Has the Samsung Galaxy S5 made all the Kindles obsolete?

[Atunah]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

New unlocked phone on the horizon (May or Jun) from OnePlus

[/LIST]

Thanks. That is a nice looking phone. I am glad to see more and more of the no contract ones are coming up. But how the heck does one know which service to take the phone. .
Still wouldn't replace my kindles, but I don't expect my phone to do that.

[nynaevelan]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I'll give up my eink when they pry it from my cold, dead hands

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by nynaevelan

I'll give up my eink when a tablet can read well in sunlight, have a battery that lasts for more than hours, at least 3 days minimum and it has collections capabilities. As soon as the first 7" tablet does those minimum requirements, I am on it.

But honestly I will never have to because I always have two devices active at a time, I like having the ability to jump back and forth between the two. I also prefer reading on my eink because it keeps me from getting distracted with all the other apps. But I would love for my next Fire to have the above features. I know they already have the collections and I can live with the battery since it would be my secondary device but I would love to be able for it to be used in sunlight. I do not know what the technology is that my Note has but I want my next Fire to have it, otherwise I will be sorely tempted to go back to Samsung tablets.

Wait until this October. Amazon may introduce a very large and light smart phone which can fit in a pocket and offer a switchable eInk screen plus be able to run a native eReader with all kinds of features we cannot even dream about now.

One thing is sure, we don't know which directions technology will take but we do know it will always surprise us.

The new tablets may be pocket foldable and be as big as the 6" and 7" inch readers and tablets of today.

I notice the Grace Internet Radio runs on my HDX 2013 but not on the S5 while my Shredder Chess program runs on the S5 but not on the HDX 2013.

No apps run on the Paperwhite 2013.

Its nice to be able to alternate between a Samsung Galaxy s5 2014, an Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2013 and an Amazon Kindle HDX 2013 as the situation demands. The s5 is still the latest and greatest.

I remember in the "old" days they had large print Bibles but they also had pocket Bibles to suit differing needs.

I still think tablets will rule. Phones are either way to small to have many words on the screen, or they try to be a mini tablet (phablet) and fail at both being a tablet and being portable. Even the 5" eInks failed to sell that many units. Sony and others tried them, but they were not as popular as 6" eInks. I think people read most when they sit and relax, in which case a tablet makes more sense to them as they lean back in their comfy chair to read. In that case, why use a tiny or medium screen. Why not use a 7" or greater screen that is more book size.

[nynaevelan]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I still think tablets will rule. Phones are either way to small to have many words on the screen, or they try to be a mini tablet (phablet) and fail at both being a tablet and being portable. Even the 5" eInks failed to sell that many units. Sony and others tried them, but they were not as popular as 6" eInks. I think people read most when they sit and relax, in which case a tablet makes more sense to them as they lean back in their comfy chair to read. In that case, why use a tiny or medium screen. Why not use a 7" or greater screen that is more book size.

You make good points, while I like the size of a 7" the lack of battery length and the heaviness of the tablet makes it not as comfy as a light eink device. I could sit and read 6-7 hours on a binge, the battery of a tablet and its heaviness would interfere with this. Believe me I've tried it, I prefer my eink for dedicated reading.

[Stringer]

Originally Posted by jswinden

(phablet) and fail at both being a tablet and being portable.

Fail at being portable? Explain yourself. I have zero problems with that.

[Prestidigitweeze]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I still think tablets will rule. Phones are either way to small to have many words on the screen, or they try to be a mini tablet (phablet) and fail at both being a tablet and being portable. Even the 5" eInks failed to sell that many units. Sony and others tried them, but they were not as popular as 6" eInks. I think people read most when they sit and relax, in which case a tablet makes more sense to them as they lean back in their comfy chair to read. In that case, why use a tiny or medium screen. Why not use a 7" or greater screen that is more book size.

Sony might have "failed" with the PRS-350, but for a long time, nearly everyone who noticed mine asked about it. The common refrain: "That could fit in my purse." My sense is that its failure had to do with marketing, advertising and distribution in a growing market that is not determined by hardware innovation and integrity. (That is often true with Sony devices, unfortunately.)

And if the phablet is really so unpopular, then how do you explain the Galaxy Note 3 (or the Note 2, for that matter)? To me, it appears that the reverse is true: Phablets seem to be so popular that they've led to an increase in the size of smartphone screens.

[Indio777]

Originally Posted by Atunah

Thanks. That is a nice looking phone. I am glad to see more and more of the no contract ones are coming up. But how the heck does one know which service to take the phone. .
Still wouldn't replace my kindles, but I don't expect my phone to do that.

Yes, hopefully contracts will someday be a distant memory. Don't all the big carriers now offer some type of month to month plan? But if you get a phone from them you still to pay it off over a period of time, right? So they probably end up making the same amount of money as they would if you opted for a contract because you end up paying more for the phone.

Anyway probably wouldn't choose Sprint if I had an unlocked phone. I bit the bullet in December and replaced my ancient HTC Hero with a Galaxy S4. One reason was that I thought it would be speedier in terms of downloading/streaming data. Not so. A lot of connectivity problems. Their 3G is barely usable at times and their 4G LTE is a joke (I've turned it off). Sprint claims problems are due to work on upgrading their system.

I'm envious of sirmaru's speedy ATT service

I've wondered how it works with an unlocked phone. The carrier isn't selling you phone at a discount and locking you into a contract or charging you essentially the full price of the phone if you are paying it off monthly. So what kind of plan could you get?

The OnePlus phone looks pretty good spec-wise and the price seems pretty reasonable but would have to see how it performs in the wild. I like the idea of a CyanogenMod OS pre-installed. But no micro-SD and inability to remove the battery would be problems for me.

I first started reading ebooks on my phone but "graduated" to a Nook tablet and then to eInk devices. I did install the Kindle app on my S4 but have never used it. Based on what simaru says, I guess I will try it. But a dedicated ereader just seems to work better for me for reading.

[sirmaru]

I took out my postage scale and ruler to compare specs between the Samsung Galaxy S5 2014, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2013 and the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 2013 and here they are (covers included):

S5: weight = 6.4 oz.; device size = 5.5 x 3 inches; screen size = 4.25 x 2.5 inches
PW: weight = 11.8 oz.; device size = 6.6 x 4.6 inches; screen size = 4.8 x 3.5 inches
HDX: weight = 1 lb. - 6 oz.; device size = 7 x 4.8 inches; screen size = 5.7 x 3.6 inches

I use the Kindle for Samsung App on the Samsung Galaxy S5, NOT the Kindle Android App which is not even close to the first one in clarity and features. Neither of those apps offer Goodreads.

So far as the fonts go for those I use, the Paperwhite has black on white with the largest but thinnest font and has no glare in bright sun, the HDX has white on black with the thickest font but a little blurred at the edges with some glare in bright sun, the S5 has the same size font as the HDX but it is more clear but slightly less bright with less glare than the HDX in bright sun but still more glare than the PW.

In portrait mode the S5 fits as many words as the PW but fits 2 or 3 words less than the HDX.

Thus, there is no question that, if portability and weight are factors, the S5 makes both the PW and HDX OBSOLETE as a reading device. Plus, the PW is still better than the HDX for most reading except in dim light where the HDX and S5 are required. For playing music in the background only the S5 and HDX qualify. However, I have noticed some Android apps ONLY work on the S5 and others only work on the HDX. For example, my favorite chess program, Shredder, which adjusts its ELO to user results, ONLY works on the S5 and NOT on the HDX. However, the Grace Internet Radio Management App (I own half a dozen of those radios) only works on the HDX and not on the S5.

Plus, after all of that, only the S5 can keep a constant flow of text messages and telephone calls coming and going between my great grandkids and me. Neither the PW nor HDX can do that.

The best option is to own all three devices to be used where each is most suitable.

Sometime in the near future the Apple iPhone 6 will be released and may beat the Samsung Galaxy S5 in weight and size. Plus, the Amazon Smart Phone may be released next October and may make the Apple and Samsung phone products obsolete as well. some folks are brand loyalists and will stick to their favorite brand no matter what the statistics show.

It should be noted that I purchased the S5 from Amazon, NOT ATT. However, it came ATT branded. Thus, Amazon is still getting all my purchases.

[nynaevelan]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

The best option is to own all three devices to be used where each is most suitable.

This sentence right here is the key. There is no one device that meets all my needs, so I get the device for the uses that I want it for. Which is why tablets or cell phones will not replace my eink device, as long as they are available.

[Prestidigitweeze]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I like the fact that we're moving in the direction of cheaper, unlocked, quality phones. This is a new company, so real world testing of production run devices is a must.

I just got invited to participate in the smash-your-phone deal and it's so sad that the original Galaxy S isn't listed. They can't really expect you to smash the smartphones they're listing (HTC One, Galaxy S4, etc.) -- all of them are still twice as expensive off-contract as the OnePlus One they're offering you for $1. You'd still be losing money and, besides, I happen to like my S4.

Oh, hell, oh, well. The rest of us will wait for Q2 and early-adopter FB.

[jim.1405]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

PW: weight = 11.8 oz.; device size = 6.6 x 4.6 inches; screen size = 4.8 x 3.5 inches

My PW2 only weighs in at about 7.25 oz. I wonder why yours is over 60% heavier? Are you weighing it with a case?

Regardless, no phone will ever become my reading devise. For my needs, the G5 too large to use as a phone and way too small to use as a reading devise. Not to mention the poor battery life relative to the PW, abysmal performance in bright lighting conditions as well as being an nonstop source of interruptions/distractions while I'm trying to read.

[sirmaru]

[QUOTE=jim.1405;2817229]My PW2 only weighs in at about 7.25 oz. I wonder why yours is over 60% heavier? Are you weighing it with a case?/QUOTE]

I weighed them all with their cases. I would never use any of them without cases.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

I weighed them all with their cases. I would never use any of them without cases.

That is rather dishonest -- now your results are completely arbitrary and say nothing about the devices and everything about what cases you happen to use.

That doesn't mean you have to stop using the case just because you didn't factor them in when weighing the device specs.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

And if the phablet is really so unpopular, then how do you explain the Galaxy Note 3 (or the Note 2, for that matter)? To me, it appears that the reverse is true: Phablets seem to be so popular that they've led to an increase in the size of smartphone screens.

I know my wife loves her Galaxy Note 2. She used to use a tablet while away from the computer. Now the tablet sits for months and is only "used" when it is charged.

As for me -- I just don't like tablets or "phablets." Too big. My phone is a Motorola Admiral (Blackberry-like) with small screen. I sometimes (rarely) read on it -- mostly I'll use one of the E-Ink readers.