i'll go check it out. apparently you can mix or match the S5 and the M8 for the BOGO deal, so i'll probably get the M8 and she can pick the one she prefers.

thanks for the advice.

4/16/2014 8:32:06 AM

the s5 has a better camera and battery than the m8

the m8 has better build quality, speakers, and interface

hardware-wise they're pretty much identical. s5 might have a tiny edge but the m8's Sense UI is much lighter than the s5's TouchWiz UI so it'll probably seem faster

if there's a BOGO deal on it and you're ok with a larger phone, you might also consider a Note 3. Has a slightly older processor (though it's still roughly equivalent to the s5), 3GB of RAM vs. 2GB for the other phones, and a bigger battery

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Samsung-Galaxy-Note-3,Samsung-Galaxy-S5,HTC-One-M8/phones/7984,8202,8242

then there's the Moto X and the Nexus 5 if you're not looking to have to renew your contract, but that doesn't seem to be an issue for you

4/16/2014 8:33:16 AM

One thing to keep in mind about the Note 3 is that there are reports that Verizon is skipping 4.4 (Kit Kat) so it might be awhile for an update

4/16/2014 8:49:55 AM

at the very least they sure as fuck are taking their sweet time with it

4/16/2014 9:20:48 AM

guy i work with has the note. that thing is too big for me.

4/16/2014 9:32:45 AM

Quote :

"the s5 has a better battery than the m8"

If you're just looking at mAh. I think the reviews I read rated the M8 as lasting longer.

[Edited on April 16, 2014 at 11:39 AM. Reason : ^ me too]

4/16/2014 11:30:39 AM

Quote :

"hardware-wise they're pretty much identical. s5 might have a tiny edge but the m8's Sense UI is much lighter than the s5's TouchWiz UI so it'll probably seem faster"

Either one I'd probably just stick a launcher on there and root it.

In my opinion the S5 being waterproof and having a replaceable battery is enough alone to sell me on it. They both have Micro SD slots which is good.

It pretty much comes down to battery and camera. Battery is highly variable when you consider rooting, different roms, launchers, battery saving mode, etc. They're both great so I don't see a huge difference there.

[Edited on April 16, 2014 at 11:41 AM. Reason : s]

4/16/2014 11:40:11 AM

my wife's 2 yr contract doesn't run out until June. figured they'd renew it 2 months early like they have for the past 10 yrs i've been doing business with them. found out they do not. i guess this is to get more folks to do that edge bullshit.

left without a new phone. i've had this Droid X for over 3 yrs, so 2 more months won't bother me.

4/16/2014 5:49:24 PM

if you call the people that you talk to are more flexible, i upgraded 2 months early very recently

4/16/2014 5:57:17 PM

call where? just the 1-800 number?

[Edited on April 16, 2014 at 6:00 PM. Reason : or the store?]

4/16/2014 5:59:48 PM

i called the 1-800 number

4/16/2014 6:06:03 PM

tele-sales sent me to customer service. dudeman said i needed to be within 30 days and there was no way around it. i've been with them 10 yrs and always paid on-time.

4/16/2014 6:19:22 PM

dang, that sucks. i have 10 accounts with them so maybe they were just more willing to help because of that :shrug:

4/16/2014 6:24:48 PM

seems goofy that i'm sitting there trying to give up my unlimited data plan and throw them $200 and (2) two-year contracts and they get hung up over 3 weeks

makes me want to buy a replacement battery for the Droid X and sit on my unlimited data until they make me give it up

[Edited on April 16, 2014 at 6:32 PM. Reason : afsd]

4/16/2014 6:29:04 PM

called again and tried a different rep. still said 30 days early is the best they can do no matter what. a new battery for $7 is looking better and better.

4/16/2014 7:00:11 PM

i wonder if i call and tell them i want to cancel service if the retention folks can hook it up.....?

4/16/2014 7:16:03 PM

the loyalty dept authorized the early upgrade for anything except the BOGO deals

4/16/2014 8:02:11 PM

How have you been able to stand a Droid X for 3 years.


I would have smashed that POS to bits like 2.75 years ago.

4/17/2014 10:48:46 AM

it does everything i need it to do

4/17/2014 4:54:22 PM

^just really slowly

4/17/2014 7:32:32 PM

like anything else, you don't know what you're missing if you've never had it. i was content with it and it wasn't costing me a dime.

[Edited on April 17, 2014 at 7:40 PM. Reason : it was pretty well-reviewed back when i got it]

4/17/2014 7:39:38 PM

anyone venture to guess if the One M8 and/or the Galaxy S5 will still be BOGO on May 7th?

4/17/2014 7:47:26 PM

there might be something better out by then, or they'll be individually cheaper

4/17/2014 9:02:45 PM

How do I get SMS messages (and emails?) read over BT? Probably the feature I enjoyed the most while testing WP.

4/19/2014 7:17:19 PM

I'm behind on android phones - is the S5 the latest and greatest?

4/23/2014 1:24:06 PM

Yes and it's water proof.

Hey look Apple is "innovating" again:

http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/17/apple-patents-android-like-gesture-unlocking-tech-for-mobile-devices/?source=gravity&cps=gravity

4/23/2014 1:24:51 PM

It's between the S5 or One M8

4/23/2014 1:26:05 PM

I'll do my speel again. The HTC One M8 without question has a more premium feel. I put minimalist cases on all my phones so I don't really care.

Battery life is similar. S5 wins by a tad on the camera.

Interface I don't care about. Just install a launcher.

Both phones are great but the S5 is water proof and has a replaceable battery. Both these push it across the line IMHO. HTC did however finally listen to it's customers and add an SD card slot. Which is great.

If you don't care about either of those features then go play with them and make up your mind. You'll probably be happy with both.

Me personally I like being able to chill in the hot tub and not worry about my phone getting wet.

4/23/2014 1:29:34 PM

no one replaces batteries, its not worth having a flimsy plastic phone

4/23/2014 1:36:21 PM

That is a pretty killer feature, to be sure. But (knock on wood) I don't think I've ever gotten a phone too wet so maybe it's less appealing to me.

Quote :

"Samsung has clearly noticed that Sony is offering something unique with its Xperia range of smartphones and tablets so has decided to get in on the act. To this end, the Galaxy S5 has an IP67 rating. See also: Samsung Galaxy S5: Release date, specs & price. This means that the flagship Android handset is completely sealed from dust particles and can be submerged in water up to a depth of one meter for up to 30 minutes. It's headphone port is waterproof without needing a cover which is cool but the microUSB port needs a flap to stop the phone from frazzling. That makes charging a bit of a faff but it's the price you must pay for the feature. Read: Galaxy S5 price and where to buy in the UK. We thought Samsung would stop having to use a removable rear cover to offer the waterproof credential but it has managed to keep this trend. You can still access the SIM-card slot, microSD card slot and removable battery by taking off the rear cover. A seal runs round the components to keep them safe from any water but the camera module along with the LED flash and heart rate monitor don't need to be within the seal. Our worry is that the rear cover won't always be clipped in properly enough to keep that potentially devastating water in. We've found numerous times that the cover is unclipped even though we thought it was. It clips to the phone at nearly 20 different points so its risky business. Our advice is to doubly check the cover and port flap is firmly in place before allowing the Galaxy S5 to come into contact with any water."

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/videos/3511487/samsung-galaxy-s5-waterproof-dunk-test-video/

Quote :

"The minute Samsung started crowing about the Galaxy S5 being waterproof, you just knew some maniacs would try putting it to the test by swimming with the device. In this particular case, the maniacs in question are the team at TechSmartt who have filmed a video of the Galaxy S5 being dunked underwater for a prolonged period of time and also of the Galaxy S5 being put through a washing machine. In the video, TechSmartt dropped the Galaxy S5 into a pool’s shallow end at let it sit there for roughly an hour before hoisting it up. Incredibly, the Galaxy S5 still worked perfectly well afterward and the only noticeable problem with the device was that its display didn’t respond as well to touch commands because it was covered in water droplets. This means that you can conceivably take a bath or even go swimming with your Galaxy S5 if you want and not have to worry about it breaking or electrocuting you. Next up, TechSmartt stuffed the Galaxy S5 into a pair of jeans and put them both into the washing machine for a 50-minute cycle. Unlike the pool test, the Galaxy S5's experience in the washing machine was not perfect: TechSmartt had to pull the device out for a little bit to open up its rear shell and get a little bit of water out that had leaked inside. However, once it got this water out and rebooted the phone, the device worked perfectly again. Amazingly, after the full cycle finished, the Galaxy S5 still ran just as well as it did when it come out of the pool. This is the second major torture session that TechSmartt has put the Galaxy S5 through in recent days. Last week, TechSmartt dropped the Galaxy S5 from 10 feet in the air and then ran over it with an SUV and the phone still worked perfectly fine."

http://bgr.com/2014/04/08/is-the-galaxy-s5-really-waterproof/


^

4/23/2014 1:40:00 PM

Quote :

"no one replaces batteries, its not worth having a flimsy plastic phone"

Joking right? I know plenty of people who do. I travel a good bit and do it quite frequently. It's much easier to quickly swap out a battery then sit and wait an hour or more for a phone to recharge in a plug.

And flimsy? All of Samsung's phones have user replaceable batteries and I don't have to speak to how popular they are. I wouldn't call them flimsy at all.

4/23/2014 2:03:55 PM

no troll, only 1% of people replace the battery

the s5 is definitely flimsy. it creaks if you twist it



[Edited on April 23, 2014 at 2:21 PM. Reason : .]

4/23/2014 2:18:56 PM

That's good to know.

4/23/2014 2:24:04 PM

I'm sure a ton of people with iPhones and non-Samsungs would replace the battery

If they could do it without a special tool that voided the warranty

4/23/2014 4:54:23 PM

I used to always upgrade to the hi-cap battery.


Then I got a Droid MAXX and the battery lasts like 3 days. I don't really give a fuck that it weighs as much as a 2001 Nextel, I can throw it at the wall in the otterbox and it wont break.

4/23/2014 5:15:52 PM

Yeah they would. Especially as the battery starts to degrade over time. I do it all the time camping or backpacking. I'll be on a week long trip and 1-2 extra batteries are a necessity if I'm using my phone occasionally for photos, calls, etc.

4/23/2014 5:56:21 PM

So. Couple of phone Q's. I'm switching myself and my wife to T-Mobile since their new no-contract plans are actually great ($50/mo for unlimited talk & text, 3 GB data). I'm giving up an old sprint SERO plan, which is *theoretically* unlimited data, but they still haven't upgraded Richmond to 4G LTE yet and we're not even on the roadmap, so fuck 'em.

Of course the catch is the devices aren't subsidized. I don't want to pay $Texas for the latest and greatest. For me I'm thinking I'll go with either the HTC One M7 ($499) or the 32 GB Nexus 5 ($399). The One M7 is a little older but it was the undisputed best when it came out; the Nexus 5 isn't as nice a piece of hardware but it's newer, cheaper, and comes with KitKat out of the box. Any other devices in the $500 and under bracket I should be considering?

For my wife it's a bit harder. She doesn't want a huge phone, prefers something around a 4" screen. But I haven't found anything at that size that works with T-Mobile and doesn't suck. One Mini, Galaxy S4 Mini, and Droid Mini are all no (no LTE, may not work at all, CDMA only, respectively). Figures that T-Mobile was the only one of the major US carriers that didn't get the S4 mini, but instead got the Galaxy Light, which is a bargain-basement version using S3-era hardware. Any other ideas of moderately sized phones that aren't throwaway garbage?

4/23/2014 6:17:23 PM

moto x?

4/23/2014 8:32:34 PM

iPhone? i mean, i wouldn't get one, but just saying

[Edited on April 23, 2014 at 9:46 PM. Reason : they have tiny screens if thats what she wants]

4/23/2014 9:46:16 PM

Quote :

"She doesn't want a huge phone, prefers something around a 4" screen."

my wife didn't want a phone any bigger than her defy (3.7"), but i convinced her to give the moto x (4.7") a chance...she loves it, says she likes the bigger screen, and the form factor makes it easier for her to hold than my nexus 4 (also 4.7")

4/23/2014 9:50:27 PM

I'll take a look at the Moto X, hadn't really considered it (my current phone is a motorola, a photon to be exact, and kinda sucks, but I guess I should apply that across their entire line).

iPhone would be great except for the price (5c is $550 and it goes up from there) and that having to learn a whole new interface is annoying.

4/23/2014 11:03:56 PM

here's the size of the moto x compared to the photon

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Motorola-PHOTON-4G,Motorola-Moto-X/phones/5577,7885

4/23/2014 11:16:19 PM

Quote :

"HTC One M7 ($499)"

That seems like an incredible waste of money, and I think you can get that phone for way cheaper.

You can get a used N5 16GB for ~$250. Hard to beat that.

Also have you considered Straight Talk? $50/month after taxes for AT&T service and 2.5GB of AT&T LTE/3G+(HSPA+) data.

4/24/2014 1:18:59 AM

A raspberry-hued One X has been ordered for the lady, should arrive in about a week. Thanks all for the tip and for that graphic comparing the size to the photon--the external size is almost identical, but bigger screen due to efficient use. I think she'll be happy with it, as it meets the "not huge" criteria and is a damn sight better than her current phone, an elderly Optimus V. Price wasn't bad either, $339 for the unlocked/t-mobile SIM version with the .edu discount.

^I'm starting to think you're right, that $499 for the M7 may be too much for a phone that's been out for a year, and if I do decide on it I'll look for a better deal. But the Nexus 5 may win out even though its sound isn't as good. I do like a phone with a good camera so I'm a bit torn there--while 4 MP isn't high res from the One the fundamentals of their "ultrapixel" technology actually sound valid, while the camera on the N5 sounds good but I fear it may not measure up to my work-issued iPhone 4S. I don't want a used phone as the idea of something that someone else has been holding up to their face, breathing on, etc. creeps me out a little (even though it could be sanitized) plus you don't know how it's been treated. And I'll probably go for the 32 GB if I do go Nexus.

I think for my purposes T-Mobile is actually better than Straight Talk. $50 before taxes rather than after (for half of a $100 family plan) but, around RVA, AT&T coverage is a little shaky, plus it's more data.

4/24/2014 3:32:47 AM

IFTTT out now for Android

4/24/2014 4:39:25 PM

^^ so just get the new 32GB N5. Think it's about $500 after tax+shipping.

Anyone have any better ideas for $500?

4/24/2014 5:36:13 PM

Is IFTTT Android SMS not working for anyone else?

4/24/2014 6:08:14 PM

Quote :

" ^^ so just get the new 32GB N5. Think it's about $500 after tax+shipping. Anyone have any better ideas for $500?"

That's the direction I'm leaning right now. It's actually $399 from google for the 32gb. The only thing that is a concern is the mediocre camera but I don't know if I'm going to get much better at this price point without going to a windows phone (can get a lumia 1020 for 450-ish with a badass camera but I'd rather stay with android.)

4/25/2014 1:47:24 PM

http://oppostyle.com/ might be an option, you'd want to confirm they work with T-Mobile though

4/25/2014 2:03:59 PM

The Find 7 looks pretty slick but it's bigger than I'd prefer (5.5" and bigger dimensionally than the Nexus 5) and I can't seem to find a definitive answer as to whether it will work on T-Mobile. I don't know that anyone has gotten a hold of one to try yet.

Their other devices don't have the correct radios for US operation.

4/25/2014 6:22:53 PM