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Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Stemo on 27 April 2014, 19:42:03

Title: Galaxy S4
Post by: Stemo on 27 April 2014, 19:42:03
Finally decided that my galaxy S was a bit old and got an S4 last week. Been having a play with it since and, apart from it being much bigger, I can't see a lot of difference. It does all this near field communication stuff and has lots more pre-loaded, useless apps, but the actual phone/camera/ texting/email bits are almost exactly the same. Disappointed.
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Stemo on 27 April 2014, 19:42:47
Oh yeah, and the battery life is shite.
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: cam2502 on 27 April 2014, 19:44:34
I stupidly went from an iPhone 4 to an S4. Hated it. Just didn't like the set up/ lay out and it felt cheap to me as well . Never again , so I'm back to an iPhone s4 now.
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Stemo on 27 April 2014, 19:46:45
I stupidly went from an iPhone 4 to an S4. Hated it. Just didn't like the set up/ lay out and it felt cheap to me as well . Never again , so I'm back to an iPhone s4 now.
I'm very old so please explain. Is that an iPhone s4 or an iPhone 4s?  ;D
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: cam2502 on 27 April 2014, 19:48:38
It's been a long day.... iPhone 4s
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: PhilRich on 27 April 2014, 21:30:02
Can I have your 'old' Galaxy Steve ???
Me & swmbo have just been dragged into the Modern Age with a LCD flat screen TV courtesy of our Eldest and he reckons it's time to pension off our Samsung G600 :P ;) :y
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Entwood on 27 April 2014, 21:34:58
mmm just been "upgraded" by fodaphone from an HTC one V to a Galaxy S4 mini .. but the monthly outgoings dropped by £7 a month !!!

'Tis a little strange in the way it does some things, but that's a matter of getting used to it methinks ...Only thing I don't like, so far, is I can't seem to get individual shortcuts to different e-mail accounts, I have to use a single "e-mail" selection and then go to whichever account I want to read... HTC was better in that regard..

At least the S4 mini is a reasonable size ... it seems that mobile phones are now going back to being the size of bricks !!
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 28 April 2014, 08:33:46
S4 is a very good phone, fantastic display, best in the business by some distance.

Beware of some of the standard apps installed though, the text messenger app is dodgy as it will auto convert long texts into MMS which costs (plenty of options out there to use instead (e.g. Go SMS Pro)). Keyboard could be better (most cope with it) but Swiftkey is a good alternative.

Plenty of alternative email options to which support what you want.
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Gaffers on 28 April 2014, 08:45:20
Agreed, the S4 is easily one of the best phones on the market.  Additedly it wont be everyone's cup of tea but I am considering not upgrading it when my contract end.....I dont see a need :y
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Stemo on 28 April 2014, 10:13:10
S4 is a very good phone, fantastic display, best in the business by some distance.

Beware of some of the standard apps installed though, the text messenger app is dodgy as it will auto convert long texts into MMS which costs (plenty of options out there to use instead (e.g. Go SMS Pro)). Keyboard could be better (most cope with it) but Swiftkey is a good alternative.

Plenty of alternative email options to which support what you want.
I have disabled a lot of the pre- loaded apps, despite the warnings that my phone might throw a wobbly if I did (yeah, right) and, as you can imagine, the few texts I send are very short and to the point. Actually, since I posted, I am starting to develop a relationship with it. I don't like change, but it is, as you say, a very good phone for those that know how to use it properly.
My complaint about battery life turns out to be unjustified as well. You tend to 'play' a lot with new phones, thus running it down very quickly.
I had my S for about three and a half years, so I guess I am a bit set in my ways.
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: pscocoa on 28 April 2014, 10:21:24
You can disable the mms facility - could be expensive if you not on your guard for that. mrs was caught out with that but Orange kindly reversed the charges.
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Entwood on 28 April 2014, 11:01:55
OK .. all you Galaxy S4 mini experts .. odd one I can't sort .. :(

I've set up contacts under the "phone" side and only see the contacts on the device, as there is a selection for what contacts to view...... but under "messaging" there is no such selection so the contacts on the device show, as well as a duplicate of every single entry from the gmail backup .. and the only way I've found of removing the duplicate entry is to delete the gmail account .. which is a pain to have to keep doing.. how can I make the "messaging" contacts show just those on the device ??  can't find any selection choice anywhere .. :(
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 28 April 2014, 11:04:58
Can you use it to make a telephone call Uncle STEMO?  :-\
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Stemo on 28 April 2014, 11:34:27
OK .. all you Galaxy S4 mini experts .. odd one I can't sort .. :(

I've set up contacts under the "phone" side and only see the contacts on the device, as there is a selection for what contacts to view...... but under "messaging" there is no such selection so the contacts on the device show, as well as a duplicate of every single entry from the gmail backup .. and the only way I've found of removing the duplicate entry is to delete the gmail account .. which is a pain to have to keep doing.. how can I make the "messaging" contacts show just those on the device ??  can't find any selection choice anywhere .. :(
Are you sure they are Gmail contacts, Nige? Just had a look at mine and all the contacts show twice but mine are not backed up to Gmail. It may just be showing all contacts, device and sim. I think this is so because a couple of recent numbers I have saved to the device, but haven't yet moved to sim, are showing only once.
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: zirk on 28 April 2014, 11:38:36
Not a Galaxy user, so cant comment, but a friend of mine has just been upgraded to an S4 by Vodafone, had a play with it, and decided, nope not for me, and gone back to using his old trusty Galaxy SII,

