Next Phone for us on the 2 year upgrade cycle - Verizon Galaxy Note 3 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Well, it's coming up on that time to think about our next phone. It seems that Samsung and Verizon is hell bent to keep us from flashing our phones. I've been looking around here and it seems that most of the developers have gone to Nexus and LG devices. From what I've seen so far I might go to the LG G4+ I recently heard rumor about.
What phones do you think is going to be popular among developers?

For sure, it isn't going to be the note 5, we all know why. The note 4 will still be with developers I'm guessing. The lg g4+ (lg g4 pro) is probably being announced at Berlin IFA and will be supported, look at the lg g4 devs.
The new nexus device will obviously be a powerhouse for a lot of people looking for an unlocked bootloader and stock vanilla android .
Anyways more devices might have support like the moto x series and sony's Xperia lines are good devices too compared to Samsung's insane pricing on their devices.

Definitely the new Nexus devices will be on the top of that list. I'm also looking @, for my use come Feb '16, a GSM G4 as well as the M9.
I'm interested in seeing what others have to say. This is what I want - removable battery, SD card slot, IR blaster, easy root and unlocked bootloader.
This is what I need - all of the above (or, if not a replaceable battery, then a battery case that allows on the fly recharging...)
I'm looking forward to Christmas and seeing what comes of it - that's the season (well, just prior to it) for all the new goodies...
What are others looking @?
I know I'm done with Samsung (iron fisted, whore mongers... No offense!) - they and Verizon have made it apparent who they believe owns my phone. Top it off with the lobotomized phones they now offer and they've gone from "smart" phone to "not-so-smart" phone...

I'm happy with my Note3 on Jasmine, but I don't see it getting an upgrade to Marshmallow. The note 5 is out of the question, I'd like a Note4(but the Verizon retail version doesn't appear to be rootable). I've got time, the Nexus on the Verizon site seems to be a bit light in the hardware side, the LG looks nice. Of course, there's always leaving Verizon, if I can convince the wife.

I just made the jump to TMO. I was afraid they'd not have the network I need here in Georgia, but they're comparable thus far to Big Red, with a greatly reduced cost structure and a heap more data for the $$$.
I was able to set my Note 3 (CDMA) up to work on TMO's GSM network and have awesome data speeds. It's a game changer - if I don't like them, I can move to AT&T and, when the time comes, root whatever I buy outright without the runaround that Verizon offers.
I thought about the Note 4 on TMO - it's an easy root but it's just not that much of an upgrade over the 3 and certainly not a $500+ upgrade. So, I'll stay put with the N3 and move to something else when this old daily driver don't drive no more... (That'll likely be Android "Zebra cake....")

