Wow. Three days with the M8 and I'm returning it!

[thatdennis]

Not my opinion. Pocketnow, Engadget, Android Authority, Erica Griffin, Theunlockr, Technobuffalo, other various sources... I can go on all agree that it's one of if not the best Android device on the market. I will agree with those sources.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Yes it's ONE of the best ones, not THE best per say. Best is relative, and even tech sites are a biased (they're human too). For the reviewer, perhaps the M8 might be the best, perhaps the Z2 or the S5, it all depends on the person.

An example would be the speaker from the M8. It is said to be better than the Z2, but the Z2 wins in the camera, water proof, and dust proof. So one might argue that to get the better speaker they need to sacrifice camera, water-proof ability and dust proof ability. Again, this is the perspective of one person.

Another person might care less about a waterproof or dustproof phone, or might care less about the camera's mp. Some likes plastic or a removable back, some like metal or a closed back, some might care some might not, it all again depends on the person. So best is relative.

 

[Almeuit]

Not my opinion. Pocketnow, Engadget, Android Authority, Erica Griffin, Theunlockr, Technobuffalo, other various sources... I can go on all agree that it's one of if not the best Android device on the market. I will agree with those sources. I will never give anyone that only tries a phone for only three days the benefit of the doubt, not happening.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

And that's your right. All those places are their opinions. As David said no one phone is the best for everyone.. Hence why everyone doesn't have the same phone. Variety is good since everyone doesn't want all the same things in a phone. I'm not saying the M8 isn't a good phone. It just is an opinion if it's the best phone for everyone.. Since it's not.

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

 

[law2010]

Man, I researched this to death and was convinced this was almost perfect. I REALLY wanted to like this phone.
After three days, I just am not happy enough to part with $700. A lot of small issues that add up.
* Speakers do sound good, but for all the hype and discussion of added amplifier, they are NOT loud enough. My four-year old Samsung Galaxy Player had stereo speakers that are WAY louder. Not a total deal breaker but disappointing as this was pretty important to me.
* Screen, while being 5", is considerably smaller than the 5" screen on my old device. This is more vertically-oriented and the 3/16" of width that I'm losing makes a pretty substantial difference to me. I never really though about this before, but you can get a 5" diagonal with various rectangle shapes and they will all have different measured area. Everything seems smaller and it's not a good thing. If your width is limited, it really limits how all webpages display. Adding height does not help the limitation.
* Screen is really, really hard to read in daylight. Pretty disappointed. I have the brightness on MAX all the time and it's not as bright as my old Samsung.
* Although my Developer Edition comes with "Productivity " toolset including Polaris Office 5 file explorer, (and HTC said there was no file explorer stock on the M8)- it does not work well. Have no option for Move, or Delete. So, that's not very helpful. the onboard apps are supposed to be trusted by KitKat but does not look good to me. ES File Explorer cannot Move or Delete either.
* Although most people seem to want lighter and thinner products, I find the darned thing too light and thin. It feels like something for a little woman. I do not have big hands but this thing just feels like it's going to drop or disappear; I like something a bit more substantial.
* the camera really is disappointing. Not all the time, but if you're outside and shooting with any sun in the background, forget about it. I use camera for work and need the thing to produce acceptable images...not just in perfect light with sun behind me, but ALL the time. Also, the shutter sound is really barely audible even at full volume. Seems to be no options to change shutter sound from a tiny click to anything more substantial.
* The stock music player is way too basic and does not include much ability to list albums in various ways- and has no equalizer.
* The phone IS long (tall) and with the speakers and the black logo bar, it doesn't mean more screen space.

All in all, I'm disappointed and I just can't "settle" with such an expensive device. I fell in love, had a one-night stand, and realized that this was not the match for me.:'(

I want to thank all the great forum members for answering all my dumb questions; you're a great bunch of guys.

Something smells funny about you saying that your speakers on an old Samsung are louder and better than the HTC One M8, which almost every reviewer agrees the speakers on the M8 are unparalleled and second to none.

I find it humorous that you say an old Samsung phone has a brighter screen, too. I have to say something smells funny about this. Especially if it is AMOLED.

(deleted by Moderator)

Posted via Android Central App

 

[dpham00]

And that's your right. All those places are their opinions. As David said no one phone is the best for everyone.. Hence why everyone doesn't have the same phone. Variety is good since everyone doesn't want all the same things in a phone. It's not saying the M8 isn't a good phone. It just is an opinion if it's the best phone for everyone.. Since it's not.

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

So very true. Everyone has different needs and wants. Get what works best for you, not what other people say is the best device.

dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

 

[dpham00]

Not my opinion. Pocketnow, Engadget, Android Authority, Erica Griffin, Theunlockr, Technobuffalo, other various sources... I can go on all agree that it's one of if not the best Android device on the market. I will agree with those sources. I will never give anyone that only tries a phone for only three days the benefit of the doubt, not happening.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

If a phone doesn't feel right for someone, 3 days usage is adequate to me.

And just because all the reviews give it high ratings doesn't mean that it is the best for you (or the op). I have seen movies that got very high ratings from many famous review sources that I personally didn't like. Doesn't mean that it was a bad movie, just that it wasn't for me

dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3

 

[jd914]

Something smells funny about you saying that your speakers on an old Samsung are louder and better than the HTC One M8, which almost every reviewer agrees the speakers on the M8 are unparalleled and second to none.

I find it humorous that you say an old Samsung phone has a brighter screen, too. I have to say something smells funny about this. Especially if it is AMOLED.

(deleted by Moderator)

Posted via Android Central App

I'm glad I'm not the only one that is skeptical of the validity of this thread. Just find it funny how there are a few actually believing and giving the person in question the benefit of the doubt, thought we all knew better.... Oh well.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Paul627g]

I'll agree everyone sees things on a different level. Some prefer AMOLED displays and others love LCD's. Some like the M8 for its dual speakers and others love Samsung's. FWIW, I prefer my HTC One (M7) speakers but I'll admit my wife's S4 has some loud and very capable sounding external speaker too.

End of the day we can't take issue with one another just because we all don't view things on a similar level. Even so resorting to flaming someone over it isn't what anyone comes here to read about.

 

[scottysize]

Research? Guess you didn't make it to my thoughts about it. LOL The only reason I still have it is I'm waiting for the G3 to launch, then this baby will be up for sale.

 

[BigDinCA]

Not that this is necessarily for the OP as he has already taken his back, but for anyone else who is asking the internet as Gary Oldman has requested they do:

I had the M8 for 2 weeks and returned it. Loved the device and think it's a pretty decent upgrade from the M7. I returned it because I am debating getting the harmon/kardon edition or maybe that electric blue if it comes out reasonably soon. My purpose here is to give a few alternatives to the issues that were brought up.

- As for the screen size and the weight, those are all personal preferences and can't be right or wrong. As far as the weight goes, there aren't many phones heavier. I thought the weight was fine because it felt really balanced in my hand. The phone IS tall. There is no doubt about that. It doesn't give you a bunch of extra screen real estate for that added height either. You get front-facing stereo speakers. That is the trade-off. If you don't actually hold it and look at it before you buy it, this will be a surprise. If you have played with it and decided to get it, know that the size isn't going to change the longer you own it.

- The speakers are the best out there, bar none. The only speakers I have heard that are comparable are not front-facing and are on an iPhone and who the hell wants that? If they don't meet your needs then there isn't a device out right now that will. Soon enough I'm sure there will be but not yet. I know the Z2 is nice, but they aren't the same.

- The screen brightness is an issue I had as well. And I had it on my M7 too. The key is to turn off the Power Save mode in bright daylight. You can kick the brightness to MAX all you want but if Power Save is enabled it actually cuts the brightness down. Substantially. Maybe 30%. And I am not referring to the Extreme Power Save mode. Just the regular Power Save that is normally enabled and, incidentally, works very well in extending battery life.

- There are so many different apps out there for file management. I prefer Astro File Manager and had no issues copying, moving, deleting and organizing all of my files however I saw fit. I had the Sprint version and so I'm not sure about the "Productivity Toolset" with the DE.

- The same can be said of the stock music player. It's decent. Really good, actually. There is a built-in EQ. You can't adjust it. That's the rub. But it works really well if you're using headphones or the stereo speakers. But there are better ones available in the Play Store. AC did an article on some of them several weeks back and it really is worth a read: The top 5 best music player apps for Android | Android Central

- The camera... the camera... the camera... It isn't the best. It may barely be in the top 5. But it is really good if you take some time and make it yours. This really applies to most phone cameras. Out of the box, point and shoot? Average at best. The depth of field effects are pretty great if you get to know them. Take some pictures of your kids and their Legos. If you're in Vegas swing by the Bellagio and take some cool pictures of the Conservatory, the indoor garden in the main lobby (Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens - Las Vegas). The effect is pretty astounding if done right. But most importantly - set up the camera to shoot the way you want it to and then you can save those settings as a preset and use it whenever you want. That may be the best part of this camera and doesn't get enough press. Tone down the colors, lower the white balance, make one for bright outdoor shots, one for indoor party shots. Whatever you make, save it and never have to adjust those settings again.

Is the M8 the best phone out there? For me it is. For whoever reads this? Maybe not so much. I chose it because I was aware of it's limitations compared to the competition but learning a few tips has minimized or eliminated many of those limitations and, when coupled with the things that it already does extremely well, made it the best.

 

[LindtChocolate]

I'm having a hard time following this post.
You said you did a lot of research on the phone but the little things that all reviewers mentioned you seem to gripe on like you didn't know.
- Length of the phone
- Screen real estate
- Weight
- The ehhh camera
All of these were cited before, and you still bought the device knowing about it (since you say you did the research).

The outdoor brightness definitely cannot be true. You either have battery saver mode on affecting brightness or you need to get your eyes checked, man. Every reviewer has said that outdoor visibility on the phone is great, and I've even compared my M7 with the S3 and S4 outside and the brightness does well.

As for the boomsound, I'm having trouble believing it is "WAY" louder on your galaxy. Although your galaxy might be slightly louder if you cup your hands, the sound definitely gets distorted. Turn off the boomsound option in your settings menu and it will get louder.

Your other problems are solved with android apps. That's really the whole point of android, the customization factor.

 

[scottysize]

Not that this is necessarily for the OP as he has already taken his back, but for anyone else who is asking the internet as Gary Oldman has requested they do:

I had the M8 for 2 weeks and returned it. Loved the device and think it's a pretty decent upgrade from the M7. I returned it because I am debating getting the harmon/kardon edition or maybe that electric blue if it comes out reasonably soon. My purpose here is to give a few alternatives to the issues that were brought up.

- As for the screen size and the weight, those are all personal preferences and can't be right or wrong. As far as the weight goes, there aren't many phones heavier. I thought the weight was fine because it felt really balanced in my hand. The phone IS tall. There is no doubt about that. It doesn't give you a bunch of extra screen real estate for that added height either. You get front-facing stereo speakers. That is the trade-off. If you don't actually hold it and look at it before you buy it, this will be a surprise. If you have played with it and decided to get it, know that the size isn't going to change the longer you own it.

- The speakers are the best out there, bar none. The only speakers I have heard that are comparable are not front-facing and are on an iPhone and who the hell wants that? If they don't meet your needs then there isn't a device out right now that will. Soon enough I'm sure there will be but not yet. I know the Z2 is nice, but they aren't the same.

- The screen brightness is an issue I had as well. And I had it on my M7 too. The key is to turn off the Power Save mode in bright daylight. You can kick the brightness to MAX all you want but if Power Save is enabled it actually cuts the brightness down. Substantially. Maybe 30%. And I am not referring to the Extreme Power Save mode. Just the regular Power Save that is normally enabled and, incidentally, works very well in extending battery life.

- There are so many different apps out there for file management. I prefer Astro File Manager and had no issues copying, moving, deleting and organizing all of my files however I saw fit. I had the Sprint version and so I'm not sure about the "Productivity Toolset" with the DE.

- The same can be said of the stock music player. It's decent. Really good, actually. There is a built-in EQ. You can't adjust it. That's the rub. But it works really well if you're using headphones or the stereo speakers. But there are better ones available in the Play Store. AC did an article on some of them several weeks back and it really is worth a read: The top 5 best music player apps for Android | Android Central

- The camera... the camera... the camera... It isn't the best. It may barely be in the top 5. But it is really good if you take some time and make it yours. This really applies to most phone cameras. Out of the box, point and shoot? Average at best. The depth of field effects are pretty great if you get to know them. Take some pictures of your kids and their Legos. If you're in Vegas swing by the Bellagio and take some cool pictures of the Conservatory, the indoor garden in the main lobby (Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens - Las Vegas). The effect is pretty astounding if done right. But most importantly - set up the camera to shoot the way you want it to and then you can save those settings as a preset and use it whenever you want. That may be the best part of this camera and doesn't get enough press. Tone down the colors, lower the white balance, make one for bright outdoor shots, one for indoor party shots. Whatever you make, save it and never have to adjust those settings again.

Is the M8 the best phone out there? For me it is. For whoever reads this? Maybe not so much. I chose it because I was aware of it's limitations compared to the competition but learning a few tips has minimized or eliminated many of those limitations and, when coupled with the things that it already does extremely well, made it the best.

Weight? The weight's fine. It's a good solid device. Not plastic like the other Android phones. You want a good sturdy phone, you'll have to sacrifice weight.

The file explorer issue is an issue with Android 4.4 (KitKat) and SD Cards. You can't delete or move items from the SD Card using an after market file explorer. It's by design. You have to plug it into a computer, or root it.

I agree with everything else you said (except the part where you said, "best phone... for me..."), and that is why I'm not happy with the device. That's funny.

 

[Kilroy13]

People are weird!

SENT FROM MY G-FLEX, BECAUSE SIZE MATTERS, BUT SO DOES FLEXability

 

[Lilshaq65]

I wonder if that 4.4 issue is going to get fixed with the file explore and SD card stuff hopefully in the next update.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[Relgoshan]

But the OP wasn't happy with the M8 speakers so the Z2 will be even a more of a disappointment.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

INB4 RCA sells a 10w battery FM radio that also make calls.

Unless you want your phone to be 80s size or get a case with powered speakers, 80db+ will have to do. But the speaker size and type are still better for jazz and violins than jpop and heavy metal, that's physics at work until they make a phone whose screen is a flat speaker.

 

[pappy53]

Not my opinion. Pocketnow, Engadget, Android Authority, Erica Griffin, Theunlockr, Technobuffalo, other various sources... I can go on all agree that it's one of if not the best Android device on the market. I will agree with those sources. I will never give anyone that only tries a phone for only three days the benefit of the doubt, not happening.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

I'll bet that those reviewers didn't even use it for three days.

 

[jd914]

I'll bet that those reviewers didn't even use it for three days.

You obviously don't know anyone I mentioned if you did you would know most receive review devices weeks in advance and once the press embargo is lifted they make well thought out reviews that have pros and cons plus give their opinions. This is the reason why review videos are all released at once on release day. Don't believe me? Ask Phil, Gerry or anyone on AC if you don't.

 

[CHILLYWILL_95831]

Doesn't sound like you researched the M8 "to death", all your points were extremely well reviewed, discussed and documented online.

