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Other Discussion Boards => Technology & Information => Topic started by: Elusive Rabbit on January 28, 2017, 04:40:57 AM

Title: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Elusive Rabbit on January 28, 2017, 04:40:57 AM
I'm currently using a BlackBerry PRIV. I dig it, plus I got it rather cheap.

What are you all using?
Title: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: juner on January 28, 2017, 04:50:30 AM
I went on a phone escapade a few months ago. Had an iPhone 6, tried a Nexus 5X but gave that to SU. Got a HTC 10, but couldn't adapt to android again as it had been several years. Got an iPhone 7, had it for a night. Wasn't much different than the 6 for my use  so I couldn't justify the $800+ I spent on it.

Returned everything and am back on my iPhone 6.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: xasop on January 28, 2017, 04:56:06 AM
OnePlus 2. It's decent hardware (and dual SIM, which will be nice when I'm travelling), shame about Android getting worse every release.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Elusive Rabbit on January 28, 2017, 05:08:06 AM
shame about Android getting worse every release.
I'm not familiar enough with the software to know if, or why, it would be getting worse with every release.

Why would you say it has been getting worse?
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: juner on January 28, 2017, 05:19:27 AM
Why would you say it has been getting worse?

Because he is Parsifal.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Pete Svarrior on January 28, 2017, 03:06:13 PM
OnePlus 2. It's decent hardware (and dual SIM, which will be nice when I'm travelling), shame about Android getting worse every release.
Same here, except in my view the software has only been getting better. The dual SIM comes in handy when you make consistent use of two numbers.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Blanko on January 28, 2017, 03:23:52 PM
Also repping OnePlus 2
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Lord Dave on January 28, 2017, 04:03:52 PM
HTC ONE M9.
I replaced the blinkfeed homescreen cause I hate it.  Otherwise, solid phone.  Takes a lot of punishment.  My vibration is dead though and I don't wanna open it up to fix it.  But it gets dropped alot (in a good shock absorbent case) so...
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: xasop on January 28, 2017, 07:57:26 PM
Why would you say it has been getting worse?

Their development priorities are all wrong. They keep introducing pointless things, like widgets that appear by default on the lock screen. As far as I'm concerned, locking my phone means nobody should be able to do anything with it (by default). If I configure widgets to be usable in that state, that's my business.

They also keep moving things around and changing the basic ways to accomplish the same thing. Like, there's now no silent mode (unless you count turning the ring volume all the way down), but you can turn notifications off, which is the same thing with a different name. In the particular case of the OnePlus 2, they introduced a hardware button for that, so none of the guides you find by Googling on how to turn off notifications work since there isn't a software switch. It took me months after obtaining this phone to even work out that's what the hardware switch is for, since Android had successfully trained me to expect everything to be in software.

I wouldn't be so salty about them introducing new pointless features if they were actually introducing features I cared about -- like, say, the ability to trust a package manager that isn't Google Play, so you can install third-party software without having to approve each individual package. Or the ability to have gapless playback just work through the Android audio API, rather than that being a "feature" individual music players need to implement themselves.

None of the things that have bothered me about Android from the beginning are getting any attention, and meanwhile all the basic things I do every day and shouldn't have to think about are changing with each new release. It's an absolute nightmare.

Finally, all this new code they're writing for no good reason is full of security vulnerabilities. Android is well known as a lump of Swiss cheese you carry around in your pocket. Rather than doing what most projects do and leaving security bugs fixed, they keep renewing their codebase and creating more. I simply don't trust my phone not to get hacked anymore.

The dual SIM comes in handy when you make consistent use of two numbers.

I'm expecting it to be useful when travelling internationally, even when using more than two numbers. I can swap SIM cards at the hotel and have my phone work throughout the day's journey. No more fumbling around with SIM cards at airports when I need to contact someone.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Lord Dave on January 28, 2017, 08:36:41 PM
I'm gonna Echo SW.  None of what you said is accurate, unless your phone's manufacturer has a custom homescreen setup.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Pete Svarrior on January 28, 2017, 08:45:00 PM
unless your phone's manufacturer has a custom homescreen setup.
Parsifal and I are using the same model of phone. Our setups should be rather similar.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: xasop on January 28, 2017, 09:19:52 PM
widgets that appear by default on the lock screen
I haven't witnessed that. I've made virtually no changes to my lock screen since I got the phone, and I'm not seeing any widgets.

I think I may have been recalling something that appeared on the shitfone I bought while in Europe. It's long enough ago that I don't recall precisely what the widget did, I just realised I could do something with the phone locked that I didn't want to be there. I wish I could recall more specifics.

Like, there's now no silent mode (unless you count turning the ring volume all the way down)
My phone is literally on silent mode right now, I just moved the left-hand-side slider to the top position. ???

Mine calls this "no interruptions" mode.

Googling on how to turn off notifications work since there isn't a software switch.
??? ??? ???

Yes, fair enough. I think I was Googling for "silent mode android" or something, foolishly assuming that all Android phones would behave alike.

It took me months after obtaining this phone to even work out that's what the hardware switch is for
You could have just tried flicking it and seeing what happens.

I did that, and as far as I could see at the time, nothing happened.

Or reading the phone's description (https://oneplus.net/uk/2/design) prior to obtaining it.

After trying the switch and not seeing anything happen, I just decided to ignore it.

I've been using an alternative app store without having to approve each individual package -- well, not beyond the standard permissions approval that every package goes through.

What about the facility to restore all packages that you had previously approved when you get a new phone? I know Google Play can do that, but with F-Droid you need to install each one individually because Android insists on confirming their installation.

