Android Phones - Defend Your Purchase - The Something Awful Forums

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Kreeblah: May 17, 2004; INSERT QUACK TO CONTINUE; Taco Defender

hotsauce posted:

Are all Moto X models pentaband? As in do the AT&T/T-Mobile/Dev Edition run the same bands (assuming carrier bands are unlocked). Does the Dev Edition contain more bands than say, the AT&T or T-Mobile version or they all the same hardware?

I can't seem to locate this info online.

The "T-Mobile" edition and the GSM developer edition are exactly the same. Same model number, even. So, they're carrier unlocked, have no carrier software on them, and have all the bands. The only thing the developer edition gets you that you can't get from Motomaker is "DEVELOPER EDITION" written on the back. On the other hand, the AT&T version is carrier locked, has carrier software, and is missing some of the T-Mo AWS bands.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 08:08

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# ? Jun 11, 2024 04:41

ClassActionFursuit: Mar 15, 2006

bull3964 posted:

I find Touchwiz as annoying as the next person, but AOSP is guilty of "More" too.

Just look under Wireless & Networks in settings.

That isn't a category header, it's a catchall in a subheading and it's a bad UX choice there too. At least I know what it's More of, it's more wireless & network settings. What's More in the context of that picture?

# ? Nov 20, 2013 08:15

ClassActionFursuit: Mar 15, 2006

An interesting story out of CBS who is reporting that carriers refused to allow any devices to be carrier subsidized by them with a kill switch to prevent thefts. Apparently CBS obtained emails of carriers specifically denying Samsung builds that contained a user-activated kill switch.

It bears mention that this is not the same thing as a remote locate/wipe/lock function but one that would permanently disable the device.

Kind of big news that a big potential deterrent for cellphone theft which is accounting for an increasing amount of muggings and robberies is being denied implementation because of the carriers' whims. It's pretty obvious this is so they can sell victims new phones later although to be fair they could also be fearing having to deal with customers who kill their phones then recover them. Even so it seems like a lovely practice to me.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 10:07

Hadlock: Nov 9, 2004

I think in Europe you can just blacklist your IMEI number which effectively bricks it unless you only want to use it on WiFi.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 10:14

Rusty!: Aug 25, 2005; Play Up Pompey
Pompey Play Up

Hadlock posted:

I think in Europe you can just blacklist your IMEI number which effectively bricks it unless you only want to use it on WiFi.

Yeah we can, report it stolen to your network and the do just that. It only makes the phone useless in your country though, so thieves just send them abroad. Or change the IMEI.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 10:42

ClassActionFursuit: Mar 15, 2006

Hadlock posted:

I think in Europe you can just blacklist your IMEI number which effectively bricks it unless you only want to use it on WiFi.

We have blacklists too but it turns out you can sell phones internationally. We do even better than blacklists by having carriers be essentially incompatible with each other!*

Blacklists still don't address the problem that the phone can be used if it's stolen. The whole concept of a kill switch is that stolen phones have no value at all which is something carriers do not want to happen.

_{*Except for all the shady carriers who ignore the blacklists}

# ? Nov 20, 2013 10:44

An Cat Dubh: Jun 17, 2005; Save the drama for your llama

Streptovsky posted:

Same here. I put 4.3 on my GS3 and I noticed that the battery was getting hit pretty hard. Put up with it for a few days then dropped it back down to 4.1.2 and it stopped happening. Not sure what the hell was going on.

I posted earlier that I'm having the same problem after updating to 4.3, plus wake up lag and my phone just shutting off. Samsung has apparently pulled 4.3 for now. I'm pretty illiterate when it comes to this stuff, so I'm wary of trying to downgrade to 4.1.2 on my own.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 12:02

PurpleJesus: Feb 27, 2008; We all change. When you think about it, we're all different people all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you gotta keep moving.

This is pretty cool, get a Moto X for $0 down and no interest if you pay it off in 18 months. I've been debating buying one anyway, but I think this pushes me over the edge.

http://www.androidcentral.com/motorola-now-offering-0-down-0-financing-purchases-online-store

# ? Nov 20, 2013 14:33

kitten smoothie: Dec 29, 2001

LastInLine posted:

An interesting story out of CBS who is reporting that carriers refused to allow any devices to be carrier subsidized by them with a kill switch to prevent thefts. Apparently CBS obtained emails of carriers specifically denying Samsung builds that contained a user-activated kill switch.

It bears mention that this is not the same thing as a remote locate/wipe/lock function but one that would permanently disable the device.

Kind of big news that a big potential deterrent for cellphone theft which is accounting for an increasing amount of muggings and robberies is being denied implementation because of the carriers' whims. It's pretty obvious this is so they can sell victims new phones later although to be fair they could also be fearing having to deal with customers who kill their phones then recover them. Even so it seems like a lovely practice to me.

