*** The Official Samsung Galaxy S4 Thread ***

[Nexus18]

I think something must be involved between Google and Samsung, but then again could be nothing

If HTC did that it would be great but I'm not sure it's a direction they would necessarily want to move in.

Samsung probably paid them a **** load, more so due to the marketing that the GS 4 will receive now


I don't think HTC would be "too" bothered about it, it isn't going to affect their sales much and for them sense is a very unique feature that is partly why the HTC one is as good as it is. All the review sites have raved about sense V5 and many actually prefer it to stock android now where as with touchwiz, many review sites etc. have slated it for being too bloated, same old/dated design with no unified feel, laggy, taking all the space up etc. and due to those things, that is largely the reason why the one is rated higher by reviewers, perhaps that is why Samsung have provided that option of having something "clean" too so now users can't complain about touchwiz ruining the GS 4.

Mmmm...so it's basically a choice roll with a ASOP ROM S4 and forget about all the Touchwiz implementations (granted some handy, some not so)

It all comes down to choice then...Think I'll keep my N4 for the stock experience (albeit modified PA) and reap the benefits of a Touchwiz enabled S4.

Pretty much.

Stock android is highly over rated imo anyway

I think the best way to go is a slimmed down version of touchwiz with all the useless crap removed and a lovely stock android theme applied

 

[Nocky24]

I got my S4 on contract via 3. I'm a bit new to android but am I right in saying we could just root and put a stock android rom on it and it'll essentially be the same as the google S4? Having said that I would miss some of the touchwiz features and I'm not sure how it would effect the camera/picture processing :/

 

[tom_e]

I got my S4 on contract via 3. I'm a bit new to android but am I right in saying we could just root and put a stock android rom on it and it'll essentially be the same as the google S4? Having said that I would miss some of the touchwiz features and I'm not sure how it would effect the camera/picture processing :/

In theory yep, it all depends which processor the Google s4 runs.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Why are people worried about the colour scheme of the Samsung GS4? It took me about 5 minutes to change it from the garish blue, to the way I wanted the UI to look.

 

[stoosh]

What's pushed you towards the S4 stoosh?

Just had enough of the HO Mate, it really didn't do anything for me and left me cold to the point that I preferred my N4 over it. I think the final straw that broke the camel's back was when I found that pictures in a dark room with the flash enabled ended up blurry 3 times out of 5, it was hit and miss.

I reached out to HTC UK via twitter and all they could advise me was to exchange the phone and I had already gone through 3 HO's for various reasons and couldn't be bothered exchanging it for another one which would probably exhibit the same fault.

I really regretted selling my S3 LTE and thought the S4 was an ideal replacement, although I know some users here have experienced a few difficulties with the S4 as well (display issues), I rather just take my chance with the S4 as it might turn out fine.

 

[Nexus18]

Camera probably won't be as good on anything but touchwiz based ROMs.

I know for HTC devices, that anything but sense based ROM's, the camera sucks big time in comparison.


Not only that but you will lose all the features/options of touchwiz camera.

Why are people worried about the colour scheme of the Samsung GS4? It took me about 5 minutes to change it from the garish blue, to the way I wanted the UI to look.

Touchwiz colour scheme (amongst other things like the UI/layout of apps, icons etc.) applies to more than just the homescreens

And some stuff you can't change i.e. notification tray, settings menu etc.

 

[stoosh]

@Nexus

Pretty much.

Stock android is highly over rated imo anyway

I think the best way to go is a slimmed down version of touchwiz with all the useless crap removed and a lovely stock android theme applied

The thing is some people prefer it as it's really fuss free but you get spoilt with the extras that OEM's like HTC and Samsung bake into their ROMs.

HTC's web browser is nothing short of phenomenal and is a joy to use, and Samsung's Smart Stay is brilliant also I like the way you can slide either left or right on a contact either to call or text the individual

Exactly I think kona and I will very likely flash a slimmed down version of touchwiz when the ROM's made available and apply Vertimus's JB Theme as we did on our S3 LTE. I'm sure others who have the S4 will also probably do the same, it's the best of both worlds

 

[dasyad]

IMO the S4 doesn't really add anything over the HTC One, it's really a side ways step. I'd have personally stuck with the N4 until the next gen. But yeah you've not had best of luck with the one tbh photos in dark with flash can be very hit and miss, even on my compact I find it will over expose the shot usually.

 

[Nocky24]

Why are people worried about the colour scheme of the Samsung GS4? It took me about 5 minutes to change it from the garish blue, to the way I wanted the UI to look.

You can change the menu UI in Touchwiz? How do you do this?

