Any Interest In Rubin's Essential Phone?

[Tig Bitties]

When looking at the Essential phone at Best Buy I also saw the Pixel 2 as well, the smaller one, they didn't have the XL on display. I'm a big Nexus guy love stock Android and I have to admit I was extremely disappointed in the Pixel 2, first impressions it was very lightweight and picking it up it felt like plastic felt very cheap the screen was not impressive and the big bezels looked kind of dated Im just talking First Impressions overall. But for $700 that's outrageously overpriced for that phone picking it up and feeling it and playing with it it look like a budget phone and OnePlus phones looked much higher in than that I'm just shocked that people are buying the pixel 2 for 700 bucks

 

[KingslayerG5]

Going to wait for it until it drops $300 because that's how much I sold my Google Pixel on Craigslist after getting $325 bill credits from T-Mobile. The father of Android phone becomes the replacement to the first Google-branded phone and the void left by the iPhone X.

^ Said display is better than Pixel 2 XL! Similar to my LG G5 which I went back to last night because Dasher app and tethering is better for me on Android, the Essential PH-1 could be the most underrated smartphone of the year. I can live with the inferior camera. I only use it for tethering and need a big screen but more compact phone.

Like the iPhone X, I just love the dimensions of this phone. No camera hump and bigger notch, it might even look better. Unlike the X, the price is way better even at $450. It was the Dave Lee video that got me excited about it two months ago.

Underrated. Will wait a little longer like say two months to pick one up. It's a sales flop but like the Sega Dreamcast, Sony PS Vita, and LG G5, I may love it! Might gain a cult following...

 

[Tig Bitties]

This video got me really thinking about getting the Essential;

 

[Aneres11]

Sold my Essential this morning.
£450 I took for it, which I am happy with.

Sad, as it's a great phone, but enjoying the iPhone X currently and like to spend some time with iOS before chopping and changing back to Android next year at some point.
In an ideal world (if I was rich) I'd carry an Android and iPhone, but that just isn't possible. So instead, it's just the one!

I think they'll smash it out for park for PH-2.

 

[spriter]

Sold my Essential this morning.
£450 I took for it, which I am happy with.

Sad, as it's a great phone, but enjoying the iPhone X currently and like to spend some time with iOS before chopping and changing back to Android next year at some point.
In an ideal world (if I was rich) I'd carry an Android and iPhone, but that just isn't possible. So instead, it's just the one!

I think they'll smash it out for park for PH-2.

Surprised you got rid so quick but the X is nice.

I can’t imagine there’s much more than ‘IMPROVE CAMERA’ atop their to-do list for gen 2 over the next 6-9 months.

 

[Fernandez21]

For gen2 they need to check some of these boxes, if not all to really compete next year.
Ip68 certified
OLED screen
Much better camera with ois.
Wireless charging.
If possible, remove the chin.

 

[Aneres11]

Surprised you got rid so quick but the X is nice.

I can’t imagine there’s much more than ‘IMPROVE CAMERA’ atop their to-do list for gen 2 over the next 6-9 months.

Basically what @Fernandez21 said.
And the Essential was always going to end up competing with the iPhone X due to the timing of when I bought it.
I may not have bothered with either the iPhone or Essential if the Pixel 2 ended up being different.

Instead it’s less than thrilling design and screen issues ended up seeing me want an X which is something I’m definitely not regretting so far.

 

[kazmac]

Eventually, yes. I've been looking at reviews of this phone and the website with great interest over the past two days. Starting to rethink my anti-Android stance. I quite like the idea of Essential: the build quality looks great and price point. The fact that they are working on fixing the camera (an unfortunate out of the gate faux pas.) Considering they may get security and OS updates sooner is another bonus. Plus, they're CDMA compatible.

I'll wait and see what 2018 brings.

 

[Fernandez21]

Just got the November security patch this morning. So far they've been doing great with updates.

 

[nutriousmitten]

For whatever it’s worth, my 5 day review.

Really liking it so far. Form factor is great, screen real estate is that of my Note 5.
Loaded the google cam on and took a bunch of pics with it and my Note and Essential has better pics all around with dynamic tangle and not blowing out details in some tricky situations. So for me it’s an upgrade, but how is it compared to the pixel 2 and Note 8 and IPhone X.

The stutter scrolling when slowly scrolling and keeping finger on the display is the only issue that I see. No hanging of apps or unexplained reboots or odd behaviour.

Screen is great, back to LCD is not a huge adjustment as I use my IPad Promdaily as well.

Like the changeup with basically stock android, though I have gone with Nova Launcher.

Pixel 2 looks like the camera king with the Note and IPx behind, but without able to easily compare, I can’t say for my usage that the Essential is terrible by any stretch. It’s an upgrade as I said, for me.

Have another week or so before have to return it. Pixel 2 I’d like to try to see how it flies and how the stock OS on it compares to the Essential. But the screen issues on the XL and the bezels on the regular one aren’t great.

Obviously now the price to pay is a huge factor. With the smaller Pixel 2 $350 more, and then the Note 8 and IPx are twice the price of this Essential, its not insignificant.

So, still up in the air, because some of the Note and IPhone features are ones I’d like to have, and th camera is crap shoot, but with the cost, no issues with hardware or software, continued support from Essential, and of course the look and feel (the TPU case from Incipio is good and adds grip and basic protection, though buttons are a bit mushy) it’s certainly impressed.

 

[co.ag.2005]

For whatever it’s worth, my 5 day review.

Really liking it so far. Form factor is great, screen real estate is that of my Note 5.
Loaded the google cam on and took a bunch of pics with it and my Note and Essential has better pics all around with dynamic tangle and not blowing out details in some tricky situations. So for me it’s an upgrade, but how is it compared to the pixel 2 and Note 8 and IPhone X.

The stutter scrolling when slowly scrolling and keeping finger on the display is the only issue that I see. No hanging of apps or unexplained reboots or odd behaviour.

Screen is great, back to LCD is not a huge adjustment as I use my IPad Promdaily as well.

Like the changeup with basically stock android, though I have gone with Nova Launcher.

Pixel 2 looks like the camera king with the Note and IPx behind, but without able to easily compare, I can’t say for my usage that the Essential is terrible by any stretch. It’s an upgrade as I said, for me.

Have another week or so before have to return it. Pixel 2 I’d like to try to see how it flies and how the stock OS on it compares to the Essential. But the screen issues on the XL and the bezels on the regular one aren’t great.

Obviously now the price to pay is a huge factor. With the smaller Pixel 2 $350 more, and then the Note 8 and IPx are twice the price of this Essential, its not insignificant.

So, still up in the air, because some of the Note and IPhone features are ones I’d like to have, and th camera is crap shoot, but with the cost, no issues with hardware or software, continued support from Essential, and of course the look and feel (the TPU case from Incipio is good and adds grip and basic protection, though buttons are a bit mushy) it’s certainly impressed.

how's shutter speed with google cam compared to your Note 5? (by shutter speed, I mean, how long does it take to actually take the picture from when you press the capture button). When I had the Essential phone (from pre-order), even with the google cam, it was slow to capture. I hope updates since have made this issue go away (or at least get better).

 

[nutriousmitten]

Yeah that’s the first thing I noticed when comparing stock Essential cam to GCam. Essential Cam would take a second to process and take the HDR shot in the lighting situations I had. GCam was instant. With obviously blur coming to the equation with that delay, none in GCam. Have to play around with the G Cam settings a bit to get the right profile, but certainly picture look good to me, and as I said, better than the Note 5 pics in my limited shot comparison.

Following the Essential Subreddit closely to watch for updates and what others think. If the full apparent potential of th camera can be unleashed, and things like the microstutters be solved, it’s really hard not to like this phone at this price.

how's shutter speed with google cam compared to your Note 5? (by shutter speed, I mean, how long does it take to actually take the picture from when you press the capture button). When I had the Essential phone (from pre-order), even with the google cam, it was slow to capture. I hope updates since have made this issue go away (or at least get better).

 

[co.ag.2005]

Yeah that’s the first thing I noticed when comparing stock Essential cam to GCam. Essential Cam would take a second to process and take the HDR shot in the lighting situations I had. GCam was instant. With obviously blur coming to the equation with that delay, none in GCam. Have to play around with the G Cam settings a bit to get the right profile, but certainly picture look good to me, and as I said, better than the Note 5 pics in my limited shot comparison.

Following the Essential Subreddit closely to watch for updates and what others think. If the full apparent potential of th camera can be unleashed, and things like the microstutters be solved, it’s really hard not to like this phone at this price.

thanks. Yeah, I followed the essential subreddit and discussions more closely when I owned the phone, but camera is pretty important to me, and at the time, even with the G cam, it just wasn't great. But it sounds like they have made some improvements. I'm tempted to try it again, especially at the $450 price point.

 

[joshwithachance]

For gen2 they need to check some of these boxes, if not all to really compete next year.
Ip68 certified
OLED screen
Much better camera with ois.
Wireless charging.
If possible, remove the chin.

As much as I love having my Essential Phone as a backup, I completely agree. It actually needs ALL of these features to truly compete, especially the IP rating and OIS.

 

[Fernandez21]

Funny story. When I got my iPhone X, I handed it to my wife to check out. She looked it over and said “that’s it? It’s so ugly” (I like the way it looks). Then I handed her my essential phone and she said “oooh, this one looks nice. Very cool looking”.

And my wife was a die hard iPhone user. Over the years I always let her try my android phone and she would try them for a bit then go right back to her iPhone. Well, until the Note, she’s in love with that phone.

 

[jamezr]

Nice little write up about the Essential phone....

https://www.androidcentral.com/esse...mpaign=Feed:+androidcentral+(Android+Central)

 

[widgeteer]

Funny story. When I got my iPhone X, I handed it to my wife to check out. She looked it over and said “that’s it? It’s so ugly” (I like the way it looks). Then I handed her my essential phone and she said “oooh, this one looks nice. Very cool looking”.

And my wife was a die hard iPhone user. Over the years I always let her try my android phone and she would try them for a bit then go right back to her iPhone. Well, until the Note, she’s in love with that phone.

The front of the iPhone X when turned off is so trippy to me. Looks so much like the original, which I'm sure was intentional. I like it, myself. Especially the sliver. However the Essential phone might be the best looking phone of the year.

 

[KingslayerG5]

I like how J. Williams talks about both the Essential and The X.

The white Essential for me. I will continue to wait. Maybe by Black Friday, $250? $400 is not good enough and not signing up for Cricket for it at Best Buy.

I'm not going lie, I'm TEMPTED by the silver X again. The space gray X is seamless but muted like it looks like a taller black 7 and space gray 8 from the front. That shine with black front and stainless steel edges just looks so good. Prefer the rear sg but the ss edges won me over again.

November X today. I finally got a week to decide.

11-10: iOS11 and The X

Reason why I want to get The X is because I like the software it came with already. So fluid and polished. I feel like it might get ruined with iOS12. Also, last to have Qualcomm modem.

Next year's X will be more of the same. Plus I want to spell it SE & X. Apple might go back to normal numbers like 10s or 11. I can always call it The X. Sounds cooler to say than Eks-es or Eleven.

I like JWill's video for talking about the Essential but it ended up convincing me to get The X in silver again. It's going to be an iPod touch alot of times though since I hate to tether with iOS.

 

[KingslayerG5]

 

[spriter]

Can’t really argue with the price now. If it was available in the UK I’d at least trial it. Without a return policy and import fees plus loss in reselling it means I’m unlikely to risk it.

I guess they want to shift as many units as possible especially with the 5T looming for stock enthusiasts.

 

[AppleRobert]

Camera software update:

https://www.phonearena.com/news/Ess...eeded-update-here-are-all-the-changes_id99916

 

[widgeteer]

Picked up the phone at Best Buy last night just to see what’s up. It’s fairly awful. For a stock Android experience, there’s something...muddy about moving around the OS. And stutters everywhere. Camera was actually better than I was expecting. If you edit photos and such it’s a no go. If you take pics of your kids or dogs or whatever and send to relatives, it’s fine. Build is gorgeous, lived up to the hype. OS experience needed to be Pixel good. For me that’s the biggest flaw.

 

[Technarchy]

The price drop and iPhone X notch seems to created an uptick in interest and acceptance of the Essential phone.

I haven’t seen one up close but in photos it’s a real stunner.

 

[kazmac]

Picked up the phone at Best Buy last night just to see what’s up. It’s fairly awful. For a stock Android experience, there’s something...muddy about moving around the OS. And stutters everywhere. Camera was actually better than I was expecting. If you edit photos and such it’s a no go. If you take pics of your kids or dogs or whatever and send to relatives, it’s fine. Build is gorgeous, lived up to the hype. OS experience needed to be Pixel good. For me that’s the biggest flaw.

That's too bad - both the UI and camera issues. Razer has that bad camera stigma too. Will keep watching the news in regards to software updates on both.

 

[Fernandez21]

Picked up the phone at Best Buy last night just to see what’s up. It’s fairly awful. For a stock Android experience, there’s something...muddy about moving around the OS. And stutters everywhere. Camera was actually better than I was expecting. If you edit photos and such it’s a no go. If you take pics of your kids or dogs or whatever and send to relatives, it’s fine. Build is gorgeous, lived up to the hype. OS experience needed to be Pixel good. For me that’s the biggest flaw.

Huh, that’s weird, I haven’t experience stutter on mine. I did have skipped frames while scrolling, but the last update fixed that. Maybe it was running older software?