# Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone - specs, chat, tips



## editor (Jan 4, 2013)

Just in case any of you are hanging on for this handset, it's been confirmed that it won't be coming any earlier than late April 2013.

It also seems unlikely to be seen at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show next week, so that supposed 'leak' is almost certainly a fake.

http://www.techradar.com/us/news/ph...-galaxy-s4-will-not-arrive-before-may-1122717


----------



## Elvis Parsley (Jan 7, 2013)

Another one? I'm still finding new things to do on my S2


----------



## editor (Jan 7, 2013)

Unless Apple finally produce something that's actually got some real innovation onboard, the S4 is primed to take an even bigger bite into their market share.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jan 8, 2013)

Elvis Parsley said:


> Another one? I'm still finding new things to do on my S2


 
Yup expect the S4 Mini and the Note 3 toward the end of the year, followed by - you guessed it - the S5! And people criticise Apple for lack of imagination...


----------



## editor (Jan 8, 2013)

At least the naming is logical.


----------



## YouSir (Jan 8, 2013)

I hate this shit, granted technology moves fast but the endless stream of new phones is ridiculous. A console style model would be infinitely preferable, one every 5-10 years and I can feel justified in pissing away money on flash phones rather than feeling a tit when a new one comes out a month later.


----------



## editor (Jan 8, 2013)

YouSir said:


> I hate this shit, granted technology moves fast but the endless stream of new phones is ridiculous


It is mad, but loads of people have been getting a new phone every year since mobile phones first hit the mainstream.


----------



## Dan U (Jan 8, 2013)

editor said:


> It is mad, but loads of people have been getting a new phone every year since mobile phones first hit the mainstream.


 
harder to do that now if you are on a contract as they are invariably 2 years (or 18 months but more upfront cost)

i've just ordered a new S3 and have just seen this thread. whoops.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Jan 8, 2013)

Right on time for when I'm due an upgrade, yay


----------



## Barking_Mad (Jan 8, 2013)

My htc desire contract ran out in December, but I still have it after coming to the conclusion I don't really need another phone at the moment. Woman at work had an S3 and didn't have a first clue about all the features. Boring status symbol nonsense.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 8, 2013)

YouSir said:


> I hate this shit, granted technology moves fast but the endless stream of new phones is ridiculous. A console style model would be infinitely preferable, one every 5-10 years and I can feel justified in pissing away money on flash phones rather than feeling a tit when a new one comes out a month later.


 
You don't have to buy a new one everytime something better comes out. Laptop specs change every month, but most people are content to leave it at least 3 years.

My Desire HD does everything I need it to do and now I'm out of contract only costs me £12 month for more then I can use.


----------



## editor (Jan 8, 2013)

I'm still loving my S2, and am only likely to be tempted to upgrade if a new phone has a really, really good camera.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 8, 2013)

It would be nice if they did an extended battery edition like the Moto have with the Razr Maxx. Doubly so if it was removable.


----------



## YouSir (Jan 8, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> You don't have to buy a new one everytime something better comes out. Laptop specs change every month, but most people are content to leave it at least 3 years.
> 
> My Desire HD does everything I need it to do and now I'm out of contract only costs me £12 month for more then I can use.


 
Oh I don't, in fact the S3 was my first new phone in years (barring hand me downs), hence my irritation, don't even get to enjoy being cutting edge for more than a couple of months.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jan 8, 2013)

YouSir said:


> I hate this shit, granted technology moves fast but the endless stream of new phones is ridiculous. A console style model would be infinitely preferable, one every 5-10 years and I can feel justified in pissing away money on flash phones rather than feeling a tit when a new one comes out a month later.


 
Hardware isn't as big a deal as it once was tbf, the urge to upgrade was largely based on the fact that the crappy old phones only got new features by releasing new versions. With the Apple iPhone the idea of apps was taken into the mainstream and now you can change your phones functions far more easily for the most part...


----------



## Dan U (Jan 8, 2013)

Barking_Mad said:


> My htc desire contract ran out in December, but I still have it after coming to the conclusion I don't really need another phone at the moment. Woman at work had an S3 and didn't have a first clue about all the features. Boring status symbol nonsense.


 
i washed my HTC like a twat, been rocking an old Nokia for a few months and loving the week long battery life but beginning to miss the lack of email on the train etc.


----------



## Barking_Mad (Jan 8, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> You don't have to buy a new one everytime something better comes out. Laptop specs change every month, but most people are content to leave it at least 3 years.
> 
> My Desire HD does everything I need it to do and now I'm out of contract only costs me £12 month for more then I can use.


 
I saved £19 a month when my contract ran out.


----------



## Barking_Mad (Jan 8, 2013)

DanU said:


> i washed my HTC like a twat, been rocking an old Nokia for a few months and loving the week long battery life but beginning to miss the lack of email on the train etc.


 
Oops


----------



## Dan U (Jan 8, 2013)

Barking_Mad said:


> I saved £19 a month when my contract ran out.


 
yeah this too. handset is costing me £99 but contract has gone down £20 a month.


----------



## editor (Feb 25, 2013)

Looks like a definite announcement on March 14th.


----------



## dervish (Feb 25, 2013)

And though I hate to be seen as reading too much into marketing bollox..






Curvy/bendable(unlikely I know) screen?


----------



## mrs quoad (Feb 25, 2013)

dervish said:


> And though I hate to be seen as reading too much into marketing bollox..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wasn't there a similar pic with similar remarks about surprising curves last time round? 

I'm sure I've seen a similar 'ooo that's curved' reaction (though way before the bendy glass). And I'm pretty sure it was wrt a phone and tablet release. With a very similar graphic.

(It turned out not to be as curved as the pic seemed to imply).


----------



## editor (Feb 25, 2013)

mrs quoad said:


> Wasn't there a similar pic with similar remarks about surprising curves last time round?


Pretty sure there was a near identical teaser for a Google/Nexus phone years ago.


----------



## editor (Feb 25, 2013)

In fact, that image is from 2011. 

http://android-releases.com/samsung-teaser-video-possibly-nexus-prime/


----------



## mrs quoad (Feb 25, 2013)

editor said:


> Pretty sure there was a near identical teaser for a Google/Nexus phone years ago.


That's it. Had a feeling it might've been Google / Nexus, but wasn't entirely sure...

e2a: 





editor said:


> In fact, that image is from 2011.
> 
> http://android-releases.com/samsung-teaser-video-possibly-nexus-prime/


Yeah, that'll be why it looked familiar


----------



## dervish (Feb 25, 2013)

Samsung copying something? Well I never...


----------



## Fez909 (Feb 25, 2013)

dervish said:


> Samsung copying something? Well I never...


 
Samsung made the advert you're criticising them for copying. The Nexus Prime became the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
Here, have some of these these:


----------



## thriller (Feb 27, 2013)

I'm loving my S3. Defo interested in what the s4 could be like. will ebay the s3 if it's WOW enough.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 4, 2013)

Spec leak, allegedly.

8 cores!
The 13 megapixel camera makes me doubt the authenticity of this, though.


----------



## Barking_Mad (Mar 4, 2013)

They've got Samsung owners on a short leash, like iPhone owners.


----------



## joustmaster (Mar 4, 2013)

thriller said:


> I'm loving my S3. Defo interested in what the s4 could be like. will ebay the s3 if it's WOW enough.


What extra would the s4 need to offer for you to upgrade? 
or
What does your s3 lack?


----------



## Badgers (Mar 4, 2013)

Global Stoner said:
			
		

> You don't have to buy a new one everytime something better comes out. Laptop specs change every month, but most people are content to leave it at least 3 years.
> 
> My Desire HD does everything I need it to do and now I'm out of contract only costs me £12 month for more then I can use.



I am still on the HTC DHD and it is okay. Lags a bit as no 'official' software updates. Will upgrade soon but am not getting a contract again, not ever if I can help it. 

S4, Note 2 or Nexus is my decision


----------



## dervish (Mar 4, 2013)

Fez909 said:


> Samsung made the advert you're criticising them for copying. The Nexus Prime became the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
> Here, have some of these these:


 
Is that not still copying?

Totally different phone, with different market from the Nexus, but identical picture. 

Yep, still copying.


----------



## cliche guevara (Mar 4, 2013)

dervish said:


> Is that not still copying?
> 
> Totally different phone, with different market from the Nexus, but identical picture.
> 
> Yep, still copying.


It's "copying" their own phone. Most manufacturers don't tend to have huge differences in design of their top end handsets.

Having said that, I think the S4 needs to have some thought ploughed into it's design. The HTC One and One X are both gorgeous looking phones, whereas the S3 was just boring. 

I won't be upgrading yet though, my galaxy Nexus is seventeen months old and still suits me fine.


----------



## editor (Mar 4, 2013)

dervish said:


> Is that not still copying?
> 
> Totally different phone, with different market from the Nexus, but identical picture.
> 
> Yep, still copying.


Sorry, who are they supposed to be copying here and what phone has the design of the Nexus/S3 supposedly been copied from?


----------



## editor (Mar 4, 2013)

cliche guevara said:


> It's "copying" their own phone. Most manufacturers don't tend to have huge differences in design of their top end handsets.
> 
> Having said that, I think the S4 needs to have some thought ploughed into it's design. The HTC One and One X are both gorgeous looking phones, whereas the S3 was just boring.
> 
> I won't be upgrading yet though, my galaxy Nexus is seventeen months old and still suits me fine.


I thought the S3 was rather elegant myself, but the HTC One does look particularly splendid.


----------



## cliche guevara (Mar 5, 2013)

It's certainly not a bad looking phone, but it is "plasticy", rather than what I imagine most people would perceive as premium looking. Basically, I want metal.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 5, 2013)

cliche guevara said:


> It's certainly not a bad looking phone, but it is "plasticy", rather than what I imagine most people would perceive as premium looking. Basically, I want metal.


 
HTC then.


----------



## cliche guevara (Mar 5, 2013)

Preferably with Samsung innards though.


----------



## King Biscuit Time (Mar 5, 2013)

Regarding that image - if you look closely, the beam of light is bending but not the phone. It's an optical illusion. Try holding a piece of paper up to your screen.


----------



## editor (Mar 5, 2013)

There's all sorts of renders being shunted out before the launch, but one interesting claimed new technology is the phone's ability to 'watch' your eyes as you read a page and then scroll up when you've reached the bottom. Sounds feasible given the tech in the S3, but I'm not sure how useful it would be.


----------



## dervish (Mar 5, 2013)

Sounds really irritating to me.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Mar 5, 2013)

editor said:


> There's all sorts of renders being shunted out before the launch, but one interesting claimed new technology is the phone's ability to 'watch' your eyes as you read a page and then scroll up when you've reached the bottom. Sounds feasible given the tech in the S3, but I'm not sure how useful it would be.


Unless that worked 100% of the time (which it wouldn't) that would drive you bonkers.


----------



## editor (Mar 5, 2013)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> Unless that worked 100% of the time (which it wouldn't) that would drive you bonkers.


I'm not sure how successful the 'eye watching' feature was in the S3, but if I was on a long train journey or something I might use this feature. Maybe. Either way, it's good to see new ideas being tried out, even if they are a bit mad.


----------



## dervish (Mar 5, 2013)

The eye watching feature on the S3 was actually sometimes useful, you see the little eye symbol pop up when it starts looking for you, the screen does stay on, I don't use it now, I just have mine set to timeout after ten minutes.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 5, 2013)

I'd be curious to see it mind, it should have an off option.


----------



## editor (Mar 6, 2013)

dervish said:


> Sounds really irritating to me.


Then turn it off. 

