Looking for an Android phone that...

Number29

Number29

Number29

Associate
Joined
25 Jan 2013
Posts
304
I'm after something that meets the following criteria:

Has lock screen notifications like the iPhone that can be swiped to take you to that notification (including a PIN lock)

Ability to use voice control from the lock screen without unlocking the phone (call someone, skip music tracks etc).

Physical home button to wake the phone.

Anyone know where I can get such a thing?

Many thanks.
 
Number29 said:
I'm after something that meets the following criteria:

Has lock screen notifications like the iPhone that can be swiped to take you to that notification (including a PIN lock)
Click to expand...

Any android phone can do that. In fact I'm pretty sure they had it first before the iPhone... If not then there's 3rd party lockscreen apps that can do the job.

Ability to use voice control from the lock screen without unlocking the phone (call someone, skip music tracks etc).
Click to expand...

Apparently the upcoming Nexus 5 may be able to do this. There's also the Moto X but that seems to be US only. Not sure about any other phones.

Physical home button to wake the phone.
Click to expand...

Pretty much all android phones with a physical home button can do this. I found it more annoying though with my old Xperia but luckily a little root can solve that...



What's your budget? It may be best to wait for the Nexus 5 as that should be announced within a couple of weeks.
 
Orcvader said:
Any android phone can do that. In fact I'm pretty sure they had it first before the iPhone... If not then there's 3rd party lockscreen apps that can do the job.



Apparently the upcoming Nexus 5 may be able to do this. There's also the Moto X but that seems to be US only. Not sure about any other phones.



Pretty much all android phones with a physical home button can do this.


What's your budget? It may be best to wait for the Nexus 5 as that should be announced within a couple of weeks.
Click to expand...

Budget is anything really. I've already got a Razr I but it can't/doesn't do any of the things I mentioned hence I'm looking for an Android device that can.
 
The Note III has a physical home button to wake the phone. It can also do voice control from the lock screen by double pressing the home button.

Cant recall if it does the notifications that are swipeable on the lock screen but as said this can be solved with third party apps
 
Frozennova said:
The Note III has a physical home button to wake the phone. It can also do voice control from the lock screen by double pressing the home button.

Cant recall if it does the notifications that are swipeable on the lock screen but as said this can be solved with third party apps
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion. However, something else I need is a very good quality speaker as I listen to a lot of podcasts on my iPhone. I've read that the Note 3 speaker is pretty lousy which would count that out.

I've just tried S-Voice on my partner's S3 and it'll only come up from the lock screen when there's no PIN. Any idea how to get it to work when there's a PIN set?
 
Last edited:
I'm not sure if you can with a screen lock set. I don't have any qualms with the speaker, a lot better than my Galaxy S2, I'd say it's a little better than that of my ipod touch to my ears as well
 
Number29 said:
I'm after something that meets the following criteria:

Has lock screen notifications like the iPhone that can be swiped to take you to that notification (including a PIN lock)

Ability to use voice control from the lock screen without unlocking the phone (call someone, skip music tracks etc).

Physical home button to wake the phone.

Anyone know where I can get such a thing?

Many thanks.
Click to expand...

Pretty much all the Samsung Galaxy range from the S3.

S3, Note 2, S4 and Note 3 can do all that. S4 & Note 3 now have a more robust notification system on the lock screen including widget swipe because they're on 4.2 & 4.3.
 
Skellig said:
Pretty much all the Samsung Galaxy range from the S3.

S3, Note 2, S4 and Note 3 can do all that. S4 & Note 3 now have a more robust notification system on the lock screen including widget swipe because they're on 4.2 & 4.3.
Click to expand...

How do you get S-Voice to work from a PIN locked screen? I couldn't get it to work on the S3.
 
You can get pretty much all those features of the moto x and galaxy range as apps on the martket already.

I use this:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.greatbytes.activenotifications&hl=en

Best way of displaying notifications by miles.

I don't think any phone has the second feature except for the moto x, again an app out there already though:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.RSen.OpenMic.Pheonix

Personally don't see the need for the home button to wake the device as you already have a dedicated button for it :p

And there are tons of other little tweaks i.e. all those fancy features from the galaxy range can work on any other device too:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.golgorz.hoveringcontrols

Can get it for free via the dedicated thread on XDA.

edit:

Although you won't be able to bypass the pin unlock to automatically get into the message etc. AFAIK no android phone or app allows this.
 
Last edited:
Number29 said:
How do you get S-Voice to work from a PIN locked screen? I couldn't get it to work on the S3.
Click to expand...

Access the phone bypassing a security lock screen? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of having a security lock screen?

Also, I believe this was a security feature/change so you no longer can do that on Android without root. I'm pretty sure this was the case since Gingerbread too.
 
Access the phone bypassing a security lock screen? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of having a security lock screen?
Click to expand...

I want to be able to make calls and skip tracks from the lock screen like you can with Siri (this is a must for when I'm driving).
 
Why not just stick with an iPhone if it does everything you need? It's unlikely an Android phone will behave exactly how you were used to without a bit of messing around. (This is coming from an Android owner who will probably never own an iPhone).

That said, the Moto X would probably do everything you want, but you can't get it in the UK (nice one, Motorola!!!). Might be worth waiting for the Nexus 5 announcement as well, that may do what you need.
 
Pinkribbonscars said:
Why not just stick with an iPhone if it does everything you need? It's unlikely an Android phone will behave exactly how you were used to without a bit of messing around. (This is coming from an Android owner who will probably never own an iPhone).

That said, the Moto X would probably do everything you want, but you can't get it in the UK (nice one, Motorola!!!). Might be worth waiting for the Nexus 5 announcement as well, that may do what you need.
Click to expand...

It seems increasingly likely the iPhone is the best option based on the responses so far.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom