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Can anyone give me some advice.
I am looking for a very cheap external GPS adapter I can use with my TyTN.
But I dont want to end up with the worst crap that wont really work.
Any tips would be appreciated. Never bought a GPS device before and have no idea what to look for.
I got an iBlue 737 for Christmas, and so far I really like it:
http://www.semsons.com/ib737blgps32.html
Have had great luck with a Holux 1000. Ive had it for a while. Picked it up on fleabay for about $24 (I think).
SoulSeekerHS said:
Can anyone give me some advice.
I am looking for a very cheap external GPS adapter I can use with my TyTN.
But I dont want to end up with the worst crap that wont really work.
Any tips would be appreciated. Never bought a GPS device before and have no idea what to look for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use the Holux GPSlim 236. I have had it for more than a year. Works pretty well. Great battery life. Simple to set up. Available for under 50 buks on ebay. This is just the GPS hardware - no navigation software included.
As far as software is concerned - TomTom i smy favorite. This forum would give you lots of guidance in terms of GPS software options. Just search through the archives.
I've been very happy with my QStarz receiver.
Battery runs for over 10hrs and never had a problem with signal.
http://www.qstarz.com/
Ok cool, thx for all the suggestions.
Will look arround for good deals on those, maybe I find something used on ebay.
The specs of the qstarz Q818 look very promising, but 70€ is a bit more than I can spend at the moment. Will rememeber it for richer times tho hehe
so again, thx all. That has helped me alot
GPS
I have one of these and it work like a charm. Good battery life, and fast fix.
its NMEA instead of SIRF, but I can't figure out the difference. Works with Google maps, Live Search, TomTom, FFF and everything else using GPS i've tried.
http://www.factorydirect.ca/catalog/product_spec.php?pcode=BT0005
well....
i've seen all goods listed above...
it's a difficult thing for these merchants to ship GPS over the Atlantic to China....
Where can i find a cheap GPS that included shipping costs....
thanks~
re: GPS Receiver
Hi
I use the freedom keyring mini gps receiver, It is Sirf III , also used holux gpslim 236 before that, both awesome, why don't you try from the famous auction site considering that a lot of the sellers there sell to the UK from china, with you the postage costs should be reduced
Chudiy
Irony
Its actually kinda funny when you consider 95% of these came from either China or Taiwan in the first place....
ss1271 said:
well....
i've seen all goods listed above...
it's a difficult thing for these merchants to ship GPS over the Atlantic to China....
Where can i find a cheap GPS that included shipping costs....
thanks~
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought my Holux from this guy about 6 months ago:
http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/digichoice/
He's in HK.
nanastas said:
Its actually kinda funny when you consider 95% of these came from either China or Taiwan in the first place....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its really kinda depress when I go to another country and buy some goods that marked "Made in China"...
I use Nokia Bluetooth GPS Module LD-3W, very slim and stylish.
Battery lifetime 12 hours.
I use the Freedom Keyring GPS, but previously had the Holux GPSlim 236 (which suddenly died even though it was babied).
So far I have had excellent luck with it. It's very solidly built, has good battery life, and seems to pick-up signal very quickly. I was sceptical at first due to Freedom's no-frills packaging, but I would definately recommend it.
SiRFStar III is considered the standard, though they all pretty much work well nowadays. My Holux 236 works very well, had it for over a year now. Holux do some even smaller ones now.
samcham said:
I got an iBlue 737 for Christmas, and so far I really like it:
http://www.semsons.com/ib737blgps32.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes - I have also this GPS - it´s great - very fast!!
i have the Holux Slim 240 .. VERY happy with it. Its the smallest I've found out there, looks good up on my dash (have a tiny dot of Velcro there to hold it in place), the battery life is superb at 10hrs, uses the same charger as my phone, and has the standard SiRFStar 3 for amazing accuracy. Once its locked, I can even put it in the "dime bag" pocket of my jeans facing out and will never lose signal (motorcycle, bicycle, walking). It takes a minute or two to get an initial lock but my understanding is that they all do. Highly recommended, < $60 if you shop around: http://www.amazon.com/Holux-GPSlim-240-Bluetooth-Receiver/dp/B000HDJSNA
If I were still in the market, I would consider that new keychain one .. it would be nice to always have it on your person.
Quality GPS
I'm not sure if it is within your price range, but I love my Garmin GPS 10. It is several years old and still retains a charge for a long time and is incredibly accurate. I use it in my car and I use it for Geocaching.
The "current" version is called the Garmin Mobile™ 10. They have it for PDAs, SmartPhones, Blackberries, laptops, Sprint Mobile, etc.
The best part is that it comes with software that can be loaded on a laptop, phone or PDA ... all you need is a bluetooth connection and you are ready to go! So, I can use my GPS with all my toys!!!
Mine came with a velcro strip, but I don't have to use it. The protective rubber piece that is over the adhesive part acts like non-slip ... so I don't use the velcro ... and the GPS does not slide.
I don't care what anyone says, Garmin has always been and will always be one of the best manufacturers of GPS technologies. They work hard to continue earning and maintaining their reputation.
Yes, it might be a little more $$$ up front, but you won't need to replace it for a very long time! Go for QUALITY!!!!!
Dual mode USB and Bluetooth?
Could be used in PC as well PDA?
Mine can. USB or over bluetooth. Came with drivers on a mini-cd
Lets be honest. these are not android phones. they have evolved past that. They are quite litterally PC's. or PPC's to be more accurate.
They are Portable Personal Computers and they are amazing.
With this rash of new and inevitably more coming "CHEAP" yet powerful android powered portable PC's coming out such as the $30 score and $50 vitality and PLENTY for under $99
suddenly things that were silly before or just too expensive are suddenly viable.
I WOULD LOVE to make this a HUGE threat for coming up with creative non phone uses (IE no celluar plan) for these amazing little devices.
I am going to dedicate the first few posts to listing in one place the great ideas you guys come up with. I will start off with just a few of the ideas we have come up with to use these phones for and links to software examples to do such with them.
Please ANY idea don't care what it is post it. Let's see just how much we can do with these amazing little devices.
I don't care if its free or paid software.
the only condition is it has to be useful without a cellular connection.
Most of these idea's are not mine but were posted by others in the $30 and $50 android threads. some where mine hehe
IPWEBCAM
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...lt#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5wYXMud2ViY2FtIl0.
This program turns your droid into a streaming webcam. you can access it from anywhere on your network and with some port forwarding and convenience from say dyndns anywhere in the world.
Combine with "tinycam"
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...t#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5hbGV4dmFzLmR2ciJd
and you can watch up to 5 at a time live from your other android phone anywhere.
works VERY well. I plan to try to rig one up with a solar panel and external battery for wireless convenience.
----------------------------
Lapse It
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS51aS5MYXBzZUl0UHJvIl0.
WONDERFUL WONDERFUL software. turns your droid camera into a "timelapse" camera. this takes a picture at "intervals" that you can later combined into a "video" (you can do it on the phone but it obviously takes along time at higher resolutions)
I have done 1080p timelapse films with it. this is the primary reason I got all these devices (I have 7 of them)
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Motion Detector Pro
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...HJvaWQubW90aW9uZGV0ZWN0b3Jwcm8uYWN0aXZpdHkiXQ..
This one has a running internal video stream and when enough pixels "change" at once (ie "motion" is detected) it snaps a picture and e-mails it to you and stores it on the sd card.
right now its stream resolution 480x320 I am hopeful of a higher resolution version can be found! its free too!
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Navigon (with permissions denied tweak)
$40 cheap full feature GPS without a network connection. GOod quality maps and good quality routing most of the time (like any other gps I am pleased)
You just have to permissions denied disable the license check since it checks EVERY single time you start even though it downloads the maps to the SD card. which means no data connection SPLAT it crashes out.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...vbS5uYXZpZ29uLm5hdmlnYXRvcl9jaGVja291dF9uYSJd
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Navionics
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=navionics&c=apps
Very nice just like navigon but for Nautical Charts for boating !! very very nice. I can't wait to try it out this summer when I get the boat going.
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Digital Dash for your car
I love Ulysse Speedometer its gorgeous and feature rich. there are LOTS of other options many free but I always come back to Ulysse
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...wxLDEsImNvbS5iaW5hcnl0b3lzLnNwZWVkb21ldGVyIl0.
it (and many others) can also do HUD inverted to project the info on your windscreen at night.
--------------------
Slacker and Pandora when in WIFI for streaming music.
if you pay for slacker premium $4 a month you can also CACHE stations to your SD card and now you can use it anywhere. whenever your in wifi it will "sync" adding new songs etc.. Very very nice.
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MP3 Player. I Love poweramp. you can shove a 16 or in some of them 32gb card in them and have a Media Player that will make an ipod cringe in envy.
Also works fine for netflix youtube etc.. when in WIFI. Most will also play many other video formats but the small screens tend to make them less desirable for this.
--------------------
Do you 4wheel? LOTs of neat apps for this.
I plan to mount 3 or 4 of these on my visor shelf when I 4 wheel
one will run Ulysse one will run TOPO software once I find a good one
another will run Inclinometer software
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=inclinometer&c=apps
once I pick the one i like.
really love the brain laboratories one but it crashes when the tilt alarm goes off (which is why I like it so much) turn off the alarm and its fine hopefully they can fix that.
----------------------------
Car DVR - record what happens as you drive think "dash cam"
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5kYWlseXJvYWRzLnYiXQ..
is just one example.
I use a dedicated dash cam but here is a droid option.
-----------------------------
Have a 96 or newer car with OBDII onboard ?
get one of these 260827956350 (ebay) for under $20 and now you can use software like for example Torque to read your codes from your car or live data.
PLENTY of other "car" things you can do.
This is my preferred program for recording my tank fills up and tracking my fuel economy and my car expenses
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...wOSwiY2guc2ltb25tb3JnZW50aGFsZXIuZnVlbGxvZyJd
Plenty of other software like this too.
------------------------------
HeyTell
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.heytell&feature=search_result
PTT Push to Talk. Think Walkie Talkie for you droid. works great over wifi. I ALSO confirmed it works in conjunction with IPWEBCAM so now if you SEE someone on your webcam you can "talk" to them via heytell. (you hear them via ipwebcam just enable audio)
Very cool. if you have windows mobile and BB users use LOUDTALKS (zello) since that one has Winmo and BB clients.
-----------------------
Unit Conversion
Convertr
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...S5tYXRocGFkLm1vYmlsZS5hbmRyb2lkLnd0LnVuaXQiXQ..
plenty of others. convert literally any unit to any unit. very neat
-----------------------
Talking Timer
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsInNwaW5uaW5naGVhZC50aW1lciJd
-----------------------
Calculators. Just search the market their are OODLES of them
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Reserved for the wonderful idea's you guys come up with
Reserved for the even more of the wonderful idea's you guys come up with
Put all the music on a SD card.
Portable music player.
heck yeah and amke ipods cry
Tethering
You could use yor phone as modem for your PC.
ahh would that not require a cellular connection?
My ZTE Score has a hardware GPS so I can load topo or road maps on it and have a nice portable GPS unit. For only $30 it was cheaper than other portable gps units.
Imagine having this hooked up in your car multitasking as a GPS unit and MP3 player if you don't have or want to use your regular phone.
Cheap devices are also a great way to learn about the hacking side of Android. You can get experience rooting, flashing CWM and ROMs (if available for your device) without the worry of bricking your primary phone. I learned how to build desktops by tearing down and rebuilding older computers where there was no risk if I broke something. Think of cheap phones as the same thing. Once you master them you'll feel more comfortable flashing a ROM on your new $500 phone.
have you found any really good user friendly topo mapping software? trails software? (offroad and hiking)
what software do you use?
theres a neighor of mine living next door who's got 4 laptops.. and i'm thinking about breaking into his house and stealing them. then selling them all on ebay..
an ebook/comic and a divx reader, for me.
And a marvelous one at that, that can do a lot more than a 100$ kindle or a *input stupid amount of money*$ ipod and the such.
Even if unfortunately for me, being in Canada, i couldn't benefit from the Zte Score at 30$ and Samsung Vitality at 50$ good plans.
I'm curious bout the "PLENTY for under 99$" sentence, tough?
I saw 4 or 5 on the shelf for under $100 at best buy including the samsung vitality ($99 with speaker) I think vitality alone was $79.99 the ZTE Score was $49.99 and the ZTE Chorus was $69 IIRC.
I think the boost "warp" was either $99 or $119.
and that was just what I saw at best buy. metro has plenty in that price range as well.
and on craigslist its not hard to find a droid for under $100 even pretty nice ones. all 3 of my EVO 4G's I paid under $100 for and thats a kick butt droid.
I even found EPIC 4G for $100 a pop once (pair of them $150) I should have bought them. dumb me.
its amazing how much "hardware" you can buy for $99 or less now. though the $30 range is what REALLY made these things delicious. almost an impulse buy at that price point.
remember the point of these is not to buy a phone plan but to use them as little PC's
little computers to "DO" interesting things with.
you can get a pretty decent eink reader 6" for lower than $70 now. these screens are a bit too small for reading to me but yeah thats a use for them.
nerys71 said:
remember the point of these is not to buy a phone plan but to use them as little PC's
little computers to "DO" interesting things with.
you can get a pretty decent eink reader 6" for lower than $70 now. these screens are a bit too small for reading to me but yeah thats a use for them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, i got that. What i meant by "good plans" was "good deals", i should have been clearer.
I guess american craiglist is a lot more packed than the canadian one
(same with best buy for that matter)
Cheapest good one around here is 110$+taxes for a Lg Optimus One with a prepaid card.
I'll check again, but i doubt you can find something (not broken) for 50$ here in canada, unfortunately.
Oh, and i find it pleasing enough to read on a 3.5"-4" device, resizing is pretty easy and efficient.
Of course, i can't deny it is more pleasant on a bigger, dedicated ebook reader, but then again, what can these things do beyond reading ebooks?
maybe you should start shopping in the US hehe seriously hit ebay.
you can get votalities for $50 to $70 shipped (without the bt speaker of course
as for reading. I am a book whore. I have an issue with reading. I can never have enough.
I have 2 kindle DX's so if something happens to one I never have to be without my books. I am a voracious reader.
my eyes KILL me after even 2 hours of reading on an LCD screen not to speak of the battery consumption and weight (tablet computer)
I am even eyeballing that new COLOR E-Ink device ($500 !! ouch) so I can read my magazines without a backlight.
For me its no option got to have an ereader.
but some have no issues reading an LCD.
Here is a NIB ZTE Score for $55 SHIPPED
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-Z...0990516405?pt=Cell_Phones&hash=item3cc43f3cb5
and there are TONS of them $60 and under. $55 is lowest "buy it now" I could find with free shipping
For the Vitality (a better device in my opinion) just search ebay for samsung vitality and click " cell phones" on the left to get rid of all the accessories from the results
TONS of them for $60 to $70 buy it now free shipping.
fun around long enough you could snag one for $50. all perfectly good in fact brand new. most do not include the bt speaker but some as low as $85 include the speaker with free shipping (well worth it the speaker is flat out amazing)
nerys71 said:
maybe you should start shopping in the US hehe seriously hit ebay.
you can get votalities for $50 to $70 shipped (without the bt speaker of course
as for reading. I am a book whore. I have an issue with reading. I can never have enough.
I have 2 kindle DX's so if something happens to one I never have to be without my books. I am a voracious reader.
my eyes KILL me after even 2 hours of reading on an LCD screen not to speak of the battery consumption and weight (tablet computer)
I am even eyeballing that new COLOR E-Ink device ($500 !! ouch) so I can read my magazines without a backlight.
For me its no option got to have an ereader.
but some have no issues reading an LCD.
Here is a NIB ZTE Score for $55 SHIPPED
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-Z...0990516405?pt=Cell_Phones&hash=item3cc43f3cb5
and there are TONS of them $60 and under. $55 is lowest "buy it now" I could find with free shipping
For the Vitality (a better device in my opinion) just search ebay for samsung vitality and click " cell phones" on the left to get rid of all the accessories from the results
TONS of them for $60 to $70 buy it now free shipping.
fun around long enough you could snag one for $50. all perfectly good in fact brand new. most do not include the bt speaker but some as low as $85 include the speaker with free shipping (well worth it the speaker is flat out amazing)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That auction is for shipment in the us only, i had seen it
Anyway i get the point, thanks
As for reading ebooks on my phone, i must confess that while i do like reading, i'm not reading as much as you, so a 3.5" screen is enough for me.
Anyway, i'm off to the classifieds again to find some cheap android phone to have fun with!
If the phone has hdmi out you could hook it to a tv and use it with a bluetooth keyboard/mouse as a computer - some of these phones can even run ubuntu linux for a full pc experience
nice idea! none of the "cheap" ones have that function yet (hdmi) but you can get used droids sometimes under $100 if your vigilant that do.
Found some new software!!
Converter software. convert from any unit to any unit. they have some GREAT software available to do this !!
Talking Timer. I will absolutely get a use for this. I use talking timers when flying competition rocket gliders. we have to fly 15 minutes and land at zero so we use talking timers (radio shack) so we can sync our landing.
they are rather hard to find and now I can use my droid to do it. sweet!
Scientific Calculator. lots of neat apps for this!
come on I know you guys have to have some idea's !!
That's marginal, but as an avid boardgames/cardgames player, i personnaly also use it for dice and counter apps.
Oh, and the timer is useful for that purpose too.
I have been reading and watching yt videos for Amazfit now for days. I kinda already love it. But then one my friend told me, I should buy Garmins Forerunner 235.
I have done fast investigation for Garmin, but I just didnt found side by side test with Amazfit. From what I found, Harmin doesnt have internal memory, that means I would still need phone for listening music - I would miss that option alot.
Im writing here just cuz I would like to know real differences between those two watches.
1. How is the accuracy of Amazfit pace vs Garmin forerunner 235?
2. I also read about lack of software support for Amazfit (each review was 1 month old or older). Is that still so?
Since Amazfit is based on Android OS, is there a way to put some running couch 5k or some similar app on it? Im pretty new in running and it would be great to have some assistance on a way, when to jog, when to walk. Right now Im using one of those apps on my phone and im connected via bt headphones.
Also some will say, that forerunner cost twice as amazfit. I calculated that Amazfit will all taxes etc ordered from aliexpress would cost me around 160 EUR. Forerunner 235 would cost me around 200 EUR with shipping from Amazon (Im buyer as company on amazon, so im VAT free buyer).
Maybe I will have some more question, but this is it for now.
I own the pace and while I kinda like it (And the music thing was my reason for chosing it over Garmin as well), The support has been completely non-existent. And by non-existent I mean I have emailed the developer, sent developer feedback within the app, lodged 6 tickets within the app, lodged a ticket on the web site itself, and emailed [email protected] twice.
Nobody has ever responded to any of it. That's enough to make me regret my decision. Get the Garmin for it's functionality and support, let the aesthetics go. Pick yourself up a pair of earbuds with internal storage, like the Sonys. Leave the phone at home, problem solved. You don't want to deal with people that won't acknowledge you. Just imagine trying to get warranty support.
I had moved from Garmin Vivoactive to Amazfit, and I had been throught some garmin product, 225 235 fenix2 fenix3. If you want to be a serious runner, you should choose Garmin 235. I would give you some note from 2 product:
* Garmin 235:
+ GPS more more accurate than Amazfit and very stable.
+ 5ATM water proof and anti shock (made from polymer)
+ Alot informations for workout, depth and accuracy
+ Alot features for workout, ex: intervals (run/walk), import plan from garmin site, virtual pacer, virtual racer, ...
+ Most sensor are more accurate
+ Connect with external sensor via ANT+ (ex: bike speed sensor, cadence, heart rate sensor...)
- No internal storage for music, can control music from cellphone
- Expensive
- Good brand identified (everyone know garmin is expensive and from us)
- Maybe long support.
* Xiaomi Amazfit
+ Have internal storage for music, can not control music from cellphone
+ Good look
+ Have most workout programme, with needed information
+ Cheaper
- GPS is not stable, work but sometime you got less distance than you run, or the route drift out from the road.
- Cheap brandname
- Can not install more app like a phone thought it run android os (have some but useless, like gallary app, calculation app...)
- IP67 is ok, ceramic bezel is anti-scratch good but easy to crack (like sapphire, maybe)
- Does not work with external sensor via bluetooth (garmin 935 or fenix 5 do)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqHOOAE8hhI
Ok, i decided to not buy Amazfit, since there is just 50-60€ difference in price. But in my research I found out Polar M600. Anyone who owns/owned FR235 and M600? Where is the difference here? How more limited M600 is in perspective as runner? Im asking as they are in same price range for me (5-10€ +/-). I know that M600 is AW 2 watch, but lets out that a side so as design and look on both as a runner.
curious to see how many of the Samsung Galaxy S8 community have smartwatches, and which ones they are using?
I've had the Asus Zenwatch 3 since before I got the S8 back in November.
this watch is very stylish and serves as a great time piece.
everything seems to run fairly well. I get notifications, able to respond with my voice, etc. but my main concern is lag. when I disable the "OK Google" detection from the watch, the lag is almost gone. thus, in order to enter a command, I need to press a button on the watch to launch google assistant. and each time, on the first pass, I get an error that google was unreachable. but when I try a second time, it works fine. so I'm not sure if this is due to the handshake between the phone and the watch or just the watch. also, when going on a run/walk/bike ride, I would like to start the activity through the watch. however, I cannot seem to get Map My Run to work properly. I'm fine using Google Fit, but it does not call out the milestones to my bluetooth headphones - only when I start the activity through the phone. to me, this makes have the smartwatch almost pointless if I have to initiate the activity through the phone.
I know that Samsung has their own line of smartwatches, but from what I read, they do not use Google, they use Tizen. I also read that the next release of their watch (Galaxy watch, I think) will have Bixby install as it's assistant. those two factors alone will keep me away from getting a samsung smartwatch.
however, I am eyeing the Ticwatch Pro, but just want to be sure that watch is true upgrade over mine.
I used to have the original moto 360 (paired with my Motorola Droid Turbo), and that was a great combination except that the heart rate monitor was spotty at best (the Asus Zenwatch 3, FWIW, does NOT have the heart rate monitor, also a downer).
curious to see anyone else's experience....
If you're not in the rush, I recommend you to just wait for Samsung / Google next upgrade on smartwatch, because it is very near already..
Personally, I'm using Samsung gear S2 and loved it a lot for quite long... The rotating bezel is the best navigation out there imo... Sadly, Gear S3 and Gear Watch is a bit overpriced for me, so I'm still using the outdated Gear S2 for quite some time.
StardustGeass said:
If you're not in the rush, I recommend you to just wait for Samsung / Google next upgrade on smartwatch, because it is very near already..
Personally, I'm using Samsung gear S2 and loved it a lot for quite long... The rotating bezel is the best navigation out there imo... Sadly, Gear S3 and Gear Watch is a bit overpriced for me, so I'm still using the outdated Gear S2 for quite some time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I keep reading reviews of how everyone loves the rotating bezels. I'm sure I would like it, but i'm just fine with flicking my wrist to view the notifications or using my voice.
I wound up selling my Asus Zenwatch 3 and bought the TicWatch Pro. I had some difficulty setting it up at first - meaning that it took more than an hour to complete the process. but once it was done, seems to be working quite well so far.
the tough part is that in order to NFC to make payments via google pay (I think that the gear watches force you to use Samsung Pay instead?), is that you need to have a screenlock password/pin/pattern - and this is extremely inconvenient for normal use. But i believe that is more of a feature of Android Wear rather than the watch itself. if anything, I would prefer the to enter the password/pin/pattern only when I attempt to use google pay.
my only reason for waiting until the pixel watch would be to see it offered a watch with more RAM. however, this TicWatch Pro is very responsive and I'm able to leave the "ok Google" enabled - very helpful when driving.
jco23 said:
I keep reading reviews of how everyone loves the rotating bezels. I'm sure I would like it, but i'm just fine with flicking my wrist to view the notifications or using my voice.
I wound up selling my Asus Zenwatch 3 and bought the TicWatch Pro. I had some difficulty setting it up at first - meaning that it took more than an hour to complete the process. but once it was done, seems to be working quite well so far.
the tough part is that in order to NFC to make payments via google pay (I think that the gear watches force you to use Samsung Pay instead?), is that you need to have a screenlock password/pin/pattern - and this is extremely inconvenient for normal use. But i believe that is more of a feature of Android Wear rather than the watch itself. if anything, I would prefer the to enter the password/pin/pattern only when I attempt to use google pay.
my only reason for waiting until the pixel watch would be to see it offered a watch with more RAM. however, this TicWatch Pro is very responsive and I'm able to leave the "ok Google" enabled - very helpful when driving.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also ended up with a Ticwatch E model - didn't want to go all in with an expensive, high end watch until I was sure I liked the idea. Bought this one during Amazon Prime Days and have been really happy with it. Syncs to the S8, messaging, notification, Fit, Assistant, Maps, etc., all just work the way you think it should. You're right, it took about an hour before everything got set up and updated correctly. I even run Google Keep on it and check off my grocery list with the phone still in my pocket - no more burying the phone in the cart, then digging to find it!
Samsung Galaxy Watch is up, but I don't see any difference with the Gear S3?
Everything just looks the same.
The size.
The OS.
The feature.
I don't even feel Gear S3 is worth the price, and here comes a newer, more expensive one.
Yes, I totally love android smartwatch. I own Gear S2 for quite some time, and I really enjoyed it. But, smartwatch price just feels so ridiculous.
i use my moto 360.
i got a tic watch S but sending that back it was the white one. + android wear 2 is stupid... u can only voice talk in one language... but im dutch and live in france so i need 2 language... but its only french or english.. i tried looked on internet it seems normal android wear 2 is stupid, otherwise its great to talk and reply to people but i can do that same on my moto 360 with android wear 1. with just a extra app on my phone i can get keyboard and all on watch.. and i can speak 3 language and its know which it talk and it works... but for real im really disapointed by android wear 2. . its great but seems stupid to not have multi language....
so yeah i guess i will never change my moto 360...
Anyone have experience with Huawei watch 2 4G?
miloshp said:
Anyone have experience with Huawei watch 2 4G?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just picked up the Huawei Watch 2 Classic from Best Buy (also available on Amazon). I think it is JUST the bluetooth version, as I am not interested in getting the cellular version..
I compared it to the Ticwatch Pro, and the Huawei has a much better feel and classiness to it. The battery life has been great - I even have everything enabled (always on-display, "ok google detection", wrist gestures, etc.). At the end of the day (6:30am-10pm), I'm still at 50%+. I also take it off at night, and it charges very quickly. So I really do not need more than 2days of battery life. The watch also has an eco mode, where (just like the Ticwatch Pro), it will disable Wear OS, and you'll just get the time while it tracks your steps.
I'll submit my video and full specs review a bit later...
hope this helps.
Introduction:
I am comparing two smartwatches that use Android Wear 2.0. I have read where many people prefer the Samsung watches with their Tizen OS and rotating bezel, thus I felt that comparing a AW OS smartwatch to a different OS would not be fair. From my experience, Samsung tends to handcuff their customers (much like Apple), so many folks are already turned away from using any additional Samsung products. my previous devices were the original Moto 360 (paired with a Motorola Droid Trubo) and Asus Zenwatch 3. The Moto 360 had a heartrate feature, but was only available on demand, and took over a minute to find my heart rate. The Asus Zenwatch 3 is very classy, but lacked the heartrate monitor, and always seemed slow to respond. Neither of these watches had GPS, NFC, or IP68 rating. The Moto 360 capped out at AW 1.5 (which some still say is better than 2.0), while the Asus Zenwatch 3 started with 1.5 and moved quickly to 2.0. I had the Moto 360 for nearly three years (11/2014-8/2017) and the Asus Zenwatch 3 for less than one year (8/2017-7/2018). Battery life on both barely made it a full 24 hours. Both felt very comfortable and looked classy.
Tiwatch Pro:
I tested the Ticwatch Pro for about two weeks. Pairing it to my phone took well over an hour. There were many times when I had to disconnect/reset the watch, as I thought that the phone/watch was stuck. But really, it just took significantly longer than my other watches. The watch worked fine from the get go, however, setting up my credit card for NFC payments took some time as well (including disconnecting/resetting, as your watch must have a PIN/password/pattern in order to use this feature). Did not realize until later that each time I disabled the lock screen, I lost NFC, so I had to re-enable the lock screen and then set up my credit card all over again. But I think that is more of a feature of AW than the watch. Supposedly, the watch knows when it is on your wrist, so when you take it off/on, you'll have to get through the lock screen each time. The watch was not very consistent with this, so there were a few times when I had to enter the info even though the watch had been on my wrist for a while. Also, when I docked/charged the watch, I had to bypass the lock screen just to get to the nightstand mode. In terms of feel, the Ticwatch felt like I was wearing a smartphone on my wrist, and not a watch. This felt awkward to the point where I could not wait to take it off. The idea for the band is great - leather on the outside and a breathable silicon on the inside. However, the length was a little odd and felt too stiff. The battery life was acceptable, as I always take it off when I sleep, so I really only require 1-day+. The Ticwatch's best feature is what I dislike most - the digital display. In my opinion, this is not classy - not the reason to spend $250. Thus, I had to enable the always on display - which was fine, but for the stock watchfaces, I did not like having to read, "Ticwatch", and they were not that nice. I installed Watchmaker and used a custom watchface, which was much nicer, but with the always on display, my wrist was always illuminating (and not fading like the stock faces). However, the Ticwatch functions as it should, and is a nice watch. Just that it does not feel right to me.
Huawei Watch 2 Classic:
I tested the Huawei Watch 2 Classic for one week. Much like the Ticwatch, it took well over an hour to pair to my phone. The functionality is essentially the same as the Ticwatch with these few exceptions: the screen lock had to be entered far less. Only had to bypass the lockscreen when putting the watch on my wrist, and NOT when I docked/charged the watch for nightstand mode. Since I had the Ticwatch previously, the Huawei had a noticeably smaller screen size. Not a big deal, but the featured watchface has a circle that shows the date, and this circle is not legible, this making it useless. In terms of feel, the Huawei felt like very comfortable. Similiar to the Ticwatch, the Huawei has a dual band with leather on the outside and breathable silicon on the inside. However, this band feels more genuine and softer than the Ticwatch band. Also, the two tone (brown leather) looks better than the black band only offered by Ticwatch (Huawei also offers a black band). Battery life is better than expected, as I could get 2-days easily with limited use, and could probably get even longer if enabled "Smart Power saving" or "watch mode" via the Battery setting. Response is realatively quick, even with "Ok Google" detection enabled.
Conclusion:
Both watches work very well as advertised, and are great for both casual users and athletes. I go running/walking/biking at least twice a week, and both watches perform well with no hiccups. Battery life is a non-issue to me due the Huawei having it's own essential mode. The key difference is that the Huawei has more RAM (thus, performance is slightly better), and the Huawei looks/feels classier and far more comfortable. The Ticwatch has a slight edge for a larger screen size and being newer. However, given that the Huawei is now on clearance (could be a bad sign), the Ticwatch is more expensive. Thus, due to these factors, I went with the Huawei Watch 2 Classic.
by the way, the Huawei Watch 2 Classic on clearance at Best Buy for $180 ($125 open box) - not a bad deal for what I think is one of the best AW smartwatches available right now. Consider that the Pixel and next generation smartwatches will be $300+ (albeit they'll have an updated processor and probably more RAM). The Huawei Watch 2 is already in line to get Android P to sync up with our phones (whenever the Samsung Galaxy S8 gets pie).
I got 2 gear S2s and they are absolutely wonderful I bought a second one as I am a mechanic and figured I would tear it up fast...Nope take most of the abuse and other than a beat up band which i have 3 others still 6 months later the watch has a couple scratches and thats it
I've got 3 watches. Diesel On Full Guard, Michael Kors Grayson, and Nixon Mission. The first 2 are essentially the same thing just different styling. The Nixon has the same processor and is more rugged for out doorsey use. All three lack NFC and heart rate monitoring. So unless you need to pay for your Starbucks after your power walk they are not for you.
Nixon has very basic functionality, it will accept voice imput, but will not talk back (no speaker). The Grayson and Full Guard has a speaker and is a real '**** Tracy' watch. All of these are considered fashion watches and have built in watch faces that are extensive. Add an app like!e Watchmaker and you can expand the looks. Nixon is pretty fixed when it comes to bands, while the other will easily take any 24mm band and the stock bands are quick release.
Working with my S8+ has been easy. Notifications are easy to read and interface with. Assistant works well. Battery life needs improvement, and the next generation should address this. But for now I'm pleased with these choices. All are in my daily rotation based on my mood or style preference for any given day.
I've got a LG G Watch R and I'm happy with it after all these years. The battery sadly doesn't lasts that much anymore but it's perfect for me.
With Bluetooth : ~2-3 days
With Wi-Fi : ~1-1/2 day.
Airplane Mode : ~ 4-5 days.
It's rooted, all the bloat removed and TWRP on it. Android Wear 2 installed. Cheap too nowadays
TheMadScientist said:
I got 2 gear S2s and they are absolutely wonderful I bought a second one as I am a mechanic and figured I would tear it up fast...Nope take most of the abuse and other than a beat up band which i have 3 others still 6 months later the watch has a couple scratches and thats it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got those for my kids (used on e-bay), so far, so good. lone downside is that I had to a samsung phone for best results. I feel that samsung is trying to be like apple with all of their propriety crapps.
jco23 said:
I got those for my kids (used on e-bay), so far, so good. lone downside is that I had to a samsung phone for best results. I feel that samsung is trying to be like apple with all of their propriety crapps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I found a modded gear app for any phone and any ram size no 1.5 gb ram limit Its posted in the gear s2 thread
I used mine on a 30$ ZTE straight talk and my lgs
TheMadScientist said:
I found a modded gear app for any phone and any ram size no 1.5 gb ram limit Its posted in the gear s2 thread
I used mine on a 30$ ZTE straight talk and my lgs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, I saw those apps. somewhat unreliable in my experience. but since I won't be using the phone or watches, I needed something that would require zero maintenance (or as close to zero as possible).
if it was just for me, then I probably would have gone the same route. however, I did use the windows executable that copies MP3 files from the computer to the watch via WiFi - that was pretty nifty.
I'm using a Fitbit Versa and it works flawless with my S8+ (before I had a Moto G4 and it worked terrible tbh).
I'm looking at the new Galaxy Watch but A. It's too expensive, B. It doesn't have MST like the Gear S3. So that's a deal breaker for me.
I have tag heuer connected modular 45 and seriously it's great to use both together with 1.5 day battery.
I am using Zenwatch 3. Its more than 1 yr now and running fine.
I’ve been in love with electronic gadgets for years. I had the first Palm Pilot and the HTC Blue Angel, a great windows mobile phone with a keyboard. Many of you are probably too young to be familiar with these devices. Each year, and sometimes twice a year, I would get so excited to see the new devices come out sporting new tech. I would buy two new phones a year, usually from Samsung as the new Galaxy S and Note models came out. I HAVE NEVER BEEN AS DISAPPOINTED WITH THE CELL PHONE MANUFACTURERS AS I AM TODAY. Let me explain why.
Apple is one of the most successful cell phone manufacturers. The I-Phone (the I stands for Idiot) has not been successful because of its great design or software; but because so many people were already hooked on the I-Pad and I-Tunes for their music and media. Another feature that has kept Apple high on the sales charts is I-Message. Though the Apple has good (not great) hardware, its software is for idiots (this is good because there are so many of them) and its feature set is very weak. My primary disgust with current phones is that all the Android manufactures are chasing Apple and removing features that made their cell phones great.
Let’s look at some of these features.
Removable Battery.
A phone is no good if the battery is dead. HTC and Samsung started out right with a replaceable battery. The idiot Apple loving pundits in this industry have reported gleefully that the removeable battery is gone forever. I hope not. No matter how fast a cell phone charges, there’s always times when you just don’t have time to charge. There are so many times when you realize your battery is almost dead and you need to be somewhere else NOW. I’m currently using the last of the great phones with a replaceable batter – the LG V20. I am an extremely heavy cell phone user. I have four batteries (one came with the phone) and three chargers. I keep a charged battery in my pocket and two in the chargers. I never have to plug in my phone. For each of my three sets of battery and charger I paid $22. So for $66, I never run out charge.
I laugh when I see others tell me – “Wait, I cannot go yet, my phone’s dead.” The most idiotic thing is Samsung making a phone that can share a charge with others. Who the heck is going to do that? What Samsung and other manufactures should do is sell a charger and battery set direct for $29 or less. They charge $29 for their wireless chargers and you end up needing two or three so you can have one at the office and a couple at home anyways.
One of the most important things about the removeable battery is the ability to extend the life of the phone. The life of batteries decreases after a short period. It’s ridiculous and costly to have to send in your phone to have the battery replaced.
