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SGS2, why does everyone love it? Here's why I don't...

S

soccerballtux

Lifer
Mom had me check out and pick up a SGS2 for her from Craigslist.
I am using it for a bit before shipping to her (waiting on charger from dude I bought from...long story...cool story bro...nevermind...) and I'm not liking it much--

1. Everything is too large! It's a 4.3" screen, so why are there 1" button icons in Touchwhiz? When using the stock messaging app, 3/4 of the screen is taken up by the keyboard + textbox for typing, leaving less than 4-lines worth of text in 1 SMS bubble visible. So you can't even read all of the most recently received text if it's longer than 3 lines. Frustrating when receiving a text while typing one out....changing font size to "Tiny" sorta fixes this...going to try a build.prop mod to change pixel density setting...I can post a pic of this later if anyone interested.

2. The Samsung keypad makes the text entry box constantly bob up and down with each word as it suggests words for completion-- and you can't keep auto-spelling-correction without also having the "suggested words" which creates this bobbing. It's even worse in landscape mode.
noroom.png
 
I never use it in landscape mode unless I am watching a video, so it's never been an issue for me personally. I am neutral on Touchwiz, it doesn't add or detract from the OS experience.
 
Samsung Keyboard? No one I know uses that.
I used Swipe for a day and never liked it. I bought SwiftKey that same night and never looked back ever since.

Stock Messaging app? I've never used that.
That's what Google Voice is for. Try using a different keyboard in the Stock Messaging app. Maybe the Samsung Keyboard is the problem.

The things you complained about can easily be fixed in software...Crap hardware can never be fixed.
 
soccerballtux said:
Mom had me check out and pick up a SGS2 for her from Craigslist.
I am using it for a bit before shipping to her (waiting on charger from dude I bought from...long story...cool story bro...nevermind...) and I'm not liking it much--

1. Everything is too large! It's a 4.3" screen, so why are there 1" button icons in Touchwhiz? When using the stock messaging app, 3/4 of the screen is taken up by the keyboard + textbox for typing, leaving less than 4-lines worth of text in 1 SMS bubble visible. So you can't even read all of the most recently received text if it's longer than 3 lines. Frustrating when receiving a text while typing one out....changing font size to "Tiny" sorta fixes this...going to try a build.prop mod to change pixel density setting...I can post a pic of this later if anyone interested.
Click to expand...

Uh, all virtual keyboards do that, regardless of the size of the screen. They all take 3/4ths of the screen.

I'd also hesitate to do any warranty voiding mods that will affect future OTAs on a phone that was going to someone who wasn't technically inclined.
 
Maybe I can help some:

soccerballtux said:
1. Everything is too large! It's a 4.3" screen, so why are there 1" button icons in Touchwhiz? When using the stock messaging app, 3/4 of the screen is taken up by the keyboard + textbox for typing, leaving less than 4-lines worth of text in 1 SMS bubble visible. So you can't even read all of the most recently received text if it's longer than 3 lines. Frustrating when receiving a text while typing one out....changing font size to "Tiny" sorta fixes this...going to try a build.prop mod to change pixel density setting...I can post a pic of this later if anyone interested.
Click to expand...

Avoid messing with a build.prop as you can really screw something up. I use this:

https://market.android.com/details?...NvbS53ZW1vYnMuYW5kcm9pZC5sY2RyZXNvbHV0aW9uIl0.

Works great is easy and it shows a preview.

One problem you will have is Touchwiz applications break with different densities. Either use an alternative phone app or you can install this:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1507702

Also the market will give you problems when you try to install apps. Either dig up and install a older version of the market and delete the marketupdater.apk to keep it old or just switch back to 240 using that app when you want to install or update apps.

2. The Samsung keypad makes the text entry box constantly bob up and down with each word as it suggests words for completion-- and you can't keep auto-spelling-correction without also having the "suggested words" which creates this bobbing. It's even worse in landscape mode.
Click to expand...

I can't help you with this one. I have used the Samsung keyboard all of two seconds total....
 
Cool thanks for tips guys. I am just a bit surprised how unrefined it is, here I was thinking the SGS2 had something on iphone... Seriously how can it be so hard to get the software right?
 
soccerballtux said:
Seriously how can it be so hard to get the software right?
Click to expand...

Well think about it:

iOS is a fork of OSX and took with it OSX's best strengths. Apple bought NeXT in 1996 and NeXTSTEP became OSX. So Apple has worked on iOS development since 1996.

Meanwhile Android's kernel is as old as OSX (Linux), but the rest was bought by Google in late 2005.

iOS has a decade head start on Android.
 
soccerballtux said:
Cool thanks for tips guys. I am just a bit surprised how unrefined it is, here I was thinking the SGS2 had something on iphone... Seriously how can it be so hard to get the software right?
Click to expand...

I personally got the sgs2 because it offered everything I really wanted and had in my iPhone 4, but with a larger screen and easier to customize OS. I don't regret it, but it's probably because we prioritize different things.
 
soccerballtux said:
Cool thanks for tips guys. I am just a bit surprised how unrefined it is, here I was thinking the SGS2 had something on iphone... Seriously how can it be so hard to get the software right?
Click to expand...

