Smart Phones - Questions and Discussion

[Winston]

The operating system is based on Linux. Android isn't the only mobile OS to use a linux Kernel. WebOS from HP, Meego from nokia, Bada OS from samsung and Tizen OS from intel and samsung. All these I mentioned use the linux kernel for their mobile Operating systems.

Well then if it's based on Linux, then it should be stable, since Linux is stable. Right?

According to the reader comments, iPhone is more stable and reliable and expensive, but Android is more customizable and gives you more control over things.

Darn. I just found out that my Sony Xperia Neo L camera doesn't even have a zoom function! WTF? How can it not have something that simple? Is there an app I can install to create a zoom function? What about this camera app? It claims to have digital zoom. Will that create a zoom feature on my smart phone?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... zoomcamera

Also, is there a way to install an FM radio in your smart phone? I don't think mine has one. Old phones from many years ago had an FM radio in them, so why don't all new smart phones have them? That's strange.

Check this out. There is a Google Android Emulator for your PC for you to test out Android apps on your computer.

http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-ti ... -emulator/

[***JP***]

The operating system is based on Linux. Android isn't the only mobile OS to use a linux Kernel. WebOS from HP, Meego from nokia, Bada OS from samsung and Tizen OS from intel and samsung. All these I mentioned use the linux kernel for their mobile Operating systems.

Well then if it's based on Linux, then it should be stable, since Linux is stable. Right?

According to the reader comments, iPhone is more stable and reliable and expensive, but Android is more customizable and gives you more control over things.

Darn. I just found out that my Sony Xperia Neo L camera doesn't even have a zoom function! WTF? How can it not have something that simple? Is there an app I can install to create a zoom function? What about this camera app? It claims to have digital zoom. Will that create a zoom feature on my smart phone?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... zoomcamera

Also, is there a way to install an FM radio in your smart phone? I don't think mine has one. Old phones from many years ago had an FM radio in them, so why don't all new smart phones have them? That's strange.

Check this out. There is a Google Android Emulator for your PC for you to test out Android apps on your computer.

http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-ti ... -emulator/

Yeah at least on my Galaxy nexus it's very stable. The benefit you have on Android is that you can customize it any way you want making it more to your liking. You really don't need the zoom on the camera cause the digital zoom is not so good and you might end up with grainy photos and also you might need a very steady hand so the photos come out right. On the FM radio part I don't even use that. Usually I stream my music from Google music or the Tunein App. You might want to check that one out cause it catches fm radio stations that stream on the web too.

[Rock]

The operating system is based on Linux. Android isn't the only mobile OS to use a linux Kernel. WebOS from HP, Meego from nokia, Bada OS from samsung and Tizen OS from intel and samsung. All these I mentioned use the linux kernel for their mobile Operating systems.

Well then if it's based on Linux, then it should be stable, since Linux is stable. Right?

According to the reader comments, iPhone is more stable and reliable and expensive, but Android is more customizable and gives you more control over things.

Darn. I just found out that my Sony Xperia Neo L camera doesn't even have a zoom function! WTF? How can it not have something that simple? Is there an app I can install to create a zoom function? What about this camera app? It claims to have digital zoom. Will that create a zoom feature on my smart phone?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... zoomcamera

Also, is there a way to install an FM radio in your smart phone? I don't think mine has one. Old phones from many years ago had an FM radio in them, so why don't all new smart phones have them? That's strange.

Check this out. There is a Google Android Emulator for your PC for you to test out Android apps on your computer.

http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-ti ... -emulator/

Download Heart Radio instead. It's an App which allows you to pick-and choose among many of the top US stations and play the broadcasts on your phone in real time.

[***JP***]

The operating system is based on Linux. Android isn't the only mobile OS to use a linux Kernel. WebOS from HP, Meego from nokia, Bada OS from samsung and Tizen OS from intel and samsung. All these I mentioned use the linux kernel for their mobile Operating systems.

Well then if it's based on Linux, then it should be stable, since Linux is stable. Right?

According to the reader comments, iPhone is more stable and reliable and expensive, but Android is more customizable and gives you more control over things.

Darn. I just found out that my Sony Xperia Neo L camera doesn't even have a zoom function! WTF? How can it not have something that simple? Is there an app I can install to create a zoom function? What about this camera app? It claims to have digital zoom. Will that create a zoom feature on my smart phone?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... zoomcamera

Also, is there a way to install an FM radio in your smart phone? I don't think mine has one. Old phones from many years ago had an FM radio in them, so why don't all new smart phones have them? That's strange.

Check this out. There is a Google Android Emulator for your PC for you to test out Android apps on your computer.

http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-ti ... -emulator/

Download Heart Radio instead. It's an App which allows you to pick-and choose among many of the top US stations and play the broadcasts on your phone in real time.

iHeart radio is another good app but I do like tunein app cause it lets you pick fm stations from around the world and stream in real time also and it lets me hear shoutcast radio stations too.

[Winston]

The operating system is based on Linux. Android isn't the only mobile OS to use a linux Kernel. WebOS from HP, Meego from nokia, Bada OS from samsung and Tizen OS from intel and samsung. All these I mentioned use the linux kernel for their mobile Operating systems.

Well then if it's based on Linux, then it should be stable, since Linux is stable. Right?

According to the reader comments, iPhone is more stable and reliable and expensive, but Android is more customizable and gives you more control over things.

Darn. I just found out that my Sony Xperia Neo L camera doesn't even have a zoom function! WTF? How can it not have something that simple? Is there an app I can install to create a zoom function? What about this camera app? It claims to have digital zoom. Will that create a zoom feature on my smart phone?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... zoomcamera

Also, is there a way to install an FM radio in your smart phone? I don't think mine has one. Old phones from many years ago had an FM radio in them, so why don't all new smart phones have them? That's strange.

Check this out. There is a Google Android Emulator for your PC for you to test out Android apps on your computer.

http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-ti ... -emulator/

Download Heart Radio instead. It's an App which allows you to pick-and choose among many of the top US stations and play the broadcasts on your phone in real time.

iHeart radio is another good app but I do like tunein app cause it lets you pick fm stations from around the world and stream in real time also and it lets me hear shoutcast radio stations too.

Yeah there are a ton of good radio apps. My favorite is Live365. But all those radio apps need internet connection, wifi or 3g. That's why I asked about the FM Radio, so I can just listen to the standard radio like a regular radio can. It's ridiculous that they don't put that on many new smart phones, esp since it was on cell phones a long time ago.

[Winston]

Ok I tried using some Android emulators on my PC so I could use programs like Viber and What's App from my PC. However, none of them really worked so I had to uninstall them. I don't know why.

Anyway, I have a few dumb questions:

1. Is there any way to connect my smart phone to my PC and get data connection to it that way? In theory, you'd think it would be easy to, but it doesn't seem that simple. Is there any way to do so?

2. Sorry for this dumb question, but... what is the difference between an IPad, IPod and Tablet? Are they better than using a laptop or netbook? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

[***JP***]

Try the app airdroid. It lets you control your phone from any browser and lets you send text messages and manage your internal memory files. I use this app to transfer photos from my phone to my computer. To answer your question on the tablets. I currently have a nexus 7 tablet, I like it but it never replaces a laptop cause tablets are still very limited in capabilities. This also applies to the iPad. However there is gonna be a windows 8 tablet that will work just like a laptop.

[ringspun]

If I was going to buy a new smart phone handdown it would be an iPhone 5 or a Samsung S3, both have differences, the S3 is better for web browsing, but I prefer the Operating system on the Apple.

Apple doesn't get viruses and doesn't crash, Android (operating on Android) can get both.

I have just ordered a iPhone 5, mainly for the camera is unreal, plus you can imessage any girl in any country for free...

On both Android and Apple, I would seriously get Whatsapp which is the best free messaging device due to being free world wide, so you can message and send photos all day for nothing!

[Winston]

Do you mean iPhone has its own free app that lets you send messages to other iPhone users for free anywhere around the world? What's the app called?

[***JP***]

Do you mean iPhone has its own free app that lets you send messages to other iPhone users for free anywhere around the world? What's the app called?

There's bunch of apps for messaging on both Android and iOS. I use the app called Viber and just like whatsapp it lets you send messages, photos and lets you call other viber users and the call quality is very very good. Just like whatsapp Viber is also a cross platform app cause it can be installed on iPhone, Windows Phone 7, Android and even Blackberry. Only problem with whatsapp is that after 1 year of use they will begin charging you a yearly fee which is why a lot of my friends and myself use Viber instead. Also for calling to the states for free I use an app called Bobsled and it is made for both iOS and Android.

