The Android Thread - He;pl - The Something Awful Forums

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > The Android Thread - He;pl

Moey: Oct 22, 2010; I LIKE TO MOVE IT

Apparently Blu has a new phone that just came out that isn't terrible. 99 bucks, a different version is coming in September with double the ram and storage.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GUFAFP8

# ? Jul 29, 2016 02:30

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# ? May 30, 2024 20:05

Uthor: Jul 9, 2006; Gummy Bear Heaven ... It's where I go when the world is too mean.

Mnemosyne posted:

I do sometimes feel like maybe I'm insane for buying a smartphone for a 4 year old, but the game is a family activity for us, it's keeping us active, and it's giving me a lot of opportunities to teach him about numbers.

poo poo, that's less than all the money my sister has blown on tablets for her (now) 3 and 5 year olds. Or on broken phone screens when they dropped her phones. I'll have to remember to tell her about cheap phones next time it comes up.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 03:30

jokes: Dec 20, 2012; Uh... Kupo?

Moey posted:

Apparently Blu has a new phone that just came out that isn't terrible. 99 bucks, a different version is coming in September with double the ram and storage.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GUFAFP8

Their phones are very understated and I wanted a good BLU, but they always do something dumb to make it just not a great choice unless you need like a burner phone. They're really attractive and pretty looking and I like that the resolution is "low" considering how poo poo every phone's battery life is because of the really really high resolution displays.

Anyways, I guess I'll stick with Nexus.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 03:37

isndl: May 2, 2012; I WON A CONTEST IN TG AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS CUSTOM TITLE

Today I learned that Cortana is available for Android. Anyone know how it compares to Google Now? Is it worth the switch?

# ? Jul 29, 2016 04:42

uPen: Jan 25, 2010; Zu Rodina!

isndl posted:

Today I learned that Cortana is available for Android. Anyone know how it compares to Google Now? Is it worth the switch?

If it's similar to the Windows 10 Contana it would be generous to call it non-functional.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 04:46

Tsyni: Sep 1, 2004; Lipstick Apathy

uPen posted:

If it's similar to the Windows 10 Contana it would be generous to call it non-functional.

Is there a computer babe though?

# ? Jul 29, 2016 06:07

Syrinxx: Mar 28, 2002; Death is whimsical today

Oneplus 3 just got its second update with a few OS and camera fixes, and it's now at the July 2016 security patch level

# ? Jul 29, 2016 06:08

Ojjeorago: Sep 21, 2008; I had a dream, too. It wasn't pleasant, though ... I dreamt I was a moron...; Gary’s Answer

Syrinxx posted:

Oneplus 3 just got its second update with a few OS and camera fixes, and it's now at the July 2016 security patch level

Just in time for the August patch!

# ? Jul 29, 2016 06:49

AlexDeGruven: Jun 29, 2007; Watch me pull my dongle out of this tiny box

Mnemosyne posted:

I don't know how old your kid is, so this is going to be different depending on the kid's age. I just got mine a phone for Pokemon Go and so far it's working out really well. I bought him the BLU R1 HD off of Amazon, which is only $60 for a brand new phone. It's got advertisements from Amazon on the lock screen, but he doesn't give a poo poo, because he just got a phone.

Anyway, my kid is only 4, so he's never out and about by himself. Which means he doesn't actually need the phone to function as a phone, more like a tiny tablet. His phone has no SIM in it, and I did not put it on any cell plan. He's always with either his dad or me, so I just turn on the hotspot on my phone and his phone connects to it via wifi and uses my data. On Tmobile tethering is free, so that doesn't cost me anything.

I don't know if that's an option for you, but if it is, it's cheap and works great. We've been out as a family playing Pokemon Go almost every day. Even if you are going to go with adding cell service to the phone, I'm pretty impressed with the BLU for the price (though you gotta get the $60 one and not the $50 one). The only real drawbacks I've noticed (which are again, not a big deal given the price) is that it doesn't have NFC, it won't detect 5G Wifi networks, and it doesn't have any kind of quick charge capability.

I do sometimes feel like maybe I'm insane for buying a smartphone for a 4 year old, but the game is a family activity for us, it's keeping us active, and it's giving me a lot of opportunities to teach him about numbers.

