General Chat (mobiles, tablets, etc.)

[Guest av1]

Thank you for your replies. Does the nexus 7 have the abilty to take pics, vids and offer video calling? She is after the perfect holiday gadget really.

Regarding buget, she is far from rich but I dont think price would be a stumbling block if she found something she felt offered everything she wanted. Ive saw the nexus 4 mentioned quite a bit on other threads in here and it certainly sounds like a good gadget. Maybe the giffgaff route might suit her.

Because ive had the s2 and now s3 im probably what you would call a samsung fan boy so initially talked her into a s3, but as I said in my first post, I dont understand half of it so my mom would end up throwing it up the wall. A 20yr old nokia to high end smart phone is a big leap for someone that spends 10mins sending a text message, so ease of use is probably the most important aspect.

Thanks again for your replies

Colin

[The_Rev]

The Nexus 7 only has a front facing camera which is really designed to be used for Skype (and similar apps) so it's good for video calling but not so much for snaps.   I strongly suspect that the 2013 model of the Nexus 7 will have a rear facing camera. 

 

As for the the phone side of things, well I cant comment about the bloatware customizations that Samsung put on their devices because I have used stock Android since 2.3 was launched but the version of Android that Google put on their phones is very simple to use since 4.0 Ice Scream Sandwich was released.  I think 4.0 was an inflection point for Android, it's where it went from being an enthusiast thing to something truly mainstream.  4.2.2 is the version on my Nexus 4, and it's a delight to use.  I may have already said it in a previous post, but my six year old daughter knows how to work my phone. It's not intimidating at all, and it will do as much or as little as you need it to do. 

[Guest av1]

Thanks Rev.

 

From what ive read in this thread and the andriod thread, i think the best solution for her would be to buy the nexus 4 and get a sim only deal. That way if she does find it to much of a leap, she can cancel the sim deal and sell the phone as nearly new, recouping the majority of her outlay. Im really not keen on her entering a 24 month contract. 

 

Colin.

[Anthony]

N4 owner here. I think you'll be doing the right thing Col.

 

Bear in mind that the Google event where they launch the new OS and phone is May 15th -17th, so if she wants to sell it on, make sure she does it before then: The price will drop once the new one is launched, and in the weeks leading up to the launch demand will drop.

 

I really love my N4 and the thing that surprised me most about it is the smooth curved glass on the sides. 2 months in and I still stroke it.

[limpid]

Get a gffgaff SIM (link at the top of the tech room) and order the N4 from Google. If she doesn't like the phone, send it back as per the Distance Selling Regulations within a week for a full refund. She can use up any remaining credit in the giffgaff SIM in any other phone; I think you only need to put a tenner on when you register.

 

I use giffgaff on an N4.

[Guest av1]

Get a gffgaff SIM (link at the top of the tech room) and order the N4 from Google. If she doesn't like the phone, send it back as per the Distance Selling Regulations within a week for a full refund. She can use up any remaining credit in the giffgaff SIM in any other phone; I think you only need to put a tenner on when you register.

 

I use giffgaff on an N4.

 

That sounds perfect for my mom. Actually its something I may consider when my contract runs out. 24 months is ridiculous. 

[The_Rev]

Be thankful you don't live in Canada. 36 months is a thing there.

[Guest av1]

Be thankful you don't live in Canada. 36 months is a thing there.

 

Flaming eck. 

 

With phones becoming more and more high tech, and therefore more expensive,  it wouldnt suprise me at all to see a further increase in contract length over here. 

[limpid]

But at least in the UK, we have a choice. The locked in American market is crazy.

[leviramsey]

Of course in the US, T-Mobile has decided to go away from contracts (or at least ones longer than a year... their coverage is shit where I am so I don't pay that much attention).

[The_Rev]

Be thankful you don't live in Canada. 36 months is a thing there.

 

Flaming eck. 

 

With phones becoming more and more high tech, and therefore more expensive,  it wouldnt suprise me at all to see a further increase in contract length over here. 

