any noteworthy phones in the line-up this Spring?

Thuleman

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Samsung is going to release the S5 in a couple of weeks or so, but even though the S4 was so hyped up it ended up being underwhelming (certainly from a sales perspective). Now it's been a lot more quiet about the S5 and it doesn't really seem to bring any noteworthy practical improvement to the table.

Are there any "phones to watch for" this Spring? The field seems rather lackluster?
 
Samsung is going to release the S5 in a couple of weeks or so, but even though the S4 was so hyped up it ended up being underwhelming (certainly from a sales perspective). Now it's been a lot more quiet about the S5 and it doesn't really seem to bring any noteworthy practical improvement to the table.

Are there any "phones to watch for" this Spring? The field seems rather lackluster?

Besides the GS5? The One's sequel, the G Pro 2, and an Xperia Z2 (or something in that vein) are a few examples. There should also be new Windows Phones from Nokia (Lumia Icon for Verizon, primarily) and Samsung (also for Verizon, no name yet).

Odds are that you won't have any shortage of new phones. It's just that they haven't been announced, and they'll likely take a few weeks or more to reach North America.
 
Considering that year-old hardware is so overpowered for where the software and services are at (for Android anyway), I find it more and more difficult to get excited about any new phones these days.
/pessimism
 
I am still using an Atrix 2, holding out for the Nexus 6. I figure it cant be that far away, at least before fall. Im thinking about installing cyanogenmod on my phone but not sure if its worth it to risk it. How much can I really gain by installing a new version of andoid?
 
I am still using an Atrix 2, holding out for the Nexus 6. I figure it cant be that far away, at least before fall. Im thinking about installing cyanogenmod on my phone but not sure if its worth it to risk it. How much can I really gain by installing a new version of andoid?

Nexus 6? Last I heard, Google isn't making anymore phones....Nexus 5 might be the last Google phone.. They are going to end up having more Google Play phones, from Samsung and possibly other companies.
 
After searching google it looks like it may be either an LG or Lenovo Motorolla. Im sure something will be made this year, there is a lot of hype for it to compete with the Galaxy.
 
Nexus 6? Last I heard, Google isn't making anymore phones....Nexus 5 might be the last Google phone.. They are going to end up having more Google Play phones, from Samsung and possibly other companies.

It's an unsupported rumor from a sketchy source; don't believe it! There will likely be a new Nexus phone this year.
 
It's an unsupported rumor from a sketchy source; don't believe it! There will likely be a new Nexus phone this year.

I hope it comes quick! Although it may be towards the end of the year since they just released the red Nexus 5.
 
Considering that year-old hardware is so overpowered for where the software and services are at (for Android anyway), I find it more and more difficult to get excited about any new phones these days.
/pessimism

Completely agree. Now that I have a Note with a 1080p screen I can't see myself getting excited about anything. I don't see the Snapdragon 800 needing to be upgraded for quite some time. If the note 4 is metal and has a build quality along the lines of the HTC one, then maybe I'd bite.
 
I am looking forward to see what Asus does though with the US version of the padfone. The idea intrigues me
 
I was contemplating buying a Nexus 5 off contract and going through straight talk.

Verizon contract expires end of march - rooted Galaxy Nexus is really showing it's age and slowing me down.

Happy that the Nexus 5 only costs 350 on it's own, but will be kinda pissed if I lay down the scratch for the phone and then 4 months later the nexus 6 pops up. I don't really like to do the waiting game because if I wait 6 months there will ALWAYS be something better coming down the pipe.
 
Just pre-ordered the Lumina Icon for my Wife to replace her HTC Arrive. I am thinking the incoming Samsung windows phone will either be WP GS4 or GS5, given the AVID S was a GS3.
 
The problem is that most of these android refreshes only get announced in the Spring but don't actually hit retail US stores until mid to late summer. I am sitting on my EVO 4g LTE waiting for the next SG5 and HTC phones to hit so I know if they are worth waiting for release or just pick up the SG4 or HTC1 now.
 
I need a big phone to replace my Note 2. Hopefully we'll have a clear "winner" in the spring that I can pick up.
 
I need a big phone to replace my Note 2. Hopefully we'll have a clear "winner" in the spring that I can pick up.

I don't know if it's going to be a winner, but if the note 3 is not to your liking, or too old, LG did announce the G Pro 2. It's the only non-note Phablet at ~6in screen size that has been in the news lately. I don't particularly care about it, but just wanted to mention it.
 
