God, this phone is beautiful - Vibrant General

So, I was one of the idiots who soft-bricked my phone by refusing to listen to common sense and have patience. I went ahead and installed various ROMs all while knowing that my Vibrant was hardware locked. Eventually, it caught up with me and I got in a situation I couldn't get out of. I had to get a new phone and got a loaner from T-mobile for a few dyas while I waited. Using that old, crappy phone really made me long for my Vibrant back.
Well, it just came yesterday (not hardware locked!) and I started trying a few of the different ROMs in this forum. Currently on Bionix 1.8. On my first Vibrant I had used one of those Invisible Shields, but as I look at my new one I'm thinking I may forego the shield and ride bare back (I am using a rubber case - still talking about phone here). I'm amazed at the how beautiful the display is on this phone and I think the shield actually cut down on how stunning this phone is. Plus, I've read how durable this gorilla glass is and it really doesn't smear. So, I may live to regret it, but I'm gonna give it a shot. This phone really is a work of art. Maybe it's all relative because i had to deal with that loaner, but I am so glad to have my Vibrant back.

I really like this phone too and it only seems to get better with time. We've got a fantastic dev community who consistently produce quality work, we've got great individuals in the forums who help others with questions, etcetera. Sure there are going to be bugs along the way but that happens...every major software/firmware producer put out patches for software (Just think of Apple & Microsoft).

I'm using a Realook SP on my Vibrant. It looks like nothing is there and many people don't even know I have a screen protector on my phone.

kangxi said:
I'm using a Realook SP on my Vibrant. It looks like nothing is there and many people don't even know I have a screen protector on my phone.
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ive also heard that realook takes nothing away from the vibrant....as much as im obsessed with the screen quality of this phone, it just makes me feel very uneasy to think the screen is butt naked

Well this thing uses gorilla glass so its not really needed to have a screen protector. It will withstand a lot except for a hardcore hit and even a SP wont protect you from that.

Actually, I've heard people reporting that moderately sharp objects can scratch the Vibrant screen; the Gorilla Glass is more useful against impact/cracking than scratching.
Also, +1 on the Realook not taking away from screen quality. I got my Vibrant used and it had a SP on it that made it look sorta fuzzy; I finally decided to try a different SP and got a Realook, and WOW what a difference.
Steinheil Ultra Crystal is also pretty good. I am using it atm but I can't decide between that and the Realook. The Realook seems clearer when there are no smudges, and seems like it fits just a tiny bit better (it seems slightly bigger and thus seems to cover more exactly), but smudges easier than the Steinheil and the smudges are more noticeable.

Thanks for the suggestions. I may try one these other SP, but I still can't get over how great the screen is without one. And unlike my old SP, the gorilla glass does not smudge. What little it does, I can simply wipe on my shirt and it looks sparkling new. With my old SP, I had to use special lens or LCD glass cleaner.

This phone sure is beautiful, and I have had a really hard time trying to find a SP that doesnt distort the image quality but would hold up to the abuse I regularly subjected a phone to. ReaLook SP had my vote for the longest time, but one day out of curiosity I tried trimming down a SP intended for my TRIMBLE unit... and it has my vote... it is crystal clear, and made from some sort of window cling plastic that has yet to recieve damage from my haphazard phone manners. Just my .02, but dont be afraid to try out several different products, after all the 30-40 bucks you spend finding the right SP, is well worth it on a 500 dollar phone.

Thanks for the infomation
Thanks for the review/input on the SP's The original ones I got from TMO were about the worst I have ever used. I will try the ones all of you have mentioned

I would recommend a screen protector. I used mine completely bare for a few months, always being very careful only to put it into pockets with no other objects, and making sure that there was no grit on the screen before using it. It still started developing hairline scratches. You have to hold the phone to the right angle under a light to see them, but they are there. I've ordere a TPU case now, and I'm using one of those ultra cheap, 5 for $1 eBay screen protectors. It works fine, doesn't seem to detract from the screen, and feels smooth and pleasant like the original glass.

bigragu said:
So, I was one of the idiots who soft-bricked my phone by refusing to listen to common sense and have patience. I went ahead and installed various ROMs all while knowing that my Vibrant was hardware locked. Eventually, it caught up with me and I got in a situation I couldn't get out of. I had to get a new phone and got a loaner from T-mobile for a few dyas while I waited. Using that old, crappy phone really made me long for my Vibrant back.
Well, it just came yesterday (not hardware locked!) and I started trying a few of the different ROMs in this forum. Currently on Bionix 1.8. On my first Vibrant I had used one of those Invisible Shields, but as I look at my new one I'm thinking I may forego the shield and ride bare back (I am using a rubber case - still talking about phone here). I'm amazed at the how beautiful the display is on this phone and I think the shield actually cut down on how stunning this phone is. Plus, I've read how durable this gorilla glass is and it really doesn't smear. So, I may live to regret it, but I'm gonna give it a shot. This phone really is a work of art. Maybe it's all relative because i had to deal with that loaner, but I am so glad to have my Vibrant back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hear you loud and clear.
Going through a near identical experience right now, except I will be without my phone for 2 weeks minimum (has to ship to US and back). I really can't believe how much I'm missing my phone. Really amazes me that there are so many complaints about the Vibrant. It's an absolutely fantastic device once you have it setup correctly. I wouldn't trade it for any other phone in the world.
2-3 days was the turn around time at T-mobile?

Yes, but I had to pay for expedited shipping $20 vs. $10 for 7 days,

I haven't gone through your experience, but one of my buddies was trying to sell me a his MyTouch slide for a good price and as soon as he turned it on I was like "ohhh.... is that what the screen looks like?" lol. For anyone who thinks this screen isn't all that great go play with another phone for a little hahaha

bigragu said:
So, I was one of the idiots who soft-bricked my phone by refusing to listen to common sense and have patience. I went ahead and installed various ROMs all while knowing that my Vibrant was hardware locked. Eventually, it caught up with me and I got in a situation I couldn't get out of. I had to get a new phone and got a loaner from T-mobile for a few dyas while I waited. Using that old, crappy phone really made me long for my Vibrant back.
Well, it just came yesterday (not hardware locked!) and I started trying a few of the different ROMs in this forum. Currently on Bionix 1.8. On my first Vibrant I had used one of those Invisible Shields, but as I look at my new one I'm thinking I may forego the shield and ride bare back (I am using a rubber case - still talking about phone here). I'm amazed at the how beautiful the display is on this phone and I think the shield actually cut down on how stunning this phone is. Plus, I've read how durable this gorilla glass is and it really doesn't smear. So, I may live to regret it, but I'm gonna give it a shot. This phone really is a work of art. Maybe it's all relative because i had to deal with that loaner, but I am so glad to have my Vibrant back.
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Click to collapse
I originally wanted an Evo but got a Vibrant instead when the Evo was sold out everywhere. But I am loving it.
I was in a car with 2 Evo owners and we had our phones all running Google Navigation (whew.. one of the times my GPS worked before JI6 . My screen looked so much more colorful and crisper than theirs. It wasn't even close.

Related

Just Returned My N1

I just returned my N1 that i paid full price for.. my screen had 3 scratches as well as some on my camera lense
so i decided i would take the loss and later down the line maybe purchase the bravo or another N1 depending on how i like the bravo.. for now im stuck with my G1 with a cracked screen.. id use that any day over my iPhone 3g..
anyone else return theirs?
Huh? You returned it because you scratched the screen and camera lens? Why?
not just because of the scratches.. i had the 3g issue and a little dust.. i heard about many people having problems getting their warranty replacements, receiving phones in worse condition than the one they had and whatnot. so i just decided to return it . im kind of happy now because i can wait for the Bravo and maybe the HD2 hopefully without the strict subsidy policy
Ah, ok, the HD2 is a beast and should have a better subsidy policy since T-Mobile will be selling it directly, and they will be doing the same with the Bravo(if the rumors are true they are getting it).
(Sorry if anyone's heard me say this before)
If you read here, and a lot of support forums, you're going to hear mainly about people with faulty N1s. Many of us have phones that work perfectly. There was a poll up briefly about the dust and something like 31 had no problems, while 3 had clicking and 8 had dust (And this, given that the title of the poll probably attracted people with clicking or dust).
So, just a reminder that the majority of N1s are in great shape. Furthermore, this seems (to me) to be the most resilient piece of portable electonics since the Game Boy Color. I have never used a case, and only used a screen protector for the first few days, and the phone still looks like it just came out of the box. No smudges or scratches to be found.
kozm0naut said:
So, just a reminder that the majority of N1s are in great shape. Furthermore, this seems (to me) to be the most resilient piece of portable electonics since the Game Boy Color. I have never used a case, and only used a screen protector for the first few days, and the phone still looks like it just came out of the box. No smudges or scratches to be found.
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Couldn't agree more.
Mine's in perfect condition too, or at least there isn't any fault that I can identify yet. Plus my phone held on to 3G signals better than my wife's iPhone 3GS (same starhub network).
Mine went from US to UK and from UK to Portugal and I don't have any problems with it, I'm loving the phone btw
tada116 said:
I just returned my N1 that i paid full price for.. my screen had 3 scratches as well as some on my camera lens
.....
for now im stuck with my G1 with a cracked screen.. id use that any day over my iPhone 3g..
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Click to collapse
You really need to take better care of your phones. 3 scratches on the gorilla glass in under 2 weeks? A cracked screen on the G1 I could understand after a year, accidents happen. Still I see a pattern here.
r3pek said:
Mine went from US to UK and from UK to Portugal and I don't have any problems with it, I'm loving the phone btw
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Click to collapse
Hi
Can I ask where you bought it and if it was eBay who was the seller?
Regards
JanetPanic said:
You really need to take better care of your phones. 3 scratches on the gorilla glass in under 2 weeks? A cracked screen on the G1 I could understand after a year, accidents happen. Still I see a pattern here.
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Click to collapse
I'll admit that this also crossed my mind the first time I read this thread.
Did you return the phone because of the scratches or some other issue? Will they even take the phone back with scratches?
I will probably return my phone next week. I had it then for three weeks. I have the 3G issue and the touchscreen issue as well. I am really disappointed because of the lack of response from Google and HTC. I don't want a replacement because if you look at the poll 40% of the phones seemd to be broken. You get a refurbished one as a replacement so it is really likely that you get anoter lemon. How can they refurbish phones if they don't even know if it is a hardware or software problem?
rossiscatch said:
I'll admit that this also crossed my mind the first time I read this thread.
Did you return the phone because of the scratches or some other issue? Will they even take the phone back with scratches?
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Click to collapse
i babied the phone, kept it in a separate pocket than my keys for the most part.. and 3 hairline scratches in 15 days was ridiculous .. no idea how it happened
i returned it partially how easily scratched, 3g issue, dust, warranty problem with unlocking the bootloader , and also the hopes of a better/cheaper phone coming out soon subsidized by T-Mobile.. the N1 is an amazing phone.. but because of how new it is i think it would be better if i just waited a little bit.. i am still waiting to get the conformation from HTC on if they will accept it in its current condition.. its really not that bad they probably wont even notice it
Just wondering, those of you planning on returning it after the 14 day return policy window, how are you going about that? Do you live in California or is HTC/Google cutting you slack because it has issues?
JanetPanic said:
3 scratches on the gorilla glass in under 2 weeks?
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Click to collapse
Has anyone confirmed that this has gorilla glass from an official source? I've seen a lot of conjecture - mostly from people referencing the "scratch test" video - but no official word from anyone involved in the manufacture or teardown of the phone confirming the gorilla glass part...
i dont think it's gorilla glass.. i had iphone 3g for 1 and half years and had no scratch at all.. my N1 i had taken good care and never dropped once! but somehow i got 1 hairline scratch.. don't really trust that video..
N1 screen will scratch and i am thinking of returning it too.. the build quality seems to be not good
pikaphebat said:
i dont think it's gorilla glass.. i had iphone 3g for 1 and half years and had no scratch at all.. my N1 i had taken good care and never dropped once! but somehow i got 1 hairline scratch.. don't really trust that video..
N1 screen will scratch and i am thinking of returning it too.. the build quality seems to be not good
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Click to collapse
how so? I have no complaints about my build quality.
Lol, people...
I have the 3G issues And touch screen issues.. I have a SMALL piece of lint that seems to have found it's way into the phone and is about to get onto the screen... for now it's just to the side of the screen but visible.
Coming from a iPhone 3G I simply can't type even near as close to as fast on this phone and my god does that annoy me! When I type fast the keyboard does all kinds of crazy **** and I get so frustrated... if I go slow and use a more pressure so more of my finger hits each key it's fine... but I'm typing way slow then and it's just not worth it.
Another thing, I require good Microsoft Exchange support... I can get around not having direct calendar support, but the fact that forwarded emails show up as attachments pisses me off to... I'm close to sending this sucker back (I'm in CA and have up to 30days)... soooo frustrating.
tropmonky said:
I have the 3G issues And touch screen issues.. I have a SMALL piece of lint that seems to have found it's way into the phone and is about to get onto the screen... for now it's just to the side of the screen but visible.
Coming from a iPhone 3G I simply can't type even near as close to as fast on this phone and my god does that annoy me! When I type fast the keyboard does all kinds of crazy **** and I get so frustrated... if I go slow and use a more pressure so more of my finger hits each key it's fine... but I'm typing way slow then and it's just not worth it.
Another thing, I require good Microsoft Exchange support... I can get around not having direct calendar support, but the fact that forwarded emails show up as attachments pisses me off to... I'm close to sending this sucker back (I'm in CA and have up to 30days)... soooo frustrating.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check out TouchDown for you exchange support, it is brilliant! It is well worth the money, but if you really don't want to pay for it, it has a 5 day trial, and you can re-use that trial as many times as you want, you just have to set it back up again.
For texting, try out the voice-to-text software, really good! As well, if you keep it and root, you can get some much better keyboards really easily, and I want to say even without root you can get the some of them(not sure what is currently available for keyboards, haven't looked into it much yet).
Of course, if the phone isn't your cup of tea, it isn't your cup of tea.

Long time HTC user goes to AT&T and gets a little Focus

It's been a long journey for some of us with smartphones/pdas. My journey began with XDA and moved to the 8125, 8525, Tilt, Fuze and Tilt 2.
Today I join the ranks of the qwerty-less and HTC-less folks on the XDA as I now have a focus SGH-i917.
First impressions:
From reading various reviews I was thinking the Samsung Focus was going to be a plastic, piece of junk. I feel it is better than I expected. With an exception, the back cover and the way it attaches to the device. Instead of it being a slide, click & lock like an XDA/HTC this thing is a click. It is hard to explain but the back cover looks flimsy and like you should choose to rarely take it on and off. It snaps into place and snaps out of place, the snaps are very tiny little plastic tabs. Not galaxy tabs but plastic tabs. It reminds me of an older motorola phone where if you dropped it once, broke all those tiny plastic attachment tabs then your cover would never stay attached.
Accessories:
So far the body glove case that AT&T was selling at my store works like crap, as it keeps pressing in the power button. I am going to take a Dremel tool to it and report back in, I am going to shave the interior portions to make them slimmer.
Thresher said:
I
Accessories:
So far the body glove case that AT&T was selling at my store works like crap, as it keeps pressing in the power button.
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Click to collapse
I had the exact same problem.. lame case.. should have know not to buy it.. but the phone is great. I agree with the back cover, but I think the IDEA is that you only need to open a few times to insert SIM or SD card..
surfnet said:
I had the exact same problem.. lame case.. should have know not to buy it.. but the phone is great. I agree with the back cover, but I think the IDEA is that you only need to open a few times to insert SIM or SD card..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lame case! At&t Gel Case from Body Glove.
I saw the cases they had and told them I would wait for better ones. As for the tabs, I had the same exact thought. Better to keep the back on and hardly take it off. I was worried they could break easily, but other than that the phone is really nice.
I too had (and really liked) the 8125, Tilt, and Tilt 2, and just got the Samsung Focus today. I really like it so far, and agree taking off the cheap back cover was scary.
I guess I'm keeping my Tilt 2 until someone comes up with a tethering app so I can use it while travelling.
MarcBate said:
I too had (and really liked) the 8125, Tilt, and Tilt 2, and just got the Samsung Focus today. I really like it so far, and agree taking off the cheap back cover was scary.
I guess I'm keeping my Tilt 2 until someone comes up with a tethering app so I can use it while travelling.
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Click to collapse
Hehe...8525, Fuze, Tilt2, HD2. I just picked up the Focus today, was the last one left in the store. I am in the same boat as you with tethering, hopefully ATT wont charge to use it.
I was a lot more worried about the screen side than the back side. I've owned a lot of Windows phones (HTC WinMo and that awful LG piece of crap AT&T was selling last year) and, invariably, the screen was plastic and fairly easily scratched and damaged. Not the Focus. I've read it has Gorilla Glass and given how rigid it is and how tapping it sounds the same as tapping the iPhone, I believe it. I'm not so worried about the back because I've had phones with "snap on" backs before and they were surprisingly sturdy if you applied a little care when removing and replacing the back. What I don't like about the back is how the camera pokes out, making it a greasy fingerprint magnet which leads to lousy pictures. It would have been nice if it had been recessed even 1/2 mm so it was at least a little more difficult to trash the glass. I'm sure a case would fix it but I don't have a case and from I've read above, I won't be getting one quite yet.
I can't say I've committed to the phone yet since I have 30 days to return it and I'm coming from a relatively feature rich iPhone 4. But since buying it....yesterday....I've already bought Slingplayer (the fastest I've EVER seen Sling Media do ANYTHING, ever, by several magnitudes!) and new apps are appearing quickly. So far so good!
Oh...per tethering, each system has it's own schedule, of course, but I can tell you it took a LONG TIME before the iPhone got tethering and oh yeah, you BET AT&T charges out the ass for it. $30 a month for 5 GB? What a swindle. If you jailbreak the iPhone you have better options, such as a $30 app that does it "for free" in that AT&T doesn't know you're tethering, but who knows if something that like will be an option with these WP7 phones in the future? You may want to keep in mind the old saying "Buy a phone for what it does now, not what has been promised in the future" because it may be a LONG TIME before there's WP7 tethering.
People are reporting too many accidental power offs, the location of the power button and the volume buttons and the power button in general is a detractor.
Solution:
The case I reported was so lame may be dremelled even further to make ' notches ' where the buttons are, removing the plastic case over that button. This would force my fingers to have to depress a bit.
markgamber said:
and how tapping it sounds the same as tapping the iPhone, I believe it.
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Click to collapse
The iPhone does NOT use Gorilla Glass. It uses an inferior glass that's somewhere between normal and Gorilla.
MikeyMike01 said:
The iPhone does NOT use Gorilla Glass. It uses an inferior glass that's somewhere between normal and Gorilla.
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Click to collapse
That's not what I've read elsewhere. It was even posted here, I believe, that Samsung stated on twitter that it was Gorilla glass. Whatever, as long as it's not cheap plastic that scratches when you look at it twice in the same hour I don't really care.
I was still on a 8125 Wizard until monday. What a shocking change when I turned on the Focus.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x91cmj_dP_4
He says it won't scratch. It must be similar to gorilla glass.
I too have been a very loyal HTC user. I got a lot of use out of my tilt and tilt 2 especially, but when it was announced that HTC was going to be launching with a phone that features a slide-out speaker instead of a slide-out keyboard, it was like a slap in the face. Maybe it was ATT that made the call (idk) but i wasn't going to pick up the LG Quantum (whenever it does come out.)
So, HTC has lost a customer and Samsung has gained one and i'm liking it so far.
Also, has anyone tried placing a Captivate gel case on the Focus? i curious to see how it fits - not that i think it'll be perfect, but i'm interested to see how much modification would be required to make it decent.
Not gorilla glass in my opinion
He says it won't scratch. It must be similar to gorilla glass.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a iPhone4, Captivate and now the Focus. The focus' glass on the front is just like the Captivate (obviously, both Samsung made). The captivate survived in my pocket for over 2 months with no case or screen protector on it and the screen looks good as new.
The iPhone on the other hand with a case on it and no screen protector now has what appears to be a surface abrasion in a 3/8 by 3/8 square spot, from what I assume was the other phone rubbing on the screen while in the same pocket. It is light, but noticable in direct light. Gorilla glass, I don't believe it is.
/signed
I went from an 8125 to the Tilt, and now the Focus. I didn't care much for the build materials either but it's starting to grow on me. I wish I could find a decent case though so that there's something to actually hold on to.
I am in the same boat. I am a VERY happy HTC owner since the StarTrek, to the Tilt and Fuze. I was stunned when att opted to go with a qwertyless HTC model, or maybe HTC is just over att and no longer providing cutting edge design or tech. The att sales rep who sold me my Focus claims that Samsung R&R dwarfs HTC's and that att is redirecting its smartphone relationship to Samsung. Whatever. Back on point.
I picked up a Focus on day one, feeling a little dirty to be dipping my toes in Samsung's waters. And now, I love this phone.
Build Quality: I agree that the plastic is disappointing, but I am not feeling it really when I hold the phone and I am a very tactile person. The phone feels nice. Would I like a nice metal battery case, yes, but the antenna works so maybe that lack of drama is the pay off.
Screen: This thing is what is really making my Fuze feel like it was a toy. It looks better, it feels better, heck it even has a nicer appearance when the phone is off. My only issue with the screen is the small ridge between it and the phone body. If that was smooth or imperceptible the feel would be sublime.
Typing: I love qwerty physical keyboards. I also love the lightweight Samsung feel right now and I am slowly getting used to the virtual keyboard. The key is using the suggested word which I am getting used to. That way you don't really need to fix every mis step. Will I go back to a physical keyboard? That was my plan originally, to bail the Samsung and get the first NICE HTC that cam along, but I love this phone. I am learning to deal with the virtual keyboard.
I won't get into the WP7'isms. The OS has a great feel and has room for updates but those are being discussed in other threads.
I love HTC, I have transitioned to Samsung and it was actually easy and enjoyable. I will now be very curious to see what is on Samsungs 2011 roadmap and yes, I will keep an eye on HTC in the distance.
MarcBate said:
I too had (and really liked) the 8125, Tilt, and Tilt 2, and just got the Samsung Focus today. I really like it so far, and agree taking off the cheap back cover was scary.
I guess I'm keeping my Tilt 2 until someone comes up with a tethering app so I can use it while travelling.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Samsung Focus CAN tether:
http://www.amitbhawani.com/blog/enable-usb-tethering-windows-phone-7-samsung-devices/
Steps to Tether :
Open the phone screen composition
Enter the code: # # 634 # > Press Call
This will open a new screen will be similar but in test mode
Then type in the code * # 7284 # > Press Call
See the screen that you see in the picture > Select Tethered
The phone will restart
Attach the USB cable to your phone and PC and wait for it to install drivers
You will see the phone modem and you can configure the data connection
number: *99***1#
user name: [email protected]
password: CINGULAR1
Click on connect and the Internet tethering would start, while if it does not work for the first time you should retry it a few times before which the connection would successfully work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all...Wow. Not the phone, but the fact that there are so many formerly loyal HTC users that jumped ship to Samsung with the Focus product. My story is just like everyone else, owned an HTC this and that, was holding out with my Fuze for something better on AT&T than the Aria. Before my visit today I had no knowledge of the Focus, but had researched the Captivate quite well. My Focus is still in the box, I'll break its hymen when I get everything backed up in my Fuze. Reading through the forums I was pleased to hear the reactions of many of you Focus veterans. I have been a lurker for the most part on XDA, but I feel that with so many like minded and experienced members here, I'll do my part to contribute monetarily and with any effort I can provide. Cheers to all and our new phones!
I've had HTC phones for years, the last one being the Fuze. And I was going to have a choice to make if the Dell Lightning had come out on AT&T and not T-Mobile, but as it was just the Focus and the HTC speaker model, the Focus was a no brainer. I was worried about it feeling like a toy after reading the pre-release reviews mentioning that's what it was made of, but I don't notice it and everyone who grabs it to check it out only comments on how light it is and never mentions any plastic feeling. They all seem to love it.
Like a previous comment, I wish the camera was a bit down in the body more...it seems I always get my finger on it when pulling out of my pocket, but so far the pics have still been great. And after my horrible pics experience with the Fuze, it's night and day better. (My camera on the Fuze just kept getting worse and worse as time went on. Even after wiping the OS, the camera lagged and every shot would be blurry. And that was my second one after the first one developed mysterious spots on it and was replaced while still under warranty)
Samsung has a new fan!
Ditto man, that little ridge on the front screen could potentially be problematic (i.e. I can see little specs of lint and stuff possibly getting in there).
The phone is great, but the build quality of the plastic back leads me to believe I really need a good case.
With my iPhone 3G, I've used a Griffin case that has really held up. It's basically leather-coated plastic, which I think would be perfect for the Focus. Here's a link: http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/elanform3g.
If anyone finds a good case, please post it! Thanks guys.

[Q] [DISCUSS] HD2 Damaged - Opinions Requested!

So over a trip I went on, my beautiful HD2 stopped working. I have my suspicions as to what caused the damage, but they still come off as odd. Basically, I had my HD2 working perfectly ... I went into the bathroom to take a shower ... and I guess it was steamier than usual [since I was in a different climate than usual] ... the next day the device would vibrate to indicate boot but only display a faint logo onscreen of the ROM I am using [meaning backlight broken] then it would turn off after trying to boot I guess. I checked out the phone, looked for damage or water or anything ... couldn't find anything significant. I did notice that the tags on the phone and batter, which I learned are for water detection, had turned red. That struck me as odd because it wasn't the first time I had the phone in the bathroom with me. In any case, at this point the device won't even turn on ... plugging in the charger does nothing. It is basically dead.
NOTE: AT NO POINT DID THIS PHONE GO INTO THE SHOWER OR TOILET OR WHATEVER. IT WAS PLACED DOWN ON A DRY SURFACE BEFORE THE SHOWER.
So I am going to T-Mobile tomorrow, see if they will be kind to me haha. I highly doubt it, because the tags don't lie .. regardless of whether or not I feel it was a valid case of "water damage".
So, if they give me warranty and provide me with a new HD2, then this thread will be useless, but under the assumption they don't ... I was wondering if the HD2 is the phone to stick with.
I think it is great and all, but I always wonder if there is something better.
I was reading that the Nokia N8 can be run on T-Mobile USA when unlocked, I am not sure of the truth behind that ... but the specs on that device look pretty awesome. I just don't like that it is a huge switch from WinMo/Andro/WP7 capabilities. It also doesn't have that XDA-Developers community backing.
That is basically all I was thinking in terms of alternatives ... any other thoughts?
Man that really sucks about your HD2, and that is very curious that the water indicators turned red. I also don't think you will get much love from T-Mobile either because of the water indicators. But I say get another HD2, I know it is starting to become a older device now but to me there is just no other phone out there that can stand up to the awesomeness of the HD2. Besides you know if you get anything besides a HD2 you will be kicking yourself in the butt later on for not getting another HD2.
The Nokia N8 will not keep you happy, there are issues with both the software and hardware, similarto the issues Nokia software has been displaying from the 5800/5530 software fiasco.
I would never go near a top range nokia - they have lost the plot over the last 2/3 years. all imho of course
I have a myTouch 4G/HTC Glacier and the phone is a beast. screen looks awesome(but not as big as hd2), hspa+, 768mb RAM, front facing camera, etc...lots of nice ROMS and great devs. Im running cm7 rc4 on mytouch and get 30+ hours on a full battery charge
So I went to T-Mobile today ... they instructed me to call Customer Care and they should be able to send me a new device. Looks like I am sticking to the HD2.
I am still curious though: I am aspiring to be a Software Developer (actually, Cornell CS '15 ), and for that reason I know the HD2 is a great phone for me [I think it is like 5 different OSes it can run]. I have been curious, because I haven't had the time to sit down and do this myself, which OS is best to have on NAND ... since now the HD2 can do WinMo, Andro, [and WP7?] on boot. I feel like WinMo is a great choice, because then I can use HARET to boot Android ... but then I can't use WP7. And if I choose WP7, then I am stuck with just that. And if I choose Andoird, then I am stuck with just that.
I dunno ... just something to ponder I guess Opinions are greatly appreciated
Keep checking this thread m8 for ppl's views on OS.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1020358
Cyclonezephyrxz7 said:
So I went to T-Mobile today ... they instructed me to call Customer Care and they should be able to send me a new device. Looks like I am sticking to the HD2.
I am still curious though: I am aspiring to be a Software Developer (actually, Cornell CS '15 ), and for that reason I know the HD2 is a great phone for me [I think it is like 5 different OSes it can run]. I have been curious, because I haven't had the time to sit down and do this myself, which OS is best to have on NAND ... since now the HD2 can do WinMo, Andro, [and WP7?] on boot. I feel like WinMo is a great choice, because then I can use HARET to boot Android ... but then I can't use WP7. And if I choose WP7, then I am stuck with just that. And if I choose Andoird, then I am stuck with just that.
I dunno ... just something to ponder I guess Opinions are greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you choose WP7, you can run Android off SD card via MAGLDR.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
So its official, adios HD2
I wish the device weren't so darn expensive! Unless I get paid as I am expecting for a little job I did recently, I may have to put off my hopes to get another HD2 for a while.
Anyone have any good recommendations of where to buy a New or LIKE New HD2 cheap? ... I can deal with superficial damage on the back-side, as long as the camera lens and the entire front side have NO damages to them [and of course the phone functions like new]. I have scavenged ebay a bunch today...best offer I could find was about 300$ for a brand new device, 280$ for a Like-New that fits my criteria ... 250$ for a like-new that is a little less appealing.
*note: changing the thread title so it doesn't seem to go off topic
Cyclonezephyrxz7 said:
So its official, adios HD2
I wish the device weren't so darn expensive! Unless I get paid as I am expecting for a little job I did recently, I may have to put off my hopes to get another HD2 for a while.
Anyone have any good recommendations of where to buy a New or LIKE New HD2 cheap? ... I can deal with superficial damage on the back-side, as long as the camera lens and the entire front side have NO damages to them [and of course the phone functions like new]. I have scavenged ebay a bunch today...best offer I could find was about 300$ for a brand new device, 280$ for a Like-New that fits my criteria ... 250$ for a like-new that is a little less appealing.
*note: changing the thread title so it doesn't seem to go off topic
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may be willing to sell my hd2
So I ended up buying a new [Used] HD2. I was told that the only issue was the metal plate over the batter [which I saved from my old HD2] ... so I was fine with it. I just got it today, it had a few minor scratches on the screen as well as what i think is a tiny Crack. So I am debating putting up with it, or calling the guy up and asking him what is up with that...
