Galaxy S5

#126
#126
Generally speaking, here's what the HTC and Samsung have offered me that's better than my iPhone 5S:

- roughly 60-70% better battery life
- bigger screen
- better support for Google/Facebook/Twitter accounts
- Better search/mapping
- Better voice functionality than Siri
- Expandable storage
- Swype

Nowhere near an exhaustive list, but I personally can't conceive of a single way the iPhone 5S is better than either of these two phones. Obviously the landscape always changes, but for this moment in time, the only reason I would ever go back to an iPhone is if I had a very specific need that Android couldn't accomplish.

IMO Apples continued success of the iPhone 5/5S is on the coattails of the 4. In my day to day job, I've also noticed a bit of a stigma among millenials and especially teenagers that comes along with not having an iPhone.
 
#127
#127
VolAllen said:
My parents have the S3 and the S4 and the glitch is still there. And these are people that don't play games, download many apps, etc..

There's only 1 winner, and it's Apple. I didn't believe that until I made the switch a year ago.
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What glitch?

I've had the chance to look at thousands of smartphones in the last year and a half, new and old, along with owning every iPhone from the 3gs on and every Samsung from the Galaxy s2 on, along with a couple others.

I agree that your anecdotal observation that ios was the more stable platform 3-4 years ago, but that's simply not the case anymore. I promise you that, on the whole, iOS had just as many bugs and glitches as android these days.
 
#128
#128
milohimself said:
Generally speaking, here's what the HTC and Samsung have offered me that's better than my iPhone 5S:

- roughly 60-70% better battery life
- bigger screen
- better support for Google/Facebook/Twitter accounts
- Better search/mapping
- Better voice functionality than Siri
- Expandable storage
- Swype

Nowhere near an exhaustive list, but I personally can't conceive of a single way the iPhone 5S is better than either of these two phones. Obviously the landscape always changes, but for this moment in time, the only reason I would ever go back to an iPhone is if I had a very specific need that Android couldn't accomplish.

IMO Apples continued success of the iPhone 5/5S is on the coattails of the 4. In my day to day job, I've also noticed a bit of a stigma among millenials and especially teenagers that comes along with not having an iPhone.
Click to expand...
60-70% better battery life on a Samsung? Are there any reports/articles that back that up?

I agree with bigger screen and better secondary app integration (I would include Evernote). As for search and voice, I do prefer Google but you can use Google now on iphone.
 
#129
#129
milohimself said:
What glitch?

I've had the chance to look at thousands of smartphones in the last year and a half, new and old, along with owning every iPhone from the 3gs on and every Samsung from the Galaxy s2 on, along with a couple others.

I agree that your anecdotal observation that ios was the more stable platform 3-4 years ago, but that's simply not the case anymore. I promise you that, on the whole, iOS had just as many bugs and glitches as android these days.
Click to expand...

Simple uses such as sliding from one app screen to the next is not smooth. Opening the contacts is glitchy. The phone can't recognize fast enough if it's to my ear or if I'm looking at it, causing the screen to go back and fourth rapidly from black to illuminated. You can't face chat with someone without downloading an app and registering with some new site (Skype, tango, qik, etc). Opening the web browser and moving from one opened page to another lags. The camera takes a few seconds to open, possibly causing you to miss what you were trying to capture quickly.

Lots of things. Everything, really. I use my dads S4 on a daily basis when we work together and he has me call a contact that's in his phone. The phones are garbage. He's switching to iphone when the 6 comes out this fall.
 
#130
#130
Freak said:
60-70% better battery life on a Samsung? Are there any reports/articles that back that up?

I agree with bigger screen and better secondary app integration (I would include Evernote). As for search and voice, I do prefer Google but you can use Google now on iphone.
Click to expand...
Re: Battery claim, purely anecdotal, but that list was supposed to reflect my preferences and ways in which I use the phone.