Build Quality/Cellular Connectivity
On any given day, you can find a reviewer of a cellular device touting “build quality.” Are they just stupid or Apple lovers? Samsung’s build quality was berated by reviewers because they had cheap plastic frames and plastic backs on their phones. This cheap plastic was great. The plastic back allowed easy access to the battery, SIM card, and SD card. Furthermore, plastic frames have better cellular connectivity than aluminum frames do. They are also much cheaper to make and are lighter. Most use a phone case to protect their phones anyway.
So because the industry has chased Apple, we Android users have no replaceable battery, no easy access to SIM and SD cards, heavier phones, and a much higher cost – now over $1,000. My Samsung Note 9 is so heavy that I get fatigued just holding it up in bed. The Note 2 made years ago was a masterpiece in terms of manufacture and feel. It was light and had nice curved corners. It felt great in the hand.
Screen & Screen Dimensions.
Most cell phone manufactures have a great screen. However, somewhere along the way, Samsung decided that a curved screen was a good idea. It’s just a stupid and useless sales gimmick. A flat screen can be easily protected with a case the edges of which extend above the screen. Such a case not only protects the screen but allows one to grip the device without touching the screen.
My next screen grip is the narrow screen. We cannot blame this trend on Apple. As I’ve aged, I need to use reading glasses. When the screens were wider (3 inches and above), I could read almost everything without my reading glasses. With my Note 9, I must use my glasses all the time. I have a LG Stylo 3 too. It has a wide screen that is easy for me to read. Also viewing videos on the wider screen is much better for everyone.
I get it that some people have small hands and need a slimmer phone. But there’s lots of people out there with big hands. You’d think that with all the Android phone models designed each year, someone could make a phone for us men. LG, you’ve got a ThinQ line. How about a FatQ line?
Camera.
Most of the cameras on today’s higher end phones are great and they need to be. I’d like to see more optical magnification.
3.5mm Jack.
Samsung, don’t you get it? People want the 3.5mm jack. Yes, they all have Bluetooth headsets. But sometimes you forget to charge them or need to use a wired headset for other purposes. I bought the Note 9 but will NOT be buying the Note 10 primarily due to the lack of a headphone jack.
IR Blaster/FM Radio.
These are two features I really miss on phones. I love not having to search for my TV’s remote control. This was a great feature now missing on almost all phones. I guess if Apple doesn’t have it, then no one needs it.
The FM radio may seem outdated to some. However, us older guys listen to talk radio and a bunch of other stuff that makes us smarter not dumber like the music you listen to on Spotify, etc. Furthermore, FM radio doesn’t suck the life out of the battery like I-Heart radio. What’s really nice about the FM radio is that you can get reception even where you don’t have cell service. This could be important in an emergency where cell service is down. I use the FM radio at our cabin where the cell signal is weak.
FM radio is available on almost all chips my by Qualcomm and Samsung. Yet, many manufacturers, including Google, make their phones so the FM radio is not functional. Shame on them.
Conclusion.
Android phone manufacturers are giving us phones that have less features, are less useful, are heavier and cost more. What’s the advantage of buying a new phone? Is it any wonder that the sales of flagship cell phones are decreasing? Quit chasing Apple and start adding back in real features that add value.
NeutronBomb said:
Nobody gives a **** that you miss the removable battery or that you don't like the phone. Save it for your diary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I give a **** that he misses the removable battery!
Neo3D said:
I give a **** that he misses the removable battery!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As do I. It should never of been removed as an option.
Form over function. Design over usability.
These are the priorities that Apple promoted and all other manufacturers followed, sadly.
Bollocks!
"a phone is no good if the battery is dead" = A car is no good if its gastank is empty. Do you carry additional gastanks with you to extend the mileage, or do you have the discipline to stop for gas when it is needed?
You are complaining about the lack of removable battery because you like to extend the phone's life by buying additional batteries. But you are buying two new phones every year? In my opinion that doesn't make any sense unless you're collecting them for a personal museum-like use.
If I could use to choose between removable battery or waterproof housing back in the days (let's say around the Note 2 era) I would have chosen waterproof housing. These days I cannot imagine why someone is not been able to charge there phones on a regular (daily) basis. So carrying extra batteries all day sounds stupid to me, and is the main reason powerbanks exist.
- 3,5mm jack?...Old technology....forget about it en move on.
- Rounded glass, metal frame not good? Millions of devices are bought by customers who are drooling about their shiny metal and rounded devices. Why in the hell would a manufacturer not jump in that gap and keep using ugly plastic screens and bodies? People are willing to pay the high prices for it...it is just a simple matter of demand.
- IR blaster? Seriously? In an era where we could controle devices with wifi/BT, even with voice commands etc.
- FM radio? There are dozens of apps out there where you could listen to thousands (if not more) radiostations, in the most cases in digital quality.
Your post, I mean rant, is nothing but a whining post about features that have had their time. Technology is moving on, I suggest you do too. Maybe you get a revelation and see that (not all ) I-Phone users aren't idiots. Those who keeps complaining about "it was way better back then" are...
jabberwock said:
Bollocks!
"a phone is no good if the battery is dead" = A car is no good if its gastank is empty. Do you carry additional gastanks with you to extend the mileage, or do you have the discipline to stop for gas when it is needed?
You are complaining about the lack of removable battery because you like to extend the phone's life by buying additional batteries. But you are buying two new phones every year? In my opinion that doesn't make any sense unless you're collecting them for a personal museum-like use.
If I could use to choose between removable battery or waterproof housing back in the days (let's say around the Note 2 era) I would have chosen waterproof housing. These days I cannot imagine why someone is not been able to charge there phones on a regular (daily) basis. So carrying extra batteries all day sounds stupid to me, and is the main reason powerbanks exist.
- 3,5mm jack?...Old technology....forget about it en move on.
- Rounded glass, metal frame not good? Millions of devices are bought by customers who are drooling about their shiny metal and rounded devices. Why in the hell would a manufacturer not jump in that gap and keep using ugly plastic screens and bodies? People are willing to pay the high prices for it...it is just a simple matter of demand.
- IR blaster? Seriously? In an era where we could controle devices with wifi/BT, even with voice commands etc.
- FM radio? There are dozens of apps out there where you could listen to thousands (if not more) radiostations, in the most cases in digital quality.
Your post, I mean rant, is nothing but a whining post about features that have had their time. Technology is moving on, I suggest you do too. Maybe you get a revelation and see that (not all ) I-Phone users aren't idiots. Those who keeps complaining about "it was way better back then" are...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OMG! Chill, guys. He was only expressing an opinion, not attacking your mother.
kat3k said:
OMG! Chill, guys. He was only expressing an opinion, not attacking your mother.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed! One thing I really don't understand...why manufacturer's follow apple? Unless apple pays other manufacturers To me it is the same thing if someone jumps from the bridge, then I would be doing it as well. Why not to do the opposite...Apple removed headphone jack, we(android people) keep it. When manufacturers follow apple, it shows users that apple is smart and go ahead buy their products. There are so many manufacturers around the worlds and once a notch on the phone became a thing, many started to copy. Small camera cutout is fine, but not the big notch!
rambo6 said:
Though the Apple has good (not great) hardware, its software is for idiots (this is good because there are so many of them) and its feature set is very weak.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple actually has great hardware. Their SOC is something that Qualcomm just can't match. As for their software, it's not "for idiots". It's for average users that only care about the standard smartphone experience. It's not for enthusiasts. Calling every IPhone user an idiot just shows how dumb YOU are.
rambo6 said:
Removable Battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get a powerbank. They're cheap enough and occupy basically the same space a spare battery would.
rambo6 said:
Most cell phone manufactures have a great screen. However, somewhere along the way, Samsung decided that a curved screen was a good idea. It’s just a stupid and useless sales gimmick. A flat screen can be easily protected with a case the edges of which extend above the screen. Such a case not only protects the screen but allows one to grip the device without touching the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are still plenty of phones with flat screens. I personally like the curve. It's a subjective matter. Just buy a different phone that suits your taste.
rambo6 said:
Most of the cameras on today’s higher end phones are great and they need to be. I’d like to see more optical magnification.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure thing. Would you like a giant, thick, ugly as all hell sensor to go with that?
rambo6 said:
IR Blaster/FM Radio.
