Just brought my new Galaxy S4 home...

[Krimsonmyst]

And I have to say that reviews are not doing this thing justice.

First and foremost, I'd like to address the 'build quality' comments. This thing feels sturdy and well built as any other top end handset. Don't let the polycarbonate casing fool you - it is perfectly engineered to the millimetre. There is no creaking or bending, the lines are clean and sharp, and it just feels insanely good in the hand. The square edges are easy to grip, and the phone doesn't feel slippery at all.

The display is another point of praise - as a previous S3 owner, I was unimpressed with the weird checkerboard pattern that the PenTile display rendered over everything.
I can confidently say that the combination of a 1080p display crossed with the diamond sub-pixel arrangement makes this display freaking **GORGEOUS**.

It's one of those things you need to see in person, but the vibrancy of the AMOLED on this display is a beauty to behold.

I've only just gotten it home so I haven't had a chance to play with too many of the features yet, but the camera is pretty outstanding as well. Obviously it's not too strong in the low-light category, but the photos you get from well lit areas and outdoors are outstanding.

I was tossing up whether to go for the S4 or the HTC One. I went into the store and had one in each hand. I played around with both for about 30 mins each and decided to go the S4, and I do not regret my decision at all.

I still think the One has a SLIGHT edge in the display, and I would have liked those great front facing speakers, but the camera was a big drawback for me. While it's nice to have great low-light pictures, I can't get past a 4MP sensor

Feel free to ask me any questions about the handset if you like, I'll do my best to answer them.

 

[adder7712]

Does the rear shell feel like the first generation Galaxy S?

 

[Zwhaler]

I'm going to check this thing out tomorrow in my area. YouTube plays back 720p over the 1080p screen so do videos actually looks worse than on a 720p display phone like the Note 2? This was the case with the Droid DNA and HTC One from my comparison. How much has video quality improved over the S3?

 

[MRU]

I'll be turning vibrancy down in my GS4 when it gets here. I assume we still have the option to choose natural in settings for vibrancy. I find the over saturation of colours too much for me personally.

Questions..... As you have time with Touchwiz.

1) Other than S-Apps has Touchwiz improved much since my Galaxy S2? Looking at videos it seems awfully similar, and I wasn't biggest fan to start with.

2) please tell me I can turn off the cube like spinning on home screen and opt for simple slide animation between home screens?

3) is it true I can't make a folder by just dragging one app icon onto another, that I must drag the icon the top ofthe screen to create folder and then drag other icons into it?

4) widget wise is there more than just one weather widget, perhaps one with a more clear background that doesn't hide / cover your desktop wallpaper so much?

5) calendar. Does it come with one or two calendar applications. I've seen shots of Samsung's and with a lot if entry's it looks like a cluttered in your face mess, does the stock calendar app come with it too?

 

[Krimsonmyst]

Does the rear shell feel like the first generation Galaxy S?

It has a SLIGHTLY more matte feel to it. Doesn't attract fingerprints NEARLY as much, and doesn't feel as slippery.

----------

I'm going to check this thing out tomorrow in my area. YouTube plays back 720p over the 1080p screen so do videos actually looks worse than on a 720p display phone like the Note 2? This was the case with the Droid DNA and HTC One from my comparison. How much has video quality improved over the S3?

I had to do a few tests before I figured this one out.

Videos that were uploaded with a 1080p resolution WILL play at 1080p, but if you play a video that only goes up to 720p it will scale it, which makes it lose a bit of sharpness.

----------

I'll be turning vibrancy down in my GS4 when it gets here. I assume we still have the option to choose natural in settings for vibrancy. I find the over saturation of colours too much for me personally.

Questions..... As you have time with Touchwiz.

1) Other than S-Apps has Touchwiz improved much since my Galaxy S2? Looking at videos it seems awfully similar, and I wasn't biggest fan to start with.

2) please tell me I can turn off the cube like spinning on home screen and opt for simple slide animation between home screens?

3) is it true I can't make a folder by just dragging one app icon onto another, that I must drag the icon the top ofthe screen to create folder and then drag other icons into it?

4) widget wise is there more than just one weather widget, perhaps one with a more clear background that doesn't hide / cover your desktop wallpaper so much?

5) calendar. Does it come with one or two calendar applications. I've seen shots of Samsung's and with a lot if entry's it looks like a cluttered in your face mess, does the stock calendar app come with it too?

