WelshBloke
Lifer
- Jan 12, 2005
- 33,293
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They'd have to do a complete redesign. I like the fact that you can get a top android phone in glass, aluminium or plastic myself. The last thing I want is for everyone to make identical phones.
poofyhairguy
Lifer
- Nov 20, 2005
- 14,612
- 318
- 126
WelshBloke
Lifer
- Jan 12, 2005
- 33,293
- 11,424
- 136
They'd have to redesign the antenna, the bezel (not that that would be a bad thing) and how would the battery cover attach?
The Chinese market HTC One has a removable back. Read that the phone feels just as solid.
WelshBloke
Lifer
- Jan 12, 2005
- 33,293
- 11,424
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I always thought that a metal back with a few small bolts around the edge would look ok. Like the zune did (?). That might work.
AMDZen
Lifer
- Apr 15, 2004
- 12,589
- 0
- 76
I love reading about some of the weird ass features of the S4. Just seem strait up bizarre. Supposed to pause Youtube when you look away? I would never want that as I multitask all the time. Not like it works
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-24/samsung-stumbles-with-galaxy-s4-phone-rich-jaroslovsky.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-24/samsung-stumbles-with-galaxy-s4-phone-rich-jaroslovsky.html
AMDZen
Lifer
- Apr 15, 2004
- 12,589
- 0
- 76
A friend of mine recently also went to an HTC one from his S3 and he summed up his review pretty well. Sent me an email of what he posted on Cnet. He works for a tech blog so he has a lot of experience with Android. Here is the first part of it which I found my self whole heartedly agreeing with. I have never owned a Samsung but I have so many friends with it, I feel like I have. I always play around with my friends phones. What he says about the iPhone is something I've already echo'ed in this thread and actually conveys my thoughts better than I did.
Played around with a S4 at an AT&T store today (which by the way was completely empty) in Manhattan.
- Surprisingly light - I know it's about the same as the S3, but as an overall package with the 5" screen, it had a similar feeling the first time I held an iPhone 5 - surprisingly light. Obviously the 5 is much lighter, but for the total size of the phone, the S4 is impressive and noticeably lighter than the One
- Screen is impressively sharp - better than the Note 2 and the equal to the HTC 1080p screens. The screens continue to be easily distinguishable - the HTC's LCD screen still brighter and 'whiter'. However the S4 is noticeably whiter than the Note 2 screen (both in Natural mode) and seemed to be easier to read in the display case next to the windows with plenty of sunlight streaming in. Color saturation like before is a Samsung trait. All-in-all if you're OK or a fan of AMOLED screens, this will be a nice improvement. If you're an Apple/LCD guy, the S4 gets closer but is still clearly AMOLED.
- Feel of the body is a minor improvement over the S3/Note2 - not sure if it's the metallic feeling side band or the different back texture - but it's noticeable. However, still easy win for the One.
- The screen size is also noticeably larger than the One - side by side with the same site open and aligned at exactly the same spot, the S4 has more than noticeable more real estate. I hesitate to say considerable, but the combination of a larger screen + no on screen buttons makes an everyday difference.
- The default screens Samsung sets up continue to suck. Why they think having different useless widgets + 3/4 apps each scattered across 5 screens makes sense is beyond me. While it's super easy to delete widgets/apps and setup the phone like you want, the out of box experience for noobs is not as good as Apple or even the One. While I'm not a fan of Blinkfeed, having it constrained to just 1 screen and then basically have only apps on the other feels like a better compromise to me.
- Didn't feel any slowness in the S4, though I did once get stutter when rapidly scrolling through screens. I think it's safe to say if you remove all the crap they put on the default screens, you won't have a problem.
- Didn't really bother taking photos with either the One or S4 since the quality difference on screen (vs viewing full size on your computer) in a brightly lit store is pointless.
Overall it's what I expected - an impressive display of packaging (size/weight/thinness) with an improved screen and the traditional Samsung-ness everywhere else (software/plastic).
Frankly it's more of a surprise how different overall the One and S4 feel from each other. If I had to pick one (which I don't since I still prefer the larger screen in my Note 2) - I'd probably pick the S4 since I'm all about screen size and I'd root it and either load a custom ROM or use TiBu to freeze all the bloatware. My wife would clearly pick the One as she prefers the style and doesn't like tinkering with her phone.
- Surprisingly light - I know it's about the same as the S3, but as an overall package with the 5" screen, it had a similar feeling the first time I held an iPhone 5 - surprisingly light. Obviously the 5 is much lighter, but for the total size of the phone, the S4 is impressive and noticeably lighter than the One
- Screen is impressively sharp - better than the Note 2 and the equal to the HTC 1080p screens. The screens continue to be easily distinguishable - the HTC's LCD screen still brighter and 'whiter'. However the S4 is noticeably whiter than the Note 2 screen (both in Natural mode) and seemed to be easier to read in the display case next to the windows with plenty of sunlight streaming in. Color saturation like before is a Samsung trait. All-in-all if you're OK or a fan of AMOLED screens, this will be a nice improvement. If you're an Apple/LCD guy, the S4 gets closer but is still clearly AMOLED.
- Feel of the body is a minor improvement over the S3/Note2 - not sure if it's the metallic feeling side band or the different back texture - but it's noticeable. However, still easy win for the One.
- The screen size is also noticeably larger than the One - side by side with the same site open and aligned at exactly the same spot, the S4 has more than noticeable more real estate. I hesitate to say considerable, but the combination of a larger screen + no on screen buttons makes an everyday difference.
- The default screens Samsung sets up continue to suck. Why they think having different useless widgets + 3/4 apps each scattered across 5 screens makes sense is beyond me. While it's super easy to delete widgets/apps and setup the phone like you want, the out of box experience for noobs is not as good as Apple or even the One. While I'm not a fan of Blinkfeed, having it constrained to just 1 screen and then basically have only apps on the other feels like a better compromise to me.
- Didn't feel any slowness in the S4, though I did once get stutter when rapidly scrolling through screens. I think it's safe to say if you remove all the crap they put on the default screens, you won't have a problem.
- Didn't really bother taking photos with either the One or S4 since the quality difference on screen (vs viewing full size on your computer) in a brightly lit store is pointless.
Overall it's what I expected - an impressive display of packaging (size/weight/thinness) with an improved screen and the traditional Samsung-ness everywhere else (software/plastic).
Frankly it's more of a surprise how different overall the One and S4 feel from each other. If I had to pick one (which I don't since I still prefer the larger screen in my Note 2) - I'd probably pick the S4 since I'm all about screen size and I'd root it and either load a custom ROM or use TiBu to freeze all the bloatware. My wife would clearly pick the One as she prefers the style and doesn't like tinkering with her phone.
blairharrington
Senior member
- Jan 1, 2009
- 767
- 0
- 71
Just got to use the S4 for the first time. Just drove home how ridiculous, IMO, the hate is for the plastic backing. It feels fine IMO. The only issue I have with it is that it appears to be slippery. That's my only complaint with the plastic on the S4 and if I liked other elements of the phone I would get it.
My previous issues with white balance on amoled screens remains with the S4. Brightness at max, auto-brightness off, tested all 4 different modes. Just unacceptable performance for my needs. White balance on the iPhone 5, HTC One, First, and probably any other solid LCD panel will provide superior whites. I realize not everybody cares about this but for me it's crucial.
Using a 5" screen again drives home Apple's need to provide a 5" iPhone model. Strongly prefer the size over my 4" iPhone 5. My fingers can easily reach all 4 corners of the S4 and I have average sized male hands.
Samsung will sell a ton of these. Obviously. The momentum of the S3 will only continue onto the S4. I do hope HTC is rewarded for their efforts on the One. I also really like the HTC First and think it's a good deal at $450 off-contract. I would personally take a First over a Nexus 4 at this point. Still so excited for the G Pro.
My previous issues with white balance on amoled screens remains with the S4. Brightness at max, auto-brightness off, tested all 4 different modes. Just unacceptable performance for my needs. White balance on the iPhone 5, HTC One, First, and probably any other solid LCD panel will provide superior whites. I realize not everybody cares about this but for me it's crucial.
Using a 5" screen again drives home Apple's need to provide a 5" iPhone model. Strongly prefer the size over my 4" iPhone 5. My fingers can easily reach all 4 corners of the S4 and I have average sized male hands.
Samsung will sell a ton of these. Obviously. The momentum of the S3 will only continue onto the S4. I do hope HTC is rewarded for their efforts on the One. I also really like the HTC First and think it's a good deal at $450 off-contract. I would personally take a First over a Nexus 4 at this point. Still so excited for the G Pro.
AMDZen
Lifer
- Apr 15, 2004
- 12,589
- 0
- 76
HTC will be rewarded with their efforts on the one. I can assure you. iOS is clearly aging and its not a coincidence that I am not the only one that is currently moving away from iPhone. For some reason, its perfect timing for HTC with regard to the community of people I associate with. I know a dozen people at least now that are moving away from iPhone and they're choosing the HTC One 100% of the time. The LCD discussion has been explained already but to reiterate I simply prefer them and it seems iPhone users almost universally agree. The screen, the UI, the sexiness and design philosophy. As iPhone users migrate to Android. And if more and more people do depending on what Apple does this summer, they will be moving off to the HTC ONE and devices like it more so than the S4. That much I am certain of.
That's an optimistic take on things, personally I think HTC should have named it the Last One judging by the way things are going for them.
I got to play with the One yesterday and its indeed impressive. I still dont like Sense however and that may be enough to make me wait for the Nexus 5.
Connoisseur
Platinum Member
- Sep 14, 2002
- 2,470
- 1
- 81
In case anyone finds this helpful, my thoughts on my purchase. Today, I went to the AT&T store and compared the One vs S4 for a good 40 minutes looking at everything from internet browsing, to videos, to performance in high ambient light and in-hand feel. After much deliberation I went with the S4. Below were the final selling points for me:
1) The S4 is super thin (so is the One) and the in-hand feel was not bad at all. Sure it's plastic but it still felt great in my hands
2) Sense vs Touchwiz - After playing with both phones, I liked Touchwiz better due to the following:
a) Ability to fully customize every pane. With Sense, you're stuck with Blinkfeed on one of them
b) Toggle options are much easier to access in Touchwiz. I can access Wifi, Airplane Mode, GPS, Sound and many other frequently used options right from the drag down screen. With Sense, I had to go through at least 2 menu options to enable/disable these items.
c) Multi-tasking is a bit more intuitive for me with Touchwiz.
3) HTC One heated up fairly decently when watching videos. I was a little surprised by this but I guess aluminum transfers heat a lot better than plastic. The S4 didn't heat up nearly as much. With the One, I could see it maybe being uncomfortable in my pocket after heavy use.
4) From the reviews, I believe the S4 has better battery life than the One. It didn't help that every One I saw in the apple store was down to like 15% power for some reason. When really thinking about it, battery life is important to me. I also like the option of potentially getting a larger battery in the future for even greater runtime.
5) Right now i'm carrying around the S4 without a case. I'll probably add one in the very near future but i'm not terrified of it getting scratched up. With the One, I know I'd treat it like some precious stone and would have to case it up asap.
6) I can honestly say that I no longer recognize the pentile matrix effect on the S4. I could still see it on the S3 but with the 1080p resolution, it's completely gone.
With that said, I do have to say that the One is a gorgeous phone. It's screen is noticeably brighter than the S4 and I can see it being a bit easier to read in daylight (but the S4 isn't a slouch in this category either). If it weren't for the reduced battery life vs the S4 and my preference for the TouchWiz UI, it would have been impossible to decide.
1) The S4 is super thin (so is the One) and the in-hand feel was not bad at all. Sure it's plastic but it still felt great in my hands
2) Sense vs Touchwiz - After playing with both phones, I liked Touchwiz better due to the following:
a) Ability to fully customize every pane. With Sense, you're stuck with Blinkfeed on one of them
b) Toggle options are much easier to access in Touchwiz. I can access Wifi, Airplane Mode, GPS, Sound and many other frequently used options right from the drag down screen. With Sense, I had to go through at least 2 menu options to enable/disable these items.
c) Multi-tasking is a bit more intuitive for me with Touchwiz.
3) HTC One heated up fairly decently when watching videos. I was a little surprised by this but I guess aluminum transfers heat a lot better than plastic. The S4 didn't heat up nearly as much. With the One, I could see it maybe being uncomfortable in my pocket after heavy use.
4) From the reviews, I believe the S4 has better battery life than the One. It didn't help that every One I saw in the apple store was down to like 15% power for some reason. When really thinking about it, battery life is important to me. I also like the option of potentially getting a larger battery in the future for even greater runtime.
