2016 Smartphone Consumer Warning! Read BEFORE You Buy Your Next Phone

MY URGENT ADVICE FOR SMARTPHONE BUYERS IN 2016

If you want the best advice on smartphones, talk to someone who fixes them. And this gadget-fixer has some pretty urgent advice for you today.

In all of my seven years of repairing smartphones and other devices, I can’t think of a time where I had a bigger warning than I do now, and that is…

Do NOT buy a new smartphone without full insurance coverage.

Up until recently, I had been a strong advocate against purchasing extended warranties for electronics. That has changed. Back in the days of old, the outright cost of a smartphone was around $250 to $400. Insurance plans weren’t really necessary, because most of the phones were fairly durable. Plus the cost of replacement was about as much as the insurance.

Fast-forward to today...

In 2016, we have smartphones that are more powerful than consumer-grade laptops, and they are three times as expensive. Brand new smartphones from the major manufacturers today cost anywhere from $650 to $1000, and they are as fragile as they’ve ever been. So when you stuff that new iPhone 7 in your back pocket, it's like jamming an $850 laptop in your jeans.

Another problem, people often don’t realize what the true cost of these devices are. That's because the retail price is subsidized by the five major cellular service carriers. Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and US Cellular build in the cost of the smartphone you are getting for “free” by making you commit to using their service for a period of 24 months.

Assuming you fully realize the expense of your new smartphone, let's think about this scenario...

If you walk out the door of your smartphone retailer without insurance and you fall on your face, breaking your phone on the hard, cold concrete, you’d better be ready to be phone-less for a couple of years. Or you'll come to grips with the fact that you’re going to have to shell out several hundred dollars to have it fixed.

Believe me, it happens all the time. And let me tell you a little bit more about the repair side.

When a new smartphone is released to the market, the replacement for a cracked LCD screen assembly is extremely high. And it takes several months for the price to drop. Replacement screens can start out in the $250 to $350 range, and then you can add anywhere from $60 to $100 labor for installing it to your phone.

The Gorilla Glass screen technology is getting better all the time, and the 5th generation being used on most smartphones today is quite durable. But they are still breakable. No phone is indestructible, no matter what the commercials say. And there are dozens of ways you can damage a phone, not just from dropping them.

Now let's talk about brands and models, and what I've noticed...

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge phone is the most fragile, and currently the most expensive to repair of all models other than the iPhone 7 (At the time of this blog post, the suppliers have not listed the availability of iPhone 7 replacement screens). All of the curved-edge phones are fragile, and the replacement screens are equally expensive, including the Galaxy Note 7, the Galaxy S6 Edge, and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus phones. If you buy any of these and break it, and have no insurance, you're gonna be heart-broken.

Next on the most-expensive-to-repair list would be the Galaxy S7, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Active, and iPhone 6S Plus smartphones. All of these devices have replacement LCD screens that are in the $150 range, then you can add labor.

The iPhone 6S currently has a replacement screen cost of around $100, plus labor. Older iPhones are much less expensive to repair, and some of the Samsungs still have replacement screens that are expensive and hanging on to higher prices.

The LG smartphones are repairable, and the screen replacement prices are between $50 and $100. But they often malfunction after replacing the screens. The HTC, Motorola, Huawei, Blackberry, Nokia, and other smartphones are not worth even attempting a repair. This is due to the way they are constructed, which can make it next-to-impossible for them to be taken apart and re-assembled.

Some brands are not worth the cost of a paperweight if they are broken, like the ZTE smartphone, and the non-contract entry level Samsung bare-bones smartphone. They are either impossible to fix, or cost more to fix than what they were purchased for in the first place.

My repeated advice to you? Do NOT buy a new smartphone and walk out the door without full insurance coverage. Furthermore, you should also be purchasing a tempered glass screen protector plus a full 3-piece case like an Otterbox (or better yet, a Gadget Gurus “Guardian Gear” case) for maximum protection.

