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[Q] New to smartphones. BB Torch or DesireZ?

Hi!
So, I'm with Bell Canada [Aliant] and I've just used my full hardware upgrade the other day. I opted for the BB Torch 9800, but I am finding the screen a little small and it's just a little bit slow/laggy. I haven't used 30minutes of talktime or 50 megs of data yet, meaning I can still go in and trade it. Both the G.S. Vibrant and DesireZ are a bit cheaper too. Or the iphone 4. [lol]
I would love to get an Android phone but it's difficult for my to assess whether or not I will experience problems with the Desire Z or G.S. Vibrant.
I'm worried about hinge issues in the DesireZ [I've read the thread...is it really just going to end up loose and slippery. No magnetic hold or anything to hold the kb in place?] and it killing different SD cards.
I'm worried about the SD card corruption/failure in the GalaxyS Vibrant, the lag issues [pre fix] and the other problems with the Bell model.
Can rooted/modded Androids get setup similar to BB's in that you access your emails from the phone and it gets directed to one central access point? Don't really know anything about apps for Android either, heh. Is flash support a huge deal? Seems like it is.
Advice/comparisons would be great, thanks. And whether or not I'm overreacting about the android phone problems.
Cheers.

I just got the G2 which is equivalent to the Desire Z except from tmobile. It is great, but I can't answer your questions about the hinge or sd card, because I just got the phone. Even though I am new to it I would highly recommend it.
Sent from my HTC Vision(G2) using XDA App

4.7 (6039) users would you buy it again? Are you happy with it?

I'm in the market for a mid range phone and don't want to spend over $230 for a phone. I've been looking at the Moto G (2gb) and the Idol 3 4.7. I wear a uniform shirt with smaller pocket so the Moto G is in the higher end of overall size I'd like to have.
I read that the 4.7 Idol's keyboard suffered from a bit of lag. Does installing swiftkey fix the problem?
Are there any other issues with the phone like heavy lag? Is it capable of wireless charging after installing a receiver?
If you could do it all over again would you have bought the phone (6039) or something different. I've run android before and would prefer not to have to root it.
I'm really hoping to get some good incite from you guys to make my choice clearer. If there's another phone out there you'd like to recommend let me know.
Sent from my BlackBerry Classic running BB10. Yes, people still use Blackberry.

yes
I've actually considered both phones as an upgrade to my 1st gen Moto G. Went with the Idol and I'm very satisfied with it. It's true that the 3rd gen Moto is one of the snappiest phones I've ever handled, but as far as all the rest goes, I really thing the Idol is a winner. All in all, if you decide to buy it I'm sure you will not have any regrets. BTW, size difference is HUGE between these two phones. Just get your hands in a shop on both and you'll see.

ddgarcia05 said:
I'm in the market for a mid range phone and don't want to spend over $230 for a phone. I've been looking at the Moto G (2gb) and the Idol 3 4.7. I wear a uniform shirt with smaller pocket so the Moto G is in the higher end of overall size I'd like to have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Moto G is big, heavy and ugly according to me. 155 grams ... my old phone is 151 grams and compared to the Idol is very heavy . Moto G however has great user base and developers here at XDA, runs on 5.1.1 and also is water resistant.
I read that the 4.7 Idol's keyboard suffered from a bit of lag. Does installing swiftkey fix the problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see any lag with the keyboard (or at least I think so) . Swift keyboard is preinstalled but I don't like it. I use Google keyboard and Hackers keyboard (priceless in the terminal emulator). A small demo about the keyboard is attached below.
Are there any other issues with the phone like heavy lag? Is it capable of wireless charging after installing a receiver?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not a gamer so I can't tell about heavy games, but it performs well in applications. No option for wireless charging. The device however should have an option for fast charging with a 1500 mAh charger (not tested).
If you could do it all over again would you have bought the phone (6039) or something different. I've run android before and would prefer not to have to root it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone for its price is perfect (my opinion). If the option for easy rooting is still available definitely . I can't live without root access so I'm on the opposite side here. I recommended the phone to my sister and now she has the same ... repartitioned of course , but not rooted. The best you can do is go to a store and compare them side by side.
I'm really hoping to get some good incite from you guys to make my choice clearer. If there's another phone out there you'd like to recommend let me know.
Sent from my BlackBerry Classic running BB10. Yes, people still use Blackberry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
P.S. We know about the BlackBerry

I'm conflicted on the matter. This phone is incredible hardware for the price, and latest OTA updates have fixed many bugs and performances issues, making it a very pleasant phone to use.
UI is snappy, everything just works (except downloads onto the SDCARD which are a pain in the a**, but this is probably due to how Android L works, not specific to this phone).
Photos, screen, speakers, everything is good quality !
However, latest OTA updates (namely, FW update 01005) also removes fastboot commands, which means any user who hadn't rooted his phone prior to this update is currently stuck with an unrootable phone.
So unless an android enthusisat gets his way around this dirty trick from Alcatel (I'm praying for your success, petrov.0 ;p), I can't answer positively just yet.
I hope Alcatel will eventually reintroduce the fastboot commands in a later FW, but we can't rely on that for the moment :-/
So would I rebuy it ? => I haven't decided if I'm keeping it, which saddens me a little.
Would I recommend it for a "normal" user, who doesn't require root ? Yes, definitely !
Edit : Finally, thanks to @petrov.0 's awesome work, I decided to keep it

DarkZell666 said:
However, latest OTA updates (namely, FW update 01005) also removes fastboot commands, which means any user who hadn't rooted his phone prior to this update is currently stuck with an unrootable phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This has now been fixed -> here

YES
The front facing speakers on this phone at this price are incomparable! That coupled with Viper4Android makes it a smartphone to be reckoned with!
I understand the phone's Dragontrail screen is fragile, but since I rarely drop my phones, don't put them in a case or use a screen protector, I am challenging myself to continue using the phone naked and see how I fair with the screen. My friends marvel at how well I treat my phones as the last one, the OnePlus One still looks pristine after 2 years without protection.

