There are ways to get the full screen back for Nexus 4, through custom ROMs (ParanoidAndroid is the one I'm referring to), but of course that requires you to install custom ROMs, which I guess some people might be scared to try.
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Wow, this thing is small.
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There are ways to get the full screen back for Nexus 4, through custom ROMs (ParanoidAndroid is the one I'm referring to), but of course that requires you to install custom ROMs, which I guess some people might be scared to try.
As said, times change. 20 years ago CRTs were the norm to have at VGA resolution. TVs were small. Now it's all about HD and beyond. Technology and needs advance.
Correct. It says that their needs are advancing and the iPhone isn't the phone to go with for their needs.
It could also say something about you. Your needs have not advanced and the smaller iPhone screen is fine for you.
Sure, that's it! You caught me!
Pioneer Elite 50" Pro-111FD 1080p plasma HDTV in the media room
Samsung UN32EH5003 1080p LED HDTV in the living room
Samsung 26" 720p LCD on the wall in the master bedroom
Got anything relevant to contribute?
I've expressed no incredulity that phone screen size can become a determining factor for those shopping for a phone. I'm saying it's not THE most important factor for most smartphone shoppers, as most shoppers want a phone to be a phone first, and everything else (browser, gaming device, video viewer, music player, app platform, camera) after.
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It sounds like you're saying that for it to advance, we need ever-bigger phones. Ridiculous! Phones are going to stay in the same basic size range because it has to fit in the human hand (which isn't growing year over year for adults).
Smartphones are not needs. They're luxuries. Fact. Unless someone uses it to conduct their business, which most don't.
It could also say something about you. Your needs have not advanced and the smaller iPhone screen is fine for you.
You're assuming too much.
It's not that hard. I was able to hide the buttons within days of having my N4. But then the act of using the device with the work-arounds for nav buttons was a real pain, compared to having them there all of the time. And some of the gesture-based solutions don't even work in many games. So that meant using the power button. Ugh. Just not for me.
You also don't need a custom rom. You just need to be rooted. Several apps can do it including GMD Gesture Control. But those solutions all hide the status bar too, so that is pretty much a deal-killer for long-term use. (Though a benefit too in some cases, such as letting someone use your device without notifications going off left and right.)
Michael
There are a couple of apps which get rid of the horrible nav buttons, you can then replace them with different buttons or even gestures, no custom roms required.
It is the 267 ppi of the Note 2 which makes it perform so badly against the 320 ppi of the Nexus 4 especially in situations where a large amount of detail is needed to be displayed accurately.
The larger screen doesn't help on the Note 2 if it doesn't have enough ppi to match which is the main reason I swapped my Note for the Nexus 4.
Samsung are lagging behind other manufacturers (Apple, Google etc) in terms of ppi and need to catch up soon else it will get side-lined.
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The pixel density on the note 2 is fine. It's a big enough screen that you don't need to have text as (effectively) 5pt font size in order to not have to scroll sideways to read a paragraph. However, the Note 2's screen still sucks.
I wish Samsung had stuck an IPS screen in there, just based on better color reproduction. The SAMOLED (or whatever it's called) they use is -OK-, but it can go pretty dim (and is usually too dim at auto brightness *SIGH*)
Also: On-screen home/menu/back buttons were a terrible (*@#% idea. The physical (even touch sensitive) buttons are fantastic in that respect.
I wish Samsung had stuck an IPS screen in there, just based on better color reproduction. The SAMOLED (or whatever it's called) they use is -OK-, but it can go pretty dim (and is usually too dim at auto brightness *SIGH*)
Also: On-screen home/menu/back buttons were a terrible (*@#% idea. The physical (even touch sensitive) buttons are fantastic in that respect.
While it's true that you don't need to use a custom rom to get rid of the buttons, only Paranoid Android has a vision of replacing the navigation bar UI with it's own custom pie controls. They've written it from scratch and has made navigation in full screen extremely easy and fast.
Gesture controls like GMD I don't like, since it forces you to remember a bunch of different gestures to get to places, and like you said, doesn't work in some games and apps.
The status bar thing I've learned to live with since it gets me away from looking at my phone all the time, and while my screen is off the LED light takes care of quick glance notifications.
Of course, this is more or less a work around to get away from the on screen navigation bar and to get the screen real estate back, but for any tech savvy person, it's a very easy thing to do.
I still think it makes little sense to go from a nice big screen to a smaller one. That is, unless carrying or using a large device is not an issue.
