Samsung Design Done Right: Galaxy A5

[Dontazemebro]

Eventually....all successful product start to blend together. Thus happens with just about all product categories. With the squarish edges it might resemble the IP5 more but not the IP6. There are tons of phones that do not have removable batteries. Apple didn't invent that you know.

Samsung had a terrible quarter compared to a record quarter a year ago..... They still made what about 30 billion in profit as a whole?

I am with you on MJ.....he made everyone around him better. Wasn't afraid to take the last second shots with the game on the line....moved the rock around too. Lebron is a ball hog.......the games stops when he touches the ball. MJ played for one team and won 6 titles....... He persevered through the lean years and stuck with it. Lebron bolted when things got tough. San Antonio showed how flawed his game is.....
Now he is surrounded with talent in the weak East.....we'll see how he does.....

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bending phones is not a feature i want.....

Okay a little off topic here but MJ all day as well. I'd even take Kobe over LeBron just because of his aggressive nature to attack the rim. Ultimately, I think LeBron could be a better defender than Jordan but the total package is definitely MJ.

My personal bias says Hakeem Olajuwon is the greatest ever though

 

[jamezr]

Okay a little off topic here but MJ all day as well. I'd even take Kobe over LeBron just because of his aggressive nature to attack the rim. Ultimately, I think LeBron could be a better defender than Jordan but the total package is definitely MJ.

My personal bias says Hakeem Olajuwon is the greatest ever though

Spoken like a true Rocket fan! Houston has an interesting team right now.....
Excited for the season to start!

 

[Dontazemebro]

Spoken like a true Rocket fan! Houston has an interesting team right now.....

Excited for the season to start!

Yep, you and me both. What team do you root for?

 

[Truefan31]

Okay a little off topic here but MJ all day as well. I'd even take Kobe over LeBron just because of his aggressive nature to attack the rim. Ultimately, I think LeBron could be a better defender than Jordan but the total package is definitely MJ.

My personal bias says Hakeem Olajuwon is the greatest ever though

I think lebron is actually a ill overrated as a defender. He's big so he can cover multiple positions but he's not actually good at it IMO.

People should remember that MJ won a defensive player of the year award, as a shooting guard.

 

[jamezr]

Yep, you and me both. What team do you root for?

I like the Spurs because of the brand of ball they play. I like the Clippers and Doc Rivers.

 

[scott craft]

I think lebron is actually a ill overrated as a defender. He's big so he can cover multiple positions but he's not actually good at it IMO.

People should remember that MJ won a defensive player of the year award, as a shooting guard.

I don't think we will ever see another perimeter player win defensive player of the year. I'm a Lebron fan but I don't see him or any other guard or small forward locking down his man and protecting the rim enough to be a serious contender for dpoy.

Is it too early for a 2014-2015 NBA thread in the community discussion?

 

[mclld]

IMO Samsung has already been doing design right, I have been happy with their phones

 

[jrswizzle]

Yep, you and me both. What team do you root for?

I like the Spurs because of the brand of ball they play. I like the Clippers and Doc Rivers.

Off topic:

This is the Mavs' year.

Dirk, Monta, Chandler, Parsons, Nelson.....that's a heck of a starting 5 right there.

They've got a great bench too. Should be fun! Would be great to get all 3 Texas teams in - their playoff matchups (especially Mavs-Spurs) are always EPIC.

On topic:

I think what hurts Samsung more is a lack of streamlined products lines which would lead to a more cohesive design language throughout. Perhaps there is something to be said for trying everything to see what sticks. But I don't think it's really working for them right now.

And this Q3 isn't just bad compared to last Q3 (which happened to be a record quarter for them). This is the worst quarter they've had in the last 3 years from a profit decrease standpoint.

The GS5 was a failure (failed to ever unseat the iPhone 5S, and didn't even beat the 5C in some places) and the Note 4 is late and has it's own ridiculous defect-gate (which I think is idiotic, but it exists in the media nonetheless).

I lean more toward the Note 4/Alpha designs that this or prior designs, but ultimately I still MUCH prefer Apple's design philosophy. The 6 and 6+ are the most beautiful devices out there in my opinion.

 

[sc4rf4c3]

I think what hurts Samsung more is a lack of streamlined products lines which would lead to a more cohesive design language throughout. Perhaps there is something to be said for trying everything to see what sticks. But I don't think it's really working for them right now.

Totally agree. Look at their tablets line up.

 

[Savor]

Most smartphones to me start looking the same. I only get wowed by design maybe every THREE years during the last seven years.

2007 - iPhone

2010 - iPhone 4

2013 - HTC One

Yeah, the M7 is still the best mass-produced smartphone design ever for me throwing out the luxury brand makers. The M8 looks good too but HTC seems to have recycled the M7 too much. One E8, One mini 2, M8 for Windows Phone, and the Butterfly and Desire series all have the M7 traits. HTC doesn't need to keep milking the design like Nokia and Sony do. One thing I like about the M8 is the rounded edges. M7 might be best at aesthetics for me but it wasn't the most comfortable to hold and levels below Moto X of last year.

There were some very nice-looking in between those years especially in 2011 with the BlackBerry Bold 9900, Galaxy Nexus, and Nokia N9/Lumia 800. But no 9.5 or 10/10 status for me. I'm a tough critic for design. I generally give most phones a 9/10 at best. And the Nexus One in 2010 was the first Android design I ever liked even with its protruding cam and gaps from the screen. But I rarely get wowed.

Samsung is just learning to get out of design mediocrity. Apple is still inspiring all-glass design with the Sony Xperia Z's, Huawei Ascend P7, Gionee Elife S', and Xiaomi Mi 4. BlackBerry Bold 9900 and LG Optimus G/Nexus 4 all borrowed design cues like metal band or glass rear from the original iPhone 4 design along with the iP4's next three successors. I'm not really a fan of glass rears, but it can look really good obviously from iPhone 4's influences.

Samsung should remove the physical home button or make it look cool. Add a double tap wake feature like LG, HTC, Sony, and Oppo did. I feel Samsung might be getting better but still not even on the level of what HTC, Apple, Sony,BlackBerry, and Nokia were doing back 2010-2012.

Apple iPhone 4/4s (2010/2011)
Google Nexus One (2010)
Nokia N9/Lumia 800 (2011)
BlackBerry Bold 9900 (2011)
Sony Xperia S and P (2012)
HTC Windows Phone 8X (2012)

^^^ All still look better. And I can go on and on with Chinese smartphones like the Meizu MX4, OnePlus One, Oppo Find 7/7a, Huawei Ascend P6/P7, and Gionee Elife S5.1.

 

[Mity]

Takes me back to 2011

This looks a lot like my first smartphone, the Samsung Infuse 4G, which I got in 2011. That phone took amazing photos - better than my current iPhone 5! Obviously the A5 iteration looks a lot more refined with the metal. And finally the headphone jack is at the bottom, where it belongs.

 

[JaySoul]

I'd stop buying Samsung phones if that happened, and probably ditch android altogether.

I always thought that the Home Button was essential too but I'm definitely getting used to life without it.

Miss it very occasionally, most with the Camera app on my G3. Otherwise, not so much.

 

[Wrathwitch]

I would greatly appreciate front facing speakers.

 

[ryankul]

I'd stop buying Samsung phones if that happened, and probably ditch android altogether.

I prefer physical buttons so I get more screen real estate. Sure while playing video the home buttons will fade away but not so everywhere else. Haven't had any issues on my last few phones with physical buttons (iPhone 5s, 6, Note 3).

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I would greatly appreciate front facing speakers.

Wish all phones had em.. Such a nice improvement.

 

[Jibbajabba]

All they need to do IMO is get rid of the physical home button and go all on screen buttons.

Oh don't. That would be the last Samsung I own if they did that,