yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[General Questions and Answers] DiamondJohn:
I have lots of old phones that have their own specific issues, making hem unreliable as a phone for daily dependable use. One of my old broken devices (GT-I9506, GPS is borked & battery is not the best, but it is removable/replaceable). It is rooted and running Oreo (I think there are ROMs for A11). As it was my daily, I had ViperFX running, and now I use it as my MP3 player when I exercise. I use to get them second hand from ebay (I have had about 3) for peanuts of around $40 AUD.
[General Questions and Answers] belenos46:
So, I'm in luck: I've been wanting to replace the clunky nonsense that is my moto power g9 (the one with the 'six-months-to-focus-the-bloody-camera' *feature* and the weird aspect ratio), and this morning my toddler did a lovely job smashing the hell out of the screen. Time for a new phone (oh no!).

My priorities:

- battery life (fairly heavy use all day ~16 hours)

- snappy performance

- decent camera (I'm not Fellini, but when I push the button, it needs to take a damn picture, not put me on hold while it aligns the satellites or whatever to take the shot)

- rugged design (it would be super if I didn't have to act like the thing was made of window glass)

I was looking at the ulefone armor 7, which has a decent price point and a few other cool features (I can attach an endoscope to the thing? So neat!), but I'm aware that I'm not dialed into the scene the way folks here are. Do you have any suggestions or information I should take into account?

Thanks all!
[General Questions and Answers] CheapDad:
I did surf ebay a bit to see what I could come up with. Any suggestions on a good brand, model or custom rom I should look for?
[General Questions and Answers] DiamondJohn:
I am only one person, ki8miuted by what was sold in AUSD, and I didnt upgrade all that often so only have limited experience.

If I was to buy ano9thger 2nde hand phone, i would NOT get a Nexus 5. Their screens are physically unsupported underneath and the big reveal is that a lot of the second hand ones are sold with broken screens=, and dodgy power buttons. From this experience, if i was looking for a cheap device, I would use the acid-test of what percentage of second hand phones of that model, are being sold as working and what percentage art broken or have issues.

Also check the availability of custom ROMs and thread support here on XDA. If they are all dying or rubbi8sh, then they're probably rubbish. But a good one may just be a hidden gem. Search on yo9uytube, and you may also find videos of people showing how to fix common issues everyone is experiencing. The Nexus 5 power5 button was all over the tube, so I knew it was something to watch out for.

But nothing definitive, sorry.
[General Questions and Answers] fleX_:
So,i want a smartphone,besides Xiaomi,that has applock function built in,that also lock the Settings app.I know Oppo has it too but it doesn't have the option to lock Settings.I don't really want Xiaomi because of their privacy issues.

Could someone recommend me some smartphones with this applock function?
[General Questions and Answers] mrrocketdog:
a little help/suggestions ; i am looking for a new phone :

musts :

--- sdcard

--- rootable

--- smallest as possible

--- At&t's phonelist (see attachement)

--- $300-ish (hopefully not more. but will consider all).

dont care :

--- camera

--- screen quality

--- H2O proof

--- latest and greatest

much thanks for any suggestions.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
How about Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini (i257)?
[General Questions and Answers] mrrocketdog:
dang!!! totally missed that on the list.

"a second pair of eyes" !!!!

ty
[General Questions and Answers] xHvlios:
Switched to iPhone few months ago and got 13 pro max. Decided im gonna go back to android, was eyeing the oneplus 10t should i get it or is there something else to get around that price point?
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
either go for a samsung fold 4 or a samsung s22 ultra
[General Questions and Answers] xHvlios:
those arent near the price point and im not spending 1000 on a phone.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Well, they are for me. In my country both of them are cheaper than the iPhone. So, how much would you get for that iPhone? What would be the budget?
[General Questions and Answers] Masquerain0601:
Hi guys, I'm searching for a new smartphone, my old one was a MiA1 and I loved it's community and variety of custom roms and it's almost pure android os.

What I'm looking for is a phone with:

A big modding community (and custom rom pool)

Price under 400€

In general a good smartphone for everyday life.

A long term usable smartphone (I usually use it until they die)

I was looking for:

- Pixel 6a

PROS: google os

CONS: almost no custom roms because of (?) Google proprietary processor.

- Xiaomi 11T pro

PROS: some roms and also a good processor (Snapdragon 888) supported in custom rom developing.

CONS: MIUI and its bloatware and an unusual battery drain experienced by many people

Obviously suggestions must not be limited to this 2 device, any suggestion is welcome.

Thank you in advance for any advice <3
[General Questions and Answers] DiamondJohn:
Just to answer your question, the custom processor in itself should not be the issue, as Google have to release the source code; in this case probably the unique newer kernel code, and firmware binaries to integrate into their hardware (where the more complex and proprietary code would probably lie). This source could then be added / integrated into a custom ROM. Thats how the same custom ROM is delivered over multiple seemingly unrelated devices.

I own a Pixel 4A, I was suprised by how few custom ROMs have been built for the phone., expecting there would be many before I purchased it. One thing I havce learnt regarding custom ROMs, unless you are a flash-a-holic, you only need a single good ROM. The big kicker for me is that there is no fully functioning TWRP!
[General Questions and Answers] xHvlios:
like 6 or 700 at the most
[General Questions and Answers] Biges:
Hi guys!

I'm looking for a replacement for my ageing OnePlus 5. I'd like an Android phone capable of taking indoor photos of my little daughter, wireless charging and as small as possible ("small flagship"), to curved display.

So far I've tried OnePlus 9, Pixel 6, Pixel 7 and Samsung S22. The best feeling I got from OP9, S22 is also nice, but their photography capabilities are far behind what Google can do with Pixels (Face Unblur!!!). However Pixels themselves seem to be plagued by many small problems - missing screen taps, lack of customization, changing functionalities from Android version to Android version.

So my question is whether there is a non-Google non-iPhone phone which can utilize its camera setup in a way to capture moving object, but on other side cares to make their phones working in some solid way. And not too large. The price is not an issue.

Thanks
[General Questions and Answers] {true}:
I have a Moto Z force.

( no complaints)

It is an old device what would be an equivalent upgrade and or replacement device? Camera quality is the least of our concern.
[General Questions and Answers] Backcountry:
On Sept 14, 2022, I asked for ideas for a smartphone I would carry back into the bush.

Well, I finally settled on a Ulefone Armor 8 Pro rugged smartphone (~C$236) From amazon.ca:

Ulefone Armor 8 Pro Rugged Smartphone, Android 11, 8GB+128GB Octa-core Unlocked Cell Phones Canada, 16MP Triple Rear Camera, 6.1" Display 5580mAh, Dual SIM 4G, IP68 NFC Mobile Phone- Red​

So far so good but even with just a modestly sized battery, it is heavy. Works well with the service provider Koodo which is a discount brand of Telus.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge or Sony Xperia 10 IV​
[General Questions and Answers] psi78:
Google Pixel 2 XL is just great (it's manufactured by LG):

- Decent price nowadays (recently bought one for 150 Euro as new)

- still very good camera, also in bad lighting conditions

- longlasting battery performance out of the box with latest officially supported Android 11 version. Good overall performance nonetheless.

- IP67 protection.

- Great custom ROM support: official builds with regular updates for LineageOS available, crDroid for example also available as official build (and many other ROMs)

- no crippling of Camera2-API for Google phones / Pixel 2 XL on custom ROMs / after unlocking the bootloader like with many Sony or Samsung devices (i was a Sony Xperia fan for a long time, had Z1, Z2, still have a Z5, but the camera issues with these phones on custom roms are very annoying). Thought about a new Samsung phone, but Camera2-API only partially supported on custom ROMs put me off.

Potential Cons:

- No 5G (i personally prefer a stable LTE/4G signal which you get with the Pixel 2 XL)
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Is this post intended as a reply to someone else? If it is, either tag that person or his/her reply. Or is it a question about a new suggestion for your next device?
[General Questions and Answers] totek2007:
Hello, I'm looking for new phone. (every middle price cost will be great).

I am focus on the best custom rom development with a great battery and maybe camera.

Currently I am using Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro (sweet) - OMG That was perfect budget phone with verry god custom rom support.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
if you are already on the "perfect budget phone with verry god custom rom support", why change ? should hold you at least for a couple of years.
[General Questions and Answers] psi78:
I guess it's more of a sharing of my personal experience in the buying decision for a phone, and as somebody who is interested in long term use of a phone i'd have wished for some of that information myself some years ago (where i didn't take into consideration for buying decisions that camera quality on a phone can take a loss with long term use/after manufacturer support has ended and you may go for a custom ROM to get software updates).
[General Questions and Answers] totek2007:
1. Because the support is slowly coming to an end.

