Technology Android

[masta247]

Package Disablers are the new Task Managers. I stopped using Package Disabler Pro and my battery life has been pretty much the same. Doesn't do shit and I'm sure disabling apps, aside from the obvious loss of use by the phone, also hurts battery life since the OS still manages to optimize it properly and better than a third party app can.

Since the US SD S7 still doesn't have root and probably never will, I've started using AdGuard Premium as an ad blocker for my apps and browser. Actually, I've used it for a month now and it works very well. I have unlimited data but it has saved me a few GBs by blocking ads from TV Show Favs, Weatherbug, and Chrome. At least that's what the counter is telling me. It's been blocking a lot of ads from Google too, either from the Play Store or the Play Services process.

But most of you guys have root so it doesn't matter, really.

Samsung Pay has failed me only twice so far. Once at a small shop that had a weird credit card reader and the other time I've forgotten already. I think it was at a 7-11 that was shutting down and its terminal wasn't working properly a few days prior to closing. Whatever. It works everywhere else. I've read stories of people that go to McDonald's or something and the manager tells them their Samsung won't work on their terminals and they make a bet for a free meal if it does and people get their free meals. It's a cheeky bastard thing to do but it's still pretty funny.

Are there any drawbacks to using non-standard charging methods? If I use my charging cable, I always have fast charging enabled. I don't do it often and maybe three or four times a week. But at night, I keep my wireless charger by my bed and I charge overnight using the wireless charger. Will either method deteriorate battery health any faster than doing the same with a regular, non-fast-charger?

Do you have the Samsung Smart Manager app on the S7? That is a pretty useful app, with the "optimize" feature. Basically that way you can prevent any app from launching any processes or running in the background, but is not disabled completely and no data is removed - instead the app is there like any other but only runs when you open it and until you close it in the task list. I set "optimizing on" for all apps except those I want to receive notification from (such as messengers) and my phone drains less than 5% of its battery overnight, compared to 10-12% before.

Probably not an amazing battery saver overall considering you mostly drain battery through usage, but it makes me happy to reduce stand-by/passive battery drain as much as possible, and in my case it reduces it by half. Additional benefit is less unwanted notifications and sense of control over what your phone is doing. For the first time Android became a little more appealing to the minimalist in me, as I always wanted my phone to do only what I want it to. Previously I always thought some sort of major discomfort about Android's nature of launching whatever it wanted to, without my knowledge. That app is a great first step towards changing it.

I hope they also manage to simplify those s****y Facebook and FB Messenger apps, as together they contribute to almost 30% of idle battery drain and even more data usage on my phone, and I only use them for receiving messages once in a while. For comparison, I use Whatsapp for most messaging and it stays at 2-3%..!

 

[dilla]

Smart Manager comes with the S7. All apps, save for a few Google processes are being optimized. I think the SD is just miles behind the Exynos in performance and battery life, both.

 

[masta247]

Smart Manager comes with the S7. All apps, save for a few Google processes are being optimized. I think the SD is just miles behind the Exynos in performance and battery life, both.

Why do you think so? The SD has decent per-core performance with less cores. 2 or 3 years ago I'd say it's fantastic, and that's when Qualcomm was already deep into design phase of the Kryo core, but these days Android is fully optimized for about as many cores at the time as you throw at it, that's why Exynos has the edge - also its power saving cores are actually significantly smaller and lower power cores, so the CPU can distribute tasks more efficiently with low priority processes being handled by lower powered cores. For Qualcomm it seems like it was just a last moment decision to stick with the trend by underclocking and undervolting 2 out of its 4 full performance cores and calling them "low power". That's where the Exynos is better.
However, the performance differences are not that big, the 820 is the top CPU for the best non-Samsung flagships for 2016. Also the GPU performance on the SD is better.

 

[dilla]

Why do you think so? The SD has decent per-core performance with less cores. 2 or 3 years ago I'd say it's fantastic, and that's when Qualcomm was already deep into design phase of the Kryo core, but these days Android is fully optimized for about as many cores at the time as you throw at it, that's why Exynos has the edge - also its power saving cores are actually significantly smaller and lower power cores, so the CPU can distribute tasks more efficiently with low priority processes being handled by lower powered cores. For Qualcomm it seems like it was just a last moment decision to stick with the trend by underclocking and undervolting 2 out of its 4 full performance cores and calling them "low power". That's where the Exynos is better.
However, the performance differences are not that big, the 820 is the top CPU for the best non-Samsung flagships for 2016. Also the GPU performance on the SD is better.

The Exynos models are getting better battery life, especially screen on time. I think one test said it was almost 1.5 hours more on the Edge vs the SD Edge. Also, the Exynos has been rooted and I think the SD variant will stay with a locked bootloader like the S6 did for so long. I'm not sure if that was eventually unlocked or not but there was some promise for the S5.

I don't need root and custom ROMs but I'd take that and better battery life over what you said is a slight edge in GPU, since I don't really game.

Plus, isn't it always better for a Samsung phone to have a Samsung SOC? Maybe it's been optimized in-house rather than having another generic chipset transplanted and patching it up?

 

[dilla]

Interesting. I've been seeing patients and their phones more recently and I've seen an almost 50/50 split between the iPhone and some variant of Samsung's Galaxy lines. Notes and Ss alike.

http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/engl...ained-top-spot-us-smartphone-market-11-months

 

[masta247]

Interesting. I've been seeing patients and their phones more recently and I've seen an almost 50/50 split between the iPhone and some variant of Samsung's Galaxy lines. Notes and Ss alike.

http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/engl...ained-top-spot-us-smartphone-market-11-months

The Iphone sales are dramatically falling, 44% less Iphones sold compared to last quarter alone and Apple is doing worse than ever, even if it means still not bad :

http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_unlikely_to_recover_from_falling_iphone_sales_in_2016-news-17611.php
http://fortune.com/2016/04/18/trendforce-iphone-shipments/

In my part of Europe, maybe 1 in 50 people have an Iphone, with almost everyone rocking some sort of Android phones - mostly split between Samsung, Sony and LG. At my office there are mostly Samsung Galaxy S5s, S6s and about two S7s, some Sony flagships (mostly Z compact series since girls recommended them to each other) and 1 Iphone 6 on a dude who switched from the Iphone 4. Needless to say, Apple isn't too popular here.

The strongholds for Iphones are the US/Canada, UK, Hong Kong,Korea and Japan, partially some other western european countries. I don't think they even sell a hundred k units outside of those countries. If sales fall in the US and Asia, Apple is doomed. Samsung and the Chinese brands are capturing Asia and the US these days.
I foresee innovation with future Iphones, or price cuts - Apple can easily afford them.

 

[dilla]

Yeah, I still can't believe the disparity between the usage/adoption numbers of Apple products internationally vs the US. It still seems like there's a demand for the iPhone and iPads. Everyone wants one and lines up to get one but the prices internationally are outrageous. MacBook Pros start at over $2K USD in some places. They're expensive here in the States too, but not as bad as other places.

A few years back, the frequency of non-iOS smartphones was pretty low, even if Samsung was selling their Galaxy line like hotcakes. It was iPhones galore. And as I said before, it seems to have evened out or even shifted in Android's favor, especially Samsung devices. I think the marketing for Samsung has gotten better. They don't seem to be playing second fiddle to Apple and don't attack Apple in their ads and instead do their own thing. Also, their phones have solid features, stuff people talk about. With the iPhone, simple shit like the metal frame was talked about. That's one thing. Software-wise, maybe iMessage? Nothing else seems exclusive to either OS anymore as far as apps and features go. I think Samsung phones got better looking and people noticed the superior screens. It still blows my mind that the 6S doesn't have a True HD display. I think the 6S Plus does, but that's a $300 phone on contract. I think the Note 5 still sells for $50 less on contract.

Whatever it is, now it's obvious to me that Android has made some ground. Especially Samsung. Sony phones aren't big here since carriers don't really carry them and so it becomes something you have to buy outright. Same with Xiaomi and Huawei phones, save for the Nexus 6. Carriers have dropped contract plans and go by leases so maybe in five years we'll see the US start to buy their phones outright, even if it is a high upfront cost. Or maybe an overhaul in the structure of carriers' pricing.

 

[Casey]

Android market share in the EU rose by 7% just this quarter and is now over 75%.

Apple market share dropped down to 18%.

US market share for Android also grew this quarter by 7% and is at 65% now, propelled by Samsung, LG and Motorola.

 

[dilla]

I glanced through the Google IO highlights. Nothing really seemed to have "wow" written all over it. Google Home sounds much grander than what it seems to be, an Echo clone. Two new messaging apps I'm not going to use. There was a rumor about a new Nexus Player, but that didn't seem to happen.

Boo. Hopefully WWDC is more interesting.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

It was more software-related. There will be a huge addition with Google Assistant, good improvements in Android Wear 2.0 and major improvements in Android N and VR really getting a push. Maybe it didn't have the wow-factor because the majority of these things were expected.

I kind of wish they rebranded Hangouts as Google Talk again and enabled people to use their Google Account and their phone numbers to sign up - that would be the way to get more people to use the service. Now Google have Hangouts, Allo, Duo and Spaces (if you want to count the latter as a messaging service).

 

[dilla]

Software related announcements used to be the more interesting and exciting ones. I guess early on in Android's days that was the big thing they had to make strides on. Voice control and utilizing the leaps and bounds hardware made in to the OS. Like HD screens and stuff like that.

I can understand the changes are going to be smaller and smaller as they work on optimizing stuff, but I feel like they've been announcing features like Doze for a year or two now yet many people still can't get their phones to enter Doze. And the software can't be that optimized if batteries are getting even bigger (3000 mAh) yet people are only getting a few hours more battery life from them.

Allo and Duo would be big news if there wasn't already Hangouts. And Hangouts has its flaws despite me using it 70% of the time for messaging a dozen friends on it. I think Google is lost on what services it feels are important and what services users feel are important. Google Plus is still around but Reader was removed. Google Wave was axed but they came right back with Hangouts. iOS users have arguably a better Hangouts experience compared to Android users and now Google announces Allo and Duo for Android users in lieu of just making Hangouts better. What happened to Google Voice? When does that get the axe?

 

[Casey]

I am glad that "N" is focusing on performance.

I'm running the 3rd N Preview on my 6P and my girlfriend is running it on her 5X. It's fucking fast. Like, crazy fast. And what sucks is that most Android users probably won't get it until 2017. By which time I'll have been running it for over 6 months.

 

[dilla]

Yeah. And I guess it isn't Google's fault but OEM's are shooting their flagships in the ass by not prioritizing updates in a timely manner but it's still hurting everyone. I doubt N is released by the time the Note 6 is released in August, but even if it is, the S7 won't get it until early next year. And then it'll vary by carrier after that.

Owning a Nexus has its perks but it shouldn't be the the deciding factor between getting an OS update or not. Not for a device as new as the S7 or even the S6, which isn't too different.

 

[dilla]

I just realized that with all the Android news we've been hearing about phones, we haven't heard squat about Android tablets. Be it Nexus tablets or the flagship Samsung Note 10.

Seems like tablets are in a weird spot right now. You don't hear much hype around the iPad either, so it's not an OS specific thing. There's all this news about Chromebooks replacing tablets in the classroom but I thought the whole netbook fad was killed by the same tablets Chromebooks are trying to replace.

Maybe it was a swinging pendulum where netbooks took mobile computing to a new level, then tablets improved on that and now netbooks are improving on tablets with the introduction of 2-in-1 machines. All of this just to find the middle ground and balance between the best of both worlds.

 

[masta247]

I just realized that with all the Android news we've been hearing about phones, we haven't heard squat about Android tablets. Be it Nexus tablets or the flagship Samsung Note 10.

Seems like tablets are in a weird spot right now. You don't hear much hype around the iPad either, so it's not an OS specific thing. There's all this news about Chromebooks replacing tablets in the classroom but I thought the whole netbook fad was killed by the same tablets Chromebooks are trying to replace.

Maybe it was a swinging pendulum where netbooks took mobile computing to a new level, then tablets improved on that and now netbooks are improving on tablets with the introduction of 2-in-1 machines. All of this just to find the middle ground and balance between the best of both worlds.

Because people don't buy as many tablets these days, and the industry is seeing hope in the quickly growing 2 in 1 market. Heck, I bought the Surface pro 4 myself, I like it, but I see how much more can be done there.
With tablets, on iOS side nothing has changed since the original IPad Air.. 3 years ago? Market it all you want, but the IPad Pro 9'7 is the same tablet spec for spec, except being faster and having a better camera (who cares about camera on a tablet?).Same with Android, they're just putting faster chipsets and higher res screens. People don't feel the need to buy new tablets anymore, because why would they, if they can't feel any difference compared to the 3 year old devices they already have?

Frankly speaking same is happening with smartphones, but those are pushing for VR and better cameras to lure people in. Overall it's surprising how the mobile tech market is stalling with no new revolutions whatsoever.

 

[dilla]

Because people don't buy as many tablets these days, and the industry is seeing hope in the quickly growing 2 in 1 market. Heck, I bought the Surface pro 4 myself, I like it, but I see how much more can be done there.
With tablets, on iOS side nothing has changed since the original IPad Air.. 3 years ago? Market it all you want, but the IPad Pro 9'7 is the same tablet spec for spec, except being faster and having a better camera (who cares about camera on a tablet?).Same with Android, they're just putting faster chipsets and higher res screens. People don't feel the need to buy new tablets anymore, because why would they, if they can't feel any difference compared to the 3 year old devices they already have?

Frankly speaking same is happening with smartphones, but those are pushing for VR and better cameras to lure people in. Overall it's surprising how the mobile tech market is stalling with no new revolutions whatsoever.

Yeah, I have an iPad Air and I don't know or care about the subsequent model releases and their features. I did think the Pro was kind of neat but after a week of its announcement, I stopped giving a shit. My Air does what I want it to do and it's all very simple tasks, but it's still handy for a lot of those tasks as opposed to using my MacBook.


Anyway, I remember we discussed Europe and maybe even Asia's low iOS adoption rates.

I came across this article: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/06/02/android-is-surging-at-the-iphones-expense.aspx?

I'm sure those numbers were out there for some time and was what you were referencing but today was the first time I saw them over a few years' span and in different countries other than the US.

You can see why I felt Android wasn't outselling iOS here in the States because it wasn't until 2014 that the gap between iOS and Android became significant in the US. Prior to that, it was actually pretty even but I felt like it was more 65-70% in iOS's favor. But then I see how it was in other countries and I was shocked. iPhones really are a rarity. I feel like I see them every time I step out the house in the States but even that number is dwindling fast.

 

[Casey]

Yeah, I have an iPad Air and I don't know or care about the subsequent model releases and their features. I did think the Pro was kind of neat but after a week of its announcement, I stopped giving a shit. My Air does what I want it to do and it's all very simple tasks, but it's still handy for a lot of those tasks as opposed to using my MacBook.


Anyway, I remember we discussed Europe and maybe even Asia's low iOS adoption rates.

I came across this article: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/06/02/android-is-surging-at-the-iphones-expense.aspx?

I'm sure those numbers were out there for some time and was what you were referencing but today was the first time I saw them over a few years' span and in different countries other than the US.

You can see why I felt Android wasn't outselling iOS here in the States because it wasn't until 2014 that the gap between iOS and Android became significant in the US. Prior to that, it was actually pretty even but I felt like it was more 65-70% in iOS's favor. But then I see how it was in other countries and I was shocked. iPhones really are a rarity. I feel like I see them every time I step out the house in the States but even that number is dwindling fast.

Spain is a crazy one. Android at 93%, iOS at 6%.

 

[dilla]

Yeah and that's weird to me because it still feels like Europe as a whole still caters to the iOS crowd, similar to here in the States. It's getting better as the Galaxy line of phones are starting to dominate, but just a few years ago it felt like companies had their apps on iOS first or not on Android at all. Charging stations at an airport or other public place may have had microUSB cables along with Apple's proprietary cables, but the image on the charging station to let people know there was one was of an iPhone.

So in the US where it's probably the closest to a 50/50 split of iOS and Android relative to other countries, I still find it strange that in countries where Android is more dominant by a wider margin, they still seem to behave as if iOS devices are the standard.

Think back to 2010. There were sound systems and alarm clocks that had ports just for the iPod Touch or iPhone connectors. I imagine they had them outside the US too. But in the US it made sense since iOS was probably on 70-80% of smartphones in 2010. But in a country like Spain, that must have been odd to see something that isn't as popular but still getting a dedicated technology.

 

[dilla]

Noice: http://www.androidpolice.com/2016/0...us-phones-sailfish-and-marlin-will-look-like/

Still happy with my S7, though.

 

[Casey]

I'm beyond happy with my 6P as well, especially running Nougat. Fast as fuck on Preview 4. Sadly the |Nexus Player on Nougat is still a little buggy and I'm getting regular stutters on Netflix/Plex. So for the time being, I'm Netflixing and Plexing from my PS4 instead. It's nice to have options.

Also - this sounds cool as fuck. - http://www.androidpolice.com/2016/0...artwatches-with-google-assistant-integration/

My G Watch is overdue for an update. Had it for 2 years now but the current crop of Wear devices aren't much different to what I've already got.

Looks like this rumored Nexus Watch and Google Home will be my next two Goog purchases.

I'm a little bummed that my trusty Acer C720 Chromebook isn't one of the ones that can run Android apps. But it still runs like a dream, so there's no need to get another one.