# Samsung Galaxy S IV



## XiCynx

Wrong format. A mod should fix this for you unless you look at the stickies and fix it up yourself. Interesting information on this though. We will have to see if everything holds up on this one as stated in this article.


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## Mootsfox

Specs look good.

Hate hate HATE software only buttons.


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## Jimbags

specs look really sweet








whats wrong with the format could a mod plz fix?


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## srsparky32

two quad core chips.

Buying.


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## NoiseTemper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mootsfox*
> 
> Specs look good.
> Hate hate HATE software only buttons.


Why, they don't wear out









On a side note, I just got a GS2 from recontracting.


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## Master__Shake

ah i see my new phone...does it come in black?


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## KamuiRSX

Samsung has already defunct this rumor on Twitter.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57514827-94/samsung-downplays-rumors-of-galaxy-s4-for-early-2013/

Matter of fact, did you read this "article"? It literally does nothing more than spread speculation and rumors. It has not one shred of fact in it other than "some guy speculates this will happen". That's it. There's nothing more. The rest of the article is old speculation about the supposed specs of the new Galaxy S IV. The best part is it still even references the original article that Samsung themselves defunct.


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## cloudbyday

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *srsparky32*
> 
> two quad core chips.
> Buying.


I don't get that? Why would a phone need two quad core CPUs? That can't be right.


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## DrDarkTempler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mootsfox*
> 
> Specs look good.
> Hate hate HATE software only buttons.


Thats not a real picture of S4 someone just did a quick concept art with pure google interface on it

Samsung never do software button. Only when they make nexus one for google

No one know how exactly how looks yet


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## NoiseTemper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cloudbyday*
> 
> I don't get that? Why would a phone need two quad core CPUs? That can't be right.


Yeah seems pretty crazy, imagine the battery life.


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## QuietlyLinux

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *srsparky32*
> 
> two quad core chips.
> 
> Buying.


And people say 8-Cores on a desktop is to much....


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## naved777

Two Quad core chips ?








something not right there...so that means the CPU will be 8 core ?


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## nismo_usaf

The S4 will most likely be my next phone, not because of the article posted. Basically am tired of the iPhones now, and the wife has a S3 and I really enjoy it compared to my iPhone4.

They have a buyer from this guy already, aslong as its better than my iPhone4.


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## Capt

Looks good to me.










EDIT: It better use Qualcomm S4 Pro or a new version of it and not the crappy exynos that barely has any support on xda because of the lack of the source files.


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## Nick7269

Sweet, two quad cores, unbreakable display, 1080p.... nice!


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## DzillaXx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Capt*
> 
> Looks good to me.


Yeah I like it as well, just bring the bottom of the screen down more so the gap isn't so big. Not a Fan of physical buttons at all, I personally thought the S3 looked ugly because of dumb center button. Really if they can make the front of the phone as much screen as possible with vary thin bezel. Liked how they did my Electrify M, if they did something like that with the S4 I would buy it. Though I would want the front to be fully glass with only cutouts for the mic and speaker, and a think bezel around the glass. Add in the nice back texture HTC tends to use on their phones and it would be killer.

Could care less about the number of cores though, I would rather have stronger cores then more of them. Anything more then 4 cores is a waste to me, Give me more GPU power of something.


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## Jimbags

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NoiseTemper*
> 
> Why, they don't wear out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On a side note, I just got a GS2 from recontracting.


why not the s3? or even the S2 4G witht the quallcom dual; core... like me








also guys i posted this in rumours etc so dont get to worked up, i thought 2 quad cores was weird to, wat is it a serverphone lol
SERVERPHONE FTW!!!


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## jprovido

just found my phone. ima get it on day 1. never tried android before. can't wait


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## Jimbags

my wifes iphone contract runs up then so free upgrade to any phone in may next year, by then australia might see this phone


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## Skylit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *srsparky32*
> 
> two quad core chips.
> Buying.


I'll never understand OCN logic.


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## Jimbags

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Skylit*
> 
> I'll never understand OCN logic.


i would so buy 2x quads if was true!!! just for epeen if not anything else OMG my heads gonna explode if i keep dreaming bout this!!!


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## Sistum Id

I really hope they do away with the physical buttons. The home button on the S3 and Note 2 is pointless. At least they could have made it a track pad. But with touch buttons, hopefully with some custom roms, you can have custom buttons. I think every Android phone should have a standard of 5 soft buttons which include menu, recent apps, home, back, and search.


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## NoiseTemper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jimbags*
> 
> why not the s3? or even the S2 4G witht the quallcom dual; core... like me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> also guys i posted this in rumours etc so dont get to worked up, i thought 2 quad cores was weird to, wat is it a serverphone lol
> SERVERPHONE FTW!!!


It's out of my budget, plus I'm not too keen on big ass phones. The 4G version isn't available on my carrier and I don't care much for 4G because most of the time I'm connected to Wi-Fi.

I hear the GS2 is still a fantastic phone, so


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## Jimbags

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NoiseTemper*
> 
> It's out of my budget, plus I'm not too keen on big ass phones. The 4G version isn't available on my carrier and I don't care much for 4G because most of the time I'm connected to Wi-Fi.
> I hear the GS2 is still a fantastic phone, so


the GS2 def is an awesome phone, once i got used to the massive screen on the S2 4G its fine just takes time







also slightly fast cpu and somehow got the HD screen version 1280x720


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## Koehler

I think there was a rumor that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is going to be announced in February or March 2013.


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## NoiseTemper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jimbags*
> 
> the GS2 def is an awesome phone, once i got used to the massive screen on the S2 4G its fine just takes time
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> also slightly fast cpu and somehow got the HD screen version 1280x720


This is off-topic but I'm just curious to know how the battery life is with 4G and the bigger, higher res screen ?


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## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Capt*
> 
> Looks good to me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: It better use Qualcomm S4 Pro or a new version of it and not the crappy exynos that barely has any support on xda because of the lack of the source files.


If it's anything like this design, I would buy it instantly.


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## BillOhio

8 cores of CPU? Is there a way to water cool it?


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## Capt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> 8 cores of CPU? Is there a way to water cool it?


Yeah, just put an H100 on it and you will be good.


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## Jimbags

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NoiseTemper*
> 
> This is off-topic but I'm just curious to know how the battery life is with 4G and the bigger, higher res screen ?


to begin with it was really bad, i have the slightly upgraded battery too, but once i got the upgrade from android 2.2 froyo to ice cream sandwhich android 4.0 i think my battery life is much better, in general use get a full working day and a bit more, does get hot tho sometimes















EDIT also i dont think all have the high res screen, i think i was lucky i also got this thing called liquipel thrown in for free, it is apparently able to stand being dropped in the toilet, but as i work in very dusty environments sometimes, it is awesome at keeping dust out too


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## bfe_vern

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jimbags*
> 
> the GS2 def is an awesome phone, once i got used to the massive screen on the S2 4G its fine just takes time
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> also slightly fast cpu and somehow got the HD screen version 1280x720


I second this. Got my GS2 just 3 months ago and don't regret it. Great performer for a great price. No phone envy here...tho I do like the Note 2 and I was not originally a big fan of phablets.


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## Koehler

I think the most likely scenario for the SGS4 is either dual core or quad core Cortex-A15's. 8 core CPU's aren't even mainstream yet, what makes people think it will be for smartphones?


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## NoiseTemper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> I think the most likely scenario for the SGS4 is either dual core or quad core Cortex-A15's. 8 core CPU's aren't even mainstream yet, what makes people think it will be for smartphones?


The same thing that makes people buy Apple products. Marketing.


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## Koehler

A March unveiling and an April release seems 99% confirmed at this point:

http://www.android.gs/samsung-galaxy-s4-release-date-6/
Quote:


> *Samsung Galaxy S4 Expected to Drop in March at Samsung Unpacked Event*
> 
> 
> 
> We've seen a lot of potential Samsung Galaxy S4 release dates being speculated by the tech blogs, but the latest reports are indicating that the next flagship of the South Korea-based company might arrive sooner than expected.
> 
> The yet-unannounced Samsung Galaxy S4 is seen by many analysts as one of the smartphones that will set the standards on the Android market. The next flagship is expected to set a new level, both in terms of hardware configuration and Android customization, showing the world where the smartphone business is heading.
> 
> As the rumors about Samsung Galaxy S4 release date and technical specs are floating the interwebs once we stepped up in 2013, the latest reports are indicating that the highly-awaited smartphone might be announced in March.
> 
> All the sources hinted that the new high-end smartphone will be officially announced at Samsung's Unpacked event, that will be held in New York this year. According to a Korean website, the Samsung officials are already making the preparations for the Samsung Unpacked event that will be held this March.
> 
> JK Shin, head of Samsung Mobile, has recently confirmed that the Galaxy S4 will be announced "soon."
> 
> As I mentioned above, the Samsung Mobile Unpacked event will be held in New York, but it seems that it will be held simultaneously in London and Seoul.
> 
> As confirmed by some AnTuTu benchmark logs, Galaxy S4 will boast Samsung's proprietary octo-core Exynos 5 Octa chipset unveiled earlier last month at CES 2013 in Las Vegas. Rumor has it that the device will come with a full HD 4.99-inch display and that it will run Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out of the box. The camera sensor might also receive an upgrade, from 8 megapixels (currently on the Galaxy S3) to 13 megapixels.
> 
> Summing up, we might see the Galaxy S3 coming earlier than expected. But would an early launch bring any benefits for the South Korean company in their battle against Apple and the next iPhone iteration? We'll have to wait and see.


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## Koehler

Looks like a March announcement and an April 15 release is likely:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-57565536-251/samsung-galaxy-s4-rumor-roundup/
Quote:


> *Samsung Galaxy S4 rumor roundup*
> *In anticipation for Samsung's next flagship handset, the rumor mill has been churning out one speculation after another about the Galaxy S4. CNET gathers the latest (and craziest) rumors about the device.*
> by Lynn La January 24, 2013 3:10 PM PST
> 
> Considering the popularity and success of the Samsung Galaxy S3, it's understandable that whispers of its successor (presumably called the Galaxy S4) are circulating. From iffy launch dates to spec upgrades, CNET tracks all the talk and rounds up the latest GS4 rumors here.
> Please note that we'll continuously update this piece up until the device's official launch. Please let us know if we missed any rumors ourselves.
> 
> *January 23, 2013*
> You may get your hands on the GS4 in April
> It's always interesting when rumors start ball-parking a release date, but SamMobile does one better and gives an exact date: Tax Day. Not only did the outlet report its launch day will be on April 15, it also said the phone will have a larger 2,600mAh battery.
> 
> *December 6, 2012*
> Superstrong, bendy display?
> Reuters reported that the new Galaxy phone may be equipped with a flexible, ultra-tough touch screen. Although this sounds far out, we've seen firsthand what Samsung can do with its flexible Youm display. That's not to say it'll definitely come to the market any time soon, but it is evident that the company is working with such technology.
> 
> *December 4, 2012*
> It will get plenty of spec bumps
> A 5-inch 1080p HD display, Android 5.0, and a 13-megapixel camera? Several S4 rumors from news outlets like Asiae.kr are popping up, reporting that the new handset is going to get several upgrades in hardware and software. With these rumors, a lot of cryptic code names are being associated with the handset as well, including the stale model number "Samsung GT-I9525" and the mysterious "Project J" label.
> 
> *September 17, 2012*
> You'll see it in February, at MWC 2013
> According to a "company official" cited by the Korea Times, Samsung plans to unveil the Galaxy S4 at this year's Mobile World Congress. Held in Barcelona, Spain, in February, MWC is a popular and global tech conference where many mobile companies debut their latest devices.


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## Jimbags

nice cant wait and it does hjave 8 cores little big thing


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## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jimbags*
> 
> nice cant wait and it does hjave 8 cores little big thing


It will be a game changer


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## Jimbags

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> It will be a game changer


agreed iphone stand up!!! also your avatar of kate,,, hot damn is there a fan club here?


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## jktmas

i think it will come with the youm screen, which can be bent and moved in any way the user / manufacturer wants it to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=dBYc20bB6LI&feature=endscreen


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## Capt

It looks like it will ship with Android 4.2.1 after all and it will use Adreno 320 like the Nexus 4. Hopefully the CPU won't throttle like in the Nexus 4 bu we'll see. I read the article on phonearena so go there if you want to read it yourself.


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## Koehler

The Samsung Galaxy S4 will definitely sport a 5 inch diamond/hexagonal display with a more enigmatic Super AMOLED screen.


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## j3poysy

I'm hoping the S4 would be a full RGB matrix like the note 2.


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## jktmas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> The Samsung Galaxy S4 will definitely sport a 5 inch diamond/hexagonal display with a more enigmatic Super AMOLED screen.


Actually im thinking its going to be a samsung YOUM display
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciI5RkJLhhA


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## Koehler

If these are the real Samsung Galaxy S4 specs then I am VERY happy:

Source: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/mobile-phone/3432979/samsung-galaxy-s4-specs-confirmed-by-benchmark-app/



EXYNOS 5 OCTA CORE!

It absolutely destroys the current Snapdragon S4 Pro processor.

Only 2 weeks left!


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## jsc1973

OK, but can the thing actually make use of eight cores? It doesn't matter how many it has if it can't actually use them.


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## Roadkill95

My galaxy s3 with MIUI is more than enough for what I need so I'm just gonna wait till their bendy phones hit the market.

But MIUI is amazing. Gets rid of all the input lag there is with JB and ICS. It looks fantastic as well.


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## Nilareon

2 quad core chips......

aka 5 minute battery life


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## GTRagnarok

People still don't understand the concept of big.LITTLE. The Exynos Octa has four A15 cores when performance is needed and four A7 cores for when it's not needed in order to conserve battery life.


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## jktmas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GTRagnarok*
> 
> People still don't understand the concept of big.LITTLE. The Exynos Octa has four A15 cores when performance is needed and four A7 cores for when it's not needed in order to conserve battery life.


And apple is still on a A6x for their top of the line


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## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kirus2012*
> 
> 2 quad core chips......
> 
> aka 5 minute battery life


Actually 8 cores = more powerful *and* more power efficient.


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## ErOR

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Actually 8 cores = more powerful *and* more power efficient.


Exactly! Finally someone who gets it.


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## tesanj

Samsung Galaxy S4 officially coming March 14.


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## theamdman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tesanj*
> 
> Samsung Galaxy S4 officially coming March 14.


No man in their correctly oriented mind needs 8 cores in anything. Look at bulldozer.

The screen is big enough all ready!

If it has Software based buttons - no way.

Maybe i'm just PO'ed that i got a S3 2 months ago.


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## jktmas

Go america, 10 cores 20 Threads








http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Xeon-E7-8870-2-4-processor/dp/B006YMR34Y


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## smex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theamdman*
> 
> Maybe i'm just PO'ed that i got a S3 2 months ago.


...........................................................................................................................NOT?!


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## Sickened1

Can't wait to upgrade to this from my Evo 3D. Hope the chargeable case is released at the same time.


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## theamdman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *smex*
> 
> ...........................................................................................................................NOT?!


Pic's foar proof?


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## Koehler

Got unveiled today. Extremely sexy looking. Love the aluminum sides.

Comes with the Exynos 5 OCTA core CPU or the new Cortex-A15 Snapdragon CPU depending on where you're living.


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## darkRyu

when is it being released? (DATE)


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## Ramzinho

for me, being a samsung fan.. i'm disappointed with the phone. it brought nothing new to the table.. all the updates are software based.. so much less on the hardware.. except 441ppi the phone isn't that much. i'm happy with my note 2


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## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ramzinho*
> 
> for me, being a samsung fan.. i'm disappointed with the phone. it brought nothing new to the table.. all the updates are software based.. so much less on the hardware.. except 441ppi the phone isn't that much. i'm happy with my note 2


Actually compare them before you speak:

The SGS4 is a bigger of an upgrade over the SGS3 compared to the SGS3 as an upgrade over the SGS2.

*SGS2 specs:*
*CPU:* Dual core Cortex-A9
*GPU:* MALI-400 MP
*Display:* 4.3" Super AMOLED 217PPI
*RAM:* 1GB RAM
*Camera:* 8MP

*SGS3 specs:*
*CPU:* Quad Core Cortex-A9 or Dual Core Snapdragon S4 Krait*
*GPU:* MALI-400 MP or Adreno 225*
*Display:* 4.8" Super AMOLED 306PPI
*RAM:* 1GB RAM or 2GB RAM*
*Camera:* 8MP

*SGS4 specs:*
*CPU:* Quad Core Cortex-A15 PLUS Quad Core Cortex-A7 or Quad Core Snapdragon 600 Krait 300*
*GPU:* PowerVR SGX 544MP3 or Adreno 320*
*Display:* 5" Super AMOLED 441PPI
*RAM:* 2GB RAM
*Camera:* 13MP

*These specs depend on whether the devices are the US or International versions.

The SGS4 is a big upgrade both in terms of hardware and software.

Miles better than the HTC One or the iPhone 5.


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## Ramzinho

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Actually compare them before you speak:
> 
> SGS2 specs:
> CPU: Dual core Cortex-A9
> GPU: MALI-400 MP
> Display: 4.3" Super AMOLED 217PPI
> RAM: 1GB RAM
> Camera: 8MP
> 
> SGS3 specs:
> CPU: Quad Core Cortex-A9 or Dual Core Snapdragon S4 Krait*
> GPU: MALI-400 MP or Adreno 225*
> Display: 4.8" Super AMOLED 306PPI
> RAM: 1GB RAM or 2GB RAM*
> Camera: 8MP
> 
> SGS4 specs:
> CPU: Quad Core Cortex-A15 PLUS Quad Core Cortex-A7 or Quad Core Snapdragon 600 Krait 300*
> GPU: PowerVR SGX 544MP3 or Adreno 320*
> Display: 5" Super AMOLED 441PPI
> RAM: 2GB RAM*
> Camera: 13MP






yes but being samsung. they always took Huge steps each year. the SIV is a rushed product to me.. it's a shrunk Note2 to my eye.. I'm a samsung fan and i've to say i was not impressed by anything during the whole unpacking event but the 441ppi screen. other than that. it's all behind what i would have expected from samsung


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## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ramzinho*
> 
> 
> yes but being samsung. they always took Huge steps each year. the SIV is a rushed product to me.. it's a shrunk Note2 to my eye.. I'm a samsung fan and i've to say i was not impressed by anything during the whole unpacking event but the 441ppi screen. other than that. it's all behind what i would have expected from samsung


It's not a shrunk Galaxy Note 2 lol.

You just haven't seen the hardware specs yet. The hardware of the SGS4 is 2 generations ahead of the Galaxy Note 2.

The camera of the SGS4 destroys the Galaxy Note 2's camera.

And the SGS4 has a 441PPI screen compared to the Galaxy Note's 267PPI screen.


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## Nausicaa

Who needs that many PPI? 300 PPI and its 'retina grade'. The screen seems like it would just waste battery life.

Why all the spec bumps but not any real advancements? I don't find my S3 slow.

They should add something useful, like programmable buttons (or even a camera button), waterproofing, a laptop dock, voodoo sound by default, or change the feel of the phone.

The plastic really feels flimsy and I see they haven't changed that!


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## Muldoon

So I've NEVER owned a smartphone before. I've always told myself I'd wait till the next best phone comes out. Is the Galaxy S4 a good phone to get started with?


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## mr. biggums

Want's software button's like my galaxy nexus.


----------



## qTAP

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mr. biggums*
> 
> Want's software button's like my galaxy nexus.


Yup.

Plus I have a note 2. No reason to switch to an s4 was a complete fail.


----------



## xquisit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkRyu*
> 
> when is it being released? (DATE)


I'd like to know the same!


----------



## Koehler

*GSM ARENA REVIEW*

*Display*

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s4-review-914p3.php
Quote:


> What you should take away from all this is that the final weak point of the Super AMOLED screens has been taken care of and *the Galaxy S4 offers image quality like no other smartphone on the market.* Its impressive contrast and almost perfect viewing angles make everything on the screen pop, regardless of your viewpoint.


*Benchmark scores*

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s4-review-914p6.php

The Samsung Galaxy S4 destroys every other smartphone.







*Conclusion*
Quote:


> The Samsung Galaxy S line has produced some of the best smartphones over the years, and the Galaxy S4 lives up to its legacy. Some consider it an evolutionary step from the Galaxy S III, others would go ahead and call it a revolution, there's the third kind too who insist it's a mere rehash.
> 
> Without getting into the semantics, we believe the S4 to be a worthy update over its predecessor, which was already one of the most capable smartphones around.
> 
> Let's run it down: the big 5" screen fits into a very compact body (same footprint as the Galaxy S III and slimmer), the new 1080p Super AMOLED matrix offers a significant improvement in image quality, the 13MP camera is one of the best around and, performance-wise, the Galaxy S4 will probably hold the crown until the Galaxy Note III comes around.


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## Shiftstealth

Isnt a 3K geekbench score equal to a core 2 duo?


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shiftstealth*
> 
> Isnt a 3K geekbench score equal to a core 2 duo?


If it is then the SGS4's CPU is more powerful than a Core 2 Duo CPU.


----------



## Shiftstealth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> If it is then the SGS4's CPU is more powerful than a Core 2 Duo CPU.


MacBook Pro (Late 2008)
Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 2400 MHz (2 cores)
3275

http://browser.primatelabs.com/mac-benchmarks

Its very close.

SGSIII is close to a Macbook Air R1:

1845 for SGSIII

MacBook Air
Intel Core 2 Duo P7500 1600 MHz (2 cores)
2026


----------



## Koehler

So the Samsung Galaxy S4 matches the Macbook air (late 2010 model) and the Macbook Pro (late 2008 model) in terms of CPU power. That means the SGS4 is basically as powerful as a medium sized laptop about 3 to 5 years ago. Very impressive for a 5 inch device.

The SGS4 also comes with DDR3 RAM whereas the HTC One and other smartphones come with DDR2 RAM.

Samsung really is ahead in the tech war.


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## ANDMYGUN

Hopefully getting one on May 1st with Tmobile, coming from a Mytouch 4g I cant wait.


----------



## NrGx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Samsung really is ahead in the tech war.


Oh I don't know about that. For one, benchmarks tend to force 100% utilisation from all cores when the Exynos just doesn't work that way in practise.

Secondly, there is no need for that kind of power yet so all in all it is quite pointless.

Personally, I think the GS4 is just another S Gimmick device without style or design.

The HTC One is a far better device.

Sent from my Xperia Z using Tapatalk.


----------



## vangsfreaken

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NrGx*
> 
> Oh I don't know about that. For one, benchmarks tend to force 100% utilisation from all cores when the Exynos just doesn't work that way in practise.
> 
> Secondly, there is no need for that kind of power yet so all in all it is quite pointless.
> 
> Personally, I think the GS4 is just another S Gimmick device without style or design.
> 
> The HTC One is a far better device.
> 
> Sent from my Xperia Z using Tapatalk.


i have to agree







the HTC one is simply awesome in design, while the s4 is simply a s3 on steroids... except from some of the new features that no one will use anyway, there's absolutely nothing exciting about it.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NrGx*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Samsung really is ahead in the tech war.
> 
> 
> 
> Oh I don't know about that. For one, benchmarks tend to force 100% utilisation from all cores when the Exynos just doesn't work that way in practise.
> 
> Secondly, there is no need for that kind of power yet so all in all it is quite pointless.
> 
> Personally, I think the GS4 is just another S Gimmick device without style or design.
> 
> The HTC One is a far better device.
> 
> Sent from my Xperia Z using Tapatalk.
Click to expand...

Sells talk and Samsung proves that, sense is the same crap it's always been and won't change. I'll take a "gimmick" phone all day. I use a lot off the Samsung specific features on my note 2 and they're useful, so calling it a gimmick doesn't make since.

The evo 3d (which sucked horribly) was gimmicky, the beats audio (which sucks on a phone) is gimmicky, and 1080p on a phone is gimmicky, so which brand it's gimmicky? Exactly, htc!!! To say that putting high end hardware into a phone and saying its pointless is idiotic, especially considering the forum your on. That makes the phone FUTURE PROOF, i ususally had to upgrade once a year to stay in front, now with the note 2 im good for the whole life of my contract because of the hardware. Samsung is future proofing their phones which is finally nice to have.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## NrGx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Sells talk and Samsung proves that, sense is the same crap it's always been and won't change. I'll take a "gimmick" phone all day. I use a lot off the Samsung specific features on my note 2 and they're useful, so calling it a gimmick doesn't make since.
> 
> The evo 3d (which sucked horribly) was gimmicky, the beats audio (which sucks on a phone) is gimmicky, and 1080p on a phone is gimmicky, so which brand it's gimmicky? Exactly, htc!!! To say that putting high end hardware into a phone and saying its pointless is idiotic, especially considering the forum your on. That makes the phone FUTURE PROOF, i ususally had to upgrade once a year to stay in front, now with the note 2 im good for the whole life of my contract because of the hardware. Samsung is future proofing their phones which is finally nice to have.
> 
> tappin from the Note II


Sense is crap? Touch Wiz is just as awful with all the Samsung bloatware that they shove on there. The Note 2 has gimmick features but at least they relate to its S Pen and stuff. There are a lot of features that the GS4 has that are just absolute garbage (eg. the thing that stops a video when you look away).

Beats Audio may be a gimmick but the HTC One has the best speakers on the market anywhere.

But I digress, the real problem with your argument is that you are hypocritical in the extreme. You state that 1080p on a phone is pointless, and then argue that high end hardware is the way to go to future proof. The biggest aspect of ANY phone is its screen. You're just upset that despite the enormous screen the Note II has, it still has far less screen space when compared to the current generation.

Samsung has completely dropped their advantage with this phone. The GS4 will sell well, but not because it is the best device. It will sell well because Samsung has the biggest marketing budget. Samsung is the new Apple and I would rather own an iPhone than buy a device from a bigoted manufacturer from Korea without respect for the market.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NrGx*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Sells talk and Samsung proves that, sense is the same crap it's always been and won't change. I'll take a "gimmick" phone all day. I use a lot off the Samsung specific features on my note 2 and they're useful, so calling it a gimmick doesn't make since.
> 
> The evo 3d (which sucked horribly) was gimmicky, the beats audio (which sucks on a phone) is gimmicky, and 1080p on a phone is gimmicky, so which brand it's gimmicky? Exactly, htc!!! To say that putting high end hardware into a phone and saying its pointless is idiotic, especially considering the forum your on. That makes the phone FUTURE PROOF, i ususally had to upgrade once a year to stay in front, now with the note 2 im good for the whole life of my contract because of the hardware. Samsung is future proofing their phones which is finally nice to have.
> 
> tappin from the Note II
> 
> 
> 
> Sense is crap? Touch Wiz is just as awful with all the Samsung bloatware that they shove on there. The Note 2 has gimmick features but at least they relate to its S Pen and stuff. There are a lot of features that the GS4 has that are just absolute garbage (eg. the thing that stops a video when you look away).
> 
> Beats Audio may be a gimmick but the HTC One has the best speakers on the market anywhere.
> 
> But I digress, the real problem with your argument is that you are hypocritical in the extreme. You state that 1080p on a phone is pointless, and then argue that high end hardware is the way to go to future proof. The biggest aspect of ANY phone is its screen. You're just upset that despite the enormous screen the Note II has, it still has far less screen space when compared to the current generation.
> 
> Samsung has completely dropped their advantage with this phone. The GS4 will sell well, but not because it is the best device. It will sell well because Samsung has the biggest marketing budget. Samsung is the new Apple and I would rather own an iPhone than buy a device from a bigoted manufacturer from Korea without respect for the market.
Click to expand...

Sammy is far from Apple, and the note 2 screen is amazing, I had a dna and I prefer my note 2 screen. My friend has a DNA and side by side it's not much better, def in color. Defend htc all you want but they are where they are as a business for a reason.

Sense is way more bloated than tw, at least tw has awesome useful features while sense just has perty widgets and stuff. Im not hating on the design, i think htc makes some sexy phones and well built. My first android phone was the og evo and i loved that phone, imo though sense hasnt gotten better at all, and htc battery hasnt improved any. Htc seems to throw really stupid crap on there phones such as beats and 3d etc... Sammy has its quirks but for the most part battery has improved, tw has come a long way and if you havent used it recently dont comment on what youve just heard. Htc needs to stop focusing on high res screens and turn their attention to battery because they dont have one phone with decent battery.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Sammy is far from Apple, and the note 2 screen is amazing, I had a dna and I prefer my note 2 screen. My friend has a DNA and side by side it's not much better, def in color. Defend htc all you want but they are where they are as a business for a reason.
> 
> Sense is way more bloated than tw, at least tw has awesome useful features while sense just has perty widgets and stuff. Im not hating on the design, i think htc makes some sexy phones and well built. My first android phone was the og evo and i loved that phone, imo though sense hasnt gotten better at all, and htc battery hasnt improved any. Htc seems to throw really stupid crap on there phones such as beats and 3d etc... Sammy has its quirks but for the most part battery has improved, tw has come a long way and if you havent used it recently dont comment on what youve just heard. Htc needs to stop focusing on high res screens and turn their attention to battery because they dont have one phone with decent battery.
> 
> tappin from the Note II


Agreed.


----------



## connectwise

Even with the new HTCone that goes head to head in bat life with IV?


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *connectwise*
> 
> Even with the new HTCone that goes head to head in bat life with IV?


Will see!!! Samsung has proved themselves with battery life, htc needs to redeem themselves.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## Koehler

Endurance rating is taking into account standby time as well.

The SGS4 has a much more durable battery.


----------



## Koehler




----------



## JMattes

SO when can I walk into a Verizon and pick this up...

I am waiting...


----------



## eno439

Rumored Samsung Galaxy S4 Release Dates:

AT&T Samsung Galaxy S4 Release Date - April 26th
T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S4 Release Date - May 1st
Verizon Samsung Galaxy S4 Release Date - May 30th

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2013/04/15/samsung-galaxy-s4-release-date-verizon-att-t-mobile/ - source


----------



## sWaY20

As usual Verizon is always last, guess they're gheying up the phone with branding all over it.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## JMattes

Is it just me or when Apple announces a new phone its available after like 2 weeks.

When someone else announces a new phone its like 2 months..


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JMattes*
> 
> Is it just me or when Apple announces a new phone its available after like 2 weeks.
> 
> When someone else announces a new phone its like 2 months..


It hasn't even been a month since the announcement of the SGS4.

Samsung is usually the fastest to release their smartphones.

HTC is the slowest.


----------



## Koehler

The Samsung Galaxy S4's screen looks much brighter and more vibrant than the HTC One's screen.

The new Super AMOLED screen on the SGS4 has much higher brightness, the highest contrast ratio (infinite) and 441PPI.

This is superb.


----------



## koulaid

Preorderd mines from at&t. Jumping off the iphone wagon.


----------



## ANDMYGUN

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *koulaid*
> 
> Preorderd mines from at&t. Jumping off the iphone wagon.


Hope you like yours I hope the preorder for Tmobile starts soon. i'm coming from a Mytouch 4g


----------



## koulaid

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ANDMYGUN*
> 
> Hope you like yours I hope the preorder for Tmobile starts soon. i'm coming from a Mytouch 4g


I love my jellybean tablet, so I'm pretty sure i'll love this.


----------



## michintom

Just ordered mine this morning from AT&T.







Hope the $697 price tag is worth it


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *michintom*
> 
> Just ordered mine this morning from AT&T.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hope the $697 price tag is worth it


Jealous.

That's actually a great price.

I'm going to order mine too.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Meh Galaxy Line is just like iPhone now. Instead of Apple Sheep we have Samsung/Google Zombies.


----------



## jellis142

$199 with US Cellular







Going from a Galaxy S to an S IV will be a spectacular upgrade.

Pretty reasonable in my eyes, considering the Note 2 is $100 more, for mostly the same specs, minus the insane size, with a higher resolution.


----------



## fade2green514

i personally can't wait for this phone. im paying full retail to keep my unlimited data.

40-100 mbps download rate... pretty much anywhere? yes please!

already bought some wireless earbuds and a UHS class 1 sd card for it. benchmarks at 20 MB/s read and 11.47 write speed, i'll take it! just wishing i bought the 64gb not 32gb lol

edit: i also think the sd card is limited by my card readers speed because it benchmarks like 50 MB/s (415mbps) in my friends galaxy s3, could be that the app we used is wrong though.


----------



## xquisit

For AT&T, how much would I be looking to pay for the phone? I have had an upgrade available for the past two years, and I'm sick and tired of my iPhone 3G (that has a broken screen, as well).


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xquisit*
> 
> For AT&T, how much would I be looking to pay for the phone? I have had an upgrade available for the past two years, and I'm sick and tired of my iPhone 3G (that has a broken screen, as well).


Gonna be around 199$ to upgrade, I know Sprint is 250$ to upgrade from a article I read earlier on droid life.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## ANDMYGUN

Looks like I'm going to be able to buy the SG4 on the 26th with Tmobile for $150 down/$20 monthly, can't wait!


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ANDMYGUN*
> 
> Looks like I'm going to be able to buy the SG4 on the 26th with Tmobile for $150 down/$20 monthly, can't wait!


Damn that's a good deal, I need to see how good t mobile is where I live, I'm tired of paying almost 100$ for 4gb on Verizon. I'm just spoiled with the network. I always have a signal, even with 3g I can get 3mbs down, with 4g I get 35mbs down.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## michintom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Jealous.
> 
> That's actually a great price.
> 
> I'm going to order mine too.










Better hurry up! I read on XDA some people's confirmed shipping date being around May 3rd, while most were set for April 30th.


----------



## Koehler

Excellent review by Android Authority:

http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-s4-review-194534/


----------



## michintom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Excellent review by Android Authority:
> 
> http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-s4-review-194534/


Great review! Can't wait till mine ships!







Already got three different SGP cases for the GS4








Just got an update from ATT








"Dear Valued AT&T Customer,

Thank you for ordering the Samsung Galaxy S®4 from AT&T. We are excited to announce that we are able to ship devices earlier than originally expected. Customers who pre-ordered their smartphone early can begin receiving it as soon as April 25th.

You should expect to receive an Order Confirmation email with your shipment tracking number as soon as your order has been shipped.

AT&T is committed to outstanding customer service and we hope you are as delighted with this good news as we are to be sharing it with you.

Sincerely,

AT&T"


----------



## jellis142

Oh my goodness... I really hope I get that sweet deal


----------



## koulaid

^^ Yup got the same email. Although I pre-ordered around 10am on the release date. Hopefully I get it on the 26th.


----------



## koulaid

Got another confirmation of shipment. Arriving on the 25th!!!!


----------



## LuckyDuck69

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *koulaid*
> 
> Got another confirmation of shipment. Arriving on the 25th!!!!


Womp Womp... just got this reply on the T-Mobile site webchat:

"I am sorry but due to an unexpected delay with inventory deliveries, the Galaxy S 4 will not be available on www.T-Mobile.com as planned on Wednesday, April 24. Instead, online availability is expected to begin on Monday, April 29. We apologize for any inconvenience and are working with Samsung to deliver the device to T-Mobile customers as soon as possible."


----------



## ANDMYGUN

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LuckyDuck69*
> 
> Womp Womp... just got this reply on the T-Mobile site webchat:
> 
> "I am sorry but due to an unexpected delay with inventory deliveries, the Galaxy S 4 will not be available on www.T-Mobile.com as planned on Wednesday, April 24. Instead, online availability is expected to begin on Monday, April 29. We apologize for any inconvenience and are working with Samsung to deliver the device to T-Mobile customers as soon as possible."


source?


----------



## LuckyDuck69

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ANDMYGUN*
> 
> source?


T-Mobile customer service. Get on the site and click on their webchat link. Ask them yourself and see if you get the same answer. I'm guessing it a standard message they were told to give out regarding the device.


----------



## ANDMYGUN

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LuckyDuck69*
> 
> T-Mobile customer service. Get on the site and click on their webchat link. Ask them yourself and see if you get the same answer. I'm guessing it a standard message they were told to give out regarding the device.


Yep, oh well, gotta wait a few more days. Cheers.


----------



## michintom

I'm suppose to get mine tomorrow but its been stuck at FedEx Fort Worth since yesterday


----------



## koulaid

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *michintom*
> 
> I'm suppose to get mine tomorrow but its been stuck at FedEx Fort Worth since yesterday


got mines this morning. loving it so far except that my data service isnt on yet.


----------



## michintom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *koulaid*
> 
> got mines this morning. loving it so far except that my data service isnt on yet.


Just got mine! Had to contact AT&T to get my voice, text, and data back. I know this phones still plastic but the build quality is a lot better than I expected.


----------



## koulaid

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *michintom*
> 
> Just got mine! Had to contact AT&T to get my voice, text, and data back. I know this phones still plastic but the build quality is a lot better than I expected.


Yea I had to call them twice, but they still couldn't get my unlimited data back, so they opened up a case. For the mean time the lady put me on the 3gb plan until they figure out what was wrong. Build quality is not the best, but it is super light.


----------



## blackend

I got both color


----------



## Koehler

What color is everyone getting?

The black mist version looks very classy.


----------



## Mad Pistol

I preordered a Black Mist version for Verizon on Thursday. Too bad it's going to be a while before it gets here.


----------



## sWaY20

I think I may go with black, I have a white note 2 and I'm bored with the white.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## MRoFlare

just picked up S4 for my wife and im still on my note 2... S4 is sweet! cant wait for Note 3 bc I enjoy the larger screen


----------



## DOM.

My contract is up this month not sure if to get s4 or note.... S4 is just going to be $136 after company discount and rebate









When does the note 3 come out ?


----------



## JMattes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> My contract is up this month not sure if to get s4 or note.... S4 is just going to be $136 after company discount and rebate
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When does the note 3 come out ?


Novemeber?? I asked that earlier and was told not any time soon


----------



## DuckKnuckle

I just ordered my SGS4.

Should be arriving within a week or two









Upgrading from the Nokia N8 so I'm looking forward to that. Been held back far too much with Symbian.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JMattes*
> 
> Novemeber?? I asked that earlier and was told not any time soon


I have no clue lol haven't look at phones in the past 2yrs been using HTC EVO 4G

The note 2 is $214, iPhone 5 $114, HTC 1 $114, s3 free

So guess i need to look at which is the best for the price still have a few more days to pick one


----------



## ANDMYGUN

Just ordered the black (blue?) for $217 shipped. Will be here on the 7th. I'm excited!


----------



## Axon14

I got my hands on a floor model yesterday in NYC, and I have to say that it is an incredible phone. I'm switching from Apple. You just can't deny how amazing that screen is. The S4 is everything I wanted the S3 to be.

I have the grandfathered unlimited data on AT&T. If I upgrade from Iphone 4, will I lose my unlimited data? The sales rep at the AT&T store told me that I would KEEP my unlimited data (with a small, $36 "upgrade" charge for switching to LTE - pure extortion), but I'm wary of anyone trying to sell me something. Any experiences?


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Axon14*
> 
> I got my hands on a floor model yesterday in NYC, and I have to say that it is an incredible phone. I'm switching from Apple. You just can't deny how amazing that screen is. The S4 is everything I wanted the S3 to be.
> 
> I have the grandfathered unlimited data on AT&T. If I upgrade from Iphone 4, will I lose my unlimited data? The sales rep at the AT&T store told me that I would keep unlimited data, but I'm wary of anyone trying to sell me something. Any experiences?


I think you would lose it, but I'm not sure for att.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## switchback-

As long as you don't change your plan, you should keep your unlimited data.
Worked for all my upgrades since AT&T killed it off and only kept the grandfathered people.


----------



## Axon14

Thanks guys.


----------



## JMattes

At Verizon if you upgrade you lose your grandfathered data..

If you keep your grandfathered data at AT&T power to you!


----------



## ANDMYGUN

So thinking of picking up the SPIGEN Neo Hybrid but I kinda want something more metal? Do they make metal cases?


----------



## DOM.

found this on ebay Luxury Brushed Aluminum Chrome Hard Case for Samsung Galaxy S4 IV i9500 Black

nvm its Made by high quality Plastic material,with Aluminum skin decoration above, Chrome around make the case


----------



## sWaY20

I'll leave this here. For the people who think Samsung has gimmicky features, this actually shows then being useful.

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7ZBx/samsung-galaxy-s-4-pool-party

tappin from the Note II


----------



## Zhohner

I Had the Black i9500 (Exynos 5 Version) on preorder since late March and it arrived the other day. After spending some time with it I can definitely say that it's an incredible phone and I'm extremely happy with it.


----------



## Roadkill95

Had some hands on time with the s4, impressive display and very fluid but looks a lot worse than the gs3.


----------



## LuckyDuck69

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Roadkill95*
> 
> Had some hands on time with the s4, impressive display and very fluid but looks a lot worse than the gs3.


u must have had a bad screen


----------



## Leyaena

Does anyone else have trouble with the eye detection not working most of the time, depending on the lighting in the room? Makes me want to just switch off the feature, since it makes an otherwise amazing phone somewhat unreliable...


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leyaena*
> 
> Does anyone else have trouble with the eye detection not working most of the time, depending on the lighting in the room? Makes me want to just switch off the feature, since it makes an otherwise amazing phone somewhat unreliable...


I use it, need adequate lighting for it to work properly. The face rotation thing I find irritating though.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## Koehler

The SGS4 has a much better design than the SGS3.


----------



## Roadkill95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LuckyDuck69*
> 
> u must have had a bad screen


oh no not the display,the aesthetics. The s4 has like pattern all over the phone that just ruins the cleanliness of the design. Also its front is way too cluttered, and the notification LED is off center which makes it look weird.


----------



## LuckyDuck69

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Roadkill95*
> 
> oh no not the display,the aesthetics. The s4 has like pattern all over the phone that just ruins the cleanliness of the design. Also its front is way too cluttered, and the notification LED is off center which makes it look weird.


Thats kind of picky, don't you think? Lol

But you might want to check out Skinit.com

Cheers


----------



## j3poysy

I tried the GS4 demo unit and compared it with my GS2 and the contrast in the GS4 doesn't seem as good as the GS2? I tried both in max brightness with the Standard profile. Anyone noticed the same?


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *j3poysy*
> 
> I tried the GS4 demo unit and compared it with my GS2 and the contrast in the GS4 doesn't seem as good as the GS2? I tried both in max brightness with the Standard profile. Anyone noticed the same?


I've tried both side by side both on 100% brightness. The GS4 has the much brighter screen.


----------



## PinzaC55

If you have a Note 2 (I do) and you are in the UK there's little point in buying an S4 because it "only" has a quad core CPU, not an 8 core. I compared them in a local phone shop and its not worth the extra cost.


----------



## ANDMYGUN

Sister got her S4 a few days ago and I get mine on monday, though for some odd reason we can't the get the hover function to work







everything is enabled and we've tried having the room really bright, no luck.


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ANDMYGUN*
> 
> Sister got her S4 a few days ago and I get mine on monday, though for some odd reason we can't the get the hover function to work
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> everything is enabled and we've tried having the room really bright, no luck.


Do you mean Air View? Have you toggled it on?

If you have, make sure nothing is touching the display. It sometimes happens because there is physically something on the display (even a big case which slightly touches the display might cause it not to work). Also screen protectors may also be an issue as well.

Air View works best when nothing is on the display. It's because the touchscreen is ultra-sensitive. There's a video on YouTube where the reviewer used his iPhone 5 to use the Galaxy S4 (literally used the iPhone 5 like a stylus).


----------



## mimart7

I can hardly wait until until mid July, then I can upgrade my Skyrocket for the S4. Right now, there isn't recovery for this phone, at least for AT&T. There aren't any roms available as well, because this phone was just released. Once I get my hands on a S4, the warranty will be voided in a matter of minutes.


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mimart7*
> 
> I can hardly wait until until mid July, then I can upgrade my Skyrocket for the S4. Right now, there isn't recovery for this phone, at least for AT&T. There aren't any roms available as well, because this phone was just released. Once I get my hands on a S4, the warranty will be voided in a matter of minutes.


From the SGS2 Skyrocket to the SGS4 is a huge upgrade.


----------



## Strider_2001

I like ur way of thinking


----------



## Mad Pistol

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PinzaC55*
> 
> If you have a Note 2 (I do) and you are in the UK there's little point in buying an S4 because it "only" has a quad core CPU, not an 8 core. I compared them in a local phone shop and its not worth the extra cost.


The Snapdragon 600 in the S4 is much faster than the Exynos 4412 quad in the Note 2.

That being said, If you already have a Note 2, upgrading to an S4 seems pointless.


----------



## Emu105

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mad Pistol*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PinzaC55*
> 
> If you have a Note 2 (I do) and you are in the UK there's little point in buying an S4 because it "only" has a quad core CPU, not an 8 core. I compared them in a local phone shop and its not worth the extra cost.
> 
> 
> 
> The Snapdragon 600 in the S4 is much faster than the Exynos 4412 quad in the Note 2.
> 
> That being said, If you already have a Note 2, upgrading to an S4 seems pointless.
Click to expand...

You know what's the crazy thing, the note 2 feels smoother than the s4... and its really annoying me.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Emu105*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mad Pistol*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PinzaC55*
> 
> If you have a Note 2 (I do) and you are in the UK there's little point in buying an S4 because it "only" has a quad core CPU, not an 8 core. I compared them in a local phone shop and its not worth the extra cost.
> 
> 
> 
> The Snapdragon 600 in the S4 is much faster than the Exynos 4412 quad in the Note 2.
> 
> That being said, If you already have a Note 2, upgrading to an S4 seems pointless.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> You know what's the crazy thing, the note 2 feels smoother than the s4... and its really annoying me.
Click to expand...

Is the note 2 running a custom Rom?

tappin from the Note II


----------



## PinzaC55

My Note 2 is not running a custom ROM and it does everything I want from it, easily. I bought it shortly after release for £430 whereas the S4 is quoted new on Ebay at £572. I am damned if I can see why I should shell out another £132?


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PinzaC55*
> 
> My Note 2 is not running a custom ROM and it does everything I want from it, easily. I bought it shortly after release for £430 whereas the S4 is quoted new on Ebay at £572. I am damned if I can see why I should shell out another £132?


Well the note 2 is only 6 months old and running a quad core exynos processor and 2 gig of memory, it's not far off from the gs4. Of course it wouldn't be an upgrade to switch to the gs4 from the n2.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## PinzaC55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Well the note 2 is only 6 months old and running a quad core exynos processor and 2 gig of memory, it's not far off from the gs4. Of course it wouldn't be an upgrade to switch to the gs4 from the n2.
> 
> tappin from the Note II


I will wait for the Note 3 which is expected in September.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PinzaC55*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Well the note 2 is only 6 months old and running a quad core exynos processor and 2 gig of memory, it's not far off from the gs4. Of course it wouldn't be an upgrade to switch to the gs4 from the n2.
> 
> tappin from the Note II
> 
> 
> 
> I will wait for the Note 3 which is expected in September.
Click to expand...

Well it probably won't be any different in performance from the gs4, and the note 2 came out in November so expect it then not September. Unless they put the snapdragon 800 in the note 3, it'll be identical to the gs4 in hardware.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## Leyaena

my guess is they'll put the Exynos into the note 3, rather than the snapdragon.


----------



## PinzaC55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Well it probably won't be any different in performance from the gs4, and the note 2 came out in November so expect it then not September. Unless they put the snapdragon 800 in the note 3, it'll be identical to the gs4 in hardware.
> 
> tappin from the Note II


Since there are no known specs for the Note 3 yet this is pure speculation.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PinzaC55*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Well it probably won't be any different in performance from the gs4, and the note 2 came out in November so expect it then not September. Unless they put the snapdragon 800 in the note 3, it'll be identical to the gs4 in hardware.
> 
> tappin from the Note II
> 
> 
> 
> Since there are no known specs for the Note 3 yet this is pure speculation.
Click to expand...

I know it's speculation, did you not read my post? It's a very good guess on what will go in it though, more than what it'll look like. If it's an exynos processor they'll put the 5 in it if it's snapdragon it'll either be 600 or 800, it's not a mystery. Out of those, it won't preform out of this world better than the gs4 though which is what I was getting at.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## JMattes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> I know it's speculation, did you not read my post? It's a very good guess on what will go in it though, more than what it'll look like. If it's an exynos processor they'll put the 5 in it if it's snapdragon it'll either be 600 or 800, it's not a mystery. Out of those, it won't preform out of this world better than the gs4 though which is what I was getting at.
> 
> tappin from the Note II


I like your lopgic and your reasoning sWaY20.. Your one of the more level headed posters in this thread..

Wish the Note 3 was coming sooner its a long ways away.. Got the Galaxy Nexus in my pocket and I wouldn't mind the size of the Note 2, but I am the kinda person wants the newest thing once it comes out.. Don't know if I should just get the S4 though..


----------



## PinzaC55

There's a problem with waiting for the "next great thing" and its a simple one; it may be great or it may be crap. You don't know the specs or the cost. I remember on the Phandroid forums one guy was agonising over whether to get a Galaxy S3 or wait for an Iphone 5. I put it to him that the Galaxy S3 was already available and pretty much everybody agreed it was the best phone on the market, whereas nobody knew anything about the Iphone 5 except that it would almost certainly be VERY expensive. The Iphone 5 of course turned out to be underwhelming and have the problems with "out of the box" damage and marks and of course the Maps debacle.


----------



## JMattes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PinzaC55*
> 
> There's a problem with waiting for the "next great thing" and its a simple one; it may be great or it may be crap. You don't know the specs or the cost. I remember on the Phandroid forums one guy was agonising over whether to get a Galaxy S3 or wait for an Iphone 5. I put it to him that the Galaxy S3 was already available and pretty much everybody agreed it was the best phone on the market, whereas nobody knew anything about the Iphone 5 except that it would almost certainly be VERY expensive. The Iphone 5 of course turned out to be underwhelming and have the problems with "out of the box" damage and marks and of course the Maps debacle.


I agree.. I did the waiting game when I went from my original Droid to the Galaxy Nexus..I got lucky then...

My phone for the most part works fine.. So I don't really need a new phone.. Just got the upgrade bug and tired of the ****ty battery life.


----------



## silverh20

That upgrade bug will bite you hard. I've noticed lately I've got this terrible itch whenever I pick up my skyrocket, I keep trying to look up when I'm eligible for an upgrade when I already know it's not till October, the itch, it burns.









Actually I still like my Skyrocket performance wise, im running a nightly of CM10.1 and recently flashed my radio back to UCLI3 because the newer ones were acting funky with switching from LTE to lower bands. Only thing that really makes me want the S4 is a bigger screen and better battery life. This Skyrocket gobbles battery, especially because I have to keep my work exchange sync set to auto to allow my calendar to sync properly. I carry 2 extra batteries in the car. (also why I can't bring myself to get the HTC One, need to have extra batteries just in case)


----------



## PinzaC55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JMattes*
> 
> I agree.. I did the waiting game when I went from my original Droid to the Galaxy Nexus..I got lucky then...
> 
> My phone for the most part works fine.. So I don't really need a new phone.. *Just got the upgrade bug* and tired of the ****ty battery life.


"Just got the upgrade bug" That of course is the trouble, we all have the upgrade bug and the phone manufacturers trade on that. I'm trying to kick the bug and like I said earlier I don't think the S4 offers enough to justify the extra cost. If the Note 3 is something exceptional I may get one but I will not be driven by the Upgrade Bug. The Note 3 will have to be able to teleport me or turn lead into gold if they want my money. BTW I have seen the HTC One and it didn't impress me enough to even consider it.


----------



## JMattes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PinzaC55*
> 
> "Just got the upgrade bug" That of course is the trouble, we all have the upgrade bug and the phone manufacturers trade on that. I'm trying to kick the bug and like I said earlier I don't think the S4 offers enough to justify the extra cost. If the Note 3 is something exceptional I may get one but I will not be driven by the Upgrade Bug. The Note 3 will have to be able to teleport me or turn lead into gold if they want my money. BTW I have seen the HTC One and it didn't impress me enough to even consider it.


Yea but what phone are you on now? If you going from a Note 2 to S4 its not justified, but I would like to think a Galaxy Nexus to S4 is justified..No?


----------



## PinzaC55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JMattes*
> 
> Yea but what phone are you on now? If you going from a Note 2 to S4 its not justified, but I would like to think a Galaxy Nexus to S4 is justified..No?


I'm on a Note 2. As for the Galaxy Nexus I have never owned one nor do I know anyone who owns one so I can't really comment from experience. Looking at the Nexuses specs though I would definitely want an upgrade! S4 if you want the latest, Note 2 if you want a fantastic phone for less than the S4.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PinzaC55*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *JMattes*
> 
> Yea but what phone are you on now? If you going from a Note 2 to S4 its not justified, but I would like to think a Galaxy Nexus to S4 is justified..No?
> 
> 
> 
> I'm on a Note 2. As for the Galaxy Nexus I have never owned one nor do I know anyone who owns one so I can't really comment from experience. Looking at the Nexuses specs though I would definitely want an upgrade! S4 if you want the latest, Note 2 if you want a fantastic phone for less than the S4.
Click to expand...

Gs4 is cheaper than the note 2, note 2 is still 300$.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## PinzaC55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Gs4 is cheaper than the note 2, note 2 is still 300$.
> 
> tappin from the Note II


Not in the UK.

Note 2 Sim free from 3.co.uk = £510 http://store.three.co.uk/view/product/ql_catalog/threecatdevice/2562

Galaxy S4 Sim free from 3.co.uk = £550 http://store.three.co.uk/Samsung_Galaxy_S4


----------



## JMattes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Gs4 is cheaper than the note 2, note 2 is still 300$.
> 
> tappin from the Note II


That's true! Still not sure if I want to go with a larger screen with the Note 2.. or just stay slightly bigger with the S4..

I would hate to lose me grand fathered unlimited data with Verizon, but I dont think thats an option as sooner or later I will need a new phone.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PinzaC55*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Gs4 is cheaper than the note 2, note 2 is still 300$.
> 
> tappin from the Note II
> 
> 
> 
> Not in the UK.
> 
> Note 2 Sim free from 3.co.uk = £510 http://store.three.co.uk/view/product/ql_catalog/threecatdevice/2562
> 
> Galaxy S4 Sim free from 3.co.uk = £550 http://store.three.co.uk/Samsung_Galaxy_S4
Click to expand...

Ah I was thinking on contract only.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JMattes*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Gs4 is cheaper than the note 2, note 2 is still 300$.
> 
> tappin from the Note II
> 
> 
> 
> That's true! Still not sure if I want to go with a larger screen with the Note 2.. or just stay slightly bigger with the S4..
> 
> I would hate to lose me grand fathered unlimited data with Verizon, but I dont think thats an option as sooner or later I will need a new phone.
Click to expand...

Well you could always buy the phone through Verizon out right now that they have that option. It's 20$ a month added on to your bill, I'd just pay as much down as I could and pay on the rest until you could pay it off. They're trying to be like t mobile but in Verizon's own crappy way, which is the only option for people sometimes.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## JMattes

True, but then your paying like $500-700 for the phone... Like most people I dont need unlimited data, I never even hit 1gb..

I see $200 with contract for the S4 and $299 for the Note 2. But then need to pay a $30 upgrade fee.. got to love it..

I could get the Note 2 and play with it for a month and return it if I dont like it or want to try to the S4.. They still allow that for a month right or was it 15 days?

They charge restocking or anything?


----------



## PinzaC55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JMattes*
> 
> True, but then your paying like $500-700 for the phone... Like most people I dont need unlimited data, I never even hit 1gb..
> 
> I see $200 with contract for the S4 and $299 for the Note 2. But then need to pay a $30 upgrade fee.. got to love it..
> 
> I could get the Note 2 and play with it for a month and return it if I dont like it or want to try to the S4.. They still allow that for a month right or was it 15 days?
> 
> They charge restocking or anything?


That's why I always buy my phone outright. I paid £430 for my Note 2 on Ebay (unwanted upgrade) and sold my S3 for £230. I then have a 6 month contract with TalkMobile which costs £8 a month for 1000 texts, 240 minutes talk and 500Mb data. When I am done with the Note 2 I sell it and get the next one.


----------



## Koehler

Right now I think the SGS4 is more worth it than the Galaxy Note 2 because the Galaxy Note 3 is coming out by the end of this year.

If you really want a large screened device now, get the Galaxy Note 2. If in doubt however, get the SGS4. It's plenty big but not too big. It fits in all pockets and I can use it single handed. Text is large enough and the display really catches your eyes.


----------



## ANDMYGUN

I finally got my s4 today and I love it. Not to much of a fan of touchwiz but I'll live with it until I root. All in all I think I'm I love









Sent from my Galaxy S4


----------



## Remix65

i really dont see the difference btwn an gs3 and note 2. they seem like the same thing. but with the note 2 you start to develop a supeeriority complex which is not good...



scared to trade a note 2 for the s4 cause size just feels like a downgrade...


----------



## DuckKnuckle

I received my SGS4 yesterday and I'm loving it. The upgrade from my N8 to this is incredible. Really happy with the size and feel of the device. It is quite light but it doesn't feel as if it'll break or be damaged.

My only issue is when I had to take the back cover off. It was very flimsy but I won't be taking it off again in the foreseeable future so it's not a problem.

I would recommend this phone.


----------



## Aleckazee

Can't imagine the battery life with a 1080p display and 2 quad core processors (what for?!?!). Loving the 3GB ram idea tho.


----------



## Livefreeordie89

I have the phone for Sprint. I have enjoyed the features, but still having trouble getting the air gesture to work. The speed is great, but sometimes it likes to freeze when using the Samsung flip cover with the cut out for the screen. It will freeze going from the basic information to the standard lock screen.


----------



## PinzaC55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> I received my SGS4 yesterday and I'm loving it. The upgrade from my N8 to this is incredible. Really happy with the size and feel of the device. It is quite light but it doesn't feel as if it'll break or be damaged.
> 
> My only issue is when I had to take the back cover off. It was very flimsy but I won't be taking it off again in the foreseeable future so it's not a problem.
> 
> I would recommend this phone.


You had a Nokia N8? I used to have one and it would have been an amazing phone if only it used Android. The build quality was incredible.


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PinzaC55*
> 
> You had a Nokia N8? I used to have one and it would have been an amazing phone if only it used Android. The build quality was incredible.


Yeah the phone was incredibly sturdy. It's a pity the device was Symbian. The store was extremely limited and browsing was rather slow at times.


----------



## Koehler

What are the best apps and launchers for the SGS4?

Bought the S-View case for my SGS4! Very classy and I highly recommend it.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> What are the best apps and launchers for the SGS4?
> 
> Bought the S-View case for my SGS4! Very classy and I highly recommend it.


Wouldn't use anything but nova launcher

tappin from the Note II


----------



## ANDMYGUN

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Wouldn't use anything but nova launcher
> 
> tappin from the Note II


nova? I'll have to try that.

As for what apps to get I bought tapatalk and it's pretty awesome, also swiftkey for me is a must. It's the best keyboard I ever used.


----------



## Miki

I prefer Apex over Nova.

I own the premium version of both, and have used both extensively. I won't dive into exactly why I like Apex better (tl;dr type of post), it's probably the same reason some prefer Nova over it.

Anyway, May 10th I guess AT&T is getting a 32GB version of the Galaxy S4. ^_^


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Miki*
> 
> I prefer Apex over Nova.
> 
> I own the premium version of both, and have used both extensively. I won't dive into exactly why I like Apex better (tl;dr type of post), it's probably the same reason some prefer Nova over it.
> 
> Anyway, May 10th I guess AT&T is getting a 32GB version of the Galaxy S4. ^_^


Yeah apex and nova are similar, but they have their differences. I've been following nova since its very first beta release and of course tried apex, but I just stayed loyal to nova. Best to try both imo.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## Evil Penguin

I've used nothing but iPhones for the past few years and I finally made the switch to Android (from an iPhone 4S).
I got my SGS4 yesterday and wow, it's a night and day difference between the two.
I really appreciate the freedom I have in comparison.


----------



## DragonFang

May I can ask here what you guys would recommend between an S4 and Note II?

Since the Galaxy S4 and Note II are practically at the same price and somewhat similar processor/ram capability I'm kinda torn which unit to get when I sign up for a contract with my local service provider.


----------



## Leyaena

If you aren't dead set on the note 2's larger screen, I'd fully recommend the s4!


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DragonFang*
> 
> May I can ask here what you guys would recommend between an S4 and Note II?
> 
> Since the Galaxy S4 and Note II are practically at the same price and somewhat similar processor/ram capability I'm kinda torn which unit to get when I sign up for a contract with my local service provider.


I agree, I'd go with the gs4. They do the exact same stuff, minus the spen on the note. The note 2 does have the better battery but the gs4 is newer, faster, and screen is better.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## j3poysy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DragonFang*
> 
> May I can ask here what you guys would recommend between an S4 and Note II?
> 
> Since the Galaxy S4 and Note II are practically at the same price and somewhat similar processor/ram capability I'm kinda torn which unit to get when I sign up for a contract with my local service provider.


I guess it depends on your hand size lol. The s4 is very comfortable to hold for most people, unless you have gigantic hands then note 2 would be better. Hardware wise s4 > note 2 for now.


----------



## DragonFang

Thanks, I guess it's on to S4 then.


----------



## Axon14

Guys, just got my S4. Beautiful phone. there is a keyboard that everyone likes for android....it's like $5. what's it called?

EDIT: Swiftkey, got it


----------



## sWaY20

No Swype love? It's the fastest way to type, especially one handed, just sayin.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## sWaY20

It left beta a few weeks ago and is now in the play store, in case anyone is interested.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## Axon14

would you say swype is better? doesn't matter to me much. I just need autocorrect and next word prediction.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Axon14*
> 
> would you say swype is better? doesn't matter to me much. I just need autocorrect and next word prediction.


To me Swype is the best keyboard invention since the actual keyboard, or something like that.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## Axon14

I'll give it a shot, thanks for the advice









this phone is a quantum leap over my iphone 4. it's stupid how much better it is


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Axon14*
> 
> I'll give it a shot, thanks for the advice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> this phone is a quantum leap over my iphone 4. it's stupid how much better it is


If Apple wasn't so behind and stubborn, it wouldn't be like that.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## PinzaC55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Axon14*
> 
> I'll give it a shot, thanks for the advice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> this phone is a quantum leap over my iphone 4. it's stupid how much better it is


Nice to see another one coming over from the Dark Side.


----------



## sWaY20

Can anyone tell me if the gs4 has multicolored led notification, like note 2?

tappin from the Nexus 10


----------



## Chris13002

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Can anyone tell me if the gs4 has multicolored led notification, like note 2?
> 
> tappin from the Nexus 10


Looks like it...









Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!











The keyboard is one main reason I purchased the iPad Mini over a Nexus 7... I need to be able to type on a device.
When I got my S4, the keyboard wasn't that great - even with it's stock swype...

But SwiftKey and swiftflow beta made my life sooooooo much better on the S4, i'd happily pay twice as much for the application because it simply works that well...


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chris13002*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Can anyone tell me if the gs4 has multicolored led notification, like note 2?
> 
> tappin from the Nexus 10
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like it...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The keyboard is one main reason I purchased the iPad Mini over a Nexus 7... I need to be able to type on a device.
> When I got my S4, the keyboard wasn't that great - even with it's stock swype...
> 
> But SwiftKey and swiftflow beta made my life sooooooo much better on the S4, i'd happily pay twice as much for the application because it simply works that well...
Click to expand...

Did the gs4 have Swype, or a Swype like keyboard? There are a few keyboard now that have Swype technique enabled, Google stock keyboard, Samsung keyboard, and I think swiftkey flow. The real Swype is way better and way more accurate than those copying it.

tappin from the Nexus 10


----------



## ANDMYGUN

Quick question about launchers, not a fan of touchwiz and after giving nova a try I quite like it. Just wondering should I remove everything from the touchwiz desktop? Are all those widgets running in the background?

Sent from my Galaxy S4


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ANDMYGUN*
> 
> Quick question about launchers, not a fan of touchwiz and after giving nova a try I quite like it. Just wondering should I remove everything from the touchwiz desktop? Are all those widgets running in the background?
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy S4


You can run whatever widgets you want on nova, if they're there you can use them. If you don't have a widget on your screen, it shouldn't be running depending on what the widget is for.

tappin from the note 2


----------



## Emu105

Hey guys i have the redish tint and ghosting on my S4 any you guys having that same problem?

EDIT: looks like the screen blurs with low light and brightness all the way down.

This what i mean

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Is-your-Samsung-Galaxy-S4-screen-giving-you-the-scrolling-blur-and-purplepink-inversion-treatment-You-are-not-alone_id42563


----------



## Marin

http://goincase.com/products/category/Galaxy+S4


----------



## ravimalhotra546

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrDarkTempler*
> 
> Thats not a real picture of S4 someone just did a quick concept art with pure google interface on it
> 
> Samsung never do software button. Only when they make nexus one for google
> 
> No one know how exactly how looks yet


Hey don't mind me asking this question, may I know then what's the real image of Samsung S4, because i really thought its real, but if it's not then, i would request you to please attach the correct pic please...


----------



## GTRagnarok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ravimalhotra546*
> 
> Hey don't mind me asking this question, may I know then what's the real image of Samsung S4, because i really thought its real, but if it's not then, i would request you to please attach the correct pic please...


...what? The S4 is already out. Why are you asking for a picture of it?


----------



## DuckKnuckle

I must say I am extremely impressed with the S4s battery life. I fully charged it, took it off charge at 08h30, used it regularly throughout the day while being connected to 3G and Wi-Fi at times and having only power saver enabled. I eventually put it back on back at 02h00 and the battery was on 54% remaining.

Roughly 17hours 30min and not even halfway. Very impressed.


----------



## Axon14

A couple things I've noted after having my S4 for 24 hours:

There is an odd...slowness (or perhaps chopiness) to the device at times, which I find surprising. For example, I'll be scrolling along any given article on CNN.com, and the screen scroll is not smooth - it's kinda choppy, at least compared to my iphone. Is this related to the dreaded "touchwiz UI" I hear so many bad things about? Or just something i have to live with? You'd think the simple things would be done well.

Second is Apps tend to stick a little bit sometimes and can be slow to load. Anything I can do to change that? What's this rooting I hear about? Does that speed things up? I just want the basic apps I use to run quickly. There are like, a million symbols at the top of the device that must be other apps running. Maybe shutting that off would speed things up?


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Axon14*
> 
> A couple things I've noted after having my S4 for 24 hours:
> 
> There is an odd...slowness (or perhaps chopiness) to the device at times, which I find surprising. For example, I'll be scrolling along any given article on CNN.com, and the screen scroll is not smooth - it's kinda choppy, at least compared to my iphone. Is this related to the dreaded "touchwiz UI" I hear so many bad things about? Or just something i have to live with? You'd think the simple things would be done well.
> 
> Second is Apps tend to stick a little bit sometimes and can be slow to load. Anything I can do to change that? What's this rooting I hear about? Does that speed things up? I just want the basic apps I use to run quickly. There are like, a million symbols at the top of the device that must be other apps running. Maybe shutting that off would speed things up?


There's quite a few threads on this on xda, others are calling it a stutter. Most get rid of it by turning off a lot of the motion options. I heard the new update fixed most people's but not everyone's.

From what I've read it's only on the snapdragon version, the octa core gs4 is smooth as butter. Apparently Samsung isn't optimizing the snapdragon to their software very well, which is causing some stutter and lag here and there. Once you can root and flash roms that are tweaked on there, it'll be a whole different animal. Unless another update comes out. You shouldn't have to root to get a smooth experience, but it's faster than waiting on the manufacturer to update it.

tappin from the note II


----------



## Kanalplus

Reading throught all this post my desire to replace my N4 (battery main reason) for past few months with S4 just disappeared... Would not want to cash out €700 for buggy and laggy phone and especially not rooting it... see no point to be honest as i need "good to go" device out of the box

Wish my N4 had a Note 2 battery...


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kanalplus*
> 
> Reading throught all this post my desire to replace my N4 (battery main reason) for past few months with S4 just disappeared... Would not want to cash out €700 for buggy and laggy phone and especially not rooting it... see no point to be honest as i need "good to go" device out of the box
> 
> Wish my N4 had a Note 2 battery...


Go with a note 2 then, you wouldn't be disappointed.

tappin from the note II


----------



## Remix65

Could also get an extended batt for it. I got my previous s3 with a morphine juice pack extended batt (used in mint condition) and loved it. It took me a while to get over it even when id already had this note 2 and 2 iphone 5's. The s3 and iphones are now sold and ill be getting an s4 to try it out...


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Axon14*
> 
> A couple things I've noted after having my S4 for 24 hours:
> 
> There is an odd...slowness (or perhaps chopiness) to the device at times, which I find surprising. For example, I'll be scrolling along any given article on CNN.com, and the screen scroll is not smooth - it's kinda choppy, at least compared to my iphone. Is this related to the dreaded "touchwiz UI" I hear so many bad things about? Or just something i have to live with? You'd think the simple things would be done well.
> 
> Second is Apps tend to stick a little bit sometimes and can be slow to load. Anything I can do to change that? What's this rooting I hear about? Does that speed things up? I just want the basic apps I use to run quickly. There are like, a million symbols at the top of the device that must be other apps running. Maybe shutting that off would speed things up?


Not the case for me.

If it's Internet (stock) or Chrome then I get zero lag.

If it's a random app and I get lag, it's probably the app's fault.


----------



## ANDMYGUN

Alright might be obvious but is there an app that let's you turn on and off the tv?

Sent from my Galaxy S4


----------



## ANDMYGUN

After searching around for a bit I found out it's the WatchOn app







Cheers!

Ninja Edit: This was suppose to be a edit on my other comment... Messed that one up.

Sent from my Galaxy S4


----------



## Liranan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Miki*
> 
> I prefer Apex over Nova.
> 
> I own the premium version of both, and have used both extensively. I won't dive into exactly why I like Apex better (tl;dr type of post), it's probably the same reason some prefer Nova over it.
> 
> Anyway, May 10th I guess AT&T is getting a 32GB version of the Galaxy S4. ^_^


I use Apex on my S2 but would like to hear what your reasons are.


----------



## Yoneda

I see you guys are raving over this phone, but why? I went into my local mobile phone shop to choose a new smartphone, coming from a pathetically underpowered and undersized iPhone 4, and when using the S4 it felt odd. So I gave it a flex, and boy did the entire phone flex like a convertible. On the other hand, the HTC One was solid as a rock, way more smooth interface, better keyboard (well, easiest for me to type on anyway), and felt overall much higher quality.
So thats the phone I bought, and I couldnt be happier.


----------



## Chris13002

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Yoneda*
> 
> I see you guys are raving over this phone, but why? I went into my local mobile phone shop to choose a new smartphone, coming from a pathetically underpowered and undersized iPhone 4, and when using the *S4 it felt odd. So I gave it a flex, and boy did the entire phone flex like a convertible.* On the other hand, the HTC One was solid as a rock, way more smooth interface, better keyboard (well, easiest for me to type on anyway), and felt overall much higher quality.
> So thats the phone I bought, and I couldnt be happier.


I started this thread here if you want to compare to the HTC One...
But Flex on the S4; and much to make it flex like a convertible? Even such over exaggeration is false to me as the S4 really is solid, especially compared to the S3. Are you talking just about the back cover? Is this really an S4 you were using?
It sure may feel cheap to some, but I have mines right now in my hands, trying to 'bend' or see any flex whatsoever. I was even expecting it to make some cheap plastic cracking noise but do not. This phone is solid, even if it's made of plastic.
Quote:


> I see you guys are raving over this phone, but why?


It's faster (1.9 ghz vs 1.7ghz)
Higher detailed quality images especially in the day light (13mp vs 4mp)
Bigger screen with SuperAMOLED which makes it a much more pleasant movie viewing experience, especially in the dark (which I tend to do)
Battery life - S4's 2600MaH vs HTC One's 2300MaH - article here showing battery comparisons...


----------



## PinzaC55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chris13002*
> 
> I started this thread here if you want to compare to the HTC One...
> But Flex on the S4; and much to make it flex like a convertible? Even such over exaggeration is false to me as the S4 really is solid, especially compared to the S3. Are you talking just about the back cover? Is this really an S4 you were using?
> It sure may feel cheap to some, but I have mines right now in my hands, trying to 'bend' or see any flex whatsoever. I was even expecting it to make some cheap plastic cracking noise but do not. This phone is solid, even if it's made of plastic.
> 
> It's faster (1.9 ghz vs 1.7ghz)
> Higher detailed quality images especially in the day light (13mp vs 4mp)
> Bigger screen with SuperAMOLED which makes it a much more pleasant movie viewing experience, especially in the dark (which I tend to do)
> Battery life - S4's 2600MaH vs HTC One's 2300MaH - article here showing battery comparisons...


You're confusing people with *FACTS* Enough already.


----------



## Koehler

I use Nova launcher on my Samsung Galaxy S4.

Nova launcher > Apex.

I got the black mist version.

The phone feels solid and the design is sexy.

I prefer polycarbonate (plastic) over metal or glass. Polycarbonate is one of the most durable materials. Much more durable than both metal or glass.


----------



## Remix65

I wouldnt really care too much about thd build of any phone cause they should all be in a a protective [email protected] build.


----------



## epik

Htc fans resort to absurd measures to feel betterabout their gimicky metal phone. When have you ever seen people flex a phone before to see if its something they might want to buy.

See, if I bend it like this I hear creaks. My bigger, heavier, bulky bezeled, too cold, too hot, slippery, nonflexing brick in my pocket with the smaller screen is superior. Ill go into samsung threads to brag about it. Yeah, thatll show them.


----------



## Remix65

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *epik*
> 
> Htc fans resort to absurd measures to feel betterabout their gimicky metal phone. When have you ever seen people flex a phone before to see if its something they might want to buy.
> 
> See, if I bend it like this I hear creaks. My bigger, heavier, bulky bezeled, too cold, too hot, slippery, nonflexing brick in my pocket with the smaller screen is superior. Ill go into samsung threads to brag about it. Yeah, thatll show them.


but I think this commerxial on tv is funny
http://m.youtube.com/#/results?q=the%20wedding%20windows
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=xAvW8oVCrvQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DxAvW8oVCrvQ


----------



## j3poysy

It's been a week now that i've owned the Galaxy S4 and i will say that the lag bothers me a lot. This should already be nonexistent for a flagship device of 2013. I'm using the MDM firmware and 9505 variant and it lags from time to time and i'm not even on power saving mode. I hope samsung fixes this soon, aside from that the phone is a leap from my S2 and is excellent overall.


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *j3poysy*
> 
> It's been a week now that i've owned the Galaxy S4 and i will say that the lag bothers me a lot. This should already be nonexistent for a flagship device of 2013. I'm using the MDM firmware and 9505 variant and it lags from time to time and i'm not even on power saving mode. I hope samsung fixes this soon, aside from that the phone is a leap from my S2 and is excellent overall.


My Galaxy S4 hasn't been lagging at all.

Install Nova Launcher.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *j3poysy*
> 
> It's been a week now that i've owned the Galaxy S4 and i will say that the lag bothers me a lot. This should already be nonexistent for a flagship device of 2013. I'm using the MDM firmware and 9505 variant and it lags from time to time and i'm not even on power saving mode. I hope samsung fixes this soon, aside from that the phone is a leap from my S2 and is excellent overall.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My Galaxy S4 hasn't been lagging at all.
> 
> Install Nova Launcher.
Click to expand...

You had a note 2 right, then went to gs4?

tappin from the note II


----------



## Koehler

*Samsung says Galaxy S 4 software bloat may be trimmed with new firmware*

http://www.slashgear.com/samsung-says-galaxy-s-4-software-bloat-may-be-trimmed-with-new-firmware-16282386/


----------



## Muldoon

So Google announced the Galaxy S4 with Stock Android that they would be selling on the Play Store starting June 26 for $649 fully unlocked. Do you guys think it's a good deal? If I were to buy it it would be my first ever smartphone. I'd be upgrading from an LG Dare from 2008 haha.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Muldoon*
> 
> So Google announced the Galaxy S4 with Stock Android that they would be selling on the Play Store starting June 26 for $649 fully unlocked. Do you guys think it's a good deal? If I were to buy it it would be my first ever smartphone. I'd be upgrading from an LG Dare from 2008 haha.


I'd say it's a very good choice, unless you want all the cool features that touchwiz has which imo I like and are useful. I'm sure if you get the Google edition gs4 you'll be able to flash a tw based Rom on there anyway, so I'd go for it.

tappin from the note II


----------



## Muldoon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> I'd say it's a very good choice, unless you want all the cool features that touchwiz has which imo I like and are useful. I'm sure if you get the Google edition gs4 you'll be able to flash a tw based Rom on there anyway, so I'd go for it.
> 
> tappin from the note II


That was my main concern. I figured that there would eventually be some 3rd party apps that would restore the features that Samsung added to their version of the GS4 so having stock Android would not be a problem. I really like the idea of having an unlocked and fully paid for phone that I can then take to whichever GSM carrier I want and even take it overseas if I needed to. I am currently thinking about using T-Mobile and avoiding AT&T. T-mobile's Uncarrier plans seem like a really good choice ESPECIALLY if you are bringing over your own phone. I am always tempted to tell myself to wait and see what new phones come later in the year like a new Nexus or whatever but I've learned that you can play that waiting game indefinitely. There will always be something better around the corner so I'd rather just jump in now.


----------



## exzacklyright

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Muldoon*
> 
> So Google announced the Galaxy S4 with Stock Android that they would be selling on the Play Store starting June 26 for $649 fully unlocked. Do you guys think it's a good deal? If I were to buy it it would be my first ever smartphone. I'd be upgrading from an LG Dare from 2008 haha.


Terrible choice. No one in their right mind would pay for that. Plus if you get the S4 subsidized on a carrier you can root it just as easiliy and have the "google" stock android experience. Or just buy a used S3 and have the same deal. I personally am waiting for the next subsidized google phone. Until that day... I will have to suffer with my galaxy nexus.


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *exzacklyright*
> 
> Terrible choice. No one in their right mind would pay for that. Plus if you get the S4 subsidized on a carrier you can root it just as easiliy and have the "google" stock android experience. Or just buy a used S3 and have the same deal. I personally am waiting for the next subsidized google phone. Until that day... I will have to suffer with my galaxy nexus.


Why would it be a terrible idea?


----------



## lacrossewacker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Why would it be a terrible idea?


Whether or not you purchase the phone from the wireless carrier, your data rates will still be the same per month. They say that their prices are expensive because it includes the price of the phone....but when you already have the phone, they still charge you the same per month.


----------



## Mad Pistol

Just got an email from Verizon saying my S4 will be shipped on May 23rd.


----------



## exzacklyright

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Why would it be a terrible idea?


Because in 6 months it'll be worth 50% of the price.


----------



## Roadkill95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *j3poysy*
> 
> It's been a week now that i've owned the Galaxy S4 and i will say that the lag bothers me a lot. This should already be nonexistent for a flagship device of 2013. I'm using the MDM firmware and 9505 variant and it lags from time to time and i'm not even on power saving mode. I hope samsung fixes this soon, aside from that the phone is a leap from my S2 and is excellent overall.


\

Get rid of that horribad stock ROM and install Liquid smooth or Paranoidandriod on there... if they have it for the GS4 already that is. TW is such a PITA.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Roadkill95*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *j3poysy*
> 
> It's been a week now that i've owned the Galaxy S4 and i will say that the lag bothers me a lot. This should already be nonexistent for a flagship device of 2013. I'm using the MDM firmware and 9505 variant and it lags from time to time and i'm not even on power saving mode. I hope samsung fixes this soon, aside from that the phone is a leap from my S2 and is excellent overall.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> \
> 
> Get rid of that horribad stock ROM and install Liquid smooth or Paranoidandriod on there... if they have it for the GS4 already that is. TW is such a PITA.
Click to expand...

Our just put nova launcher on it, doubt they have those roms yet.

tappin from the Note II


----------



## Koehler

Nova Launcher is the best launcher for the Galaxy S4.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Nova Launcher is the best launcher for the Galaxy S4.


For any phone, tablet, anything that could use an awesome launcher. I run it on the n7, n10, gnexus, note 2, and gf maxx.

tappin from the Nexus 10


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> For any phone!
> 
> tappin from the Nexus 10


Agreed, made my S2 a heck of a lot smoother and easier to manage!


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Also wanted to add that I already have the i9505 and had to send it back because of the smudging / pinkish grayish ghosting I would experience when in the lowest screen brightness setting. This would also be noticeable when set at auto and the phone was used in a dark room (at night in bed using the phone scenario - auto setting would set it to the lowest brightness level).

Anyone else have this issue? I know in XDA they've been discussing it and all.

Now I have to wait 1 more week before they return the phone to me or give me a new one.

Really, really sucks...


----------



## ANDMYGUN

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> Also wanted to add that I already have the i9505 and had to send it back because of the smudging / pinkish grayish ghosting I would experience when in the lowest screen brightness setting. This would also be noticeable when set at auto and the phone was used in a dark room (at night in bed using the phone scenario - auto setting would set it to the lowest brightness level).
> 
> Anyone else have this issue? I know in XDA they've been discussing it and all.
> 
> Now I have to wait 1 more week before they return the phone to me or give me a new one.
> 
> Really, really sucks...


Welp, I just noticed I have this issue as well, I'm wondering if it's a software issue that can be fixed with an update? I'd really hate to send my phone back as I've already put a screen protector on and named it


----------



## Emu105

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> Also wanted to add that I already have the i9505 and had to send it back because of the smudging / pinkish grayish ghosting I would experience when in the lowest screen brightness setting. This would also be noticeable when set at auto and the phone was used in a dark room (at night in bed using the phone scenario - auto setting would set it to the lowest brightness level).
> 
> Anyone else have this issue? I know in XDA they've been discussing it and all.
> 
> Now I have to wait 1 more week before they return the phone to me or give me a new one.
> 
> Really, really sucks...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ANDMYGUN*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> Also wanted to add that I already have the i9505 and had to send it back because of the smudging / pinkish grayish ghosting I would experience when in the lowest screen brightness setting. This would also be noticeable when set at auto and the phone was used in a dark room (at night in bed using the phone scenario - auto setting would set it to the lowest brightness level).
> 
> Anyone else have this issue? I know in XDA they've been discussing it and all.
> 
> Now I have to wait 1 more week before they return the phone to me or give me a new one.
> 
> Really, really sucks...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Welp, I just noticed I have this issue as well, I'm wondering if it's a software issue that can be fixed with an update? I'd really hate to send my phone back as I've already put a screen protector on and named it
Click to expand...

Guys this was happening to me to. Guess what I'm on my 3rd phone and its happening to this one aswell... 3 busted phones great just great...


----------



## ANDMYGUN

Alright, tested with all the GS4's in my house (3 of 'em) and they all do it.. I've come to the conclusion that I won't be sending mine back but man.. I'm really hoping this is a software issue that can be fixed with an update.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ANDMYGUN*
> 
> Alright, tested with all the GS4's in my house (3 of 'em) and they all do it.. I've come to the conclusion that I won't be sending mine back but man.. I'm really hoping this is a software issue that can be fixed with an update.


Agreed on the fact that almost all phones I've tried have this issue. Now, I regret sending in my phone and wasting all this time.

I've tried every S4 demo unit in 3 stores and all of them exhibited this (all i9505). I have 2 co-workers who knew nothing about this and after I checked their units for the same issue, found it present in both units (now both hate me for pointing it out -







).

I do hope a software update fixes this.


----------



## Koehler

Why would you set brightness to low in the first place?

The brightness setting should be maxed. That's when you actually see the great vibrancy and contrast of the SGS4s display.

Also turn "Auto adjust screen tone" off if you don't want the display to change brightness.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Why would you set brightness to low in the first place?
> 
> The brightness setting should be maxed. That's when you actually see the great vibrancy and contrast of the SGS4s display.
> 
> Also turn "Auto adjust screen tone" off if you don't want the display to change brightness.


This might be the reason why brightness setting is not maxed:

Quote:


> Keep in mind that maximum brightness changes in each mode as well as we effectively clamp things, I measured a maximum of 319 nits in Dynamic mode, 311 nits in Movie mode, and 255 nits in Standard, for example.
> 
> Running the display at maximum brightness for too long will also get you into an overheating or thermal protection mode as well, which we've seen on countless other AMOLED variants.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Why would you set brightness to low in the first place?
> 
> The brightness setting should be maxed. That's when you actually see the great vibrancy and contrast of the SGS4s display.
> 
> Also turn "Auto adjust screen tone" off if you don't want the display to change brightness.


At night and in a dark room having the display on low actually helps my eyes since the phone does have a very bright display. Have you tried your phone in your room when your messing about with it before turning in? It's actually bright enough at low setting when browsing the net or playing games, at least for my eyes.


----------



## Chris13002

Yeah it's still really bright. I proved this in the movie theater (before it started of course) but it was more than enough to cause concern for others...


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> This might be the reason why brightness setting is not maxed:


I don't have that message on my SGS4. Are you using the Exynos version or Qualcomm version?


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> I don't have that message on my SGS4. Are you using the Exynos version or Qualcomm version?


It is the Qualcomm version used by Anandtech.com during their review documented here, I don't own a GS4.


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> It is the Qualcomm version used by Anandtech.com during their review documented here, I don't own a GS4.


I have the Qualcomm version of the SGS4 and I never see that message when I adjust the brightness.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> I have the Qualcomm version of the SGS4 and I never see that message when I adjust the brightness.


Well, how long do you run the phone at maximum brightness?


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Well, how long do you run the phone at maximum brightness?


I run the SGS4 on maximum brightness all the time. I still get excellent battery life.


----------



## Mad Pistol

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> I run the SGS4 on maximum brightness all the time. I still get excellent battery life.


Same here. Mine lasted all day on max brightness.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> I run the SGS4 on maximum brightness all the time. I still get excellent battery life.


Good to know, I haven't owned a GS4 so I couldn't say anything on this issue. The max brightness throttling is only something I found while reading Anandtech's GS4 review, so maybe it only applies to the Sprint models (SPH-L720) they reviewed or a particular batch of AMOLED screens.


----------



## Koehler

To really see what AMOLED offers, you need to put it on max brightness.

Even if it's on max brightness, the SGS4 lasts for more than 2 days.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> To really see what AMOLED offers, you need to put it on max brightness.
> 
> Even if it's on max brightness, the SGS4 lasts for more than 2 days.


Now that I am on a GS4 I will try that out










I went to the ATT store today and exchanged my a week old HTC One for a GS4, reason is simply that I couldn't get enough detail out of my One's 4MP camera. since most of my pictures need to be shown on a 1440p display and magnified a lot the 4MP just doesn't cut it.

BTW, which screen mode do you run on?


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Now that I am on a GS4 I will try that out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I went to the ATT store today and exchanged my a week old HTC One for a GS4, reason is simply that I couldn't get enough detail out of my One's 4MP camera. since most of my pictures need to be shown on a 1440p display and magnified a lot the 4MP just doesn't cut it.
> 
> BTW, which screen mode do you run on?


I don't mean to jump on answering for someone else but, If I remember correctly the best setting (visually) is Movie (also wastes more battery) but professional photo looks nice as well and should save you some battery life.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> I don't mean to jump on answering for someone else but, If I remember correctly the best setting (visually) is Movie (also wastes more battery) but professional photo looks nice as well and should save you some battery life.


Tried all 4, Movie + Max Brightness produces the same white wash(too much white, everything looks either white or gray) I get when I turn my monitor brightness to max so I guess that's not good. I think I'll decide between Dynamic & Professional Photo, not sure how Adapt Display is different from dynamic.


----------



## Mad Pistol

I've left mine on dynamic since I got it. The colors are incredibly vibrant, but it should not be used for "realism" as the colors are too saturated.


----------



## nizda

I also prefer Dynamic, it makes the colors pop on my screen. Also the S4 has the widest color gamut of any mobile phone, covers 94% of Adobe RGB space according to phonearena.com. Now i've been using it on Adapt because it adjusts the display brightness, contrast and saturation according to what were using it for(movies,www,etc.) and ambient lighting conditions. Which is supposed to make sure it's the best for our eyes, also check out adapt sound which adjusts audio to your hearing.


----------



## Mad Pistol

I have finally found the KILLER FEATURE that makes the S4 the best smartphone on the market:

It's called "Adapt Sound" (yes, I know nizda mentioned in the post above. Thanks buddy!







)

Basically, through a pseudo-hearing test, it calibrates the phone's EQ to fit your ears AND the headphones that you're wearing to give you the widest response and sound stage possible.

I just used this feature while wearing my Shure SRH-440 cans, and it works so well that I can now say with confidence that I enjoy listening to music on my Galaxy S4 more than I do on my PC. I NEVER thought I would be saying that, but the feature works wonders with the phone's audio reproduction using external speakers (specifically headphones)

If you've got a Galaxy S4, I highly recommend using this feature. It can be found at Settings > Sound > Adapt Sound (at the bottom on my phone). Give it a shot.


----------



## Chris13002

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mad Pistol*
> 
> I have finally found the KILLER FEATURE that makes the S4 the best smartphone on the market:
> 
> It's called "Adapt Sound" (yes, I know nizda mentioned in the post above. Thanks buddy!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> 
> Basically, through a pseudo-hearing test, it calibrates the phone's EQ to fit your ears AND the headphones that you're wearing to give you the widest response and sound stage possible.
> 
> I just used this feature while wearing my Shure SRH-440 cans, and it works so well that I can now say with confidence that I enjoy listening to music on my Galaxy S4 more than I do on my PC. I NEVER thought I would be saying that, but the feature works wonders with the phone's audio reproduction using external speakers (specifically headphones)
> 
> If you've got a Galaxy S4, I highly recommend using this feature. It can be found at Settings > Sound > Adapt Sound (at the bottom on my phone). Give it a shot.


Interesting... about to try this out now... I read up on it on XDA with a few members praising this, but thought it was a gimmick that just adjusted another equalizer on top of whatever you use...
I have my IEM's (Ultimate Ears Triple Fi 10's) that I listen to with PowerAMP and a lot of FLAC audio and will check this out... I thought it sounded good to begin with...


----------



## Chris13002

So going through the adapt sound process, I felt like I was at the doctors, as it does the same type frequency hearing tests. At the end, there is a difference...

It really does bring out the sounds more and seemed to put the volume levels higher (might be a placebo effect) and gives me a much better listening experience overall...
The video I first used to test...




Boy does that engine sound a lot better now...
Couldn't give you a +rep Mad Pistol so I gave it to nizda...


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Now that I am on a GS4 I will try that out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I went to the ATT store today and exchanged my a week old HTC One for a GS4, reason is simply that I couldn't get enough detail out of my One's 4MP camera. since most of my pictures need to be shown on a 1440p display and magnified a lot the 4MP just doesn't cut it.
> 
> BTW, which screen mode do you run on?


I have brightness maxed and adapt display.


----------



## Koehler

Analysts say that Samsung may sell 80 million Galaxy S4 devices this year which is up from the initial 70 million estimate.

*Analyst: Samsung to sell 80 million Galaxy S4 in 2013*

http://www.gsmarena.com/analyst_samsung_to_sell_80_million_galaxy_s4_in_2013-news-6134.php

Larger than expected demand and the fact that Samsung used mostly Qualcomm's Snapdragon 600 CPU's may be a reason why Samsung is able to manufacture the Galaxy S4 smartphones at a higher volume than the previous Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S2.

This is good news for US company Qualcomm as Samsung is buying many more Snapdragon 600 CPU's than expected.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Analysts say that Samsung may sell 80 million Galaxy S4 devices this year which is up from the initial 70 million estimate.
> 
> *Analyst: Samsung to sell 80 million Galaxy S4 in 2013*
> 
> http://www.gsmarena.com/analyst_samsung_to_sell_80_million_galaxy_s4_in_2013-news-6134.php
> 
> Larger than expected demand and the fact that Samsung used mostly Qualcomm's Snapdragon 600 CPU's may be a reason why Samsung is able to manufacture the Galaxy S4 smartphones at a higher volume than the previous Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S2.
> 
> This is good news for US company Qualcomm as Samsung is buying many more Snapdragon 600 CPU's than expected.


Seems like the Exynos SOC business are going down hill these days, even the more recent Galaxy Note III rumors points to Snapdragon 800 SOCs over Exynos Octa variants(with 2.0Ghz A15s), qualcomm's embedded LTE solution is a big factor in the SOC market.

Looks like Big-Little implementations weren't be successful until next year when we get A57/A53 cores(replacing A15/A7) on 20nm process.


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Seems like the Exynos SOC business are going down hill these days, even the more recent Galaxy Note III rumors points to Snapdragon 800 SOCs over Exynos Octa variants(with 2.0Ghz A15s), qualcomm's embedded LTE solution is a big factor in the SOC market.
> 
> Looks like Big-Little implementations weren't be successful until next year when we get A57/A53 cores(replacing A15/A7) on 20nm process.


Exynos is Samsung's processor.

The Exynos variants of the Galaxy series are limited to Korea.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Exynos is Samsung's processor.
> 
> The *Exynos variants of the Galaxy series are limited to Korea*.


Galaxy Note 2 is sold *worldwide* with a Exynos 4412 SOC(the same SOC as international GS3 whcih sold a lot outside of Korea as well, 1.6Ghz instead of 1.4Ghz on the GN2).

Samsung had mountains of issues(performance/watt being so/so & volumes lacking, LTE certification came too late to sell in the US at launch day etc) with the Octacore Exynos 5410 SOC thus most GS4 variant runs Snapdragon 600, not because some arbitrary limitation to only sell Exynos variants in Korea(as Exynos GS4 are sold in China as well).


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Galaxy Note 2 is sold *worldwide* with a Exynos 4412 SOC(the same SOC as international GS3 whcih sold a lot outside of Korea as well, 1.6Ghz instead of 1.4Ghz on the GN2).
> 
> Samsung had mountains of issues(performance/watt being so/so & volumes lacking, LTE certification came too late to sell in the US at launch day etc) with the Octacore Exynos 5410 SOC thus most GS4 variant runs Snapdragon 600, not because some arbitrary limitation to only sell Exynos variants in Korea(as Exynos GS4 are sold in China as well).


Yes sorry I meant that the Galaxy S4 Exynos version is limited to Korea.

The Exynos variants have much better CPU's except Samsung has had some trouble with LTE certification.

The Exynos variants are capable of 4G LTE but mainly in Korea because of licencing and certification. I think I've heard reports of the Exynos variants working in some other countries too.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Yes sorry I meant that the *Galaxy S4 Exynos version is limited to Korea*.
> 
> The Exynos variants have much better CPU's except Samsung has had some trouble with LTE certification.
> 
> The Exynos variants are capable of 4G LTE but mainly in Korea because of licencing and certification. I think I've heard reports of the Exynos variants working in some other countries too.


That's not true either, Exynos versions are being sold in China as well and it is worse than Snapdragon in battery test and Performance wise both are about the same except small difference in a few benchmarks.

Some Battery result from my Battery life test today, just sharing this info to people planing on play videos on their phone during long flights.

H.264 video playback(from my micro sd card) with MX Playerpro (w/Hardware acceleration), Max Brightness(Dynamic Mode), using built in speaker(volume 8/15), no Airplane mode or Power saver:

Gsam


Touchwiz's battery monitor


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> That's not true either, Exynos versions are being sold in China as well and it is worse than Snapdragon in battery test and Performance wise both are about the same.
> 
> Some Battery result from my Battery life test today, just sharing this info to people planing on play videos on their phone during long flights.
> 
> H.264 video playback(from my micro sd card) with MX Playerpro (w/Hardware acceleration), Max Brightness(Dynamic Mode), using built in speaker(volume 8/15), no Airplane mode or Power saver:
> 
> Gsam
> 
> 
> Touchwiz's battery monitor


Not true again:

*Galaxy S4 (Snapdragon 600) vs Galaxy S4 (Exynos 5 Octa): Benchmark comaprison*


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Not true again:
> 
> *Galaxy S4 (Snapdragon 600) vs Galaxy S4 (Exynos 5 Octa): Benchmark comaprison*


You didn't even look through the GSMarena benchmarks I linked did you? It did show Exynos Octa having an edge in Quadrant and Antutu, but all other benchmarks scores are all about the same which is my point. *Considering the Battery life difference the benchmark score difference are insignificant*, it is clear that Snapdragon 600 is the superior SOC in performance/battery life.


----------



## Tchernobyl

hey guys, just got an S4 myself (upgraded from an S2). Encountering a problem though - logged into my gmail accounts, and when it syncs, it only syncs the EARLIEST 25 messages. As in, stuff from 2011 in my case.

Since i like storing mail and whatnot, my gmail accounts each have 3400 ish mails, I don't wanna be sitting here clicking every time. Is there something I can do to tweak this in the settings somehow?
edit: nevermind. Bit more exploring found it


----------



## Koehler

Galaxy S4 Full Review by MrThaiBox123






*Summary:*

Best smartphone display on the market. Excellent vividity, contrast and black levels.
Best smartphone camera on the market


----------



## Koehler

*Samsung Galaxy S4 Update: You can now move apps to the microSD card!*

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s4_update_brings_move_to_sd_hdr_video_capture-news-6170.php

Excited!


----------



## sherlock

There is a new firmware update coming: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2312344 for GS4
You can now get the stock android 4.2 keyboard from the play store if you dislike the default samsung keyboard & don't want to pay for Swiftkey/use Swiftkey Free/use Swype.


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> There is a new firmware update coming: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2312344 for GS4
> You can now get the stock android 4.2 keyboard from the play store if you dislike the default samsung keyboard & don't want to pay for Swiftkey/use Swiftkey Free/use Swype.


Nice update







.


----------



## sherlock

2160X1920 Wallpaper for GS4 users : http://www.mygalaxys4wallpaper.com/gallery.php?gallery_id=21_Space&paging=0


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Those wallpapers are awesome. The only thing that put me off is that the display isn't full screen. The bar at the top isn't covered by the wallpaper and it's something I've grown fond of. Is there any way around this?

Stock wallpaper - full screen


Downloaded HD wallpaper - not full screen


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> Those wallpapers are awesome. The only thing that put me off is that the display isn't full screen. The bar at the top isn't covered by the wallpaper and it's something I've grown fond of. Is there any way around this?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Stock wallpaper - full screen
> 
> 
> Downloaded HD wallpaper - not full screen


Run a custom launcher like Nova Launcher and enable *Transparent notification bar*:


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Run a custom launcher like Nova Launcher and enable *Transparent notification bar*:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Yeah I just bought Nova Launcher now and found it. Thanks!


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Anyone got any apps/themes they'd recommend?


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> Anyone got any apps/themes they'd recommend?


Nova Launcher
MX Player
SwiftKey/Google Keyboard
Pocket Cast
Gsam Battery Monitor

This is a good place to look for as well: Your 5 must have apps


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Run a custom launcher like Nova Launcher and enable *Transparent notification bar*:


I like that wallpaper







.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> I like that wallpaper
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Thanks, it is acutally a 2160X1920 Scrollable one:


----------



## DuckKnuckle

What would you guys recommend as a music player? Not for streaming but for playing music. Quite a bit of my music is in m4a format and is not picked up by the two audio apps currently installed. I've got Poweramp in mind as it's been heavily recommended.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> What would you guys recommend as a music player? Not for streaming but for playing music. Quite a bit of my music is in m4a format and is not picked up by the two audio apps currently installed. I've got Poweramp in mind as it's been heavily recommended.


Poweramp would be my #1 recommendation, you can also try winamp.


----------



## xquisit

One month later, I lay my S4 in a pool of alcohol mixed with redbull...

I do have insurance, what am I looking to pay? $200 deductible along with the tax of the retail of the phone at $650 USD?


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xquisit*
> 
> One month later, I lay my S4 in a pool of alcohol mixed with redbull...
> 
> I do have insurance, what am I looking to pay? $200 deductible along with the tax of the retail of the phone at $650 USD?


afaik you don't get charged sales tax for either insurance deductible or restocking fees.

You seem to be the target audience for Galaxy S4 Active:


----------



## xquisit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> afaik you don't get charged sales tax for either insurance deductible or restocking fees.
> 
> You seem to be the target audience for Galaxy S4 Active:


Thanks, that does look like the right phone for me.









Do I have to give them a reason why I'm requesting a new phone?

After the paypent is made for the deductible, would I have to send my back, in order to get a new S4 sent in?

Are there any other fees? Will my deductible go up if I need to get a third S4 (This will be my first time requesting to replace my first one, and I believe I can get two a year)?


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xquisit*
> 
> Thanks, that does look like the right phone for me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do I have to give them a reason why I'm requesting a new phone?
> 
> After the paypent is made for the deductible, would I have to send my back, in order to get a new S4 sent in?
> 
> Are there any other fees? Will my deductible go up if I need to get a third S4 (This will be my first time requesting to replace my first one, and I believe I can get two a year)?


If I recall the insurance term only include 1 replacement for the whole contract period, but you should check your carrier's site for more information regarding your insurance terms.


----------



## xquisit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> If I recall the insurance term only include 1 replacement for the whole contract period, but you should check your carrier's site for more information regarding your insurance terms.


I recall him saying, two clamis per year. The plan is $10 a month for two years. So I hope his word was good for it, because I signed without reading.. My provider is aT&T if you're wondering.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xquisit*
> 
> I recall him saying, two clamis per year. The plan is $10 a month for two years. So I hope his word was good for it, because I signed without reading.. My provider is aT&T if you're wondering.


That is good news. I haven't read that much into those terms as I don't have insurance on my phones.

Just let my phone run for the day without charging(off the charger around 5am), purposely played 2 hour of video to add screen time and the phone hit 15% just now(11:40 pm). Power saving is off, screen brightness is 100% in dynamic mode, MX player brightness set to max as well(15/15).


----------



## xquisit

I can dig that, enjoy your phone.


----------



## Koehler

*Engadget: Samsung bakes, drowns and shocks Galaxy S 4 in stress tests (video)*


Quote:


> Samsung torture-tests pre-release smartphones like many of its rivals, but it's rare in letting us have glimpses of the process. Case in point: its thorough punishment of Galaxy S 4 samples in a new video. Along with drop-testing the phone in multiple ways, the company's lab techs cover the GS4 in dust, dunk it in water, punch it, shock its controls and even bake it. The promo piece unsurprisingly shows the flagship device making the cut every time -- you didn't think Samsung would show any exceptions to the rule, did you? Still, the Korean-language clip (after the break) may be reassuring to those who were worried that a thinner, lighter Galaxy S couldn't hold up to some abuse.


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Been using Poweramp for a couple hours now and I'm loving it. Would definitely suggest this. The widget looks great as well.


----------



## sherlock

I highly recommend you guys try ZEDGE If you are looking for Wallpapers and Ringtones. The wallpaper collection is vast and the app makes a good guess at what type of wall paper you want(I got recommended quite a few Galaxy S4 wallpapers & my wallpapers get downloaded in 2160X1920 res since it knows I am running scrollable wallpaper and need that resolution.

My new homescreen, transparent Fancy Widget, Nova Laucher Prime & Scrollable wallpaper from ZEDGE


----------



## GTRagnarok

HTC One wallpaper >_>


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GTRagnarok*
> 
> HTC One wallpaper >_>


Can't see it behind that wall of apps.

tappin from a N E X U S


----------



## Koehler

German users:

*Samsung Galaxy S4 gets a new Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean firmware OTA Update, Move Apps to SD Card Feature now supported*

http://www.android.gs/android-4-2-2-xxubmea-jelly-bean-for-galaxy-s4-i9505-now-available-for-download/


----------



## sherlock

My GS4 CPU-Z screenshots, get them at the playstore here:


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> My GS4 CPU-Z screenshots:


Yeah apparently CPU-Z just got released for Android.

I installed it on my SGS4.


----------



## Leyaena

Did the update that allows you to move apps to SD and frees up some space get deployed beyond the german version yet?
Still didn't get any updates beyond I9505XXUAMDM...


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leyaena*
> 
> Did the update that allows you to move apps to SD and frees up some space get deployed beyond the german version yet?
> Still didn't get any updates beyond I9505XXUAMDM...


Not on my I337(AT&T) yet, but they are typically slow with the updates anyway(my GS3 got 4.1.1 last winter and no 4.1.2/4.2 yet, already sold the thing).


----------



## Leyaena

The joy of an unlocked phone








For some reason carrier locking never took off here in Europe.


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leyaena*
> 
> Did the update that allows you to move apps to SD and frees up some space get deployed beyond the german version yet?
> Still didn't get any updates beyond I9505XXUAMDM...


Yes. Software updates are usually automatic.


----------



## Ponycar

I finally got mine, still tinkering with settings but best phone/pocket computer by far for me.


----------



## Koehler

*AT&T is now shipping the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active*

Really liking the design on the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active:



http://www.gsmarena.com/at_t_is_now_shipping_the_samsung_galaxy_s4_active-news-6251.php


----------



## Leyaena

You mean the waterdrops?


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leyaena*
> 
> You mean the waterdrops?


I was referring to the rugged metalloid design of the S4 Active.


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Really impressed with this shot.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk 4 Beta


----------



## Ponycar

that is a nice shot - I'm impressed with the camera and I've been experimenting with best shot mode.


----------



## Remix65

it's iight. any camera takes good sunny day photos.

a really good shot of that would be showing some details in the brightest bright and dark [dynamic range]. which even to be fair super cameras have a hard time showing and photography nerds have to tweak their pictures in photoshop. so photoshop and re-up lol.


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> it's iight. any camera takes good sunny day photos.
> 
> a really good shot of that would be showing some details in the brightest bright and dark [dynamic range]. which even to be fair super cameras have a hard time showing and photography nerds have to tweak their pictures in photoshop. so photoshop and re-up lol.


I don't care for photoshop if I'm taking a photo with my phone. From a phone camera, it's a great shot.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk 4 Beta


----------



## jktmas

photoshop is acutally quite easy to do for stuff like that, its just changing levels with hue, brightness, contrast, all that fun stuff


----------



## Chris13002

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> I don't care for photoshop if I'm taking a photo with my phone. From a phone camera, it's a great shot.
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk 4 Beta


Agreed... This is just a phone. My main problem with the stock camera is that it does not have a dedicated Macro mode, so getting a shot like this was impossible with the stock camera...


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






I had to use Camera FV-5 to get that...
Here are sample images I got on the stock camera - HDR and depth of field...


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!









Snapseed is a good on-the-go image editing program, but my only downfall (from my quick experience) is that it downgrades the resolution, unless I was doing something wrong. Would highly recommend it for fast pic uploads...


----------



## Remix65

from a photography point of view phone cameras take mediocre pictures. my note 2 helps me in that it's better to have a picture than not have one cause i always have it with me. i can't even share it's pictures cause they are mediocre at best. now the IV has that interesting motion capture feature which seems very cool to have. i wish the note 2 had it. these camera phones also take quick panoramic pictures as opposed to jumping on a computer and stitching pictures together.

but as far as picture taking goes that pic up there... i don't mean to blow your bubble but it's mediocre at best lol. but hey, sometimes it's good when you don't know no better lol.


----------



## Chris13002

^ lol thanks for your D-SLR professional and rude awakening judgement, but no harm taken from me and am open to criticism.

I do try to use my Galaxy S 4 to its extent with different software, and try to help out others. I don't have the money, time or skills to use an DSLR.

This is still arguably one of the best cameras you can get on a smartphone period. The panorama simply includes a lot of details, and most other features will require a lot of time and additional software on the PC to get something close to what this can take...
This has replaced my point and shoot. One thing I do have to say about the video recording, is that I think the stabilization could be better (like iPhones unfortunately) and I wish it had an option to record at a higher FPS - like 60FPS @ 1080p recording (i'm sure the CPU can handle this)... but the stock camera only has the option to do 1/2, 1/4, and 1/8 speed video and reduces the quality of the video









Here is a panorama example, since the image is too large to upload here. This was a quick pic I took in Baltimore and you can still zoom into read parking signs... simply amazing for a phone...
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_EOuDeOnDcoQVg0Ml9XVjNON1k/edit?usp=sharing


----------



## Remix65

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chris13002*
> 
> ^ lol thanks for your D-SLR professional and rude awakening judgement, but no harm taken from me and am open to criticism.
> 
> I do try to use my Galaxy S 4 to its extent with different software, and try to help out others. I don't have the money, time or skills to use an DSLR.
> 
> This is still arguably one of the best cameras you can get on a smartphone period. The panorama simply includes a lot of details, and most other features will require a lot of time and additional software on the PC to get something close to what this can take...
> This has replaced my point and shoot. One thing I do have to say about the video recording, is that I think the stabilization could be better (like iPhones unfortunately) and I wish it had an option to record at a higher FPS - like 60FPS @ 1080p recording (i'm sure the CPU can handle this)... but the stock camera only has the option to do 1/2, 1/4, and 1/8 speed video and reduces the quality of the video
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is a panorama example, since the image is too large to upload here. This was a quick pic I took in Baltimore and you can still zoom into read parking signs... simply amazing for a phone...
> https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_EOuDeOnDcoQVg0Ml9XVjNON1k/edit?usp=sharing


i learn new things everyday too lol. from my [dumb] girlfriend or here lol.


----------



## Koehler

I take photos sometimes when I go on road trips and overseas and I replaced my DSLR with smartphone cameras.

DSLR's are meant for enthusiasts and I don't understand why the average person buys a DSLR when they're not professionals.

Personally I find the Samsung Galaxy S4's camera to be a very versatile smartphone camera capable of taking excellent shots. Most point and shooters average around 16MP... the difference between 13MP and 16MP is not large. They also cost a fair bit of money, so I think smartphone cameras have replaced point and shooters.


----------



## ahnafakeef

I didnt find another thread that is more relevant to the subject so I guess I'll ask here.

How much space does a 16GB version of the S4 have left in its internal memory at stock? And does it vary between the I9500 and the i9505 versions?

I've suffered not having enough internal memory with my current phone and do not want to face that again. The 32GB/64GB variants arent available here, so I have no other option.

Also, have any of you guys gone for the 16GB version over the 32GB/64GB versions? If so, then why?

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate the help!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> I didnt find another thread that is more relevant to the subject so I guess I'll ask here.
> 
> How much space does a 16GB version of the S4 have left in its internal memory at stock? And does it vary between the I9500 and the i9505 versions?
> 
> I've suffered not having enough internal memory with my current phone and do not want to face that again. The 32GB/64GB variants arent available here, so I have no other option.
> 
> Also, have any of you guys gone for the 16GB version over the 32GB/64GB versions? If so, then why?
> 
> Thanks a lot! I really appreciate the help!


Unsure on the actual question.. But a 16GB phone will be plenty, especially if you put the music/photos/videos on an external SD card (32GB ones are $20ish now) so I don't see why you wouldn't..


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Unsure on the actual question.. But a 16GB phone will be plenty, especially if you put the music/photos/videos on an external SD card (32GB ones are $20ish now) so I don't see why you wouldn't..


Sorry I should have explained a bit more. I saw a few video reviews of the S4 and one of them (probably MrThaiBox's one) mentioned that TouchWiz takes up a lot of the internal memory and in 16GB versions there might not be much left of the internal memory for the user to use. So I want to know how much of that 16GB is actually available for the user to use.

I'm definitely buying a 64GB card for the phone, but dont games and apps require some amount of space in the internal memory even when it is installed in the SD card? Then there are updates that must be installed in the internal memory. I dont know of anything else that requires the use of internal memory, but maybe there's more stuff that does and I dont know of it yet.

My current phone has a ~1GB internal memory and I have to keep it in check so that it isnt maxed out. I dont want to have to do that again.

Hopefully I've been able to clarify my question well enough.

Thanks for your input!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Sorry I should have explained a bit more. I saw a few video reviews of the S4 and one of them (probably MrThaiBox's one) mentioned that TouchWiz takes up a lot of the internal memory and in 16GB versions there might not be much left of the internal memory for the user to use. So I want to know how much of that 16GB is actually available for the user to use.
> 
> I'm definitely buying a 64GB card for the phone, but dont games and apps require some amount of space in the internal memory even when it is installed in the SD card? Then there are updates that must be installed in the internal memory. I dont know of anything else that requires the use of internal memory, but maybe there's more stuff that does and I dont know of it yet.
> 
> My current phone has a ~1GB internal memory and I have to keep it in check so that it isnt maxed out. I dont want to have to do that again.
> 
> Hopefully I've been able to clarify my question well enough.
> 
> Thanks for your input!


Yeah that's understandable then! I didn't know about the Touchwiz as I've never used a Galaxy myself, (only my sisters S3 briefly). I always run with HTC's








It's just better to put all applications on the Internal memory as it is a lot faster!


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yeah that's understandable then! I didn't know about the Touchwiz as I've never used a Galaxy myself, (only my sisters S3 briefly). I always run with HTC's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *It's just better to put all applications on the Internal memory as it is a lot faster!*


Then I guess it'll really suck having my internal memory blocked up by TouchWiz and not being able to put anything else in there.

How much faster is internal memory than the SD card? Has it ever been measured?

I'm currently using the HTC Sensation XE. Which one are you using?

Thanks a lot for all the help!


----------



## Silviastud

I've had my S4 for 1 day now, haven't gotten my SD card in the mail yet and here is where I am sitting:

Total Space: 16gig
Apps: 825MB
Pics/Vids: 71MB
Audio: 3.94gig
Downloads: 8KB
Misc: 6.42 (I'm guessing this is the OS)
Available Space: 4.32GB

I haven't installed any games, don't know that I really intend to at this time, but I have gotten quiet a few of the "essential" apps.

Hope this helps.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silviastud*
> 
> I've had my S4 for 1 day now, haven't gotten my SD card in the mail yet and here is where I am sitting:
> 
> Total Space: 16gig
> Apps: 825MB
> Pics/Vids: 71MB
> Audio: 3.94gig
> Downloads: 8KB
> Misc: 6.42 (I'm guessing this is the OS)
> Available Space: 4.32GB
> 
> I haven't installed any games, don't know that I really intend to at this time, but I have gotten quiet a few of the "essential" apps.
> 
> Hope this helps.


thanks a lot for the input!
have you tried clearing up some space in the internal memory? are any of those items removable without hurting the integrity of the phone? the audio files are taking up a lot of space, what's in there?
it'd suck BIG TIME if I have to deal with having only 4GB of internal memory.
do you remember how much of it was empty before you put anything in there?
sorry for all the questions and thanks again!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silviastud*
> 
> I've had my S4 for 1 day now, haven't gotten my SD card in the mail yet and here is where I am sitting:
> 
> Total Space: 16gig
> Apps: 825MB
> Pics/Vids: 71MB
> Audio: 3.94gig
> Downloads: 8KB
> Misc: 6.42 (I'm guessing this is the OS)
> Available Space: 4.32GB
> 
> I haven't installed any games, don't know that I really intend to at this time, but I have gotten quiet a few of the "essential" apps.
> 
> Hope this helps.


For info like that a Screen shot is better(Hold down power & home button at the same time).



AFAIK Misc are all the files that your apps created/downloaded(you can check by pressing the Misc tab in storage.)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> thanks a lot for the input!
> have you tried clearing up some space in the internal memory? are any of those items removable without hurting the integrity of the phone? the audio files are taking up a lot of space, what's in there?
> it'd suck BIG TIME if I have to deal with having only 4GB of internal memory.
> do you remember how much of it was empty before you put anything in there?
> sorry for all the questions and thanks again!


Before I put everything in there, the avliable space is almost 9GB(about 8.8G I think). If having only 4GB avaliable after loading everything you want bothers you then either get a SD card to store you music/videos/photos or get the 32GB version.


----------



## frankth3frizz

I just got my samsung 64GB pro microsd. im getting 18 write and 13 read. Extremely disappointed in the speed but then it's an external. The internal gets like 90 write, 120 read. Same situation with my SSD and my 1TB seagate


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> For info like that a Screen shot is better(Hold down power & home button at the same time).
> 
> 
> 
> AFAIK Misc are all the files that your apps created/downloaded(you can check by pressing the Misc tab in storage.)
> 
> Before I put everything in there, the avliable space is almost 9GB(about 8.8G I think). If having only 4GB avaliable after loading everything you want bothers you then either get a SD card to store you music/videos/photos or get the 32GB version.


I'll be getting an sd card, class 10 64GB to be specific. but as mentioned by frank, the card won't perform anywhere near as fast as the internal memory. and the 32GB/64GB versions aren't available here, or else I'd get the 64GB version.

but why are you guys getting the 16GB versions? I'd like to know.

thanks!









@frank: I apologize for not being able to quote you, phone isn't working with multi quotes for some reason.

since theyre class 10 cards, isnt there performance limited to 10MBps? is is that the minimum rate?
anyways, Samsung just lost an sd card customer, will definitely get the SanDisk one now.


----------



## frankth3frizz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> I'll be getting an sd card, class 10 64GB to be specific. but as mentioned by frank, the card won't perform anywhere near as fast as the internal memory. and the 32GB/64GB versions aren't available here, or else I'd get the 64GB version.
> 
> but why are you guys getting the 16GB versions? I'd like to know.
> 
> thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @frank: I apologize for not being able to quote you, phone isn't working with multi quotes for some reason.
> 
> since theyre class 10 cards, isnt there performance limited to 10MBps? is is that the minimum rate?
> anyways, Samsung just lost an sd card customer, will definitely get the SanDisk one now.


suppose to be a UHS-1 and samsung rated it at 70mb read and 20mb write. But I think samsung didn't lie, its just the S4 doesnt support UHS-1.

Edit: Just did some more research just now and this is someones benchmark on it from XDA

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2047569

I'm going to try reformatting the SSD to see if I get different results.


----------



## Muldoon

So the Google Edition Galaxy S4 just came out today and I'm going to be getting it as my first ever smartphone. Since the phone comes with stock Android 4.2.2, the Samsung software will be absent. If I wanted to add Samsung's camera software later, is there a way I could do that or will I be stuck with the stock Android camera software? Thanks.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Muldoon*
> 
> So the Google Edition Galaxy S4 just came out today and I'm going to be getting it as my first ever smartphone. Since the phone comes with stock Android 4.2.2, the Samsung software will be absent. If I wanted to add Samsung's camera software later, is there a way I could do that or will I be stuck with the stock Android camera software? Thanks.


Well since its unlocked it'll be easy to root, so there should be roms popping up eventually that will be touchwiz based. There's no picking and choosing what software you'll put on the phone, if you want those camera features you'll have to be on a tw rom. Since htc and Sammy are releasing kernels and you want those tw features, I'd go with the reg gs4 and root that. You can already root it and custom roms will be easy bc everything is being released to work on a dev level.

tappin from a N E X U S


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> I'll be getting an sd card, class 10 64GB to be specific. but as mentioned by frank, the card won't perform anywhere near as fast as the internal memory. and the 32GB/64GB versions aren't available here, or else I'd get the 64GB version.
> 
> but why are you guys getting the 16GB versions? I'd like to know.
> 
> thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @frank: I apologize for not being able to quote you, phone isn't working with multi quotes for some reason.
> 
> since theyre class 10 cards, isnt there performance limited to 10MBps? is is that the minimum rate?
> anyways, Samsung just lost an sd card customer, will definitely get the SanDisk one now.


I get the 16G version because I run no more than 1G of apps and most of storage space I use are for video files which works just fine on SD cards. Unless you plan to keep a ton of photos on the phone or run a ton of games you shouldn't need more storage than what the 16G model offers.

SanDisk microSD have a lot more trouble with Galaxy S4, read this xda forum post to find topic, or this Android central forum topic. Samsung's card is slightly more expensive but offer 10 year warranty(Sandisk only give 5 years). Not to mention Sandisk's SD cards aren't any faster than Samsung anyway.

As far as performance of the SD card, here is my bench result:


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Then I guess it'll really suck having my internal memory blocked up by TouchWiz and not being able to put anything else in there.
> 
> How much faster is internal memory than the SD card? Has it ever been measured?
> 
> I'm currently using the HTC Sensation XE. Which one are you using?
> 
> Thanks a lot for all the help!


I'm using a HTC Velocity 4G with a 32GB card as mentioned, I have 8GB internal space so I don't use it for apps. But on my rooted/overclocked Wildfire S it was really slow as I forced the apps (Facebook) etc onto the card and it was quite a bit slower. Mind you that's on a class 4 card though.


----------



## Zhohner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> I get the 16G version because I run no more than 1G of apps and most of storage space I use are for video files which works just fine on SD cards. Unless you plan to keep a ton of photos on the phone or run a ton of games you shouldn't need more storage than what the 16G model offers.


Completely agree, 16GB should be more than enough for the average user.

Here's my storage after a few months usage:



As you can see there's still almost 5GB available, plenty of room for additional apps (Barring some larger games of course)

Like Sherlock said, most if not all photos/videos can live on the microSD card.

This is my personal opinion and experience, this of course may differ with other users.


----------



## Muldoon

SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POST, can someone delete this?

I see. So if I were to instead get a TMobile version of the GS4, would it be just as unlocked as the Google Edition one? If I didn't care about the camera software, would there still be an advantage to getting a regular GS4 and rooting it vs. the Google version?


----------



## Muldoon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Well since its unlocked it'll be easy to root, so there should be roms popping up eventually that will be touchwiz based. There's no picking and choosing what software you'll put on the phone, if you want those camera features you'll have to be on a tw rom. Since htc and Sammy are releasing kernels and you want those tw features, I'd go with the reg gs4 and root that. You can already root it and custom roms will be easy bc everything is being released to work on a dev level.
> 
> tappin from a N E X U S


I see. So if I were to instead get a TMobile version of the GS4, would it be just as unlocked as the Google Edition one? If I didn't care about the camera software, would there still be an advantage to getting a regular GS4 and rooting it vs. the Google version?

I can basically get any version of the GS4 that I want. I'm just trying to see what the best option is. I am certainly going to move from Verizon and most likely be on TMobile now, I just need advice on whether getting the Google Edition GS4 and bringing it to TMobile is that much different from getting a TMobile GS4 and paying it all off at once.

I just checked TMobile's site and the GS4's full price there is $579.99 vs. the Google Edition's $649. If the TMobile version is just as unlocked as the Google Edition, then would it be smarter for me to get the TMobile version then root that?


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frankth3frizz*
> 
> suppose to be a UHS-1 and samsung rated it at 70mb read and 20mb write. But I think samsung didn't lie, its just the S4 doesnt support UHS-1.
> 
> Edit: Just did some more research just now and this is someones benchmark on it from XDA
> 
> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2047569
> 
> I'm going to try reformatting the SSD to see if I get different results.


So the S4 supports neither UHS-1 nor USB 3.0. Sigh.
The SanDisk is getting higher speeds than Samsung according to that benchmark. I wish the OP on that thread would test again with an S4.

Thanks a lot!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> I get the 16G version because I run no more than 1G of apps and most of storage space I use are for video files which works just fine on SD cards. Unless you plan to keep a ton of photos on the phone or run a ton of games you shouldn't need more storage than what the 16G model offers.
> 
> SanDisk microSD have a lot more trouble with Galaxy S4, read this xda forum post to find topic, or this Android central forum topic. Samsung's card is slightly more expensive but offer 10 year warranty(Sandisk only give 5 years). Not to mention Sandisk's SD cards aren't any faster than Samsung anyway.
> 
> As far as performance of the SD card, here is my bench result:


Its exactly the opposite for me. I keep a ton of games and apps on my phone and little to no images/videos and decently low amounts of music. While I dont mind the media being in the SD card, the performance of the games will probably vary depending upon where it is stored and it clearly shows in your benchmark. And I dont want to see my phone lag at anything, it really pisses me off. (Current phone lags at home page for whatever reason. I mean, seriously?)

Okay so Samsung seems like a much better bet than SanDisk for the S4. But even Samsung cards have had issues, whats up with that? Damaged, auto-dismount etc are the ones I found on xda and android central.

Thanks for providing the links, I learned a lot from them!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I'm using a HTC Velocity 4G with a 32GB card as mentioned, I have 8GB internal space so I don't use it for apps. But on my rooted/overclocked Wildfire S it was really slow as I forced the apps (Facebook) etc onto the card and it was quite a bit slower. Mind you that's on a class 4 card though.


Do you use apps on the SD card on your Velocity? Is the experience the same as on the Wildfire S, speed-wise? Thanks!


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> So the S4 supports neither UHS-1 nor USB 3.0. Sigh.
> The SanDisk is getting higher speeds than Samsung according to that benchmark. I wish the OP on that thread would test again with an S4.
> 
> Thanks a lot!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Its exactly the opposite for me. I keep a ton of games and apps on my phone and little to no images/videos and decently low amounts of music. While I dont mind the media being in the SD card, the performance of the games will probably vary depending upon where it is stored and it clearly shows in your benchmark. And I dont want to see my phone lag at anything, it really pisses me off. (Current phone lags at home page for whatever reason. I mean, seriously?)
> 
> Okay so Samsung seems like a much better bet than SanDisk for the S4. But even Samsung cards have had issues, whats up with that? Damaged, auto-dismount etc are the ones I found on xda and android central.
> 
> Thanks for providing the links, I learned a lot from them!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do you use apps on the SD card on your Velocity? Is the experience the same as on the Wildfire S, speed-wise? Thanks!


I got the Samsung 64GB PRO microSD because I got a promotion code. So far its been fast and reliable.

Don't know about SanDisk since this is the first microSD I ever bought.

But I did read somewhere that Samsung microSDs are better for the Galaxy S4. I'll try to find that article again.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> I got the Samsung 64GB PRO microSD because I got a promotion code. So far its been fast and reliable.
> 
> Don't know about SanDisk since this is the first microSD I ever bought.
> 
> But I did read somewhere that Samsung microSDs are better for the Galaxy S4. I'll try to find that article again.


Thanks for the input! And about the article, please post a link here if you find it. I'd love to read it.


----------



## Ponycar

I did come across information in the past that also referenced a problem samsung was having with smartphones malfunctioning being tied to crappy memory cards.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Muldoon*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Well since its unlocked it'll be easy to root, so there should be roms popping up eventually that will be touchwiz based. There's no picking and choosing what software you'll put on the phone, if you want those camera features you'll have to be on a tw rom. Since htc and Sammy are releasing kernels and you want those tw features, I'd go with the reg gs4 and root that. You can already root it and custom roms will be easy bc everything is being released to work on a dev level.
> 
> tappin from a N E X U S
> 
> 
> 
> I see. So if I were to instead get a TMobile version of the GS4, would it be just as unlocked as the Google Edition one? If I didn't care about the camera software, would there still be an advantage to getting a regular GS4 and rooting it vs. the Google version?
> 
> I can basically get any version of the GS4 that I want. I'm just trying to see what the best option is. I am certainly going to move from Verizon and most likely be on TMobile now, I just need advice on whether getting the Google Edition GS4 and bringing it to TMobile is that much different from getting a TMobile GS4 and paying it all off at once.
> 
> I just checked TMobile's site and the GS4's full price there is $579.99 vs. the Google Edition's $649. If the TMobile version is just as unlocked as the Google Edition, then would it be smarter for me to get the TMobile version then root that?
Click to expand...

