Technology Android

[THEV1LL4N]

I think they'll keep TouchWiz but will not have apps like Internet, Email, ChatOn, and all the other Samsung apps that are just like Google's. Instead they'll have Chrome, Gmail, Hangouts etc and emphasise more of a Google experience within TouchWiz.

Google also retain the patent portfolio that was acquired with their Motorola takeover. They also retain some personnel that will probably work on Android. They've basically stripped down Motorola and sold it on for less. I think this could be a good move for both Google and Lenovo.

 

[masta247]

Yeah while things such as ChatOn are pointless, I also don't like Google forcing things such as Hangouts, Google Now or bloating the UI with such things as Google Settings. Also, Gmail only works for.. Gmail, while the E-mail app is for syncing all e-mails. Internet might not be great but most Samsung owners use it over Chrome, also it's faster which helps them at benchmarks (I prefer Chrome though). I'm playing kind of devil's advocate here, because I agree Samsung shut cut down on added APPS. But they're not going to cut down on Touchwiz itself - I realize many people here don't like it but they are not potential Samsung customers anyway and I, personally believe that Touchwiz became a very functional UI that actually enhances Android.

 

[dilla]

Most of the people I know with Samsung GS and Notes use TouchWiz. I am the only one that is rooted and running CM. But I never hear them complain about the UI being slow or cluttered. Maybe they don't know any better or don't care, but I haven't used TouchWiz too much myself. But I think it's bearable but not preferred.

I also like Google Now. A lot. I set location based reminders, check scores, weather, traffic, and it even has the tracking number of the package from Amazon so I don't have to click the email, the tracking number and then see where it is. It just keeps its progress tracked on Now.

Hangouts should be separate from SMS, I agree, but Google gives you the option to use it or not, right? Because I do use Hangouts to replace Whatsapp because I can answer on my phone or computer. Whatsapp, I can not. I also use Hangouts instead of Skype because I can have talk to like ten people at once in a group chat. I only use Skype to, maybe, send files.

Sounds a lot like Apple, now, though. It was bound to happen.

 

[Pittsey]

I think we should be allowed to delete any apps on the phone we have paid for. If I say, "fuck you, google. Your gmail app is shit. I want to use Yahoo." (Who the fuck would say that?) Then I should be allowed to. I want to delete many of the different language google keyboards from my phone. But I can't, unless I root.

 

[dilla]

I think we should be allowed to delete any apps on the phone we have paid for. If I say, "fuck you, google. Your gmail app is shit. I want to use Yahoo." (Who the fuck would say that?) Then I should be allowed to. I want to delete many of the different language google keyboards from my phone. But I can't, unless I root.

That's like saying you want to be educated without reading a book.

Rooting is really no big deal and doesn't mean you even have to flash a custom ROM. It's one thing to complain about if other OSs allow you to do it without rooting, but no one does. It's just one extra step where, if you have the aptitude to do so, you root and gain access to plenty of new features, whether you deserve them or not.

Can you remove the GMail app, even when rooted, though? I have never tried, but I guess that I could removed Currents and Goggles at one point, so GMail should be no problem.

Just root and use TiBu to install what you don't need and have the phone you want. What' stopping you from rooting?

 

[Pittsey]

That's like saying you want to be educated without reading a book.

Rooting is really no big deal and doesn't mean you even have to flash a custom ROM. It's one thing to complain about if other OSs allow you to do it without rooting, but no one does. It's just one extra step where, if you have the aptitude to do so, you root and gain access to plenty of new features, whether you deserve them or not.

Can you remove the GMail app, even when rooted, though? I have never tried, but I guess that I could removed Currents and Goggles at one point, so GMail should be no problem.

Just root and use TiBu to install what you don't need and have the phone you want. What' stopping you from rooting?

I can't be arsed to Root this phone. It's why I bought the Nexus 4, so I didn't have to. It was good not rooting. Everything worked as it should. When I unpacked the phone from the box and signed in, it installed all my apps for me and set my homepages out. I didn't have to do anything. I hate to use the word OCD. But... Usually I would spend 4 - 6 hours setting my phone up the way I like it to look, because of my obsessiveness.

This doesn't happen with custom roms. And... If I root. I am bound to start messing with custom roms.

When I get the N5 though. I am going to root, straight away.

As far as I remember... Root uninstaller removes any App. I once accidently deleted the calendar app. I had to find the APK online and stick it back on, as I didn't take a backup. I think I even posted on here asking for someone to backup their calendar apk and send to me.