These are two features I really miss on phones. I love not having to search for my TV’s remote control. This was a great feature now missing on almost all phones. I guess if Apple doesn’t have it, then no one needs it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple never had it in the first place (at least the IR blaster) so your reasoning why it was removed is pretty silly. You can buy a universal remote for 3$. As for FM radio, again, a ton of devices still have it. Just buy something that suits you.
Good grief.
Guys, calm down, man expresses his opinion here, it's not illegal
What worries me about Samsung, Samsung should work on a larger battery.
Flagships have smaller batteries, and are mid-priced have larger batteries, the battery on the N10 needed to be bigger (e.g. 4000mAh).
IMO IR-blaster is worthless on a touch device. I want physical buttons I can find and press without having to look at the remote, so good riddance to this feature.
"Cell phone"...that's a word I haven't heard in a while
LMFAO. The list of grievances here is just stupid. I don't give two ****s about removable battery, the goddamn 3.5mm jack is DEAD so get over it, and the rest are really not a problem. You act like features have ONLY been removed all while features like improved cameras, fingerprint reader on-screen, active wake word support for voice assistants, incredible screen improvements, better battery life, and inking support have all been added. You'll clearly never be happy with technology so just stop using it.
I returned my note 10 plus and got a huawei mate 20 x. It's a beast no pen. Better in other regards. 1080p is good enough for me on a phone. Older 4g version.
rambo6 said:
I’ve been in love with electronic gadgets for years. I had the first Palm Pilot and the HTC Blue Angel, a great windows mobile phone with a keyboard. Many of you are probably too young to be familiar with these devices. Each year, and sometimes twice a year, I would get so excited to see the new devices come out sporting new tech. I would buy two new phones a year, usually from Samsung as the new Galaxy S and Note models came out. I HAVE NEVER BEEN AS DISAPPOINTED WITH THE CELL PHONE MANUFACTURERS AS I AM TODAY. Let me explain why.
Apple is one of the most successful cell phone manufacturers. The I-Phone (the I stands for Idiot) has not been successful because of its great design or software; but because so many people were already hooked on the I-Pad and I-Tunes for their music and media. Another feature that has kept Apple high on the sales charts is I-Message. Though the Apple has good (not great) hardware, its software is for idiots (this is good because there are so many of them) and its feature set is very weak. My primary disgust with current phones is that all the Android manufactures are chasing Apple and removing features that made their cell phones great.
Let’s look at some of these features.
Removable Battery.
A phone is no good if the battery is dead. HTC and Samsung started out right with a replaceable battery. The idiot Apple loving pundits in this industry have reported gleefully that the removeable battery is gone forever. I hope not. No matter how fast a cell phone charges, there’s always times when you just don’t have time to charge. There are so many times when you realize your battery is almost dead and you need to be somewhere else NOW. I’m currently using the last of the great phones with a replaceable batter – the LG V20. I am an extremely heavy cell phone user. I have four batteries (one came with the phone) and three chargers. I keep a charged battery in my pocket and two in the chargers. I never have to plug in my phone. For each of my three sets of battery and charger I paid $22. So for $66, I never run out charge.
I laugh when I see others tell me – “Wait, I cannot go yet, my phone’s dead.” The most idiotic thing is Samsung making a phone that can share a charge with others. Who the heck is going to do that? What Samsung and other manufactures should do is sell a charger and battery set direct for $29 or less. They charge $29 for their wireless chargers and you end up needing two or three so you can have one at the office and a couple at home anyways.
One of the most important things about the removeable battery is the ability to extend the life of the phone. The life of batteries decreases after a short period. It’s ridiculous and costly to have to send in your phone to have the battery replaced.
Build Quality/Cellular Connectivity
On any given day, you can find a reviewer of a cellular device touting “build quality.” Are they just stupid or Apple lovers? Samsung’s build quality was berated by reviewers because they had cheap plastic frames and plastic backs on their phones. This cheap plastic was great. The plastic back allowed easy access to the battery, SIM card, and SD card. Furthermore, plastic frames have better cellular connectivity than aluminum frames do. They are also much cheaper to make and are lighter. Most use a phone case to protect their phones anyway.
So because the industry has chased Apple, we Android users have no replaceable battery, no easy access to SIM and SD cards, heavier phones, and a much higher cost – now over $1,000. My Samsung Note 9 is so heavy that I get fatigued just holding it up in bed. The Note 2 made years ago was a masterpiece in terms of manufacture and feel. It was light and had nice curved corners. It felt great in the hand.
Screen & Screen Dimensions.
Most cell phone manufactures have a great screen. However, somewhere along the way, Samsung decided that a curved screen was a good idea. It’s just a stupid and useless sales gimmick. A flat screen can be easily protected with a case the edges of which extend above the screen. Such a case not only protects the screen but allows one to grip the device without touching the screen.
My next screen grip is the narrow screen. We cannot blame this trend on Apple. As I’ve aged, I need to use reading glasses. When the screens were wider (3 inches and above), I could read almost everything without my reading glasses. With my Note 9, I must use my glasses all the time. I have a LG Stylo 3 too. It has a wide screen that is easy for me to read. Also viewing videos on the wider screen is much better for everyone.
I get it that some people have small hands and need a slimmer phone. But there’s lots of people out there with big hands. You’d think that with all the Android phone models designed each year, someone could make a phone for us men. LG, you’ve got a ThinQ line. How about a FatQ line?
Camera.
Most of the cameras on today’s higher end phones are great and they need to be. I’d like to see more optical magnification.
3.5mm Jack.
Samsung, don’t you get it? People want the 3.5mm jack. Yes, they all have Bluetooth headsets. But sometimes you forget to charge them or need to use a wired headset for other purposes. I bought the Note 9 but will NOT be buying the Note 10 primarily due to the lack of a headphone jack.
IR Blaster/FM Radio.
These are two features I really miss on phones. I love not having to search for my TV’s remote control. This was a great feature now missing on almost all phones. I guess if Apple doesn’t have it, then no one needs it.
The FM radio may seem outdated to some. However, us older guys listen to talk radio and a bunch of other stuff that makes us smarter not dumber like the music you listen to on Spotify, etc. Furthermore, FM radio doesn’t suck the life out of the battery like I-Heart radio. What’s really nice about the FM radio is that you can get reception even where you don’t have cell service. This could be important in an emergency where cell service is down. I use the FM radio at our cabin where the cell signal is weak.
FM radio is available on almost all chips my by Qualcomm and Samsung. Yet, many manufacturers, including Google, make their phones so the FM radio is not functional. Shame on them.
Conclusion.
Android phone manufacturers are giving us phones that have less features, are less useful, are heavier and cost more. What’s the advantage of buying a new phone? Is it any wonder that the sales of flagship cell phones are decreasing? Quit chasing Apple and start adding back in real features that add value.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
rambo6 said:
I’ve been in love with electronic gadgets for years. I had the first Palm Pilot and the HTC Blue Angel, a great windows mobile phone with a keyboard. Many of you are probably too young to be familiar with these devices. Each year, and sometimes twice a year, I would get so excited to see the new devices come out sporting new tech. I would buy two new phones a year, usually from Samsung as the new Galaxy S and Note models came out. I HAVE NEVER BEEN AS DISAPPOINTED WITH THE CELL PHONE MANUFACTURERS AS I AM TODAY. Let me explain why.