I leave my phone in a cab, I remotely kill the phone forever; now if I don't have insurance, I have absolutely no choice but to buy a new phone at full retail unless I want to ETF out to a new carrier and get a subsidized phone again.

Or, if I don't remotely disable it, I still have to go get a new phone or ETF out.

How does either scenario impact their bottom line differently? Honestly it seems like making it so you can't get an insurance replacement unless the device is remotely permabricked would cut down on a lot of fraud. You wouldn't be able to report a phone stolen for insurance, then eBay it or and then reactivate it on drug dealer burner phone networks like Cricket or PagePlus since Verizon blacklisted the phone.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 14:38

datajosh: May 3, 2002; I had the realization these aren't my problem!

For anyone else with a Note 3, Samsung is giving out $50 Google Play credits (US only, IMEI required):

http://samsungnote3.prizelogic.com/

# ? Nov 20, 2013 15:11

MycroftXXX: May 10, 2006; A Liquor Never Brewed

Streptovsky posted:

Are you using google play a lot? (streaming movies or music, or reading books with it)

If no, no that's pretty abnormal.

Try clearing out your cached processes. What kind of phone do you have? Most of them will let you by holding down the home key, then just clear that out.

I mean, I use google music a decent amount, but I had barely used it all day at the time I took that screen shot.

I have a Nexus 4 running 4.3

snackcakes posted:

Just wanted to chime in and say I'm having the same issue on my Droid Maxx. Some random forum posts I read suggested clearing the data and cache on the play services application. Trying that out to see if it works.

Let me know if this works for you. I'll give it a shot at some point today.

Edit: Apparently this is a thing happening to a lot of people http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/11/19/its-not-just-you-google-play-services-seems-to-be-a-battery-hog-today/

MycroftXXX fucked around with this message at 15:32 on Nov 20, 2013

# ? Nov 20, 2013 15:20

hooah: Feb 6, 2006; WTF?

hooah posted:

Ok, "listen to Boston" works, but neither "listen to Foreplay by Boston" nor "listen to Foreplay" (they both result in a Google search). Can I only put an artist at the end of that query? If not, what other parameters does that search take?

Well, I figured out this example, at least - even on the Play Music desktop page, searching for "Foreplay/Long Time" doesn't return anything by Boston. Oh Google, why does your search never work for your own products?

# ? Nov 20, 2013 15:32

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

LastInLine posted:

An interesting story out of CBS who is reporting that carriers refused to allow any devices to be carrier subsidized by them with a kill switch to prevent thefts. Apparently CBS obtained emails of carriers specifically denying Samsung builds that contained a user-activated kill switch.

It bears mention that this is not the same thing as a remote locate/wipe/lock function but one that would permanently disable the device.

Kind of big news that a big potential deterrent for cellphone theft which is accounting for an increasing amount of muggings and robberies is being denied implementation because of the carriers' whims. It's pretty obvious this is so they can sell victims new phones later although to be fair they could also be fearing having to deal with customers who kill their phones then recover them. Even so it seems like a lovely practice to me.

I wonder how Apple got around this. Any device with Find my iPhone (or whatever) enabled becomes useless without the user's iCloud password if it's wiped. I guess it's not *technically* permanent, but it effectively is. Certainly #1 phone maker Samsung has the marketing might to sway the carriers at this point.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 15:37

butt dickus: Jul 7, 2007; top ten juiced up coaches
and the top ten juiced up players

Endless Mike posted:

I wonder how Apple got around this. Any device with Find my iPhone (or whatever) enabled becomes useless without the user's iCloud password if it's wiped. I guess it's not *technically* permanent, but it effectively is. Certainly #1 phone maker Samsung has the marketing might to sway the carriers at this point.

Samsung doesn't have to do anything. You can do nearly the same thing on any Android phone (with 2.2 or later and Play Services, I think) with the Android Device Manager.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 15:43

kitten smoothie: Dec 29, 2001

Doctor rear end in a top hat posted:

Samsung doesn't have to do anything. You can do nearly the same thing on any Android phone (with 2.2 or later and Play Services, I think) with the Android Device Manager.