 

[Nexus18]

@Nexus



The thing is some people prefer it as it's really fuss free but you get spoilt with the extras that OEM's like HTC and Samsung bake into their ROMs.

HTC's web browser is nothing short of phenomenal and is a joy to use, and Samsung's Smart Stay is brilliant also I like the way you can slide either left or right on a contact either to call or text the individual

Exactly I think kona and I will very likely flash a slimmed down version of touchwiz when the ROM's made available and apply Vertimus's JB Theme as we did on our S3 LTE. I'm sure others who have the S4 will also probably do the same, it's the best of both worlds

Yup, I have been spoilt rotten with all the extra features etc. It is one of the main reasons that I haven't swapped my S for a friend's N4. For me the biggest attractions of sense are:

- browser, imo no browser can match it and browsing is my main usage so this is pretty important
- camera (GS 4 is better when it comes to features/options to choose from, however, the way zoe works is much better imo especially with the editing parts, instead you just hit the button and do your edits when you want rather than having to select the required mode before and I also prefer how the camera app/UI works i.e. you just hold the shutter button down to do burst shot mode)
- unified feel and a nice modern/professional looking UI throughout

And for touchwiz:

- features throughout i.e. multi-view, some of the smart stuff (not fussed about certain things like smart scroll and plus you can get the other things like smarty stay on the market)
- camera features

With stock android:

- theme
- the style of apps UI (not the lack of unified feel though) but if I really wanted these, I could get them via the market

 

[stoosh]

IMO the S4 doesn't really add anything over the HTC One, it's really a side ways step. I'd have personally stuck with the N4 until the next gen. But yeah you've not had best of luck with the one tbh photos in dark with flash can be very hit and miss, even on my compact I find it will over expose the shot usually.

Yeah I know what you mean and I'll probably feel the same about the S4 as well, the thing is that I really liked my S3 LTE and had it set up to the point that it ran extremely well and looked gorgeous (all with the aid of Ripper ROM, Vertimus JB Theme and Nova Launcher).

The N4 is a very capable phone the only thing that let's it down is the suspect camera and algorithms that Google uses for the camera, it just feels sparse.

I have my N4 modded nicely where I'm running PA ROM and Franco kernel and it runs extremely well. I just don't feel confident taking pictures on it but then again I hardly use the camera! When the Nexus 5 is inevitably announced at the end of the year I'll most likely buy it without hesitation.

What chance has the HO got when even a compact camera can't get things right?! I just couldn't bring myself to go through all the hassle of getting the HO changed again, even my family got fed up with it all

What device are you currenly using as your daily driver Dude?

 

[stoosh]

@Nexus HTC hit it out of the ball park when it has come to Sense 5, the look and feel of it comes across as extremely clean and uncluttered unlike touchwiz.

HTC has done a wonderful job with the camera UI and in particularly zoe which IMO is a show stopper to the point that no other OEM can compete with it.

With regards with touchwiz I never really used any of the features that Samsung baked into the ROM, the only one I suppose I used regularly was smart stay and the motion controls like flip the phone over to silent and taking screen shots by waving a hand over the screen, other than that everything else was deactivated. Most likely I will do the same when I get the S4 and turn the majority of the features off.

You'll have a chance to play with the nice new features of Sense 5 soon on your HOS, or on the M4 (my guess is that you'll end up buying one, as it's the perfect replacement / upgrade for your HOS)

 

[dasyad]

Yeah I know what you mean and I'll probably feel the same about the S4 as well, the thing is that I really liked my S3 LTE and had it set up to the point that it ran extremely well and looked gorgeous (all with the aid of Ripper ROM, Vertimus JB Theme and Nova Launcher).

The N4 is a very capable phone the only thing that let's it down is the suspect camera and algorithms that Google uses for the camera, it just feels sparse.

I have my N4 modded nicely where I'm running PA ROM and Franco kernel and it runs extremely well. I just don't feel confident taking pictures on it but then again I hardly use the camera! When the Nexus 5 is inevitably announced at the end of the year I'll most likely buy it without hesitation.

What chance has the HO got when even a compact camera can't get things right?! I just couldn't bring myself to go through all the hassle of getting the HO changed again, even my family got fed up with it all

What device are you currenly using as your daily driver Dude?

I'd have thought that in night mode you wouldn't need to use tbe flash, kinda like on the 920? Same goes with my compact, just whack on night mode and he pics are much more pleasant than with the flash on.