 

 

I'm not sure the regulator would allow it over here.   We are filthy socialists in Europe (even in the UK) so we get certain protections that they don't have in capitalist North America. 

 

http://youtu.be/0ilMx7k7mso

[darrenm]

Ah Socialism, like a warm blanket.

[leviramsey]

Thank you AT&T faux-G

[The_Rev]

What's Oxford MA like then?

[lapal_fan]

I went camping in the Black Mountain this weekend, climbed a mountain and back down again, My battery lasted all weekend on my Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini because I turned off some wifi features but since I've gotten back, it just won't charge, it's died now, but I've tried two plugs and they both work on my work samsung ace thingy.

 

I even took my work phone with me as a back up so why has my 'good' phone stopped charging?

 

I look on google to see if -7C would break the battery but it apparently only turns some handsets off sometimes.

 

Any help would be appreciated.  

[darrenm]

Send it to Samsung for repair under warranty, have it sent back as not covered due to water damage.

 

They love that one. They have a damp indicator inside the phone that turns a different colour if it's gotten more than a certain amount of moisture. The actual fault may be nothing to do with that but it's always enough for them to void the claim.

 

Good luck.

[leviramsey]

RIM eying sale?

Maybe smartphone keyboards weren't so cool after all.

Once-dominant BlackBerry, whose smartphones have failed to woo consumers in recent years, has moved toward the auction block after years of Apple eating its lunch. BlackBerry's board of directors on Monday formed a special committee to explore strategic alternatives, including a sale.

CEO Thorsten Heins said the company plans to march forward with all things BlackBerry but warned, "We will be continuing with our strategy of reducing cost, driving efficiency." Not promising words.

Not long ago, BlackBerry devices — once affectionately and ruefully called CrackBerrys for their addictive effect — ruled the U.S.smartphone market BlackBerrys were both a status symbol and a way of life. President Obama was a fan. You were nobody in Washington, D.C., if you weren't constantly hunched over one. Lawyers loved them. Even tech-savvy people raved.

Then Apple's iPhone, the handiwork of tastemaker Steve Jobs, came along in 2007. And over time fickle consumers deserted BlackBerry. As consumers embraced touchscreens, those who jumped on the bandwagon — think Google and Samsung — rode its success. BlackBerry missed the memo and paid a steep price, quickly became the butt of jokes — even in Samsung commercials.

A symbolic blow came when Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer bailed on the BlackBerry for its nemesis. "We literally are moving the company from BlackBerrys to smartphones," she told Fortune in November.

The collapse is a vivid reminder of how fleeting success can be in the field of technology. "In the technology world, you can go from hero to zero in a very short period," says Deutsche Bank Securities analyst Brian Modoff.

And it underscores the severe penalty for being slow to innovate. "The company failed because they did not adapt to changing technologies," says Vivek Wadhwa, a fellow at Stanford Law School. "They tried to protect old turf as the industry moved on."

BlackBerry's special committee said it would weigh potential joint ventures and other arrangements in a bid to boost BlackBerry 10 devices. But it remains unclear how an alliance with BlackBerry could boost the likes of a Samsung, Google, Apple or even Microsoft.

Nevertheless, investors cheered the news, pushing shares up 10% to $10.78 in trading. In the past five years, BlackBerry shares have skidded.

"Given the importance and strength of our technology, and the evolving industry and competitive landscape, we believe that now is the right time to explore strategic alternatives," said Timothy Dattels, chairman of BlackBerry's special committee, in a statement.

BlackBerry has struggled to draw consumers to its BlackBerry 10 platform that powers its new Z10, which sports a full touchscreen, and the Q10, with its physical keyboard. In its most recent earnings report, BlackBerry showed a steep decline in subscribers, from 78 million to about 72 million, compared with a year ago, according to Deutsche Bank Securities.

Potential buyers of the company haven't come forward despite a welcome mat that has been out for years. Another option for BlackBerry is to follow the lead of PC maker Dell.

