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But people actually use them, regardless. And the only reason people don’t use them so much in Android is because it’s not that easy to use / find.

1 day ago on It's 2013 and no Android OEM has perfectly and natively supported...

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I think by universal or standard, what he means is that, it applies to the whole iPhone or iPad or iPod Touch (global). In Android, it only applies to certain apps that support it (local).

1 day ago on It's 2013 and no Android OEM has perfectly and natively supported...

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Only got this after flashing the iWinnIME keyboard. Not in my Nexus 4 by default.

1 day ago on It's 2013 and no Android OEM has perfectly and natively supported... 1 reply

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I got this on my Nexus but only after flashing the iWinnIME keyboard. Pfft.

1 day ago on It's 2013 and no Android OEM has perfectly and natively supported... 1 reply

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They’ll be the next Palm.

2 days ago on If HTC lives through this.

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Hey, thanks, man.

I have a Nexus 4, too. Just so happy with the things I can do with it, having Paranoid Android on it and all. It’s a solid purchase (in my country, though, it’s around 500 USD). I hope you do get your own Sony device. I can say that the Z is great. My friend has one and he’s really happy with it. Just have to warn you with the earpiece. Not the best there is, especially after getting soaked in. Takes a few minutes to work properly again.

13 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL 1 reply 1 recommend

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I’ve used a Sony and Samsung phone side by side before. They’re my go to OEMs. But I’ve been avoiding Samsung unless it’s a Nexus device because I keep experiencing buggy software from them. HTC has nice build quality; I was particularly in love with the One X because of its great design. Not so in love with its software.

I can say the Z is good, but I’d say wait until the second half flagship arrives. If I heard it right, the new flagship will be running Snapdragon 800 and will be sporting a Xenon flash with Sony Lens.

13 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL

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I’ll have to wait until they’ve resolved some bugs. Last I checked, the speakerphone is not yet working. Hopefully someone builds a PA for the ZL.

13 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL

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I am so sorry, kind of mixed your reply with the person who replied after you. Haha!

13 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL

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The Tablet Z is just gorgeous. If I’m into tablets, I’d have gotten it. Just love Sony hardware design. Just hope their software catches up and the screen. Certainly, the next Sony phone should really have the Triluminous display.

14 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL 1 reply

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Initially, I wanted the Z. But I got the Nexus and it’s black. I don’t wanna have two black phones. Then I tried the ZL in person and it certainly felt better I think hand, and those bezels. If the updates for this doesn’t go well, I’d put custom roms on this. I advise you do the same to your Ion.

14 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL 1 reply

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Makes the Nexus 4’s viewing angles seem stellar. Lol. But head on, the Nexus 4 is no match. Color reproduction on the ZL is very nice at direct angles (only).

14 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL

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Lol. Sorry to hear that. You can check the photographer’s Flickr account. flickr.com/photos/eman333.

14 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL

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I know, right? I’m not sure you could, but I’m keeping my eye on XDA just in case.

14 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL

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In my country, if you buy it from local retailers and not from Sony, it’d cost around 560usd. I got mine from Sony for 630USD because I want the Sony warranty. True, it’s a bleeder, though.

14 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL

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I agree. The iPhone and Nexus models have huge bezels! Why can’t they trim the damn bezel

14 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL

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If you bought the Find 5 for its software / custom roms, I suggest you don’t. The Find 5 is already supported by Paranoid Android. The ZL will have less roms, given its not a very popular model.

14 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL 1 recommend

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In my case, I use my headset. But what ultimately irked me with my One X is the Jellybean update. My model was a Shanghai one; My officemate’s was Taipei. He got his update first and his phone didn’t go wonky after the update. My One X’s Google Now just shows a search bar. That’s it. Plus it was laggy as a grandma. I hope HTC supports the One properly.

I never went to putting a custom on my phone if it’s not a Nexus. So Sense really killed it for me.

14 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL 1 reply

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I was waiting for the T / TX to ship to my country last year, but Sony took forever. By the time they’ve shipped it, leaks of the Xperia Z has come out and two weeks after, it was the CES already. So, I skipped it altogether and got me a Nexus 4 instead.

14 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL

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Yes, it’s Tersus.

14 days ago on My review for the Xperia ZL

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I can say that my old One X lags, too. Especially after the Jellybean update. It’s on Tegra 3.