If you're happy with the S3 then I think you'll be settled with the S4 but you won't get that "wow this is new feeling", in which case I can see you'd have been better sticking with S3 and ditching the N4. Can't blame you for ditching the One, you quite simply shouldn't get that many problems

Still rocking my S2, even if our relationship is strained at times

 

[smokedog]

- browser, imo no browser can match it and browsing is my main usage so this is pretty important

Don't find the browser on the HTC One that much better than the Samsung offering. I used the HTC browser for a bit and didn't find it as fast as Quick ICS browser. The only advantage of the HTC browser over Quick ICS was text reflow but that also made the browser not as smooth and when you zoom, it would be jerky.

Quick ICS still the best available for me.

 

[-Mike-]

Well, I went into town today with a view to buying either the One or the S4 and unfortunately nowhere I went has the One as a demo unit.

The S4 I loved but am wondering what will be the final verdict with google's io, if there is a bloat free one coming here I think I best wait!

 

[Nexus18]

@stoosh

Knowing HTC though, they say June time for update but we all know that really means July/August!


hehe It all comes down to the price and what screen panel they use

@dasyad

The night mode on HTC phones isn't that great, certainly not like the galaxy/touchwiz "night mode", the shutter speed is only a wee bit longer with sense/htc devices where as with the galaxy/touchwiz devices, it is more like HDR mode i.e. takes shots at different exposures, however, is only ideal for non moving objects and/or if you have steady hands. The lumia 920 works in a similar but better way to the galaxy/touchwiz devices.

Don't find the browser on the HTC One that much better than the Samsung offering. I used the HTC browser for a bit and didn't find it as fast as Quick ICS browser. The only advantage of the HTC browser over Quick ICS was text reflow but that also made the browser not as smooth and when you zoom, it would be jerky.

Quick ICS still the best available for me.

What I love about the sense browser:

- quick controls (modified too so they are arranged to an appropriate "control", can't use any browser without these now)
- text reflow (I couldn't live without it now, personally haven't noticed any slow downs with it on my S, there might be some on very bloated web pages, but most of the time I browse this forum )
- flash works great
- renders sites and text correctly
- fast and smooth (don't find quick ics etc. "much" quicker for me)

All combined in one.

I originally used quick ics for the minimal UI, being able to control what thumb controls I want etc. but have stopped since sense V4+/JB and largely because since that update it broke text reflow and no flash player.

The new touchwiz browser looks great especially the text booster, nice alternative to text reflow.

 

[stoosh]

I'd have thought that in night mode you wouldn't need to use tbe flash, kinda like on the 920? Same goes with my compact, just whack on night mode and he pics are much more pleasant than with the flash on.

If you're happy with the S3 then I think you'll be settled with the S4 but you won't get that "wow this is new feeling", in which case I can see you'd have been better sticking with S3 and ditching the N4. Can't blame you for ditching the One, you quite simply shouldn't get that many problems

Still rocking my S2, even if our relationship is strained at times

I thought the same, if it was in night mode features in the room would be enhanced but the HO didn't enhance anything in the room hence why the flash was fired but the HO didn't focus when the flash was fired, I'd touch to focus, then there would be a 2-3 sec delay before the flash went off and the picture would end up blurry. I never had that issue with my S3 and it took decent pictures in the dark

The one reason that I chose the HO over the S4 because looks wise the S3 looked too much like the S4 and there's nothing really new about the phone and you're right I won't get the wow, this is new feeling.

I made a massive mistake getting rid of my S3 LTE and would've been extremely happy with it had I kept it, in fact I don't think I would've got the S4. In fact I was contemplating getting a S3 LTE again but the improvements that the S4 offers over the S3 (hardware wise) are far too numerous.

My track history with HTC phones is not very good especially lately I had problems with the HOX, HOS and now the HO

I just had enough, but feel I need a phone for my daily driver that will be able to take pictures if I need to and have the confidence to use the camera and the N4 doesn't exactly inspire confidence in that respect. You hit the nail on the head when said that I should've stuck with the S3 and ditched the N4 instead, that's in my mindset almost every day.

Ah the S2, what a great phone! Has it got JB yet? You've done extremely well using the phone up until now, are you eyeing up any phone for it's replacement?

 

[stoosh]

@Nexus I agree! HTC aren't exactly spot on when it comes to timely updates, it does drag on for a wee while! I remember you waiting for what seemed like an eternity for ICS!

I know what panel you would prefer ...but even if it's the same screen used in the HO you will be pleased

 

[mattyg]

I've been busy today

Rooted my phone this morning and the installed latest firmware MD2

however I still have the damn clock not working and cant change the default ringtone for notifications.

So I've been advised to do a factory reset.

What am I going to lose if/when I do.

 

[smokedog]

I originally used quick ics for the minimal UI, being able to control what thumb controls I want etc. but have stopped since sense V4+/JB and largely because since that update it broke text reflow and no flash player.

Flash is working on my Quick ICS browser.