Galaxy S4

[Markyboy81]

Have you ever seen Little Britain? Watch a couple of these sketches and read the script below...

Kind of reminds me of an Andy and Lou sketch


Image


Andy & Lou go shopping.....


Scene setting narrator : Andy and Lou are outside a cellular phone shop in little plumpton. Lou is taking Andy to buy a mobile phone for his birthday.

Lou - well Andy here we are, now lets find the Samsung phones.

Lou pushes Andy to the direction of the S4

Lou - ok here we are, that's the phone you wanted wasn't it. (Pointing to the s4) it's very expensive, are you sure you want to spend all your birthday money on this?

Andy - yeh

Lou - now which colour do you want

Andy - I want this One ... (He points to the HTC one)

Lou - that one? But that's a HTC

Andy - yeh

Lou - but you've always said you hated the way HTC have positioned the power button and have opted for a non standard button configuration. That poor battery life in previous devices have put you off from buying a HTC device

Andy - yeh (nods in agreement)

Lou continues .. - that Sense is over bloated and you do not like the fact that Blinkfeed can not be disabled and see little use in it. You always said you liked this one (points to the Samsung S4) a phone that you once described as without compromise.......

Andy - yeh

Lou - so shall I just get you this then ? (holding the S4)


Andy - I want 'this One' .. (Points forcefully at the HTC one)

Lou - but returning it is going be a real kerfuffle if you don't like it. Tell you what why don't I just get the S4.

Andy - I WANT THIS ONE...

Lou - Ok we'll take the one (addressing the sales counter staff)...

They bag up the device hand it to Lou who gives it to Andy whilst pushing him out of the shop. A few short paces out of the shop Andy looks at the bag just handed to him

Andy - I don't want the One, I want the S4 (dropping the bag to the ground)...........

Haha you forgot the part where he gets out of his wheelchair, does a few back flips, then get backs in!

 

[MRU]

Haha you forgot the part where he gets out of his wheelchair, does a few back flips, then get backs in!

Doh!

 

[Sylon]

Damn, I thought my upgrade time was in August. Nope! May! So I'll looking forward to getting the GS4 a lot sooner than I was expecting.

 

[joshwithachance]

The S4 has some amazing features for sure, but the HTC One is the all around better device in my, and many people's, opinion. It may lack a removable battery and expandable storage, but the base model is 32GB (25.2GB usable) and the battery lasts me all day with moderate-heavy usage. And the design is way more appealing.

I can see why some people would still choose the S4 though, and I'm excited to see all the impressions of it this week!

 

[MRU]

The S4 has some amazing features for sure, but the HTC One is the all around better device in my, and many people's, opinion. It may lack a removable battery and expandable storage, but the base model is 32GB (25.2GB usable) and the battery lasts me all day with moderate-heavy usage. And the design is way more appealing.

I can see why some people would still choose the S4 though, and I'm excited to see all the impressions of it this week!

The reality is 2013 is a great year for Android devices in general.

We have two excellent phones in the HTC One & Sony Xperia Z. The Samsung S4 will bea runaway success and its packing some mighty software and hardware.

Then later in the year we have the Nexus 5 and google Motorola X phone, along with a bevy of Phablets.

IOS 7 really needs to offer some innovation ths year, rather than just further refinement, however I am sure the 5S will be a massive success too.

 

[joshwithachance]

The reality is 2013 is a great year for Android devices in general.

We have two excellent phones in the HTC One & Sony Xperia Z. The Samsung S4 will bea runaway success and its packing some mighty software and hardware.

Then later in the year we have the Nexus 5 and google Motorola X phone, along with a bevy of Phablets.

IOS 7 really needs to offer some innovation ths year, rather than just further refinement, however I am sure the 5S will be a massive success too.

The 5S will obviously sell well, but I agree about how 2013 is a fantastic year for Android. We're at the beginning of quarter 2 and as of this week will have 3 super high end Android phones on the market. What a great year for choices!

 

[Essenar]

From what I gather:
The S4 is a beefier S3. It has the Snapdragon S600, 2GB of ram (same as last year's US S3), 4.99" full HD screen. The TouchWiz features in all honesty will probably be implemented to S3 by developers. In fact, it's safe to say that reviewing the phone based purely on hardware is the way to go.

S4 vs. HTC One:
Processor: Slight edge S4 due to 200mhz base speed advantage. This will most likely be overlooked when custom kernels drop. Verdict: Wash.

Ram: Both phones come equipped with 2GB of ram. Again, wash.

GPU: Same processor, same GPU. Adreno 320 which is currently the beast in 3dMark scores.