It's really a grey area, this is all new. I'm not sure even what route I'd go and I have a nexus, but I like Samsung features. I root all my phones so either way you won't lose imo, the gs4 from Google will be cake to root and unlock, not saying the reg one isn't, it's just not as easy. I'm not sure if you'll be able to have tw with the nexus gs4, but I don't see why devs won't port it over for this that want it.

I honestly think id go for the reg gs4 with features, bc they're cool, and root later and run a custom with stock Google. That's me though, I just like that we have choices now and we get to pick what we want.

tappin from my N e x u s 4


----------



## SolidSnakeUS

Very much thinking of getting an unsubsidized one for Verizon. Anyone else on here get one reliably from eBay (brand new)? I'm thinking eBay because it will be cheaper than in a store somewhere. Also, is it true that if I just go right into a dedicated Verizon store to activate the phone, they will give me a free 4G SIM card for the phone?


----------



## cavallino

I have an N4 but I am thinking of selling it and getting the Google Edition S4, but I am a little worried about the fact that manufacturers are still in charge of updates, and this is likely to be a slow seller so I can't imagine this will be a high priority unless Google twists their arm or they just feel like having better PR.

My issue is I don't like custom roms. You either end up waiting a long time for something like a stable CM release or you roll the dice with nightlies or other roms. I have had several Android devices and while stock often had less features or more bloat it was always more stable than a cutting edge custom rom. The only one that was better was my Galaxy S2 skyrocket but that thing was so bad after the ICS update it didn't take much to be an improvement.

I absolutely hate the touchwiz garbage so a regular S4 is not for me.

The benefit over the N4 for me would be the bigger screen higher res and the big one is LTE. I went from LTE on my skyrocket, to the N4 and often times it can be a bit slow over cell data.

It never seems like Nexus phones are necessarily cutting edge or have such a wide variety of features so I don't know that waiting for a Nexus 5 with LTE will necessarily mean getting a phone with all the same hardware features I like such as removable battery, sd slot, usb host, mhl/hdmi output etc. I also really prefer plastic body phones as they are less fuss to worry about and gorilla glass 3 is good.

Google says fast updates but what exactly is fast? I mean a little slower is an ok sacrifice for the hardware but if it's a month or more I won't be happy.


----------



## frankth3frizz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Muldoon*
> 
> I see. So if I were to instead get a TMobile version of the GS4, would it be just as unlocked as the Google Edition one? If I didn't care about the camera software, would there still be an advantage to getting a regular GS4 and rooting it vs. the Google version?
> 
> I can basically get any version of the GS4 that I want. I'm just trying to see what the best option is. I am certainly going to move from Verizon and most likely be on TMobile now, I just need advice on whether getting the Google Edition GS4 and bringing it to TMobile is that much different from getting a TMobile GS4 and paying it all off at once.
> 
> I just checked TMobile's site and the GS4's full price there is $579.99 vs. the Google Edition's $649. If the TMobile version is just as unlocked as the Google Edition, then would it be smarter for me to get the TMobile version then root that?


I would go Tmo s4. getting the Google edition software is as easy as pie. People are already flashing their tmo s4 with the google edition, granted there will be bugs but thats what devs fix for us









http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2341283

Oh and $70 is still a big chunk of change.lol


----------



## Muldoon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frankth3frizz*
> 
> I would go Tmo s4. getting the Google edition software is as easy as pie. People are already flashing their tmo s4 with the google edition, granted there will be bugs but thats what devs fix for us
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2341283
> 
> Oh and $70 is still a big chunk of change.lol


I agree, the $70 difference can mean a microSD card + case. Going with the TMobile option is starting to sound more and more tempting. Also, the Google Edition doesn't come in black lol so if all other things between the 2 versions of the phone are equal (in terms of ability to root/unlock) I might just go with TMobile since they have it in black


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cavallino*
> 
> I have an N4 but I am thinking of selling it and getting the Google Edition S4, but I am a little worried about the fact that manufacturers are still in charge of updates, and this is likely to be a slow seller so I can't imagine this will be a high priority unless Google twists their arm or they just feel like having better PR.
> 
> My issue is I don't like custom roms. You either end up waiting a long time for something like a stable CM release or you roll the dice with nightlies or other roms. I have had several Android devices and while stock often had less features or more bloat it was always more stable than a cutting edge custom rom. The only one that was better was my Galaxy S2 skyrocket but that thing was so bad after the ICS update it didn't take much to be an improvement.
> 
> I absolutely hate the touchwiz garbage so a regular S4 is not for me.
> 
> The benefit over the N4 for me would be the bigger screen higher res and the big one is LTE. I went from LTE on my skyrocket, to the N4 and often times it can be a bit slow over cell data.
> 
> It never seems like Nexus phones are necessarily cutting edge or have such a wide variety of features so I don't know that waiting for a Nexus 5 with LTE will necessarily mean getting a phone with all the same hardware features I like such as removable battery, sd slot, usb host, mhl/hdmi output etc. I also really prefer plastic body phones as they are less fuss to worry about and gorilla glass 3 is good.
> 
> Google says fast updates but what exactly is fast? I mean a little slower is an ok sacrifice for the hardware but if it's a month or more I won't be happy.


You realize you can enable lte on the n4 right? Unless your on att that is, it's simple to enable it, they even have a file to flash to even on the stock rom which will enable it.

Your kind of missing the point of the nexus program, the phones aren't meant to be "cutting edge" at all. The nexus phones minus the one and gs4 are built to run android in its pure form, no bloat, nothing, and built just how Google wants it. I came from a note 2 and I'm loving the n4 a lot, not just bc it's stock Google. The curved edges of glass is pretty sweet, the phone is built well (finally) and feels good in the hand. Battery is the only thing that needs improvement on the hardware level. I thought the lack of storage was gonna be a problem, but im storing my music though Google, pics on on dropbox, I've got 9gb left with a some big games in there.










tappin from my N e x u s 4


----------



## cavallino

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Unless your on att that is, it's simple to enable it,


I'm on ATT.

Can anyone comment on the the use of the mhl cable with an hdtv at 1080p. Could I for example watch google play movies (or bettter yet watch .mp4/m4v) with it without lag or stuttering like I do with my Nexus 10? If this is the case it may sway my opinion since I often bring my N10 places to watch movies via hdmi.


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cavallino*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Unless your on att that is, it's simple to enable it,
> 
> 
> 
> I'm on att
Click to expand...

Ah ok then I understand where your coming from.

tappin from my N e x u s 4


----------



## cavallino

I contacted Google support about the mhl thing and they said they didn't think it would work but it seemed like they had no idea what I was talking about lol


----------



## frankth3frizz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cavallino*
> 
> I contacted Google support about the mhl thing and they said they didn't think it would work but it seemed like they had no idea what I was talking about lol


I have this for my s4 and it works great. Just watched john carter in bluray(16GB) on my phone to my tv at full 1080p no stuttering.









http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones-accessories/EPL-3FHUBEGSTA


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cavallino*
> 
> I contacted Google support about the mhl thing and they said they didn't think it would work but it seemed like they had no idea what I was talking about lol


Try xda, I'm sure it's somewhere in that forum.

tappin from the N e x u s 4


----------



## cavallino

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frankth3frizz*
> 
> I have this for my s4 and it works great. Just watched john carter in bluray(16GB) on my phone to my tv at full 1080p no stuttering.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones-accessories/EPL-3FHUBEGSTA


Ok great!

Now I just need to find out if the google edition has the same capability.


----------



## Silviastud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> thanks a lot for the input!
> have you tried clearing up some space in the internal memory? are any of those items removable without hurting the integrity of the phone? the audio files are taking up a lot of space, what's in there?
> it'd suck BIG TIME if I have to deal with having only 4GB of internal memory.
> do you remember how much of it was empty before you put anything in there?
> sorry for all the questions and thanks again!


You could remove a lot of that stuff if you wanted, I just haven't decided what I want to keep. Also the audio files are music I put on my phone, there wasn't anything besides one Samsung audio file there originally. If I recall correctly there was 9gigs available on the phone when I received it, but many apps installed that could be removed.


----------



## Ponycar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SolidSnakeUS*
> 
> Very much thinking of getting an unsubsidized one for Verizon. Anyone else on here get one reliably from eBay (brand new)? I'm thinking eBay because it will be cheaper than in a store somewhere. Also, is it true that if I just go right into a dedicated Verizon store to activate the phone, they will give me a free 4G SIM card for the phone?


Best I can advise is try to get the MEID/IMEI before you buy it and call verizon to confirm its not stolen as they won't be able to do anything with it. I have also picked up free simcards at the store so I doubt they'd have any problem giving you a free one unless they're not in stock.


----------



## cavallino

Alright I cancelled my order for the google edition. Too much unknown like how fast updates will be and I couldn't even figure definitively if mhl will still work or not. I will wait for the Nexus 5.


----------



## frankth3frizz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cavallino*
> 
> Alright I cancelled my order for the google edition. Too much unknown like how fast updates will be and I couldn't even figure definitively if mhl will still work or not. I will wait for the Nexus 5.


more than positive than the google edition will get the fastest updates compared to carrier s4's.


----------



## cavallino

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frankth3frizz*
> 
> more than positive than the google edition will get the fastest updates compared to carrier s4's.


Faster than the standard S4 yes. As fast as the Nexus devices... maybe not.


----------



## Chris13002

Android 4.3 was released on the device - specifically Google Editions and i9505 international version. A few hours ago, ported release versions for the i337 (AT&T) started appearing on XDA...
I will give it some time as there are Wifi issues and only noticeable difference seems to be the camera along with performance enhancements...

http://www.sammobile.com/2013/06/28/install-android-4-3-on-your-galaxy-s4-gt-i9505-ported-from-google-play-edition-gt-i9505g/


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chris13002*
> 
> Android 4.3 was released on the device - specifically Google Editions and i9505 international version. A few hours ago, ported release versions for the i337 (AT&T) started appearing on XDA...
> I will give it some time as there are Wifi issues and only noticeable difference seems to be the camera along with performance enhancements...
> 
> http://www.sammobile.com/2013/06/28/install-android-4-3-on-your-galaxy-s4-gt-i9505-ported-from-google-play-edition-gt-i9505g/


It's not "released", it was leaked, it's a test build. If the true nexus phones and tablets haven't gotten it yet it hasn't been released.

tappin from the N e x u s 4


----------



## ravimalhotra546

Yes its just rumors but there are so many article on that same above discussions. But its just an just a rumors that it will be launch in month of july.


----------



## ahnafakeef

I have a question regarding the two versions of the S4.

What exactly would I be losing/missing out on if I get the Exynos version instead of the Snapdragon version? (Cant get the Snapdragon since its not available here, but I'd still like to know the Exynos version's drawbacks)

As far as I know, the Exynos version has better scores in benchmarks than the Snapdragon version. But again, the Snapdragon version has significantly better battery life. (I've heard this and not too sure about this but) Does the Exynos version really have better software optimization than the Snapdragon version, since Exynos is Samsung's own processor and Snapdragon is not?

Please add to this list any other differences that you know of, or have experienced with the phone(s).

Thanks a lot!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> I have a question regarding the two versions of the S4.
> 
> What exactly would I be losing/missing out on if I get the Exynos version instead of the Snapdragon version? (Cant get the Snapdragon since its not available here, but I'd still like to know the Exynos version's drawbacks)
> 
> As far as I know, the Exynos version has better scores in benchmarks than the Snapdragon version. But again, the Snapdragon version has significantly better battery life. (I've heard this and not too sure about this but) Does the Exynos version really have better software optimization than the Snapdragon version, since Exynos is Samsung's own processor and Snapdragon is not?
> 
> Please add to this list any other differences that you know of, or have experienced with the phone(s).
> 
> Thanks a lot!


Unless you couldn't get it there is no reason not to get the Snapdragon. There is also no software optimization for Exynos either, wouldn't make sense given that the majority of S4 sold are the Snapdragon model. Plus Snapdragon chipset phones are a lot easier to find custom roms for.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Unless you couldn't get it there is no reason not to get the Snapdragon. There is also no software optimization for Exynos either, wouldn't make sense given that the majority of S4 sold are the Snapdragon model. Plus Snapdragon chipset phones are a lot easier to find custom roms for.


Thanks for the quick reply!

For some reason, I'm "lucky" enough that the authorized distributors here only have the Exynos version although they are quite rare in some parts of the world. So dont really have much of a choice unless I were to get a warranty-less phone at 5/7th of the price of the ones from the authorized distributors.

Havent ever used custom ROMs before and dont plan on it until I get tired of the stock interface. And that usually takes some time for me, so hopefully that wont be a problem.

Why would you prefer the Snapdragon version over the Exynos one? Would you please be kind enough and take the time to list the reasons?

Thanks again!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Thanks for the quick reply!
> 
> For some reason, I'm "lucky" enough that the authorized distributors here only have the Exynos version although they are quite rare in some parts of the world. So dont really have much of a choice unless I were to get a warranty-less phone at 5/7th of the price of the ones from the authorized distributors.
> 
> Havent ever used custom ROMs before and dont plan on it until I get tired of the stock interface. And that usually takes some time for me, so hopefully that wont be a problem.
> 
> Why would you prefer the Snapdragon version over the Exynos one? Would you please be kind enough and take the time to list the reasons?
> 
> Thanks again!


Similar performance, Superior battery life.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Similar performance, Superior battery life.


Just that? If the phone survives even 48 hours without charging, I'll be on cloud nine seeing how my current phone requires charging more than once daily.

Also, as mentioned in the little box, is the phone supposed to survive 7 hours of continuous browsing at maximum brightness?

How long does the battery on your phone last?

Thanks a lot!


----------



## sWaY20

Both of those have good battery, you can't go by those bc every user is going to differ. Nobody gets the same battery usage exactly, bc everyone uses their phone differently.

tappin from the N e x u s 4


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Both of those have good battery, you can't go by those bc every user is going to differ. Nobody gets the same battery usage exactly, bc everyone uses their phone differently.
> 
> tappin from the N e x u s 4


Got it! Thanks!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Just that? If the phone survives even 48 hours without charging, I'll be on cloud nine seeing how my current phone requires charging more than once daily.
> 
> Also, as mentioned in the little box, is the phone supposed to survive 7 hours of continuous browsing at maximum brightness?
> 
> How long does the battery on your phone last?
> 
> Thanks a lot!


For me, if the performance is similar then you couldn't pay me enough to accept inferior battery life. The battery life on those two are similar but the Snapdragon ones are slightly better. Btw the Gsmarena battery life test is done on auto brightness which is no where close to maximum brightness(more like 50%).

Stock Rom & Kernel, Maximum Brightness(Dynamic Mode, which is the brightest(319nits) of all 4 mode according to Anandtech), no Power saver. Snapdragon battery guru was still in learning mode(no benefits) in the second screen shot( I tried it and it didn't work out for me, tried to turn my wifi off @ home. I might give it another try sometime soon though because other Snapdragon GS4 owners have reported it improved their battery life a lot).



This is a good thread to check if you are interested in more information.l


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> For me, if the performance is similar then you couldn't pay me enough to accept inferior battery life. The battery life on those two are similar but the Snapdragon ones are slightly better. Btw the Gsmarena battery life test is done on auto brightness which is no where close to maximum brightness(more like 50%).
> 
> Stock Rom & Kernel, Maximum Brightness(Dynamic Mode, which is the brightest(319nits) of all 4 mode according to Anandtech), no Power saver. Snapdragon battery guru was still in learning mode(no benefits) in the second screen shot( I tried it and it didn't work out for me, tried to turn my wifi off @ home. I might give it another try sometime soon though because other Snapdragon GS4 owners have reported it improved their battery life a lot).
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a good thread to check if you are interested in more information.l


3 hours of screen usage took up 64% of the battery? Looks like max brightness is a definite no go for me. I should have known there was something fishy with an android lasting 69 hours.
Its a good thing that the active WiFi connection's effect on battery life is next to none. But the phone calls will take up a lot of battery life if the 1.2% for every 7 minutes is consistent even for longer talking periods.

Have you tried the power saver mode (not the snapdragon battery app)? If so, does it improve battery life to a notable extent?

This is a personal idea (that I will definitely try once I get my own S4), but has anyone tried using black as the color/theme for their phone's interface? Since AMOLED pixels require little to no power when turned off or even at brightness close to none, it should in theory be able to help that poor statistic of 64% battery requirement for 3 hours of usage. Its just something I thought of when going through many reviews in the past few days.

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate the help!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> 3 hours of screen usage took up 64% of the battery? Looks like max brightness is a definite no go for me. I should have known there was something fishy with an android lasting 69 hours.
> Its a good thing that the active WiFi connection's effect on battery life is next to none. But the phone calls will take up a lot of battery life if the 1.2% for every 7 minutes is consistent even for longer talking periods.
> 
> Have you tried the power saver mode (not the snapdragon battery app)? If so, does it improve battery life to a notable extent?
> 
> This is a personal idea (that I will definitely try once I get my own S4), but has anyone tried using black as the color/theme for their phone's interface? Since AMOLED pixels require little to no power when turned off or even at brightness close to none, it should in theory be able to help that poor statistic of 64% battery requirement for 3 hours of usage. Its just something I thought of when going through many reviews in the past few days.
> 
> Thanks a lot! I really appreciate the help!


The *69 hours is just the phone idling with the screen off(standby time)*, give how much my phone consumes with the screen off(1.5% per hour) it is completely feasible.

I haven't tried the battery saver mode and don't plan to do so because the battery life is very good for me as is. If you want opinion on the power saver mode you can go to that XDA thread I linked and check out people's stat with power saver on.

You can run a black background/ use dark themed apps and get better battery life. However for me the 3 hour of screen time is all web browsing so the color of the background make little to no difference(since almost all websites are black on white). For Forum browsing, I recently discovered Taptalk 4 beta which have a dark theme that helps battery life:


Where the dark theme makes the biggest difference is when you are reading ebooks and your reader app have a black background/white text mode(Google Play book does) which conserves the battery a lot.

and that 64% battery consumed by screen thing in 3 hours is not all that scary. The phone last 8-9 hours even if you run the screen on all the time.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Is it true that you can't store/use apps from the microSD card, and can only use the internal memory for the purpose? If so, then not even 9GB will be sufficient, and buying a 64GB card won't solve the problem.

Any ideas as to how I can tackle this issue with a 16GB S4? [The 32GB/64GB variants aren't available here.]

Thanks a lot!


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Is it true that you can't store/use apps from the microSD card, and can only use the internal memory for the purpose? If so, then not even 9GB will be sufficient, and buying a 64GB card won't solve the problem.
> 
> Any ideas as to how I can tackle this issue with a 16GB S4? [The 32GB/64GB variants aren't available here.]
> 
> Thanks a lot!


With the new update that is being rolled out, you're able to install apps onto your microSD card. The only problem is that read and write speeds are significantly slower than the internal memory.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Is it true that you can't store/use apps from the microSD card, and can only use the internal memory for the purpose? If so, then not even 9GB will be sufficient, and buying a 64GB card won't solve the problem.
> 
> Any ideas as to how I can tackle this issue with a 16GB S4? [The 32GB/64GB variants aren't available here.]
> 
> Thanks a lot!


Do you seriously run *7-8G of apps & Games*? Almost everything else could go on the SD card. If you seriously need to run that many apps & Games plus you don't want to root and delete bloatware or flash a slimmer ROM(the Google Edition Rom give you about 12G useable), then I guess you have no choice but to get a 32 G phone from another vendor(like HTC One) since 32 GB GS4 is not avliable in your area(64GB model have never been made).

Mine with 120+ 13MP photos stored, didn't have to store them on the phone(camera can save to SD card) but I have plenty of room on the phone since my entire video library(50G+) is on my SD card.


The Google Edition, If you flash an AOSP based ROM your storage situation would roughly look like this:


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> With the new update that is being rolled out, you're able to install apps onto your microSD card. The only problem is that read and write speeds are significantly slower than the internal memory.


Yeah, that update could help, you could put apps that are not read/write intensive on SD card(things like eBook reader & note taking app etc)

Just to give you an idea on difference in speed.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> With the new update that is being rolled out, you're able to install apps onto your microSD card. The only problem is that read and write speeds are significantly slower than the internal memory.


Does the performance (FPS) in games depend on read/write speeds? I get that it will take more time to load, but unless its not any laggier than when stored on the internal memory I guess I should be okay.
Thanks!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Do you seriously run *7-8G of apps & Games*? Almost everything else could go on the SD card. If you seriously need to run that many apps & Games plus you don't want to root and delete bloatware or flash a slimmer ROM(the Google Edition Rom give you about 12G useable), then I guess you have no choice but to get a 32 G phone from another vendor(like HTC One) since 32 GB GS4 is not avliable in your area(64GB model have never been made).
> 
> Mine with 120+ 13MP photos stored, didn't have to store them on the phone(camera can save to SD card) but I have plenty of room on the phone since my entire video library(50G+) is on my SD card.
> 
> 
> The Google Edition, If you flash an AOSP based ROM your storage situation would roughly look like this:
> 
> Yeah, that update could help, you could put apps that are not read/write intensive on SD card(things like eBook reader & note taking app etc)
> 
> Just to give you an idea on difference in speed.


Let me explain my paranoia regarding storage. I didnt know anything about smartphones when I bought my first one (HTC Sensation XE in 2011) which is also my current phone. It has been long since I've updated my playlist or installed a new game on the phone, simply because I had bought only an 8GB at that time and the storage on the phone (internal or otherwise) has been depleted a long time ago. Now, the situation is so bad that the phone has failed to update Tapatalk because of space being unavailable.

With HD apps/games becoming a norm, how long do you reckon 8GB will last? Especially since I use more apps than media (which will be stored in the microSD card anyways).

As for rooting, I dont know if I'll ever go for it. If I come to love TouchWiz, then most probably not.
As for getting another phone, I'm set on not getting another HTC, not because I dont like them but because I like change and the S4 will give me just that. And other than that, there's not many others that I like that are in the same league as these phones (never been a fan of LG, and I wont get the Z).

Have you tried running the same app on the internal storage and then again on the microSD card? Does it perform perceptibly worse in the microSD card?

Thanks a lot!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Does the performance (FPS) in games depend on read/write speeds? I get that it will take more time to load, but unless its not any laggier than when stored on the internal memory I guess I should be okay.
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let me explain my paranoia regarding storage. I didnt know anything about smartphones when I bought my first one (HTC Sensation XE in 2011) which is also my current phone. It has been long since I've updated my playlist or installed a new game on the phone, simply because I had bought only an 8GB at that time and the storage on the phone (internal or otherwise) has been depleted a long time ago. Now, the situation is so bad that the phone has failed to update Tapatalk because of space being unavailable.
> 
> With HD apps/games becoming a norm, how long do you reckon 8GB will last? Especially since I use more apps than media (which will be stored in the microSD card anyways).
> 
> As for rooting, I dont know if I'll ever go for it. If I come to love TouchWiz, then most probably not.
> As for getting another phone, I'm set on not getting another HTC, not because I dont like them but because I like change and the S4 will give me just that. And other than that, there's not many others that I like that are in the same league as these phones (never been a fan of LG, and I wont get the Z).
> 
> Have you tried running the same app on the internal storage and then again on the microSD card? Does it perform perceptibly worse in the microSD card?
> 
> Thanks a lot!


Apps are generally around 25 MB, you need to run a lot of apps to fill an 8GB phone. Unless you run multiple 300MBish games you shouldn't have problem with 8G of storage. I don't have that Apps to SD update yet(I guess it is still in the process of rolling out) so that's a no go. I don't know what you mean by HD apps, but

If storage is a serious problem and you must have a non HTC 32 GB phone then maybe wait for the LG Optimus G2(it looks to be a great phone, even though you say you are not a LG fan) or the Motorola X phone.

BTW, my app list to give you an idea how large apps typically are, you can also go through the playstore and check out how large apps are these days



Google Play books is that large because I keep all my book on device and they count as part of the App.


----------



## Muldoon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Is it true that you can't store/use apps from the microSD card, and can only use the internal memory for the purpose? If so, then not even 9GB will be sufficient, and buying a 64GB card won't solve the problem.
> 
> Any ideas as to how I can tackle this issue with a 16GB S4? [The 32GB/64GB variants aren't available here.]
> 
> Thanks a lot!


I'm getting a GS4 soon, and just ordered one of these from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007WTAJTO/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Seems to be a popular choice if you are still looking for a specific card to use. I haven't used it yet so I can't personally vouch for it but I bet there are people here who can.

Just to clear up some confusion that I have, if I were to flash the Google Edition 4.2.2 or 4.3 roms onto my TMobile Galaxy S4 (i9505) I could still install apps to the SD card correct? I've heard that Google was trying to move away from supporting SD cards and using internal storage only, so I wasn't sure if these Google Edition roms supported installing apps to the SD card.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Apps are generally around 25 MB, you need to run a lot of apps to fill an 8GB phone. Unless you run multiple 300MBish games you shouldn't have problem with 8G of storage. I don't have that Apps to SD update yet(I guess it is still in the process of rolling out) so that's a no go. I don't know what you mean by HD apps, but
> 
> If storage is a serious problem and you must have a non HTC 32 GB phone then maybe wait for the LG Optimus G2(it looks to be a great phone, even though you say you are not a LG fan) or the Motorola X phone.
> 
> BTW, my app list to give you an idea how large apps typically are, you can also go through the playstore and check out how large apps are these days
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Google Play books is that large because I keep all my book on device and they count as part of the App.


Just from a quick look, here is a good but exceptionally large-sized example of an HD game that I plan on playing. Who knows how many games like this I'll find?

What is the amount of space that is recommended to be kept free on the internal storage? I'm assuming that Android also requires some amount of free space to function at its best, like Windows does.

Thanks a lot!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Muldoon*
> 
> I'm getting a GS4 soon, and just ordered one of these from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007WTAJTO/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> Seems to be a popular choice if you are still looking for a specific card to use. I haven't used it yet so I can't personally vouch for it but I bet there are people here who can.
> 
> Just to clear up some confusion that I have, if I were to flash the Google Edition 4.2.2 or 4.3 roms onto my TMobile Galaxy S4 (i9505) I could still install apps to the SD card correct? I've heard that Google was trying to move away from supporting SD cards and using internal storage only, so I wasn't sure if these Google Edition roms supported installing apps to the SD card.


The Sandisk card is a good choice, seems like Amazon have cleared out their stock of faulty card in the last firesale a few weeks ago, those were having problem with GS4s but I hope this new batch is different. I picked the Samsung sd card because even though they are more expensive there are far less report of them having problem on Samsung phones(coincidence?), and they offer 10 year warranty(Sandisk only give 5).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Just from a quick look, here is a good but exceptionally large-sized example of an HD game that I plan on playing. Who knows how many games like this I'll find?
> 
> What is the amount of space that is recommended to be kept free on the internal storage? I'm assuming that Android also requires some amount of free space to function at its best, like Windows does.
> 
> Thanks a lot!


If you are going to run a few 1G game like that they you have to get a 32G phone, I have no idea about how much space is recommended to keep free, maybe ask around at an android forum like XDA or android central.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Muldoon*
> 
> I'm getting a GS4 soon, and just ordered one of these from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007WTAJTO/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> Seems to be a popular choice if you are still looking for a specific card to use. I haven't used it yet so I can't personally vouch for it but I bet there are people here who can.
> 
> Just to clear up some confusion that I have, if I were to flash the Google Edition 4.2.2 or 4.3 roms onto my TMobile Galaxy S4 (i9505) I could still install apps to the SD card correct? I've heard that Google was trying to move away from supporting SD cards and using internal storage only, so I wasn't sure if these Google Edition roms supported installing apps to the SD card.


Thanks for the recommendation, but I think I'm going to stick to Samsung cards for the S4. Many SanDisk users have had issues with their S4 and I dont want to take that chance.

Besides, I'll be getting the Samsung card from the same store as the phone so they'll have to honor the warranty both for the card and the phone should any issue arise. SanDisk on the other hand is sold by another separate store here, and if I were to get a SanDisk either/both stores might blame the phone/card for the malfunction issues.

Thanks anyways!


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> If you are going to run a few 1G game like that they you have to get a 32G phone, I have no idea about how much space is recommended to keep free, maybe ask around at an android forum like XDA or android central.


Okay. Thanks a lot!


----------



## Ponycar

I read somewhere that was changing in a firmware update....


----------



## Zhohner

Just thought i'd post some battery stats for the Exynos S4 (For anyone considering it):



I'm running firmware build I9500XXUBMF5.

Just my basic daily use; a few calls, some light web browsing, eBook reading and streaming a few TV show episodes from my media server. Brightness was at 100% and power saving mode was off.

Very happy with the result, the phone easily lasts throughout my day.

I plan to do a run with power saving mode on, and I will post the results tomorrow.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> -snip-
> 
> -snip-


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zhohner*
> 
> Just thought i'd post some battery stats for the Exynos S4 (For anyone considering it):
> 
> 
> -snip-


Both the screens were used at max brightness as far as I have been informed.

Approximately 3 hours of screen usage on Snapdragon vs Exynos required 64.1% and 53.7% battery life respectively (from the above screenshots). This goes against the prevailing belief that the Snapdragon version is better than the Exynos in matters regarding battery life. What am I missing here?

Thanks to the both of you for providing all this info! Much appreciated!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Both the screens were used at max brightness as far as I have been informed.
> 
> Approximately 3 hours of screen usage on Snapdragon vs Exynos required 64.1% and 53.7% battery life respectively (from the above screenshots). This goes against the prevailing belief that the Snapdragon version is better than the Exynos in matters regarding battery life. What am I missing here?
> 
> Thanks to the both of you for providing all this info! Much appreciated!


Various small difference in usage model or display settings makes them different, not to mention panel quality and various other things(like what those screen times were used for, since for an AMOLED screen power consumption varies greatly depend on what content is displayed on screen).

He didn't mention the screen mode did he? Different screen mode give you different maximum brightness(Dynamic's max(319 nits) is much brighter than Adapt and Standard(255 nits)) for example, Plus he didn't mention if he unchecked "Auto Adjust screen tone" like I did which would also drain extra battery because it makes screen brighter.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> He didn't mention the screen mode did he? Different screen mode give you different maximum brightness(Dynamic's max(319 nits) is much brighter than Adapt and Standard(255 nits)), Plus he didn't mention if he unchecked "Auto Adjust screen tone" like I did which would also drain extra battery because it makes screen brighter. Plus what he was viewing during those screen time would also make a big difference, since both phone have AMOLED screens, the side that with darker background/viewed less white background images(be it eBooks or browsing websites) would have a signifcant advantage.


Good points! Thanks for the quick reply!









*@Zhohner:* Can you please specify as to what settings you were using for the options sherlock mentioned? It'd be much more helpful and informative for potential buyers of the Exynos version (like me). Thanks!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Good points! Thanks for the quick reply!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *@Zhohner:* Can you please specify as to what settings you were using for the options sherlock mentioned? It'd be much more helpful and informative for potential buyers of the Exynos version (like me). Thanks!


Phone battery life depend on a lot of things, to just judge them by someone else's battery life stat is horribly inaccurate. The only way to know how good the phone's battery life is for you is to use the phone yourself. Everything else is only a mildly useful reference that misleads you more often than it guides you. I read a ton of AT&T S4 battery life stats on XDA, and it turns out my battery life worse than quite a few of them that posted in that thread because various small differences in usage models, settings & homescreens.

p.s My home screen with the transparent notification bar & widget doesn't really contribute to battery saving either.


----------



## darkphantom

Anyone jump on the Google Edition S4 rom?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2341936

(TMOBILE)


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Phone battery life depend on a lot of things, to just judge them by someone else's battery life stat is horribly inaccurate. The only way to know how good the phone's battery life is for you is to use the phone yourself. Everything else is only a mildly useful reference that misleads you more often than it guides you. I read a ton of AT&T S4 battery life stats on XDA, and it turns out my battery life worse than quite a few of them that posted in that thread because various small differences in usage models, settings & homescreens.
> 
> p.s My home screen with the transparent notification bar & widget doesn't really contribute to battery saving either.


I thought that the number of variables would be significantly lowered if the only thing considered are two screens at max brightness (didnt know that max could be different too).

Is the transparent notification bar a part of TouchWiz by default or did you get it with the custom ROM?


----------



## Zhohner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Good points! Thanks for the quick reply!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *@Zhohner:* Can you please specify as to what settings you were using for the options sherlock mentioned? It'd be much more helpful and informative for potential buyers of the Exynos version (like me). Thanks!


Auto Adjust is unchecked and the display mode is set to Dynamic.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Phone battery life depend on a lot of things, to just judge them by someone else's battery life stat is horribly inaccurate. The only way to know how good the phone's battery life is for you is to use the phone yourself. Everything else is only a mildly useful reference that misleads you more often than it guides you. I read a ton of AT&T S4 battery life stats on XDA, and it turns out my battery life worse than quite a few of them that posted in that thread because various small differences in usage models, settings & homescreens.
> 
> p.s My home screen with the transparent notification bar & widget doesn't really contribute to battery saving either.


Completely agree, Battery life does vary with each user. I've posted this result to share my own personal experience with this particular device.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zhohner*
> 
> Auto Adjust is unchecked and the display mode is set to Dynamic.
> Completely agree, *Battery life does vary with each user.* I've posted this result to share my own personal experience with this particular device.


Since this seems to be the consensus, I'll stop comparing and test it out for myself when I get mine.

But I'll take Zhohner's stats positively for now. It should at least mean that its possible to make the Exynos version more efficient, power usage-wise.


----------



## Zhohner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> I thought that the number of variables would be significantly lowered if the only thing considered are two screens at max brightness (didnt know that max could be different too).
> 
> Is the transparent notification bar a part of TouchWiz by default or did you get it with the custom ROM?


The way I understand it, is that AMOLED panels work in a way that when black needs to be displayed on the screen, the pixels that are required to display black simply switch off to do so. So battery savings can come from themes and wallpapers with more black in them. I suspect this is why Samsung Touchwiz menus are very black heavy.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Since this seems to be the consensus, I'll stop comparing and test it out for myself when I get mine.
> 
> But I'll take Zhohner's stats positively for now. It should at least mean that its possible to make the Exynos version more efficient, power usage-wise.


You can't really go wrong with either version, The S4 is a fantastic phone and I hope you enjoy it


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zhohner*
> 
> The way I understand it, is that AMOLED panels work in a way that when black needs to be displayed on the screen, the pixels that are required to display black simply switch off to do so. So battery savings can come from themes and wallpapers with more black in them. I suspect this is why *Samsung Touchwiz menus are very black heavy*.
> You can't really go wrong with either version, The S4 is a fantastic phone and I hope you enjoy it


Even if it wasnt, I'd definitely personalize it and give it a totally dark makeover. But its good that Samsung has done it themselves and is playing to their strengths.

Its arguably one of the best phones of 2013, it should be fantastic. Lets hope it doesnt fail to amaze.

Thanks!


----------



## ahnafakeef

So I went window shopping for accessories for the S4 today. Here's what I found, and I'd like your advice on what you would recommend.

MicroSD card : This is the only 64GB card available in the market. So I dont really have a choice there. They said that they'd change it for another one should issues (dismounting error etc.) arise. Cant get any Samsung ones because genuine ones arent available here. But most shopkeepers agreed that SanDisk cards would be the real deal. Is there any way to determine whether or not the SanDisk card is real?

Screen protector : Do I really need one? I've always used one with my phones, but I dont really know what warrants the need for one. Anyways, I checked out what was available in the market. I found the Ultra Clarity version of this one. I'm not getting any matte ones, so I guess this should suit my needs, if it is in fact needed. They said that they have the Oleophobic ones (I have no idea what that means) but I didnt see anything other than the Ultra Clarity ones in the stores. Which of the four variants would be the best for perfect image quality?

Cover : Personally I'm a fan of pouch covers. So this is my only option if I want to avail the S View functionality, although I have no idea what good S View would do me, so it would really help if you shed some light on the matter. Because if it doesnt bring much to the table, I'll probably just get a normal pouch cover since the texture of this S View pouch looks really cheap for my tastes. And the price is the exact opposite.

Also, are there any advantages (other than personal preference) to using a flip cover over a pouch cover? I hate having to hold the cover against my face along with the phone, but if it really is advantageous to use a flip cover, then I might change my mind. Besides, the flip variants come with S View, if S View helps in some way. [Please take the time to look here for what covers are available to me (the armor versions and some of the wallet versions arent available here) and let me know what you would recommend.]

I apologize for the wall of text and double posting, and I thank you for taking the time to help me!


----------



## sherlock

I got the transparent notification bar from Nova Launcher, which is a cutstom launcher you can download here. Personally I prefer it over Tocuhwiz's default Launchers(Touchwiz Home & Easy Launcher). No rooting or custom Rom is needed to use a custom Laucher like Nova.

Although if you use one of the default Samsung Wall papers I think you get transparent notification bar as well, the black notification bar only appears if you load a custom wallpaper on the default launcher.

As far as screen protector goes, my GS4's screen is still perfect even though I been using it for a month plus without a screen protector. As long as you don't put it in the same pocket as coins & keys(or use a key wallet), the gorilla glass 3 screen should hold up. I do admit part of the reason I don't use a screen protector is that I can't properly apply one(air bubble always kills me).

Case wise I use this one, it is very slim and still provides plenty of protection. I am not a big fan of covers because they look funny when you answer a phone call with them on.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> I got the transparent notification bar from Nova Launcher, which is a cutstom launcher you can download here. Personally I prefer it over Tocuhwiz's default Launchers(Touchwiz Home & Easy Launcher). No rooting or custom Rom is needed to use a custom Laucher like Nova.
> 
> Although if you use one of the default Samsung Wall papers I think you get transparent notification bar as well, the black notification bar only appears if you load a custom wallpaper on the default launcher.
> 
> As far as screen protector goes, my GS4's screen is still perfect even though I been using it for a month plus without a screen protector. As long as you don't put it in the same pocket as coins & keys(or use a key wallet), the gorilla glass 3 screen should hold up. I do admit part of the reason I don't use a screen protector is that I can't properly apply one(air bubble always kills me).
> 
> Case wise I use this one, it is very slim and still provides plenty of protection. I am not a big fan of covers because they look funny when you answer a phone call with them on.


I get it now. Nova Launcher works in the same way GO Launcher EX does. Tried it on my HTC but I hated it compared to the Sense UI. But I probably wont want to stand the black bar once I get used to it being transparent. I'll look into it later when I get the phone.

I have the front left pocket of my jeans dedicated for the smartphone. So unless my nails or the button thingies sticking out of the side of jeans' pockets can harm the screen, it should be safe.

I hope I don't sound judgmental, but that case makes the phone look like an iPhone.

Also, what is up with the freaking backside of the Black Mist edition!? I had a closer look at it today, and it looks like those sparkly gift wrappers! On the white version the diamond texture looks elegant and almost invisible. But the Black Mist version! Ugh! Just wants to make me get a back cover for it. Just cannot everything the way I want it, can I?









Anyways, thanks a lot for your feedback!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> I get it now. Nova Launcher works in the same way GO Launcher EX does. Tried it on my HTC but I hated it compared to the Sense UI. But I probably wont want to stand the black bar once I get used to it being transparent. I'll look into it later when I get the phone.
> 
> I have the front left pocket of my jeans dedicated for the smartphone. So unless my nails or the button thingies sticking out of the side of jeans' pockets can harm the screen, it should be safe.
> 
> I hope I don't sound judgmental, but that case makes the phone look like an iPhone.
> 
> Also, what is up with the freaking backside of the Black Mist edition!? I had a closer look at it today, and it looks like those sparkly gift wrappers! On the white version the diamond texture looks elegant and almost invisible. But the Black Mist version! Ugh! Just wants to make me get a back cover for it. Just cannot everything the way I want it, can I?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyways, thanks a lot for your feedback!


Making the phone look like an Iphone is part of the appeal of the case lol







I can go around and troll people with my 5 inch Idroid , looks even funnier with one of these fake Iphone 5 launchers


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Making the phone look like an Iphone is part of the appeal of the case lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can go around and troll people with my 5 inch Idroid , looks even funnier with one of these fake Iphone 5 launchers


Oh I see.


----------



## Zhohner

Here are my battery stats with power saving mode enabled:



Usage was very similar to my last post, light web browsing, reading, streaming media etc.


----------



## Ponycar

Samsung did well to introduce the power saving toggle as I've employed it to great effect and combined with their spare battery kit its great to be able to swap out a dead or low battery and keep going.


----------



## cavallino

So Google support claims the s4 google edition will be getting updates the same time as nexus devices. Not sure if I should believe that or not.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cavallino*
> 
> So Google support claims the s4 google edition will be getting updates the same time as nexus devices. Not sure if I should believe that or not.


Probably won't be as fast unless as Nexus, given this
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anandtech*
> It only takes glancing at the About page to verify that my suspicions were correct - the GPe phones run kernels supplied by the respective OEMs, Google supplies the build of Android that runs atop it.
> The result is probably the best combination of OEM and Google software, since OEMs ostensibly know their hardware best and can bundle everything required to make the phone work, and Google knows its Android platform best. The result is that ultimately the OEMs are in fact responsible for updating these Google Play experience phones through successive Android releases, but through Google's infrastructure.


If Google release the AOSP build to OEMs before they release it on Nexus they maybe they can get updated at the same time, but I would bet on either Google or OEM dropping the ball in that process and cause the update for Gpe to come later than Nexus.


----------



## cavallino

I don't know I've yet to be let down by a Google product or anything they've had a real hand in


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Received my Spigen Neo Hybrid case today. It's fantastic in that it fits brilliantly, the buttons feel great and it looks great. The only downfall is that my headphones don't fit.


----------



## Chris13002

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> Received my Spigen Neo Hybrid case today. It's fantastic in that it fits brilliantly, the buttons feel great and it looks great. The only downfall is that my headphones don't fit.


I have the same case and agree with the headphones not fitting. Also the Samsung Multimedia dock will not work with this case, or any wireless charging. NFC still works great as I use Google wallet. Also from XDA, someone contacted Spigen and they said that they will be releasing different color plates for our cases which will be huge if you like different colors - and should be no more than $10 each...









Been playing around with the phone and customizing a lot, and have to say this thing does nothing less than impress me... and I thought it would be hard to beat my Galaxy S II...
Here is my lockscreen - which I replaced the stock lens flare with a flame/fire - looks better in motion...


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






Dark Dialer - as all the S4 US models include the white theme - i personally prefer the dark theme...


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






Finally I added a few transparent effects...
-transparent statusbar - no black bar at the top, so you can see the whole wallpaper - in this case the live wallpaper
-transparent weather widget
-minimalistic icons - statusbar icons are simple and made the digital clock in small text


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







I did order the Samsung Galaxy S 4 S-View flip case, as it was $10 on Amazon with free shipping, but beware, it was fake. I'll be glad to post pictures and explain why it's fake if you guys want...
Same thing goes with the Spigen Neo Hybrid case, I've read that users have been reporting fake or knock off versions of it...


----------



## ahnafakeef

Hi! Hopefully I'm getting mine today and need some help.

Do the contacts saved in my other android (HTC Sensation XE) automatically get transferred to the new phone when I log in to my google account? I just checked my Nexus 7, and it has the contacts (dont know if all of them though) that I have in my HTC. Will the same happen with the S4?

Also, what else can I take a backup of and transfer to my new phone from my old one?

Thanks a lot!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Hi! Hopefully I'm getting mine today and need some help.
> 
> Do the contacts saved in my other android (HTC Sensation XE) automatically get transferred to the new phone when I log in to my google account? I just checked my Nexus 7, and it has the contacts (dont know if all of them though) that I have in my HTC. Will the same happen with the S4?
> 
> Also, what else can I take a backup of and transfer to my new phone from my old one?
> 
> Thanks a lot!


You could save your contacts to your sim card just to make sure, but all your google contacts should transfer without problem.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> You could save your contacts to your sim card just to make sure, but all your google contacts should transfer without problem.


Thanks for the quick reply!

I wont be using the same SIM card. What should I do?

EDIT : You bought an HTC One?


----------



## Ponycar

Check if your contacts are syncing with your Gmail account and if so then they can be synched when you set up your Gmail account on the new device


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ponycar*
> 
> Check if your contacts are syncing with your Gmail account and if so then they can be synched when you set up your Gmail account on the new device


How do I check if its syncing or not?


----------



## Ponycar

Sign into your gmail account on a computer click Gmail at top left corner then contacts and/or check the sync ssettings on your current device


----------



## Chris13002

Everyone get their Jay Z album? This also goes for S3 and Note II owners...








https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samsungmobileusa.magnacarta


----------



## korruptedkaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chris13002*
> 
> Everyone get their Jay Z album? This also goes for S3 and Note II owners...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samsungmobileusa.magnacarta


the magna carta? not yet, im in the uk and s3 owner? the 4g i9305 model? ive been thinking of getting the S4 but its not really worth it?


----------



## Chris13002

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *korruptedkaos*
> 
> the magna carta? not yet, im in the uk and s3 owner? the 4g i9305 model? ive been thinking of getting the S4 but its not really worth it?


Yeah that's the album, a bonus for all us Samsung owners...
To be truthful, an S3 -> S4 is not worth the upgrade unless you can find a good deal on the S4...
You might as well wait for the next S5 to come out...


----------



## korruptedkaos

yeah I went from i9300 to the i9305 for the 4g, although I don't even use the 4g as the sim I use & network only does hspa+.

prob wait for the s5 or whatever else comes along?


----------



## Ponycar

Yeah, I downloaded it on my s4 but I haven't listened to it yet. I also agree that the s3 upgrade to s4 is minimal at best as the display goes from 4.8 to 5.0 inches, the cpu goes from 1.5 to 1.9 (in NA) the battery is a bit larger in the s4 at 2600mah vs 2100 mah.

In my case I had the motorola razr maxx and it was a good phone with the extended life battery but there were a few problems - the display was too small - 4.3" and it has a 1.2 dual core cpu. I prefer phones with large displays because I use them for multimedia and mobile hotspot - in the case of the razr the battery life was good - not as great as my expectations as I still had to charge it daily based on my usage but it took double the time of the s4 to charge.

using my s4 as a hotspot has been great and I purchased the samsung spare battery pack so battery life is great and it charges faster. Camera on the s4 is also best I have because I'm not enough of an enthusiast to want to carry around another dedicated point and shoot.


----------



## Muldoon

I got my Spigen Neo Hybrid case this week and I agree, it's wonderful. It also fits well with the Spigen tempered glass screen protector I put on it.

Is there a special trick to getting Google Wallet to work? I have the T-Mobile Galaxy S4 and haven't tried it yet.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> So I went window shopping for accessories for the S4 today. Here's what I found, and I'd like your advice on what you would recommend.
> 
> MicroSD card : This is the only 64GB card available in the market. So I dont really have a choice there. They said that they'd change it for another one should issues (dismounting error etc.) arise. Cant get any Samsung ones because genuine ones arent available here. But most shopkeepers agreed that SanDisk cards would be the real deal. Is there any way to determine whether or not the SanDisk card is real?


I wasn't sure if anyone answered this portion of your question, but there is one tool out there that can test if it is a fake: *H2TestW*

Here's a couple of links showing where to get them and how to test:

*LINK 1*

*LINK 2*


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> I wasn't sure if anyone answered this portion of your question, but there is one tool out there that can test if it is a fake: *H2TestW*
> 
> Here's a couple of links showing where to get them and how to test:
> 
> *LINK 1*
> 
> *LINK 2*


I downloaded the H2 software, but it doesn't detect my phone when I click on select target. My microSD card is currently in my phone. Is it possible to test it while it is still in phone, or is it necessary that I take it out? Because I really don't want to take it out from the phone. Thanks a lot!









So I finally got my phone yesterday. My initial impression is that 5-inches is just big enough to be too big for my hands, but I'll get used to it. The interface is different from my HTC obviously, and its more similar to my Nexus 7 than it is to the HTC.

Anyways, first major problem I've faced is maintaining the contacts. I created an entry and joined it to its respective Facebook account (I'm disappointed that it didnt prompt me on its own to join them, my HTC does it and its a 2011 phone). Then when I wanted to, I couldn't un-join it, so I deleted it. Now the created entry is gone, but so is the Facebook account. That account doesn't show in the list anymore. I've tried re-syncing Facebook with contacts but it didn't help. How can I get that Facebook account to show up in the contacts again, so that I can join it with its phone entry?

Thanks a lot!


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> I downloaded the H2 software, but when it doesn't detect my phone when I click on select target. My microSD card is currently in my phone. Is it possible to test it while it is still in phone, or is it necessary that I take it out? Because I really don't want to take it out from the phone. Thanks a lot!


You have to test it using a PC, apologies for not mentioning that previously.


----------



## Silviastud

Is anyone else having the same issues I am with my S4 and it's memory card?

Check this thread out, I'm Jcasey35 on there.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> You have to test it using a PC, apologies for not mentioning that previously.


I connected the phone to my PC via a USB data cable. Does that count as testing it using a PC? If not, how should I connect it to my PC? is there any other way than using a card reader? Thanks a lot!


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silviastud*
> 
> Is anyone else having the same issues I am with my S4 and it's memory card?
> 
> Check this thread out, I'm Jcasey35 on there.


Many S4 users are having issues with their memory card automatically dismounting. I was provided with a few XDA threads a few pages back. It has something to do with other (than Samsung) cards not fitting perfectly into the slot (physical specs incompatibility). From all the reading I did, Samsung cards have the least number of issues with S4 but they're still not a 100% free of this issue. SanDisk users who have this issue are quite a lot in number. Don't know about Kingston though.

Its somewhat luck of the draw, like with your other phone which hasn't had any issues yet. There are many SanDisk users who haven't had a single complaint regarding this issue, despite the huge number of SanDisk users that do.

I know this doesn't help much, but you can go and check for the XDA links in this thread (should be within the last 10 pages), or just go and ask in the XDA forums. I don't know of any direct solutions but maybe you can RMA the card and it could fix it. That's what I plan on doing if my SanDisk gives me this issue.


----------



## Silviastud

Like I said in my post, I find it pretty unacceptable that I can go grab my 5 year old FREE Sony flip phone and pop any of the multitude of micros I have around the house into it and know that the hardware will work every time.

I don't expect to have a phone, when purchased without a plan or unlocked for almost 700 dollars, that can't work with hardware that's been mainstream and around for ages. I can't believe this hasn't been address directly from Samsung yet.

This would be like me buying a PC from Dell or HP and then finding out that only their brand of floppy disks only work with it... Most of the time...

Not that anyone cares about floppy disks, but you get the idea, it's something you would NEVER expect to have an issue with.


----------



## Chris13002

^ I have not heard of this issue, but my Class 10 Samsung 64GB MicroSD card has been working flawless, except when I get high battery use from MediaServer, I have to format after I switch roms...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Muldoon*
> 
> Is there a special trick to getting Google Wallet to work? I have the T-Mobile Galaxy S4 and haven't tried it yet.


You need to be rooted, and on a deodexed rom...








http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2282892


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silviastud*
> 
> Like I said in my post, I find it pretty unacceptable that I can go grab my 5 year old FREE Sony flip phone and pop any of the multitude of micros I have around the house into it and know that the hardware will work every time.
> 
> I don't expect to have a phone, when purchased without a plan or unlocked for almost 700 dollars, that can't work with hardware that's been mainstream and around for ages. I can't believe this hasn't been address directly from Samsung yet.
> 
> This would be like me buying a PC from Dell or HP and then finding out that only their brand of floppy disks only work with it... Most of the time...
> 
> Not that anyone cares about floppy disks, but you get the idea, it's something you would NEVER expect to have an issue with.


I agree with you that it is unacceptable, but it is what it is. Until Samsung addresses the issue we can only be cautious and hope that we don't fall victim to this issue. And using Samsung cards seems to be the safest bet right now.

I hope you get rid of the issue soon. Good luck!


----------



## jktmas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Silviastud*
> 
> Like I said in my post, I find it pretty unacceptable that I can go grab my 5 year old FREE Sony flip phone and pop any of the multitude of micros I have around the house into it and know that the hardware will work every time.
> 
> I don't expect to have a phone, when purchased without a plan or unlocked for almost 700 dollars, that can't work with hardware that's been mainstream and around for ages. I can't believe this hasn't been address directly from Samsung yet.
> 
> This would be like me buying a PC from Dell or HP and then finding out that only their brand of floppy disks only work with it... Most of the time...
> 
> Not that anyone cares about floppy disks, but you get the idea, it's something you would NEVER expect to have an issue with.
> 
> 
> 
> I agree with you that it is unacceptable, but it is what it is. Until Samsung addresses the issue we can only be cautious and hope that we don't fall victim to this issue. And using Samsung cards seems to be the safest bet right now.
> 
> I hope you get rid of the issue soon. Good luck!
Click to expand...

I had this same problem with my samsung EPIC, i ended up going through like 6 micro sd cards trying to find one that worked and i ended up buying a new one from sprint that DID work. it is extremely unsettling that they are still having this problem


----------



## Ponycar

16 gb SD card from my prior Motorola RAZR has worked flawlessly in my s4, was true plug n play but actually Samsung should have included a 16gb at least since it's their flagship phone.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ponycar*
> 
> 16 gb SD card from my prior Motorola RAZR has worked flawlessly in my s4, was true plug n play but actually Samsung should have included a 16gb at least since it's their flagship phone.


After seeing the difference in speed between the internal memory and that of the microSD card, I'd have preferred the phones coming with at least 32GB of internal memory. (Google actually has a good point there in moving towards internal memory only.) I fear that I'll fill up that usable 8GB in no time. [Since they have a choice of not bringing the 32GB versions, they didnt. and I'm the one who's suffering the consequences.]

But yes, a 16GB card would have been better than nothing.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> After seeing the difference in speed between the internal memory and that of the microSD card, I'd have preferred the phones coming with at least 32GB of internal memory. (Google actually has a good point there in moving towards internal memory only.) I fear that I'll fill up that usable 8GB in no time. [Since they have a choice of not bringing the 32GB versions, they didnt. and I'm the one who's suffering the consequences.]
> 
> But yes, a 16GB card would have been better than nothing.


Internal NAND is better for apps & games, but for media files the difference in speed is mostly irrelevant. Google believe most people will move onto streaming music instead of storing them on phones, but for people like me who need 40G plus for videos that's a big problem.

Until phones comes with 64GB as the base model I would always find SD card to be preferable to buying the 64GB version of the phone.

The 64GB version of HTC One costs $300 on contract, I can get the 16GB GS4+a case+64 GB micro SD card for $290 on contract. The extra $100 I would pay for a 64GB phone only have 1 year warranty, plus I will have to pay that extra again when I buy a new phone in a year or two. The $60 SD card I bought have a 10 year warranty, and even if my next phone don't have a SD slot I can use it on a Ultrabook or Tablet.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Internal NAND is better for apps & games, but for media files the difference in speed is mostly irrelevant. Google believe most people will move onto streaming music instead of storing them on phones, but for people like me who need 40G plus for videos that's a big problem.
> 
> Until phones comes with 64GB as the base model I would always find SD card to be preferable to buying the 64GB version of the phone.
> 
> The 64GB version of HTC One costs $300 on contract, I can get the 16GB GS4+a case+64 GB micro SD card for $290 on contract. The extra $100 I would pay for a 64GB phone only have 1 year warranty, plus I will have to pay that extra again when I buy a new phone in a year or two. The $60 SD card I bought have a 10 year warranty, and even if my next phone don't have a SD slot I can use it on a Ultrabook or Tablet.


You have a point there about the expenditure being more for phones with only internal memory. But I think it wouldn't be an issue if 32GB and 64GB phones were more common. 32GB is more than enough for the average user, and 64GB should be fine for many heavy users too. Also, once people decide to leave external memory, I think companies will provide 128GB phones too although that might cost a premium over 32GB/64GB versions. And if internal memory is all around a better option than microSD cards, I dont think anyone will mind the shift whether they prefer streaming or not. But speaking from the POV of where I'm at, streaming wont be popular here anytime soon I think, mostly because of lack of access to cheap and fast internet.


----------



## Silviastud

I think the streaming point is directed to the use of things like LTE. I'd do this, if I were staying in Japan, as the Japanese contracts have limited minutes, and unlimited data. My Verizon contract, on the contrary, is now unlimited voice and text, and 4gig a month shared between my phone and my wife's phone. I'm a little concerned, for the last 5 years I've had unlimited data, I have never paid attention to my usage, and I will have to ease into things back in the states.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Are any of you having issues with the screen's brightness going up and down on its own?

I've been using my I9500 for three days now. I'm using it with the screen mode set to Dynamic and brightness to max. Sometimes I put the brightness to auto from the pull-down menu. But when using it with max brightness, I've noticed the brightness go a tad bit down and then up again on its own. This has happened when using Flipboard, on the TouchWiz interface (home screens etc.) and when playing Minion Rush a few minutes ago. So I'm thinking its not related to third party applications only.

Is there any solution to this, or is it a problem with the phone and needs to be RMA'd? They said that they'd exchange it for another one if some issue were to come up within two days, so maybe I can still avail that opportunity.

Any advice is welcome. Thanks a lot!


----------



## Ponycar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Are any of you having issues with the screen's brightness going up and down on its own?
> 
> I've been using my I9500 for three days now. I'm using it with the screen mode set to Dynamic and brightness to max. Sometimes I put the brightness to auto from the pull-down menu. But when using it with max brightness, I've noticed the brightness go a tad bit down and then up again on its own. This has happened when using Flipboard, on the TouchWiz interface (home screens etc.) and when playing Minion Rush a few minutes ago. So I'm thinking its not related to third party applications only.
> 
> Is there any solution to this, or is it a problem with the phone and needs to be RMA'd? They said that they'd exchange it for another one if some issue were to come up within two days, so maybe I can still avail that opportunity.
> 
> Any advice is welcome. Thanks a lot!


No problems here - you might want to make sure auto brightness isn't checkmarked - I've had mine enabled by accident when I slide down the notification panel from the top.

Might also want to make sure power saving isnt enabled

Might also want to try a different screen mode - by default its on adapt display but theres also dynamic/standard/professional and movie and adapt display will automatically adjust itself based on what you're doing at the time and what content is on the display.

Last resort - I'd recommend a hard reset/factory data reset - this will wipe all your personal information off the phone, pull your memory card prior and make sure nothing important is saved on internal memory. Reason for this is to eliminate any software problems that may be introduced via apps and/or app updates. In actuality, whenever I get a smartphone/tablet the first thing I do after I set it up and before I update it and customize it is do a factory data reset to make sure and eliminate anything problematic thats software related - some may argue this is my OCD but everybody's different.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Are any of you having issues with the screen's brightness going up and down on its own?
> 
> I've been using my I9500 for three days now. I'm using it with the screen mode set to Dynamic and brightness to max. Sometimes I put the brightness to auto from the pull-down menu. But when using it with max brightness, I've noticed the brightness go a tad bit down and then up again on its own. This has happened when using Flipboard, on the TouchWiz interface (home screens etc.) and when playing Minion Rush a few minutes ago. So I'm thinking its not related to third party applications only.
> 
> Is there any solution to this, or is it a problem with the phone and needs to be RMA'd? They said that they'd exchange it for another one if some issue were to come up within two days, so maybe I can still avail that opportunity.
> 
> Any advice is welcome. Thanks a lot!


That is probably auto-brightness adjusting on its own, make sure you don't have it checked and turn "auto adjust screen tone" off as well.


----------



## Ponycar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> That is probably auto-brightness adjusting on its own, make sure you don't have it checked and turn "auto adjust screen tone" off as well.


Judas Priest! I didn't even know this one was down there, Im unchecking it now to see what it does! Good find!


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ponycar*
> 
> No problems here - you might want to make sure auto brightness isn't checkmarked - I've had mine enabled by accident when I slide down the notification panel from the top.
> 
> Might also want to make sure power saving isnt enabled
> 
> Might also want to try a different screen mode - by default its on adapt display but theres also dynamic/standard/professional and movie and adapt display will automatically adjust itself based on what you're doing at the time and what content is on the display.
> 
> Last resort - I'd recommend a hard reset/factory data reset - this will wipe all your personal information off the phone, pull your memory card prior and make sure nothing important is saved on internal memory. Reason for this is to eliminate any software problems that may be introduced via apps and/or app updates. In actuality, whenever I get a smartphone/tablet the first thing I do after I set it up and before I update it and customize it is do a factory data reset to make sure and eliminate anything problematic thats software related - some may argue this is my OCD but everybody's different.


Auto Brightness, Power Saving, Adapt Display have all been turned off from day one, other than the times that I turned on Auto Brightness to see how it looks. But I had it turned off when I experienced the issue.

I'm really hoping that I don't have to reset the phone to its factory settings. I'll try turning off Auto Adjust Screen Tone like sherlock mentioned and see if it works.

Thanks a lot!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> That is probably auto-brightness adjusting on its own, make sure you don't have it checked and turn "auto adjust screen tone" off as well.


I think this might be it. I had it enabled the whole time and didn't even know it. Hopefully this will fix the problem. Thanks a lot!


----------



## frankth3frizz

Just flashed a new rom on my s4 and this is my 64gb sd card benchmark. O.O










Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Chris13002

Nice write speeds...
This is my Samsung Class 10 64GB...
Don't know how true these speeds are, but I did run this test multiple times... If true, the read speeds (sequential i'm guessing) are faster than my 2 SSD's in RAID 0 lol...


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Chris13002

I would highly recommend the multi view app for people who haven't yet tried it on this phone. Really shows the potential for the 1080p screen.

Just made this recording of my S4 using this Screen Recorder Pro app since Screen Cast wouldn't work in video recording... Note it takes a big hit on performance like FRAPS does...


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chris13002*
> 
> Nice write speeds...
> This is my Samsung Class 10 64GB...
> Don't know how true these speeds are, but I did run this test multiple times... If true, the read speeds (sequential i'm guessing) are faster than my 2 SSD's in RAID 0 lol...
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


You guys are doing A1 SD card bench wrong, you need to go into settings and check "Use longer testing", otherwise *your read speed would be way too high because of Ram caching.*

From my Samsung 64GB UHS-I


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Are any of you having issues with the screen's brightness going up and down on its own?
> 
> I've been using my I9500 for three days now. I'm using it with the screen mode set to Dynamic and brightness to max. Sometimes I put the brightness to auto from the pull-down menu. But when using it with max brightness, I've noticed the brightness go a tad bit down and then up again on its own. This has happened when using Flipboard, on the TouchWiz interface (home screens etc.) and when playing Minion Rush a few minutes ago. So I'm thinking its not related to third party applications only.
> 
> Is there any solution to this, or is it a problem with the phone and needs to be RMA'd? They said that they'd exchange it for another one if some issue were to come up within two days, so maybe I can still avail that opportunity.
> 
> Any advice is welcome. Thanks a lot!


This happened to me as well. I think I fixed it by disabling "Auto adjust screen tone" on the Display settings.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> This happened to me as well. I think I fixed it by disabling "Auto adjust screen tone" on the Display settings.


I think this fixed it for me when at max brightness.

Is the phone supposed to adjust the brightness on its own when set to auto from the notification bar? Because its still changing the brightness on its own when I enable Auto in the notification bar.

Thanks for your input!









Are there any sites like Grooveshark.com for streaming music directly to my S4? I use Grooveshark on my PC and I was wondering if there are any sites for android/mobile devices.

Also, is there a way to measure the temperature of my surroundings with the S4? I remember seeing something like it somewhere on the internet, but can exactly remember where.

Thanks a lot!


----------



## Chris13002

^ yup, that's the auto brightness setting that dims the display due to lighting conditions - hence 'auto' setting...

I have been looking around to see that this is somewhat a widespread issue, but what do you all think of the camera?
I know the camera itself is superior to an iPhone 5 in hardware terms, but it seems to me like the shutter lag on the stock camera just takes forever... and I never had this issue with my Galaxy S 2...
I am on a custom rom, but it's mostly based off the stock rom, and has the stock camera with all it's features...
Here is what I am talking about... This is me trying to get some quick shots in my car of a passing storm... and yes I checked the lens and have taken much better photos on this phone...


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!








This is obviously not the best lighting conditions, but these shots are simply unacceptable and people are recommending to use 'sports mode' or have hands like a robot that does not move for a few seconds...


----------



## Silviastud

I'm actually having a really hard time getting good pics from my S4 as well. I think my hands are just a bit too shaky, not sure what the deal is.

And you can monitor your environmentals from in S Health, from the Comfort Level options. Not sure how accurate it is.

I bought the ebook from Cnet about the S4 and have found it EXTREMELY informative, highly recommend it for 3 bucks.


----------



## DuckKnuckle

The HDR setting takes some really good pictures and I'm really pleased with the panoramic quality.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silviastud*
> 
> I'm actually having a really hard time getting good pics from my S4 as well. I think my hands are just a bit too shaky, not sure what the deal is.
> 
> And you can monitor your environmentals from in S Health, from the Comfort Level options. Not sure how accurate it is.
> 
> I bought the ebook from Cnet about the S4 and have found it EXTREMELY informative, highly recommend it for 3 bucks.


If shaky hand is your problem, I would suggest try holding down the camera button for a second or two before taking the picture, that helped my pictures alot, you can also try changing the volume rocker to the camera button.


----------



## Chris13002

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silviastud*
> 
> I'm actually having a really hard time getting good pics from my S4 as well. I think my hands are just a bit too shaky, not sure what the deal is.


Yeah it's definitely a known issue. Some of those shots I posted earlier were a horrid example of my issue.
Here are more better examples on a cloudy day and still driving... I am somewhat puzzled... Going 50mph and yet still captures the sign pretty clearly...


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Ponycar

I find it easier to use voice activation to take pictures. As for music I use google play music with all access - works exceptionally well but it will run up your data usage - I had 19gb last month.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> I connected the phone to my PC via a USB data cable. Does that count as testing it using a PC? If not, how should I connect it to my PC? is there any other way than using a card reader? Thanks a lot!


Unfortunately doing that doesn't count. I had to use a USB card reader, just make sure to get a good one and not some Chinese cheapo imitation.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ponycar*
> 
> I find it easier to use voice activation to take pictures. As for music I use google play music with all access - works exceptionally well but it will run up your data usage - I had 19gb last month.


Google Play Music? What app is that? Can I download it from the Play Store? If so, whats the apps name? Thanks a lot!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> Unfortunately doing that doesn't count. I had to use a USB card reader, just make sure to get a good one and not some Chinese cheapo imitation.


Thanks a lot.









I put Auto off, brightness at max, screen mode to Dynamic, turned Auto Screen Tone off and it still changed its brightness on its own while playing Minion Rush. Also tried with Professional Photo mode to see if it was Dynamic being dynamic, but it was the same. Issue with the phone, or is there something I haven't tried yet?

EDIT : To prevent double posting.


----------



## Silviastud

Google Music should already be installed. Basically it's a Google cloud for your music library, it's based on number of files, not data size, which is kinda cool. You upload all your music and then can stream it whenever you want, but yes it will run up your data usage.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silviastud*
> 
> Google Music should already be installed. Basically it's a Google cloud for your music library, it's based on number of files, not data size, which is kinda cool. You upload all your music and then can stream it whenever you want, but yes it will run up your data usage.


Thanks for your input.









That's not the kind of app I had in mind. You know the sites that stream music from their own database/stock (like Grooveshark.com)? Is there any app to stream music in that manner to my phone? I don't mind the data usage as long as I dont have to go to my browser every time I want to use it.

I want an app that works like the YouTube app, only I need it to stream audio songs instead of videos.

Thanks again!


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Thanks for your input.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's not the kind of app I had in mind. You know the sites that stream music from their own database/stock (like Grooveshark.com)? Is there any app to stream music in that manner to my phone? I don't mind the data usage as long as I dont have to go to my browser every time I want to use it.
> 
> I want an app that works like the YouTube app, only I need it to stream audio songs instead of videos.
> 
> Thanks again!


You can always try Spotify.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spotify.mobile.android.ui&hl=en


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> You can always try Spotify.
> 
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spotify.mobile.android.ui&hl=en


It says its not available in my country? Any way to bypass this?

If not, is there an alternative app like that?

Thanks for your input.









EDIT : It needs to be free. Like Grooveshark on PC.


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> It says its not available in my country? Any way to bypass this?
> 
> If not, is there an alternative app like that?
> 
> Thanks for your input.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT : It needs to be free. Like Grooveshark on PC.


Ah free? Okay there is Songza you can check out.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ad60.songza&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5hZDYwLnNvbmd6YSJd


----------



## frankth3frizz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ponycar*
> 
> I find it easier to use voice activation to take pictures. As for music I use google play music with all access - works exceptionally well but it will run up your data usage - I had 19gb last month.


I couldn't justify paying for Pandora because it is a RADIO app. Google music all access though, is something else. I love how you have the option to have a radio, go back to the previous song, have access to pretty much ANY SONG you want to listen to, make playlists ,etc. Best music app I've used.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> Ah free? Okay there is Songza you can check out.
> 
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ad60.songza&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5hZDYwLnNvbmd6YSJd


Not available in my country. How do I bypass this?


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Not available in my country. How do I bypass this?


Try searching it on the Play Store instead of clicking the link? We can see if that works


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> Try searching it on the Play Store instead of clicking the link? We can see if that works


Play Store opens up but it says its not compatible with any of my devices because its not available in my country. As for searching manually, it doesnt appear in the results.


----------



## Silviastud

Check out Tune In, I use it here in Japan.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tunein.player&hl=en


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silviastud*
> 
> Check out Tune In, I use it here in Japan.
> 
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tunein.player&hl=en


I use this in the Philippines as well and it works great!


----------



## Muldoon

So I just tried out the A1 SD Bench app to see how my microSD card performs and got these results:



That read speed seems way off. I repeated the test and got a similar result. Has anyone had a similar experience with this app? I'm using the following SD card:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007WTAJTO/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Muldoon*
> 
> So I just tried out the A1 SD Bench app to see how my microSD card performs and got these results:
> 
> 
> 
> That read speed seems way off. I repeated the test and got a similar result. Has anyone had a similar experience with this app? I'm using the following SD card:
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007WTAJTO/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


You need to test using - "Use Longer Testing" (under settings), one of our members (sherlock) noted that in post 449.


----------



## Muldoon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> You need to test using - "Use Longer Testing" (under settings), one of our members (sherlock) noted that in post 449.


Ah, that worked. Thanks. Now it's showing a more reasonable read speed of 18.40MB/s.


----------



## xquisit

Just revived my s four... After it was dropped in a full cup of vodka and an energy drink; I thought the sugar would mess everything up. So far the phone makes lots of noiSe when doing a task and the speaker works alright but not like normal.


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xquisit*
> 
> Just revived my s four... After it was dropped in a full cup of vodka and an energy drink; I thought the sugar would mess everything up. So far the phone makes lots of noiSe when doing a task and the speaker works alright but not like normal.


Lol how did you drop it into a cup of vodka?


----------



## ahnafakeef

So I finally found out why brightness was changing on its own. It was happening when I was playing Minion Rush, so I quit the game and immediately went into brightness settings. It said "Maximum brightness reduced to prevent overheating". I should mention that brightness is pretty stable in other apps/ OS interface.

I had this problem with my GPU clocks, didn't think I'd have to deal with it on my phone too.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> So I finally found out why brightness was changing on its own. It was happening when I was playing Minion Rush, so I quit the game and immediately went into brightness settings. It said "Maximum brightness reduced to prevent overheating". I should mention that brightness is pretty stable in other apps/ OS interface.
> 
> I had this problem with my GPU clocks, didn't think I'd have to deal with it on my phone too.


Interesting, yours are one of the few GS4 I heard that have this problem, Anandtech had this problem with their review sample(Sprint Snapdragon model), but I think they were the only review site that had this problem.



I personally have never run into such an issue(granted I never run that game), so maybe it only happens with certain panels/models under certain loads?


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Interesting, yours are one of the few GS4 I heard that have this problem, Anandtech had this problem with their review sample(Sprint Snapdragon model), but I think they were the only review site that had this problem.
> 
> 
> 
> I personally have never run into such an issue(granted I never run that game), so maybe it only happens with certain panels/models under certain loads?


So its not a default setting for all S4s? Meaning my one could be faulty? That would be really sad.

Also, does your phone overheat too much when running games/ heavy apps? My one gets really hot. That is one of the games with very pretty graphics (thus putting more load on the phone) as far as my experience with android gaming goes. Maybe that's why its overheating? Or does that sound totally illogical?

What games do you play? Maybe I can run some of those and see if it happens then too.

Also, how do I solve error 495? I was downloading Gameloft's Iron Man 3 earlier today when this happened. I didn't try any more than twice since it was running up my data usage.

Thanks for your input!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> So its not a default setting for all S4s? Meaning my one could be faulty? That would be really sad.
> 
> Also, does your phone overheat too much when running games/ heavy apps? My one gets really hot. That is one of the games with very pretty graphics (thus putting more load on the phone) as far as my experience with android gaming goes. Maybe that's why its overheating? Or does that sound totally illogical?
> 
> What games do you play? Maybe I can run some of those and see if it happens then too.
> 
> Also, how do I solve error 495? I was downloading Gameloft's Iron Man 3 earlier today when this happened. I didn't try any more than twice since it was running up my data usage.
> 
> Thanks for your input!


I don't play games on my phone so I am not a very good data point for you haha







. I never encountered that error so maybe someone with a Exynos GS4 could help?


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> I don't play games on my phone so I am not a very good data point for you haha
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I never encountered that error so maybe someone with a Exynos GS4 could help?


I hope someone sees this and chimes in. Thanks anyways!


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> I don't play games on my phone so I am not a very good data point for you haha
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I never encountered that error so maybe someone with a Exynos GS4 could help?
> 
> 
> 
> I hope someone sees this and chimes in. Thanks anyways!
Click to expand...

Did you try playing without it being on max brightness? Things get pretty toasty when playing games on any phone, so im sure max brightness won't help it staying cool at all.

Fyi, iron man 3 is the crappiest game I've ever played on a phone, don't waste your time or data downloading it. You don't fly around freely, you want an open based world, try Spiderman, superman, or Batman. Those are awesome games.

tappin from the Nexus 4


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sWaY20*
> 
> Did you try playing without it being on max brightness? Things get pretty toasty when playing games on any phone, so im sure max brightness won't help it staying cool at all.
> 
> Fyi, iron man 3 is the crappiest game I've ever played on a phone, don't waste your time or data downloading it. You don't fly around freely, you want an open based world, try Spiderman, superman, or Batman. Those are awesome games.
> 
> tappin from the Nexus 4


No I haven't tried playing with a manually set brightness. Only with max and auto. I play at auto now to prevent overheating.

Thanks for the tip on the game! I'll try the other ones!


----------



## Ponycar

problems with google play music w/ all access: hissing/static/scratching background noise when streaming, apparent at low volumes and when volume is increased the music gets louder and masks it, doesn't happen with built in player and music stored on phone. I also tried it with pandora as that streams off the internet as well and zero problems. Also tested it with the factory samsung earbuds, sony earbuds and my Audio Technica Ath pro 700 headphones with and without my headphone amp. (I'm a music whore)

Seems it started with the most recent update that I got last week on Thursday, I've played with the settings on the phone, uninstalled updates and cleared data on the google play music app, tried it with and without adapt sound and various eq settings built into the app. I also did a hard reset/factory data reset on the phone and after phone was setup without any other apps installed I ran google play music with zero luck.

currently on verizon 4g with build number JDQ39.I545VRUAME7.

Hope this gets sorted out quickly by samsung/google because if not then theres's not much I can do other than deal with it.


----------



## Chris13002

So I just upgraded my S4 (i337) from the Google Edition 4.2.2 to Android 4.3, and the first thing I noticed was when opening the camera for the first time, it showed 'Upgrading firmware to the latest version' for ~10 seconds, and then I used the video - pinch to zoom feature and was vastly impressed with the quality. From what I remember, this phone was never this good in zooming while taking videos and here is an example of a video of what I just made... Not bad for digital zoom...
Is it always this good for you guys?


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chris13002*
> 
> So I just upgraded my S4 (i337) from the Google Edition 4.2.2 to Android 4.3, and the first thing I noticed was when opening the camera for the first time, it showed 'Upgrading firmware to the latest version' for ~10 seconds, and then I used the video - pinch to zoom feature and was vastly impressed with the quality. From what I remember, this phone was never this good in zooming while taking videos and here is an example of a video of what I just made... Not bad for digital zoom...
> Is it always this good for you guys?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Hmm, I got the same "Upgrading firmware to the latest version" 10 sec and I only updated to the latest AT&T OTA(still 4.2.2 stock).


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chris13002*
> 
> So I just upgraded my S4 (i337) from the Google Edition 4.2.2 to Android 4.3, and the first thing I noticed was when opening the camera for the first time, it showed 'Upgrading firmware to the latest version' for ~10 seconds, and then I used the video - pinch to zoom feature and was vastly impressed with the quality. From what I remember, this phone was never this good in zooming while taking videos and here is an example of a video of what I just made... Not bad for digital zoom...
> Is it always this good for you guys?


The quality actually beats my Nikon point and shooter.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Hi! I need some help. I'll list them below. Thanks in advance!

i) How do I unzip files on my phone?
ii) What FREE alternative is there for Swiftkey?
iii) Does enabling Auto Brightness in the notification panel also enable Auto Tone settings?
iv) Does the Dynamic screen mode somewhat change brightness/tone of the screen even when Auto Brightness is disabled?

Thanks a lot!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Hi! I need some help. I'll list them below. Thanks in advance!
> 
> i) How do I unzip files on my phone?
> ii) What FREE alternative is there for Swiftkey?
> iii) Does enabling Auto Brightness in the notification panel also enable Auto Tone settings?
> iv) Does the Dynamic screen mode somewhat change brightness/tone of the screen even when Auto Brightness is disabled?
> 
> Thanks a lot!


1) There are Winzip/winrar/7zip android version, just serach in the playstore like this.

2) Google Keyboard is pretty good, the only thing it don't have is custom themes like swiftkey.

3) Not sure, I don't think it does but I never use Auto brightness or Auto Tone settings, I just leave my phone at 100% brightness all the time.

4) I don't think so, Dynamic mode just means the color vibrancy is maxxed and the screen looks most like a AMOLED screen(unlike Professional Photo/Movie which gives more accurate colors and less vibrancy), it also have the highest measured brightness out of all modes(319 nits according to Anandtech, 311 nits for Movie, 255nits for Standard).


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> 1) There are Winzip/winrar/7zip android version, just serach in the playstore like this.
> 
> 2) Google Keyboard is pretty good, the only thing it don't have is custom themes like swiftkey.
> 
> 3) Not sure, I don't think it does but I never use Auto brightness or Auto Tone settings, I just leave my phone at 100% brightness all the time.
> 
> 4) I don't think so, Dynamic mode just means the color vibrancy is maxxed and the screen looks most like a AMOLED screen(unlike Professional Photo/Movie which gives more accurate colors and less vibrancy), it also have the highest measured brightness out of all modes(319 nits according to Anandtech, 311 nits for Movie, 255nits for Standard).


1) Found WinZip for Android. Will try it.
2) Custom themes aren't a necessity for me. But Google Keyboard says that its only compatible with my Nexus 7 and not with my HTC or S4. Why is this happening?
3) As much as I love how the colors pop in full brightness, the battery savings with Auto mode is pretty significant. So I'm currently using Auto 24/7. Besides, the game I'm playing right now (Despicable Me - Minion Rush) changes screen tone/brightness no matter what I do, and it also lowers the brightness since the phone overheats at max brightness.
4) I'm starting to think that the problem is with the game and not the screen.

Questions:
i) Have you tried the full version of Swiftkey? Does it offer any significant advantages? Also, can I download a .apk file of the full version on my PC and then transfer it to my phone and set it up to have the same experience?

Thanks a lot!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> 1) Found WinZip for Android. Will try it.
> 2) Custom themes aren't a necessity for me. But Google Keyboard says that its only compatible with my Nexus 7 and not with my HTC or S4. Why is this happening?
> 3) As much as I love how the colors pop in full brightness, the battery savings with Auto mode is pretty significant. So I'm currently using Auto 24/7. Besides, the game I'm playing right now (Despicable Me - Minion Rush) changes screen tone/brightness no matter what I do, and it also lowers the brightness since the phone overheats at max brightness.
> 4) I'm starting to think that the problem is with the game and not the screen.
> 
> Questions:
> i) Have you tried the full version of Swiftkey? Does it offer any significant advantages? Also, can I download a .apk file of the full version on my PC and then transfer it to my phone and set it up to have the same experience?
> 
> Thanks a lot!


I do run the full(paid) version of Swiftkey, it is one of the best keyboard around. Where it currently have Google Keyboard beat is that it can learn your writing style from your Twitter/facebook/SMS messages as well as Gmail(I think Google keyboard do learn from this).

Strange that Google Keyboard says that, because it is compatible with mine and my friend's GS4.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> I do run the full(paid) version of Swiftkey, it is one of the best keyboard around. Where it currently have Google Keyboard beat is that it can learn your writing style from your Twitter/facebook/SMS messages as well as Gmail(I think Google keyboard do learn from this).
> 
> Strange that Google Keyboard says that, because it is compatible with mine and my friend's GS4.


It says that its not compatible with my device's country. Don't know what it means, but I've been prevented from installing apps like Spotify by being shown this message.

WinZip worked fine. Thanks for that!









Also, isn't Smart Stay supposed to keep the screen lit up as long as I keep looking at the screen? My phone is set to dim the screen after 30 seconds of no usage, but isn't Smart Stay supposed to prevent that? There's no option to disable the dimming of the screen as far as I have seen, so I'm not sure if Smart Stay if working properly or not. Can you please provide me with instructions on how I can get it to work? Thanks a lot!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Also, isn't Smart Stay supposed to keep the screen lit up as long as I keep looking at the screen? My phone is set to dim the screen after 30 seconds of no usage, but isn't Smart Stay supposed to prevent that? There's no option to disable the dimming of the screen as far as I have seen, so I'm not sure if Smart Stay if working properly or not. Can you please provide me with instructions on how I can get it to work? Thanks a lot!


Never used smart stay but I think the only thing it does is to *keep the screen from turning off*, so the auto dimm feature would still work while smart stay is on. You can chage its value(it is under settings/My device/display/Screen timeout) to maximum which is 10 minutes..


----------



## Koehler

I really see no advantages of SwiftKey over Samsung's stock keyboard.

It just adds a bit of color when swiping but that's it...

The stock Samsung keyboard is even more accurate I feel.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Never used smart stay but I think the only think it does is to *keep the screen from turning off*, so the auto dimm feature would still work while smart stay is on. You can chage its value(it is under settings/My device/display/Screen timeout) to maximum which is 10 minutes..


Thanks! Will set it to 10 minutes.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> I really see no advantages of SwiftKey over Samsung's stock keyboard.
> 
> It just adds a bit of color when swiping but that's it...
> 
> The stock Samsung keyboard is even more accurate I feel.


Coming from my Sensation XE to the S4, the keyboard felt cramped and the buttons too rectangular (as opposed to the square look on the HTC). I was having trouble typing so I installed Swiftkey. Its a much more comfortable experience for me over the stock keyboard.

Also, if I remember correctly, the stock keyboard buttons don't have punctuation marks upon holding down for a while, whereas the Swiftkey keyboard does. This is also another feature that I was missing very much on the S4.

Other than these, the swiping and color themes don't really mean much to me.

What do you mean by accurate?

I don't know if its just me, but I feel that getting around was easier on Sense than on TouchWiz. For example :
i) The notification panel on the HTC shows ~8 recently used apps and I can access them from there. But on the S4 I have to hold down the physical home button to access recently used apps.
ii) The stock weather clock on the S4 opens just the weather app when tapped on. But the weather clock on the HTC had both the weather app and the clock app combined into one. It made setting alarms much easier while still having the weather and time updates on my home screen in a single widget.
iii) The phone app was definitely a much better experience for me on the HTC over the S4. On the S4, I have to go into the contact's profile just to call him/her, which I don't have to do on the HTC. Also, when I'm done talking and take the phone off my face, the screen takes noticeably much longer to turn on compared to the HTC.
iv) The common complaint of the S4 being laggy has proven to be true for me. Worst case scenario for me is when I'm on WhatsApp and have to rotate the phone between the two modes very frequently. Not only does it take a frustratingly long time (~5 seconds) to rotate itself, sometimes it doesn't do it at all and I end up shaking it between the two modes, finally getting it to rotate after almost half a minute.

I know that every phone is different, but these are things that actually were better for me on my 2-year/2-generation old HTC. Being arguably the best Android around, the S4 should have been at least as good as - if not better - than my last phone in every aspect. At least that's what I expected from it.


----------



## derickwm

Hey guys... my mom is looking to get herself an S4. She lives in Alaska and doesn't have any "mainstream" plans available. No AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, etc. Just some local ones. If she bought one from AT&T or T-Mobile and followed these instructions, would it work for her with a local sim?

Also, any particular reason to choose AT&T or T-Mobile variant?


----------



## Ponycar

the GS4 is a gsm capable phone that is automatically sim unlocked from the factory so chances are it should work. Best option is to confirm (not from the store, they'll say anything to sell a phone) with ATT or Tmobile's phone or online support (if they have it) that works with global travel.

There is a difference however - global sim unlock can differ from domestic sim unlock. Your mileage may vary as its all a process of trial and error.

As well, the s4 ships with a version of swiftkey and can learn from your social networking and gmail accounts like swiftkey, it does have the punctuation tap and hold like swiftkey and I've used both, the full version of swiftkey has a few more features that are primarily cosmetic such as the split keyboard when its horizonal and the ability to choose different colored keyboards. Aside from that, functionality is the same - I've not noticed any functional difference between stock gs4 keyboard and paid swiftkey.

That said, I prefer the stock keyboard that ships with the phone as I prefer to not add any unnecessary apps onto my phone.


----------



## cavallino

Ordered a S4 Google Edition last night. I was on the fence about it and even cancelled an order before but I switched to t mobile and the Nexus 4 just doesn't get reception in most of my house unlike my friends tmo s4. The sd card slot and removable battery will be nice. While I never had an issue with battery life on the N4 I feel like I need to be more conscious of it's use since I can't replace the battery if it gets worn out. I saw an article today that Google Music will be getting sd card support soon and there is a semi-hack for it now which will be great. I figured it was pretty unlikely we would see a Nexus 5 with sd slot or removable battery. I also like the idea of hardware buttons since it frees up space on the 5" screen.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> I don't know if its just me, but I feel that getting around was easier on Sense than on TouchWiz. For example :
> i) The notification panel on the HTC shows ~8 recently used apps and I can access them from there. But on the S4 I have to hold down the physical home button to access recently used apps.
> ii) The stock weather clock on the S4 opens just the weather app when tapped on. But the weather clock on the HTC had both the weather app and the clock app combined into one. It made setting alarms much easier while still having the weather and time updates on my home screen in a single widget.
> iii) The phone app was definitely a much better experience for me on the HTC over the S4. On the S4, I have to go into the contact's profile just to call him/her, which I don't have to do on the HTC. Also, when I'm done talking and take the phone off my face, the screen takes noticeably much longer to turn on compared to the HTC.
> iv) The common complaint of the S4 being laggy has proven to be true for me. Worst case scenario for me is when I'm on WhatsApp and have to rotate the phone between the two modes very frequently. Not only does it take a frustratingly long time (~5 seconds) to rotate itself, sometimes it doesn't do it at all and I end up shaking it between the two modes, finally getting it to rotate after almost half a minute.
> 
> I know that every phone is different, but these are things that actually were better for me on my 2-year/2-generation old HTC. Being arguably the best Android around, the S4 should have been at least as good as - if not better - than my last phone in every aspect. At least that's what I expected from it.


I do agree there are things that can be done easier on stock sense than stock touchwiz, but there are counter examples too( stock Touchwiz battery monitor is better, have a File Manager whereas sense 5 don't etc). However in most cases what you miss can be remedied with something custom(launchers/widgets).

Here is what I have been dealing with the issue you have had:

i: I don't see hold down home button as that much of an extra hassle over opening the notification panel to access recent apps, if that is a problem you can run a custom launcher and set a gesture to open the "recent apps" feature.
ii: I use a custom Weather Widget(Fancy Widget), the stock widget is too large(4X2), Fancy Widget give me everything I need in just 4X1 and I can easily access both clock and weather and various other things:

iii: I have most people I call on speed dial so that haven't been a problem for me, but you should consider seraching for a custom contact app to help you with that.
iv: that auto rotate detection does seem buggy some times on mine as well, but have you recalibrated your gyroscope yet?(this is under my device/input and control/motions and gestures).

If all else fails, consider returning it for a HTC One while you still can.


----------



## Ponycar

I agree the stock clock/weather widget is too large but I set this along with the stock alarm clock widget on a separate screen so if I need these widgets I just swipe left and there it is. This could also be easily remedied by downloading whatever widget you want off the play store.

Calling people is easy - you can open the phone icon and go to contacts then open a contact and tap the star at the top and its now a favorite so you can open the phone and tap favorites and tap the contact after or even faster you can set speed dials for people or you can just go to apps then widgets then contacts and set a contact widget for somebody so that you can tap the widget when you want to call somebody.

I've not experienced issues with lag or delayed response from the interface, this could be anything. Holding down the home button takes me around 2 seconds to get to the running programs list and it doesn't really bother me much.

I had an htc incredible and it was "ok" but an issue is that htc isn't known for updating their phones very much if at all.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ponycar*
> 
> I agree the stock clock/weather widget is too large but I set this along with the stock alarm clock widget on a separate screen so if I need these widgets I just swipe left and there it is. This could also be easily remedied by downloading whatever widget you want off the play store.
> 
> Calling people is easy - you can open the phone icon and go to contacts then open a contact and tap the star at the top and its now a favorite so you can open the phone and tap favorites and tap the contact after or even faster you can set speed dials for people or you can just go to apps then widgets then contacts and set a contact widget for somebody so that you can tap the widget when you want to call somebody.
> 
> I've not experienced issues with lag or delayed response from the interface, this could be anything. Holding down the home button takes me around 2 seconds to get to the running programs list and it doesn't really bother me much.
> 
> I had an htc incredible and it was "ok" but an issue is that htc isn't known for updating their phones very much if at all.


@ahnafakeef

I just wanted to add that you don't have to go into the profile to dial someone's number. Once you click on contacts / favorites; swipe the name of the person to the right to directly call them. You can also directly text a specific person by swiping left when on the contacts / favorites section.

As for the lag of ~5 seconds when switching from landscape to portrait, I've never had this issue with any S4 I've seen. It may be an issue with What's App that will come with a fix (or maybe it has been fixed now) when they push an update. There have been instances where apps have been known to have issues with the S4; like ES File Explorer (fixed now though) which most old phones don't have an issue with. Though there is a slight delay when changing screen orientation, which should be less than a half a second. I'm hoping the next iteration of android makes this a faster transition eventually.

For the lag issues , I will have to agree that the S4, when all features are turned on can be laggy. There are ways to eliminate this and it's all over You Tube. Personally I use a few of the features like S Voice, Multi-Window, NFC and S Beam and I don't experience lag at all. I solved that by rooting my phone and running Nova launcher and not using TouchWiz at all.

Seriously my S4 flies like a champ with the customization I've done and looks and operates a thousand times better than stock!


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Here's my current theme based off the HOLO Cards from mycolorscreen.com! Check it out at the tube, very awesome screenies and themes available there!

Here's my main page:


If you swipe to the left once, here's what it looks like:


If you swipe one more time to the left, this is what you see:


Now if you swipe to the right from the main page, you get:


Last page when you swipe one more time to the right:


Things I used:
1. Nova Launcher - I used the paid version
2. Power Toggles - free
3. Minimalist Text - free
4. Simple Text - free
5. Power Toggles - free
6. Player Pro - I used the paid version
7. Desktop Visualizer - free
8. Minimal MIUI Icons - I paid for this
9. Simple RSS Widget - free
10. Circle Battery Widget - free
11. ES FIle Explorer - free

The link for the easy and complete tutorial is here: HOLO CARDS by "Thand"

Everything you see in the pictures above is either a link or shortcut that maximizes the phones capabilities while reducing the number of moves to launch certain things. A few of them as an example - If you click on the battery level it can go to battery level / history; if you click on the clock you can set the alarm, timer, etc. I also have gestures setup like this:

1. Pinch In - Recent Apps (Eliminates the need to hold the home button and is faster)
2. Pinch Out - Expand Quick Settings (Quicker way of seeing all the available options to turn on or off - versus pulling down menu and scrolling to the right)
3. Swipe Up - Opens the App Drawer (No need for the icon and can use this in any home page)
4. Swipe Down - Expands Notification (Instead of reaching for the top part; swipe down anywhere to expand)
5. Double Tap - Toggle Notification Bar on and off (If you just want to see the notifications on top without pulling the menu down - Since I hid it)
6. Swipe Up with 2 Fingers - Opens Nova Settings Page (Eliminates pressing the left capacitive button and then selecting Nova Settings)
7. Swipe Down with 2 Fingers - Opens the Settings Page (Eliminates pressing the left capacitive button and then selecting Settings)

All items to do this, including wallpapers and such are on the YouTube link I supplied above.

This theme definitely helped the amoled screen save more battery and is just blindingly fast (and looks better IMHO) compared to TouchWiz stock.

I then paired my phone with a dual colored aluminum bumper in red and aluminum and my phone looks exactly like this: (Picture and credit for the photo is from the seller I bought my stuff on Ebay - jasper_a4u)


Now my phone looks and runs like a champ!!!


----------



## cavallino

How is reception with that case? I was looking for an aluminum bumper case, but I heard some lower the reception strength. I have T-Mobile and in certain areas (my house mainly) I barely get reception so I can't afford to lose any. It looks alot like the very expensive draco design case.


----------



## dmasteR

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> Here's my current theme based off the HOLO Cards from mycolorscreen.com! Check it out at the tube, very awesome screenies and themes available there!
> I then paired my phone with a dual colored aluminum bumper in red and aluminum and my phone looks exactly like this: (Picture and credit for the photo is from the seller I bought my stuff on Ebay - jasper_a4u)
> 
> 
> Now my phone looks and runs like a champ!!!


What case is that, looks really good!


