Google Nexus 5x and 6P • Hacker News Board

Re: Google Nexus 5x and 6P

#431

Post by froo » Wed, Sep 30, 2015, 2:29 AM UTC

vectorpush wrote: post #288

cpncrunch wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The internal memory is much faster than SD cards, and potentially more reliable. I think Google and Samsung have decided to ditch sd cards to prevent the user having a shitty experience. Also, Google is offering 128GB, which is pretty decent. And their pricing is much less than Samsung's for 64gb vs 32gb.

> I think Google and Samsung have decided to ditch sd cards to prevent the user having a shitty experience. This line of reasoning makes absolutely no sense. How could having the option to use an SD card with your device make for a shittier UX. The use of an SD expansion slot is completely optional, if you don't have the desire to use an SD card it has absolutely no bearing on the UX, and if you do , no matter how sh…

Because there is an opportunity cost to having an SD slot. Remember it takes up physical space inside the device, which could be used for more internal memory, battery space etc. they would have opted for something everyone wants over a smaller subset of users

Re: Google Nexus 5x and 6P

#432

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Sep 30, 2015, 2:30 AM UTC

hatsix wrote: post #354

dmethvin wrote: post #296

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really like the wireless charging on my Nexus 5 as well. Going back to the cable would be fine with me but I would prefer something that takes a little less effort to insert and I'm always concerned about breaking the connector. I just found a really interesting MagSafe-like connector for the classic micro USB [1], maybe they will make something soon for the new USB3 that the 5X uses. And before some of you say tha…

I backed this kickstarter for a magsafe-like usbc connector: http://www.znaps.net/ We'll see if it follows through.

[deleted]

Re: Google Nexus 5x and 6P

#433

Post by nogridbag » Wed, Sep 30, 2015, 2:44 AM UTC

mfisher87 wrote: post #250

oconnore wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why are you disappointed? It sounds like a device you bought a few years ago has a longer useful lifespan than you thought. You get to have a state of the art phone for less money when you own it longer. I wonder if devices will start to be built better, with more replaceable components as the rate of spec improvements in mobile devices slows down.

I'm a little disappointed too. Don't get me wrong, my N5 is great and it doesn't have many disadvantages... but the stuff people really want should be more doable now. For example, a replaceable battery? Maybe an included thumblonger so you can reach the top-left corner :P

I have an LG G3 which I paid $50 for (upgrade price) which included an extra battery and battery charger (promo period). Being able to swap in a fully charged battery in seconds is something I now depend on when I travel - I never have any battery life anxiety. The lack of swappable batteries on most phones is a huge turnoff for me.

Re: Google Nexus 5x and 6P

#434

Post by dgemm » Wed, Sep 30, 2015, 2:49 AM UTC

eropple wrote: post #357

mkozlows wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So the thing is, the Nexus 5 was a near-perfect phone (especially considering it was released two years ago), and it's totally reasonable to think it's still doing the job very well -- it is. But that's a fact about the N5, not the N5X/6P. I mean, what would you want from a new phone that would show up on a spec sheet? Faster? Check, both of these are. The 808/810 aren't gigantic generational leaps over the 800, but…

> Better screen? They're both bigger; > So that's one downgrade Two, and one critical. The Nexus 5 was absolutely the biggest phone I would consider, and even that was really too big. Making one phone a dinner plate and one phone a centimeter-larger dinner plate is atrocious. Apparently only Sony wants my money (and honestly the Z Compact series is still too big).

I'm still using a nexus 4 for this reason, and it's showing it's age.

Kind of a letdown the 5X is so large. It is annoying that all phones coming out are trying to outdo each other on the same form factor that's both too large to fit in a pocket and too thin to have a useful battery.

Re: Google Nexus 5x and 6P

#435

Post by threeseed » Wed, Sep 30, 2015, 2:52 AM UTC

andrepd wrote: post #298

shadeless wrote: post #84

As an owner of Nexus 5 I must say I'm a bit disappointed with this announcement. I was looking forwards to upgrading my almost two year old phone to Nexus 5x, but there doesn't seem to be a good reason unless Nexus 5 stops getting new Android updates. They have the same resolution, same amount of memory, same amount of storage. I don't shoot video, and I probably won't use fingerprint reader - but I do use wireless c…

The problem is smartphones are stagnating. Let's see: * CPU: Processor evolution is stagnating, and processors are so powerful that they can handle most typical workloads with ease. Efficiency is now the order of the day, not raw power. * Screen: Densities are so high it that not only does it become difficult to manufacture higher density panels, but it actually hurts the device by draining more energy and killing pe…

> In short, no major improvements or evolutions in the smartphone.

