Is this worth getting - Moto Z4 Questions & Answers

I'm looking to get a decent budget phone that can get is upgrades and root but it doesn't seem like this is the phone to go with. Is it worth buying

no get a pixel 3a, its better and cheaper too.
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no fm radio tho.

The Z4 supports an active stylus like the surface pen. It allows for Galaxy Note like features that no other phone supports. I believe it's the only phone that supports the Microsoft Surface Pen. The Huawei use AES and Samsung uses Wacom

I know two people with Pixel 3as, and both of their speakers exhibit weird problems. For both of them, the speaker doesn't work during alarms, it's some known bug that Google hasn't fixed yet. One guy is constantly missing his alarm (because it only plays 1/5 times), and the other guy uses his previous phone while Google stumbles through with a fix.
The other common comparison is the camera. As far as I can tell from comparing shots on the same thing, both phones have identical detail, but they use different color palettes depending on the situation. The Pixel 3a tends to embellish what the scene actually looked like, while the Moto Z4 looks more true to life. Since I don't vanity post on social networks, I like the Z4 shots more.
And finally, the display. The Z4's display is better, it's bigger, and that makes multitasking more effective. You can play a video on the top or bottom of your screen in traditional 16:9, and fit a full regular sized game of Pokemon Go on the other 3/4th's. That's a specific feature I tend to use a lot though, if you don't multitask on your phone I can see that not being a big deal.

Its a decent phone, I think the camera is great for a 350ish dollar phone. The speaker and gamepad mod is nice.

phatmanxxl said:
Its a decent phone, I think the camera is great for a 350ish dollar phone. The speaker and gamepad mod is nice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's often on sale for $229.99 with a free mod.

Related

[Q] The need for powerful, yet small phones

Why aren't phone manufacturers building powerful, yet small, phones ?
Nowadays, we see all top models being released with 4.5" or bigger screens, just like if "size matters" is the only valid argument for the premium market. Well, screen size is not the only argument for choosing a top model phone (stress on the word phone).
We should have an option to choose between big and flashy multimedia devices versus portable, yet powerful phones.
Here's an example:
I bought an Xperia Ray almost 2 years ago because it was designed to be a compact, well built and powerful device. And I payed the premium price, because I wanted exactly that !
Well, if you look at the current market for alternatives to my Ray (form factor, updated power chipset+ram, built quality, design), you can't find many devices out there. Maybe the (just 786mb RAM) HTC Desire X, or the (cheap plastic, avg screen) Galaxy S3 mini ?
There is a phone that would be almost perfect, the Xperia SX, but it was built for the japanese market and it's frequency bands.
The question is: why didn't Sony release an international model equivalent to that one ?
I mean, almost everybody that owns one says it is a very good device (built quality, specs, camera, design) and very light and portable.
As a result, many Ray users are still waiting for alternatives to their (aging) device, due to the lack of offer in this specific premium segment.
Isn't this ridiculous ? Or are we doomed to extintion ?
Just as a coincidence, a new petition at GSM Arena was just launched: "Join our quest for a high-end compact Android smartphone"
Seems that the subject trend is rising among premium consumers.
+1 For smaller devices. I actually sold my Xperia Arc to buy the Xperia Ray because I craved the compactness of Phones from yesteryear, although not their simplicity lol. I remember when I got my Nokia 8210, beautiful little Phone at the time...
...and my Ray gives me the same pleasure in terms of size....
...so I'm pleased to see someone trying to point out to the manufacturers that some of us want our Phones to be mobile Phone sized, and if we want and need a tablet sized device, we'll buy a tablet.
Well, it doesn't have to be tiny , since we need the smartphone features like browsing, maps, mail/calendar, ...
In my opinion, a well built phone, with near highend specs and compact is perfectly possible with current technology.
They just have to go after this forgotten market segment.
