The following message is copied from the Cubot Pocket thread.
Answers were off topic.
To my request, moderator @Badger50 moved them here.
Thank you @Badger50 !
Cubot, if you read us : please make a smaller phone with the same screen.
100 * 52 mm with the same screen should be within reach.
You could even make a smaller phone if you use a screen with round corners.
People who buy 4 inch phones do so because they want a small phone body ; not for the "pleasure" of a small screen. But in the actual lineup, the smaller the phone is, the bigger the borders (and the worse the screen to body ratio) are !
Cobus.
Cobus089 said:
the smaller the phone is, the bigger the borders
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
palm pvg100 or unihertz jelly 2 are already here for you
personally i'd love to get a small hi-end phone with android but market and vendors think differently
The Palm PVG100 is a nice phone but
Android 8
Battery is a nightmare
Screen is a bit small, at 3.3 inch
Screen-to-body ratio is only 61.4 %.
The same body with a bigger screen and a decent battery would be OK.
The Unihertz Jelly 2 is a joke, with its screen-to-body ratio of 52.8 % !
It is even worse than my 10 years old Sony-Ericsson Xperia Active !
Cobus.
ok, balmuda phone then - 77.8% but 4.9''
Thank you for your advice, badcodelab !
I knew the Balmuda Phone too.
Nice screen-to-body ratio, but the Balmuda phone is 123 * 69 mm. The Cubot Pocket is already too big for me at 119 * 58 mm.
And 800 € is too expensive for my usage.
It may be the right phone for you ?
Cobus.
Cobus089 said:
It may be the right phone for you ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope, balmuda like mode1 grip and other jp phones doesn't support some 4g bands
i would still use my bb q10 if rim released bb os 11 or at least 1 more major update (bb os 10.4)
it was the best phone to me
cubot kkm or pocket has perfect size despite of poor hw
lets stop this offtop please, we won't get what we need
Cobus089 said:
The Palm PVG100 is a nice phone but
Android 8
Battery is a nightmare
Screen is a bit small, at 3.3 inch
Screen-to-body ratio is only 61.4 %.
The same body with a bigger screen and a decent battery would be OK.
The Unihertz Jelly 2 is a joke, with its screen-to-body ratio of 52.8 % !
It is even worse than my 10 years old Sony-Ericsson Xperia Active !
Cobus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you own the Jelly 2? Why is the screen to body ratio even an issue? As an owner (and previously of the Jelly Pro, the original Atom too) complaining about it in a phone with a notification led and physical buttons and that particular size is meaningless. The Jelly 2 is exactly as it should be - given what it aims to be. (Unfortunately, it has other issues...)
(Get a Rakuten Mini from Japan, then.)
Cobus089 said:
Hello,
Where could we move this discussion, that is now off topic ?
I refused to buy the Jelly 2 because of the poor screen-to-body ratio.
I want a phone that is small enough to fit my pockets everywhere I go, whatever I do (even in a Lycra running short). Its size should not be far from 100 mm high.
But the bigger the screen, the better.
Therefore I want a small phone with a fair screen-to-body ratio.
We see big phones that are almost borderless, with screen-to-body ratios over 90 %, but all phones with screens under 4.5 inch have big borders, with screen-to-body ratios ranging from 49.1 % to 64.8 %.
These phones look like they were produced between 2012 and 2015 (7 to 10 years ago), but they are what you can buy in 2022.
The 4" 1080*540 pixels screen of Cubot Kingkong Mini 1 & 2 and Cubot Pocket could fit in a 100 * 52 mm body (screen to body ratio : 79.4 %).
A 4.3" 1280*720 pixels screen with round corners could fit in a 105 * 60 mm body (screen to body ratio : 80.9 %).
But no one makes these "modern" small phones.
I considered buying the Rakuten Mini (screen-to-body ratio : 63 %), but it doesn't have 2G / GSM capability.
Cubot Kingkong Mini 1 & 2 and Cubot Pocket are among the smallest 4" phones one can buy today. They are not what I want, but I cannot make my own phone !
Cobus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's obviously easier to design a very small phone with a screen that does not take so much real estate, especially if you plan to add notification light and physical buttons. Minimal borders is not a concern for some, like me and others I know.
The more general problem is big manufacturers have all abandoned small phones. The only Apple trend nobody is obsessively apeing. If they cared, a phone catering to your needs would eventually emerge.
Cobus089 said:
I considered buying the Rakuten Mini (screen-to-body ratio : 63 %), but it doesn't have 2G / GSM capability.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too. But I am not certain about the bands working in Europe, otherwise I'd try to get it. But I also don't know where, I could not find any website. iPhone has almost all bands. I see myself buying an iPhone 12 mini before it is gone, because I know in some years they won't be anything of the kind. I don't understand why Palm did not make a new effort at a more appealing device for a wider audience. Size wise I like my old LG GD880 mini, but with today's demands it would be too small to fit a sufficient battery.
A smartphone is about access in your pocket, not the whole office workplace in your pocket.
kkm6761 said:
Me too. But I am not certain about the bands working in Europe, otherwise I'd try to get it. But I also don't know where, I could not find any website. iPhone has almost all bands. I see myself buying an iPhone 12 mini before it is gone, because I know in some years they won't be anything of the kind. I don't understand why Palm did not make a new effort at a more appealing device for a wider audience. Size wise I like my old LG GD880 mini, but with today's demands it would be too small to fit a sufficient battery.