Try the 3D touch on the iPhone.

Adding what is the equivalent of contextual menus to the UI is a major improvement to the overall experience and I know I will be upgrading to the 6s purely because of this.

Re: Google Nexus 5x and 6P

#436

Post by mixmastamyk » Wed, Sep 30, 2015, 2:53 AM UTC

dexterdog wrote: post #404

eropple wrote: post #357

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Better screen? They're both bigger; > So that's one downgrade Two, and one critical. The Nexus 5 was absolutely the biggest phone I would consider, and even that was really too big. Making one phone a dinner plate and one phone a centimeter-larger dinner plate is atrocious. Apparently only Sony wants my money (and honestly the Z Compact series is still too big).

I used to be the same guy complaining about all of the phones being too small. I like the big phones of today, but I understand the complaints some people have.

Think of the difference between a basketball player and say a short woman and it is easy to see we need both. They couldn't wear the same gloves.

Re: Google Nexus 5x and 6P

#437

Post by Tinyyy » Wed, Sep 30, 2015, 2:57 AM UTC

will_hughes wrote: post #423

r-w wrote: post #421

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where are those laws in place?

In the US in particular. There was a bunch of reporting in the past few days that a Federal District Court in Pennsylvania found that Fifth Amendment rights apply to smartphone passcodes. Random link: http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/why-the-government-cant-... That same protection doesn't seem to apply to fingerprints. Random link: http://time.com/3558936/fingerprint-password-fifth-amendment... Again, I'm not a l…

I wonder if its possible to counter this through obscurity. Since the sensor is on the back of the phone, you can use your ring finger to unlock it instead. If >3 attempts with any other fingers are made, then the phone will be locked with a password. That way, you still keep your right to protection.

Re: Google Nexus 5x and 6P

#438

Post by branchan » Wed, Sep 30, 2015, 3:00 AM UTC

chrsstrm wrote: post #336

zuppy wrote: post #327

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nobody's going to bother to recreate your fingerprint, when it's much easier to beat you with a wrench ( https://xkcd.com/538/ ) until they get access to your phone. It's a huge convenience for you though, to unlock it without doing anything extra, as you're pressing that button anyway to turn the screen on. Much easier than typing passwords.

My worry is that this is a gateway drug to "Fingerprint protect all the things!" My bank emailed me the other day with an announcement that I could access my account through their app via my fingerprint. WTF? My text messages are one thing by now my money is protected by just my fingerprint? I took my bank to task because they allowed my username to be twice as long as the allowed characters in my password. Someone a…

The bottomline is that if someone can hack a server to steal your fingerprint, they can just as easily use the same method to steal your method so I don't really see the differen imho.

Re: Google Nexus 5x and 6P

#439

Post by branchan » Wed, Sep 30, 2015, 3:03 AM UTC

posnet wrote: post #346

zuppy wrote: post #327

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nobody's going to bother to recreate your fingerprint, when it's much easier to beat you with a wrench ( https://xkcd.com/538/ ) until they get access to your phone. It's a huge convenience for you though, to unlock it without doing anything extra, as you're pressing that button anyway to turn the screen on. Much easier than typing passwords.

Many countries now take fingerprint scans when you cross the border. Even if they themselves never use it, its easily conceivable that they could be hacked or leaked. Then what? You can't revoke your fingerprint.

Bottomline is that in this day and age, if someone wants to hack a server and steal passwords, they can so it probably doesn't matter.

Re: Google Nexus 5x and 6P

#440

Post by neltnerb » Wed, Sep 30, 2015, 3:05 AM UTC

eropple wrote: post #357

mkozlows wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So the thing is, the Nexus 5 was a near-perfect phone (especially considering it was released two years ago), and it's totally reasonable to think it's still doing the job very well -- it is. But that's a fact about the N5, not the N5X/6P. I mean, what would you want from a new phone that would show up on a spec sheet? Faster? Check, both of these are. The 808/810 aren't gigantic generational leaps over the 800, but…

> Better screen? They're both bigger; > So that's one downgrade Two, and one critical. The Nexus 5 was absolutely the biggest phone I would consider, and even that was really too big. Making one phone a dinner plate and one phone a centimeter-larger dinner plate is atrocious. Apparently only Sony wants my money (and honestly the Z Compact series is still too big).

It drives me nuts as well that the two key features I think of when I think of a phone -- long battery life and HAND HELD (singular) -- seem to be incompatible with anything like stock android. The original Moto X was pretty close, but it just feels like we're going backwards now. I do not understand what market pressure is causing this.