Database Info

How sure are we that we are making the right choice?

Hello XDA developers!
I'm posting this because perhaps it can help someone else.
In August 2014 I bought a beautiful shiny Sony Xperia Z, free from factory which means I paid full price and it was great!
(but everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked, it was a joke ).
But, after a little over a day and a half, the screen broke alone in the front pocket of my pants (I confess something tight but had put my cracked Huawei with no problems), it really is not a problem: I had a Huawei with screen without pieces working perfectly fine! The problem is that about 100% of the touch stopped working, making the phone an expensive paperweight.
I could not even take a picture! Everything for what I was use it was for timing a pendulum in my physics class. The most expensive clock that anyone could buy!
Of course, the warranty was conspicuously absent!
Since then I have had to exist with this phone and Genymotion because in college have a smart phone is a necessity (at least where I study).
But now I have the opportunity to purchase a high-end phone and the first thing that came to my mind as a camera flash was Sony (I quote in Spanish: "El ser humano es el único animal, tan animal, que tropieza dos veces con la misma piedra.") Because I'm a Linux / Android developer and Sony launches AOSP kernels and release the source code even before launching the device itself (as with the Z2) leaves to me a good taste in the mouth, especially after being a proud owner of an Xperia Tipo (best smartphone in my life!). The "slow development" is no problem for me, because I am developer for 5 years (although recently I deleted my Gmail account and opened another for personal reasons, thats explains why I'm junior again).
Leaving that aside, is the Xperia Z3 a good choice?
I'm thinking in spend a lot of money (around 2 minimum wage in my country) in a good device but it does not convince me at all, maybe due my trauma with Xperia Z.
As a proud owner of an Xperia Tipo, Sony is amazing, as a defrauded and (fooled?, cheated?) holder of an Xperia Z, Sony sucks.
I post this because maybe someone will feel helped and like me maybe some one indecisive can feel safer to opt in or to run quickly away from Sony.
If the risk is greater than the gain, as the Xperia Z, what are our options? Personally, I look for a device that does not baulk with things like Custom Kernels (as KNOX or locked Bootloaders). Samsung: I'm supposed to own my phone!, right?
Thanks for reading, I hope this is helpful and if it is not, at least I hope it will help someone (even me).
I think of a OnePlus One, I do not care to be brought from China XD. (I've tried to win an invite bu no one love the "inncoent" humor)
Edit: If you think on this, the M8 is a good alternative! In comparison, the "desventage" of the M8 is the waterproof. I can't find any other.
Edit: This was my last phone (this phone is my current phone):
Cracked but fully working Huawey Y320 Arround $60
1. My dog ran and pulled the USB making the phone kiss the ground.
2. Then, I accidentally droped on the College.
3. I was angry cuz it reboot and smashed against the table.
4. Was woking perfectly good till the LCD cracked because I sat on phone.

Z3 is simply amazing but I'd suggest you wait for another 3-4 weeks. The first batch of Z3s are full of manufacturing defects. I had mine for 2 weeks and the black bezel around the screen is damaged. I went to the service center and they asked me to wait another month so that a new batch of phones will be available. Also the camera quality is average. Sony screwed up again in the Superior Auto mode. Manual shots come OK unless there is no bright light around. Speakers are also a bit dull, although I don't use them much. A friend of mine has OnePlus One and it's seriously a flagship killer. But compared to the Z3, OnePlus one looks dull in your hands. Z3 kinda nailed it in design department. So wait, and even if you buy it, just check it in the store itself for any defects. Also don't forget those service tests. Hope it helps.

NoTengoBattery said:
Hello XDA developers!
I post this because maybe someone will feel helped and like me maybe some one indecisive can feel safer to opt in or to run quickly away from Sony.
If the risk is greater than the gain, as the Xperia Z, what are our options? Personally, I look for a device that does not baulk with things like Custom Kernels (as KNOX or locked Bootloaders). Samsung: I'm supposed to own my phone!, right?
Thanks for reading, I hope this is helpful and if it is not, at least I hope it will help someone (even me).
I think of a OnePlus One, I do not care to be brought from China XD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Knowing that you are a developer, I would definitely say that you should go for xperia Z3 - for personal (rather Z3 community's) interests. Go for z3 dual D6633, and you know why

santoshcoolhere said:
Z3 is simply amazing but I'd suggest you wait for another 3-4 weeks. The first batch of Z3s are full of manufacturing defects. I had mine for 2 weeks and the black bezel around the screen is damaged. I went to the service center and they asked me to wait another month so that a new batch of phones will be available. Also the camera quality is average. Sony screwed up again in the Superior Auto mode. Manual shots come OK unless there is no bright light around. Speakers are also a bit dull, although I don't use them much. A friend of mine has OnePlus One and it's seriously a flagship killer. But compared to the Z3, OnePlus one looks dull in your hands. Z3 kinda nailed it in design department. So wait, and even if you buy it, just check it in the store itself for any defects. Also don't forget those service tests. Hope it helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah! maybe buy it right now is not smart enough and, no, sadly there is no such thing like Sony Centre here. Are one, but they can't do anything (they won't replace the phone never!), I mean, I bring them my Xperia Z and they just acused me of abuse. I really can't realize how the best support brand (in my opinion) can made defective devices!
You don't know how many I've suffer because the Z, I give you a breef detail: As I buy the phone in the half of month, I've eating only eggs by 15+ days because I had no enoguh money to buy descent food! So, my trauma is justificated and I'm scared. Ahhh Sony, There are nothing bad for you, but for us the things are turning black. And the sacrifice does not had any value: I never opend the cammera app, I never setted a password, I never changed the wallpaper, I never enjoyed anything the next day I needed Blackboard in the phone but, of curse, I had no phone.
Thank you for your answer.

