Galaxy S4 - Watch Thread....

ItaliaFerrari said:
Samsung smartphones score very high in repairability and reliability.

The Super AMOLED screen on the SGS4 keeps looking better and better.

Both GSM Arena and Android Authority say that the SGS4 has the best screen on the smartphone market.
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CHANG3D called you a Samsung shill in another thread and I can see why when all you do is ramble off generic plugs like that. Are you really a shill or are you just not capable of injecting any critical thought into your posts?
 
T4rd said:
CHANG3D called you a Samsung shill in another thread and I can see why when all you do is ramble off generic plugs like that. Are you really a shill or are you just not capable of injecting any critical thought into your posts?
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He may/may not be a shill, but I suppose if there were a thread for him to post that post it'd be here. Also it's not like he didn't state reputable sources for the reviews on the screen.

Note: I've not follow/read his posts in that other thread, just commenting about that one
 
Zorachus said:
Totally agree, never understood the MIUI ROM :rolleyes: Unless you want an iPhone with a 5" screen that only Android phones offer ? MIUI + Galaxy S4 = 5" iPhone.
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MIUI = iPhone is a common misconception, when in fact it is the most full featured rom for Android and introduces features that get copied by everyone else. e.g. the new notification tiles in 4.2.2, were in MIUI years ago.

MIUI has tons of features like built in full backup/restore, popup sms, the best theming engine ever, and lots more. It has a professional well designed UI. Every other Android rom is basically just TouchWiz/Sense with a few tweaks/mods, or AOSP with a few tweaks. MIUI is totally different.
 
just got an email from AT&T saying my s4 has shipped should have it tomorrow or Thursday
 
T4rd said:
CHANG3D called you a Samsung shill in another thread and I can see why when all you do is ramble off generic plugs like that. Are you really a shill or are you just not capable of injecting any critical thought into your posts?
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Italia mostly posts nonsense. Everything that he posts has some basis in fact, but much of it is then distorted beyond the original fact. I sent him a PM awhile back. He does come across as a shill.
 
Tried out friend galaxy s4..................ITS FAST.....ALOT faster than my iphone 5. Internet loads faster and screens better. Everything is BETTER than the iphone 5 but iphones got a better keyboard like always. At least for me. Other than the keyboard and the OS of iphone being real dumb proof and better to some people. Samsung wins. So many things you can do with it. Camera is TOP NOTCH. Screen is top notch. The operating system is great until you use it for couple hours and it starts lagging until you clear all the task.

Samsung s4 with a waterproof casing=>GOPRO . Video is sick with HD and slowmotiuon
 
ComputerBox34 said:
All of the major Android news outlets have posted reviews on YouTube. Here is the most comprehensive:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWB5OaECLg8

I'm disappointed in the bloatware - forcing Lookout on everybody? Seriously?
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I'm sure you can at least disable it in the app manager as you can most (if not all) bloatware.

That score (8.0) is retarded though. The Note 2 got a 8.5 (8.7 for the Verizon variant), GS3 got an 8.5, and the One got an 8.5. The GS4 got the same or better marks in all areas except for design than the One, yet is half a point lower in overall score. Also, they gave the Note 2 and GS3 a score of 8 for design only, then gave the GS4 a score of 5 in design despite the fact that it's basically the same damn design/materials as the Note 2 and GS3, yet in a smaller package with a larger screen. :confused:

I really think he should revise that a bit or make Vlad or Chris Zigegler review it properly. I like how he complained of color inaccuracy in the review, didn't mention that it can be corrected with the Adobe RGB display profile in the settings, then still gave the display a 10 in the score.
 
ComputerBox34 said:
All of the major Android news outlets have posted reviews on YouTube. Here is the most comprehensive:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWB5OaECLg8

I'm disappointed in the bloatware - forcing Lookout on everybody? Seriously?
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Uhh that review seems really rushed and lacking.

Probably the least comprehensive review I've seen.

The most comprehensive review was Android Authority.

This seems like a biased, rushed review. Giving a 5/10 for design while giving the SGS3 and Note 2 a 8/10? Seriously?

That reviewer is trolling, not reviewing.
 
The issue with the S4 design is that the price tag seems unjustified for such a flimsy cheapo construction.
 
Another issue with the S4 design is that it looks almost like the S3 design. Any android fan who laughed at Apple over the years about the S essentially being the same as before, well, if you think it's okay that Samsung does it but not Apple, you are a hypocrite and/or a Samsung fanboi. That's why the S4 design has such a low score.
 
