• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

So if not Note 5. What phone?

If not the Note 5 then what phone? I'm buying the Moto X Pure. Looks like an outstanding device: other than the lack of a stylus, it appears to be everything the Note 5 should have been and isn't. I highly recommend you check it out.
I've come to the conclusion NONE of the mfgs will ever offer a phone w/all the tech/options available in the present,whether there's a market for it or not.Gotta keep ya wanting/coming back for another hit off the tech pipe.
The glass twin towers are the proof all one needs.
Why not offer ONE phone with say a 5.3-5.5" display,dual ff speakers,dual edge,stylus,I-R Blaster,SD Card.
I'll give 'em the sealed battery,provided the capacity is somewhere near 3500 mAh.
It's all been done,why not roll it up in one device?
HTC,we're waiting......................
 
Upvote 0
More phones to consider. I'm assuming this would only be good for GSM users (e.g. T-Mobile and ATT). I can't seem to fine definitive specs on what radios will be included, but seems to be a contender.
http://phandroid.com/2015/08/19/pre-order-blackphone-2/

And, for those feeling nostalgic and missing their physical qwerty keyboard from the past, this is actually the first Android phone w/ a qwerty keyboard that I've actually taken into consideration, since the first Droid! I was on the verge of switching to Verizon, at that time, just to get the Droid. I still think Blackberry is 4 years too late, at least, but maybe better late than never.

http://phandroid.com/2015/08/19/blackberry-venice-leak/

From those rendors, that phone looks very sleek. It'll really come down to how thin they got it to be, screen size, specs (e.g. internal memory and microSD slot) and overall form factor (e.g. physical dimensions).
 
  • Like
Reactions: KOLIO
Upvote 0
I take all rumors with a grain of salt, but if LG releases the G4 Pro with the specs mentioned on this article, I can't see how it wouldn't be top on my list:
http://www.gottabemobile.com/2015/08/19/lg-g4-pro-release-rumored-to-take-on-galaxy-note-5/

LG G4 Pro Specs (Rumored)

  • 5.8-inch 2560 x 1440 Quad-HD “Quantum Display”
  • 8-core Snapdragon 820 Processor
  • 4GB of RAM
  • 32GB of storage with a Micro-SD card slot for expansion
  • 21 or 27 Megapixel Rear and 8 Megapixel Front camera
  • Android 5.1.1 Lollipop (or Android 6.0 Marshmallow)
  • Built-in Stylus
  • 3,500 mAh or bigger removable battery
 
Upvote 0
  • Like
Reactions: drexappeal
Upvote 0
So I'm not very happy with the Not 5 specs.
No SD. Non removable Battery and smaller than my Note 3. An NO 128gig available??? 64 will not do.

So what other phone would you guys recommend?

Pep
I just got my Note 5 on Monday 8/17. I agree it's a bit smaller than the 3, but it is very fast ! By the way, I'm running Fox-Fi wireless hot spot on it on Verizon unlimited data plan. The reason newer phones are moving away from the removable memory cards, is that they will impede the process speed of the phone. The newer architecture incorporates the processor to match its included storage. Cloud is the future
 
Upvote 0
I take all rumors with a grain of salt, but if LG releases the G4 Pro with the specs mentioned on this article, I can't see how it wouldn't be top on my list:
http://www.gottabemobile.com/2015/08/19/lg-g4-pro-release-rumored-to-take-on-galaxy-note-5/
My guess is if such a phone is indeed in the pipeline/early development,they're gonna make their decision to actually release it based on market saturation (or lack thereof) of the NOTE5.
Or,limited to their home market/Southeast Asia,with a possible worldwide release of the sequel in 2017.
 
Upvote 0
My guess is if such a phone is indeed in the pipeline/early development,they're gonna make their decision to actually release it based on market saturation (or lack thereof) of the NOTE5.
Or,limited to their home market/Southeast Asia,with a possible worldwide release of the sequel in 2017.

Yeah, definitely not expecting, but hoping that it gets released in the US on all 4 carriers.
 
Upvote 0
Moto X Pure, IF the battery lasts all through a day with my use.

No carrier or Samsung bloat
Faster updates (per Motorola)
Clean Android UI
No crack magnet design
Front stereo speakers
SD slot
64GB option for $500- over $300 less than Note 5

I have concerns with the thickness and lack of replaceable battery. My concern is due to the LCD tech. The thickness with just a 3000 mah battery is likely due to the LCD design of the panel. Motorola touting the device as the fastest to charge in the world without comment on battery life is a HUGE warning flag with fireworks bursting around it.

Need reviews and Display Mate to refute. Motorola might have compromised too much for the price point. The thickness with a fixed battery and only a 3000 mah battery does not seem to add up any other way.
 
Upvote 0
I just got my Note 5 on Monday 8/17. I agree it's a bit smaller than the 3, but it is very fast ! By the way, I'm running Fox-Fi wireless hot spot on it on Verizon unlimited data plan. The reason newer phones are moving away from the removable memory cards, is that they will impede the process speed of the phone. The newer architecture incorporates the processor to match its included storage. Cloud is the future

Until mobile signal strength is top notch everywhere and anywhere I go, especially driving in the car, I won't rely on the cloud and the cloud won't be the future until all the baby boomers, that haven't adopted new technologies, have passed away. That's when, maybe, cloud will truly be "the future." Until then, good luck convincing top 100 businesses to rely on the cloud, let alone consumers.

And I'm not sure where the theory of removable storage impedes the processing speed of the phone came from...If that were the case, that external storage would impede speed of processing, then all computers would go the same route as well. It's such a bad theory that I've heard.

