After 2 weeks with the 8x - Windows Phone 8x by HTC

There aren't any general posts on using the device, so here are a few points that resonate with me after a couple weeks of using the device.
I'm using the 8x on Bell in Canada, the blue version. Prior to buying the 8x I was using a Galaxy s3. I've used other WP in the past, so the OS is not totally new to me (Focus, Lumia 800). You could go to any of the major tech sites for a comprehensive review, that's not my intention with this post.
Industrial Design/Durability - A day doesn't go by where I don't just stare at the device for a few seconds...it's absolutely lovely. The polycarbonate is fantastic for daily use and regular wear and tear. I regularly have the device in my jacket pocket with keys and not a mark on it. None of the little micro scratches that are present on any other phone, particularly with glossy surfaces. I do worry about getting a big scratch, I anticipate it will be more devastating to this material. I do worry that this thing will crumble if I drop it on a hard surface. It would probably fare just fine, but there is a sense that it is fragile and delicate. I also have a major beef about the design of the buttons...gets a section all its own.
Build Quality - At first I thought the build quality was great. But now after 2 weeks of use it has developed some occasional flex and creakiness. This is particularly evident when squeezing the device on the sides, something I do more often in my struggle to press the power/lock button. I still thing the build is very good, but it feels less solid in the hand when I feel it creak.
Usability of Buttons - I hesitate to say it, but the buttons (except the camera button) are totally useless. I somehow thought I could get used to the power button, but not the case. First, the power button placement is less than ideal. This phone is too tall to have it on the top, I can't reach it without repositioning my hand. A user should be able to easily go from one-handed use to locking the phone. Second, there is no play or feedback in the buttons. They are so squishy and unresponsive its like I'm using a crap KIRF device. The power/lock button is the absolute worst, between the position of the button (in relation to the curvature of the plastic) and the lack of play, the power/lock button is nearly impossible to press. I seriously take 2-3 presses before I get it, when in a hurry even more times. The volume buttons are not nearly as annoying, but still useless. When I'm on a call with my headset and the phone is in the pocket, you can't just put your hand in the pocket and adjust the volume...gotta take it out to make sure you are actually pressing a button. Everytime, I feel the need to look at my phone when adjusting the volume, there is no other feedback that you've pressed the buttons. The camera button is great! The first press (of the 2-stage button) is exactly how every single button should feel like. It seems crazy, but this is the single reason that I cannot use the 8x as a long term phone. It's going for sale.
Screen - This screen is absolutely gorgeous...when viewed head on. Viewing angles are pretty bad.
Windows Phone 8 - I absolutely love the design of WP8. There are some gaps and oddities throughout, but I have faith that it will improve. Oddities include: lack of persistent clock and signal indicators (disappears even in People hub and Explorer), lack of independent volume controls (Alarm is cranked all the time). Once I get a proper Dropbox app, I'll be fairly happy. I'm willing to live with a developing OS and ecosystem because of the joy the interface brings me!
Bottom Line - I'm selling it and buying an unlocked Lumia 920. I cannot use a phone with a useless lock button. I've gone back to Bell and tried other devices and all the 8x are the same. Honestly, how can HTC screw up buttons. Samsung tends to have soft buttons too, but at least the placement is on the side for easy access. The Nokia, Apple and LG have figured out the complex world of buttons.
Anyways. This is a wonderful device with a small fatal flaw.

I sadly have to agree on the lock button placement - its placement is less than ideal. I'm not really fussed about the keys being almost flush with the body, but I can imagine people not liking this. It took me a while to get used to the feel myself, but after some practice I only have some trouble with pressing the lock button sometimes.
Its interesting you say that there is no feedback when pressing the buttons? I can definitly feel a "click" when I press my buttons (like the camera button does) so maybe you got unlucky... And I've no flex nor creakyness. I have had the phone for three weeks now I believe, no case used so far!
The only thing I regret is the lack of a SD slot. I'm not sure about the viewing angles, I don't see any problem, nor have I heard friends complain about it. Then again, this is a personal opinion I guess.
But bottom line is that I should have waited for a Nokia myself. Not going to sell this baby, I love it too much for that, but I will gladly get myself a Nokia after this phone is through (which I hope won't happen anytime soon!).

its funny, at first my impression was this.. but now it feels more natural, you actually don't have to hit it to hard, and after having a samsung for a year its refreshing to have a different layout. its almost like a pressure spot, like a place to squeeze the phone and it turns on (if that makes sense) the only thing that bugs me is all three buttons react differently. the lock is more flush than volume, and the camera being a double action is better.
I don't get what you are saying about viewing angle though. I find it more than sufficient (maybe under high glare light cause of the contour) but I love this phone.
my biggest complaint is the notification light that isn't. who puts an led in a phone but does not let it work for notifications.. this is like having a car without windows.. not needed but when it rains you wish you had em'

The power button issue was solved for me by using a case, it has an indent so I immediately know where the power button is. Side buttons have a raised material that also makes it very easy to find the buttons and press without issue.
Sent from my PM23300 using Board Express

uhhdoug, you make a good point about "squeeze" points rather than typical button pushing. I find I do this, basically wrap my finger around the top right and squeeze...usually powering it on.
This device is absolutely lovely otherwise, I could never put it in a case. But usability sucks.

After 1 week... My volume up button is stuck. Not physically, the button still clicks. However, the phone keeps detecting a volume up command. Sending for repair today. Lets see how efficient HTC is.

Same here - power button is a pain in the ass!!! I manage to activate it 1 out of 10 times when using only one hand
I realised that it's easier to use the camera button to bring the screen on and that's what I'm doing since last week.

I've been using mine (a blue one on Telenor, Hungary) for only 3 days so far, but here's my exeperience anyway: the power button doesn't bother me that much, it reminds me of my iPhone 3G I had a few years ago - I do have big hands though. Coming from an Omnia 7 I really like that I don't mistake the volume rocker for the power button (this was a major pain in the butt where I accidentally turned on the screen in my pocket when trying to change the volume).
Compared to the amoled in the Samsung the blacks and the viewing angles kinda suck, but the resolution makes up for them imo.
I see no discolouring/dirt on the corners, but I did get a few random reboots already (still more reliable than my Galaxy Tab with Cyanogen Mod 10 though).
For those interested in the audio quality the 8X sounds awesome with a pair of mid-range cans (Sennheiser HD518), I'd say on par if not better than a last-gen iPod classic. Turning the Beats Eq on the volume goes up to insane levels (20/30 on a subway is perfectly audible with open-back headphones and 30/30 actually hurts my ears after a minute or so). So, while this is by no means in audiophile territory, it is, in my opinion, more than enough for listening on the go.
Also, the device is absolutely gorgeus to look at and feels great in the hand. Oh, and WP8 is beyond awesome

After 1 week i can say is that the phone is great if you ask me.
Power button .....yes bad place.
16G storage .......meh it will manage.
The majority of the good from this phone makes up for those 2 issues.
So no deal breaker here.
Battery ?
Charge ,charge and charge .
After 1 week on the charger and it will preform great.
And i listing more then 4 hours of music, check the web, Facebook and twitter and so on.
At the end of my work day 50% left.
Nothing wrong with that because my one x drained faster ( Stock).
Greetz.

i agree about the power button its struggle, HTC did it even worse on their verizon DNA, not only that the DNA is even taller they placed the power button in the top middle
we have an awesome kernel fix for the One X which is sweep2wake (you sweep the three touch button) an amazing solution we proposed to HTC lets hope they adopt in their upcoming phones
also comparing to my One X, i love the screen but im gutted the view angles are not match, the One X has an amazing screen where the "floating" can be viewed from the most extreme angles without loosing one percent on the blacks, i'm disappointed but its definitely a downgrade form the One X

I worry that eventually all blue 8x will discolor in the corners and that's what's deterring me from this phone

Diztronic TPU case was a godsend for finding the power button.
Volume and camera buttons are covered but line up ok and cant really tell. Tight fit, thin ,very little added bulk and only makes the phone loose about 1/2 a sexy point. Makes you feel a little better about manhandling this purdy phone too.

I loved mine in some ways but had to return it after a week or so.
It did not pay well with Bluetooth at all..I had problems with my 2011 Corolla and a 2012 Buick Verano. Voice quality was horrible on the Corolla, and music played in slow motion on the Verano.
I also had consistent issues with Netflix and sound problems.
So many apps were missing from the app store...resco radio and most streaming radio apps, and Oregon Trail.
Worst of all is what they did to bing maps. It would was a good and comprehensive feature before that I often used...but it had been neutered and rendered basically useless. I had to pay for Verizon navigation.
I didn't even try syncing my extensive zune collection. So I regretfully went to Android again after having several windows phones . Which is sad because I absolutely love windows phone.
The screen was great, it felt super premium in hand, so many features are beautiful and useful, and best of all no lag! I miss it alot. I loved the previous integration with my zune collection. Did I say the screen was gorgeous lol.
And the Nokia 920 was far too bulky and heavy .
Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using xda app-developers app

Well, I officially sold my 8x.
Pains me a little, the overall industrial design was fantastic. WP8 is so refreshing to use and look at.
But, the power button was terrible. Used a couple of devices, all the same. The screen was nice compared to old windows phones, but not compared to other high end phones. I'm on the Nexus 4 now and the screen is superior.
The OS is severely handicapped. I want it to be awesome, but it just is not there yet. I could not be as productive with it. It feels like a step up from a blackberry, but you can't quite do what you need, especially from a productivity standpoint. The OS is fluid, but terribly inefficient. Constant swirling of animations, I just want to get to the app. Multi-tasking is worse than any other smartphone OS and will be worse than BB10 when it ships. Notifications are non-existent. Sure, notifications are coming, but they aren't here now. This doesn't even mention the "app-gap". All these flaws feel larger than life when I wake up to the WP8 alarm in the morning...blaring at full volume because you cannot adjust it.
It is too bad, the 8x is gorgeous. I look forward to trying WP again in the future...

zed011 said:
I worry that eventually all blue 8x will discolor in the corners and that's what's deterring me from this phone
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The same thing happened to mine. I was forced to get a case for it. Pretty horrible engineering design on HTC's part.

AllTheWay said:
The same thing happened to mine. I was forced to get a case for it. Pretty horrible engineering design on HTC's part.
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Its quite bad that you guys are having so many problems with the 8x. I had initial problems with figuring out the buttons but now its more of a muscle memory kind of thing, after you get used to the fact that the finger has to glide by the front of the phone rather than the back of the phone.

5 days having 8x - great device - but complete change in your files philosphy ...
5 days having 8x - great device - but complete change in your files philosophy ...
Migrated from 4 years HD2 using was somehow shocking but acceptable.
"Hand feelig" is very good
Power button may be better but is usable.
I am missing very simple app. to lock the screen (make it black) without touching power button - anybody knows ?
I am very disappointed by the fact that using phone keyboard there is no automatic search through contacts using 3-letters associated with numbers - this was one of the greatest HD2 features- anybody knows how to to it ? Of course I may try to install many diallers but having too many apps on the phone is cumbersome ... :crying: ... I would be gratefull for any suggestions.
Disctionary is great - first time in any phone/pda I used

I have just received my phone from HTC (got it from HTC Elevate) yesterday, so this is my preliminary thoughts.
I think the hardware is great, my unit doesn't have light leaks whatsoever but agree with OP that buttons are too flushed (except for the camera) and my power button is a little loose, so it rattles when I shake the phone. Viewing angle is, I agree, bad. But not a deal breaker for me, as it shifts only in extreme angles. But otherwise, the hardware is great.
as for the OS, I love the look, but I really hate not to be able to have apps that I have in my Desire S. I share photos with my relatives through instagram, and although there is a client app for it, it can't upload. Then comes the music EQ. So used to PowerAMP makes me longing for a great music app like that for my 8X. Don't get me wrong, the audio is good, if not great, but I just find it a little too "boring" and "lifeless" and would like to be able to adjust EQ myself. And then comes the Dropbox problem. As for the OS itself, I really hate not being able to glance at the battery percentage or any other status. I need status bar, I need notification center.
Nevertheless, I think I can live with the OS'es shortcomings, I just hope that with time, it will mature and grow and better itself.
As for the hardware, my only problem is the buttons, but still they are usable and is not really a big deal for me.

How is the camera. I am long time android guy and have an 8x coming to try out. I wanted to try one but the camera is really important to my. My soff rezound with a nice Rom take fantastic pics in most all conditions so that's my baseline.
But I'm going to def give this phone some testing.

