Author Topic: Phone Suggestions  (Read 9425 times)

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #50 on: 19 September, 2013, 08:48:51 am »
Update on the battery consumption for the Nexus 4. Yesterday was the first day I wasn't playing with it that much of normal usage. So, on all day with wifi (prob cheaper on battery than 3g?), a couple of calls, sms, emails, browsing a bit, tapatalk a bit, installed an app. All google updates running, Twitter etc.

Close of play last night - battery shows 70%. This morning, 65%. I'm aware battery meters need to be treated with a certain amount of caution, but it is looking pretty good atm.


Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #51 on: 19 September, 2013, 10:43:03 am »
Sounds good - so far I'm quite impressed with the Huawei's battery life.

Picked one of these waterproof dry (dive) bags for the Huawei, for out on the bike. 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110882053638?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Very impressed for £2.99 & free del.  Not tested yet, but it's a good fit for the phone, not too snug (page says 'for Samsung S3').  One can use the touch screen and camera with it in the pouch.  Has double recloseable lock seals, and a roll top velcro fastening.
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Chris N

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #52 on: 19 September, 2013, 10:47:36 am »
Thanks to this thread my credit card has just taken a hit to the tune of £200 :demon:

And mine.  Should be delivered today. :thumbsup:

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #53 on: 19 September, 2013, 10:57:25 am »
Where are folks finding the Huawei YY300 please?   Is it also the P6 or am I having a google flu day?  :)

Edit:  I've figured it now - it's the Y300, not YY300.   P6 being an entirely different beast.

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #54 on: 20 September, 2013, 08:29:17 am »
Update on the battery consumption for the Nexus 4. Yesterday was the first day I wasn't playing with it that much of normal usage. So, on all day with wifi (prob cheaper on battery than 3g?), a couple of calls, sms, emails, browsing a bit, tapatalk a bit, installed an app. All google updates running, Twitter etc.

Close of play last night - battery shows 70%. This morning, 65%. I'm aware battery meters need to be treated with a certain amount of caution, but it is looking pretty good atm.

And today's battery update. Overnight it dropped from 44% to 38% so remarkably consistent. (didn't use it that much yesterday, still made calls, browsing, text, and all updates on)

On charge now, but that was interesting. Must repeat with WiFi off, see if that makes it worse.

Woofage

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Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #55 on: 20 September, 2013, 08:31:09 am »
I got my Nexus 4 last Friday. Last night I had to re-charge it for the first time.

Admittedly it's not been used a lot but that's still pretty impressive.
Pen Pusher

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #56 on: 22 September, 2013, 07:19:29 pm »
Decided to hang fire with the phone. Virgin 30 day sim only contract for now. Nexus 5 is supposedly being released mid October with Kit Kat OS.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Jacomus

  • My favourite gender neutral pronoun is comrade
Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #57 on: 04 November, 2013, 12:22:51 pm »
I decided that instead of await the next Google phone, I'd stick with the HTC that I know and love.

I've gone for a 4G HTC One, replacing my 3G HTC One X.

Holy crap, this is one sexy piece of tech!

The case is Aluminium and has been put together to incredibly fine tolerances.

The phone OS is simply the latest Android flavour, so is brilliant. HTC have been more invasive with their BlinkFeed social media stream guff, which can't be removed from the home screen any more. However, you get to decide what screen is the home screen (i.e. first to appear when you unlock the device) so that's not a problem as I've set up the screen I want and designated it the home screen.

I think the HTC One X didn't get Gorilla glass, it was given something else, which never quite looked or felt as good as Miss Emily's iPhone screen. The One has got Gorilla glass, and boy, it is lovely to touch and look at. The display is crystal clear, as you would expect, and their auto-brightness function is better than that on my Nexus 10 tablet.

4G is immense.
"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity." Amelia Earhart

Wombat

  • Is it supposed to hurt this much?
Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #58 on: 04 November, 2013, 01:01:11 pm »
Not anywhere other than a few major cities, its not....  I'd still like 3G at home.  My personal view on 4G is that providers should be prevented by force of law, from rolling it out untill they have completed their 3G networks.
Wombat

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #59 on: 04 November, 2013, 01:23:59 pm »
Not anywhere other than a few major cities, its not....  I'd still like 3G at home.  My personal view on 4G is that providers should be prevented by force of law, from rolling it out untill they have completed their 3G networks.

Agree really.  I typed in our postcode (OXon) on the Vodafone network coverage checker for 4G just to see (don't have 4G phone).  'No plans'.  But apparently they're 'committed to 98% coverage of 4G by 2015', even though their 3G coverage seems pretty patchy and poor currently.  EE seems to have much better 3G coverage.  Vodafone (TkTk)  suits for now, as it was only ~£3.50 for 300mins & 3000txts (+1Gb 3G where available), and their phone coverage is OK.
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #60 on: 05 November, 2013, 11:16:43 am »
The trouble is, ao, that the figures they state are for a percentage of the population

Hence large cities are covered quickly, those out in the sticks (where it's not economically viable) are just SOL.

I would just like to get a phone signal at my digs, don't need data on an evening, just phone would do (only ~6 miles from the centre of Cambridge)
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #61 on: 08 November, 2013, 09:08:44 pm »
Orange coverage is particularly problematic in Cambridge.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #62 on: 12 November, 2013, 07:33:53 am »
Vodafone fails on 3G mobile coverage
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24851312
Quote
Mobile firm Vodafone has been rapped by regulator Ofcom for failure to meet its coverage obligations.
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Wombat

  • Is it supposed to hurt this much?
Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #63 on: 12 November, 2013, 07:58:39 am »
Truly hilarious.  Yesterday I gave them feedback because they asked me to, so I pointed out that their 3G coverage wasn't as per their coverage map in my area.... Lets see if they improve it now.
Wombat

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #64 on: 13 November, 2013, 11:27:10 pm »
If anyone is still looking for a phone, we have a new value champion - the Motorola Moto G, which has similar specs to the Nexus 4 but costs just £120 on PAYG. Motorola are now owned by Google, so you get the same guaranteed Android upgrades as the Nexus devices. It has a more basic plastic chassis than the Nexus 4, but the battery is considerably larger and user-replaceable. I've only had the chance to briefly play with a preview unit, but it looks like an absolute belter for the price - quad core processor, a big 720p screen with Gorilla Glass and surprisingly good build quality.

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #65 on: 13 November, 2013, 11:50:01 pm »
It might also be worth looking at the Archos Titanium and Platinum models, especially if you're in the market for a cheapish smartphone for travel. Four models, all take dual SIMs, screen sizes from 4 - 5.3in, prices from £99 to £160 SIM-free through Dixons, Currys etc (though I saw the smallest one for £80 in an airport Dixons Travel).

So new I can't find any reviews, but the Archos tablet we've got is OK for the money, and the dual-SIM capacity caught my eye.

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #66 on: 19 November, 2013, 02:32:52 pm »
Just throwing in the Nokia 625 into the ring. It's a 4G phone, and is available sim free for £175 from phones 4 u.

Windowsphone 8 isn't that bad an OS. The talktime is pretty good, but the plus point is that maps of europe are stored on the phone, which means GPS mapping even where there's no phone signal of any kind.

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #67 on: 29 January, 2014, 12:01:31 am »
I highly recommend the Motorola Moto G.
It is waterproof, I have used it with a quadlock mounted on my handlebars in a thunderstorm and after seeing the youtube where its dropped into a sink and run over by a car I'm quite happy with it.
I have had it a week and so far the 16Gb fixed limit could be a problem but I'm using google drive and google play music now.  Also the screen is ICP LED as against Super Amoled which I liked on the Huawei P1 but the P1 got washed out.  The colours on the P1 are more vibrant and I preferred it. The phone is heavier than my P1 and lacks MHL on the usb port.  MHL mean't that I could play movies on the TV but hey there's a new thing Miracast which does it wirelessly.  The speed is only slightly faster than the Huawei which was 1.5MHz dual core processor whereas the Moto G is 1.2Mhz quad core.
Also the phone costs £130 from Tesco locked, but cost me £2 to unlock thanks to ebay.  No need to send the phone away just type in the code.  Theres no bloatware so no sign of Tesco on it now its unlocked.
The Moto G came with Kitkat which runs nice and smooth, and it also has Bluetooth 4.0 which enables me to use a heartmonitor.  Hence Strava with heart sensor.
Since I used superglue for the mount for the quadlock to fasten it to a Moto G gel case , I have a short safety cord fastened to the case - just in case.
The battery life is a fuller day than before although Huawei was good, I never need to reach for the charger except when I'm tethering gigabytes of data through the phone.

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #68 on: 23 February, 2014, 07:11:52 pm »
I've just moved from iPhone 4 to the darkside and am awaiting a Sony Xperia Z1 on O2 4G. You get a free pair of £200 Sony wireless headphones also.

Will update to what I think about it.

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #69 on: 06 June, 2014, 02:39:04 pm »
Anyone have a Nexus 5? I'm thinking of switching to one rather than an HTC One.

Main reasons are the better camera and much faster processor.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

contango

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Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #70 on: 06 June, 2014, 02:53:44 pm »
Just throwing in the Nokia 625 into the ring. It's a 4G phone, and is available sim free for £175 from phones 4 u.

Windowsphone 8 isn't that bad an OS. The talktime is pretty good, but the plus point is that maps of europe are stored on the phone, which means GPS mapping even where there's no phone signal of any kind.

I know this is an old post but thought it was worth a mention. From what I gather you can also download (free) maps of the US and other places for navigation purposes. That alone was enough to encourage me to at least look at Windoze phones.

As it happened I went with Android but any time I see a half-decent Nokia Windoze phone with a good GPS chipset going cheap I'm tempted to buy it and use it purely for navigation purposes. It can live in the car, and go with me when I go abroad.
Always carry a small flask of whisky in case of snakebite. And, furthermore, always carry a small snake.

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #71 on: 06 June, 2014, 03:00:11 pm »
Oaky showed me a similar function on his Android phone.
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contango

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Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #72 on: 06 June, 2014, 03:08:44 pm »
Oaky showed me a similar function on his Android phone.

What was the app?

I've seen Navigator that lets you use either OSM maps (which I think are great for cycling but wouldn't trust them for driving), or pay for TomTom maps. The app seems OK but I really wish it was a little more intelligent regarding what data fields you can have. Specifically I'd like the option to have more data fields on a larger screen - it's silly to have the same restriction on a 10" tablet as on a 3" phone.
Always carry a small flask of whisky in case of snakebite. And, furthermore, always carry a small snake.

Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #73 on: 06 June, 2014, 03:10:25 pm »
Best to ask Oaky.

I guess nobody here has a Nexus 5 then. Having trouble deciding between that and an HTC One.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

contango

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  • The Fat And The Furious
Re: Phone Suggestions
« Reply #74 on: 06 June, 2014, 03:15:16 pm »
Best to ask Oaky.

I guess nobody here has a Nexus 5 then. Having trouble deciding between that and an HTC One.

I looked at both the other week and must admit I found the Sony Xperia Z2 to look like a good option. If you like the Nexus 5 also look at the LG G2. It's a bit more expensive than the Nexus but not in the £500 price band of the Sony and the HTC.
Always carry a small flask of whisky in case of snakebite. And, furthermore, always carry a small snake.