Screen: 4.7" LCD vs 4.99" (effectively 5") AMOLED. Both full HD so the PPI advantage goes to HTC with viewable screen estate going to the Samsung. Kind of a taster's choice if you ask me. Those who enjoy the vibrant/deep blacks of Samsung screens will undoubtedly enjoy the S4. Those who enjoy the bright whites and contrast ratio of LCD's will enjoy the One. The real choice to be made is whether you want a 5" screen or a 4.7" screen. If you think bigger is better, you will NOT be able to keep the One without thinking "I wish it was 5"".

Perks:
S4 has removable battery and a micro SD slot. A 16GB can turn into a 48GB with a $30 trip to Wal-Mart. HTC One has the clear advantage in build quality and feel. It just looks and feels better. (This is coming from someone who's picking up the S4 on the morning of the 24th) The HTC also has the better image quality camera if you're after low-light and better depth of focus.

The last real perk and this one, I'll probably get flamed for, but you HTC fans need to get over it and accept it: The S4 will undoubtedly have more developer support. There was practically an army of support for the S3 and that cult will follow through 2013. If you plan on flashing a custom rom, you will have as much support for the S4 (and options) as you would on a Nexus 4. HTC has become less and less popular on boards due to HTC's inability to meet mainstream consumer needs. Thinking about what engineers want in the phone vs finding middle ground between consumers and engineering finesse.

So in conclusion:
If you're happy with 4.7" of screen estate, less-than-top billing for development and okay with fixed storage/battery capacity, the HTC One is hands down the better device.

However, if you want 5" of screen estate, want to have the #1 supported device and you love having a microSD slot or being able to swap batteries, the S4 is for you.

 

[roxxette]

I think i saw Samsung stated some of new features that come with the gs4 will be implemented on the gs3 later.

 

[Kariya]

Snip.

Qft

 

[Sdahe]

The S4 is gonna be pretty interesting phone... Apple better do something fast.

 

[nyc999]

I think some htc fanboys are overlooking a couple of issues regarding the HTC One that may occur down the line...

1) Sure the battery is good now and lasts all day, but what about in a couple of years when it starts dying down. Will this phone still be useful for someone else two years down the line if the battery can't make it through the day. With the S4, you could simply replace the battery.

2) What if you drop the htc one? unless you have accidental warranty coverage, you may just be out of luck. It is reportedly the least fixable phone according to reviews.

#2 is a pretty important point to me, and definitely has helped me sway towards S4.

 

[onthecouchagain]

I think some htc fanboys are overlooking a couple of issues regarding the HTC One that may occur down the line...

1) Sure the battery is good now and lasts all day, but what about in a couple of years when it starts dying down. Will this phone still be useful for someone else two years down the line if the battery can't make it through the day. With the S4, you could simply replace the battery.

2) What if you drop the htc one? unless you have accidental warranty coverage, you may just be out of luck. It is reportedly the least fixable phone according to reviews.

#2 is a pretty important point to me, and definitely has helped me sway towards S4.

1) I'll probably switch phones by then. Not worried about this. I'm more worried whether those chamfered edges will hold out. They don't seem to with the iPhone 5.

2) I'm very careful with my phones. Just always aware of them. Accidents, of course, can happen (I've never ever dropped a phone as of yet) and without the same type of brick and mortar stores that Apple offers, this can certainly be a deciding factor for some.

 

[Vegastouch]

I think some htc fanboys are overlooking a couple of issues regarding the HTC One that may occur down the line...

1) Sure the battery is good now and lasts all day, but what about in a couple of years when it starts dying down. Will this phone still be useful for someone else two years down the line if the battery can't make it through the day. With the S4, you could simply replace the battery.

2) What if you drop the htc one? unless you have accidental warranty coverage, you may just be out of luck. It is reportedly the least fixable phone according to reviews.

#2 is a pretty important point to me, and definitely has helped me sway towards S4.

Im not getting a HTC One. I am absolutely fine with Samsungs polycarbonate plastic and love the SDCard slot. And though it feels well built, aluminum backs dent too easy and are too slippery for me.

I saw a drop test of a HTC One and the first drop it had the bottom speaker/mic front piece fell off so it isnt all one piece.

 

[JH-]

The only feature the S4 is missing to me is those front facing speakers. I'm tired of cupping my hand around the bottom of the phone.

 

[blackhand1001]

From what I gather:
The S4 is a beefier S3. It has the Snapdragon S600, 2GB of ram (same as last year's US S3), 4.99" full HD screen. The TouchWiz features in all honesty will probably be implemented to S3 by developers. In fact, it's safe to say that reviewing the phone based purely on hardware is the way to go.

S4 vs. HTC One:
Processor: Slight edge S4 due to 200mhz base speed advantage. This will most likely be overlooked when custom kernels drop. Verdict: Wash.

Ram: Both phones come equipped with 2GB of ram. Again, wash.

