The official tablet (and other useless electronics) thread!

[Jake]

and I dont know HOW you iUsers can type on that tiny skinny screen keyboard. even the iphone 5 is the same width screen as the original 3.5" screen

I have found that the predictive keyboard is good enough to where it's not an issue for me, 90% of the time. Either that, or my thumbs have adapted and now bend in weird ways. Dunno.

My S3's stock keyboard absolutely blew. I replaced it with SwiftKey and I am very happy there. And yes, Swype is pretty trick as well.

[.RJ]

^^^ This is one of the big reasons that I am leery of switching from the iKoolAid.

First, this is repeated several times in the first month of phone ownership - "Your galaxy/one/nexus phone sucks because of its UI skin, so all you need to do is download anöösswipe app and this is fixed!"

Great, until and update to an app and/or Android version change breaks something. Thats assuming the UI/Android will continue to be supported. And the hardware holds together. When I was visiting Derecola he had to pull the battery out of his Samsung phone no less than 37 times because something bricked the phone and needed a reset.

[G.Irish]

^^^ This is one of the big reasons that I am leery of switching from the iKoolAid.

First, this is repeated several times in the first month of phone ownership - "Your galaxy/one/nexus phone sucks because of its UI skin, so all you need to do is download anöösswipe app and this is fixed!"

Great, until and update to an app and/or Android version change breaks something. Thats assuming the UI/Android will continue to be supported. And the hardware holds together. When I was visiting Derecola he had to pull the battery out of his Samsung phone no less than 37 times because something bricked the phone and needed a reset.

Easy answer to this is to just get a Nexus phone. Nexus 5 should be out pretty soon. You can get stock Android versions of the HTC One and S4 too, but you'd have to pay full price.

[JustinG]

Never have to pull my batt in my s3? Maybe its.all the mobile youporn he watches.

[JustinG]

Never have to pull my batt in my s3? Maybe its.all the mobile youporn he watches.

[Jake]

Never have to pull my batt in my s3? Maybe its.all the mobile youporn he watches.

Dammit, I bet my work phone caught #tehgay.

But really, yeah, I think the TouchWizMotoBlur re-skins are mostly bullshit. Google knows how to make clean, polished UX. Samsung certainly does not.

[Apoc]

I prefer Samsung to Google. :dunno:

I use Thumb Keyboard and scoff when I have to use my wife's S3 stock keyboard.

[Evan]

Google knows how to make clean, polished UX.

Yes, ever since they hired the head of UX for Palm WebOS (pour one out for the best mobile OS ever)
HTC's skin is quite good though. Give credit where it is due. Better than stock android IMO.
Also keep in mind that the skins were heavy back in the android 2.x days when the UI really WAS awful. Most skins now, except samsungs, are very light and really just amount to a few nice built in widgets and apps.



Im the resident apple-hater, but I do think its a shame that apple has been left so far behind and stubbornly refuses to even keep up.
My wife would do very well with an iPhone, but she doesnt want a smaller screen than her 4 year old EVO.
Does iOS at least have widgets or live tiles yet?

[Evan]

Great, until and update to an app and/or Android version change breaks something. Thats assuming the UI/Android will continue to be supported.

I dont get it, are you against using apps? Plenty of things in iOS you cant do until you download an app.....

Historically speaking, Apple has stopped supporting technologies much faster than anyone else. With the new A7 chip going 64bit, thats bad news for future updates in a year or two for iphone 5 or older.

[HAULN-SS]

Speaking of nice Phone OS's, I'll just go ahead and plug the Win8/WinPhone OS as the best I've ever used. It's super fast, and very intuitive. The apps all act like they belong, etc etc. The absolute only thing I miss is swype.

[Ken]

Again, i'll second that. Honestly best phone I have owned.

People are just so dead-set against Windows they have such an up-hill battle.

[.RJ]

Great, until and update to an app and/or Android version change breaks something. Thats assuming the UI/Android will continue to be supported.

I dont get it, are you against using apps? Plenty of things in iOS you cant do until you download an app.....

Historically speaking, Apple has stopped supporting technologies much faster than anyone else. With the new A7 chip going 64bit, thats bad news for future updates in a year or two for iphone 5 or older.

Not against using apps, against using apps that 'fix' functionality within the OS. Its inherently flawed.

I think we're at the point of diminishing returns with smartphone technology anyways. So I'm not terribly concerned about chipsets, 400 megapixel cameras, I just want the shit to work. I would like a bigger screen though and I'm baffled by Apple tripping over their iDicks to not match what samsung, htc, etc are doing. Maybe the iPhone 6 will be the ZOMGWTFFIPODBBQLOLWUT RETINA SCREEN in a bigger form factor.

[Ken]

Great, until and update to an app and/or Android version change breaks something. Thats assuming the UI/Android will continue to be supported.

I dont get it, are you against using apps? Plenty of things in iOS you cant do until you download an app.....

Historically speaking, Apple has stopped supporting technologies much faster than anyone else. With the new A7 chip going 64bit, thats bad news for future updates in a year or two for iphone 5 or older.

Not against using apps, against using apps that 'fix' functionality within the OS. Its inherently flawed.

I think we're at the point of diminishing returns with smartphone technology anyways. So I'm not terribly concerned about chipsets, 400 megapixel cameras, I just want the shit to work. I would like a bigger screen though and I'm baffled by Apple tripping over their iDicks to not match what samsung, htc, etc are doing. Maybe the iPhone 6 will be the ZOMGWTFFIPODBBQLOLWUT RETINA SCREEN in a bigger form factor.

If you want a bigger screen, want shit to just work and don't need an app for every little thing. Then Windows Phone.

[.RJ]

Looks like a bunch of the apps I use aren't available on windows phone.

[Ken]

http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-...ai-1180710

Giddy to see if they can pull this off

[WRXtranceformed]

Oh my Jesus is the S4 such a step up from the S2 I have been wearing out for the past 2 years :lol:

So far Verizon >>>>>> Sprint service as well which is to be expected. Looking at the Spigen slim armour view case (farthest matte black one on the right: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.com/Spigen-SGP10204-Armor-Samsung-Galaxy/dp/B00BW6GJ1K/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1379680098&sr=8-9&keywords=samsung+galaxy+s4+case">http://www.amazon.com/Spigen-SGP10204-A ... xy+s4+case</a><!-- m -->). It is a little pricey but gets good reviews and looks real sturdy without being bulky like the otterboxes. Anyone used the folding cover style cases?

[Ken]

My friend has one of the folding cover cases and her phone cracked. She doesn't remember dropping it either, they don't offer much in terms of actual protection aside from scratches.

[Ken]

Does anyone have the latest Kindle Fire HD? I saw a couple earlier posts but they didn't go into much detail. Have a choice to get one for free through a work promotion, want to see if it's worth it.

[G.Irish]

Oh my Jesus is the S4 such a step up from the S2 I have been wearing out for the past 2 years :lol:

So far Verizon >>>>>> Sprint service as well which is to be expected. Looking at the Spigen slim armour view case (farthest matte black one on the right: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.com/Spigen-SGP10204-Armor-Samsung-Galaxy/dp/B00BW6GJ1K/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1379680098&sr=8-9&keywords=samsung+galaxy+s4+case">http://www.amazon.com/Spigen-SGP10204-A ... xy+s4+case</a><!-- m -->). It is a little pricey but gets good reviews and looks real sturdy without being bulky like the otterboxes. Anyone used the folding cover style cases?

I bought the Spigen Neo Hybrid (in yellow): <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.spigen.com/galaxy-s4-case-neo-hybrid.html">http://www.spigen.com/galaxy-s4-case-neo-hybrid.html</a><!-- m -->



Fit and finish is great on mine, and it's slim enough that it doesn't ruin the profile of the phone.

[Evan]

Have a choice to get one for free through a work promotion, want to see if it's worth it.

:?:
how is free not worth it?
are there other options?

FWIW, a new updated kindle fire will be released in a matter of weeks (or less)