Bottom line, it's an excuse for manufacturers to charge more and increase profit margin. That's plain and simple. It's the theory of, "let's sell them with the idea that we're giving them more, when really giving them less, but at the same time charge them more for what we'll sell them as a 'better' product."...LOL...They're going for those consumers that buy into the hype, just like many of the Apple fanboy base.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EarlyMon
Upvote 0
Just because I wear a Hawaiian shirt doesn't mean I want to wear one all of the time.

The cloud is the same way.

There are places for some of us where it will *never* work and reception has nothing to do with it.

And as the cloud is only a proxy for removable storage, having a larger storage model won't always work either.

And it has nothing to do with how many movies or songs I want to carry.

Private data comes in more dimensions than that.

It's about detached and detachable data, and clouds and sd cards are simply instantiations of the same.
 
Upvote 0
Just because I wear a Hawaiian shirt doesn't mean I want to wear one all of the time.

The cloud is the same way.

There are places for some of us where it will *never* work and reception has nothing to do with it.

And as the cloud is only a proxy for removable storage, having a larger storage model won't always work either.

And it has nothing to do with how many movies or songs I want to carry.

Private data comes in more dimensions than that.

It's about detached and detachable data, and clouds and sd cards are simply instantiations of the same.
You definitely should wear your Hawaiian shirts all the time!

I do and the ladies love it!
Well okay..... My wife likes them.....
Okay okay... She tolerates them.
 
Upvote 0
You definitely should wear your Hawaiian shirts all the time!

I do and the ladies love it!
Well okay..... My wife likes them.....
Okay okay... She tolerates them.
OK - I almost always wear Hawaiian shirts and my wife not only loves them, she keeps buying them. :D

But so far as I know I don't wear them to bed, thus saving a perfectly cromulent metaphor.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MLSS
Upvote 0
If not the Note 5 then what phone? I'm buying the Moto X Pure. Looks like an outstanding device: other than the lack of a stylus, it appears to be everything the Note 5 should have been and isn't. I highly recommend you check it out.

Only think with the Moto X (Style) Pure Edition is Motorola opted for the Snapdragon 808, from what I read. That wouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker for me, just something that might make people hesitate. What's funny is, the physical dimensions show it being a really thick phone, but that's only because the back is rounded. Still could be another deal breaker for some.

I'm considering it, but won't jump on that boat until LG and Sony have weighed in with the G4 Pro and Xperia Z5 Ultra, respectively. Can't see myself going back to HTC for a phone, unless they really come out with something that blows the others out of the water.
 
Upvote 0
I'm seriously considering going back to my smartphone roots, with the rumors of the Surface Phone specs:

http://wmpoweruser.com/purported-full-specs-of-surface-mobile-phone-juggernaut-alpha-leak/

Only thing that would suck going back to Windows (last time was when it was still called "Windows Mobile") is that PowerAmp doesn't have an app in the Windows Store. And I'm not sure how the Mobile version of Windows 10 is compared to the PC version. If it relies on the Windows App Store, then that would give me pause, but I really like Windows 10 overall.
 
Upvote 0
I'm still with my Note 3. At the time I was seriously considering the LG G3, but couldn't find one available unlocked anywhere, at any price. Conversely, Best Buy had the Note 3 I am using in stock, unlocked, and were able to price match to allow me to get it very reasonably.

Even on just HSPA+, I still managed to pull about 80gigs of mobile data (thank you, T-mobile) for watching SGDQ 2015 live. And being able to use the SD also helped in being able to keep an off-phone NAND backup in case anything screwed up with it.

So the fact that Samsung wants to take away SD and removable batteries concerns me.

So with that in mind, if I were in the market... naturally I would need a phone with SD slot, removable battery (with an extended replacement battery available), and a good blend of high res display with a solid radio/antenna to take advantage of the speeds; also, easy to root, and will actually work with Xposed Framework. But since I hadn't had to look since getting the Note3, I'm not sure I know where to begin.
 
Upvote 0
I just got my Note 5 on Monday 8/17. I agree it's a bit smaller than the 3, but it is very fast ! By the way, I'm running Fox-Fi wireless hot spot on it on Verizon unlimited data plan. The reason newer phones are moving away from the removable memory cards, is that they will impede the process speed of the phone. The newer architecture incorporates the processor to match its included storage. Cloud is the future

Is that a grandfathered one, that you've had for a number of years now? AFAIK Verizon data plans are very much limited and/or capped these days, so cloud may not be so good unless you're exceedingly wealthy or are just using WiFi.

FWIW cloud is what might limit things rather than removable storage cards....one word...BUFFERING!
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
I'm still with my Note 3. At the time I was seriously considering the LG G3, but couldn't find one available unlocked anywhere, at any price. Conversely, Best Buy had the Note 3 I am using in stock, unlocked, and were able to price match to allow me to get it very reasonably.

Even on just HSPA+, I still managed to pull about 80gigs of mobile data (thank you, T-mobile) for watching SGDQ 2015 live. And being able to use the SD also helped in being able to keep an off-phone NAND backup in case anything screwed up with it.

So the fact that Samsung wants to take away SD and removable batteries concerns me.

So with that in mind, if I were in the market... naturally I would need a phone with SD slot, removable battery (with an extended replacement battery available), and a good blend of high res display with a solid radio/antenna to take advantage of the speeds; also, easy to root, and will actually work with Xposed Framework. But since I hadn't had to look since getting the Note3, I'm not sure I know where to begin.

Well, we'll see what LG brings with the G4 Pro in October. I wouldn't be surprised if leaks start spreading more rapidly soon.
 
Upvote 0
  • Like
Reactions: mikedt and KOLIO
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones