Buying S4 - Galaxy S 4 Active Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Should I buy a S4 or HTC ONE X?

ammarm said:
Should I buy a S4 or HTC ONE X?
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Sir we can't help your out with this without knowing what you prefer. Both devices are great but they both have different features that attract different users. For example if you care about beautiful displays that are iPhone like (natural colors), amazing metal design, front facing speakers, simple stock android like OS, amazing development and unlockable bootloader out of the box then the HTC One will be for you. If you prefer bigger-vibrant-over saturated screens, bigger battery, and 3 buttons one a hardware button, a heavier OS with a lot of features get the S4.
This forum is for the S4 Active, it is a different variant of the S4 that is both rugged and water resistant. It has a LCD and have more natural colors than the regular S4

Related

Future of First more promising due to upcoming release of One mini?

HTC officially announced the One mini today which shares the same processor, amount of ram, internal storage, screen size and resolution. It seems the First might get a second life if the mini is even twice as popular as the First (doesn't seem hard to do). Will we see Sense 5 on the First? More custom ROMs? I sure hope so.:fingers-crossed:
rooobbbbb said:
HTC officially announced the One mini today which shares the same processor, amount of ram, internal storage, screen size and resolution. It seems the First might get a second life if the mini is even twice as popular as the First (doesn't seem hard to do). Will we see Sense 5 on the First? More custom ROMs? I sure hope so.:fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad to hear the mini officially released. Seems they're using up left over stock from the First. Don't care about sense 5 just want some CM love but that could be done now, if someone a lot smarter than I took hold of it. I'm looking at you JMZ...
Sent from my HTC first using xda app-developers app
Sounds like it would be a good thing if the One Mini is popular, but I personally don't see the point of the One Mini. It's same specs as the First, in a noticeably longer and thicker body, with a worse camera. You can get 4.7" phones in a smaller body. Why would anyone want the One Mini when it's not really mini?
GnatGoSplat said:
Sounds like it would be a good thing if the One Mini is popular, but I personally don't see the point of the One Mini. It's same specs as the First, in a noticeably longer and thicker body, with a worse camera. You can get 4.7" phones in a smaller body. Why would anyone want the One Mini when it's not really mini?
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Click to collapse
brand recognition to the normal consumer... us xda peeps look at it like wtf lol
Sent from my HTC first using xda premium
GnatGoSplat said:
Sounds like it would be a good thing if the One Mini is popular, but I personally don't see the point of the One Mini. It's same specs as the First, in a noticeably longer and thicker body, with a worse camera. You can get 4.7" phones in a smaller body. Why would anyone want the One Mini when it's not really mini?
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Click to collapse
Better camera, and the body is actually thinner, FTFY.
But in general I'm totally with you on this one, quite a pointless phone for a 4.3-incher.
PdtS said:
Better camera, and the body is actually thinner, FTFY.
But in general I'm totally with you on this one, quite a pointless phone for a 4.3-incher.
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Click to collapse
Are you saying the One Mini is thinner and has a better camera?
Phonescoop says the One Mini is 9.2mm, PhoneArena says 9.25mm, GSMArena says 9.3mm.
All 3 sites say the One Mini has a 4.0MP camera.
Phonescoop has the HTC First at 8.9mm, PhoneArena 9mm, GSMArena 8.9mm.
All 3 sites say camera is 5MP.
So it's the First that is thinner and has the better camera, no?
Also, the One Mini isn't just a little longer, it's a lot longer. I think the First's minimalist design is better looking too, but that's subjective.
They're measuring thickness at its maximum, but the thing is, One Mini's back is curved, so its body is thinner for the most part, while the First is pretty much flat.
What's for the camera — haven't you heard about HTC's "UltraPixel"? The original One has the same shooter, and as you can imagine it wouldn't be able to give all its impressive performance with a plain 4MP camera.
PdtS said:
They're measuring thickness at its maximum, but the thing is, One Mini's back is curved, so its body is thinner for the most part, while the First is pretty much flat.
What's for the camera — haven't you heard about HTC's "UltraPixel"? The original One has the same shooter, and as you can imagine it wouldn't be able to give all its impressive performance with a plain 4MP camera.
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Click to collapse
No, I hadn't read up on UltraPixel, and didn't realize the fullsize One is also 4MP. I just read about it and looked at comparison pics. It seems it's not without compromise. It seems to lose detail compared to phones with high MP cameras, but since the First has a low MP camera to begin with, you're right, Mini is probably better.
The back is curved, but it doesn't really look thinner overall when I use PhoneArena's size compare.
Let me illustrate my message
Yeah, I know what you mean, but I'll have to feel it to be convinced it feels thinner. I remember I had an original iPhone which is almost exactly the same shape as the First - flat on the bottom. Then the 3G/3GS came out which was just a little thicker, but more curved. It didn't feel any thinner to me, in fact, it felt thicker. I think whether curved feels thinner may be subjective.