I've hit a week with mine, and heres what I can add.
Industrial Design/Durability - "A day doesn't go by where I don't just stare at the device for a few seconds..." - yea, Ive named mine 'sexy beast' because it really is just a beautiful phone. I keep it in my pocket as well, and so far so good. Its also easy to clean off, which surprised me, I didn't expect the back material to wipe down so easily. So for a design and durabilty I give it an A
Build Quality - I haven't had any creaking, or any really noticable flaws, however, there is just one design flaw in mine, but you have to look. Bottom left corner is aprx 1mm higher than upper right corner, but its only noticable if you really look. Otherwise, its running at an A as well for Build Quality.
Usability of Buttons - "I hesitate to say it, but the buttons (except the camera button) are totally useless." I wouldn't say I have large hands, at least I don't think I do. I have noticed that when I hold the phone in my left hand (my usuall position), the volume buttons fall perfectly between my first finger which rests just below the buttons and my next two fingers, which are able to grasp the sides of the phone without touching the rockers. The camera button then falls between the pinky which also rests just below the button and my two middle fingers. And its an easy slide for me to swing my finger to the power button. When the phone is in a pocket and I am listening to music, I find the volume buttons raised just enough where I can find them inside the pocket, and turn up or down. I haven't had any issues with the buttons, and actually find them better in terms of functionality than the buttons on my old TB. Again, an A
Screen - "This screen is absolutely gorgeous...when viewed head on. Viewing angles are pretty bad." Well, I agree that its truly stunning. Cant believe how crystal clear everything is. And as for angles, the only issue I have is that the screen is so damn good, it reflects too much when viewed at angles! I don't have issues per se seeing the screen, but I have to deal with the reflected element! So give it a B
Windows Phone 8 - I agree that Windows hit this really good! As for a home run, maybe an 'in the park' home run. The persistant clock? I don't seem to have that issue, since my clock is always there, and always correct. I also agree in regards to independent volume. And I would love to put my own sound bites for messaging and other notifications, not be stuck with stock. Playlists too, a real beeaach to set one up! Score a B for the OS, but still love it! Knowing it can get better is a plus.
Bottom Line - Im keeping this bad boy for a long time! If the wife can even say she likes it (first phone of mine she ever said that about) then its a keeper! Overall, I think its a great phone. Battery life is fantastic, its snappy and responsive, its integration with social networks and the ability to customize those is fantastic. Integration with xbox could be more, but I don't think my 'more' is possible! Phone gets a A-, just because I know its gonna get better!

Related

mySlide 4G Keyboard? Good? Bad?