5) Right now i'm carrying around the S4 without a case. I'll probably add one in the very near future but i'm not terrified of it getting scratched up. With the One, I know I'd treat it like some precious stone and would have to case it up asap.
6) I can honestly say that I no longer recognize the pentile matrix effect on the S4. I could still see it on the S3 but with the 1080p resolution, it's completely gone.
With that said, I do have to say that the One is a gorgeous phone. It's screen is noticeably brighter than the S4 and I can see it being a bit easier to read in daylight (but the S4 isn't a slouch in this category either). If it weren't for the reduced battery life vs the S4 and my preference for the TouchWiz UI, it would have been impossible to decide.
Dulanic
Diamond Member
- Oct 27, 2000
- 9,969
- 592
- 136
I've been torn between the one and s4 myself. After going to a store and trying both I'm definitely going s4. Plastic doesn't bother me as it is more durable against drops and dents.
My main reasons are the screen size. After the menu bar the one feels small in comparison. Also I like some software tweaks on the Samsung like long pressing a toggle on the bar to get into the settings vs going through the long way. Also I'm not a fan of HTC multitasking. It's improved but still not as good.
My main reasons are the screen size. After the menu bar the one feels small in comparison. Also I like some software tweaks on the Samsung like long pressing a toggle on the bar to get into the settings vs going through the long way. Also I'm not a fan of HTC multitasking. It's improved but still not as good.
I've been seeing some contradictory arguments for plastic and against aluminum. It's weird. People say they prefer plastic because it can handle dents better. But whenever someone mentions the beauty of the aluminum body of the HTC One people dismiss it because everyone is going to put it in a case anyway. Well, if that's the case then why is plastic acceptable since the device is going to be in a case but a beautiful phone isn't? Will all the S4 people leave their phones naked?
poofyhairguy
Lifer
- Nov 20, 2005
- 14,612
- 318
- 126
Phones will still dent in a case. My Transformer Prime is is a case and when I dropped it last night I still dented the edge. For some of us a plastic phone inside a plastic case is necessary.
Speaking of which, my Prime basically showed me last night why I can't get the One. First dent the second week and I will regret it.
Hopefully Amazon will start selling S4's soon for $50 like they did with the One.
blackangst1
Lifer
- Feb 23, 2005
- 22,902
- 2,359
- 126
Heres my thoughts on the One after 2 days of use.
1. I love the metal case. I guess Im just tired of the plain black plasitc cases that every cell phone has. I put a very thin clear case on it (a Speck case if anyone cares) and it doesnt take away from the beauty of the phone, and gives it protection should I accidentally drop it. As a side note...up until last year I never had cases. But, no one ever drops a phone before their first time, right? I accidentally dropped my S2 and it landed face down, shattering the entire glass. After I paid the deductable, I got a case. Not gonna risk it with the One. Overall the build quality is super. Best of any phone Ive had.
2. I actually dont mind Sense 5. Compared to touch wiz, it feels to me much less intrusive. There are a few features of TW I miss, but I'll adapt. Sense 5 is very quick and no lag whatsoever.
3. I dont mind blingfeed. I used Flipboard on my S2, so its OK for me. I set up my phone with 4 panels, with blingfeed on the first panel. I set up the rest of the panels similarly to how I had my S2 set up.
4. At first, the lack of the toggle panel on the pull down screen was a little disturbing, as I use a few of them regularly. However, the one has a widget with all the toggles I need, so just put it on a panel for fast access. Theres no loss of time doing it this way. With TW, you swipe down, then touch the toggle you want. With Sense, you swipe to the panel with the widget, and touch it. One you swipe down, one you swipe sideways. Not a big deal.
5. The screen is absolutely amazing. Enough said.
6. The remote capabilities on the One is incredible. It's almost like having a Harmony in my phone. Everything is customizable, and you can set up many different profiles depending on what hardware you've got where. For example, downstairs I have my TV, sat box, and receiver set up. In my office I have my TV and sat box. Very customizable. The only thing it doesn't do that the Harmony does is one touch on and off. Oh, and it will learn from the native remote if needed.
7. It did heat up a bit while putting it through the paces. But its to be expected. Doesn't bother me at all.
8. The One definitely has less bloatware installed than Ive seen on any phone Ive ever had. Its minimal. And you can disable whatever you want and choose not to receive Play Store notifications as well, as well as hide it in the app drawer. Space isnt really an issue, so I dont see an advantage to removing it vs disabling it.