This screengrab seems to confirm the technology. 







http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/06/samsung-galaxy-s-iv-screenshots-support-smart-scroll/


----------



## mauvais (Mar 6, 2013)

It's the S9 I'm looking forward to. Who knows what they'll do with the naming scheme? It could be game changing.


----------



## dervish (Mar 6, 2013)

editor said:


> Then turn it off.


 
Wow, thanks for that, would have never thought of it myself.


----------



## editor (Mar 6, 2013)

dervish said:


> Wow, thanks for that, would have never thought of it myself.


It would have saved you getting all "irritated."


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Mar 7, 2013)

I am not sure how effective the 'smart scrolling' idea will be. The existing 'smart stay' feature on the S3 that is supposed to see when you are looking at the screen and cancel the screen brightness delay does not work particularly well unless you have the phone lined up parallel with your face. Quite often the little eye symbol pops up in the notification bar and the screen darkens immediately meaning that you have to touch the screen to brighten it up again. The 'smart scroll' would surely have the same limitations. If it works though, good for Samsung.


----------



## editor (Mar 7, 2013)

Hocus Eye. said:


> I am not sure how effective the 'smart scrolling' idea will be. The existing 'smart stay' feature on the S3 that is supposed to see when you are looking at the screen and cancel the screen brightness delay does not work particularly well unless you have the phone lined up parallel with your face. Quite often the little eye symbol pops up in the notification bar and the screen darkens immediately meaning that you have to touch the screen to brighten it up again. The 'smart scroll' would surely have the same limitations. If it works though, good for Samsung.


I'm thinking it might work well - and be genuinely useful - in certain optimum circumstances, like reading a book when you're sat on the train. Either way, it's refreshing to see quite radical new ideas being tried out.


----------



## Badgers (Mar 12, 2013)

http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/0...t-be-the-samsung-galaxy-s-iv-leaked-on-video/

Only a couple of days..


----------



## editor (Mar 12, 2013)

Here's a teaser image from Samsung. So, it looks just like the S3, then.


----------



## mauvais (Mar 12, 2013)

Maybe it'll have wireless charging, like the S3?


----------



## editor (Mar 12, 2013)

mauvais said:


> Maybe it'll have wireless charging, like the S3?


I'd be very surprised if it didn't. Wireless charging is ace. Won't be long before you go into pubs or whatever and wireless charging spots will be on tables etc. Hope so anyway.


----------



## Badgers (Mar 12, 2013)

Would be nice to see charging available on the sort of level wifi is now. Most pubs and cafes don't mind you plugging in to be fair, harder to sort out on trains and such. I would not object to sticking 50p in 'a meter' if that is what it took.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Mar 12, 2013)

I just wish they'd make the damn thing in metal, rather that cheap feeling plastic.


----------



## dervish (Mar 12, 2013)

They had a hands on video where it looked very much like a aluminium case. Looked awesome, probably not the actual phone though.


----------



## editor (Mar 12, 2013)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> I just wish they'd make the damn thing in metal, rather that cheap feeling plastic.


Stick a metal case on it if you're that bothered.


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Mar 12, 2013)

editor said:


> Stick a metal case on it if you're that bothered.


Errrrr, yeah.

No.


----------



## editor (Mar 12, 2013)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> Errrrr, yeah.
> 
> No.


Or get a HTC One. Or an iYawn.


----------



## Redeyes (Mar 12, 2013)

Is this it? There's a page on facebook called 'Samsung Galaxy S4' saying they have 5000 to give away...


----------



## editor (Mar 12, 2013)

Redeyes said:


> Is this it? There's a page on facebook called 'Samsung Galaxy S4' saying they have 5000 to give away...


That sounds as spammy as a fart from Lord Spammy after a spam feast.


----------



## Redeyes (Mar 12, 2013)

editor said:


> That sounds as spammy as a fart from Lord Spammy after a spam feast.




Yeah just looked into it and it's total bullshit. People are queuing up to click their spam links left right and centre!


----------



## Fingers (Mar 14, 2013)

> Samsung will unwrap its latest blockbuster smartphone, the Galaxy S4, at the Radio City music hall in New York on Thursday evening as the South Korean phonemaker tries to bring the fight to Apple's home market.
> With Samsung rumoured to have ordered a production run of 100m handsets and research firm Strategy Analytics predicting the S4 will ship 60m units by Christmas, Seoul is going head to head with Silicon Valley for dominance of smartphone sales.
> The Guardian will be reporting live from the unveiling of Samsung's most hyped handset yet when proceedings begin at 11pm GMT (7pm EST). Expected big features include wireless charging to a screen controlled not just by touch but by eye movements.
> The Galaxy S4 should outdo the latest iPhone in areas such as photography and processing power, if the leaks are correct, but will still lag behind Apple on the quality of materials and the selection of apps available to the Google Android operating system it uses.



Read more


----------



## editor (Mar 14, 2013)

I thought Android apps were about to outnumber iOS ones. There's so many apps on both it's pretty much meaningless anyway. Mind you, the author might have had a point if she was referring to the amount of highly polished apps. But she didn't say that.


----------



## editor (Mar 14, 2013)

On the eve of the announcement, Apple's marketing chief Phil Schiller has embarked on a desperate and rather undignified attack on Samsung. Very poor show. 

http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/14/4103034/phil-schiller-samsung-s-4-year-old-software


----------



## twentythreedom (Mar 14, 2013)

What time can we see it


----------



## fen_boy (Mar 14, 2013)

11pm


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Mar 14, 2013)

editor said:


> On the eve of the announcement, Apple's marketing chief Phil Schiller has embarked on a desperate and rather undignified attack on Samsung. Very poor show.
> 
> http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/14/4103034/phil-schiller-samsung-s-4-year-old-software


That sounds rather desperate. Anything to get the name Apple connected to the Samsung news story. He must be a very worried man. However that S4 is going to have to be very good to be better than the S3 it replaces.


----------



## elbows (Mar 14, 2013)

Its not hard for the S4 to be better than the S3 due to the usual steady improvements to spec. Whether its good enough for people to upgrade prematurely is another matter, one that really faces all manufacturers of smartphones these days but luckily for them doesnt usually stop them selling lots.

I suppose I am interested to see what stuff they add that some may call innovation. I dont expect anything stunning, that unites us in declaring it innovative as opposed to leading us into arguments about whether something is an innovation or a pointless gimmick, perhaps divided along the usual 'platform wars' lines. But perhaps they will surprise me.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Mar 14, 2013)

Don't forget a lot of people who are on 24-month contracts may be jumping straght from the S2 to the S4, and that's a whole lotta people.

I'm still very impressed with the S2. My wife's one, which is older than my Galaxy Nexus, has consistently performed well, while my Nexus is starting to get infuriatingly slow for a handset that's barely over a year old.


----------



## elbows (Mar 14, 2013)

My Galaxy Nexus doesnt seem slow, but it doesnt inspire me to use it for anything very exciting these days. I'll probably go mad and get an oversized phone with stylus if I ever have any money to upgrade again.


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Mar 14, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> Don't forget a lot of people who are on 24-month contracts may be jumping straght from the S2 to the S4, and that's a whole lotta people.
> 
> I'm still very impressed with the S2. My wife's one, which is older than my Galaxy Nexus, has consistently performed well, while my Nexus is starting to get infuriatingly slow for a handset that's barely over a year old.


Yes it is time the phone contract companies got their act together and offered one year contracts so as to be compatible with new models coming out yearly. I will have to wait for the S5 before I can upgrade. But then I might move to another phone altogether. By that time the iPhone might have caught up with the Androids. If Apple was to do more R&D instead of spending all their money on court cases they might not have fallen so far behind.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Mar 14, 2013)

elbows said:


> My Galaxy Nexus doesnt seem slow, but it doesnt inspire me to use it for anything very exciting these days. I'll probably go mad and get an oversized phone with stylus if I ever have any money to upgrade again.


 
I refer you to the Galaxy Note 8 phone for truly monster sized phone calling.


----------



## elbows (Mar 14, 2013)

Hocus Eye. said:


> Yes it is time the phone contract companies got their act together and offered one year contracts so as to be compatible with new models coming out yearly.


 
It not a case of getting their act together though is it, its a case of how much money they want to extract from you and how much people are prepared to pay upfront & per month.


----------



## elbows (Mar 14, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> I refer you to the Galaxy Note 8 phone for truly monster sized phone calling.


 
Well as Samsug are almost the only ones who can be arsed with styluses these days with their S-Pen, its almost bound to be a Note of some kind. That one however is a bit large even for me.


----------



## RedDragon (Mar 14, 2013)

Phil Schiller must be rattled.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 14, 2013)

Apparently it has a innovative new feature that moves the page you're reading based on your eye movement as you read down it...


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 14, 2013)

RedDragon said:


> Phil Schiller must be rattled.


 
He's clearly become the Apple troll, always pops up when something big Apple doesn't like is happening with a comment to grab headlines.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 14, 2013)

cliche guevara said:


> It's certainly not a bad looking phone, but it is "plasticy", rather than what I imagine most people would perceive as premium looking. Basically, I want metal.


 
Never held a Samsung phone that didn't feel cheap in my hand tbh...


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 14, 2013)

Showtime


----------



## RaverDrew (Mar 14, 2013)

Where can I watch this live ?


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 14, 2013)

No video here but live updates: http://live.theverge.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-liveblog/


----------



## RedDragon (Mar 14, 2013)

RaverDrew said:


> Where can I watch this live ?


TWiT.TV with irreverent commentary.


----------



## pesh (Mar 14, 2013)

http://www.youtube.com/samsungmobile


----------



## pesh (Mar 14, 2013)

something somewhere backstage must have crashed


----------



## Fingers (Mar 14, 2013)

oh dear


----------



## RedDragon (Mar 14, 2013)

Fucking annoying music.


----------



## pesh (Mar 14, 2013)

i see people people in the cold whooping


----------



## RaverDrew (Mar 14, 2013)

This has way more bizarre hype than any Apple launch by far


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 14, 2013)

Life Companion? Seriously? I have one thanks, and she wouldn't be happy with my swapping her for a phone!


----------



## RaverDrew (Mar 14, 2013)

This is an absolute vomfest


----------



## Fingers (Mar 14, 2013)

that kid has got some teeth


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 14, 2013)

It's a little odd.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 14, 2013)




----------



## RedDragon (Mar 14, 2013)

Kill Me Now (please)


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 14, 2013)

I'm lost now. What's this about?


----------



## RedDragon (Mar 14, 2013)

S (shit) presentation


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 14, 2013)

I imagine the planning meeting about this set must have had an overdose of words like dynamic and innovative:


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 14, 2013)

Corporate creativity has never been this good! Seriously next time Samsung does one of those Apple parody adverts all the other tech companies should show this image:


----------



## RedDragon (Mar 14, 2013)

Sexist shit


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 14, 2013)

Corporate 'wackyness'.


----------



## elbows (Mar 14, 2013)

I've not been watching but those screen grabs make this seem like its Apple PR but with added cheese and bad acid!

Any details about the device?


----------



## RedDragon (Mar 14, 2013)

The wackiness obscured the details


----------



## elbows (Mar 14, 2013)

Is it as bad as the star wars holiday special 1978 which I had the misfortune to attempt to watch via the internets?


----------



## Sunray (Mar 15, 2013)

Nothing that can't already be done and in the case of Knox, far better. Citrix receiver is a comprehensive managed solution for all mobile devices, not just the S4. What do you think an enterprise IT bod is going to be using?