A smartphone is about access in your pocket, not the whole office workplace in your pocket.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Afaik, the Rakuten Mini is in fact a larger Palm with better battery, that is, made by the company which made the Palm. Not completely sure, though.
In my country (Romania) it worked flawlessly, but I never tested 2G (3G plus 4G coverage is almost complete).
landsome said:
Afaik, the Rakuten Mini is in fact a larger Palm with better battery, that is, made by the company which made the Palm. Not completely sure, though.
In my country (Romania) it worked flawlessly, but I never tested 2G (3G plus 4G coverage is almost complete).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read Rakuten Mini was made by Alcatel for Japan only. They indeed are the same phone, the later with bigger screen and battery.
Cubot promised other smaller devices, but with the "Pocket" name, I doubt we'll see anything smaller and strong. Since the time KKM is on sale, Pocket is a disappointing product for those that already know what it is and have moved on to higher expectations.
Looks like no phone maker can do anything satisfying in the 300€ range.
For now I won't get the Pocket, because i just got a new iPhone SE2, will repair my iPhone SE1 by putting it in an iPhone 5C frame and will get a new iPhone 12 mini in some time this month if I am yet lucky. I am still tempted by Rakuten mini over Palm, and of course theSharp Aquos R2 compact. The Sony Xperia XZ2 compact is too expensive for being so old without support, and is not even supported by Sailfish OS, which is quite frustrating.
landsome said:
he Rakuten Mini is in fact a larger Palm with better battery, that is, made by the company which made the Palm.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
According to PhoneDB, the Rakuten mini is made by Wiko. Wiko belongs to Tinno mobile.
Palm belongs to TCL. TCL owns Alcatel Mobile Phones too.
Anyway, the PVG100 is/was "manufactured by a new Palm-branded startup company from California that is financially backed by TCL and basketball player Stephen Curry."
So I don't think that the same company makes both phones. But I may be wrong.
Why do you say that the Rakuten Mini is in fact a larger Palm ? Do both phones share the same motherboard ?
To me, both phones are small Android smartphones, but that's all, AFAIK.
Cobus.
We are (and have been for a while) off topic. Where coud we move this discussion ?
kkm6761 said:
. I am still tempted by Rakuten mini over Palm, and of course theSharp Aquos R2 compact. The Sony Xperia XZ2 compact is too expensive for being so old without support, and is not even supported by Sailfish OS, which is quite frustrating.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The R2c is the same gen as the XZ2c, which has been getting official LOS18.1 for a long time now. I reliably get the weekly update. I did not try this Sharp, but had the Rc for a while (Softbank). Nice but quite underpowered and very quirky software wise, with very poor battery on 120hz.
Cobus089 said:
Why do you say that the Rakuten Mini is in fact a larger Palm ? Do both phones share the same motherboard ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I said was not sure.
kkm6761 said:
Cubot promised other smaller devices, but with the "Pocket" name, I doubt we'll see anything smaller and strong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely. Cubot has pretty underpowered devices even compared to other Chinese rugged phone makers. They will probably not put a strong CPU in one of their smallest devices.
Related
Hey guys
anyone know anything or heard about this device which is alledgedly due for release in October? Anyone used Asus devices? Are they good quality? Seems to be exactly what I'm after (Omnia with a proper screen)
http://wmpoweruser.com/?tag=asus-glaxy7
GSM Connectivity : GPRS/EDGE/3G/HSDPA/HAUPA
GSM Frequency : 850/900/1800/1900
WCDMA Frequency: 900/1900/2100 (Sorry US readers )
Screen: 3.5 “WVGA 800X480 / 65K Color TFT
System: Microsoft WM 6.1 Professional
UI: Glide 1.5
Camera: 5MP (2592×1944px) from autofocus
Video: MPEG4, H.264 encoding & decoding - resolution unknown
Communications: Bluetooth 2.0, Wifi, USB
aGPS
Audio: AAC, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, EVRC, QCELP, AAC + + EAAC, MP3, MIDI, PCM, WAV
Working time:
Standby : 200 hours
Talk time: 4 hours
Memory: 4GB flash
Expansion: microSD
Dimensions: 115×59x13.8mm
Tracking ball
Accelerometer
Construction: stainless steel
Interesting eh?
Asus devices are of good quality, little worse then Samsung maybe though (I have both i900 and ASUS p525 now to compare).
As time goes on, better and better devices are announced. This one will be officially announced in October, so expect to be able to buy it around Christmas. At this time no doubt that some other better device will be announced from some other manufacturer, and so on
hehe yeah, as is all things with technology in them
This does finaly look like the device for me though
After some googling it looks like it will be released in October and not just announced .... i hope!
****, now I don`t know which one to get, this, touch hd or xperia.
if this has better video recording and playback I just might get this instead of Touch HD & Xperia.
Great phones coming for Santa`s bag
indeed, we seem to be overflowing with choice however, for me its simple.
Xperia, Touch HD == HTC manufactured so NO.
Omnia = odd and small screen res and apparently very buggy
So that leave me with the Asus.
That makes sense and I can see why
Tho I am leaning towards this piece of power, I`ll wait for the reviews
Monty Burns said:
indeed, we seem to be overflowing with choice however, for me its simple.
Xperia, Touch HD == HTC manufactured so NO.
Omnia = odd and small screen res and apparently very buggy
So that leave me with the Asus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have seen issues with HTC not providing proper drivers for their devices... What else do you have against HTC ? Do you think other manufacturers are really different ? I'm about to change my phone, so i'd like to have your advice about this...