Which version to get, I mean which colour?

I sold my S4 last week to buy a M8 or S5, but some reviews on YouTube has sold me to Moto X. Yes I know it sounds crazy but I just need a simple phone with more fluidity than nonsense and bloated features.
Anyway, what I wanted to ask is, which colour should I get? I mean I have heard that the different back plate colours are not only colours, but different colours provide different feel, grip and durability. I want the one which should have the most grip, best durability. So which one should I get?
In India (cause I am here), only five colours are officially available, black, white, red, wood, and royal blue.
Thanks in advance.
devilsdouble said:
I sold my S4 last week to buy a M8 or S5, but some reviews on YouTube has sold me to Moto X. Yes I know it sounds crazy but I just need a simple phone with more fluidity than nonsense and bloated features.
Anyway, what I wanted to ask is, which colour should I get? I mean I have heard that the different back plate colours are not only colours, but different colours provide different feel, grip and durability. I want the one which should have the most grip, best durability. So which one should I get?
In India (cause I am here), only five colours are officially available, black, white, red, wood, and royal blue.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All of the colored backs feel the same. They have the exact same soft-touch feel to them. The woven black and white backs have a little bit of a different feel, less grippy almost, but barely. For the wood backs, someone else will have to weigh in because I never owned a wooden back X, but I have heard that they are less grippy. As for durability they should all be able to take the same beating, however, in Pocketnow's durability report Michael Fisher said that the wood was slightly more durable than the colored and woven backs. Ultimately you should pick the color and material that you like the look of most. Any differences in the durability and grip are miniscule. Have fun and welcome!!
TL;DR The grip and durability are about the same, with very slight differences. Get the color you like the look of most and would be happy owning.
Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk
The Moto x has tons of customization, customizing the back. Best thing is the features of the phone
Sent from my SM-T310 using XDA Free mobile app
devilsdouble said:
I sold my S4 last week to buy a M8 or S5, but some reviews on YouTube has sold me to Moto X. Yes I know it sounds crazy but I just need a simple phone with more fluidity than nonsense and bloated features.
Anyway, what I wanted to ask is, which colour should I get? I mean I have heard that the different back plate colours are not only colours, but different colours provide different feel, grip and durability. I want the one which should have the most grip, best durability. So which one should I get?
In India (cause I am here), only five colours are officially available, black, white, red, wood, and royal blue.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get the developer edition model or the T-Mobile model. The always listening/active display/active assist has been very useful and the twist camera also.
MOTO X
Moto maker has a description of each color, but in general the darker colors are softer. They are described as matte finish or smooth finish (which has less grip) if I've remembered correctly.
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
Correct me if I'm wrong.....but as neat as the motomakers are, and assuming they come with 4.4.2.....you will never have root. As it stands today.
Something you may want to consider.
kj2112 said:
Correct me if I'm wrong.....but as neat as the motomakers are, and assuming they come with 4.4.2.....you will never have root. As it stands today.
Something you may want to consider.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From his post, it doesn't seem as if he wants root, just the near-stock experience that the Moto X offers, but maybe I'm wrong.
And you are right, all of the MotoMaker phones come with 4.4.2 now, so no root for them. I kinda got screwed when I made the mistake of getting my X replaced and it came with 4.4.2, so now I have to wait for whomever decides to pick up the task of rooting/bootloader unlocking :fingers-crossed:
danny39 said:
All of the colored backs feel the same. They have the exact same soft-touch feel to them. The woven black and white backs have a little bit of a different feel, less grippy almost, but barely. For the wood backs, someone else will have to weigh in because I never owned a wooden back X, but I have heard that they are less grippy. As for durability they should all be able to take the same beating, however, in Pocketnow's durability report Michael Fisher said that the wood was slightly more durable than the colored and woven backs. Ultimately you should pick the color and material that you like the look of most. Any differences in the durability and grip are miniscule. Have fun and welcome!!
TL;DR The grip and durability are about the same, with very slight differences. Get the color you like the look of most and would be happy owning.
Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No they aren't the same. I have the Red back and it's not soft-touch at all. In fact, the Motomaker site tells you what feel you get with the colours you choose (soft-touch or smooth finish).
danny39 said:
From his post, it doesn't seem as if he wants root, just the near-stock experience that the Moto X offers, but maybe I'm wrong.
And you are right, all of the MotoMaker phones come with 4.4.2 now, so no root for them. I kinda got screwed when I made the mistake of getting my X replaced and it came with 4.4.2, so now I have to wait for whomever decides to pick up the task of rooting/bootloader unlocking :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone doesn't really need root. Yeah, you miss out on a few apps and customization with gravity box....but there's little development, and stock is really nice.
devilsdouble said:
I sold my S4 last week to buy a M8 or S5, but some reviews on YouTube has sold me to Moto X. Yes I know it sounds crazy but I just need a simple phone with more fluidity than nonsense and bloated features.
Anyway, what I wanted to ask is, which colour should I get? I mean I have heard that the different back plate colours are not only colours, but different colours provide different feel, grip and durability. I want the one which should have the most grip, best durability. So which one should I get?
In India (cause I am here), only five colours are officially available, black, white, red, wood, and royal blue.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are making a good choice. I bought an S4 on sale as a gift and used it a bit myself, even with KitKat it is very slow, and all the features are gimmicks. The Moto X software features are all very useful.
I have both the non-slip and wood version. Personally, I think you should go with non-slip material. I think Royal Blue would be a very nice color. The wood backs are good to show off, but I don't think worth the extra cost, it also doesn't have that really smooth and comfortable feel of the nonslip material, which is much more comfortable to hold.
Well no root is a deal breaker for me to be honest. I mean how could I use apps like AdAway, Titanium, even the 8 step flashlight I use needs root, Adjustable torch i.e. Can't believe it doesn't have root.
Can't find any compact phones for human beings either, maybe Z1C is the only option left! Wish someone could turn me into a Dinosaur.
devilsdouble said:
Well no root is a deal breaker for me to be honest. I mean how could I use apps like AdAway, Titanium, even the 8 step flashlight I use needs root, Adjustable torch i.e. Can't believe it doesn't have root.
Can't find any compact phones for human beings either, maybe Z1C is the only option left! Wish someone could turn me into a Dinosaur.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get the Dev edition.... Or any model that can be unlocked.... As long as the radio bands work on your network.
Obviously you'd need to be able to sim unlock too.... so not a sprint model.
I am sorry what? I am in India, and here there are no locked phones! All phones are unlocked to work on any GSM network. This is the link from where I was gonna buy, if it matters in anything,
http://www.flipkart.com/moto-x-16-g...to+X&ref=39dc3dcc-593e-42ae-b290-7b9ebe383c40
devilsdouble said:
I am sorry what? I am in India, and here there are no locked phones! All phones are unlocked to work on any GSM network. This is the link from where I was gonna buy, if it matters in anything,
http://www.flipkart.com/moto-x-16-g...to+X&ref=39dc3dcc-593e-42ae-b290-7b9ebe383c40
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, not sure which model that is or if the boot loader can be unlocked. Hopefully you can find out before buying....unless its not important to you.

[Q] Z1 a good buy?

Hi,
So ive tried all the websites like gsmarena etc but i wanted a view user opinions as well.
How is the camera? Is it better than HTC E8, HTC M7 and Samsung Galaxy S4?
Are there any phones better than this in the same price range?
Any issues i should know about?
Finally, should i buy this phone? Its more or less the max i can afford atm.
Any help would be appreciated thanks
AliHB said:
Hi,
So ive tried all the websites like gsmarena etc but i wanted a view user opinions as well.
How is the camera? Is it better than HTC E8, HTC M7 and Samsung Galaxy S4?
Are there any phones better than this in the same price range?
Any issues i should know about?
Finally, should i buy this phone? Its more or less the max i can afford atm.
Any help would be appreciated thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it seems that you're looking at mid-high range phones.
imo, z1 screen isn't as good as its competitors, like you can notice the screen getting washed out with only a slight change in your viewing angle.
Camera is... so-so, video recording is amazing on the galaxy s5. Photos are decent I guess.
Build quality is amazing though and looks sexy. Also waterproof is a big bonus.
Software wise it's probably better than the S4, I hate Touchwiz before the S5 (laggy)
Battery life is quite average
Lol. Mid high range.
Sent from my C6903 using XDA Free mobile app
tomascus said:
it seems that you're looking at mid-high range phones.
imo, z1 screen isn't as good as its competitors, like you can notice the screen getting washed out with only a slight change in your viewing angle.
Camera is... so-so, video recording is amazing on the galaxy s5. Photos are decent I guess.
Build quality is amazing though and looks sexy. Also waterproof is a big bonus.
Software wise it's probably better than the S4, I hate Touchwiz before the S5 (laggy)
Battery life is quite average
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. Thank you. Any recommendations, if not Z1?
YES!
I would recommend to buy Z1
Camera is really good. Much more better than Galaxy S4, S5, HTC M8, iPhone 5 and 5S
I have compared these models myself and Z1 is the best
tomascus said:
imo, z1 screen isn't as good as its competitors, like you can notice the screen getting washed out with only a slight change in your viewing angle
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is because display colors are calibrated irregularly
Xperia Z1 has one of the best displays
Go to settings > display > white balance and change colors to
Red 5
Green 5
Blue 117
Jedidiah-Morse said:
YES!
I would recommend to buy Z1
Camera is really good. Much more better than Galaxy S4, S5, GTC M8, iPhone 5 and 5S
I have compared these models myself and Z1 is the best
It is because display colors are calibrated irregularly
Xperia Z1 has one of the best displays
Go to settings > display > white balance and change colors to
Red 5
Green 5
Blue 117
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I agree with regard to color reproduction, but there's nothing that can be done to fix a bad viewing angles other than getting a better screen.
@OP, I would rather get the z1c or Z3c for its battery life and compact-ness if it's in your price range
I recently got one over my Nexus 4 and can definitly recommend it.
What I don't like:
- The screen has a little border, especially top/bottom. But that is in all phones, the speaker/mic and front camera need some space.
- The stock screen protector. While it adds an extra layer of protection it also easily scratches. Warranty seems to be ok when replacing it, but you better get that confirmed.
- Some crappy preinstalled apps. But then again, that is even worse with other phones.
- The "big" internal speaker is a little quiet when listening to music because it needs to be waterproof.
What I like:
- Good prices and basically still the same hardware as in the newest phones released just recently.
- Battery life. At least comparing to a Galaxy S4 I can easily beat it with Stamina Mode. No comparison to Nexus 4.
- Design. It looks and feels very high quality.
- Waterproof. No need to say more.
- Officially unlockable bootloader. No need for hacks, just get a code from the Sony website and it's unlocked.
- Best of all: Only slightly modified Android. No crazy stuff that makes it complicated or laggy, and it looks pretty neat.
I appreciate your help guys, thanks a million
Put it this way...
Dropped my Z1 while the flip case was OPEN... from the top of a scaffold. About 12 feet in the air.
Scratched one of the port covers but it didn`t break. Works perfectly. Very high quality.
My wife also dropped hers down stairs about a week ago. Not a scratch. Not in a case.
These phones are built to last (excluding the port covers... the seals come loose after a while)
Buy it lad!