T4rd said:
I'm sure you can at least disable it in the app manager as you can most (if not all) bloatware.

That score (8.0) is retarded though. The Note 2 got a 8.5 (8.7 for the Verizon variant), GS3 got an 8.5, and the One got an 8.5. The GS4 got the same or better marks in all areas except for design than the One, yet is half a point lower in overall score. Also, they gave the Note 2 and GS3 a score of 8 for design only, then gave the GS4 a score of 5 in design despite the fact that it's basically the same damn design/materials as the Note 2 and GS3, yet in a smaller package with a larger screen. :confused:

I really think he should revise that a bit or make Vlad or Chris Zigegler review it properly. I like how he complained of color inaccuracy in the review, didn't mention that it can be corrected with the Adobe RGB display profile in the settings, then still gave the display a 10 in the score.
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I can't wait for Anandtech to review it. The HTC One got an editor's choice, first one ever given to a phone, and not only that, but an editor's choice gold. So if Samsung GS4 is really that amazing, I expect an equal gold award or better platinum. Heck, a silver or a bronze would be good enough.
 
Thuleman said:
The issue with the S4 design is that the price tag seems unjustified for such a flimsy cheapo construction.
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I think you're getting a lot of top-notch components inside. Whether you find the outside flimsy is a matter of opinion. Although there are a lot of people that don't particularly like it, including myself.

I like that they kept the microSD slot, kept the dimensions almost the same as the SGS3, but made it smaller with a larger screen. That's pretty good to me.
 
CHANG3D said:
I can't wait for Anandtech to review it. The HTC One got an editor's choice, first one ever given to a phone, and not only that, but an editor's choice gold. So if Samsung GS4 is really that amazing, I expect an equal gold award or better platinum. Heck, a silver or a bronze would be good enough.
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Yes, we know, I think you've posted that in every other thread so far. Now you're sounding like a(n Anandtech) shill :p.

Somehow I doubt it will score higher marks than the One. It seems that most professional reviewers put a lot more weight into materials/design than functionality (expandable storage and removable/replacable battery) nowadays.

I think they both are equally comparable with their own trade-offs (as with every generation of flagship phones). Get the One if you want aesthetics, nice speakers and favor Sense UI. Get the GS4 if you want a whole lot of local storage, replacable/expandable battery, more (official and unofficial) software support and/or favor TouchWiz UI.

For me, I'll definitely favor the GS4 just for the software support alone. The only thing that really draws me to the One is the speakers; I really hope other OEMs start putting front facing speakers on their phones now.
 
Anandtech's S4 review is out. It's just part 1 of the review. But from the sounds of things, S4 probably won't be getting an award. At least I'd be surprised if part 2 comes out with an award. (BTW, I would love to be an Anandtech shill! It would be amazing to work for them if it fits my schedule.)

On another note, Gizmodo review is out and they say HTC One is better. They seemingly loathe the bloated TouchWiz. They said something about htc is faster in every practical way despite being clocked lower. And that it only lasts an hour longer.
 
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CHANG3D said:
Anandtech's S4 review is out. It's just part 1 of the review. But from the sounds of things, S4 probably won't be getting an award. At least I'd be surprised if part 2 comes out with an award. (BTW, I would love to be an Anandtech shill! It would be amazing to work for them if it fits my schedule.)

On another note, Gizmodo review is out and they say HTC One is better. They seemingly loathe the bloated TouchWiz. They said something about htc is faster in every practical way despite being clocked lower. And that it only lasts an hour longer.
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I find it funny that you accuse someone else of being a shill when you come off as one yourself.
 
Yeah I just read a few reviews myself on the S4. And it went like I expected. Most reviews say the HTC one is a better phone all around. And that the S4 is just a minor upgrade to the S3. But I knew that going in. I always hated HTC's software. Oh well to each his own!
 
I've been going through all the reviews and am seeing quite a bit of variation in terms of benchmarks, call and camera quality. My guess is the reviews must be on different firmware versions. I know GSMarena did a review and then went back and updated it after getting new firmware and it much improved in a number of areas on the phone.
 
I'll wait for Anand's full review of the phone, all the other ones are pushing out the reviews as fast as possible and they look very weak in comparison to Anand's Part 1.

I waited on HTC's One, I'll wait on the S4. I still think I'll be contemplating between the One, S4 and XPhone this year.
 
Despite the weaker revieas , I'm still excited about getting my s4 tomorrow. The One never really hit my radar because of the lack of expandable memory and removable battery. It is a nice looking phone, but I buy phones for specs, not aesthetics.
 