NoTengoBattery said:
...is the Xperia Z3 a good choice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You didn't give much away in terms of what you want to do with it. It's a great phone, but if you want a cheaper, larger phone perhaps you could consider the Nexus 6. Also, there's the Z2, S5 and other phones which have been out for a while and are cheaper.
That's not to say I regret getting the Z3; it's the best phone I've ever had, and 4g is amusingly fast, but it's expensive (I got a discount through my employer otherwise I'd probably not have bothered).

poldie said:
You didn't give much away in terms of what you want to do with it. It's a great phone, but if you want a cheaper, larger phone perhaps you could consider the Nexus 6. Also, there's the Z2, S5 and other phones which have been out for a while and are cheaper.
That's not to say I regret getting the Z3; it's the best phone I've ever had, and 4g is amusingly fast, but it's expensive (I got a discount through my employer otherwise I'd probably not have bothered).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah! I'ts not about money, cuz the money it's a vanal stuff. I'm afraid about if my inversion, my money will have any value. As I owned a Xperia Z by 1.5+ days, my inversion had no value. If my Z3 crack again, you know, god bye money!
So, the S5 looks fine, the screen cracks but still working!
Thank you for your answer.

As much as I like the Z3, and getting mine replaced due to severe light bleed on right side of frame and slight indent of frame towards LCD near power button. Others have a pink spot issue in camera (Mine has it but very hard to notice), Phonearena even has an article on it. Now reports of fractured back glass are coming in like the Z1.
Better wait for a new batch like someone mentioned.
If you need one right now immediately, the M8 is better as in US HTC offers free one time screen replacement in first 6 months.

santoshcoolhere said:
Z3 is simply amazing but I'd suggest you wait for another 3-4 weeks. The first batch of Z3s are full of manufacturing defects. I had mine for 2 weeks and the black bezel around the screen is damaged. I went to the service center and they asked me to wait another month so that a new batch of phones will be available. Also the camera quality is average. Sony screwed up again in the Superior Auto mode. Manual shots come OK unless there is no bright light around. Speakers are also a bit dull, although I don't use them much. A friend of mine has OnePlus One and it's seriously a flagship killer. But compared to the Z3, OnePlus one looks dull in your hands. Z3 kinda nailed it in design department. So wait, and even if you buy it, just check it in the store itself for any defects. Also don't forget those service tests. Hope it helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So is it guaranteed that they will make new batches in 3-4 weeks? Wouldn't they still sell the old batch as they phase in the new? I want one but how long would it take for a new batch? I just want to know how long to wait. Any help is appreciated.

To be honest its hard to say.

I would say avoid it. There's no ROM's for it, and probably won't be until well after the Z4 is released if at all, and they won't be of the level of M8 ROMS. The screen, camera, speakers and design aren't as good as other alternatives, and if you managed to break a Z in your pocket which is a miracle, then this will probably do the same.
I'd get an S5 or an M8, the M8 is probably better for custome ROMS, is better made, has a better screem, speakers and in my book a better camera too, but is not waterproof.

Jonathan-H said:
I would say avoid it. There's no ROM's for it, and probably won't be until well after the Z4 is released if at all, and they won't be of the level of M8 ROMS. The screen, camera, speakers and design aren't as good as other alternatives, and if you managed to break a Z in your pocket which is a miracle, then this will probably do the same.
I'd get an S5 or an M8, the M8 is probably better for custome ROMS, is better made, has a better screem, speakers and in my book a better camera too, but is not waterproof.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you are right. It's time to look in other way. The M8 sounds like a great idea. It's sad the stuff about the glass. If the glass were better and the screen worked this phone could be perfect. However, I'm gonna see how the things are changing in the time.

Dont forget the free HTC Advantage Program (USA only), Free cracked glass replacement, in first 6 months and +100GB Google Drive storage for 2 years.

abhinav.tella said:
Dont forget the free HTC Advantage Program (USA only), Free cracked glass replacement, in first 6 months and +100GB Google Drive storage for 2 years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seeing in YouTube looks like M8 camera sucks! How true is this?

I hate it. I'm thinking of getting the z3 because I hate the camera so much. Other than the camera, it's an amazing phone.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

devarshi said:
I hate it. I'm thinking of getting the z3 because I hate the camera so much. Other than the camera, it's an amazing phone.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't worry that's what put me off too. I made my dad get it because he is more accident prone and it is one of the best if not the best in drop tests.

Pixel vs HTC10

Anyone have any experience coming from an HTC 10 to a Pixel? I've got both on order and am looking for opinion.
My htc will never run sense and I'll always run whatever stable AOSP ROMs that are available out there.
I feel that I will miss external sd on the pixel and I have a hard time justifying the extra $400 that the pixel will end up costing me.
Not trying to start a flame war here, I'm a lover. Just looking for opinions....
Sent from my HTC One M9 using XDA-Developers mobile app

bacon612 said:
Anyone have any experience coming from an HTC 10 to a Pixel? I've got both on order and am looking for opinion.
My htc will never run sense and I'll always run whatever stable AOSP ROMs that are available out there.
I feel that I will miss external sd on the pixel and I have a hard time justifying the extra $400 that the pixel will end up costing me.
Not trying to start a flame war here, I'm a lover. Just looking for opinions....
Sent from my HTC One M9 using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
Did you get both phones yet to compare?

bsbuggs said:
Hi
Did you get both phones yet to compare?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For what it's worth, I have both phones.
TL;DR:
I bought my wife and I the unlocked HTC 10 at the $500 price to use on Verizon. The next day I became aware of Best Buy's Pixel 32 GB deal for straight $9.99 a month (or $240 buyout like I and others did), and I ordered two. My main reason was because I was coming from a VS985 LG G3 with a Micro SIM and I didn't want to step into a Verizon store to talk them into giving me Nano SIMs to use with my unofficial configuration of using an unlocked HTC 10 on Verizon's network, plus to have to have said Nano SIMs activated via phone since in that case I wouldn't have had an actual Verizon device that was capable of activating the SIMs.
I activated the SIMs in the Pixels and then put them in the HTC 10 and purchased the SunShine license for both phones and jumped through the firmware/ROM hoops I need to in order to have it work right.
First, I'm not on an unlimited data account so to me, using the Pixel with only 32 GB is relatively unrealistic to me. In it's favor, Google Photos only on the Pixel provides free unlimited full resolution not-further-compressed picture and video backups, and also has the feature to automatically clear space on the storage when it's needed by removing backed up photos. This is an amazing feature and would use it even if I had a 128 GB Pixel.
Second, my wife just went without a working smartphone for more than a month, so I sold one of the Pixels and kept the other to play with and to keep as a backup in case one of our HTCs has an unexpected problem anytime over the next couple of years. So far I have only a) unlocked the bootloader with Depixel8 (which might not work now if a Pixel has received the December update before using it) and b) I put the complete 7.1.1 stock ROM image on there.
I likely will not root the phone so that I can take OTAs painlessly. If I were using the Pixel as my daily phone I wouldn't be able to stand it without root and modifications. I'm assuming that most modifications I would want don't even exist yet, and I know that others I currently use don't exist for Nougat yet, like Xposed.
Although I prefer not to have to jump through ANY hoops to use the 10 on Verizon, the fact that there are still little nit-picky preference things that cause me to want to use a stock-based custom ROM over completely stock makes the point moot since I still won't receive OTAs except as provided by the particular ROM(s) I use.
The phone is still a lot easier to deal with than the LG G3 regarding hoops needing to jump through when new OTAs come out, and mix/match firmware caveats/bricks/etc. I could handle the Pixel's 5" screen if I was using it daily but I prefer larger. I really wouldn't want to go smaller than the 10's 5.2" screen.
Both phones feel very well built, the 10 even more so than the Pixel. The Pixel is very...compact. I mean, it's heavy for it's size, but not overly so, and it is solid.
I don't think you'll go wrong overall with either, depending on what your usage will be, what your Verizon plan is like and what your expectations are. I have pretty high requirements as far as convenience so that puts the Pixel out in several ways, but it'll make a great backup phone for my wife and I.

thanks for the insight.. helps alot

I had the HTC 10 briefly before trading for a note 7 which I sent back to Samsung and now I own the pixel.
I really enjoyed my time with the HTC 10 especially the extra screen real estate and the capacitive buttons. The development is pretty solid if your into custom roms, kernels, etc. The max screen brightness is something lacking but the LCD is not a bad looking panel and it's QHD. I'm a huge fan of the capacitive buttons and dedicated home button on front. I use a car mount every day and if I want to wake up my phone without having to remove it to access the fingerprint scanner or reach for power button and put in a pin. Same applies to when phone is on my nightstand and I just want to open a notification/ check time it's convenient on the front plus you get to use all of your screen with capacitive buttons vs on screen. I'm don't take a lot of pictures but the camera seemed sufficient. Also the speakers sounded pretty good for YouTube and the little bit of music I listened to on it. Only con I really had with the 10 was the screen brightness.
I've only owed the pixel for about 5 days so I'll just say what I like and don't like as of now. The stock Android and frequent updates already make me wonder how I ever survived using AT&T Samsung phones for so long. I've got 2 updates since I've purchased the phone and the development is sure to be good into the future. The fingerprint scanner is the fastest I've ever used as well as all the software. I'm still struggling getting used to the 5in display coming from a long line of Samsung products. I still wish I would've held out for the Xl but the small display doesn't disappoint. The AMOLED is still my favorite type of panel and even at 1080p lookes better than the HTC imo.
Overall I'm happy and excited about owning the pixel and would pick it over the HTC again of money wasn't an object. I was lucky enough that Samsung paid me full retail for my Note 7 that I traded an HTC 10 for during the 2nd recall scare, so I had a little to burn. My 128gb quite black came in at $856 at Verizon with tax. You can pick up the 10 with 32gb and grab an SD card for around $550 or less I'm sure. I wouldn't mind going back to my 10 at all.
Things to consider is how long to you plan on owning, if your going to keep the phone for 2+ yrs I would lean twords the Pixel. That's why I went with it at least, I've been getting a new phone annually or sooner for past 3-4yrs and it needs to stop lol. I plan on keeping the pixel at least 18-24 months and I'm garenteed software updates for that long plus some.
Any questions about either ask and I'll try to answer.

AndroiderM said:
I had the HTC 10 briefly before trading for a note 7 which I sent back to Samsung and now I own the pixel.
I really enjoyed my time with the HTC 10 especially the extra screen real estate and the capacitive buttons. The development is pretty solid if your into custom roms, kernels, etc. The max screen brightness is something lacking but the LCD is not a bad looking panel and it's QHD. I'm a huge fan of the capacitive buttons and dedicated home button on front. I use a car mount every day and if I want to wake up my phone without having to remove it to access the fingerprint scanner or reach for power button and put in a pin. Same applies to when phone is on my nightstand and I just want to open a notification/ check time it's convenient on the front plus you get to use all of your screen with capacitive buttons vs on screen. I'm don't take a lot of pictures but the camera seemed sufficient. Also the speakers sounded pretty good for YouTube and the little bit of music I listened to on it. Only con I really had with the 10 was the screen brightness.
I've only owed the pixel for about 5 days so I'll just say what I like and don't like as of now. The stock Android and frequent updates already make me wonder how I ever survived using AT&T Samsung phones for so long. I've got 2 updates since I've purchased the phone and the development is sure to be good into the future. The fingerprint scanner is the fastest I've ever used as well as all the software. I'm still struggling getting used to the 5in display coming from a long line of Samsung products. I still wish I would've held out for the Xl but the small display doesn't disappoint. The AMOLED is still my favorite type of panel and even at 1080p lookes better than the HTC imo.
Overall I'm happy and excited about owning the pixel and would pick it over the HTC again of money wasn't an object. I was lucky enough that Samsung paid me full retail for my Note 7 that I traded an HTC 10 for during the 2nd recall scare, so I had a little to burn. My 128gb quite black came in at $856 at Verizon with tax. You can pick up the 10 with 32gb and grab an SD card for around $550 or less I'm sure. I wouldn't mind going back to my 10 at all.
Things to consider is how long to plan on owning if your going to keep the phone for 2+ yrs I would lean twords the Pixel. That's why I went with it at least, I've been getting a new phone annually or sooner for past 3-4yrs and it needs to stop lol. I plan on keeping the pixel at least 18-24 months and I'm garenteed software updates for that long plus some.
Any questions about either ask and I'll try to answer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Appreciate the comparison.. that really my dilemma.. I can GET a good deal on swappa for an HTC 10 for like 350...OR i see a guy locally selling his verizon Pixel for 450... so there is my struggle...

bsbuggs said:
Appreciate the comparison.. that really my dilemma.. I can GET a good deal on swappa for an HTC 10 for like 350...OR i see a guy locally selling his verizon Pixel for 450... so there is my struggle...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For a $100 difference I'd take the Pixel only of 128gb if not I'd go with HTC. That's just me, even though I do stream alot of media I also have around 30gb of music I have collected over the years. I also use my phone for torrents and then otg to an external drive that plugs Into tv. The extra storage is more important to me than a SD821 and amoled.

bsbuggs said:
Hi
Did you get both phones yet to compare?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey there. I agree with pretty much what everyone else that has had both phones says. I'm sending my Pixel back tomorrow. Here are my personal pros and cons on the pixel. I got my HTC 10 from HTC direct for $550 tax and 2 day shipping included. Pixel was about $950 for the 128 model plus Pixel care or whatever its called.
Pros
I think the screen is marginally nicer even though its only 1080p
Using the same spigen cases, it felt better in my hands.
The camera is much faster and takes better pictures with no fuss
It felt faster but i think much of it has to do with Nougat and not 820 vs. 821 (My HTC 10 runs cm13 now. Looking like we are really close to cm14.1 now though)
Cons
No external SD. This crushes me. My biggest fear is that if your phone gets damaged, you loose everything thats not backed up rather than just removing the microsd card and moving on. (Nandroids, Pictures etc...)
Its too early for development to be great. There's only one rom so far. I feel that the price of the pixel is keeping developers away too. I couldn't get the pixel to do what I wanted it to in a few ways due to lack of roms + xposed etc... The thing is, this phone will likely have excellent rom support in the future, it will just take time. Might as well wait until it gets cheaper and supports the customization you want.
While my Pros outweigh my cons, there is no way I can justify spending another $400 for any two missing pros. This is how I arrived at my decision to return the Pixel. I might mention that I wouldn't keep either phone more than a year or so as I like to try and upgrade annually. Ordering from HTC direct gets you one year of replacement protection free stateside. Google charges $100 for two years. There was also value in the HTC over the Pixel for this reason. Something to consider as well.
Hope this helps. Having to decide between the two over the last few weeks offset a fair amount of anxiety. (First world problems, i know). I feel pretty good about my decision and am looking past the pixel to see what Snapdragon 835 devices have to offer. Its right around the corner.

I have both the HTC 10 and the Pixel.
Aesthetically, I prefer the HTC 10. I've had more people ask me about what phone I was using when I was using the 10 as my daily driver than any other phone I've ever owned. The chamfered edges have a way of catching light that just draws people's eyes to it. That's not to say that I don't like the Pixel, but the HTC 10 just seems like it's in a world of its own in terms of build design. The only person who commented on my Pixel said to me, "That's the weirdest looking phone I've ever seen. It looks like a weird iPhone."
I also preferred the sound coming out of the headphone jack and dual (top and bottom) firing speakers on the HTC 10 over the Pixel's setup. Blocking the sound coming out of the Pixel's single bottom firing speaker is just insanely easy, and I find myself contorting my hands awkwardly in order not to block it when I'm watching media or playing games.
I also liked the HTC 10's fingerprint scanner location and the off screen buttons better than the Pixel's setup. That's just a personal preference though.
If you're worried about receiving timely updates on either phone, it's a non-issue. The amount of OTA updates on the HTC 10 has also been seriously fantastic. I've never had any phone that has consistently gotten as many updates as the HTC 10. It honestly makes most brands look like a joke, and I'm still waiting for my first update for my 10 while my HTC 10 just received Nougat.
With that said, there are a few things that are far superior on the Pixel.
I prefer the AMOLED screen on the Pixel for outdoor viewing. The higher contrast ratio seems to make viewing and reading a lot easier, and it also feels a bit brighter than HTC's LCD screen, which could be extremely difficult to read in direct bright California sunlight. The Pixel is not the brightest screen I've ever used, but it's certainly a lot brighter than the HTC 10. This always bothered me about the HTC 10 since I spend a few hours a day walking to work or in direct sunlight.
The camera on the Pixel is just amazingly consistent for the most part. The HTC 10 has this weird lense flare issue where if the camera lens is even slightly smudged, it creates the most insane lens flares I've seen, and whatever material is used on lens of the HTC 10 is just absurdly prone to fingerprint smudges. It's also really difficult to wipe it off entirely. I'm not sure if this issue has been remedied with the Nougat update, but there are some posts floating around on the HTC 10 forum indicating that the lens flare has been significantly improved. The Pixel, even without taking into consideration of the HTC 10's lens flare issue, just seems to be an overall better camera.
It's also significantly faster at snapping shots than the HTC 10.
I also generally find my wireless connection better on the Pixel. Battery life on the Pixel also seems slightly better to me.
I bought the 128GB Pixel so storage has been a non issue with me, but thinking back at it, the only time storage might've become an issue on my 32GB HTC 10 would've been when I went to Europe and loaded my phone with media for that 11 hour flight. Otherwise, 32GB with non-expandable storage would still probably be fine for me. I only bought the 128GB since 64GB wasn't available for the Pixel.

I had HTC 10 and actually 2 of them (Unlocked and T-Mobile variant). HTC 10 is a pretty good phone especially at the lower price. My unlocked unit received Android 7 on Nov 25th , so there were no complaints and software was faster than any Samsung phone I had. The build quality was also good, as was the audio experience. Unfortunately I had to return the devices because this phone had/has an issue with mic not working in some situations during normal phone calls. I did many test and found out something interesting. The transition from Band 4 to Band 12 where the signal of Band 12 drops to -101 dBm or more, then people on the other side couldn't hear me. I would be completely satisfied with HTC 10 and wouldn't buy a Pixel(didn't receive it yet, but should get it next week). I am personally kind of concerned about the issue I have described here because Pixel was made by HTC. Does anyone know if there are mic issues(or experienced this) that I have outlined here?

I sold my HTC 10 after using the 5" Pixel for two - weeks hands down smoother and better device. Camera rocks and the wight is hands down a seller. I actually bought a back up Pixel as well.

thanks for the thought.. im still deciding, and swappa has lime 55 of them fopr sale.. just trying to get someone to drop a little more.

I like the screen on the pixel better, and it seems faster (more responsive ui). However the 10's speaker was way better.

Should I buy a Pixel?

So recently Android Pay came out in my country with a bank I use and I wanted to test it. Long story short, I can't use it because I have an unlocked bootloader.
Anyway I was thinking of upgrading to a Pixel from my Nexus 5X so I could use Android pay and so I could have a updated device. I won't miss much from having an unlocked bootloader as the only thing I used it for was installing features from the Pixel onto my device.
So I would like to ask everyone, what you think about the Pixel? Should I wait for the second generation? And is it worth the price?
I personally don't mind the design and I actually think it looks nice (most of the times I've seen it on video) and would defiantly buy a black one if I could but at the moment the Pixel hasn't been released in my country.
Current uses of my 5X:
Photography when ever I don't have my camera
Music player (with headphones)
Web browsing
Video watching
Photo storage and viewing device
Basic photo editing
VR tool
Simple games machine
My current third party apps are:
Google Cardboard
Google Cardboard Design labs
Adobe Lightroom
My Boy (GBA emulator)
Snapseed
This is just a test (My game that I suck at naming)
XDA developer forums

Kind of difficult to say whether you should or shouldn't buy the Pixel. I received mine today and set it up, but pretty much haven't had time to use it properly. I purchased blue Pixel (because all other color options weren't good in my opinion) and do like it. Device is good, build quality is also good. If you want to wait for second generation then you would probably be waiting until fall next year. If you have a device that you are happy with, then you may not need to buy Pixel. I did have Nexus 5x, but couldn't use it as device seems a little big, had some creaks from the back plastic and it did experience some lag.

Charkatak said:
Kind of difficult to say whether you should or shouldn't buy the Pixel. I received mine today and set it up, but pretty much haven't had time to use it properly. I purchased blue Pixel (because all other color options weren't good in my opinion) and do like it. Device is good, build quality is also good. If you want to wait for second generation then you would probably be waiting until fall next year. If you have a device that you are happy with, then you may not need to buy Pixel. I did have Nexus 5x, but couldn't use it as device seems a little big, had some creaks from the back plastic and it did experience some lag.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My 5X lags some times when opening apps and I have the same problem with creaking around the fingerprint sensor but they don't usually bug me as the 5X is way better that the device I had before it.
I had a Sony Xperia E1 D2004 or something like that and it sucked. It broke so I switched to a Moto G 2014. I then say the beauty of Android and took a look into devices, I decided too treat myself and went on the hunt for a 6P after days of searching and being told that I wasn't going to find one, I decided to buy a 5X instead as it was on sale.

Jackio987 said:
My 5X lags some times when opening apps and I have the same problem with creaking around the fingerprint sensor but they don't usually bug me as the 5X is way better that the device I had before it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So in that case there is probably no need to buy Pixel. I had Note 5 and Galaxy S7 Edge and decided to sell them and purchase Pixel 5 inch because of it's size and for being able to put a phone in the front pockets without issues It is just a phone and any phone you buy will be the right phone for you.

Charkatak said:
So in that case there is probably no need to buy Pixel. I had Note 5 and Galaxy S7 Edge and decided to sell them and purchase Pixel 5 inch because of it's size and for being able to put a phone in the front pockets without issues It is just a phone and any phone you buy will be the right phone for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But just a quick question if you could answer it. When I do eventually need to switch phone due to it breaking or something else, would you recommend a Pixel or later generations if they are as nice as this year's.
And as many people have pointed out (probably only me) "You don't realize how slow your device is until you get a good one". I noticed this when my friend got a new computer and I was so surprised at how fast it was, and I though my computer was running at 60 fps when browsing files but now I see it does have some dips. So what I'm thinking is that the Pixel may not seem as nice as it actually is when I get my hands on it.
So if you could switch back to your 5X after using the Pixel for a while and tell me if you think the upgrade was worth it.

Jackio987 said:
But just a quick question if you could answer it. When I do eventually need to switch phone due to it breaking or something else, would you recommend a Pixel or later generations if they are as nice as this year's.
And as many people have pointed out (probably only me) "You don't realize how slow your device is until you get a good one". I noticed this when my friend got a new computer and I was so surprised at how fast it was, and I though my computer was running at 60 fps when browsing files but now I see it does have some dips. So what I'm thinking is that the Pixel may not seem as nice as it actually is when I get my hands on it.
So if you could switch back to your 5X after using the Pixel for a while and tell me if you think the upgrade was worth it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even if I wouldn't have my Pixel and would just have Galaxy s7 or a Note 5 and was offered to go back to Nexus 5x - I would NOT do it I agree with you that if you use a better device, then you may start seeing that your current device isn't as fast or smooth compared to a better one. Now that I have a Pixel phone, I can confirm that it is the smoothest Android phone that I have used. The second one would be HTC 10 I guess.

Quick opinion on someone who has the phone...

I, like most of you, was waiting impatiently for this device for the past few weeks. I was given a retail model on Thursday early and wanted to let my thoughts after 48 hours.
I have to say I haven't been this disappointed in a phone in a while. While the phone is a looker, fundamentals are quite lacking.
Battery life - Same as the S7 and that's not a good thing. Has the same inconsistent issues of quick drains while running idle. As an example, was working on my house yesterday for roughly 4 hours and left the phone down with out being touched. Left it at 90% and came back at 74%. Again no usage. I have 3 other Android phones with more apps running and this doesn't happen except on Samsung. They will never change in this regard. Every year I have hope and get sucked into buying one. Same results.
Fingerprint sensor- I was one of the people that thought all the complaining was unwarranted about the fingerprint sensor placement. I thought this is just an issue for certain people with finger dexterity issues or just looking for something to complain about. Boy was I wrong. It's actually worse! It works maybe75% of the time and that is only using my right hand. Forget about the left hand.. way too awkward and difficult to do with one hand. At first, I thought no biggie, I'll just use face scanning or supplement with Iris scanning. Face scanning again is hit and miss and forget about Iris scanning if you are anywhere outside of bright light. I had the note 7 and that seemed to work a ton better. Maybe a software fix coming? Back to the fingerprint issue.. Samsung Pay doesn't even come preloaded on the phone! Why?!?! Because the NFC chip is on back so have fun using the sensor and holding it to a pay device. I was perplexed how this was a main selling point with the s and note series of last year and how it couldn't be preloaded. Hell it is on the gear S3. I used it 3 times yesterday at 3 different stores. I had to hold the phone upside down and the back facing the terminal. Picture that for a second... Holding your finger on a sensor which is located on the back and also having to have the back of the phone facing the CC reader at the same time. It's unreal. It's absolutely crazy that they threw this phone with the sensor placement at last minute and gathered...Oh yeah how are they going to use Pay? Ah just don't preload it and we won't get so many complaints. If you think I'm full of it.. go try it.
As mentioned with unlocking with the fingerprint, the new home button is virtually useless. I am trying to understand why they are trying to reinvent the wheel and not just use the tried and true method that every Android manufacturer has used for the past few years. It takes a ridiculous amount of time to unlock this phone. Too many steps.touch the side button or home button, wait for face unlock to work and if it doesn't then do finger gynastics with the fingerprint sensor. Seriously I wind up just using pattern after both fail. I use my V20 as my DD and it's 100% unlocking with the fingerprint on one touch Everytime. What the [email protected]#&$ were you thinking Samsung?
Audio - I love music and media and I am a wanna be audiophile. The headphone jack output and sound is no better than the S7. Lower output than most phones and music has a tight soundstage. Sound is tinny and missing elements you would hear on other high end phones. The Bluetooth audio is actually better but that was the same as the S7. It's nothing to write home about to be honest. I knew it wasn't going to be V20 quality but I was hoping for better with the akg tuning and Harmon partnership.Maybe those changes will come to the note 8?
Not all is bad with the phone, I love the screen and how I missed wireless charging! But there are fundamental ergonomic design issues that make this phone clumsy to use day to day. It's like you have to think to unlock it instead of it being second nature. People will see what I mean when they get their device. It feels like Samsung rushed again to market a product. I am praying that the note 8 is the next big thing.

sillyphillie said:
It feels like Samsung rushed again to market a product.
I am praying that the note 8 is the next big thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is this "rushed"? Samsung has had a full year since last year's Galaxy S7, and all the manufacturers have a team actually start working on the NEXT release before they launch the current one. So, OVER a year.
Are you suggesting Samsung do what Apple does? Release a new phone EVERY TWO YEARS? And then the ones in between are just to fix what they screwed up? iPhone 4S = iPhone 4 antenna fiasco fix.
And as for "big", the Notes are TOO big. I will never own a Note phablet.

Just giving my take. This phone is definitely not ready for prime time in my opinion. RAM management is also an issue I forgot to list but that has always been an issue with Samsung so nothing to see here on that. Knew that coming in. Just disappointed they didn't do much to address. Again these are my opinions.
Camera is definitely improved though... Sweet shots I'm getting.

Samsung pay didn't come preloaded in my Verizon S7 Edge, I had to download it. But I do see what you're saying about paying with your fingerprint. But I, myself, have the gear S3 so feel there's no need to use Samsung pay on my phone since the watch does it.

sillyphillie said:
Just giving my take. This phone is definitely not ready for prime time in my opinion. RAM management is also an issue I forgot to list but that has always been an issue with Samsung so nothing to see here on that. Knew that coming in. Just disappointed they didn't do much to address. Again these are my opinions.
Camera is definitely improved though... Sweet shots I'm getting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It may not be ready for Prime Time, but they had plenty of time. Any design failures is on Samsung -- their skill set, their design/manufacturing expertise.
Whereas "rushed" is like Google's 2016 Pixel with the HUGE bezels because Huawei turned them down for a Google Pixel phone with no manufacturer branding, and they had to go to HTC and use a re-purposed frame HTC already had -- and they only had 9 months to design/test/release a phone. THAT is "rushed". They couldn't even make it waterproof like they wanted because they ran out of time.
The Pixel and Pixel XL aren’t waterproof because Google ‘ran out of time’
http://www.androidauthority.com/google-pixel-xl-waterproof-724120/
According to Pierce, when he asked Google why its phone isn’t waterproof, its response was, rather simply: “We ran out of time”.
Pierce states that the development cycle for the smartphone was uncharacteristically short, reportedly “nine months and a week” from design to launch, as Google abandoned its original plans for the phone at the end of 2015.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung has no such excuses, unless you are just saying they are incompetent.

I completely agree hence why I sold my pixel months ago. I'm not saying other manufacturers aren't rushing either. Just making a note that Samsung is as well. Anyway.. my take as someone who has the phone already. Hoping software fixes some of the concerns. But that fingerprint sensor and Samsung pay is there to stay.

ChazzMatt said:
Whereas "rushed" is like Google's 2016 Pixel with the HUGE bezels because Huawei turned them down for a Google Pixel phone with no manufacturer branding, and they had to go to HTC and use a re-purposed frame HTC already had
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Come on its a brand new design... http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=8346&idPhone2=8297
Any phone coming out after the s8 and g6 with ugly ass bezels will be dead on arrival, lets see if htc has enough time to shrink those bezel's.

Re: Samsung pay, there are more than a few phones with rear fingerprint scanners and NFC chips that have been out for some time. I've never found this an issue nor have I heard complaints like this. As of right now the technology you're longing for (a front facing under the screen fingerprint scanner, since that's the only feasible alternative with the infinity display) simply hasn't been released. Unfortunately, the reality is it's these shortcomings that are debatably left out (intentionally?) to keep interest in the next iteration and keep overhead down. Hence why we never get the perfect smart phone. I'll you know when I get the device but I assume it's no different then the others: shiny, new, with some improvements, likely the best phone out, but still short of the perfect phone. (Never get too high of expectations, these companies are here to be profitable) I had the G6 all of 2 days before I was left unimpressed, hopefully that's not the case with the S8.
Oh well take my money. Thanks for the write up!
---------- Post added at 05:55 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:53 AM ----------
peachpuff said:
Come on its a brand new design... http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=8346&idPhone2=8297
Any phone coming out after the s8 and g6 with ugly ass bezels will be dead on arrival, lets see if htc has enough time to shrink those bezel's.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HTC is screwed if the renditions/leaks are accurate. Still has same general design and big ol bezels

sillyphillie said:
I, like most of you, was waiting impatiently for this device for the past few weeks. I was given a retail model on Thursday early and wanted to let my thoughts after 48 hours.
I have to say I haven't been this disappointed in a phone in a while. While the phone is a looker, fundamentals are quite lacking.
Battery life - Same as the S7 and that's not a good thing. Has the same inconsistent issues of quick drains while running idle. As an example, was working on my house yesterday for roughly 4 hours and left the phone down with out being touched. Left it at 90% and came back at 74%. Again no usage. I have 3 other Android phones with more apps running and this doesn't happen except on Samsung. They will never change in this regard. Every year I have hope and get sucked into buying one. Same results.
Fingerprint sensor- I was one of the people that thought all the complaining was unwarranted about the fingerprint sensor placement. I thought this is just an issue for certain people with finger dexterity issues or just looking for something to complain about. Boy was I wrong. It's actually worse! It works maybe75% of the time and that is only using my right hand. Forget about the left hand.. way too awkward and difficult to do with one hand. At first, I thought no biggie, I'll just use face scanning or supplement with Iris scanning. Face scanning again is hit and miss and forget about Iris scanning if you are anywhere outside of bright light. I had the note 7 and that seemed to work a ton better. Maybe a software fix coming? Back to the fingerprint issue.. Samsung Pay doesn't even come preloaded on the phone! Why?!?! Because the NFC chip is on back so have fun using the sensor and holding it to a pay device. I was perplexed how this was a main selling point with the s and note series of last year and how it couldn't be preloaded. Hell it is on the gear S3. I used it 3 times yesterday at 3 different stores. I had to hold the phone upside down and the back facing the terminal. Picture that for a second... Holding your finger on a sensor which is located on the back and also having to have the back of the phone facing the CC reader at the same time. It's unreal. It's absolutely crazy that they threw this phone with the sensor placement at last minute and gathered...Oh yeah how are they going to use Pay? Ah just don't preload it and we won't get so many complaints. If you think I'm full of it.. go try it.
As mentioned with unlocking with the fingerprint, the new home button is virtually useless. I am trying to understand why they are trying to reinvent the wheel and not just use the tried and true method that every Android manufacturer has used for the past few years. It takes a ridiculous amount of time to unlock this phone. Too many steps.touch the side button or home button, wait for face unlock to work and if it doesn't then do finger gynastics with the fingerprint sensor. Seriously I wind up just using pattern after both fail. I use my V20 as my DD and it's 100% unlocking with the fingerprint on one touch Everytime. What the [email protected]#&$ were you thinking Samsung?
Audio - I love music and media and I am a wanna be audiophile. The headphone jack output and sound is no better than the S7. Lower output than most phones and music has a tight soundstage. Sound is tinny and missing elements you would hear on other high end phones. The Bluetooth audio is actually better but that was the same as the S7. It's nothing to write home about to be honest. I knew it wasn't going to be V20 quality but I was hoping for better with the akg tuning and Harmon partnership.Maybe those changes will come to the note 8?
Not all is bad with the phone, I love the screen and how I missed wireless charging! But there are fundamental ergonomic design issues that make this phone clumsy to use day to day. It's like you have to think to unlock it instead of it being second nature. People will see what I mean when they get their device. It feels like Samsung rushed again to market a product. I am praying that the note 8 is the next big thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have never used a fingerprint scanner or whatever on a phone, just good old passcode/pattern. It blows my mind people getting all uppity (no you, people in general) over a freaking unlock method to their phone. It's like a new Porsche/Mercedes and instead of talking about its performance people get all hung up on the palm sensor to unlock the door all the while they have the keys. Phones are all about the screen and apps, etc. Who gives a hoot about a stupid fingerprint sensor.

i plan to use samsung pay with Pin instead of fingerprint since it' on the back

Should we cancel our pre-orders then? I'd be more than happy to stick with my Note 4 than pay £55 a month for the next 2 years.

The funny thing about this bezel less design is I really think it's more beauty than function. Maybe it's the bezel less combined with the edge display but I feel less secure with this phone. I have a gs7 and lgv20 I keep referencing back to and when you are out and about the flat display lends to more secure in the hand feel. Maybe even more comfort.
Every year we hear how awesome a phone is from MWC through the first round of reviews. I'm really wanting to know what the consensus will be on this phone. The LG G6 was a darling when announced now the shine has come way off and people are finding out the size and feel are not what's it's cracked up to be. I'm going to give this phone more time and hope it grows on me.

The Phone Company said:
Should we cancel our pre-orders then? I'd be more than happy to stick with my Note 4 than pay £55 a month for the next 2 years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
everyone's got a different opinion... i am still happy to proceed with my s8 plus, and keep in mind... these folks complainin abt battery life are the US models running SD... and we've got exynos

Is Exnos a more thrifty battery chip?
I will get the EU model in any case.

Pixel xl vs essential

Anyone make the switch? To be honest, I'm still very happy with my pixel xl. Camera is relevant and the ux/ui performance is still top notch.
I'm thinking this would be a side-grade and not really an upgrade?
Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk

I just picked up an Essential to replace an HTC 10. For me, I was looking at used Pixel XL's (128GB) and new Essential Phone since they're around the same pricepoint.
What came down to it for me was the Snapdragon 835, new/fresh battery, and probably less warranty issues with a brand new phone.

I have a Nexus 6p and I bought an Essential phone and I'm selling the Essential because the camera quality was poorer (even with g cam trying optimizing it, pictures have a slight yellow hue and the picture is a little bit less sharp, while the Nexus 6p often have the best colors right off the bat) and the passage from AMOLED back to LCD was meh. Plus you gonna still have the update faster if you stick to the Pixel. But the build quality is fantastic.

cityle said:
Plus you gonna still have the update faster if you stick to the Pixel. But the build quality is fantastic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the Pixel got the November update on Monday. We had to wait until Tuesday.

spotmark said:
Yeah, the Pixel got the November update on Monday. We had to wait until Tuesday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But there is still no Oreo, while i have it on my Nexus 6p since September (and I need the LDAC support of Oreo)

spotmark said:
Yeah, the Pixel got the November update on Monday. We had to wait until Tuesday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I was surprised how quickly essential got that out. But I think he is also referring to os updates. I'm running 8.1 on my pixel. It'll be a while before essential pushes that out.
Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk

I sold my pixel for the essential.
The pixel camera app is much quicker and more reliable than essentials. As far as picture quality goes, indoors, when trying to capture more fine details the Pixel camera definitely wins. In good lighting and outdoors I can't tell a difference between the 2.
In terms of everything else the essential is better. Build quality and materials are better. More storage for less money. Performance is better on the essential. The essential is easier to tote around and use one handed because the bezels are smaller. If it wasn't for essential taking so long to improve the camera app then I would say it is the best smartphone experience I have had. And I have had a lot. Like over 20 easily.
Also I went through 6 pixels. The first one had paint chipping issues like nothing I have ever seen. The second one had a faulty speaker. The third one had radio issues. The 4th had fast charge issues. The 5th had issues with overheating to the point where I couldn't hold the device. And I am not a heavy user. And the 6th I sold as soon as it came in.

ryaleon87 said:
I sold my pixel for the essential.
The pixel camera app is much quicker and more reliable than essentials. As far as picture quality goes, indoors, when trying to capture more fine details the Pixel camera definitely wins. In good lighting and outdoors I can't tell a difference between the 2.
In terms of everything else the essential is better. Build quality and materials are better. More storage for less money. Performance is better on the essential. The essential is easier to tote around and use one handed because the bezels are smaller. If it wasn't for essential taking so long to improve the camera app then I would say it is the best smartphone experience I have had. And I have had a lot. Like over 20 easily.
Also I went through 6 pixels. The first one had paint chipping issues like nothing I have ever seen. The second one had a faulty speaker. The third one had radio issues. The 4th had fast charge issues. The 5th had issues with overheating to the point where I couldn't hold the device. And I am not a heavy user. And the 6th I sold as soon as it came in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which pixel did you have?
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Xl

ryaleon87 said:
Xl
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Original or 2nd gen? I had my earpiece speaker blow on my og xl.. had it bl unlocked but it was a Verizon model.. replacement from google had updated bl so i couldnt unlocked and i dumped it.. pre-order 2 xl.. then cancelled a few days before it shipped because of all of the screen issues.....my ph-1 will be here Monday.. cant wait
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

The original. I thought about getting the Pixel 2 but the high price and screen issues keeps me away. If a phone cost nearly $1000 it better be perfect.

I think I ended up with the Essential Phone partly by choice and partly by accident. I'm a Sprint customer. My old Galaxy S5 was broken, I needed a phone that was cheap, as up to date as possible, and available NOW. That was early September. The PH-1 was by far the cheapest option for me to buy through Sprint.
There's a lot to love and a lot to hate. The camera app has gotten better but won't be winning any awards pretty much ever. That said, it's decent. The phone's form factor is small, which means it can fit into a pocket where a Pixel XL won't. As a longtime Samsung owner I love the pure android ability to get rid of bloat, but I'm used to a much more reliable experience and a much better looking screen. I love the huge screen on a tiny phone, but LCD is just so pedestrian at this point. I was always running out of internal space on my Samsung, so it's awesome to have 128GB internal. It's annoying that SD card support and phone jack weren't included. It's probably the best looking phone out there right now, which is kinda cool. Sadly, it's very buggy. It loses connection with my android watch and I've had to completely wipe and reconnect it a few times already. There is no "press the _____ button" to activate Google Assistant" option (as least not that I know of) which is a bit of a downer. Voice recognition is super buggy. The phone says it's listening, but you have to wait of few seconds because it will miss the first few words you say. It also takes about 5 words voice-to-text, then just simply stops taking/writing anymore words. You have to cancel and hit the microphone icon again to get it another 5 words , wash rinse repeat. The touchscreen tends to be unresponsive. It's gotten a bit better since the last patch, but it's still not great. It would have been nice if the fingerprint scanner doubled as a home button like LG does. Finding a case for the Essential Phone was a nightmare, but they're pretty easy to find now. The phone SHOULD BE one of the fastest phones on the market, but instead it's laggy. And one of the biggest reasons to get the Essential Phone -- clip on modules -- is kindof a nothingburger at this point. Honestly, I wish I could have held out for an LG V30+, but it wasn't out yet.

i'm also hesitating...

Just to chime in I got this coming from the pixel, not XL. I really like this phone, especially on the 8.1 beta. Its a great little handset, feels awesome, much better battery than anything Google has, and very snappy. I also had wicked issues flashing anything on my pixel. No trouble so far with the essential for me.

Jank4AU said:
Just to chime in I got this coming from the pixel, not XL. I really like this phone, especially on the 8.1 beta. Its a great little handset, feels awesome, much better battery than anything Google has, and very snappy. I also had wicked issues flashing anything on my pixel. No trouble so far with the essential for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you think about the photo and video?

ggh95 said:
What do you think about the photo and video?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Despite all the negative press, the pictures aren't bad. Their not as good as the pixel, true, but I don't use a phone as my main source for high quality pictures. I know many folks do simply because they always have their phone on them. The bottom line is, no one is going to look at a picture you took with this phone and think, "ew, did your 5-year old draw that?" It works just fine.

I heard about this phone early this year did some research and decided to buy it from Amazon on Jan 24th. I came from a Galaxy S6 and it was a good phone (battery was getting bad) but this phone is head and shoulders better! Especially now that we are running the Oreo B8.1! It is super stable and smooth much more than my old Galaxy S6. I was thinking of trying the Oneplus 5t or maybe the new Huawei Mate 10 pro but I am not sure I will be any happier. Never had the Pixel or 2 If they looked this good I'd buy tomorrow!

ggh95 said:
What do you think about the photo and video?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
with gcam its very good but very bad stabilization for videos

sabi95190 said:
with gcam its very good but very bad stabilization for videos
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What app has good stabilization?

Tech180 said:
What app has good stabilization?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gcam