New shiny - Galaxy S8

[DaveE]

I've had a OnePlus 3T for about 18 months now, and really rate it.

It's a great phone: super-fast, really smooth, amazing battery/charging, and superb value for money.

But I've decided that it's just too big for me...

I've been looking around for something to change to, but there's nothing that really interests me.

So I took a punt on a second hand S8 for £400.

So far, so, err, different!

Having been used to stock Android for so long, it's odd to be back with a customised version again. The phone itself is very nice - very well made (although like all modern phones, feels about as slippery as a bar of wet soap). Great screen etc. Amazing that it's only a little bigger than an iPhone but squeezes in a 5.8" display - the 18:9 ratio really helps - the phone's quite tall and narrow and that helps how it feels in the hand.

Time will tell if I get on with Samsung's take on Android though - but it feels good to have a small(er) phone again...

[JLv3.0]

(although like all modern phones, feels about as slippery as a bar of wet soap)

The Samsung alcantara cover is really good and solves this right away.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Samsung's bloatware is fvcking irritating. I noticed recently a crackling when streaming BT audio to the car - like listening to vinyl. Quick Google suggests its a Samsung issue with their EQ and also Voice Recorder. Can't get rid of the voice recorder as its bloatware. Can't even disable the tw4tting thing. Big hairy balls.

Oh and yes, it's bar of soap slippery, but they don't do the alcantara cover for the S7. I've stopping giving a rat's now

[DaveE]

(although like all modern phones, feels about as slippery as a bar of wet soap)

The Samsung alcantara cover is really good and solves this right away.

Ha! A "racing" cover

I've ordered a cheap/thin plastic one as I'd like to keep it as small as possible

If that doesn't work out, I might go for one of these though...

[DaveE]

Samsung's bloatware is fvcking irritating. I noticed recently a crackling when streaming BT audio to the car - like listening to vinyl. Quick Google suggests its a Samsung issue with their EQ and also Voice Recorder. Can't get rid of the voice recorder as its bloatware. Can't even disable the tw4tting thing. Big hairy balls.

Oh and yes, it's bar of soap slippery, but they don't do the alcantara cover for the S7. I've stopping giving a rat's now

Curious - and massively annoying I should thing.

BT seems OK so far (using headphones) - I'll try it in the car later though - just to make sure.

Thanks for the warning...

I've disabled some apps, but the others I'll just have to live with (for example, I'd rather use Google's Clock, Phone etc apps, but can't - unless I have duplicates and that seems a bit daft)

[JLv3.0]

(although like all modern phones, feels about as slippery as a bar of wet soap)

The Samsung alcantara cover is really good and solves this right away.

Ha! A "racing" cover

I've ordered a cheap/thin plastic one as I'd like to keep it as small as possible

If that doesn't work out, I might go for one of these though...

They're really good mate, not bulky at all, just the right amount of protection and 'wear in' nicely.

[Marv]

I've had a OnePlus 3T for about 18 months now, and really rate it.

It's a great phone: super-fast, really smooth, amazing battery/charging, and superb value for money.

But I've decided that it's just too big for me...

I've been looking around for something to change to, but there's nothing that really interests me.

So I took a punt on a second hand S8 for £400.

So far, so, err, different!

Having been used to stock Android for so long, it's odd to be back with a customised version again. The phone itself is very nice - very well made (although like all modern phones, feels about as slippery as a bar of wet soap). Great screen etc. Amazing that it's only a little bigger than an iPhone but squeezes in a 5.8" display - the 18:9 ratio really helps - the phone's quite tall and narrow and that helps how it feels in the hand.

Time will tell if I get on with Samsung's take on Android though - but it feels good to have a small(er) phone again...

I actually went from a Samsung Galaxy S4, to the One Plus 3T...was pleased to leave all the bloatware behind!

The 3T/5/5T are rather large phones, and yeah, with the 5T, I think they would have been better off keeping the screen size the same as on the 3T/5 and making the phone smaller.

[Marv]

BTW Dave, you need to resurrect you "I 8-Bit" avatar

[Zonda_]

Is it the normal one or the edge? I had the S7 edge up until last week before the slippery sod got smashed. I found the edge screen more of an irritation than a bonus.

[Richard]

Samsung’s own cases are great and pretty good value for money, as OEM accessories go

My issue with Samsung is all the bloat they put on. For every Android app, there’s a Samsung version. It’s so pointless. And also, Samsung’s own versions are worse/less compatible with other things

Also, I don’t care the the curved screens, because you get the reflection lines down both sides of the phone, making the already skinny screen look a bit anorexic

[Richard]

Is it the normal one or the edge? I had the S7 edge up until last week before the slippery sod got smashed. I found the edge screen more of an irritation than a bonus.

They’re all “edge” these days

You get S8 or S8 Plus (which is larger, which two camera lenses on the back)

[DaveE]

BTW Dave, you need to resurrect you "I 8-Bit" avatar

It may have been lost in time, like tears in rain etc...

[JLv3.0]

I've had Samsungs for a few years now and have never understood the bloat ware thing. If you don't like the Samsung app, just use another one. What am I missing? They seem to work just fine as they are.

[Zonda_]

I've had Samsungs for a few years now and have never understood the bloat ware thing. If you don't like the Samsung app, just use another one. What am I missing? They seem to work just fine as they are.

Never had an issue with it either I'm currently using my mates Willey fox thing and the difference in speed is astonishing.

[DaveE]

I've had Samsungs for a few years now and have never understood the bloat ware thing. If you don't like the Samsung app, just use another one. What am I missing? They seem to work just fine as they are.

Never had an issue with it either I'm currently using my mates Willey fox thing and the difference in speed is astonishing.

As is the difference in price...

I guess companies like Samsung, Sony etc have to tinker about and provide their own flavours of Android, their own apps etc to try and differentiate themselves from each other.

I get it (but I'd also love it if they would offer a stock experience too - I think someone did for a while?)

[McSwede]

Samsung's bloatware is fvcking irritating. I noticed recently a crackling when streaming BT audio to the car - like listening to vinyl. Quick Google suggests its a Samsung issue with their EQ and also Voice Recorder. Can't get rid of the voice recorder as its bloatware. Can't even disable the tw4tting thing. Big hairy balls.

Oh and yes, it's bar of soap slippery, but they don't do the alcantara cover for the S7. I've stopping giving a rat's now

Late to this thread but hey ho!

My Galaxy Note 4 used to do the crackly thing when BTing to the car. Restart the phone and it'd go away.

Samsung bloatware is a pain in the ar5e! Things like Evernote that you can't uninstall. You disable them then over night they auto update and reinstall. Fuck1ng spastics at Samsung. It really takes the egde off some top quality tech.

Since changing the Google Pixel 2 XL it has been so much better. Pure android FTW I've just upgraded to the beta version of Android P which seems a nice step on. The only glitch in the Matrix thus far is that since the update it doesn't send the track/album info to the infotainment system in the car as it used to. I'm sure this will remedy itself soon enough during updates.

With no bloatware my phone is superfast running mega Geekbench scores

Single Core = 1889
Multi Core = 6300

[GG.]

I want an alcantara phone case now. Maybe I'll get this one so I can look like Joey:





I am joking by the way.

[DaveE]

BTW Dave, you need to resurrect you "I 8-Bit" avatar

I tried to upload it, but it didn't work.

Appears to meet the requirements, dimension, size etc.

But no dice.

[DaveE]

Here's a very weird thing I've noticed with the S8 and Google Play Music...

I listen to lots of DJ mixes and other albums where you don't want any gaps between tracks.

It seems to work fine on the phone's speaker, or via BT (using either BT headphones or a BT speaker).

There are noticeable gaps when using the headphone port and wired headphones though.

The solution seems to be to connect wired headphones, then go into Settings/ Sounds & vibration / Sound quality & effects and enable "UHQ Upscaler" - NB: this option is only available when wired headphones are connected (otherwise it's greyed out).

Now gapless works on wired headphones.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Well I just got new shiny as well, given that I might be required to hand back my company mobile at any time.

So after much deliberation I went LG V30. Same internals pretty much as the Pixel 2 but SD card slot and headphone jack, and much nicer looking. I'm impressed so far. It's not pure Android, but there's noticably less bloat and it's nice and quick.

Strangely, I noticed yesterday that it also crackles over BT in the 125i. Maybe it's the car...