1) The first thing I did was replace the TW Launcher with Nova. I've never disliked TW as such, but I've always felt like it wasn't as good as it could be. For what it's worth though, the TW launcher was incredibly smooth - didn't skip a beat.

2) Not sure what you're referring to here - my animations were more like a nexus tablet, the slight panning like you're on the inside of an octagon. If that's what you're referring to, then no, I don't think you can change it. Again, not too sure because I changed launcher.

3) Sadly yes, pain in the ass to create a folder in TW - again, custom launcher.

4) There is a 4x2 widget that has the clock and weather, and there is one that is just the weather. I wasn't particularly fond of either.

5) It only comes with the S Planner app as default, however I did notice that you can now download the Google calendar from the Play Store, which I was never able to do on my S3 - compatibility issues or something.

Hope that helps guys

 

[The Game 161]

Are there any HD moving wallpapers that come with the S4?

 

[MRU]

1) The first thing I did was replace the TW Launcher with Nova. I've never disliked TW as such, but I've always felt like it wasn't as good as it could be. For what it's worth though, the TW launcher was incredibly smooth - didn't skip a beat.

2) Not sure what you're referring to here - my animations were more like a nexus tablet, the slight panning like you're on the inside of an octagon. If that's what you're referring to, then no, I don't think you can change it. Again, not too sure because I changed launcher.

3) Sadly yes, pain in the ass to create a folder in TW - again, custom launcher.

4) There is a 4x2 widget that has the clock and weather, and there is one that is just the weather. I wasn't particularly fond of either.

5) It only comes with the S Planner app as default, however I did notice that you can now download the Google calendar from the Play Store, which I was never able to do on my S3 - compatibility issues or something.

Hope that helps guys

Thanks for that - it's appreciated.

As I suspect I too will be loading Nova Prime onto mine too. I have already purchased beautiful and factory HD widgets so I'll have to use one of them for the weather, and I'll just re-download the stock google apps to replace the samsung apps.

 

[The Game 161]

what is nova? very new to android...

 

[ugahairydawgs]

what is nova? very new to android...

A custom launcher tool. You can find it in Google Play.

 

[The Game 161]

A custom launcher tool. You can find it in Google Play.

how does it work exactly?

 

[MRU]

how does it work exactly?

It replaces touchwiz (for the most part, custom diallers, messenger application and applications are still touchwiz)

It means you can get rid of Samsung's touchwiz looking interface and replace it with a stock android kind of interface.

It's just an app essentially that you can default to replace samsungs own interface. Should you wish to go back to samsungs you can do that too.

There are LOTS of launchers available for android.

I actually like the one on modaco which is essentially 'THE STOCK' launcher for android JB as it's very light memory wise.




________


Krimsonmyst

Another question. I was watching a video review of the S4 and he went into application management and showed memory usage / available and he was nearly compeltey used up memory wise.

1.6gb or the 1.7gb available !!! That shcoked me as it might explain some of the lag if Samsungs features are all zapping the available memory.

So could you check as you have installed another launcher and see what free memory is available for you.

With the HTC one I just sent back - I always used around 500-600mb of the 1.5gb user accessible memory (the other 500 is system reserved) so I was comfortable in the knowledge that I had lots of memory left.

I'm just wondering if Samsung's S4 features are sucking all the available memory from the handset, I really do not want to have to micromanage a phones memory in 2013.

Thanks.

 

[The Game 161]

It replaces touchwiz (for the most part, custom diallers, messenger application and applications are still touchwiz)

It means you can get rid of Samsung's touchwiz looking interface and replace it with a stock android kind of interface.

Will have to try it...S4 will be my first android phone.

 

[fredaroony]

Will have to try it...S4 will be my first android phone.

Couple apps you might want to check out then!

Airdroid
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sand.airdroid

Swype (i think your device may come with it)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nuance.swype.dtc

A good Google Reader app
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.noinnion.android.greader.readerpro

 

[The Game 161]

Couple apps you might want to check out then!

Airdroid
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sand.airdroid

Swype (i think your device may come with it)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nuance.swype.dtc

A good Google Reader app
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.noinnion.android.greader.readerpro

Many thanks

I'm so new to this...so expect many questions guys.

 

[MRU]

Many thanks

I'm so new to this...so expect many questions guys.

There is a reasonable learning curve with moving to android at first so don't be afraid to ask, we are all here to help

Though of course there are sum who are just here to moan & whinge too

 

[The Game 161]

There is a reasonable learning curve with moving to android at first so don't be afraid to ask, we are all here to help

Though of course there are sum who are just here to moan & whinge too

Indeed, maybe I should create a questions thread instead of all the topics I could make ha

 

[Krimsonmyst]

Many thanks

I'm so new to this...so expect many questions guys.

