My Galaxy S4 experience (using as an alternative computer)

I've been without a computer and have resorted to using my Verizon Model S4 as my workhorse of sorts. While this kind of usage is way out of the normal and is insane to do with a phone, I tried and here are my opinions ... Both negative and positive.

The bloatware is insane - between the Samsung apps and the Verizon apps, I have lost over 5 gb if storage. I find that insane. 

It's actually pretty fast - I didn't expect much, but it's decent. The snapdragon 600 must be good for this. That's for sure. This phone has been my word processor, calculator, Web browser(for research and such), my only form of communication to my family, and is like my little expensive toy.

It gets hot - it's less hot now than before...but jeez...turning the thing on doesn't warrant it to feel burning hot. That subsided quite a bit though.

It lags at the worst times - I'll be typing a paragraph and a half and *boom* that shit be gone.

The ROM tripped itself - it's not even a modified or custom rom. It still says it is and that voids my warranty. Which is piss worthy. 

The bloat apps can't be disabled - if I drag them 90 disable them manually,  don't turn yourself back on and don't use 75% of my ram.

The call quality is good - can ACTUALLY hear people.

Decent battery life - even with my usage, I can squeeze by through the day.

The screen streaks - scrolling results in a trail following behind. 

The 3.5mm jack is quiet - I feel as though it could be louder...must be a hearing protection feature. 

The metal band around the 3.5 jack is wearing away - it's white around it and it is not that pleasing.

S health and the whole samsung suite won't leave me alone

Can't move apps or anything to the SD card

All my apps are suddenly becoming broken - had the YouTube app...never used it much but now it doesn't load content. Google Chrome was broken and required a reinstall. The while Google suite nneeded to redownload.

Stop using my mobile data - I never turn it on and is still used 536MB this month so far. I only have 2gb. I don't even understand

Adapt sound is gimmicky - I want my earbuds to have there natural sound, I find this to do a poor job applying an EQ

Glitches Galore - maybe it just hates me...but holy he'll it's like it's falling apart. I can't even rotate my screen or use NFC anymore. Apps crash constantly for seemingly no reason. 

Spell check is horrible - it once changed a casual conversation to one about rough sex. In broad terms. It was much worse and I cannot say what happened here.

Google now broke - voice search isn't even an option anymore. 

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While those are mostly negative comments...I guess I'm satisfied...

I had an iPhone once and that was slow and sucked...This is fast at least...

I'm pretty sure my ROM is shot or something, it shouldn't be that glitchy...I even get random unknown crash logs for background tasks.

I liked at first but that feeling is slowly subsiding. 

I guess I have nothing to lose, I'm thinking of putting a custom rom on...but they all look the same.  My last android expense/experience was on a  origi al nexus 7 (jelly and kitkat) and I loved it, must be that stock/near stock android experience?

...hmm what do you guys and women think? I'm looking at roms but am unsure...

Stock Android technically doesn't have Google play services...but I use the play store and Gmail app...but I can install those manually...

I was looking at cyanogenmod, everyone seems to use that...I bet a lot of the others are better...

Pretty much looking for a bland android rom from the ground up I guess...The factory fancy just feel unneeded. 

Here's what your looking for:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2557353

It's pure stock GPE 

Seeing as you're using it as your main computer, have you tried getting a dedicated keyboard for it? Would make typing essays, long emails and such much more convenient. Also, if you mirror your screen to a TV you can turn it into a pc of sorts.

If the apps bother you, what I'd do is go in as root and remove google play services unless google apps are vital to you.

If you like Asop they just made one for the safe strap recovery but it is a bit buggy. I am currently using the eclipse rom which is a modded tw rom with asop styling that is much more stable.

Seeking sight she can't use that rom.

Pure asop: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-verizon/general/how-to-install-aosp-s4-google-edition-t2817708

Modded tw to look like asop: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2351840

For one, install swiftkey. It helps a ton. also, you can force stop some of the bloat. I also suggest using a launcher like Nova. But yeah, I give the phone an 8/10 and Samsung software 4/10 in my year+ using an s4.

The inability to move to SD is intentional. It is part of Project butter to make android snappier and smoother. It is a feature of all android devices past 4.0/4.2.

So I just dropped my phone from knee height...

I was so mad.

Even had a two part case on it.

It's almost dead to me now...yyhe screen shattered at one corner and a chunk of the gaudy fake metal band chipped at another.

Tech is getting cheesy. Couldn't even send it back considering it thinks it "custom"..

2 month old POS

Good thing this was 'free' I guess...After two galaxy s5 phones...

 

Luckily I can just replace the glass and bezel myself, shouldn't have to. But it offed it's warranty. 

That's a bit stupid.

Considering that samsung, sandisk, Kingston,  and patriot makes some high end and really fast cards now...

16gb isn't enough for some people...

I'd give the phone a 7 and the software a two.

Force stopping doesn't work, they will just re enable themselves andor reinstall. 

Which makes the custom message turn on and off at boot...because logic

Verizon phone,  can't use that rom

*he

:p

Thanks, I'm used to asop, but not sure what the benefit of keeping tw would be..

Probably not mulch

To fix the software problems, simply root, remove the crap, and install the google keyboard from the play store.

Check out Greenify, it saves battery buy force-stopping apps you tell it to. I suppose you could use it for stopping apps specifically if you wanted to.

I recommend Swiftkey. Seriously, it's the best keyboard out there, and is now free.

I'm fine with the broken screen- keeps thiefs away :O

I found it's spellcheck to be idiotic- but it's okay- nothing too amazing if you ask me.