Thanks
Hey
HTC hardware build quality is awefull in my experience. I have not had one HTC device that I have not had to return at least once. I treat my devices like the expensive equipment they are and do not keep them in pockets with objects such as keys or money etc.
Its a real shame as HTC design and specification is awesome, just they seem to use awefull and cheap components to build them.
I have a Toshiba G900 which is an awesome device but sadly lacks RAM and GPS. For these reason i did something I said I would never do and changed back to a HTC device - Touch Diamond (which is a downgrade on the awesome screen of the tosh) and without fail, the Diamond is letting me down. The coating on the top of the tempered glass is so easily scratched, its getting scratched by just putting in on a desk. The buttons have scratches, the back panel paint is wearing off and the bezel around the screen has what looks like a silver/metal patch showing through. All this I could expect from a device thats a year old - like my G900 - but not a one month old phone. Oh and the other BIG issue is that I cannot play music without a skip, pause or song chop! (this is all Touch Diamonds) This is not just my issue, everyone gets it, and if anyone says they don't, lots of us would like to know what your doing and how your doing it!!!!
I can only say that my Toshiba was excellent build quality but I cannot vouch for any other manufacturer, only to say that they can't be any worse than HTC!
p.s. remember, the X1 is being MADE by HTC and branded/customised by Sony, chances are, it will be rubbish build quality as well.
edit: the Driver issue is not just a HTC issue. For some reason lots of manu's put the Nvidia chipset into the devices and never actually "drive" it - including Toshiba. Just bizzare.
Does anybody know something about the cpu and ram?
http://www.pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=1480
CPU 32bit Marvell PXA930
RAM 128
ROM is marked up at 4gig but I think they mean memory card. Not sure about the actual "rom" size.
Details are still sketchy and im not sure where PDADB got a lot of this from to be honest.
At this moment I've a HTC TyTN II, maybe this would be my new device too!
Since I've seen this device I'm doubt between the HTC Touch Pro and the Glaxy7. Should I miss the hardware keyboard? I'm still writing on the screen mostly because I forget my keyboard.
The Touch Pro has 288MB Ram vs the Glaxy7 with just 128MB, the Touch Pro has a keyboard, the Touch Pro has a bigger user community.
-click-
Other models I've been doubting but no go because:
- HTC Touch Diamond; no card slot
- HTC Touch HD; 25% more pixels but same cpu, only touchscreen no buttons, too big device?
- Samsung Omnia: too glossy for me, crappy case, no good experience with Samsung phones (no experience with their PPC's)
- Sony Ericsson: I'don't like the buttons of the keyboard, I was always a Ericsson fan (later SE) but with this don't know. Beside if I've to choose between the Touch Pro and the Xperia l'll choose the HTC. More RAM and bigger community.
The camera is for me no point to choose. At least, that would be my last point. It's reasonable the camera is one of the choosing facts. But remind that Windows Mobile isn't good with photo's.
E-ten has new devices too, but that is Acer. My experience with the Acer notebooks are not good. Cheap silly things!
your forgeting that the Glaxy has a 5mp camera as well.... this is important (at least to me)
Black-Rose said:
At this moment I've a HTC TyTN II, maybe this would be my new device too!
Since I've seen this device I'm doubt between the HTC Touch Pro and the Glaxy7. Should I miss the hardware keyboard? I'm still writing on the screen mostly because I forget my keyboard.
The Touch Pro has 288MB Ram vs the Glaxy7 with just 128MB, the Touch Pro has a keyboard, the Touch Pro has a bigger user community.
-click-
Other models I've been doubting but no go because:
- HTC Touch Diamond; no card slot
- HTC Touch HD; 25% more pixels but same cpu, only touchscreen no buttons, too big device?
- Samsung Omnia: too glossy for me, crappy case, no good experience with Samsung phones (no experience with their PPC's)
E-ten has new devices too, but that is Acer. My experience with the Acer notebooks are not good. Cheap silly things!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You forgot sony xperia.
+there should be some phones based on android, and some new phones with nvidia chips
Actually i don't want a suck CPU in my phone that make it slow enough for dialing, browser internet / photos and watching movie lagging same as an old-style projector in classroom.
Yes, the qualcomm having ATI Imageon, but also no HW support both 2d and 3d, so no VGA now.
If this machine really using intel cpu, this should be cool and the greatest PDA phone ever.
asus quality..
i used to have an asus p535 and it was one of the best pocket pcs that i owned.
it was very powerfull and it does not hang.
the built quality was excellent and the color does not peel because it is melted with the plastic itself.
the GPS was sirf III one of the best reciever in the world.
what i want to say is that asus products are very good but asus lacks the marketing touch to sell its products.
galaxy 7 will be a great device ,i am sure and i am looking forward for its release.
its good to hear from someone who has actually used a previous Asus PDA. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I must admit, i'm already sold on the Glaxy even though I am growing positivley towards my Diamond again - despite its poor hardware build quality.
Is this a new fashion? WVGA and WQVGA?
I like big screens, but I don't like software incompatibility...
My old (Now) G900 had an 800*480 screen and I only found issues with older versions of TomTom. Like it or not, I reckon this will become the new "standard" screen res and as such, people are/will develope code to handle it.
I have been using a Samsung Omnia for a few weeks now, and previously I used an Asus P525 for a little over 1 year. I still have the P525 (keeping it as spare).
Build quality: Asus is top notch as far as I am concerned, on par with my previous SE phones (P800,P900). High quality material all around on the P525.
Omnia is not bad at all, although the plastic case and back will get scratched quite fast, I think. There have been a number of complaints about Omnia units having to be returned for some sort or other hardware problem. Difficult to evaluate how serious it is as you only hear from the people having problems, not those that have not had any.
Software: This is where I think the Omnia is weak at this point in time: there are still a number of bugs in the OS (some major, some minor), whereas the P525 was rock solid (went from WM5 to WM6 no problem). Is it a result of rushing to market ? Nonetheless, Samsung is releasing ROM updates just about every month, so they are certainly trying... Flashing an Omnia is not an easy (or safe) process (no booloader method found to date), and a hardware initiated hard reset is very difficult to achieve (the only time I really had to use it it took me 30 minutes of button pushing to finally initiate the Hard Reset).
If the upcoming Galaxy7 is anything like my P525 and has the right specifications, and Samsung does not clear up a certain number of things that are important to me, I may very well switch.
My 2 cents...
"WCDMA Frequency: 900/1900/2100 (Sorry US readers )"
so it works in 1900umts in USA 3G, right?
i know it should works, but i just want to make sure. haha
From what I read they both have almost the same specs... Except infinity will be running pure android unlike s4 touch wiz..
Same ppi I think... 441 except infinity will sport an ips vs samoled...
Having an s3 and a Nexus 4 I think ips is better.
What makes the s4 better?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Crisisx1 said:
From what I read they both have almost the same specs... Except infinity will be running pure android unlike s4 touch wiz..
Same ppi I think... 441 except infinity will sport an ips vs samoled...
Having an s3 and a Nexus 4 I think ips is better.
What makes the s4 better?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it doesnt cost €1000
djbenny1 said:
it doesnt cost €1000
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you can purchase the phone separate without the tablet attachment for less
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Crisisx1 said:
From what I read they both have almost the same specs... Except infinity will be running pure android unlike s4 touch wiz..
Same ppi I think... 441 except infinity will sport an ips vs samoled...
Having an s3 and a Nexus 4 I think ips is better.
What makes the s4 better?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Asus' devices are lightly skinned but not "pure Android (AOSP)." There's a ton of proprietary s/w on it to handle being a phone and a tablet when docked.
It's not available in the U.S. and the international versions have incompatible HSPA and LTE bands so you'd only get 2G data speeds if you imported one. You'd probably need to wait and see if a U.S. carrier picked it up if you really wanted one.
Ah! I love Asus, This is a company that think outside the box. I would be worried the phone get all scratched out by putting in and out the pad slot.
If you thought the HTC one has a stunning design, the Infinity takes it to the next level. It's definitely going to be a competitor on the performance front, the whole package with the tablet looks gorgeous. But that price tag is totally crazy.
Kremata said:
Ah! I love Asus, This is a company that think outside the box. I would be worried the phone get all scratched out by putting in and out the pad slot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've always liked this idea of the Padfone, especially when you could also add the keyboard dock (I got the Asus Transformer Prime, and the dock is very useful).
This one looks great also, but there are a few things I don't like, and that show how much Samsung is good with its hardware design.
The S4 has a larger battery (2600 vs 2400), same screen size, more sensors (temperature, humidity), a removable battery, a microSD card slot and still manages to be a lot smaller (143.5 x 72.8 x 8.9 mm (LxWxH) for the PadFone and 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm for the Galaxy S4) and lighter than the Padfone (145 g vs 130 g).
Also, I love all the software features the S4 has, as well as the much improved camera compared to the S3
Kremata said:
Ah! I love Asus, This is a company that think outside the box. I would be worried the phone get all scratched out by putting in and out the pad slot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not really. "think outside the box" is creativeness, but it lacks true innovation. For the true definition of innovation, you can search on internet (not wikipedia). Simply, innovation is bringing ideas to the reality with a big effect to the company's performance or the society.
Why did I say that? Asus has tried to show many many positive advantages of its products to people. They are true advantages, I agree, but just on the surface.
There first quad-core device (TF201) sounded great. First quadcore, IPS+ super bright display, gorgeous aluminum body with keyboard and quickest ICS update. But the quad-core had IO issue, performance was sooo laggy, bad build quality (cracking even aluminum), loosen screen and light bleeding, no GPS and weak wifi (metal body and very bad cheap wifi radio from Azura), mono sound and super buggy update. Oh one of the biggest Flop.
The first Padfone: it's brilliant idea becoming true after more than a year and many people were bored. When the device came out, it's so heavy and buggy (resolution conflict between phone and tablet pad). Expensive price.
The first Full-HD Android Tablet: long delayed device also. Like TF201, it was PR as a powerful device with a simirlar story: Full HD screen IPS+ super bright display, 1.6Ghz quad-core, changing in design with better GPS and wifi, quickest update. But performance wasstill bad (garbage Tegra 3 IO issue), updates were still buggy, screen was still loosen or light bleed, wifi chipset was still Azura's. Oh luckily this time it's still much better than tf201.
Padfone 2: good device but too expensive. Keyboard dock was no longer available on Padfone series. This phone was "died" after announcing few months because of Padfone Infinity
Padfone Infinity: I had some Asus devices and I don't wanna try anymore, but this one seems to be good. Unfortunately, it's only available in some areas with small number. Price is sooo expensive. I think people will continue considering it is as something inside the art museum, not for use.
