On Monday, we opened up Volume 26 of the DL Q&A Sessions. Asking you to send in your questions, we got plenty of awesome inquiries concerning upcoming flagships, as well as plenty of more personal questions. It was a great mix of work and pleasure, and for that, we thank you.
Our main takeaway is that you all seem quite concerned with what the future flagships will bring in 2015. Now that specs seem to be plateauing in a sense, what will OEMs need to do to help differentiate themselves from the pack?
Read on to view the answers.
For a flagship to win you over this year, what does that particular OEM need to do better over the previous model?
K: Take steps forward in problem areas, while not creating new ones. For example, I love the new Moto X because it got a better display, better camera, better material choices, and a premium build compared to the year before. But then you have the One (M8) that didn’t improve its camera over the M7, it just added another gimmick. The Galaxy S5 was a worse version of the Galaxy S4 in terms of size and materials.
T: Samsung needs to give me a better design, HTC needs to drop the gimmicks, LG needs to revamp their skin desperately, Motorola needs to up their camera game terribly, and Google needs to give me a smaller phone.
R: HTC, you have good optics, but you need a camera that takes higher resolution pictures. Samsung – make the Galaxy S6 with premium materials and I might be interested. I like the Galaxy Note, but I’m not sure I want something quite that big; on the Note 5, make the S Pen a lot better or drop it. Motorola – go back to the old dimple. Other than that you’re aces. LG – I really don’t like your phone design or your skin. Give me something that looks less like a shiny new camera from 2003.
Are your expectations high for HTC’s new flagship?
K: Mine actually are because they appear to have ditched that stupid UltraPixel camera on the back. Even though the phone will be too tall thanks to that black “HTC” bar, a real camera coupled with HTC’s camera skills, could be awesome. And come on, how can you hate that build quality?
T: Considering all of the hype, yes, I have very high expectations. Will I be let down by something or other? Most likely. From the leaked specs we have seen initially, I can admire HTC’s possible move away from dual cameras and sticking to 1080p, but I want them to blow me away. My fingers are crossed for an absolute monster of a device.
R: Honestly, yes. I think HTC has a really nice phone coming up if the rumors are to be believed. A better camera with the same premium design. My only real other qualm is what Kellen mentioned – the slip factor. Maybe a better rendition of the Dot Case will make that less of an issue.
Do you see Android Auto taking off this year and becoming a go to solution for in-car integration?
K: The car industry has been trying to innovate with tech for years and has always failed, so yes, I’m excited to see Android come to the car because it should be much better than what we have now. With that said, I don’t know when any of us will ever use it. The car industry is about as slow to adopt new things as the airline industry. I hope we get it this year, but I’m trying not to get hopes up.
T: I just bought a new car and it doesn’t have Android Auto inside. Clearly, Google is screwing up. Jokes aside, I could see Google’s infotainment system being a real contender down the road, but it’s still too early for me to get excited about it.
R: Sure? Maybe? It really doesn’t matter because most people aren’t going to buy a new car this year, and when they do I don’t know that people really want or need Android in their car yet. The most exciting stuff I’ve seen is self driving cars; I love that idea. Having Android in my car? Cool, I guess, but I don’t know that it brings any real advantages that I need or that make me safer.
Seahawks or the Patriots to win the Super Bowl?
K: I really don’t care. Seattle, I guess, since I live in the northwest. Not a fan of either team, so hopefully it’s at least a good game or something. Apologies if I sound bored by the notion of this year’s Super Bowl, but the NFL and their paid media faux-journos that are spread about publications have ruined any excitement with this Deflate-gate bulls*t.
T: If you were to ask me in person, I would probably go off on some rant about how much I despise the Seahawks, but don’t worry, it’s not a new thing for me. I grew up in Northern California, so being a Niners fan meant I had to dislike the Hawks, but I do appreciate their club. They play strong and have a few equally strong personalities on their team. You either love them or hate them. Ultimately, I hope the Patriots win, but I can more easily envision the Seahawks repeating last year’s success. Ugh, that is painful to say. #NinerNation
R: I honestly don’t even know when the Super Bowl is. I know the Seahawks are from Seattle and the Patriots… nope. Don’t know. Sorry.
