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I'm in Ultra/Note3/One Max keep changing my mind mode at the moment. Bought myself a cheap gel case for the Ultra off eBay to practice does it fit in my pocket scenarios lol.
Anyway, don't know why, but for some reason, I've always been fond of things like mega powerful or really small key torches. One of those things you feel like you should buy/keep handy just in-case even though you don't really need it. Must be the kid in me...
So, given the lack of flash... I was wondering how well taking low light photos would work using one of those mini (run on an AA battery) type torches with along with the phone. They typically sell for a few quid, attach to a keyfob etc. You can get even smaller single LED ones that run off button type batteries, but I'm assuming these would be too underpowered.
Would using an external LED torch result in images similar to an inbuilt 'Flash' (actually just LED, not really a flash...) or are there other factors that mean it just wouldn't be the same ?
How many lumens or whatever does a typical led flash pump out. Is the brightness controlled as part of the exposure process, or is it just switched on due to low lighting and exposure decided afterwards ?
Zuber said:
I'm in Ultra/Note3/One Max keep changing my mind mode at the moment. Bought myself a cheap gel case for the Ultra off eBay to practice does it fit in my pocket scenarios lol.
Anyway, don't know why, but for some reason, I've always been fond of things like mega powerful or really small key torches. One of those things you feel like you should buy/keep handy just in-case even though you don't really need it. Must be the kid in me...
So, given the lack of flash... I was wondering how well taking low light photos would work using one of those mini (run on an AA battery) type torches with along with the phone. They typically sell for a few quid, attach to a keyfob etc. You can get even smaller single LED ones that run off button type batteries, but I'm assuming these would be too underpowered.
Would using an external LED torch result in images similar to an inbuilt 'Flash' (actually just LED, not really a flash...) or are there other factors that mean it just wouldn't be the same ?
How many lumens or whatever does a typical led flash pump out. Is the brightness controlled as part of the exposure process, or is it just switched on due to low lighting and exposure decided afterwards ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A strobe light (light from your device) - Will use less power and will capture motion better, will have deeper and richer colours.
Always on lights - The good thing is, what you see is what you get. Using a torch or external power source, you'll know and see exactly what you'll be taking an image of. However you will also need to mess with ISO to capture an equal quality image as opposed to strobe. (motion blur)
- Using an app that can do this will require A LOT of time fiddling, and may lose the moment... But the end result could enable a better quality image.
If you can get a very bright external light source then it will be better than the LED on a phone.
Phone LED are about 50-70 lumen... hope this helps...
Check this out iblazr.com! Iblazr can be in a good use!
Sorry, I wonder if I done anything wrong posting this. If yes pls delete for me admin. Sorry!
trinityb4 said:
Check this out iblazr.com! Iblazr can be in a good use!
Sorry, I wonder if I done anything wrong posting this. If yes pls delete for me admin. Sorry!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, Saw that.
So my question would be how would it compare to using a torch. Maybe with a diffusing material on it ?
By the way, plenty of cheap small waterproof torches around.
My main concern would be trying to take a photo with the giant Z Ultra with one hand and shining the torch with the other .....
RaindancerAU said:
My main concern would be trying to take a photo with the giant Z Ultra with one hand and shining the torch with the other .....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't think that would be an issue. We are talking small 1xAA torch, so torch is abot the size of your finger. Should be easy enough handle at same time as the phone if using both hands.
Zuber said:
Don't think that would be an issue. We are talking small 1xAA torch, so torch is abot the size of your finger. Should be easy enough handle at same time as the phone if using both hands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure ... I have enough problems taking a photo one handed with my Galaxy Nexus you see ....
I'm probably going to get a Honami as well anyway , so the Z Ultra will probably not need to perform many camera duties anyway and it wouldn't be for very long.
It's better to use filter of camera then having weird torch with Giant Smartphone,i really disappointed with camera(also lake of led flash) but now i mostly use filter in low light conditions, just my experience.
Sent from Public Toilet
So I went into AT&T today with a view to getting the M8.
The M8 was along side the S5 and I though it strange that the screen on the S5 was so much brighter than the M8.
I went into the M8 settings to set the brightness to maximum but found it was already set.
As I turned the phone slightly sideways it suddenly got brighter.
I wear polarized glasses and in their wisdom HTC have made the polarizing of the display such that it is very dim when held in portrait mode.
This is not the case with my vivid or any other HTC phone I have owned.
Damn, I was so looking forward to getting the M8 but this of all things would be a deal breaker for me.
samsat said:
So I went into AT&T today with a view to getting the M8.
The M8 was along side the S5 and I though it strange that the screen on the S5 was so much brighter than the M8.
I went into the M8 settings to set the brightness to maximum but found it was already set.
As I turned the phone slightly sideways it suddenly got brighter.
I wear polarized glasses and in their wisdom HTC have made the polarizing of the display such that it is very dim when held in portrait mode.
This is not the case with my vivid or any other HTC phone I have owned.
Damn, I was so looking forward to getting the M8 but this of all things would be a deal breaker for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not that great out doors either
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using xda app-developers app
Hah, wow very interesting they did indeed polarize the display. Just went and tested myself. Being in Seattle doesn't lend itself to wearing sunglasses often but sure enough rotating the phone to landscape changes the effect.
Oh and outdoor usage isn't bad Imo just take off automatic brightness and Max it out and you're good. Automatic brightness on every Android phone I have owned has been nothing short of garbage lol. So manual adjustment is the way to go. Sorry you decided against the M8 it's a hell of a phone (coming from someone who switched from the S4)
Sent from my HTC One_M8
TheEmpyre said:
Hah, wow very interesting they did indeed polarize the display. Just went and tested myself. Being in Seattle doesn't lend itself to wearing sunglasses often but sure enough rotating the phone to landscape changes the effect.
Oh and outdoor usage isn't bad Imo just take off automatic brightness and Max it out and you're good. Automatic brightness on every Android phone I have owned has been nothing short of garbage lol. So manual adjustment is the way to go. Sorry you decided against the M8 it's a hell of a phone (coming from someone who switched from the S4)
Sent from my HTC One_M8
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it's a great pity. I have owned HTC devices for the last 7 or 8 years at least.
I have +2 magnifiers built into the bottom my sun glasses that I use everyday for driving and very often when I am out fly fishing.
I just happened to dash into the store this morning wearing them instead of my readers.
I would have been really unhappy if I only discovered this post purchase.
There might be two manufacturers for the screen? I've seen a few threads like this now.
I have no issues with any of my polarized sunglasses. Two are Maui Jim and one pair of Raybans.
I used my M8 today in the bright sun. I had no trouble seeing the screen at all. I don't wear glasses and have perfect vision though . It's much better than the AMOLED was on my Note 2.
Moose3 said:
There might be two manufacturers for the screen? I've seen a few threads like this now.
I have no issues with any of my polarized sunglasses. Two are Maui Jim and one pair of Raybans.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. I think the other threads have been to do with color saturation/contrast issue variance between batches of M8's.
I think what we are dealing with here is not the display itself but the protective glass over it or a laminate which may have been applied to it.
My Vivid does not suffer from this problem at all. It would be interesting to get HTC's comment on this.
Try different sunglasses. 3 different types of polarization mostly. Horizontal, vertical, and circular. Let's say the screen is horizontally polarized and the glasses are vertical, that would yield a very dim screen. Just try turning your glasses 90° and see if that works. Instead of blaming the phone, blame your glasses, or both
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using xda app-developers app
Same prescription sun glasses work fine with all my other HTC's, Iphones, Samsung and others.
They don't work fine with the M8. What conclusion would you draw?
I was just in touch with HTC "technical" support to see if there could maybe be an issue with some screens and not with others.
I cut and paste my OP for them to read. This was their response:-
"The brightness on the phone by default is set to Auto-Brightness, which actually adjusts the brightness based on the lighting in the area at the time. Depending on where you are and how much light, the screen will be dimmer or brighter."
I had already explained that the brightness was set to max and not auto, and asked if he understood how polarizing works:-
"I'm sorry, but all I can say is that the screen is designed so that it can be viewed from nearly any angle. As such, the screen very thin against the body of the phone. Which could interfere with the polarization effect."
"I'm sorry? the M8 is available in different colors. But the screen is always the same"
Today I popped into and looked M8's at both Best Buy and AT&T.
Neither had the polarizing issue that has been reported by others here and elsewhere on the web.
I took more time to compare the M8 and S5 side by side. The S5 does appear to have more usable screen space and it also has a few other things going for it. However the cover over the charging port will drive me around the bend specially having to access it every day. It is not easy to open at all unless you have long nails. Wireless charging would not work for me as I will put the phone in a rugged protective case.
So, I guess it's the M8 for me and a continued loyal HTC owner!
samsat said:
Today I popped into and looked M8's at both Best Buy and AT&T.
Neither had the polarizing issue that has been reported by others here and elsewhere on the web.
I took more time to compare the M8 and S5 side by side. The S5 does appear to have more usable screen space and it also has a few other things going for it. However the cover over the charging port will drive me around the bend specially having to access it every day. It is not easy to open at all unless you have long nails. Wireless charging would not work for me as I will put the phone in a rugged protective case.
So, I guess it's the M8 for me and a continued loyal HTC owner!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My phone doesn't polarize either, with out without sun glasses, if that is what the OP meant. It might have been an issue with the in store unit? Wouldn't be the first time I've seen issues with in store phones.
Just got 2 M8s from T-mobile last week. Mine has the polarizing issue and my wifes does not.
As far as the color issue in other threads they both seem to be on the cooler side as they look identical without polarizing sunglasses on.
My guess is they have two versions of screen filters, one vertical and maybe one circular. I think most phones are circular these days since they do not affect sunglasses which I believe are mostly if now all linear polarized. I have a circular polarizer for my camera lens i will play with tonight to see what I can come up with.
Probably going to try and exchange this phone in store to get one that I can see while I have glasses on. It makes navigation useless with this issue.
I used my M8in the bright sun. I had no trouble seeing the screen at all
samsat said:
So I went into AT&T today with a view to getting the M8.
The M8 was along side the S5 and I though it strange that the screen on the S5 was so much brighter than the M8.
I went into the M8 settings to set the brightness to maximum but found it was already set.
As I turned the phone slightly sideways it suddenly got brighter.
I wear polarized glasses and in their wisdom HTC have made the polarizing of the display such that it is very dim when held in portrait mode.
This is not the case with my vivid or any other HTC phone I have owned.
Damn, I was so looking forward to getting the M8 but this of all things would be a deal breaker for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
M7 was the same way.
Solution: Don't hold your phone in landscape when wearing your polarized sunglasses. Easy enough fix for me.
samsat said:
Same prescription sun glasses work fine with all my other HTC's, Iphones, Samsung and others.
They don't work fine with the M8. What conclusion would you draw?
I was just in touch with HTC "technical" support to see if there could maybe be an issue with some screens and not with others.
I cut and paste my OP for them to read. This was their response:-
"I'm sorry? the M8 is available in different colors. But the screen is always the same"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't be so sure, check this out :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0osrpESuFkQ
Slap any descent screen protector on it ( not sure about the glass ones, but the normal ones from SPIGEN I know work ) and it will correct it. Had the same issue when I mounted my N7 in my car in landscape mode, could not see it when i had my glasses on. Slap on the screen protector and it was clear as day.
Just tested my M8 by laying a second protector still in the package for an S4 over it, and tada.. i can see it again with glasses
rkennison said:
Slap any descent screen protector on it ( not sure about the glass ones, but the normal ones from SPIGEN I know work ) and it will correct it. Had the same issue when I mounted my N7 in my car in landscape mode, could not see it when i had my glasses on. Slap on the screen protector and it was clear as day.
Just tested my M8 by laying a second protector still in the package for an S4 over it, and tada.. i can see it again with glasses
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you specify which spiegen protector you're referring to, there are several on amazon and this issue is driving me nuts.
Try these. I had an extra s4 one, it was in the blue package. I would imagine any descent one would work though. For those not seeing the issue, make sure your glasses are polarized. If you don't see it, turn the phone 90 degrees and it will show. Happens to Any device. All glasses, that are polarized, are polarized horizontally to avoid reflection glare. IPads all do the same etc etc etc.... Google polarization and how it works for why.... I'll let the experts describe it
http://www.spigen.com/brands/htc/all-new-htc-one-m8-screen-protector-steinheil.html
rkennison said:
For those not seeing the issue, make sure your glasses are polarized. If you don't see it, turn the phone 90 degrees and it will show. Happens to Any device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only LCD devices. Far as I know, AMOLED devices do not display any change due to polarized glasses. Polarizing filters are used in LCD screens, its a requirement of how they fundamentally work. AMOLED screens don't require/use such filters.
Thanks to rkennison I can confirm the following protector will solve the issue: Spigen® HTC One M8 Screen Protector Clear Steinheil [Ultra Crystal]... http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IF5B18M/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_ihbBtb10WGCSZ
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Free mobile app
Hi guys,
I am having some problems with my Huawei Watch, so I am thinking of exchanging it for a Moto 360 2nd gen. So I thought it would be good to hear from you, what made you choose the 360 over the Huawei watch when you picked yours up?
For me, I went first with the Huawei mostly because of the full circle. But after all the problems people (including me) are having with the screen, maybe the flat tyre is a small price to pay.
I'd like to hear your opinion on this. Why the moto 360?
Thanks!
I have both. Since bestbuy didn't have them on display, I ordered a Huawei from Amazon and grabbed a moto from best buy locally. I've had the moto since Sunday and just received the Huawei today. I have the original moto too.
Some quick initial thoughts :
I have the black versions with black link bands for both. Even though they are the same height on paper, the moto looks and feels like it's thinner due to the case design. The lugs on the moto allow it to sit flatter on my arm. And I have the 46mm moto for reference. Also with the glass being above the bezel the moto is easier to swipe, IMO.
Screen is noticeably larger on the moto. But doesn't feel too big. I never considered the original big either but this one does look and feel more proportional; that is the band and body seem to match up better. The side button on the moto is less squishy and feels better.
I immediately noticed the Huawei's red screen issue during boot up in a dark room and on other black screens. Aside from that, the screen is great. More crisp given the higher dpi.
The light sensor on the moto is great. Down in my man cave watching tv in the dark the moto works wonders. The Huawei, even on 3, is still stupidly bright in a dark room especially if there is a white notification card or your watch face is white.
The low res pixelated ambient screen on the moto is my only significant complaint so far. Some faces look horrid. Sky master for example, looks great on the Huawei, but on the moto the tick marks are very messy in low res. I really hope a future update can address that or at least make it an option to change.
So far, I've been less impressed with the Huawei that I thought I would be. All the reviews made it sound like a killer watch but so far im leaning toward keeping the moto.
Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk
Thank you Brian! Awesome post!
I actually don't mind the red tint on the HW screen, but I worry it might cause problems over time (like red sub pixel burn in for instance). And I don't know how well Huawei would deal with this.
Let me ask you something since you have them both: I know that the HW has greater ppi, but did you notice that it's got a pentile matrix like AMOLED phones (the subpixel matrix is not a grid)? Therefore every pixel is missing a subpixel. I don't know how sensitive you are for this, but for me it's very annoying. So even though the 360 has a theoretically lower res screen, it may look better because of the subpixel arrangement (in LCD displays usually the matrix is a grid, and every pixel has indeed 3 subpixels, there is no sharing subpixels).
Any thoughts on that?
And thank you again for sharing your experience.
Turbo Brian said:
I have the black versions with black link bands for both. Even though they are the same height on paper, the moto looks and feels like it's thinner due to the case design. The lugs on the moto allow it to sit flatter on my arm. And I have the 46mm moto for reference. Also with the glass being above the bezel the moto is easier to swipe, IMO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This has been exactly the impressions I have had - even though I have never seen either of these 'in the flesh'. From all the reviews and videos, it seems clear that the Moto 360 sits much more neatly on the wrist even though most people seem to say the Huawei is marginally thinner (on specs, not visual perception). I have been wrestling with which one to get, but I'm slowly getting to 75%+ in favour of the Moto 360 42mm (small wrists here).
These have been my thoughts on the pros and cons of each - just my perceptions of what I've seen and read online, obviously I may be totally wrong about some of these!
Moto 360 Pros:
- Wireless charging, any Qi charger will work
- Apparent Size
- Leather strap seems to have more holes for different sized wrists
- Ambient light sensor
- Mic placement and sensitivity
- Price
- Stock faces seem nicer, more customisable
- Standard straps (20mm or 22mm)
- Vibration stronger?
- Angled lugs
- No obstructions to finger swiping (screen flush with bezel)
Moto Cons:
- The so called 'flat tire' (doesn't really bother me)
- LCD screen (not sure if this is a pro or con - seems better for bright sunlight?)
- Edge bevel on the glass? (Annoys some people, some think it adds to the look)
- Ambient mode blocky, and possible software issue: https://forums.motorola.com/posts/1a5cbb0aa8
Huawei Pros:
- AMOLED screen
- Full circle screen
- Ambient mode better
- Sapphire crystal
Huawei Cons:
- Apparent Size
- Price
- Leather strap seems to have less holes for different sized wrists
- Red screen tint issue (http://forum.xda-developers.com/huawei-watch/general/huawei-screen-red-tint-issue-t3214209)
- Mic placement issue, people report that it doesn't pick up voice consistently (https://youtu.be/H_ISBzY96M0?t=5m43s)
- Weak vibration?