First of all, yes, I am calling it the mySlide 4G. But, my question is, how good is the keyboard? And I don't mean "how good is the keyboard compared to the [Insert Phone Name Here], I mean is the keyboard usable, does it get the job done, and can it be used fast? I have never owned a keyboard before so I am not super worried about adjusting, but in the time I (im)patiently wait for my phone to arrive, I thought I would get thoughts of what real users think of the keyboard. Despite watching/reading all the reviews of the mySlide, it's refreshing to find out what people who don't compare phones for a living think.
natehoch96 said:
First of all, yes, I am calling it the mySlide 4G. But, my question is, how good is the keyboard? And I don't mean "how good is the keyboard compared to the [Insert Phone Name Here], I mean is the keyboard usable, does it get the job done, and can it be used fast? I have never owned a keyboard before so I am not super worried about adjusting, but in the time I (im)patiently wait for my phone to arrive, I thought I would get thoughts of what real users think of the keyboard. Despite watching/reading all the reviews of the mySlide, it's refreshing to find out what people who don't compare phones for a living think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like the keyboard, sure I wish it had a dedicated number row but no biggie. It feels great my fingers. The only thing I'd really change at this point is moving the .com button. I'm constantly hitting that when I want an "a". But I really don't understand why there are so many reviews trashing this keyboard. I'm very particular about my hard keyboards and this one fits in with my high standards.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
I think given the amount of real estate that the keys could use on the phone. That they are too tiny and close together. I'm constantly hitting keys I didnt mean to. And to reach some of them it feels akward, I have to reach further than feels natural. Namely the space bar feels too far to the left.
The response time seems fine. Keys work smoothly. It's just a bit off for me, and not really a comfortable keyboard to use. I'm sure I will adapt and eventually wont notice it anymore.
I really didn't think I would like the Slide's keyboard after using the Touch Pro 2 for so long, but it isn't that bad. The only thing I find myself doing is hitting the '.com' key more often than not when I want an 'a'. I've only had the phone since Tuesday, so I'm sure that with a little bit more time, it won't be an issue.
I think the keyboard is quite usable, and I can type at a relatively quick speed on it.
hah, funny how different typing styles result in different annoyances with the keyboard.
I'm quite liking it, personally. the G1 is still my favorite of the hw keyboard android phones I've had, but the slide is just fine. the only things I would change:
-the back button is pretty inconveniently placed for my typing style. it's not uncommon for me to be typing a sentence and when I end it I accidentally hit "back" and lose everything (unless it's a text or whatever that saves a draft). I also hit "menu" occasionally when typing a comma.
-tactile feedback. I like a nice "click" or at least a pronounced "smoosh" when I'm typing. with the slide, you almost can't tell you've pressed a key.
some things that I really like about it so far:
-however superfluous they may be, the leds at the top of the keyboard that tell you if you have caps or alt on. nice touch.
-spacing is nice. I look at, for comparison's sake, the D3 and can't imagine how anyone with hands bigger than a toddler can type accurately on it. the slide has good spacing and while I agree with azscrewloose on the size of the keys (they could be a smidgen larger), overall, it feels good even with huge hands like mine.
I've never used a slide-out keyboard before but all-in-all this phone feels really nice. The most awkward part for me is the spacebar but I love the www./.com button and caps lock/alt leds, it makes it easy to punch in numbers. The keys they chose to make default work very well. And I think once this phone gets root/s-off/overclock it's going to be a force to be reckoned with.
this phone qwerty and the rest of the hard buttons went kaput. broken. tried factory reset and did not help. these phones are pieces of crap. sending them back and done with android maybe. idk. htc dropped the ball on this one and tmobile lost customers. hope this helps some considering. dont do it.
fireinthesky2night said:
this phone qwerty and the rest of the hard buttons went kaput. broken. tried factory reset and did not help. these phones are pieces of crap. sending them back and done with android maybe. idk. htc dropped the ball on this one and tmobile lost customers. hope this helps some considering. dont do it.
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Click to collapse
lol... this happens with any phone from any manufacturer on any carrier. any electronic device, for that matter. it's called a hardware defect and sometimes it happens. get a replacement and get over it.
pmcqueen said:
-tactile feedback. I like a nice "click" or at least a pronounced "smoosh" when I'm typing. with the slide, you almost can't tell you've pressed a key.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was one of my worries. Although I have never owned a QWERTY keyboard phone, I imagine some tactile feedback would be nice.
fireinthesky2night said:
this phone qwerty and the rest of the hard buttons went kaput. broken. tried factory reset and did not help. these phones are pieces of crap. sending them back and done with android maybe. idk. htc dropped the ball on this one and tmobile lost customers. hope this helps some considering. dont do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea I agree with pmcqueen, just because your phone had problems doesn't mean every phone did. And I certainly wouldn't get rid of Android due to this, it is a great and probably the most powerful phone OS out there. Get a replacement, I guarantee that it won't have the same problems. And if it does, contact T-Mobile and get a free Sensation and a discount on your plan or something lol.
I like the keyboard. I find typing on it to be a much better experience then some of the other phones i've tried, I don't run into the problem of hitting other keys I didn't mean to.
Seems like they are spaced just far enough apart, and raised to just the right height.
Another thing I like is that all the keys are backlit, so I can see them even when it's dim and the light from the screen makes everything around it hard to see.
The one thing I don't like is a lack of arrow keys, but I suppose I can live with that, even though it really sucks.
I like the combination .com and www. button, and the symbol button. The symbol button pops up a choice of symbols on the screen that you can tap to insert. Very helpful.
Blue6IX said:
I like the keyboard. I find typing on it to be a much better experience then some of the other phones i've tried, I don't run into the problem of hitting other keys I didn't mean to.
Seems like they are spaced just far enough apart, and raised to just the right height.
Another thing I like is that all the keys are backlit, so I can see them even when it's dim and the light from the screen makes everything around it hard to see.
The one thing I don't like is a lack of arrow keys, but I suppose I can live with that, even though it really sucks.
I like the combination .com and www. button, and the symbol button. The symbol button pops up a choice of symbols on the screen that you can tap to insert. Very helpful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do wish that the backlighting was more generous, but hopefully there will be an app for that once the phone is rooted.
Plus, for the arrow keys, the optical scroll pad works great!
Keyboard is not to my liking
I had the "mySlide 4G" for a week. I hated the keyboard. I have used a G2 a couple times, the slide fails to match that experience. I thought after a week I would get used to the keyboard, that did not happen. I hated it and returned the phone, even though i am currently phoneless I am not going to get that phone. I hate software keyboards so much, I thought this phone was going to be amazing. The keys are spaced to wide, I thought that would accommodate my fat fingers, but it was worst than the G2. I did not get the feedback I was expecting, the keys are a bit too far in for my taste. The slide mechanism felt flimsy after a couple days use and battery life was terrible compared to my previous nexus one.
TL;DR The keys do not have good feedback and are too far apart. Battery life is meh.
I would say it's on par with the other physical keyboards that HTC has released. I still think the G1 was the best, because of the number row....even though it took time getting use to holding it. So far I am having issues with the MTS4g, but I think it's because I am coming from the G2. Comparing the G2 to the MTS4G, the Alt and Shift keys are literally backwards. So I am constantly hitting Shift when I want to hit Alt, just because they are backwards and I am used to the G2 button location.
I just wish I could figure out what button I am hitting that shuts down my SMS in the middle of typing....that's starting to get annoying.
All in all, I would give this a 6.5 out of 10.
cberbes said:
I would say it's on par with the other physical keyboards that HTC has released. I still think the G1 was the best, because of the number row....even though it took time getting use to holding it. So far I am having issues with the MTS4g, but I think it's because I am coming from the G2. Comparing the G2 to the MTS4G, the Alt and Shift keys are literally backwards. So I am constantly hitting Shift when I want to hit Alt, just because they are backwards and I am used to the G2 button location.
I just wish I could figure out what button I am hitting that shuts down my SMS in the middle of typing....that's starting to get annoying.
All in all, I would give this a 6.5 out of 10.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
almost certainly the "Back" button on the SMS shutdown. if I remember right, the G2 just had a search and menu key on the keyboard... for better or worse, the MT4GS has [rather inconveniently if you ask me] placed a "back" key right next to the period. I regularly hit the back button when trying to punctuate properly.
so I guess I either look like a halfwit when making business communication or I have to deal with losing a few messages (usually they just save as drafts when I press back, but sometimes I lose them altogether) and start from scratch.
thankfully, though, s-off and permaroot are now officially right around the corner and we can remap these buttons. yayyyy.
The 4g slide's keyboard definitely needs some getting used to.
I LOVED the 3g slides keyboard and thought it would be pretty much the same.
The buttons are MUCH more sensitive and are taking time to get used to.
I liked the g2's buttons (as far as feel) better, and I liked the original slides the best. I've been reading that people have been keyboards that have different feels so you mileage may vary. I noticed pressure differences in the two 4g slides I bought (mine is ultra sensitive).
Once we have root, one of the FIRST things I'm doing is editing the keymappings and making the retarded www.com key a tab button. WTF are people that lazy that it warrants a dedicated key? I understand TAB with linux since it autocompletes and I use a shell and ssh a lot. Oh well.
pmcqueen said:
almost certainly the "Back" button on the SMS shutdown. if I remember right, the G2 just had a search and menu key on the keyboard... for better or worse, the MT4GS has [rather inconveniently if you ask me] placed a "back" key right next to the period. I regularly hit the back button when trying to punctuate properly.
so I guess I either look like a halfwit when making business communication or I have to deal with losing a few messages (usually they just save as drafts when I press back, but sometimes I lose them altogether) and start from scratch.
thankfully, though, s-off and permaroot are now officially right around the corner and we can remap these buttons. yayyyy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, that's it. Good call. I just looked at both of my keyboards and I think you nailed it on the head. Which of course brings up another issue with the physical keyboard....more of a software issue than anything. I can NOT get the physical keyboard set to auto-punctuate and auto-cap. With my G2 running CM7.1.0, I have auto punctuate and auto cap, so I don't have to worry about apostrophes, capitalizing "I", and what not, and double space ends the sentence.
I miss those features.
I'm getting used to the keyboards lack of tactile feedback but the lack of a dedicated number row is my biggest annoyance. If u could hold the buttons down and get the alt function that would help a lot. Hopefully a new rom can give us that option. I do miss my touch pro 2 kb...
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using XDA App
I'm on the fence about what I think. On one hand, I actually prefer having such wide spacing between keys, a shallow travel, and soft response. I'm the type of person who loves the keyboards on palm phones since the centro; I like that soft touch, and I like that I can input with my nails if i need to. But the problem for me is that response among keys is uneven, on my model at least, with the keys towards the outwards edges being perfect, whereas a few keys towards the center, like the "t" and "g", barely provide me with any feedback. So little that I was actually looking around to whether I can enable virtual keyboard sounds or vibration feedback when using the hardware keyboard. I wonder whether its just a quality control issue because I haven't seen others have problems with specific buttons like that, they might just not like the keyboard at all but I haven't read about an uneven response.
Which is a shame because otherwise the phone is absolutely spectacular, and imo the best overall android offering out there. I have no issues whatsoever with using a virtual keyboard, but given the possibility, I'd rather use a physical one to save real estate and for the sake of my fingers.
However, I've only had the phone for 2 days, and I have clearly noticed that the keys are "breaking in". It was much worse the first day, but now response has improved substantially. I can tell because some of the outer keys had little response as well before but now click more satisfactorily after I spent a good amount of time pressing keys randomly in the notes app to wear the keys in.
I like this keyboard a lot. The only thing that absolutely sucks about it is that when using it your hands cover the bluetooth radio. For me since I am constantly listening to music on my phone via my bluetooth headphones... I am constantly annoyed by skipping music during texting or browsing. So I generally use the touch screen keyboard while listening to music via bluetooth.
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using XDA App
On another note, does anybody know if their is a version of the stock gingerbread keyboard available with hardware spelling suggestions? The hardware keyboard is a lot more usable for me when used with suggestions. Better Keyboard has it and works well, but its prediction simply isn't as good as either gingerbread's or HTCs, mainly because it doesn't correct a lot of words where you type in an extra letter. And HTCs keyboard, though good as well, simply annoys me because it alwaayyysssss autocorrects "lol" to "LOL", which though minor, I find incredibly irksome when texting. No one uses caps for lol unless they are actually find something hilarious. Everybody knows that lol doesnt actually mean you're laughing out loud most of the time, lol. See? I didn't laugh.

