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The s5 is better than the s4 in every single way.

Design, screen, battery, speed, camera, waterproof, feel, available internal storage.... Etc

The S4 performance was pretty embarrassing for a flagship device. Probably the worst I'm 2012. Even taking pics was just slow and laggy.

In retrospect, I should have gotten the Moto X last year.
 
The S4 performance was pretty embarrassing for a flagship device. Probably the worst I'm 2012. Even taking pics was just slow and laggy.

In retrospect, I should have gotten the Moto X last year.

To be fair, Samsung has improved the performance of it quite a bit over the past year. The latest KitKat update made it much smoother. Still not as smooth as GPE.
 
Yeah. But many of those you mentioned are just apps. And you know with android you choose not to use them and use your own.

Not really... A launcher will just decrease the amount of ram available because it'd running an additional launcher. All the touch wiz crap is still running in the background.
 
Not really... A launcher will just decrease the amount of ram available because it'd running an additional launcher. All the touch wiz crap is still running in the background.

Not true. Go download any of process manager app in android and check out what tasks/processes are running or in the background.
 
I was under the impression that when you use a different launcher the built in one stops running.

Yes, though only to an extent that it can be. Touchwiz can't be turned off because it's more than just the home screen launcher. It's everything underneath that including all of Samsungs air view, smart gestures, stock apps, Samsung services including print services, push services etc...

All of those will run regardless of what launcher you choose to run. And in some cases depending on home screen launcher you decide to run this means you can actually have more memory overheads than you had with the stock home screen management.

Basically folks need to stop thinking of Nova and similar as a 'full' launcher, and more as a home screen management application. Because it doesn't replace the entire android launcher, it merely replaces the home screen management portion of that.

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Interesting, what kind of stability problems are you having?

Just odd occasional app close such as Google play music acting up and not responding for example, leading to the oops window.

It's not frequent, but it's irritating when it does happen.
 
The s5 is better than the s4 in every single way.

Design, screen, battery, speed, camera, waterproof, feel, available internal storage.... Etc

Design is very subjective and very questionable. Actually with larger bezels and bandaid rear cover, the S5 is not better than S4 for many.

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Yeah. But many of those you mentioned are just apps. And you know with android you choose not to use them and use your own.

No matter how many times you'll repeat that to yourself: you can't get rid of tw background processes until you flash another ROM.

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Yes, though only to an extent that it can be. Touchwiz can't be turned off because it's more than just the home screen launcher. It's everything underneath that including all of Samsungs air view, smart gestures, stock apps, Samsung services including print services, push services etc...

All of those will run regardless of what launcher you choose to run. And in some cases depending on home screen launcher you decide to run this means you can actually have more memory overheads than you had with the stock home screen management.

Basically folks need to stop thinking of Nova and similar as a 'full' launcher, and more as a home screen management application. Because it doesn't replace the entire android launcher, it merely replaces the home screen management portion of that.

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Finally someone who understand how it works :D
 
Design is very subjective and very questionable. Actually with larger bezels and bandaid rear cover, the S5 is not better than S4 for many.

Agreed, everyone has different preferences.

The "bandaid" black cover looks and feels awesome. Several people have mistaken it for leather that have handled my phone.

The water proofing is huge for me. I work in a biology lab (fish, so wet), own a pool, and spend a lot of time outside....so its a big plus for me.
 
Design is very subjective and very questionable. Actually with larger bezels and bandaid rear cover, the S5 is not better than S4 for many.


Funny to hear you comment on bezels.....what are the bezels on your Nexus 7 like? Have you seen the bezel on Sony phones? The bezels on my Lumia 1520 are huge compared to the S5. The S5 is a very worthy upgrade over the S4.
 
Not true. Go download any of process manager app in android and check out what tasks/processes are running or in the background.

Trust me, all the touch wiz crap is still running. A launcher just covers the touch wiz launcher up. It doesn't make touch wiz go away. I know for a fact that a GS5 sitting idle with no apps running has about .7 gb of ram available to use. Touch wiz is a memory hog.
 
Funny to hear you comment on bezels.....what are the bezels on your Nexus 7 like? Have you seen the bezel on Sony phones? The bezels on my Lumia 1520 are huge compared to the S5. The S5 is a very worthy upgrade over the S4.

Funny ? I have no problem at all with bezels. Look at my devices: Nexus 7, iPhone , Lumia 925 , iPad Air .... all of them have bezels.

And you know that I like very much your 1520.

I find very disappointing that bezels on s5 are actually bigger than on S4, since there is supposed to be n evolution ....
I'd be disappointed if the iPhone 6 would have bigger bezels than 5S too ....
 
The "bandaid" black cover looks and feels awesome. Several people have mistaken it for leather that have handled my phone.
I have to agree with this. I was decidedly against that dimpled back after seeing only pictures, but when I finally got to handle a S5 it turned out I actually really liked both the look and feel of it. It felt surprisingly "premium". Much better than the fake leather of the Note 3. I hope the Note 4 gets the same back cover.
 
I have to agree with this. I was decidedly against that dimpled back after seeing only pictures, but when I finally got to handle a S5 it turned out I actually really liked both the look and feel of it. It felt surprisingly "premium". Much better than the fake leather of the Note 3. I hope the Note 4 gets the same back cover.
I hate that fake pleather look/feel. Agree, the S5 back has a nice texture to it, and I have the Ringke Slim Dot on it and it takes that same feel to another level, just nice grippy rubber like coating. My Tab 3 I have a Khomo Slim Folio case, and it has a similar dot matrix pattern and material that feels much nicer then fake pleather.
 
I hate that fake pleather look/feel. Agree, the S5 back has a nice texture to it, and I have the Ringke Slim Dot on it and it takes that same feel to another level, just nice grippy rubber like coating. My Tab 3 I have a Khomo Slim Folio case, and it has a similar dot matrix pattern and material that feels much nicer then fake pleather.

I have a standard Ringke Slim. Thinking about scoring the Dot version. Though without a case, the S5 feels really nice in the hand. The dimpled back has a nice quality and grippy feel.
 
Samsung sells a note 3 style back for the s4 now
I got one and actually like it :p
Haven't had a chance to feel the back of the s5
I'm sure both are a great improvement over the original s4 back
 
Samsung sells a note 3 style back for the s4 now
I got one and actually like it :p
Haven't had a chance to feel the back of the s5
I'm sure both are a great improvement over the original s4 back

Where are the covers available from? I searched but can't find it.
 
Where are the covers available from? I searched but can't find it.

here ya go :)

source: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2646803

I bought from this link before ebay was available with some first time buyer from gmarket coupon code w/ google translate extension on chrome
It is definitely legit oem, in a samsung box. It does have cutout for korean tv antenna, but it doesnt bother me.
http://item2.gmarket.co.kr/English/detailview/item.aspx?goodscode=513654655

others say this newer ebay link is legit(may be other sellers too), i read no box, but no tv cutout either, much better price for usa:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Battery-Doo...e_Replacement_Parts_Tools&hash=item3cdf9effb2

only black seems to be available on ebay
other colors on gmarket

I'm a fan of my black one, my front is white, but whatever - looks and feels way better
 
here ya go :)

source: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2646803

I bought from this link before ebay was available with some first time buyer from gmarket coupon code w/ google translate extension on chrome
It is definitely legit oem, in a samsung box. It does have cutout for korean tv antenna, but it doesnt bother me.
http://item2.gmarket.co.kr/English/detailview/item.aspx?goodscode=513654655

others say this newer ebay link is legit(may be other sellers too), i read no box, but no tv cutout either, much better price for usa:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Battery-Doo...e_Replacement_Parts_Tools&hash=item3cdf9effb2

only black seems to be available on ebay
other colors on gmarket

I'm a fan of my black one, my front is white, but whatever - looks and feels way better

Thanks!!! You helped me out a lot! I was thinking about buying the S4 because I like the size of it better than the S5, but I don't like the glossy plastic back. I love the back of the Note 3, so I ordered the faux leather back cover on eBay, and I just got home from Verizon with my new S4. :D

I'm very confused why Samsung made the S5 bigger than the S4. It just isn't a pleasant phone to hold because of its size. Hopefully next year they are able to reduce the bezels and make it slimmer.
 
Thanks!!! You helped me out a lot! I was thinking about buying the S4 because I like the size of it better than the S5, but I don't like the glossy plastic back. I love the back of the Note 3, so I ordered the faux leather back cover on eBay, and I just got home from Verizon with my new S4. :D

I'm very confused why Samsung made the S5 bigger than the S4. It just isn't a pleasant phone to hold because of its size. Hopefully next year they are able to reduce the bezels and make it slimmer.

Good stuff! I have found it to be a comfortable device!
 
I have a standard Ringke Slim. Thinking about scoring the Dot version. Though without a case, the S5 feels really nice in the hand. The dimpled back has a nice quality and grippy feel.

Where are you guys getting the Ringke cases for the s5? I can seem to Google them.
 
To be fair, Samsung has improved the performance of it quite a bit over the past year. The latest KitKat update made it much smoother. Still not as smooth as GPE.

Yes I got my S4 in late August last year and by that point all issues must have been fixed because it didn't lag or stutter. It isn't as smooth or fast as my note 3 but the performance was fine. I gave it to my boyfriend and he isn't having any issues with it.
 
The tweaks are available within the settings of all recent Android phones in a section called “Developer options.”

This section might be hidden on some phones, but it’s very easy to access. On many phones, you just have to open a certain page in the settings and tap a button seven times. Use Google to figure out how to enable Developer options on your phone if it’s currently hidden (for example, search “enable developer options HTC One”).

Once you have access to Developer options, simply scroll until you find the following three settings, which may be located on the main screen or within an “Advanced” subsection:

Window animation scale

Transition animation scale

Animator animation scale

Tapping each of the three aforementioned settings will reveal that it’s set to “1x” by default. If you want to speed up your phone or tablet dramatically, simply change each of those three settings to “.5x” — restart your device & that’s it.
 
going to need alot more than just screen size to bring users geeks back.

Will still have no

sd card
removable battery
no back button
no customisation
no range of widgets

so for me i doubt i will be lured back..

Fixed.
 
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