Overall, Asus always has great ideas, but it lacks of making comprehensive devices, good marketing with reasonable price, making the "creative ideas" cannot become "innovations"
hung2900 said:
Overall, Asus always has great ideas, but it lacks of making comprehensive devices, good marketing with reasonable price, making the "creative ideas" cannot become "innovations"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And you left out execution which is an area Asus has always struggled. If you look at the PadFone forums, oh wait, you can't because there aren't any. One of the biggest potential downsides of any device anyone buys is it becoming an orphan. Unlike a TV that will function fine for years as-is mobile devices need updates to be able to continue taking advantage of new features and apps. And even if they functioned fine without updates I think, especially at the high-end, we all expect them.
Niche products like PadFone don't get the same attention higher volume products do. Even from Asus who has a pretty good update track record. Last year Panasonic made a huge declaration that they were going to re-enter the EU in a big way in mobile. They changed their mind six months later and are now considering exiting the mobile business completely. And Panasonic is a far larger company then Asus. Samsung and LG are here to stay. Sony seems to be but so did Panasonic and Sony's not doing so hot financially. HTC's hemorrhaging financially too which could affect their future. Motorola’s here to stay but they turned their backs on pre-Google devices once (no JB for 2011 phones even though promised) so their view on past device support will probably get even more sketchy post-Phone X as they turn their attention to the future. All the rest? Who knows? How long will it take someone who bought an Oppo Find online here in the U.S. to get a cracked screen replaced out of warranty? There's more to buying a device than its display and SoC and "cool features."
Actually the S4 vs Padfone is no contest. The thread should be HTC One vs Padfone as they have almost the same specs.
BTW: I have a little love for Asus cause last time I bricked my TF101 they exchanged it no question asked.:good:
BarryH_GEG said:
Asus' devices are lightly skinned but not "pure Android (AOSP)." There's a ton of proprietary s/w on it to handle being a phone and a tablet when docked.
It's not available in the U.S. and the international versions have incompatible HSPA and LTE bands so you'd only get 2G data speeds if you imported one. You'd probably need to wait and see if a U.S. carrier picked it up if you really wanted one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
According to GSMArena, the PadFone Inifinity supports LTE 2100 which is what ATT uses. http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_padfone_infinity-5328.php
willhang said:
According to GSMArena, the PadFone Inifinity supports LTE 2100 which is what ATT uses. http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_padfone_infinity-5328.php
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for resurrecting a dead thread, but AT&T doesn't use LTE 2100.
However, ASUS did hint at a US specific version being announced at Computex. Knowing AT&T's openness to new types of devices (OG Galaxy Notes, that Pantech phone that was a square, the Samsung smart PC, etc) I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes an AT&T phone.
Hi everyone
I'm new to the mobile phone scene but after a bit of research on deciding which phones to invest in I've noticed something; Chinese phones (not easily available in Western countries) have better specs and prices compared with the phones we have from brands like Samsung, Apple, HTC, Sony etc.
I'm talking about Vivo phones, Xiaomi etc. These phones routinely have 16mp cameras with OIS, large 2.0 (or even bigger) sensors, full HD or QHD 5 to 6" screens, 2 to 3GB of RAM, very large front facing cameras (5 to 8mp with flash, 1080P recording), Snapdragon 805 chips and batteries 3500mh+. All this in bodies thinner than 7mm (in some cases, the low5mm range). Many have aluminium chassis too.
Im wondering why we still see phones from Samsung, HTC, Apple and even the Nexus 6 (which is supposed to be absolutely premium in specs & quality) selling for such high prices but with specs lower than the Chinese phones. Surly Samsung & these other brands can release a phone, keep their prices the same but match or exceed the specs of these Chinese phones.
Why does the Galaxy S5 have a comparably low front facing camera, smaller battery and is thicker than these Chinese phones? Or the Nexus 6 - why is the FF camera smaller, why is the rear camera smaller, why does it have a smaller battery and why is it so much thicker? Surly these phones could match the specs of the Chinese phones.
Example: The upcoming VIVO PD1305 rumoured specs (below) should best (or at least match) the Nexus 6 in every respect. Thinner, same chipset, same amount of RAM, better front and rear cameras, stereo speakers, NFC, larger battery etc. Why couldn't Google have these specs in the Nexus 6 and sell it at the current price? The VIVO is expected to be cheaper by $100+. The specs are leaked; previous VIVO leaked specs matched very closely to the final product and there is strong evidence to support that this new VIVO phone's specs will match to the leaked specs as all the technology has been around for a short while now.
Basically what I'm trying to establish is why the Western market is so full of overpriced phones which can't complete on every front with cheaper Chinese phones? Will Samsung etc actually match or best these Chinese phones in terms of specs?
Specs:
6-inch IPS display with 2560×1440 resolution and 490ppi
5.68mm (0.22") thin
162g (5.71 ounces) weight
Snapdragon 805 processor with 3GB of RAM
32GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot that goes up to 128GB
13MP rear camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) and dual-LED flash, 8MP front camera with 88-degree wide view lens
Dedicated ES9018 and OPA2604 audio chips
NFC
LTE Radio support (confirmed at some sources; still in debate as it is useless in China)
Wireless charging
Basic water resistance
Heart rate monitor and a fingerprint trace the source function
3500mAh battery
NOTE: Before anyone says it - that most Chinese phones don't support LTE networks - from some reading there is talk that the latest and upcoming Chinese manufacturers are including support for LTE networks as their market expands. So, they are covering ground fast and innovating far faster than any of the phones we see in our Western markets.