If there is a large amount of detail the advantage goes to the bigger screen. It's only an illusion that you are seeing more since it is so much smaller.
The vibrancy and pop of the Note 2 is why I got it. I just don't see that on the Nexus 4. It's not a bad screen. But my iPhone 4S is more vibrant. I feel the Note 2 gives me that vibrancy, but this time with true black (something I really like).
To each their own but with the on-screen nav buttons on the Nexus 4 there is less room--pixel wise--on the display compared to the Note 2 (909,312 vs. 921,600). I don't see how that is up for debate.
Michael
You're right. You don't know what incredulity is.
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Which part of your question, praytell?
After testing the Nexus 4 for a week I actually found myself disliking the bigger size and hence returned to the iPhone 4. IMO it's way less comfortable to have a phone as big as the N4 in your pocket, at least compared to the iPhone. I don't feel like using my phone for things like watchinhg movies or browsing for hours, so for myself there's nothing compelling about bigger phone screens.
But hey, to each their own, right?
But hey, to each their own, right?
Very much so. After using my Note 2 for a week my Nexus 4 seems small. My iPhone 4S seems downright tiny and I have trouble with the keyboard now--after using nothing but iPhones for over 5 years.After testing the Nexus 4 for a week I actually found myself disliking the bigger size and hence returned to the iPhone 4. IMO it's way less comfortable to have a phone as big as the N4 in your pocket, at least compared to the iPhone. I don't feel like using my phone for things like watchinhg movies or browsing for hours, so for myself there's nothing compelling about bigger phone screens.
But hey, to each their own, right?
Michael
After testing the Nexus 4 for a week I actually found myself disliking the bigger size and hence returned to the iPhone 4. IMO it's way less comfortable to have a phone as big as the N4 in your pocket, at least compared to the iPhone. I don't feel like using my phone for things like watchinhg movies or browsing for hours, so for myself there's nothing compelling about bigger phone screens.
But hey, to each their own, right?
Well, I'm keeping mine -- but I agree with you that it's larger than I would really like my phone to be. I can live with it for now, but my ideal would be a slightly smaller smartphone that could better "disappear" into your pockets, and always easily be there with you. Rather than this current parade of Mongo phones coming out, I'd much prefer to development go into good micro to mini sized pocketable tablets to compliment the phones, and provide the larger display experience - when you really want or need it.
It seems to me, that there could be a lot of potential advantages to having these devices work together that I haven't seen taken advantage of yet -- Say have the devices be able to work together extend desktop style -- Or have the phone switch between fullscreen keyboard, trackpad, menu pallet ... or whatever ... to drive the tablet workspace.
Until we get some new workable technology such as foldable displays, we're faced with the dilemma of "just how big a plank do you want to have to carry around?"
Whenever I have to use a friends iphone it feels so tiny to me. Ive got a 920 and even 4.5" is big enough to make me never want one. I constantly read on my phone while galavanting around and I can see why so many people are springing for the bigger phones. Also hate typing on iphones, feels so crammed to me. Then again the WP8 keyboard is pretty fantastic.
If Apple dropped a 5.5 inch screen then it would be cool and acceptable to pull out out such an alleged big device. But Apple doesn't have such a device but once the do watch all the Note 2 haters line up for it.
I see people on campus every day with the Note. I see more Android phones overall than iPhones now, and I see a lot of GS3s. I think having a big phone is pretty acceptable now.
3.5 inch screen: "It's the perfect size. 4 inch screens are too big."
4 inch screen: "It's the perfect size. 4.5 inch screens are too big."
4 inch screen: "It's the perfect size. 4.5 inch screens are too big."
I am probably going to be in the minority, but one thing I really enjoyed about my iphone was ibooks. I found reading on the tiny little device to be pretty much perfect, especially in bed. I want to be able to hold my reader easily while lying on my side, and to turn pages using the device with one hand.
I actually plan to buy an ipod touch pretty soon to get that functionality back.
I actually plan to buy an ipod touch pretty soon to get that functionality back.
Apple has to increase the screen size but not to simply appease bellyachers.
1136x640 is not meant long for this world and Apple will have a problem going to a higher res screen on a 4" device.
1136x640 is not meant long for this world and Apple will have a problem going to a higher res screen on a 4" device.
I've felt that my iPhone's screen has gotten "smaller" too - Although I only use it for calls, texting and radio ATM, so I don't really care. Probably wouldn't get an iPhone again tho, TBH.