"It is possible," says BGC analyst Colin Gillis, "that the company may be able to pull together a consortium to take BlackBerry private."

I'd probably buy a BlackBerry-made Android slider... it couldn't be that hard to port Android to the hardware.

[Genie]

Not sure if this is of any interest to anyone but about a month ago I replaced my HTC One X with a SGS3. The HTC was much better. Far quicker, no lagging, a number of subtle differences made it a more enjoyable experience to use. Camera was better (and quicker). 

 

SGS3 does have the removable battery and Micro SD card slot which might make the HTC a non starter.

 

Just incase somebody was deciding which of the 2 to get, I'd got for the HTC.

[CVByrne]

I wouldn't buy either of them. They're nearly 18 month old phones.

Edited August 13, 2013 by CVByrne

[darrenm]

RIM eying sale?

 

Maybe smartphone keyboards weren't so cool after all.

Once-dominant BlackBerry, whose smartphones have failed to woo consumers in recent years, has moved toward the auction block after years of Apple eating its lunch. BlackBerry's board of directors on Monday formed a special committee to explore strategic alternatives, including a sale.

CEO Thorsten Heins said the company plans to march forward with all things BlackBerry but warned, "We will be continuing with our strategy of reducing cost, driving efficiency." Not promising words.

Not long ago, BlackBerry devices — once affectionately and ruefully called CrackBerrys for their addictive effect — ruled the U.S.smartphone market BlackBerrys were both a status symbol and a way of life. President Obama was a fan. You were nobody in Washington, D.C., if you weren't constantly hunched over one. Lawyers loved them. Even tech-savvy people raved.

Then Apple's iPhone, the handiwork of tastemaker Steve Jobs, came along in 2007. And over time fickle consumers deserted BlackBerry. As consumers embraced touchscreens, those who jumped on the bandwagon — think Google and Samsung — rode its success. BlackBerry missed the memo and paid a steep price, quickly became the butt of jokes — even in Samsung commercials.

A symbolic blow came when Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer bailed on the BlackBerry for its nemesis. "We literally are moving the company from BlackBerrys to smartphones," she told Fortune in November.

The collapse is a vivid reminder of how fleeting success can be in the field of technology. "In the technology world, you can go from hero to zero in a very short period," says Deutsche Bank Securities analyst Brian Modoff.

And it underscores the severe penalty for being slow to innovate. "The company failed because they did not adapt to changing technologies," says Vivek Wadhwa, a fellow at Stanford Law School. "They tried to protect old turf as the industry moved on."

BlackBerry's special committee said it would weigh potential joint ventures and other arrangements in a bid to boost BlackBerry 10 devices. But it remains unclear how an alliance with BlackBerry could boost the likes of a Samsung, Google, Apple or even Microsoft.

Nevertheless, investors cheered the news, pushing shares up 10% to $10.78 in trading. In the past five years, BlackBerry shares have skidded.

"Given the importance and strength of our technology, and the evolving industry and competitive landscape, we believe that now is the right time to explore strategic alternatives," said Timothy Dattels, chairman of BlackBerry's special committee, in a statement.

BlackBerry has struggled to draw consumers to its BlackBerry 10 platform that powers its new Z10, which sports a full touchscreen, and the Q10, with its physical keyboard. In its most recent earnings report, BlackBerry showed a steep decline in subscribers, from 78 million to about 72 million, compared with a year ago, according to Deutsche Bank Securities.

Potential buyers of the company haven't come forward despite a welcome mat that has been out for years. Another option for BlackBerry is to follow the lead of PC maker Dell.

"It is possible," says BGC analyst Colin Gillis, "that the company may be able to pull together a consortium to take BlackBerry private."

I'd probably buy a BlackBerry-made Android slider... it couldn't be that hard to port Android to the hardware.

 

I think the journalist misheard the term. It's 'Cackberry' for how utterly terrible they are. I've never known anyone be anything other than contemptuous towards them when accidentally buying the wrong phone, or having one forced on them from work.