In my opinion the specs for the latest Chinese phones (especially for the VIVO listed) put the Nexus 6 and its rivals to shame. A bit sad.
The problem with these chinese phones is, that you hardly have any warranty.
[email protected] said:
The problem with these chinese phones is, that you hardly have any warranty.
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Who needs a warranty for a hundred dollar thing...?
Never thought about this question, but now i am really thinking that it's a great idea to buy Chinese phones!
i have had a friend that bought a phone, he was using it for two months until i told him that it is a Chinese device.......
Newyork! said:
Who needs a warranty for a hundred dollar thing...?
Never thought about this question, but now i am really thinking that it's a great idea to buy Chinese phones!
i have had a friend that bought a phone, he was using it for two months until i told him that it is a Chinese device.......
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Click to collapse
Okay, maybe you are right, but you have hardly any support and if its an chinese phone who hardly anyone has, you can be sure you will not get any updates.
[email protected] said:
Okay, maybe you are right, but you have hardly any support and if its an chinese phone who hardly anyone has, you can be sure you will not get any updates.
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When i buy a old Motorola phone i also don't have any support or updates....
For 100 dollars or lower it pays!
Newyork! said:
When i buy a old Motorola phone i also don't have any support or updates....
For 100 dollars or lower it pays!
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Ok you are right and if you are lucky and buy a chinese phone with an large userbase it pays twice because you get support by the community around that phone
Hi, I'm due for a new phone and need something high-functioning, - been on a N4mako for the past 2 years. It seems that the latest high end devices are all the size of nexus6 or Galaxy 5 which is huge. Is there anything around 4.5 inches diagonal that delivers?
Nexus5 is the obvious answer but i don't like switching devices often, and it's been around for a while. Will it hold for the next 2 years, or is there something better around that size?
Thx
PHP:
ctakah27 said:
Hi, I'm due for a new phone and need something high-functioning, - been on a N4mako for the past 2 years. It seems that the latest high end devices are all the size of nexus6 or Galaxy 5 which is huge. Is there anything around 4.5 inches diagonal that delivers?
Nexus5 is the obvious answer but i don't like switching devices often, and it's been around for a while. Will it hold for the next 2 years, or is there something better around that size?
Thx
PHP:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. Or, the Z1 Compact if you want something cheaper. The Z3 Compact has a 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801, 2GB RAM, 4.6" 720p screen, 16GB ROM/128GB microSD slot, and front-facing speakers. It's also waterproof and has amongst the best battery life of any smartphone. The Z1 Compact is last year's model (they skipped making a Z2 Compact), but is still a very well-built and very capable phone.
The 2013 Moto X is also a very nice, smaller Android phone. Same size screen as your Nexus 4, but with smaller dimensions. Its specs on paper aren't really "flagship", but it has a unique processor combination that makes the phone run without any lag, and you won't find it lacking in performance.
That's exactly what I was thinking ^
As mentioned the Z3 compact...
OK, maybe it's a subset of groups, but the quest for the Holy Grail >6" and <7" Phone continues.
There are a few mid-ranges like Oppo R2 plus, Lenova is just Phab, but a good truly modifiable flag ship type phone seems out of grasp (your mileage may vary). [I actually have been swapping back and forth between the X2 and Note4 enough to make my head spin. I love the customization on the Note4 (use TekHD and OverDrive). BUT 6.3" seems like the perfect sweet spot between the X2 and the Note4.]
Posting this thread to not dirty up the MediaPad/Honor X2 where did you buy from thread.
This is NOT intended to be a love what I got, it's better than you want thread. IF you are satisfied and want to defend your current purchase please go to those forums and express your deep love there.
This is for looking at what's next and what HAS USA LTE bands,
So some initial contenders.
1) The cool LeTV LeMax. Super cool actually, but misses the US LTE criteria which only partially reduces the pangs of want).
ajsmsg78 said:
...I was looking at another phone I think I want to buy called the LeTV LeMax. It's a 6.3 inch phone similar to our X2 but a fingerprint scanner, NFC, faster CPU, and 21MP Camera....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gsQs_2Vf2k
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Click to collapse
... There is a dev thread, http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/general/letv-one-max1-x900-main-thread-t3170154/page78...
Now the Rumor Mill. There is supposed to be a LeTV LeMax 2. It should have all bands, but they are talking shrinking the screen. :crying:
2) Next up is the Huawei Mate 8
Huawei Mate 8 Price Leaks For Two Versions Ahead Of Nov. 26 Launch
A flagship in the dark which should be public 28 Nov.
How a company does a 6P, Mate S, and now the Mate 8 as THE Flagship, but I'll like it if it is bigger than the 6" and does US LTE
3) So amongst the many Huawei flagships comes the P9 Max, which may be the favorite here in this forum as a successor phone.
P9 Max (6.2" sweet spot). Hope they are smart enough to include us dumb Americans.
4) Maybe the Vivo X6 also?
Vivo X6
Thoughts?
Rudolpht said:
OK, maybe it's a subset of groups, but the quest for the Holy Grail >6" and <7" Phone continues.
There are a few mid-ranges like Oppo R2 plus, Lenova is just Phab, but a good truly modifiable flag ship type phone seems out of grasp (your mileage may vary). [I actually have been swapping back and forth between the X2 and Note4 enough to make my head spin. I love the customization on the Note4 (use TekHD and OverDrive). BUT 6.3" seems like the perfect sweet spot between the X2 and the Note4.]
Posting this thread to not dirty up the MediaPad/Honor X2 where did you buy from thread.
