Need advice: Android after iOS

[JeffDenver]

Pure Android devices are nice and have a lot going for it, but many people prefer some of the features Touch Wiz and Sense brings to their phones.

I know LOTs of people with Samsung phones (literally dozens)...not one of them uses any of these features. The stuff that makes Samsung phones aweome is hardware related...the display, camera, waterproofing, SD, removable battery. Thats why people, IMO, buy Samsung phones. Almost no one buys them for Touchwiz.

My BF, sister, and brother-in-law all have Samsung phones...none of them use touchwiz features. They bought it for the hardware. From what I have seen, most people either hate touchwiz or are indifferent to it. Never met anyone (in real life) that actually likes it.

 

[MDMcAtee]

I know LOTs of people with Samsung phones (literally dozens)...not one of them uses any of these features. The stuff that makes Samsung phones aweome is hardware related...the display, camera, waterproofing, SD, removable battery. Thats why people, IMO, buy Samsung phones. Almost no one buys them for Touchwiz.

My BF, sister, and brother-in-law all have Samsung phones...none of them use touchwiz features. They bought it for the hardware. From what I have seen, most people either hate touchwiz or are indifferent to it. Never met anyone (in real life) that actually likes it.

I actually know quite a few folks who like it and bought them for those features . They aren't real tech savy folks though.... Lol

 

[JeffDenver]

I actually know quite a few folks who like it and bought them for those features . They aren't real tech savy folks though.... Lol

Neither are any of the people I listed either...I am the go to guy to fix tech stuff when they have problems. Every problem they have had has been because of touchwiz.

 

[joe watson1]

You can check out the various forums here and look at what is being said about them all and then try to get somewhere to see them in person. See how each respond and then go with your gut.

Posted via Android Central App from my HTC M8

That's what I have been doing. Problem is they all have issues lol. Common theme seems to be irregular notifications or lag. The notification part would drive me nuts. That's one of the parts of android I want is the notification light but that seems to be the biggest complaint.

 

[JeffDenver]

That's what I have been doing. Problem is they all have issues lol. Common theme seems to be irregular notifications or lag.

Lag is always a problem on skinned phones...and not just Samsung phones.

Though "lag" is relative...the lag they are complaining about would have been lightning fast on 1st gen Android phones. The Galaxy S5's UI is significantly faster and smoother than what I had on my Droid 1 in 2010.

The notification part would drive me nuts. That's one of the parts of android I want is the notification light but that seems to be the biggest complaint.

I really like how the notification light works on the Nexus 5. Very unobtrusive. The Moto X does one better...it actually uses the display. Because of the way AMOLED screens work, you can display small messages on the screen while drawing very little battery power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWv6CEZraW0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TMycL9mzpg

 

[Davehow]

I know LOTs of people with Samsung phones (literally dozens)...not one of them uses any of these features. The stuff that makes Samsung phones aweome is hardware related...the display, camera, waterproofing, SD, removable battery. Thats why people, IMO, buy Samsung phones. Almost no one buys them for Touchwiz.

My BF, sister, and brother-in-law all have Samsung phones...none of them use touchwiz features. They bought it for the hardware. From what I have seen, most people either hate touchwiz or are indifferent to it. Never met anyone (in real life) that actually likes it.

You shouldn't deny others the use of anecdotes in your debates in other threads and then do so yourself. But back on topic, I agree with you to the extent that I do not have any interest at all in some brands' features, but I am extremely interested in features certain other brands have added. Which is really what's great about android. I may find eye scrolling stupid and gimmicky but will love noise canceling audio technology.

I know you aren't painting all androids with the same brush as Samsung though so I'm grateful you made that clear

 

[JeffDenver]

You shouldn't deny others the use of anecdotes in your debates in other threads and then do so yourself.

I don't. I don't have a problem with anecdotal evidence it they admit to it up front...which is what I did here.

But back on topic, I agree with you to the extent that I do not have any interest at all in some brands' features, but I am extremely interested in features certain other brands have added. Which is really what's great about android. I may find eye scrolling stupid and gimmicky but will love noise canceling audio technology.

Virtually all modern smartphones have noise cancelling. Thats what the second mic (and in some cases, 3rd or 4th mic) is used for. The Nexus 5 uses noise cancelling.

I know you aren't painting all androids with the same brush as Samsung though so I'm grateful you made that clear

Touchwiz is especially obnoxious. But so far I have not seen any skinned phone than runs better than vanilla (unless you count the Moto X...bit I personally consider it as-good-as-vanilla).

 

[Davehow]

I don't. I don't have a problem with anecdotal evidence it they admit to it up front...which is what I did here.


Virtually all modern smartphones have noise cancelling. Thats what the second mic (and in some cases, 3rd or 4th mic) is used for. The Nexus 5 uses noise cancelling.


Touchwiz is especially obnoxious. But so far I have not seen any skinned phone than runs better than vanilla (unless you count the Moto X...bit I personally consider it as-good-as-vanilla).