I think this is clutching for features. Some nice evolutions but nothing very eye catching. The home hub thing is eye catching because its not really related to the S4, they just wanted to slip something in that mentioned their TV's, which are great.

8 lo-fi devices do not make for a higher quality experience.


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Mar 15, 2013)

I just watched the whole thing. It seeMs to be aimed at international backpackers and family photographers. It is very clever if it works as they show in the presentation. If so it leaves Apple for dead. There is even an on - board thermometer and humidity detector. Apple has just come up with a thermometer that plugs into the audio socket. I like the infra-red output idea for controlling TVs etc. It seems to be an all purpose gadget. They are trying so hard to appeal to all markets.


----------



## Fez909 (Mar 15, 2013)

Mobiles have peaked/matured. This thread is more proof of that.

I doubt anyone here will ever be excited about a mobile again (except perhaps on price, like the N4, or something equally banal).


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Mar 15, 2013)

Sunray I agree, I had a little laugh at the thought of eight people holding their phones to contribute to a surround sound experience.


----------



## Sunray (Mar 15, 2013)

Hocus Eye. said:


> I just watched the whole thing. It seeMs to be aimed at international backpackers and family photographers. It is very clever if it works as they show in the presentation. If so it leaves Apple for dead. There is even an on - board thermometer and humidity detector. Apple has just come up with a thermometer that plugs into the audio socket. I like the infra-red output idea for controlling TVs etc. It seems to be an all purpose gadget. They are trying so hard to appeal to all markets.


 
Why would I need my phone to know the temperature and humidity?  Its exactly these sorts of features that make me think they have run out of ideas and are just throwing everything at it and hope something sticks.


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Mar 15, 2013)

Sunray said:


> Why would I need my phone to know the temperature and humidity? Its exactly these sorts of features that make me think they have run out of ideas and are just throwing everything at it and hope something sticks.


I use a temperature app to know what the outdoor temperature is before leaving home and choosing the appropriate coat. However I know that this is just information collected from weather web sites. I would really like to measure the indoor temperature in my flat. I could buy a thermometer but I like the idea of my phone being able to measure aspects of the real local environment. I would also like it to be connectible to mechanical objects like robots like the Turtle that could connect to the BBC computer running LOGO. I think also an ammeter could be a useful gadget driven from a small computer that is what a mobile phone is. I see my mobile phone as a portable computer which is what it is really. To me onboard sensors are the future for such kit.


----------



## editor (Mar 15, 2013)

Sunray said:


> Why would I need my phone to know the temperature and humidity? Its exactly these sorts of features that make me think they have run out of ideas and are just throwing everything at it and hope something sticks.


The iPhone will have it next year and then it will be _amazing. _


----------



## editor (Mar 15, 2013)

Just looking through the specs:

Removable battery: yes
MicroSD card storage: yes
Massive battery: yes
Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean : yes
Fantastic screen: yes
Wireless charging: yes
A high spec camera: yes

Looks good so far!

Here's a neat comparison:






http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57574460-37/does-samsungs-galaxy-s4-make-the-iphone-5-look-lame/

Looks OK too:


----------



## editor (Mar 15, 2013)

Detailed specs:


> Dimensions: 69.8 x 136.6 x 7.9mm
> Weight: 130g
> Screen: 5” Full HD Super Amoled Display; 441ppi
> Battery: 2,600mAh (v2,100mAh for the S3)
> ...


----------



## ChrisFilter (Mar 15, 2013)

Sunray said:


> Why would I need my phone to know the temperature and humidity?  Its exactly these sorts of features that make me think they have run out of ideas and are just throwing everything at it and hope something sticks.



The old argument Apple fans used to make about new features was that some bright app developers would find ingenious uses that we can't imagine. I expect this will be the case here too.


----------



## ChrisFilter (Mar 15, 2013)

Sunray said:


> Why would I need my phone to know the temperature and humidity?  Its exactly these sorts of features that make me think they have run out of ideas and are just throwing everything at it and hope something sticks.



It's also useful for sporty types.


----------



## Sunray (Mar 15, 2013)

Hocus Eye. said:


> I use a temperature app to know what the outdoor temperature is before leaving home and choosing the appropriate coat. However I know that this is just information collected from weather web sites. I would really like to measure the indoor temperature in my flat. I could buy a thermometer but I like the idea of my phone being able to measure aspects of the real local environment. I would also like it to be connectible to mechanical objects like robots like the Turtle that could connect to the BBC computer running LOGO. I think also an ammeter could be a useful gadget driven from a small computer that is what a mobile phone is. I see my mobile phone as a portable computer which is what it is really. To me onboard sensors are the future for such kit.


 
Your a geek. If you want to mess about like that I refer you to the Arduino forums where people are building quad copters and heating control system, you will get the fix you need.

I can't imagine why anyone would want to know the humidity on their phone.   I can tell the humidity as I can the temperature by stepping outside.

Its not solving a need for users of the phone, its just adding hardware because they can and to justify the 500 quid that the S4 will cost.



editor said:


> The iPhone will have it next year and then it will be _amazing. _


 
No, I would say Apple have jumped the shark for exactly the same reason. Add hardware that makes the user experience better rather than making a sticky ball and rolling it down a hill in the hope it picks up something good.  Humidity?  This is a totally bizarre addition to a mobile phone.


----------



## Sunray (Mar 15, 2013)

ChrisFilter said:


> It's also useful for sporty types.


 
Thats me. I have and never will need to know the humidity, for running, playing squash or climbing. I've never ever looked it up on met office website. Plus, the casual glance at the phone from your pocket will tell you the humidity of your pocket.


----------



## Sunray (Mar 15, 2013)

All the video calling features?  Nice things there for higher bandwidth networks.

Hands up, video callers? People don't even call each other these days, let alone make video calls.


----------



## Sunray (Mar 15, 2013)

ChrisFilter said:


> The old argument Apple fans used to make about new features was that some bright app developers would find ingenious uses that we can't imagine. I expect this will be the case here too.


 
Yes and look at the 6 axis gyroscope, pretty much unused other than the odd naff game and that Jenga demo by Steve Jobs. Because of that demo and inclusion, the 6 axis gyroscope manufacturer is sitting in their new mansion as its in every smart phone out there, totally unused.


----------



## Barking_Mad (Mar 15, 2013)

Agree with Sunray. No doubt it will sell like hotcakes and no doubt it's a lovely phone, but personally most of it is not for me. If you're a techhead and like that stuff it's fine, but for your average user it's a bloatphone. Full of stuff they don't really care about, will rarely use but have bought into the marketing and the whole "it's the new Samsung".


----------



## mwgdrwg (Mar 15, 2013)

Still gonna get the Z10. This is just too big and plasticky for my needs.


----------



## joustmaster (Mar 15, 2013)

wireless charging is rubbish

II can't see any reason to use it when you could just plug the cable in.


----------



## Chester Copperpot (Mar 15, 2013)

mwgdrwg said:


> Still gonna get the Z10. This is just too big and plasticky for my needs.


Very happy with my z10


----------



## The Octagon (Mar 15, 2013)

Is it me or does it look absolutely no different to my S3?


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Mar 15, 2013)

Another "meh" vote here. Impressive tech specs, but then so has every other high end phone nowadays. The rest is just fluff. And plastic, urgh.

Phones have reached a plateau, until battery tech gets a lot better and 4G gets cheap I can't see any reason to upgrade from what I've got.


----------



## editor (Mar 15, 2013)

Sunray said:


> Humidity? This is a totally bizarre addition to a mobile phone.


For you perhaps, but I'm sure that others will find a use for the data. Or perhaps take a new interest.

And that's the beauty of the phone: it's far more versatile than many of its rivals.


----------



## editor (Mar 15, 2013)

joustmaster said:


> wireless charging is rubbish


Ever used it at home?

It's brilliant. I wish all phones had wireless charging (and in time, they will).


----------



## mwgdrwg (Mar 15, 2013)

Humidity is more of an issue in Asian countries isn't it, so they will probably find it very useful.


----------



## Radar (Mar 15, 2013)

joustmaster said:


> wireless charging is rubbish
> 
> II can't see any reason to use it when you could just plug the cable in.


Nahh, used it with the Palm pre and its well handy. Just needs to come to market at a reasonable price point


----------



## RedDragon (Mar 15, 2013)

editor said:


> Ever used it at home?
> 
> It's brilliant. I wish all phones had wireless charging (and in time, they will).


Does my toothbrush count? 

From what I hear it takes notably longer to charge than simply plugging in a cable.


----------



## Radar (Mar 15, 2013)

All in all, it's an upgrade from the S3 rather than a whole new ball game. I can't see why a contracted S3 user would get one, and to be fair I'm pretty ambivalent as a contract free S2 user.

So, wait for the next Nexus and KLP ???


----------



## Radar (Mar 15, 2013)

RedDragon said:


> Does my toothbrush count?


If it makes phone calls, then yes.

Actually don't say that too loud, the S5 could do without toothbrush integration


----------



## joustmaster (Mar 15, 2013)

editor said:


> Ever used it at home?
> 
> It's brilliant. I wish all phones had wireless charging (and in time, they will).



Yes. I have it for my nexus 4. Its loads slower. 
You have to put the phone in the same place as there is already a power cable. Its just a lot more simple to plug it in.


----------



## editor (Mar 15, 2013)

RedDragon said:


> Does my toothbrush count?
> 
> From what I hear it takes notably longer to charge than simply plugging in a cable.


It only take a bit longer and it charges up overnight, and that's all that matters for me. You find yourself charging the phone more often anyway because it's so easy to plonk it on the recharging surface.


----------



## Barking_Mad (Mar 15, 2013)

Surely you can plug it in and charge it over night. Or am i missing something?


----------



## joustmaster (Mar 15, 2013)

Barking_Mad said:


> Surely you can plug it in and charge it over night. Or am i missing something?


yes.
you can plug a normal charger in.
or you can have a wireless charger plugged in, that you rest the phone on top of, that works the same, but a lot slower


----------



## Sunray (Mar 15, 2013)

Wireless charging is useful when

Your entire house has a wireless field or at the very least a large part of it.
Wireless charging is a standard so all devices can charge from it.
It can be billed like wifi so if your in a charging area and your running low can enable wireless charging.
This will make it more than a novelty and partially solve problems imposed by current battery technology.

Making me put the phone onto something means I can't charge while using it, which I can with a cable.


----------



## Shippou-Sensei (Mar 15, 2013)

Sunray said:


> Why would I need my phone to know the temperature and humidity?


 
Because it's awesome.


----------



## editor (Mar 15, 2013)

Sunray said:


> Wireless charging is useful when
> 
> Your entire house has a wireless field or at the very least a large part of it.
> Wireless charging is a standard so all devices can charge from it.
> ...


Use a phone much when you're asleep do you?  

Of course, you don't have to exclusively use the wireless charger so you can do all of the above, but also plonk the phone onto your desk for a quick recharge without any faffing about with wires - or have it next to your  bed so there's no need for pissed/drugged battling with cables.


----------



## pesh (Mar 15, 2013)

not sure i need a phone with an on board thermometer, especially one on a phone thats far to large to be comfortably inserted in either end. if Samsung are going to throw everything including the kitchen sink into their phones why not include an FM transmitter. that would be something i'd actually find useful on occasion.


----------



## Barking_Mad (Mar 15, 2013)

#firstworldproblems


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (Mar 15, 2013)

Wireless charging is just like a lot of new tech really, a bit of a novelty at first and not quite as good as the established thing.

A few years from now it will be faster and pretty much standard.


----------



## ChrisD (Mar 15, 2013)

Sunray said:


> Why would I need my phone to know the temperature and humidity? Its exactly these sorts of features that make me think they have run out of ideas and are just throwing everything at it and hope something sticks.