Which is a shame as the SII was heading my way, in a form of a cheap hand me down.  :(
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Stemo on 28 April 2014, 12:11:37
Not a Galaxy user, so cant comment, but a friend of mine has just been upgraded to an S4 by Vodafone, had a play with it, and decided, nope not for me, and gone back to using his old trusty Galaxy SII,

Which is a shame as the SII was heading my way, in a form of a cheap hand me down.  :(
Like all confirmed old codgers, I keep my old phone in case the new one goes wrong. I use it for my contacts backup and all the old info I don't want to clutter the new one with.
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Entwood on 28 April 2014, 14:08:20
OK .. all you Galaxy S4 mini experts .. odd one I can't sort .. :(

I've set up contacts under the "phone" side and only see the contacts on the device, as there is a selection for what contacts to view...... but under "messaging" there is no such selection so the contacts on the device show, as well as a duplicate of every single entry from the gmail backup .. and the only way I've found of removing the duplicate entry is to delete the gmail account .. which is a pain to have to keep doing.. how can I make the "messaging" contacts show just those on the device ??  can't find any selection choice anywhere .. :(
Are you sure they are Gmail contacts, Nige? Just had a look at mine and all the contacts show twice but mine are not backed up to Gmail. It may just be showing all contacts, device and sim. I think this is so because a couple of recent numbers I have saved to the device, but haven't yet moved to sim, are showing only once.

Yup, certain, as deleteing the gmail account removes them instantly...  :-\
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: TheBoy on 28 April 2014, 18:11:13
S4 is a very good phone, fantastic display, best in the business by some distance.
A great phone, let down a little by some of Samsung's out-of-box settings and apps. Easily resolved though.

For me, just too friggin' big, and...

Plenty of alternative email options to which support what you want.
Still yet to find one for Android that suits my needs. Shame, as I may be in the market for a new handset, but I begrudge paying Steve Jobs silly prices...
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 28 April 2014, 21:15:21
Sadlky I now have one of each.....an android and an imoan
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: TheBoy on 28 April 2014, 21:25:07
Sadlky I now have one of each.....an android and an imoan
I have to carry around 2 phones now... ...so I use an old Nokia ;D
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: chrisgixer on 28 April 2014, 22:10:29
S4 is a very good phone, fantastic display, best in the business by some distance.
A great phone, let down a little by some of Samsung's out-of-box settings and apps. Easily resolved though.

For me, just too friggin' big, and...

Plenty of alternative email options to which support what you want.
Still yet to find one for Android that suits my needs. Shame, as I may be in the market for a new handset, but I begrudge paying Steve Jobs silly prices...

TB, could you please explain, exactly, what your needs are, with email.
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: TheBoy on 29 April 2014, 21:27:39
S4 is a very good phone, fantastic display, best in the business by some distance.
A great phone, let down a little by some of Samsung's out-of-box settings and apps. Easily resolved though.

For me, just too friggin' big, and...

Plenty of alternative email options to which support what you want.
Still yet to find one for Android that suits my needs. Shame, as I may be in the market for a new handset, but I begrudge paying Steve Jobs silly prices...

TB, could you please explain, exactly, what your needs are, with email.
Different to yours. I accept mine are reasonably uncommon.
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: chrisgixer on 29 April 2014, 22:30:52
S4 is a very good phone, fantastic display, best in the business by some distance.
A great phone, let down a little by some of Samsung's out-of-box settings and apps. Easily resolved though.

For me, just too friggin' big, and...

Plenty of alternative email options to which support what you want.
Still yet to find one for Android that suits my needs. Shame, as I may be in the market for a new handset, but I begrudge paying Steve Jobs silly prices...

TB, could you please explain, exactly, what your needs are, with email.
Different to yours. I accept mine are reasonably uncommon.

So no then. ::)
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: dejbear on 01 May 2014, 03:21:39
When in contacts press left key, then contacts to display
then you can pick just sim gmail or all etc.

Still got soft spot for my old e700 though  :)
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: AndyRoid on 03 May 2014, 18:32:00
Oh yeah, and the battery life is shite.
Switch off GPS (it's enabled by default), enable "Auto Brightness" for the screen, and set the Wi-Fi to disable when the screen is off.

If you find the volume limit that is set by the "nanny state" to be too low, there is a hack that will allow you to boost it quite dramatically (to levels that are guaranteed to damage your hearing and blow your earphones/speaker if you so desire).
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Gaffers on 03 May 2014, 20:38:27
If you find the volume limit that is set by the "nanny state" to be too low, there is a hack that will allow you to boost it quite dramatically (to levels that are guaranteed to damage your hearing and blow your earphones/speaker if you so desire).

Link please ;)
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: Stemo on 03 May 2014, 20:43:15
If you find the volume limit that is set by the "nanny state" to be too low, there is a hack that will allow you to boost it quite dramatically (to levels that are guaranteed to damage your hearing and blow your earphones/speaker if you so desire).

Link please ;)
The link on XDA appears to have been removed. No good to me anyhow as my phone is not rooted.
Title: Re: Galaxy S4
Post by: AndyRoid on 03 May 2014, 21:23:00
Link please ;)
Do you want to manually push it, or have it as a flashable zip? (flashable zip requires root and custom recovery)


The link on XDA appears to have been removed. No good to me anyhow as my phone is not rooted.
No need for root, you can push it over ADB (although rooting and then unrooting afterward is possibly easier).