If you had to pick 5 of your favorite music albums of any genre, which would they be?
K: Ooh, good question! In no particular order: Wu-Tang’s Wu-Tang Forever double album, Ryan Adams’ Cold Roses, The Weeknd’s Trilogy, Gangstarr’s Full Clip greatest hits double album, R. Kelly’s “R” double album, and Jeff Buckley’s So Real. That’s 6, I know.
T: In no real order – Gojira’s From Mars to Sirius, Killswitch Engage’s Alive or Just Breathing, Dr Dre’s 2001, Winds of Plague’s A Cold Day in Hell, and probably Deftone’s entire discography.
R: Not in any particular order – Borderland by John Mark McMillan, Everything in Transit by Jack’s Mannequin, EP by Childish Gambino, Where the Light Is by John Mayer, and Dog Problems by The Format.
What are your top 5 TV shows?
K: Million Dollar Listing NYC! Love that damn show for some awful reason I can’t figure out. Also, Game of Thrones, Knife Fight, Bar Rescue, and Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.
T: My all time favorite would be Family Guy. Then in no particular order, I would go The Simpsons, Metalocalypse, Jeopardy, Shark Tank, and Game of Thrones. Although, at the same time, I hate Game of Thrones.
R: I do not have cable so I don’t watch a lot of TV, but these are my top 5 shows ever (again, no particular order) – House, Sherlock (BBC), Scrubs, Friends, and Wonderfalls.
F**k, marry, kill – OEMs. Then, the same for carriers. Go.
K: F) Xiaomi, M) BLU, K) OnePlus. – F) Google’s unofficial wireless service, K) Solavei, M) StraightTalk
T: F) HTC, K) Sony, M) Motorola – F) T-Mobile, K) Sprint M) AT&T
HTC has the looks, but Moto treats me good.
R: F) Samsung, K) LG, M) Motorola – F) T-Mobile, K) Sprint, M) Verizon
Samsung because their phones do look good, just not perfect. Motorola because I like them for the long haul. LG because I just don’t like their hardware or software. T-Mobile because I love their plans, but I don’t think their coverage is good enough yet. Sprint because they needed to die a long time ago. Verizon because they do have really good coverage, even if it’s not a happy marriage.
Tim, I feel like we are brothers now. From Mars to Serius is a DOPE album and A Cold Day In Hell is sick. I didn’t know other people even knew about that album.
Just for fun :
F) Verizon, HTC
M) T-mobile, Motorola
K) Sprint, Samsung
Verizon and HTC are so tempting but have major flaws I can’t get past. T-mobile and Motorola because they know how to treat their customers. Sprint and Samsung for not having a clue. OnePlus spared from death because it was their first attempt, hopefully they’ll learn from it and improve for the next go round.
I’m just glad to see Metalocalypse mentioned. Love that show!
#NinerNation
AZ Native and Cards Fan here. But I hope to see the niners have a better year next year so we can switch hit beating up on the SeaChickens.
Amen. brother. We gotta stick together
No kidding, this has to end. CenturyLink can be conquered. Hopefully.
Will be buying the new Pioneer head unit with android auto when it comes out http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/NEX/AVH-4100NEX
Why does the Honda prototype have like inches of bezel on each side?
To anger commenters on this blog
Now that made me laugh out loud. Thanks for that!
Lol, you did the FMK question I asked months ago. Funny someone else asked it again.
Wu Tang Forever over 36 chambers?!?
Ditto on this. That’s Blasphemy.
36 Chambers is obviously an all-time classic, but come on, Wu Forever is filled with so much great stuff. I spent an enormous amount of time last year with a massive Wu playlist and found that I was playing Wu Forever over and over and over, even over 36 Chambers.
A little let down that nobody on the DL team is bumpin tech n9ne…
Haha. Don’t get me wrong, Forever has a lot of gems, but The 36 is an experience. It’s like a musical voyage that never needs skipping or fast forwarding. Even the interludes are classic. I’d also put the first Raekwon album (still got my purple tape) above Forever, but that’s my book. 😉
I’d put liquid swords
Another start-to-finish classic.
Classic!!!
Thanks Jerk! You are about to cost me $10 in the Play Music store!
LMAO. Just get that monthly subscription bruh.
36 chambers> wutang forever any day. There’s no bad song on that album. Don’t get me wrong… I love Forever but its no classic.
Whatever K is smoking, he should share with the rest of us. For medicinal purposes, of course.
It is a good thing that we have Android in common because I don’t know what the heck most of you are talking about in regards to music. Where is the techno, industrial, and metal? Granted I am a bit old school, but I still mainly listen to NIN (Trent Reznor), Tool & APC (Maynard James Keenan), Disturbed & Device (David Draiman), and similar, and lots of different Techno (BT, Chemical Brother, Crystal Method, Daft Punk, Darude, Deadmau5, Oakenfold, Underworld, etc.)
Haha, I like a lot of those (don’t know em all). I grew up listening to Hip Hop, House and various top-40 in the 80’s and 90’s. I had almost every Ministry of Sound album ever made.
You listed a lot of the music I listen to. I would add Seether, Five Finger Death Punch, In This Moment, Skillet, Three Days Grace, Apocalyptica, Breaking Benjamin and Halestorm.
Ah yes, lots of good stuff there. I am really liking Halestorm lately as well.
If you like female fronted metal check out Huntress, they were in mayhem fest 2013 and are the reason I went
Like 3/5 of the bands Tim listed are metal
Exactly!! 36 Chambers is on if the greatest hip hop albums ever. Well that and Only Built 4 Cuban linx.
RIP GURU
http://youtu.be/y9lNbNGbo24
Def RIP.
Metalocalypse FTW
my question made it too =P i feel so special lol
TIL that Ron listens to Gambino.
‘Bino FTW!
Post that, id upvote
r/acj here we come.
Gojira FTW!!
If you like Gojira, check out a little band that originated in my area called Sons of Poseidon (better known as SOP). You can find one of their albums on Google Play (although it does not contain many of my favorites like Silent, Pil Sung, T-Bag, Expiration Date, Suicide Ride, or Kill Shop).
http://www.sopweb.com/
Sooooo i didnt knwo about Solavei until now….wtf is that nonsense..
The shadiest, dirtiest prepaid service ever. It’s basically overrun with shady affiliate marketers trying to make a buck by spamming their sign-up links all over.
free market at its finest….disgusting….
Next to StraightTalk, F them.
I don’t count MVNOs, most seem shady to me, except maybe Republic Wireless.
And you would kill Sony and OnePlus? You goofed
Jesus Christ why tf have you not killed yourself yet
Sony doesn’t deserve it, and oneplus needs another chance. Samsung can die in their place.
Good looks Ron, on Where the Light Is, my favorite album also.
HA both my questions made it…..Especially the F**K Marry Kill….lol
Ugh – deflategate is such a non issue. It really brought out all the ignorant fans and bandwagoners. Brady still GOAT.
im so annoyed by it….but honestly i just cant stand how its always them. I never liked brady or bellichick but you can’t deny their wins, rings, attempts. This whole deflate thing is just media attention. the NFl has gone so down hill for me between all the outside law issues. its becoming just as bad as baseball and the steroids hearings with the government. Seriously….ray rice beats his gf, AP smacks his kid and its just court orders etc etc but barry bonds, arod, amrk mcguire put a needle in their ass to hit HR’s and make a game exciting and its a governmental affair.
i’ll stick to NHL…go Rangers!~!
Go BlackHawks
Pshhh….see you in the finals
I knew I liked it here. A mutual dislike of the Seahawks. 🙂
Go Broncos! Next year.
I’m a dolphins fan and am sick of hearing about how awful the pats are, I may not like them, but when you’re good you’re good