Well... the truth is the majority of users do want a large phone, and most manufacturers have to appeal to them. Compact, powerful phones are not likely to exist any time unless the majority starts to think the portability starts to affect. Screen size isn't matter for me, as long as they can maintain the device profile. The GS4 is a good example, despite it's larger screen, it is more compact than the GS3
Sent from my E10i using Tapatalk
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arturiu said:
Well, it doesn't have to be tiny , since we need the smartphone features like browsing, maps, mail/calendar, ...
In my opinion, a well built phone, with near highend specs and compact is perfectly possible with current technology.
They just have to go after this forgotten market segment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, what's the point of having high end specs if your usage is web browsing and emails?
Sent from my E10i using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 01:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:21 AM ----------
arturiu said:
Well, it doesn't have to be tiny , since we need the smartphone features like browsing, maps, mail/calendar, ...
In my opinion, a well built phone, with near highend specs and compact is perfectly possible with current technology.
They just have to go after this forgotten market segment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, what's the point of having high end specs if your usage is web browsing and emails?
Sent from my E10i using Tapatalk
Again, what's the point of having high end specs if your usage is web browsing and emails?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please check my statement, where I use the word "near" before high end specs
sooyong94 said:
Well... the truth is the majority of users do want a large phone, and most manufacturers have to appeal to them. Compact, powerful phones are not likely to exist any time unless the majority starts to think the portability starts to affect. Screen size isn't matter for me, as long as they can maintain the device profile. The GS4 is a good example, despite it's larger screen, it is more compact than the GS3
Sent from my E10i using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 01:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:19 AM ----------
Again, what's the point of having high end specs if your usage is web browsing and emails?
Sent from my E10i using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 01:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:21 AM ----------
Again, what's the point of having high end specs if your usage is web browsing and emails?
Sent from my E10i using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well considering that is what a business person uses for. That is a very good point.
I see no point in treating a $700 mobile device like a kids gaming toy as alot of people use them for.
Sewrizer said:
Well, not THAT small as that nokia
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Click to collapse
My perfect device would be the same dimensions as the 8210, but with a slide out keyboard and fill the top with a screen similar to the design of the Ray.
sooyong94 said:
Well... the truth is the majority of users do want a large phone, and most manufacturers have to appeal to them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think they've been pushed on us, as they seem to think the "majority" of us want an all in one device that's a Phone, Multimedia, Gaming and a Tablet, which the GSMARENA Petition shows that that's not actually what some of us want.
screen
Many people want a bigger screen to watch movies.
i can see the pros of having a big phone, seeing as i just got one.. but also do miss little phones (loved the little nokia phones!)
with phones being all touchscreen, is why the screens are big i think, as many older consumers don't like the tiny buttons/touchscreen kb. so i guess they're just catering to everyone. but yeah.. +12345 on small, yet powerful smartphone!
well at least in my country the chances for it to lose is smaller the bigger the phone. anyway I am a teacher and I was thinking to get a small android or presumably android watch where I can control my slide wirelessly without any of my student noticing it. the were mostly 12 years so you can picture the scene...
There are plenty phones that are 4.3 inch and smaller. HTC One S, HTC first, iPhone 5 and most likely the upcoming iPhone 5s, Samsung galaxy s 3 mini, plenty other more that I can't name off the top. As far as flagship phones, bigger is better right now.
And topic is still actual... Z1 Compact isn't compact at all... And nothing <=4" power enough to replace Ray.
The only problem I have with Ray is RAM size - iGo navigation always remind me that I have only 512Mb
I want the same phone with more RAM...

Mini keyboard for S5 Available?

This has received terrible reviews, but I do like its form factor:
http://www.amazon.com/TOP®-Bluetoot...-3&keywords=bluetooth\+keyboard+for+galaxy+s5
Anybody use anything else?
Jake
jakfish said:
This has received terrible reviews, but I do like its form factor:
http://www.amazon.com/TOP®-Bluetoot...-3&keywords=bluetooth\+keyboard+for+galaxy+s5
Anybody use anything else?
Jake
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know - the reviews aren't worth their time for the product. the description of the product itself is clearly ESL which doesn't build confidence about the budget they had in making this thing. However two of the 3 critical reviews are either irrelevant (doesn't fit his note 3... ) or unreliable. The one that specifies criticisms has such poor grammar as to be undecipherable in some places, but does point out the bulk and possibly poor hardware design of the case. I don't expect this thing to be thin, but it's ridiculous that the description and specs don't mention the actual SIZE of the product. It's weight is more than 10 oz though which is getting up there.... worrying for sure.
However the same reviewer also comments that the text you type is "perpendicular"... presumably he isn't aware of how to choose apps that can work in landscape or know enough about his phone to know how to enable rotation. So all in all we have one clear negative which is the bulk of the product.
I don't want a bulky keyboard/case either, but it may be a requisite since at least this keyboard has real buttons.
I wish people would talk about the keyboard feel/action (is it actually possible to type on (Despite the misaligned qwerty layout) or is it too hard to press fast... stuff like that).
I also wish the real dimensions were published.
So I do agree with you - I want something like that but with at least enough information to be worth spending $50 or more to get (After taxes/shipping/exchange rate etc as I'm in Canada). No way I'm throwing away that much money unless I know it's worth it.
For big bucks there is that new laser keyboard they keep promoting before movies in theatres LoL.... but (a) I expect it's super expensive and hard to find, and (b) can you imagine typing on anything LESS responsive than just a desktop surface without being able to feel key edges or motion??
Anyhow.... ideas would be welcome here.
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ya know, honestly I'd rather have an unfold able bluetooth keyboard that reaches near full size and has decent action that I can put in my other pocket than deal with a crappy keyboard case only to have such a small keyboard as to be only marginally better than typing on the phone itself.
so a foldable full size qwerty keyboard that gets really small and thin for pocket carrying sounds ideal.
Is there such a thing (that doesn't cost $500)?
http://www.cellphoneshop.net/s5btokey.html
I ended up rolling the dice on this--it was 20usd/free shipping. Worth a look-see. And I think it's the same one so extravagantly priced on Amazon. It's on a slow boat from China, so fingers crossed. While waiting, I also went ahead and purchased/installed "External Keyboard Help Pro," an amazing app that allows full key/character customization of a bt keyboard. I set up the layout on a Ipad bt keyboard, but since the coding is unicode rather than hardcode, I'm hoping the layout/keystrokes will transfer successfully to the arriving mini keyboard.
I had forgotten the laser keyboard, but I'm with you: how good could can the form factor be?
If this thing ever gets here, I'll certainly post back my impressions. I do see that same keyboard kicking around on ebay for under 20usd, sans case, but I don't know if such ubiquity is good or bad.
Thanks for your thoughtful post,
Jake
I've had a bluetooth keyboard for probably 18 months now... Got it on special for 5.99 GBP, made by Xenta.. It is not attached to the phone but I keep it in my work rucksack, along with a bluetooth mouse. The only downside about it for me is that the buttons are rubberised. IF the buttons were more like a blackberry this keyboard would be ace - but you do need to sit the phone somewhere so you can type using the keyboard. A plus is that I can use this keyboard with any device that accepts bluetooth keyboards, hence it has been paired with my HTC One X+, Samsung Note 3 and S5.
6 Pounds - can't go wrong.
Here's a better one that says it has a mouse feature built in. http://www.ebuyer.com/247588-xenta-...keyboard-with-mouse-touchpad-2-4ghz-rf240-50k
Rubberized keys seem to be a complaint about other brands of keyboards as well--it must be the cheapest way to make them sell for 6 Pounds
My en route keyboard is also rubberized. Should be an adventure in qwerty.
The mousepad from your link's model draws complaints--I had a vague little optical mousepad on my Sidekick 4G that would freak out in sunlight. It's hard to make these things both cheap and good.
I'm most interested in whether the contraption will a) fit in a front pocket of jeans b) be useful as a phone when it sits in the case
Jake
This is why OEMs should look into hardware keyboards again. This is what made the original G1 great.
Sent from my toaster
The keyboard/case arrived and for 20 bucks, I have no complaints. It paired right away and afterwards, when bt is enabled on the S5 and the keyboard is turned on, it connects fast and without problem.
As for the keyboard itself, it ain't no HP Jornada 720 or any other handheld computer. The keys are rubberized and own a certain mushiness and obviously, it's a smaller layout than any h/pc.
If this analogy rings a bell with anybody, I would compare usability to the Psion Revo keyboard. The tactile sense b/w the two is literally hard and soft, but their sizes are similar and the typing vs mistakes is roughly equal for both the Psion and this.
The phone casement is velcro-ed and to enable a quasi laptop mode, you loosen the phone's bottom half to set it at a slight angle.
The External Keyboard Helper Pro saves the day: I programmed a second Shift key, key-mapped many punctuation alternatives (mostly smart quotes, etc), key-stroked apps (e.g. alt-w = word processor). Everything was done without root.
You can tell by its thickness that the case/keyboard/phone will not fit into a jeans' front pocket, which is where I like to carry my S5. I would imagine it would fit into the front pocket of dress pants, but noticeably so.
Wish me luck posting these pictures,
Jake

Which Smartwatch to get for 2015

Hey everyone,
I'm considering a smartwatch for Christmas this year. Since the new round of watches is out i'd like to get some input on which one to get.
I really like the look of the moto 360. It's really minimalistic. My Priorities would be: Round display, Android Wear, not too thick/heavy/Plasticy.
I like the look of the new samsung offerings, but Tizen rules them out.
The Zenwatch looks nice on pictures, but square display and big frames around it really doesn't look that nice in person.
Which watch would you get, and which is the all around best offering for the current generation?
i had the GEAR S and its better than Moto 360. but the new 360 will be the next option.
tizen in really good...
Tizen might be good now, but from my experience, everything thats Manufacturer proprietary (especially Samsung) doesn't get as much updates (if any) and no development at all. So Android Wear is a must...
domsch1988 said:
Hey everyone,
I'm considering a smartwatch for Christmas this year
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too
I posted my Moto 360 42mm vs Huawei Watch pros and cons over on the Moto 360 2nd Gen forums:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=63194709&postcount=4
Have a read down the whole thread to get some good insights from others too. These are the three I'm considering, as I'm only interested in Android Wear:
Huawei Watch forums: http://forum.xda-developers.com/huawei-watch
Moto 260 2nd Gen forums: http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-360-2015
Asus Zenwatch 2 forums: http://forum.xda-developers.com/zenwatch-2
Pretty much decided on the 42mm Moto 360 though! :good:
There are lots of good video reviews on YouTube too.
Intresting opinions guys.
My gift to myself was Gear S2 4g from Tmobile. Ability to make a phone call from the watch was a tipping point and LG Urbane 2 was recalled
domsch1988 said:
Hey everyone,
I'm considering a smartwatch for Christmas this year. Since the new round of watches is out i'd like to get some input on which one to get.
I really like the look of the moto 360. It's really minimalistic. My Priorities would be: Round display, Android Wear, not too thick/heavy/Plasticy.
I like the look of the new samsung offerings, but Tizen rules them out.
The Zenwatch looks nice on pictures, but square display and big frames around it really doesn't look that nice in person.
Which watch would you get, and which is the all around best offering for the current generation?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would like Gear S2 Classic 3G to hit US market soon. It's released on Asia already. Gear S2 Classic currently sold in US is Wifi only.
GEAR S
Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk
Sony smart watch 3 is best I have used
Embedded gps, custom kernels
I had the zenwatch
Sony is much faster
Also charge 10 times as fast
Gear S Original.
After some research, I decided to go for the Pebble Time. No fancy stuff, just functionality, great battery life and great support from the community.
I like my LG Urbane ... does the job nicely for me with pretty good battery life.
I have been through a pebble time, several AW watches and the samsung s2.
android wear has great features, more being added all the time, but getting them all to work reliably is more than troublesome (connectivity issues too). the gear s2 worked a bit more reliably, but naturally samsung screwed it all up by keeping everything proprietary, including but not limited to S-voice, which sucks... real hard.
i was waiting around with my Huawei watch for the speaker update to hit, but got to thinking about my overall experience and the lackluster of making calls on the watch.
i have reverted to the pebble time. it just works. i can't say the same about any of the others. i am a bit of a power user so things have to work for me. pebble time steel on the way.
Melissakis said:
After some research, I decided to go for the Pebble Time. No fancy stuff, just functionality, great battery life and great support from the community.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I love my Pebble Time Steel
Few days back I've buyed myself a Moto 360, and I gotta say I'm really happy with it. It works like a charm. I'm really suprised that you need just max. 30min to charge it from 0-100%. Do you have any awesome watchfaces that you recommend???
Kinsman-UK said:
Me too
I posted my Moto 360 42mm vs Huawei Watch pros and cons over on the Moto 360 2nd Gen forums:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=63194709&postcount=4
Have a read down the whole thread to get some good insights from others too. These are the three I'm considering, as I'm only interested in Android Wear:
Huawei Watch forums: http://forum.xda-developers.com/huawei-watch
Moto 260 2nd Gen forums: http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-360-2015
Asus Zenwatch 2 forums: http://forum.xda-developers.com/zenwatch-2
Pretty much decided on the 42mm Moto 360 though! :good:
There are lots of good video reviews on YouTube too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using Moto 360 1st gen for more than a year now and trying to find another watch for update. I tried several smartwatches on and compared the feel of Huawei, Moto 360 2nd gen, LG Urbane and Gear S2 @bestbuy. Strangely enough LG Urbane was looking the most masculine and robust, have some solid build feel to them. Needless to say that the screen is very sharp OLED [something that Motos 360 lacking] and packing 400mAh battery in! I'm wondering how they do in terms of music playback. I workout a lot and just use my Moto 360 with bluetooth headset (Plantronics Back Beat Fit something) and it works good, decent SQ but battery life is just for 1 hour of playback, may be 1h 20m max. So I always have to charge, be at 100% on my watch before each workout. Can someone comment on SQ and battery life at such scenario? Thanx
Another option is Gear S2 and they look fine, being tiny and light can be an advantage at the gym, right? Apparently it'll be easier to hide them under the sleeve (of hoodie or shirt). But that tiny 250mAh battery? Can it even handle 1h workout with non-stop music playback? May be Tizen is more energy efficient than AndroidWear? Can someone comment as well. Thanx in advance!
I also wonder if Tizen has better and more user friendly Music app (on a watch) because the one of AndroidWear is ugly, buggy and more of an afterthought or early alpha built! Like you gotta scroll thru your whole library, say 30 albums, to turn shuffle on! Syncing is a mess too!
If I don't use my Moto 360 as standalone mp3 player then it rocks 2 days easily on a single charge! Notifications, voice control and other stuff work just fine!
alexsoin said:
I'm using Moto 360 1st gen for more than a year now and trying to find another watch for update. I tried several smartwatches on and compared the feel of Huawei, Moto 360 2nd gen, LG Urbane and Gear S2 @bestbuy. Strangely enough LG Urbane was looking the most masculine and robust, have some solid build feel to them. Needless to say that the screen is very sharp OLED [something that Motos 360 lacking] and packing 400mAh battery in! I'm wondering how they do in terms of music playback. I workout a lot and just use my Moto 360 with bluetooth headset (Plantronics Back Beat Fit something) and it works good, decent SQ but battery life is just for 1 hour of playback, may be 1h 20m max. So I always have to charge, be at 100% on my watch before each workout. Can someone comment on SQ and battery life at such scenario? Thanx
