Topic: Everything Android - The Official Android Thread

[BranDonk Kong]

Just picked up a brand new HTC One M8 (Gunmetal grey), this thing is absolutely beautiful.

[shingi_70]

Nice. Is it the sense version or the Google Play varient.

[BranDonk Kong]

Verizon, so Sense, but to be honest this version of Sense is really, really nice. I'm sure I'll flash a GPE edition ROM (phone comes out on the 9th) when its available, but I don't mind this at all.

[BranDonk Kong]

The speakers on this thing are absolutely amazing - and even the 3.5mm audio output is way beyond any other smartphone I've used.

[Stogi]

You know you can tweek the output for any android phone right? My note 2s output was lousy compared to an iPhone and for a while, I thought it was the music I downloaded or made, until I experimented and found out it was my phone. A simple edit to a document and a reboot later, may phone is too loud at full volume, which is perfect.

[Oblivion]

Could you give us my info than that?

[BlackNMild2k1]

There is also an app for that

Volume+

[Plugabugz]

For the Nexus 5 it's definitely a driver issue which Google is aware of.

[BranDonk Kong]

It's kind of funny, when I was at Verizon yesterday after holding the M8 and S5 in my hands for a few minutes I started to look at other phones (DROID Ultra is damn nice too!). I picked up a Samsung and was like "when did VZW get the S4 Mini?" except it wasn't the mini, but was the regular S4. Usually that's a pretty large-screen'ed phone, but it looked like "just another little phone" after checking the new ones out. 5 inches is "the size" that cell phones were meant to have.


The S5 is pretty nice, but the M8 is the best Android phone you can buy right now (though the Glacial Silver finish is pretty shitty), just a shame that Samsung has such a lock on the market right now.

[pokepal148]

Wait the m8 has an SD card slot? Interest get.

But seriously looking at pics of the thing that design is just a step backwards from the last year model, seriously HTC we know you love yourself but you should really do something that logo now that you don't have capacitive buttons there, that has just become an eyesore.

I'm kinda annoyed that google killed the menu button all those years ago (and like most android features it doesn't die very well) just because it's such a versatile button to have, if they are worried about confusing the users I feel it would have been better to rebrand it as the 'function' button that when pressed performs a function related to whatever application.

But with Samsung I wonder if Tizen is a way for them to move themselves away from Microsoft as their second major smartphone OS they make stuff for.

Also I was curious about this when they announced the note 3 and 10.1 but I wonder if they are planning to hold off on a refresh for the 8.0 so they can sorta get that entire hardware line on the same product cycle. That said either way I hope they get that price pused down to $300.

[BranDonk Kong]

Android automatically creates the menu button in apps in the menu bar where it belongs (if you have an actual menu button it is hidden, unless you set it to show "always" in your xml). Having used both, I can assure that the M8 is not a step backwards in any way shape or form from the M7. I'm also impressed that they had the balls to not include a Verizon logo on the front (something that only Samsung has been able to pull off until now), not including the iPhone. But all of the manufacturers put their logo on the front...

[pokepal148]

so Motorola has announced an sd card version of the Moto G (put a link in the image)

[Sarail]

Just got my red Nexus 5 in yesterday, and wow, it's incredible how much better it is over the N4. One thing, though...I'm still picking up the HSPA network from AT&T that I was only able to get on the N4. Is this because of my SIM card? It's the same card I've had since my iPhone 4, and I know the N5 can do LTE (my area has LTE coverage.)

[Plugabugz]

I can't speak for networks there, but as far as i'm aware nearly all UK networks will require the sim card to be replaced with a 4G-enabled variant.

Three, however, is the exception in that they just blanket enabled it for everyone so all you need is a 4G phone.
I'm using the same sim card now in my black Nexus 5 that i did with my Nexus 4.

I'd suggest calling AT&T, but knowing them they'll probably try get you to signup to a 40,000 year contract and 1.5 of your toes.

[Sarail]

I need those 1.5 toes! (40,000 years, I can handle.)

[BranDonk Kong]

Even in the UK it shouldn't matter which SIM card you use (as long as its active and is for the network you are trying to use). The SIM is just a (very small) memory card, connecting to HSPA or LTE is completely dependent upon the phone. In the US your SIM card makes no difference - you may need to change the APN settings of the phone, but the regular AT&T ones should work.

[Sarail]

APN settings? How would I go about doing that?

[Plugabugz]

Even in the UK it shouldn't matter which SIM card you use (as long as its active and is for the network you are trying to use).

While that's true - Three have proven that already - all the other networks all require a 4G sim.
If you have an existing 3G you're switched over to one. 3G sims usually have "3G" on the card if there's room. The only exception is T-Mobile UK and Orange UK, who require you to move to another 4G-only brand on the same infrastructure (EE).

[Sarail]

So, I just chatted online with an AT&T representative, and he said that based on my current talk/data plan, that I'd have to go into an AT&T store, and have a rep provision my current plan to be LTE compatible - since it currently can only access HSPA and lower (it's from my iPhone 4 days, after all.) He said I'd get a new SIM card in doing so.

[BranDonk Kong]

Even in the UK it shouldn't matter which SIM card you use (as long as its active and is for the network you are trying to use).

While that's true - Three have proven that already - all the other networks all require a 4G sim.
If you have an existing 3G you're switched over to one. 3G sims usually have "3G" on the card if there's room. The only exception is T-Mobile UK and Orange UK, who require you to move to another 4G-only brand on the same infrastructure (EE).

That just doesn't make any sense though. You could have an old 2G Cingular SIM card, and if it's still active, pop it into any LTE AT&T phone and get on LTE.

[Stogi]

NEED HELP PICKING A PHONE

I'm looking at the Note 3, S5, S5 active, and the M8. Obviously I like my phone's to fit my hands (on a side note, I've been using an iphone 4s for the past few weeks and it's for tiny people). Not sure what I want. I like the stylus, I like the IP67 rating of the S5's, and I like metal.

I'm at a crossroads. Point the way?

[shingi_70]

Go with the M8. That's some good build quality.

[BranDonk Kong]

M8 > S5. At first I was on the fence with the S5, now I can say that I flat out do not like it at all. Design is a huge step backwards for Samsung, the S4 (the S4 Active, really) is the best looking phone they've ever made.

I have an M8, it's basically the best thing ever.

[Stogi]

Have you had any experience with the S5 active? I like the fact that it's metal and has an IP67 rating. It's not as sexy as the M8 for sure, but it's military grade.

But you know what....I'm gonna get insurance regardless. I guess it comes down to if I want a slick phone or a phone I can be confident with outside.

[BranDonk Kong]

No, I haven't seen one in person yet, but in the photos it's pretty ugly, and also a good bit larger than the regular S5. If you get insurance, you're covered either way - but the M8 comes with HTC Advantage, which gets you a free screen replacement if it breaks within the first 6 months and a few other things.