I don't know if it's going to be a winner, but if the note 3 is not to your liking, or too old, LG did announce the G Pro 2. It's the only non-note Phablet at ~6in screen size that has been in the news lately. I don't particularly care about it, but just wanted to mention it.

The Note 3 looks great, but I don't want to pick it up now and then have a much better phablet released in a month or so. I'll definitely keep an eye out for G Pro 2 news. Thanks.
 
The Note 3 looks great, but I don't want to pick it up now and then have a much better phablet released in a month or so. I'll definitely keep an eye out for G Pro 2 news. Thanks.

Unless there is a breakthrough in screen resolution (if you care about that), I don't think there are going to be any breakthrough phablets. I could be wrong. Also, not sure exactly when the G Pro 2 is supposed to go on sale (in the US). LG tends to trickle through Korea first, then make it to the US months later... :/
 
If youre looking for a smaller phone with excellent (probably the best) battery life, looks at the Sony Z1 Compact. I'm been following it. Lots of memory (expandable), pretty good camera, the best battery of probably any android phone (or iPhone) and it's submersible.

Don;t know about you guys, but a phone with 64GB memory can finally replace the iPod and carry a lot of music, plus the huge battery life and it's actually starting to feel like a flip phone of years ago.Battery is supposed to last till the next day..
 
That Sony Z1 Compact is an almost dream come true if there is a GE (love HTC's dual front stereos). Currently only looking for phones that I don't need to root or jailbreak to feel adequate. I haven't rooted the HTC One or the Nexus 5 yet.

What I want in a phone:
1. Phone abilities
2. Not pants pocket or thumb killing big
3. A dedicated camera button
4. Button layout (on and volume, etc) that is ergonomic
5. Comes with 32 GB minimum on-board
6. Lag minimal smart abilities
7. Good audio speakers

5 out of 7 ain't a bad start!
 
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I was just at a remote site where I had another blowout with WP because the app I needed for work wasn't available on it. I'll be out of my contract mid April, can't wait to pick up an Android phone.

The Xperia Z1 looks like a good candidate, the only thing I am weary about is that the phone is quite a bit larger (longer/taller) than the actual screen. Also, I hate smudgy screens and my fingers leave smudges everywhere. Apparently this is an issue with the Z1, that the back of the phone looks like the front and needs to be constantly wiped down to not look grimy. That's not going to work for me.
 
I dont know about spring but this year I am looking forward to the Xperia Z1 successor whatever they will call it. I hope the iron out some of the bugs in the Z1 and shrink the bezel a little bit. If they can do that IMHO it will be near perfect.
 
Yeah I'm hoping the z1 successor delivers as well, otherwise I'll grab the z1 at a hopefully discounted price.
 
The Note 3 looks great, but I don't want to pick it up now and then have a much better phablet released in a month or so. I'll definitely keep an eye out for G Pro 2 news. Thanks.

There is only 1 thing now that really can be a big step for a phone and that is a new SOC. The note 3 is a big jump IMO over the S4 because of the SOC jump, I don't think the SOC in the S5 will be that big of a jump. but the note 4, we should expect a something big at that point.
 
There is only 1 thing now that really can be a big step for a phone and that is a new SOC. The note 3 is a big jump IMO over the S4 because of the SOC jump, I don't think the SOC in the S5 will be that big of a jump. but the note 4, we should expect a something big at that point.

the current SOC's, are already extremely overpowered and underutilized with the current software and services available. What would a new SOC bring in terms of new features or capabilities?
 
Meh I will pass this year. My GS3 does everything I need it to. Gonna give it one more full generation before I replace my GS3.
 
There is only 1 thing now that really can be a big step for a phone and that is a new SOC. The note 3 is a big jump IMO over the S4 because of the SOC jump, I don't think the SOC in the S5 will be that big of a jump. but the note 4, we should expect a something big at that point.

But I doubt the Note 4 will come out until around the time the S6 is out. There is not as much demand for the phablets. I am also looking to turn my S3 in for the Note3. I have a few friends who are using the Note3 now and love it.
 
But I doubt the Note 4 will come out until around the time the S6 is out. There is not as much demand for the phablets. I am also looking to turn my S3 in for the Note3. I have a few friends who are using the Note3 now and love it.

The Note series has always been a Fall release, typically late September. And the S series has always been a early Spring release in March. These two phones have been separated by 6 months, which makes sense. The new S in Spring, and the new Note in Fall.

The S5 will be out late March / early April, and the Note 4 released late September / early October.