I purchased it on eBay ... so I just wanted your opinion on this: I bought it pretty cheap [235$] in comparison to other offers on the site, and the description was:
HTC HD2 (T-Mobile) cell phone
Used but in overall excellent condition
The only issue is that the metal cover on the back has some scratches, nothing major, screen is excellent
Includes phone /w battery and charger only, charger is not the original HTC charger, but it works 100%t
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I called the guy up to ask a few questions: Is it just the back-plate that has superficial damage? Has the device been tested to work as though new? The screen has nothing on it? And the guy basically told me that the back-plate was the only issue. Now that I have the phone, though, there are those minor scratches, and that small crack on the screen, as well as the cover to the earpiece missing/worn so it is silver now, and also the top right and left corners have a bit of damage.
Basically, when I put the soft-shell cover I have over it [stock], I can't see any of the superficial things except the screen, so they don't bother me as much. After all, it was listed USED, so I expected so much. I am just concerned about the SCREEN. If it is a crack on the screen, it will just get worse with time, am I right? If it were a scratch I could deal with it MAYBE, but being a crack I just don't want to have to look towards buying a THIRD device later on due to a cracked screen ...
[by the way, this crack wasn't a result of shipping I think ... it was in a nice thick layer of bubble-wrap and none of the bubbles had popped.]
So what is your opinion? Should I call this guy up, see what the deal is? Or should I deal with it?
Opinions appreciated!
EDIT:: Here are some low-res photos [one close-up, one far away]. I had to use my Exca to take them, I couldn't find my camera
www.chicken-eggsolutions.com/Max/IMAGE_026.jpg
www.chicken-eggsolutions.com/Max/IMAGE_027.jpg
Swapping just the one piece is harder than swapping a glass digitizer screen combo, since to get them apart involves baking the phone for so many minutes at (I think it is) 60 degrees, then you will need to glue the new one back to the digitizer.its not just a simple swap. Plus the screen is the last piece in the stripdown process, EVERYTHING comes apart before you get to the screen.
If I were you I'd consider asking for some money back and live with the crack, or if he wont go for that tell him you want full refund. But you need to be quick, eBay will support your claim but leave it too long makes it look dodgy.
as for cracked screen getting progressively worse, that's not necessarily the case. I dropped mine ages ago (several months) and it now has around 8 or9 large cracks, all the way through the glass radiating from one corner all the way up to the top, and they are no worse now than when it happened, (i have a screen protector to save my fingers from possible sharp bits) though the rigidity has suffered greatly, and it now creaks and groans when it gets pressure in my pocket.
Yeah, I figured so much about the screen ... Turns out what I have is screen+digitizer, but the cable for the digitizer isn't in any condition where it will work again, haha. I didn't expect/want to do a screen-replace when I took apart my broken HD2.
Yeah, I know I have to act quickly for eBay to hold up a better case, in case the guy doesn't want to be easy about it. I just got the phone literally an hour ago in the mail.
I'll try to have some more higher-res photos up by tonight because I am still not sure if it is just a nasty scratch, or a crack...and as you can see my Excalibur doesn't exactly take a good picture haha. What I find odd is that usually a crack starts at the edge of the glass and progresses inwards, but this one starts in the middle of the screen and has like 3 little 'legs' of it coming out. I'm not scratch/crack expert so I can't really say ... I'll just have the photos up later.
Otherwise, I'll probably call the guy up tomorrow, see what the deal is/is going to be.
I would demand a Partial refund if you are happy enough with the phone.
If you get it, buy a zagg invisible shield screen protector to preven the crack from getting any worse. Had some good and bad luck with ebay purchases, but thats a story for another thread
Could be a pressure crack, I have a friend with a desire HD and he sat down with it in pocket, and a lighter against the screen, and he has a similar sounding crack, a few small cracks radiating out from a tiny central chip.
Okay, so I got the higher-res images ... the links are as follows:
www.chicken-eggsolutions.com/Max/IMG_0278.jpg
www.chicken-eggsolutions.com/Max/IMG_0279.jpg
www.chicken-eggsolutions.com/Max/IMG_0280.jpg
www.chicken-eggsolutions.com/Max/IMG_0281.jpg
I think that 280 shows it the best, the others give you a view of it in respect to the whole phone. It isn't huge or anything ... decently sized. When the screen is on, I really have to look to find it. Besides feeling it with my finger as I swipe over it, I wouldn't really be bothered by its being there. My friend said it seems more like a surface scratch, but unlike the other scratches, I can actually feel this one [which is why I think it is more like a crack]. Ohh semantics!
In any case, just another curious question. Seeing as I just got the phone, I haven't put on any custom ROM or anything, assuming I would have to settle an issue potentially, but I realized when trying to hook the phone up to my computer that the SD card didn't register. It had registered just fine earlier today, and at my friends house. Then I didn't use it for maybe 4 hours. Then just now it didn't register. It was fixed with a reboot. Is this likely an OS thing that will be fixed with a new flash of a better ROM [this is running a STOCK rom by the way]. This phone would be pretty limited without its MicroSD Card slot. I just want to make sure that if that is a hardware issue, I bring that up.
I guess this will be the final post/update:
I talked to the guy, and he offered me either to ship it back at my expense [but still get a full refund], or he could give me $25 for the inconvenience/hassle. Having really thought about it, looked at the scratch/crack. I took him up on the latter offer.
I guess it just means I should be more careful when using the phone. After all, its like I said: I can't notice it unless I look for it when the device is on. Its a shame that there was a crack on the screen, but for $200, I think it is a darn good bargain. Also, the MicroSD card slot has been working just fine...I think it was an OS thing. If the MicroSD card slot does turn out to be an issue, hopefully it is within the next 40 days, haha, so I can still get it covered by Buyer Protection. Further, I simply cannot find a price as good as that
So, I guess this is the end of this thread. Thanks to anyone who helped

disappointed

The Razr HD series has been out for quite some time now. There was a lot of hype prior to launch of the phone. One of the biggest hypes was the phones construction, I have owned 3 smart phones before this and never used a case, and prior to owning the razr HD never cracked a screen. I have cracked 2 screens on this phone already. The first was 17 days after purchase the phone feel off my desk on to a shelf, it was a 1.5 foot drop, in the middle of the night the inside LCD cracked, had to go through insurance. The second time I place my phone on a flat surface and the inside LCD cracked again, The warranty was honored that time. There has to be something clearly wrong with the construction of the phone for the inside screen to crack so easily neither time was there any damage to the gorilla glass exterior. My second beef is the plastic around the bezel of the phone. The plastic sticks out higher than the screen and is a prime target for scratches and dents and is not by any means scratch or dent resistant. I'm not an engineer but when I looked at the phone before I bought it my gut told me that the plastic around the bezel was going to get messed up easily, motorola could have done a better job with that design and from a practical stand point the raised plastic is ergonomically uncomfortable. Aside from that the phone lacks accessories, I do not care for the cases offered and many of the companies I would be interested in getting a case from do not manufacture accessories for the razr hd series. Motorola themselves do not offer a dock for the phone and if they do I can not find it anywhere. Lastly the phone itself runs glitchy even with jellybeen and "butter" or whatever they call, rooting did not solve glitches nor should you be required to change a device from stock to get it to run at an acceptable level when it is sold for $700 plus. I have skipped frame rates hangs and freezes all the time. When using HDMI to my phone the screen gets cut off, why include if it doesn't work properly. The only thing on the phone that has lived up to expectations is the battery, however the battery takes FOREVER to charge, I never have the time to completely charge it and I do not like charging overnight.
I feel your pain man... well not tjat deep cause i havent cracked my phone but i am dissapointed at the HDMI resolution on YouTube and Vevo... plus the lack dock sucks 00===D - - MOTOROLA
Some unbelievable points raised here.... And please if you want people to respond learn proper grammar and paragraphing...
OK, first off, the cracked screen - you've made a fairly big assumption that because you've broken it twice, there must be something wrong with the construction of the phone. I'd be interested to see if others have any issues with it.
Your second issue, the raised plastic doesn't seem to be too big of an issue to me. I'm an electrician, and have my phone in my pocket all day (with no cover/case) and have no such issues around the raised plastic. I'm taking a real close look at it now, and there are no scratches on the edges, not too much dirt, no problems at all really. I think you're picking at straws looking for problems with your phone on the physical side of things...
I for one love the size of the phone, and how rigid it feels in my hand. Coming from an SGS2 (which back felt like soft plastic - because it was!) the solid feel of the phone is a godsend to me.
Motorola do offer a dock for the phone it's directly there on their website. (http://www.motorola.com.au/consumers/MOTOROLA-ESP-PEDESTAL-WITH-SMART-CHARGER/169654,en_AU,pd.html)
I did find the phone glitchy to begin with, but I also found my telstra SGS2 glitchy when it had bloatware on it. Remove the bloatware, remove the glitchiness. Rooting alone doesn't change any hardware/software characteristics of a phone...
I haven't used the HDMI out yet, but was interested in the ability to output video while also charging the phone.
Why wouldn't you want to charge a phone overnight? That sort of complaint is one of the more ridiculous ones I've ever read...
Working fine for me.
Just kidding. Just wanted to be the jerk who says that . I have gripes about it as well. Not many of them are the same as stated because of how I use the phone, and because I haven't had the internal or external glass crack, don't use the hdmi, and charge overnight, but it has been both nice to have and its had its dissapointments. The "project butter", which I think is just marketing BS to be honest, and the screen stutter is especially annoying. The camera was a huge let down as well. I wish I had researched the camera quality before buying, however that said I've made the best of it and have it syncing with the home server that cleans up the photos. When I first bought it, my biggest irritation was that there were no pull down toggles and as my first Motorola phone, its baffling that it wouldn't be included regardless of a dedicated screen on the default launcher. I didn't even know that there were toggle apps on the market and just assumed that they were part of Android so I was really happy to find them. As for the plastic being raised above the screen, and touching on accessories, I found it next to impossible to even find a case and screen cover and had to go online and of the local stores found 3 cases. One looked like crap and I bought the other two. One didn't fit properly and luckily the last one fit very well while offering good protection and improved grip and doesn't add much bulk to the phone. I haven't had the time to scratch the plastic up because I found cases. Selection did suck. I reckoned, though, when I saw it that a raised plastic around the glass might serve to help stop it from breaking if it falls as it wouldn't land directly on the glass. The phone is heavy and glass breaks regardless of how you make it (glass is glass at the end of the day).
I'm also dissapointed.
On the plus side, the stock build with a better launcher is, on my carrier which is Telstra, anyway, is somewhat bloat free in comparision to a lot of other manufactures and I find that once its set up to my liking, my only real gripe left is the camera, the lack of community and development, here on XDA, with the phone, and indeed the lack of accessories. If I had the cracing problem that you did I'd be pissed the hell off though.
I came to this phone from the galaxy s2 and if I had to make a recommendation between the two I'd tell people to get the galaxy s2 (older and probably now very affordable) along with the Samsung extendable battery and then to find a custom Samsung based ROM that suits them and is stripped down of bloatware. The only saving thing about the phone now is that I'm used to it; battery life is really good, and the galaxys2 display does look old now that I haven't used it in a while. The processor is noticably faster but it doesn't stop the wacky launcher jitters that turn up and I've been messing around with the values of a couple of governors recently because just knowing that the phone does crazy scaling when just sitting there looking at it drives me nuts.
One last thing I forgot is "No Goggle Wallet? What the FREAKING HELL is nfc even for then?"
Downgrade to ICS and solve all your lag and hdmi issues. The thing is, your phone might have come deffective but that doesn't mean ours are. Mine works great and I feel proud of Motorola.
Verizon's OTA this week solved most of the issues including hdmi and lag.
Cases like yours happen all the time to everyone with every phone. It's not the manufacturer's problem. It's a combination of bad luck and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. My recommendation is to charge the phone with a stock charger. It took hours for me with an old motorola charger and using the stock one solved this. Go to ICS if U want real hdmi and less lag.
mtvdeo said:
Downgrade to ICS and solve all your lag and hdmi issues. The thing is, your phone might have come deffective but that doesn't mean ours are. Mine works great and I feel proud of Motorola.
Verizon's OTA this week solved most of the issues including hdmi and lag.
Cases like yours happen all the time to everyone with every phone. It's not the manufacturer's problem. It's a combination of bad luck and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. My recommendation is to charge the phone with a stock charger. It took hours for me with an old motorola charger and using the stock one solved this. Go to ICS if U want real hdmi and less lag.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HDMI works perfect on ICS 4.0.4 but stay on ICS Really? Then i wont have any custom roms because everyone is going to work with JellyBean... im just going to pray that these heavenly devs figure out how to fix this in the future and the mean time im going to still use my OG Razr maxx which just got JB 4.1.2 also
razzrmaxx said:
HDMI works perfect on ICS 4.0.4 but stay on ICS Really? Then i wont have any custom roms because everyone is going to work with JellyBean... im just going to pray that these heavenly devs figure out how to fix this in the future and the mean time im going to still use my OG Razr maxx which just got JB 4.1.2 also
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Verizon fixed hdmi resolution on jelly bean 4.1.2
mtvdeo said:
Verizon fixed hdmi resolution on jelly bean 4.1.2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok thats aaaaall i needed to know thank you... updating!
My opinion ... don't buy the Nexus 4 !
:laugh:
Except for the glass, I have the same issues. Plastic bezel is really fragile. SIM tray seems to start to oxidize. I acidentally dropped a coin on the bezel and it dented. Both performance and battery were affected after jelly bean update. I have the phone for less than 4 months. At first I though the phone was incredible and strongly suggested my gf to buy it. Now I'm really disappointed. Motorola didn't managed to cover all the bases.
Apparently all phones are different cause I've had the phone a month or so with the Otter Box Defender and the phone is in mint condition after being in my destructive hands Still runs smooth as ever with lots of apps and music on it. Only complaint would be speaker volume.
Droid RAZR HD (current)
LG Optimus One P-504 (For Sale)
vctrrl said:
Except for the glass, I have the same issues. Plastic bezel is really fragile. SIM tray seems to start to oxidize. I acidentally dropped a coin on the bezel and it dented. Both performance and battery were affected after jelly bean update. I have the phone for less than 4 months. At first I though the phone was incredible and strongly suggested my gf to buy it. Now I'm really disappointed. Motorola didn't managed to cover all the bases.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
as i was reading this post i dropped my cell about 3 1/2 feet high and it landed on a custom made computer with a metal cover because my 1 1/2 yr old son tripped me... i it landed face 1st halfway on the edge then to the ground... no scratch
I dropped my phone from about five feet onto concrete (the one time I didn't have an Otterbox on it!), some scratches near the top by the battery - but the phone is in perfect working condition.
I am rough with phones and have had the razr HD for 4 months without a cracked screen or any scratches. The bevelled plastic lip on the out side of the screen is a great idea, it means you can lay the phone flat on its screen without getting any surface scratches.
The razr HD is a great phone, the best available handset on any plan in Australia at the moment. Amazing battery life, the o.s is smooth and lite, 4G is fast and the handset feels strong & it looks great. The only complaint I have is sometimes switching wireless on can be buggy, but my previous phone (htc desire) had this same issue so it maybe an android issue..
krucifix85 said:
Some unbelievable points raised here.... And please if you want people to respond learn proper grammar and paragraphing...
OK, first off, the cracked screen - you've made a fairly big assumption that because you've broken it twice, there must be something wrong with the construction of the phone. I'd be interested to see if others have any issues with it.
Your second issue, the raised plastic doesn't seem to be too big of an issue to me. I'm an electrician, and have my phone in my pocket all day (with no cover/case) and have no such issues around the raised plastic. I'm taking a real close look at it now, and there are no scratches on the edges, not too much dirt, no problems at all really. I think you're picking at straws looking for problems with your phone on the physical side of things...
I for one love the size of the phone, and how rigid it feels in my hand. Coming from an SGS2 (which back felt like soft plastic - because it was!) the solid feel of the phone is a godsend to me.
Motorola do offer a dock for the phone it's directly there on their website. (http://www.motorola.com.au/consumers/MOTOROLA-ESP-PEDESTAL-WITH-SMART-CHARGER/169654,en_AU,pd.html)
I did find the phone glitchy to begin with, but I also found my telstra SGS2 glitchy when it had bloatware on it. Remove the bloatware, remove the glitchiness. Rooting alone doesn't change any hardware/software characteristics of a phone...
I haven't used the HDMI out yet, but was interested in the ability to output video while also charging the phone.
Why wouldn't you want to charge a phone overnight? That sort of complaint is one of the more ridiculous ones I've ever read...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not looking for issues I am just simply calling them as I see them. I have thrown phones across the room, droid incredible, droid charge and have never broken my screen. I do not baby my phone. As for the plastic bezel my complaint stems from the replacement phone I have received. Less than 2 days after receiving it and not abusing or dropping it at all my phone has a nice mystery dent on the top. I'm glad that you love the phone and have not had any of the same issues as me. I went to link that you have provided and I didn't find a dock there. I did see a $40 plastic stand thats sold by motorola that will work with any phone or tablet. I am looking for a real dock that has male HDMI and charger plugs fitted for the RAZR HD series, Motorola seems to have docks for every phone they make with the exception of the Razr HD series. When I rooted my phone and froze all the bloatware with TI backup I didn't see much improvement over stock at all. If you think I am uneducated because of my grammar you are ignorent, there are topics other english in higher education, I choose to study math because I don't care for grammar. If you can read english I think you will understand me relatively well, I'm not Robert Frost but you can get my point. To the rest I apologize for my none use of paragraphs.
o2qc418 said:
My opinion ... don't buy the Nexus 4 !
:laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
amen
I have the SIII now and it's POS. Went back to my RAZR MAXX and fixing to buy the HD soon.
HDMI works
My girlfriends phone was 35 days old, never dropped, in a case from day 1. Screen cracked while it was just sitting there on the kitchen table. Brand new Razr HD.
SquireSCA said:
My girlfriends phone was 35 days old, never dropped, in a case from day 1. Screen cracked while it was just sitting there on the kitchen table. Brand new Razr HD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I only see this happening if one were to take the phone from one extremity to another... Ae: hot to cold or cold to hot. Other than that I would guess the case is too tight on the phone?
Droid RAZR HD (current)
LG Optimus One P-504 (For Sale)
Very dissapointed myself. At first I loved this phone...no more.
The raised bezel is dented and scratched. I don't care about scratches since I refuse to use cases and it comes with the territory but the straight up gouges and dents are disconcerting.
Lag lag lag...not sure what project butter is cuz I've never seen this! Constantly redraws when going to home screen, browsers are slow sometimes, graphics stutter.
On top of that it doesn't function properly in my car for Bluetooth.
There are things I love about it, but its phones like this that give android the perception of being laggy and glitchy.
Its also disconcerting that moto put out an update and it still stutters same as always.
Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using xda app-developers app

S4 amoled screen broken

Hey everyone!
Longtime lurker/first time post here. I have had the very unfortunate experience of pulling my S4 out of my pocket to check the time only to have my heart and jaw drop at the sight of a broken screen. It seems to be the same problem that others have reported where the glass is fine but the touchscreen is cracked, starting on the right side directly at the power button.
I have NEVER dropped this phone. It has been handled with great care at all times. It was always in an Otterbox Defender series case. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened to it while in my pocket (bumping into something, etc) and there was never anything else in the pocket with it. I have really enjoyed this phone and was mindful of it at all times.
So... where do I go from here? I'm looking for some good advice before I take a next step in trying to get a replacement. I do not have insurance on the phone (yeah, I know), but the price each month plus the deductible for a refurbished phone didn't sound like a great deal to me since I'm able to take care of my things for the most part. If it was an accident, I'd bite the bullet and replace the screen myself or get a new phone but this either a design flaw or a manufacturing defect. Has anyone here had success through Sprint or Samsung in getting a replacement or repair? I'm rooted and running The Blu Kuban right now. Do I need to try to ODIN back to stock for warranty purposes before doing anything from here or is there a better option for me? The phone works but I can't see or operate the screen in anyway.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Google... 1st search result.
Are you a homeowner? Try your homeowner insurance. I added coverage for my phones, tablets, and laptops that cover all loses. I think it only added $15 a year to my cost and the deductible is only $25.00 on a replacement. Maybe your insurance may cover the cost of a replacement phone.
Sent from my icrap 2 using Tapatalk HD
Thanks for the useful reply Joe! How did I possibly forget to search for information on the subject before going through the trouble of making my first post on XDA despite being here for awhile?
Seriously... Read the thread. Its filled with disagreements as to what has been successful and turns into accusations of being too rough on the phone. I was asking if anyone here has successfully gotten their phone replaced and what to best method of going back to stock would be without being able to use the screen at all.
Cruise350 - Thanks alot for the suggestion man, but I'm not a homeowner.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
I know when I got my replacement for my evo 3d it wasnt refurbished it wasn brandnew still in the box and seals were not touch.Im hoping that the flaws in the screens are just because it was early in production.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2
SierraGT said:
Cruise350 - Thanks alot for the suggestion man, but I'm not a homeowner.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
More and more insurance companies are offering tech insurance and it is very affordable. I don't carry Sprint's insurance either (bad experience many years ago) I generally just keep my newest 'old' phone as a replacement in the event my new phone gets broke or dies.
It pays to shop around (or google) in trying to find good ways to insure devices. I realize this doesn't help you in your current predicament but perhaps for future reference.
You might search youtube for similar experiences which might tell you how they were fixed or offer affordable solutions for replacement.
Good luck.
Search YouTube for complete galaxy s4 teardown. A replacement screen and digitizer and frame is about $241. I've watched the 37 minute process on the video and feel it is way beyond my skill and patience. I don't know what else to tell you other than insurance might have made this easier and more affordable. Depending on where you go, who you deal with, who you talk to, this process can be expensive and full of hassle. Might I suggest, when you do get a replacement, that you invest in a tempered glass screen protector. There are topics in the accessory section on this topic. It will help protect your device better than simple screen film.
---------- Post added at 11:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:18 PM ----------
http://www.etradesupply.com/samsung/galaxy-models/samsung-galaxy-s4-sph-l720.html
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The one common theme in all these broken amoled screens under the glass are pocket users. Not one of these posts have come from someone that uses a case with holster. The gorilla glass on these phones is very strong, but the screen underneath can flex while in your pocket. I know everyone says they don't abuse their phone, haven't bumped it in their pocket, don't carry anything else in their pocket, but something that is happening is flex. With the plastic back of these phones they will definitely flex while you sit, bend, walk, or whatever during your normal routine. The amoled screen probably has a limit to the amount of flex it can handle before it fails. I know, you didn't abuse your phone but calling it a manufacturers defect is just ridiculous. Suck it up, fix or replace your phone, and next time don't put it in your pocket.
cruise350 said:
The one common theme in all these broken amoled screens under the glass are pocket users. Not one of these posts have come from someone that uses a case with holster. The gorilla glass on these phones is very strong, but the screen underneath can flex while in your pocket. I know everyone says they don't abuse their phone, haven't bumped it in their pocket, don't carry anything else in their pocket, but something that is happening is flex. With the plastic back of these phones they will definitely flex while you sit, bend, walk, or whatever during your normal routine. The amoled screen probably has a limit to the amount of flex it can handle before it fails. I know, you didn't abuse your phone but calling it a manufacturers defect is just ridiculous. Suck it up, fix or replace your phone, and next time don't put it in your pocket.
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Click to collapse
Just to clear this up... I did say design flaw or manufacturers defect. I've had many phones over the last 15 years. I have never had one break in anyway except for my Samsung Epic 4g, which took a 2 story fall (while in my pocket lol) onto a very hard surface. All it did was crack the screen a bit but was still functional for the next year until my contract was renewed.
To say that I should expect a $650 dollar phone in an Otterbox case to completely break to the point of not being able to use it just by being in my pocket in normal everyday situations is RIDICULOUS.
Should consumers really expect this level of quality? Imagine if a salesperson told you this as you were thinking of buying a phone... "Now just to let you know, never keep this phone in your pocket and then sit or walk because it'll break."
If this phone breaks in peoples pockets and isn't intended to be there, then Samsung would've/should've provided holsters with the phone.
Straight from Samsung - "Offering a highly crafted design with a larger screen and improved battery life, the sleek and innovative Galaxy S4 is slimmer yet stronger, with less to hold yet more to see." Sounds like we should expect a strong, well made phone. Not a something that will break this easily. My phone looks exactly like 4 other pictures I have found of other user's broken screens... all at the exact same spot. I maintain that this is either a design flaw or manufacturer's defect. Yes, as you said - the gorilla glass is strong. I just wish they would of made the frame stronger. Then I'd still have a working phone.
Btw, I am an unabashed Samsung fanboy. TVs, last 3 phones, monitors, etc. I talked 4 different people into getting this phone after I had it. I think normally Samsung makes great products with a high level of quality but they made a mistake on this one. I'm no longer looking forward to the S5 that comes with the required fanny pack... well, not until they make this situation right.
Now... does anyone have any info on my question on returning to stock? Thanks!
This is a tough one. I'd suggest at least attempting to contact Samsungs warranty dept. Perhaps they can offer a better solution than sprint.
Back in the Treo days I actually sent in a phone or two to palm, and got refurbished replacements.
The tough part is your defect.
I provide warranty work for appliances, manufacturers know or believe they know how and why something has failed. Glass stove tops are a prime example. Whirlpool will only cover heat fractures. I have to submit pictures of the top and, 99% of the time, the claim is rejected. Mostly because these tops break from impact or improper installation.
Point being, if you send your phone to Samsung, they may not cover it. But if you're optimistic and patient a few minutes on the phone may yield positive results.
http://m.samsung.com/us/support/service/warranty/SGH-T959HABTMB
Definitely unroot and return to stock.
SierraGT said:
Just to clear this up... I did say design flaw or manufacturers defect. I've had many phones over the last 15 years. I have never had one break in anyway except for my Samsung Epic 4g, which took a 2 story fall (while in my pocket lol) onto a very hard surface. All it did was crack the screen a bit but was still functional for the next year until my contract was renewed.
To say that I should expect a $650 dollar phone in an Otterbox case to completely break to the point of not being able to use it just by being in my pocket in normal everyday situations is RIDICULOUS.
Should consumers really expect this level of quality? Imagine if a salesperson told you this as you were thinking of buying a phone... "Now just to let you know, never keep this phone in your pocket and then sit or walk because it'll break."
If this phone breaks in peoples pockets and isn't intended to be there, then Samsung would've/should've provided holsters with the phone.
Straight from Samsung - "Offering a highly crafted design with a larger screen and improved battery life, the sleek and innovative Galaxy S4 is slimmer yet stronger, with less to hold yet more to see." Sounds like we should expect a strong, well made phone. Not a something that will break this easily. My phone looks exactly like 4 other pictures I have found of other user's broken screens... all at the exact same spot. I maintain that this is either a design flaw or manufacturer's defect. Yes, as you said - the gorilla glass is strong. I just wish they would of made the frame stronger. Then I'd still have a working phone.
Btw, I am an unabashed Samsung fanboy. TVs, last 3 phones, monitors, etc. I talked 4 different people into getting this phone after I had it. I think normally Samsung makes great products with a high level of quality but they made a mistake on this one. I'm no longer looking forward to the S5 that comes with the required fanny pack... well, not until they make this situation right.
Now... does anyone have any info on my question on returning to stock? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
***must bite tongue***
Thanks Biff. I think that's what I'm going to do.
Dave, remember to at least nibble your fingers as well next time buddy!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
SierraGT said:
Thanks Biff. I think that's what I'm going to do.
Dave, remember to at least nibble your fingers as well next time buddy!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL ok, ok, nibbling fingers

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