 

[dilla]

I think your issue is with the Nexus device more than rooting. I think the Nexus devices now suck hardware-wise and the Google Experience can be had with root on any device. I would rather have the G2 with root than an N5 with or without root. I think that's why Google quit with the Nexus shit and won't make any more devices. Now we get the GE phones which are still proper phones with stock Android as opposed to Google fucking up the hardware and then slapping its name on it.


I wonder what this means for the Nexus 7, if Google is stopping its Nexus services. Maybe that's why we don't see the N10 ever.

 

[Pittsey]

I think your issue is with the Nexus device more than rooting. I think the Nexus devices now suck hardware-wise and the Google Experience can be had with root on any device. I would rather have the G2 with root than an N5 with or without root. I think that's why Google quit with the Nexus shit and won't make any more devices. Now we get the GE phones which are still proper phones with stock Android as opposed to Google fucking up the hardware and then slapping its name on it.


I wonder what this means for the Nexus 7, if Google is stopping its Nexus services. Maybe that's why we don't see the N10 ever.

I don't think so at all.

My issue isn't with the nexus devices. The N4 is far, far, far superior to the S3. The N5 is also the best phone you can buy hardware wise, except for maybe the G2.

Also.. Who said Google had finished with Nexus devices? I bet we see a new one, next year...!

 

[dilla]

This was circulating around a few days ago. 2015 is next year and I don't see more than one more Nexus phone coming out until then.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/nexus-line-finished,25868.html

Some agree http://www.talkandroid.com/193729-will-the-google-nexus-line-end-in-2015/

Some still support it http://www.phonedog.com/2014/01/31/i-don-t-think-google-s-nexus-program-is-going-anywhere/

Nothing is set in stone, but it looks like GPE phones will be the norm, which means Google has no say in the hardware, or at least not like it did with the Nexus program, and will just sell stock Android phones from the Play Store.

 

[Casey]

There is not a chance in hell that Google will integrate any part of TouchWiz into stock Android. There is every chance that Samsung will tone down TouchWiz to be closer to stock Android, which is part of the deal that they made. Google would not sell Motorola for a patent-share deal alone. Google sold Motorola for the patent deal with Samsung, for Samsung to abandon Tizen, for Samsung to stop making clones of all the Google apps within TouchWiz, and to scale TouchWiz the fuck down to remain consistent with Android as a whole.

TouchWiz is a cancer on the Android ecosystem as is stands right now. It's ugly and inconsistent.

I also don't see the Nexus brand disappearing any time soon. Google will always require reference devices to ship new versions of Android on, and for testing out new features. Do you see GEL on any of the GPE devices? Nope. Not even ones that have been released since the N5, like the Z Ultra GPE or Moto G GPE. There's a solid chance it may be the default in Android 4.5/5.0/whatever comes next. Nexus 5 has been the perfect opportunity to beta test it.

Also, someone noticed a few days ago that some code has been committed to AOSP that indicated ART will be the default runtime in the next version of Android, as we had predicted.

 

[masta247]

I don't think so at all.

My issue isn't with the nexus devices. The N4 is far, far, far superior to the S3. The N5 is also the best phone you can buy hardware wise, except for maybe the G2.

Also.. Who said Google had finished with Nexus devices? I bet we see a new one, next year...!

The N5 is not the best phone hardware-wise at all. It has ONLY a top of the range chipset. Everything else is mediocre - from the camera, battery, audio, display etc. etc. It's an average phone, what makes it great is the value for money and updates straight from Google (although this seems to lose its strength).

There is not a chance in hell that Google will integrate any part of TouchWiz into stock Android. There is every chance that Samsung will tone down TouchWiz to be closer to stock Android, which is part of the deal that they made. Google would not sell Motorola for a patent-share deal alone. Google sold Motorola for the patent deal with Samsung, for Samsung to abandon Tizen, for Samsung to stop making clones of all the Google apps within TouchWiz, and to scale TouchWiz the fuck down to remain consistent with Android as a whole.

TouchWiz is a cancer on the Android ecosystem as is stands right now. It's ugly and inconsistent.

I also don't see the Nexus brand disappearing any time soon. Google will always require reference devices to ship new versions of Android on, and for testing out new features. Do you see GEL on any of the GPE devices? Nope. Not even ones that have been released since the N5, like the Z Ultra GPE or Moto G GPE. There's a solid chance it may be the default in Android 4.5/5.0/whatever comes next. Nexus 5 has been the perfect opportunity to beta test it.

Also, someone noticed a few days ago that some code has been committed to AOSP that indicated ART will be the default runtime in the next version of Android, as we had predicted.

I think some people have passionate opinions about Touchwiz but it really matured a lot to what it is now. Sure there are many gimmicks, sure there are many unnecessary Samsung's apps (although Google seems to pre-install their share as well) but at the same time I have a Nexus device and a Touchwiz device and I greatly appreciate many usability improvements that Touchwiz brings. I'm sure Google will sooner or later implement many features from Touchwiz. Be it something like multi-window view, face unlock or little details such as battery percentage, built in flashlight button (seriously how come stock Android is missing those) etc. Seriously they are just a few off the top off my head but what you get in Touchwiz you'd have to install dozens of apps offering similar functionality, and most of it you couldn't get or wouldn't be as easy and intuitive.

As a matter of fact Google already "Touchwizzed" Android UI - for instance by adding notification area toggles ;-)

 

[dilla]

Yeah, that is true. That really pisses me off about the CM builds I download, that I have a page of all the toggles, instead of just the banner at the top with the toggles. I tried changing the preferences in settings and it still doesn't seem to work. Like it's broken. I think it's been like this for about two months now, or I'm just missing something blatantly obvious to get it back.

I guess Google still needs a reference device, but does it mean they will mass produce it and still sell it? I guess there is a market for people that want the latest and greatest updates and I'd probably be one of those people that wants all of that, but I'm not willing to buy the phone off contract to get it. Not when I can get a phone of my choice and just root and put CM on it within a month of the new firmware release. Like right now, I would take even an S4 with CM than the N5. I'm not sure if CM supports the G2, but that would be my #1 choice, just because of the better hardware sans the chipset.

I still have a bad taste from suggesting the GalNex to my mom instead of the S2. I feel like she would have enjoyed her phone more with TouchWiz than with stock Android. That and the fact that all carriers just shat on the GalNex when it came to updates.

Also, we're on Sprint, so I'm not sure if Google sells CDMA Nexus phones off contract. I don't think the N5 is for Sprint.

 

[Pittsey]

The N5 is not the best phone hardware-wise at all. It has ONLY a top of the range chipset. Everything else is mediocre - from the camera, battery, audio, display etc. etc. It's an average phone, what makes it great is the value for money and updates straight from Google (although this seems to lose its strength).

Let me guess... It's the S4? I'm shocked by your transformation to Samsung cheerleader...!


FYI - Best Hardware doesn't necessarily mean most powerful or newest chipset. Is there any other hardware that runs better with Android?

 

[Casey]

The Nexus 5 is a much more enjoyable phone than the S4. So is the HTC One, for that matter. They both have better build quality and feel better in the hand.

It's not just about software either. If I had a choice between the Nexus 5 and the Google Play Edition of the S4, I would still pick the Nexus 5. It's just a much cooler device.

 

[dilla]

The Nexus 5 is a much more enjoyable phone than the S4. So is the HTC One, for that matter. They both have better build quality and feel better in the hand.

It's not just about software either. If I had a choice between the Nexus 5 and the Google Play Edition of the S4, I would still pick the Nexus 5. It's just a much cooler device.

In what way? If they were both running 4.4, how would the N5 differ from the S4? I'll even agree with Pittsey's comment about hardware. I do agree that the current hardware has hit a point where I don't think I would need anything faster or better than even the S3 I'm using right now. So let's say it's not about the chipset. How is the N5 a cooler device?

 

[dilla]

https://twitter.com/SamsungMobile/status/430491945421385729/photo/1


And a chart I shamelessly weaseled from the comments section of Reddit, and what the announcement most likely means...

Event Phone Date Days since last flagship
Samsung Unpacked 2014 Samsung Galaxy S5 February 24th, 2014 173 days
Samsung Unpacked 2013 Episode 2 Samsung Galaxy Note 3 September 4th, 2013 174 days
Samsung Unpacked 2013 Episode 1 Samsung Galaxy S4 March 14th, 2013 197 days
Samsung Unpacked 2012 (II) Samsung Galaxy Note 2 August 29th, 2012 118 days
Samsung Unpacked 2012 (I) Samsung Galaxy S3 May 3rd, 2012 271 days
Samsung Unpacked 2011 (II) Samsung Galaxy Note September 1st, 2011 200 days
Samsung Unpacked 2011 (I) Samsung Galaxy S2 February 13th, 2011 327 days
Samsugn Unpacked 2010 Samsung Galaxy S March 23rd, 2010 N/A




I'm not going to make the mistake I made with waiting to get the N7 and just sitting on the fence for six months, but I will have to decide whether CM can support my S3 until maybe the end of the year, or if I get the S5 as soon as it is released.

Soo....I'll be sitting on the fence again.

Summer, in general, brings about the first big wave of devices, right? The second being the Holidays? Anything big on the horizon, save from the S5 which might be the biggest of them all, as far as Android is concerned?

 

[ARon]

htc has the m8 which looks better than the what the s5 is rumored to look like, basically same ole same from samsung. m8 will be made with more premium materials and i think just like the htc one aesthetically it will be better than what samsung has to offer. Still interested in seeing if samsung does come out with a more premium build of the s5 which they're being rumored to do

 

[dilla]

I stopped focusing on build materials. Unless the phone is $300 on contract and I have to justify the premium, it's not an issue.


The only upgrades I'm looking for now will be in the camera and screen department. I would like a full HD screen and I want a better camera. The S3's isn't bad, but it's about two years old now and I know there is better.

CPU and GPU aren't big because I don't run intensive tasks nor do I game. I guess a good GPU is necessary for powering a 1080p screen, but I'm sure Samsung ironed ironed out possible kinks with that after the S4 launched.

The HTC One seems like a nice phone but after reading about the shit camera and then the post-launch issues with the camera requiring a recall, I have lost a bit of faith in them.

I also personally had the Droid Eris. And fuck that phone.

 

[Pittsey]

I was intrigued by the S5, when I saw the announcement. But.. Not by the HTC. A HTC phone always comes with sense. That is an ender for me. I have friends who like it, but I can't get on with it. I prefer stock android because I am old and I am used to using it. I don't want to have to learn where things are everytime I get a new phone.

The main selling point for me with the N5. Is that it is good value!

The reason I don't pick the S5 any longer, is not because of the bloat, as I would would just root. It's because Samsung is the new Apple. It aspires to sell as many phones as it can and uses all the Apple tricks to do it. Now I don't just have people going on about the iPhone and annoying me, they are also talking about the S4 (soon to be the S5). I hate people who have their gadgets as a status symbol. It's pretty pathetic to show off a £500 device that they are buying on instalments. Any idiot on minimum wage can do that.

So I prefer something more discreet.


I also don't care about camera quality. I don't use my phone as a camera. I have a DSLR for that. I capture pictures with it at work, or if I really need to take a picture for some reason and don't have my camera on me.

 

[masta247]

Let me guess... It's the S4? I'm shocked by your transformation to Samsung cheerleader...!



FYI - Best Hardware doesn't necessarily mean most powerful or newest chipset. Is there any other hardware that runs better with Android?

I just don't like Samsung hating. They sell well because they earned it by making best Android phones year in-year out. They have nothing to start with, not even the high rumored marketing budget. It's the new Apple that actually delivers what the customers want, not what it wants customers to want.

The S4 is not the best phone - it all depends on the needs. The G2, Note 3 and maybe S4 (especially the Snapdragon 800 version) are probably the most versatile as they are great to excellent at everything.
Responding to your question actually all N5 has is the powerful chipset. Its battery life is about half of what almost all other flagships offer these days, the camera is poor, audio quality is below average, display is just above average - how is it the best hardware then? It's praised for being up there performance-wise with the flagships while costing half of it in the US, that's what makes it great.

If you mean raw performance any high end phone will run Android in a similar fashion as well. Stock Android no longer performs faster than "skinned" as well, because skins these days pack loads of optimizations. The software game is changing in Android. Stock is no longer a backbone that's being built upon. Stock Android is already fairly bloated, it's basically "Google skinned' and with many problems on its on that OEMs are trying to solve on their own in their releases.

htc has the m8 which looks better than the what the s5 is rumored to look like, basically same ole same from samsung. m8 will be made with more premium materials and i think just like the htc one aesthetically it will be better than what samsung has to offer. Still interested in seeing if samsung does come out with a more premium build of the s5 which they're being rumored to do

Actually most people are staying exactly the opposite. Samsung's using a new design language for the S5, and entirely new materials. m8 is HTC One+ (HTC are even supposed to call it that way). It's going to be exactly same old.