Features and Gimmicks and so on...

[Technarchy]

Ahhh, I see where you were coming from. You are talking about hard-core outdoor activities for extended periods.

At first glance I thought you were saying simply having these features was a waste--even if you could use them for a run in the park or whatnot.

You were arguing that using such a device at all for that your kind of usage is a no-go. I can see that.



Michael

I guess it all depends on your usage. For a day trip, a GPS ABC would be grand. For anything longer, power would be an issue for anything that uses a GPS.

If the only way to make the S4's barometer sensor look silly is to compare it to high-end actual dedicated GPS devices, well, I'd say that's a helluva compliment to Samsung.

That's one way to see it. It's more of an FYI for anyone not all that familiar with GPS ABC device power consumption. Even the Garmin 401's we had only lasted about 4-6 hours, though it claimed 17 on paper.

 

[onthecouchagain]

I guess it all depends on your usage. For a day trip, a GPS ABC would be grand. For anything longer, power would be an issue for anything that uses a GPS.

You're comparing a smartphone to a dedicated GPS device in order to point out the supposedly impracticality of the smartphone.

I think that's a compliment to Samsung.

That's one way to see it. It's more of an FYI for anyone not all that familiar with GPS ABC device power consumption. Even the Garmin 401's we had only lasted about 4-6 hours, though it claimed 17 on paper.

Fair enough.

 

[cynics]

But the barometer is used to help GPS locks. You wouldn't even know you were using it.




Michael

There are plenty of barometer apps.

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GPS based Altimeter, Barometer and Compass features are massive battery hogs. You will drain your device within a couple of hours which is a bad quality for those that like outdoor activities.

Never had issue with the barometer draining that battery any faster in my Xoom. The screen uses the battery faster then the barometer. Keep in mind Android lets you know exactly what's using the battery. I've never seen barometer apps or google hardware make the list when using the barometer.

 

[cynics]

I feel like people think the barometer in an Android phone is new. Doesn't the S3 have a barometer? I know the Galaxy Nexus does. The Motorola Xoom, all the Razr line (?). Etc.

 

[Markyboy81]

I feel like people think the barometer in an Android phone is new. Doesn't the S3 have a barometer? I know the Galaxy Nexus does. The Motorola Xoom, all the Razr line (?). Etc.

I think the s3 does have a barometer. I've seen some apps that make use of this feature and there are reports of battery drain. I can't really understand this as I have a watch with a built in barometer which takes measurements all the time with no noticeable drain.

 

[cynics]

I think the s3 does have a barometer. I've seen some apps that make use of this feature and there are reports of battery drain. I can't really understand this as I have a watch with a built in barometer which takes measurements all the time with no noticeable drain.

I never had an issue with battery drain. However I never used it constantly. I never really thought of it as something I needed to monitor constantly

 

[Tinmania]

There are plenty of barometer apps.

I am fully aware of that. But you said it was gimmicky as if there was little point to it. I pointed out that barometers were added to smartphones for a specific reason (GPS locks) not as some sort of superfluous gimmick.

I look at being able to use the barometer for other uses as a bonus--similar to how I felt about using accelerometer-based games/apps on the original iphone--when it was originally added to auto-switch orientation. I saw early on how well the accelerometer worked on the iPhone less than a month after it came out, due to jailbreaking it back then. It was obvious it would be a nice feature for games, eventually. And indeed that happened (with the gyroscope now thrown in the mix). Conversely, I would not call it a gimmick if I didn't use any app that was controlled by it--it still has a function that precedes the apps.




Michael

 

[cynics]

I am fully aware of that. But you said it was gimmicky as if there was little point to it. I pointed out that barometers were added to smartphones for a specific reason (GPS locks) not as some sort of superfluous gimmick.
Michael

Huh?

Actually I said.

The barometer would be useful to me too for outdoors things when I'm out of cell phone range for a week. I could see that being useless for many though and thus considered a gimmick.

 

[Tinmania]

Huh?

Actually I said.

Ahem. Yes you did write that. But what I read was, "I could see that being useless for many though and thus why I consider it a gimmick."

Sorry! (At least I admitted it! )




Michael

 

[onthecouchagain]

This is old news so I'm not sure why Phone Arena is reporting on it unless it's just to let iOS users know it exists. In case anyone doesn't know about this, Google Maps (iOS and Android versions) allows you zoom in and out with one hand.

Just tap and hold and slide up/down.

A long while back, I wrote that I wish Google would implement this feature system wide. I don't understand why they don't.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Secret-Google-Map-gesture-lets-you-zoom-in-with-one-hand_id41440

 

[daveathall]

Whether something is a gimmick or not depends on each persons use, if it is used and is useful then clearly it is not a gimmick, but each and everyone of us are different and would use each feature differently, some would class features as gimmicks that others would class as essentials. For me, I would rather have the feature, make up my own mind and if I regard it as a gimmick, I would just disable it and hide it in the app draw, if its not an app, I just wouldn't use it and forget about it. But, I would like the option to decide.

 

[onthecouchagain]

For me, I would rather have the feature, make up my own mind and if I regard it as a gimmick, I would just disable it and hide it in the app draw, if its not an app, I just wouldn't use it and forget about it. But, I would like the option to decide.

Exactly. We're going on and on in this thread ignoring the fact that all these supposed "concerns" could be nullified with one little move: Turn it off.

 

[cynics]

I never had an issue with battery drain. However I never used it constantly. I never really thought of it as something I needed to monitor constantly

I'm quoting myself because I wanted to test the battery with barometer use on my Nexus 10.

I ran it for 30 minutes before it popped up on my battery usage at 2 percent. I made sure the app was running and screen was on. The problem with the app "Barometer" is its using the GPS constantly. It needs to know altitude. I'll try tomorrow disabling the GPS for the app or finding a different app.

Regardless I could find a game that uses more power...