Geek rage at the GSIII

An Honest rant from an android lover:
So the GSIII was announced today and my first reaction when I saw the pictures was “oh god please let this be a joke” (P.S you’ll hear me comparing the GSIII to the One X a lot in this post, but that is because that’s another top dog of android right now.) This is my opinion about the GSIII. Yes it is true I do not have the device, but this is my reaction to the press shoots.
Some of the things that ticked me off the most:
The super ugly looking camera on the back, I don’t care much it freaking looks like a pebble. It’s my phone, not a freaking rock use to throw at someone. The GSII camera looked great; the nexus S camera look great, even the galaxy nexus camera look pretty decent. That freaking ugly looking lump of cancer just looks horrible. Take a look at the HTC one X camera; it looks great even if it sticks out a bit. Putting the speaker phone next to the camera? Seriously? I understand symmetry is important but that is just stupid (and did I mention it looks ugly?).
The long home button is a disaster. I don’t need a long home button; my fingers are not that fat. That thing sticks out like a sore thumb, an ugly cancer ridden sore thumb.
No on screen buttons
I never understood the point of soft touch buttons. Ever since I got my first android device I question the point of soft touch buttons. It’s not like one can physically feel them. From what I understand, why anyone would put soft touch keys in the days of 4.0 is to increase the usable screen size. But you screwed that up too. What is up with that space between the button and the screen? That just adds to the length of the phone. The One X has soft keys, but its evenly spaced and not a mile away from the screen. It also doesn’t stick out its home button.
That plastic looking shell is ugh… god save me. If HTC can do polycarbonate shell, why can’t you Samsung? Huh?
Everything an android specs geek loves in an ugly shell.
microSD, removable battery, NFC, Quad core processor, wireless charging, big screen with 720p display, thin and light weight. It’s (almost) everything anyone can ask for, but dammit Samsung the thing is ugly.
I never thought I would be the one to hate on the GSIII. As a proud owner of the Galaxy Nexus, I’m truly disappointed.
The camera isn't that ugly. It's alright.
I do agree on the spacing of the home button. It's just to much space that could have been removed or used for screen size
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1633599
No need for a new thread, there's plenty of righteous hatred here already
Closed, post in proper section

Do any Nexus 5s NOT have the loose button issue?

Hi all. Just got my Nexus 5 in the mail. It mostly looks great, but the volume and power buttons are loose and rattly, as many have complained about here. I had this problem with an old HTC phone, and it eventually drove me nuts. Not sure I can hang with it in this case either. Question is, is it worth going through the whole replacement process to try to get a better unit, or are they pretty much all like this?
I got mine today, buttons are secure and make no noise whatsoever. Give it a shot
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Out of all the problems this would be the least worrying for me. There's a good chance certain cases even would fix this and I would hate to receive a replacement with worse problems.
My power button wiggles but no audible sounds are heard with heavy tapping.
Mine is just fine.
My buttons are solid, no rattle or noises :good:
loose buttons?
all is fine here.
Didn't know there was a loose button issue
-----------------------
Sent via tapatalk.
I do NOT reply to support queries over PM. Please keep support queries to the Q&A section, so that others may benefit
Fine here also.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
My buttons were solid as a rock initially. They loosened up a little bit after about a week. Yesterday you could hear/feel the rattle whenever you were typing or pressing anywhere near the volume rocker or power button. They would also rattle and shake when you jiggled the phone.
I thought about exchanging it, but other than the rattling the phone was perfect. I didn't want to switch and end up with a worse problem, dead pixels, speaker issues, or whatever else people have been mentioning.
I ended up doing the fix that I saw on youtube, may have originated from someone here. Popped the case off and put tiny pieces of paper between the power button/switch and volume rockers/switches to eliminate the gap between the switch and the the floating buttons (they're not physically attached). The only difference was I used sticky notes with the tacky side facing out towards the buttons so the paper will never have a chance to shift out of place.
Buttons are rock solid again, even more firm than before.
*Last resort of course. Tinkering with the inside voids your warranty.
My first N5 had loose power button and loose volume rocker that rattled quite a bit so i replaced it. The buttons on my new one are perfect, no rattling at all
I wonder if anyone has tried picking up a PS4 and shook that to see if anything rattles?
Its not a £600 CNC machined statement to the world, its a 300 quid phone and how anyone can make a mountain of this particular mole hill is way beyond me. The mass of the buttons is so small the noise generated is hardly the equivalent of shoving your head in the speakers at a Prodigy gig.
FWIW my power button rattles if i shake the phone however i very rarely shake the phone in such a fashion that i would hear it and thankfully i am one of the few that owns a Nexus 5 and doesn't seem to live in an anechoic chamber
MrBelter said:
I wonder if anyone has tried picking up a PS4 and shook that to see if anything rattles?
Its not a £600 CNC machined statement to the world, its a 300 quid phone and how anyone can make a mountain of this particular mole hill is way beyond me. The mass of the buttons is so small the noise generated is hardly the equivalent of shoving your head in the speakers at a Prodigy gig.
FWIW my power button rattles if i shake the phone however i very rarely shake the phone in such a fashion that i would hear it and thankfully i am one of the few that owns a Nexus 5 and doesn't seem to live in an anechoic chamber
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I understand your analogy, your comparison is kind of ridiculous as the PS4 is not a device that's primarily meant to be used and abused, or handled in situations like a mobile device is. A smartphone is meant to be taken everywhere, tossed in bags/pockets, have fingers beating on it for hours a day... A PS4 on the other hand is primarily meant to be stationary with minimal movement. It's built to a different standard.
I can throw in an extraneous irrelevant comparison like yours. I've got a $90 Canon SD1100 IS from 5 years ago with a camera button that's meant to be pressed over and over again, it is also a floating button, and it doesn't rattle. It clicks as it's supposed to and remains solid otherwise. It was also dirt cheap but still built solidly. I've taken thousands of pictures with that thing and the button is still exactly the same as the day I bought it.
My Nexus 5 buttons were initially solid, but to have them degrade and become wobbly and flimsy after only a few weeks was a little disheartening. Sending text messages, or tapping the screen anywhere near the volume/power caused them to rattle. Yeah it was $400, and several hundred cheaper than other flagships, but it's still a button, designed to be pressed over and over again. To have it become loose and jiggly so quickly (or for some people, ship like that) is unacceptable to me. It was an easy fix for me, but for others I can totally understand them wanting to exchange it for a better built unit. The button rattle was even brought up in the Anandtech Nexus 5 review.
If you don't care about the rattle, or accept it because the cost of the unit is less than other phones, that's fine. But don't tell other people to disregard it because it's cheap. Like my cheap $90 5 year old camera, something can be cheap and still be built to a good standard. The Nexus 5 is a fantastic device, but a flaw is a flaw, and I understand people not ignoring it.
Had my n5 since launch on sprint on November 8th and all my buttons do not rattle.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda premium
2 nexus 5s (1 had a defective microphone) and neither had loose buttons.
I guess I was lucky, no rattle at all. Doesn't matter anyway since I use a case.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
My first nexus 5 (which I returned for a different issue) had loose volume and power buttons that wiggled. The second one, only the power button wiggles. Seems like they may still be figuring out exactly how to fit the button's in right.
bblzd said:
Out of all the problems this would be the least worrying for me. There's a good chance certain cases even would fix this and I would hate to receive a replacement with worse problems.
My power button wiggles but no audible sounds are heard with heavy tapping.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mine is the same. i use a spigen slim armor case and one other case and both fix any button "looseness"
My volume rocker rattles pretty badly. I hear it when I have haptic feedback on and am texting. It's almost gotten to the point where I think I just might get a replacement but the only problem is I would not have a phone while I am waiting for a replacement
There apparently has already been a new revision of Nexus 5 hardware out that fixes the rattle problems (and speaker).
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2557699
You can see the housing around the buttons is much thinner/tighter now to prevent the lateral jiggling. The speaker grill holes are also larger.
My volume and power buttons are fine, although there's a slight rattle when I shake it due to the internal components (i.e. if I hold both rockers firm to the casing and give it a slight shake, I hear it).
However, out of curiosity I did the same thing with my N4 and it rattled too, which I noticed for the first time just then. Honestly, I don't even notice it. Like many have said, it's the very least of the problems and I wouldn't risk receiving a replacement with something worse like dead pixels.

This phone has been available to purchase for one month. Give your thoughts!

I am not disappointed in my purchase. And the development is already extraordinary.
Sent from my Vipered M8
Lovin every second spent with this device. No complaints on my end.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using XDA Premium HD app
Best phone on Verizon right now unless you're a cell phone photographer.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
Best phone I've had in years
Sent from my VZW HTC One M8
I like it a lot. Not the slightest bit of stuttering yet. I've yet to root because I don't need it yet and I'd like my warranty to last at least a few months. Sadly on stock my ps3 controller OTG doesn't work. Might sound pity but that was a huge letdown.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
I traded my lockeddown galaxy s4 and all its accessories for this phone as soon s-off had been achieved. lucky me that a friend was adding a new line but wanted the s4 and has zero intentions of doing any modifications to the the phone. I am very impressed with this phone my only irritation is that if I have one of my pics set as wallpaper after a restart it's totally zoomed in/resized. this isn't egregious enough for me to actually try and fix though... not that it stays long anyway being flash happy lol.
I am happy with mine. I have a few problems but they are relatively minor.
1. Speaker grills. Make sure you get one that the grills are flush with the glass if you are going to use a screen protector that goes around the speakers.
2. Why in the hell would HTC only put a red/green LED notification light on it???? That is plain stupid.
wtoj34 said:
I like it a lot. Not the slightest bit of stuttering yet. I've yet to root because I don't need it yet and I'd like my warranty to last at least a few months. Sadly on stock my ps3 controller OTG doesn't work. Might sound pity but that was a huge letdown.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have an XBox 360 controller, they supposedly work via OTG also. I only have a wireless controller (which didn't come with a USB charger cable, or else I lost it) so I can't test it.
As far as the M8....I love it. Development is great, and the M8 itself is a fantastic device. I just wish the radios were a bit stronger. I have frequent issues at my gym with the reception cutting out, which apparently the phone doesn't deal with very well...I have to toggle airplane mode to get data going again, which happens usually 2-3 times during a workout. However, the reception inside my gym is horrible anyway (and it's only slightly better out in the parking lot. usually 1-2 bars, max).
Also, I do feel bad about hiding this beautiful phone inside of a case, but the damn thing is just too slippery...
Terrific phone, best available right now for sure. For a long time I completely undervalued a great stock software experience thinking CM would provide a better experience than, say, touchwiz. I was very wrong. CM on the GS3 was mostly stable, but that's just it... Mostly. It never got to the point of stability that CM7 enjoyed with Gingerbread. Things are different now.
HTC by far has the best stock experience of any manufacturer skin available. I find this experience to be equal to AOSP in my tastes. They did an elegant job.
Quality control/build quality is something I've learned a lot about by having this phone. I don't think I'm going to pit a metal chassis as highly as I did when deciding to go with this phone.
I had to return two of them due to minor imperfections and decided to settle with this one which over time is seeming to degrade dramatically.
- One of the plastic strips on the back is sunken in a bit and yields sharp edges when you run your fingers across it. It also looks bad from certain angles.
- My camera does not sit evenly in its hole. Rather, it's slightly tilted by 5-10 degrees. As far as I can tell this does not affect picture quality but again, feels unpleasant when your finger glides across the camera hole which you will occasionally.
- Speaking about fingers on camera, you'll be wiping it down a bit to clear the smudges. It's indented nature will make it harder to fully clean. Because of this, its easy to scratch the lens. I'm looking into camera lens protectors now.
- As mentioned, the speaker grills are problematic. Mine are mostly flush with the screen, but again, it's that MOSTLY again. On top of that, my bottom grill seems to have minor warping/a wavy surface. Light reflections emphasize this flaw but it's probably the least of my worries.
It's funny how I thought I was getting this phone for it's superior materials and build and ended up feeling unfulfilled in that aspect but being fully enamored with the software. Most of my build flaws are either diminished or not noticeable covered by a case, which I always use a little protection. Because of this, plastic is fine for me in the future if it means more consistent quality and longevity. I don't feel the superior materials when I'm using a case anyway.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
thunderbls said:
I traded my lockeddown galaxy s4 and all its accessories for this phone as soon s-off had been achieved. lucky me that a friend was adding a new line but wanted the s4 and has zero intentions of doing any modifications to the the phone. I am very impressed with this phone my only irritation is that if I have one of my pics set as wallpaper after a restart it's totally zoomed in/resized. this isn't egregious enough for me to actually try and fix though... not that it stays long anyway being flash happy lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn you got so lucky!
I had to sell Note 3 (locked) to get this phone. I also had a One Max in between.
85gallon said:
I am happy with mine. I have a few problems but they are relatively minor.
1. Speaker grills. Make sure you get one that the grills are flush with the glass if you are going to use a screen protector that goes around the speakers.
2. Why in the hell would HTC only put a red/green LED notification light on it???? That is plain stupid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. This is true. My first and second HTC One M7 had bad problems with unevenness.
2. Thats the best part about it. I love it! The HTC One M7 the light was barely noticeable. Now I can see it!
Div033 said:
Terrific phone, best available right now for sure. For a long time I completely undervalued a great stock software experience thinking CM would provide a better experience than, say, touchwiz. I was very wrong. CM on the GS3 was mostly stable, but that's just it... Mostly. It never got to the point of stability that CM7 enjoyed with Gingerbread. Things are different now.
HTC by far has the best stock experience of any manufacturer skin available. I find this experience to be equal to AOSP in my tastes. They did an elegant job.
Quality control/build quality is something I've learned a lot about by having this phone. I don't think I'm going to pit a metal chassis as highly as I did when deciding to go with this phone.
I had to return two of them due to minor imperfections and decided to settle with this one which over time is seeming to degrade dramatically.
- One of the plastic strips on the back is sunken in a bit and yields sharp edges when you run your fingers across it. It also looks bad from certain angles.
- My camera does not sit evenly in its hole. Rather, it's slightly tilted by 5-10 degrees. As far as I can tell this does not affect picture quality but again, feels unpleasant when your finger glides across the camera hole which you will occasionally.
- Speaking about fingers on camera, you'll be wiping it down a bit to clear the smudges. It's indented nature will make it harder to fully clean. Because of this, its easy to scratch the lens. I'm looking into camera lens protectors now.
- As mentioned, the speaker grills are problematic. Mine are mostly flush with the screen, but again, it's that MOSTLY again. On top of that, my bottom grill seems to have minor warping/a wavy surface. Light reflections emphasize this flaw but it's probably the least of my worries.
It's funny how I thought I was getting this phone for it's superior materials and build and ended up feeling unfulfilled in that aspect but being fully enamored with the software. Most of my build flaws are either diminished or not noticeable covered by a case, which I always use a little protection. Because of this, plastic is fine for me in the future if it means more consistent quality and longevity. I don't feel the superior materials when I'm using a case anyway.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
-Plastic Strips: Wow, that does blow. After you mentioned that I tested mine to see if they were like yours. Not at all. Completely smooth. You cannot detect a variance in height variance. Even while running my fingernail over them.
- Camera fit: I inspected mine; Perfect symmetry.
- Speaker grills. I know this issue well because of M7. I got lucky on this one because that offset drove me insane.
TBH: with all the little tweaks your phone has... It sounds like it has been dropped or twisted. Yes it could be bad build quality as well but I would really hate to think that.
is there any way you can exchange yours? Mine is near perfect, its sad to see yours is so... crappy.
scrosler said:
-Plastic Strips: Wow, that does blow. After you mentioned that I tested mine to see if they were like yours. Not at all. Completely smooth. You cannot detect a variance in hight however, as suspected the material feels different but not unexpected
- Camera fit: I inspected mine as well. Perfect symmetry.
- Speaker grills. I know this issue well because of M7. I got lucky on this one because that offset drove me insane.
TBH: with all the little tweaks your phone has... It sounds like it has been dropped or twisted. Yes it could be bad build quality as well but I would really hate to think that.
is there any way you can exchange yours? Mine is near perfect, its sad to see yours is so... crappy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I just got unlucky but oh well I'll live. The first time it was a tiny crack in the corner, the second time was a bump on the bottom speaker grill and was tired of replacing so I decided to just live with the third. I feel like it's punishment for being so picky or something lol
I'm past the 14 day return window but even if I wasn't I was tired of bothering the people at the Verizon store. It's a third party one and they were really nice and helped me keep my unlimited data, so I felt like I was being a hassle. It's also my fault for not examining it close enough to notice the crooked camera, even when they were insisting that I deeply inspect it before going with it.
No drops at all either. I've had it in a case practically since I got it as well. Hell maybe it's the case's fault (for the plastic bands, at least). Sounds like you got lucky, I figure it's just my turn to have some quirks as I've been pretty lucky with tech up to this point. Honestly I'm probably making them sound a lot worse than they actually are too.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
scrosler said:
2. Thats the best part about it. I love it! The HTC One M7 the light was barely noticeable. Now I can see it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I am having that problem with this phone. It is barely noticeable. But I am coming from a Moto RAZR MAXX with a large LED that is capable of multiple colors. I had lightflow set to use blue/white mostly. Some yellow. I guess the main reason I am *****ing is because I am red/green color blind. I can't tell the difference in the colors they offer (red/green)
I don't expect special treatment, but WHY do companies CONTINUE to offer colors that are not visible/distinguishable by about 10% of the population? Why not just use easily distinguishable colors? Like Blue and Yellow.
[/rant]
I'm happy with mine. I don't see any of the flaws mentioned here or anywhere else for that matter. Camera, speaker grills, screen, they are all as they should be. As far as I can see anyway. I love this phone.
That said, I do have one and only one beef about it. The notification LED. No, not that it's not bright enough or the colors available. It's that it only stays on for 5 minutes or so. I'll admit I haven't spent a whole bunch of time searching for an answer but I've spent enough and have yet to come up with a way to make it stay on until I've looked at whatever it is it's notifying me about. Sounds like it's been this way a bit for HTC for a while though. This is my first HTC phone and I'm used to picking up the phone and seeing that light flash. Regardless of how long ago it's been since I've received a call, text or whatever. I'd much prefer to be able to just glance at the phone and see if anything's happening as opposed to having to pick it up and turn on the screen.
I suppose they do it for battery savings. Don't know. But, I find it hard to believe that turning that little diode off after 5 minutes saves anything worth saving. It's not like it's going to be 2 days before I look at it. That said, I can't blame it on the phone. It's HTC's software that comes into play there.
Anyway, other than that, I'm a happy camper.
Yes, yes I did.. get lucky with obtaining this phone. ???
Div033 said:
Yeah I just got unlucky but oh well I'll live. The first time it was a tiny crack in the corner, the second time was a bump on the bottom speaker grill and was tired of replacing so I decided to just live with the third. I feel like it's punishment for being so picky or something lol
I'm past the 14 day return window but even if I wasn't I was tired of bothering the people at the Verizon store. It's a third party one and they were really nice and helped me keep my unlimited data, so I felt like I was being a hassle. It's also my fault for not examining it close enough to notice the crooked camera, even when they were insisting that I deeply inspect it before going with it.
No drops at all either. I've had it in a case practically since I got it as well. Hell maybe it's the case's fault (for the plastic bands, at least). Sounds like you got lucky, I figure it's just my turn to have some quirks as I've been pretty lucky with tech up to this point. Honestly I'm probably making them sound a lot worse than they actually are too.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just a follow up to this and a warning to any others out there, I managed to reset my camera lens to a very level angle (maybe 0.5-1 degrees off still) by pressing gently but firmly down on the raised side.
I think what may have happened is I pressed down a little too hard when cleaning the lens, causing it to become uneven. So be gentle when you wipe down your camera lens!
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
Definitely happy with my purchased of the M8. 1 flaw we all kno Wat that is but besides that I pleased . Not one lag unlock boot loaders s-off can't get no better. And 6 sense smooth no delays waiting for apps to open.
Sent from my Insanely powered M8 using Tapatalk
Not so sure if I'm happy with mine yet. I am not liking this camera and it might be a deal breaker. I like being able to zoom and crop photos and the resolution is just too low. Also I don't notice any improvement with low light shots. Right now I'm debating about getting a gs5. Trying to figure out if I still want to mod my phone. I had a rezound which I enjoyed flashing.
The strengths of this phone
1. Very smooth and responsive.
2. Phone speakers sound great.
3. Overall audio quality is good
4. Very refined sense.
5. Cut and paste texting(sense feature).
6. Great front facing camera
7. Sd slot
8. Soff and root
9. Remote
10.gestures! I love the tap to wake
The bad
1. Poor camera
2. Non removable battery(not a huge deal but nice to have)
3. I don't feel the aluminum body is very rugged and will show drops or scratches very pronounced.
4. Slippery why aluminum if I have to buy a case anyway.
5. When I hold it I get the feeling it's premium but it also feels fragile.
6. Battery life isn't what I expected.(I've only had the phone for a week so I think it's still working itself out.)
Overall good phone but camera ruins it.
Sent from my HTC one m8
xmoox said:
Not so sure if I'm happy with mine yet. I am not liking this camera and it might be a deal breaker. I like being able to zoom and crop photos and the resolution is just too low. Also I don't notice any improvement with low light shots. Right now I'm debating about getting a gs5. Trying to figure out if I still want to mod my phone. I had a rezound which I enjoyed flashing.
The strengths of this phone
1. Very smooth and responsive.
2. Phone speakers sound great.
3. Overall audio quality is good
4. Very refined sense.
5. Cut and paste texting(sense feature).
6. Great front facing camera
7. Sd slot
8. Soff and root
9. Remote
10.gestures! I love the tap to wake
The bad
1. Poor camera
2. Non removable battery(not a huge deal but nice to have)
3. I don't feel the aluminum body is very rugged and will show drops or scratches very pronounced.
4. Slippery why aluminum if I have to buy a case anyway.
5. When I hold it I get the feeling it's premium but it also feels fragile.
6. Battery life isn't what I expected.(I've only had the phone for a week so I think it's still working itself out.)
Overall good phone but camera ruins it.
Sent from my HTC one m8
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you get a GS5, make sure you get one with a good camera. They are failing miserably. LOL
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/samsung-to-replace-galaxy-s5-phones-affected-by-faulty-84127046184.html
xmoox said:
Not so sure if I'm happy with mine yet. I am not liking this camera and it might be a deal breaker. I like being able to zoom and crop photos and the resolution is just too low. Also I don't notice any improvement with low light shots. Right now I'm debating about getting a gs5. Trying to figure out if I still want to mod my phone. I had a rezound which I enjoyed flashing.
The strengths of this phone
1. Very smooth and responsive.
2. Phone speakers sound great.
3. Overall audio quality is good
4. Very refined sense.
5. Cut and paste texting(sense feature).
6. Great front facing camera
7. Sd slot
8. Soff and root
9. Remote
10.gestures! I love the tap to wake
The bad
1. Poor camera
2. Non removable battery(not a huge deal but nice to have)
3. I don't feel the aluminum body is very rugged and will show drops or scratches very pronounced.
4. Slippery why aluminum if I have to buy a case anyway.
5. When I hold it I get the feeling it's premium but it also feels fragile.
6. Battery life isn't what I expected.(I've only had the phone for a week so I think it's still working itself out.)
Overall good phone but camera ruins it.
Sent from my HTC one m8
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There was recently a leaked photo of a Verizon Xperia Z2. I'd sooner get a Z2 than a GS5.
I agree with many of your points though I just don't think anyone should have to deal with the horror that is Touchwiz.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
Of course, the One (M8) isn't a phone that's going to be to everyone's tastes. It's amazing product, the camera is fantastic and the battery has improved a bit and also with its with it's stunning design, this with the price. Everything I'm looking for a smartphone, its already here! Since I bought my M8, I did embrace and love it since then.

Hinged Backlit Keyboard

I see a couple of options for this in other models, but I'm looking for one that works with 8.4. Any suggestions?
http://www.amazon.com/Backlit-Bluetooth-Keyboard-Samsung-10-1-Black/dp/B00MJX9DFE
I guess the autofit 8 is as good as it gets - not backlit though
http://www.amazon.com/ZAGG-Autofit-Bluetooth-Keyboard-Android/dp/B00MSOHDR4
Been looking since the day I received my 10.5, totally onboard trying to find a hinged one. Damn Apple has full blown hinged with 360 swivel.
I got the hinged autofit and I really like it. The keys are responsive with light travel. It has all they keys one would need. There is a slight design flaw which is a bit annoying. The bluetooth sync button is right by the power button. I like to turn the keyboard off so it doesnt start typing while I am playing games and fingers hit the keyboard. I always hit the sync button while searching for the power switch so the next time I need to use the keyboard it doesnt connect & I must pair it again. As well as this thing is designed it seems like quite a dumb oversight but since it's the only game in town - beggers cant be choosey. The hinged feature is solid. The base stays where it should and does not tilt over. The cover looks nice and seems to offer good protection. One other little thing I wish it had is the unlock magnet.
I also got a clip on LED light since there is no backlight. It's an anybest http://www.amazon.com/Anybest-BL-01-Rechargeable-Flexible-Reading/dp/B00W8MPZRQ/
I got this one out of the hundreds available because it has padded protection on both sides of the clip and is rechargable with a lifetime warranty. The LED lights are adjustable to 2 levels and there are 2. I usually only need one on the lowest setting. I would trade for a backlit keyboard in a heartbeat, but otherwise I am happy with these purchases.

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