This (and the security complaint, although no secure alternative exists) is the only issue so far that I don't outright disagree with.

Tizen (as well as its cousin, SailfishOS) looks promising as an alternative, though I'm no expert on its security model.

I'm particularly unsympathetic towards you complaining that you failed up to look up what a switch does. Like, dude.

My complaint was more that basic functionality like that shouldn't change from release to release. I already knew how to put an Android phone into silent mode. Why do I have to look it up again?
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Pete Svarrior on January 28, 2017, 10:34:19 PM
My complaint was more that basic functionality like that shouldn't change from release to release. I already knew how to put an Android phone into silent mode. Why do I have to look it up again?
Well, it's two different pieces of hardware. Running a similar operating system doesn't necessarily mean everything will be identical.
e: I may have misunderstood your comment the first time around. If your complaint is about the changes in user interface between different software releases, I don't necessarily disagree. I think interface changes should at least be optional. However, they're usually small enough not to be a major issue, and you can replace pretty much every element of the UI with something that suits your needs better.

Mine calls this "no interruptions" mode.
Curious, that used to be the case some time ago, but an update changed it [:^) :^) :^)] in response to feedback from users.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: xasop on January 28, 2017, 10:57:41 PM
Curious, that used to be the case some time ago, but an update changed it [:^) :^) :^)] in response to feedback from users.

My phone has been unable to install updates for about a year, ever since I installed a custom recovery. Apparently OnePlus's recovery is essential to the update process and you just get dumped into the custom recovery if you replace it, with no way to complete the update.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: garygreen on January 28, 2017, 11:55:46 PM
been using a nexus 6p for ~6 months.  mostly switched to move over to google fi, but i dig the phone just fine.  i mostly dig my super cheap phone bill.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Snupes on January 29, 2017, 10:45:30 AM
I'm currently using a Samsung Galaxy S5 that I hate because it's old and dumb, and I'm planning to get a Google Pixel XL (128GB) in the next month.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Fortuna on February 07, 2017, 06:46:36 AM
My iPhone 6 Plus has been dunked in water twice, and dropped on concrete twice without a case. It has been surviving and functioning normally with a strip of clear packing tape keeping the cracked glass intact. However, for the past few days the screen has been glitching out, and has been non-responsive to touch several times. I think the battle damage is finally taking its toll. I've been looking for a new phone, and I'm trying to decide between the 6s and the SE. But I was just looking at the OnePlus 2 and it actually looks p dope af.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: xasop on February 07, 2017, 09:52:21 AM
I'm currently using a Samsung Galaxy S5 that I hate because it's old and dumb

If only someone had warned you about Samsung phones.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Elusive Rabbit on February 07, 2017, 11:54:19 AM
My last phone was a Samsung Galaxy S5. I liked it a lot, minus the too bubbly and colorful OS.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: trekky0623 on February 07, 2017, 02:53:08 PM
I have a Galaxy S4 Mini. I like smaller phones.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Fortuna on February 08, 2017, 09:13:56 PM
I just ordered a 6s. I decided against the OnePlus 2 mainly because I have a lot of important stuff stored on iCloud.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Snupes on February 09, 2017, 04:14:14 AM
I'm currently using a Samsung Galaxy S5 that I hate because it's old and dumb

If only someone had warned you about Samsung phones.

Oddly, I don't think the brand of the phone actually affects its age at all.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: xasop on February 09, 2017, 05:11:48 AM
Oddly, I don't think the brand of the phone actually affects its age at all.

You said "old and dumb". Being old by itself is not a valid reason to dislike something, so I responded to the "dumb" part.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Snupes on February 09, 2017, 09:26:48 AM
>not a valid reason

ok mr my opinyun is objective

I hate old things, and it being dumb is directly related to it being old. I want new new new new new
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Crudblud on February 09, 2017, 12:38:11 PM
I have had a Samsung D500 for the past 12 years or so. "Using" is a generous term, I occasionally use it as an alarm clock, and that's probably more often than I use it to call or even to text. I can't see how I would benefit from having a smartphone so I've never bothered to upgrade.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: xasop on February 09, 2017, 03:28:29 PM
>not a valid reason

ok mr my opinyun is objective

Well, being old doesn't actually change any of the things about the phone. It doesn't change how it looks, or what it can do, or how well it does it, or the build quality, or anything tangible. If you don't like it when it's old, then the only logical conclusion is that you also didn't like it when it was new.

It is possible that you simply like newer products more, but that isn't the same thing as hating the old one.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: mollete on February 09, 2017, 03:35:05 PM
If you don't like it when it's old, then the only logical conclusion is that you also didn't like it when it was new.

That isn't true. Things become outdated. You can like it when you first get it, but then like it less once it's been worn with age, or like it less once something better comes out.

How quickly it wears down with age could be a testament to its quality, but that doesn't mean someone didn't like it when it was new.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: xasop on February 09, 2017, 03:40:27 PM
That isn't true. Things become outdated. You can like it when you first get it, but then like it less once it's been worn with age

Then you don't like it because it's worn, which is correlated with but independent of it being old. "Being old" by itself is not the problem.

or like it less once something better comes out.

It is possible that you simply like newer products more, but that isn't the same thing as hating the old one.
Title: Re: Which Phone Are You Using?
Post by: Snupes on February 12, 2017, 04:44:41 AM
I mean, "hatred" isn't a constant. I can actually genuinely just dislike old things and my hatred levels rise from 0 to 100 as times goes on and the product becomes "old".