Android phones, what should I know?

Orcvader · 11 Sep 2016 at 12:25

Feronix said:
Wouldn't recommend a new Android user to get a Xiaomi though. Brilliant phones, but you pretty much have to unlock your bootloader and flash custom EU ROMs.

For a normal user they won't bother with flashing custom ROMs. My uncle who is a die hard Apple fan (literally has every iPhone up to the 6s plus) saw the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 for cheap in Hong Kong and loved it so much he bought 3, 1 as his back up phone and the other 2 for his kids. The amount of times I tried tempting him with HTC Sense/Nexus/etc and the only thing one that he likes is MIUI since in his words "it works like my iPhone"

.

Furbs · 11 Sep 2016 at 12:25

Well not so inspired about the render of the new nexus, but it may turn out better than it looks.

mattyfez · 11 Sep 2016 at 12:48

The Huawei p9 camera is pretty damn good, audio via headphones is a bit of a let down though.

If you don't like widgets you can remove them , and remove additional homescreens so you just have one screen with all your icons on it, and make the icons small like this nova launcher example. The point og the app draw is because you'll likely have apps you dont want to see all the time, so it functions as a folder.

thep02 · 11 Sep 2016 at 13:21

loltim said:
is there a way of not having home screens on android yet? ie. you unlock it and your apps are there without loading up an apptray etc? I don't like home screens and widgets. I don't like having a silly weather app or a huge second clock. I just want the apps available straight away like with ios.

All you have to do is with 1 or 2 touches remove the widgets then put your apps on the home screen, I don't use a weather or a clock widget.

deuse · 11 Sep 2016 at 14:15

KIA said:
Get a Nexus, guaranteed OS support cycle and prompt security updates.

+1

Em3bbs · 11 Sep 2016 at 17:55

loltim said:
is there a way of not having home screens on android yet? ie. you unlock it and your apps are there without loading up an apptray etc? I don't like home screens and widgets. I don't like having a silly weather app or a huge second clock. I just want the apps available straight away like with ios.

iPhone purchase regret update loltim

danielanthony · 11 Sep 2016 at 18:29

I went from an iPhone 6S plus to a nexus 6p and found it to be a positive experience.

Going from 6p to Note 7 isn't a massive jump despite the price difference.

Columbo · 12 Sep 2016 at 00:38

Kenai said:
The main thing to realise is that Android is not an 'out of the box' solution

Yes it is.

Just because you can tinker with doesn't mean you have to. Most of the Android users I know (including my wife) have no absolutely no idea or care what an alternate launcher or icon pack is.

kona786 · 12 Sep 2016 at 07:17

Columbo said:
Yes it is.

Just because you can tinker with doesn't mean you have to. Most of the Android users I know (including my wife) have no absolutely no idea or care what an alternate launcher or icon pack is.

Agreed. You can do as much or as little to it as you like. It still functions out of box just fine.

Richdog · 12 Sep 2016 at 07:18

Furbs said:
Thanks for the advice, I am planning to hold out to see the new offer from Google, but I do like the look of the Sony for the claimed camera quality. Got a new baby on the way and that may be a worthwhile consideration.

Do not buy Sony, they are awful in terms of software and the cameras are hugely overrated.

Get a Samsung S7, they really are the nuts.

Feronix · 12 Sep 2016 at 11:34

Richdog said:
-they are awful in terms of software

-Get a Samsung S7, they really are the nuts.

Uwotmate?

Richdog · 12 Sep 2016 at 11:47

Feronix said:
Uwotmate?

I have owned several Sony's from Z1 to Z3 and each time the software is a debaucle, check their user forums. The camera is also an underperformer.

Mobius 1 · 12 Sep 2016 at 11:50

The Sony software is fine. Hyperbole or what.

OspreyO · 12 Sep 2016 at 11:53

http://arstechnica.co.uk/security/2016/09/critical-bugs-malware-android-september-2016/

...runs away....

OspreyO · 12 Sep 2016 at 11:55

Tauren said:
The Sony software is fine. Hyperbole or what.

Its not the software. Its the bloat which fills the phone, , under performing camera's and lack of software updates.

if you have the top end phone is not as bad. For everything else..... :eek:

Mobius 1 · 12 Sep 2016 at 12:00

i'd say my z3c, is as close to stock (without faffing about with it) as you're gonna get. other than motorola who are also pretty good as being as close to stock.

edit: and most of the bloatware is removable.

Semple · 12 Sep 2016 at 12:02

OspreyO said:
Its not the software. Its the bloat which fills the phone, , under performing camera's and lack of software updates.

if you have the top end phone is not as bad. For everything else.....

You know you can just disable the Sony installed software. Samsung are the main culprits of bloatware, a new phone is literally filled to the brim with their own shoddy apps.

What's the "under-performing" camera based on? When i've compared the photos on my Z2 to quite a few other phones, the Z2 can produce some fantastic photos.

ebilcake · 12 Sep 2016 at 12:15

Just go to your local phone shop and checkout the latest flagship devices.

For the best cameras look at the Galaxy S7/Edge, HTC 10 and LG G5.

Also checkout the latest from Sony and Motarola if they have them.

Google's Nexus 6P camera is good but the phone itself is a little outdated, new Google devices will be announced next month.

OspreyO · 12 Sep 2016 at 12:22

Semple said:
You know you can just disable the Sony installed software. Samsung are the main culprits of bloatware, a new phone is literally filled to the brim with their own shoddy apps.

What's the "under-performing" camera based on? When i've compared the photos on my Z2 to quite a few other phones, the Z2 can produce some fantastic photos.

Why not uninstall? Sony are as bad as Samsung for bloat, even rendering some phones like the Aqua M4 unusable. Z2 was a flagship phone in 2014. As I said top end phone aren't as effected. (because they have more memory to spare).
Most reviews of many Sony phones always comment on the camera not being quite as good as expected. If you have one isn't, good for you.

Feronix · 12 Sep 2016 at 12:24

Richdog said:
I have owned several Sony's from Z1 to Z3 and each time the software is a debaucle, check their user forums. The camera is also an underperformer.

I have never before heard anyone say Sony software is crap and then praise Samsung. Touchwiz is possibly the worst software ever written for Android besides the facebook app :rolleyes:

Sony phones are absolutely fine but their current flagship is lacking in the CPU department. It's still fast enough and let's be honest; most people just do social media, but if you consider that all the other flagships are faster for the same price and the Sony phones aren't even waterproof anymore, it's a no-brainer.

That new XZ looks good though and compares a lot more to the competitor's flagships.