9. The speakers. Wow. Just wow. I played some flac music using Power Amp and for a phone it sounds simply amazing. Very rich and clear. And holy shit these things are loud. For my ringtones and notifications Ive got volume set at about 25%. Anything more and its just too loud. I also love the speakers on the front for speakerphone, which I use alot. Friends have told me its barely noticeable when using it.
All in all Im very happy I went this route.
edit: Also, about screen size. I specifically like this phone because it DOESNT have a huge screen. I carry my phone in my pocket, and anything bigger would be too big. If I wanted a big screen I would've gotten the Note 2.
1. I love the metal case. I guess Im just tired of the plain black plasitc cases that every cell phone has. I put a very thin clear case on it (a Speck case if anyone cares) and it doesnt take away from the beauty of the phone, and gives it protection should I accidentally drop it. As a side note...up until last year I never had cases. But, no one ever drops a phone before their first time, right? I accidentally dropped my S2 and it landed face down, shattering the entire glass. After I paid the deductable, I got a case. Not gonna risk it with the One. Overall the build quality is super. Best of any phone Ive had.
2. I actually dont mind Sense 5. Compared to touch wiz, it feels to me much less intrusive. There are a few features of TW I miss, but I'll adapt. Sense 5 is very quick and no lag whatsoever.
3. I dont mind blingfeed. I used Flipboard on my S2, so its OK for me. I set up my phone with 4 panels, with blingfeed on the first panel. I set up the rest of the panels similarly to how I had my S2 set up.
4. At first, the lack of the toggle panel on the pull down screen was a little disturbing, as I use a few of them regularly. However, the one has a widget with all the toggles I need, so just put it on a panel for fast access. Theres no loss of time doing it this way. With TW, you swipe down, then touch the toggle you want. With Sense, you swipe to the panel with the widget, and touch it. One you swipe down, one you swipe sideways. Not a big deal.
5. The screen is absolutely amazing. Enough said.
6. The remote capabilities on the One is incredible. It's almost like having a Harmony in my phone. Everything is customizable, and you can set up many different profiles depending on what hardware you've got where. For example, downstairs I have my TV, sat box, and receiver set up. In my office I have my TV and sat box. Very customizable. The only thing it doesn't do that the Harmony does is one touch on and off. Oh, and it will learn from the native remote if needed.
7. It did heat up a bit while putting it through the paces. But its to be expected. Doesn't bother me at all.
8. The One definitely has less bloatware installed than Ive seen on any phone Ive ever had. Its minimal. And you can disable whatever you want and choose not to receive Play Store notifications as well, as well as hide it in the app drawer. Space isnt really an issue, so I dont see an advantage to removing it vs disabling it.
9. The speakers. Wow. Just wow. I played some flac music using Power Amp and for a phone it sounds simply amazing. Very rich and clear. And holy shit these things are loud. For my ringtones and notifications Ive got volume set at about 25%. Anything more and its just too loud. I also love the speakers on the front for speakerphone, which I use alot. Friends have told me its barely noticeable when using it.
All in all Im very happy I went this route.
edit: Also, about screen size. I specifically like this phone because it DOESNT have a huge screen. I carry my phone in my pocket, and anything bigger would be too big. If I wanted a big screen I would've gotten the Note 2.
Last edited:
blairharrington
Senior member
- Jan 1, 2009
- 767
- 0
- 71
You mean BlinkFeed.
Every smartphone should have their speaker on the front or on the bottom. It's a shame how many of them are placed on the back of the phone.
Every smartphone should have their speaker on the front or on the bottom. It's a shame how many of them are placed on the back of the phone.
blackangst1
Lifer
- Feb 23, 2005
- 22,902
- 2,359
- 126
Intentional misspelling
uh...S4 is 5" diagonal, One is 4.7". and the one is higher pixel density as well.
NikolaeVarius
Lifer
- Oct 25, 2006
- 11,036
- 11
- 91
Intentional misspelling
uh...S4 is 5" diagonal, One is 4.7". and the one is higher pixel density as well.
Because screen size is directly proportional to total size. I think you're missing something on the Spec sheet. Look carefully.
WelshBloke
Lifer
- Jan 12, 2005
- 33,293
- 11,424
- 136
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