GPU: Same processor, same GPU. Adreno 320 which is currently the beast in 3dMark scores.

Screen: 4.7" LCD vs 4.99" (effectively 5") AMOLED. Both full HD so the PPI advantage goes to HTC with viewable screen estate going to the Samsung. Kind of a taster's choice if you ask me. Those who enjoy the vibrant/deep blacks of Samsung screens will undoubtedly enjoy the S4. Those who enjoy the bright whites and contrast ratio of LCD's will enjoy the One. The real choice to be made is whether you want a 5" screen or a 4.7" screen. If you think bigger is better, you will NOT be able to keep the One without thinking "I wish it was 5"".

Perks:
S4 has removable battery and a micro SD slot. A 16GB can turn into a 48GB with a $30 trip to Wal-Mart. HTC One has the clear advantage in build quality and feel. It just looks and feels better. (This is coming from someone who's picking up the S4 on the morning of the 24th) The HTC also has the better image quality camera if you're after low-light and better depth of focus.

The last real perk and this one, I'll probably get flamed for, but you HTC fans need to get over it and accept it: The S4 will undoubtedly have more developer support. There was practically an army of support for the S3 and that cult will follow through 2013. If you plan on flashing a custom rom, you will have as much support for the S4 (and options) as you would on a Nexus 4. HTC has become less and less popular on boards due to HTC's inability to meet mainstream consumer needs. Thinking about what engineers want in the phone vs finding middle ground between consumers and engineering finesse.

So in conclusion:
If you're happy with 4.7" of screen estate, less-than-top billing for development and okay with fixed storage/battery capacity, the HTC One is hands down the better device.

However, if you want 5" of screen estate, want to have the #1 supported device and you love having a microSD slot or being able to swap batteries, the S4 is for you.

The snapdragon galaxy s4 uses ddr3 vs ddr2 in the htc one. Makes a huge difference in gpu benchmarks.

 

[MRU]

The snapdragon galaxy s4 uses ddr3 vs ddr2 in the htc one. Makes a huge difference in gpu benchmarks.

So Angry Birds and Cut the Rope feel snappier!

 

[thehustleman]

From what I gather:
The S4 is a beefier S3. It has the Snapdragon S600, 2GB of ram (same as last year's US S3), 4.99" full HD screen. The TouchWiz features in all honesty will probably be implemented to S3 by developers. In fact, it's safe to say that reviewing the phone based purely on hardware is the way to go.

S4 vs. HTC One:
Processor: Slight edge S4 due to 200mhz base speed advantage. This will most likely be overlooked when custom kernels drop. Verdict: Wash.

Ram: Both phones come equipped with 2GB of ram. Again, wash.

GPU: Same processor, same GPU. Adreno 320 which is currently the beast in 3dMark scores.

Screen: 4.7" LCD vs 4.99" (effectively 5") AMOLED. Both full HD so the PPI advantage goes to HTC with viewable screen estate going to the Samsung. Kind of a taster's choice if you ask me. Those who enjoy the vibrant/deep blacks of Samsung screens will undoubtedly enjoy the S4. Those who enjoy the bright whites and contrast ratio of LCD's will enjoy the One. The real choice to be made is whether you want a 5" screen or a 4.7" screen. If you think bigger is better, you will NOT be able to keep the One without thinking "I wish it was 5"".

Perks:
S4 has removable battery and a micro SD slot. A 16GB can turn into a 48GB with a $30 trip to Wal-Mart. HTC One has the clear advantage in build quality and feel. It just looks and feels better. (This is coming from someone who's picking up the S4 on the morning of the 24th) The HTC also has the better image quality camera if you're after low-light and better depth of focus.

The last real perk and this one, I'll probably get flamed for, but you HTC fans need to get over it and accept it: The S4 will undoubtedly have more developer support. There was practically an army of support for the S3 and that cult will follow through 2013. If you plan on flashing a custom rom, you will have as much support for the S4 (and options) as you would on a Nexus 4. HTC has become less and less popular on boards due to HTC's inability to meet mainstream consumer needs. Thinking about what engineers want in the phone vs finding middle ground between consumers and engineering finesse.

So in conclusion:
If you're happy with 4.7" of screen estate, less-than-top billing for development and okay with fixed storage/battery capacity, the HTC One is hands down the better device.

However, if you want 5" of screen estate, want to have the #1 supported device and you love having a microSD slot or being able to swap batteries, the S4 is for you.

I'd bet The one DOES NOT have better build quality.

What it's made is the build material, but build quality.

Build quality is how well it's built and that can't accurately be judged yet.

 

[MRU]

that can't accurately be judged yet.

We can give it a go.....