Some of us think the software is right just like it is. I've always flashed custom roms and tweaked my other Android devices but I have never seen the need on my Galaxy S2. Most people don't use the Samsung keypad and a lot of people , myself included, only type in portrait so the screen being obscured is never an issue.
 
poofyhairguy said:
Well think about it:

iOS is a fork of OSX and took with it OSX's best strengths. Apple bought NeXT in 1996 and NeXTSTEP became OSX. So Apple has worked on iOS development since 1996.

Meanwhile Android's kernel is as old as OSX (Linux), but the rest was bought by Google in late 2005.

iOS has a decade head start on Android.
Click to expand...

Seriously?
 
poofyhairguy said:
Well think about it:

iOS is a fork of OSX and took with it OSX's best strengths. Apple bought NeXT in 1996 and NeXTSTEP became OSX. So Apple has worked on iOS development since 1996.

Meanwhile Android's kernel is as old as OSX (Linux), but the rest was bought by Google in late 2005.

iOS has a decade head start on Android.
Click to expand...

wait what?

When Google bought Android they already have the foundation to start developing the OS.

While OSX had to be written from the bottom up..
 
I purchased swiftkeyX on my previous phone (EVO4G), and its pretty damn nice on a big screen.

What does your complain actually have to do with the SGSII?
 
soccerballtux said:
Mom had me check out and pick up a SGS2 for her from Craigslist.
I am using it for a bit before shipping to her (waiting on charger from dude I bought from...long story...cool story bro...nevermind...) and I'm not liking it much--

1. Everything is too large! It's a 4.3" screen, so why are there 1" button icons in Touchwhiz? When using the stock messaging app, 3/4 of the screen is taken up by the keyboard + textbox for typing, leaving less than 4-lines worth of text in 1 SMS bubble visible. So you can't even read all of the most recently received text if it's longer than 3 lines. Frustrating when receiving a text while typing one out....changing font size to "Tiny" sorta fixes this...going to try a build.prop mod to change pixel density setting...I can post a pic of this later if anyone interested.

2. The Samsung keypad makes the text entry box constantly bob up and down with each word as it suggests words for completion-- and you can't keep auto-spelling-correction without also having the "suggested words" which creates this bobbing. It's even worse in landscape mode.
noroom.png
Click to expand...

A phone is only limited by the hardware that it has and the apps you can find for it. Any smartphone can be better than you expect if you take a little time and remove the things you don't like and look for alternative software.

I mean, really, twenty million people can't all be wrong. The SGS2 is the best phone for the money on the market right now IMHO. If sales figures aren't your cup of tea, then how about some world-wide rating statistics? :colbert:
 
I don't remember the keyboard dominating the screen like that when I had Gingerbread. Is that a text field in the browser?

Droid 1


Galaxy Nexus (for fun)
 
Last edited:
Spoooon said:
I don't remember the keyboard dominating the screen like that when I had Gingerbread. Is that a text field in the browser?
Click to expand...

SC20120225-101032.png


I think it depends a lot on which keyboard you use. I rarely type in landscape mode, so it's never bothered me at all.
 
Simple, it's got the best SoC (Exynos), best screen (Super AMOLED+), best camera (8MP that rivals the iPhone 4S), boot loader unlocked by default and probably best support for custom ROMs.

True geeks couldn't care less about the actual software on the device as they'll load up a custom AOSP ROM and just watch the device fly.
 
poofyhairguy said:
Well think about it:

iOS is a fork of OSX and took with it OSX's best strengths. Apple bought NeXT in 1996 and NeXTSTEP became OSX. So Apple has worked on iOS development since 1996.

Meanwhile Android's kernel is as old as OSX (Linux), but the rest was bought by Google in late 2005.

iOS has a decade head start on Android.
Click to expand...

what I'm saying is that it took me 10 minutes of use to determine that they desperately need to
-decrease the DPI setting in build.prop
-come up with a solution for the bobbing textbox + word-suggestion issue (exists with Swype also, rendering default android keyboard as the only choice), and
-make the keyboard shorter (vertically)

Development takes a while, yes; but tweaking like this is paramount to a good user experience. I'm quite close now to just going to iPhone. These android makers are handing us to Apple on a silver platter, make it too easy...
 
Last edited:
pandemonium said:
A phone is only limited by the hardware that it has and the apps you can find for it. Any smartphone can be better than you expect if you take a little time and remove the things you don't like and look for alternative software.
Click to expand...

Steve Jobs took Apple to where they are because he was completely anal about the small things like this. If I were in charge of the SGS2 department, I would be anal like him, too.
 
dagamer34 said:
Simple, it's got the best SoC (Exynos), best screen (Super AMOLED+), best camera (8MP that rivals the iPhone 4S), boot loader unlocked by default and probably best support for custom ROMs.

True geeks couldn't care less about the actual software on the device as they'll load up a custom AOSP ROM and just watch the device fly.
Click to expand...

Yes, I agree it is the best; I think that's why everyone bought it (hardware merits not stock software). I just wish you didn't have to tweak it straight out of the box.
 
soccerballtux said:
Yes, I agree it is the best; I think that's why everyone bought it (hardware merits not stock software). I just wish you didn't have to tweak it straight out of the box.
Click to expand...

There is a reason why people switch clients. Such as Go SMS Pro or Handcent. Just like for iOS there is BiteSMS (except you need to JB)
 
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