MisterClean said:
Despite the weaker revieas , I'm still excited about getting my s4 tomorrow. The One never really hit my radar because of the lack of expandable memory and removable battery. It is a nice looking phone, but I buy phones for specs, not aesthetics.
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I want to like the HTC One - my first smartphone was the Evo 4G but the fixed battery really worries me. I use my phone constantly and I wore out the battery in my SGS2 in about 1 year - to the point where I would barely stay up for more than an hour on a full charge.

My does not care about phones at all and our upgrades are staggered so I can get a new phone every year, but i don't want to pass along a worn out HTC One with no battery life. Also, she wants a phone with a better camera and I don't think she would like the pictures from the HTC.

I have a preorder on the SGS4 (Sprint) and I'm planning on picking it up on Saturday but I do have occasional impulses to get the HTC instead...
 
Just actually read the Engadget Review that they released at midnight. Can't believe I missed it. I found it on the Engadget Smartphone Spring 2013 guide where they even seem to prefer the Note 2 over the S4.

Looks like HTC One clearly is reviewed as the better phone in most sites; Anandtech is missing Part 2 of their review, which is either the Exynos version or they will be going in depth into TouchWiz. I'm assuming TouchWiz.

I was rather happy that S4 may finally have accurate colors with their AdobeRGB profile, which evidently cannot be found. The photograph accuracy profile sucks. In Anandtech's review, the most accurate profile on the S4 actually losses to the Note 2. So I guess it's same old Samsung.

Now I wouldn't go that far as saying N2 is better than the S4, but it does look like the bloated TouchWiz and poor built-quality is the reason why Samsung lost this round. The sluggishness seems to be caused by AirView. I guess infrared isn't ready for a phone just yet. Leap Motion will find its way to a phone later. (I'm guessing Intel's Baytrail.)

I have another phone to upgrade later this year. Hopefully, the new Note will make things a little bit more exciting.
 
CHANG3D said:
Just actually read the Engadget Review that they released at midnight. Can't believe I missed it. I found it on the Engadget Smartphone Spring 2013 guide where they even seem to prefer the Note 2 over the S4.

Looks like HTC One clearly is reviewed as the better phone in most sites; Anandtech is missing Part 2 of their review, which is either the Exynos version or they will be going in depth into TouchWiz. I'm assuming TouchWiz.

I was rather happy that S4 may finally have accurate colors with their AdobeRGB profile, which evidently cannot be found. The photograph accuracy profile sucks. In Anandtech's review, the most accurate profile on the S4 actually losses to the Note 2. So I guess it's same old Samsung.

Now I wouldn't go that far as saying N2 is better than the S4, but it does look like the bloated TouchWiz and poor built-quality is the reason why Samsung lost this round. The sluggishness seems to be caused by AirView. I guess infrared isn't ready for a phone just yet. Leap Motion will find its way to a phone later. (I'm guessing Intel's Baytrail.)

I have another phone to upgrade later this year. Hopefully, the new Note will make things a little bit more exciting.
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My issue is that I struggle to weight the review opinions properly. For a "normal" person, the HTC probably is better. But for me, I like all the extra gadgetry and while the unibody design is nice, there isn't much I would trade for it.

I had my heart set on the Note 2 for a long time, but I'm just not going to pay $300+ for a phone unless it's 100% perfect (put an IR blaster on the Note and I'd take it)

I'm still half thinking of getting the HTC - has anyone ever used Sprints return policy?
 
DoubleTap said:
I'm still half thinking of getting the HTC - has anyone ever used Sprints return policy?
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First, only go to official Sprint shops. And not those Sprint authorized shops. (Same logo, but they do not adhere by Sprint's return policies, though they may be similar. For example, Sprint starts your period for return on the day of activation; Sprint authorized shops may start it on the day of purchase.)

You can actually get a HTC One now, and within 14 days of activation, go trade it in for a S4 assuming it will be released and available by then. You do have to pay for a $35 restocking fee. As for activation fee, I do not believe that you will have to pay it a second time. However, if you decide that the S4 isn't the right phone for you either, then you may have to pay an additional activation fee after a lengthy interview process on why you still don't like your phone and only if they believe your complaints are legit will an additional swap will be "free." If not legit, you will have to buy a new phone out of contract with Sprint offering to buy back your not as new phone. And, by legit, I mean you will have to proof to Sprint that whoever sold you the phone lied to you about its functionality, etc.

And, last, I repeat. Only Official Sprint Stores... Not the "other" Sprint authorized shops.