When I had the 5S, even from a few days after it came out of the box, I would be sweating it if I left home without a charger. I basically had to plug it in around 6-7pm every day if I wanted it to make it to 10pm. The Samsung and HTC have both cruised throughout the day with absolutely no issue, even on heavy usage. Granted, the Samsung took a little finagling.

And yes, Google apps are available on iOS. I started running everything possible by Google on my iPhone, at the suggestion of a friend of mine who works at the Genius Bar, and he was right. Google makes a much better mobile app than Apple right now. I figured, at that point, I may as well run Google's OS. And, of course, Chrome/Google Search/Maps/Keep/Drive etc. all work/integrate better on Android than iOS.
 
#131
#131
milohimself said:
Re: Battery claim, purely anecdotal, but that list was supposed to reflect my preferences and ways in which I use the phone.

When I had the 5S, even from a few days after it came out of the box, I would be sweating it if I left home without a charger. I basically had to plug it in around 6-7pm every day if I wanted it to make it to 10pm. The Samsung and HTC have both cruised throughout the day with absolutely no issue, even on heavy usage. Granted, the Samsung took a little finagling.

And yes, Google apps are available on iOS. I started running everything possible by Google on my iPhone, at the suggestion of a friend of mine who works at the Genius Bar, and he was right. Google makes a much better mobile app than Apple right now. I figured, at that point, I may as well run Google's OS. And, of course, Chrome/Google Search/Maps/Keep/Drive etc. all work/integrate better on Android than iOS.
Click to expand...

Agree on Google apps. They are much better than what Apple is putting out right now. I actually like Google Now a lot.

I still use a 5S as my daily driver but there are a lot of things I like about the newest Android phones: Google apps being one and I also prefer androids notification system.
 
#132
#132
VolAllen said:
Simple uses such as sliding from one app screen to the next is not smooth. Opening the contacts is glitchy. The phone can't recognize fast enough if it's to my ear or if I'm looking at it, causing the screen to go back and fourth rapidly from black to illuminated. You can't face chat with someone without downloading an app and registering with some new site (Skype, tango, qik, etc). Opening the web browser and moving from one opened page to another lags. The camera takes a few seconds to open, possibly causing you to miss what you were trying to capture quickly.

Lots of things. Everything, really. I use my dads S4 on a daily basis when we work together and he has me call a contact that's in his phone. The phones are garbage. He's switching to iphone when the 6 comes out this fall.
Click to expand...

iPhone 6 could of course be better, that remains to be seen.

I get hands-on with S4's probably 7-8 times a day, 5 days a week. There are ones with issues yes, but I also see probably ten times as many that still run perfectly smooth. I'm sure there's a simple fix for it, just need to dig around. I bet it'd be worth it even for the window between now and when the new iPhone comes out.

As for the Galaxy 3, it's a couple years old now. Most iPhone 4S are a couple years old now too, and all of them are dirt slow as well. That's going to happen.
 
#133
#133
I'd caution you against using your parent's phones as examples.

I say that because of my personal experience with my parents. My Dad has a GS3 and my mom an Iphone 5c. My Mom had never had anything close to a smart phone prior, and my Dad had a few Blackberry's but never really used them as anything other than a phone.

In helping them get used to their phones, I can see that the Iphone is a bit more 'idiot proof'. Its hard for my Mom to really screw it up too bad. Any time I'd get my Dad's GS3, anything he had touched in the last 4 days would be open and causing issues. Once I showed him a couple things to help him using with his GS3, he's had few problems with lag or anything of that sort.

It still has the GS3 battery and signal issues, but its also 2 years old....
 
#134
#134
milohimself said:
iPhone 6 could of course be better, that remains to be seen.

I get hands-on with S4's probably 7-8 times a day, 5 days a week. There are ones with issues yes, but I also see probably ten times as many that still run perfectly smooth. I'm sure there's a simple fix for it, just need to dig around. I bet it'd be worth it even for the window between now and when the new iPhone comes out.

As for the Galaxy 3, it's a couple years old now. Most iPhone 4S are a couple years old now too, and all of them are dirt slow as well. That's going to happen.
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This brings up a good point, the Galaxy S5 is about six months newer than the 5S. It will be just as fair to compare it to the iphone 6.

