the phone is packing a much better speaker than anything else I've seen. Good enough to use as a portable radio for sure.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 9, 2013)

That's quite a nice feature then... It's something I do occasionally use.


----------



## editor (May 9, 2013)

Another review declaring a close call, but with the edge just going to the HTC One:


> There isn’t much between the S4 and its big rival at the checkout: the Samsung is free on deals that start at £31 a month, while the HTC can be had on similar contracts. You’ll have to pay more on 4G – £41 a month and an £80 upfront cost for 1GB of data. SIM-free, the Galaxy costs £580, with the HTC coming in at £530.
> 
> Samsung has worked hard to justify such a huge outlay, and has delivered record-breaking benchmark performance, an excellent camera and an improved exterior. We like many of TouchWiz’s more sensible features, and the microSD slot and removable battery appeal.
> 
> ...


 
HTC One review: http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/smartphones/380965/htc-one


----------



## skyscraper101 (May 9, 2013)

editor what's your take on the beats audio enhanced speakers on the HTC, a big deal for you or no? I could see those being quite useful. Also, have you ruled out the Note 2? The screen size still seems to own everything else out there.

A combination of the two would probably be my ideal phone.


----------



## editor (May 9, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> editor what's your take on the beats audio enhanced speakers on the HTC, a big deal for you or no? I could see those being quite useful. Also, have you ruled out the Note 2? The screen size still seems to own everything else out there.
> 
> A combination of the two would probably be my ideal phone.


I remain pretty much unconvinced by Beats Audio, but if the One comes with a decent pair of speakers that may nudge me towards buying one. The camera is the main thing for me though.


----------



## nuffsaid (May 9, 2013)

Well I've had my One for about 6 weeks now and I'm loving it. Battery has been no problem at all, yesterday it was fully charged in the morning - I checked for train updates during my commute to work, took a lengthy call, checked emails every hour, sent a few texts, looked at some news updates, watched a movie for about 30 mins of my commute home and had over 50% of battery left by the time I got home around 7pm. I run it with power saver on and with juicedefender and its been better than my old HTC Desire easily. The camera has been great, had some issues where the subject was in front of direct sunlight, but with the light from behind it's been great. Details on a castle wall came out as good as my bridge camera. 

Sound quality with the beats headphones (in ear ones) is very good and the picture quality on the hd screen is superb. The double speakers are good enough to happily listen to internet radio over when I'm nodding off to sleep and the case I bought allows me to prop it up for viewing hands free on the train. I got screen protectors when I bought mine. The only thing that bugs me is the way contacts are listed in thumbnail fashion and in direct sunlight the screen has been hard to see but that might be because I have power saver mode on and it's keeping the brightness down. It's fast and feels really slick when surfing. No technical issues to date.


----------



## nuffsaid (May 9, 2013)




----------



## editor (May 10, 2013)

The HTC One has just arrived. Boy oh boy it's a lovely thing.


----------



## nuffsaid (May 10, 2013)

editor said:


> The HTC One has just arrived. Boy oh boy it's a lovely thing.



Cool, let me know of any hot tips once you'Dr up and running.


----------



## skyscraper101 (May 10, 2013)

What do you think of the speakers on Beats Audio mode?


----------



## SW9 (May 13, 2013)

Got the S4 today, loving it so far. Really really quick and screen looks wicked.


----------



## sleaterkinney (May 13, 2013)

I've got an S4, it's so light, but feels a bit flimsy...


----------



## editor (May 13, 2013)

OK. I've had a play with the HTC One. Initial impressions:
1. By Christ the speakers are bloody good.
2. The camera's not as good as I hoped and it struggles to focus in low light, although the results can be good
3. The screen is gorgeous
4. The phone is beautifully made
5. I'll probably get the S4


----------



## skyscraper101 (May 13, 2013)

editor said:


> 5. I'll probably get the S4


 
what didn't you like about the HTC One that made you side with the S4?


----------



## editor (May 13, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> what didn't you like about the HTC One that made you side with the S4?


The camera's performance and the lingering doubts about non removable battery/SD card.


----------



## skyscraper101 (May 13, 2013)

The non removable battery is a concern for me as I'm sure those beats audio speakers drain some serious power


----------



## sleaterkinney (May 13, 2013)

As an aside, I've only had to recharge my s4 once in three days.

I'm not 100% sure about it but that could be me getting to grips with a new phone. It's a bit bigger than the htc desire hd I had and it's so thin that it doesn't grip in the hand as well. The big screen feels like overkill.


----------



## editor (May 13, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> The non removable battery is a concern for me as I'm sure those beats audio speakers drain some serious power


They do sound fabulous though! Although I admire HTC from stepping back from the megapixel race, the lack of flexibility for a lowly 4MP sensor - no matter how good it shoots at - was always going to cause me problems.


----------



## renegadechicken (May 13, 2013)

well, my HTC has been on all day, some serious web surfing including YT, listening to tunes, emailing, watching a movie that i saved to google drive..i didn't have power saver turned on and after unplugging the charger at 7.00 this morning to when i'm posting now the battery is at 62%, which i think is pretty good for the use it's had. Added to that location services and GPS are on and beats audio is always on - not too fussed re spare battery. The other issues such as camera and sd slot are personal choices and nothing anyone says is gonna sway you if that's what's important to you ( camera and sd for me are not important - i've got a good data deal of 4 gb so i use cloud with camera upload on, pictures like ive posted before i use camera phones for snap shots nothing more, but i do like the zoe feature and the camera is way better than my old iphone 4s).

Both are awesome phones though - but i'm vain and the looks win everytime for me


----------



## renegadechicken (May 13, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> The non removable battery is a concern for me as I'm sure those beats audio speakers drain some serious power


Dunno if you know but you can turn beats audio an and off.

Edit - uh oh think fanboi thinking, but to be expected after 4-5 years on iphones, android is a revelation to me - so much better.


----------



## editor (May 13, 2013)

You can turn Beats Audio off but it sounds rubbish without it!


----------



## skyscraper101 (May 13, 2013)

Yeah no point having those great speakers if you can't use them. Makes the case for removable batteries even more.


----------



## SW9 (May 14, 2013)

My only regret about getting the S4 is that it makes the nexus 7 look shit suddenly. Giving it to my mum anyway.


----------



## editor (May 15, 2013)

Wooargh! Now if this happens, this is my next phone. 



> At the Google I/O event, Samsung is set to make a pretty big announcement. A new version of their latest flagship phone, the Galaxy S4, will be announced – the Google version. Now, this doesn’t mean that Google will do that manufacturing, or any major overhaul like that. What it means is that Samsung understands that some people, while they may love the device, aren’t so big on the software (mainly TouchWiz). In response, we’ll e seeing a pure AOSP version of the Galaxy S4 being prepped to launch.
> 
> An AOSP version of Android, for those who don’t know, is simply Android without the manufacturer overlays. It is the pure, stock Vanilla experience from Google, just wrapped up and set to work with the Galaxy S4.


http://www.androidguys.com/2013/05/...gle-edition-set-to-be-announced-at-google-io/


----------



## mack (May 15, 2013)

editor said:


> Wooargh! Now if this happens, this is my next phone.
> 
> 
> http://www.androidguys.com/2013/05/...gle-edition-set-to-be-announced-at-google-io/


 
That is major news - if it takes off then hopefully all the major players will release vanilla versions of their phones in the future.


----------



## skyscraper101 (May 15, 2013)

mack said:


> That is major news - if it takes off then hopefully all the major players will release vanilla versions of their phones in the future.


 
Nice one. Hope that's true. I also heard a new music streaming service to rival spotify is also on the table for the i/o event. Fingers crossed.


----------



## editor (May 15, 2013)

Decision made. Google S4 it is. Now, when can I get it!


----------



## Chz (May 16, 2013)

If all you wanted was a stock Google experience, HTC sells a Developer Edition of the One for roughly the same price. Except it's 64GB, not 16GB. I know the S4 has an SD slot, but that's useless for developers as you can't run apps off it.

You'd have to install stock Android yourself though.

It does say a lot about Samsung's power over Google that they're supporting an SD slot and hardware buttons.


----------



## editor (May 16, 2013)

Chz said:


> It does say a lot about Samsung's power over Google that they're supporting an SD slot and hardware buttons.


Indeed. And those are the things I like.


----------



## Radar (May 16, 2013)

Any sign of Google changing their stance on SD cards ?

The blocking of moving apps onto SD is getting old real fast, and obvious things like shifting your gmaps cache onto SD shouldn't require the fucking handset to be rooted.

"Don't be evil" my arse!


----------



## Chz (May 16, 2013)

It makes their lives _tremendously_ easier to not support applications on SD, believe me. It's simply not a big selling point outside of the geek crowd, either.

If you don't believe that, there are hacks out there that will let you run your apps from the SD card. I've tried them myself. I prefer a phone that's fast and stable, thanks very much. Even 2.3 throws the odd fit if you try and move _everything_ to the SD like I've done on my Desire. And 4.0+ just barfs on occasion when faced with it. That's before the speed difference comes into play.

Whether or not you need an SD slot for movies and music is down to personal preference, but they're absolutely correct to do what they've done with the apps.

Ed: You prefer hardware buttons? Why?


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (May 16, 2013)

mack said:


> That is major news - if it takes off then hopefully all the major players will release vanilla versions of their phones in the future.


Hopefully they'll just ditch the shite they put on that not one bloody person in the world actually wants.


----------



## editor (May 16, 2013)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> Hopefully they'll just ditch the shite they put on that not one bloody person in the world actually wants.


Thing is, quite a lot of people_ do_ like all the rubbish gimmicks.


----------



## Radar (May 16, 2013)

Chz said:


> It makes their lives _tremendously_ easier to not support applications on SD, believe me. It's simply not a big selling point outside of the geek crowd, either.
> 
> If you don't believe that, there are hacks out there that will let you run your apps from the SD card. I've tried them myself. I prefer a phone that's fast and stable, thanks very much. Even 2.3 throws the odd fit if you try and move _everything_ to the SD like I've done on my Desire. And 4.0+ just barfs on occasion when faced with it. That's before the speed difference comes into play.
> 
> Whether or not you need an SD slot for movies and music is down to personal preference, but they're absolutely correct to do what they've done with the apps.


 
I've run most my apps from SD on the S2, apart from anything that provides widgets it seemed to work just fine. I can't remember the last time my S2 locked up.

Anyhow, give me the choice. So no, they're not absolutely correct.


----------



## salem (May 16, 2013)

My current phone is a sanfrancisco 2 which is fine except for having far too little internal memory (I don't recall running into problems with my wonderful san francsico 1 which had far more apps) which means that I can't have many apps at all which is a bit of a pain (being able to move them to SD card would be great, as it is only 1 or 2 support this).

I'm getting an itchy finger to buy a nexus 4, as in I've got as far as the checkout stage before convincing myself that spending £250 on a new phone is silly even though it does look to be a great deal. I was a bit worried about it being outdated soon and there was speculation about a replacement being announced at this conference. If the vanilla Samsung story is true that would possibly be what will be announced instead of a new nexus4.


----------



## Fez909 (May 16, 2013)

salem said:


> My current phone is a sanfrancisco 2 which is fine except for having far too little internal memory (I don't recall running into problems with my wonderful san francsico 1 which had far more apps) which means that I can't have many apps at all which is a bit of a pain (being able to move them to SD card would be great, as it is only 1 or 2 support this).
> 
> I'm getting an itchy finger to buy a nexus 4, as in I've got as far as the checkout stage before convincing myself that spending £250 on a new phone is silly even though it does look to be a great deal. I was a bit worried about it being outdated soon and there was speculation about a replacement being announced at this conference. If the vanilla Samsung story is true that would possibly be what will be announced instead of a new nexus4.


 
Vanilla Samsung is true. It has already been announced. £420*, unlocked, from Google Play. There is still a slim chance that there's a Nexus going to be announced as they didn't mention a new version of Android in the keynote speech and it's been widely expect (and detected in access logs on web servers, etc).

I'd wait until the conference finishes before you make up your mind (two days left).


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 16, 2013)

If course Samsung solves that by giving you a decent amount of space And an sd slot.


----------



## Chz (May 17, 2013)

You say that, but they've caught a lot of flak from upgrading S3 users who've found that there isn't actually enough room for all the apps they had on their S3 due to all the "Ooh! Shiny! I'll use that once and never again." stuff they've piled into the S4. Which is why we're all excited about the stock Android version.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 18, 2013)

Really? I'd assumed it would have a similar amount of storage as the s3 and note 2!

Im quite excited at the idea of having 80gb on my phone.


----------



## dweller (May 18, 2013)

My lovely physical keyboard sporting desire z has just died soooooo,

I've just lashed out £109 on one of these knock off SG3 Chinese phones.
http://techideki.com/hdc-galaxy-s3-ex-i9300-review/
Yes I'm aware of the specs, I'm aware of GPS problems.
Gonna root it and fix that with the help of xda.
I like to tinker with things.

I don't really use many apps these days so not worried about tiny internal space.
Just something to tide me over until I feel like spending more on a phone.
I'll let you all know how shit it is when I get it


----------



## SW9 (May 20, 2013)

Just realised that although the s4 is awesome, I have a tablet. Can't really do anything the nexus 7 can't. Gonna sell it.


----------



## SW9 (May 20, 2013)

And I am 100% gonna lose it


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 20, 2013)

dweller said:


> My lovely physical keyboard sporting desire z has just died soooooo,
> 
> I've just lashed out £109 on one of these knock off SG3 Chinese phones.
> http://techideki.com/hdc-galaxy-s3-ex-i9300-review/
> ...



Blimey... Seems pretty good for a budget phone!


----------



## dweller (May 21, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> Blimey... Seems pretty good for a budget phone!


 
I've now discovered there are newer quadcore ones for £150 which are getting much better benchmark 
 results than the one I ordered, but what the hell.

The Chinese are making tonnes of these things and they're starting to look very nice.
http://www.chinaphonereview.com/

Discussion on Digital Spy about them, they are not without their flaws.
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1750260&page=6


----------



## editor (May 23, 2013)

It looks like the S4 Google Edition may not be coming to the UK, so I may just go for the regular one and root it to get the crap off it.


----------



## skyscraper101 (May 23, 2013)

Think I'll wait and see what the Note 3 has to offer. I think a big screen trumps most else that the rest have to offer these days for me.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 23, 2013)

I've just held my note to an iPhone. I don't get how people use such a small screen.


----------



## Chz (May 31, 2013)

After the response the stock Android S4 got, HTC are following suit:
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013...ms-htc-one-with-stock-android-coming-june-26/


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 31, 2013)

End of the nexus phones then?


----------



## Chz (May 31, 2013)

No, they're still planning on doing something with Motorola. There's a difference between a phone running stock Android and a Nexus device.


----------



## dweller (Jun 3, 2013)

Got my Chinese S3 knockoff phone Star B92M and it is pretty cool.
Camera is a bit dicey but it'll do. 
Only thing is they updated it with android 4.1.2 and currently it is unrootable, 
 while the earlier firmware allowed for very easy rooting.
Oh well, no ad removers and font changes etc for me :-(
The good thing about custom roms is they make your phone very efficient with battery/speed.
So, yes I'm disappointed a bit, but I did go for the cheapish option based on little research.


----------



## editor (Jun 5, 2013)

The sudden revival of my S2 after updating it to a spanking new Google Now-powered ROM means I'm going to take more time over this now


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 5, 2013)

I've been using it for a few months now and I'm still waiting for Google now to do something interesting. The closest it's got so far is show me pictures of planes when I went to get someone from the airport. It often taunts me at the start of shift by telling me eta to get home when I can't go for days.


----------



## r0bb0 (Jun 5, 2013)

Is this a good budget one? The specs seem alright but what about droid updates & warranties. Is a Xiaomi Mi2S
http://www.ibuygou.com/p-original_x...capacitive_touchscreen_gps_wifi-4647-usd.html


----------



## editor (Jun 6, 2013)

Oh hello. Is this a HTC One mini coming up?







http://androidcommunity.com/htc-one-mini-leaks-with-ultrapixel-camera-and-more-20130605/


----------



## editor (Jun 6, 2013)

More: 





http://www.androidguys.com/2013/06/05/htc-one-mini-m4-shows-off-for-the-camera/


----------



## Chz (Jun 6, 2013)

Well I did prefer my One S to the One X... But then I'm not buying anything this year and heaven knows if HTC will still be there next year.


----------



## Mojofilter (Jun 17, 2013)

I got a One at the weekend. Very impressed, especially with the speakers.

Zero lag or slowdowns, which I found was the main issue with the S3 and why I didn't just get a sim only deal.
The camera also seems a lot better than the S3.

Still slightly concerned about the non replaceable battery, but with a car charger and a USB battery brick it's the lesser of 2 evils compared to the S4's lack of available storage space (I don't want to root because my finances have been in a lot better order since I started using my mobile banking app).


----------



## r0bb0 (Jun 17, 2013)

I ended up getting a S3 mini on the weekend at a belting £205 as I was already on a contract. I'm gonna have to slum it until my next upgrade lol.


----------



## Mojofilter (Jun 19, 2013)

Few days into the One and I'm still impressed.

The battery seems to drain at the same rate as my S3 did, which is impressive considering that I'm using my all you can eat data to stream most of my Spotifying (I wasn't on the S3) and I've switched instant upload on the camera off wifi only.
I imagine if I stopped doing that the battery would last significantly longer, but I'm happy charging it every night.
It's still a concern because I can't just switch the battery out if I run out of juice, but I've found a pocket friendly USB battery on Amazon - not an ideal solution but it'll do. 

The speakers and ridiculously good for a phone, loud and sound great. I can't get them to distort despite trying fairly hard.

Overall i've not been this happy with a phone since I got the iPhone 4 when it first came out.


----------



## dervish (Jun 19, 2013)

I would go for the HTC One, initially my downsides were the lack of removable battery and no expandable storage. As you can buy a plug in external battery for cheap nowadays and you can buy a USB OTG adapter for silly cheap these days, there is no reason to get the S4. The One is better built, better camera, good speakers. And frankly if HTC don't sell lots of them I don't think they are likely to be here next year.


----------



## editor (Jun 21, 2013)

I finally cracked and ordered an unlocked S4 for £430. I couldn't get past the lack of removable storage/battery on the HTC One, splendid phone that it is, and the camera was a big consideration too. 4MP simply ain't enough for my needs.


----------



## dervish (Jun 21, 2013)

But surely the quality of the picture is more important than the amount of megepixels and every review I have read has said how amazing the One camera is, most of the head to heads the One has destroyed the S4 in low light tests.


----------



## editor (Jun 21, 2013)

dervish said:


> But surely the quality of the picture is more important than the amount of megepixels and every review I have read has said how amazing the One camera is, most of the head to heads the One has destroyed the S4 in low light tests.


It's only better in_ low light_. In daytime conditions the S4's far higher resolution makes it much more useful for me - with no optical zoom I can crop images and still have a decent sized image. A 4MP sensor just doesn't give me that option.


> None of the devices in this shootout are good at everything. So, if you're planning to take a lot of pictures with your smartphone, you should be clear about where your priorities are.
> 
> With its 13MP sensor the Samsung Galaxy S4 clearly produces most detail in good light and shows a good overall performance. In low light the S4 tends to opt for higher ISOs than the competition, but in turn that gets you faster shutter speeds and the sensor still captures more detail than the rivals. Having 13MP to start with also means that at equalized viewing sizes the Samsung's higher noise levels will be much less noticeable than at a 100% view. That is important to keep in mind considering that almost all smartphone images are reduced in size for editing and/or sharing. The Samsung's flash performance is decent too and exposure is usually spot on....
> 
> ...


http://connect.dpreview.com/post/92...axys4-vs-htcone-vs-iphone5-vs-lumia920?page=4


----------



## editor (Jun 21, 2013)

Here's some useful comparisons from that article. 





> In this well-lit scene the Samsung Galaxy S4 can clearly take advantage of its 13MP sensor and beats the competition in terms of captured detail. The image is pretty clean of artifacts with very little noise. Sharpening is strong but well within acceptable limits. The S4 also shows very good sharpness across the frame. Overall this is quite an impressive performance in good light by Samsung’s new flagship smartphone.
> 
> The iPhone image is a little softer and grainier overall, with more luminance noise in plain-colored areas of the scene and more moire artifacts than the Samsung. That said, Apple strikes a decent balance of noise reduction and preservation of detail, generating an overall pleasant image. The Nokia, on the other hand, shows more luminance noise than the rest and combined with pretty strong sharpening this creates a slightly overprocessed look.
> 
> The HTC’s sharpening is even stronger and the low megapixel count means it can’t nearly capture as much detail as the Samsung Galaxy S4. The HTC image is also blighted by processing artifacts and struggles resolving our resolution chart. Looking at this scene in good light HTC’s “ultrapixels” don’t offer any advantage over the more pixel-dense sensors of the competition.


 




> ike the night scene on page 2 our low light studio test scene triggers very different exposure values on the cameras. The Samsung prioritizes faster shutter speeds in order to avoid camera shake and combines a 1/30 sec exposure with ISO 2000. The HTC, Nokia and iPhone all opt for 1/15 and keep the ISO in the same ballpark (HTC: 445, Nokia: 640, iPhone: 500). That said, with hand-held shooting this approach should work better, at least for static subjects, on the HTC and Nokia which both come with optical image stabilization. The Apple has to make do without this feature which means you're more likely to end up with camera-shake induced blur in your low-light images. Like in the night scene, the iPhone also has produced a slightly darker exposure than the competition.
> 
> Given the high ISO level it's no surprise the Samsung image shows the most noise and noise reduction artifacts in this comparison. However, its high pixel count still means that, at least in high contrast areas of the frame, it shows more detail than its rivals. This is easy to see in the vertical resolution bars in our test scene. The iPhone does a decent job at preserving some low-contrast detail. The images rendition is pleasant with grainy luminance noise and very little chroma noise. The Nokia image is extremely soft, with all low-contrast detail gone. The HTC image is a touch brighter than the rest and relatively clean but the low 4MP pixel count means it can't capture any additional detail over the Samsung or Apple.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jun 22, 2013)

I thought you'd last out at least a couple more months after all that rooting malarkey on the S2!


----------



## editor (Jun 22, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> I thought you'd last out at least a couple more months after all that rooting malarkey on the S2!


The S2 just got too slow.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jun 23, 2013)

editor said:


> The S2 just got too slow.


 
I thought the rooting sped it back up a bit? Or was it short lived?


----------



## renegadechicken (Jun 23, 2013)

Just to add, after having my HTC One for 3 months now....i still love it.


----------



## editor (Jun 25, 2013)

Interesting: the iPhone 5 came last in smartphone speed test.
That said, I'm not sure many people are going to even notice the difference in everyday use between any of these.


> UK consumer magazine Which? has dropped a benchmark bucket on the iPhone, rating it the slowest of seven smartphones under test.
> 
> The magazine ran the Geekbench 2 test on seven phones – the iPhone 5, Samsung's Galaxy S4, the HTC One, Sony's Experia Z, Google's Nexus 4, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, and the BlackBerry Z10.
> 
> ...


----------



## Mojofilter (Jun 25, 2013)

My wife's got a Xepria Z and there's no perceptible difference between that and my HTC One.

That's the thing really, there's really little difference between the top end phones IMO. It's just down to personal preference / particular niche requirements.


----------



## Elvis Parsley (Jun 28, 2013)

I'm unexpectedly in the market for a new phone, had an Galaxy S2 for nearly two years and assumed I'd stay with Samsung, but there's something about the S4 that doesn't do it for me. I've played with a couple of S3s and didn't like the feel of them at all.

Think I'm going to go for the HTC One, but I'm tempted to save money and go for the Nexus 4


----------



## Mojofilter (Jun 29, 2013)

One bad thing I've noticed about the HTC One is that having poor signal eats up battery much quicker than any other phone I've had.
We're talking 100% to 0 in about 9 hours with virtually no usage.

To be fair it could be because I'm on Three because the phone seems VERY reluctant to fall back onto a 2G signal.
Switching data off seems to solve the problem, but its not an ideal solution.

Just something to be aware of.


----------



## Elvis Parsley (Jun 29, 2013)

I've had that on my S2 before, but only when moving around in town a lot, very annoying


----------



## editor (Jun 29, 2013)

Mojofilter said:


> One bad thing I've noticed about the HTC One is that having poor signal eats up battery much quicker than any other phone I've had.
> We're talking 100% to 0 in about 9 hours with virtually no usage.


 
Turning off 3G should make quite a big difference, although - as you say - it's not an ideal solution. I think there's 3G switching apps too that will help.


----------



## Mojofilter (Jun 29, 2013)

That's part of the problem -  you can't. 

There's no GSM only option, just 3G only or auto. 
I think that's more because of the network than the phone though.


----------



## editor (Jun 29, 2013)

Mojofilter said:


> That's part of the problem - you can't.
> 
> There's no GSM only option, just 3G only or auto.
> I think that's more because of the network than the phone though.


This app lets makes it easier to switch to 2G only:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cn.cwd.networkstatenotifier&hl=en

More:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1821684


----------



## Mojofilter (Jun 30, 2013)

Thanks. 

I've tried it but there's just no way of switching to 2G only on this phone / on Three. 

I've found a better way -  battery save mode automatically switches off data when the screens off, which is much less of a faff.


----------



## Elvis Parsley (Jun 30, 2013)

Mojofilter, how minimal is the pull down menu? I read it doesn't contain all the options you get on the Galaxy range


----------



## Mojofilter (Jun 30, 2013)

This is all you get...


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jun 30, 2013)

Mojofilter said:


> This is all you get...


 
Thats annoying there should at least be a GSM only mode. Aren't Three a 3G only carrier though? They must support 2G too somehow.


----------



## Mojofilter (Jun 30, 2013)

I think they piggy back onto Orange when there's no 3G available, which is probably why you can't set it to 2G only.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jun 30, 2013)

I joined Three when they first launched. I had one of theose 3G handsets the NEC flip phone thing. This problem was apparent from the outset as soon as you got into a patch of non existent 3G coverage, the call got cut off.

Also they wouldn't let me transfer my old number from another provider to them. Said it had something to do with only their new numbers could be used. So I had to have a completely new phone number. Load of crap. I cancelled within 2 weeks.


----------



## editor (Jul 1, 2013)

Just picked up three spare batteries and a charger for my S4 and reminded myself just how ruddy useful it is to have a phone that has removable batteries.


----------



## Elvis Parsley (Jul 1, 2013)

Mojofilter said:


> This is all you get...


 
cheers for the screen grab, ordered mine today


----------



## slojo (Jul 9, 2013)

Is it worth waiting to see what the LG Optimus G2 is like? I am due to upgrade mid august 
http://www.techradar.com/news/phone...us-g2-looks-set-to-launch-on-august-7-1164306


----------



## thriller (Jul 10, 2013)

sod that. Get the Note 2. It's a beauty and I can't stop looking at it.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jul 10, 2013)

The Note 3 will be out soon though


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 10, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> The Note 3 will be out soon though



Which means you can probably save at least a tenner a month.


----------



## thriller (Jul 10, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> The Note 3 will be out soon though


 
yep. apparently in september, but I couldn't that long.


----------



## slojo (Jul 22, 2013)

the note looks quite big though from the pictures, I have big hands so that isn't a massive problem but I don't want one of the phones that look silly when you hold it up to your head


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jul 22, 2013)

slojo said:


> the note looks quite big though from the pictures, I have big hands so that isn't a massive problem but I don't want one of the phones that look silly when you hold it up to your head


 
I don't think the note looks silly. It's large but not stupid large. IMO.


----------



## friedaweed (Jul 23, 2013)

HTC one in my hand for 2 weeks now. It's the mutz


----------



## Elvis Parsley (Jul 23, 2013)

friedaweed said:


> HTC one in my hand for 2 weeks now. It's the mutz


 
it's rather good isn't it?


----------



## friedaweed (Jul 24, 2013)

Elvis Parsley said:


> it's rather good isn't it?


I love it. I had the Sensation before that which was great. I'm loving the screen it really is a viewing pleasure and the battery lasts miles longer than my old one.

Very sleek


----------



## ibilly99 (Jul 24, 2013)

I'm not into these things but my missus went from a Iphone 3 to a Galaxy S3 and can't wait to get back to the Iphone - buggy and the biggest problem has been screen dimming which 02 never seem able to fix permanently.

http://techland.time.com/2013/07/22/why-im-not-switching-from-the-iphone/?iid=tl-article-mostpop1


----------



## Errol's son (Jul 24, 2013)

Johnny Canuck3 said:


> It most definitely is a status symbol, especially for younger people, and in certain sectors of society. You might not be queuing up outside Apple - but lots of people do.


 

I am actually buying an HTC One in UK next week for an African gentleman who has never used the internet, has no email address, has no music to place on it.  He will just use it to make calls.  He is not a wealthy man but has a small bar business selling bottles of beer.  Having the latest phone is obviously a big issue for him.

I told him he should get a strong case and screen protector to protect this substantial investment and he wants this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Super-Bli...t=US_Cell_Phone_PDA_Cases&hash=item2ec7b86794

He is buying a few other accessories (a car charger, screen protectors, a desk mount thingy and a second more durable case).

I just don't understand it.  He is going to fork out almost $1000 for this and I (who earns quite a lot more I think) am umming and erring over a Nexus 7.


----------



## Epona (Jul 27, 2013)

Errol's son said:


> I just don't understand it. He is going to fork out almost $1000 for this and I (who earns quite a lot more I think) am umming and erring over a Nexus 7.


 
And I, who earns nothing, is making do with a very old second hand phone that for some reason keeps resetting itself (lost all my photos of my little niece).  Some people on this sort of thread seem to be trying out a new phone every week - I'd just like one that was less than 5 years old and fucking worked consistently.

Yes I am still after a decent phone.  If you have one that you think is not that great and you're about to throw it in the back of a drawer and forget about it for the next 10 years - please consider putting it up on the Recycle forum.  I've given away tons of stuff on there over the years, including a £300 road bike - all I want is a new phone, but no-one offers one. And then in here, it's all a new phone every month - surely last month's phone must be sitting around somewhere waiting for a new home?


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## Elvis Parsley (Jul 28, 2013)

sorry Epona, my previous phone has gone to Mrs Elvis, she killed her old one. if you're just after a phone for calls and texts i can ask around for you.

friedaweed, has your's recently updated to 4.2.2? i got a message from HTC this morning about needing to install an update before i could the 4.2.2 update. bit odd, but all done now. like the new pull down options


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 28, 2013)

Mine normally die just as the contract expires.


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## Epico (Jul 28, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> Mine normally die just as the contract expires.



Same here funnily, and then get trapped into a new contact I don't really need.

Next time I'm going to try my hardest to break that cycle!


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## friedaweed (Jul 29, 2013)

Elvis Parsley said:


> sorry Epona, my previous phone has gone to Mrs Elvis, she killed her old one. if you're just after a phone for calls and texts i can ask around for you.
> 
> friedaweed, has your's recently updated to 4.2.2? i got a message from HTC this morning about needing to install an update before i could the 4.2.2 update. bit odd, but all done now. like the new pull down options


Oooh I don't know Elvis. Will check in a bit.


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## newbie (Aug 6, 2013)

It's getting round to my turn now, so all advice appreciated. My DHD is nearly three and I'm starting to lust after something faster, better and possibly bigger. I'll stick with sim only, 1 month deal and have no network loyalty. 

Key features are high quality GPS and exchangeable battery- no compromise, I do a lot of walking and that means hours of GPS, a lot of it with the display on, and I'm not wanting to find it getting dark in the middle of nowhere without at least one spare. What phone has the best GPS?


After that, well it seems silly not to consider LTE but generally faster/smoother internet than the DHD is at the top of the list; I guess I'd prefer plain Android rather than a manufacturer/network operator skin but it's not essential; camera at least as good as the DHD; 16GB storage is plenty.

I'm daunted by the cost of the S4 so I'd be pleased if anyone can convince me to spend less...


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 6, 2013)

I'm blown away by how fast the gps locks on with my note 2 (had a dhd before) and the big screen is ace for maps.


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## newbie (Aug 6, 2013)

I was hoping you'd say that 

have you got the N7100 or N7105?  generally a phone you'd recommend?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 6, 2013)

newbie said:


> I was hoping you'd say that
> 
> have you got the N7100 or N7105? generally a phone you'd recommend?


 

It's the coolest toy I've owned for a long time 

Battery life is pretty good as well, longer then the DHD, despite the larger screen. One thing though is that it hasn't got HTCs build quality. I've got it in a case for day to day use and then stick it in an aquapac when I go out in the hills. Plus side is that you can stick a big memory card in for the entire UK OS mapping. 

Just checked and it's a N7100 although no idea what that means.


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## skyscraper101 (Aug 6, 2013)

Note 3 is looking like it'll be announced on Sept 4 in Berlin.

http://mashable.com/2013/08/05/samsung-note-event/

Samsung #*UNPACKED* 2013 Episode 2. Note the date. pic.twitter.com/XkNBXXc8Bp

*NOTE* the date. Of course.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 6, 2013)

Depends on if you want the latest toy. I predict some seriously good deals on the Note 2.


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## skyscraper101 (Aug 6, 2013)

Already a lot of speculation that the Note 3 will outperform the Galaxy S4

http://bgr.com/2013/08/05/galaxy-note-3-specs-performance-leak-benchmarks/


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 6, 2013)

A slight bump in specs would make sense seeing as the S4 has been a out a while. That said it's almost irrelevant to me. Everything seems instant even on my last gen note2.

The biggest thing that could improve it for me is the build quality. It's a lovely, lightweight piece of kit, but just seems so fragile without a case! Slightly louder speakers like HTC have done would be nice as well.


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## skyscraper101 (Aug 6, 2013)

I agree louder speakers would be a massive preference over a lot of addons which would rarely get any use (thermometer etc). A smartphone makes a decent radio but for the tinny speakers they nearly all seem to come with.


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## newbie (Aug 7, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> It's the coolest toy I've owned for a long time
> 
> Battery life is pretty good as well, longer then the DHD, despite the larger screen. One thing though is that it hasn't got HTCs build quality. I've got it in a case for day to day use and then stick it in an aquapac when I go out in the hills. Plus side is that you can stick a big memory card in for the entire UK OS mapping.
> 
> Just checked and it's a N7100 although no idea what that means.


 
ta. that's 3G with FM radio, the other one is 4G no radio.

I tried a pocket test in a shop earlier and thought it was just about do-able.  It may just be too big, I'll go back and look at how robust it is, I don't fancy a case for normal use.


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## newbie (Aug 7, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> Depends on if you want the latest toy. I predict some seriously good deals on the Note 2.


yes, now is probably not the optimum time to buy one.


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## skyscraper101 (Aug 7, 2013)

I'm not particularly fussed about LTE anyway, so I'm definitely interested in offers on the Note 2 when the Note 3 comes out.


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## newbie (Aug 7, 2013)

what's in the new one that makes you so eager to upgrade?


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## marty21 (Aug 7, 2013)

getting used to my new toy - Samsung Galaxy S4 - impressed so far - sort of a tablet/phone cross - it is bigger than I have been used to - and I'm waiting for a case to be delivered as it seems a bit fragile - speakers are ok - (not as good as speakers on a tablet) screen is ace!


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## skyscraper101 (Aug 7, 2013)

newbie said:


> what's in the new one that makes you so eager to upgrade?


 
It's more to do with my current phone (Galaxy Nexus) being absolutely shit, battery failing to make it through a days use, and generally being very slow compared to my wife's (older) Galaxy S2. The only reason I got the nexus was because of cross-compatibility with the US and UK 3G networks back in early 2012.


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## newbie (Aug 7, 2013)

oic, I thought you had one to sell, rather than an interest in buying, iyswim.


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## freshnero (Aug 8, 2013)

Dont know if my asking in the right place

I have a Galaxy S2 thinking about selling my s2 and using the s2 money to get a nexus 4 is it worth the upgrade, will i notice any performance increase


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## slojo (Aug 10, 2013)

I liked the look of the lg g2 but I don't think it has removable battery. Think it will be S4 for me. Unless something else comes out in the next month or so


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## Lea (Aug 15, 2013)

Due for an upgrade soon. Should I get an iPhone (everyone that I know has one) or should I get something different? I was looking at the HTC One Mini which looks OK. Anyone using the HTC One and recommends them?

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/review-htc-one-mini-8752044.html


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## editor (Aug 15, 2013)

HTC One/Mini is a fabulous phone. I preferred the S4 though on accunt of the higher res camera.


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## cliche guevara (Aug 15, 2013)

I've had the Note II for about a week now and it doesn't feel that big at all. I'm loving it, although not loving TouchWiz and I'm still undecided on whether the S-Pen is actually useful or not.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 15, 2013)

cliche guevara said:


> I'm still undecided on whether the S-Pen is actually useful or not.


 

It's awesome for playing fruit ninja, other then that I've not really found a use for it.


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## Lea (Aug 15, 2013)

Lea said:


> Due for an upgrade soon. Should I get an iPhone (everyone that I know has one) or should I get something different? I was looking at the HTC One Mini which looks OK. Anyone using the HTC One and recommends them?
> 
> http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/review-htc-one-mini-8752044.html


 Just had a look at the HTC One Mini but it doesn't look a whole lot smaller than the original HTC One. Why did they bother calling it "mini"? Still undedcided...


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## madamv (Mar 22, 2014)

Its about three days til HTC launch their new phone.   Whats the chances of EE/Orange having it available within a month or so for my Panther £36pm plan?   Anyone got an insider knowledge?   Should I just get on and upgrade to the HTC ONE and not bother waiting around?  I certainly am not paying more for my contract, they wanted £250 plus £25pm if I wanted to change my plan


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## dervish (Mar 24, 2014)

I would wait personally, the next wave of upgrade phones are about to be released, this is the worst time to upgrade. You can change your tariff to a sim only deal if you don't want to pay pay monthly prices. It's a bit of a hassle changing and then changing back but can save you a fair amount of money.