Sources: I have two ex-Sprint official store employees as my interns, who are both experienced with customer complaints from the authorized shops not honoring the return policy. (They are actually surprisingly loyal to Sprint, aside from leaving them for my internship offers.)
 
DoubleTap said:
My issue is that I struggle to weight the review opinions properly. For a "normal" person, the HTC probably is better. But for me, I like all the extra gadgetry and while the unibody design is nice, there isn't much I would trade for it.

I had my heart set on the Note 2 for a long time, but I'm just not going to pay $300+ for a phone unless it's 100% perfect (put an IR blaster on the Note and I'd take it)

I'm still half thinking of getting the HTC - has anyone ever used Sprints return policy?
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Same thing happened to HTC last year. the GS3 was simply the highest specd phone. Many people bought it for the removable battery, microSD, and extra RAM over the One X. Same thing will probably happen this time around.
 
I had the One X (just broke it last week by mistake). It didn't get s-off until a YEAR after release. The international version still doesn't have s-off.

I think I'm being fairly reasonable in getting a GS4 this time around because I know I'll be able to root it day 1.
 
Not sure if this has been mentioned already but I'll ask anyway. Is $700 the confirmed off contract retail price for this phone on Verizon?
 
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Preorder on Verizon begins 4/25 with a device launch being 5/30. The price will be $250 with a $50 mail in rebate for a total price of $200 after $50 MIR.

Rebates. Yuck

Full retail will be $650.
 
CHANG3D said:
Just actually read the Engadget Review that they released at midnight. Can't believe I missed it. I found it on the Engadget Smartphone Spring 2013 guide where they even seem to prefer the Note 2 over the S4.

Looks like HTC One clearly is reviewed as the better phone in most sites; Anandtech is missing Part 2 of their review, which is either the Exynos version or they will be going in depth into TouchWiz. I'm assuming TouchWiz.

I was rather happy that S4 may finally have accurate colors with their AdobeRGB profile, which evidently cannot be found. The photograph accuracy profile sucks. In Anandtech's review, the most accurate profile on the S4 actually losses to the Note 2. So I guess it's same old Samsung.

Now I wouldn't go that far as saying N2 is better than the S4, but it does look like the bloated TouchWiz and poor built-quality is the reason why Samsung lost this round. The sluggishness seems to be caused by AirView. I guess infrared isn't ready for a phone just yet. Leap Motion will find its way to a phone later. (I'm guessing Intel's Baytrail.)

I have another phone to upgrade later this year. Hopefully, the new Note will make things a little bit more exciting.
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Not sure what sluggishness you're refering to, even in the anandtech review (which you suddenly hold as the holy grail of reviews because it caters to your agenda) the S4 beats the One is nearly all benchmarks. The only one/few that it does lose to the One it loses by a very small margin whereas when it does win the difference is usually 15%-50%. I know benchmarks aren't the most accurate depiction of a phone's true performance but it is something that does correlate and is measurable.

Unless of course you're under the assumption that bloated = sluggish. Although I'll agree that the S4 comes preloaded with apps that many people may/may not use. Don't confuse "useless" apps with slow general performance.

Not sure why you keep harping about poor build quality, because as far as I know the S4 isn't the phone where people and reviewers are complaining about lifting screens and gaps in the casing (even though its touted as a gap-less design).

Also, you mentioned that the AdobeRGB mode is no where to be found, but there's a paragraph where the reviewer at your precious Anandtech mentions it.

'There have always been four toggles as long as this option has existed, only what's different is now, one of them is named "Professional photo." Reviews of other regional variants of the SGS4 have included the same button but marked "Adobe RGB." Oddly enough it seems that the North American versions at least have this renamed for some reason, but undoubtedly the function is the same. '
 
I'm itching to replace my nexus 4 with a new phone

The one and s4 seem like the only options until at least summer. The off contract price of both is really Hugh though :/
 
I thinks unconfirmed rumors and sightings and discussions that you feel are pertinent for this thread here.
 
onedestinazn2 said:
Not sure what sluggishness you're refering to, even in the anandtech review (which you suddenly hold as the holy grail of reviews because it caters to your agenda) the S4 beats the One is nearly all benchmarks. The only one/few that it does lose to the One it loses by a very small margin whereas when it does win the difference is usually 15%-50%. I know benchmarks aren't the most accurate depiction of a phone's true performance but it is something that does correlate and is measurable.

Unless of course you're under the assumption that bloated = sluggish. Although I'll agree that the S4 comes preloaded with apps that many people may/may not use. Don't confuse "useless" apps with slow general performance.

Not sure why you keep harping about poor build quality, because as far as I know the S4 isn't the phone where people and reviewers are complaining about lifting screens and gaps in the casing (even though its touted as a gap-less design).

Also, you mentioned that the AdobeRGB mode is no where to be found, but there's a paragraph where the reviewer at your precious Anandtech mentions it.

'There have always been four toggles as long as this option has existed, only what's different is now, one of them is named "Professional photo." Reviews of other regional variants of the SGS4 have included the same button but marked "Adobe RGB." Oddly enough it seems that the North American versions at least have this renamed for some reason, but undoubtedly the function is the same. '
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dude... Did you even read the reviews? Obviously you'll read about how TouchWiz is sluggish and laggy despite Samsung winning benchmarks.

And if you did in fact read the reviews, you will see a general consensus that the S4 feels cheap and not a premium product.

If you also had read my post that you quoted, you would also have read that I have mentioned photo profile which evidently sucks. Anandtech pointed out that the most color accurate profile is actually "movie." After testing, it is revealed that even the Note 2 screen is more accurate.

Did you read any of that?
 
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CHANG3D said:
dude... Did you even read the reviews? Obviously you'll read about how TouchWiz is sluggish and laggy despite Samsung winning benchmarks.

And if you did in fact read the reviews, you will see a general consensus that the S4 feels cheap and not a premium product.

If you also had read my post that you quoted, you would also have read that I have mentioned photo profile which evidently sucks. Anandtech pointed out that the most color accurate profile is actually "movie." After testing, it is revealed that even the Note 2 screen is more accurate.

Did you read any of that?
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I definitely saw sluggishness in the verge video review. There is some swipe in from the side gesture that brings up a quick launch in the video and it seems to lag. That is just one example I can remember of sluggishness I have seen.
 
CHANG3D said:
I can't wait for Anandtech to review it. The HTC One got an editor's choice, first one ever given to a phone, and not only that, but an editor's choice gold. So if Samsung GS4 is really that amazing, I expect an equal gold award or better platinum. Heck, a silver or a bronze would be good enough.
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Unanimous victories for the HTC one over the S4 by all editors at pocketnow.
http://pocketnow.com/2013/04/25/samsung-galaxy-s-4-or-htc-one

I think everyone was sick of the cheap plastic and gimmicky features, expecting more from a samsung fragship.
 
T4rd said:
Somehow I doubt it will score higher marks than the One. It seems that most professional reviewers put a lot more weight into materials/design than functionality (expandable storage and removable/replacable battery) nowadays.
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expandable storage means less when you have 64gb models.
i'm struggling with 16gb in my N4. 32gb is the bare minimum IMO.
 
blahblahyoutoo said:
expandable storage means less when you have 64gb models.
i'm struggling with 16gb in my N4. 32gb is the bare minimum IMO.
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Those 64GB models are only available on AT&T or if you buy the unlocked/Dev Edition for full retail from HTC though.
 
blahblahyoutoo said:
Unanimous victories for the HTC one over the S4 by all editors at pocketnow.
http://pocketnow.com/2013/04/25/samsung-galaxy-s-4-or-htc-one

I think everyone was sick of the cheap plastic and gimmicky features, expecting more from a samsung fragship.
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That's actually kind of disturbing... LOL. We have yet to hear a thing from HTC about them basically being preferred like 20 - 2 - 2 (win - lose - tie) from review sites; and, yes, I did make up those number because I didn't actually do the math, but it sure seems that way. HTC is having a complete landslide victory between the One and the S4. Too bad, most people will buy into "Samesung" marketing more and actually believe in a lot of those fake negative ads. (Not all is untrue, but, hey, some does slip through the cracks.)

HTC's marketing needs to compilate all the reviews for win-lose-tie records. I'm not going to be doing the work for them. But HTC seriously needs to get this done. It would actually be quite hilarious if they can compile all the negative quotes in these S4 reviews when in direct comparison to the One.

But I've got to say, this phone should have just been called the Galaxy S3S! If you made fun of Apple for it, you have got to say it here, or else you're a S fanboi and/or a hypocrite. At least Apple had their accessories worked for two generations.

On the positive side, the S4 is still a great phone. Just that I do wish HTC get more money, so that they can keep making the rest of OEMs better.

Another link:
http://www.dailytech.com/Samsung+Ga...ssor+But+Most+Prefer+HTC+One/article30412.htm
 
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