Samsaun Galaxy Alpha

[crammpa]

The Samsung Galaxy Alpha is supposed to be a fast and smooth phone. Whenever I run things in the background, such as uploading or downloading this phone won't to squat. I have had phones that were lighting fast, no matter what. This phone's performance is, but extremely exaggerated.

 

[B. Diddy]

Can you give more details? Do you mean if you're installing or updating apps in the background and then trying to do other things, the phone seems to bog down? That's not entirely unusual. For the most part, Android devices don't do a lot of true multi-tasking--probably the main thing it can do in the background is playing local or streaming music (or, as mentioned, updating or installing apps). Most other apps will get paused if they move to the background.

 

[crammpa]

Actually, if I'm downloading an app or updating an app in the background that doesn't seem to slow the phone down as much. The most things that slows the phone down is when I'm uploading or downloading a large file to a cloud such as Google Drive or Dropbox. The phone is almost unusable when I download from something like Bittorrent. When I do multitasking such running the browser and Facebook at the same time the phone still runs smooth with a little glitch here and there but that's something I consider normal. When I stream music or something like that in the background the phone still has a fluid operation or at least one you would expect.

 

[B. Diddy]

What exactly slows down? Is it mostly web-related activity? If you're downloading a huge file, that might take up a good amount of bandwidth, thus slowing down other internet activity.

 

[crammpa]

It is mostly web based apps such as scrolling in Facebook, YouTube or the internet that shows the most stutter. It makes sense that those slow down when I have things using up bandwidth running in the background, so I expect it. Things that don't use bandwidth or anything to do with remote signals like some settings menus or just after I turn this phone on is when I also experience stutter or lag. When this phone is on for quite some time or it just has barely been on YouTube, Gmail, the Stock Browser, Google Chrome and other Google based apps take long a long time to load, most of the problems if not all happen in Google apps. Clearing the cache and data in anything has no impact. Doing a factory reset has no impact and just restarts the problems I did eliminate. This phone was advertised to operate just as smooth as any other device in its class. The international Alphas seem to be running good and I did have an S3 and that thing did not have the troubles this thing has. The S3 could be rooted unlike this phone otherwise I probably could eliminate the source. I did clear most of the bloatware I wasn't using or I wasn't able to. Recently I have been led to believe the problem is a pre-installed app and I am starting to suspect an AT&T app or something they do to phones when they get them. Their customer service likes to believe there is no problem and just tries to get me to do the basic troubleshooting techniques. Samsung does the similar crap. I am thinking about wiping my hands of Samsung and I wish I could get the LG V10 and put this mess behind me.

 

[crammpa]

I should add that this is my second Galaxy Alpha because AT&T thought switching my original Alpha would address the problem. Also, I tried to root that Alpha with SRSroot which I think caused another set of problems. My current Alpha has not been introduced to SRSroot or any rooting method. I gave up on trying to root until I find a defined method. I won't since Samsung discontinued this phone so I'm sure no developer is going to waste their time.

 

[B. Diddy]

Sure sounds abnormal. Have you already tried Safe Mode? Although I don't think that would disable a preinstalled carrier bloat app.

 

[crammpa]

I understand that if you try safe mode and you still get the problem, then it is most likely a pre owner issue. That is exactly what happens when I do safe mode. I seriously feel without being root capable this issue will not be resolved. It's unfortunate that this phone is like it's because it has so much potential and is a beautiful phone. Maybe someday I can wipe this thing clean and find peace with a custom ROM. As it is, it would be a good secondary device. But as I said I would like to have the LG V10 and move on from this. The Nexus 6p and the Blackberry Price look good as well.

 

[crammpa]

Priv not price

 

[B. Diddy]

V10, 6P, and Priv all get pretty positive comments in these forums. They're quite different from each other, so it really depends on what's important to you in a phone.

 

[crammpa]

I have never really been a fan of Blackberry nor I have been a fan of sliders. Unless I have the Priv and experienced it for a reasonable time I can't really say yay or nay. As far as LG I have always liked their products and I just like some features the V10 has, I love the battery. I'm sure it’s going to be SP branded and you're going to have the CDMA and the GSM variants of the phones so you are going to have multiple bloatware on them. I also can't really praise LG unless I experience it. Lol, experience can be the case with any device and bloatware isn't really that big of an issue. I have developed a love for Android and Google so therefore I would consider the Nexus to be number 1 out of those three just from what I have seen. It seems that you can get a Nexus straight from Google without having to worry about SP bloatware. At least that's what I gather from seeing a YouTube review on it. I don't see how that's possible since I believe you need AT&T, Verizon or some provider for service. Also, you have the CDMA and GSM thing to worry about. Can you clear that up for me?

 

[B. Diddy]

I'm pretty sure the 6P always comes without any carrier bloat. The previous Nexus 6 when sold through a carrier did have some bloat, depending on the carrier, which didn't go over very well with users, so Google said no this time. You do need a carrier for service, of course, but it acts like any other unlocked phone. The 6P also comes with both GSM and CDMA radios, so it is ready to be activated on any carrier (Yes, the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X work fine on Verizon | Android Central).

I have a 6P, and it's a terrific phone. It's fast, has a beautiful screen, looks and feels great, has an excellent camera, and most importantly, it's a Nexus (with no non-Google bloat and prompt system updates). The only drawback for me is that the aluminum body is pretty slippery, so I have it in a TPU case. There have also been highly publicized (but hotly disputed) concerns about bending--regardless of how real this possibility is, it doesn't bother me, since I treat my $650 phone like a $650 piece of high tech equipment, not like a crumpled pack of cigarettes.

 

[Hr Munk]

According to Samsung, Galaxy Alpha is 1 of 12 devices to receive Marsmellow before summer 2016. I look forward to this.

 

[crammpa]

Last time we talked I was kicked out and I couldn't log in. It must have been a problem with my phone the app not communicating properly. Thanks for your feedback on the Nexus 6P. Lol, It seems like I'm always going to have a hard time deciding between that and the LG V10. @ Mr. Munk, I read the galaxy Alpha might get the marshmallow update either in the first or second quarter of 2016.