Buying a G3 Tomorrow...

[meyerweb#CB]

I know I'm a little thick when it comes to all the customization-but if you find a good article on the whole launcher thing, I'd appreciate it. Cause I just can't really figure it out, ambassador.

Android A to Z: What is a launcher? | Android Central

 

[aandygroup]

You have made a very big step forward by leaving iOS and joining the Android side . In my opinion you will have many more advantages by using Android than using an iOS . My advice would be to add AVG Antivirus Mobile to your G3 . It will make you feel much more confident about your phone therefore it will be much easier to track your phone if you loose it for example ..

 

[LeoRex]

Most of the stuff he said sounded like over-exaggerated nonsense, but the stutters are definitely there.

Oh, it was the thing that I was most worried about. I came from a Nexus 5... which is still the gold standard when it comes to being a smooth operator. And for the first day or so, the occasional jitter was noticeable and I was concerned that it would aggravate me to the point where I'd have to return it and go back to my Nexus 5. But it didn't... after a few days, the jinks registered less and less. The latest M update from T-Mobile has improved a few things and with some customizing, those wiggles have gotten reduced quite a bit. But regardless, it's not as smooth and fluid as the N5.... but I no longer care. Because what the G3 does better than the Nexus 5, it does MUCH better.

The G3's radios are better, from signal strength to coverage, to the resiliency of the connection. T-Mobile doesn't have the best coverage where I live and there are a few spots we frequent where I still have a LTE connection where my wife's Nexus 5 shows ziltch. I use Waze to help me navigate the dangerous waters of my commute, and there was usually one or two spots, especially if I tossed it on the pass. seat, where my Nexus would lose GPS lock and have a bit of trouble re-aquiring.... The G3 rarely loses GPS lock and when it does, it re-acquires it much quicker. At home, I had them send out one of their boosters to help the signal around my house, and it worked great (and saved some of the drain caused by a weak signal)... but that's moot at this point since a) my G3 holds a stronger, more reliable signal to start with and b) with Wi-Fi Calling enabled, my phone radio is disabled most of the time.

In terms of both quality of photos, speed and reliability, the G3's shooter is vastly superior. I lost quite a few shots and videos because the Nexus 5 had troubles focusing (contrast detection AF blows chunks, your phone is guessing) and my wife, who still has her N5, is always complaining about blurry videos or pics. I have two small kids and we rely on our phones to get those 'day in the life' shots... and it's clear that there's a wide gap in performance between the two. I have to be pretty ham-fisted to screw something up.

Battery performance is also lightyears ahead... My typical day with the Nexus 5 would have me leaving my house on a full charge. When I got home, I'd charge it so I could futz about on it at night for a few hours... when I woke up, I'd pop it on the charger and it'd be fully juiced by the time I left for work. Rinse, repeat. On the G3 I can get through an entire day until the following morning. And if push came to shove, I'd be able to get through the next morning's Waze-assisted commute and well into the morning before I'd have to hit the charger. That's a HUGE difference. I had to manage my Nexus 5's power consumption at times.... now, it's not even on my radar. (Oh, how I hope Google puts a 3000 in the new Nexus).

Then there are the other things... the screen is exceptional... the ergonomics of the rear buttons, which I thought were gimmicks, are actually really nice, and the knock stuff (which I ran, albeit more battery hungry, on my Nexus) is pretty useful.

So I'm well aware that the G3 isn't quite as polished, UX-wise, as my old Nexus, but the rough edges are minor and the phone is still extremely powerful and fast. And the benefits of the phone far outweigh the occasional stutter step.

 

[Stwutter]

Sat Nav will kill the battery in any phone. You're using the GPS radio and the LTE or 3G radio simultaneously, repeatedly downloading map data in the background, using a fair bit of cpu to redraw the maps and recalculate your location. And most likely keeping the screen on all the time. Any of the above will drain your battery. All of them at the same time will really drain your battery. Buy a car charger if you're going to use Nav.

Oh, I have a a car charger. But I also use mapping a fair bit when on the hoof, and then it's a little more awkward to plug in... :-\

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Oh, I have a a car charger. But I also use mapping a fair bit when on the hoof, and then it's a little more awkward to plug in... :-\

Yes, that is certainly true. Maybe in a few more generations we'll have power sources that will keep all the technological goodies running for days at a time. But that's probably a few generations of people, not a few generations of phones.

 

[msm0511]

I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get used to the stutter, so I ordered an M8 instead. It should be here soon hopefully. It'll be my first Android device. Before that it was 6 yrs with iOS. Before iOS i went back and forth between Symbian and WinMo.

Oh, it was the thing that I was most worried about. I came from a Nexus 5... which is still the gold standard when it comes to being a smooth operator. And for the first day or so, the occasional jitter was noticeable and I was concerned that it would aggravate me to the point where I'd have to return it and go back to my Nexus 5. But it didn't... after a few days, the jinks registered less and less. The latest M update from T-Mobile has improved a few things and with some customizing, those wiggles have gotten reduced quite a bit. But regardless, it's not as smooth and fluid as the N5.... but I no longer care. Because what the G3 does better than the Nexus 5, it does MUCH better.

The G3's radios are better, from signal strength to coverage, to the resiliency of the connection. T-Mobile doesn't have the best coverage where I live and there are a few spots we frequent where I still have a LTE connection where my wife's Nexus 5 shows ziltch. I use Waze to help me navigate the dangerous waters of my commute, and there was usually one or two spots, especially if I tossed it on the pass. seat, where my Nexus would lose GPS lock and have a bit of trouble re-aquiring.... The G3 rarely loses GPS lock and when it does, it re-acquires it much quicker. At home, I had them send out one of their boosters to help the signal around my house, and it worked great (and saved some of the drain caused by a weak signal)... but that's moot at this point since a) my G3 holds a stronger, more reliable signal to start with and b) with Wi-Fi Calling enabled, my phone radio is disabled most of the time.

In terms of both quality of photos, speed and reliability, the G3's shooter is vastly superior. I lost quite a few shots and videos because the Nexus 5 had troubles focusing (contrast detection AF blows chunks, your phone is guessing) and my wife, who still has her N5, is always complaining about blurry videos or pics. I have two small kids and we rely on our phones to get those 'day in the life' shots... and it's clear that there's a wide gap in performance between the two. I have to be pretty ham-fisted to screw something up.

Battery performance is also lightyears ahead... My typical day with the Nexus 5 would have me leaving my house on a full charge. When I got home, I'd charge it so I could futz about on it at night for a few hours... when I woke up, I'd pop it on the charger and it'd be fully juiced by the time I left for work. Rinse, repeat. On the G3 I can get through an entire day until the following morning. And if push came to shove, I'd be able to get through the next morning's Waze-assisted commute and well into the morning before I'd have to hit the charger. That's a HUGE difference. I had to manage my Nexus 5's power consumption at times.... now, it's not even on my radar. (Oh, how I hope Google puts a 3000 in the new Nexus).

Then there are the other things... the screen is exceptional... the ergonomics of the rear buttons, which I thought were gimmicks, are actually really nice, and the knock stuff (which I ran, albeit more battery hungry, on my Nexus) is pretty useful.

So I'm well aware that the G3 isn't quite as polished, UX-wise, as my old Nexus, but the rough edges are minor and the phone is still extremely powerful and fast. And the benefits of the phone far outweigh the occasional stutter step.

 

[LeoRex]

I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get used to the stutter, so I ordered an M8 instead. It should be here soon hopefully. It'll be my first Android device. Before that it was 6 yrs with iOS. Before iOS i went back and forth between Symbian and WinMo.

Oh, I get you.. I was worried to since I LooooOOOOVed how smooth the Nexus 5 was.... but even that smoothness got chipped at a bit once I modified it the way I wanted (I dropped the DPI density, which reduced that buttah-smoothness a bit).

The M8 should serve you well. It's one of the best performing phones on the market, excellent screen, Sense doesn't mess with Android too much, its built well and speakers that no other phone can touch in terms of sound quality. I considered it, but for my needs, the M8's camera wouldn't cut it... But the rest of the phone is pretty bad-***.

 

[msm0511]

Oh, I get you.. I was worried to since I LooooOOOOVed how smooth the Nexus 5 was.... but even that smoothness got chipped at a bit once I modified it the way I wanted (I dropped the DPI density, which reduced that buttah-smoothness a bit).

The M8 should serve you well. It's one of the best performing phones on the market, excellent screen, Sense doesn't mess with Android too much, its built well and speakers that no other phone can touch in terms of sound quality. I considered it, but for my needs, the M8's camera wouldn't cut it... But the rest of the phone is pretty bad-***.

The camera is the only thing I'm worried about. I'm gonna test the hell out of it to make sure it's adequate before my 14 day return policy is up. I've gotten a few good tips in the M8 forums on this site to try. I'm really hoping I like it.

 

[brewzer]

10 things new LG G3 owners need to know | Android Central

http://forums.androidcentral.com/lg-g3/412412-color-settings-deeper-contrast-your-lg-g3.html

Those two links should be a good start for you. Welcome to Android where you can customize your phone any way you want! In given time you will probably be on here helping others.

 

[Mrluky]

i got the phone a month ago and it took about 5 charges before the battery got where it is lasting me about a day and a half. i love this phone, you made a good choice.

Got the phone today and love it. The battery does seem to drain kinda fast. My screen is 60% of usage and I have the brightness at 25%. Any idea why battery seems to drain fast? Maybe first day or usage?

 

[fsfty]

i got the phone a month ago and it took about 5 charges before the battery got where it is lasting me about a day and a half. i love this phone, you made a good choice.

On day 3 with the phone and the battery has definitely improved. In fact it's pretty extraordinary. Love this phone and so glad to have moved on from Apple. Can anyone recommend a good widget app? Don't like the selection,on beautiful widgets and read HD widgets drains the battery.

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

 

[ffejjj]

Depends, what type of widget are you looking for? What type of task?

Posted via Android Central App

 

[LeoRex]

The camera is the only thing I'm worried about. I'm gonna test the hell out of it to make sure it's adequate before my 14 day return policy is up. I've gotten a few good tips in the M8 forums on this site to try. I'm really hoping I like it.

Yep... use that window! I did the same thing when I got my G3. No device is perfect for everyone... as the saying goes "YMMV"

 

[msm0511]

Yep... use that window! I did the same thing when I got my G3. No device is perfect for everyone... as the saying goes "YMMV"

The only sad thing is if the M8 doesn't fit me camera wise I'm going back to iOS. There's no other Android device I'm interested in. I really wanna try Android though, so I'm hoping for the best with the M8

 

[fsfty]

The only sad thing is if the M8 doesn't fit me camera wise I'm going back to iOS. There's no other Android device I'm interested in. I really wanna try Android though, so I'm hoping for the best with the M8

I just left IOS 3 days ago,for android and I couldn't be happier. Give android a chance. I think you'll be pleased.

Sent from my LG G3 using Tapatalk

 

[msm0511]

I just left IOS 3 days ago,for android and I couldn't be happier. Give android a chance. I think you'll be pleased.

Sent from my LG G3 using Tapatalk

My M8 is scheduled for delivery tomorrow! Pretty excited. I sold my 5S a few weeks ago, and I've been using an old Sony Ericcson W810 I had lying around. That thing has been driving me nuts. LOL

 

[Michael Corrieri]

I bought a G3 saturday, switched from my 4S (I've had since it was introduced). Our AT&T service went from being bad service in the last two years to an all out dead spot. Since all our contracts were over, and phones paid, and they were still charging us too much, we switched to T-Mobile. We have blazing fast cox cable so wi-fi calling seemed like a great idea.

I went in looking for the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the saleslady recommended the G3, since they couldn't give me a 32gb S5 (it would be special order only). After checking it out a bit in the store, I made the purchase (and switched the whole family to T-mobile - that's another topic, but man are we happier).

So late saturday I start messing with my phone - and battery goes down SUPER fast. I was shocked. I let it charge up all night, and Sunday the battery performance is still terribad- though not as bad as saturday, but with it in my pocket I noticed it was coming on, and was getting hot. I am wondering WTF? Monday I notice the battery is lasting longer... Tuesday I do the update, and the battery has lasted all day into the late evening.

Today it's barely creeping - I am at 97%. WTH?

So I have a theory: the stock battery needs conditioning. They are not conditioning their new batteries. They should have some instructions are something about that online.

Okay.. so coming from Mac the only big surprise wasn't much of a surprise at all - a good part of my itunes library was protected. I upgraded to itunes match, let it synch, then deleted all the matched content from my computer, and re-downloaded the unprotected ACC versions. I copied those folders to my SD card in my G3, and they all play perfect.

I give the phone a solid 9.0. Not quite a 10. I think it needs a resolution manager, to switch resolutions, since higher res always costs more juice. I do keep wondering about the samsung S5, as I find the G3 just a tad large... but when I pop off the body glove case it feels perfect. I find myself torn on that. I saw the soak test and was amazed the G3 kept running under water for an hour... but even still I wonder about having a truly water resistant certified phone. Still when I say I am on the fence... I am only on a little bit.

IMHO anybody who is posting that this phone sucks has an ulterior motive. It's pretty incredible all told.

My first post, btw...

 

[belodion]

^^^Welcome to AC and to the G3 forum! Post regularly, you'll enjoy it here. Glad you're pleased with your G3. The battery thing is a bit of a puzzle, though...not sure how many other users have experienced that.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[ffejjj]

I bought a G3 saturday, switched from my 4S (I've had since it was introduced). Our AT&T service went from being bad service in the last two years to an all out dead spot. Since all our contracts were over, and phones paid, and they were still charging us too much, we switched to T-Mobile. We have blazing fast cox cable so wi-fi calling seemed like a great idea.

I went in looking for the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the saleslady recommended the G3, since they couldn't give me a 32gb S5 (it would be special order only). After checking it out a bit in the store, I made the purchase (and switched the whole family to T-mobile - that's another topic, but man are we happier).

So late saturday I start messing with my phone - and battery goes down SUPER fast. I was shocked. I let it charge up all night, and Sunday the battery performance is still terribad- though not as bad as saturday, but with it in my pocket I noticed it was coming on, and was getting hot. I am wondering WTF? Monday I notice the battery is lasting longer... Tuesday I do the update, and the battery has lasted all day into the late evening.

Today it's barely creeping - I am at 97%. WTH?

So I have a theory: the stock battery needs conditioning. They are not conditioning their new batteries. They should have some instructions are something about that online.

Okay.. so coming from Mac the only big surprise wasn't much of a surprise at all - a good part of my itunes library was protected. I upgraded to itunes match, let it synch, then deleted all the matched content from my computer, and re-downloaded the unprotected ACC versions. I copied those folders to my SD card in my G3, and they all play perfect.

I give the phone a solid 9.0. Not quite a 10. I think it needs a resolution manager, to switch resolutions, since higher res always costs more juice. I do keep wondering about the samsung S5, as I find the G3 just a tad large... but when I pop off the body glove case it feels perfect. I find myself torn on that. I saw the soak test and was amazed the G3 kept running under water for an hour... but even still I wonder about having a truly water resistant certified phone. Still when I say I am on the fence... I am only on a little bit.

IMHO anybody who is posting that this phone sucks has an ulterior motive. It's pretty incredible all told.

My first post, btw...

Hey, welcome

I know, I don't get it. It took around 5 charges for the battery to settle in properly but now it's pretty good.

I've had the phone since launch and I wouldn't trade it today for any other phone on the market or coming to market soon

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Golfdriver97]

^^^Welcome to AC and to the G3 forum! Post regularly, you'll enjoy it here. Glad you're pleased with your G3. The battery thing is a bit of a puzzle, though...not sure how many other users have experienced that.

Posted via Android Central App

I have. My M8 was not good for a solid week, and then it was like HTC flipped a switch. No update just went from meh life to wow!!!