When is the iphone 6 supposed to release? September?
 
#135
#135
Freak said:
Agree on Google apps. They are much better than what Apple is putting out right now. I actually like Google Now a lot.

I still use a 5S as my daily driver but there are a lot of things I like about the newest Android phones: Google apps being one and I also prefer androids notification system.
Click to expand...
Freak, I think you in particular would enjoy the new HTC One. Take one for a test run as soon as you get the chance.
 
#137
#137
Freak said:
This brings up a good point, the Galaxy S5 is about six months newer than the 5S. It will be just as fair to compare it to the iphone 6.

When is the iphone 6 supposed to release? September?
Click to expand...

I'm never really sure about that. Samsung releases in the same calendar year as the successive iPhone, but same FY as the prior iPhone. I usually split the difference.
 
#138
#138
WallyBalls said:
I'd caution you against using your parent's phones as examples.

I say that because of my personal experience with my parents. My Dad has a GS3 and my mom an Iphone 5c. My Mom had never had anything close to a smart phone prior, and my Dad had a few Blackberry's but never really used them as anything other than a phone.

In helping them get used to their phones, I can see that the Iphone is a bit more 'idiot proof'. Its hard for my Mom to really screw it up too bad. Any time I'd get my Dad's GS3, anything he had touched in the last 4 days would be open and causing issues. Once I showed him a couple things to help him using with his GS3, he's had few problems with lag or anything of that sort.

It still has the GS3 battery and signal issues, but its also 2 years old....
Click to expand...

My parents are in their mid 40's and have been using tablets/smartphones for about 7 or 8 years now. It's not really a user issue, other than the fact that they keep buying droid instead of Apple. All of their children (myself included) refuse to use their Samsung tablets, Dell laptops, etc, but I think we've finally convinced them to make the switch.

***the ONLY reason it's taken them this long to switch to Apple is because in South Carolina, we had SunCom phone service since 2002, which was bought out by Tmobile in (2008?), and tmobile didn't offer the iphone. As soon as Tmo picked up the iphone last year, the kids (ages 25, 22, 16, and 15) bolted to iPhone that very week. The parents will follow suit this fall with the 6.
 
#139
#139
HTC makes a good phone, but I personally do not like Sense anymore. I find it to be the most annoying of the manufacturer 'skins' at this point in time.

I used to really like HTC Android phones but over time I have lost interest. Sense annoys me, they have used strange bluetooth stacks before which has been annoying, and the phone itself is too slick for me (that's nit picky and easily solved with a case).

Still, you can't go wrong with any of the newer phones. iPhones, S5, Note 4, G3, HTC M8....they are all first class phones that work very well. It's personal preference at this point for the most part. Especially true when you can slap another launcher on the phone and pretty much break free from the manufacturer's launcher.

I did phone repairs for 3 years working on all models. iPhones and Android both came across the workbench all day, every day.

Now, when you start talking about the non top tier phones, it can be a different story. The free out of the door Samsung Never heard of this model before phones are generally crap with crap components inside.
 
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#140
#140
DrRosenRosen said:
HTC makes a good phone, but I personally do not like Sense anymore. I find it to be the most annoying of the manufacturer 'skins' at this point in time.

I used to really like HTC Android phones but over time I have lost interest. Sense annoys me, they have used strange bluetooth stacks before which has been annoying, and the phone itself is too slick for me (that's nit picky and easily solved with a case).

Still, you can't go wrong with any of the newer phones. iPhones, S5, Note 4, G3, HTC M8....they are all first class phones that work very well. It's personal preference at this point for the most part. Especially true when you can slap another launcher on the phone and pretty much break free from the manufacturer's launcher.
Click to expand...
Note 4? :)
 
#141
#141
VolAllen said:
My parents are in their mid 40's and have been using tablets/smartphones for about 7 or 8 years now. It's not really a user issue, other than the fact that they keep buying droid instead of Apple. All of their children (myself included) refuse to use their Samsung tablets, Dell laptops, etc, but I think we've finally convinced them to make the switch.