Related

Was going to upgrade to an S6 but now having second thoughts

Like the thread title says my upgrade is up and i was really excited when samsung revealed it (i watched the livestream even) and now that its a few weeks later im having second thoughts.. Its not what you think either.I am ok with no sdcard and im ok with my phone not being water proof (a silly reason not to buy a phone IMO) Obviously we have no real world reviews yet (most of the early reviews are on demo units and its been posted here they are not optimized like the retail units will be) so i take them with a grain of salt...
My actual thoughts are considering waiting a little bit to see what sony and motorola/lenovo bring to the table for 2015. I am hearing good things about the z4 and lots of crazy rumors about a moto x 2015 flagship or a droid turbo 2.. .. i have to admit i was in love with the moto x sadly not the battery life and i actually owned a droid turbo for a few days till i returned it and got my wife a note 4.. .. its not even the glass back (even though it seems like a poor design idea ) i case and screen protect my phone always ..
I guess overall samsung hasn't made me that excited to use my upgrade to the point im not willing to wait and see what sony and moto have up their sleeve... worse comes to worse the price will have dropped by may/june (most likely when we will know about all the 2015 flagships) It kinda makes me sad that im not all jazzed to buy an s6 this time around
To each his own. I'm eligible for an upgrade as well. Right now I'm still using my SGS3. Going to wait and see what the galaxy s6 Active has to offer. Will be one or the other though. In my opinion Samsung has always has the best phones out there period.
If you value an excellent camera in a phone then both Sony and Motorola are absolutely terrible in that regard (harsh on Sony a bit but, seriously, they deserve to be shot for not knowing how to properly use and optimize a big ass 1/2.3 sensor). I loved the Moto X and I love that it has stock android with a few nifty tricks but - believe it or not - the battery wasn't the main reason I didn't go for it - it was its god-awful excuse for a camera.
Part of my decision is already made because I'm stuck on Sprint - Xperia is it out as is the Droid. The G4 is going to be bigger than the G3, which I had passed on for being too big. Even so, only the Xperia has a shot at having as good a camera as the S6, and fingerprint scanner and wireless charging are huge differentiators for me. Plus, nothing down the pike is going to look as hot or distinctive as the S6 Edge. I've never take cared about looks before, but the S6 Edge fills me with lust.
I am on an s3 atm as well .. my phone should have a "decent" camera (meaning when i send pics to my wife on her note 4 or post them online they look good) my smartphone doesnt need to be a DSLR ( i have a nikon D5300 for the good stuff and a canon for trips etc ) honestly the droid turbo took really good shots it just doesnt have OIS (which would be nice) thyeres actually a thread in the turbo forum with lots of nice pics..
i guess my "dream" flagship phone would be like 5.2 in 2k display screen,decent camera, good battery (at least all day watching videos playing games browsing etc) without quick charging ,805-810 processor m(or equiv) 3-4 gigs of ram (new gen not old)
ATM the closest things (last gen) are the droid turbo and note 4.. so far this year we have had alot of letdowns (m9 gflex 2 etc) i figure worse comes to worse ill buy a turbo or note 4 if the flagships truly disappoint or the 810 overheating throttling issues continue
After all the drama about the M9 having worse display than the M8, overheating, and having worse battery life than the M8, you seriously want to consider the G4 and Z4, both of which will suffer from the same problems as the M9?
Are you crazy?
Hanson68 said:
Part of my decision is already made because I'm stuck on Sprint - Xperia is it out as is the Droid. .
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same here.. honestly the only reason i keep buying samsung is because of Sprint. would have loved to get the Z3.
the folks running sprint are idiots for not trying to carry more phones.. then they wonder why they are in the last place when it comes to subscribers. i would of switched carriers long ago, but i am not willing to double the payment of my plan and it's just not worth switching solely to get a different brand phone, and overall i am satisfied with the coverage so i guess i'll keep eating samsung phones until the idiots at sprint finally grow some brains.
tft said:
same here.. honestly the only reason i keep buying samsung is because of Sprint. would have loved to get the Z3.
the folks running sprint are idiots for not trying to carry more phones.. then they wonder why they are in the last place when it comes to subscribers. i would of switched carriers long ago, but i am not willing to double the payment of my plan and it's just not worth switching solely to get a different brand phone, and overall i am satisfied with the coverage so i guess i'll keep eating samsung phones until the idiots at sprint finally grow some brains.
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There is no other option but Samsung this year. Count your blessings.
I will definitely upgrade to S6. Moto is real good but camera is only average quality everytime, it never got top notch camera. I will also put an eye on upcoming Sony but they delayed the Z4/Z4c/Z4U to Sep(latest leaked info) that would be wait too long, still half year to go....
I will get S6 first and if Sony is real good this time, I may give Z4c a chance later. However, the IMX230 camera in Z4 probably will got better focus because of phase detection focus added but might be still lack of OIS. So, it is a 50/50. S6 focus may loss to Z4 but got OIS to deal with low-light and video stuffs.
Applesexual said:
After all the drama about the M9 having worse display than the M8, overheating, and having worse battery life than the M8, you seriously want to consider the G4 and Z4, both of which will suffer from the same problems as the M9?
Are you crazy?
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well seeing as the z4 and motos offerings arent even out yet we dont know do we?? motos flagship will be out late august sept which is plenty of time to either have snapdragon fix their issues or for them to use a different chipset... so far with the z4 and moto all we have is internet speculation and conjecture... call me "crazy" but i prefer to wait until theres more concrete evidence
Hanson68 said:
Part of my decision is already made because I'm stuck on Sprint - Xperia is it out as is the Droid.
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OT: Why do you say you are stuck on Sprint?.
I actually get okay customer service at Sprint. AT&T and Verizon are absolute a-holes and look to screwing you over any chance they get. TMo's voice is still awful.
Hanson68 said:
I actually get okay customer service at Sprint. AT&T and Verizon are absolute a-holes and look to screwing you over any chance they get. TMo's voice is still awful.
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i never had a problem with sprint and generally have the same experience. the only thing i hate is lack of diversity of phones. i give sprint much credit as they are the only real company that actually built their entire network, and its greatly improved. att and vzw only became that big because they basically gobbled up a bunch of companies in the early 90s, they didnt build their network, the bells they took over did, anyway a bit OT..
furfmonkey said:
Like the thread title says my upgrade is up and i was really excited when samsung revealed it (i watched the livestream even) and now that its a few weeks later im having second thoughts.. Its not what you think either.I am ok with no sdcard and im ok with my phone not being water proof (a silly reason not to buy a phone IMO) Obviously we have no real world reviews yet (most of the early reviews are on demo units and its been posted here they are not optimized like the retail units will be) so i take them with a grain of salt...
My actual thoughts are considering waiting a little bit to see what sony and motorola/lenovo bring to the table for 2015. I am hearing good things about the z4 and lots of crazy rumors about a moto x 2015 flagship or a droid turbo 2.. .. i have to admit i was in love with the moto x sadly not the battery life and i actually owned a droid turbo for a few days till i returned it and got my wife a note 4.. .. its not even the glass back (even though it seems like a poor design idea ) i case and screen protect my phone always ..
I guess overall samsung hasn't made me that excited to use my upgrade to the point im not willing to wait and see what sony and moto have up their sleeve... worse comes to worse the price will have dropped by may/june (most likely when we will know about all the 2015 flagships) It kinda makes me sad that im not all jazzed to buy an s6 this time around
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I am almost the same as you...i was 100% to get either s6 or s6 edge but now i am not that sure anymore and to be honest they are expensive especially the edge...the small battery is killing me...and then i also see my brothers Z3 (his first SONY phone and he said he will never have a samsung again) that have a 5h30min of SOT with 35% battery left and i am not that sure anymore...i might wait for Z4 but now the rumors have it it will be released in september and that is a little too long for me. The one phone i am also eagerly awaiting is ZTE NUBIA Z9 (march 26) especially if it will have very small bezels (i like the look of the small bezel phne) and now that i have a NUBIA Z7mini and i am very happy with it i might go for the NUBIA (i was curious to try chinese phone and that phone surprised me) ...the only think that i dont like in Z7mini is battery...and i also like the fact that there are not many of them in my country as for the samsung i think every 2nd person is gona have one...dont know what will happen till 10th of april
I was going to the the Z4, but Sony's mobile division is going down under and is unstable with all their job cuts and them deciding not to focus much on their mobile department. I'd rather be with a company that is more stable and will provide updates on time and be assured my phone can be warranted
Kind of the same.. I do want a S6 but I won't give up the battery life I get on my 6 Plus and go back to the days of worrying about battery life. I want to return to android but won't go backward in battery life. Had a Note 4 and that didn't match my Plus either. Z4 maybe?
furfmonkey said:
well seeing as the z4 and motos offerings arent even out yet we dont know do we?? motos flagship will be out late august sept which is plenty of time to either have snapdragon fix their issues or for them to use a different chipset... so far with the z4 and moto all we have is internet speculation and conjecture... call me "crazy" but i prefer to wait until theres more concrete evidence
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If you prefer to wait 6 months for a phone, that is your option. Just remember....there will always be something "better" coming out in 6 months. Right now....and for the foreseeable future the s6 will be the best phone on the market.
das boot said:
If you prefer to wait 6 months for a phone, that is your option. Just remember....there will always be something "better" coming out in 6 months. Right now....and for the foreseeable future the s6 will be the best phone on the market.
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honestly (purely in my own opinion) if i HAD to get a phone now , i would pick the Note 4 over the S6 my wife has it and once you get used to a larger screen (still smaller than a nexus 6) its a really nice phone sd card slot,arguably the best camera on a smartphone,and i enjoy the s pen post its and making stupid doodles on it from time to time.. and games and movies look amazing... and the battery lasts forever (i have watched 2-3 hrs of movies on my wifes, played graphics intensive games like deer hunter and dino hunter and browsed the web etc... ) at about 55% brightness with like 35-40% left at the end of the day.. so if Moto doesnt have anything good out or on the horizon by like june ill probably just get a note 4 or wait for a note 5 (if samsung doesnt mess it up)
While the droid turbo is a great phone, I'd avoid it like the plague. It's basically a verizon exclusive (will be released as the Droid Maxx 2, but not in the US), so any updates will be few and far between. Everyone who bought this phone initially was thinking "moto updates their phones quickly...this will be great!" But quickly realized it's the X,G, and E phones that were released globally that are getting the updates. The turbo is a niche device that verizon has basically already forgotten about.
I only consider purchasing flagship devices from any manufacturer, because I want device support. While I may buy year old flagships, they are still supported way more than niche and newly released mid-range devices.
But, based on what I've seen so far, the S6 is the device to beat this year.
furfmonkey said:
well seeing as the z4 and motos offerings arent even out yet we dont know do we?? motos flagship will be out late august sept which is plenty of time to either have snapdragon fix their issues or for them to use a different chipset... so far with the z4 and moto all we have is internet speculation and conjecture... call me "crazy" but i prefer to wait until theres more concrete evidence
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All the other flagships this year will use either the 810 or the 815, both of which are manufactured on the same process node technology and have the same exact reference ARM CPU cores.
The only difference is that the 815 will be using a newer GPU.
The 815 will still have the same problems as the 810.
If you want a non-Samsung flagship, I suggest you wait next year around this month and day, as that is when they'll be using the SnapDragon 820, with Qualcomm's own custom CPU cores.
Of course by then, Samsung will also have their custom Exynos CPU and GPU cores.
Next year is going to be REALLY interesting.

