# Replacement cell phone



## NorthernRedneck

Which cell phones are the best?  My samsung s3 is using up the battery life like crazy.  So I'm in the market for a newer phone.  I looked into signing a new contract since mine is expired.  I found that the one I had is no longer offered since it was a killer deal at the time. (6gb of download per month for $50)  Now, I'd have to pay $75 a month for 3gb of download.  I have the option of staying on the plan I'm on right now but in order to upgrade the phone I'd have to buy it outright.  I'm looking into which phone to go with.  (preferably something used on the local classifieds)  Looking at our classifieds, there are an awful lot of iphones for sale vs anything else.  I'm not a fan of iphone.  I prefer android.  Which phone should I be looking for?


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## tiredretired

I have to say, your question is paramount to asking what is the best beer.  You will most likely get about 20 replies and 20 different phones along with three different mobile operating systems.  

I have an Android smart phone that was free 2 1/2 years ago with a two year agreement.  The agreement is up so I get a $15/month discount, so that is why I keep the phone which is working good enough for me.  

My favorite?  As you could not tell, whatever is cheap.  

If you want Android, look for a nice used HTC Droid DNA phone.  That is what I have and it is still running good.  5" HD screen is great, along with quad core processor. Should be had on FleaBay for under $100 bucks by now.  Good luck.


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## Melensdad

Apple's iPhone 5s is the best phone I've ever used.  Had several various Motorola, Nokia, Blackberry, etc phones.  Hands down the best phone is my current phone.  Contract expired many months ago, no plans to 'upgrade' and give up this phone.


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## Adillo303

Melensdad said:


> Apple's iPhone 5s is the best phone I've ever used.  Had several various Motorola, Nokia, Blackberry, etc phones.  Hands down the best phone is my current phone.  Contract expired many months ago, no plans to 'upgrade' and give up this phone.




Could you expound as to the fraud that you like about the phone?

Thank you


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## Doc

I'll 2nd Bob's nod to the iPhone 5s.  Mine was great till I forgot it was in my pocket and went swimming.   Killed it.   I had insurance on it and they replaced it with a bigger iPhone 6.  Took a bit to get used to the bigger size but now that I have I am sold on the iPhone 6.   I can read a book via Kindle easier, surf internet etc easier because of the bigger size ....my older eyes probably have some to do with that.    
They also make an iPhone 6 plus ...that is not what I have.    I have the smaller of the two versions of the iPhone 6 and am very happy with it.


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## grizzer

I played with a Samsung Note 5 a couple of Saturdays ago. 

 Spectacular screen pixel count blows away iPhone. Built in pointer thing acts like a tablet and comes in 5 packs when u lose it.

 Uses a bullseye plate for wireless recharging.

 Dual channel wifi downloads pictures in a blink

 Not sure how long the battery lasts but I want one if I stay in an urban area much longer.


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## NorthernRedneck

I've been looking at the samsung galaxy s5.  Not entirely sold on one yet.  Never was a fan of anything apple related.  I bought myself a used ipod a while back just to test the waters and see if I could develop a taste for that operating system.  I ended up using the thing three times and the screen broke so it stayed in a drawer.


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## Doc

The iPod might not be the best way to test the waters.   It does work well in conjunction with the iPhone but as someone who just endorsed my iPhone ....I bought an iPod last year to try out.  Did not care for it at all.  I passed it off to my wife.


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## Adillo303

First, let me correct an autocorrect. I meant features in the iPhone, not fraud. I am sorry about that.

I am a heavy cellphone user, but, a meat and potatoes user. I do not listen to music or watch videos, save some news videos. As a working computer field engineer (IT is what your dog is after it gets home from the vet) I use the phone for texts, emails and make and receive calls from customers. I use the browsing to find answers to problems that I am working on and most importantly, to download software to my phone and then plug it into a PC as a flash drive and copy the software there. I also keep a library of work related software there to load onto PC's. This helps in virus / spyware removal and getting machines on the network that do not have the drivers for network cards.

Battery life is paramount, I have to have at least a day and maybe two days life for this type of use.

For these reasons, I have never really clicked with an iPhone, it just can't do all of that. I do have to fix them somewhat. Mostly configure e-Mail. 

This is why I was asking what features people like. I am wondering if I have missed something.


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## Glenn9643

Who's your carrier?  I'm with Verizon and have used a Motorola Droid Maxx for a couple of years... by far the best phone I've ever had.  I've never had to charge it during the day, and usually has more than 50% battery in the evening when I go to bed and put it on the charger.  But this phone is a Verizon exclusive.

The best bang for your buck is coming out within a week... Motorola X Style.  It will be sold by Motorola through Best Buy, Amazon, etc. and will be compatible with all major carriers.  Check the specs and the price.  The only downside for me is the lack of wireless charging.


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## road squawker

more than likely, there is nothing wrong with your phone, the BATTERY is just old and won't recharge fully.

get a new battery, they are pretty cheap considering what a new phone contract will cost ya.


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## jpr62902

NorthernRedneck said:


> I've been looking at the samsung galaxy s5. Not entirely sold on one yet. Never was a fan of anything apple related. I bought myself a used ipod a while back just to test the waters and see if I could develop a taste for that operating system. I ended up using the thing three times and the screen broke so it stayed in a drawer.


 
 The wife LOVES her S5.  When my Nokia Windows phone goes tits up, I switching to Android\Samsung.


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## bczoom

IMHO, I'd be looking at the total package from the provider(s).

Some offer cheaper service but you need to buy _at full price_ the phone(s).

Our 2-year contract has expired.  Since we don't want new phones, they give us $25 credit per phone each month we don't renew and keep our current phones.

We have 5 phones + some tablet/hotspot thingy + 10gig to use between us and the total bill is right around $200.


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## k-dog

My personal phone is iPhone 6 and my work phone is a Samsung galaxy S4.  There are features I like on both, but the iPhone is hands down my favorite. It just feels better and is a lot easier to use in my experience. I will say that I am not a fan of android operating system but it's a personal preference.  It seems you would have to figure out which operating system you like better and go from there.


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## Adillo303

Glenn9643 said:


> Who's your carrier?  I'm with Verizon and have used a Motorola Droid Maxx for a couple of years... by far the best phone I've ever had.  I've never had to charge it during the day, and usually has more than 50% battery in the evening when I go to bed and put it on the charger.  But this phone is a Verizon exclusive.
> 
> The best bang for your buck is coming out within a week... Motorola X Style.  It will be sold by Motorola through Best Buy, Amazon, etc. and will be compatible with all major carriers.  Check the specs and the price.  The only downside for me is the lack of wireless charging.



I have the same phone and carrier that you do. It does everything I need.

Andy


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## Snowtrac Nome

i have a galaxy s-6 i love the phone ,but hate the battery life. it needs twice the battery to keep up with the company i- phone 6 ,what i hate about the i- phone is their audio output sucks in a noisy environment. I'm thinking about taking the new s-6 back as i cant get over 12 hours of stand by time on it.


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## NorthernRedneck

I like the operating system on the galaxy s3 but the battery life leaves something to be desired.  A cell phone battery should last more than 6 hours.  Mine doesn't.  I've had it a year and half and it's on it's second battery already.  I like the fact that it has the memory card for extra storage.


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## ki0ho

well my phone is old enough that the phone company says it won't be compatable much longer  one day soon I will be in your shoes.......but for now Im keeping what I got.......


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## road squawker

NorthernRedneck said:


> I like the operating system on the galaxy s3 but the battery life leaves something to be desired.  A cell phone battery should last more than 6 hours.  Mine doesn't.  I've had it a year and half and it's on it's second battery already.  I like the fact that it has the memory card for extra storage.



here ya go,... $40 -$60

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...802431&usg=AFQjCNELMsrO74X9jYgNoef3-rSBXqtTNw


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## bczoom

My daughter carries a little power supply that connects to her phone for extended run times.  It's about the size of a short cigar.  Might be an option.


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## NorthernRedneck

I've been  researching  online  as to the difference between the android systems on the s3 vs the s5/6. There aren't a whole lot of differences that I can see. Speed seems to be  about the same  as well.  So I opted for another new battery on my s3. This time I managed to find a more powerful one. The s3 comes stock with a 2100 mAh battery. I  found a 2900 mAh battery online which I ordered. I figured I'd give that a chance before deciding on a new phone. 
I can say I do like the look of the s5 active.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221777184739


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## Doc

Speaking of battery life and general use of your smart phone, here are a few tips I ran into.  Some are minor BS, but there is an interesting one about charging and draining your battery.

Tips for taking care of your iPhone or any smart phone.

If you're anything like us, your smartphone is your precious baby. Unfortunately, you probably don't treat it as well as you should. Here are some things you might be doing wrong:

*1. Never turning it off*

You really should be turning your phone off at least once a week, or your battery will die faster than it should. Leaving it on and idle stresses the battery, experts say. If you, like us, use your phone as your alarm clock, consider picking up a cheap (or fancy -- why not?) alarm clock, or turning it off for another period of time during the day.

*2. Leaving the WiFi and Bluetooth on all the time*

When your iPhone has WiFi and Bluetooth enabled and isn't using one or both, it's just wasting energy. As you wander around in your daily life, you're not likely to need or want WiFi or Bluetooth all the time. Better to leave both off and just turn them on when you need them.

*3. Using it outside in extreme weather*

Your iPhone isn't meant to withstand super hot or super cold temperatures, and using it outside on a day that's under 32 degrees or above 95 degrees Fahrenheit isn't recommended. This could drain the battery or cause your device to shut down temporarily. If you know you'll be out in extreme weather, try keeping your iPhone off or at least in your pocket, away from the elements.

*4. Leaving it plugged in overnight*

Letting your iPhone charge while you sleep might be convenient, but some say it's not a good idea. There has been much debate regarding the issue, but many argue that keeping your iPhone plugged in after it's already fully charged can damage your battery over time, and it could start dying more quickly. "Your battery will behave the best if you take it off the charge before it hits 100 percent, and leaving it plugged when it's already full is going to cause a little degradation," Gizmodo wrote last year. Try charging it during the day so you can unplug it once it's fully charged, or using an outlet that shuts off via a timer.

*5. Fully charging or fully draining the battery*

Lithium-ion batteries -- which are used in iPhones -- work best when powered between 50 and 80 percent, Shane Broesky, founder of Farbe Technik, a company that makes charging accessories, told Digital Trends. Fully discharging your battery, on the other hand, could also allow your battery to fall into a "deep discharge state," which makes the ions incapable of holding a charge, Apple noted. Topping up your battery in short spurts give the battery's ions just enough energy to work continuously and protect your battery life, he added. In other words, think about charging your phone the way you do about eating and snacking throughout the day.

*6. Using a non-Apple charger*

Apple chargers might be expensive, but they're worth the investment. Using off-brand chargers can do damage to your phone, and fake chargers have been reported to cause fires and explosions. Apple has even created a USB Power Adapter Takeback Program, in which it asks people to hand over counterfeit chargers, and, as of last August, offered people who brought in their non-Apple chargers a discount on a real Apple charger.

*7. Not cleaning it*

Your iPhone is disgusting. Like, really disgusting. Toilet seats and pet food dishes contain fewer germs per square inch than your iPhone. Apple recommends that you use "a soft, lint-free cloth" to clean your device. There are also products that claim to use UV lights to sanitize your phone. But don't forget to clean your phone's charging port! Debris from pockets and purses can get stuck in there and build up over time, which may cause connection problems when you plug something into that port. Use a toothpick, small needle or even the back of an earring to scrape all that grossness out.

*8. Walking around absentmindedly while holding it*

Whether or not you realize it, iPhones are a hot commodity on the black market and are a huge target for thieves. Around 40 percent of the robberies in major cities in 2013 involved mobile devices, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission reported last year -- so it's actually pretty dangerous to walk around carelessly with your iPhone out.

*9. Not protecting yourself with a passcode*

Half of iPhone users do not lock their phones, Apple reported in 2013. If you don't have a passcode on your iPhone and it's stolen, your identity and personal information are completely open and available for the thief to grab. It's a simple way to protect your privacy.

*10. Allowing location services on all your apps, all the time*

Apps like Uber and Maps need access to your "location services" to work properly, and they'll tell you when they need you to turn on that feature. Others can function just fine with location services turned off. Head over to Settings > Privacy > Location Services to deactivate the feature or simply switch it off for all your non-essential apps. Your battery will thank you.

*11. Enabling push notifications on every single app*

Push notifications effectively keep your phone on high alert and require a constant data connection, which can exhaust your battery. Your display also lights up every time your phone receives a notification, guzzling up more battery life. Researchers have even found that notifications can destroy your focus. Go to Settings > Notifications and select only the important apps.


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## NorthernRedneck

Another tip would be to make sure you have the most up-to-date software version. I decided to check mine and found it was out of date. I did the upgrade and now have much better battery life. I had 24% battery this morning when I got up. Charged it to 96% in an hour. After 4 hours its only down to 75%


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## NorthernRedneck

I figured I'd revisit this topic since my s3 has pissed me off for the last time. I had changed the battery for the third time. It was at 50%last night. I plugged it in overnight and woke up to find it took 6 hours to fully charge. I unplugged it at 6 am. By 8:30am it was down to 26%  and half the time when I plug it in it either won't charge or it starts turning on and off. I  decided to look on kijiji and found an s5 for only  $200 and only a couple months old. I'm going to get it in the morning. 

I like some of the features it has. Apparently it's water proof.


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## Doc

Sounds like a deal.  $200 with no contract, free to go anywhere for service it a good way to be.   Waterproof would be good.  Waterproof and floats would be GREAT.


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## tiredretired

About a month ago or so I sold my old phone on eBay and got a new Galaxy S6 with the Neo Hybrid case.  Hated to spend the money, but what the hell, can;t take it with you I guess. This phone rocks!!!  I love it and battery life is incredible.  The heart rate monitor works good and I use it whenever I am out walking.  Pretty cool phone all in all.  :big grin:  All the young folks stare at it when I am using it wondering how an old fart like me has figured out how to use a phone like that.


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## NorthernRedneck

Loving the s5 so far. It's fast and smooth. I like the waterproof feature. This will come in handy at camp. At $700+ for a new one I didn't mind spending $200 on one only a couple months old. This way I keep my same service plan. 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


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## NorthernRedneck

Doc said:


> Sounds like a deal.  $200 with no contract, free to go anywhere for service it a good way to be.   Waterproof would be good.  Waterproof and floats would be GREAT.


I could have had the phone unlocked but why bother since it was already with my service provider. All I did was put in my Sim card and I was good to go. Transferred all my contacts as well. Only took a few minutes to reinstall all the apps I had before. 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


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## NorthernRedneck

Have I mentioned how much I love the Samsung galaxy s5?  It's extremely smooth and fast compared to the s3. I can only imagine how fast the s6 is. I have all the same apps installed on this phone and it's night and day compared to the s3. Battery life is good too. I left it last night unplugged at 69%  this morning it was at 64%  I plugged it in at 7am and it was fully charged at 8. Haven't tried the waterproof feature yet. 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


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## tiredretired

NorthernRedneck said:


> Have I mentioned how much I love the Samsung galaxy s5?  It's extremely smooth and fast compared to the s3. *I can only imagine how fast the s6 is.* I have all the same apps installed on this phone and it's night and day compared to the s3. Battery life is good too. I left it last night unplugged at 69%  this morning it was at 64%  I plugged it in at 7am and it was fully charged at 8. Haven't tried the waterproof feature yet.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk



Oh, it's fast and nice.  Should be for the money it cost.  Now don't get me wrong, I love it but I usually don't spend that kind of money on a phone, if you get my drift. 

For what you spent on that S5, I would have gotten it too and been very happy with it.  I found no deals like that.


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## NorthernRedneck

That phone was just listed in the classifieds ten minutes before I responded. Had to jump on a deal like that. 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


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## Galvatron

bczoom said:


> My daughter carries a little power supply that connects to her phone for extended run times.  It's about the size of a short cigar.  Might be an option.



I have some of these kicking around never been used (from a promotion at my wifes work) if anyone wants one just say and i will happily post one....think i have 4 in total.

Could be ideal for you remote type folk.


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## NorthernRedneck

Been a couple weeks with the galaxy s5. I'm loving it compared with the s3. Very happy with the battery life. The s3 would only last 4-5 hours from a full charge. I can get at least a day and a half with this phone. It's smooth and quick. I like that I can wirelessly connect to my smart TV from YouTube.

 During the day when the kids are at school and the wife is at work I'll often look up a video of the phone then connect with the TV and crank the surround sound so I can play along on the guitar. Another thing I've been using the phone for is to record myself playing music. This comes in handy when a song we do has two guitars playing different chords in different keys at the same time. It allows me to play one variation while recording it then play back and play the second part on guitar while playing back the recorded part on the phone. 

So it's a handy tool. 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


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## luvs

blake has 1. he generally won't bring his, & thus uses my chargers. then bitches when they get too sluggish_-


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## Snowtrac Nome

I just got a an s5 off ebay for my kid I'm into it for a couple of hundred bucks with an otter box the wife and kids are hard on cell phones mine all last till the battery dies. as for the s-6 my next one will be an s-5 the battery is too small for the processor in the s-6 and you almost have to walk around tethered to the charger.


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## NorthernRedneck

I don't regret the s5 one bit.  It's a great phone.  Very fast and reliable and holds a charge all day unlike the s3.  And considering I'm off work now and often waiting to go to appointments and such I've been spending quite a bit of time browsing around on it while waiting for appointments.  So it's not just sitting idle but rather it's often either browsing facebook, the forum, or browsing the net throughout the day and no noticeable battery drain.  I don't bother to charge it at night since it only drops about 10% battery life in 7 hrs while I'm sleeping.  Then I'll generally plug in for less then an hour in the morning and it's fully charged.  

I try to use as many of the features I can on the phone to make my life easier.  It's my daily planner.  I use the calendar to keep track of all my appointments and have it synced with both the tablet and laptop at home so I can look on any device I'm on to see when my next appointments are.  I use it for light browsing on the net, browsing facebook, checking out the forum etc.  I like the fitness app on it that tracks how active I am throughout the day.  I can go back and kind of tell how I was feeling on any particular day judging by the amount of activity I did.  

I also use it for online shopping when I'm out and about looking for items locally then I'll search for it online to get a price comparison.  Oh, and of course the texting and calling is standard.  Another cool feature is the built in flashlight which comes in handy.  Oh, and I've also downloaded a digital guitar tuner that's very accurate.  I use this all the time before playing.


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## NorthernRedneck

Rather than start a new thread I figured I would just put this here. My wife's contract was up on her phone so she could upgrade to a new one. We went down to our providers store to take a look at what they had to offer. She didn't even bother looking at the iPhone as it seems every month they are trying to one up their own product and come up with a new version. We also didn't want to pay up front for something just because it's the newest. So that narrowed it down to the s5 or they also had the LG g4. Turns out the LG is a sweet phone with a larger display than the s5. It also has 32gb of memory expandable to 64. The s5 only has 16 standard. So she got the LG. I'm almost jealous now. Lol. I messed with it a bit and like it more than the s5

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


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## bczoom

Our contracts also expired.  Instead of getting the new, "free" phone, we get $25 off the bill for each phone we don't replace.  With the 4 of us, that's $100 off our cell phone bill every month.


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## NorthernRedneck

bczoom said:


> Our contracts also expired.  Instead of getting the new, "free" phone, we get $25 off the bill for each phone we don't replace.  With the 4 of us, that's $100 off our cell phone bill every month.


Sadly none of the providers up here have bonuses like that. 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


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## Snowtrac Nome

I love my galaxy s-6 performance wise I hate the dinky battery if I were to get another I might seriously consider a new s-7 they have a 3200 amp hour battery that should allow it to run a couple of days


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## Jim_S RIP

Snowtrac Nome said:


> a 3200 amp hour battery



Don, how much do they charge for a set of wheels for the battery?  

Reason I ask is the 700 amp hour 2 volt cells we used to use checked in around 100 pounds each!


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## NorthernRedneck

So I had a little scare with the s5 that started about a month ago when I was at the gym. First, the incident. I was at the gym and had my phone in my locker. When I opened the locker door out slid the phone from about 5ft up landing on the cement floor. I keep it in an otterbox commuter with a tempered glass screen protector. As I picked it up I feared the worst. Sure enough there was a single Crack running side to side on the screen. 

I set out to get local prices to have the screen replaced. For $250. I figured I'd try it myself. Can't be that hard to change the screen. So I ordered a replacement on ebay. The first one came in damaged. So I contacted the seller to replace it. The replacement came in today. I also ordered a new tempered glass to go over the new screen. 

I set out this afternoon to replace the screen. First, I removed the tempered glass on the old screen. I was pleasantly surprised to find that only the tempered glass had cracked. So I cleaned the old screen and installed the new tempered glass. All good. So now I have a spare screen sitting in a box in case it should ever Crack. 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


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## jwstewar

How did you get the phone apart? I thought the Samsungs were glued together and were difficult to get apart. I've done iPhones, but not a Sammy and my wife's S6 needs the glass replaced right now.


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## Snowtrac Nome

jim slagle said:


> Don, how much do they charge for a set of wheels for the battery?
> 
> Reason I ask is the 700 amp hour 2 volt cells we used to use checked in around 100 pounds each!


I see the typo that kind of battery would run it a year its milliamp hour 
your right I would need a hand truck to carry it around.


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## NorthernRedneck

jwstewar said:


> How did you get the phone apart? I thought the Samsungs were glued together and were difficult to get apart. I've done iPhones, but not a Sammy and my wife's S6 needs the glass replaced right now.


All the online instructions I could find said to use a heat gun to loosen the glue. Thankfully I didn't have to get that far into it. I'm really surprised that only the tempered glass screen protector cracked. 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


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## NorthernRedneck

Bump. 

While I love the Samsung s5 for its speed and operation, I've been looking at upgrading for two reasons. First, I'm on my phone allot now so a bigger screen would be nice to watch videos play games etc. Secondly,  my s5 is only a 16gb storage. I have a micro SD  card and basically everything that I can store to it is going there. 

With that said I keep getting warnings that my internal memory is almost full. I've cleaned up all the pictures and music and transferred to the SD card. Same thing with all the apps. So I'm at the point of doing a factory reset. If I'm doing that anyway I might as well get something with a bigger screen and more internal memory. My two top candidates for the replacement are the LG g4 with 32gb of memory and a 5.5inch screen or the Asus zenphone 3 with 64gb of storage and a 5.7inch screen. I'm also looking at the galaxy note 4. 

living the dream


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## jimbo

TiredRetired said:


> I have to say, your question is paramount to asking what is the best beer.  You will most likely get about 20 replies and 20 different phones along with three different mobile operating systems.
> 
> I have an Android smart phone that was free 2 1/2 years ago with a two year agreement.  The agreement is up so I get a $15/month discount, so that is why I keep the phone which is working good enough for me.
> 
> My favorite?  As you could not tell, whatever is cheap.
> 
> If you want Android, look for a nice used HTC Droid DNA phone.  That is what I have and it is still running good.  5" HD screen is great, along with quad core processor. Should be had on FleaBay for under $100 bucks by now.  Good luck.



I'm with you on the cheap.  Whatever is the cheapest is the bestest.

I just renewed.  The deal of the day was the free tablet.  With a separate telephone number.  The only free phone was a flip phone, which works for me.  I use a phone only as a phone and formerly as a mobile hot spot.  

The combination costs $10 less/month than my old plan and works better for me.


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## NorthernRedneck

I'm still hooked on the same plan I've been on for about 7 years with the same service provider. I could opt out at any time but this deal was so good they ended up cancelling the plan but allowed people who were on it already to stay on it. They do have a similar plan now but it's $30 more a month. So that means that if I want the free phone I have to sign a new contract. Otherwise I stay on this cheaper plan and just buy my phone outright. I could spend upwards of $700 for the latest and greatest through them or I could spend around $200 for basically last year's model. 

As long as the phone is unlocked or with my carrier already I'm free to choose whichever one I want. My wife has the LG g4 and hasn't had any problems with it. And since I have bigger hands and use my phone for everything from being a phone camera mp3 player Web browser etc, I may as well get something a little bigger. I  have a tablet, 2 in 1 mini laptop, and a full size laptop. They basically all sit there never being used since it's easier to just grab my phone to browse. 

living the dream


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## Doc

Check out ebay.  Quite a few sellers who have sold thousands with positive ratings selling unlocked phones at a discount.


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## NorthernRedneck

I've been looking there as well. Problem with eBay right now is the exchange rate sucks. There are some nice factory reburbished LG g4 phones on there for 167 us. That equates to roughly $225 Canadian. I'm waiting for a local kijiji ad to respond back on one for 200 Canadian. Some things are good deals on ebay but others not so much. I just picked up a windows based Asus 2 in 1 tablet for 80 Canadian that retails for over 400 up here in stores. Anything under 100 on ebay is either a cheap Chinese knock off or has problems 

living the dream


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## MrLiberty

I'm sorry I got rid of my flip phone and went to a smart phone.  Even though it is a Jitterbug and the cost was reasonable for the phone I have had problems with it.

The first one I had was the bill, I didn't know that all the apps that were on it used up megabytes, even if you didn't use them.  My first bill was way out of line.  I called them up and they told me that with a smart phone you needed to have the megabytes in order for the phone to work.  They now give me 40 MG for free and I turned off all the apps.

Then, for whatever reason the ringer shuts itself off all the time.  I miss a lot of phone calls and will see people leave me messages.  I keep screwing around with it and get the ringer back working and a couple of days later the same thing.  *I hate phones today.*  Give me back my landline at a reasonable cost and I'll use my candlestick phone, period.


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## NorthernRedneck

Yes. Phones can be confusing if you aren't familiar with them. 

Just curious on an observation. If iphones are so good why is every second phone for sale in the local classifieds an iPhone. Their software is still basically the same thing between the first iPhone and the latest and greatest. I have absolutely no desire to switch to iPhone since I have no wish to be married to an iTunes account. My kids both have the latest ipod and every time I turn around they are having to buy iTunes gift cards so they can upload different apps 

living the dream


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## tiredretired

NorthernRedneck said:


> Yes. Phones can be confusing if you aren't familiar with them.
> 
> Just curious on an observation. If iphones are so good why is every second phone for sale in the local classifieds an iPhone. Their software is still basically the same thing between the first iPhone and the latest and greatest. I have absolutely no desire to switch to iPhone since I have no wish to be married to an iTunes account. My kids both have the latest ipod and every time I turn around they are having to buy iTunes gift cards so they can upload different apps
> 
> living the dream



Apple doesn't give a damn if they have you.  They have your kids, that's much better.


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## tiredretired

MrLiberty said:


> I'm sorry I got rid of my flip phone and went to a smart phone.  Even though it is a Jitterbug and the cost was reasonable for the phone I have had problems with it.
> 
> The first one I had was the bill, I didn't know that all the apps that were on it used up megabytes, even if you didn't use them.  My first bill was way out of line.  I called them up and they told me that with a smart phone you needed to have the megabytes in order for the phone to work.  They now give me 40 MG for free and I turned off all the apps.
> 
> Then, for whatever reason the ringer shuts itself off all the time.  I miss a lot of phone calls and will see people leave me messages.  I keep screwing around with it and get the ringer back working and a couple of days later the same thing.  *I hate phones today.*  Give me back my landline at a reasonable cost and I'll use my candlestick phone, period.



TracPhone just started new plans for smartphones.  You can get a plan for as little as 15 bucks a month.  Flip phone plans for around 7 bucks.  Just can't beat TracPhones for saving money. I have been with them for almost a year now.


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## NorthernRedneck

I've been doing a lot of home work this week on which phone to get. So far it's a toss up between the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the LG g4.  

Why these two? Baseline of 32gb internal memory. Removable battery. Memory card slot allowing me to expand. Both have a great display. I want the larger display since I have bigger hands and lately I've been mainly using my cell for browsing. The LG has a 5.5 display while the note 4 has a 5.7. Right now the deciding factor is do I want the bigger display and have a stylus or do I opt for the smaller display  no stylus but better forward facing camera. Thoughts? 

living the dream


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## NorthernRedneck

Looking at the Samsung Galaxy Note edge. Someone local has a used one for sale. Comes with 5 cases. In good shape. Unlocked. No cracks on the screen. Seems very comparable to the LG g4 in specs 

living the dream


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## NorthernRedneck

I opted for the Samsung Galaxy Note edge. It's very comparable to the s5 but with a bigger screen and a funky navigation bar on the side for all the apps. Caution to anyone who is considering an edge phone. You better have damned good eyesight to see stuff if you choose to put it in a folder on the side bar. Verdict is still out on the sidebar. 

I had been looking at the LG g4 seriously and was minutes away from pulling the trigger on one on ebay when I found this one locally. The s5 is already sold. Here's the kicker. I sold it for more than I paid for the note edge. It's nice to have a backup phone to just insert the simcard and go so I still have the old s3 in a drawer for that purpose. It got put into action while I reset the s5 before getting the edge. I hadn't charged it in over a year. Fired right up after a quick 10 minute charge. 

Sent from my SM-N915W8 using Tapatalk


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## NorthernRedneck

Just a quick update. If anyone is looking for a quick smooth cell phone, I'd recommend any of the galaxy note phones. I'm loving mine so far. The stylus pen is proving handy. I use Google calendar to keep track of all my appointments. And there are many. Using the stylus I can easily navigate the calendar and input all my appointments in half the time. I'm happy with it. 

Sent from my SM-N915W8 using Tapatalk


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## NorthernRedneck

NorthernRedneck said:


> Just a quick update. If anyone is looking for a quick smooth cell phone, I'd recommend any of the galaxy note phones. I'm loving mine so far. The stylus pen is proving handy. I use Google calendar to keep track of all my appointments. And there are many. Using the stylus I can easily navigate the calendar and input all my appointments in half the time. I'm happy with it.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N915W8 using Tapatalk


Ok. I still basically love this phone however it's already on borrowed time. Starting about mid last week I can no longer send pictures via text. I can still receive them however. Here's the things I've tried so far.....
1.  The classic power off remove simcard wait then reinstall and power on. 
2.  Brought it in to verify all my settings are correct. 
3.  Did all of the trouble shooting with online tech support. 
4.  Installed a new simcard to see if it's a network issue. 
5.  Did 3 separate factory resets. 
6.  Tried an older version of Android. 
7.  Upgraded to the newest version of Android 7.0
8.  Contacted samsung directly to get support. They basically said do everything I listed above. 

Anything else I should try? It's really annoying to have to use Facebook messenger to send pictures right now. As I said I love everything else about the phone but I'm about to list it for sale and pick up an lg g4 or htc one m9. Heck I may even go back to a newer version of the s5 with more memory. 

I use my phone for everything. I have the old dell laptop and my new Asus 2 in 1 sitting right beside me but haven't looked at either in over a week. So I need the storage space and a memory card option to expand the memory. At least I can still share photos here. 

Sent from my SM-N915W8 using Tapatalk


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## NorthernRedneck

Here we are into the new year and I still can't send pictures via regular messenger. I've tried installing the simcard in my old phone and it works fine. I've taken my wife's simcard and inserted it into my phone and it sends. So the phone is not liking my simcard. I put it for sale and nearly had it traded for a 2 month old lg g5. Sadly he couldn't get it unlocked. 

I just won an eBay auction for an lg g3 for cheap. Should be here next week. 

Sent from my SM-N915W8 using Tapatalk


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## NorthernRedneck

That was fast. I won the ebay auction two days ago. The phone arrived today. Its alright. I prefer the screen on the Samsung. Not a mark on it. Like new. I will say that the display at first had a milky pastel feel to it. Took some messing around but I found an app that fixed the color issue. Its gonna take a bit to get used to it. All I've had for the past 6 yrs was samsung. 

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk


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## tiredretired

NorthernRedneck said:


> That was fast. I won the ebay auction two days ago. The phone arrived today. Its alright. I prefer the screen on the Samsung. Not a mark on it. Like new. I will say that the display at first had a milky pastel feel to it. Took some messing around but I found an app that fixed the color issue. Its gonna take a bit to get used to it. All I've had for the past 6 yrs was samsung.
> 
> Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk



I've always had good luck with LG products.  I love Samsung products as well, but I was not one of those poor blokes who bought a Note 7.  

My first Samsung product was a Samsung VCR years ago back when they were considered a lower end company.  It  was the best VCR I owned, worked great.  

Still got my S6 and will have it for some time.  I love the S Health app for monitoring weight and BP.  The GPS walking feature is great too.


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## NorthernRedneck

Thats one app i enjoyed with the samsung. The s health feature. LG has their own version but not as good in my opinion. I spent the morning messing with the settings to get a display thats endurable. Oh. And I was using s health to track my steps and sleep to give me a pattern of how I've been feeling to show the doctor and physio etc. It's nice that I was able to download it on this one and continue on with it. 

I will say that the graphics on this phone are crisp and sharp but dull appearing. And there's very little room for adjustment. Someone at LG must like dull pastel colors. 

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk


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## tiredretired

NorthernRedneck said:


> Thats one app i enjoyed with the samsung. The s health feature. LG has their own version but not as good in my opinion. I spent the morning messing with the settings to get a display thats endurable. Oh. And I was using s health to track my steps and sleep to give me a pattern of how I've been feeling to show the doctor and physio etc. It's nice that I was able to download it on this one and continue on with it.
> 
> I will say that the graphics on this phone are crisp and sharp but dull appearing. And there's very little room for adjustment. Someone at LG must like dull pastel colors.
> 
> Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk



Yeah, I love the display on the S6.  The best I have ever seen on a phone.  Best I have ever had.  The camera and videos are awesome looking.  How is the camera on the LG?

