Technology Android

[Casey]

HTC still has the superior build quality. People seem to be becoming hip to Samsung and their plastic not being good, on the major blogs at least.

I don't know about that. I've had my S2 since last June and up until very recently when I dropped it and it made a mark and chipped a bit on the underside, it looked exactly the same as the day I bought it. Whereas, the two HTC devices I owned prior to that, both looked "used" within 6-8 months. They do seem to have improved their build quality, but then there was a serious issue with the One S getting chipped very quickly:

http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=10219

http://www.technobuffalo.com/compan...for-one-s-chipping-issue/attachment/img_3147/

I actually think Motorola has the best build quality. The Xoom 2 is brilliant and back in the Sidekick days, the Sidekick Slide that Moto made had excellent build quality. Looks like the RAZR does too. It's just a shame about their locked bootloaders, slow updates, etc. Hopefully once the Google acquisition goes through that will improve.

 

[masta247]

Overall Samsung's build quality has been better than HTCs. HTC had more quality issues too, even with their "One" line. It might be funny but I think that Samsung's phones pack the best overall quality lately, despite relatively inexpensive materials - they are sturdy.

Motorola's build quality was usually pretty low actually. They seemed to enjoy low quality, inexpensive, chinese-oem parts.

 

[Casey]

Motorola's build quality was usually pretty low actually. They seemed to enjoy low quality, inexpensive, chinese-oem parts.

Probably because most of their products are mid-range or low-end. When they do make premium devices they are usually good.

 

[Casey]

btw - any of you guys using Instagram? My username on there is caseyrain, so follow if you are.

 

[masta247]

What's cool about Instagram? I thought it's basically taking and uploading pictures, sometimes using not-cool filters.

 

[S O F I]

The social sharing aspect of it. To me, anyway.

 

[Pittsey]

I liked the filters. I don't want to share my photos. So I don't really use it.

 

[masta247]

I don't have any close friends using it and I don't see a point in using it. There's one girl from my high school using it and she's the type of person who tags herself with her female friends on Facebook everywhere she goes so I assumed that this is for attention whores too. The filters she uses are old-camera-hipster-style, really lame.
I want to minimize socializing over the internet to casual Skype chats and fb messages when I really have to (and message boards, yeah), instead of using new means to do it.
I keep 99% of my pictures offline. Pictures I want to share are on Facebook.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

I liked the filters. I don't want to share my photos. So I don't really use it.

Then get PicSay Pro, the effects are better. although i like it and it's good, instagram is just simple. PicSay is more photoshop-like than Instagram.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

The battery performance of the Galaxy S3 is good:

http://blog.gsmarena.com/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-battery-test-is-ready-does-very-well/

Unless you browse the web or play games a lot.

I'm in two minds and really don't know what to do considering I can get the Galaxy Nexus for £285. Most likely the Galaxy SIII will be £500 and out of stock, and will have TouchWiz. I wonder what CyanogenMod's ETA on CM9 builds are going to be like for the new devices. I think I'll keep waiting.

How long would you say it takes for new phones to have their prices slashed? Sim-free and/or contracts.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

what would also let the battery of these android devices down is those poorly coded apps and the free apps that have ads in them.

 

[masta247]

How long would you say it takes for new phones to have their prices slashed? Sim-free and/or contracts.

It all depends on a lot of factors. Here on average it takes a few weeks after the phone becomes available from most carriers. It all comes down to supply/demand though. Or to be more specific - how much people are willing to pay for it on auction sites.
I don't think that many people are going to pay 500 pounds for Galaxy S3 so the price is going to fall down rather fast if it's going to initially cost that much - those who are willing to pay that much will do so at the very beginning of that phone's availability.
I'd say it should take a month or two til the price stabilizes.

 

[Pittsey]

It all depends on a lot of factors. Here on average it takes a few weeks after the phone becomes available from most carriers. It all comes down to supply/demand though. Or to be more specific - how much people are willing to pay for it on auction sites.
I don't think that many people are going to pay 500 pounds for Galaxy S3 so the price is going to fall down rather fast if it's going to initially cost that much - those who are willing to pay that much will do so at the very beginning of that phone's availability.
I'd say it should take a month or two til the price stabilizes.

The Galaxy S2 is still £350. So you are looking at a good 6 months to see the price drop by £100.

 

[Casey]

Both the S2 and the Nexus will likely drop by £50-75 as soon as the S3 is available. Side note - I saw a MASSIVE interactive billboard for the S3 in Birmingham city centre today, with a countdown on it. The promotion for this thing is going to be insane, especially with the Olympic tie in. It will easily be the biggest selling phone this year.

 

[masta247]

Yeah, I think that the price of other phones might drop slightly. I'm hoping the HTC One line is going to get a bit cheaper. Unfortunately for some reason HTC phones usually hold their price really well.

 

[dilla]

shitty signal and shitty customer service.

Gut at the store was pretty nice. Signal is great in our city and we're 25-30 miles out from downtown.

Everyone has different experiences, I suppose.

 

[S O F I]

yeah, and sprint probably has the least amount of customers right now. so not a good look for manufacturers.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

Both the S2 and the Nexus will likely drop by £50-75 as soon as the S3 is available. Side note - I saw a MASSIVE interactive billboard for the S3 in Birmingham city centre today, with a countdown on it. The promotion for this thing is going to be insane, especially with the Olympic tie in. It will easily be the biggest selling phone this year.

whereabouts?

 

[Casey]

whereabouts?

above the phones 4 u store opposite waterstones, next to where the bull is.

 

[masta247]

If I lived in America I'd probably go for this:
http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_x_for_att_review-review-760.php

A superb review score too. Only 3 disadvantages is pretty rare for GSMArena.

The AT&T version of the HTC One X has plenty going for it. The smartphone is just as beautiful and well put together as its global sibling, yet still manages to outperform it on almost every occasion.