help me decide between note 5 vs edge plus

Hello everyone,
I'm looking to upgrade my note 4 (H version) to either a note 5 or edge plus, I aware that both phones are 95% identical yet there are few things that are still not clear to me which would help me decide. I know that each phone is targeted toward different audience however, the main decisive factor in purchasing the note series in the 1st place was the display size & the hardware, the stylus functionality was always an added value.
If some of you might be wondering why I'm upgrading from N 910H its because of the 4g support, 64 bit chip, premium build quality and I'm guessing it will enjoy better vendor & community support than the H version that I have.
As such, I would appreciate your help if you could provide me with your experiences/ knowledge:
1- Which one has less bloat ware that might sluggish the performance of the device? for e.g. the note 5 comes with a lot of Samsung software/optimization for its stylus functionality which might impact the smoothness of the device not to mentioned TW
2- Which one has more usable storage (less system memory) considering the limited storage options we have?
3- Which device scored better in benchmarks testing such as Antutu ?
4- Which one has longer battery life?
Thanks everyone
after my experience with my 32GB S6 edge, i realised just how small of a storage it is and went with a 64GB for my Note 5 Duos. the OS takes up just over 1.5GB and System Memory takes up under 10GB. if you need the S-Pen, your number 1 becomes a moot point.
if you need the absolute peak performance in processing speed and battery life, then i would think it becomes a very negligible difference between the two. i haven't seen actual comparison specs, but i would imagine they're both similar.
personally, i really wanted the curved front screen, but the stylus will always win me over. i need it for cropping screenshots, diagramming and taking notes, quickly. and like i tell everyone else, in case you ever need it, at least the stylus will always be there.
The curved screen is a gimmick. The novelty will wear off very quickly. I honestly don't see the point. It looks cool, granted, but it makes content look distorted. Why would you want that?!
Anyway, it wasn't even a choice for me. Note 5 all the way.
If I chose the edge+ over the note 5 I would only do so if it has "proven" better battery life, more available storage and smoother experience (less bloat ware) not because of the curved display.
I have the edge, I really like it a lot, but I don't use the edge what so ever. Basically bought the phone due to the color, and looks. Extremely visually appealing.
Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk
That's a tough decision. .. but then you have to pick a color! !!!
I would ideally own all of them!
I had the S6E before buying the Note 5 and while I loved the look and feel of the Edge screen, there were 2 major reasons I didn't buy the plus. The first is simply I didn't even use the few edge features there were, as previously said it's gimmicky. Second, and this is the big one, terrible options for glass screen protectors. It may seem odd to make a buying decision based on the screen protector support but I cannot and will not go back to anything but tempered glass and I am not willing to forgo any sort of protection at all.
cloudraker said:
I had the S6E before buying the Note 5 and while I loved the look and feel of the Edge screen, there were 2 major reasons I didn't buy the plus. The first is simply I didn't even use the few edge features there were, as previously said it's gimmicky. Second, and this is the big one, terrible options for glass screen protectors. It may seem odd to make a buying decision based on the screen protector support but I cannot and will not go back to anything but tempered glass and I am not willing to forgo any sort of protection at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's exactly my issue with the s6. I couldn't buy the proper protection for it and it got broken on me. The note 5 is much better with protection and cases.
Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

Do you think that the design/appearance of the Note 4 is outdated/faded ?

i find it to be a little old...what do you think ?
Of course it is outdated. Even though it could've easily handle Android Nougat, which XDA developer Anajaser proved by porting the Nougat ROM to Exynos variant. I'm currently using Nemesis ROM V3 for Snapdragon variant, because its the most stable and bugless Touchwiz based ROM that we have. If you have Exynos, go for the Refined Nougat ROM or latest Nemesis Marshmallow ROM by Ananjaser.
Not at all.
I love the design of the note 4 and hate the glass phones that beg you to buy a case to cover them in plastic anyway.
If they would make another phone with exactly the same design as note 4 but upgraded internals I would buy it in a heartbeat.
But that's not going to happen so gotta chose one of those glassy things and put a case on it.
No, its not outdated. I like my Note 4 more than the new notch/glass/"premium-looking" phones. Why I should by a phone if I have great performance, root, (custom rom), removable battery and replaceable backcover?
The only phone I would buy is the XCover 4s nowadays. But I will wait until the Note breaks down.
Only thing I hate is the slightly curved screen at the edges. Makes it difficult to find a glass protector for it to cover the whole screen. Note 3 and S5 were the last ones with a totally flat screen.
I dropped my Note 8 and damaged the screen. I just pulled this thing out and I still like this phone. It's still running stock Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. I love how this phone last for years. My Note 8, Galaxy S7 Edge, and Galaxy S7 all have screen issues. My Galaxy S7 Edge doesn't even have a scratch on the outside but the screen is somehow damaged.
nah this phone look outdated when you just have scratch in metal cover
but if you can mod it like use sand paper to fully remove aluminium painting and expose aluminium itself and paint it using stainless steel like color
n4 not outdated(hopefully someone make a glass like plastic finish for backdoor so it will look like newer phone)but personally i just like the original backdoor(feels like Car Interior plastic for some reason)
The Note 4's hardware specs still compare well with modern J3s & J7s. So, from a hardware perspective, the N4 is still very viable. Its display is beautiful for watching video. The catch is the stock firmware ending at Android 6. A good custom rom at Andy v7 or v8 would keep the N4 useful for another couple years. As far as the design goes, so what if it doesn't have modern sleek curved edges and fancy case colors. Big deal ... I don't care if the N4's appearance may not impress others. Functionality counts the most.

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