The other think that keeps me close to the Samsung is the app for my hearing aids only works with Apple and Samsung phones.  I find that odd but thats the way it is.  The play store will not permit downloads to any other phones or tables.  I think I would be able to download it as an .apk file to a non Samsung phone but not sure if it would work.  Must be some sort of pay off agreement between the two. Gonna have to check that out some day with a friends Nexus phone.


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## NorthernRedneck

Its got a 13 mp camera with auto focus. I haven't been anywhere to take pictures with it yet. I'll try later this evening with some outside pictures at the church when i go for practice. 

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk


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## NorthernRedneck

I didn't get any pictures tonight to try the camera. So this LG phone is starting to grow on me. Its still an Android running 6.0. But LG put their own spin on it with a slightly different appearance. There are no side buttons of any kind. No home button either. To shut the screen off simply double tap it from the home screen. To wake it up double tap again. It's fast and smooth. Playing video the picture is a lot sharper than either of my samsung phones. Its still android but its like a samsung hooked up with an iphone and had a kid. Best of both worlds. 

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk


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## NorthernRedneck

Just trying out the camera. First shot is zoomed out. 





Then zoomed in. 




After you take the picture you can choose which color hue you want in order to accent the colors. 





The zoom was one thing that sucked with my old s5. Everything would be blurry. Not with the LG

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk


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## NorthernRedneck

I'm starting to like this phone more than the galaxy s5. At first my thought was that thr picture was crisp and clear but dull and pastel. I have since downloaded the android nougat 7.1 browser app and all the colors are now crystal clear and as they should be.  Here's an example of the homescreen on nougat 7.1


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## NorthernRedneck

I decided to upgrade the lg g3. It's a good phone and all. But the battery life was starting to be an issue. 3 hrs and the battery was half dead. And it has been freezing up and acting funny.   Rather than risk it dying on me completely I decided to upgrade again. It was a toss up between a galaxy s7 edge plus, an lg v10, galaxy note 5 or similar. I decided on a new galaxy A5. It's basically the same as the s7 but with new features such as water resistant. I got a good deal on it. $200 American for a new phone. It was basically a store return because someone got it then decided they wanted something different.


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## NorthernRedneck

Follow up to that.....the micro sd card slot is also acting up. Throughout the day I'll get messages appearing on the phone that say the microsd card has been ejected. Or that it may need to be formatted in order to be used.  All signs point to a faulty sd card slot as I did try another card and got the same message. So this phone, while a good phone, is on it's way out. 

I debated internally for weeks on wether to get a 5.5" or bigger screen or something around the 5" mark when getting the new one. The lg g3 is a 5.5" and is nice when sitting and using two hands but is a little ackward single handed. I had set my mind on a galaxy s7 edge plus. But couldn't find a good one for a decent price used. And, I have had experience with an edge screen when I had a galaxy note edge for a short time and wasn't a fan of it.  The galaxy a5 I ordered has a 5.2" display. So that should be a good compromise.


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## NorthernRedneck

I finally got to the border last weekend to pick up the new phone. It's fast. Battery life is so far excellent. It was at 95% last night before bed. No charger on since then. Now it's at 87%.  I'm actually liking the smaller screen. It's easier to type one handed. 

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk


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## NorthernRedneck

Fast forward to 2019. The galaxy a5 is probably the best phone i've had.  It's never given me any problems. 

That being said, the dreaded battery issue Samsung's experienced with the s7 happen to me a couple weeks ago. My phone was sitting at 75% charge in my pocket when I felt my leg getting hot. I pulled the phone out and felt it. It was almost to the point of melting plastic hot. Then the battery drained to 0% within minutes. I let it cool  then tried plugging it in. I was able to recharge it and power back up. With that being said, I didn't want to risk it happening again and going into full self destruct mode. So I have been very careful with it avoiding prolonged use and keeping the screen dimmed. 

Because I don't want to risk it happening again, I opted for the new phone choice again. I could have gone into the service provider's store and just signed a 2 year contract at $80 per month for 6gb data plan and get a new phone. But years ago I locked myself in to the same plan but at a student rate of $50 per month. As long as I didn't renew the contract I could stay on it indefinitely. So that means buying which ever phone I want unlocked so it'll work on my network. 

With the issue of the dreaded exploding battery looming in the near future, I started my research on a new phone again. This time, the Samsung Galaxy s9+ won out. It's in the mail now. 

Canadian eh!!!


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## pirate_girl

I've had this J7 for not yet 2 years now.
I keep it clean and cooled down with Clean Master.
The app really does everything you'd expect.


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## NorthernRedneck

I use malwarebytes on mine. Very similar. 

Canadian eh!!!


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