HTC One (total 36/40)

S4 (total 36/40)

Seems like a tie

 

[2298754]

From what I gather:
The S4 is a beefier S3. It has the Snapdragon S600, 2GB of ram (same as last year's US S3), 4.99" full HD screen. The TouchWiz features in all honesty will probably be implemented to S3 by developers. In fact, it's safe to say that reviewing the phone based purely on hardware is the way to go.

Why does the S4 get trashed for this, but the One doesn't? The One X and S3 had basically identical specs, same ram, SoC and everything. Now this year, they use the same Snapdragon, etc. Why does the S3 get labeled as an "S3-S," whereas the HTC One is being hailed as the best thing since sliced bread? (let's not forget the One X last year was overhyped and it completely failed in the marketplace)

----------

http://bgr.com/2013/04/22/samsung-g...+TheBoyGeniusReport+(BGR+|+Boy+Genius+Report)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOW_IuZQ-5E

Though some Samsung phones in recent years have been exceptions to the rule, handsets launched by the world’s top smartphone vendor often have a “cheap” feel to them. Despite their gorgeous premium displays, Samsung devices tend to utilize plastics that feel flimsy and fragile — a regular point of contention among reviewers, though consumers certainly don’t seem to care. As Galaxy S4 units begin to make their way into users’ hands, we’ve seen several hands-on videos pop up and the latest takes one aspect of the smartphone’s construction to task to see if it really is “cheap.”

As picked up by SamMobile, YouTube user Szabolcs Ignacz shared a video this past weekend that puts the Galaxy S4′s “Gorilla Glass 3″ screen to the test. Ignacz shows us what happens when common items like keys and coins scratch the face of the phone. He also used some less than common items like knives to test the glass’ durability. The Galaxy S4 emerges without a scratch in the end, so prospective buyers can rest assured that the handset’s display is well protected.

While the Galaxy S4 might feel cheap, the glass covering the face of the phone most certainly is not. As for how the rest of the phone might stand up to similar abuse, we’ll have to wait to see if Ignacz has the courage to put Samsung’s thin plastic casing to the test.

Samsung’s Galaxy S4 launches on seven U.S. carriers beginning on Wednesday. The Galaxy S4 stress test video follows below.

back on topic, I can't wait for this phone to come out. Hopefully, the 32gb models will be in stores this week, like the 16gb ones.

 

[jrswizzle]

Why does the S4 get trashed for this, but the One doesn't? The One X and S3 had basically identical specs, same ram, SoC and everything. Now this year, they use the same Snapdragon, etc. Why does the S3 get labeled as an "S3-S," whereas the HTC One is being hailed as the best thing since sliced bread? (let's not forget the One X last year was overhyped and it completely failed in the marketplace)

----------

http://bgr.com/2013/04/22/samsung-g...+TheBoyGeniusReport+(BGR+|+Boy+Genius+Report)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOW_IuZQ-5E





back on topic, I can't wait for this phone to come out. Hopefully, the 32gb models will be in stores this week, like the 16gb ones.

Because all people see is the outside and think a phone has to completely redesigned for it to be an upgrade.....

All a lot of nonsense IMO - I think all these phones, from the iPhone 5 to the HTC One to the GS4 were excellent upgrades over their predecessors and all worthy of upgrading. But that's just me - I don't expect a revolution every year - especially when smartphones are already better than they need to be for current apps/tasks.

 

[2298754]

http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/22/...campaign=Feed:+weblogsinc/engadget+(Engadget)

Samsung Galaxy S 4 coming to AT&T stores April 27th, pre-orders arrive April 25th Mobile

Pre-orders of the Samsung Galaxy S 4 have already begun at AT&T, but the operator has been oddly silent about the actual date customers can expect to purchase one in stores and online. Now that T-Mobile and Sprint have both announced specific launch dates (April 24th and 27th, respectively), the largest GSM carrier in the country has followed up by declaring its intent to sell the flagship Samsung device on the 27th of this month. This is four days earlier than the anticipated pre-order shipment date, which means the HTC One has merely a full week to bask in the spotlight by itself. What's more, if you simply couldn't wait and jumped on those pre-orders, you'll get yours a full 48 hours early (read: April 25th). As expected, the GS 4 will be offered for $200 (16GB) and $250 (32GB) in both black and white.

Black one looks fantastic

 

[Lindsford]

Anyone get shipping confirmation yet?

 

[Sylon]

Being that I have to wait a couple weeks until my upgrade date gets here in May, I'll be reading as many reviews from various tech blogs as I can. However, it's you guys that will give those "real world" reviews I'll be looking forward to. Likely making the wait even more brutal.

 

[mattopotamus]

does anyone know if the stock back cover allows for wireless charging? or will this be a separate cover?

 

[CD3660]

There will be a different back cover (suitable for wireless charging) available in due course.