 
I have two oregon scientific devices for temp and humidity.  Very useful for predicting condensation in buildings.  Niche market but useful for some... I agree it would need a minute or so to adjust from your pocket temperature etc..  also I'd worry that the humidity sensor would need airflow which compromises the dust / waterproofing of the phone.


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Mar 15, 2013)

I don't  know why there is a fuss being made about the wireless charging. That was already present in the S3. I never bothered getting the optional charger though. It doesn't take long to charge up when plugged in. Once a feature is in a phone model it is unlikely to be removed from the next edition.


----------



## keybored (Mar 15, 2013)

Hocus Eye. said:


> That was already present in the S3.



It was promised for the S3 but never implemented officially.


----------



## Sunray (Mar 15, 2013)

ChrisD said:


> I have two oregon scientific devices for temp and humidity. Very useful for predicting condensation in buildings. Niche market but useful for some... I agree it would need a minute or so to adjust from your pocket temperature etc.. also I'd worry that the humidity sensor would need airflow which compromises the dust / waterproofing of the phone.


 
Which would you trust to do the job if you had both to hand?


----------



## Fingers (Mar 15, 2013)

Would love an S4 but cannot justify it.  I have just put Jellybean on my S2 and it is rocking. I may upgrade if I decide I need to go down the 4G route mind.


----------



## ChrisD (Mar 15, 2013)

Sunray said:


> Which would you trust to do the job if you had both to hand?


not the phone..... but if camping I like to boast how cold it is etc..   (next step:  a max /min thermometer in the phone  )


----------



## pesh (Mar 15, 2013)

like the one on the clock and weather widget on the home screen, but presumably a bit more accurate. assuming you haven't got it in a pocket and your body heat isn't confusing it.


----------



## FridgeMagnet (Mar 15, 2013)

RedDragon said:


> Sexist shit


There have been complaints about this - e.g. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31322_3-57574466-256/samsung-gs4-launch-tone-deaf-and-shockingly-sexist/

Unsurprisingly, the comments section is full of comedy/serious misogynists. I had to turn off Ghostery to read them and I wish I hadn't tbh.


----------



## Fingers (Mar 15, 2013)

Does anyone bother reading the comments sections of these blogs?  It is severely depressing with fan boys ripping the throats out of each other.  Wirefresh is a breath of fresh air in that aspect.


----------



## FridgeMagnet (Mar 15, 2013)

Fingers said:


> Does anyone bother reading the comments sections of these blogs?  It is severely depressing with fan boys ripping the throats out of each other.  Wirefresh is a breath of fresh air in that aspect.


I only read them because the author tweeted the article saying "read the comments and tell me we don't have a problem". She was right as well.


----------



## Fingers (Mar 15, 2013)

By the way, that was the first launch I have ever watched, the whole thing was cringeworthy, I was too busy cringing to pick up on an overtly sexist theme. Never again.


----------



## Sunray (Mar 16, 2013)

It wasn't that bad, they had to go beyond the dead pan Apple ones or they would just get pan'd for that too. 

Cringe worthy is fine for them, keeps people talking about the S4. No such thing as bad publicity.


----------



## elbows (Mar 16, 2013)

I didnt even watch it but just seeing the screenshots and reading about it meant I had to cleanse myself by watching an episode of On The Air.


----------



## thriller (Mar 16, 2013)

Good over view of what is can do.


----------



## editor (Mar 16, 2013)

I haven't watched the launch and don't think I'll bother. It's all just fluff.


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Mar 16, 2013)

I did watch the original live presentation - on the net of course. In it there was a reference to changes in the plastic it was made of. I am not quite sure if they said that it was made with carbon fibre. That would be interesting to confirm but I don't want to watch the whole hyped corny performance again as it lasted an hour or so. (or maybe just seemed to)

They should have done a separate presentation for British consumers who have a lower cringe threshold and just want information, facts and numbers spat out quickly and clearly.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 16, 2013)

RedDragon said:


> The wackiness obscured the details


 
Heh so much innovation!


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 16, 2013)

Fingers said:


> Does anyone bother reading the comments sections of these blogs? It is severely depressing with fan boys ripping the throats out of each other. Wirefresh is a breath of fresh air in that aspect.


 
Indeed, the two or three comments it usually gets are generally very nice.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 16, 2013)

Kid_Eternity said:


> Heh so much innovation!


 
I don't think there's many more features I need from a smartphone. It's still a lovely bit of hardware, especially as many people will have skipped a generation of phones, so should feel like a reasonable upgrade.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Mar 16, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> I don't think there's many more features I need from a smartphone. It's still a lovely bit of hardware, especially as many people will have skipped a generation of phones, so should feel like a reasonable upgrade.


 
I think the ability to control your screen with your eyeballs is The Next Big thing.


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Mar 16, 2013)

Kid_Eternity said:


> I think the ability to control your screen with your eyeballs is The Next Big thing.


Now that it has been invented, it won't go away. There are only 3 uses for it on the new S4; Smart stay, Smart scroll and Video pause/restart but more could be developed.


----------



## ChrisFilter (Mar 16, 2013)

Kid_Eternity said:


> I think the ability to control your screen with your eyeballs is The Next Big thing.



The screen staying on for as long as you look at it is indispensable once you're used to it. Don't be so quick to sneer!


----------



## editor (Mar 19, 2013)

It's certainly snappy then.





http://androidcommunity.com/samsung-galaxy-s-4-doubles-iphone-5s-benchmark-scores-20130318/



> It's clear that the Samsung Galaxy S 4 will be the fastest smartphone available when it is released in April. What's not clear is how the Galaxy S 4 will handle the increased power and cooling requirements that generally come with faster processors.
> 
> The Samsung Galaxy S 4 is twice as fast as the Samsung Galaxy S 3. Given that the Samsung Galaxy S 3 is less than a year old, that's a remarkable achievement. I am amazed at how quickly smartphone technology is improving.
> 
> ...


----------



## joustmaster (Mar 19, 2013)

Have s3 owners found their phone to lack speed at all?


----------



## Idaho (Mar 19, 2013)

I haven't got anything installed that runs slowly or grinds.


----------



## dervish (Mar 19, 2013)

Quite surprised that no-one mentioned the IR blaster, out of all the new features of the phone, I can see myself using that most. IR can be incredibly useful for all sorts of things. 



Fingers said:


> Would love an S4 but cannot justify it. I have just put Jellybean on my S2 and it is rocking. I may upgrade if I decide I need to go down the 4G route mind.


 
Which ROM? I've just put JellyBAM on my S3 and it's amazing, by far the best ROM I have ever used, was going to look for an upgrade for wiskeys S2 as well.


----------



## editor (Mar 19, 2013)

The HTC One has the IR feature too and I think it's going to be incredibly useful.


----------



## ChrisFilter (Mar 19, 2013)

Idaho said:


> I haven't got anything installed that runs slowly or grinds.



In the 2 years that someone will be using a handset an app might be release that tests it.


----------



## Fingers (Mar 19, 2013)

Bear with me dervish
and I will see if i can find it for you


----------



## Fingers (Mar 19, 2013)

Here you go: Instructions first



> 1. Download the Spanish Firmware (I9100XWLSD) V 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) and extract it to a folder. You would need .TAR file to flash your Samsung Galaxy S2 device.
> Download Odin 3.07 and run it. It's best that you have Samsung Kies already installed as this will provide communication between your Samsung Galaxy S2 and your computer.
> 
> 2. Power Off your Samsung Galaxy S2 i9100 and set it in Download Mode by pressing Volume Down + Menu Button + Power Button for 10 seconds.
> ...


 
Software download
link

Now the problem I had was it locked my phone back to it's original network (o2) so I downloaded this app for £2.50 which uplocked it for me in seconds.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spocky.galaxsimunlock&hl=en

You will have to root it if you need to unlock it mind.  Even though it is the Spanish firmware it set itself up in English.  It took about 30 mins in all to do. If you need any help let me know.


----------



## twentythreedom (Mar 21, 2013)

UK S4s are quadcore, not 8 - bit cheeky of Samsung


----------



## twentythreedom (Mar 21, 2013)

Not that it really matters, though


----------



## mauvais (Mar 22, 2013)

Has anyone mentioned that the outlook for a CyanogenMod etc development is a bit bleak for the S4?

http://www.ibtimes.com/samsung-gala...rt-dont-lose-hope-yet-theres-more-it-1138529#


----------



## dervish (Mar 22, 2013)

That's only the opinion of one developer, and it's because Samsung won't release the Exonsys sources, even though they have indicated they would making it a lot harder to develop for. Qualcomm might well be more forthcoming, if so there will be Cyanogen for the S4


----------



## mauvais (Mar 22, 2013)

Quite possibly, but since CM has prolonged the life of my Desire from 1-2 years to 3+, I'll be watching that with interest before committing.


----------



## Callum91 (Mar 22, 2013)

twentythreedom said:


> UK S4s are quadcore, not 8 - bit cheeky of Samsung


The UK is getting both flavours.


----------



## Radar (Mar 23, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> The UK is getting both flavours.


Any sources ?


----------



## Callum91 (Mar 23, 2013)

Radar said:


> Any sources ?


I'm 100% certain I read it either on Engadget/The Verge/Android central or somewhere like that. Besides, the UK is _the _smartphone market, we usually get the best stuff.


----------



## Radar (Mar 23, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> I'm 100% certain I read it either on Engadget/The Verge/Android central or somewhere like that. Besides, the UK is _the _smartphone market, we usually get the best stuff.


I thought the deciding factor was ease of integration with the various chipsets that provide the localised 4G implementations


----------



## Callum91 (Mar 23, 2013)

Radar said:


> I thought the deciding factor was ease of integration with the various chipsets that provide the localised 4G implementations


No idea, perhaps it's a coincidence. I just know the UK market is incredibly strong for smartphones, we lead in Europe.


----------



## Radar (Mar 24, 2013)

Callum91 said:


> No idea, perhaps it's a coincidence. I just know the UK market is incredibly strong for smartphones, we lead in Europe.


http://www.techradar.com/news/phone...-ditches-octa-core-in-uk-to-favour-4g-1139312

Looks like we're on quad core then


----------



## Callum91 (Mar 24, 2013)

Radar said:


> http://www.techradar.com/news/phone...-ditches-octa-core-in-uk-to-favour-4g-1139312
> 
> Looks like we're on quad core then


Bugger. Can't imagine much difference though.


----------



## Radar (Mar 24, 2013)

Holy crap, £530 off contract for the 16GB version


----------



## Badgers (Mar 24, 2013)

Radar said:
			
		

> Holy crap, £530 off contract for the 16GB version



Not surprising for a high end, new release smart phone. Most start about £500 and drop to £400 after initial hype dies down. 

How much would it cost over 24 months with no up front costs?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 25, 2013)

Same price as an iphone 5 from Apple. 

And you can drop a 64gb micro sd in it.


----------



## editor (Mar 25, 2013)

Radar said:


> Holy crap, £530 off contract for the 16GB version


That's just one retailer's pricing as far as I can see. I reckon you'll be able to get it cheaper, maybe around £499.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 25, 2013)

I'm guessing there's going to be some good deals on the S3 coming up real soon...


----------



## thriller (Mar 25, 2013)

C'mon. should be around the £350 mark. Not gonna pay £400 for a phone.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 25, 2013)

thriller said:


> C'mon. should be around the £350 mark. Not gonna pay £400 for a phone.


 
Because multi core chips and hi def screens were always going to be cheap.