Another option is Gear S2 and they look fine, being tiny and light can be an advantage at the gym, right? Apparently it'll be easier to hide them under the sleeve (of hoodie or shirt). But that tiny 250mAh battery? Can it even handle 1h workout with non-stop music playback? May be Tizen is more energy efficient than AndroidWear? Can someone comment as well. Thanx in advance!
I also wonder if Tizen has better and more user friendly Music app (on a watch) because the one of AndroidWear is ugly, buggy and more of an afterthought or early alpha built! Like you gotta scroll thru your whole library, say 30 albums, to turn shuffle on! Syncing is a mess too!
If I don't use my Moto 360 as standalone mp3 player then it rocks 2 days easily on a single charge! Notifications, voice control and other stuff work just fine!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the s2 is beautiful, and Tizen has much less bloat than Android. I got about 2 days out of it easy while i had it. the battery life is much more stable than with Android Wear too. very consistent. i cant speak for the music app, but if you poke around on the web youll likely find that Tizen would be much more suitable.
all of that said... none of them work very well. it took me months of playing with different watches to recognize that the technology just isnt very developed, and that these watches are all seriously lacking somehow. it's going to be at least another year or two before youre able to reliably and consistently get the performance you are looking for.
i bought a pebble steel and a pebble time steel for the price of one of those watches, and i am much much happier now. it's primitive in relativity, but it actually works.
alexsoin said:
I also wonder if Tizen has better and more user friendly Music app (on a watch) because the one of AndroidWear is ugly, buggy and more of an afterthought or early alpha built! Like you gotta scroll thru your whole library, say 30 albums, to turn shuffle on! Syncing is a mess too!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't use mine much for music control or playing music direct from the watch, but when I do I use PowerAmp and PowerAmp Remote for Android Wear (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.nefastudio.android.nfpoweramp_wear). It allows me to browse my entire music collection (stored on external SD on my Note 4) from my watch by Artist, Album or Folder - very handy! You also have access to EQ controls etc direct from the watch. The PowerAmp Remote can be started direct from your watch without taking out your phone.
I've found this to be pretty much all I need, although I do also use WearMedia when I want to play music direct from the watch (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=qubin.de.wearmedia) which is excellent.
I would be very hesitant to go the Tizen route, as I've found that I can find an app for almost anything I want on Android Wear, but I very much doubt that would be the case on Tizen.
Kinsman-UK said:
I don't use mine much for music control or playing music direct from the watch, but when I do I use PowerAmp and PowerAmp Remote for Android Wear (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.nefastudio.android.nfpoweramp_wear). It allows me to browse my entire music collection (stored on external SD on my Note 4) from my watch by Artist, Album or Folder - very handy! You also have access to EQ controls etc direct from the watch. The PowerAmp Remote can be started direct from your watch without taking out your phone.
I've found this to be pretty much all I need, although I do also use WearMedia when I want to play music direct from the watch (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=qubin.de.wearmedia) which is excellent.
I would be very hesitant to go the Tizen route, as I've found that I can find an app for almost anything I want on Android Wear, but I very much doubt that would be the case on Tizen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I gotta try WearMedia and see how music playback and files transfer works, IMO even slightest improvements over PlayMusic (google junk) will be a win! Thanks a bunch.
I use PowerAmp on my Note 4 as well but I prefer to leave it in a locker room while I'm working out. Less distractions and device is kinda bulky
---------- Post added at 09:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:53 AM ----------
WaxysDargle said:
the s2 is beautiful, and Tizen has much less bloat than Android. I got about 2 days out of it easy while i had it. the battery life is much more stable than with Android Wear too. very consistent. i cant speak for the music app, but if you poke around on the web youll likely find that Tizen would be much more suitable.
all of that said... none of them work very well. it took me months of playing with different watches to recognize that the technology just isnt very developed, and that these watches are all seriously lacking somehow. it's going to be at least another year or two before youre able to reliably and consistently get the performance you are looking for.
i bought a pebble steel and a pebble time steel for the price of one of those watches, and i am much much happier now. it's primitive in relativity, but it actually works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't personally call regular S2 beautiful S2 Calssic is better but not worth 400 bucks it's sold for. I don't have experience with Tizen and majority of reviews isn't good tho! AndroidWear's bloat apparently makes notifications and voice controls much more useful than those on Tizen. Gotta do some more research I guess. Pebbles isn't my thing since they couldn't be used as standalone mp3 players! Thanx
alexsoin said:
I gotta try WearMedia and see how music playback and files transfer works, IMO even slightest improvements over PlayMusic (google junk) will be a win! Thanks a bunch.
I use PowerAmp on my Note 4 as well but I prefer to leave it in a locker room while I'm working out. Less distractions and device is kinda bulky
---------- Post added at 09:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:53 AM ----------
I wouldn't personally call regular S2 beautiful S2 Calssic is better but not worth 400 bucks it's sold for. I don't have experience with Tizen and majority of reviews isn't good tho! AndroidWear's bloat apparently makes notifications and voice controls much more useful than those on Tizen. Gotta do some more research I guess. Pebbles isn't my thing since they couldn't be used as standalone mp3 players! Thanx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ya, sorry, i meant the s2 classic.
tizen is solid. i was very skeptical but after owning one it was waaaay better than i thought. android wear has serious issues that tizen does not. the main thing lacking on tizen is voice command. its horrible. notifications on tizen were much more reliable than android wear

Review: BlitzWolf Virtual Reality Glasses (Cardboard)

Virtual Reality is becoming more and more easily accessible. These VR glasses make it super easy to be somewhere you’re not!
The box comes with: a microfiber cloth, the VR headset, and instructions.
VR was proven to be easy to achieve thanks to Google Cardboard, which is a VR headset made from basic materials like cardboard, magnets and rubber bands. This headset is an improved and sturdier version of Cardboard since it’s made out of hard plastic.
To use this product, you will need a smartphone. Any smartphone will do, but it is recommended that you use one that is up to date and can downloaded the latest apps, since that’s one of the most important things here.
Apps I tested: Google Cardboard app, Vrse, Google StreetView and Discovery VR.
Note: These apps don’t come with the product and must be downloaded separately, depending if you’re using Android or iOS. They’re all free, but you must understand that the apps are about half of what you need to make this work.
Thoughts on the product:
I’ve used Google Cardboard so I had previous knowledge of how VR works. You can say this is an upgrade from that since it feels like a real headset, it’s made from hard plastic, and it even has cushions for your face. There are two adjustable settings: one to adjust the focus of the glasses themselves and the second one is to set how far away your phone is from your eyes.
Let's start with customization and comfort. You can adjust pretty much every feature of the glasses. From the straps to the focal length and distance between the lenses. Truly a "one size fits all" product.
Regarding performance, the lenses are extremely clear. Once you have them on, you can adjust the lenses to get the best quality of image. If you haven't tried the VR experience before, you are in for a ride. The image quality is fantastic.
The way the the phone goes into the goggles is awkward at best. Yes, it will fit a phone up to 6" screen size, but not comfortably. I tried using it with my Nexus 6P and i struggled getting the phone in there (did not fit with the case on). When i finally got the phone in, the braces were touching the buttons causing it to not function properly. What i did is i took out the the bracket that is supposed to hold the phone in place and it works great now. little hack that made this very functional with my phone case on and everything.
Another negative aspect I found for these glasses is that if you are in a very bright location, some light does get in through the side slats. This does not happen often and not really a deal breaker for me. It is also something that can be fixed quite easily with tape.
Here is my list of pros and cons:
Pros:
- Adjustable.
- Comfortable on your face. Nice padding.
- Quality materials. Not too heavy.
- Works with most phones.
- Nice additional items such as stylus and microfiber cloth.
- Image quality. Great lenses.
- Easy to use and set up with your phone.
Negatives:
- Side slats allow a bit of light in.
- No way of interacting with touch screen when phone is in the VR goggles (google cardboard Star wars edition had something to touch the screen). would really like if i didn't have to take the phone out of the goggles every time i wanted to change what i am doing
- Fitting larger phones (nexus 6P, LG V10) are awkward
See pictures for details (will post pictures when i get home from work)
I received this at a discount for my review, but my review is completely honest in what is stated.
Please let me know if you have any questions guys. I am more than happy to answer them.
The Glasses can be purchased here:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AJSKIDG?redirect=true&ref_=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0
Thanks for the review. I am very interested in VR I have no experience with it and just ordered my first VR headset today. However I went with the freefly VR (about 85 bucks). I'll report back on my impressions. Although a bit more costly I have read a lot of good things about them.
Tfast500 said:
Thanks for the review. I am very interested in VR I have no experience with it and just ordered my first VR headset today. However I went with the freefly VR (about 85 bucks). I'll report back on my impressions. Although a bit more costly I have read a lot of good things about them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am in no way affiliated with blitzwolf, but the freefly vr looks like just a more expensive version that ultimately does the same thing. Neither of the goggles have additional sensors in them the way the gear vr or oculus do. I'd save about $50 and order the blitz vr (or any of the ones that look identical on Amazon)
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
steveo17 said:
I am in no way affiliated with blitzwolf, but the freefly vr looks like just a more expensive version that ultimately does the same thing. Neither of the goggles have additional sensors in them the way the gear vr or oculus do. I'd save about $50 and order the blitz vr (or any of the ones that look identical on Amazon)
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I totally get what you are saying and I honestly debated spending this much... vs something 1/3 the price, I was also looking at the vrbox v2 or the blitz vr; However, I have read many good reviews about users already owning other vr headsets and still think the freefly is worth the extra cost. Supposedly it has 120 FOV which is more than the gear vr and any other phone vr headset.
I will be receiving this tomorrow so if i am not totally impressed ill get something cheaper or nothing at all.
Tfast500 said:
I totally get what you are saying and I honestly debated spending this much... vs something 1/3 the price, I was also looking at the vrbox v2 or the blitz vr; However, I have read many good reviews about users already owning other vr headsets and still think the freefly is worth the extra cost. Supposedly it has 120 FOV which is more than the gear vr and any other phone vr headset.
I will be receiving this tomorrow so if i am not totally impressed ill get something cheaper or nothing at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gotcha. i will be interested in hearing your results.
btw: check out this website to analyze the reviews that you see on Amazon
http://fakespot.com/
Bluetooth Controller
steveo17 said:
Negatives:
- No way of interacting with touch screen when phone is in the VR goggles (google cardboard Star wars edition had something to touch the screen). would really like if i didn't have to take the phone out of the goggles every time i wanted to change what i am doing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course, there is a way to interact with screen without taking the phone out of the goggles. It's a worthwhile investment to get an inexpensive bluetooth controller.
Schmoopdawg said:
Of course, there is a way to interact with screen without taking the phone out of the goggles. It's a worthwhile investment to get an inexpensive bluetooth controller.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have come across those, but out of the box there is no way to interact with the screen

Vice Style Gamepad

Hi guys,
Wondering if any one had any suggestions for a compact but solid and reliable gamepad (vice-style) that fits and works well with this phone.
I had a Razer Phone 2 with the Razer Junglecat before this phone and I am used to this quality build - if anyone has ideas would be appreciated.
thanks
I am waiting for the razer kishi to be released : https://www.razer.com/eu-en/gaming-controllers/razer-kishi
It's build in collaboration with the guys from gamevice.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.th...like-mobile-game-controller-gamepad-junglecat
What type of gaming do you do on your phone?
---------- Post added at 11:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:24 PM ----------
Looking at stadia is it any good? Would be good to pair with a game pad like that
This razer kishi is built especially for cloud gaming thanks to its zero latency USB-c connection to the phone.
No Bluetooth required.
Yeah....well the whole reason I wrote this thread is because I am sick and tired of waiting for the Razer damn Kishi to come out....was announced ages ago ...been waiting and waiting too long
I'm also impatiently waiting.
The Glap controller though bulky could probably do the trick. https://www.samsung.com/uk/mobile-accessories/glap-gamepad/
gothikserpent said:
I'm also impatiently waiting.
The Glap controller though bulky could probably do the trick. https://www.samsung.com/uk/mobile-accessories/glap-gamepad/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this looks very good!!
Yes it doesnt look that portable (especially as i am used to the jungle cat which took up less space than my wallet!!)
However if i was to get something this big i am a bit fussy with the right analogue stick i prefer it below the buttons just like the Xbox style...this is what i am used to.
I already have one that looks very similar to this as well - the IPEGA PG-9023...it was also a lot cheaper!!
Would the Samsung have much better build quality and lag-free connection?
Also a question - is the Razer Kishi going to be wired only or will there be a Bluetooth option?
I have never used any Ipega products but I have heard that the controllers suffer from analog stick dead zones which are not present in the Glap.
According to the Verge's article, the kishi has no built-in battery. It will use the phones power so it's very unlikely that it will have Bluetooth.
Been looking at reviews on Youtube - the one below looks like a pretty good bet - he says the Coolpad Legacy fits in perfectly and Oneplus 8 Pro has pretty close dimensions to that
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1pm876OiKw
gothikserpent said:
I have never used any Ipega products but I have heard that the controllers suffer from analog stick dead zones which are not present in the Glap.
According to the Verge's article, the kishi has no built-in battery. It will use the phones power so it's very unlikely that it will have Bluetooth.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you are right they do. the difference between my junglecat and the ipega is so noticable. the junglecat is so responsive......i also have a Moga Hero Power which i think is excellent - however this has now become a legacy product and you cant even get the app on the play store anymore and you need it to connect the game pad - i have to download the apk manually to get it paired...but it is very good!
If the junglecat doesnt have a built in battery then forget it
I've been using the ipega extendible for a while now. I have the Moga pro, out of the two of them i prefer the ipega, plus it was only £20 Vs £49.99
That razer device looks like it's going to fall apart. The ipega is solid, it can hold an iPad.
dladz said:
I've been using the ipega extendible for a while now. I have the Moga pro, out of the two of them i prefer the ipega, plus it was only £20 Vs £49.99
That razer device looks like it's going to fall apart. The ipega is solid, it can hold an iPad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
which razer device are you referring to? I have the junglecat and can confirm it is solid as a rock, zero latency, and the button are perfect.
nk33 said:
which razer device are you referring to? I have the junglecat and can confirm it is solid as a rock, zero latency, and the button are perfect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The one listed. Buttons look good but the middle section doesn't. The ipega is built like a tank.
Latency is extremely low.
I've used a tonne of pads and that's the best one up until now.
dladz said:
The one listed. Buttons look good but the middle section doesn't. The ipega is built like a tank.
Latency is extremely low.
I've used a tonne of pads and that's the best one up until now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have 3 ipegas and the latency is high and the deadzones are terrible
the one listed ??? theres 2 in this thread - kishi and junglecat - just name the one you are talking about - whats with the riddles lol
nk33 said:
I have 3 ipegas and the latency is high and the deadzones are terrible
the one listed ??? theres 2 in this thread - kishi and junglecat - just name the one you are talking about - whats with the riddles lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off, calm down ok? Theres no need to act the way you are, alright?
Secondly the one I was referring to was the kishi, it looks like it's going to have problems, the construction of the middle isn't great.
3rd, I've got the ipega extendible, not sure if you've had this one but I do, there are no problems with input lag, depending on how you've set it up, the analogues can be seen as digital, I haven't set mine up like that, no problems with deadzones, I've finished tonnes of games using it
Thats my input, you asked for a vice like controller..is there any need to bash a suggestion? Or talk the way you are? Several ?????? It's childish, you didn't mention what controllers you'd used besides one.
Perhaps you could be clearer when you articulate yourself during thread creation, if you don't like a suggestion then say so, no need to bash it, try to be polite
I'm pretty calm mate ...all good
Yeah i got the extendible as well... joysticks are so far off its a killer for me. All depends on the quality you're used to i guess....IMO u get what u pay for in general and thats why Ipega stuff is so cheap
dladz said:
First off, calm down ok? Theres no need to act the way you are, alright?
Secondly the one I was referring to was the kishi, it looks like it's going to have problems, the construction of the middle isn't great.
3rd, I've got the ipega extendible, not sure if you've had this one but I do, there are no problems with input lag, depending on how you've set it up, the analogues can be seen as digital, I haven't set mine up like that, no problems with deadzones, I've finished tonnes of games using it
Thats my input, you asked for a vice like controller..is there any need to bash a suggestion? Or talk the way you are? Several ?????? It's childish, you didn't mention what controllers you'd used besides one.
Perhaps you could be clearer when you articulate yourself during thread creation, if you don't like a suggestion then say so, no need to bash it, try to be polite
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know you have no issues with your Ipega. That being said, Razer is a gaming company and they have an awesome track record when it comes to some of the best build quality out there.
I use cloud gaming services quite a lot and having the lowest latency means plugging in my computer to a gigabit Ethernet port and using a wired xbox controller.
If you want the best possible experience on android the same applies here, a physical USB-C connection to the phone will always be better than Bluetooth IMO. When cloud gaming, Bluetooth adds an extra layer of latency; with time this will get better but for now that's how it is.
I guess its up to the buyer to determine if the price of the Kishi is worth it
gothikserpent said:
Good to know you have no issues with your Ipega. That being said, Razer is a gaming company and they have an awesome track record when it comes to some of the best build quality out there.
I use cloud gaming services quite a lot and having the lowest latency means plugging in my computer to a gigabit Ethernet port and using a wired xbox controller.
If you want the best possible experience on android the same applies here, a physical USB-C connection to the phone will always be better than Bluetooth IMO. When cloud gaming, Bluetooth adds an extra layer of latency; with time this will get better but for now that's how it is.
I guess its up to the buyer to determine if the price of the Kishi is worth it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree I game on PC, I wouldn't dream of partying using wireless.
That being said I've had no issues with the ipega, perhaps it's unit based, even the 1+8pro has differences between units, green tint, touch lag, camera flares.
If the razer device works for you then stick with that.
If it suits your needs the the price is collateral
Ok - so the Razer Kishi just came out - specs below
and it seems the dimensions are 1.5mm too small for the length of the oneplus 8 Pro...if anyone has a kishi and can confirm if it fits please let me know
Center aligned USB-C or lightning port
Android
Operating System: Android™ 8.0 Oreo or higher
Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+/S9/S9+/S10/S10+/S20/S20+/Note 8/Note 9/Note 10/Note 10+
Google Pixel 2/2 XL/3/3XL/4/4XL
Razer Phone 1 & 2 (grip inserts available from customer support)
Other devices within supported dimensions (H: 145.3 – 163.7mm, W: 68.2-78.1mm, D: 7.0-8.8mm)
iOS
Operating System: iOS 9 or higher
iPhone 11/11 Pro/11 Pro Max, iPhone XR/XS/XS Max
nk33 said:
Ok - so the Razer Kishi just came out - specs below
and it seems the dimensions are 1.5mm too small for the length of the oneplus 8 Pro...if anyone has a kishi and can confirm if it fits please let me know
Center aligned USB-C or lightning port
Android
Operating System: Android™ 8.0 Oreo or higher
Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+/S9/S9+/S10/S10+/S20/S20+/Note 8/Note 9/Note 10/Note 10+
Google Pixel 2/2 XL/3/3XL/4/4XL
Razer Phone 1 & 2 (grip inserts available from customer support)
Other devices within supported dimensions (H: 145.3 – 163.7mm, W: 68.2-78.1mm, D: 7.0-8.8mm)
iOS
Operating System: iOS 9 or higher
iPhone 11/11 Pro/11 Pro Max, iPhone XR/XS/XS Max
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Boredatwork confirmed that it works with the oneplus 8 pro :

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