Android is an interesting beast. As someone who came from an iPhone 4 about 2.5 years ago, I can say that it isn't as easy and fluid out of the box as iOS is, but with a bit of work and a bit of effort at understanding the learning curve, it can look and do things that iOS can only dream of.

----------

Krimsonmyst

Another question. I was watching a video review of the S4 and he went into application management and showed memory usage / available and he was nearly compeltey used up memory wise.

1.6gb or the 1.7gb available !!! That shcoked me as it might explain some of the lag if Samsungs features are all zapping the available memory.

So could you check as you have installed another launcher and see what free memory is available for you.

With the HTC one I just sent back - I always used around 500-600mb of the 1.5gb user accessible memory (the other 500 is system reserved) so I was comfortable in the knowledge that I had lots of memory left.

I'm just wondering if Samsung's S4 features are sucking all the available memory from the handset, I really do not want to have to micromanage a phones memory in 2013.

Thanks.

I just did 3 checks of the ram usage over a 1 hour period of usage including Play Music, playing a few games and doing some web browsing, and my RAM usage sat at around 1.38gb being used, and topped out at 1.47. The maximum amount that the system has access to is 1.87gb.

Now that might sound like a lot of usage, but try though I have, I haven't been able to cause it to lag, not significantly anyway. I have had a dropped frame here and there, but I have a feeling that it might be more of an app optimisation issue, as it happened only in graphics intensive games (Dungeon Hunter 4 and The Room, both of which look STUNNING on this display btw). I didn't get any lag whatsoever in the general launcher/menu environments.

----------

Samsung has put all their efforts in creating the galaxy s4...

I was a little bit hesitant to get the S4 seeing as a lot of reviews have that it was good - BUT not as good as the HTC One, but after playing with it first hand, I think the reviewers are just looking for a reason to complain about Samsung/praise HTC, because there isn't a whole lot about this phone that disappoints.

Not IMO, anyway.

The biggest thing (and I really can't stress this enough) is how solidly this phone is built. Everyone thinks that to have build quality you need more 'premium' materials - but Samsung has really made this plastic build work for them, and it shows as soon as you pick an S4 up.

 

[mattopotamus]

Many thanks

I'm so new to this...so expect many questions guys.

Just download nova and play with it. At first it will seem weird as hell. Think of it as a new home screen with more options. You can change the size of icons, add gestures, and many other options. When you first download it your home screens will look empty because it basically sits on top of the old one if that makes sense. You can always delete it and go back.

 

[The Game 161]

Just download nova and play with it. At first it will seem weird as hell. Think of it as a new home screen with more options. You can change the size of icons, add gestures, and many other options. When you first download it your home screens will look empty because it basically sits on top of the old one if that makes sense. You can always delete it and go back.

great stuff thanks for your help

btw on the google maps on android does it give you turn by turn like it does on the iphone?

 

[Krimsonmyst]

No, Google maps on Android is just the mapping software.

If you're on a Samsung device, look for an app called navigon. It'll give you a fully fledged GPS experience with spoken turn by turn.

 

[ugahairydawgs]

No, Google maps on Android is just the mapping software.

If you're on a Samsung device, look for an app called navigon. It'll give you a fully fledged GPS experience with spoken turn by turn.

Google Maps doesn't do turn by turn on Android?

 

[Krimsonmyst]

Google Maps doesn't do turn by turn on Android?

Turn by turn written directions yes, but not spoken turn by turn.

 

[Tsuchiya]

Turn by turn written directions yes, but not spoken turn by turn.

It does kinda. You enter a destination and go to "navigate" along the bottom and it'll open up a new window. I've not tried it out but in the options there is a "turn voice off" one so I assume it does proper turn by turn.

 

[Krimsonmyst]

It does kinda. You enter a destination and go to "navigate" along the bottom and it'll open up a new window. I've not tried it out but in the options there is a "turn voice off" one so I assume it does proper turn by turn.

Yeah it's difficult to explain. It does turn by turn but not in the same way that it does on ios. Like I said, check out navigon for a full GPS experience.

 

[playtillyadrop]

Turn by turn written directions yes, but not spoken turn by turn.

Google maps does do turn by turn navigation with voice. Also you can download certain size of maps for offline navigation or use.