Design vs. Features?

[omniusovermind]

Actualy yes they would be useful
S Translator not useful? Try people traveling out the country
Dual Camera not useful? Many people video chat on their phone, and it would be easier with dual camera mode rather than always switching back and forth between cameras
S-Health? I'm sure I would be using it and many people would too

I bet u would be using some of them

Have you by any chance listened to the live podcasts on tech radio channels from broadcasters who were at the launch? The ones I listened to chattering with each other were like "I'd never use that". They pretty much bashed the features as gimmicks on TwitTV who cover pretty much anything to do with tech and regularly host people from the Verge, Engadget, etc. and were really hard on Samsung in general.

There's nothing really innovative coming out from either Samsung or HTC this year. Frankly I think both of their feature sets were pretty lame and appear to be nothing more than a way to fuel advertisements and give in store sales reps a battery of gimmicks to sell to non-tech savvy customers. Which of course works for driving sales but isn't a testament to anything worthwhile for those who (should) know better. No offense but a lot of your cheerleading for this device in several threads sounds basically reflects that. You're pushing bells and whistles that sound better for driving ads to average consumers who don't know much about tech like I'd expect to hear from a young man employed at a local Best Buy. And just so you know, I'm not limiting my criticism to your favoured Samsung products but HTC as well. You want to impress me? Get Samsung to open up selling their phones directly from Samsung and not the carriers and allow me to custom build and order my specs and hardware like I would with a PC. Make them carrier unlocked right out of the box with no carrier bloatware while we're at it. That's innovation. Not touchwiz or Sense gimmicks. Unless I want to hover my hand over the screen to use it while my nail polish dries. And if I wanted flipboard widgets as my homescreen I'd install them.

 

[smooth4lyfe]

Have you by any chance listened to the live podcasts on tech radio channels from broadcasters who were at the launch? The ones I listened to chattering with each other were like "I'd never use that". They pretty much bashed the features as gimmicks on TwitTV who cover pretty much anything to do with tech and regularly host people from the Verge, Engadget, etc. and were really hard on Samsung in general.

There's nothing really innovative coming out from either Samsung or HTC this year. Frankly I think both of their feature sets were pretty lame and appear to be nothing more than a way to fuel advertisements and give in store sales reps a battery of gimmicks to sell to non-tech savvy customers. Which of course works for driving sales but isn't a testament to anything worthwhile for those who (should) know better. No offense but a lot of your cheerleading for this device in several threads sounds basically reflects that. You're pushing bells and whistles that sound better for driving ads to average consumers who don't know much about tech like I'd expect to hear from a young man employed at a local Best Buy. And just so you know, I'm not limiting my criticism to your favoured Samsung products but HTC as well. You want to impress me? Get Samsung to open up selling their phones directly from Samsung and not the carriers and allow me to custom build and order my specs and hardware like I would with a PC. Make them carrier unlocked right out of the box with no carrier bloatware while we're at it. That's innovation. Not touchwiz or Sense gimmicks. Unless I want to hover my hand over the screen to use it while my nail polish dries. And if I wanted flipboard widgets as my homescreen I'd install them.

Technically it is innovation. Innovation by definition is "A new method, idea, product".
It may not be useful to all people, but I can guarantee you someone people will be all over it. The phone is not made for specific people like Engadget or CNET, but for all kinds of people.
I can see DJ's and music producers using the surround sound feature, connect it to some AUX speakers and get some sweet beats
I will definitely be using the hover feature when I eat my chicken wings
I think I will be using the S-Health when I start going to the gym...extra convenient

These are new ways of doing things, therefore, its innovation. May not be useful to you, but certainly will be useful to others

 

[The Real X Dawg]

Have you by any chance listened to the live podcasts on tech radio channels from broadcasters who were at the launch? The ones I listened to chattering with each other were like "I'd never use that". They pretty much bashed the features as gimmicks on TwitTV who cover pretty much anything to do with tech and regularly host people from the Verge, Engadget, etc. and were really hard on Samsung in general.