This is exactly what I do with my 9 year old. The R1 HD is a pretty solid bit of kit, especially at $60. And the lock-screen ads aren't really that bad, not enough that I'd want to invest the time to try and get them turned off.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 12:22

bronin: Oct 15, 2009; use it or throw it away

Mogomra posted:

I'm assuming that it works similar to Pi-Hole since bronin mentioned a VPN implementation. Gotta pay for servers somehow.

But yeah, who wants to pay to block ads?

It's using a local VPN so no servers required. The free version blocks ads in your browser which is basically all I want. If there's ads in apps I buy the ad free version :shrug:

# ? Jul 29, 2016 14:04

Cable: Dec 20, 2005; it'll come like a wind.

I consider myself knowledgeable about Android phones so this is not an easy question but anyways, let me know if I'm missing anything.

My X Pure was stolen from me a couple months ago, so I bought another one. Yesterday I dropped it and the screen crashed but luckily I paid an insurance so I'm getting 80% of my money back.

The thing is that I really love the build of the Moto X, the speakers and the SD card slot (data plans are expensive where I leave so I just keep a lot of music there), and of course near-stock Android. If I wasn't compromising on updates, I'd buy it again, but now I'm thinking about getting something else. Here are the options I'm considering:

Nexus 6P: I don't like the build that much, it's larger than the MXP for the same screen size but most importantly, it's extremely expensive in Europe (about 600 EUR). The price is really the only reason why I wouldn't buy this, as it ticks all my needs.

Nexus 5X: The build is terrible (I've held one) but i'll have updated stock android and it's also cheap enough to allow some compromises, like the screen being significantly smaller than what i'm used to. Also heard that the audio quality through the headphones is not that good.

Samsung S7: I'd lose some screen size but keep the SD slot which I like, but I'm not sure if I'll hate touchwiz.

Is there anything I'm missing here? The OP3 is also an option but the fact that it's either loved or hated kinda scares me away.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 14:43

MikeJF: Dec 20, 2003

If you want near-stock and an SD card, the Xperia line's probably worth a look, too. If you want 6", didn't the Xperia XA Ultra just launch? Anyone know how that's reviewing?

# ? Jul 29, 2016 14:48

Cable: Dec 20, 2005; it'll come like a wind.

MikeJF posted:

If you want near-stock and an SD card, the Xperia line's probably worth a look, too. If you want 6", didn't the Xperia XA Ultra just launch? Anyone know how that's reviewing?

I know i'm being very picky but I don't really like the feel of the Sonys (my friends have a couple, I've tried them some). Also SD card is not a necessity as long as a 64gb option is not stupid expensive (I'm considering the 6P but it's 580 EUR, for that price I could wait until the new nexuses)

# ? Jul 29, 2016 14:54

feedmegin: Jul 30, 2008

ratbert90 posted:

What pisses me off about USB-C is that it reminds me that the engineers were too loving dumb to make usb-A 10 wire instead of 5.

USB is 4 wires? Or am I missing something here. I mean you can clearly see the 4 pads in a full-size USB connector.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 14:57

FlapYoJacks: Feb 12, 2009

feedmegin posted:

USB is 4 wires? Or am I missing something here. I mean you can clearly see the 4 pads in a full-size USB connector.

Sorry, was thinking of OTG which has a select line.

It should have been 8 wires instead of 4 then. :colbert:

# ? Jul 29, 2016 15:08

dont be mean to me: May 2, 2007; I'm interplanetary, bitch
Let's go to Mars

ratbert90 posted:

Sorry, was thinking of OTG which has a select line.

It should have been 8 wires instead of 4 then.

You forgot the shield's grounded. Also it gets its own pin in the small versions.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 15:12

FogHelmut: Dec 18, 2003

Cable posted:

Nexus 5X: The build is terrible (I've held one) but i'll have updated stock android and it's also cheap enough to allow some compromises, like the screen being significantly smaller than what i'm used to. Also heard that the audio quality through the headphones is not that good.

Is there anything I'm missing here? The OP3 is also an option but the fact that it's either loved or hated kinda scares me away.

Still janky as hell even after the software updates. The camera takes very nice photos but sometimes the app doesn't load or crashes. Sometimes you click the button to take the photo and nothing happens, or there is a very long delay.

And the front camera has some weird wide angle lensing effects and you look all distorted if you're not dead center in the photo.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 15:12

FlapYoJacks: Feb 12, 2009

Sir Unimaginative posted:

You forgot the shield's grounded. Also it gets its own pin in the small versions.

As somebody who actually programmed a USB stack once, I feel ashamed of myself now. :smith:

Still; my Original point still stands. Why they didn't make Type-A reversible I will never understand; and it's unforgivable.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 15:16

Skarsnik: Oct 21, 2008; I...AM...RUUUDE!

FogHelmut posted:

Still janky as hell even after the software updates. The camera takes very nice photos but sometimes the app doesn't load or crashes. Sometimes you click the button to take the photo and nothing happens, or there is a very long delay.

And the front camera has some weird wide angle lensing effects and you look all distorted if you're not dead center in the photo.

Nah, its been great since that performance update

# ? Jul 29, 2016 15:24

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

ratbert90 posted:

As somebody who actually programmed a USB stack once, I feel ashamed of myself now.

Still; my Original point still stands. Why they didn't make Type-A reversible I will never understand; and it's unforgivable.

According to Wiki, they omitted it to decrease manufacturing costs. Also if you just consider when it was being developed, it was replacing a bunch of interfaces that were largely plugged into a desktop once and not really thought about a whole lot after that. They certainly weren't considering it be used as a power supply cable considering it could only carry 10W.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 16:07

Captain Yossarian: Feb 24, 2011; All new" Rings of Fire"

Speaking of Type C- can someone please do the needful for me and link some goon approved Type C (and QC 3.0?) Compatible chargers that won't burst into flames or explode?

# ? Jul 29, 2016 16:29

mango sentinel: Jan 5, 2001; by sebmojo

Tsyni posted:

Is there a computer babe though?

They've abstracted the computer babe down to a simple, yonic circle.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 16:44

KICK BAMA KICK: Mar 2, 2009

Captain Yossarian posted:

Speaking of Type C- can someone please do the needful for me and link some goon approved Type C (and QC 3.0?) Compatible chargers that won't burst into flames or explode?

Anker stuff is very popular here and well-regarded. I'm using the 40W Powerport with 4 USB-A and 1 USB-C. That one isn't QC but I think they have ones that are. I'll recommend getting a bigger one like that and clearing your whole desk of chargers and cables, makes a big difference.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 16:48

Incessant Excess: Aug 15, 2005; Cause of glitch:
Pretentiousness

Cable posted:

Is there anything I'm missing here? The OP3 is also an option but the fact that it's either loved or hated kinda scares me away.

I switched to a Nexus 5X from a Oneplus One recently and the 5X feels about as fast as that at best, so I imagine the Oneplus 3 would be quite a bit snappier than the 5X at least.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 18:12

ilkhan: Oct 7, 2004; I LOVE Musk and his pro-first-amendment ways. X is the future.

KICK BAMA KICK posted:

Anker stuff is very popular here and well-regarded. I'm using the 40W Powerport with 4 USB-A and 1 USB-C. That one isn't QC but I think they have ones that are. I'll recommend getting a bigger one like that and clearing your whole desk of chargers and cables, makes a big difference.

Thats the charger Im using. Great speed, nice to have 4 ports for other stuff.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 19:17

Facebook Aunt: Oct 4, 2008; wiggle wiggle

What is the deal with security patches? I got a Moto E 2nd ed a couple months ago, and recently I've read that motos are bad because they don't push security updates. So I checked my phone and sure enough it says my android security patch level is February 1, 2016. Is that bad? Is there something I can do to manually update it?

I don't know nothin' 'bout no smart phones, until a couple months ago I had a land line.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 20:36

dont be mean to me: May 2, 2007; I'm interplanetary, bitch
Let's go to Mars

Facebook Aunt posted:

What is the deal with security patches? I got a Moto E 2nd ed a couple months ago, and recently I've read that motos are bad because they don't push security updates. So I checked my phone and sure enough it says my android security patch level is February 1, 2016. Is that bad? Is there something I can do to manually update it?

I don't know nothin' 'bout no smart phones, until a couple months ago I had a land line.

From an update and maintenance standpoint, phone environments are closer to firmware than to operating systems. If your phone's manufacturer doesn't put out updates for you, you're up the creek.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 20:51

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

So, the new rumors of the new Nexus devices have the smaller one of the two made out of plastic instead of metal.

They also have it at 5.2" instead of 5.5" which are just odd choices.

It really looks like there may just get the same internals but the packaging of the slightly smaller one is just all around cheaper.

So, there goes everyone's hopes of a premium smaller device.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 21:12

CLAM DOWN: Feb 13, 2007

Plastic isn't necessarily bad, it can still be built very solidly. You're probably right though.

I'll definitely get the bigger one though, if work doesn't give me a Note 7.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 21:23

Mnemosyne: Jun 11, 2002; There's no safe way to put a cat in a paper bag!!

On the topic of cables, I need two A-to-C cables to connect my 6P to a portable battery pack. Both the Anker and Aukey cables specifically state that they don't work with the Nexus 6P. What the gently caress is up with the 6P that makes the cables not work with them? Isn't this why we have standards?

# ? Jul 29, 2016 21:24

Facebook Aunt: Oct 4, 2008; wiggle wiggle

Sir Unimaginative posted:

From an update and maintenance standpoint, phone environments are closer to firmware than to operating systems. If your phone's manufacturer doesn't put out updates for you, you're up the creek.

Oh. Well I guess I just won't worry about it then. Thanks.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 21:27

Desk Lamp: Jun 30, 2014

Mnemosyne posted:

On the topic of cables, I need two A-to-C cables to connect my 6P to a portable battery pack. Both the Anker and Aukey cables specifically state that they don't work with the Nexus 6P. What the gently caress is up with the 6P that makes the cables not work with them? Isn't this why we have standards?

When it comes to Android, standards are treated more like suggestions more often than not.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 21:30

Vykk.Draygo: Jan 17, 2004; I say salesmen and women of the world unite!

Mnemosyne posted:

On the topic of cables, I need two A-to-C cables to connect my 6P to a portable battery pack. Both the Anker and Aukey cables specifically state that they don't work with the Nexus 6P. What the gently caress is up with the 6P that makes the cables not work with them? Isn't this why we have standards?

Which cables are you seeing that say they don't work with the 6P? I clicked on the first Anker A-to-C cable I saw and it had 6P right in the title. I just bought a couple of Anker Micro-to-C adapters that I hope work fine so I don't have to buy new cables.

edit: oh I see, it says that it doesn't support full-speed charge on the 5X and 6P. Don't you need a C-to-C cable for that?

# ? Jul 29, 2016 21:34

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

CLAM DOWN posted:

Plastic isn't necessarily bad, it can still be built very solidly. You're probably right though.

I'll definitely get the bigger one though, if work doesn't give me a Note 7.

Plastic can be good, but I'm expecting it to be like the N5x and built to a cost so it will feel pretty lovely in the hand.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 21:35

Facebook Aunt: Oct 4, 2008; wiggle wiggle

bull3964 posted:

Plastic can be good, but I'm expecting it to be like the N5x and built to a cost so it will feel pretty lovely in the hand.

You could always get a case to put over it. I love my big, ugly, rubbery case. :feelsgood:

# ? Jul 29, 2016 21:37

Mnemosyne: Jun 11, 2002; There's no safe way to put a cat in a paper bag!!

Vykk.Draygo posted:

Which cables are you seeing that say they don't work with the 6P? I clicked on the first Anker A-to-C cable I saw and it had 6P right in the title. I just bought a couple of Anker Micro-to-C adapters that I hope work fine so I don't have to buy new cables.

edit: oh I see, it says that it doesn't support full-speed charge on the 5X and 6P. Don't you need a C-to-C cable for that?

I'm not sure exactly what the "full speed charge" comment means since they're not specific about it. The low-star comments also note that that cable is loose in the port of the 6P and falls out.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 21:45

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

Hasn't HTC generally used okay plastic and not the horrible greasy garbage Samsung uses?

# ? Jul 29, 2016 22:41

CLAM DOWN: Feb 13, 2007

Endless Mike posted:

Hasn't HTC generally used okay plastic and not the horrible greasy garbage Samsung uses?

You're giving me Nexus S flashbacks

# ? Jul 29, 2016 22:45

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

Endless Mike posted:

Hasn't HTC generally used okay plastic and not the horrible greasy garbage Samsung uses?

So has LG, didn't help the 5x.

Google is dictating the pricepoints for these phones, so unless Google wants to subsidize HTC, they are going to have to do what they need to hit them.

bull3964 fucked around with this message at 22:52 on Jul 29, 2016

# ? Jul 29, 2016 22:49

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# ? May 30, 2024 20:05

ClassActionFursuit: Mar 15, 2006

I loved how the Nexus S felt.

# ? Jul 29, 2016 22:49

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