Apple is one of the most successful cell phone manufacturers. The I-Phone (the I stands for Idiot) has not been successful because of its great design or software; but because so many people were already hooked on the I-Pad and I-Tunes for their music and media. Another feature that has kept Apple high on the sales charts is I-Message. Though the Apple has good (not great) hardware, its software is for idiots (this is good because there are so many of them) and its feature set is very weak. My primary disgust with current phones is that all the Android manufactures are chasing Apple and removing features that made their cell phones great.
Let’s look at some of these features.
Removable Battery.
A phone is no good if the battery is dead. HTC and Samsung started out right with a replaceable battery. The idiot Apple loving pundits in this industry have reported gleefully that the removeable battery is gone forever. I hope not. No matter how fast a cell phone charges, there’s always times when you just don’t have time to charge. There are so many times when you realize your battery is almost dead and you need to be somewhere else NOW. I’m currently using the last of the great phones with a replaceable batter – the LG V20. I am an extremely heavy cell phone user. I have four batteries (one came with the phone) and three chargers. I keep a charged battery in my pocket and two in the chargers. I never have to plug in my phone. For each of my three sets of battery and charger I paid $22. So for $66, I never run out charge.
I laugh when I see others tell me – “Wait, I cannot go yet, my phone’s dead.” The most idiotic thing is Samsung making a phone that can share a charge with others. Who the heck is going to do that? What Samsung and other manufactures should do is sell a charger and battery set direct for $29 or less. They charge $29 for their wireless chargers and you end up needing two or three so you can have one at the office and a couple at home anyways.
One of the most important things about the removeable battery is the ability to extend the life of the phone. The life of batteries decreases after a short period. It’s ridiculous and costly to have to send in your phone to have the battery replaced.
Build Quality/Cellular Connectivity
On any given day, you can find a reviewer of a cellular device touting “build quality.” Are they just stupid or Apple lovers? Samsung’s build quality was berated by reviewers because they had cheap plastic frames and plastic backs on their phones. This cheap plastic was great. The plastic back allowed easy access to the battery, SIM card, and SD card. Furthermore, plastic frames have better cellular connectivity than aluminum frames do. They are also much cheaper to make and are lighter. Most use a phone case to protect their phones anyway.
So because the industry has chased Apple, we Android users have no replaceable battery, no easy access to SIM and SD cards, heavier phones, and a much higher cost – now over $1,000. My Samsung Note 9 is so heavy that I get fatigued just holding it up in bed. The Note 2 made years ago was a masterpiece in terms of manufacture and feel. It was light and had nice curved corners. It felt great in the hand.
Screen & Screen Dimensions.
Most cell phone manufactures have a great screen. However, somewhere along the way, Samsung decided that a curved screen was a good idea. It’s just a stupid and useless sales gimmick. A flat screen can be easily protected with a case the edges of which extend above the screen. Such a case not only protects the screen but allows one to grip the device without touching the screen.
My next screen grip is the narrow screen. We cannot blame this trend on Apple. As I’ve aged, I need to use reading glasses. When the screens were wider (3 inches and above), I could read almost everything without my reading glasses. With my Note 9, I must use my glasses all the time. I have a LG Stylo 3 too. It has a wide screen that is easy for me to read. Also viewing videos on the wider screen is much better for everyone.
I get it that some people have small hands and need a slimmer phone. But there’s lots of people out there with big hands. You’d think that with all the Android phone models designed each year, someone could make a phone for us men. LG, you’ve got a ThinQ line. How about a FatQ line?
Camera.
Most of the cameras on today’s higher end phones are great and they need to be. I’d like to see more optical magnification.
3.5mm Jack.
Samsung, don’t you get it? People want the 3.5mm jack. Yes, they all have Bluetooth headsets. But sometimes you forget to charge them or need to use a wired headset for other purposes. I bought the Note 9 but will NOT be buying the Note 10 primarily due to the lack of a headphone jack.
IR Blaster/FM Radio.
These are two features I really miss on phones. I love not having to search for my TV’s remote control. This was a great feature now missing on almost all phones. I guess if Apple doesn’t have it, then no one needs it.
The FM radio may seem outdated to some. However, us older guys listen to talk radio and a bunch of other stuff that makes us smarter not dumber like the music you listen to on Spotify, etc. Furthermore, FM radio doesn’t suck the life out of the battery like I-Heart radio. What’s really nice about the FM radio is that you can get reception even where you don’t have cell service. This could be important in an emergency where cell service is down. I use the FM radio at our cabin where the cell signal is weak.
FM radio is available on almost all chips my by Qualcomm and Samsung. Yet, many manufacturers, including Google, make their phones so the FM radio is not functional. Shame on them.
Conclusion.
Android phone manufacturers are giving us phones that have less features, are less useful, are heavier and cost more. What’s the advantage of buying a new phone? Is it any wonder that the sales of flagship cell phones are decreasing? Quit chasing Apple and start adding back in real features that add value.
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A mid spec device will have more of the features you want than the current flagship devices, which are advancing in areas that you don't understand.
How I miss the removable batteries, sd card support, 3.5mm jacks. I hate my iPhone (and newer Android's) but love it too
skally said:
A mid spec device will have more of the features you want than the current flagship devices, which are advancing in areas that you don't understand.
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I do realize that there's more and more tech added to the new flagships, but is it really that useful? Take for instance the new bluetooth stylus or the in screen fingerprint scanner. I do use the stylus of my Note 9 as a remote for the camera, but it's really not as useful as the removable battery or head phone jack. The same goes for the in screen fingerprint scanner. It's cool, but is it necessary. Part of my job is to design products with useful features. The gimmicks the phone designers may be cool and high tech. I hope they keep it up, but they need to develop some high end phones with REALLY USEFUL features. The mid-range phones don't cut it in speed though some come close.
Neo3D said:
I give a **** that he misses the removable battery!
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You must work for Samsung or one of the other phone manufacturers.
rambo6 said:
You must work for Samsung or one of the other phone manufacturers.
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That statement has 0 logic
Neo3D said:
That statement has 0 logic
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You want logic, try this: The reason the new cell phone sales are tanking is because they are too high priced for the features offered.
rambo6 said:
You want logic, try this: The reason the new cell phone sales are tanking is because they are too high priced for the features offered.
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This statement is a straw man's fallacy
---------- Post added at 03:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:30 PM ----------
Tundrok said:
LMFAO. The list of grievances here is just stupid. I don't give two ****s about removable battery, the goddamn 3.5mm jack is DEAD so get over it, and the rest are really not a problem. You act like features have ONLY been removed all while features like improved cameras, fingerprint reader on-screen, active wake word support for voice assistants, incredible screen improvements, better battery life, and inking support have all been added. You'll clearly never be happy with technology so just stop using it.
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I do give 10 ****s about not having a removable battery.
This phone has a fast SOC, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, and 256GB micro SD... You think it will be outdated in 2 years? Of course not and Samsung f?kcing knows that!!!
That is exactly why they sealed in the battery, so when the battery is shot to hell in 2 years, then you'll be forced to upgrade.
As SOCs get even more powerful every year and phones get more and more RAM and storage, this PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE STRATEGY becomes more and more true.
Customers never had to replace their laptops every 2 years. Yet, Samsung and Apple are getting away with forcing people to do this with their $1000-$1500 phones which ironically cost as much as a laptop!