Team-BHP - Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:

Originally Posted by dark.knight (Post 3838358)

Once a Sony, always a Sony is what I feel.. even with all its minor flaws. Instead of Z3, M5 is the far better phone in almost every way be it weight, durability, cameras or processor (atleast on paper). It might come to that price in a couple of months or so. Always buying the latest model is preferable as the company would iron out the problems of the previous generation.

Thanks dark.knight. And I agree, the M5 is an outstanding phone for the price with a great design, pair of fast cameras and waterproofing. But the problem is, it uses a Mediatek chip inside. I'm big on custom ROM's and Mediatek just isn't anywhere as custom-ROM friendly as Qualcomm. Just see the MTK flash tool, that is the standard flashing tool for Mediatek devices. It's a pain in the backside to use. And neither do I expect the M5 to be anywhere as popular as the Z3, so good ROM support cannot be guaranteed. (Thanks to our Indian mentality, people keep buying Samsung's and other crap for the same or more money. In the US, where a lot of the custom development comes from, they have Meizus and Huaweis and Onepluses in crazy numbers so they are spoilt for choice.)
Anyway, I believe it's a brilliant midranger that's however priced slightly too high by Sony. The exact same money buys you a Moto X Style, with Quad HD, Snapdragon 808, a great 21 MP camera and stock Android.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mukul32 (Post 3838388)

Just see the MTK flash tool, that is the standard flashing tool for Mediatek devices. It's a pain in the backside to use.

Lol, I'll be very frank, I've absolutely no idea what MTK is or what flashing is.. yes to an extent I understand that flashing is used to update/modify Android over and above stock priviledges. Personally I have never modified the OS in any way, if I get a message OTA that a new update is available I just press on OK thats about it.

Maybe I'm one of the few people who just has an Android for basic communication i.e SMS, calls and once in a bluemoon, Whatsapp. I do use the camera functionality other than that I've disabled just about every option on the phone, be it location, some bandwidth & processor hogs like FB, Cloud & other bloatware like Youtube, Maps, Editors, Gmail etc also uninstalled all of the removable Xperia apps. I've found that this increases the speed substantially & I'm getting close to 4 days on battery. I still miss my Nokia N73 used for 3+ long years without an issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mukul32 (Post 3838194)

And an informed, tested choice is something a rare few make. And then once they find the phone isn't suitable to their usage pattern due to size/battery life/lag or something else, they feel free to curse 'Android' and praise how 'premium' iPhones are very high quality. (yeah 'premium' works here too :D)

Some of these same people may get an iPhone later, and forcefully adapt themselves and their usage to Apple's strict and locked down hardware and software limitations. And once they find themselves in sync with the phone (and not the other way round), they become free to tell everyone how iPhone is vastly different from 'Android' (or what they think is Android).

Its quite interesting to see these snippets on informed choices. I feel I am so much of ill-informed user. I like to use my phone stock, with zero tweaking, and go with the regular OTA updates which comes thru regularly. An iPhone is brilliant in that aspect, it does feel premium (or probably can say mass-market premium), and everything works perfectly in the way its supposed to. In my opinion, if I have to buy something expensive and overhaul it completely to get the best performance, it kind of defeat the purpose.

And I am not an anti-Android person. My personal phone is an LG G3, and If find it brilliant in its stock form. Just a bit too thirsty on the battery, otherwise no complaints.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluevolt (Post 3838379)

Though HTC Desire 816 is also on the list of Android 6.0 update list but there is no particular time frame mentioned.

Any idea about the Marshmallow rollout on the Desire 816?

I know MotoX will get in late November or early December. htc takes a bit longer due to the tweak in Sense which has to be done.

Being a Galaxy S2 user for the last 3 years, I am looking to upgrade my phone in 2016 (I know its a quite long planning for a mobile phone purchase).

The ones on my radar are
Note 4
Note 5
Sony Xperia Z5
Moto Droid 2 (not sure of India launch)

I am liking the Note 4 for the features it offers but the India version with Snapdragon 805 SoC may not be future proof since its 32-bit (Marshmallow needs 64 bit chips) and that's a downer.

Any opinions?

@Srinath34

Just dont plan. 2016 is way ahead and you may see some new technology advances during this time and even the note 5 may look slow at that point.

If you want one right now the top of the line options are from samsung, Apple, Sony(Z5) and nexus as well.

Phones are bad investments or rather bad expenses. I still have the Original Note and i am not giving that device up that easilly :)

Mi 4i is at discount - Rs. 11,000 on their India website as part of Diwali offer.

I was planning to get one for my mother - who needs it for Skype/ video calls/ WhatsApp and Facebook and a reasonable battery life.

Comments about phone heating up are keeping me in a doubtful state. Also heard negative things about the service experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by srinath34 (Post 3839607)

I am looking to upgrade my phone in 2016 (I know its a quite long planning for a mobile phone purchase)

Any opinions?

As per online rumours, samsung may launch Galaxy S7 in January 2016. IMHO it is better to wait for it before deciding anything.

Quote:

Originally Posted by S_U_N (Post 3840047)

I don't think heating is a problem. I think she will find battery life a problem if she doesn't mind charging every day --- and, as someone posted recently, the days of charge-once-a-week phones are long gone.

What I don't recommend about it is the tiny internal memory. It is very restrictive. Actually, not that I would upgrade in a year, but... what happened to the 32Gb model? Could not find it online here at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 3840143)

I completely agree with you on the internal memory part. I have mentioned this in my earlier post and just re-iterating it again, I would never recommend anyone to buy 16gb model without external card support. We will hardly get 11gb free and that is just inadequate considering the size of basic apps and pictures that gets stored.

Finally received my Asus Zenwatch 2 from the US through amazon.com - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01..._detailpages00
Product Link - https://www.asus.com/ZenWatch/ASUS_Z...501Q/Features/
Landing cost to Meerut including customs 156 $ (10.5k INR)

Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods-asus-zenwatch-recd-03112015_156_1.jpg

All stainless steel build., Feels great in hand for this price. Bands are standard 22mm and interchangeable and available at your friendly neighborhood watch-wallah.

Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods-asus-zenwatch-recd-03112015_3.jpg

Charger is rated 1A. Cable is proprietary and magnetic.

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Incoming call alert

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Thousands of watch faces. Make it a Rolex one day and a Cartier the next... lolz

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I'm luvin it for now. Asus is epitomizing the VFM concept. If only the Zenfone 2 had a slightly better camera it would have been the perfect phone.

Cheers...