Why Removable Battery > Removable Memory

[Super Turtleman]

Actually, I think the non-removable battery is the easier of the two problems to overcome. But to each person their own based on his/her needs.

 

[anon(1042122)]

I tried to resist, but I can't.. Honestly it should not be a choice, one has nothing to do with the other, so..

 

[trivor]

I've owned cell phones for 9 years and never once bought a replacement (or extra) battery. Maybe I just don't use my phone enough. I like the option of removable memory but don't really expect to remove it once I've put the right amount into the phone (currently 32 GB). All of you counting on cloud storage have not been paying attention to data caps (unlimited will not be forever even if you're grandfathered), throttling (which may not allow you to stream movies/music) and bandwidth that may be limited in lots of places. What I don't like about memory in some phones is the premium that it seems to have over micro sd (my 32 GB was only $30 @ NewEgg). I HATE taking the back off my phone and I haven't had it off since I put the 32 GB card in. To each his own and we certainly don't need to put down anyone else's choice.

 

[jroc]

With the size of external batteries getting alot smaller... I will be going that route so spare batteries arent a concern anymore. No need to change form factor, no need to power off the phone to swap batteries...

http://www.amazon.com/Anker-5600mAh...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU1614866

And since I upgrade my phones a year at a time, I wont be wasting money on extra batteries anymore. Streaming music can eat into data plans if not on unlimited. And some carriers will still throttle if you go over a certain amount, or in the top %. Dont think that Verizon doesnt throttle....they just dont advertise it as much as other carriers.

Non removable batteries, biggest con is if you have a bad battery...and thats the only problem....might gotta get the entire phone replaced.

With that said....I will take a non removable battery over non removable storage...for now. I also dont think I can do both.

 

[anon(1042122)]

I understand all, especially what you said, but what is this obsession with smaller batteries, lighter devices, etc..
Just because it is thin and light does not make it strong and powerful. Look at laptop market, they have small/think/ultraportables, and then there are workhorses with medium sizes, then of course desktop replacement.
Same can go for mobile market.
Every manufacturer should come up with 3 variation of the same device every time they refresh the lineup (they do a similar job, but instead they do low end , mid end and high end..)
I really don't mind extra fraction of an inch in my pocket, if it gets me both removable storage AND better battery life.
I really have NO clue why Samsung decided not to add SD to this device, I kind of guess that it was Google's idea in order to promote google music, google docs, etc... all that. Similar to Apple.
Anyway, I got my Galaxy Nexus today and I am trying it. I got 13 days to see if it works for me. With 4 GB it is very easy to go through that bandwidth with cloud storage/operation. Luckily 28GB should be OK for most operation.

 

[GNex Girl]

Dont think that Verizon doesnt throttle....they just dont advertise it as much as other carriers.

VZW throttles on 3G network, but not on 4G LTE. At least for now.

 

[DancesWithFarts]

VZW throttles on 3G network, but not on 4G LTE. At least for now.

good point.

when i first got on vzw's new LTE network it was fast as hell. now that there are many more LTE phones, it's not so fast.

 

[jroc]

Anyway, I got my Galaxy Nexus today and I am trying it. I got 13 days to see if it works for me. With 4 GB it is very easy to go through that bandwidth with cloud storage/operation. Luckily 28GB should be OK for most operation.

I found out recently that 4GB of data isnt enough IMO of you want to use more data related services on the phone. I used Netflix, Youtube, web browsing, forum apps, downloading an updating apps. I went over 4GB with about a week left in my billing cycle. Notice I didnt mention streaming music... I'm at 1.2GB so far this month....and all I really cut out was Youtube and Netflix.

I have unlimited data on one phone....let someone use it this month and its at a total of 28GB... Thats insane. All they can be using it for is what I mentioned earlier and Facebook. I'm not a Facebook type of guy...even tho I have an account.

 

[anon(1042122)]

28GB!? Was it not slowed down or "throttled" by VZ at all? Where do you live? Is it %100 LTE? That is beyond insane, i don't think i use that much data transfer on my home computer. Wow.

Anyway, I will be using my phone doing some regular daily activities/work and see how it does after 1 week. I had no choice and had to go with 4GB. I had unlimited with ATT but service was getting worse and worse in my area even with microcell. I still keep my AT&T until I try VZ for 14 days just in case..

I really wish VZ had Samsung Galaxy.. Maybe they will get SG3.. who knows..

 

[anon(94115)]

The thing is things change, like now you can stream your music from cloud or Google music, so expandable memory isn't so required.

Let's day they solve the battery issue and all batteries are now 48 hours, are you really going to stick with your I will only have removable battery mantra? What if you can now charge your battery in 5 minutes?

Technology is dynamic and you should be too.

I will not...! ! Huff puff...

did you miss the point I made about wanting and needing choice? I don't care if the battery could charge in 5 minutes, I do not want to be without my phone for 5 days because of a faulty battery, I do not want to lose my pictures/anything because of faulty memory (why yes, i do have 2 sd cards that I swap out depending on what i am doing and where I am, thanks for asking)

 

[Small_law]

This. Cloud storage is what makes a battery/memory choise easy for me. Games are the only thing that takes up memory for me.

Yes. Have access to my entire music library via streaming eliminates the need for me to have my music stored on the phone. Pictures too. And after you've had to recover a corrupt SD card, you never quite trust them again.

I do like have a removable battery though. It gives you better options for extended batteries or additional batteries if you need them well into the phones life.

 

[jroc]

28GB!? Was it not slowed down or "throttled" by VZ at all? Where do you live? Is it %100 LTE? That is beyond insane, i don't think i use that much data transfer on my home computer. Wow.