[hyderali]

Now there are more apps are launched in 2013, you should check play store for Android and Apple store for iPhone.

[Winston]

Some new questions:

I think I need a new smart phone. The memory on my Sony Xperia Neo L phone is maxed out, and the keyboard is hard to type on accurately because it's so small. I can't update my apps or add any new ones. And when I type messages, I keep making errors and have to backspace.

I was thinking of getting one of those new ones with big 5 inch screens. But the problem is, they are so big that I'm not sure how convenient it is to carry around in your front pocket.

Do any of you have smart phones with 5 inch screens? If so, do they fit in your front pocket easily when you walk around? Or do you carry it in a shoulder bag?

Do most guys have smart phones with big screens? Or is that a chick thing? It seems to be a chick thing, perhaps because their smart phone is like a phallic symbol to them, so they prefer it to be "big". lol

Women also like big screens for some reason.

Also, have you noticed that women like smart phones that are white? Is that a chick thing? I would guess that women like white smart phones because white is a color representing purity and virginity. And since virgin females are more sacred and valuable, it is in a female's instinct to try to look as innocent and pure and virgin-like as possible, so she wears white and likes white colored smart phones and tablets. Well, at least Asian women do.

What do you think? Is my theory true? Do guys ever have white smart phones?

Anyway, I saw some big screen smart phones here at the mall in Taiwan for $300. The ones I like most are the HTC Desire 816 and the new Sony Xperia C3. They are both great phones with dual SIM. But the HTC phone's memory is only expandable to 128 GB, whereas the Sony is only expandable up to 32 GB.

What do you think? Which brand is better?

[Winston]

Do you mean iPhone has its own free app that lets you send messages to other iPhone users for free anywhere around the world? What's the app called?

There's bunch of apps for messaging on both Android and iOS. I use the app called Viber and just like whatsapp it lets you send messages, photos and lets you call other viber users and the call quality is very very good. Just like whatsapp Viber is also a cross platform app cause it can be installed on iPhone, Windows Phone 7, Android and even Blackberry. Only problem with whatsapp is that after 1 year of use they will begin charging you a yearly fee which is why a lot of my friends and myself use Viber instead. Also for calling to the states for free I use an app called Bobsled and it is made for both iOS and Android.

I use WhatsApp and Viber. Viber lets you make free calls. I've talked to Rock on it a few times. They are both great and don't take up much memory, unlike Skype and QQ. But the problem with WhatsApp is that they force you to upgrade every once in a while, and you cannot use it without upgrading. I have trouble upgrading though because my phone is out of memory and can't handle any new updates on apps. So the only way I can keep using WhatsApp is to uninstall it and then reinstall it, which causes me to lose all my archived messages. It's a pain in the butt.

My parents told me that in Asia, the most popular chat app now is Line. Do any of you use that?

I'll have to get a new smart phone in order to install it, because I've already removed all the apps I don't need, yet I am still out of memory.

[Winston]

Rock's friend Monkro told me that he's seen guys with white smart phones. However, he does not recommend them because the white housing around the screen detracts from the display. He said that TV's are always black, because black does not detract from the TV screen. So likewise, black is the best color for a smart phone too. Is that true?

Ok I finally found the perfect smart phone for me. It's Sony Xperia SP. It looks nice and has a lot of great features. In Taiwan at the Sony Mobile store, it's now on sale for 6800 NT which is about $220 USD. That's a real bargain.

Here are the specs and review of Sony Xperia SP:

http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_sp-5364.php
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones ... 010/review
http://www.trustedreviews.com/sony-xperia-sp-review

Here's what it looks like:



Video review:



What do you all think?

Also, I think a dual SIM phone would be a good idea. That way, you can keep one Philippines SIM on roaming to receive text messages, and another one for the country you are traveling in. Do any of you have one?

http://www.cnet.com/news/why-you-want-a-dual-sim-phone/
http://conversations.nokia.com/2011/09/ ... sim-phone/

[Winston]

I just got a new phone. Asus zenfone 5. Only 5900 NT or 200 dollars. 5 inch screen with 16 gb internal memory and 2 gb ram. And dual sim so can hold two sim cards. I needed two sim phone. Great 8 megapixel camera too. Good deal huh?

http://blog.gsmarena.com/asus-zenfone-5/