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Haunted by the AT&T Ringtone

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Imaging hearing this audio sound again and again but very faintly. Eventually, it’ll drive you crazy.

[audio:https://www.pulpconnection.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Attringtone.mp3]

That’s what haunted me as my LG G3 Android phone was stuck playing this tune. The screen wasn’t responsive, the phone was getting hot, but I would hear that AT&T ringtone every few minutes indicating some function. Not knowing what was going on, I now understand why I had to initially install the battery – so I knew how to remove the battery for situations like this.

lg-g3-back

I removed the massive battery and let the phone sit for a few seconds. After reinstalling the battery and powering up, the phone behaved as normal though the full charge was now at 76%. I think there are few things I need to learn about the LG G3.

Comparing Pics

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Like many others, my smartphone has become my most used camera. The quality of the images is more than good enough, forget about zooming, and speed matters (speed of getting the camera ready and the speed of snapping pics). So let’s make some unscientific comparisons between the images from an iPhone 5 and the LG G3. While taking the pics, I pretty much stayed in the same location but did move the phone closer or further to better frame each shot.

Scroll over each image to see the source.

What’s obvious right away is the huge size of the G3’s 5.5-in screen while taking pictures. As a view finder, the large screen is easy on the eyes, but then again a tablet as a view finder is also easy on the eyes but goofy and clumsy looking. And taking a pictures with the LG is by no means inconspicuous. It’s too hard to hide the large form factor to take discreet, subtle pictures. You really can’t hide when taking pictures with the LG G3.

In general, the images from the G3 are sharper and has more detail in low light areas. The G3 uses lasers for its autofocus and yeah, I guess them lasers do work! Though I still think the focusing system of the G3 lags behind the iPhone 5. And hey, the iPhone 5 is two years old, so I hope modern technology surpasses that from 2012. But if I got the time, I wouldn’t mind using the G3 to snap some excellent pics.

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My quick assessment – quality of images goes to the LG G3, but overall speed of use goes to the iPhone 5.

LG G3 Unboxing

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Definitely not the same vibe as the unboxing of an Apple device, but the LG G3 was efficiently packed in a fitted box.

A few things though. After opening the box, you pick up the phone and marvel at its lightness. Only after fully emptying the contents of the box do you realize the (heavy and huge) battery is not installed. Also, there’s no mention of having to install the battery or a guide how to install the battery. It was easy enough to do, but I would have thought the Quick Start guide would say something about the battery. Anyways, once the battery is installed the L3 isn’t featherweight anymore.

Check out the clunky charger. After seeing it, you start to really appreciate Apple’s designs and attention to details, even with its accessories.

Taking Screen Shots in Android

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One of my first lessons of living the Android Life was figuring out how to take a screen shot. Sounds easy enough, but this became my first exposure to the differences between Apple and Android phone makers.

For all iOS devices, holding down the physical power and home buttons trigger a screen shot. For Android, taking a screen shot depends. Yes, it depends on your version of Android and the hardware of your phone. In general, the key combo for an Android screen shot is the power button and volume down held down for a bit, but again, it depends.

Then the screen shot isn’t necessarily saved to the standard “camera roll” as with iOS. The screen shot is copied to the internal clipboard and needs to be “pasted” somewhere. Android will prompt you to choose which app to store the captured screen shot, Google+ Pictures, the phone’s Gallery app, or others.

When emailing a screen shot (or any image for that fact), Apple Mail typically asks the user to resize the image before sending. Android though wants to send the full resolution, multi-megabyte image file. You’d need a third party app to resize the image on Android before emailing.

Trying the Android Life

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A Pulpy LG G3
A Pulpy LG G3

So with the opportunity to test out an Android-based smart phone, I went for it and am now the user of an LG G3. The G3 got a solid review from The Verge praising it for being an Android device without too many manufacturer extras getting in the way. Then there’s the big 5.5 inch screen. Boy, it’s big. My entire iPhone 5 fits within the borders of the G3’s display. But how does that bordering-too-big screen translate to the user experience? I’ll have to keep testing to find out.

So expect to see some Android-centric posts popping up at Pulpconnection. You’ve been warned.