There's nothing really innovative coming out from either Samsung or HTC this year. Frankly I think both of their feature sets were pretty lame and appear to be nothing more than a way to fuel advertisements and give in store sales reps a battery of gimmicks to sell to non-tech savvy customers. Which of course works for driving sales but isn't a testament to anything worthwhile for those who (should) know better. No offense but a lot of your cheerleading for this device in several threads sounds basically reflects that. You're pushing bells and whistles that sound better for driving ads to average consumers who don't know much about tech like I'd expect to hear from a young man employed at a local Best Buy. And just so you know, I'm not limiting my criticism to your favoured Samsung products but HTC as well. You want to impress me? Get Samsung to open up selling their phones directly from Samsung and not the carriers and allow me to custom build and order my specs and hardware like I would with a PC. Make them carrier unlocked right out of the box with no carrier bloatware while we're at it. That's innovation. Not touchwiz or Sense gimmicks. Unless I want to hover my hand over the screen to use it while my nail polish dries. And if I wanted flipboard widgets as my homescreen I'd install them.

Except for the custom hardware that's pretty much a Nexus.

Guess we're at the point everything will just be upgrades stat wise and fling out different features to see what becomes popular. I want to see an OEM pull off a ceramic phone kind of like that "marble" counter I got in the kitchen.

Sent from my Jelly Bean chomping Infuse 4G!

 

[omniusovermind]

Technically it is innovation. Innovation by definition is "A new method, idea, product".
It may not be useful to all people, but I can guarantee you someone people will be all over it. The phone is not made for specific people like Engadget or CNET, but for all kinds of people.
I can see DJ's and music producers using the surround sound feature, connect it to some AUX speakers and get some sweet beats
I will definitely be using the hover feature when I eat my chicken wings
I think I will be using the S-Health when I start going to the gym...extra convenient

These are new ways of doing things, therefore, its innovation. May not be useful to you, but certainly will be useful to others

I think you've missed what Samsung is actually doing with this phone. They're not trying to make these features useful to the majority of people. They're putting these features in because they're marketable and can drive advertising and sales by showing that they're there. It's a smart play on their part because it give advertisements something to talk about and stuff for sales reps in stores to talk about. But the actual usefulness is another story.

case in point:

I will definitely be using the hover feature when I eat my chicken wings

you can't honestly expect me to take that seriously. When I say that kind of sales tactic will succeed (and it likely will) I mean it in a "catering to the lowest common denominator of customers" kind of way, kind of like how McDonald's and Walmart became #1. It's a proven formula. Smart business strategy. Just don't expect me to fall for the reality behind it like you have by cheerleading a smartphone because you can eat 'dem wings with it lol.

 

[smooth4lyfe]

I think you've missed what Samsung is actually doing with this phone. They're not trying to make these features useful to the majority of people. They're putting these features in because they're marketable and can drive advertising and sales by showing that they're there. It's a smart play on their part because it give advertisements something to talk about and stuff for sales reps in stores to talk about. But the actual usefulness is another story.

case in point:



you can't honestly expect me to take that seriously. When I say that kind of sales tactic will succeed (and it likely will) I mean it in a "catering to the lowest common denominator of customers" kind of way, kind of like how McDonald's and Walmart became #1. It's a proven formula. Smart business strategy. Just don't expect me to fall for the reality behind it like you have by cheerleading a smartphone because you can eat 'dem wings with it lol.

I will have to disagree with that statement in bold...I think they are making a phone that would fit EVERYBODY...not that they are trying to make it for the majority, but making a phoen for the business individuals (KNOX), for the health cautious (S-Health), for the audiophiles (Surround sound), and for people who love to video chat (Dual Camera), and for Travellers (S-Translate)....with these features, a wide variety of people can be able to use their phones for their needs, having everything in one place.
Apple tried to do it with the iPhone as well, but they didn't do it fast enough

As for the chicken wings statement lol its true, I hate touching my phone with greasy fingers

 

[The Real X Dawg]

As for the chicken wings statement lol its true, I hate touching my phone with greasy fingers

After cleaning my girlfriend's Doritos dust off of my screen I would love that hover feature as well. LOL =.=


Sent from my Jelly Bean chomping Infuse 4G!

 

[scorpiodsu]

So I guess a phone can't have both features and design. This stuff is funny man. If a person doesn't not have 30GBs of music or cares to swap batteries then it's no big deal to them. But for the users this means a lot to, they buy something else. It's really that simple. In my opinion including or excluding these things do not automatically make a device superior. It makes it more flexible but not necessarily superior. Who cares about being able to put in a 32GB SD card if the phone stinks. Or who cares about swapping a battery if they can get a phone that last them through the day. How many people actually buy an additional battery? I'm sure a lot but I'm also sure they do out of necessity and not want. The average user just charges their phone when it dies. But again, certain things are important to certain users. I can not base a choice strictly on these 2 factors UNLESS the one with the fixed items were too limited. But if I could get the storage I need a battery life is sufficient then it comes down to sleekness and device functionality not things that vary among users based on their personal needs. People have their own needs and what's a factor for one is not one for another. Plain and simple.

Millions of iPhones sell because those things don't matter to those users. If the GS4 had 32GB of fixed space like the galaxy nexus the samsung fanboys will still get it and then rationalized their compromise.

 

[TabGuy]

The first thing I do when I get a phone, any phone, is put a protective cover on it. So, whether the back is plastic, metal or glass means nothing to me because the only part of the phone I'll see is the screen. And, guess what? The cover will be plastic. With a fold out stand.

If I wanted pretty (form over function) I'd pick an iPhone.

 

[Suntan]

One other comment about gimmicky features, being a Minnesotan, I'm really looking forward to the abilityto use the GS4 with regular gloves. I will love going back to wearing a good pair of leather gloves and not having to wear these annoying fuzy gloves with the touch - capable threading in them.

That alone more than equals out the dual front facing speakers (which is the only new feature I found interesting on the One.)

-Suntan

 

[MAXXTX]

If only the GS4 had front facing speakers this thing would just blow everyone out of the water. I still like the features over the design although its not a bad design. Like someone earlier stated Most of these phones are gonna get a case on them anyway. Not only that I vowed never another HTC after that thunderbolt AND the "ONE" jet li smartphone is not going to be on verizon

 

[scorpiodsu]

Maybe should add developer support to the poll. I mean it's a feature, I guess. People shouldn't buy the SG4 because developers have vowed not to support it. I mean this is a prime selling point for most customers, like removable batteries and sd card storage... not.

 

[BBSeattle]

Love the features but tired of the same old design.
It would be like Ferrari continuing to develop new faster motors and putting it in the same body year after year (and the body wasn't much to look at from the start).
A design change would have been nice.

 

[Wilbur]

Design. Its time to upgrade my Droid Charge. Two possible phones so far. The HTC One or the Samsung Galaxy S4. Two major things against the HTC. No replaceable battery and no microSD card. Either phone will be enclosed in a protective case so the Samsung plastic is no big deal. I don't know why the reviewers constantly harp on this. Don't they use protective cases ?? Yes, the HTC aluminum case is beautiful but I'd only see and feel the front face. Right now I'm strongly leaning to the S4.

Features? Many of the advertised new features I probably won't ever use.

 

[omniusovermind]

Does design include reliability? In that case design x100.

 

[paintdrinkingpete]

Wasn't sure how to interpret "design" from "features" in some cases...

Frankly, I generally don't care too much about the exterior design (metal vs. plastic, rounded vs. square edges, physical vs. on-screen buttons, etc), but I care a lot about internal specs: Processor, RAM, GPU, battery, storage, etc. Thing is, when voting, I wasn't sure something like and SD-card slot would be considered "design" or a "feature", as you could argue it's both. Or, by "features" do you mean strictly software-based stuff?

 

[xtn]

I care about ergonomic design. I just don't like using my wife's GS3 over my GS2. Looks are a minor consideration, as I don't like cases for the same ergonomic reasons.

Regarding features, e must remember that will most people won't use most features, some people will use some features.

These are all personal, subjective things.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2