***the ONLY reason it's taken them this long to switch to Apple is because in South Carolina, we had SunCom phone service since 2002, which was bought out by Tmobile in (2008?), and tmobile didn't offer the iphone. As soon as Tmo picked up the iphone last year, the kids (ages 25, 22, 16, and 15) bolted to iPhone that very week. The parents will follow suit this fall with the 6.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. If nothing else it looks like they picked some of the poor Android models which might be coloring things.

I don't agree with painting anything Android (particularly the Nexus line, Galaxy S5, HTC One, etc) as an inferior product that one should flee from, but to each his own.
 
#142
#142
Freak said:
Note 4? :)
Click to expand...

You know it's coming after the summer. It'll be a 4k screen with the Snapdragon 810 most likely. Probably the next big phone launching.

The LG G3 is being shown at 1pm today. It's a 4K screen but appears to only have 2gig of ram with the 801. Early rumors had it at 3gig of ram. But, if you haven't used a G2 before, you probably haven't seen how LGs software normally smokes everything else. It's super quick and snappy.
 
#143
#143
DrRosenRosen said:
You know it's coming after the summer. It'll be a 4k screen with the Snapdragon 810 most likely. Probably the next big phone launching.

The LG G3 is being shown at 1pm today. It's a 4K screen but appears to only have 2gig of ram with the 801. Early rumors had it at 3gig of ram. But, if you haven't used a G2 before, you probably haven't seen how LGs software normally smokes everything else. It's super quick and snappy.
Click to expand...
I would love to upgrade to the Note 4 and I might consider it, but I really don't have any issues with my Note 2.

Is there a better option for a large-screened phone if I find myself not using the stylus?
 
#144
#144
Back to apps: another thing I like about Android is the ability to set up alerts for specific gmail tags. This doesn't seem to be possible in iOS.
 
#145
#145
Freak said:
I would love to upgrade to the Note 4 and I might consider it, but I really don't have any issues with my Note 2.

Is there a better option for a large-screened phone if I find myself not using the stylus?
Click to expand...
Seems Samsung still has the big phone market cornered. I've heard good things about the Sony, but wasn't super-impressed. LG could be promising if they don't re-hash that flex nonsense.
 
#146
#146
Freak said:
I would love to upgrade to the Note 4 and I might consider it, but I really don't have any issues with my Note 2.

Is there a better option for a large-screened phone if I find myself not using the stylus?
Click to expand...

G3 is the same screen size as the Note 2, I think. (5.5")

But, like you said, its basically a better screen, better camera, and a little better chip inside. I can't think of anything it'll do that the Note 2 wont (except some bells and whistles of Android 4.4).

I never used the SPen and wanted something slightly smaller. That's the only reason I got the S5. It wasn't because I was unhappy or annoyed with the Note 2.

If you haven't looked at the OnePlus One, it looks cool. However, it seems you have to jump through hoops or be lucky to get one anytime soon. It's the first phone from the CyanogenMod team. It's about the same size as the Note 3.
 
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#149
#149
milohimself said:
I'll give the edge to the HTC on battery life, it's better on the media front, and as mentioned, it has a premium look and feel.
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My S4 keeps giving me the "storage space running low" notification, I've deleted a ton of apps, cleared cache, cleared the ROM or whatever and it keeps doing it. Apparently the update took a ton of space and all S4s are doing this. Im either getting the S5 or the new One.
 
#150
#150
Notorious B.E.N said:
My S4 keeps giving me the "storage space running low" notification, I've deleted a ton of apps, cleared cache, cleared the ROM or whatever and it keeps doing it. Apparently the update took a ton of space and all S4s are doing this. Im either getting the S5 or the new One.
Click to expand...

Haven't seen that issue with the vast majority of s4, though tbh I usually do a factory reset on any device after a major OS update, regardless of platform
 
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