If you are getting a new smartphone and you can’t afford to buy it straight out at the full retail price, but you’re getting it on installments over a 2-year period, you better be buying insurance. And when you do, be clear on what your deductible will be, and make sure you can afford it. Expect to shell out $200 for a claim.

If you can’t afford a $200 deductible or the cost of full replacement, I advise against buying the latest-greatest iPhone or Samsung smartphone. Get something you can afford, something that won’t break the bank after you break the screen. Most people don’t need more than a $99 basic smartphone that you can throw in the trash and replace if you break it.

It breaks my heart when people come to me with a broken smartphone that is only a month old, and I have to break the news to them that it will cost hundreds of dollars to fix. When you can’t afford the repair, it means continuing monthly payments with an unusable phone. The only alternative is buying an older phone to use with your service contract.\

Take heed, and spread the word. Save yourself or someone you know from serious heartache. Or a flat wallet.

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Guru, King of Smartphones

Buyers Beware! Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Warning

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING THE GALAXY S7 EDGE

If you want the best advice on which new smartphone to buy, ask someone who deals with broken devices... and broken hearts.

Here lately, I've had to be the bearer of bad news to a lot of Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge owners who've come to me with a sad face and a cracked smartphone screen. Fixing these things is not fun, and it's super expensive. Telling my customers how much it will cost to replace their shattered curved edge screen is enough to make them cry.

But why am I seeing so many Galaxy S6 and S7 Edge smartphones coming through the doors for repairs, you ask? It's the design of the phone. The problem is, there's no way to protect the curved edges on one of these handsets. You can't get a case that will keep it from shattering when it falls face-down.

The replacement LCD (that's the "tv screen" thingy) and glass digitizer assembly for any of the curved Galaxy Edge line of phones is very costly. The S7, at the time I'm writing this, will set you back $270. And that's just for the part. Labor is another $60 to $80 to extract off the broken screen and install the new one.

The curved edge screen is a great novelty, but it's not a good choice for people who are clumsy or hard on smartphones. It's one of the easiest phones to break on the market. Period. And as I mentioned before, you can't get compete protection from a shock-proof case, thanks to those curved edges.

Besides being super careful, you can get a tempered glass screen protector with curved edges that will give added protection to the phone. But I haven't heard much as far as how effective they are when absorbing an impact from a drop.

My best advice to you is that you think twice before buying this phone, if you are super active and will be handing the phone a lot while you're on-the-go. If you do decide that you just MUST have that cool curved edge on your smartphone, GET IT INSURED.

The total cost including parts and labor for fixing a Galaxy S6 or S7 Edge can cost in the $260 to $340 range. The deductible on most insurance plans on smartphones is $200 or less. Therefore, it is absolutely worth taking out additional insurance on these fancy devices.

If you own one of these phones and you don't have it in a case with a tempered glass screen protector, and you don't have insurance, I suggest you get the case immediately, and don't leave your house with the phone until you've called your carrier to add device insurance.

Trust me, accidents can and will happen. It only takes a fraction of a second. And I don't want to see you sad, dejected, and broken-hearted when you bring your beloved Galaxy Edge to me for a facelift.

Carlton Flowers
The Gadget Guru

http://www.facebook.com/gadgetgurusJC

Samsung Galaxy Mega Coming To AT&T

MEGA-SIZE SMARTPHONE TEST IS COMING SOON!

The Samsung Mega with its whopping 6.3" display will be coming to my mailbox soon for a full review. I'm super excited about it, and I'm going to spend some quality time running it through the mill.

This is a new concept of giganticizing a smartphone to fill the phablet niche. I think it has definite use, for those that want to perform functions like a tablet can only provide.

It's looking like this will be a budget jumbo smartphone, coming in at a surprising price of only $149 on a 2-year contract via AT&T. But the specs on the phone definitely don't scream "cheap" by any means. Plus it is said to include a lot of the gadgety features of the Galaxy S4, like multi tasking, motion gestures, and more.

I think if your focus is on having a large display and tablet functionality, this might be a hit. The device dosen't pack the power of the Samsung Galaxy S4, but I think it will definitely function and perform well for what it is.

It might be a little bit of a stretch using this as a phone, but I'm open to the idea of having a jumbolicious device like this that provides its own 4G LTE service. I just wish it came with an S Pen, but that might jack the price up beyond what they are targeting.

I'll be watching the horizon for the UPS delivery truck, and I'll give a full report when I break it out of the box. If this is something that would piquie your interest, stay tuned! More info is on the way!

Carlton Flowers
Phablet Fanatic 

HTC One vs HTC One X - The Surprising Winner IMO

ONE OR ONE X? MY PICK FOR HTC'S BEST WILL SURPRISE YOU!

It's about time that someone wrote about the glaring differences between the recently released flagship HTC One and the previously released HTC One X.

I don't quite understand why HTC would develop two devices so similar yet so different. One is CLEARLY the superior overall device, in my opinion.

One of these smartphones I fell in love with immediately. The other one rubbed me the wrong way the minute I took it out of the box.

So which of these two HTC juggernauts is the one that captured my heart? I don't think you would guess right if I didn't tell you...

It was the One X!

As far as technical specificcations, the phones are not very far apart. Of course the HTC One has a bit more under the hood than the One X, because it is the newer phone. But not by much. The only spec that the One soars over the One X with would be screen resolution. But everything else is a close match.

That said, the reason that I love the One X is the form factor. This is a smooth, sleek, thin phone that feels incredible in the palm of your hands. It was most wonderfully crafted, with no hard edges and a screen that flows into the rounded sides like a work of art. It is also fairly light in weight compared to older HTC smartphones.

But the HTC One is a monstrously heavy device with some rather annoying design elements. First of all, it has sharp edges that do not feel comfortable in the hand. Plus it has a rounded back. Try to touch type on this thing while it's sitting on a flat surface, and you will be playing a game of see-saw with the device. Very annoying.

The most frustrating thing about the HTC One for me was the way they designed the power button and the volume buttons to be flush with the edge of the device. You have to visually search for the buttons to activate them. There's no raised dot, or any portrusion that allowsyou to "feel" your way to properly depressing the buttons. Humongous annoyance.

I have no earthly idea what HTC was thinking when they finalized the form factor of the One. I also don't understand what it is with the people who are giving this device rave reviews for its design aesthetics. I guess it's all preference.

But one thing is solidly clear to me... the One X is a fantastic phone that I would gladly purchase with slightly lower specifications over the HTC One, all due to the form factor and design materials.

What is your opinion of these two devices? Do you agree with me on my opinion about the HTC One X? Or do you believe the HTC One is the clear winner with its new design? Sound off in the Disqus comments section!

Carlton Flowers
King of Gadget Demagoguery

GET YOUR HANDS ON THE HTC ONE & HTC ONE X AT THE LOWEST PRICES!

Check out the Amazon Wireless store where you can get the HTC One and HTC One X as low as $79.99 with a 2-year contract! Click the link or pictures below to jump to Amazon.com and get your hands on your favorite HTC smartphone today!

HTC One VX 4G Android smartphone AT&T from $0.01 with 2-year contract or $499.99 without contract!

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HTC One X White Android smartphone AT&T - click the image to check on current pricing from Amazon Wireless!

HTC One - My Shocking "Right-Out-The-Box" Reaction

HTC ONE REVIEW - THE STRAIGHT STORY, MY IMMEDIATE REACTION

This will be a two-part review. It won't be like anything you've ever read before in a review. First off, I'm going to tell you exactly what my reaction was to opening and handling an HTC One (AT&T) Android smartphone right of the box. I won't hold back.

Next, I'll tell you what I expect others to think of the things I mentioned in my initial review, and who I believe would be best matched for this HTC flagship smartphone. So buckle your seatbelts, and get ready for my raw, unedited review and most honest straight-forward comments!

UNBOXING THE HTC ONE - FIRST THOUGHTS

The minute I pulled the HTC One out of the box, the first thought that popped into my mind was "this is heavy, thick, and bulky". I already knew it was going to take a lot of positives to get over the first bad impression.

The feeling of the device in my hands was not comfortable. I didn't like the sharp edges formed by the metal (or metal-like) back. It's definitely not the form factor of the One X that I thoroughly enjoyed. It almost reminded me of "retro electronics" devices. Just a bit too industrial for my taste.

After failing my initial hand grip test, I went to search for the power button. This was a solid "strike two". The button is flush with the top of the device, and not exactly easy to depress. I am so used to the portruding iPhone power button and the portruding side-mounted power button on my Samsung Galaxy S II that I wasn't really ready for this big of a switch.

The next awkward moment was figuring out how to unlock the screen. Again, after years of the "swipe to unlock" that is plain and simple enough for even someone with a lobotomy to understand, this was not easy. I don't quite like the unlock action on the Galaxy S2, but that has been improved with eh S3 and S4. But the HTC unlock, being a vertical pull, was odd.

Once in to the operating system, I was lost. Strike 3. Maybe this isn't the fault of HTC. It's probably due to my iPhone and Samsung experience. The HTC Sense operating system is different enough that I can't get manuevering around in it right off. It isn't intuitive. I had a hard enough time finding the "settings" pane. But I was totally confused with the HTC symbol sitting in the middle of the bottom of the screen where a home button should be. That's a total fail.

With only two navigational buttons, I still haven't found a way to get around with ease. I also haven't gotten used to the vertically-listed apps. I guess that's just something HTC does. And the five buttons in the home row is enough to give me a headache too. This again is due to my Apple and Samsung brainwashing.

I'm out of strikes, but strike 4 would definitely be the volume button. This is the most least desirable feature of the phone thus far. The volume rocker is flush with the side of the device. It's pretty, with its brushed metal look, but it doesn't work well. I found myself constantly smooshing the bottom edge of the case, and not hitting on the volume buttons. It is so smooth and flush with the case that you almost have to look at the phone to properly depress the up and down buttons. That's a solid fail.

The display on the HTC One is brilliant, crisp, and very high-def looking. But it doesn't go to the edges of the device like the Galaxy S4. Plus it's a couple tenths of an inch smaller. Maybe it's just in my head, but it is noticeable.

The one shining feature that I noticed within the first 10 minutes of using the device were the speakers that bear the "Beats by Dr. Dre" branding. They have incredible range, and carry such thick bass that I am in awe of how they physically made this possible.

But overall, my out-of-the-box thoughts after setting up the phone and giving it a whirl were really negative. This phone is definitely not for me. It's clunky, heavy, boxy, has hard edges, doesn't feel good in my hands, and is tough to navigate. I wouldn't even consider this smartphone versus the Galaxy S4. I'm a bit disappointed after enjoying the HTC One X as much as I did.

That said, let's move to part 2... the stuff that would make people want to purchase this phone above all the competitors!

HTC ONE - THE POSITIVES THAT VIRTUALLY GUARANTEE ITS SUCCESS

Here's another point of view that you won't believe could be coming from me, after reading the previous portion of this crazy review. But at the risk of sounding crazy, I'm gonna flip the record over and give you the "other side of the story".

The type of person who is going to totally appreciate this phone would be those who require a high build quality in their smartphones. The HTC One is the most solidly-built phone the company has broken out of the mold to date. I would say that it is on the level of an iPhone with a metal backplate.

Not only is the phone built like a solid jeweler's piece, it is just as beautiful. The combination of brushed metal, polished metal, shiny white polycarbonate, thick solid-feeling front glass, and crisp edges in its form factor make it a work of art. There's no doubts about quality when you first lay your eyes on the HTC One.

With the incorporation of Dr. Dre's "Beats Audio" in the front-facing speakers with this device, nothing will come close to the audio quality when playing music without the aid of headphones. They have worked a miracle in reporducing rich, robust sound for maximizing music enjoyment.

As for the form factor and the buttons, aesthetics were definitely kept as a high priority with the HTC One as nearly nothing portrudes from the edge lines of the device. If you run your hands around the edges of the phone, you hardly feel the volume buttons, power button, headphone jack, or micro USB jack. It is very elegantly laid out.

It goes without saying that the screen is aboslutely breathtaking with the vibrance and color reporduction that HTC has built in to their latest HD technology. There will be absolutely no complaints for this device's ability to show off multimedia content.

But the biggest advantage to the HTC One as it relates to the display is the soft keyboard. The only device that even comes close to what HTC has done when it comes to ease of typing is the Nokia Lumia 920. But HTC has perfected the ease and accuracy of the soft keyboard on its device.

And unlike any other manufacturer or device, the HTC One gives a "click" sound when your finger releases from the screen (after selecting something) that almost makes you feel as if there was a super thin button membrane popping back out. Totally amazing!

The spacing of the letters on the keyboard layout are just about perfect, and the haptics gives the most comfortable balanced feeling for feedback that isn't "too much" or "too little". It's hard to describe it, but the designers definitely kept the tradition of HTC's superior soft keyboard feel.

So... overall, for people who are current HTC fans, and for those that are iPhone users switching to Android, this will be a solidly satisfying device that should make record sales for HTC. If this device has caught your eye and has done well with a test drive in your hands, you really can't go wrong.

And that my friend is the long and short of it. If I have sparked your brain into the urge of sharing an opinion, please sound off in the Disqus comments section and let me know what YOU think of the HTC One! Or anything else you'd like to yap about!

Big thanks to AT&T (the only real carrier) St. Louis for the opportunity to test and review this great device! More details to come, and a full report at the end of my test period. Meanwhile, check out the Youtube video review below, and get more specifics on Amazon.com!

Carlton Flowers
Sublime Geek Tester

GET THE HTC ONE RIGHT NOW AT AMAZON WIRELESS! AS LOW AS $129!

For the best prices on smartphones with contract agreements, head on over the Amazon Wireless and pick up an HTC One from your carrier of choice as low as $129 with a 2-year agreement and help to support the CarltonZone Blog!

Samsung Galaxy S IV - Where I'm Buying, Plus Network Choice!

SAMSUNG GALAXY S IV - WHERE TO BUY, BEST NETWORK

I'm up for an upgrade! I couldn't be more excited to replace my current Samsung Gaalxy S II that just can't keep up with Android 4.0.4 and all of the pressure I put on it to multitask and make my life more simple. My choice for an upgrade? I'm sticking with the team and getting a Samsung Galaxy S IV.

There are several reasons why I have chosen the Galaxy S IV to serve as my secondary external brain and memory unit. I would assimilate if I could, but this is the next best thing. But the biggest reasons? Big brilliant display, touchless gesture control, removable battery, light weight, and durable construction.

Sure, the Galaxy S IV has a laundry list of other things that motivate me to get my hands on one, like the 1.9GHz quadcore processor, 2Gb of RAM, 13 Mp camera, super thin and lightweight form factor, and more.

I could bore you all with those details, but I won't. The main point is, it's the most technologically advanced smartphone on the market and comes from a trusted manufacturer that has experienced a ton of success.

Where will I pick up my Samsung Galaxy S IV, you ask? I'll be getting mine on Amazon.com for the lowest offering of any retailer. Right now, they are selling the AT&T version for only $168 with a 2-year contract for all eligible upgrades and new accounts. You can't beat that with a stick.

That actually leads me to my next revelation (that was already revealed), which is my carrier of choice: AT&T. We've got 4G LTE coverage in Central Missouri now, so I will have super fast download and upload speeds on a network that I have had no problems with whatsoever.

You can get your Samsung Galaxy S IV right here on Amazon.com and help to support the Carlton Zone blog site while at the same time, getting it for the best price available. Amazon is one of the most trusted suppliers in the nation, and they will ship the smartphone right to your doorstep. Nothing could be more simple than that!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Gadgetologist

GET IT NOW! GALAXY S IV ON AMAZON AT LOWEST PRICING

Grab your Samsung Galaxy S IV right now at Amazon Wireless for the best pricing possible on all major carriers when you sign a valid 2-year agreement! Click the link to jump to Amazon and join the Samsung revolution!

Samsung Galaxy S IV Vs HTC One - Close Call!

GALAXY S IV OR HTC ONE? MY RECOMMENDATION

Today we're going to take a look at the top two Android smartphones on the market. The Samsung Galaxy S IV and the HTC One. This is a close call, but I have a clear recommendation!

Many people have asked my opinion on which one of these smartphones to pick up in May of 2013. You can't go wrong with either one of these super handsets, but I'll point out a few differences and tell you why my choice edges out its chief competitor.

CPU

First, let's look at the processor. The Samsung takes a slight edge in this category with a faster core speed for the quad core processor. The average user won't notice much of a difference, so this isn't a deciding factor. If speed is critical, Samsung takes the checkered flag. For CPU speeds, they are as follows:

• Galaxy S IV CPU - 1.9GHz quad core
• HTC One - 1.7GHz  quad core

DISPLAY

Next, let's take a look at the displays. The Galaxy S IV has a slightly larger display than the HTC One, but they are both very vivid and boast brilliant color reproduction. As the current trend with Android smartphones, bigger is better, and both are excellent choices for watching multimedia content. Here are the specs on each display:

• Galaxy S IV - 5" 1920 x 1080 HD display
• HTC One - 4.7" 1920 x 1080 HD display

CAMERAS

The cameras on both of these units are outstanding. One has a much higher megapixel camera, but don't let that fool you. The HTC One may only have 1/4th of the megapixel rating as the Galaxy S IV, but it takes pictures that are just as vivid and brilliant. I have heard reports that the Galaxy S IV camera is incredibly fast, however. I'm not sure what the thinking behind such a small rear camera on the HTC One, but I don't think it will dissapoint. The only advantage here is that the Galaxy S IV can capture images with both cameras at the same time for an interesting effect. Both have great front-facing cameras. The specs are as follows:

• Galaxy S IV - 13Mp rear camera, 2.0Mp front facing camera
• HTC One - 4Mp rear camera, 2.1Mp front facing camera

FORM FACTOR

The Galaxy S IV is a smaller, thinner, lighter handset than the HTC One. But some people prefer the heavier, more solid build of the HTC One. Others prefer the lighter composite plastic build of the Galaxy S IV. For clumsy people like me, I would rather drop a Galaxy S IV. I don't think the HTC One will survive a similar drop to a hard surface, but it is still built in a way that it won't be nearly as fragile as an iPhone. Here are the specs on size & weight:

• Galaxy S IV - 8mm thick, 130 grams
• HTC One - 9mm thick, 143 grams

BATTERY

This is a category where the Galaxy S IV is the clear winner. This aspect alone gives me reason to pick the Samsung product. The batteries on both are very capable, but the Galaxy S IV packs a bit more juice. But the deal breaker for me is that the HTC One does not have a removable battery. I love the option of having the capability of popping in a spare battery with the Galaxy S IV. Here's the battery comparison:

• Galaxy S IV - 2,600 mA·h, removable
  
• HTC One - 2,300 mA·h, non-removable

OTHER SIMILAR FEATURES

Both of these incredible smartphones come with 32Gb of internal memory plus 2Gb of RAM. Both units are built to run on the 4G LTE networks of all major carriers that have coverage. Android Jellybean operating system is the standard for both, and each comes with its own version of a UI overlay. As of recent, HTC has added similar features that allow eye scrolling and smart pause for watchin videos. So there's no clear winner with any of these general categories.

One comment I have heard from Leo Laporte was that the HTC One has a slightly less durable front glass. He reported that he scratched the display while testing the HTC One, and really wasn't being haphazard with handling the unit. A screen protector could help to avoid this, but if you are one who doesn't like to mask your screen, this could be an issue.

What it boils down to is personal preference. If you are the type of person who conserves the juice in your phone, you'll do fine either way. For heavy users as myself, the lack of a removable battery will be a significant issue.

I prefer the lighter, thinner design of the Samsung Galaxy S IV because I am accident prone. Others might like the stronger, "heavier" build that gives the impression of better quality. But the heavier they come, the harder they fall. Add to that the issue with the battery removal, and I give the slight edge to the Samsung Galaxy S IV.

But again, you can't go wrong with either of these smartphones. The HTC One is still a beautiful, well-built phone with several superior capabilities than most other Android phones. So I give them both a green light. You'll just see me packing a Galaxy S IV with two spare batteries if you catch me out on the streets.

What is your opinion of these smartphones? If you are due for an upgrade, or if you've just bought one of the two of these smartphones, I'd love to hear why you chose one over the other. Share your thoughts in the Disqus comments section!

Carlton Flowers
Gadget Lover Supreme

GO SHOPPING NOW FOR THE BEST PRICING ON SMARTPHONES AT AMAZON!

Hit the link above to check out the Samsung Galaxy S IV and the HTC One on all major carriers in the Amazon Wireless Store! You'll get the best pricing on both of these units with a new 2-year contract with super fast shipping

"Soft-Bricked" by Android - How My Galaxy S2 Got Whacked

LATEST ANDROID UPDATE SOFT BRICKS SAMSUNG SMARTPHONES

If you own a Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphone, you might have been one of many people who got "soft-bricked" by the latest Android update to version 4.0.4 this month. I was one of them.

Listen to the audio and I will tell you about how I originally thought I damaged the phone, what my phone did when it got stuck into a "boot loop", and what I had to do to save it. You'll also hear about the mysterious disappearance and reappearance of certain things on my phone after I erased it.

As a nice bonus, you'll hear my opinion about the life of Samsung smartphones and how they conflict with the carrier's contracts. Enjoy the podcast, and share your thoughts in the Disqus comments section!

Carlton Flowers
Podcaster Supreme

The "Heavy" Question On Quality - Samsung, HTC, iPhone

REAL TALK ON QUALITY - IS HEAVY BETTER?

There's no super technological insight on this post. This is just a rant based on a question that I'd like to put out there to the smartphone world. Why does "heavy" mean better quality?

Day after day, I read reviews on Samsung smartphone products from all the gadget pundits. 9.9 times out of 10, writers claim that Samsung devices feel "cheap", because they don't have the heavy build of HTC, Apple, and other brand products.

This does not make sense to me. But time after time, the "experts" claim that heavy is better, and a bulky solid build means "quality". While the tech world pushes to make devices thinner and lighter, the complaints seem to go on and on despite the obvious advantage.

Have you ever dropped an iPhone or an HTC smartphone? Unless you like spending your hard earned money on expensive fragile smartphones, I can't for the life of me figure out why so many people complain that lighter weight devices feel "cheap".

The Samsung Galaxy S IV is about to be released this month. For the third time (since the release of the Galaxy S II), the complaints about the apparent cheap build are rolling in strong. They say that the Galaxy smartphones are too plastic-like. Forget the fact that they are made out of durable polycarbonate material. They are just cheap... or so they say.

I drop my phone on a regular basis. It happens daily. I owned an Apple iPhone 3GS, and an iPhone 4. Both were dropped from a height of 2 feet or less, and both were destroyed in one drop. But I have drop-kicked my Galaxy S II trying to catch it with my foot, and I have yet to break it.

To me, a lighter weight smartphone with a stronger material is common sense design. The heavier the phone, the harder the impact it brings when it says "hello" to the concrete. That is why I have had so much better luck with my Galaxy S II.

But just as with comparisons to Apple products, writers claim that the HTC devices have more of a solid "quality feel" too. I don't get it. While the HTC devices can handle impact a little better than iPhones, they still can't survive a drop like a Samsung smartphone.

I don't know how you iPhone and HTC owners feel about this, but I don't want a smartphone that feels like a pack of lead sinkers in my pocket. I don't want to know it's there when it is snugly packed away in my front pocket. But the madness continues with writers claiming that "heavy" equals quality.

When I tested the Samsung Galaxy S III from AT&T, I thought the look and feel was fantastic. Never once did I feel that the S III was "cheap" because of the material used. And the Galaxy S IV will follow with an equally light design, but thinner.

I love the gigantic 5" screen size on the new Galaxy S IV. Bigger is better in my book. And I think it awesome that the S IV will be thinner, built with polycarbonate material, and maintaining it's feather-light weight while increasing the size.

So many people were expecting Samsung to "improve" the quality of the build by creating a heavy, more dense device with a new material. I imagine they wanted to see a composite build similar to the HTC One X or the Nokia Lumia 920. Both of those handsets, in my opinion, are just too heavy.

I'll be the first writer to say that I am happy that Samsung has decided to continue manufacturing lighter, thinner smartphones with the new form factor of the Galaxy S IV. I can't wait to get my hands on my own Galaxy S IV the minute my upgrade is available in May.

Maybe the rest of the mindless writers can go shopping for Galaxy S IV cases made from a lead alloy so they can get that "quality feeling" that they are looking for. Meanwhile, I'll take it like it is. And I will not be putting a case around my S IV... because it doesn't need one.

Carlton Flowers
Common Sense Gadget Commentator

Samsung Galaxy Update - S4 Release Rumors Heat Up

SAMSUNG GALAXY S IV MARCH RELEASE?

It's time for the Samsung Galaxy Update! The up-and-coming Galaxy S IV is said to be released on March 14th, according to several reputable tech blog sites. Could this be the moment we've all been waiting for?

Previous rumors held that the device would be first released in Europe this spring, with the US to follow in May or June of 2013. I tend to believe the old rumors, but the buzz seems to be pointing toward a March release here in the states.

I for one would love to see an early release, because the earliest that I can get my grubby hands on the cutting edge Samsung Galaxy S IV would be May of 2013. This is according to the new "early upgrade" rule that allows the primary contract holder to upgrade their phone after 18 months. The old rule allowed an early upgrade after 12 months.

New rumors claim that the Galaxy S4 will have the ability to allow hand gestures for scrolling and selecting, thus allowing users to maneuver through the operating system without greasing up the display. This is something I would love to see. It might cut down on my obsessive-compulsive screen cleaning.

Something else that I would almost call far-fetched is the rumor that the Galaxy S4 will include the capability to perform "eye scroll", and "eye pause". That sounds exciting, but I don't know how reliable that could be for someone with poor eyesight like myself. My jittery eyes might cause the device to have a complete meltdown.

Other rumors are ebbing and flowing. The original story was that the Galaxy S4 would include a quad core CPU. About 2 months ago, we started hearing reports of an eight core processor.

I called shenanigans on that one, simply because there would be no use for an eight core processor at this time. Current programming cannot tap into such power. But now the tech prognosticators are returning to the older quad core prediction.

The device size still seems to be 4.99" according to the experts, and I don't see this changing. But a new rumor suggests that the design cues will come from the yet-to-be-released Galaxy Note 8.0. I don't think anyone has a firm handle on what the Note 8.0 will look like. So this one I call bunk. Look for the Galaxy S4 to take its design cues from the Galaxy Note II.

We will keep a close eye out for the next month. But I don't see the possibility of anyone nailing the final design before it is officially released. It didn't happen with the Galaxy S III, and I don't think it will happen with the S IV.

One thing that will happen, however, is that the Galaxy S IV will be a ground-breaking device. Again. Not like the boring incremental updates of the rival iPhone, even with it's new 6th generation device that is now on the market.

I'll be excited to see some significant feature upgrades, and a powerful smartphone that will have the power of a small laptop. Until then, we'll separate the good rumors from the garbage and see how close we get to the final release!

Carlton Flowers
Samsung Galaxy Update Specialist