Android Device Manager just wipes, though. It won't perma-brick the device like what "Find My iPhone" does or what Samsung presumably wanted to deploy.

edit: to be clear, "Find My iPhone" does at least allow the original user to use the device again if they recover it, but it's as good as bricked to anyone else. I suppose that is an important distinction, but to a thief it's all the same, you can't use the phone if you're not its rightful owner.

kitten smoothie fucked around with this message at 15:49 on Nov 20, 2013

# ? Nov 20, 2013 15:47

big mean giraffe: Dec 13, 2003; Eat Shit and Die; Lipstick Apathy

LastInLine posted:

My Device which means nothing

My Device is quite obviously for customizing 'personalization' settings, or making it "My Device." You're either really dense or really stretching to make up reasons TouchWiz is the devil. Besides that, even if they have their categories labeled with pictures of fruit instead of words, it would still take about 10 seconds to figure out which setting was where and be done with it.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 15:47

butt dickus: Jul 7, 2007; top ten juiced up coaches
and the top ten juiced up players

kitten smoothie posted:

Android Device Manager just wipes, though. It won't perma-brick the device like what "Find My iPhone" does or what Samsung presumably wanted to deploy.

Then what does the "Lock" option do? Why is that option even there if that's not what it does?

# ? Nov 20, 2013 15:52

Tunga: May 7, 2004; Grimey Drawer

Turns on the lock screen (immediately).

# ? Nov 20, 2013 15:57

kitten smoothie: Dec 29, 2001

Doctor rear end in a top hat posted:

Then what does the "Lock" option do? Why is that option even there if that's not what it does?

All it does is turn passcode protection on, or lets you change the passcode if you already had one. So say you left your phone in a restaurant and didn't have a code on it, you could remotely set a passcode so that nobody can get to your homemade porn or your unfiled drafts of reports to the SEC before you can get back and pick your phone up from the maitre'd.

Pretty sure if you came upon a phone in this state, 5 minutes of googling for "$phone_model reset without passcode" would tell you how to get into recovery mode and wipe it so it's like a fresh free phone for you.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 15:57

butt dickus: Jul 7, 2007; top ten juiced up coaches
and the top ten juiced up players

kitten smoothie posted:

Pretty sure if you came upon a phone in this state, 5 minutes of googling for "$phone_model reset without passcode" would tell you how to get into recovery mode and wipe it so it's like a fresh free phone for you.

Well that's nearly useless. I thought it registered the device with Google as being locked so that it couldn't use Play Services.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 16:03

DrBouvenstein: Feb 28, 2007; I think I'm a doctor, but that doesn't make me a doctor. This fancy avatar does.

I just got Cerberus to deal with all of that. A lifetime subscription is only like $5 for several devices at once. Totally worth it. Remote turning screen lock on/off, finding your device via WiFi or GPS, it can take pictures when someone inputs the wrong PIN code to unlock, tell you if a different SIM card is inserted, remote wipe, all that fun stuff.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 16:04

butt dickus: Jul 7, 2007; top ten juiced up coaches
and the top ten juiced up players

DrBouvenstein posted:

I just got Cerberus to deal with all of that. A lifetime subscription is only like $5 for several devices at once. Totally worth it. Remote turning screen lock on/off, finding your device via WiFi or GPS, it can take pictures when someone inputs the wrong PIN code to unlock, tell you if a different SIM card is inserted, remote wipe, all that fun stuff.

It still doesn't stop someone from flashing a factory image.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 16:07

Combat Pretzel: Jun 23, 2004; No, seriously... what kurds?!

MycroftXXX posted:

Edit: Apparently this is a thing happening to a lot of people http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/11/19/its-not-just-you-google-play-services-seems-to-be-a-battery-hog-today/

Google needs to start to get their poo poo together. All these wakelock issues are getting really annoying. Other companies in the business of writing operating systems and related services put their code through heavy longterm automated unit testing to find and prevent issues like this. With Google it seems more like shipping as soon it compiles.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 16:11

Decius: Oct 14, 2005; Ramrod XTreme

Combat Pretzel posted:

Google needs to start to get their poo poo together. All these wakelock issues are getting really annoying. Other companies in the business of writing operating systems and related services put their code through heavy longterm automated unit testing to find and prevent issues like this. With Google it seems more like shipping as soon it compiles.

Now, we've seen similar issues with battery life after updates with iOS and WP8. Or the new Surface 2, which got an update because of similar issues a short time ago. Yeah, they should get their poo poo together, but it's not like the others are much better. Google just updates the Play Service/Framework so often such errors creep in more often.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 16:31

bull3964: Nov 18, 2000; DO YOU HEAR THAT? THAT'S THE SOUND OF ME PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK.

Shipping as soon as it compiles basically defines the entire software industry right now.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 16:44

CaptainJuan: Oct 15, 2008; Thick. Juicy. Tender.

Imagine cutting into a Barry White Song.

So I connect to the public wifi at a specific hotel pretty frequently. When I use my tablet running CM, it connects automatically as soon as it's in range of the network and pops up a little notification saying "additional sign-in information required" or something like that. When I'm using my note 3 i have to manually tell it to connect, but then it automatically pops up a chrome window with the terms & conditions of service. Is there any way I can get my phone to connect automatically and just remind me to authenticate? Is this just a situation caused by the tablet being wifi only vs. the phone's cellular radio?