This is NOT intended to be a love what I got, it's better than you want thread. IF you are satisfied and want to defend your current purchase please go to those forums and express your deep love there.
This is for looking at what's next and what HAS USA LTE bands,
So some initial contenders.
1) The cool LeTV LeMax. Super cool actually, but misses the US LTE criteria which only partially reduces the pangs of want).
... There is a dev thread, http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/general/letv-one-max1-x900-main-thread-t3170154/page78...
Now the Rumor Mill. There is supposed to be a LeTV LeMax 2. It should have all bands, but they are talking shrinking the screen. :crying:
2) Next up is the Huawei Mate 8
Huawei Mate 8 Price Leaks For Two Versions Ahead Of Nov. 26 Launch
A flagship in the dark which should be public 28 Nov.
How a company does a 6P, Mate S, and now the Mate 8 as THE Flagship, but I'll like it if it is bigger than the 6" and does US LTE
3) So amongst the many Huawei flagships comes the P9 Max, which may be the favorite here in this forum as a successor phone.
P9 Max (6.2" sweet spot). Hope they are smart enough to include us dumb Americans.
4) Maybe the Vivo X6 also?
Vivo X6
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My only thought is that a 7 inch screen with a 16:10 ratio IS the sweet spot for me, so if it's any smaller or bigger I'm not really interested. Unfortunately that rather restricts my choices, so it's a good job I'm happy with my X2 for now!
Moandal said:
My only thought is that a 7 inch screen with a 16:10 ratio IS the sweet spot for me, so if it's any smaller or bigger I'm not really interested. Unfortunately that rather restricts my choices, so it's a good job I'm happy with my X2 for now!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it had US LTE it would and the 702 took custom ROMs easily, it would probably be next to perfect for me, but looking for discussion on other devices.
Rudolpht said:
OK, maybe it's a subset of groups, but the quest for the Holy Grail >6" and <7" Phone continues.
There are a few mid-ranges like Oppo R2 plus, Lenova is just Phab, but a good truly modifiable flag ship type phone seems out of grasp (your mileage may vary). [I actually have been swapping back and forth between the X2 and Note4 enough to make my head spin. I love the customization on the Note4 (use TekHD and OverDrive). BUT 6.3" seems like the perfect sweet spot between the X2 and the Note4.]
Posting this thread to not dirty up the MediaPad/Honor X2 where did you buy from thread.
This is NOT intended to be a love what I got, it's better than you want thread. IF you are satisfied and want to defend your current purchase please go to those forums and express your deep love there.
This is for looking at what's next and what HAS USA LTE bands,
So some initial contenders.
1) The cool LeTV LeMax. Super cool actually, but misses the US LTE criteria which only partially reduces the pangs of want).
... There is a dev thread, http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/general/letv-one-max1-x900-main-thread-t3170154/page78...
Now the Rumor Mill. There is supposed to be a LeTV LeMax 2. It should have all bands, but they are talking shrinking the screen. :crying:
2) Next up is the Huawei Mate 8
Huawei Mate 8 Price Leaks For Two Versions Ahead Of Nov. 26 Launch
A flagship in the dark which should be public 28 Nov.
How a company does a 6P, Mate S, and now the Mate 8 as THE Flagship, but I'll like it if it is bigger than the 6" and does US LTE
3) So amongst the many Huawei flagships comes the P9 Max, which may be the favorite here in this forum as a successor phone.
P9 Max (6.2" sweet spot). Hope they are smart enough to include us dumb Americans.
4) Maybe the Vivo X6 also?
Vivo X6
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I purchased my X2 I actually wanted a P8 Max but the price was too high for me to drop the money on since it still didn't have LTE support here as well as the X2 having a larger battery helped make my decision. The Phab plus has too small of a battery for me to think about buying one. If the Mate 8 comes with full LTE support I'd probably buy one of those as well as the P9 Max. I'm looking for my next purchase to have LTE support as well as band 12 support now that it's pretty prevalent here on Long Island where I live. I'd like something around 6.2" to use as a daily driver and something 6.8 to 7 inches to use as well. I'll probably just stick to the X2 because I like it a lot. My Nexus 6 doesn't get the best battery life and that's the main reason I will sell it. Oh, and it's ONLY 6", lol. The problem is, on many forums I see people complaining that a phone is too big and they ask how others can use something so big. That annoys me as there are PLENTY of smaller phones out there as well as plenty of 5.5-5.7 inch phones as well but not too many over 6 inches.
The 24th and 26th coming up for some announcements.
I don't know if the P9 Max will be discussed or held until MWC.
I was on a trip this week and the lack of LTE really impacted me, compared to my work iPhone (blehck).
Ok, the Mate 8 is outted formally
Wow. If the 8 follows the Mate S trend to support the ATT/GSM frequency bands, this graduates from could buy to must buy. Only the P9 Max vaporware would hold me back.
Happy Thanksgiving all.
Huawei Mate 8 Hands On: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzHybzpuKWw
If the Mate 8 comes to my country (U.S.) then I will definitely be buying one to replace my Nexus 6. Then hopefully the P9 Max or Mediapad X3 support LTE here and if they do I'll be buying one of those as well. I'm really liking the design of some of these Chinese phones. They are much nicer than almost all the stuff they force down your throat here in the U.S and the batteries are much larger.
ajsmsg78 said:
If the Mate 8 comes to my country (U.S.) then I will definitely be buying one to replace my Nexus 6. Then hopefully the P9 Max or Mediapad X3 support LTE here and if they do I'll be buying one of those as well. I'm really liking the design of some of these Chinese phones. They are much nicer than almost all the stuff they force down your throat here in the U.S and the batteries are much larger.
