New Android phone

D.P.

D.P.

D.P.

Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
32,749
My 2yr contract is up so I am thinking of replacing my Google Nexus (the original form 2011/2012).

I like the phone but there were some sticking points:
  • Battery life sucks, even with a new higher capacity battery. Any advances here?
  • Camera kind of sucks. Not super important as I have my own cameras but it was disappointing, poor quality and slow auto-focus. Have things improved?
  • GPS sometimes does not come on or ends up extremely noisy, sometimes it is OK.
  • The USB adapter/charger sucks. I noticed it getting damaged early on so took a lot of care but after a year I had to replace it. A year later and the second one is also slowly on the way out.

I like the large screen and don't mind going slightly larger. The speed and performance was fine although slow to boot form hard restart.


I don't have big issues with my current phone so not sure if I will upgrade. I am in the US and will probably get a verizon contract.
If nothing big has happened in the last 2 years then I will think about ending my onthly contract and get a cheaper deal.
 
Take a look at the HTC One M8 or Galaxy S5 - it seems to tick all your boxes.

Vey good battery life and quick to focus camera's and so on.
 
kona786 said:
Take a look at the HTC One M8 or Galaxy S5 - it seems to tick all your boxes.
Click to expand...

Neither are "slightly larger" though. Nexus/M8/S5

The obvious phone is the Moto X or Nexus 5. Camera isn't stellar on either, but it's solid, they both run on near-stock Android (Moto X) or pure stock Android (Nexus 5) and neither are massive (the Moto X is closer to what you're used to, but the Nexus 5 has the bigger screen).

That said, not minding the size, I'd jump at the M8 if I didn't have a Nexus 5 - just for those speakers.
 
this_is_gav said:
Neither are "slightly larger" though. Nexus/M8/S5

The obvious phone is the Moto X or Nexus 5. Camera isn't stellar on either, but it's solid, they both run on near-stock Android (Moto X) or pure stock Android (Nexus 5) and neither are massive (the Moto X is closer to what you're used to, but the Nexus 5 has the bigger screen).
Click to expand...

2011/12 is either the Galaxy Nexus or Nexus 4!
 
kona786 said:
2011/12 is either the Galaxy Nexus or Nexus 4!
Click to expand...

Whereas "original" implies the original :D

Either way, I think the point stands. By all means go M8 or S5/Z2 (both available soon) but do try them in a store (and in your pocket) before committing to a contract.
 
To be fair, he probably is referring to the Galaxy Nexus, which most seem to refer to has the first Nexus (I'd forgotten there was an HTC until I was double-checking the Nexus range).

The point of this second post is to complain about the cameras in the modern smartphone. While anything will be a decent step forward to what you're using, the technology really hasn't developed as much as I feel it should have. HTC should have pulled off a masterstroke with the M7 and M8 "Ultrapixel" camera, and while I feel it's still good, they haven't really capitalised on what should have given them a massive advantage - the low-light shots, while better than almost any other smartphone, should be way ahead.

Both HTC and Samsung have, apparently inexplicably, removed OIS from their cameras with this around. It seems, megapixels and mostly gimmicky software options aside, the actual tech hasn't moved on from the dumbphone Nokia days. I'd have hoped more would have followed HTC's lead this time around (better low light performance without following the megapixel race), but it seems they're just interested in appealing to the masses rather than actually moving camera performance forward. I can understand that with Samsung's rivalry with Apple and the mass-appeal obstructing any temptation to radicalise their most successful range, but every other phone is the same - even phones like the Oppo, which should be trying something different if they want to break the stranglehold of the established players.

That said, I don't think anything definitive has been seen from the SGS5 or the Sony Z2 yet, though I've not seen anything to suggest a marked improvement on their models from 2013.

The Nokia 1520 is obviously exempt from the above, but has other issues.
 
Last edited:
this_is_gav said:
Neither are "slightly larger" though. Nexus/M8/S5

The obvious phone is the Moto X or Nexus 5. Camera isn't stellar on either, but it's solid, they both run on near-stock Android (Moto X) or pure stock Android (Nexus 5) and neither are massive (the Moto X is closer to what you're used to, but the Nexus 5 has the bigger screen).

That said, not minding the size, I'd jump at the M8 if I didn't have a Nexus 5 - just for those speakers.
Click to expand...

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/si...S5,Samsung-GALAXY-Nexus/phones/8242,8202,5595

It's the google nexus, nice link though.

Just a few mm bigger which us fine for me.
 
this_is_gav said:
To be fair, he probably is referring to the Galaxy Nexus, which most seem to refer to has the first Nexus (I'd forgotten there was an HTC until I was double-checking the Nexus range).

The point of this second post is to complain about the cameras in the modern smartphone. While anything will be a decent step forward to what you're using, the technology really hasn't developed as much as I feel it should have. HTC should have pulled off a masterstroke with the M7 and M8 "Ultrapixel" camera, and while I feel it's still good, they haven't really capitalised on what should have given them a massive advantage - the low-light shots, while better than almost any other smartphone, should be way ahead.

Both HTC and Samsung have, apparently inexplicably, removed OIS from their cameras with this around. It seems, megapixels and mostly gimmicky software options aside, the actual tech hasn't moved on from the dumbphone Nokia days. I'd have hoped more would have followed HTC's lead this time around (better low light performance without following the megapixel race), but it seems they're just interested in appealing to the masses rather than actually moving camera performance forward. I can understand that with Samsung's rivalry with Apple and the mass-appeal obstructing any temptation to radicalise their most successful range, but every other phone is the same - even phones like the Oppo, which should be trying something different if they want to break the stranglehold of the established players.

That said, I don't think anything definitive has been seen from the SGS5 or the Sony Z2 yet, though I've not seen anything to suggest a marked improvement on their models from 2013.

The Nokia 1520 is obviously exempt from the above, but has other issues.
Click to expand...

Disappointing but not a deal breaker. I have several cameras for when I care about IQ but sometimes a phone is all I have to hand and it is convenient for instant uploads. The mp are stupid but I would down sample to 1-2mp at the most.
 
Do you have a contract at the moment? If you are and are on Verizon unlimited data then Moto X off-contract is a good deal, great all-rounder and you get to keep your data.

Otherwise if you're going to go on Verizon contract, first make sure you buy a nice tub of lube for when the bill comes. With your requirements I'd give the 5S some consideration as it's the same effective price as the S5 or M8 ($199.99). Verizon don't offer a discounted SIM-only style plan so if you're paying a phone subsidy either way you may as well take advantage of it.
 
AlecR said:
WHAT? :confused:

The first official Nexus was the Nexus One, then the Nexus S, then the Galaxy Nexus.
Click to expand...

This. So what do you mean by the original Nexus OP :p...

Anyway, my vote would be either the HTC One M8 or the Galaxy S5. Other options are the Nexus 5 (ever since the Nexus 4 Google's been on a roll with price/performance) or the LG G2. I would say Xperia Z2 but I don't think that's out yet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom