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dafman

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#91273 10-Oct-2011 13:35
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I want a new phone ... I'd buy one in a heartbeat ... if it wasn't for Android handset makers obsession with increasing the screen size with each new model! At 4.65" the upcoming Google Nexus is hardly going to be pocketable. I imagine there must be a lot of people like me who want dual core with a high-res Super AMOLED screen, but with a screen size at around 4" max! I am living with a LG P500. Was going to upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy S2, but in the end the phone is just too big to live in my jean pockets on weekends!! Grrrr.....

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timmmay
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  #531503 10-Oct-2011 13:41
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I think you just need bigger pockets... like this one

http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/iGotaBigAssPocket-iPad-Jeans_1.jpg



Debin
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  #531506 10-Oct-2011 13:43
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Look up the Samsung Omnia W 7 I think it is known as.. Their latest WP7 offering. SAMOLED screen, 3.7 inches, looks pretty awesome.

This one:

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_omnia_w_i8350-4200.php

Edit: Nokia WP7 coming end of the month/November, supposedly most will have below 4 inch screens.

Edit 2:

Sony Xperia Ray (3.2)
Sony Xperia Pro  (3.7, but QWERTY slider so is quite big)
iPhone (though I suspect you don't want one :p )
Desire S (3.7 I think?)


How big is too big? Loads of phones at 4 inches you could look at.

Edit 3: I see, 4 inch max.

HTC Incredible S
Xperia Arc
Galaxy S i9000 (oldie goodie)
there are piles.
 

kobiak
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  #531510 10-Oct-2011 13:51
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+1

I want decent 3.7" maximum android phone (not a half tablet freakish monster phone :D ) with 960x540 resolution. and there's none yet :(




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tonyhughes
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  #531529 10-Oct-2011 14:36
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Whats wrong with a Galaxy S (original). Rooted and ROMed it is a very powerful device that still kicks around with the new boys on most things.







eXDee
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  #531541 10-Oct-2011 14:51
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dafman:  At 4.65" the upcoming Google Nexus is hardly going to be pocketable

The Nexus Prime is expected to be similar in size to a 4.3 to 4.5" phone, because it has a wider aspect ratio and no capacitive buttons. Essentially, where you'd previously have capacitive buttons, you now have the screen with on screen buttons, like honeycomb does.

Ramboss
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  #531542 10-Oct-2011 15:00
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How small are your pockets, The S2 is tiny.
I have a desire hd with chunky protector around it and have no pocket issues

hangon
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  #531585 10-Oct-2011 16:36
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run into an interesting read today

Why did iPhone 4S stick with the 3.5-inch screen?

Touching the upper right corner of the screen on the Galaxy S II using one hand, with its 4.27-inch screen, while you’re walking down the street looking at Google Maps, is extremely difficult and frustrating. I pulled out my iPhone 4 to do a quick test, and it turns out that when you hold the iPhone in your left hand and articulate your thumb, you can reach almost exactly to the other side of the screen. This means it’s easy to touch any area of the screen while holding the phone in one hand, with your thumb. It is almost impossible to do this on the Galaxy S II.


 
 
 

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CADMAX
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  #531620 10-Oct-2011 18:36
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I have the Galaxy s ll in my hand and i can get around the full screen with my thumb..... small hand any one?




In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

Ham

Ham
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  #531635 10-Oct-2011 19:28
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hangon: 
Why did iPhone 4S stick with the 3.5-inch screen?


You know what they say about guys with small hands....

I think the reason they didn't increase the screen size is because they spent a bazillion dollars on the retina display, and still need to get a bit more value out of it. Also because of all the apps designed to run on that size display, I don't see Apple changing it in a hurry. 
 

nakedmolerat
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  #531642 10-Oct-2011 19:52
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hangon: run into an interesting read today

Why did iPhone 4S stick with the 3.5-inch screen?

Touching the upper right corner of the screen on the Galaxy S II using one hand, with its 4.27-inch screen, while you’re walking down the street looking at Google Maps, is extremely difficult and frustrating. I pulled out my iPhone 4 to do a quick test, and it turns out that when you hold the iPhone in your left hand and articulate your thumb, you can reach almost exactly to the other side of the screen. This means it’s easy to touch any area of the screen while holding the phone in one hand, with your thumb. It is almost impossible to do this on the Galaxy S II.



i read that article and burst into laughter!!!! it must be written by a true apple fanboy!

i wear glove size 8, sgs2 is perfectly fine and the screen has not caused me any grief. my thumb can reach all of the screen except for the top right corner (using my left hand). when iphone 5 come out with a slightly bigger screen, i wonder what will be the 'reason' for it.. (maybe human has evolved and now we all have longer fingers??)

occasionally, i use google maps to find direction when walking. it does not make any sense why the screen size can cause 'grief', to be honest, there is no button/icon or reason to reach top right corner when you are in navigating mode with google maps..

i was in the same camp, i thought sgs2 was a bit too big. now, i cant go back to use phone with smaller screen.

tdgeek
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  #531651 10-Oct-2011 20:33
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Not everybody is a fanboy, he has an opinion.

I've read opinions it's due to apps, having issues with apps being incorrectly scaled on a different sized screen. I'm not sure I buy that, as with iOS being an unfragmented OS, I don't see it being an issue to have 3 screen sizes instead of the two at the moment. Didnt take long for apps to have an ipad version provided by the devs, and you can scale to X 1.1 or so easy enough as iPad can do for iphone apps at 2x.

A good option was to retain the iPhone 4 and upsize the screen to 4". Maybe the retina cannot be made quicly or easily or with similar cost with same res and larger pixels? Or more pixels and larger res?

Maybe Apple sees sales wth the 4S being sound, and feels its users will deal with that, until the larger 5 comes out? That being the case you would hope that the 5 meets and exceeds the design/functionality at the point of release.

Yes, I'd have liked a bigger screen, turns my impending purchase from a yes to a maybe, maybe not.

P1n3apqlExpr3ss
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  #531660 10-Oct-2011 20:48
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Here's somewhat the reason for the larger screens, it is plausible for the future but still doesn't explain the trend from 3.7" to 4.3" in just two years
http://www.androidmobile.co.nz/recent-news-list/item/868-nexus-prime-screen-real-estate-is-for-nav

tdgeek
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  #531693 10-Oct-2011 21:34
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P1n3apqlExpr3ss: Here's somewhat the reason for the larger screens, it is plausible for the future but still doesn't explain the trend from 3.7" to 4.3" in just two years
http://www.androidmobile.co.nz/recent-news-list/item/868-nexus-prime-screen-real-estate-is-for-nav



Good explanation.


Bigger is better for most. If some phones are externally too big, there are big, bigger and biggest, so lots of choice. Manufacturers want a  point of difference, and you can't argue that a bigger screen isn't noticeable.


As per that diagram, phones will likely head to full screen, discarding wasted real estate if its not part of the screen. That allows a not huge phone to have a big screen, and a huge phone to have a "huger" screen.         

kiwitrc
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  #531775 11-Oct-2011 08:35
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dafman: I want a new phone ... I'd buy one in a heartbeat ... if it wasn't for Android handset makers obsession with increasing the screen size with each new model! At 4.65" the upcoming Google Nexus is hardly going to be pocketable. I imagine there must be a lot of people like me who want dual core with a high-res Super AMOLED screen, but with a screen size at around 4" max! I am living with a LG P500. Was going to upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy S2, but in the end the phone is just too big to live in my jean pockets on weekends!! Grrrr.....


Try one in your pocket, mine fits that well that I somethimes forget its there and go looking for it. It feels a much better fit than my daughters iphone 4. The thinness makes all the difference.

I am old school with jeans, comfortable fit 501's and not baggy, arse and gruts hanging out the back type of jeans.

acsonline
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  #531848 11-Oct-2011 11:22
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This is an interesting topic. Recently i switched from an iPhone 4 to an HTC Wildfire and then an HTC Sensation for a month - which is enough time for me to acclamatize to differences.

Loved the big screen on the sensation, great with navigation apps especially.. as long as I wasnt typing.

For some reason using the stock keyboard was a pain on the larger screen. Even Swype (which is what I normally use on Android) was just that little bit inaccurate.

Anyone else experience something similar?

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