2. The battery is getting weaker - but I want to fix it.

Looking at what is happening in the market I think the best solution is still using my current phone. I can't find an interesting model for me.

Thanks for help.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Even when the support is going to be stopped, your phone will still be compatible with 95% of current apps. As for the battery, you can just replace that. Wait a couple of years if nothing interests you at the moment.
[General Questions and Answers] hrpanjwani:
Nokia G21
[General Questions and Answers] Markix_:
I've been considering buying a new phone to replace my 4-year-old Samsung Galaxy A6. It works fine, but it's slow in heavier workloads, (from what I've heard) Knox makes it difficult to root and TWRP has no official version for it. But the problem is: I don't know what brand to purchase a phone from.

I wanna buy something that's easier to root (not exactly Google-Pixel-easy but easier than a Samsung phone)

My budget is $430

Can anyone help me out?
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
go with a xiaomi. say, a xiaomi redmi note 12 pro+ (https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_note_12_pro+-11954.php)
[General Questions and Answers] hrpanjwani:
You should consider the oneplus 8t 5g

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NK4FHRW/ref=vp_d_cpf-substitute-widget_pd?_encoding=UTF8&pf_rd_p=2ec8857e-0329-426e-9d94-4a9fd9089019&pf_rd_r=T4GX8ZD6FP6RH82251HM&pd_rd_wg=XRfSh&pd_rd_i=B08NK4FHRW&pd_rd_w=az0hG&content-id=amzn1.sym.2ec8857e-0329-426e-9d94-4a9fd9089019&pd_rd_r=3212c431-e150-4ef6-b157-040fdcf58dfe
[General Questions and Answers] NihadChopin:
Poco f3 or iPhone SE 2020​

I will buy a phone. Both will be second hand. Which one would you recommend?

I never liked my previous phone poco x3 GT because the gcam rom is not very good

Is there a normal system camera for poco f3? The reason I write iPhone SE 2 is because of its camera and System

I am waiting for your opinion. What kind of advice do you see?
[General Questions and Answers] klark27:
Motorola Moto G200 or Motorola Moto G100. Which of these phones is better to choose?
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Go for the iPhone.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Go for G100. It has microSD and jack. The camera seems also more capable. And the processor is more battery efficient
[General Questions and Answers] hrpanjwani:
Seconded. If you have been in the Android ecosystem for a while then its time to try out the iPhone.
[General Questions and Answers] HippoMan:
... unless you value the ability to mod your OS.

A rooted Android device allows a lot more OS modification than a jailbroken iPhone.
[General Questions and Answers] hrpanjwani:
It's good to expand your boundaries.

Personally, an iPhone has been my main phone for almost 15 years. But I have also had some version of Android as a secondary phone in that time. Samsung, Nexus, Xiaomi, Nokia, LG.

It's fun to play around with different aspects of technology.
[General Questions and Answers] HippoMan:
Yes, I agree that it's good to expand ones horizons, and for many people it could be beneficial to check out an iPhone.

I'm just pointing out to those people who root and mod their Android devices that jailbroken iPhones allow fewer OS and feature modifications than rooted iPhones. On a jailbroken iPhone, you are more constrained to limits imposed by the Apple ecosystem than you would be limited to Android ecosystem limits on a rooted Android device.

In other words, if modding and extending your OS beyond the manufacturer's imposed limitations is important to you, you will find that Apple makes this more difficult than Android does.

Apple is famous for (often proudly) forcing user-experience constraints which in many cases are impossible to override, even on jailbroken phones. Android is freer in this area ... although over time, Google keeps imposing more and more Apple-like limitations upon its users, and Android may eventually catch up with iOS in this area.
[General Questions and Answers] puru:
Buying Decision (S22 Ultra)​

Hey please help in buying decision

Thinking of getting a S22 Ultra 512GB from US (I am from India) - Retailing for $1100 as of now.

I have to root as I tend to use quite a few rooted apps (mainly to block tons of ads, data privacy, spoof location, etc)

1. Need to know which version is easiest to root (Exynos, Snapdragon) and even the region code if possible.

2. Is it possible to receive updates (OTA or otherwise) without a reset?

3. Is it worth waiting till S23 is released in Feb 2023? (For price drops of S22)

Why S22?

Primarily for the great camera. I considered Pixel Pro but S22 outshines in the features.
[General Questions and Answers] hrpanjwani:
Yes, Apple has a specific vision and you have to buy into that vision to use their devices. For example, slide to unlock was useful and a good marketing gimmick and now it is gone but we still use it to power off devices. Could do with an update there and add reboot, reboot into recovery, etc but Apple requires a hardware interaction for those. That's their vision and they will stick to it.

I agree that Google used to be much more flexible but the shareholder demand for services revenue is making both companies much more controlling than one would like. Microsoft did not get their Windows/Office blinkers off in time to compete in mobile and HP with WebOS could have been a good competitor but they folded just as they were starting. Having even one more real competitor in the mobile OS landscape could have seen a different outcome for us consumers.
[General Questions and Answers] sa20001:
Hi, I was looking for a new phone. I am currently using an S7 with Lineage Os, I was looking for something that has the same size, sd card slot, waterproof and fingerprint sensor and good durability. S10E meets all the requirements, but my only concern is that the camera will work like crap as soon as I install a custom rom.

Any advice?
[General Questions and Answers] Perico pericales:
Hi guys, I´m in need of something for our company:

We need a inexpensive phone (between 100€ and 200€) that could have a clean custom rom with firewall afwall+, no google apps and, if possible, openvpn integrated for always on (and it could not be modified)

Access the phone remotely via vpn could be great in case a change is needed in the vpn.

What phone do you recommend for that?

Is there someone willing to do this? We could talk privately if he/she is interested.

Thanks!!!
[General Questions and Answers] svenik:
Hi all, please

What smartphone would you recommend to buy up to 500 euro?

I was thinking about Poco F4 8/256, or OnePlus Nord 2T 5G, 128 or 256, Nothing phone 1

I would expect good amoled display, with nice stereo sound (bass + volume) and a good camera at least with OIS

Or is there something else to look on please? Thank you
[General Questions and Answers] DmT1:
Hi,

Posting to this forum, as maybe someone can suggest a smartphone with removable battery, which has some features I like and use on my current phone.

Right now I am using LG G4 and it might be time to update it. However the newer versions G5 and V20 have no way to unlock bootloader (and get root - to remove Google spying and add firewall/xprivacy) and therefore I am unable to find a phone which meets all my criteria.

So preferrably I would like a smartphone which:

- has removable battery

- is rootable

- has IR sensor

- has FM radio

- has microSD card slot

- has headphone jack

- has a decent camera

If someone know some smartphone model, which meets those, then please share you wisdom!:)

Thank you!
[General Questions and Answers] Laesx:
Buy Lenovo P11 Pro 2022 (TB132FU) or P11 Pro 2021 (J716F)​

Little backstory, I have the 2021 version of this (which I bought second hand but I'm returning it because the screen is terrible at low brightness, see picture).

So I've spotted a sale I can get either of these two tables and they're the same price, my question is which one would be better, the info I know so far is:

2021:

+ Easier to flash apparently as I see on the forum, much more support

- Screens seem to be really poorly QC'd so it's a lottery (although this might be for both)

2022:

+ "Better" Screen since it's 120Hz, has PWM or w/e and a higher sampling rate, different panel from the 2021 so I'm hoping the QC is slightly better.

- No fingerprint

- Bigger Bezels which look kinda ugly but I can live with

- Less proper documentation for flashing/L1/OTA, etc. makes me trust it less

I'm debating if I should get a 2022 or a 2021, also I've heard some bad things about ZUI 14 being buggy (which my current tab doesn't have) so I'm not sure what to do.

Specially in the screen part of things since it's what's most important.

Picture of what I was talking about, This should be solid dark grey. It would be helpful if owners of them could try taking pictures of how they fare on low brightness.
[General Questions and Answers] hrpanjwani:
Go for the Nord
[General Questions and Answers] svenik:
Thanks for the advice, i am also inclined to Nord but yesterday i saw motorola edge 30 neo which also does not look bad
[General Questions and Answers] hrpanjwani:
Yup that's also decent. Neo has a better screen and is lighter but the Nord packs a larger battery. Both are solid options, though personally, I will go for the larger battery.
[General Questions and Answers] anmac1789@gmail.com:
Hello, I am looking to buy a pixel 7 or a oneplus 9 vs. S21 FE or a S22 (international models). I want a rootable stable phone that will not give crazy issues with windows 10/11. The pixel 7 I can buy from my cellphone carrier koodo mobile (https://www.koodomobile.com/en/phones?INTCMP=KMNew_NavMenu_Shop_Phones). I live in Ontario, Canada so mind you, I will be buying a device within Canada (mostly). Which phone should I get ? thanks for your input

Also, does anyone know what the naming convention is for taking photos with the built-in camera of each device ? Thanks for another one!
[General Questions and Answers] liberator130:
Hello, I have a follow-up: it seems like the M4 and X3 may have advantages over the X4. I heard that the X3 has better hardware yet it (Indian model?) has had issues (I'm buying in the US). Do you have any thoughts on the M4 and X3 as well, and which one is a better buy in this case?

Addition: The Galaxy S10e is also looking attractive. It has features that I like, smaller, and cheaper than the other phones. I figure it has good mod support too because it's a flagship phone? Any thoughts help! ty
[General Questions and Answers] tralph3:
Hi, I'm wanting to replace my old Huawei P8 lite from 2015. I don't know many models, so I'm looking for recommendations.

There are some things that I cannot give up tho. I'll put a list of things that are required. I won't accept any phone without these.

REQUIREMENTS:

* Official custom ROM support (anything that lets me remove Google completely)

* 3.5mm audio jack

* Expandable storage via micro sd card

* No Samsung or Pixel phones

PREFERABLY:

* No notch

* No more than 5.5 inches

* NFC

* No punch hole camera, I want an unobstructed screen

Well, that's about it. The price range needs to be kinda low, not much more than maybe $100. I live in Argentina, electronics are expensive, and wages are low. What options do I have?
[General Questions and Answers] 20GT:
Advice needed: best (up to date) as possible new phone for rooting​

Hi guys, wasn't sure where to post this, so feel free to move it to a better suited forum if needed.

My phone is 5 years old and its time for new one. Whats an easy, but worthy phone, to root thats still relatively easy to aquire.
[General Questions and Answers] HoxoR:
here are the infos about phone between 150 and 200€?
[General Questions and Answers] Sora4449:
I'm torn between huawei nova 9 and honor 50

Where I live they are almost the same price

Nova 9 has better cam

Honor 50 has Google services. Other than that they are the same.
[General Questions and Answers] phaleg:
Hello!

Would you please suggest me a decent rugged phone with custom roms support?

Nothing fancy, it is enough that it is not super long and narrow like 99% of phones that are creating now

Thanks
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Go for redmi note 4 (snapdragon version)
[General Questions and Answers] tralph3:
That phone is almost as old as the one I currently have. It's not even being sold anymore. Thank you anyway.
[General Questions and Answers] Renate:
I just updated my low grade Android to a Moto G Power 2021.

I went for the 2021 because it has a Qualcomm processor instead of the Mediatek they switched to in 2022.

The 2022 has 128GB vs the 32GB on the 2021.

I paid $130 unlocked.

Two things I don't like: the bullet hole in the screen (I think it's a camera) and I'd rather have something smaller than 6.8" diagonal overall.

And a general warning to people (if you care):

I was disappointed to see that the USB Type C connector was only USB 2.0 and not USB 3

A USB Type C connector is a guarantee of nothing.
[General Questions and Answers] tralph3:
I can live with that. Are there custom roms for that device?
[General Questions and Answers] Renate:
I've never really used any "custom roms", I've always just modified stuff on my own.

The OEM unlocking stayed gray for three days after purchase, then finally went black.

I had to get the unlock data through fastboot, go to the Lenovo/Moto site and get the unlock code.

So now I could use fastboot to flash whatever.

Being a fan of Qualcomm and EDL mode I tried to get that all working.

I found a Firehose loader that (mostly?) works.

I can dump the GPT but it gives "range restricted" errors on accessing blocks after 256.

I'm still pursuing this.