Very Satisfied
xStealth said:
This has now been fixed -> here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can also use KingRoot which I did before I bricked my phone by writing an invalid boot.img [This was my fault and nothing to do with the phone]

I got it for free on a 15euro/month contract. I've only been using it for a short while but I can't find anything to complain about. Haven't noticed any keyboard lag or any other kind of lag at all. I don't play any games on it, just normal daily use. I get decent amount of screen time (about 5.5-6 hours), so the battery is quite decent as well.
I think there is really nothing to complain about for a phone that came for free.
Sent from my 6039H using Tapatalk

Quick answer: yes, I would buy it again.
There are a few things that could be improved. Namely, the screen could dim further, the volume could stand to be lower on the lowest end, and the double-tap to wake still seems to accidentally activate after the updates (I have it disabled). Given the price-point, though, and all the great aspects (speakers!, size, battery life, etc.), I have no regrets at all.

Bradlee22 said:
the double-tap to wake still seems to accidentally activate after the updates (I have it disabled).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like you're on stock, but I'll say that double tap to wake has never once failed me (never activated on accident, and never failed to activate when I try to use it) on CM 12.1. Again, requires a custom rom, but it works great.

xStealth said:
Sounds like you're on stock, but I'll say that double tap to wake has never once failed me (never activated on accident, and never failed to activate when I try to use it) on CM 12.1. Again, requires a custom rom, but it works great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Appreciate the feedback. I'm pretty happy with stock + xposed, but may just go back to CM in the future.

V10 >>>Banter BONANZA<<< and Tagline Thread _______________

So the Root thread was starting to get out of hand.
If you want to "talk shop" or "shoot teh $hit", let's do that here and keep the Root thread clean for development headway.
Got a few thoughts on the V10 myself.
1) Battery life is not the best, leaves me desiring more.
2) When wearing a case, the Volumptuous10 has a very "specific" spot it likes to be touched. (we are talking about the fingerprint reader here... get your mind outta the gutter)
3) General performance is pretty good, but graphic prowess is severely lacking. Wished LG had used something other than the 808
4) Speaker is a bit weak for my uses. I often work in loud environments where using speakerphone on calls is necessary just to hear the other party
5) I miss having dual cellular radios. Means no simultaneous data and voice calls unless using your Carriers "advanced calling" app/feature. Not an ideal solution
6) Second screen is useful, but too restricted. I hope LG opens this up more to 3rd party apps that can expand its usability 100 fold
7) Picture quality for me is softer on the V10 when compared to the G4 in side by side shots. I have tested this under many different conditions
8) WOULD CARRIERS STOP LOCKING DOWN OUR DEVICES AND LOADING THEM UP WITH CRAPWARE ALREADY ???? damn.....
9) Love the design. Looking at it reminds me of Star Wars imperial designs. I have officially named my V10 " TIE-Fighter X " . And I guess the relation to the Dark Side is fitting seeing that Verizon just had to brand the back plate.
That brings me to TAG LINES. If you have one bouncing around in that noggin of yours, let it loose here...
1st point on my list above spawned this thought.
Tag line reads: " V10 battery life got you down? Could've had a V8 "
Needs to have an image to go along with this. Someone make me one??
And my feelings about the battery life and design of this spectacular device come with a development request.
SOMEONE PLEASE MAKE A STAR WARS ROM FOR THIS BEAST!!! I beg of you.
Call it something like "Star Destroyer", or "Vader's Vain". Maybe even "DeathStar". Get creative.
As you can see by the title of this thread and the content within... ANYTHING GOES.
Have at it !!!

Why in the bloody hell does the default camera app have to sharpen every image. I think LG wants to compensate on everything *wink wink*

Battery life is ... Meh... ok though.. two batteries / fast charging is a nice option...
also, and probably the bigger topic. I can talk and use data (either on the device itself or tethering via Foxfi) at the same time. I'm not doing anything special but it works for me.

Development for this phone it's pretty much non existent. I should have kept my nexus 6 or bought the newest note.
The second screen is a total waste at this point and a awful gimmick that managed to suck me in to buy the phone. ( that was one of the reasons I bought it).
This is my first and probably last LGv phone.
Battery life is less than desirable but so are most Android phones.

TheRealKingSen said:
Development for this phone it's pretty much non existent. I should have kept my nexus 6 or bought the newest note.
The second screen is a total waste at this point and a awful gimmick that managed to suck me in to buy the phone. ( that was one of the reasons I bought it).
This is my first and probably last LGv phone.
Battery life is less than desirable but so are most Android phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is your name Nancy by chance?
I like the second screen. use it to control pandora (or music app) while in another app or while screen is off, quick apps to launch (from anywhere), answer or ignore phone calls without it taking over your screen. I extended the text notification to ten seconds so if i see one come in I have time to click on it to bring it up or swipe it away. anyhow. just my opinion. Hope it grows on you and if not that you are able to trade someone for a phone you like better.