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Click to collapse
Agreed, somehow the Chinese phones have adopted a modern looking industrial design than what Samsung and LG are putting out in their flagship products. The design of the X2 attracted me immediately, as it looks like what I hoped the 2013 Nexus 7 would be. And it's a phone as well!
Anyway, I'm really liking the designs that Huawei, Meizu and Xiaomi are coming out with these days. I remember having a Meizu M6 MP3 player almost 10 years ago that had a surprisingly compelling design that mixed the iPod Nano and iPod Video. Them were the days: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meizu_M6_miniPlayer
ajsmsg78 said:
If the Mate 8 comes to my country (U.S.) then I will definitely be buying one to replace my Nexus 6. Then hopefully the P9 Max or Mediapad X3 support LTE here and if they do I'll be buying one of those as well. I'm really liking the design of some of these Chinese phones. ....
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Click to collapse
I will trade in my Note 4 for a Mate 8 and maybe X2 for an X3 predicated on US LTE support. I agree the designs are going upscale, and beating the US in battery and other Phablet features. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and Gionee GN8001 would sell here I think if local LTE supported.
More on the P9 Max https://www.whatech.com/mobile/reviews/111433-huawei-p9-max-big-on-everything-6-2-inch-quad-hd-screen-fast-octa-core-with-4gb-ram-and-20mp-5mp-camera
Rudolpht said:
More on the P9 Max https://www.whatech.com/mobile/revi...st-octa-core-with-4gb-ram-and-20mp-5mp-camera
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screenshot says it has a 16:10 2560x1600 screen but the article says it has a 16:9 2560x1440 screen. Which one is it? I'm guessing it's 16:9 as 1440p panels are likely more common at that screen size than 1600p. Either way, I think 1440p/1600p panels make more sense on larger screens than on the current crop of 5-5.7 inch phones.
I hope Huawei doesn't discontinue the Mediapad X series however, just because it is so unique.
Review of LeTV Le Max. More disappointing than I expected. http://www.androidheadlines.com/2015/12/featured-review-letv-le-max-x900.html
Xperia Z6 will include an Ultra version with a 6.4 inch screen. The last Xperia Z Ultra phone was in 2013, with a 1080P 6.44" screen.
http://www.gsmarena.com/a_total_of_5_sony_xperia_z6s_expected_a_4inch_mini_among_them-news-15343.php
I saw that today also. There is a press conference at CES which was thought to be tge Z5 Ultra. I owned the Z Ultra and has been painful watching the 5 successive models go by. We'll see what rumors come true.
For some reason I have never liked Sony's Phones. I had a Z Ultra before the X2 and hated it so much I returned it. I hated the bezels being too large, I hated the undersized battery and I especially hated the door for the MicroUSB charger which ended up falling off constantly. If new Z Ultra has less bezel and a large battery I'd consider picking one up though.
ajsmsg78 said:
For some reason I have never liked Sony's Phones. I had a Z Ultra before the X2 and hated it so much I returned it. I hated the bezels being too large, I hated the undersized battery and I especially hated the door for the MicroUSB charger which ended up falling off constantly. If new Z Ultra has less bezel and a large battery I'd consider picking one up though.
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I'm kinda' anti-sony now, regardless. They were always good with replacement phones but my last one they said sorry, won't even fix (for the price of one on swappa). At this point I think a new Ultra may never come out despite Z5 & Z6 rumors. They didn't pan out for Z2 Ultra, Z3 Ultra, Z4 Ultra. It's actually part of the reason I'm waiting on you getting the 702L. I bricked the last "extra" ultra and don't want to do same with the 702L, which is more than a hold over phone with all the improvements by you and in the forum.
Rudolpht said:
I'm kinda' anti-sony now, regardless. They were always good with replacement phones but my last one they said sorry, won't even fix (for the price of one on swappa). At this point I think a new Ultra may never come out despite Z5 & Z6 rumors. They didn't pan out for Z2 Ultra, Z3 Ultra, Z4 Ultra. It's actually part of the reason I'm waiting on you getting the 702L. I bricked the last "extra" ultra and don't want to do same with the 702L, which is more than a hold over phone with all the improvements by you and in the forum.
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HA, I bricked the Ultra as well but not with software. I bought one of those magnetic charging cables for it and plugged it in upside down (it never said anywhere it couldn't be plugged in either way) and the phone shut off and that was all she wrote.
Yup, I was considering getting the Google Play edition of the Z Ultra, but the lack of camera flash (??!) and the enormous top and bottom bezels made it a non-starter. Part of me also thinks that a Z6 Ultra will ultimately be vaporware.
Sony Mobile isn't doing well at all, and I don't see how they would risk their brand name by attaching it to so many different models.
aniym said:
Yup, I was considering getting the Google Play edition of the Z Ultra, but the lack of camera flash (??!) and the enormous top and bottom bezels made it a non-starter. Part of me also thinks that a Z6 Ultra will ultimately be vaporware.
Sony Mobile isn't doing well at all, and I don't see how they would risk their brand name by attaching it to so many different models.
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Click to collapse
I forgot about the camera not having a flash. That was a big thing as well as I use the flash for a flashlight all the time. Let's hope they learned from their mistakes (although even the new models they just put out still have huge bezels.