----------



## thriller (Mar 25, 2013)

should have balls and do what google did with nexus 4 and sell for a good price.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Mar 25, 2013)

It's got way higher specs and google don't have to make a profit from hardware.


----------



## editor (Apr 10, 2013)

Look at all the sensors it has!


----------



## Fingers (Apr 16, 2013)

Three are now taking pre orders for £35/24 months, free phone and 500 mins 2000 texts and all you can eat data

EE are offering the phone for £80 with a £41/24 months at plus capped data ffs

I am tempted by Three's offer


----------



## skyscraper101 (Apr 16, 2013)

Fingers said:


> Three are now taking pre orders for £35/24 months, free phone and 500 mins 2000 texts and all you can eat data
> 
> EE are offering the phone for £80 with a £41/24 months at plus capped data ffs
> 
> I am tempted by Three's offer


 
If you buy the phone outright for £499, and couple with giffgaff at £12/month. The saving is only about £53 over 24 months. Hardly worth buying the phone outright anymore.

Unless anyone can get significantly cheaper than £499


----------



## Fingers (Apr 16, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> If you buy the phone outright for £499, and couple with giffgaff at £12/month. The saving is only about £53 over 24 months. Hardly worth buying the phone outright anymore.
> 
> Unless anyone can get significantly cheaper than £499


 
I saw it available on Amazon for £350. I had grief with Giff Gaff and it would not let me tether. An alternative would be Three's £15 a month PAYG for £250 mins and loads of text.  And they let you tether


----------



## Fingers (Apr 16, 2013)

OK pre-ordered the S4 on Three £35/month plus £5 unlimited internet tethering.  So that is £20 a month more than I am paying now and if they internet tethering is better than my broadband on their 3g Ultrafast or eventually 4g, I will kill the broadband and use the network saving £25/month.


----------



## Fingers (Apr 17, 2013)

Fucking wankers Three. Because the website would not let me put in my flat number, I had to call them with it, only to be told I have to call them back on the morning of delivery ffs.  Even worse, I am on Three PAYG at the moment and if I want to keep my number, I have to port the number to another mobile company FOR A MONTH and port it back again.

I never cease to be amazed by these companies who cannot sort out their standard procedures because of a computer.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 17, 2013)

Fingers said:


> Fucking wankers Three. Because the website would not let me put in my flat number, I had to call them with it, only to be told I have to call them back on the morning of delivery ffs. Even worse, I am on Three PAYG at the moment and if I want to keep my number, I have to port the number to another mobile company FOR A MONTH and port it back again.
> 
> I never cease to be amazed by these companies who cannot sort out their standard procedures because of a computer.


 
I miss three and their customer service like a hole in the head.


----------



## Fingers (Apr 17, 2013)

Though judging by the vast amounts of abuse EE are getting on their Facebook page makes them look quite good

https://www.facebook.com/ee?fref=ts


----------



## Fingers (Apr 18, 2013)

OK so I filled in the complaints form on their website and get a call back two hours later from customer service to state that I had been given shite information and the procedure I need to take to get my number transferred within 24 hours.

Fair play to them.


----------



## Radar (Apr 18, 2013)

Fingers said:


> I saw it available on Amazon for £350. I had grief with Giff Gaff and it would not let me tether. An alternative would be Three's £15 a month PAYG for £250 mins and loads of text. And they let you tether


S4 for £350 ??? Where on Amazon, you sure you didn't look at an S3 offer ?


----------



## editor (Apr 18, 2013)

I'd scoop one up in an instant for £350!


----------



## Fingers (Apr 18, 2013)

editor said:


> I'd scoop one up in an instant for £350!


 
My apologies, it was an S3 I saw, I now remember looking at S3 prices the other day before I saw the S4 offer on Three.  By the way, Three's S4 free phone offer ends on 25th April so if anyone is after the deal they will have to get in quick


----------



## Supine (Apr 18, 2013)

I left my iPhone on the train today. Doh. Is this the phone to get?


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 18, 2013)

Depends.


----------



## Supine (Apr 20, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> Depends.


 
Thanks


----------



## editor (Apr 22, 2013)

Some bloke does his best to scratch the S4 screen with a wide variety of objects. Fails miserably.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 23, 2013)

Give it a month in my pocket with no case and I'll do it just fine, but I do give my tech a hard life.


----------



## editor (Apr 23, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> Give it a month in my pocket with no case and I'll do it just fine, but I do give my tech a hard life.


Well, my S2 screen has survived without any protection for two years now and hasn't got a scratch on it.


----------



## Fingers (Apr 23, 2013)

editor said:


> Well, my S2 screen has survived without any protection for two years now and hasn't got a scratch on it.


 
Mine too. Just a bit of paint chipped off around the bezel in various places.   I bought it second hand with superglue all over the screen. it came off with some nail varnish remover and a lot of scrubbing and now there is not a mark on there.

Looking forward to getting my S4 on Friday!


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 23, 2013)

I'll be curious to see how my note 2 fairs then


----------



## Fingers (Apr 24, 2013)

Looks like Samsung are having problems delivering the pre-orders. Three customers who have ordered the black one are being told that they will have to wait until 3rd May.

I ordered a white one and have just got an email confirming that it will be here Friday.


----------



## editor (Apr 25, 2013)

Almost all of the S4 reviews I've seen have been very positive, but Charles Arthur, that lamentable clown of an Apple fanboy at the Guardian, has managed to dredge up enough context-free quotes to spin it into what one reader described as 'Just about the most editorial 'review roundup' you're likely to see."

[article].


----------



## mauvais (Apr 25, 2013)

Your link's broken. It's here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/apr/24/samsung-galaxy-s4-review-roundup


----------



## editor (Apr 25, 2013)

mauvais said:


> Your link's broken. It's here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/apr/24/samsung-galaxy-s4-review-roundup


Cheers - I've fixed it now. 

Highest ranked reader comment:


> Gosh.
> You have genuinely found the first negative reviews of the S4 I've read. From some pretty left-of-field sources.
> How about this:
> http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s4-1137602/review
> ...


----------



## editor (Apr 25, 2013)

And another Guardian writer does their bit for Apple:


> A lukewarm reception for the S4 from reviewers does not appear to have dampened demand for the latest edition in Samsung's best-selling Galaxy range. The device is forecast to ship 25m units globally in its first two months, according to Mawston, almost exactly on a par with the iPhone 5.
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/apr/25/samsung-galaxy-s4-release-supply-shortages


 
I've read about 15 reviews and the vast majority have been anything but 'lukewarm.'


----------



## Fingers (Apr 25, 2013)

Got my tracking number from Three for delivery tomorrow morning. Sold my S2 to a mate last night so using reverted back to my old HTC desire for the day. Slooow!


----------



## editor (Apr 26, 2013)

Guardian has done a run down of all the current S4 deals. It's currently £599 sim-free. Here's the 12 month deals:


> If you only want to sign up for 12 months Vodafone has a choice of four deals ranging from £43 to £57 a month. The cheapest way to buy the phone is to pay £139 upfront and £43 a month, although you will be limited to 600 minutes and 500MB of data each month. That package adds up to £655. Paying just £29 upfront and opting for the £57 a month contract gets you unlimited calls and 4GB of data, but adds up to £713 over the year.
> 
> EE is also offering 12-month deals, at prices between £41 and £66 which come with unlimited calls and texts and 500MB of data a month.
> 
> T-Mobile has some 18-month price plans. The cheapest on a monthly basis costs £31 with an upfront charge of £249.99 for the handset, totalling £807.99. Customers can choose between 300 minutes talk-time and 750MB data a month, or 600 minutes of calls and 250MB of data.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2013/apr/26/samsung-galaxy-s4-best-deals


----------



## joustmaster (Apr 26, 2013)

Fingers said:


> Got my tracking number from Three for delivery tomorrow morning. Sold my S2 to a mate last night so using reverted back to my old HTC desire for the day. Slooow!


I picked mine up the other day. 
Aren't they tiny!


----------



## editor (Apr 26, 2013)

Oh Lordy. Check out this awful advert for the 'punk rock' S4:

http://www.wirefresh.com/samsung-releases-awful-punk-rock-advert-for-the-rebellious-galaxy-s4/

What were they thinking?


----------



## RedDragon (Apr 26, 2013)

Samsung Galaxy S 4 gets teardown by iFixIt, receives repairability score of 8/10​
​


----------



## Fingers (Apr 27, 2013)

editor said:


> Oh Lordy. Check out this awful advert for the 'punk rock' S4:
> 
> http://www.wirefresh.com/samsung-releases-awful-punk-rock-advert-for-the-rebellious-galaxy-s4/
> 
> What were they thinking?


 
If you are going to Dulwich Hamlet later  I might let you have a play with my punk rock s4


----------



## RedDragon (May 1, 2013)

Reason for edit <Already posted..>


----------



## elbows (May 7, 2013)

I finally got to have a go with an S4 today, as someone at 'my former workplace that I still do a tiny bit of work for' just got one.

Looks good, lovely screen, some of the gimmicks might be useful under certain situations. Waving finger above the device to do certain things may certainly have some uses. The thing that scrolls up and down based on your gaze seems like a pain in the arse due to how long it was taking to calibrate all the time, but perhaps that was down to light conditions where I tried it.

My initial impression was the vast array of features will make it seem a little bloated and overwhelming for some users, but cant really have the best of both worlds and the person that bought it wanted it to be complex and geeky. Having moved from an S3 he was under the impression that finger grease was showing up on the screen more than it did with the S3, but I cannot judge that myself.


----------



## fogbat (May 7, 2013)

editor said:


> Well, my S2 screen has survived without any protection for two years now and hasn't got a scratch on it.


It's still scratch-free, but two months in my pocket left my S3 with several cracks


----------



## editor (May 9, 2013)

Here's a load of case options for you lucky s4 owners!



















http://www.techradar.com/us/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/best-samsung-galaxy-s4-case-15-to-choose-from-1149624


----------



## Radar (May 16, 2013)

Google announced a vanilla S4 at I/O yesterday, I really hope the ROM will play nicely with the Samsung one 

No solid info yet on whether it supports all the sensors/IR blaster etc that Samsung do, but at least it could be an opportunity to kick a lot of the touchwiz bloat into err, touch


----------



## skyscraper101 (May 17, 2013)

Fasted selling Samgsung S phone EVER.


> Samsung Galaxy S4 is on track to pass 10 million in sales next week, which would make it the fastest-selling Galaxy S device in history.


 
http://mashable.com/2013/05/17/samsung-galaxy-s4-10-million/


----------



## Fingers (May 17, 2013)

Unlock your S4 for free  http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=41532016#post41532016


----------



## Supine (May 18, 2013)

The reviews for the HP Services Plugin are amazing 


https://play.google.com/store/apps/...yLDEsImNvbS5ocC5hbmRyb2lkLnByaW50c2VydmljZSJd

"HP Print Service Plugin: The APK updates HP Print Plugin in certain Android devices. This APK, by itself, does not provide any print functionality: you will need other components from HP to be able to print using the printer."

WTF IS IT!!!!!


----------



## thriller (May 20, 2013)

had a fiddle with the S4 today in car phone warehouse. looks small compared to the note 2. think the note 3 will be better. will pass on this.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (May 20, 2013)

thriller said:


> had a fiddle with the S4 today in car phone warehouse. looks small compared to the note 2. think the note 3 will be better. will pass on this.



Oversized phones are the future. 

Worth noting you can get a note 2 contract substantially cheaper than an S4...about a tenner a month in my case, so a fair bit over 24 months.


----------



## thriller (May 20, 2013)

Global Stoner said:


> Oversized phones are the future.
> 
> Worth noting you can get a note 2 contract substantially cheaper than an S4...about a tenner a month in my case, so a fair bit over 24 months.


 
defo agree with the big phone prediction. both my bros got the the note 2. my samsug s3 looks crap next to it. note 3 looks like could be on my xmas wish list.


----------



## editor (May 23, 2013)

Samsung S4 camera gets comprehensively reviewed and gets a very high rating, coming in second, below the all-conquering Nokia 808 and above the iPhone 5.


> The Samsung Galaxy S4 achieves a DxO Mark score of 75, which means it ranks second on the DxO list of smartphone cameras, between Nokia's 808 PureView and the iPhone 5.
> 
> The Samsung Galaxy S4 offers "impressive detail preservation in bright light" and the "13MP sensor shows a great improvement over the best 8MP cameras." DxO testers also found the auto exposure works well, even in difficult outdoor situations and the flash image quality to be good. On the downside: DxOMark reports "heavy loss of detail in low light due to excessive noise reduction" and "strong ringing."
> 
> In video mode, the Galaxy S4 captured footage with "good texture reproduction" and "good colors" but also showed "visible aliasing and staircase effects" and "strong noise in low-light conditions." Image stabilization in video mode was also found to be inefficient. For DxO's report, visit the Samsung Galaxy S4 page on www.dxomark.com.


 
http://connect.dpreview.com/post/9428787206/dxomark-mobile-report-samsung-galaxy-s4


----------



## Fingers (May 23, 2013)

Well I have had mine a month today I think and it is brilliant. Not found anything wrong with it apart from taking the FM radio away but I am on three so streaming is not an issue and highly recommend the camera. Oh and three have been solid as well and the couple of time i have had to call them i was answered straight away and it was sorted.


----------



## Hocus Eye. (May 23, 2013)

Fingers said:


> Well I have had mine a month today I think and it is brilliant. Not found anything wrong with it apart from taking the FM radio away but I am on three so streaming is not an issue and highly recommend the camera. Oh and three have been solid as well and the couple of time i have had to call them i was answered straight away and it was sorted.


What no FM radio? That is a very retrograde step, even non-smartphones often had fm radios built in. That cannot be right.


----------



## Daniel (May 24, 2013)

I'm on my second one, I stood on mine and broke the screen less then 24 hours of ownership, dropped my second one down the toilet last week and after thinking I may need a third cos of a dodgy back button it has sorted itself out, go me.

Coming from an iPhone 5 it was weird at first but now very comfortable with the phone and enjoying it.


----------



## editor (May 24, 2013)

Hocus Eye. said:


> What no FM radio? That is a very retrograde step, even non-smartphones often had fm radios built in. That cannot be right.


 
'Tis all digital and podcasts now.


----------



## RedDragon (May 27, 2013)

And now the S4 _mini_. 

Techradar


----------



## editor (May 30, 2013)

Loads specs and pics about the S4 Mini here: 
http://www.wirefresh.com/samsung-ga...-4-3″-display-8mp-camera-full-specs-detailed/


----------



## beesonthewhatnow (May 30, 2013)

editor said:


> Loads specs and pics about the S4 Mini here:
> http://www.wirefresh.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-mini-announced-with-4-3″-display-8mp-camera-full-specs-detailed/


I'd be quite interested in that if they got rid of all the crapware on it.


----------



## editor (May 30, 2013)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> I'd be quite interested in that if they got rid of all the crapware on it.


 
Rootin' is your path to phone satisfaction. Happily, there's also a microSD card slot awaiting your attention, so you can bolt on 64GB of lovely free space to do as you will.


----------



## Fingers (Jun 7, 2013)

_New S4 firmware being rolled out_

_Improvements and fixes in the new Software Update:_


_-New Camera firmware_
_-Smearing issue has been fixed (Purple effect while scrolling)_
_-Smart Pause Toggle_
*-Move Apps to SD Card*
_-HDR Video (Can record HDR video)_
_-Semi-transparent status bar_
_-New Icons in Settings_
_-Secure boot status (About Phone)_
_-Increase legibility (Display) (New feature)_


----------



## editor (Jun 11, 2013)

This case looks alright for £29.99. 



http://www.tech21.uk.com/styles/impact_mesh


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 12, 2013)

editor said:


> This case looks alright for £29.99.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.tech21.uk.com/styles/impact_mesh





I've got the flip version...seems to do the job nicely.


----------



## editor (Jun 26, 2013)

So I have the S4. First impressions: feels nice in the hand, everything's very smooth and the camera is great.. BUT.. it comes with half a ton of junk and the screen is disappointingly dim.

Also: that fucking shutter sound is back again, so it looks like I'm going to have to root this thing.


----------



## editor (Jun 26, 2013)

Handy guide here:
http://www.androidtapp.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-a-definitive-guide


----------



## Supine (Jun 26, 2013)

editor said:


> Handy guide here:
> http://www.androidtapp.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-a-definitive-guide



Nice one. I haven't got a clue how to use most of the features.

Looks like there are a load of photo bits to learn


----------



## purves grundy (Jun 27, 2013)

Work bought me one. It's the first smart phone I've ever had but I've had it for a couple of weeks and have probably used about 5% of its features. Looking forward to reading that 'handy guide'.


----------



## RedDragon (Jun 29, 2013)

If I had an all you can eat data plan I'd be tempted to buy the Galaxy Mega (Amazon)


----------



## editor (Jun 29, 2013)

The camera is very, very good indeed.


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Jun 29, 2013)

editor said:


> So I have the S4. First impressions: feels nice in the hand, everything's very smooth and the camera is great.. BUT.. it comes with half a ton of junk and the screen is disappointingly dim.
> 
> Also: that fucking shutter sound is back again, so it looks like I'm going to have to root this thing.


There was someone standing behind me today at a street theatre event who was evidently taking photos. I could hear the very loud clack of what I thought would turn out to be an ancient Russian or East German SLR but on checking it was a Samsung Smartphone. I may have been an S4 or even an S3 like mine. On mine I managed to turn off the noise feature successfully but if you re-boot the phone for any reason it comes back and you have to go into Settings to sort it again.

As for the screen, I think that is another thing you need to sort in Settings/Display, take it off Automatic and put it on Manual.


----------



## Wolveryeti (Jun 29, 2013)

editor said:


> Some bloke does his best to scratch the S4 screen with a wide variety of objects. Fails miserably.




I wouldn't call that 'doing his best'. In fact that clip is the WWF equivalent of trying to do real harm.


----------



## editor (Jun 29, 2013)

Hocus Eye. said:


> On mine I managed to turn off the noise feature successfully but if you re-boot the phone for any reason it comes back and you have to go into Settings to sort it again.


How did you manage that?


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Jun 29, 2013)

editor said:


> How did you manage that?


Bear in mind that this is an S3, but I went to Settings/Sound /Volume/System and set the slider to the furthest left or off position.

This is an unrooted phone by the way.


----------



## slojo (Jul 2, 2013)

I am due an upgrade in August, I like the look of the S4 but the internal storage issues are putting me off. Is it really that much of an issue? Will there be further updates by then to increase the internal storage?


----------



## editor (Jul 2, 2013)

slojo said:


> I am due an upgrade in August, I like the look of the S4 but the internal storage issues are putting me off. Is it really that much of an issue? Will there be further updates by then to increase the internal storage?


Slam in a 64GB card and you should have no worries - or just root the phone and remove all the stuff you don't want.


----------



## slojo (Jul 2, 2013)

editor said:


> Slam in a 64GB card and you should have no worries - or just root the phone and remove all the stuff you don't want.


 

Can most apps be moved to SD these days? I remember how annoying it was on my Desire to keep running out of space! I am a bit worried about rooting as doesn't it void your warranty? 

Also what is music quality like through the headphones? I've read it's not too great


----------



## editor (Jul 2, 2013)

slojo said:


> Can most apps be moved to SD these days? I remember how annoying it was on my Desire to keep running out of space! I am a bit worried about rooting as doesn't it void your warranty?
> 
> Also what is music quality like through the headphones? I've read it's not too great


Music quality is absolutely fine. 


> The Samsung Galaxy S4 passed our dedicated audio quality test with flying colors. The smartphone had perfectly clear output when attached to an active external amplifier, with no weak points to its performance. The only thing to frown at here is the only average volume levels.
> Impressively, there's virtually no distortion when you plug in a pair of headphones. Even the stereo crosstalk which suffers in that case just about every time was barely affected. Unfortunately, the volume levels remained only average.
> http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s4-review-914p8.php


I had a HTC Desire and there is tons and tons more space on the S4. You'll be able to install hundreds of apps;


----------



## slojo (Jul 2, 2013)

Cool thanks. Guess it's not as big a deal as I thought! I have a ONE s at the moment and I would get the new HTC but I like the idea of SD card and removable battery!


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 2, 2013)

Tbh if the battery life is anything like the note, you'll find you don't need spare batteries as much as you think. Nice to have the option though.


----------



## editor (Jul 2, 2013)

It's always good to have a pocketful of spare batteries if you're away for a few days. 

I got one of these official chargers for £28:





Plus 2 x Anker extended batteries + another charger for £18.

Sorted!


----------



## slojo (Jul 2, 2013)

yeah it's just nice knowing you always have the option. Does anyone know if rooting the phone will cause problems with claiming on insurance?


----------



## Radar (Jul 2, 2013)

Anyone tried using the NFC reader yet ?? I can't get a peep out of mine with my oyster and NFC taginfo, and I'm wondering if it's due to the german ROM I chucked in to get 4.2.2 up on it


----------



## Radar (Jul 2, 2013)

There's a nice APP2SD script being worked on over at XDA that will handle exe plus data relocation, even when unrooted. I haven't got my head around how that would work, but if it's kosher it would be very handy indeed


----------



## editor (Jul 3, 2013)

Just took delivery of the Samsung spare charger and it's the nicest charger I've ever owned


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Jul 3, 2013)

Oh dear, what I said about silencing the camera shutter sound in a post further up, is wrong. I just took a picture and the shutter clicked. That just shows how  much I know about my phone and how often I take pictures with it.


----------



## editor (Jul 3, 2013)

Hocus Eye. said:


> Oh dear, what I said about silencing the camera shutter sound in a post further up, is wrong. I just took a picture and the shutter clicked. That just shows how much I know about my phone and how often I take pictures with it.


If you turn the sound to silent there's no click.

The S4 is certainly doing well sales wise with 20 million units shipped  in just 68 days - close to iPhone levels.



http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/3/4489460/samsung-galaxy-s4-20-million-shipments


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Jul 3, 2013)

editor said:


> If you turn the sound to silent there's no click.
> 
> The S4 is certainly doing well sales wise with 20 million units shipped in just 68 days - close to iPhone levels.


 
On my S3 there is no menu for silencing the camera click sound because apparently the ROMs for some parts of the world are set to no option but sound on. According to one website the UK version does allow it to be switched off, but mine which I bought in the UK in a bricks and morter Vodaphone shop strangely does not. I can set the whole phone to silent of course but don't want to do that. An internet search threw up pages of info on the shutter sound problem.

However I have found a solution. I have downloaded CameraMX from Google Play and that allows the shutter sound to be turned off. It gives lots of special effect options which I don't want and I don't yet know whether the picture quality will be as good as the default camera though. Will find our in due course doubtless.


----------



## slojo (Jul 4, 2013)

I am upgrading in August, I am 99% sure I will be going for the S4. How different is it going from a HTC One s in terms of useability? I know they use different operating systems (if that's the right term). I presume there is nothing on the horizon that will beat the s4 this year?