Anyway, I will be using my phone doing some regular daily activities/work and see how it does after 1 week. I had no choice and had to go with 4GB. I had unlimited with ATT but service was getting worse and worse in my area even with microcell. I still keep my AT&T until I try VZ for 14 days just in case..

I really wish VZ had Samsung Galaxy.. Maybe they will get SG3.. who knows..

Its all data, the person doesnt have cable or internet access. I'm not sure if they were throttled...like GNex Girl posted....they dont throttle on 4G. This is the time I wish my RAZR did have ICS just so I could see what they were using. Love the data usage feature of ICS.

And I checked...I'm at 26GB on my PC...lol.

 

[mikestorm]

With respect to the OP, you've gotten it backwards.

removable memory > removable battery

1) Touting your ability to physically remove battery A and swap with battery B as a good thing is silly. "Yes, after a while I get debilitating pain in my right arm..but when that happens I can just use my left arm so it's all good. I'm SOOO happy I have two arms." Wait, what?

2) Being forced to utilize my data plan simply to listen to my music is asinine. Not everyone is grandfathered to unlimited. Simply listing to music to/from work runs the risk of hitting your monthly cap.

3) Phone bricked or smashed and won't boot? Good luck recovering anything saved on your phone. Hope you didn't actually need any of it.

4) Need to return your phone for warranty replacement and can't figure out how to wipe your personal files from the phone beforehand? Sorry Charlie. Looks like Asurion is going to find that secret cache of photos and discover your weird sheep fetish in the process.

5) Transferring files via MTP or PTP isn't 100% reliable for 100% of users. If I had a nickle every time my phone hung during a particularly large transfer....I'd have elven nickles.

I fail to see how the benefits of a removable battery (protip: I've never had to remove my battery) overcome the detriments of not having removable storage.

 

[Josh515]

I never realized how valuable the removable battery is until I started flashing ROMs and kernels. Sometimes my phone will freeze up and a battery pull is the only thing that will fix the phone, without just letting it sit there until the battery dies. The internal SD card is better, IMO. When I start up my phone, I don't have to wait for it to search the SD card for files, which would greatly slow down the phone for the first few minutes of turning it on.

 

[BSG75]

With respect to the OP, you've gotten it backwards.

removable memory > removable battery

1) Touting your ability to physically remove battery A and swap with battery B as a good thing is silly. "Yes, after a while I get debilitating pain in my right arm..but when that happens I can just use my left arm so it's all good. I'm SOOO happy I have two arms." Wait, what?

2) Being forced to utilize my data plan simply to listen to my music is asinine. Not everyone is grandfathered to unlimited. Simply listing to music to/from work runs the risk of hitting your monthly cap.

3) Phone bricked or smashed and won't boot? Good luck recovering anything saved on your phone. Hope you didn't actually need any of it.

4) Need to return your phone for warranty replacement and can't figure out how to wipe your personal files from the phone beforehand? Sorry Charlie. Looks like Asurion is going to find that secret cache of photos and discover your weird sheep fetish in the process.

5) Transferring files via MTP or PTP isn't 100% reliable for 100% of users. If I had a nickle every time my phone hung during a particularly large transfer....I'd have elven nickles.

I fail to see how the benefits of a removable battery (protip: I've never had to remove my battery) overcome the detriments of not having removable storage.

I'm going to mostly agree with the OP.

1. I used an extended battery on my Incredible and swapping with a spare stock battery works better for me. I charge over night and on the way to and from work. With as much use as I can do at work and still get work done, I'm usually at 25% when I leave work and 35% when I get home. About a 35 min. commute. I'm on LTE at work. I switch the the other battery when I get home.

2. It doesn't use that much data. I stream sirius XM during my work commute and I still have not hit my limit. I stream Google Music occasionally. Data usage has not been a real concern. I'm still under 5gb/month. Even when I was hitting 7gb/month Verizon never flinched. I do store a number of Google Music playlists for offline use, so that doesn't use data. With a 32gb card, that is more than enough space for me. I store frequently accessed playlists offline and stream the rest with no issues. GM is good at cacheing while playing, SXM is not, however. Buffering & signal strength can be an issue with some apps, so YMMV.

3. I have not needed to use them, but I simply move my titanium and clockwork backups off the phone in case of such an emergency. Most of my data, really, is not critical. I use auto-upload for pictures. See #5.

4. This is true, but it's a fringe case and not something I would use in actual decision-making.

5. I transfer via wifi using SwiFTP & FileZilla. Works great and is pretty fast. I have never tried MTP.

 

[mikestorm]

2. It doesn't use that much data. I stream sirius XM during my work commute and I still have not hit my limit. I stream Google Music occasionally. Data usage has not been a real concern. I'm still under 5gb/month. Even when I was hitting 7gb/month Verizon never flinched. I do store a number of Google Music playlists for offline use, so that doesn't use data. With a 32gb card, that is more than enough space for me. I store frequently accessed playlists offline and stream the rest with no issues. GM is good at cacheing while playing, SXM is not, however. Buffering & signal strength can be an issue with some apps, so YMMV.

Verizon's current default $30 plan is 2gb/month. Given everything else I do with my phone that consumes data, I don't want to worry about going over my plan simply by streaming my own music.

4. This is true, but it's a fringe case and not something I would use in actual decision-making.

But it should factor in to anyone's decision making if they use their phone to store/transport critical or confidential data, like customer info or an important work presentation or those provocative pictures of your wife you swore up and down were for your eyes only.

If I can't physically remove the media, I don't trust it 100%