14 days ago on Nexus 4 NO LAG 1 reply

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I’ve tried it several times at my local retailer. Dear OP, you don’t please call this phone minimalist. The software design of this phone is very cluttered. And just because the bezel is small doesn’t mean the design is minimal. I’d say the chassis design is uninspired.

The criss-cross pattern on the body that covers the whole phone contradicts with the stripes of the fake brushed metal chrome ring. This is not minimal. In real life, this is synonymous to wearing a polka dot polo with plaid shorts. And Touchwiz is that Looney Tunes shirt you wear under that open polka dot polo. That is how the SGS 4 looks like if it’s a human being dressing to go somewhere. The design elements don’t match.

As for the feel and handling, I’d give the S3 a better grade because the curves on the back actually cradle to the shape of your palm. But the flat back of the S4 isn’t that bad at all. Just isn’t as good. It helps you forget it’s a big phone. The design cues just don’t cohere altogether. At least in the S3 it did. And that’s probably why tech sites aren’t so glad about this phone’s design.

22 days ago on Just bought my Galaxy S4. 2 replies 6 recommends

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In my country, Philippines, the S4 is free for 50 USD a month (1999 PHP) on the major carriers here. The data bundled is said to cap at 2GB a month, but our carriers don’t really apply those caps. The Xperia Z (and ZL) is sold only as unlocked and are not yet carried by carriers if ever. The HTC One is nowhere to be found. The closest competitor to the S4 are the following:

1. the Nexus 4 (at 25 USD a month on one carrier only)
2. the Xperia V (at an LTE plan of 75 USD a month, 1 carrier)
3. the S3 (free at 50 USD a month, 3 carriers)
4. the One X (free at 50 USD a month, 1 carrier)
5. BlackBerry Z10 (free at 50 USD a month, 1 carrier)
6. The iPhone 5 (free at 50 USD a month, 2 carriers)
7. the Galaxy Note 2 (free at 50 USD a month, 3 carriers)

Looking at all these, there really isn’t much of a choice. The S4 has only been released here this week though. Thing is, here at the Philippines, we more often than not buy phones unlocked if it’s not an iPhone. Again, the HTC ONE is absent from our market and is not expected until Mid-May or end of May.

25 days ago on What it's like to buy a smartphone in South Africa

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I use just 1 homescreen. For everything else, I use the app itself. My Homescreen has a Dashclock widget. And App folders. That’s it.

But I wouldn’t mind adding panes if my home launcher goes back to my “HOME” pane every time I turn on my screen beacuse that’s where I put my most important items at. If I had other panes, it would have Flipboard or a note-taking widget like Evernote or Keep. And I would like to go back to my most important items every time I turn on my screen on.

25 days ago on Change to Android UI 1 reply

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I’ve held one at a local store. I’ve seen both black and white variants. It’s no different than an S3, except they have removed the curves which makes the S3 more decent to hold in one hand. S4 is all flat and the thinness makes it a little harder to use one-handed.

About the plastic, I think tech sites aren’t too exaggerating. Sure, a bit, but spending some time, you’d understand where all this disappointment is coming from. I dislike the pattern that they used on the S4. It’s tacky. Not only that, the chrome-painted plastic rims are made to look like brushed metal that does not blend well with the pattern of the body. Makes it twice as tacky. And then everything is now HYPERGLAZED, a coating that should be reserved for nails. This glazing also retains finger oil that makes it icky after prolonged use.

Then you have the overdesigned software that altogether does not blend well with the pattern on your bezels.

I don’t really dig the S4. If the S3 to me was poor design, this one is the epitome of Samsung’s incapacity to do good design.

25 days ago on Samsung GS4 Plastic: Is it really as bad as the internet is saying?

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I’ve the fortune of having a company-provided phone line that goes with a Nexus phone. I’ve upgraded to the Nexus 4 this year and using it side by side with my One X made my One X suck—software-wise at least, that screen is hard to beat. Sure, Nexus 4’s camera can do better, but I never really care for photography on my phone. In your use case, you can live with its camera, you just dislike that it’s not iPhone or Lumia good.

My point is, you are correct, OP. Get a Nexus 4 again.

27 days ago on The nexus 4 is no One or Galaxy, but....