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Jul 5, 2013)

slojo said:


> I am upgrading in August, I am 99% sure I will be going for the S4. How different is it going from a HTC One s in terms of useability? I know they use different operating systems (if that's the right term). I presume there is nothing on the horizon that will beat the s4 this year?


The only thing against the S4 that I know is the lack of a built in radio. I didn't believe this when read it on the web, but a friend of mine has just bought one and reported that to be the case. He is not happy about that. Nor would I be, I often use the radio on my S3. If this will prove a problem, the S3 is still on sale. The Operating system is Android, the same for both HTC and Android, unless HTC have gone over to Windows since I last had an HTC.

e2a
On checking I find that the latest HTC has its own more radical form of Sense that sits over Android and changes the appearance of the homescreen although it is still Android underneath so you still get Google Play apps. The HTC has a metal back compared to the plastic one on the Samsung - for some reason some people think this is a deal breaker . Also the metal back is curved which makes it comfortable in the hand but harder to use the keyboard when it is on a table. I still don't know if the HTC has a radio chip.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jul 5, 2013)

It's a pain for sure, luckily though I'm mostly in a 3G area so I just use tunein radio these days.


----------



## editor (Jul 5, 2013)

There's no end of streaming radio apps or radio podcasts available for download if you need a radio fix.


----------



## editor (Jul 5, 2013)

I have a bit of a soft spot for Samsung's increasingly odd adverts.


----------



## pesh (Jul 6, 2013)

out of interest is anyone here not happy with their Galaxy phone?

i've had an S3 for about 6 months now and i hate it more than any phone i've ever owned. i frequently find myself doing the internal 'count to 10 slowly' to avoid throwing it at the wall, into the road, into the sea etc etc...

i do love the idea of Android, i'm just hating the reality.


----------



## editor (Jul 6, 2013)

I'm loving my S4 and my S2 was a fantastic performer. What is annoying you so much about the S3?


----------



## pesh (Jul 6, 2013)

most things.

for a start, it's insanely sluggish. press a button, wait a second, hopefully you'll get into the messaging. we did a test, get from the locked lock screen into contacts, s3 vs iphone4... the s3 took about 4 times as long. 

the idea of being able to get files onto it without having to use itunes was a real plus, shame that doesn't work via USB on OSX. Kies... JTFO >

Airdroid seems to be the only way i can get files onto it successfully and it's painfully slow.

battery life is worse than my old phone even with most of the widgets disabled. while abroad the widgets have a habit of rinsing my daily data allowance within 5minutes even when they all seemed to be turned off.

how the fuck does a battery level meter crash anyway?

the same for the lock screen.

but yeah, mainly its the sluggishness. i've wiped it and started again a couple of times and that seems to improve things for a month or 2 before it all starts seizing up again. for a phone i've had for less than half a year thats just unacceptable.


----------



## editor (Jul 6, 2013)

Sounds like you're installing something that doesn't agree with your phone because it should be _plenty_ fast.


----------



## pesh (Jul 6, 2013)

when i've reset it i've started out with a basic install for the first couple of weeks, and it's always been the same. few tried and tested apps, BBC news, Facebook, Gmail etc... always the same...

you should be able to install them without everything grinding to a halt.


----------



## editor (Jul 6, 2013)

pesh said:


> when i've reset it i've started out with a basic install for the first couple of weeks, and it's always been the same. few tried and tested apps, BBC news, Facebook, Gmail etc... always the same...
> 
> you should be able to install them without everything grinding to a halt.


Clearly you've got some sort of individual problem because the phone works fine for an awful lot of people. If hard resets aren't fixing it, I'd go and ask on some of the Android forums and maybe consider slapping on a new ROM.


----------



## RedDragon (Jul 6, 2013)

editor said:


> I have a bit of a soft spot for Samsung's increasingly odd adverts.



Doesn't it just perpetuate the wars? 

Blowing $5 milllion for the exclusive early preview/giveaway of Jay Z's latest release backfired when it was torrented to fuck.


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jul 6, 2013)

My word that's a terrible ad, it actually makes the Microsoft Surface Gap adverts looks good. Never thought that was possible...


----------



## editor (Jul 6, 2013)

You would think that, though.

As for Microsoft: Surface TV ad "most effective" tablet ad of the year


----------



## Kid_Eternity (Jul 6, 2013)

You 'would think that though'? What is this five year playground debating?! 

That MS can't have been that effective, sales of surface are dire. But still the point remains it pisses from a great height over Samsung increasingly bizarre and terrible marketing. They should spend some time looking at companies like Sony if they want new 'inspiration'.


----------



## editor (Jul 6, 2013)

Kid_Eternity said:


> You 'would think that though'? What is this five year playground debating?!


Read the article then?


----------



## slojo (Jul 9, 2013)

Hocus Eye. said:


> The only thing against the S4 that I know is the lack of a built in radio. I didn't believe this when read it on the web, but a friend of mine has just bought one and reported that to be the case. He is not happy about that. Nor would I be, I often use the radio on my S3. If this will prove a problem, the S3 is still on sale. The Operating system is Android, the same for both HTC and Android, unless HTC have gone over to Windows since I last had an HTC.
> 
> e2a
> On checking I find that the latest HTC has its own more radical form of Sense that sits over Android and changes the appearance of the homescreen although it is still Android underneath so you still get Google Play apps. The HTC has a metal back compared to the plastic one on the Samsung - for some reason some people think this is a deal breaker . Also the metal back is curved which makes it comfortable in the hand but harder to use the keyboard when it is on a table. I still don't know if the HTC has a radio chip.


 

I have heard that the 'touchwiz' system on the S4 isn't great but it doesn't sound like anything major. Not too bothered about the radio, never listen to it


----------



## Hocus Eye. (Jul 13, 2013)

pesh said:


> out of interest is anyone here not happy with their Galaxy phone?
> 
> i've had an S3 for about 6 months now and i hate it more than any phone i've ever owned. i frequently find myself doing the internal 'count to 10 slowly' to avoid throwing it at the wall, into the road, into the sea etc etc...
> 
> i do love the idea of Android, i'm just hating the reality.


Take it back to the shop. You have a dud one. My S3 is still as fast as it was new, and it has plenty of battery life compared to my previous HTC. Get your money back or a replacement that works properly. "Sale of Goods Act" "Merchantable Quality" and all that stuff.


----------



## Radar (Jul 15, 2013)

Radar said:


> Anyone tried using the NFC reader yet ?? I can't get a peep out of mine with my oyster and NFC taginfo, and I'm wondering if it's due to the german ROM I chucked in to get 4.2.2 up on it


nobody ??


----------



## editor (Jul 15, 2013)

Radar said:


> nobody ??


 
Are you using a Samsung battery?


----------



## Radar (Jul 16, 2013)

editor said:


> Are you using a Samsung battery?


Yep, hardware is as bought.. have you tried any of the NFC apps yet ??


----------



## editor (Jul 16, 2013)

Radar said:


> Yep, hardware is as bought.. have you tried any of the NFC apps yet ??


Not yet, but I'm impressed with the built in thermometer!


----------



## editor (Jul 17, 2013)

Unbelievably, the S4 just upgraded its firmware via Kies. It actually worked. First time!


----------



## elbows (Jul 17, 2013)

Damn, the one person I know who had an S4 smashed it to bits by somehow shutting a car door on it. And now work have made him get an iPhone. There goes my opportunity to play with it for a bit.


----------



## elbows (Jul 17, 2013)

pesh said:


> when i've reset it i've started out with a basic install for the first couple of weeks, and it's always been the same. few tried and tested apps, BBC news, Facebook, Gmail etc... always the same...
> 
> you should be able to install them without everything grinding to a halt.


 

pesh Have you looked in the battery section of the settings app to see if anything sticks out as consuming a lot of juice? One misbehaving app could cause your symptoms, and if its using a lot of battery its quite possible its also what is also making your device sluggish.


----------



## pesh (Jul 17, 2013)

have looked at the battery section, app manager and so on and so on... still sluggish and thirsty for batteries.


----------



## editor (Jul 17, 2013)

pesh said:


> have looked at the battery section, app manager and so on and so on... still sluggish and thirsty for batteries.


 
If it were me I'd send it back for repairs, or stick a new ROM on the fucker.


----------



## elbows (Jul 17, 2013)

What showed up in the battery thing as being the main guzzlers?

Back when I was doing some android development I had my phone hooked unto the computer and was looking at the logs of stuff happening, and was quite appalled by the amount of activity/errors that a few apps were generating, including some of googles own services. However it was quite a while ago so I've forgotten which ones in particular and the issues in question may have been fixed by app updates since.


----------



## editor (Jul 17, 2013)

Google Currents can be a beast, as can facebook.


----------



## Radar (Jul 17, 2013)

editor said:


> Unbelievably, the S4 just upgraded its firmware via Kies. It actually worked. First time!


wow.. What did it dish out to you ?? you branded or unbranded ??


----------



## elbows (Jul 17, 2013)

editor said:


> Google Currents can be a beast, as can facebook.


 

Glad you said that as those were the two I had in mind but wasn't sure if I had remembered properly.


----------



## editor (Jul 17, 2013)

Radar said:


> wow.. What did it dish out to you ?? you branded or unbranded ??


Unlocked.


----------



## Fingers (Jul 25, 2013)

Three users, plug into kies. Firmware update.  Downloading now. I am hoping it fixes heat issues and apps to sd


----------



## Fingers (Jul 25, 2013)

well it upgraded from 4.2.2. to.... 4.2.2 so that was a complete waste of time


----------



## editor (Jul 26, 2013)

The android version stays the same but you can now save apps to the memory card, which is useful.


----------



## purves grundy (Jul 29, 2013)

Mine’s gone kaput – the little connecter hole that accepts the cable that connects it to the USB (hope you know what I mean) isn’t working, so can’t charge or connect to a laptop. Tried it on lots of different laptops with lots of different cables. And being in Burma, of course, everything takes an age to replace: 2-3 weeks they said


----------



## Elvis Parsley (Jul 29, 2013)

purves grundy said:


> Mine’s gone kaput – the little connecter hole that accepts the cable that connects it to the USB (hope you know what I mean) isn’t working, so can’t charge or connect to a laptop. Tried it on lots of different laptops with lots of different cables. And being in Burma, of course, everything takes an age to replace: 2-3 weeks they said


 
as a work around, what about a separate battery charger? if you can't find one out there i could always ship you one over, although i imagine postage will take as long as Burmese phone repair


----------



## purves grundy (Jul 30, 2013)

Elvis Parsley said:


> as a work around, what about a separate battery charger? if you can't find one out there i could always ship you one over, although i imagine postage will take as long as Burmese phone repair


Thanks Elvis! That was the advice in the Samsung repair place too, and they offered me one - they have an official service centre here, but even they didn't have the spares to replace my dodgy connector. Possibly good news though, in that someone drops in from Bangkok every week with a case full of bits and pieces, they've promised me that he'll be over today and my phone will be ready tonight. If not, it's a battery charger for a few weeks.


----------



## Elvis Parsley (Jul 30, 2013)

purves grundy said:


> Thanks Elvis! That was the advice in the Samsung repair place too, and they offered me one - they have an official service centre here, but even they didn't have the spares to replace my dodgy connector. Possibly good news though, in that someone drops in from Bangkok every week with a case full of bits and pieces, they've promised me that he'll be over today and my phone will be ready tonight. If not, it's a battery charger for a few weeks.


 
Fingers crossed then


----------



## craigxcraig (Jul 30, 2013)

Just stumbled across this thread having just purchased the S4 - will be reading through for tips


----------



## purves grundy (Jul 30, 2013)

Elvis Parsley said:


> Fingers crossed then


OK, I'm back in business!


----------



## Supine (Jul 30, 2013)

Any tip to stop it taking a screenshot while its in my pocket. Just found a 100+ snaps I didn't mean to record


----------



## Radar (Aug 3, 2013)

S4GE just started getting OTA for 4.3 in the UK, Odin is now on standby and XDA getting hammered by F5s


----------



## editor (Aug 3, 2013)

I've started using the built in pedometer. It's really rather good.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Aug 3, 2013)

editor said:


> I've started using the built in pedometer. It's really rather good.


 

Can it be linked to the GPS? I can see some very cool apps if it can!


----------



## Fingers (Aug 5, 2013)

editor said:


> The android version stays the same but you can now save apps to the memory card, which is useful.


 
Ah thanks, just tested that and I can indeed move apps to the sd card now


----------



## Radar (Aug 6, 2013)

Anyone in the market for S4, groupon are currently doing them for £10 up front plus £27 PCM T-Mobile unlimited text and data plus 500 mins (24 month contract). T-mobile themselves offer the same deal for £200 up front today, but the groupon offer small print suggests you can currently get the handset for £75 elsewhere.

As an aside, I just got my quidco cashback for my own S4. There were a few horror stories floating around of Voda rejecting claims but mine went through without a hitch.. £150 smackers, get in you beauty !!


----------



## marty21 (Aug 6, 2013)

I got one of these yesterday, didn't realise how huge they were  practically tablet size! Just getting used to it atm - liking it so far - big improvement on my last phone - HTC Wildfire S


----------



## Radar (Aug 6, 2013)

marty21 said:


> I got one of these yesterday, didn't realise how huge they were


How are you getting on with it ? Don't forget to get the OTA update if its available so you can use SD card for program storage.

I found I got used to the form factor pretty quickly, and I have small hands with short fingers. Perhaps having the S2 previously broke me in gently 

It does seem huge when you first get it though


----------



## editor (Aug 6, 2013)

marty21 said:


> I got one of these yesterday, didn't realise how huge they were  practically tablet size! Just getting used to it atm - liking it so far - big improvement on my last phone - HTC Wildfire S


 
I've already gone from "Lordy! This is one big beast" to thinking it's an entirely normal size for a phone.


----------



## marty21 (Aug 6, 2013)

editor said:


> I've already gone from "Lordy! This is one big beast" to thinking it's an entirely normal size for a phone.


 guess I'll get used to it - seems fairly fragile though - have ordered a case - meanwhile it is protected in an old fashioned way - in a sock


----------



## Supine (Aug 6, 2013)

editor said:


> I've started using the built in pedometer. It's really rather good.



Ooh nice. I didn't realise this is possible.  I've done 6.4 miles already today and I haven't commuted home yet.


----------



## Fingers (Aug 6, 2013)

Supine said:


> Ooh nice. I didn't realise this is possible. I've done 6.4 miles already today and I haven't commuted home yet.


 

I have been using it since I had it and was surprised at how far I actually walk.  I clocked up 14 miles one day!  It is on the Samsung Health app and you can set it up in there.


----------



## purves grundy (Aug 13, 2013)

Fuckin hell, not havng much luck with mine. Picked up some grub on the way home from work, stuck my phone in the pocket of the bag while I was fishing around for cash, swung my bag onto my shoulders at the top of the steps leading to the shop as I was leaving... only to see my phone fly out of the _open_ bag pocket and fall a good 7-8 feet onto the concrete below. 

Now, everything seems to work, I think, except the self-shot camera or whatever it's called. The reverse camera thing. If I try to use it, the camera freezes and I have to clear the camera data before I can use any camera setting again. Blinkin nora


----------



## Elvis Parsley (Aug 13, 2013)

purves grundy said:


> Fuckin hell, not havng much luck with mine. Picked up some grub on the way home from work, stuck my phone in the pocket of the bag while I was fishing around for cash, swung my bag onto my shoulders at the top of the steps leading to the shop as I was leaving... only to see my phone fly out of the _open_ bag pocket and fall a good 7-8 feet onto the concrete below.
> 
> Now, everything seems to work, I think, except the self-shot camera or whatever it's called. The reverse camera thing. If I try to use it, the camera freezes and I have to clear the camera data before I can use any camera setting again. Blinkin nora


 
bad luck mate

prior to sticking my htc one in a case, no drops. post case, dropped 3 times onto concrete. case did it's job though so can't complain


----------



## marty21 (Aug 13, 2013)

editor said:


> I've started using the built in pedometer. It's really rather good.


it is,just set a new personal best nearly 12000 today


----------



## editor (Aug 13, 2013)

My best since I started using the thing is just over 27,000 at Boomtown. I'm usually registering around 6-8,000 with the occasional 10,000 stepper. I wish the app had more stats though. I love walking stats


----------



## Supine (Aug 30, 2013)

3-4 months of use and the sensors now don't work.  I should have stuck with Apple 

Let's see what car phone warehouse say.  A quick Google and it looks like this is a common fault


----------



## editor (Aug 30, 2013)

Supine said:


> 3-4 months of use and the sensors now don't work. I should have stuck with Apple


 
What sensors don't work? Even Apple phones go wrong too, you know.


----------



## Supine (Aug 30, 2013)

Sorry, didn't want to start a brand war!

The rotate sensor is bust. I checked the *#0*# call thing and found another sensor that wasn't working too. Can't remember which one though. Time for a shop visit I think.


----------



## keybored (Aug 31, 2013)

Supine said:


> *#0*#



Just tried that on my S3. Cool as fuck!


----------



## marty21 (Aug 31, 2013)

editor said:


> My best since I started using the thing is just over 27,000 at Boomtown. I'm usually registering around 6-8,000 with the occasional 10,000 stepper. I wish the app had more stats though. I love walking stats


It is making me walk more, only had about 3 sub 10000 days in the 3 weeks I've had the phone, top walking score 24000 when i did a lot of museums ! Off for a week in Suffolk now, expecting to beat my top score .


----------



## Badgers (Aug 31, 2013)

marty21 said:
			
		

> It is making me walk more, only had about 3 sub 10000 days in the 3 weeks I've had the phone, top walking score 24000 when i did a lot of museums ! Off for a week in Suffolk now, expecting to beat my top score .



I am managing about 9-12k steps a day. It is good to track it


----------



## editor (Sep 3, 2013)

Has anyone here rooted their S4 and stuck another ROM on it? I'd love to get the pure Google experience in mine, but keep the pedometer/thermometer stuff (and dump the rest of the Samsung bloatware that I'll never use). Is this possible?


----------



## Radar (Sep 4, 2013)

editor said:


> Has anyone here rooted their S4 and stuck another ROM on it? I'd love to get the pure Google experience in mine, but keep the pedometer/thermometer stuff (and dump the rest of the Samsung bloatware that I'll never use). Is this possible?


Not yet, but I'm keeping an eye on the xda I9505 dev forum. There's a few GE based roms on the go.


----------



## Supine (Oct 26, 2013)

Install paid version of some Duplicate Contact Remover software. Delete the duplicates. Cancel the software.

Nice freebie


----------



## dervish (Oct 28, 2013)

And save yourself, what? Two pounds? All for the developers hours of effort to make the software, test it, publish it, respond to user feedback, improve it, bug fix again, republish and hope to get some reward for all their hard work. Yeah, well done.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Oct 28, 2013)

dervish said:


> And save yourself, what? Two pounds? All for the developers hours of effort to make the software, test it, publish it, respond to user feedback, improve it, bug fix again, republish and hope to get some reward for all their hard work. Yeah, well done.



I've paid for more software since I've had an Android phone, then I have with years of using a PC. For smaller apps, price has certainly worked.


----------



## dervish (Oct 29, 2013)

Me too. I used to pirate everything without much thought. When I got my first android phone it occurred to me that the developer really wasn't asking much for something that I actually get a lot of use out of. I have probably spent hundreds on apps over the past four years, many times for features I don't necessarily need but I want to reward the dev for their work. 

Besides when I think about how much money I pumped into arcade machines as a kid, £1 for five minutes entertainment compared to the hours of use I get out of a decent app it doesn't even compare.


----------



## Corax (Mar 1, 2014)

My new S4 had just murdered my 64 gig SD card 

A quick Google suggests that this is anything but unusual, and was a problem with the previous galaxies as well. But the arseholes still haven't sorted it out. Cunts.


----------



## editor (Mar 20, 2014)

Mine has just updated to KitKat and mixed with the Nova Launcher it flies like shit off a shovel!


----------



## editor (Mar 30, 2014)

Interesting to note that the S4 was deemed the most stable device around in a new study, and the Android OS far more stable than iOS.


> *Samsung Galaxy S4 was most stable device, while the iPad 2 was the least stable*
> It's probably no surprise, but Android 2.3 Gingerbread was the least stable version of Android when it comes to causing app crashes. That's all improved since, however — according to a report from_Crittercism_, which monitors app usage on over a billion Android and iOS devices, the stability of Android apps surpasses that of iOS across the board in all software versions.
> 
> Android apps crashed an average of 1.7 percent of the time on Gingerbread, but the combination of Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean and KitKat crash just 0.7 percent of the time according to the report. By comparison, iOS 6 crashed a much higher 2.5 percent of the time, with iOS 7 cutting that down to 2.1 percent and iOS 7.1 to 1.6 percent. Even with those improvements that's still over double that of modern versions of Android, and not something your average person would actually think if they were asked which platform crashes more.
> ...


http://www.androidcentral.com/apps-crashed-most-gingerbread-things-have-improved-according-report


----------



## Fingers (Sep 18, 2014)

I am on my third S4 now due to robbing shit merchants in this City and still see no reason to upgrade to an S5. Maybe when the S6 comes out.  Also picked up a mint condition S3 this morning (£50!) for a back up phone. LTE 4G version as well!


----------



## editor (Nov 10, 2014)

Lollipop is coming to the S4. Huzzah!


----------



## editor (Nov 11, 2014)

"KitKat vs Lollipop on Galaxy S4: It’s like a new phone"

Give it to me NOW!


----------



## Fingers (Jun 17, 2015)

For those that did not know, Three have now released Lollipop for the S4. It does not automatically pop up to say there is an update so go into setting>about device>software update.

many will be glad to know that Samsung have now ditched Kies and released Smart Switch to replace it. This will also do the update for you


----------



## editor (Jun 17, 2015)

Mine has totally borked after the Lollipop update - it's stuck on a reboot loop. Good job I'd already got a new phone.


----------



## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 17, 2015)

Lollipop is a real fuck up. Hurry up with Android M


----------



## Radar (Jun 17, 2015)

I had to fuck around with mine as previous adventures with XDA roms meant my S4 went through an identity crisis, thinking it was Serbian rather than UK Voda.

Once I'd rooted it, changed the CSC code to VOD and dropped a puka 4.4.2 rom on it I got the lollipop OTA, followed by another update a month ago.

Shame I'm now on Three so no more OTA updates for me unless I go through the whole rigmarole again; Screw that, life's too short!

Can't see Sammy gracing us with an official M upgrade, but I'd love to be proven wrong. I hope we'll see it on 3rd party roms at some stage though.


----------



## Fingers (Jun 17, 2015)

Shit, wish I had seen these posts before I updated, but thankfully all seems OK and I now have Lollipop


----------



## Fingers (Jun 18, 2015)

24 hours on, it feels like a new phone. Impressed. Very snappy


----------