Returning G4 (810)

The LG G4 is one of the best phones I have owned. I truly appreciate it, however it has some nagging issues with carrier restrictions and as much as I hate to do it, my AT&T 810 G4 is going back. I am not happy about it, and may pick up an international (815) one soon, but I decided this one was going back.
Why Send it back?
No Root, No Bootloader Unlock
AT&T Bloatware
AT&T Disabled FM Radio
AT&T OTA pushes
Leather back felt cheap, and I could not find a good case to fit it
Nexus 5 2015
This is a great phone, and I have nothing against functionality or performance.
Whats Next?
Returning to my trusty HTC One M7 (For Now)
See what happens with the Nexus 5 2015
Might pickup an LG G4 815 International
Wait and see where developers go with unlocking the G4
WLMiller54 said:
The LG G4 is one of the best phones I have owned. I truly appreciate it, however it has some nagging issues with carrier restrictions and as much as I hate to do it, my AT&T 810 G4 is going back. I am not happy about it, and may pick up an international (815) one soon, but I decided this one was going back.
Why Send it back?
No Root, No Bootloader Unlock
AT&T Bloatware
AT&T Disabled FM Radio
AT&T OTA pushes
Leather back felt cheap, and I could not find a good case to fit it
Nexus 5 2015
This is a great phone, and I have nothing against functionality or performance.
Whats Next?
Returning to my trusty HTC One M7 (For Now)
See what happens with the Nexus 5 2015
Might pickup an LG G4 815 International
Wait and see where developers go with unlocking the G4
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Click to collapse
Root and unlock will happen, the leather back I have feels high class (t-mo brown) you can freeze bloat with de-bloater tool (all mine is) I dont use the radio (too many apps to use it, plus some of them have local radio) ota-cant help that... I'll most likely get the Nexus 5 as. Well....while keeping this phone.....you did admit its a great phone!
OP has all fair points. Not mad.. but sorry to see you go.
Laters.
WLMiller54 said:
Why Send it back?
No Root, No Bootloader Unlock
AT&T Bloatware
AT&T Disabled FM Radio
AT&T OTA pushes
Leather back felt cheap, and I could not find a good case to fit it
Nexus 5 2015
This is a great phone, and I have nothing against functionality or performance.
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Looks like you need to buy a phone full price, no carrier BS.
Sorry to see you go, but I completely understand. I have seen things in this forum that US carriers do to that phone and I have no idea WTF they are thinking.
As for root, I have faith.:good:
Sadly, mine's going back as well. As much as I like the phone, there are currently too many things that annoy me. I'm with Verizon, so the missing apps started me out on the wrong foot. Then throw in LG and/or Verizon not honoring the $100 GB of Google Drive storage as promised, and the touchscreen issues. Finally, I got a notice from Verizon and my bill went up $23 instead of dropping a couple bucks which two Best Buy reps assured me it would. I spoke to a Best Buy manager, and they agreed to return the phone a month after I purchased it (as well as cancel the Edge plan).
All in all, it's a great phone but it's not significantly better than my trusty G3 (slightly better CPU, camera, battery etc...) enough to offset the additional expense. I have a bunch of accessories for the G4 that I'm holding onto, so I'll probably pick one up further down the road. I'd opt for the international version for obvious reasons. I assume that the unlocked version will work fine on a CDMA network with the proper set-up.
UPDATE: Nope... I guess I'm keeping it. After two Verizon reps assured me that I could cancel my Edge agreement, when the time came to do so the rep I got said in no uncertain terms that it wasn't going to happen. So even though Best Buy admitted that they screwed up and offered to return the phone AND twice Verizon said otherwise, I'm now told that I would have to buy out the remainder of the contract. I can't complain too much, since I got the $100 Best Buy gift card and Verizon kicked in a $145 bill credit for the mistake.
Unlocked International won't be a good idea..... As long as Verizon doesn't transition to full LTE and still uses CDMA till 2017, this won't work as voice won't go over GSM...
Actually holding back from the G4 because of those as well. Let's see what this year's Nexus have to offer and probably the OnePlus Two as well.
I did the same. Unless there is a viable unlock + root option no LG G4 for me!
SCPadgeebar said:
Actually holding back from the G4 because of those as well. Let's see what this year's Nexus have to offer and probably the OnePlus Two as well.
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I agree, I am watching Nexus 5 2015 and the OnePlus Two as well .... If I can get a OP2 invite.
fpsq said:
I did the same. Unless there is a viable unlock + root option no LG G4 for me!
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Yep, I am waiting to. I may head back to LG4 if there is an unlock and root option.
I can certainly respect your decision, even if I would not do the same thing. Sorry that you did not get as much out of your G4 as you were expecting that you would, I just hope you can find a phone that fits your needs and you can have more fun with.
BTW - That Nexus 5 2015 does sound pretty promising, if you pick one up be sure to let me know how it is.
im in the same boat, Att H810 have the least number of bands out of all G4 variants, so I can't get data even when I unlock the phone to use in Asia.
But I am already past my 14 days period so fml.
ED2O9 said:
UPDATE: Nope... I guess I'm keeping it. After two Verizon reps assured me that I could cancel my Edge agreement, when the time came to do so the rep I got said in no uncertain terms that it wasn't going to happen. So even though Best Buy admitted that they screwed up and offered to return the phone AND twice Verizon said otherwise, I'm now told that I would have to buy out the remainder of the contract. I can't complain too much, since I got the $100 Best Buy gift card and Verizon kicked in a $145 bill credit for the mistake.
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Call recorder. This is a must have app for everyone who interacts with any business at all. They're always going to record your call for 'quality assurance', which automatically gives you the right to record it as well (at least in California) without informing them. Always good for CYA situations like this.

The End of the Line has officially arrived.