# ? Nov 20, 2013 17:14

schemie: May 3, 2004

datajosh posted:

For anyone else with a Note 3, Samsung is giving out $50 Google Play credits (US only, IMEI required):

http://samsungnote3.prizelogic.com/

This worked great! Thank you.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 17:29

FogHelmut: Dec 18, 2003

Does the AMOLED screen on the Moto X suck as bad as the one on the GNex?

# ? Nov 20, 2013 18:23

mfaley: Jul 30, 2005; Most rape is bad

FogHelmut posted:

Does the AMOLED screen on the Moto X suck as bad as the one on the GNex?

No, it's great.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 18:26

bull3964: Nov 18, 2000; DO YOU HEAR THAT? THAT'S THE SOUND OF ME PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK.

FogHelmut posted:

Does the AMOLED screen on the Moto X suck as bad as the one on the GNex?

No. I have never seen an OMLED screen as bad as the Galaxy Nexus. It was bad even compared to its contemporaries. My OG Droid Razr was a huge step up.

The current Moto displays aren't even pentile.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 18:28

kitten smoothie: Dec 29, 2001

The Nexus' screen looked as if it were a crumpled up piece of paper that had been spread back out and had a phone book put on it in a half assed attempt to level out the uneven spots. And that was on day one, before burn-in set in.

The Ultra/Maxx screen looks great, even compared to the RAZR HD before it, which was light years better than the Galaxy Nexus.

I never had any issues with burn-in a year later on the RAZR before I upgraded so I imagine that bodes well for the Maxx too.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 18:42

Combat Pretzel: Jun 23, 2004; No, seriously... what kurds?!

Decius posted:

Google just updates the Play Service/Framework so often such errors creep in more often.

With Android, one wakelock problem is always being replaced by another.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 18:45

butt dickus: Jul 7, 2007; top ten juiced up coaches
and the top ten juiced up players

The Nexus Wireless Charger is available for $50. Mine was $60 after taxes and the cheap shipping option.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 19:03

chocolateTHUNDER: Jul 19, 2008; GIVE ME ALL YOUR FREE AGENTS

ALL OF THEM

MycroftXXX posted:

Edit: Apparently this is a thing happening to a lot of people http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/11/19/its-not-just-you-google-play-services-seems-to-be-a-battery-hog-today/

Yeah, I've had this for the last 2 or 3 days now on my completely stock RAZR m. It hasn't seemed to affect battery life, though. Kind of annoying and weird/alarming to have the wake bar in the battery stats screen be a solid blue, and see that play services was awake for 10 hours though.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 19:04

Phone: Jul 30, 2005; 親子丼をほしい。

I think the 4.4 flash fixed it. Now that I have jinxed myself, I fully expect for it to poo poo the bed right... about... Now.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 19:10

The Merkinman: Apr 22, 2007; I sell only quality merkins. What is a merkin you ask? Why, it's a wig for your genitals!

Anyone having gyroscope issues with their Nexus 5? I can't get apps to notice the orientation, like Chrome. I downloaded Gyroscope Rotate and it seems to work there though.

EDIT: Had it turned off in settings :doh:

The Merkinman fucked around with this message at 20:47 on Nov 20, 2013

# ? Nov 20, 2013 19:42

FogHelmut: Dec 18, 2003

The more I think about it, the more I want a new phone.

Cost aside, is there a reason to get the Moto X over the Nexus 5? I like that the Moto X is smaller and gets somewhat better battery life. Or is the cost too much of a factor to ignore?

# ? Nov 20, 2013 20:05

Argyle: Jun 7, 2001

FogHelmut posted:

The more I think about it, the more I want a new phone.

Cost aside, is there a reason to get the Moto X over the Nexus 5? I like that the Moto X is smaller and gets somewhat better battery life. Or is the cost too much of a factor to ignore?

Active notifications are nice, twist-to-open-camera, customizable colors with Motomaker.

edit: \/\/\/\/ Forgot about the always-listening voice commands.

Argyle fucked around with this message at 20:25 on Nov 20, 2013

# ? Nov 20, 2013 20:21

butt dickus: Jul 7, 2007; top ten juiced up coaches
and the top ten juiced up players

Argyle posted:

Active notifications are nice, twist-to-open-camera, customizable colors with Motomaker.

You can also do voice commands while the screen is off.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 20:23

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# ? Jun 11, 2024 04:41

chocolateTHUNDER: Jul 19, 2008; GIVE ME ALL YOUR FREE AGENTS

ALL OF THEM

Moto X also has a straight up better camera.

# ? Nov 20, 2013 20:30

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