- Stock faces (don't appeal to me as much as the Moto ones)
- Raised bezel may interfere with finger swipes
- Non standard straps (18mm straps will fit, but the supplied strap itself is 22mm with 18mm between the lugs)
- Proprietary wired charger seems a bit fiddly, $40 for a replacement
- Straight lugs, rather than angled to fit around the wrist - makes them appear to 'wing' over small wrists
In particular, these two reviews have swayed my opinion even more in favour of the Moto 360:
http://www.androidcentral.com/review-moto-360-2015
http://www.androidcentral.com/huawei-watch-review
EDIT: Not interested in any of the fitness/step counting/heart rate stuff by the way - that's why none of that is mentioned in my list
Caio 73 said:
Thank you Brian! Awesome post!
I actually don't mind the red tint on the HW screen, but I worry it might cause problems over time (like red sub pixel burn in for instance). And I don't know how well Huawei would deal with this.
Let me ask you something since you have them both: I know that the HW has greater ppi, but did you notice that it's got a pentile matrix like AMOLED phones (the subpixel matrix is not a grid)? Therefore every pixel is missing a subpixel. I don't know how sensitive you are for this, but for me it's very annoying. So even though the 360 has a theoretically lower res screen, it may look better because of the subpixel arrangement (in LCD displays usually the matrix is a grid, and every pixel has indeed 3 subpixels, there is no sharing subpixels).
Any thoughts on that?
And thank you again for sharing your experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no, the pentile doesnt bother me and honestly its never been something ive been bothered by. i can see it in blownup screen shots and if i stick my eye super close to a device but in normal use, i cant tell. the sharpness (not counting the ambient low-res junk on the moto) is in favor of the huawei, though only slightly so. in normal usage at arms length its a non-issue. and i would bet if you had the smaller 42mm moto, you would be hard pressed to notice any difference.
to re-touch on the awesomeness of moto's light sensor, last night the huawei was bothering the wife while we watched TV because it was too damn bright whenever it lit up due to notification or arm movement. i ended up just putting it in theater mode all night.
Turbo Brian said:
I have both.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Brian - thanks for your insights! It's great that you have access to both, I can imagine there are quite a few people who would have some questions for you!
Could you comment on the mic sensitivity for each of these watches. How close you have to hold them to your mouth, how reliably they pick you up etc? How do they compare to using 'OK Google' on a phone? For example, my Note 4 seems to pick me up and understand exactly what I say almost without fail. Thanks.
I don't own the Huawei but I did own a first gen Moto that got broken a few weeks ago. I was deciding on a replacement and finally got the second gen Moto in Black 46mm. Why? Firstly the Huawei is a lot more expensive. It doesn't have inductive charging and I don't like the shape. The Moto is the only truly round smartwatch out there. The LG and the Huawei are strangely shaped watches with round displays. The 8 bit ambient mode on the Moto serioulsy annoyed me at first and showed my favourite watch face as a blurry blocky mess. So I made my own and I think it's quite nice. It shows just enough information and is sufficiently discreet. I don't watch my watch glowing like a light house during meetings. Here's some pics. Sorry about the crappy quality of my phone camera.
Kinsman-UK said:
Hi Brian - thanks for your insights! It's great that you have access to both, I can imagine there are quite a few people who would have some questions for you!
Could you comment on the mic sensitivity for each of these watches. How close you have to hold them to your mouth, how reliably they pick you up etc? How do they compare to using 'OK Google' on a phone? For example, my Note 4 seems to pick me up and understand exactly what I say almost without fail. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just tested some, and the moto is WAY more sensitive to picking up "ok google". with both sitting on the desk in front of me, the moto registered every time when talking at a normal level. i almost had to yell at the huawei. same experience on my arm. the moto picked me up way better. had to talk louder to the huawei. i can see the mic hole on the moto on the left side. not sure where it is on the huawei, i dont see any visible mic holes
Comparison shot. 46mm moto and 42mm Huawei. The moto looks thinner, IMO
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Turbo Brian said:
just tested some, and the moto is WAY more sensitive to picking up "ok google". with both sitting on the desk in front of me, the moto registered every time when talking at a normal level. i almost had to yell at the huawei. same experience on my arm. the moto picked me up way better. had to talk louder to the huawei. i can see the mic hole on the moto on the left side. not sure where it is on the huawei, i dont see any visible mic holes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks SO much Brian - you're really helping me make my mind up! The speech recognition is pretty important for me, so it looks like I'll definitely be going for the Moto 360 42mm. You mention the mic placement on the Moto - I had noticed this too. It is placed on the left side which, for most people, will mean it is pointing directly at their mouth. However, as far as I'm aware, the Huawei mic is on the back of the watch under the top lug. Strange placement, if that's true. This, the ambient light sensor, and the weak vibration on the Huawei seal the deal for me.
Thanks for the comparison photo too - I think it's the sloped bezel on the Moto that makes it look thinner, even though it is supposedly the same thickness.
EDIT: Always interested in any other insights you have about these two - and, of course, which you ultimately go for.
Kinsman-UK said:
Thanks SO much Brian - you're really helping me make my mind up! The speech recognition is pretty important for me, so it looks like I'll definitely be going for the Moto 360 42mm. You mention the mic placement on the Moto - I had noticed this too. It is placed on the left side which, for most people, will mean it is pointing directly at their mouth. However, as far as I'm aware, the Huawei mic is on the back of the watch under the top lug. Strange placement, if that's true. This, the ambient light sensor, and the weak vibration on the Huawei seal the deal for me.
Thanks for the comparison photo too - I think it's the sloped bezel on the Moto that makes it look thinner, even though it is supposedly the same thickness.
EDIT: Always interested in any other insights you have about these two - and, of course, which you ultimately go for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ah yes, theres the mic, actually mics. looks to be 2 holes. the location aims them away from you, no wonder it has a harder time picking me up.
other thoughts, i posted this in another thread, but the moto has a stronger vibrator. hehe. :silly: if you wear your watch loose, i could see the huawei being more difficult to notice. both sound about the same though
Mister-B said:
I don't own the Huawei but I did own a first gen Moto that got broken a few weeks ago. I was deciding on a replacement and finally got the second gen Moto in Black 46mm. Why? Firstly the Huawei is a lot more expensive. It doesn't have inductive charging and I don't like the shape. The Moto is the only truly round smartwatch out there. The LG and the Huawei are strangely shaped watches with round displays. The 8 bit ambient mode on the Moto serioulsy annoyed me at first and showed my favourite watch face as a blurry blocky mess. So I made my own and I think it's quite nice. It shows just enough information and is sufficiently discreet. I don't watch my watch glowing like a light house during meetings. Here's some pics. Sorry about the crappy quality of my phone camera.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Love that watchface. Would you be able to share a link for that one? My 2nd Gen is being delivered tomorrow to replace my 1st Gen one. I assume you have other downloaded watchfaces for Faceer/Watchmaker for the 1st Gen. How do those ones look on the 2nd Gen since the screen is slightly higher resolution?
Of course I will share. Have a look here:
https://plus.google.com/104408596370514322518/posts/hJfqgcChRNs
I don't really notice much difference in the quality of my watch faces (I use WatchMaker the most) in bright mode. In dim mode all of the third party watch faces I use in dim mode are unfortunately horrible with the colours being terribly distorted. Hopefully this will be sorted out with a future update. In the meantime I adapt my favourite faces to show a decent 8 bit dim mode.
Thank you guys for sharing your thoughts and experience.
From my perspective (I am using the Huawei watch for about 5 days now) I don't mind the weaker mic (actually I prefer that the watch just listens to me when I am deliberately talking to it) and the vibration on my HW is strong enough for me (I don't have anything to compare to and this is my first smartwatch, but it's very noticeable IMO, so it's fine for me).
As for the other points raised, I do think that the ambient mode is to bright. I use the simplest stock watch face (I think it's called Elegant) in which the only diference between the ambient mode and the full active watch face is the seconds hand and the date. Some times I have the impression that the ambient mode is brighter than the full watch face when the brightness is set to one... But, on the other hand, the watch face I use looks really good on always on.
And, as some users have reported, I find the accelerometer not very sensitive and, on top of that, the waking up time is kinda slow. So, if you are planing to leave ambient mode off, this is annoying. You have to really raise your wrist up high and then wait a second for the display to come to life. Bothersome...
Now, about that red tint issue, it's horrible on mine. It's really, really red. It glows like crazy for something that's supposed to be pure black. But realistically speaking, I don't see Huawei doing anything about it. It's to subtle to bother (or to be noticed for that matter) most people. And despite being really bad on mine, if someone could guarantee me that this is not going to cause any problems in the future, I could overlook it easily.
I am still struggling to decide if I am gonna ask for a replacement or a refund and go for the 360. I don't know if I can handle that flat tyre...
Mister-B said:
Of course I will share. Have a look here:
https://plus.google.com/104408596370514322518/posts/hJfqgcChRNs
I don't really notice much difference in the quality of my watch faces (I use WatchMaker the most) in bright mode. In dim mode all of the third party watch faces I use in dim mode are unfortunately horrible with the colours being terribly distorted. Hopefully this will be sorted out with a future update. In the meantime I adapt my favourite faces to show a decent 8 bit dim mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You, sir, are a gentleman AND a scholar. Thanks! :highfive:
Mister-B said:
I don't own the Huawei but I did own a first gen Moto that got broken a few weeks ago. I was deciding on a replacement and finally got the second gen Moto in Black 46mm. Why? Firstly the Huawei is a lot more expensive. It doesn't have inductive charging and I don't like the shape. The Moto is the only truly round smartwatch out there. The LG and the Huawei are strangely shaped watches with round displays. The 8 bit ambient mode on the Moto serioulsy annoyed me at first and showed my favourite watch face as a blurry blocky mess. So I made my own and I think it's quite nice. It shows just enough information and is sufficiently discreet. I don't watch my watch glowing like a light house during meetings. Here's some pics. Sorry about the crappy quality of my phone camera.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As an owner of the new Moto 360, I totally agree with all of you, especially the case design of the HW and the vibration made my decision clear. I am happy with the 360 except the ambient mode screen.
On a side note, very nice watch face! did you made, is it possible to share it?
Thanks in advance.
has128 said:
As an owner of the new Moto 360, I totally agree with all of you, especially the case design of the HW and the vibration made my decision clear. I am happy with the 360 except the ambient mode screen.
On a side note, very nice watch face! did you made, is it possible to share it?
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I only made the 8 bit ambient mode part of the face. The original face I found on FaceRepo I believe. The concensus on the usual forums is that it is Ok to modify and distribute other people's work as long as you explicitly state who did the original work. In my case the beautiful watch face work was done by John Feaster. He and he alone deserves the credit for this beautiful watch face. I just adapted it to suit the new Moto.
New updates on review are in the 2nd post. Thanks for reading!
Hey everyone! Many of you know me from other threads or some Q&A, but I wanted to share my experience with the Nexus 6P. I do have a thread where you can ask me anything to try or test out on the device, to help answer some questions. I am a front end developer, UX/UI designer, and business owner. This review is based on how I use the phone and where the phone either shines or fails to perform to my needs. The #hype is real on this device and I am hoping to provide you some feedback that removes the bias of #hype and focuses on the device. Hope you find this helpful and thanks for reading!
Introduction
The Nexus 6P is probably the one device I was so excited to get since the iPhone 4. From reading every possible hands on review, watching every YouTube video, and being on the forums trying to calculate shipping dates. This phone has generated so much buzz that I finally felt so excited to get a device. Compared to last year, nothing was "omfg must have". The Nexus 6P filled that hope.
Ergonomics & Hardware
There is no need for me to get into the specs, we all know them or they are easily available elsewhere. This review is about how the specs of the phone play to the hardware and software to make OUR experience the best. The Nexus 6P has some amazing hardware. I got the 32gb Aluminum (long live #aluminati!) version. It is such a delight to hold. The device feels fantastic in my hands, and I have average size hands for a 5'10" individual. I am coming from a Moto X Pure, Note 5, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 6, and Nexus 6 over the past year. Yes, I change phones frequently...mostly for entertainment or variety. Unlike the iPhones, Note 5, and Nexus 6 - The 6P feels stable in my hands, easy to hold, my thumb can reach across the screen without slipping and the weight of the device does help me balance it for one handed use. Where iPhones were so light and thin, the ergonomics sucked to hold; the 6P thickness actually helps in one handed use. The width of the device is not so wide, like the 2014 N6, that one handed use is easy and 2 handed use works just fine as well.
Slippery - Or should I say, lack thereof? The metal on the phone has a slight grip to it. Similar to that of the Moto X Pure (minus the rubber), but it stays in my hand. Those of you worried about the metal frame and possibly being slippery like the iPhones or even Nexus 6; have no fear.
Metal & Screen - Every version (color) will probably differ. I can only speak for the aluminum version. I have barely put the device down and I have zero fingerprints on the back. Oils do not absorb into the metal to look dirty. The only area where fingerprints are obvious is where they should be...on the screen. Which brings me to the glass of the screen. The glass, in the first hours, felt good but over the ongoing use it has been a little tough for me to slide my fingers over. Could be me or maybe I just need to put the damn phone down. The glass is beautiful and seems strong, but I ordered a glass screen protector to help with fingerprints and always feeling smooth to the touch.
There is a lip around the edge. The metal lip seems to be that of 0.2mm, give or take. It's extremely subtle, but obvious it is there to the touch. If that is something that would bother you, the glass screen protectors seem to hit the correct dimensions in thickness to flatten the surface out entirely. I can imagine the lip probably makes applying a glass screen protector even easier due to form fitting vs aligning.
Buttons and Fingerprint Sensors
The buttons are metal and solid. They don't wiggle around, which drove me insane on my iPhone and Moto X Pure. You can tell they were built well. The home button has a texture to identify easily and works quite well. The click in on volume and home buttons have a easily identifying feedback so you know you are pushing them. As silly as it may sound, the Moto X Pure failed in that area. Where the buttons were so easy to push and lack of feedback on press, there were nights where I would watch a YouTube clip and accidentally click the volume in and piss off the lady.
The fingerprint sensor is like every other reviewer has put it. Extremely fast and reliable. I programmed my index and middle fingers on both hands to the fingerprint sensor. I love that I can pull my phone out of my pocket and its ready to go without awkward thumb bending on the front to reach. Only gripe here on the UX is the inability to unlock the device with my fingerprint when it's laying on my desk. It's not a huge deal to some, but I am at a desk non stop. There is a solution, in Android Marshmallow for this though. I setup certain areas as my "trusted" areas. My car, for example, is a trusted connection and the phone does not require to unlock. I did the same for the bluetooth on my work desk. Solves the issue, but leaves the phone open to access if that worries you.
Notification Light
I love notification lights. This one is simple and great. Not buried into the speaker. Obvious pulsing and colors. Just make sure you turn it on! My phone had it disabled. To enable, go to settings > Notifications > Pulse Notification Light. This is one of my favorite features, for as simple and dumb as it may sound.
Speed and Battery
This phone is lightning fast for me. It was built to work fluidly with Android M and it does exactly that. I haven't ran into any hiccups, crashing, issues and everything just...works! Not sure when I was last able to say that about an Android device. This is the first Android I don't have the "want or need" to begin installing greenify, sleep, and other apps that help chill the phone out and not drain the battery. App switching is smooth, RAM usage has stayed consistently at 1.5gb and the camera opens without stutter or lag for me. I frequently find something I wish to take a picture of and it just opens without delay. More on the camera further down.
The battery is great. The synergy with Android M, Doze, and the Nexus 6p - the battery life for me has been phenomenal. It's too early to reveal screenshots, but just in my general use today I have only used 9% of my battery. I have sent numerous emails, taken some pictures, showed off the device, used Google Maps for navigation, and listened to a Play Music Radio Station on the drive to work. I am happy to say that I am sure battery life won't be a big complaint amongst users. If you use your device so intensively, the rapid charging is rapid. Not as fast as my Moto X Pure, but pretty darn fast. It won't let you down.
Battery life screenshots attached in this post. I am impressed by the battery on this device.
Camera
I ****ing love this camera. The pictures are beautiful, detailed, and vibrant with colors. I take a lot of pictures with my devices and generally, my family will ask me to use my phone (whatever it may be at the time) to take those perfect shots. The focus, ISO, exposure and color has not let me down at all. I was able to get some amazing night shots, with the improved camera here. Lack of OIS isn't missed much on pictures, but at 4k video recording it would have been very helpful. In general, the camera is reliable and great quality. The pictures you may want to take at a bar or night environment will probably come out better than that of any other phone...with or without a flash. Samples attached of a couple night shots I posted elsewhere.
I did install a camera app called FV-5. It gives you far more control over the camera and has made some pictures really incredible. I have to tinker with it more and learn about some settings, but the face detection, focus and more on the app really allows the hardware to shine. Hopefully they update it quickly with more support for the 6P camera hardware features.
Connectivity
The most important part of the phone. I have Verizon and some areas in my house or office will be weaker than others. Where my Moto X Pure wasn't getting the best signal, I do see a slight stronger signal on the 6P. Nothing much though and wouldn't bank on it improving your past experiences substantially. WiFi speeds are great. I attached a screenshot of my speeds at home, on WiFi, with the 6P.
Bluetooth and Car
I use my phone in the car all the time. If this one aspect of a phone is flawed, then it goes back. I was concerned at first, because the phone and car would not connect. I was worried it was related to Android M. After I turned off bluetooth and turned it back on - it connected and paired, finally. I was most worried at this point.
Since then, I have gotten in and out of my car and the transition and connection to bluetooth has been seamless and quick. Where my Moto X Pure and iPhones took about 30 seconds to finally connect to the car and have a 3s gap where I miss conversation; The 6P seems to connect and transition the audio instantly. I hope it stays that way!
In the End?
I love this phone. It does live up to the #hype. Without any bias to my excitement to have it, this phone has pretty much hit every aspect of feature I would want out of a mobile device. The best part is IT JUST WORKS. That used to be my argument for Apple devices, but I can now say the same for Android. Sorry if that disappoints some of you... This is also the first android device where I don't feel the need to unlock or root. I will unlock and root because it's a Nexus and I like to develop/test ROMS out. However, those of you who felt you had to rely on unlocking and rooting to tinker settings, you may find that you won't have that urge to do so anymore. If anything, I'll do it for TWRP.
Where I would normally plan on switching devices every few months or 6 months, I can see myself keeping this device for a year to 2 years. Just won't tell the lady that or else I'll hear it when I want to upgrade to next years Nexus line...
Lastly, in the day using it, I have had many people ask me, "Hey, what phone is that?". While I don't care for being known to have the latest and greatest, it's fun showing it off. I can't wait to see some Frosties or Graphites in the wild, but for you folks with #aluminati...stand proud and shine. I hope this helped provide some honest insight and answer some questions.
Thanks folks!
Note: The only changes I made to the pictures was reduce the size of them. They were too large to upload, but no post edits were done for enhancements.
***UPDATES***
Blue Tint / Hue: I got our second device today and first thing I looked for was the blue tint/hue. I am surprised to say that there really isn't much of one on the second device. It's the exact same 32gb aluminum. That being said, I still never notice it on the first device and personally don't find it worth the effort to replace.
Bluetooth Issues: Some bluetooth connectivity issues have began to show their faces. I think it has to do with Android 6.0 and NOT the 6P, but we'll see.
Car: Mazda3 2014 Grand Touring, updated to most recent software
Symptoms: "Google Now" isn't working when connected. It seems that the device is depending on the vehicles microphone for any input and the vehicle microphone only triggers on button press. My other devices in the past year did not have this problem, including iPhone's "Hey Siri".
Resolution: Pending
Speakers: This is purely based on opinion, but I love the speakers on the 6P. I find them to sound rich and some great tones for a phone. I DO prefer them to my Moto X Pure, don't shoot me. Really though, speakers are great. I watched a movie last night from the device, for about 30 minutes, and no pops, crackles, stutters at all. Was pleased.
I did notice on speakers, that the volume range is a bit wonky. The low to mid setting for speakers in media playback was quite hard to hear. At 75% it was what I expect at medium. At 100% it was too loud. Food for thought, but hopefully this is addressed in software updates or use Viper.
What accessories are you using?
I love to accessorize my devices. I usually run my phone naked, to display all of it's beauty and engineering. Project Fi did send me a 50% off the ADOPTED case, which I ordered. Can't beat $10.81 with free shipping on a Google official case.
Screen Protectors:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016XZLFD6?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014UNPYEE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01
These haven't arrived yet. One gets in Tuesday. I will test it out to make sure it does not block any sensors along with making the lip feel flush. Will report back on these.
Car Charger:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0146FK3G0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01
There is a great thread, somewhere in accessories about Car Chargers. If you have lots of questions about it or need specifics, most have been answered there. I will say that RAPID CHARGING from this charger DOES WORK. Confirmed. I was able to charge up from 60% to 100% on a short drive home. It works great and the spare USB slot is appreciated.
Extra USB-C Cable:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010VFFSL4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
Braided, heavy duty and feels very solid/premium. Length is great and I am using it with a Moto X Pure charging block. Rapid charging works and it's a great cable.
Car Mount:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VEAF6SG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00
This is the first car mount I have tried. I am picky about how things are in my car and I like it clean. Since my CD slot is at the bottom of the front dash, this fits quite well. It doesn't shake much and gets the job done.
Con: The piece that holds the phone expands and snaps back to default when you remove the device. It's not the easiest to use. You also can't center your device because the "arms" that hold the phone will press the volume/power key. This thing looks like it was built for an iPhone or LG G3+ type phone. Food for thought.
SPEAKERS VOLUME VIDEO:
***UPDATE TO OP 11/03***
Hey everyone! So after a week of use, I have some updates to the review. I have pasted the updates below, so you don't have to jump back to OP.
Battery
This seems to be one of the most discussed topics and quite a sensitive one! Some users are experiencing incredible SoT while others are not. Ultimately, it will boil down to what apps you have installed along with your connectivity. If your LTE connection is weak, your phone's battery will reflect that. There are many factors to take into consideration with battery, so please understand it is literally per individual basis!
Disclaimer: I haven't received any OTA updates yet. There have been 3 thus far and probably address some of the issues I have.
Over the weekend, I noticed my battery life not lasting as long as I would like. Almost seemed that every 5 minutes I was on the phone, I would lose roughly 3%-5%. This raised some questions so I started diving into the possible issues.
Symptoms:
Phone near fingerprint sensor would get warm during phone calls
Bluetooth constantly scanning
WiFi active during Doze/Sleep
WiFi scanning
GPS on
Solution:
Disabled Bluetooth and WiFi scanning passively
WiFi Advanced settings, disabled WiFi on during sleep
GPS was set to battery saving, but wasn't working. Simply turn off GPS, turn it back on, and check battery saving (this was an odd one)
With those adjustments, I have now noticed my battery in DOZE would lose roughly 2% over 4 hours. I'll get some screenshots and update the OP when they are available. Still testing. Battery life after the fixes are substantially better, however, my device is still getting warm while on calls where our second 6P does NOT. Due to this, a replacement has been overnighted to me. When that arrives, I will be unlocking/rooting to have some more fun with reporting to everyone.
VEHICLE BLUETOOTH
So, either this is new in Android M or my car is losing it's AI mind (or lack thereof), but I have figured out what it's doing. When placing a call through the device or the car, the phone will go into a "dialing" status. While it's in "dialing" status, the car will continue to play my music. When someone on the other end of the call picks up, the audio will switch to the phone. It hasn't been easy adjusting to this and I do wish I would just hear the dial tone, but everything else works great in car.
SCREEN PROTECTOR
I just received one of my screen protectors. I will apply it this evening, record it and share the link here for everyone to see. First impressions are that it misses the "edge to edge" by a slight amount. There is a lip on the edge of the device. My hope was the glass would extend from lip to lip. Not the case here, but still worth a shot. The glass DOES protrude above the lip. Glass thickness is slightly thicker than the other posted above, according to specs. That one arrives today, hopefully!
If something like that will bother you, I don't recommend the Yoozon glass. Video will come soon and you can see for yourself and decide which may be best for you, if any.
FINGERPRINT SENSOR
Still works like a charm. I hope they have an update that allows you to use a little more of the edge of your fingers, similar to Sammies or Apple. Other than that, it's reliable and fast even if your finger has moisture. Good stuff Huawei.
More to come soon, but hope this provides you more info and helps!
Thank you for the excellent review.
Excellent review and agree with everything you have said this is one of the best phones I have owned and I have owned a lot of them.
Thanks for the review! I'm currently test-driving a Moto X Pure, and have a week or so left to return it, which means if I want to get the Nexus 6P I'll have to go back to my old LG G2 for several weeks until Huawei gets its butt in gear and starts pumping out more 64gb models. What's your take on the 6P vs. the X Pure?
Chief85 said:
Thanks for the review! I'm currently test-driving a Moto X Pure, and have a week or so left to return it, which means if I want to get the Nexus 6P I'll have to go back to my old LG G2 for several weeks until Huawei gets its butt in gear and starts pumping out more 64gb models. What's your take on the 6P vs. the X Pure?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! Seeing that I literally just came from the Moto X Pure to the 6P, I can say that I have not looked back or regret doing so. I gave my X Pure to my business partner (he was on a 2014 model still). There is a noticeable height difference, but I like it. It actually places the volume rocker and power button in the right spot for my thumb. Unless you did Moto Maker and like that super unique look, I'd pick the 6P hands down.
Great review! Thanks for sharing.
tehpud said:
Hey everyone! Many of you know me from other threads or some Q&A, but I wanted to share my experience with the Nexus 6P. I do have a thread where you can ask me anything to try or test out on the device, to help answer some questions. I am a front end developer, UX/UI designer, and business owner. This review is based on how I use the phone and where the phone either shines or fails to perform to my needs. The #hype is real on this device and I am hoping to provide you some feedback that removes the bias of #hype and focuses on the device. Hope you find this helpful and thanks for reading!
Introduction
The Nexus 6P is probably the one device I was so excited to get since the iPhone 4. From reading every possible hands on review, watching every YouTube video, and being on the forums trying to calculate shipping dates. This phone has generated so much buzz that I finally felt so excited to get a device. Compared to last year, nothing was "omfg must have". The Nexus 6P filled that hope.
Ergonomics & Hardware
There is no need for me to get into the specs, we all know them or they are easily available elsewhere. This review is about how the specs of the phone play to the hardware and software to make OUR experience the best. The Nexus 6P has some amazing hardware. I got the 32gb Aluminum (long live #aluminati!) version. It is such a delight to hold. The device feels fantastic in my hands, and I have average size hands for a 5'10" individual. I am coming from a Moto X Pure, Note 5, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 6, and Nexus 6 over the past year. Yes, I change phones frequently...mostly for entertainment or variety. Unlike the iPhones, Note 5, and Nexus 6 - The 6P feels stable in my hands, easy to hold, my thumb can reach across the screen without slipping and the weight of the device does help me balance it for one handed use. Where iPhones were so light and thin, the ergonomics sucked to hold; the 6P thickness actually helps in one handed use. The width of the device is not so wide, like the 2014 N6, that one handed use is easy and 2 handed use works just fine as well.
Slippery - Or should I say, lack thereof? The metal on the phone has a slight grip to it. Similar to that of the Moto X Pure (minus the rubber), but it stays in my hand. Those of you worried about the metal frame and possibly being slippery like the iPhones or even Nexus 6; have no fear.
Metal & Screen - Every version (color) will probably differ. I can only speak for the aluminum version. I have barely put the device down and I have zero fingerprints on the back. Oils do not absorb into the metal to look dirty. The only area where fingerprints are obvious is where they should be...on the screen. Which brings me to the glass of the screen. The glass, in the first hours, felt good but over the ongoing use it has been a little tough for me to slide my fingers over. Could be me or maybe I just need to put the damn phone down. The glass is beautiful and seems strong, but I ordered a glass screen protector to help with fingerprints and always feeling smooth to the touch.
There is a lip around the edge. The metal lip seems to be that of 0.2mm, give or take. It's extremely subtle, but obvious it is there to the touch. If that is something that would bother you, the glass screen protectors seem to hit the correct dimensions in thickness to flatten the surface out entirely. I can imagine the lip probably makes applying a glass screen protector even easier due to form fitting vs aligning.
Buttons and Fingerprint Sensors
The buttons are metal and solid. They don't wiggle around, which drove me insane on my iPhone and Moto X Pure. You can tell they were built well. The home button has a texture to identify easily and works quite well. The click in on volume and home buttons have a easily identifying feedback so you know you are pushing them. As silly as it may sound, the Moto X Pure failed in that area. Where the buttons were so easy to push and lack of feedback on press, there were nights where I would watch a YouTube clip and accidentally click the volume in and piss off the lady.
The fingerprint sensor is like every other reviewer has put it. Extremely fast and reliable. I programmed my index and middle fingers on both hands to the fingerprint sensor. I love that I can pull my phone out of my pocket and its ready to go without awkward thumb bending on the front to reach. Only gripe here on the UX is the inability to unlock the device with my fingerprint when it's laying on my desk. It's not a huge deal to some, but I am at a desk non stop. There is a solution, in Android Marshmallow for this though. I setup certain areas as my "trusted" areas. My car, for example, is a trusted connection and the phone does not require to unlock. I did the same for the bluetooth on my work desk. Solves the issue, but leaves the phone open to access if that worries you.
Notification Light
I love notification lights. This one is simple and great. Not buried into the speaker. Obvious pulsing and colors. Just make sure you turn it on! My phone had it disabled. To enable, go to settings > Notifications > Pulse Notification Light. This is one of my favorite features, for as simple and dumb as it may sound.
Speed and Battery
This phone is lightning fast for me. It was built to work fluidly with Android M and it does exactly that. I haven't ran into any hiccups, crashing, issues and everything just...works! Not sure when I was last able to say that about an Android device. This is the first Android I don't have the "want or need" to begin installing greenify, sleep, and other apps that help chill the phone out and not drain the battery. App switching is smooth, RAM usage has stayed consistently at 1.5gb and the camera opens without stutter or lag for me. I frequently find something I wish to take a picture of and it just opens without delay. More on the camera further down.
The battery is great. The synergy with Android M, Doze, and the Nexus 6p - the battery life for me has been phenomenal. It's too early to reveal screenshots, but just in my general use today I have only used 9% of my battery. I have sent numerous emails, taken some pictures, showed off the device, used Google Maps for navigation, and listened to a Play Music Radio Station on the drive to work. I am happy to say that I am sure battery life won't be a big complaint amongst users. If you use your device so intensively, the rapid charging is rapid. Not as fast as my Moto X Pure, but pretty darn fast. It won't let you down.
Camera
I ****ing love this camera. The pictures are beautiful, detailed, and vibrant with colors. I take a lot of pictures with my devices and generally, my family will ask me to use my phone (whatever it may be at the time) to take those perfect shots. The focus, ISO, exposure and color has not let me down at all. I was able to get some amazing night shots, with the improved camera here. Lack of OIS isn't missed much on pictures, but at 4k video recording it would have been very helpful. In general, the camera is reliable and great quality. The pictures you may want to take at a bar or night environment will probably come out better than that of any other phone...with or without a flash. Samples attached of a couple night shots I posted elsewhere.
I did install a camera app called FV-5. It gives you far more control over the camera and has made some pictures really incredible. I have to tinker with it more and learn about some settings, but the face detection, focus and more on the app really allows the hardware to shine. Hopefully they update it quickly with more support for the 6P camera hardware features.
Connectivity
The most important part of the phone. I have Verizon and some areas in my house or office will be weaker than others. Where my Moto X Pure wasn't getting the best signal, I do see a slight stronger signal on the 6P. Nothing much though and wouldn't bank on it improving your past experiences substantially. WiFi speeds are great. I attached a screenshot of my speeds at home, on WiFi, with the 6P.
Bluetooth and Car
I use my phone in the car all the time. If this one aspect of a phone is flawed, then it goes back. I was concerned at first, because the phone and car would not connect. I was worried it was related to Android M. After I turned off bluetooth and turned it back on - it connected and paired, finally. I was most worried at this point.
Since then, I have gotten in and out of my car and the transition and connection to bluetooth has been seamless and quick. Where my Moto X Pure and iPhones took about 30 seconds to finally connect to the car and have a 3s gap where I miss conversation; The 6P seems to connect and transition the audio instantly. I hope it stays that way!
In the End?
I love this phone. It does live up to the #hype. Without any bias to my excitement to have it, this phone has pretty much hit every aspect of feature I would want out of a mobile device. The best part is IT JUST WORKS. That used to be my argument for Apple devices, but I can now say the same for Android. Sorry if that disappoints some of you... This is also the first android device where I don't feel the need to unlock or root. I will unlock and root because it's a Nexus and I like to develop/test ROMS out. However, those of you who felt you had to rely on unlocking and rooting to tinker settings, you may find that you won't have that urge to do so anymore. If anything, I'll do it for TWRP.
Where I would normally plan on switching devices every few months or 6 months, I can see myself keeping this device for a year to 2 years. Just won't tell the lady that or else I'll hear it when I want to upgrade to next years Nexus line...
Lastly, in the day using it, I have had many people ask me, "Hey, what phone is that?". While I don't care for being known to have the latest and greatest, it's fun showing it off. I can't wait to see some Frosties or Graphites in the wild, but for you folks with #aluminati...stand proud and shine. I hope this helped provide some honest insight and answer some questions.
Thanks folks!
Note: The only changes I made to the pictures was reduce the size of them. They were too large to upload, but no post edits were done for enhancements.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have a fantastic cat sir
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
I think it is a very good review. Granted, I have only had my phone for just now 24 hours and only completed full set up early this AM.
Can't speak about the battery yet as it is too early to tell and it has been on and off charger. I anticipate tonight forward I can get a better read.
Camera is one of the best and I REALLY like the Moto X 2015 Pure. I think N6P may trump it as a few low light pics came out great. At very least is on par with Apple 6S Plus which I also own.
Fingerprint scanner is phenomenal and IS faster than Apple 6S Plus, which I thought was fast. N6P trumps it.
Now, I don't necessarily agree with connectivity on LTE: I STILL think MOTO has better radios and at work I have very sketchy connectivity. I do notice my Nexus 6 and even when I owned the Moto X 2015 Pure, it would grab a weaker signal and have faster data connections moreso than the Nexus 6P. I had to keep toggling airplane mode on the Nexus 6P to get signals. So, I think it is OK but MOTO still has better radios IMHO.
Furthermore, I also think the processor is a "tad" slower than Nexus 6. The Nexus 6 seems to fly and is speedier (both Nexus 6 and N6P are decrypted as well). Granted, I perceive no lag on the N6P, but I definitely feel a controlled movement.
Good review, but my thoughts differ from yours a bit.
My Nexus 6P just arrived. Initial impression? The screen on my Moto X Pure is better (brighter, better whites, less graininess up close). Also, the speakers on the Moto X Pure are better. The Moto X Pure is also a little smaller and easier to grip with the rubber back. My Moto X Pure has very clicky and solid buttons, so maybe that's just a flaw in your particular Moto X.
I'm actually shocked because I fully expected to fall in love with the 6P immediately and ditch the Moto X Pure based on the stellar reviews I have been seeing, but now I'm thinking this is going to be a tougher decision than I thought, and I might actually end up returning the 6P!
Chief85 said:
Thanks for the review! I'm currently test-driving a Moto X Pure, and have a week or so left to return it, which means if I want to get the Nexus 6P I'll have to go back to my old LG G2 for several weeks until Huawei gets its butt in gear and starts pumping out more 64gb models. What's your take on the 6P vs. the X Pure?
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I am in exactly same boat. Have till Nov. 13. Great review OP. You make me really want one and if they were readily available I probably would have it.
tehpud said:
Hey everyone! Many of you know me from other threads or some Q&A, but I wanted to share my experience with the Nexus 6P. I do have a thread where you can ask me anything to try or test out on the device, to help answer some questions. I am a front end developer, UX/UI designer, and business owner. This review is based on how I use the phone and where the phone either shines or fails to perform to my needs. The #hype is real on this device and I am hoping to provide you some feedback that removes the bias of #hype and focuses on the device. Hope you find this helpful and thanks for reading!
Introduction
The Nexus 6P is probably the one device I was so excited to get since the iPhone 4. From reading every possible hands on review, watching every YouTube video, and being on the forums trying to calculate shipping dates. This phone has generated so much buzz that I finally felt so excited to get a device. Compared to last year, nothing was "omfg must have". The Nexus 6P filled that hope.
Ergonomics & Hardware
There is no need for me to get into the specs, we all know them or they are easily available elsewhere. This review is about how the specs of the phone play to the hardware and software to make OUR experience the best. The Nexus 6P has some amazing hardware. I got the 32gb Aluminum (long live #aluminati!) version. It is such a delight to hold. The device feels fantastic in my hands, and I have average size hands for a 5'10" individual. I am coming from a Moto X Pure, Note 5, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 6, and Nexus 6 over the past year. Yes, I change phones frequently...mostly for entertainment or variety. Unlike the iPhones, Note 5, and Nexus 6 - The 6P feels stable in my hands, easy to hold, my thumb can reach across the screen without slipping and the weight of the device does help me balance it for one handed use. Where iPhones were so light and thin, the ergonomics sucked to hold; the 6P thickness actually helps in one handed use. The width of the device is not so wide, like the 2014 N6, that one handed use is easy and 2 handed use works just fine as well.
Slippery - Or should I say, lack thereof? The metal on the phone has a slight grip to it. Similar to that of the Moto X Pure (minus the rubber), but it stays in my hand. Those of you worried about the metal frame and possibly being slippery like the iPhones or even Nexus 6; have no fear.
Metal & Screen - Every version (color) will probably differ. I can only speak for the aluminum version. I have barely put the device down and I have zero fingerprints on the back. Oils do not absorb into the metal to look dirty. The only area where fingerprints are obvious is where they should be...on the screen. Which brings me to the glass of the screen. The glass, in the first hours, felt good but over the ongoing use it has been a little tough for me to slide my fingers over. Could be me or maybe I just need to put the damn phone down. The glass is beautiful and seems strong, but I ordered a glass screen protector to help with fingerprints and always feeling smooth to the touch.
There is a lip around the edge. The metal lip seems to be that of 0.2mm, give or take. It's extremely subtle, but obvious it is there to the touch. If that is something that would bother you, the glass screen protectors seem to hit the correct dimensions in thickness to flatten the surface out entirely. I can imagine the lip probably makes applying a glass screen protector even easier due to form fitting vs aligning.
Buttons and Fingerprint Sensors
The buttons are metal and solid. They don't wiggle around, which drove me insane on my iPhone and Moto X Pure. You can tell they were built well. The home button has a texture to identify easily and works quite well. The click in on volume and home buttons have a easily identifying feedback so you know you are pushing them. As silly as it may sound, the Moto X Pure failed in that area. Where the buttons were so easy to push and lack of feedback on press, there were nights where I would watch a YouTube clip and accidentally click the volume in and piss off the lady.
The fingerprint sensor is like every other reviewer has put it. Extremely fast and reliable. I programmed my index and middle fingers on both hands to the fingerprint sensor. I love that I can pull my phone out of my pocket and its ready to go without awkward thumb bending on the front to reach. Only gripe here on the UX is the inability to unlock the device with my fingerprint when it's laying on my desk. It's not a huge deal to some, but I am at a desk non stop. There is a solution, in Android Marshmallow for this though. I setup certain areas as my "trusted" areas. My car, for example, is a trusted connection and the phone does not require to unlock. I did the same for the bluetooth on my work desk. Solves the issue, but leaves the phone open to access if that worries you.
Notification Light
I love notification lights. This one is simple and great. Not buried into the speaker. Obvious pulsing and colors. Just make sure you turn it on! My phone had it disabled. To enable, go to settings > Notifications > Pulse Notification Light. This is one of my favorite features, for as simple and dumb as it may sound.
Speed and Battery
This phone is lightning fast for me. It was built to work fluidly with Android M and it does exactly that. I haven't ran into any hiccups, crashing, issues and everything just...works! Not sure when I was last able to say that about an Android device. This is the first Android I don't have the "want or need" to begin installing greenify, sleep, and other apps that help chill the phone out and not drain the battery. App switching is smooth, RAM usage has stayed consistently at 1.5gb and the camera opens without stutter or lag for me. I frequently find something I wish to take a picture of and it just opens without delay. More on the camera further down.
The battery is great. The synergy with Android M, Doze, and the Nexus 6p - the battery life for me has been phenomenal. It's too early to reveal screenshots, but just in my general use today I have only used 9% of my battery. I have sent numerous emails, taken some pictures, showed off the device, used Google Maps for navigation, and listened to a Play Music Radio Station on the drive to work. I am happy to say that I am sure battery life won't be a big complaint amongst users. If you use your device so intensively, the rapid charging is rapid. Not as fast as my Moto X Pure, but pretty darn fast. It won't let you down.
Camera
I ****ing love this camera. The pictures are beautiful, detailed, and vibrant with colors. I take a lot of pictures with my devices and generally, my family will ask me to use my phone (whatever it may be at the time) to take those perfect shots. The focus, ISO, exposure and color has not let me down at all. I was able to get some amazing night shots, with the improved camera here. Lack of OIS isn't missed much on pictures, but at 4k video recording it would have been very helpful. In general, the camera is reliable and great quality. The pictures you may want to take at a bar or night environment will probably come out better than that of any other phone...with or without a flash. Samples attached of a couple night shots I posted elsewhere.
I did install a camera app called FV-5. It gives you far more control over the camera and has made some pictures really incredible. I have to tinker with it more and learn about some settings, but the face detection, focus and more on the app really allows the hardware to shine. Hopefully they update it quickly with more support for the 6P camera hardware features.
Connectivity
The most important part of the phone. I have Verizon and some areas in my house or office will be weaker than others. Where my Moto X Pure wasn't getting the best signal, I do see a slight stronger signal on the 6P. Nothing much though and wouldn't bank on it improving your past experiences substantially. WiFi speeds are great. I attached a screenshot of my speeds at home, on WiFi, with the 6P.