Posted via Android Central App

Everything online is somebody's opinion...we all have one. This guy says the phone is too light, then he also says the camera suffers when the sun is behind him. Totally untrue. The speakers aren't loud enough..yeah right. Then he says he's taking pictures all day, yet he chooses a phone that's been getting bashed for not having a million mega pixel camera since its first review. There is no shortage of camera reviews on this phone. So, when the op says he studied this phone in depth before purchase. You don't purchase an HTC One M8 with the purpose of taking pics all day, especially if you've read the reviews. My opinion is the op is just another Samsung fanboy! I agree the screen can't be seen in the sunlight, but only if you're wearing sunglasses. Take them off and it works well.

I also have to revisit the issue of taking pics with this phone with your back to the sun. I know he has no idea what he's talking about because the M8 just as any other phone will always take great pics with the sun behind you(you being the photographer not the subject). That means the sun is lighting up the subject. That's photography 101...Every camera on earth can take a good picture with the sun behind the photographer. Things get dicey when the sun is in front of the camera.



Posted via Android Central App

 

[Greg C]

Try the Samsung Galaxy S5. While it won't sound nearly as good as the HTC One does the display on the S5 will make you fall in love all over again. The Super AMOLED 1080p HD display is simply awesome. The camera on the S5 has received high reviews. Another good phone is the Nexus 5, but as far as looks go it's pretty bland. The nice thing about the Nexus line of devices is that there is no carrier or manufacturer bloatware and your phone will receive updates straight from Google.

Man, I researched this to death and was convinced this was almost perfect. I REALLY wanted to like this phone.
After three days, I just am not happy enough to part with $700. A lot of small issues that add up.
* Speakers do sound good, but for all the hype and discussion of added amplifier, they are NOT loud enough. My four-year old Samsung Galaxy Player had stereo speakers that are WAY louder. Not a total deal breaker but disappointing as this was pretty important to me.
* Screen, while being 5", is considerably smaller than the 5" screen on my old device. This is more vertically-oriented and the 3/16" of width that I'm losing makes a pretty substantial difference to me. I never really though about this before, but you can get a 5" diagonal with various rectangle shapes and they will all have different measured area. Everything seems smaller and it's not a good thing. If your width is limited, it really limits how all webpages display. Adding height does not help the limitation.
* Screen is really, really hard to read in daylight. Pretty disappointed. I have the brightness on MAX all the time and it's not as bright as my old Samsung.
* Although my Developer Edition comes with "Productivity " toolset including Polaris Office 5 file explorer, (and HTC said there was no file explorer stock on the M8)- it does not work well. Have no option for Move, or Delete. So, that's not very helpful. the onboard apps are supposed to be trusted by KitKat but does not look good to me. ES File Explorer cannot Move or Delete either.
* Although most people seem to want lighter and thinner products, I find the darned thing too light and thin. It feels like something for a little woman. I do not have big hands but this thing just feels like it's going to drop or disappear; I like something a bit more substantial.
* the camera really is disappointing. Not all the time, but if you're outside and shooting with any sun in the background, forget about it. I use camera for work and need the thing to produce acceptable images...not just in perfect light with sun behind me, but ALL the time. Also, the shutter sound is really barely audible even at full volume. Seems to be no options to change shutter sound from a tiny click to anything more substantial.
* The stock music player is way too basic and does not include much ability to list albums in various ways- and has no equalizer.
* The phone IS long (tall) and with the speakers and the black logo bar, it doesn't mean more screen space.

All in all, I'm disappointed and I just can't "settle" with such an expensive device. I fell in love, had a one-night stand, and realized that this was not the match for me.:'(

I want to thank all the great forum members for answering all my dumb questions; you're a great bunch of guys.

 

[dmxjago]

There is no mobile phone out today that has better or even on par speakers like the m8 and m7. He's comparing it to a Galaxy player and not any other phone. If you want good sound then get a stereo not a phone although the m8 is amazing. First phone I don't mind playing music on speakers. Please stop the trolling.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[ThrottleJohnny]

Yeah sorry, I'm not buying it either. Too many things don't add up. I get that the M8 is not everyone's cup of tea, but when something smells fishy it's usually fish.