All about Samsung Galaxy S4

[lopri]

Like this:

 

[Red Storm]

In the first picture, the widget up top is not configured so it looks weird cutting off the hot air balloon background (which is the most crowded aspect of that photo). On the left is the multi window selection, which you only open when you want to choose an app, it stays minimized most of the time.

2nd photo is browser on top and Gmail on the bottom. That's what multi-window is.

3rd photo is just a settings page. Not seeing the confusion.

4th photo I'm assuming is the Samsung Hub, which I always disable immediately so I can't comment on it.

 

[lopri]

I'm not saying there is a confusion. I'm saying there is lack of consistency and uniformity.

 

[Red Storm]

I would say the last picture is decidedly different, but the others are fine to me?

 

[WelshBloke]

I'm not saying there is a confusion. I'm saying there is lack of consistency and uniformity.

You can change pretty much all of them into what you want.

 

[ChronoReverse]

I plan to disable almost all the Samsung crap anyway. Probably only dual-pane view is the only thing I might use but since it's not universal I wonder how useful it'll really be.

 

[Red Storm]

I plan to disable almost all the Samsung crap anyway. Probably only dual-pane view is the only thing I might use but since it's not universal I wonder how useful it'll really be.

Honestly it's not super useful, too cramped even on my Note 2. It would be great on a tablet though.

 

[WelshBloke]

Honestly it's not super useful, too cramped even on my Note 2. It would be great on a tablet though.

I just use it as a quick app launcher. You can use it to launch apps fullscreen as well as in halfscreen.

 

[lopri]

Yes, I know that you can change things around or install different launchers. I am talking about Samsung's implementation here, not what I can/cannot do.

IMO Samsung could (should) have streamlined the user experience in a more uniform manner for their flagship. As it is, things look way too messy. One part looks like Jelly bean, another part ICS, then Touch Wiz, and night-mode mixed in for whatever reason (black background), and XBox/Metro-like look elsewhere.

 

[Aristotelian]

Among the annoyances w/ the S4 is the inconsistent UI interface. It's kind of messy. There are things that are night-mode by default (and don't look configurable), some things look as if they're out of XBox screen, and there are things that look cartoony thanks to TW. It doesn't give the polished and consistent look of Xeperia Z interface. (Granted Xperia Z seems deviate very little from the stock Android)

I upgraded to an Xperia Z for precisely what you outline above, and acknowleding what you said in a previous post: there are better cameras on flagship cell phones. But that isn't a problem, as I take a real camera with me when I want to take photos. That probably sounds cliched but I'm never really in a moment where I need to (on the fly) whip out my cell phone to capture a magic moment. Perhaps that means my magic moments are far too predictable? Either way, the Xperia Z is really great - I'm sure the S4 will be too.

 

[s44]

The Death Star has moved up the schedule: it's now shipping 4/23 (this Tuesday).

More specifics on AT&T timing. Ships 4/23 *to the extent there's stock*; in stores 4/26 (Friday) but in limited, likely to sell out quantities.

 

[Red Storm]

Yes, I know that you can change things around or install different launchers. I am talking about Samsung's implementation here, not what I can/cannot do.

IMO Samsung could (should) have streamlined the user experience in a more uniform manner for their flagship. As it is, things look way too messy. One part looks like Jelly bean, another part ICS, then Touch Wiz, and night-mode mixed in for whatever reason (black background), and XBox/Metro-like look elsewhere.

Almost every Android settings page is dark, that's nothing new. The other page is the gmail app, which obviously has a different look than Touchwiz. The email app looks more like TW.

 

[s44]

Here's a nice camera comparison. The S4 can take some stunning pictures outdoors.

http://mobile-review.com/review/phototest2013.shtml

Interesting followup: in a blind test/survey of readers at the same site, the S4 won 3/4 camera tests and was second in the low light test to the 920 (which actually also won "worst picture" in 2/4 tests). Other compared devices: i5, Butterfly, One, Meizu MX2 (haha), 808 Pureview, Note 2, and Xperia Z.

Incidentally, Samsung appears to have confirmed that it's the same Exmor RS sensor as in the Sony, which makes one wonder wtf Sony is doing wrong with their own hardware.

 

[StrangerGuy]

Incidentally, Samsung appears to have confirmed that it's the same Exmor RS sensor as in the Sony, which makes one wonder wtf Sony is doing wrong with their own hardware.

Don't worry I'm sure this won't be the last time Sony is screwing themselves over phones. Take the Z vs ZL...There is no good reason for the ZL to even exist. The next one would probably be taking ages to update the Z with a better SoC and screen, perhaps after Samsung sold several dozens of millions of S4s. That will be just sad since the Z comes so close to smartphone perfection.

 

[aaksheytalwar]

Release date and price?

 

[lopri]

I thought Smart Scroll was face recognition + tilting the phone? The dude in this video is doing a neck dance instead. (no physical movement of the phone)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpe9Q4PEo9o

Edit: Apparently both methods work. Tilting the phone and neck exercise. Interesting.

Among the feature sets of the S4, these "Smart" functions are most interesting to me. "Air" stuff (Air view, Air Gestures) is gimmicky and S-Apps are bloats - IMO of course.

 

[richierich1212]

XDA S4 picture thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2213853

I'm amazed at how good these pictures are. It's crazy that phones can take decent pictures.

The better camera, screen and LTE are the main reasons I'm upgrading from my SII.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Interesting followup: in a blind test/survey of readers at the same site, the S4 won 3/4 camera tests and was second in the low light test to the 920 (which actually also won "worst picture" in 2/4 tests). Other compared devices: i5, Butterfly, One, Meizu MX2 (haha), 808 Pureview, Note 2, and Xperia Z.

Incidentally, Samsung appears to have confirmed that it's the same Exmor RS sensor as in the Sony, which makes one wonder wtf Sony is doing wrong with their own hardware.

well this makes me wonder how much of it is a software issue. If a user decides to flash CyanogenMod on their GS3/4 do they lose a bunch of camera features? For example the S3 can do relatively high framerate shots. Do you retain that in CM10.1?

 

[WelshBloke]

well this makes me wonder how much of it is a software issue. If a user decides to flash CyanogenMod on their GS3/4 do they lose a bunch of camera features? For example the S3 can do relatively high framerate shots. Do you retain that in CM10.1?

Hasn't CM always had a pretty basic camera?

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Hasn't CM always had a pretty basic camera?

Well certainly I understand gimmicks are lost in moving to an AOSP camera, even if CM has added a few enhancements, but the technical aspects of a camera such I'm wondering if the framerate, image quality, etc. would be affected as well. That should heavily depend on the camera driver and whether or not they can port it over to CM or they have to use an open source driver.

But this is probably similar in what differentiates Sony from Samsung at the moment if they're using the same hardware

 

[WelshBloke]

Well certainly I understand gimmicks are lost in moving to an AOSP camera, even if CM has added a few enhancements, but the technical aspects of a camera such I'm wondering if the framerate, image quality, etc. would be affected as well. That should heavily depend on the camera driver and whether or not they can port it over to CM or they have to use an open source driver.

But this is probably similar in what differentiates Sony from Samsung at the moment if they're using the same hardware

The "gimmicks" are the stuff you're worried about losing like the high framerate stuff.

Its in the software BTW.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

The "gimmicks" are the stuff you're worried about losing like the high framerate stuff.

Its in the software BTW.

The gimmicks I was mentioning was stuff like blink detection, "best face," "drama shot" or whatever other crap they have. That's clearly software, and things like "drama shot" leverages the ability of the camera to shoot 5fps or whatever it shoots at.

 

[WelshBloke]

The gimmicks I was mentioning was stuff like blink detection, "best face," "drama shot" or whatever other crap they have. That's clearly software, and things like "drama shot" leverages the ability of the camera to shoot 5fps or whatever it shoots at.

Yeah but the difference between a gimmick and useful functionality isn't just "Does DLeRium like it".

 

[Puddle Jumper]

well this makes me wonder how much of it is a software issue. If a user decides to flash CyanogenMod on their GS3/4 do they lose a bunch of camera features? For example the S3 can do relatively high framerate shots. Do you retain that in CM10.1?

I'd bet on losing a lot of the S4's features if you move to Cyanogen, they have never been about catering to specific hardware.

 

[ibex333]

XDA S4 picture thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2213853

I'm amazed at how good these pictures are. It's crazy that phones can take decent pictures.

The better camera, screen and LTE are the main reasons I'm upgrading from my SII.

Camera still not nearly as good as iPhone 5 though.