Bluetooth and Car
I use my phone in the car all the time. If this one aspect of a phone is flawed, then it goes back. I was concerned at first, because the phone and car would not connect. I was worried it was related to Android M. After I turned off bluetooth and turned it back on - it connected and paired, finally. I was most worried at this point.
Since then, I have gotten in and out of my car and the transition and connection to bluetooth has been seamless and quick. Where my Moto X Pure and iPhones took about 30 seconds to finally connect to the car and have a 3s gap where I miss conversation; The 6P seems to connect and transition the audio instantly. I hope it stays that way!
In the End?
I love this phone. It does live up to the #hype. Without any bias to my excitement to have it, this phone has pretty much hit every aspect of feature I would want out of a mobile device. The best part is IT JUST WORKS. That used to be my argument for Apple devices, but I can now say the same for Android. Sorry if that disappoints some of you... This is also the first android device where I don't feel the need to unlock or root. I will unlock and root because it's a Nexus and I like to develop/test ROMS out. However, those of you who felt you had to rely on unlocking and rooting to tinker settings, you may find that you won't have that urge to do so anymore. If anything, I'll do it for TWRP.
Where I would normally plan on switching devices every few months or 6 months, I can see myself keeping this device for a year to 2 years. Just won't tell the lady that or else I'll hear it when I want to upgrade to next years Nexus line...
Lastly, in the day using it, I have had many people ask me, "Hey, what phone is that?". While I don't care for being known to have the latest and greatest, it's fun showing it off. I can't wait to see some Frosties or Graphites in the wild, but for you folks with #aluminati...stand proud and shine. I hope this helped provide some honest insight and answer some questions.
Thanks folks!
Note: The only changes I made to the pictures was reduce the size of them. They were too large to upload, but no post edits were done for enhancements.
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Is that a Huawei watch?
bullshark888 said:
Is that a Huawei watch?
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Yup!
tehpud said:
Yup!
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I am still debating this or the 360, maybe wait for the black Friday.
bullshark888 said:
I am still debating this or the 360, maybe wait for the black Friday.
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I would wait for Black Friday tbh. I am probably going to return it and wait for the Moto 360 Sport. I already have a nice watch, but need something that I can use while I work out.
Was there really a need to start a new thread about reviews?
Now that is what I call a fantastic review
Very nice review. Thank you for taking the time and sharing. I think I know my next device after mapping this against the Moto X Pure.
Does VoLTE work on Verizon with the 6p? If not, does it have dual radios to let you call on CDMA and still use LTE data?
jmileti said:
I am in exactly same boat. Have till Nov. 13. Great review OP. You make me really want one and if they were readily available I probably would have it.
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Very frustrating! If only I could hold both at the same time...
The Made by Google Twitter account confirmed the P3 does not come with a notification light! That's insane and takes away one of the great advantages that Android has over iOS. I can't tell you how many times I was unaware of messages and voice mail on my work iPhone because it doesn't give any indication of a missed notification.... For hours and even days!
This is unacceptable!
This really sucks. I have it configured to give me so much information with just a glance. They probably saved $0.01 per phone leaving it off.
They probably think we all want to use AOD to see our notifications! I've never used it myself, why, BECAUSE THE LED LIGHT WORKS GREAT! Good grief!!
Hopefully they moved the "blink" functionality to the AMOLED screen. There is really no need for a separate LED if they move that functionality into the screen. And preferably add the options that lifghtflow offers.
But knowing Google they probably just removed the feature altogether. It's sad that they can't add all of the options that the Nexus 5 had 6 years ago, which launched for half the price. And then they have the nerve to call it a premium device.
arby80 said:
Hopefully they moved the "blink" functionality to the AMOLED screen. There is really no need for a separate LED if they move that functionality into the screen. And preferably add the options that lifghtflow offers.
But knowing Google they probably just removed the feature altogether. It's sad that they can't add all of the options that the Nexus 5 had 6 years ago, which launched for half the price. And then they have the nerve to call it a premium device.
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If you remember, the Nexus 6 had one but it wasn't implemented by the factory. It took a tear down before it was found and a clever programmer figured out how to make it work!
It doesn't need one with an OLED display. You can display notification indicators on the display like you could with an led.
I am standing in front of the pixel 3 display and can confirm there is no notification led! Not even in the settings!
what happens with a missed call? does a flashing dot appear on a black screen?
djy said:
what happens with a missed call? does a flashing dot appear on a black screen?
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I don't know, but it's a terrible idea to remove the only way to see missed notifications without turning on the screen.
It doesn't need one with an OLED display. You can display notification indicators on the display like you could with an led
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Can you see the OLED display from a distance, and its colour to tell what type of notification it is? That's the advantage of an LED
scoobiesnacks said:
Can you see the OLED display from a distance, and its colour to tell what type of notification it is? That's the advantage of an LED
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I personally will not use the always on feature, so walking the screen will be my only way of seeing missed notifications. Just like the iPhone, Google is forcing you to interact with your phone the way they want, and leaving us without choice.
Passive notifications are no more. ?
This sucks. Its not a game changer but I do use led to see what I got, very useful
The usual reviewers aren't helping. Focusing on how pretty the phone is instead of functionality. I'm coming from an S5 which has a multi-color notification LED, SDcard slot, removable battery with durable lightweight removable plastic back, wireless charging, IR transmitter, headphone jack, unlocked bootloader with official lineage support, water resistance, and flat display with no rounded corners. For $1000+ the reviewers and consumers should expect and demand these features plus new stuff. Unfortunately most people don't know or care enough about the hardware or software. Never felt this bitter/unexcited about a $1000 luxury purchase before.
4 GB of ram and 128 GB of storage is not on par with the competition. Not sure why consumers are making excuses for all the shortcomings? I'm buying for stock android, camera, stereo front facing speakers, IP68, wireless charging, and a much faster chip than my current phone. They could easily make it 50% fatter and stuff a massive battery in it with a removable plastic cover with an elastomeric seal but they want us to buy a new one every year or two.
I'm nervously waiting to see if it can be rooted and flashed. If not, there's much better options for the same cost.
djy said:
The usual reviewers aren't helping. Focusing on how pretty the phone is instead of functionality. I'm coming from an S5 which has a multi-color notification LED, SDcard slot, removable battery with durable lightweight removable plastic back, wireless charging, IR transmitter, headphone jack, unlocked bootloader with official lineage support, water resistance, and flat display with no rounded corners. For $1000+ the reviewers and consumers should expect and demand these features plus new stuff. Unfortunately most people don't know or care enough about the hardware or software. Never felt this bitter/unexcited about a $1000 luxury purchase before.
4 GB of ram and 128 GB of storage is not on par with the competition. Not sure why consumers are making excuses for all the shortcomings? I'm buying for stock android, camera, stereo front facing speakers, IP68, wireless charging, and a much faster chip than my current phone. They could easily make it 50% fatter and stuff a massive battery in it with a removable plastic cover with an elastomeric seal but they want us to buy a new one every year or two.
I'm nervously waiting to see if it can be rooted and flashed. If not, there's much better options for the same cost.
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Pixel phones purchased direct from Google can all be bootloader unlocked in developer settings. It's easier than just about any other device. Root access will be gained shortly after the phone is released into the wild, and hopefully, Magisk can be used to pass safety net for Google pay. I totally understand your other concerns, but rooting shouldn't be one of them.
No LED totally sucks. I don't use AOD because of increased battery drain and increased burn in. So no way to see if there are notifications without picking up the phone. Weak battery was already bad enough.
I understand it's probably not the biggest deal in the world or anything but for me personally if the notification led is gone, I'm probably going back to Apple.
And this isn't the be-all-end-all reason, Google just seems less and less interested in truly making their devices/software unique and if it's going to essentially be the same thing as an iPhone, then I may as well just have an iPhone.
Kinda OT, but I have to say it's weird that the only other phone i've had that did AOD really good was the OG Moto X. I'll get used it on the P3. I really don't depend on it that much on my P2.... if a notification goes off, I usually hear it or feel the vibration first anyway. Rare are the times I'm spotting a led color "from across the room" lol..
I never have my sound on, drive a truck and use the notification light exclusively for notifications. Forcing me to pick up the phone (as with any professional driver) is ridiculous. Changing colors of the light allowed you to see exactly what or who the notification was from and very private. AOD is distracting and less informative. Makes 0 sense.
I've always used the notification led with my OG Pixel, so now I'm getting used to the aod.
My question for you guys is do you have aod turned on and is there noticeable battery drain from it or any other potential downside? Or do you have it where the aod only turns on from lifting the phone or double tapping?
I'm trying to pick what's the ideal way to go with this. I realize it'll probably be a personal preference deal, I've just never had an aod phone before. Thanks!
I thought that if notification comes in, screen flashes once in a while, but it doesn't seem to do that.