Date: 29 March 24, 01:01 AM
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 Samsung S20 FE



scuzzy


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  • In an emergency, 9-1-1 calls ME.

I’m currently traveling as passenger, so this won’t be as detailed as I’d like.

Short story is that I have concerns over the Pixel 5’s speakers, which many YouTube reviewers have called horrible, and a serious step down. I already know that this will end up being a severe issue for me.

I’ve seen several reviews about the Samsung S20 FE, and everyone says the same thing... this is the phone to get, and I have to agree. It’s fantastic, except for the big footprint. Check this detailed review: https://youtu.be/RbFaevZgfIQ

I don’t know what to do. The FE is literally everything I want in a phone, except for the size.

Bill


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I only see one choice.  The Pixel is useless if you can't hear it on the bike or even in your hand.  The iOS just doesn't work for you.  Samsung is as close as you can get to ideal, at $700=/- not a bad deal. Maybe think about how you might carry it on your person......
Fractal Design R5 | Asus  Z170 Pro | Intel i5 6600k | 16 GB G.Skill Ripjaws  DDR4 2133 | Seasonic 650w PSU | eVGA GTX 550 TI | Samsung 960 M2 500 GB | Samsung 850 EVO 500 GB | ASUS Burner | Windows 7 64-bit

scuzzy


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  • In an emergency, 9-1-1 calls ME.

"The Pixel 5 has the worst speakers I've heard in years. When I turned on my first YouTube video I thought I had a defective phone. It is that bad, and I'm not joking or exaggerating."

"The Pixel 5 sounds worse than the $350 Pixel 4a..."

"If you have a Pixel 3 or older, this will be a massive downgrade."

https://youtu.be/mTHDxcwSD44

I'm not entirely sure about the Galaxy S20 FE (only because of the size), but I'm thinking that if I proceed with the Pixel 5 I'm just going to return it.

Bill


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You are probably right, cancel the order, save yourself some aggravation.

My daughter tells me the features between iphones are not consistent, she has a 10 something with options I don't have on the SE.  Maybe talking to an iphone expert would be helpful??  You can't be the only motorcycle fan with this problem. I'd suggest talking to a Harley dealer about this issue, before you buy the Samsung.
Fractal Design R5 | Asus  Z170 Pro | Intel i5 6600k | 16 GB G.Skill Ripjaws  DDR4 2133 | Seasonic 650w PSU | eVGA GTX 550 TI | Samsung 960 M2 500 GB | Samsung 850 EVO 500 GB | ASUS Burner | Windows 7 64-bit

Bill


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It occurred to me that there maybe another solution.  I recall your discussion of the Harley electronics.
The answer could be to swap the Harley for an Indian for a better GPS. 
Spending other people's money is always fun.
Fractal Design R5 | Asus  Z170 Pro | Intel i5 6600k | 16 GB G.Skill Ripjaws  DDR4 2133 | Seasonic 650w PSU | eVGA GTX 550 TI | Samsung 960 M2 500 GB | Samsung 850 EVO 500 GB | ASUS Burner | Windows 7 64-bit

scuzzy


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  • In an emergency, 9-1-1 calls ME.

I agree. It's always fun to spend other people's money. Lol.

My Harley and my iPhone are separate issues. While the Harley's "Infotainment" system leaves much to be desired, it has nothing to do with my iPhone. The Harley's GPS works okay on its own (I won't do the $150+ yearly update), but it's not as good as my phone's GPS with its live updates. So when traveling strange lands, I depend on my phone to maneuver the countryside. My issue with the iPhone was the cryptic error message I was receiving, because it didn't like my 12-volt phone charger.

At this point the Samsung S20 FE is not likely to happen. I read a review that stated the phone is obnoxiously big, which reminded me of how sick and tired I was of my Note 9's overbearing size. It was the primary reason I got rid of it, followed closely by the curved-edge screen (the FE has a flat screen). The FE is about the same size as the Note 9, so I'd be right back to square one.

Samsung also has its voice assistant "Bixby", which is a major irritant. I believe the Bixby button can now be repurposed, but Bixby always runs in the background anyway. Samsung also likes to bloat its phones with useless apps that cannot be removed. I'm also reminded that updates are hit-and-miss with Samsung. While there is improvement, you never know when your update is coming... or even if it is. It's different with iOS and stock Android, which prioritize its users getting updates ASAP. Google is promising at least 3 years of Android updates, which is fine for my needs.

The iPhone 12 is not 100% out of the running, but it's probably 88.6% out of the running. The hardware is excellent, but the problem remains the iOS irritations that I listed on another thread (iOS update 14.1 fixed irritant #7). I'm quickly becoming an iPhone expert, but the issues I have are simply part of the iOS experience that everyone faces. I doubt that iOS and I will ever get along, and Apple's decision to get rid of Touch ID doesn't help in the least. Nevermind Lightning cables vs USB-C.

I considered getting a Pixel 4a to hold me over until next year, but for now the Pixel 5 remains slotted to be delivered within 10 days. I've racked my brains on reviews, etc., but for now the Pixel 5 seems to be my best option for my wants, needs and desires. Some reviewers have mentioned that the Pixel 5's audio is lacking, but that it's good enough. Others have stated it's the worst ever. I figure I'll give it a try and find out for myself. Worse case scenario is that I send it back and start over.

Bill


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Kind of a rock and a hard place problem.
Fractal Design R5 | Asus  Z170 Pro | Intel i5 6600k | 16 GB G.Skill Ripjaws  DDR4 2133 | Seasonic 650w PSU | eVGA GTX 550 TI | Samsung 960 M2 500 GB | Samsung 850 EVO 500 GB | ASUS Burner | Windows 7 64-bit

scuzzy


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  • In an emergency, 9-1-1 calls ME.

This reviewer raves about the Pixel 5 speakers. I set the link to start at that point:

I've had the Google Pixel 5 for MORE than a month...

This reviewer is not alone. Others have also stated that the Pixel 5 has great stereo speakers, and that listening to phone calls (through what would be the traditional earpiece) is excellent in that you don't have to worry about how you hold the phone against your ear. I guess I'll just have to find out for myself.


EDIT: My credit card was charged the full amount for the Pixel 5 today. I hope that means that it will ship in the next day or two, as I'm ready to dump iOS.

Bill


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Well that review was encouraging, fingers crossed. Maybe the others needed to find something to complain about.
Fractal Design R5 | Asus  Z170 Pro | Intel i5 6600k | 16 GB G.Skill Ripjaws  DDR4 2133 | Seasonic 650w PSU | eVGA GTX 550 TI | Samsung 960 M2 500 GB | Samsung 850 EVO 500 GB | ASUS Burner | Windows 7 64-bit