For those of you who don't follow the latest news on Galaxy S and Note, all Snapdragon 820 variants of Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are bootloader-locked. Yes, you read this correctly. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, it no longer matters which US carrier you have. All SD820 variants are locked.
This is officially the end of the line, folks. No dev community can survive when every device is locked, so what tiny community existed, and by that I mean only hsbadr who has singlehandedly supported our Verizon N4DEs for years now, will evaporate. If you like phones you can root and flash custom ROMs on, you can no longer buy Samsung Galaxy S and Note in USA.
Canadians have a wild card here, they are getting the Exynos 8890 variant but it doesn't support any US voice bands, GSM or CDMA. Unless it's possible to hack the Canadian S7 variant to make it work in US at least on the GSM carriers AT&T and T-Mobile, all Americans are now officially f**ked.
It was nice owning Galaxy Notes all these years. I started with a Note II and I currently have my Note 4 DE, but this is the end of the line. My next phone, regardless of which carrier I'm on, cannot be a Galaxy Note. I'll miss my S-Pen ;_;
I wonder if other manufacturers will follow Samsung's lead. They probably want to do it, but haven't. I wonder if, eventually, our only choice for phones that aren't locked down will be phones like the Nexus.
Although there's no way to really and truly know, I wonder how many people will even care. Of all the people that I've talked to since I started my rooting adventures with an HTC Evo, there has only been a small handful that even know what rooting was and only one other person who actually had a rooted phone. I'd imagine that most people won't care at all.
My Note 4 Dev Edition and Note 2 will be my rooted phones and the Note 6 will be my locked down phone. I guess I'll swap SIMs if I need a rooted phone with cellular data.
Sold my Note 4 last week. Used upgrade to get Note 5, then sold it. Got 6P today, rooted within minutes.
Adios Samsung.
Not yet
FMXP said:
For those of you who don't follow the latest news on Galaxy S and Note, all Snapdragon 820 variants of Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are bootloader-locked. Yes, you read this correctly. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, it no longer matters which US carrier you have. All SD820 variants are locked.
This is officially the end of the line, folks. No dev community can survive when every device is locked, so what tiny community existed, and by that I mean only hsbadr who has singlehandedly supported our Verizon N4DEs for years now, will evaporate. If you like phones you can root and flash custom ROMs on, you can no longer buy Samsung Galaxy S and Note in USA.
Canadians have a wild card here, they are getting the Exynos 8890 variant but it doesn't support any US voice bands, GSM or CDMA. Unless it's possible to hack the Canadian S7 variant to make it work in US at least on the GSM carriers AT&T and T-Mobile, all Americans are now officially f**ked.
It was nice owning Galaxy Notes all these years. I started with a Note II and I currently have my Note 4 DE, but this is the end of the line. My next phone, regardless of which carrier I'm on, cannot be a Galaxy Note. I'll miss my S-Pen ;_;
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T-Mobile has asked Samsung to work with their engineers to Unlock them. If there is enough outrage and sales slump, they might reverse this or offer and option to unlock like HTC does.
Can someone explain to me the purpose of carriers and manufacturers locking devices down like that? This sort of thing has been going on for a long long time and I've never seen the harm behind it. What can a rooted device do that causes them to want to lock it down again?
To use Verizon as an example. Verizon wants to charge you extra for the ability to tether. Granted there are apps to get around this but with the built-in tethering function, it automatically checks to make sure you are Subscribed to that feature. I'm sure there are more reasons than that.
Zantillian said:
Can someone explain to me the purpose of carriers and manufacturers locking devices down like that? This sort of thing has been going on for a long long time and I've never seen the harm behind it. What can a rooted device do that causes them to want to lock it down again?
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There is a number of reasons but one major reason is the manufacturer's desire to gain corporate accounts. To do so requires, for most corporate networks, a phone that cannot be rooted thus allowing the installation of apps that cannot be controlled or monitored by corporate IT security personnel. That is why many corporate networks will allow your iphone on their network but not an Android phone. It's all about sales.
Follow the money.
As stated above corporate sales are a big reason. Also the potential the have Android/Samsung/Google or whatever payment applications comprised is likely another large reason. Then you have Ad blocking. Removing those from ones phone kills a large revenue stream for carriers and Google alike. Not just for the individual ads but also the data they consume from your allotment.
The Note 4 is my first Samsung, and probably my last. I did enjoy having the pen, and when my Edge is up next year, I'm hopeful I'll have the cabbage to purchase a Nexus. I like clean and simple things, Samsung has a lot of nice features, but most of them just get in my way.
All that being said I have not missed not being able to root, because mostly my reasons for doing doing so were for battery life on HTCs. My last phone was a Droid MAXX, which had amazing battery (might have been my favorite phone ever). The Note 4 has been good on battery, especially since 5.1.1 (and a factory reset)
My $.02.
unfortunately, i've stopped minding 100% about root. i only mind like 60% now. i mean, every phone i've ever had was rooted. eris, incredible, rezound, dna, s3, s4, g2, moto x pure edition.....and then my poor note 4, never rooted. but honestly, i had the moto x pure, and although it was nice having a new rooted phone, i ended up selling it because i just liked my unrooted note 4 better. note 4, next to my g2, was one of the best phones i've ever had. and now, i decided since i don't mind root as much, but i enjoy samsung camera/screen quality, i bought the s7, and i really like it. sure there's no root, but if i absolutely need root, my galaxy tab s 8.4 is rooted, my nexus 7 is rooted, and my g2 is rooted. if i need wireless hotspot, i'll just pop my sim into my g2. keeping my note 4, though, definitely..and might even buy the note 6 when it comes out, that's how nice this s7 is.
there are ways to unlock bootloaders and root any smart phone but nobody wants to share. all it is ..is code ....if theres a way to write the code then theres a way to unlock code. cant stop root. there will always be away. think about it. a smart phone works like a pc. someone out there has a way but doesnt share
jayochs said:
unfortunately, i've stopped minding 100% about root. i only mind like 60% now. i mean, every phone i've ever had was rooted. eris, incredible, rezound, dna, s3, s4, g2, moto x pure edition.....and then my poor note 4, never rooted. but honestly, i had the moto x pure, and although it was nice having a new rooted phone, i ended up selling it because i just liked my unrooted note 4 better. note 4, next to my g2, was one of the best phones i've ever had. and now, i decided since i don't mind root as much, but i enjoy samsung camera/screen quality, i bought the s7, and i really like it. sure there's no root, but if i absolutely need root, my galaxy tab s 8.4 is rooted, my nexus 7 is rooted, and my g2 is rooted. if i need wireless hotspot, i'll just pop my sim into my g2. keeping my note 4, though, definitely..and might even buy the note 6 when it comes out, that's how nice this s7 is.
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You could try FoxFi on your S7. It's only a little over $7 for the full app, and in my opinion is well worth the price. Like you, I still have a rooted phone, my S4 which I was using prior to my Note 4, and used it for the hot spot before I made the jump to FoxFi. For me, the convenience of just being able to use one phone for everything, especially the hot spot since it's my only Internet connection at home, is worth the small amount charged by the developer, and possible a lot better for the batteries on both phones since they use the most energy when powering on from a cold boot. I think that's how I wound up going through a power supply for my desktop in roughly two years, too many reboots.
so foxfi works perfectly on non rooted phones and completely bypasses wireless Hotspot? unlimited plan i pay 50 a month for here, so i should be able to tether for free from Verizon but they're pieces of shat so clearly we can't.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S7 using Tapatalk
will4958 said:
You could try FoxFi on your S7. It's only a little over $7 for the full app, and in my opinion is well worth the price. Like you, I still have a rooted phone, my S4 which I was using prior to my Note 4, and used it for the hot spot before I made the jump to FoxFi. For me, the convenience of just being able to use one phone for everything, especially the hot spot since it's my only Internet connection at home, is worth the small amount charged by the developer, and possible a lot better for the batteries on both phones since they use the most energy when powering on from a cold boot. I think that's how I wound up going through a power supply for my desktop in roughly two years, too many reboots.
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Click to collapse
I just switched to Sprint, (from my Verizon Note 4), Got a Note 5 and rooted it immediately.
Sprint will pay off my $360 Verizon contract balance, and I also will get a $225 cash gift card from COSTCO wireless for switching.
My bill is only $10 higher, and I have unlimited talk and text, which I didn't have with Verizon
http://www.xda-developers.com/opini...gn=Feed:+xda-developers/ShsH+(xda-developers) a good explanation why things go this way... I belive the only left possibility of personalizing or devices will be thorough mods or hacks each time more complicate
It's just as well. Samsung has gone straight downhill. Let's review:
No new features made their way to the Note 4.
Updates took an extremely long time, and they even updated older phones first.
Locked down tight.
Lag. Always lag. All one need do is go to application manager and try to scroll down. (Even my old Droid 2 Global running Gingerbread does this smoothly!) This is but one example of many.
Also, has anyone else noticed how Samsung puts out almost the same exact phone every year?
Anyway, I was done with Samsung before this news. The Note 4 is largely a disaster. The only question now is what to ditch it for. I like the specs of the LG G5, but the software looks awful. So I'm waiting to see what HTC is doing with the 10. If that doesn't pan out, I guess I'll wait for the Nexus.
Sent from my SM-N910V.

Time to upgrade from G2, need everyones honest opinions!

Well i LOVE my LG G2 (Verizon), but my LCD just crapped out and I figure Id just upgrade to a new phone, I use straight talk so I can Use almost any variant, I just went with Verizon cuz service was better around here and It came pre unlocked. Im considering a G3 or really want the G4, I cant afford a G5 Id like it under $200, what would you do? Switch to a G3, or skip the 3 and Goto G4, or is their something better then LG in that price range?? Its gotta be rootable (what isnt these days) i love the IR sensor, I love everything about my G2 so i want to match as many features and specs as I can, Also a Removeable battery and SD card slot are always nice..
Whats everyones opinions? I need to buy ASAP. I hate flipping my G2 like a ninja with a sword just to navigate normal everyday use.
Thanks guys, looking forward to ALL opinions. Im open for any ideas.
I switched from LG G2 to Nexus 5X, which is very close to a G4 under hood.
I don't regret it. A very good phone for under 300$ and always up to date. Google promised updates the next two years. So that the 5X will get the follower of N next year. The daily usage performance is significantly better than the G2.
Gesendet von meinem Pixel C mit Tapatalk
The LG smartphones are becoming increasingly developer unfriendly. For example, the LG G4 AT&T and US991 version still have locked bootloaders. I switched to Nexus 5X, and it seems fine. It's a great value right now because US-based vendors are selling the 5X with 32GB for under 250USD on ebay. I guess it's part of the clearance for the next generation model. The deals on the unlocked Motorola X Pure and the new Moto G4 are also looking good. In general, I don't think I'll ever want to buy a carrier-locked, carrier-branded smartphone again. It's just not worth the trouble.
PS: the old LG G2 also continues running strong..
I myself am patiently waiting on the ZTE Axon 7.
Akopps said:
The LG smartphones are becoming increasingly developer unfriendly. For example, the LG G4 AT&T and US991 version still have locked bootloaders. I switched to Nexus 5X, and it seems fine. It's a great value right now because US-based vendors are selling the 5X with 32GB for under 250USD on ebay. I guess it's part of the clearance for the next generation model. The deals on the unlocked Motorola X Pure and the new Moto G4 are also looking good. In general, I don't think I'll ever want to buy a carrier-locked, carrier-branded smartphone again. It's just not worth the trouble.
PS: the old LG G2 also continues running strong..
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Click to collapse
Thanks for your promp replys. I see the Nexus 5X is a hit, I have looked at that one. Why dont they like putting SD card slots on phones anymore?? I dont understand why tey are abandoning that simple luxury. What are some other runner ups with these devices? Are any of the Motorola Droids that good? I want to have the same if not better RAM, and Processors as my G2. I fairly bigger screen would be nice. They pop out so many different models of phones a year its hard to keep track of them anymore!
T-Mobile unlocked G4 on eBay is always around $180 for new other or refurbished condition.
Hardware wise, G4 is way better than 5X.
Personally I would said g4 or moto x pure are better choice.
N5X has very good software development. But the lower ram, the lousy camera, 1080p display, lack of SD card, plastic construction, poor sound output make it a meh phone.
It is the most dispointng Nexus phone ever...
laofan said:
T-Mobile unlocked G4 on eBay is always around $180 for new other or refurbished condition.
Hardware wise, G4 is way better than 5X.
Personally I would said g4 or moto x pure are better choice.
N5X has very good software development. But the lower ram, the lousy camera, 1080p display, lack of SD card, plastic construction, poor sound output make it a meh phone.
It is the most dispointng Nexus phone ever...
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I know their is a difference between my G2 (VS980 Variant) and and all the others, like the cases have to be special. Verizon hides the hidden service menu and, its like the GSM versions AT&T+T-Mobile, and even Sprint's LS980, are all different then the Verizon VS980 ....If i were to get G4, what variant would you sugget? Is Verizon different on it too? I use a Verizon SIM from straight talk but I would consider switching to AT&T because even without getting throttled I hear the Verizon caps HIGH SPEED as well..... Would CDMA Verizon sim work on a AT&T variant G4?
robles4242 said:
Thanks for your promp replys. I see the Nexus 5X is a hit, I have looked at that one. Why dont they like putting SD card slots on phones anymore?? I dont understand why tey are abandoning that simple luxury.
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Isn't the answer very obvious? The entire industry, the Googles, the Apples, the Verizons, and the Hollywoods of the world don't want you to have much local storage so that you just pay more for bandwidth and for cloud storage. They want you to store all backups on the cloud. They want you to save and the access all your pictures and videos from the cloud. Besides, having less storage means it's gonna be less likely that you will get the movies and TV shows off bittorrent in order to watch it on your phone or tablet. Having said that, 32GB of storage is fine for my needs on a smartphone. Maybe somewhat tight, but still fine. Although I do see the appeal of more storage. I have a 40GB of music in compressed format, and it would certainly be nice to have it all on my phone.
What are some other runner ups with these devices? Are any of the Motorola Droids that good? I want to have the same if not better RAM, and Processors as my G2. I fairly bigger screen would be nice. They pop out so many different models of phones a year its hard to keep track of them anymore!
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There are good deals on the 2015 Motorola X Pure, which is the same generation device as Nexus 5X, but with more RAM, bigger screen, and storage card slot. There are good sales on those. Even brick and mortar stores are selling them for under 300USD right now. On the con side, I read in a few reviews that Moto X Pure has below average screen brightness and poor battery life. The other day I saw a Moto X Pure side by side with Moto G, and the Moto X Pure had noticeably dimmer screen. I even set its brightness to the max, and it still looked dimmer than Moto G (2015). The screen looked good for indoor use, but poor for outdoors. And so I thought I'd rather have better screen and battery life and went for the 5X.
Also, interesting deals can be had on the Oneplus smartphones. The original Oneplus One smartphone is still a great smartphone is still sells new for 250USD for the 64GB version. It is based on the proven Snapdragon 801 SoC and has very good battery life. I recommended Oneplus One to everyone I know, and by today's standards it's still pretty much a perfect smartphone. The latest Oneplus 3 is also a great value, even at 400USD, but both don't have a storage card slot. The Oneplus 3 uses the Snapdragon 820 SoC (also used in LG G5) which is massively faster than the SD800-810 used in LG G2 through G4 (as well as any Nexus smartphone up to this date).
The new Moto G are also fine budget phones and have great features, but it's ridiculous that they have SoC that by most measures is still slower than the Snapdragon 800/801 we got in LG G2 and G3 years ago. The entry level Snapdragon SoCs are still kinda poor. I am wondering when Snapdragon creates a budget SoC based on the 820 family.
Why not just upgrade to Oneplus 3?
At least here in Europe (Lithuania)
5x - 250 euro
G4 - 360 euro
Moto Style - 380 euro
Oneplus 3 - 400 euro.
I think it's the current wisest choise to upgrade from LG G2.
I'm still hanging on my G2, just because I don't want to sell it for pennies..
vklexer said:
Why not just upgrade to Oneplus 3?
At least here in Europe (Lithuania)
5x - 250 euro
G4 - 360 euro
Moto Style - 380 euro
Oneplus 3 - 400 euro.
I think it's the current wisest choise to upgrade from LG G2.
I'm still hanging on my G2, just because I don't want to sell it for pennies..
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U. S. Prices of these phones are different than Euro , especially when one could find good deals on eBay.
For example, like new G4 is $180 , while 5x is $200 or more...
robles4242 said:
I know their is a difference between my G2 (VS980 Variant) and and all the others, like the cases have to be special. Verizon hides the hidden service menu and, its like the GSM versions AT&T+T-Mobile, and even Sprint's LS980, are all different then the Verizon VS980 ....If i were to get G4, what variant would you sugget? Is Verizon different on it too? I use a Verizon SIM from straight talk but I would consider switching to AT&T because even without getting throttled I hear the Verizon caps HIGH SPEED as well..... Would CDMA Verizon sim work on a AT&T variant G4?
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Click to collapse
I assume you are using straight talk. Straight talk uses both Verizon tower or AT&T tower. You need to call straight talk to find out if your local area is using Verizon or AT&T tower.
For straight talk, I believe Verizon sim won't work on a AT&T/tmobile G4. But a AT&T sim would work on both Verizon g4 or AT&T/Tmobile g4.
So you need to ask your carrier, straight talk, to decide which version of g4 you want to buy.
And if rom development is important to you, you would also want to check the G4 forum to see which variant of g4 has unlocked bootloader.
Some early patches of G4 suffers bootloop. If you decide on buying g4, make sure they are manufactured in late 2015 or later.
The G2 will be my last Android device for a while, im done with the way OEMs update software. Apple, here I go
Eminemiero said:
The G2 will be my last Android device for a while, im done with the way OEMs update software. Apple, here I go
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Click to collapse
I could never switch to the dark side of Apple. I have an iphone 4 i got given to me, and ive never even turned it on yet. Its in the drawer with an LG volt, Galaxy Tab 4, Nokia Lumia Windows 8.1 , UMX, Visual Land Prestige Elite 8 tablet, Galaxy S3, ZTE Reef, Kindle Fire HD 7, some more random devices, and soon to be a LG G2. But I will buy a new digitizer and fix the G2.....
I really dont have the $300+ at the moment to throw on a new phone, the wife wants an LG Stylo of sorts for her Virgin Mobile service, and its her birthday in oh crap 3 days haha So I have to really get on it here. I dont want to get a G3 even tho they are so cheap, But only used G4's are under $200.... Ive looked at so many phones this week its crazy. I just cant pull the trigger, I keep doing a loop. I get pulled tword he G4, then look at the prices, and see everyones Bootloops, and Screen problems, and i get leary, So i check out the phones mentioned, and I like them, then the price pushes me back the G4 and it repeats all over again...
Im gonna have to fork out the cash or settle for something less... Its such a heard decision....
robles4242 said:
I could never switch to the dark side of Apple. I have an iphone 4 i got given to me, and ive never even turned it on yet. Its in the drawer with an LG volt, Galaxy Tab 4, Nokia Lumia Windows 8.1 , UMX, Visual Land Prestige Elite 8 tablet, Galaxy S3, ZTE Reef, Kindle Fire HD 7, some more random devices, and soon to be a LG G2. But I will buy a new digitizer and fix the G2.....
I really dont have the $300+ at the moment to throw on a new phone, the wife wants an LG Stylo of sorts for her Virgin Mobile service, and its her birthday in oh crap 3 days haha So I have to really get on it here. I dont want to get a G3 even tho they are so cheap, But only used G4's are under $200.... Ive looked at so many phones this week its crazy. I just cant pull the trigger, I keep doing a loop. I get pulled tword he G4, then look at the prices, and see everyones Bootloops, and Screen problems, and i get leary, So i check out the phones mentioned, and I like them, then the price pushes me back the G4 and it repeats all over again...
Im gonna have to fork out the cash or settle for something less... Its such a heard decision....
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Click to collapse
What about nexus 6p? is it expensive where you live?
I wouldn't buy the G3, its a freaking G2 with QHD. And I've never had a G4 in my hands, but I just wouldn't buy another LG phone. I feel like the G2 was the best phone by them, after that, they are just creating crap.
Eminemiero said:
What about nexus 6p? is it expensive where you live?
I wouldn't buy the G3, its a freaking G2 with QHD. And I've never had a G4 in my hands, but I just wouldn't buy another LG phone. I feel like the G2 was the best phone by them, after that, they are just creating crap.
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I will use the internet to buy the device, All of my considerations are close to $300, the Moto X Prime, Nexus 6P, Oneplus 3, ect... I guess ill have to fork out the extra or lower my expectations. I hate to spend that much on a phone without any type of insurance, and I dont want a piece of junk either.... I have such hard times making decisions like this. I turn it into such a big deal for some reason. ha
robles4242 said:
Well i LOVE my LG G2 (Verizon), but my LCD just crapped out and I figure Id just upgrade to a new phone, I use straight talk so I can Use almost any variant, I just went with Verizon cuz service was better around here and It came pre unlocked. Im considering a G3 or really want the G4, I cant afford a G5 Id like it under $200, what would you do? Switch to a G3, or skip the 3 and Goto G4, or is their something better then LG in that price range?? Its gotta be rootable (what isnt these days) i love the IR sensor, I love everything about my G2 so i want to match as many features and specs as I can, Also a Removeable battery and SD card slot are always nice..
Whats everyones opinions? I need to buy ASAP. I hate flipping my G2 like a ninja with a sword just to navigate normal everyday use.
Thanks guys, looking forward to ALL opinions. Im open for any ideas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does BLU make a phone with these good of specs? Ive seen their name quite a bit lately.
Let me piggyback onto this thread (or I could make a separate one if you guys think is best) I'm in the same situation and I'm going crazy looking at online reviews and comparing numbers that never match. My conundrum to see if my thoughts might help you somehow (and if someone can help in the process.)
1. I bought this phone refurbished and as an emergency after drowning my last one in the ocean. I had never heard about it and wasn't even aware LG made flagship phones - it wasn't popular here in Portugal, I think it even sold just under the 16MB variant or at least I never saw a 32GB.
2. I like the very compact size (still the best screen to body ratio, I think?)
3. That it is plastic. Phones fall from time to time, I fail to see what's so great about a full glass phone. Paying a premium to stick in a case after.
4. UI isn't pretty, I think the camera has ultra agressive post-processing that hurts pictures, no more official updates but battery life used to be so good it made up for everything.
Currently my screen is also going, sometimes it doesn't respond to the touch, coating is gone so it's always a mess, brightness seems very poor. Phone heats up a lot, something I never noticed before. Battery drains almost 1% per per minute. Tried different ROMs, factory resetting, nothing solves anything. I think it's dead.
I have been looking at new phones and this is my list wit my pros and cons (AFAICT):
1: Oneplus 3 - Battery life doesn't seem as good as the G2, especially with web browsing. Heard somewhere wifi reception thingy isn't great and it's a point where they cut corners to make it cheaper. Web browsing and stuff is probably where I need more battery from a phone (GSMA numers: 8:35OP3 VS 11:42G2)
2. Xiaomi Mi5: Great size, good price, hard to get. Almost the only SD820 I've seen with as good or better battery life numbers than the G2 (I'll talk about the S7 latter). Never handled one, don't know what to think about the UI, afraid to get it from some store that will plague it with malware.