ke5pcv said:
Why in the bloody hell does the default camera app have to sharpen every image. I think LG wants to compensate on everything *wink wink*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tested my V10 side by side with my mothers G4. Her G4 takes a sharper shot on almost every attempt. This is testing them literally side x side taking shots in various conditions.
So either the software on the V10 need tweaking, or I bought my Mom a killer G4. LOL Just my $.02
kaluna00 said:
I can talk and use data (either on the device itself or tethering via Foxfi) at the same time. I'm not doing anything special but it works for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Log into your Verizon account online and look on the right side of the page. You should see "Plan Management" in red letters. Right under that are 2 red buttons. Click on the [My Products and Apps].
On the next page under the Get Products tab, click on "Free Products". You should see HD Voice. If that is enabled already, that might be why you can do that.
Now the feature that originally allowed you to use data and voice simultaneously used to be listed here under the name Advanced Calling 1.0. It does not appear there any more, but it was there just a month ago. I am not sure if it has been rolled up into the HD Voice or not, but it's probably baked into all current Verizon phone Roms (official). And probably enabled by default.
What it does is call over your data connection (basically like VOIP) thus you are not really using voice and data simultaneously. You are making calls over LTE while still using LTE.
Try going out to an area where there is no LTE and you will find that you cannot use the Advanced Calling while on 3G. AC can also drop calls if you are in an area where LTE signal is weak, or you are moving around a large distance at a time (driving, etc.)
Its a compromise, but it certainly does not make up for the true capabilities of separate radios.
TheRealKingSen said:
Development for this phone it's pretty much non existent. I should have kept my nexus 6 or bought the newest note.
The second screen is a total waste at this point and a awful gimmick that managed to suck me in to buy the phone. ( that was one of the reasons I bought it).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gimmick.... eh, maybe somewhat. "Eye of the beholder" I suppose. I think it would have made more sense on the bottom, but then it just would have been a longer screen.
The way I see it being useful is having it on the bottom where your nav bar would be, and allowing it to swipe and change to something else beside the nav buttons. And this would give you back the screen space that you are loosing to the nav bar. But like I said, then you just have a longer screen overall.
Custom Roms already have features like this, so it wont be anything revolutionary except to those that didn't know such a thing existed.
I think it will gain more traction when LG decides to let devs expand on the 2nd screens functions and 3rd party support.
But the phone is beautiful right? The Note used to be my favorite phone line, but now it is in the dumpster along with the whole Galaxy line-up. It lays right there next to the iFone slopped in decaying banana guts, just beneath the rotting apple.

I've had Samsung phones back to the Captivate, and I REALLY like what LG has put out with the V10. For me it isnt so much a drastic change in the GUI/Software, that's all really just a change in the "theme". GUI wise, it's a bit refreshing to get away from Sammy. Hardware wise, I LOVE what LG did with this device, it's far more solid feeling than my Note III. It has a great weight. It did take a little getting use to the button placement, but after a month or 2 it's really MUCH more intuitive than the placement on the side rails. I suppose the bump to a higher rated processor would've been really nice, but for my usage I see zero lag/performance issues.
So to carry over from the Root bounty thread, and I KNOW this will cause a fury of discussions on device lock down/Root/locked bootloaders
I've mentioned this before in other areas, and unfortunately, I believe this is the way things are going to continue to move.
One of the things I think we (here at XDA) fail to realize is the full scope of a devices impact in the market versus the size and scope of XDA's "footprint". Take the S6 and S6 edge as an example. Estimated combined device sales figures are somewhere around 45 million (as of June 2015). XDA's current membership is close to 7 million in total, for ALL devices. If you (generously imo) estimate that 10% of all XDA members own a S6 or S6 edge, that would account for around 1.6% of the devices total sales.
As someone said in the other thread, that "we" should boycott the carries that are locking devices down...... under 2% of total sales(again for the S6/S6 Edge as the example)? I think they would barely even notice
It just makes really good business sense to cater sales to large scale corporations who require a secure device. Which is why I think Big Red and Big Blue are locking the devices down. This model, is really just securing all of the business that they ripped away from Blackberry.
T-Mo, seems to be moving in a different direction by catering to the "younger generation"/family's, etc. Which doesn't really "require" a locked system.
I think that we are still very lucky to have some really talented folks who are still able to dig in and get things done. Unfortunately, I fear this is going to become more and more difficult to do
This is all "what I think", not "what I know" so take it with a grain of salt

@fire3element
Log into your Verizon account online and look on the right side of the page. You should see "Plan Management" in red letters. Right under that are 2 red buttons. Click on the [My Products and Apps].
On the next page under the Get Products tab, click on "Free Products". You should see HD Voice. If that is enabled already, that might be why you can do that.
You were right... It was enabled on my line. I have been able to do this since I had my Rezound though (also on my G2). I still have an UDP and could talk while tethering or surfing... don't know why (rooted, custom ROM???) anyway. glad it is still working and I'll try it if I get into a place without 4G and report back. anyway..

kaluna00 said:
You were right... It was enabled on my line. I have been able to do this since I had my Rezound though (also on my G2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am pretty sure that the Rezound had separate data and voice radios. Let me clarify that. LTE radio is separate from the 3g/1x radio. The Note 3 and I believe up to the S5 have separated raidos. Think that changed with the Note 4 and other phone that came out around that time.
Note 3 had the 801 chipset, so most phones around that time had the same radio setup.
Snapdragon and other manufactures started merging to single radio setups to conserve power. The result is hindered operation, which is trying to be solved with software. Seems ok till you don't have a strong LTE signal or no LTE at all. The call dropping is also very aggravating. Specially those that use their devices for business... _________________yeah

Hate to admit it.. But guess that was just dumb luck. I normally have week LTE @my brothers house. I'll try it out next time I'm there.

kangi26 said:
I've mentioned this before in other areas, and unfortunately, I believe this is the way things are going to continue to move.
One of the things I think we (here at XDA) fail to realize is the full scope of a devices impact in the market versus the size and scope of XDA's "footprint".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you are absolutely right. We are of little to no significance to the phone makers, but there IS a large market to influence with Unlockable devices. As has been proven with Nexus, One+, and Motorola sales.
On the subject of T-mobile, I think the majority of their decision to allow Unlockable devices is purely grasping at straws for more customers. That and the fact they realize the % of users that are even interested in this is just a small portion of the customer base, thus fairly irrelevant vs. being something that impacts their bottom line.
BUT WHY WON'T GOOGLE FORCE ALL MANUFACTURES TO ALLOW BOOTLOADER UNLOCKS FOR USERS THAT CHOOSE TO DO SO?? I mean it is GOOGLE's OS. They could make this mandatory.
And implement it the same way the Nexus line does. You can unlock your Bootloader, but you are forced to wipe the device in the process. Yes there could be ways around this, but so exist exploits to gain Root on devices without wiping.
I think Motorola has a good policy on this. You are allowed to officially unlock your Bootloader upon agreement that Moto is not responsible for your security thereafter, and your warranty is now VOID.
I see little risk allowing this with all devices. And this is what Android SHOULD BE.
Users need to have the choice to do with their devices what they want. I have a feeling that there is a bigger player in this that is keeping the Gubermint from forcing manufactures to abide by this like they did to Verizon with the Carrier unlocking.

fire3element said:
Yes, you are absolutely right. We are of little to no significance to the phone makers, but there IS a large market to influence with Unlockable devices. As has been proven with Nexus, One+, and Motorola sales.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that if we look a little at the device sales for last year,
Samsung sold 392 million
Lenovo, Motorola sold 84 million
LG sold 76 million (this would include Nexus)
and so on and so on(sales numbers get smaller). I think what were looking at is complete dominance in the handset market. Even Apple only sold 191 million, not even close to Sammy!
So to me, it's a "Do what you can to stay a viable device manufacturer", and to do that you have to get as many sales as you can. Being in IT in the Healthcare industry, I know what the company I work for requires. The more secure the manufacturer can make the device, the more likely they'll be in the running to get a sale/contract
fire3element said:
On the subject of T-mobile, I think the majority of their decision to allow Unlockable devices is purely grasping at straws for more customers. That and the fact they realize the % of users that are even interested in this is just a small portion of the customer base, thus fairly irrelevant vs. being something that impacts their bottom line.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you're spot on here! I've thought that for a while too
fire3element said:
BUT WHY WON'T GOOGLE FORCE ALL MANUFACTURES TO ALLOW BOOTLOADER UNLOCKS FOR USERS THAT CHOOSE TO DO SO?? I mean it is GOOGLE's OS. They could make this mandatory.
And implement it the same way the Nexus line does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that it's because Google is in the market to sell it's OS, and if they can provide a product that will sell and ship on well over 500 million devices in 2014. That's what I call makin' money!
To be honest, I've always thought that the reason Google came out with the Nexus line was to maintain a platform that was "Pure Google" knowing full well that the rest of the industry was going to be changed. And keep it the way the first rolled out and hoped it would be. I think that's really cool

I enjoyed the dialog you two posted and agree with it all and the parts in the middle.
Thanks Kangi26 and Fire3Element, good stuff.

This is my first LG device and in happy that I purchased it. I've read all through the forum people are complaining about things that could've been avoided before you left the carrier store or where ever the device was purchased. When I went in I had three devices in mind, this device the note 5 and Samsung Galaxy S6. I tested all three over an hour and half time frame and ended up choosing the LG V10. I've even dropped it or its been knocked off my counter to tile flooring about 4 or 5 times with no issues. The only thing that I've found that I don't like is the LG keyboard so I switched to the Google keyboard... Problem solved. I have good battery life, so I'm happy

Overall, I am happy with this phone. Yes there are some nitpicks, but ALL devices have them.
The fact that I still get a removable battery and microSD card slot more than make up for the rest of the V10's issues.
But I will say I am still a Note fan. If the Note 5 had kept the removable battery and SD card, I'd most likely have bought the Note 5. My Note 3 has been an absolute beast, and still is to this day.
Unfortunately, the LTE reception issues have been getting so bad that I was forced to upgrade to a new phone. Otherwise, I would still be using my Note 3 until SamSmug got their $tuff together. If the V10 gets Root, I will be more than happy. Hope for a Bootloader unlock as well.

this thread is what we needed to vent and just bs. thanks bud.

fire3element said:
Overall, I am happy with this phone. Yes there are some nitpicks, but ALL devices have them.
The fact that I still get a removable battery and microSD card slot more than make up for the rest of the V10's issues.
But I will say I am still a Note fan. If the Note 5 had kept the removable battery and SD card, I'd most likely have bought the Note 5. My Note 3 has been an absolute beast, and still is to this day.
Unfortunately, the LTE reception issues have been getting so bad that I was forced to upgrade to a new phone. Otherwise, I would still be using my Note 3 until SamSmug got their $tuff together. If the V10 gets Root, I will be more than happy. Hope for a Bootloader unlock as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really loved my Note 3 as well, and was really on the fence with the Note 5. I loved the size and how small the screen bezels are, but there were a couple things that I really didn't like at all. The removable battery/no SD slot wasn't the straw that broke the camels back, it was oddly the glass back. I had that thing in my hand at the AT&T store, and it was WAY too slick for me
And really when I got the V10 in my hands, it just felt so much better than even my Note 3, I bought it on the spot (I had been looking at the specs for a while too)

kangi26 said:
The removable battery/no SD slot wasn't the straw that broke the camels back, it was oddly the glass back. I had that thing in my hand at the AT&T store, and it was WAY too slick for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is where we differ the most then. I absolutely have to have a case on my phones due to working conditions. After having the Zero Lemon extended battery + case on several phones, there is no way I would ever sacrifice having a removable batt on my main device again. That is unless there are no longer any phones with removable batt.
I had contemplated building a design just like what Zero Lemon sells back when I had my LG VX8700 flip phone. A triple cell battery that covered the entire length of the phone just made sense to me. I pondered on it for a while, but did not see how I could get a manufacture to build them.
Then when I got my Droid X, I bought 3 batteries and attempted to build one. It seemed to work ok, but again my working conditions are harsh. I had to stop using it in fear that I would lose/drop them while working.
Now that there is a manufacture making these tri-cell batteries, I don't think I could ever live without one. Just so close to what I had envisioned years ago so I guess it means more to me than most.
Not everyone's idea of portable I suppose. But when you can tether for 48hrs straight and never have to worry that your battery is going to go dead... now THATS POWAR!!!
Prob could jump start your car off one of these. LoL

fire3element said:
But when you can tether for 48hrs straight and never have to worry that your battery is going to go dead... now THATS POWAR!!!
Prob could jump start your car off one of these. LoL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HAA!! That's a riot!!
You know, that gives me an idea! You could take a spare back for the V10, epoxy it to one of these, run a cable to the USB ports.
You could run FOREVER, and jump a car all at the same time!!
---------- Post added at 12:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:51 PM ----------
fire3element said:
This is where we differ the most then. I absolutely have to have a case on my phones due to working conditions. After having the Zero Lemon extended battery + case on several phones, there is no way I would ever sacrifice having a removable batt on my main device again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the past few years, I've not been quite the power user I use to be, and also saw that the N5 had an option for larger memory (Not the BEST options, but I could've lived with it). And even my career changed too, so even a case isnt NEARLY as important as it use to be for me (I was in construction, so Otterbox was a MUST)

This very type of thread was created back when the device was launched here.
No need to start another.
Please carry on in the Lounge:good:
This thread has been closed
Thank you.

returning the LGv20...

I feel like this phone is a great phone for a small audience.. And that's for music lovers.. Other than that this phone is actually pretty bad... The camera is useless with all the grain.. The screen is horrible at night it bleeds out so much.. The UI is disgusting.. And OMG THE LAG IS ABSURD.. How they released a phone thats constatly lagging..
Tbh very disappointed I have never returned a phone in my life. And I buy almost every phone that's release... Now I have no option to switch to iphone 7 until I can find a pixel xl for a good deal...
T-Mobile 918h

Is this a joke? This phone is smooth as butter especially compared to the v10, you're either running it with a poorly performing sdcard or you've got a defect.
UI is disgusting? What it's like every other freaking phone. There are plenty of 3rd party launchers to change it as you see fit.
Camera I am unsure of since I haven't really used it much yet but I am sure its not horrible like you're claiming.
Either way good luck with whatever phone you choose next. I am being sincere if my phone was like that I'd change too but mine has been good so far.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

evo4g63t said:
Is this a joke? This phone is smooth as butter especially compared to the v10, you're either running it with a poorly performing sdcard or you've got a defect.
UI is disgusting? What it's like every other freaking phone. There are plenty of 3rd party launchers to change it as you see fit.
Camera I am unsure of since I haven't really used it much yet but I am sure its not horrible like you're claiming.
Either way good luck with whatever phone you choose next. I am being sincere if my phone was like that I'd change too but mine has been good so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you ever used a stock android phone such as a pixel or a nexus?..

egren58 said:
I feel like this phone is a great phone for a small audience.. And that's for music lovers.. Other than that this phone is actually pretty bad... The camera is useless with all the grain.. The screen is horrible at night it bleeds out so much.. The UI is disgusting.. And OMG THE LAG IS ABSURD.. How they released a phone thats constatly lagging..
Tbh very disappointed I have never returned a phone in my life. And I buy almost every phone that's release... Now I have no option to switch to iphone 7 until I can find a pixel xl for a good deal...
T-Mobile 918h
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't take this the wrong way. I'm just explaining my experience owning the phone since October so that you have more info about its capability.
Are you on a stock phone?
The rooting process and custom roms have allowed Dev's to fix many of the issues that existed on stock.
Lag? Mine is fast as sh*t. I came from the note 4 with one of the best custom roms (tx_dbs_tx) and this phone is much faster.
I'm on OvrDrive's rom and couldn't be happier. The latest update has the camera working faster and taking exceptional pictures. Better than my note 4.
Yes, the screen is not a sammy. When we are able to integrate kcal it will be close. I had kcal on an early rom version that really made the screen look good. Unfortunately, we have had problems with modifying the kernel, but I believe it is only a matter of time until it can be done safely.
I'm using a custom theme which looks great, especially at night. I don't spend a lot of time looking at my phone in a pitch black room, so I rarely see the bleed. This is the price you pay for a second screen, which I really like. I wouldn't trade the second screen for a phone without the second screen just to lose the bleed which I only see .01% of the time.
I got my wife an S7 edge. It is stock. Other than the great sammy screen, there is nothing that would make me consider trading my V20. I have so much more control over my phone than hers and can do much more.
If you are on stock, then maybe that is the problem. Rooted with a custom rom is great. If you aren't willing to go down that road, then, yes you should switch.

androiddiego said:
Don't take this the wrong way. I'm just explaining my experience owning the phone since October so that you have more info about its capability.
Are you on a stock phone?
The rooting process and custom roms have allowed Dev's to fix many of the issues that existed on stock.
Lag? Mine is fast as sh*t. I came from the note 4 with one of the best custom roms (tx_dbs_tx) and this phone is much faster.
I'm on OvrDrive's rom and couldn't be happier. The latest update has the camera working faster and taking exceptional pictures. Better than my note 4.
Yes, the screen is not a sammy. When we are able to integrate kcal it will be close. I had kcal on an early rom version that really made the screen look good. Unfortunately, we have had problems with modifying the kernel, but I believe it is only a matter of time until it can be done safely.
I'm using a custom theme which looks great, especially at night. I don't spend a lot of time looking at my phone in a pitch black room, so I rarely see the bleed. This is the price you pay for a second screen, which I really like. I wouldn't trade the second screen for a phone without the second screen just to lose the bleed which I only see .01% of the time.
I got my wife an S7 edge. It is stock. Other than the great sammy screen, there is nothing that would make me consider trading my V20. I have so much more control over my phone than hers and can do much more.
If you are on stock, then maybe that is the problem. Rooted with a custom rom is great. If you aren't willing to go down that road, then, yes you should switch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am rooted. I have had the phone for about 10 days. I am on weta rom.. Is just I feel like this phone is phone is not the android experience I am used to.. I used the s7edge as well and did not like it either.. I am more of stock android. And I am starting to realize why people refuse to use anything but stock android.. I have had zero used for the second screen yeah it looks nice and I can see someone use it. But not me.. And the camera is. Really bad like dammed I think the nexus 6p takes netter pics. Selfies look like you have makeup.. Even with beauty turned off. AGAIN THIS IS MU EXPERIENCE.. Is my device defective?. Idk but highly doubt it.

I understand with the camera. I came from the v10 (also tmobile) and I can't figure out why the camera on the v20 takes such blurry/water color grainy what ever you call it pictures sometimes. Still hoping it's a software fix because the hardware is there. Should be at least as good as the v10 if not better... And it's not.
As for lag, I don't get it. Mine was smooth and fast for a while but now it lags sometimes. Open a text and count to 5 while I wait to see when it feels like actually popping up.
Sometimes I'm typing and waiting for the letters to pop up.
Ugh.
I wonder if it could be blamed on my SD card... It's the 200gb card that came with the v10.
I use SwiftKey keyboard. Never had a problem with lag before so I don't think it's the keyboard's fault.
My v10 was doing the same thing with the stock text messaging app and it wasn't even set to save anything so I don't think it had to do with large files or anything.
I set it up as new so I didn't bring a bunch of junk from my other phone and I don't really have all that many apps. I don't use the Facebook app and I don't have any problems at all with battery draining. The battery is awesome!
But I do wish I could figure out the lag. It doesn't make any sense that it should take so much time to open up my text messages. I would be tempted to blame it on the fact that I told it not to delete them anymore but like I said, the V10 was doing it and that one was deleting everything all the time!

I have costumized every aspects to get as close as to what I am used to and no luck at all.. I really tried to give this phone shot.. But just not for me..

planetbeen said:
I understand with the camera. I came from the v10 (also tmobile) and I can't figure out why the camera on the v20 takes such blurry/water color grainy what ever you call it pictures sometimes. Still hoping it's a software fix because the hardware is there. Should be at least as good as the v10 if not better... And it's not.
As for lag, I don't get it. Mine was smooth and fast for a while but now it lags sometimes. Open a text and count to 5 while I wait to see when it feels like actually popping up.
Sometimes I'm typing and waiting for the letters to pop up.
Ugh.
I wonder if it could be blamed on my SD card... It's the 200gb card that came with the v10.
I use SwiftKey keyboard. Never had a problem with lag before so I don't think it's the keyboard's fault.
My v10 was doing the same thing with the stock text messaging app and it wasn't even set to save anything so I don't think it had to do with large files or anything.
I set it up as new so I didn't bring a bunch of junk from my other phone and I don't really have all that many apps. I don't use the Facebook app and I don't have any problems at all with battery draining. The battery is awesome!
But I do wish I could figure out the lag. It doesn't make any sense that it should take so much time to open up my text messages. I would be tempted to blame it on the fact that I told it not to delete them anymore but like I said, the V10 was doing it and that one was deleting everything all the time!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think they are not doing very well in optimizing their software

egren58 said:
I have costumized every aspects to get as close as to what I am used to and no luck at all.. I really tried to give this phone shot.. But just not for me..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I get it. But why not give OrvDrive's rom a try since you are rooted? Can't hurt. His rom has the least complications of the others, not to bash them in any way. I appreciate the effort of all devs and know that behind the scene they are working together to some degree.
If you do find a better new phone, let me know. I might switch too.
Cheers.

androiddiego said:
Ok, I get it. But why not give OrvDrive's rom a try since you are rooted? Can't hurt. His rom has the least complications of the others, not to bash them in any way. I appreciate the effort of all devs and know that behind the scene they are working together to some degree.
If you do find a better new phone, let me know. I might switch too.
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I just ordered another pixel xl.. Since I lost my first one, But until then I will be using an iphone 7 plus.. And returning this back to T-Mobile...

egren58 said:
Well I just ordered another pixel xl.. Since I lost my first one, But until then I will be using an iphone 7 plus.. And returning this back to T-Mobile...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well good luck man hope it all works out for you. The no external memory support and the ridiculous price point for the pixel is why I didn't choose it.
To be honest I would not be using the v20 if a workable modern Samsung Note were out but we are about 6 months out for that and my v10 got the dreaded boot loop so I had to have a phone. Pixel is too expensive for what it offers, Apple is a scumbag company that I absolutely do not support and the s series from samsung doesn't interest me.
I am a big fan of removable batteries too despite not really using a phone long enough to need to replace the battery but I love aftermarket battery packs. LG is the only one to offer this and it looks like it might be the final high end model to feature this (the g6 looks to be water proof)
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

evo4g63t said:
Well good luck man hope it all works out for you. The no external memory support and the ridiculous price point for the pixel is why I didn't choose it.
To be honest I would not be using the v20 if a workable modern Samsung Note were out but we are about 6 months out for that and my v10 got the dreaded boot loop so I had to have a phone. Pixel is too expensive for what it offers, Apple is a scumbag company that I absolutely do not support and the s series from samsung doesn't interest me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was skeptical about the pixel.. But I'll tell you this..just the pure android and smoothness of a pixel phone alone is worth it.. I had never run into a single issue with that phone. Always butter smooth and never had a fc on any apps

LULZ.

Zero lag here. 3 months in. I'm using the H990DS model with no bloatware.
I also find the camera to be great. Love the wide angle lens as well. Not sure what you're smoking..

reaktor TuT said:
Zero lag here. 3 months in. I'm using the H990DS model with no bloatware.
I also find the camera to be great. Love the wide angle lens as well. Not sure what you're smoking..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Camera great?. I s voted one of the worst camera of 2017 based on consumer..

Not sure why you think the camera takes poor quality pictures. This was taken with the wide angle camera (which most people think is generally terrible) in super low light, in situations where most phones would fail.
I'm also not sure what's bad about the UI? There are now a dozen or so themes that theme the actual system ui, and a trillion different launchers to theme your icons and app launcher.
No lag here. Over 60 user apps installed.
I use the second screen all the time for the quick flashlight access and for controlling Play Music when the phones docked in my car.
Your phone is either a dud, or you've got an app rampaging in the background somewhere.
Edit: ignore my broken TV. It somehow was cracked while wall mounting, and we handled it like it was the world's most valuable but brittle gem stone.

The second screen is practically a requirement for me after a year with the v10, the music controls without turning on the phone is such a fantastic feature along with the quick function shortcuts.
I am going to definitely miss it if the v series turns into a non removable battery phone or the note 8 grabs my attention.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

egren58 said:
I feel like this phone is a great phone for a small audience.. And that's for music lovers.. Other than that this phone is actually pretty bad... The camera is useless with all the grain.. The screen is horrible at night it bleeds out so much.. The UI is disgusting.. And OMG THE LAG IS ABSURD.. How they released a phone thats constatly lagging..
Tbh very disappointed I have never returned a phone in my life. And I buy almost every phone that's release... Now I have no option to switch to iphone 7 until I can find a pixel xl for a good deal...
T-Mobile 918h
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, just learn how to root it. It fixes every problem you have and more.

StarCommand said:
Honestly, just learn how to root it. It fixes every problem you have and more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been rooted. Since day one..

egren58 said:
I have been rooted. Since day one..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I can't root a phone I don't want it lol.
Also, maybe its the ROM your using, there are a lot of factors that play a part.

Issues still present?

Hello, I have bought a second-hand XZ2, and it is arriving sometime next week. What I am worried about is that it has the defects and issues that plague most XZ2 units;
- Slow SD card read speeds, in some threads I read it has an absolutely abysmal 20 mb/s read speeds. It is the end of September 2018, did Sony manage to release any updates that make the SD card speeds normal again?
- Screen sensitivity issues. I hear some people have problems with playing FPS on their phone with screen sensitivity. I don't normally care much about that since I don't play FPS but I am paying quite a bit of money and I expect a product with no such issues.
- Speaker issues; I heard many units come with defective speakers. Likely not, since the guy advertised his phone as mint condition, but if mine does come with speaker issues it is going right back.
Thanks all.

I hope you get at least a revision 2 smartphone.
I have no speaker issues, a slow sdcard and touchscreen issues in battery saver mode.
Btw.
You need to ask this in the Questions Topic, not the Guide Topic.

What do you mean, revision 2?
Also sorry, I am new. I will post into the questions topic next time.
Edit: I did some research. Looks like revision x 2-4 are the good versions. But the seller never showed me any pictures of the outside of the box (not really sure why he would do that) but I will ask him about it. I got the H8296 global version with 6 GB of RAM.

[M said:
otortrend;77726246]What do you mean, revision 2?
Also sorry, I am new. I will post into the questions topic next time.
Edit: I did some research. Looks like revision x 2-4 are the good versions. But the seller never showed me any pictures of the outside of the box (not really sure why he would do that) but I will ask him about it. I got the H8296 global version with 6 GB of RAM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too.
H8296 Rev 2 and I flashed H8266 on it.

The H8296 doesn't have a working fingerprint reader does it? It probably won't really affect me if I get get a good unit (revision 2+). But it is a shame.

[M said:
otortrend;77727186]The H8296 doesn't have a working fingerprint reader does it? It probably won't really affect me if I get get a good unit (revision 2+). But it is a shame.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can use my one .

I thought fingerprint reader was enabled only on US versions? I got the 6 GB international for the extra RAM but if it also has finger print reader then I'll take it.
Still waiting on the seller to tell me what hardware revision the phone is.

I have Hong Kong h8296 and it has fully functional finger print reader.

Well that is certainly a relief then. Also the seller got back to me and said it was a revision 3, so I should be getting a solid unit. Will report back on how it runs.

[M said:
otortrend;77727465]I thought fingerprint reader was enabled only on US versions? I got the 6 GB international for the extra RAM but if it also has finger print reader then I'll take it.
Still waiting on the seller to tell me what hardware revision the phone is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fingerprint reader is not enabled on the us variant.

Pandemic said:
Fingerprint reader is not enabled on the us variant.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought this was the first Xperia that DOES have a working fingerprint reader in the US (due to the new placement of it). I have the 8296, but flashed US 8266 fw and my reader is fine.

ryotaru said:
I thought this was the first Xperia that DOES have a working fingerprint reader in the US (due to the new placement of it). I have the 8296, but flashed US 8266 fw and my reader is fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dunno about that, the earlier xperias like xz/xz1 etc had the fingerprint scanner not enabled, but by flashing a non US ftf like German or Russian ftf enabled the fingerprint scanner

Pandemic said:
I dunno about that, the earlier xperias like xz/xz1 etc had the fingerprint scanner not enabled, but by flashing a non US ftf like German or Russian ftf enabled the fingerprint scanner
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, I had to do that on my XZ and others. The whole issue had something to do with the scanner being placed in the power button and some copyright in the US. The XZ2 was the first not to have be disabled due to the new placement. (I'm not 100% on the reason, but I recall reading it somewhere.) Anyway, the XZ2 fingerprint scanner is active for all, no hoops to jump through. :highfive:

[M]otortrend said:
What do you mean, revision 2?
Also sorry, I am new. I will post into the questions topic next time.
Edit: I did some research. Looks like revision x 2-4 are the good versions. But the seller never showed me any pictures of the outside of the box (not really sure why he would do that) but I will ask him about it. I got the H8296 global version with 6 GB of RAM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably because of IMEI.
I've got HW revision 2. Can confirm that touch sensitivity issue has been gone since the last update. No issues with my speaker at least.
For SD Card, I can't test since i dont have one. Sorry.

Received my unit today. First impressions are positive; the device is in good condition. Seems like the touch sensitivity issues are gone, and the speakers work fine.
However the SD card read speeds are still horrible. I am getting around 15 mb/s read speeds with A1 SD benchmark using a Sandisk Ultra rated for 80 mb/s. This could be a potential deal-breaker for people who use their SD cards extensively, especially since 64 gb might not be enough for people nowadays. A shame, really, since my V20 which is two years old still quadruples that result with the same exact card. Sony really needs to get their **** together when it comes to things like this.
Excusing the SD card issue, which really pisses me off, the phone seems fine. There are definitely better options out there, but for about $400 you can get yourself a nice unit and pocket the extra 300 or so it would take to get a Samsung or something. The fingerprint reader location is not too bad; you'll get used to it. The dedicated hardware button for the camera is nice, but a gimmick since the camera itself could use some improvement. The screen is only good; can't compare to Samsung but certainly holds its own. One of the main reasons I feel people buying this phone is for the software experience; it is definitely better than most other skins (Samsung, LG especially) and feels really nice; lightning animations and buttery all around, although there are a few stutters here and there. The only real downside to this phone (besides the horrible SD card reader) is the lack of a headphone jack; normally I wouldn't complain, but this is a SONY. The guys that brought us the Walkman can't bring us a damn headphone jack in their flagship phone? C'mon.

[M said:
otortrend;77756505]Received my unit today. First impressions are positive; the device is in good condition. Seems like the touch sensitivity issues are gone, and the speakers work fine.
However the SD card read speeds are still horrible. I am getting around 15 mb/s read speeds with A1 SD benchmark using a Sandisk Ultra rated for 80 mb/s. This could be a potential deal-breaker for people who use their SD cards extensively, especially since 64 gb might not be enough for people nowadays. A shame, really, since my V20 which is two years old still quadruples that result with the same exact card. Sony really needs to get their **** together when it comes to things like this.
Excusing the SD card issue, which really pisses me off, the phone seems fine. There are definitely better options out there, but for about $400 you can get yourself a nice unit and pocket the extra 300 or so it would take to get a Samsung or something. The fingerprint reader location is not too bad; you'll get used to it. The dedicated hardware button for the camera is nice, but a gimmick since the camera itself could use some improvement. The screen is only good; can't compare to Samsung but certainly holds its own. One of the main reasons I feel people buying this phone is for the software experience; it is definitely better than most other skins (Samsung, LG especially) and feels really nice; lightning animations and buttery all around, although there are a few stutters here and there. The only real downside to this phone (besides the horrible SD card reader) is the lack of a headphone jack; normally I wouldn't complain, but this is a SONY. The guys that brought us the Walkman can't bring us a damn headphone jack in their flagship phone? C'mon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have touch issues in stamina battery saver mode while writing fast a longer text on the software keyboard?

MartinX3 said:
Do you have touch issues in stamina battery saver mode while writing fast a longer text on the software keyboard?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get that. It doesn't cause an issue but I see it in the trail as I swipe.

Ok so I did some more experimenting with drawing apps to see if there were still sensitivity issues, and I did notice deadzones on the very edges of the screen. It is a bit annoying to know that the issue still exists but at least it won't really affect me in daily use.
Also I use gboard and typing is still a bit janky. In fact I'm typing this on the XZ2 right now and it sometimes does not register certain keys or multiple consecutive backspace presses. For me it is ok since I don't type that fast on a phone keyboard but now that I've tested it a bit more I definitely notice it.

[M said:
otortrend;77760013]Ok so I did some more experimenting with drawing apps to see if there were still sensitivity issues, and I did notice deadzones on the very edges of the screen. It is a bit annoying to know that the issue still exists but at least it won't really affect me in daily use.
Also I use gboard and typing is still a bit janky. In fact I'm typing this on the XZ2 right now and it sometimes does not register certain keys or multiple consecutive backspace presses. For me it is ok since I don't type that fast on a phone keyboard but now that I've tested it a bit more I definitely notice it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, I don't got this problem on my rev2.
Yes, it is annoying.
Do you get it only in battery stamina mode, too?

When stamima is on ofcourse there is small lag and thats normal when stamina stands on.
People start complain about more and more things.. Even the tiny ones.. Geez !! Its a phone not a pc or whatever -__-