I meant noise canceling music tech for earphones.

 

[A895]

I meant noise canceling music tech for earphones.

Does any phone have that natively? That is an odd request. Don't you just need to get noise canceling headphones?

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[Davehow]

Does any phone have that natively? That is an odd request. Don't you just need to get noise canceling headphones?

Posted via the Android Central App

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/127...ion-to-new-xperia-z2-smartphone-and-z2-tablet

 

[Davehow]

Just on a side note, that was just meant as one example guys, not an end all be all to tunnel in about lol. The point was about features in the big picture, not just one example to perform microscopy on

 

[A895]

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/127...ion-to-new-xperia-z2-smartphone-and-z2-tablet

So why not get a Z2?

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[Davehow]

So why not get a Z2?

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It was part of an earlier conversation

 

[JeffDenver]

Just on a side note, that was just meant as one example guys, not an end all be all to tunnel in about lol. The point was about features in the big picture, not just one example to perform microscopy on

I agree, but a lot (IMO, virtually all) the features in those skins are things people either don't care about or that they can get from other sources.

But that's not the reason people hate the skins. The reason it becomes a big deal is that when they are embedded, you cannot uninstall them if you don't want them. By contrast, if I don't want/need noise cancelling earphones (as an example), I can just not buy them, or unplug the ones I have. That is where all the hate for vendor skins comes from...it's not hate for the skin, it's hate for being forced to use something you don't want or need.

So if I love Samsung's hardware but hate their features because they slow down the UI, I either have to put up with the lag or pick another phone. We don't have the option of simply using the phone without the extra crap. That annoys people.

 

[Davehow]

I agree, but a lot (IMO, virtually all) the features in those skins are things people either don't care about or that they can get from other sources.

But that's not the reason people hate the skins. The reason it becomes a big deal is that when they are embedded, you cannot uninstall them if you don't want them. By contrast, if I don't want/need noise cancelling earphones (as an example), I can just not buy them, or unplug the ones I have. That is where all the hate for vendor skins comes from...it's not hate for the skin, it's hate for being forced to use something you don't want or need.

So if I love Samsung's hardware but hate their features because they slow down the UI, I either have to put up with the lag or pick another phone. We don't have the option of simply using the phone without the extra crap. That annoys people.

It comes down to a taste issue then. If there's a branded phone that has a feature set someone really likes, but doesn't create performance issues, that's obviously the better choice for them.

 

[petaf]

I disagree with just one comment from Jeff Denver above. Not all skin overlays are awful. Sense 6 is quite wonderful on latest htc devices and does not slow them down.

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[JeffDenver]

It comes down to a taste issue then.

It would be a taste issue if the only difference was the hardware. But's it's a choice issue, because you are forced to use the software with the hardware. This is not something that is built in...Samsung could give you a choice if they wanted to, and it would cost them nothing. They are choosing not to give you a choice. It is a deliberate decision that has nothing to do with cost.

If there's a branded phone that has a feature set someone really likes, but doesn't create performance issues, that's obviously the better choice for them.

Samsung's hardware is capable of running Android every bit as fast and smooth as the Nexus. The "performance issue" is entirely the fault of the software that they will not let you uninstall.

I do understand people can choose not to buy the phone. Just explaining why there is resentment against skins. It's great we have choices in phones. It would be even great-er if we were not forced to use vendor skins as well.

 

[JeffDenver]

+1. disagree with just one comment. Not all skin overlays are awful. Sense 6 is quite wonderful on latest htc devices and does not slow them down.

I endured Sense for 18 months on my Rezound...I have grown to despise it. My Rezound is now running a vanilla Kitkat ROM, and has never run better. It is significantly faster and smoother than it was with Sense.

 

[MDMcAtee]

That's what I have been doing. Problem is they all have issues lol. Common theme seems to be irregular notifications or lag. The notification part would drive me nuts. That's one of the parts of android I want is the notification light but that seems to be the biggest complaint.

I've had zero issues with the led lights,and I get a ton of messages on my m8.

FWIW the nexus is a very good phone,but I feel the m8 is every bit as good if not better with Sense 6, boom sound, 128gig sd card support,not to mention the overall build quality of the phone.

I say get one and if you don't like it return it in your grace period.

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[MDMcAtee]

I endured Sense for 18 months on my Rezound...I have grown to despise it. My Rezound is now running a vanilla Kitkat ROM, and has never run better. It is significantly faster and smoother than it was with Sense.

That may be true for the Rezound but not true with my m8. With the m8 and Sense 6 there is little bloat to deal with anyway.

While I agree with you1000%about Touch Wiz Sense 6 is altogether different how it works on the m8 and the m8 is the HTC phone we are discussing here. If this phone lagged like any other Android I have owned it would have been fully rooted and s-offed already.This is what most who have this phone say as well.

I have no doubt what you are saying about the Nexus,but don't doubt what I say about this one. While it's a great phone,it's not a m8.

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