And orange/ee are very unlikely to have the new one out for a while, they are usually one of the slowest in releasing new phones.


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## pinkmonkey (Mar 24, 2014)

I've got a Note 1 and just gone onto a sim only deal. Cant see any reason to upgrade right now, got the phone repaired in January and it came back with a new OS installed. Like being given a new phone. Which was nice.


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## madamv (Mar 24, 2014)

thanks for replying dervish, I also think they may want to give it away only to people on a higher monthly tariff and I really dont want to go up, its not worth it.  I do like a new phone though


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## ChrisFilter (Mar 31, 2014)

Just got an LG G2 to replace my Note II. It was cheap and is well reviewed everywhere. My Mrs just got the HTC One M8. They both arrive tomorrow so will compare notes and report back.


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## madamv (Mar 31, 2014)

My phone man said it could be weeks before I get mine...  Ill be waiting to hearing what mrsf thinks ..


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## editor (Mar 31, 2014)

ChrisFilter said:


> Just got an LG G2 to replace my Note II. It was cheap and is well reviewed everywhere. My Mrs just got the HTC One M8. They both arrive tomorrow so will compare notes and report back.


Your house will positively be _bristling _with the latest and greatest handsets!


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## bmd (Apr 1, 2014)

madamv if you want to upgrade but stay with Orange how about going to Phones4U or somewhere like that? You can get the latest phones and a really good tariff. Just be sure to check your first month's bill to see that they're not charging you more than you agreed, which is what happened to me.


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## madamv (Apr 1, 2014)

I popped into my orange shop and he is looking at it for me.  I gave him what the carphone warehouse could do etc as something to beat so hopefully he will. There are new tariffs coming over the next day or two so we are just waiting to see what they are before deciding.... Cheers bmd


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## ChrisFilter (Apr 1, 2014)

editor said:


> Your house will positively be _bristling _with the latest and greatest handsets!



Yeah. I wanted the HTC, but it'd have been a right pain getting our handsets confused, so plumped for G2 and saved £170.


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## Elvis Parsley (Apr 3, 2014)

Sunday:


ChrisFilter said:


> ...Makes my Note II look very ugly and very slow. Early upgrade is tempting but I shall resist.


Monday:


ChrisFilter said:


> Just got an LG G2 to replace my Note II.



Anything else you're planning to resist?


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## ChrisFilter (Apr 3, 2014)

Well spotted  I realised I could sell my Note II for the same price as the early upgrade fee. Job done! 

Early imoressions: the LG is nicer than the HTC. Despite having a bigger screen it feels smaller. Also, HTC's UI pisses me off.


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## Elvis Parsley (Apr 3, 2014)

I've got an HTC One and never been bothered by Sense, at least not in the same way that Touchwiz on my S2 got annoying, but since installing the Cover lockscreen I'm usually in the app I want in one or two taps.


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## ChrisFilter (Apr 3, 2014)

Tbf I think it's because LG's UI more closely matches Samsung's IE, which I'm more familiar with.


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## hash tag (Apr 7, 2014)

Have just got the HTC One M8. Spec is amazing, phone is a nice handler, too early to say much about performance as still setting it up.


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## hash tag (Apr 8, 2014)

Phone is coming alive and very impressive so far. Bigger, brighter display and keyboard. Better quality of pictures and can now hear what is
coming out of the speakerS, clearly  Pricey though!

Word of warning, I used the HTC transfer tool to transfer all from old phone to new; it appears to have left some contacts behind, which I still have access to and it also left most apps behind, which is a shame but will have fun starting again with them.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 8, 2014)

If you store the contacts in your gmail, this should all happen automatically.


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## hash tag (Apr 8, 2014)

I try to avoid all things G, spot excepted


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## hash tag (Apr 12, 2014)

The HTC One M8 is proving to be superb.My old phone was ok and chugging along until a new phone came out that was exciting, it was the M8.
Sound on speakers is much better, screen bigger and brighter, battery life much longer, huge expandable memory. You van listen to music with visuals playing and lyrics. Easy to use. Answers calls when you put it up to your ear. Some great camera features and so it goes on


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## madamv (Apr 12, 2014)

Yipee!!!   Ive got mine ordered and should be here 2-3 days.   Paying a little more on my contract than I wanted and dropped the amount of MB but that should be ok as I do most stuff within WiFi anyway.  If I turn off updates unless they are in WiFi that should work....

My HTC OneX is very sluggish and sticking.  Cant think what to do to oomph it up again as I am reluctant to sell it on like this.  Its two years old but ffs that isn't old for a piece of electrical kit is it.  Hoping that once I have got the new phone running, I restore it back to factory settings and clear everything, it might return to its former glory.  Orange will give me £47 for it.  Ebay roughly £60 so not going for much are they....


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## madamv (Apr 14, 2014)

I got it I got it *snoopy dance*


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## hash tag (Apr 16, 2014)

Brilliant phone, enjoy. Your phone is locked. It rings, pick it up, put it to your ear and It answers without pressing a button. Love it


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## editor (Apr 16, 2014)

I'd probably go for the M8 if it wasn't for that measly 4MP camera.


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## hash tag (Apr 16, 2014)

Hey madam, if you have not set it up yet, HTC have an app for transferring everything from old phone to new one, but it's not 100%


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## dervish (Apr 16, 2014)

I think I have decided that I will get the Z2, when it's finally released. From the reviews of the HTC I think I would hate the camera, the Z2 doesn't seem to have any glaring omissions and is a good all rounder. 


On the bright side I can upgrade in 17 days, so I might even still have to pre-order it.


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## madamv (Apr 16, 2014)

I found the HTC transfer app and it was ok.  But I needed to Bluetooth in the end. Cheers hash tag.  The camera is ace.  Lovely pics for me.


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## hash tag (Apr 27, 2014)

Hi madam, you still around, if so, are you having problems opening MMS sent from Apple to our new phone?
Do you know how to resolve it?


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## madamv (Apr 27, 2014)

Not that I know of.  MrV has iPhone, I'll get him to test


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## madamv (Apr 27, 2014)

I have received two pics a little while ago but there was one which he thought he had sent two at that time so is it when there is multiple pics? hash tag


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## hash tag (Apr 27, 2014)

No, single pics from my dtrs Iphone! Have tried various places to resolve it. HTC say it's an Apple/Android thing and provider are clueless.


