Cliff Hanger Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 So on realizing that I couldn't change carriers and make the finances work, I gave up on the 1+1 and got a Galaxy Note. Between my govt discount and other stuff, my dad and I were able to actually make the Verizon Edge plan make sense and our bill is going down $4/mo while taking 2 phone upgrades and doubling our data (thank you, federal discount) Man, going from a shitty, outmoded phone on LG's version of Jellybean to something brand new running Kit Kat as customized by Samsung is a hell of a culture shock. It might as well be an entirely different OS. I've been tinkering with it all day, and it's probably going to be a while before I'm in a position to teach anyone else anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Yeah, think I'm taking a pass on 1+1 unless they make it Verizon-compatible (jumping to them when my AT&T contract runs out next year). Don't want to jump the gun on this bad boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincey Greene Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 So about a week ago I switched myself and the wife to T-Mobile, from Sprint. She got (another) HTC M8, and I, aggressively disliking the chintzy plastic feel of the Koreans (Samsung, LG) and not being quite ready for something as colossal as the Nexus 6, picked up the Sony Xperia Z3. iPhone isn't an option for me because I'm too old to change OSes, the muscle memory of how every homescreen I've had on Android since Galaxy Nexus works (as I set them up identically) is far too strong. Thoughts? The device itself is utterly gorgeous, metal and glass, feels even more like one solid piece than the M8. The screen is very nice. Perhaps not as nice as LG's 2K screen and definitely not quite as nice as the M8, but very nice all the same. The stock color calibration is wacky, but once you change the white levels, it's a very good display. I often read my phone in bed, and you can really crank the brightness down quite low, which is nice. The performance is good, perhaps not as mindblowingly fluid as an iDevice or a Nexus, but quite smooth regardless. Seems equivalent to the M8 and definitely a bit smoother than the S5 or G3. The real performance standout is battery life. This thing is a beast. Example: today I started with a more or less full battery., We rode back to NYC on the bus from DC, we watched a two hour movie, I played games, streamed a bit of the football game on the radio, and constantly used it. I dropped our bags out, took an hour subway ride - listening to a podcast and playing games, no airplane mode - had dinner with friends, made a call, navigated to and from the restaurant, and took another subway ride home. I currently have 16% battery remaining. Under less absurd use, I get nearly two days. Additionally, it's listed as waterproof. I've used it in the rain, and it's fine. There are downsides, however minor. It doesn't have an IR blaster, so no TV remote. I have a Logitech Harmony universal remote so this doesn't affect me, but it might affect you. The default Xperia launcher is hideous. Ugly and huge icons, hacky, 3rd party-esque scrolling effects, just not good. Not particularly worse than Touchwiz or whatever LG calls their Touchwizalike, but not good. I threw Google Now Launcher on mine, as is my tradition. Fixed it right up. Also, Sony doesn't sell a shitload of phones, so the case and accessory selection is seriously lacking. Finally, the waterproofing cover over the USB port is fiddly and annoying. I'm really quite enamored by the phone. It feels expensive in the hand and works great. What else is there? Sony needs to fix their marketing and start getting these devices in people's hands. EDIT: I FORGOT THE CAMERA. 20.6MP, good optics, decent software. The base "Superior Auto" mode takes solid pictures, but it becomes a very good digital camera from just a year or two ago by putting it on manual. I took some superb pics over the weekend, the detail is impeccable and for me, it's neck and neck with the iPhone 6+ photo for photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabe Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Anybody familiar with streaming stuff off of a PC onto an Ipad? Similar to, say, streaming stuff using PS3 Media Server onto my PS3? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acwmark Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Anybody familiar with streaming stuff off of a PC onto an Ipad? Similar to, say, streaming stuff using PS3 Media Server onto my PS3? Plex can do it from your PC to ipad. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wilson Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I got a Fitbit Surge for Christmas. It is fascinating. I've been using fitbit for over a year now so I already knew I'd like it, as I've lost weight this past year I've been obsessively looking at my calories, exercise, etc. and the Surge just makes it even easier. I wanted the Surge because it looks like a watch so I don't feel weird wearing it at work, I didn't need the GPS. But the heart rate tracker is awesome. Some have complained about it not being accurate, I tested it against my chest HRM during a run and there was only 3 BPM difference, so it works for me. I must have good veins, but apparently things like where it is on your wrist, how tight it is, and where/how big your veins are can make it less accurate. Even if its just within 5 BPM that is close enough for me, I mostly look for trends and things like that and to make sure when I am walking I stay above 110. I check it throughout the day, it was funny last week that during the Bills game my heart rate slowly went up through the game from 70 BPM to 95 BPM even though I was just sitting in my chair watching the game. Being a Bills fan is stressful. But yea. Its fun, I recommend it to anyone interested in such things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Dish announced a new Sling-branded "streaming cable" project at CES. $20 gets you all the Turner stuff (CNN, TNT, TBS, CN/AS), a selection of Disney channels (including TDC, ABC Family and ESPN 1 and 2), Nickelodeon and a few others. No DVR, 'live' only, will launch with Roku, iOS/Android and Xbone but apparently not PS3/4 support. It's an interesting concept, and I will readily admit that I'd love to have Venture Bros. and CNN without having to get a full cable package. But at this point i'm paying monthly for Hulu+, WWE and Netflix, and yearly for Crunchyroll and Amazon Prime. So adding an extra twenty a month puts this in "Why don't you just fucking get cable already?" territory. I'll have to see what the additional $5 tiers include, and how long it takes them to land on my streamer of choice. Generally, though I like the idea very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabe Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 This is not related to the Sling TV or Sling box, FWIW. No DVR but you can pause/rewind live TV and they will have replays of stuff on-demand for a couple days after broadcast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabe Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 It also gives you full access to the Watch ESPN app, which gets you a ton of channels and stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Hmm...that's enticing. Although yeah, I'm treading into just getting cable almost. I get HBO for free with my internet from Comcast and I pay for: Netflix: $8 Hulu Plus: $8 WWE: $10 Amazon Prime: $8.33 ($100 a year or $8.33 a month) So not including internet, which is $40, that's $34 for "TV" content. I'm not sure if ESPN, Disney and Nick are worth another $20. Now, if it included Comcast Sports Net, or whatever it's going to be called, I would pick it up in a heartbeat to watch Cubs baseball this spring and summer. Unfortunately, MLB.TV is out of the question since those Cubs games would be blacked out in my area. I'll probably save the $20 for now, unless CSN somehow gets included. Also, I kinda feel like that treads into the realm of paying for cable, but the difference is, I was paying for Netflix, Hulu Plus and WWE in addition to cable. Cutting out cable saves me $100 a month. That more than pays for those digital subscriptions and then some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Lucia Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 No chance CSN will be included. You think Comcast has any desire to encourage people to cut the cord? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Not in the least. I would really like to avoid go through some .rz type website, but that's what I'm facing come this spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I'm just too much of a sports addict. I watch a shitload of NFL and NBA regular season and college football and the NCAA tournament. I'd really love to give up cable but I need live sports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Death From Above Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I'm just too much of a sports addict. I watch a shitload of NFL and NBA regular season and college football and the NCAA tournament. I'd really love to give up cable but I need live sports. This is the spot I am in. TV is a thing sports play on all day. Maybe a movie once a week if I see something cool on at 10 PM or whatever. Since sports is 90% about a live experience there's relatively less value in the kind of on-demand service you can get for a regular piece of TV programming. If you are not a sports junkie I totally get cutting the cord. For me, it's worth it. If you're not I'm not sure where the value is for some people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I love watching sports, but it was a sacrifice I needed to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Man...my iPhone 5 battery is fucking awful. I used to be able to make it through a full day without needing to charge and now the battery just drops like a rock. It also does the annoying thing where it's supposedly at 20 to 30 percent and then will all of a sudden drop to 5% and then turn off. If I manage to plug it in before then, it jumps back up to 25%. Just an example, but that's pretty close to being accurate. So now I feel like I need a new phone. The OnePlus One still looks like the best option out there, but I would only be able to get one by invite only and I'd like to stick with an iPhone. Getting a new contract is also out of the question because I'm done with that shit. I really love Ting. I went from paying $100 a month with Sprint to $46 with Ting. Maybe I'll try and find a refurbished 5s or something, but the bigger screen is so appealing on the iPhone 5s, as is the aspect of a fresher OS since I'm getting a little tired of iOS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glfpunk Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Still loving my 1+. The wife who was previously on iPhone used her 1+ for a while and then declared that she didn't like it and wanted to go back to her old 5c. So I swapped her sim card back in. Lasted two days and she said hell no, I can't deal with that screen anymore. Last night she managed to drop her 1+ on the bathroom tile so I have a cracked screen to fix now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petey Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Man...my iPhone 5 battery is fucking awful. I used to be able to make it through a full day without needing to charge and now the battery just drops like a rock. It also does the annoying thing where it's supposedly at 20 to 30 percent and then will all of a sudden drop to 5% and then turn off. If I manage to plug it in before then, it jumps back up to 25%. Just an example, but that's pretty close to being accurate. So now I feel like I need a new phone. The OnePlus One still looks like the best option out there, but I would only be able to get one by invite only and I'd like to stick with an iPhone. Getting a new contract is also out of the question because I'm done with that shit. I really love Ting. I went from paying $100 a month with Sprint to $46 with Ting. Maybe I'll try and find a refurbished 5s or something, but the bigger screen is so appealing on the iPhone 5s, as is the aspect of a fresher OS since I'm getting a little tired of iOS. Is there any type of warranty with Apple? I've never had an iPhone and the last time I had an iPod was like 2005/2006-ish, so I'm not too familiar with how they are with fixing/replacing things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bix Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Man...my iPhone 5 battery is fucking awful. I used to be able to make it through a full day without needing to charge and now the battery just drops like a rock. It also does the annoying thing where it's supposedly at 20 to 30 percent and then will all of a sudden drop to 5% and then turn off. If I manage to plug it in before then, it jumps back up to 25%. Just an example, but that's pretty close to being accurate. So now I feel like I need a new phone. The OnePlus One still looks like the best option out there, but I would only be able to get one by invite only and I'd like to stick with an iPhone. Getting a new contract is also out of the question because I'm done with that shit. I really love Ting. I went from paying $100 a month with Sprint to $46 with Ting. Maybe I'll try and find a refurbished 5s or something, but the bigger screen is so appealing on the iPhone 5s, as is the aspect of a fresher OS since I'm getting a little tired of iOS. Is there any type of warranty with Apple? I've never had an iPhone and the last time I had an iPod was like 2005/2006-ish, so I'm not too familiar with how they are with fixing/replacing things. Regular warranty on just about everything Apple is 1 year parts/labor/repairs and 90 days phone support (after 90 days you have to go to an Apple Store for free support). You can extend with AppleCare or get a third party warranty like from Squaretrade. AppleCare Plus, which includes accidental damage coverage, is only available on iPhones and iPads. If you want accidental damage coverage on a Macbook, you need a third party warranty. My experiences with Apple support have generally been excellent. When my MacBook needed a new SSD under warranty, it came at a time when a bunch failed suddenly so they gave me a bigger drive to get it done faster. When I went in to get an out of warranty battery replacement, I wasn't charged because my serial number was in a range that either had a known defect or had seen an unusually high number of battery replacements. If something gets completely messed up (breaks out of warranty, it gets accidentally damaged without AppleCare Plus), go to an Apple Store instead of dealing with phone support if you can. They have extra leeway and might spot you a one time free repair/replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acwmark Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Man...my iPhone 5 battery is fucking awful. I used to be able to make it through a full day without needing to charge and now the battery just drops like a rock. It also does the annoying thing where it's supposedly at 20 to 30 percent and then will all of a sudden drop to 5% and then turn off. If I manage to plug it in before then, it jumps back up to 25%. Just an example, but that's pretty close to being accurate. So now I feel like I need a new phone. The OnePlus One still looks like the best option out there, but I would only be able to get one by invite only and I'd like to stick with an iPhone. Getting a new contract is also out of the question because I'm done with that shit. I really love Ting. I went from paying $100 a month with Sprint to $46 with Ting. Maybe I'll try and find a refurbished 5s or something, but the bigger screen is so appealing on the iPhone 5s, as is the aspect of a fresher OS since I'm getting a little tired of iOS. Craig, Check out this link: https://www.apple.com/support/iphone5-battery/ There are some iPhone 5 batteries that are defective and you may be eligible to get a new battery for free. You would have to take it to an Apple store to get it replaced if you are eligible, but you may be able to get a new battery for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Hah, turns out my battery was a part of the recall. Went to Apple Store yesterday, an experience I don't want to go through again, and they replaced my battery for free. My phone is now working normally for the first time ever. I wish I did this a long time ago. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glfpunk Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Nice dude, saved yourself some dough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabe Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 For whatever reason, my phone didn't charge overnight. I'm over at my friend's house. He's got 5000 cords and chargers and not a single micro USB. A million iPhone and mini USB, not one micro. Stupid incompatible chargers. Europe has the right idea... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zimbra Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 It's new phone week at my house. I got a Nexus 6 and my girlfriend got a Moto X. The Nexus is great, although it's just a hair to big to use one-handed comfortably. I absolutely love the screen, though, and my old-ass eyes appreciate the extra size. The back button is just barely out of reach of my thumb. She's pretty blown away by the X since she's coming from an iPhone 4. She's especially geeked about all the voice stuff it can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabe Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Don't really have a great spot for this, so I'll put it here: Roughly a month ago or so, we started noticing problems in a few specific areas with our internet at home. Specifically: - the Facebook app on our mobile devices stopped working over Wi-Fi. If it did work, it was incredibly slow, or only text would load but no images or videos. - Youtube would take forever to spin up and start playing - Netflix on our Apple TVs would take forever to load screens and start playing (OK once started). Only on the Apple TVs though, still OK on PS3/PS4. This sounded to me like some intentional bandwidth throttling by Comcast (not the Netflix thing, since they have a contract to not do that). So I contacted Comcast and asked what was up. After a brief interlude, the rep came back and said "OK, I've fixed it". Some Googling has told me that disabling ipv6 on your router will fix this issue so I asked if that's what he'd done. Yep, it was. Went home last night and all three of the above areas had been completely corrected. Bottom line: if you've got Comcast and any of the above issues sound familiar, chat 'em up and ask them to disable ipv6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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