3. Samsung Galaxy S7 (Exynos): I know it's a safe purchase and probably the best allrounder. But it's expensive. Batery life worst than on the G2 except on video playback (which I don't use).
4. S7 Edge (Exynos): Too big IMO, ridiculously expensive but they say it has a terrific battery life. Yes, it beats the G2 but not by much, just kills it on video playback which isn't something I usually use.
5. Sony Experia Z5: Prices dropped a lot. Pretty but bulky. Has the SD810 MkII which doesn't heat up as much but still runs hot. Battery life seems better than the G2 on web browsing (14:35) but somehow I don't trust those numbers. Phone has way worst numbers overall.
6: Huawei P9: Lovely and perfect size for me. Great screen. Kirin SoC seems to run smoother and cooler than the SD. Battery life is worst. Same problem with Xiamoni's UI, it's an IOS-ised Android. Not necessarly a bad thing.
7: Xiaomi Redmi Note Pro SD650: Benchmarks tells us this SOC is slightly faster than last year 's top of the range 810. Some people say that's baloney. It's too big IMO but not ridiculously big. 4000mah battery that should outperforme every other phone on this list. It's dirty cheap. Same problems as with the Mi5 when it comes to buying one and where from, UI and I don't know what the glass is and if it's scatch resitant. Some poeple say it's Dragontail, the stuff Sony uses and the Japanese equivalent to Corning Gorilla glass. But Xiaomi doesn't say anything about it, or I haven't found it. Something that maybe could be sorted with a tempered glass screen but that sort of sucks IMO.
8: LG G4: Battery life is pants.
9: LG G5: Battery life is pants, the modulat thing just makes it a bulkier, more fragile phone.
10: HTC10: For the price, it is a joke. Hurts me to say it as a former fan of HTC.
___________________________________________
So, do I really even need one of these new phones? I rarely use the camera, don't care for fingerprint readers, no need for VR and QHD screens, 5.5 sizes are already beyond my sweet spot, not sure if I care about the latest Android thing. Tried Marshmallow on CM version, hated it.
I think I would need a newer phone if apps etc just start too become to demanding and bringing the great battery life of the G2 down.
___________________________________________
Maybe just buying a brand new G2? I mean, if my battery and screen weren't dying, I wouldn't even be looking at this matter. Not easy finding a new one though. Could get a Korean version with removable battery and SD card slot but have to investigate further into it, not sure what the differences are to the international version.
Two questions about this... do phone batteries go bad without being used on a 3 years old phone? Could part of the battery drain I'm experiencing also be the result of times moving forward and now having apps and stuff that use a lot more wifi, data, gps?
__________________________________________
Yes, I know it's a long post, lot's of questions... sorry!! Just shows you how confused I am.
robles4242 said:
Well i LOVE my LG G2 (Verizon), but my LCD just crapped out and I figure Id just upgrade to a new phone, I use straight talk so I can Use almost any variant, I just went with Verizon cuz service was better around here and It came pre unlocked. Im considering a G3 or really want the G4, I cant afford a G5 Id like it under $200, what would you do? Switch to a G3, or skip the 3 and Goto G4, or is their something better then LG in that price range?? Its gotta be rootable (what isnt these days) i love the IR sensor, I love everything about my G2 so i want to match as many features and specs as I can, Also a Removeable battery and SD card slot are always nice..
Whats everyones opinions? I need to buy ASAP. I hate flipping my G2 like a ninja with a sword just to navigate normal everyday use.
Thanks guys, looking forward to ALL opinions. Im open for any ideas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been using G2's for about 2 yrs now; 1st a VS980 (vzw), then T-mobile D801, now on AT&T since I moved. Both rooted + TWRP.
Before researching too much,I picked up a G4 factory refurbished AT&T, in like new condition, which I am planning to sell. Want external memory. Replaceable battery is a plus. After getting it, I find out that the bootloader is locked down hard. Rootable by flashing back to lollipop or earlier, but no real hope for TWRP. Would love it if it were easier to 0wn (root/unlock BL), as it seems to be a great device, with good battery life, which would probably jjust get better with a custom ROM & kernel.
There only seem to be about two G4 variants that can be bootloader unlocked, t-mo H811 and international H815. Maybe one or two others? F500, H810PR?
So I'm going with a G3 VS985, (vzw) to try out Total Wireless (uses vzw infrastructure) as carrier, since AT&T data signal is marginal in my area. The nice thing about the LG vzw G series variants are that they can serve as CDMA or GSM.
Buying from swappa.com seems to be a little better bet than eBay for guarantee against buying someone else's problem, as has happened to me once or twice in the past.
Jury is still out on it, as I am still waiting for the G3.
Sent from my LG-H810 using Tapatalk
SofaSpud said:
with good battery life,
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From what I've seen one could expect almost half the battery life from a G2. Some people claim stand-by and SOT that I never ever got from any smartphone. What sort of times are you getting?
I was referring to the G4 there, which is newly refurbished with new battery, I believe. However, my G2's have always been pretty good as well, although I am starting to notice that the battery charge life is starting to fall off, which is not surprising since I've been using it for about a year and a half now, and I bought it as a refurb.
Have always run Cloudy G3 (ported for G2) which AFAIK has a custom kernel (Cloudy kernel) which I believe has helped out. Never really had any trouble getting through the entire day, but don't run the screen with more brightness than needed. SOT has always been good, usually at least 4hrs. If I know that I'm going to push it more than that I bring along a portable battery charger. There are some good ones sold on eBay of 10,000+ mah which priced around $15.
SofaSpud said:
I was referring to the G4 there, which is newly refurbished with new battery, I believe. However, my G2's have always been pretty good as well, although I am starting to notice that the battery charge life is starting to fall off, which is not surprising since I've been using it for about a year and a half now, and I bought it as a refurb.
Have always run Cloudy G3 (ported for G2) which AFAIK has a custom kernel (Cloudy kernel) which I believe has helped out. Never really had any trouble getting through the entire day, but don't run the screen with more brightness than needed. SOT has always been good, usually at least 4hrs. If I know that I'm going to push it more than that I bring along a portable battery charger. There are some good ones sold on eBay of 10,000+ mah which priced around $15.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My G2 drains about 1% per per minute with the screen on, so now is basically like a tinny laptop, have to carry the charger around with me all the time. CM13 and Cloudy didn't help at all, it's just gone.
Still on the G4, I'm just coming from the G4 subforum... major issues with that phone, aparently a lot of them have a faulty motherboard and there is a huge possibility the phone will die in less than a year. http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-admits-g4-bootloop-problem-hardware-fault-669603/
I'm currently looking at this one, I've been interested on it since it was announced. http://www.alcatelonetouch.us/idol-4s-5-inch-vr-smartphone
$350 is just an insane bargain and it's probably a better phone than the OP3, even with the slightly less powerful SD650. I would end my search for a new phone if I could find the same deal here in Europe but so far I'm seeing it selling fro over €400 which is a major difference. For €50 or €60 more one can already get a brand new S7 which is meh but we know is a solid phone on all camps.

This phone still worth buying in 2017?

I'm looking to change phones. I currently have a rooted HTC One M8 running FluentRom 6.0 (I know there are new versions, but if something's working for me I don't obsess about updating it), have had it for right at 2 years. I love the phone, actually am not tired of it, again I never have really been hung up on always having the newest and flashiest and most updated. However, I use the phone in my job, more specifically I use the camera a lot in my job, and as most people are aware the M8 is shooting a short stick there. So I need to upgrade.
I also use Selectel, a Verizon MVNO. I've toyed with the idea of maybe switching to a GSM carrier, because it's a lot easier to find phones, but I'm sticking with Big Red for now.
I'm looking at the Moto X Style because (a.) it's 16 months newer than the M8; (b.) it's unlocked and will work with Verizon; (c.) it has expandable storage which is an absolute must for me; (d.) it can be rooted although it's pretty close to stock Android, and I might even let it alone to be able to get Google Pay; (e.) rugged cases are available for it, and that's an absolute prerequisite for me, I'm a klutz and know it, and I can't afford to be breaking phones all the time; and (f.) it's reasonably sized, although being of small stature and having especially small hands, this probably is the absolute top end on the size of a phone that I can handle. I'm not interested in the 6P, besides lacking expandable storage it's just too freaking big. I also still wear my phone in a belt pouch, I know that's nerdy and old-fashioned but it just "works" for me, and there's no way I can wear what's practically a tablet on my belt.
So, point blank ... is it still worth buying this phone in 2017, with the expectation of getting a couple of years' use out of it?
My other option is the HTC 10.
No! In hindsight it wasn't worth buying in 2016, nevermind 2017!!
lmulli said:
No! In hindsight it wasn't worth buying in 2016, nevermind 2017!!
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Specifics why? Not looking to be contentious or doubting, just wanting info to make educated decision. Last two phones have been HTC, no issues staying there especially with better camera in 10, just seems like X Style is lot of phone for the money.
For MSRP the Moto G 4 Plus has a better price. 4 GB RAM, snappy as hell CPU, more than passable screen, fingerprint sensor, official Nougat... But as-is this phone is still plenty viable for some time, it truly is a beauty.
kcipopnevets said:
For MSRP the Moto G 4 Plus has a better price. 4 GB RAM, snappy as hell CPU, more than passable screen, fingerprint sensor, official Nougat... But as-is this phone is still plenty viable for some time, it truly is a beauty.
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I don't think Moto G 4 plus will work on Verizon though, unless that situation has changed recently.
I just bought one myself and got it Sat delivery from Amazon. I can't say I'm overly impressed by it but it is a nice device.I too also have a VZW M8 that I put in the drawer for a backup.I will give this Pure a couple weeks and will probably move it to my backup device and use my Moto Z as my daily.
First impressions of the Pure were that it's worthy of a go even though I think Moto is going to abandon it sooner than they are telling everyone.
Nope. It has terrible battery life, no fingerprint scanner. Stock software isn't impressive either.
It's not that bad especially when it's so cheap now. Sure battery life isn't impressive but it gets me through a day without issues.
Got this device 2 months ago when it was on sale
It did indeed met my expectations... However, there are better options out there for the same price. like the LG V10.
Poor battery life and lack of fingerprint scanner are the main disadvantages. Unless you're a fan of Motorola or truly in love with the phone's looks, there are better choices on the market now.
V10 is attractive but is too big. As noted, Moto X Style is probably the absolute top end as far as size that I can handle in a phone. I'd probably do better sizewise with the HTC 10 but was thinking Style offers more bang for buck enough to at least try something a bit larger. Also I never buy new, anything I get will be off Swappa.
prw94 said:
Is this phone still worth buying in 2017?
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Answer: Depends what you are paying for it...
If it's much over $300 or so, nope, not worth it at all... the dated, poorly designed SOC, lack of support from Lenovo, and poor battery life detract too much from the positives.
At $240-$300, maybe worth it if the beautiful display, good camera, and other features offset the negatives for you.
If you can get it for $230-$240 or less, then yeah, it's probably worth it.
That said, MWC2017 starts tomorrow and we fully expect to see at least 5-6 major device announcements, maybe more since there is usually a surprise or two at these events. Look for info on the new Nokia devices and Moto G5 that could be interesting, and we could see other possibilities from HTC, Alcatel, and Huawei.
In other words, unless you need a phone now, I would wait at least a week or two and see what happens.
prw94 said:
I don't think Moto G 4 plus will work on Verizon though, unless that situation has changed recently.
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The G 4 line always worked on Verizon. My dad uses it and Motorola advertise it plenty.
1. Would not pay a penny more than current going Swappa price for a Moto X Style.
2. Research I've done here and elsewhere indicates that G4 line doesn't work consistently on Big Red, it works for some folks, is a nightmare for others who are stuck on 3G.. I'm an "I want it to work right out of the box without having to tweak" guy as far as the basic phone functions, looking for a sure thing.
Basically, I want something with a better camera than the M8, rootable or close to stock Android, with an SD card slot, that is not one micrometer larger than the Moto X Style, again that is absolute, non-negotiable top end on phone size for me, that will work on Big Red's network. With those choices, my options are I know slightly limited.
prw94 said:
1. Would not pay a penny more than current going Swappa price for a Moto X Style.
2. Research I've done here and elsewhere indicates that G4 line doesn't work consistently on Big Red, it works for some folks, is a nightmare for others who are stuck on 3G.. I'm an "I want it to work right out of the box without having to tweak" guy as far as the basic phone functions, looking for a sure thing.
Basically, I want something with a better camera than the M8, rootable or close to stock Android, with an SD card slot, that is not one micrometer larger than the Moto X Style, again that is absolute, non-negotiable top end on phone size for me, that will work on Big Red's network. With those choices, my options are I know slightly limited.
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You pretty much answered your own question. If you need a phone now the Pure/Style is the way to go unless you are willing to look at a carrier branded phone. There are very few phones out that reliably support both GSM and CDMA.
aybarrap1 said:
You pretty much answered your own question. If you need a phone now the Pure/Style is the way to go unless you are willing to look at a carrier branded phone. There are very few phones out that reliably support both GSM and CDMA.
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Leaning that way, although I'm not in need of a phone THIS VERY SECOND so I might hold on a bit longer and just look, basically was seeking input here because community for this phone seems pretty vibrant. As noted I use a Verizon MVNO, I use an MVNO for the same reason I like rooted phones, I'm a control freak and hell will freeze over before I ever sign a phone contract with anyone else, ever again. I'm looking to stick with Big Red in the short term. Could change in the long term. FYI current Swappa prices about 200 for 32 gb, 250 for 64 gb.
I love MXP front stereo speakers.
prw94 said:
Leaning that way, although I'm not in need of a phone THIS VERY SECOND so I might hold on a bit longer and just look, basically was seeking input here because community for this phone seems pretty vibrant. As noted I use a Verizon MVNO, I use an MVNO for the same reason I like rooted phones, I'm a control freak and hell will freeze over before I ever sign a phone contract with anyone else, ever again. I'm looking to stick with Big Red in the short term. Could change in the long term. FYI current Swappa prices about 200 for 32 gb, 250 for 64 gb.
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New prices are only about $50 more than that... Worth it for warranty, and to be honest rooting is of less and less use as Android gets better and better.
Got mines for 200, so for me great phone, I'm actively trying to make a custom kernel (I mad one for the Moto E), but at the moment having big issues getting it to boot so as soon as i figure it out I want to increase battery life. As far as battery life, since owning the phone only 2 weeks i tried many Roms and the only one with decent battery life is Slim 7, coming from a Moto E LTE it was my fav rom also.
acejavelin said:
New prices are only about $50 more than that... Worth it for warranty, and to be honest rooting is of less and less use as Android gets better and better.
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Gives me something to consider. Like I said, just looking for input and have gotten a lot. As far as Swappa prices though, in a lot of cases that's including an Otterbox, installed glass screen protector or other accessories. Last three phone purchases have been from there, quite satisfied with the results so I always look there first for deals before trying to buy new.

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