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> Here's my current theme based off the HOLO Cards from mycolorscreen.com! Check it out at the tube, very awesome screenies and themes available there!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Here's my main page:
> 
> 
> If you swipe to the left once, here's what it looks like:
> 
> 
> If you swipe one more time to the left, this is what you see:
> 
> 
> Now if you swipe to the right from the main page, you get:
> 
> 
> Last page when you swipe one more time to the right:
> 
> 
> Things I used:
> 1. Nova Launcher - I used the paid version
> 2. Power Toggles - free
> 3. Minimalist Text - free
> 4. Simple Text - free
> 5. Power Toggles - free
> 6. Player Pro - I used the paid version
> 7. Desktop Visualizer - free
> 8. Minimal MIUI Icons - I paid for this
> 9. Simple RSS Widget - free
> 10. Circle Battery Widget - free
> 11. ES FIle Explorer - free
> 
> The link for the easy and complete tutorial is here: HOLO CARDS by "Thand"
> 
> Everything you see in the pictures above is either a link or shortcut that maximizes the phones capabilities while reducing the number of moves to launch certain things. A few of them as an example - If you click on the battery level it can go to battery level / history; if you click on the clock you can set the alarm, timer, etc. I also have gestures setup like this:
> 
> 1. Pinch In - Recent Apps (Eliminates the need to hold the home button and is faster)
> 2. Pinch Out - Expand Quick Settings (Quicker way of seeing all the available options to turn on or off - versus pulling down menu and scrolling to the right)
> 3. Swipe Up - Opens the App Drawer (No need for the icon and can use this in any home page)
> 4. Swipe Down - Expands Notification (Instead of reaching for the top part; swipe down anywhere to expand)
> 5. Double Tap - Toggle Notification Bar on and off (If you just want to see the notifications on top without pulling the menu down - Since I hid it)
> 6. Swipe Up with 2 Fingers - Opens Nova Settings Page (Eliminates pressing the left capacitive button and then selecting Nova Settings)
> 7. Swipe Down with 2 Fingers - Opens the Settings Page (Eliminates pressing the left capacitive button and then selecting Settings)
> 
> All items to do this, including wallpapers and such are on the YouTube link I supplied above.
> 
> This theme definitely helped the amoled screen save more battery and is just blindingly fast (and looks better IMHO) compared to TouchWiz stock.
> 
> I then paired my phone with a dual colored aluminum bumper in red and aluminum and my phone looks exactly like this: (Picture and credit for the photo is from the seller I bought my stuff on Ebay - jasper_a4u)
> 
> 
> Now my phone looks and runs like a champ!!!


I followed the instructions but got stuck at:

1. Place .mtpref files from HC_Text.zip in the MinimalisticTextPreferences folder in your sdcard directory.
2. Place the 2 Roboto fonts from Fonts.zip into a folder that you use for fonts (might have to be a sub-directory)

I created the folders on my sdcard but Minimal Text does not pick up any preferences to import.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> I followed the instructions but got stuck at:
> 
> 1. Place .mtpref files from HC_Text.zip in the MinimalisticTextPreferences folder in your sdcard directory.
> 2. Place the 2 Roboto fonts from Fonts.zip into a folder that you use for fonts (might have to be a sub-directory)
> 
> I created the folders on my sdcard but Minimal Text does not pick up any preferences to import.


Did you extract the HC_text.zip file first before placing it in the sdcard?

As for the fonts I created a folder in my sdcard named "fonts" and then added another file folder under that named "roboto" and then plopped the fonts in there.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cavallino*
> 
> How is reception with that case? I was looking for an aluminum bumper case, but I heard some lower the reception strength. I have T-Mobile and in certain areas (my house mainly) I barely get reception so I can't afford to lose any. It looks alot like the very expensive draco design case.


It doesn't lower my reception signal at all since it just covers the side of the phone. I believe the aluminum cases that have a big effect on signal are the one that also cover the back. It does look like the Draco (IMHO it's better because it's not as thick as the Draco) but it's not, if you do a search and type "S4 aluminum bumper" in ebay, you should find this particular case (in many different colors) available.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmasteR*
> 
> What case is that, looks really good!


As I mentioned previously, I got it off ebay from a HK seller (there are China sellers too) and it's pretty easy to find. Go to ebay and do a search by typing "S4 aluminum bumper" and you should see it pretty easily in many different color combinations. I thought hard about getting the black and silver, gun metal and silver and the red and silver, but eventually chose the red and silver combo. Those 3 are probably the best, but there is also a blue and silver which is pretty cool as well.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

I also got my baby a tempered glass screen protector, a GLAS.t NANO SLIM from Spigen! It's well worth the price of admission! It's highly fingerprint resistant, more so than the Gorilla Glass 3 and my phone doesn't look like it has anything on the screen at all! It is paper thin!

I actually bought it from their ebay store but you can buy it straight from their website as well. Just choose which ships cheaper for you!


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> Did you extract the HC_text.zip file first before placing it in the sdcard?
> 
> As for the fonts I created a folder in my sdcard named "fonts" and then added another file folder under that named "roboto" and then plopped the fonts in there.


Yeah I downloaded the zipped file, extracted the contents to my desktop and then created the MinimalisticTextPreferences folder on my sdcard and copied everything into there.

EDIT - got everything working. I'm loving the layout so far. Gonna see what the battery consumption is like as Minimalistic Text seems to be quite demanding. Thanks for the help.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> Yeah I downloaded the zipped file, extracted the contents to my desktop and then created the MinimalisticTextPreferences folder on my sdcard and copied everything into there.
> 
> EDIT - got everything working. I'm loving the layout so far. Gonna see what the battery consumption is like as Minimalistic Text seems to be quite demanding. Thanks for the help.


I'm glad you found the fix! What did you do to fix it? I believe I ran into the same problem and figured it out as well. I've had this for a good 2 months now and have forgotten how to go about it. It would be really helpful for any other OCN member if they run into it as well.

As for the battery, if I game for 2 hours++ and surf the web, social browse for an hour then text and call regularly, it lasts me a whole day. Considering that I use S-Voice, Wi-fi (when I need it), GPS (when I need it), Multi-Window and have LTE. I also have push notification enabled, this gives me updates for FB, Google stuff, calendar, etc. All in all I think it's fair.


----------



## DuckKnuckle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> I'm glad you found the fix! What did you do to fix it? I believe I ran into the same problem and figured it out as well. I've had this for a good 2 months now and have forgotten how to go about it. It would be really helpful for any other OCN member if they run into it as well.


I was having driver issues and my computer stopped recognising the phone. Creating the folders in ES FIle Explorer, then extracting the files and placing them there didn't work either.

The only fix was installing AirDroid and doing everything remotely through my desktop. That's sorted it out immediately.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DuckKnuckle*
> 
> I was having driver issues and my computer stopped recognising the phone. Creating the folders in ES FIle Explorer, then extracting the files and placing them there didn't work either.
> 
> The only fix was installing AirDroid and doing everything remotely through my desktop. That's sorted it out immediately.


Ah so it was the file creation that caused the hiccup. If I remember correctly, I made sure all my drivers for the phone on my PC were properly installed and then used ES File Explorer to create everything. After that I no longer had any issues.

Good thinking on your part to use AirDroid (one of the better apps out there for android) to sort things out, that would have been the last thing I would think of to fix it.


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> I do agree there are things that can be done easier on stock sense than stock touchwiz, but there are counter examples too( stock Touchwiz battery monitor is better, have a File Manager whereas sense 5 don't etc). However in most cases what you miss can be remedied with something custom(launchers/widgets).
> 
> Here is what I have been dealing with the issue you have had:
> 
> i: I don't see hold down home button as that much of an extra hassle over opening the notification panel to access recent apps, if that is a problem you can run a custom launcher and set a gesture to open the "recent apps" feature.
> ii: I use a custom Weather Widget(Fancy Widget), the stock widget is too large(4X2), Fancy Widget give me everything I need in just 4X1 and I can easily access both clock and weather and various other things:
> 
> iii: I have most people I call on speed dial so that haven't been a problem for me, but you should consider seraching for a custom contact app to help you with that.
> iv: that auto rotate detection does seem buggy some times on mine as well, but have you recalibrated your gyroscope yet?(this is under my device/input and control/motions and gestures).
> 
> If all else fails, consider returning it for a HTC One while you still can.


Thanks for the advice. But I haven't gotten tired of the looks of the stock interface yet, and as such do not wish to go for custom ROMs yet. Can you advise me on how to speed up things on the stock TouchWiz? I've disabled S Voice functionality for the home button (which is supposed to speed up the Home button functions). Do you know of anything else?
As for the gyroscope calibration, I've done it and it still lags when rotating and lately with the Facebook app too.
And no, I don't dislike the phone so much that I would return it for a One. The screen alone is awesome enough for me to keep using it.

Thanks a lot! I apologize for the delay in replying.







Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ponycar*
> 
> I agree the stock clock/weather widget is too large but I set this along with the stock alarm clock widget on a separate screen so if I need these widgets I just swipe left and there it is. This could also be easily remedied by downloading whatever widget you want off the play store.
> 
> Calling people is easy - you can open the phone icon and go to contacts then open a contact and tap the star at the top and its now a favorite so you can open the phone and tap favorites and tap the contact after or even faster you can set speed dials for people or you can just go to apps then widgets then contacts and set a contact widget for somebody so that you can tap the widget when you want to call somebody.
> 
> I've not experienced issues with lag or delayed response from the interface, this could be anything. Holding down the home button takes me around 2 seconds to get to the running programs list and it doesn't really bother me much.
> 
> I had an htc incredible and it was "ok" but an issue is that htc isn't known for updating their phones very much if at all.


I am used to having the clock+weather widget on my home screen on my HTC. I can check weather updates, the time and also set alarms from just the one widget. This is why it feels like a bummer when I cannot even set the alarm from the stock clock widget on my home screen.

As for calling people, is there a widget that is similar to the People widgets from Sense? On my HTC, I use the vertical column shaped People widget that shows the favorites and performs a pre-specified action when tapped on. TouchWiz has a 1x1 widget for contacts, but I liked the one on Sense much better.

If you haven't experienced much or any lag on your S4 then good for you. I just wish the S4 was at least as snappy as my Sensation XE is. I could live without the frequent updates if the S4 was as responsive.

Thanks a lot!







Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> @ahnafakeef
> 
> I just wanted to add that you don't have to go into the profile to dial someone's number. Once you click on contacts / favorites; swipe the name of the person to the right to directly call them. You can also directly text a specific person by swiping left when on the contacts / favorites section.
> 
> As for the lag of ~5 seconds when switching from landscape to portrait, I've never had this issue with any S4 I've seen. It may be an issue with What's App that will come with a fix (or maybe it has been fixed now) when they push an update. There have been instances where apps have been known to have issues with the S4; like ES File Explorer (fixed now though) which most old phones don't have an issue with. Though there is a slight delay when changing screen orientation, which should be less than a half a second. I'm hoping the next iteration of android makes this a faster transition eventually.
> 
> For the lag issues , I will have to agree that the S4, when all features are turned on can be laggy. There are ways to eliminate this and it's all over You Tube. Personally I use a few of the features like S Voice, Multi-Window, NFC and S Beam and I don't experience lag at all. I solved that by rooting my phone and running Nova launcher and not using TouchWiz at all.
> 
> Seriously my S4 flies like a champ with the customization I've done and looks and operates a thousand times better than stock!


Thanks for that swipe to call/text advice. I didn't know there was such a function. Its proving to be quite useful.
Its not only WhatsApp, but Facebook is taking too long to rotate between the two modes too. I know that Facebook is known to be one of the not-so-good apps for Android (at least it was the last time I checked) and maybe that's why its having issues with the rotation, but with enough browsing speed its not that bad for my uses.
I never use S Voice, Multi-Window, NFC or S Beam and such have them disabled at all times. All of the lag I have experienced was with them turned off. Any advice on what more I can disable to make TouchWiz the fastest it can be?

I'm not willing to root or go for custom ROMs just yet. So that will have to wait until I change my mind. Quick question though, is it possible to get back to the unrooted state once I have rooted the phone, so that I can avail the warranty should something bad happen to my phone?

Thanks a lot!


----------



## jimi977

My phone wallpaper keeps on changing from time to time automatically, i'm not sure if this is a bug? My question is how do i stop my phone from changing the wallpaper by itself? tnx


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> I'm not willing to root or go for custom ROMs just yet. So that will have to wait until I change my mind. Quick question though, is it possible to get back to the unrooted state once I have rooted the phone, so that I can avail the warranty should something bad happen to my phone?
> 
> Thanks a lot!


It is possible to un-root, I actually have my phone rooted but I wouldn't want to flash a custom ROM on it (yet).

Here's a guy who has pretty good guides on rooting and un-rooting your phone.

LINK

On that link he has tons of things to help you make the S4 much better!

Here's how to Root the S4 (i9505). If you need the other variant it has the link in that video.

Here's how to Un-root the S4 (i9505 and i9500).

It literally took me a minute or two to root my phone.


----------



## ____

A friend recently gave me a Galaxy S4 i9502, which is only available in China and has two SIM slots. I already have a phone in the US, so I don't plan on using it as a phone. However the software on the i9502 is Chinese and thus lacks the Google play store and has a bunch of Chinese crapware. Even with the language set on English, there's no way to turn off Chinese for some apps like weather, and the browser defaults to Baidu.com.

Here are my options:

*1. Root and install Google play, but deal with the Chinese browser, weather app, and crappy keyboard.*
This is probably the safest method since no custom ROMs are being installed. It's not the most ideal solution though.

*2. Install the default ROM of the i9500 onto the i9502*
After some research, it seems that the i9502 and i9500 have basically the same hardware except for the addition of the second SIM slot in the i9502. Some people say that flashing the i9500 ROM onto the i9502 works, except the second SIM slot won't work. I would be fine with that. However not everyone seems to be able to get it to work.

*3. Install a custom ROM for the i9502*
There aren't any available









*4. Install a custom ROM made for the i9500 on the i9502*
Seems pretty risky and I've never had an Android phone before.

*5. Trade the phone for a US i9500*
The easiest way would be to trade the i9502 to someone who doesn't care about apps that much and would like the dual SIM capabilities. The phone is pretty much untouched (I turned it on a few times and that's it)

Any advice?


----------



## sWaY20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *____*
> 
> A friend recently gave me a Galaxy S4 i9502, which is only available in China and has two SIM slots. I already have a phone in the US, so I don't plan on using it as a phone. However the software on the i9502 is Chinese and thus lacks the Google play store and has a bunch of Chinese crapware. Even with the language set on English, there's no way to turn off Chinese for some apps like weather, and the browser defaults to Baidu.com.
> 
> Here are my options:
> 
> *1. Root and install Google play, but deal with the Chinese browser, weather app, and crappy keyboard.*
> This is probably the safest method since no custom ROMs are being installed. It's not the most ideal solution though.
> 
> *2. Install the default ROM of the i9500 onto the i9502*
> After some research, it seems that the i9502 and i9500 have basically the same hardware except for the addition of the second SIM slot in the i9502. Some people say that flashing the i9500 ROM onto the i9502 works, except the second SIM slot won't work. I would be fine with that. However not everyone seems to be able to get it to work.
> 
> *3. Install a custom ROM for the i9502*
> There aren't any available
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *4. Install a custom ROM made for the i9500 on the i9502*
> Seems pretty risky and I've never had an Android phone before.
> 
> *5. Trade the phone for a US i9500*
> The easiest way would be to trade the i9502 to someone who doesn't care about apps that much and would like the dual SIM capabilities. The phone is pretty much untouched (I turned it on a few times and that's it)
> 
> Any advice?


Sell or trade seems like the best option. Someone will want it.

tappin from the NeXus 4


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jimi977*
> 
> My phone wallpaper keeps on changing from time to time automatically, i'm not sure if this is a bug? My question is how do i stop my phone from changing the wallpaper by itself? tnx


Do you have a custom wallpaper application installed? Are you talking about your lock screen or home page? If it's the lock screen make sure you do not pick the travel wallpaper. That option rotates scenic shots of places around the world.


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jimi977*
> 
> My phone wallpaper keeps on changing from time to time automatically, i'm not sure if this is a bug? My question is how do i stop my phone from changing the wallpaper by itself? tnx


Do you use a custom ROM or launcher?


----------



## Chris13002

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jimi977*
> 
> My phone wallpaper keeps on changing from time to time automatically, i'm not sure if this is a bug? My question is how do i stop my phone from changing the wallpaper by itself? tnx


Agreed with above... It is a bug and should not be happening by default. You might have some custom wallpaper application installed/running that you might not know about, but there is no setting in the stock touchwiz that cycles through wallpapers...
What wallpapers is it changing through? Your gallery?

Anyways, I was on custom roms, -including the Google Edition 4.3 based roms, and even customized it very much like your theme mark_thaddeus(+ rep as it was different) which took me over an hour to setup... Unfortunately I got a lot of 'unable to load widget' errors and I ended up going back to touchwiz(still a custom rom) because I missed the extra camera features, multi window, and even Nottach Xposed has many settings that I miss customizing to my liking...

For anyone on 4.3(somewhat works on 4.1.2 and above), there is this...
http://www.xda-developers.com/android/simulate-the-moto-x-active-display-on-4-3-with-activenotifications/
Gives you the active notifications that are from the Moto X...


----------



## ahnafakeef

How do I make wallpapers with 2160x1920 resolution move to the right or left when I swipe the home screen to the right or left? The review videos I saw showed it happening on their phones but I can't make it happen, even with the default Samsung wallpapers.

Also, I cannot find a single source of wallpapers that provide them in the 2160x1920 or 1080x1920 resolution so that it would be easier for me to set the wallpaper. Some apps like Zedge are good, but they only provide wallpapers in the PC monitor resolutions.


----------



## Chris13002

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> How do I make wallpapers with 2160x1920 resolution move to the right or left when I swipe the home screen to the right or left? The review videos I saw showed it happening on their phones but I can't make it happen, even with the default Samsung wallpapers.
> 
> Also, I cannot find a single source of wallpapers that provide them in the 2160x1920 or 1080x1920 resolution so that it would be easier for me to set the wallpaper. Some apps like Zedge are good, but they only provide wallpapers in the PC monitor resolutions.


It's called 'wallpaper scrolling'... Samsung took it away from one of their more recent updates apparently...
Some workarounds are to get a custom launcher - such as Nova Launcher or Apex...
On stock Touchwiz, you're going to need an application. There are live wallpaper apps such as AudioGlow which have the wallpaper scrolling built in...
Another way, which requires you to be rooted is to use the following... Nottach Xposed - which allows for a lot of settings to be turned on - including wallpaper scrolling...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2285074


----------



## ahnafakeef

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chris13002*
> 
> It's called 'wallpaper scrolling'... Samsung took it away from one of their more recent updates apparently...
> Some workarounds are to get a custom launcher - such as Nova Launcher or Apex...
> On stock Touchwiz, you're going to need an application. There are live wallpaper apps such as AudioGlow which have the wallpaper scrolling built in...
> Another way, which requires you to be rooted is to use the following... Nottach Xposed - which allows for a lot of settings to be turned on - including wallpaper scrolling...
> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2285074


Does the Audio Glow app allow me to use any normal (that is to say, non-live) wallpapers with wallpaper scrolling? I'm not willing to root right now, so an app that allows wallpaper scrolling would be really helpful.

Any app that allows wallpaper scrolling (even if just that and does nothing else) is fine too.

Thanks a lot!


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Does the Audio Glow app allow me to use any normal (that is to say, non-live) wallpapers with wallpaper scrolling? I'm not willing to root right now, so an app that allows wallpaper scrolling would be really helpful.
> 
> Any app that allows wallpaper scrolling (even if just that and does nothing else) is fine too.
> 
> Thanks a lot!


A Custom launcher(no root needed) would enable wallpaper scrolling easily and offer you a lot other benefits, I recommend Nova Launcher but feel free to look at other options too.


----------



## sonarctica

Hey, i want to root my galaxy s4 so i can use the gameloft to sd feature and to fully make use of the ps3 controller support.

But is it easy to unroot the phone later? For example if i want to sell the phone.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sonarctica*
> 
> Hey, i want to root my galaxy s4 so i can use the gameloft to sd feature and to fully make use of the ps3 controller support.
> 
> But is it easy to unroot the phone later? For example if i want to sell the phone.


You could unroot the phone, the detail are usually explained in at XDA, so visit your GS4's forum over there.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> How do I make wallpapers with 2160x1920 resolution move to the right or left when I swipe the home screen to the right or left? The review videos I saw showed it happening on their phones but I can't make it happen, even with the default Samsung wallpapers.
> 
> Also, I cannot find a single source of wallpapers that provide them in the *2160x1920 or 1080x1920 resolution so that it would be easier for me to set the wallpaper. Some apps like Zedge are good, but they only provide wallpapers in the PC monitor resolutions.*


Use ZEDGE on your phone, it will download wallpaper in just the right resolution for you phone to use, in this case: 2160X1920.


----------



## Hydroplane

Just bought mine, it should be here tomorrow. I ordered it on Sunday, not a bad turnaround time from google. I opted for the Google Play edition, I'd rather have a clean user interface. I already have an iPhone 5, but I'm going to sell it before the 5S comes out so I can get more money for it. Love the iPhone, never had any problems with it but I like the design of the GS4 too and am getting more into playing around with phones.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hydroplane*
> 
> Just bought mine, it should be here tomorrow. I ordered it on Sunday, not a bad turnaround time from google. I opted for the Google Play edition, I'd rather have a clean user interface. I already have an iPhone 5, but I'm going to sell it before the 5S comes out so I can get more money for it. Love the iPhone, never had any problems with it but I like the design of the GS4 too and am getting more into playing around with phones.


I'm sure the GP Edition will be the closest to what a rooted phone would feel (which is awesome), though there are still some things that I like on touchwhiz stock, like camera functions that I didn't like on the Google Play Edition. All in all though, that phone would be the slickest in terms of having no lags and such.


----------



## Koehler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hydroplane*
> 
> Just bought mine, it should be here tomorrow. I ordered it on Sunday, not a bad turnaround time from google. I opted for the Google Play edition, I'd rather have a clean user interface. I already have an iPhone 5, but I'm going to sell it before the 5S comes out so I can get more money for it. Love the iPhone, never had any problems with it but I like the design of the GS4 too and am getting more into playing around with phones.


The Google Play Edition is nice but I don't mind TouchWiz. I don't regret not waiting for the Google Play Edition at all.


----------



## resis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mark_thaddeus*
> 
> I then paired my phone with a dual colored aluminum bumper in red and aluminum and my phone looks exactly like this: (Picture and credit for the photo is from the seller I bought my stuff on Ebay - jasper_a4u)
> 
> 
> Now my phone looks and runs like a champ!!!


How comes there is no Samsung logo on the front? I think about getting me a S4 mini and turn it Google Edition. I'd die to remove the logo, I love the clean no-logo design of the Nexus 4.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *resis*
> 
> How comes there is no Samsung logo on the front? I think about getting me a S4 mini and turn it Google Edition. I'd die to remove the logo, I love the clean no-logo design of the Nexus 4.


That's just a picture I got from my seller and not really a shot of my phone. I think I mentioned that previously.









That's basically what my phone would look like but with a Samsung logo up top and a few other sensors.









You're right though, if they remove the Sammy logo up front it would be a cleaner and better look!


----------



## Hydroplane

For some reason my GPE GS4 keeps giving me random flash flood warnings, like several times a week. The first time it happened I was on the crapper and it scared the heck out of me.


----------



## HeWhoDared

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hydroplane*
> 
> For some reason my GPE GS4 keeps giving me random flash flood warnings, like several times a week. The first time it happened I was on the crapper and it scared the heck out of me.


Hahah. New Galaxy 4 owner here.. I actually received a flash flood warning today, but there was one!









Boy. Moving from a jailbroken iPhone 4 to my new galaxy s4 is a real treat.. Only thing that kind of annoyed me is that I only have 8 gigs of internal storage readily and all the ehh pre-installed apps.


----------



## Hydroplane

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeWhoDared*
> 
> Hahah. New Galaxy 4 owner here.. I actually received a flash flood warning today, but there was one!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Boy. Moving from a jailbroken iPhone 4 to my new galaxy s4 is a real treat.. Only thing that kind of annoyed me is that I only have 8 gigs of internal storage readily and all the ehh pre-installed apps.


That's why I brought the GPE edition for the same price as the (off contract) carrier phone







but those can be removed without too much trouble. I just had a moral problem paying $650 for a phone with preinstalled crap on it.


----------



## danceqiji

me too,On a side note, I just got a GS2 from recontracting. thanks for your sharing


----------



## resis

Received a S4 Mini yesterday. Awesome phone design and screen (black is as good as pitch black in the dark). It's so thin I almost fear I break it. I think I need a thick case on it.









However, can't stand that touchwiz, can't wait to root and flash.

Although, I didn't fully decide if I keep it, but I don't see anything comparable as an alternative choice. Almost went with the Nexus 4, but there have been better arguments to go with the S4 Mini.

Everybody goes off about the screen and how it must be 720p or whatever, but I find the 4.3" qHD screen on the S4 Mini quite excellent. I need to look really hard at the circles to see a pixel, sometimes if at all (the camera icon has some, but I didn't see any pixel with fonts).

Battery is weak though. If I keep the device, I will probably buy the strongest available battery for it. I'd love a pure glossy metal back plate for it.

Any ideas where I can buy the sickest cases/back plates for it? Might be a problem to find good ones for the mini, as the S4 gets much more attention.


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *resis*
> 
> ... I'd love a pure glossy metal back plate for it.
> 
> Any ideas where I can buy the sickest cases/back plates for it? Might be a problem to find good ones for the mini, as the S4 gets much more attention.


If you check out ebay, you'll find folks selling the metallic cover, but I'd advise you to stay away from them. Your signal for wifi and everything else will suffer a little (in some cases - a lot); I suggest you buy one of those decals that are faux metal. They actually look very good as long as you get the matte version.

my









EDIT: I found a couple of metal back covers but had a hard time finding decals for it.

*Brushed Metal Cover*

*Black Brushed*

*Silver Brushed*

I would personally choose something like this; I bought my S4 an aluminum bumper and it makes the phone look awesome - *S4 mini ALU bumpers*


----------



## resis

@mark_thaddeus:

Right, metal isn't good for practical sake. In fact I'd love to have a black matte, sort of rubberized finish cover. The kind of material like the sides of the Nexus 4. There are so many cases for the S4 mini available, but so little choice.









This seems closest to what I'd like, but I'm not sure how long it will last. I bet that carbon will peel off in no time:
http://ebay.kw-orange.de/artikelbilder/gross_image_14965.01_4.jpg

I'll also put matte screen protection on it. Less because of protection, but because I like non glossy screens. Many phones these days have slightly curved screens, which makes foil looks off, but S4 is one of these phones that have straight glass, should make the foil look natural. I only wish I could find a matte black back cover.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71UJBrXSiGL.jpg


----------



## mark_thaddeus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *resis*
> 
> @mark_thaddeus:
> 
> Right, metal isn't good for practical sake. In fact I'd love to have a black matte, sort of rubberized finish cover. The kind of material like the sides of the Nexus 4. There are so many cases for the S4 mini available, but so little choice.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This seems closest to what I'd like, but I'm not sure how long it will last. I bet that carbon will peel off in no time:
> http://ebay.kw-orange.de/artikelbilder/gross_image_14965.01_4.jpg
> 
> I'll also put matte screen protection on it. Less because of protection, but because I like non glossy screens. Many phones these days have slightly curved screens, which makes foil looks off, but S4 is one of these phones that have straight glass, should make the foil look natural. I only wish I could find a matte black back cover.
> http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71UJBrXSiGL.jpg


To be fair the faux carbon fiber lasts a long time, my S2 used that for over a year until I got tired of the look, It never peeled or looked bad especially in black. The worst it ever got was the edges would get dirty and it was easy to clean with Isopropyl alcohol. Just make sure you buy nice quality vinyl carbon and your good.


----------



## Miki

I talked a lot about the Motorola X. But, seeing it in person. . Not impressed. I ended up with a Galaxy S4. XD

Sorry Lumia, I was tempted. . But I need a legit ecosystem.


----------



## Koehler

Seeing as how the new iPhone 5S is basically the iPhone 5 with a fingerprint detector, I guess I have no regrets buying the Galaxy S4 earlier this year.

Thank goodness I didn't wait for the iPhone 5S.


----------



## paras

Iam loving my s4 and slim armor s view case from spigen.Iam just in love with it


----------



## Miki

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Seeing as how the new iPhone 5S is basically the iPhone 5 with a fingerprint detector, I guess I have no regrets buying the Galaxy S4 earlier this year.
> 
> Thank goodness I didn't wait for the iPhone 5S.


Ewww.. The iPhone is the last device I'd want. Don't care about it.


----------



## Hydroplane

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koehler*
> 
> Seeing as how the new iPhone 5S is basically the iPhone 5 with a fingerprint detector, I guess I have no regrets buying the Galaxy S4 earlier this year.
> 
> Thank goodness I didn't wait for the iPhone 5S.


Same here. My GPE GS4 has some annoying and weird quirks, but the screen alone is so much nicer than the iphone's.


----------



## hammong

I was waiting for the iPhone 5S to see what it might bring to the table, and after seeing it's just a faster iPhone 5 with the FP reader and camera adjustments, I decided to drop the hammer on a Galaxy S4 today at BB Mobile.

BB gave me $170 cash for my S3 towards the S4, and considering that my internal flash memory had been a little "flakey" with photos getting corrupted, I'd rather pass it to BB than sell it privately. Smooth deal, I was in and out in 20 minutes.

Greg


----------



## Paps.pt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *paras*
> 
> Iam loving my s4 and slim armor s view case from spigen.Iam just in love with it


Me too.








I first bought a fake version of the case for 6 bucks shipped from Aliexpress but the only color they had that was not glossy was a dark purple one. (the glossy ones look terrible) It works and looks well for a 6 dollar deal but I needed a premium feel and look so I decided to spend 50 bucks on the original one and, while I think they are pricing it too high, the case is the best I ever had regarding looks, protection and functionality and I would recommend it to everyone who wants more protection. The S-View funcionality is just great, if you havent seen in please watch some reviews of the case. I just whished Spigen made a little hole for the Notification Led , it´s a great feature to loose. Some users first said the notification led dosent work in S-View mode but that´s not true. I am thinking about making a hole myself, probably try it in the fake on first, of course.

I broke my S3 glass twice in some small stupid falls so I wont risk it again. I also first bougth some crappy plastic screen protectors and decided I needed a glass screen protector, which protects from falls also, but was not willing to pay 25 or 35 bucks for one (thats what spigen and other brands are asking) and a user on XDA recommended me a chinese one from aliexpress for only 6,69$, who bought it say its pretty good, should be getting it in a week or so.

Links:

Glass Screen Protector: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/NEW-Arrival-Explosion-proof-Tempered-Glass-Film-Screen-Protector-for-Samsung-Galaxy-S4-i9500-free-shipping/1083548820.html

Fake Spigen Slim Armor View: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/SPIGEN-SGP-Slim-Armor-View-Automatic-Sleep-Wake-Flip-Cover-leather-case-for-Samsung-galaxy-S4/1190607922.html

Comparison between the two cases:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wmpj3gcw5f4q0ju/2013-09-19%2018.23.45.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fwmsjyxwfrya369/2013-09-19%2018.24.28.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fnh2h8ynjl6x53e/2013-09-19%2018.24.53.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ueab1pfyigam04k/2013-09-19%2018.25.20.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z0pkpykp58hyht5/2013-09-19%2018.25.55.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dr2jigbtlg4ahtd/2013-09-19%2018.26.09.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zctx6uw88ompnok/2013-09-19%2018.26.27.jpg

Cheers


----------



## ahnafakeef

Hi!

I'm currently using my S4's internet tethering to use its internet connection on my PC. So I have to keep the phone connected to my PC for a long period of time even after the battery has finished charging. Is this harmful for the battery? If so, what is the solution?

Thank you!


----------



## sixor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> Hi!
> 
> I'm currently using my S4's internet tethering to use its internet connection on my PC. So I have to keep the phone connected to my PC for a long period of time even after the battery has finished charging. Is this harmful for the battery? If so, what is the solution?
> 
> Thank you!


not a problem

you can also connect to wall charger and use wifi tether


----------



## ahnafakeef

Hello everyone!

I've just rooted my phone for the first time and am going to install a new ROM on it.

Can you please recommend which ROM I should use to get the battery to last the longest?

Thank you very much.


----------