FYI, the Note series is very popular, the N3 sold 15 million in it's first quarter. Each Note release has sold more than it's predecessor. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Note outsell an S series.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timwors...-approaches-50-of-all-of-apples-iphone-sales/
 
The Note series has always been a Fall release, typically late September. And the S series has always been a early Spring release in March. These two phones have been separated by 6 months, which makes sense. The new S in Spring, and the new Note in Fall.

The S5 will be out late March / early April, and the Note 4 released late September / early October.

FYI, the Note series is very popular, the N3 sold 15 million in it's first quarter. Each Note release has sold more than it's predecessor. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Note outsell an S series.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timwors...-approaches-50-of-all-of-apples-iphone-sales/

Interesting, I had not known it was becoming that popular. Also I thought it was every other year for Note. I was thinking of getting a Note 3 in the spring, perhaps I will wait for the fall.
 
Interesting, I had not known it was becoming that popular. Also I thought it was every other year for Note. I was thinking of getting a Note 3 in the spring, perhaps I will wait for the fall.

To be honest, I think Samsung knows the Note series is becoming their bread and butter high end top smartphone, and could eventually be more popular and higher selling than an S phone.

Seems Samsung puts all their latest and greatest tech into the new Note phone each release, and they are always night and day better than the previous Note. Where the S series seems to almost have stalled, or just get minor upgrades each year lately.

If was buying a new smartphone, and looking between the new S5 or Note 3, no question I think the Note 3 is still the better phone. The N3 uses the same processor as the S5, but has 3GB RAM, compared to 2GB on the S5, the N3 has a 3,200mAh battery vs 2,800mAh in the S5. Plus all the neat S-Pen features on the N3.
 
To be honest, I think Samsung knows the Note series is becoming their bread and butter high end top smartphone, and could eventually be more popular and higher selling than an S phone.

Seems Samsung puts all their latest and greatest tech into the new Note phone each release, and they are always night and day better than the previous Note. Where the S series seems to almost have stalled, or just get minor upgrades each year lately.

I think part of that is the purpose of the phones. It is probably a waste to keep putting all the latest technology in the S phone every year when it is geared more to the average user. Whereas the Note that is geared towards the top end users, if it didn't have significant increases would probably fare far worse in sales. That is why I had thought the release was only every 2 years for the Note.
 
I think part of that is the purpose of the phones. It is probably a waste to keep putting all the latest technology in the S phone every year when it is geared more to the average user. Whereas the Note that is geared towards the top end users, if it didn't have significant increases would probably fare far worse in sales. That is why I had thought the release was only every 2 years for the Note.

Note 1 release date = Oct. 2011
Note 2 release date = Sept. 2012
Note 3 release date = Sept. 2013

Note 4 expected release date = Sept / Oct 2014
 
I've been on a Droid 4 for two years, coming up on my upgrade in a week. I figure anything is an upgrade from what I have currently. I'd rather just get a new Droid 4 so I can keep the physical keyboard. I despise phone touchscreens, maybe its just having large hands/fingers. I smoke texting on the physical keyboard.
 
Note 1 release date = Oct. 2011
Note 2 release date = Sept. 2012
Note 3 release date = Sept. 2013

Note 4 expected release date = Sept / Oct 2014

No, I understood from your first post it is every year. I just said for the reasons I mentioned that is why I had thought it was every 2 years.
 
No, I understood from your first post it is every year. I just said for the reasons I mentioned that is why I had thought it was every 2 years.

No biggy :)

If you are in the market for a new smartphone, the Note 3 is a fantastic device. The N4 is still a good 7 months away. What carrier are you on ? If you like to root and ROM your phone, stay away from the ATT version, it's locked down tight.
 
senior_phones.jpg


PRESS_TECH_PHONE.jpg


PVOT_w.jpg
 
No biggy :)

If you are in the market for a new smartphone, the Note 3 is a fantastic device. The N4 is still a good 7 months away. What carrier are you on ? If you like to root and ROM your phone, stay away from the ATT version, it's locked down tight.

Currently Sprint, although I have been sorely tempted to go back to my nemesis Verizon Wireless, who I still hate with a passion. Which is odd because save a few hiccups, I actually have had decent experiences with Verizon FIOS. Sprint has been great to me for the most part, but their network has been pretty shoddy and got really bad last year. Lately it is starting to pick back up, but still annoyed with the service. That and for some reason they cannot get their heads out of their arses to fix my online account access...after 4 years of complaining about it.

In any case, currently I have an S3 which has been acting up more and more. It might just need a reset which I have been considering doing for the past month. Right now what I get is the WiFi just getting stuck...and not working. The 3G/4G will still work fine though.
 
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