Going to smart phone, prolly - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cmbdiesel · #46 07-11-2014, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Yeah, I'm one of those guys still using a flip phone. It's been good for me as it's an unlocked TM model, Sony-Ericsson, that I can tether with - good price.

But T Mobile is offering me a good deal - smartphone plus much bandwidth for a little less than I've been paying.

I'm on the fence about which phone to go with. Can't be an iPhone so it's down to:

Sony Xperia Z1S
Samsung Galaxy S5
LG Flex

The Sony has a 20.1 megapixel camera. Almost hard to believe. A client has an iPhone that will take magnified photos. Pretty handy. We killed a pest in alcohol and took such a pic of it. Very clear photo, way blown up. Turns out it was a termite, as I thought. He thought it looked different. I'm hoping that such a feature can be had with that sort of megapixel capability.

So, anyone have an opinion on this?

S5 is water and dust proof....
Just got one after soaking my iPhone.

So far, I like it. Definitely prefer the Android over iOs

jake12tech · #47 07-11-2014, 02:51 PM

My brother in-law still uses a Flip Phone. Thought he was the only one.

I considered the S5 with my recent switch to Verizon. Previously I owned a LG Optimus Pro. I hated carrying around the LG. The S5 is like carrying around a slightly smaller Note 3. Ridiculous.

Heads up, the S5 is water-resistant, but not waterproof. If you plan on swimming or showering with it, get a waterproof case. It is DUST PROOF though.

cmac2012 · #48 07-11-2014, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Nice information but check reception FIRST. None of it matters if you're unable to get or make a call.

I'm using T Mobile now and have for several years and reception is good. Probably wouldn't change that much with new phone.

Ara T. · #49 07-11-2014, 03:06 PM

I'd avoid Samsung as their software is sub par IMO. Check out the HTC One (m8). The best android phone right now. It's camera is great, as long as you dont plan on printing them. Takes pics lightning fast and takes great night shots. Check it out if you want good speakers and lightning fast UI/operation. Every time i use it im amazed at how fast it zips through menus.

Nexus5 is great too but it's "last gen" so its battery is not going to be as good.

The Sony is nice too but speakers arent great as you noted.

cmac2012 · #50 07-11-2014, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjts1

You are correct, they do have a means of preventing it from tethering beyond the 5gb limit (mine is limited to 2.5gb because I'm grandfathered in at the old $70 price). Anyway, they use your PC browser's USER AGENT STRING to identify if data is coming from the phone or a tethering PC. The simplest solution for this is to download an APP for your Firefox or Chrome browser which allows you to change the user agent. 2 good examples are User Agent Switcher and UAControl. This will allow you to change the user agent from a PC to Apple Safari, Android or anything else you wish. After trying a bunch of them I simply leave the user agent string blank. TOR or a VPN also work although thats a bit more complicated. ANY Apple device, Xbox or Roku can tether as is without any issue. They're simply not counted toward the tethering limit. No idea why, they're just looking at PC browsers.

Interesting stuff. I've grown accustomed to Explorer but Safari and Firefox are acceptable. I'd like to explore Chrome as well, just haven't had a good reason to yet. My IT prof client uses Chrome as his favorite.

You're saying if I use a non-PC, which I assume means non-Explorer, browser I can tether with unlimited high speed?

And does that graphic mean you used 83 gigs in one month tethering? I have a plan now of unlimited minutes, text, and data for $120 but only 9 gigs of data is high speed. After high speed is out, anything other than low level browsing is out. Vids are all but impossible. Surely T Mobile knows I'm not using 9 gigs on the tiny SE TM506 screen. It works but it's primitive at best.

cmac2012 · #51 07-11-2014, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ara T.

I'd avoid Samsung as their software is sub par IMO. Check out the HTC One (m8). The best android phone right now. It's camera is great, as long as you dont plan on printing them. Takes pics lightning fast and takes great night shots. Check it out if you want good speakers and lightning fast UI/operation. Every time i use it im amazed at how fast it zips through menus.

Nexus5 is great too but it's "last gen" so its battery is not going to be as good.

The Sony is nice too but speakers arent great as you noted.

I've heard a lot of buzz around that one. The camera is mentioned as a weak spot. Maybe I'm full of it on the Sony 20.1 mp camera. I mean who needs that? But it could give you impressive capacity. Not sure. And it, the Sony, is supposed to be waterproof.

Looks like no one phone stands out on all points, not surprising I guess.

Oops, here's a bad rap on the UTC:

Quote:

phmorgan
Jun 11, 2014

I would just like to advise any one thinking of buying this phone should research that the camera has a plastic lens cover that scratches exceptionally easy and seems to be a widespread problem HTC want payment at the moment to repair mine presumably with another plastic cover. I have only had the phone 5 weeks. I look after the phone never put it in my pocket with loose change or keys seems unbelievable that a so called high end smartphone could be compromised in such a way, perhaps it would be prudent to remove some of the star ratings!

Here's a rap from the same site about camera quality:

Quote:

for real?
Jun 11, 2014

Wow so sick of hearing about a low megapixel cameras being so bad or granny at 4MP when 90% of people have no idea what the means.

your 1080 tv only has 2.1MP so anything after that is only used for digital zoom and other then that you will see no (I repeat ZERO) increase in picture quality. I do not care who you are or how good your eyes are that is the simple facts of the tech and you only imagine that you see a better picture.

now yes if you want to take a pic and zoom 10x ok you will see a difference or if you have a new ultra hd tv fine you will see some difference but only if you zoom, because at 4MP that is the same as an ultra hd so no room for zoom.

Since 99% of pictures taken from 75% of people are close and with limited zoom the grate MP number you like to towt is a sales smoke screen for low information people trying to look cool. Add the fact that most pictures are viewed on a screen less then 12". a vast vast majority of people can't tell the difference when a screen is set at 720 or 1080 resolution on a screen that small. we think we can but in a blind study with two tablets of the same make one set at 720 and one at 1080 less then 20% can tell the difference on a consistent basis

finally there are many other factors that can play a part in picture quality lens, programs, lighting and that will makes a much greater difference then any camera going above 4mp. I have an over 10 year old camera that takes 1.8 MP pic and I guaranty it will take a better pick then any of your smart phones viewed on any screen smaller the 32" but it also has a 10X optical zoom so don't need to rely on the digital zoom.

http://www.cnet.com/products/htc-one-m8/

Ara T. · #52 07-11-2014, 10:01 PM

Camera lens isnt plastic. Mines pristine after months. Dunno what that one's about.

Camera I heard allot about when I was researching phones. The megapixels are low but that's only a problem if you are printing big photos. Otherwise night time performance is fantastic and it takes pictures incredibly fast. Burst mode is great.

And yeah mega pixel # is all marketing. You want a sensor that can handle dark environments too. Apple s camera is similar to HTC (bigger sensor that collects more light) but has a few more megapixels. Probably the best camera in the smart phone world

cmac2012 · #53 07-12-2014, 03:54 PM

It does seem odd that they would save a few pennies with a plastic lens. Too much downside. I have, however, seen a similar dumb cheaping out of that sort. My favorite Swiss Army knife, the Victoriox Explorer, went to a plastic magnifying lens. A bit bigger than the previous glassunit but both of my recent ones have a major blur of scratches at the center of the lens. Can still sort of use it by looking around the edges. But stupid. I keep meaning to send them a hard copy letter on the point.

I'm wondering how well this feature of photographing UPC codes and getting the correct info works. I hate finding a product at Home Depot but being unable to identify its price.

Another feature, I probably mentioned this, that appeals to me is one I saw on a client's iPhone: magnified photos. You can get a nifty clip on device to do that with other cams but having it built in would be cool.

tjts1 · #54 07-12-2014, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Interesting stuff. I've grown accustomed to Explorer but Safari and Firefox are acceptable. I'd like to explore Chrome as well, just haven't had a good reason to yet. My IT prof client uses Chrome as his favorite.

I'm not familiar with the latest versions of IE but I suspect there's an app to accomplish the same thing there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

You're saying if I use a non-PC, which I assume means non-Explorer, browser I can tether with unlimited high speed?

Depending on the which plan you choose, yes. The $30 plan I mentioned earlier throttles your speed past 5GB total data usage. My wife's phone is on the $30 plan and she's gone as high as 9GB in a month before being throttled so theres something funky about Tmobile's data accounting but its in the customer's favor.
The $80 plan never throttles your speed. There are a few people I know of that have gone well well past 500GB in a month without ever being throttle on the $80 plan. I've never gotten much past 100GB in a month.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

And does that graphic mean you used 83 gigs in one month tethering? I have a plan now of unlimited minutes, text, and data for $120 but only 9 gigs of data is high speed. After high speed is out, anything other than low level browsing is out. Vids are all but impossible. Surely T Mobile knows I'm not using 9 gigs on the tiny SE TM506 screen. It works but it's primitive at best.

The graphic above means I used 83GB total data of which 45 were tethering. Youtube and various streaming video services work perfectly right up to 1080p quality. Again, you need to make sure you have descent LTE service and speed at your location.

cmac2012 · #55 07-13-2014, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmbdiesel

S5 is water and dust proof....
Just got one after soaking my iPhone.

So far, I like it. Definitely prefer the Android over iOs

Ah, missed this one. I had been under the impression that Apple would be better all in all but I see this is not the case any more.

I'm going to take a close look at the Nexus. Seems good value and probably good enough. Found another report of a weakness with it, the microphone:

Quote:

This is a decent phone for voice calls, but not great. It's not the earpiece; voice quality there is fantastic, with a clear, warm, loud tone that doesn't vibrate the handset and yet delivers clear sound from callers. The problem is on the other end; transmissions through the microphone had plenty of hiss and distortion. My voice was intelligible to other callers, but it sounded muddled and indistinct. Reception is fine.

Google Nexus 5 (Unlocked) Review & Rating | PCMag.com

Oops, here's a bunch of complaints on the issue. There's mention that it's been fixed. Would need to learn how to identify that.

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/nexus/kUrmrlzYJ_o%5B1-25-false%5D

iwrock · #56 07-13-2014, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Ah, missed this one. I had been under the impression that Apple would be better all in all but I see this is not the case any more.

I'm going to take a close look at the Nexus. Seems good value and probably good enough. Found another report of a weakness with it, the microphone:

Google Nexus 5 (Unlocked) Review & Rating | PCMag.com

Oops, here's a bunch of complaints on the issue. There's mention that it's been fixed. Would need to learn how to identify that.

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/nexus/kUrmrlzYJ_o%5B1-25-false%5D

My only complaint about the Nexus 5 is that when you hold the phone between your head/ear and shoulder, the microphone has problems picking up sound. It turns into a potato phone, and the other party cannot hear you.

85 DSEL · #57 07-13-2014, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Nice information but check reception FIRST. None of it matters if you're unable to get or make a call.

+1^^^

85 DSEL · #58 07-13-2014, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ara T.

I'd avoid Samsung as their software is sub par IMO. Check out the HTC One (m8). The best android phone right now. It's camera is great, as long as you dont plan on printing them. Takes pics lightning fast and takes great night shots. Check it out if you want good speakers and lightning fast UI/operation. Every time i use it im amazed at how fast it zips through menus.

Nexus5 is great too but it's "last gen" so its battery is not going to be as good.

The Sony is nice too but speakers arent great as you noted.

I'll be leaving Samsung S3 in a couple months and the M8 has my attention too! Love the sound from those front mounted speakers. I listen to iheart radio a lot while working so it's light years ahead of my S3's dinky rear mounted speaker. :-)

tjts1 · #59 07-13-2014, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Ah, missed this one. I had been under the impression that Apple would be better all in all but I see this is not the case any more.

I'm going to take a close look at the Nexus. Seems good value and probably good enough. Found another report of a weakness with it, the microphone:

Google Nexus 5 (Unlocked) Review & Rating | PCMag.com

Oops, here's a bunch of complaints on the issue. There's mention that it's been fixed. Would need to learn how to identify that.

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/nexus/kUrmrlzYJ_o%5B1-25-false%5D

Never encountered this problem. Later in the thread the problem one person it was fixed with 4.4.3. Right now they're pushing out 4.4.4. One thing Google is good at is sending updates to their devices. Its one of the reasons I choseca nexus phone over everything else.

Botnst · #60 07-13-2014, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Yeah, I'm one of those guys still using a flip phone. It's been good for me as it's an unlocked TM model, Sony-Ericsson, that I can tether with - good price.

But T Mobile is offering me a good deal - smartphone plus much bandwidth for a little less than I've been paying.

I'm on the fence about which phone to go with. Can't be an iPhone so it's down to:

Sony Xperia Z1S
Samsung Galaxy S5
LG Flex

The Sony has a 20.1 megapixel camera. Almost hard to believe. A client has an iPhone that will take magnified photos. Pretty handy. We killed a pest in alcohol and took such a pic of it. Very clear photo, way blown up. Turns out it was a termite, as I thought. He thought it looked different. I'm hoping that such a feature can be had with that sort of megapixel capability.

So, anyone have an opinion on this?

I made the switch last year when my slide phone crapped-out. It took a long time to get accustomed to a smartphone. I have mine sync'd to my work email and my personal email. This has almost eliminated calendar/scheduling problems. Just for that one attribute the switch was worth it.

I also have an app that emulates an HP calculator, one that reads those square code things, a carpenter's level, a dB meter, and a couple of mapping apps. These tools are really handy when I need them.

It probably doesn't matter much which one you get. Mine is an iPhone G3 --- waaaaay outdated, but it does what I want and is cheeeeeep!!