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## madamv (Apr 27, 2014)

How come I have received a couple of mms?


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## madamv (Apr 27, 2014)

Most odd...


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## clicker (Apr 27, 2014)

My galaxy ace 2 is great but the camera has no zoom facility....which i just assumed at the time would be pretty standard. About to upgrade and like the idea of a newer samsung, because i will be familiar with a lot of the features ...but does it zoom? Ir is there another option for a fab camera in an easy to use phone? I only pay £15 per month and don't want to increase that really,, because am also paying for the teenagers.

Also i would like something that plays siund without earphones...


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## Callum91 (Apr 27, 2014)

Speakers and camera zoom are standard features. I'd bet you'd struggle to find a phone that doesn't do both these days.


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## madamv (Apr 27, 2014)

Yup. Just tested it hash tag and mms comes through fine from his iPhone to me...


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## hash tag (Apr 27, 2014)

Ta. Not good for me. My dtrs on one network and Im on another, I wonder if thats something to do with it, though the MMS's work on other halfs blackberry which is same network as me..uuurrrrgggghhhh


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## madamv (Apr 27, 2014)

He on o2 and me ee.  Something in your settings?


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## Epico (Apr 28, 2014)

Are moto g owners still happy?

Contract up soon and its still my number one choice (on a price vs quality basis).


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## mango5 (May 2, 2014)

I've just replaced my 3 year old HTC sensation with a galaxy s4 thanks to urban. Now I have to figure out how to strip it back to what I want,without all the whizzy things.


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## Liveist (Jun 4, 2014)

Just upgraded from a HTC Desire to a HTC One M8, and I do have to say it is an amazing phone. Fast, beautifully designed and does everything you would want it to in such a slick manner. The only negative is the camera performance in bright light, but apart from that the phone is brilliant.


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## dervish (Jun 4, 2014)

Well I got the Z2 and I have to say, although it is a big phone it is the best device I have ever owned. The screen is incredible, great camera and I'm regularly getting 2 days life out of the battery. Sony's software is not the best and does have some crapware but it's not nearly as bloated as touchwiz. 

All that said the rumour is that the Z3 will be out late august so it won't be top of the range for long.


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## Chz (Jun 4, 2014)

Just picked up the Nexus 5 myself. It's not actually a gigantic update from the HTC One S, but my wife wanted to get a better phone than her Huawei and it made sense to move up and give her the HTC. I like it, but phones have now reached the point where I don't think anything is going to blow me away. The most impressive thing is that the price (£285 for the 32GB one) allows me to go off contract again for the first time in four years.

Honestly, the screen _looks_ better but I can't actually notice a huge difference between the 1080p on the N5 and the qHD (960x540) on the HTC. I was tempted to get her the MotoG and wait to see what autumn brings, but the HTC is still a faster phone even if the screen res is a bit lower. Plus the camera matters a lot to her and the One S's camera is vastly superior.


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## Chz (Jun 5, 2014)

And the very next day, my work Blackberry gets replaced by a Galaxy S5. I haven't used TouchWiz since the GS2, when it was a bit ugly but unintrusive. Holy crap has it got worse over the years! I know the Android purists hate all skins, but this is a hundred times worse than Sense.


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## dervish (Jun 5, 2014)

Chz said:


> And the very next day, my work Blackberry gets replaced by a Galaxy S5. I haven't used TouchWiz since the GS2, when it was a bit ugly but unintrusive. Holy crap has it got worse over the years! I know the Android purists hate all skins, but this is a hundred times worse than Sense.



If you download a different launcher you can ignore most of the samsung crap. I was previously using the google launcher because it was quick and simple but it won't work on my current phone.


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## Gingerman (Jun 8, 2014)

Going to upgrade to the HTC One Mini 2,was thinking about the HTC m8 but the mini should be more than enough for my needs


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## hash tag (Jun 8, 2014)

Have to say, Im now a few months into my M8 and still loving it. Some great features, beautiful design, huge expandable memory, better speakers....


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## Chz (Jun 11, 2014)

Having played with the work S5 for a few days now, I have this to say about it:

- It's a bit ugly
- It's a bit big, just uncomfortably more than the Nexus 5
- The Samsung UI is atrocious, but it can be turned off/replaced at least

~ Performance is really the same as the N5, despite faster CPU.

+ The battery life is phenomenal. I can see buying one just for that sole reason.


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## editor (Jun 11, 2014)

There's a Nexus 6 coming up soon, t'is rumoured.  The LG G3 is the best out there at the moment, I reckon.


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## MBV (Jun 11, 2014)

Are Nexus phones not usually announced around October?


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## editor (Jun 11, 2014)

We


dfm said:


> Are Nexus phones not usually announced around October?


Yes, but there has been a speculation fuelling recent price cut on the Nexus 5.


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## Chz (Jun 12, 2014)

I dunno. It's not as low as it was a few months ago, and it's the same price as always in the Play Store. Most of the talk is about a new Nexus tablet to be unveiled soon.


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## mack (Jun 12, 2014)

Think there will be an announcement about Nexus 8's tablets (possibly HTC designed) next month -  the Nexus 6's around October with shipping end of November - tbh the new nexus 6 will have to really have something special about it for me to buy it.

The LG G3 is getting some pretty rave reviews - but it's pricey off contract.


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## Chz (Jun 14, 2014)

Looks like you'll need that replaceable battery in the G3. That screen sucks it dry in a hurry.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/06/lg-g3-review-a-great-phone-with-way-too-many-pixels/


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## mwgdrwg (Jun 16, 2014)

editor said:


> There's a Nexus 6 coming up soon, t'is rumoured.  The LG G3 is the best out there at the moment, I reckon.



It's a basic pleasure model.


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## beesonthewhatnow (Jun 16, 2014)

Chz said:


> Looks like you'll need that replaceable battery in the G3. That screen sucks it dry in a hurry.
> 
> http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/06/lg-g3-review-a-great-phone-with-way-too-many-pixels/


It's getting silly with phone screens now, a bit like it did with megapixels in compact cameras a few years ago. Once you're past around 300ppi and HD resolutions does anyone really care enough about the difference?


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## Bob_the_lost (Jun 16, 2014)

mwgdrwg said:


> It's a basic pleasure model.


I wish my phones had a 4 year lifespan.


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