Google phones

[Irving]

There is a movement of people getting flip phones as a way to help break their dependency on social media. But I'm not part of that. I need a phone every single day for work to navigate to appointments (on time), take photos if I need, communicate with my customers by phone, text, and email, and provide an internet connection for my laptop. Not to mention playing music and podcasts. I use my phone for hunting. I use my phone for real time price comparison shopping in the aisle of the store.

[Jer]

I wouldn't have ever upgraded any phone except they keep crapping out. My current phone is getting screen burn in this year. I took so many photos with my Galaxy 6 that you could hear the lens on the camera clicking around.

Anyway, I never thought I'd like a stylus, until I used a Samsung Tablet for work and the stylus was fantastic.

Not sure what I'll get quite yet, but it's going to be soon.

There is a movement of people getting flip phones as a way to help break their dependency on social media. But I'm not part of that. I need a phone every single day for work to navigate to appointments (on time), take photos if I need, communicate with my customers by phone, text, and email, and provide an internet connection for my laptop. Not to mention playing music and podcasts. I use my phone for hunting. I use my phone for real time price comparison shopping in the aisle of the store.

If you use the camera that much you would LOVE the camera on the Pixel phones. They're insanely good.

[Irving]

Well, I've had to use the camera for work in the past. I really try to avoid using it for work now. I do appreciate a good camera though.

[brutal]

I remembered an important question. When wireless charging came out for the Galaxy 6, I thought it was the best thing ever, and buying a couple charging pads saved me from having to buy a new phone. Then the phone died for good and I haven't used them since. Is everything USB-C and wireless charging capable yet?

For Samsung, S8 and newer is wireless and USB-C.

I've been very happy with my S8 except for two things:

The curved screen. Yea, mine cracked just recently due to a short drop. With a Otterbox Commuter on any phone, they shouldn't crack from a short drop. BECAUSE of the curved screen, I don't have glass added to it, and it managed to deflect the case when dropped on the face at a corner.

The forced Pie update. Thanks to Google locking down the API, I lost my call recording app. Pie is, otherwise great.

[Irving]

Hmmm. I think you're like me where you've never broken a phone screen before, so that's a bit worrying. What's the deal with the curved screens? Was that a phase, or do most phones have that?

Oh yeah, since I've never broken a screen, ever, except on purpose, I'm pretty indelicate with my phones (in an OtterBox with the plastic front torn out). I actually threw my phone into the debris pile from the top of that 30' lift I rented to trim my tree because I knew that I could. Are any of these phones particularly delicate? I feel like phones are getting tougher and more water resistant all the time, but want to make sure there aren't any outliers I should watch out for.


What about the brand name phones that are cheap to start with? Like $200 brand new for whatever Samsung that no one has ever heard of? Would I be disappointed with one of those? That's what we usually get the kids, and some have been utter garbage, but others seem fine. Anyone have one of those?

I looked into Google Fi plans a bit a last night as well, but nothing really sold me on it. Even with their three different networks that they supposedly use, places I spend a lot of time still have less than 3G.

[brutal]

Never even scratched a screen until I rolled a creeper over my S4.

My S5 is still perfect and running rooted for various stuff I use.

The S8 was good until I dropped it a week-ish ago. While I don't have glass on it, I did have a plastic protector for it sitting in a box... I bigger ottorbox or other case and it probably would have been OK. Fact is, I think I dropped it three times that weekend after too much fun was had. Normally it stays in the camper or my pocket and I don't have the dropsies.

All those phones have been in the woods hunting with me and used as GPS.

Honestly. I'd look hard at those Pixels too...

No comment on the cheap phones from me, I've always used the better (though often last year's model) Samsung phones. I generally get a free or low cost upgrade every two years.

[00tec]

I use a liquid dispersion screen protector on my note 9. Apply liquid, set screen, apply UV, pop off when crack appears.
The screen protector will crack when the OEM screen may scratch or chip, but for $14 a pair, I can't bitch. Screen protector has been cracked for 2 months, and because of the glue type, I can barely tell. I will replace when I get more damage.

[Aloha_Shooter]

I've read good things about the Pixel phones but am also leery of the Google-verse. I use swappa.com to buy last year's (or even the prior year's) tech. Am using a Galaxy S9+ but my Galaxy S8+ still runs well. Both have Sd-MMC slots and 3.5 mm earbud sockets. Both charge wirelessly and use USB-C. Last year's model of anything is usually priced well and if you're willing to take something 18-24 months old ... dirt cheap now.

I'm worried more about what Google is doing without having to sign my left nut over to them ... since they don't admit to any of the evil crap they do. I use Duckduckgo for web searches and only use my gmail account to activate new Android devices (which isn't often).

[Jer]

Hmmm. I think you're like me where you've never broken a phone screen before, so that's a bit worrying. What's the deal with the curved screens? Was that a phase, or do most phones have that?

Oh yeah, since I've never broken a screen, ever, except on purpose, I'm pretty indelicate with my phones (in an OtterBox with the plastic front torn out). I actually threw my phone into the debris pile from the top of that 30' lift I rented to trim my tree because I knew that I could. Are any of these phones particularly delicate? I feel like phones are getting tougher and more water resistant all the time, but want to make sure there aren't any outliers I should watch out for.


What about the brand name phones that are cheap to start with? Like $200 brand new for whatever Samsung that no one has ever heard of? Would I be disappointed with one of those? That's what we usually get the kids, and some have been utter garbage, but others seem fine. Anyone have one of those?

I looked into Google Fi plans a bit a last night as well, but nothing really sold me on it. Even with their three different networks that they supposedly use, places I spend a lot of time still have less than 3G.

Curved screens would be a prime example of the whiz-bang gimmicky crap for marketing purposes I was speaking of previously. It's pointless other than making people thinking their phone was so cool for a few years until everyone else realized what we already knew: it's not cool.

[Great-Kazoo]

Hmmm. I think you're like me where you've never broken a phone screen before, so that's a bit worrying. What's the deal with the curved screens? Was that a phase, or do most phones have that?

Oh yeah, since I've never broken a screen, ever, except on purpose, I'm pretty indelicate with my phones (in an OtterBox with the plastic front torn out). I actually threw my phone into the debris pile from the top of that 30' lift I rented to trim my tree because I knew that I could. Are any of these phones particularly delicate? I feel like phones are getting tougher and more water resistant all the time, but want to make sure there aren't any outliers I should watch out for.


What about the brand name phones that are cheap to start with? Like $200 brand new for whateverplaces .

I've had this one for 3 years, replaced one (of the same model) when it took a suicide run under my trailer tire. It's been dropped who knows how may times and keeps on ticking, for now. It's a verizon pre-pay unit.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/SAMSUNG-J...AVZW/177726664

After 3 yrs i might upgrade to the 32g unit. I don't believe in needing all the latest gadgets, but it surfs the web if i want. I don't bank, shop or any of that other stuff, a lot of you have become dependent for on a phone