I still use Habit Browser due to its extensive customisation. However, I don’t think I can recommend it since the latest build is from May 2017!
I really should start looking for a replacement.
People keep making cool new phones!
Added. Thank you.
Same – doubling down on that recently.
I’m using Brave right now for browser, and with system-level Adguard on Android and their extension for Safari on Mac. And NordVPN for open-wifi places (currently Big Sky Resort). @Fire got us started with Edison Email on Android, digging it so far.
Quick update. The S23 Ultra is still my main phone. In a twist of fate (one that I would never have predicted), I actually use the android phone with my Mac computers and there are enough apps out there that make this a pretty seamless enterprise. I haven’t replaced my iPad use for a Samsung tablet, but the S23 Ultra/Galaxy Watch Pro combo completely won me over.
Sadly, the ZFold 4 heads back to Samsung today. I made one last attempt to be one of the cool kids, but the Fold is just too heavy and bulky for my tastes.
Soma
4079
I’m tempted by s23+, ultra is just too big and heavy and expensive, s23 too small. And they are doing a deal bundling an air fryer, which we don’t have. So it is kind of tempting. I’m sick of midrange phones needing replacement every 2-3 years when they stopped updating software, s23/+/ultra supposedly will get 4-5 years of updates. S23 update policy is beating Pixel 7 by 1 year, which is commendable.
I am tempted by iphone but the Apple tax is just as steep as ever. And the 60Hz screen for the more affordable iphone 14/14+, yuck, I can’t go back to 60Hz once I’ve seen 120Hz or even 90Hz. If I go for 14 pro, it is just as expensive as s23+ but smaller. Dynamic Island from all I can see is just a gimmick like the touch bar on Macbook.
I thought the S22 Ultra would be too big so I got the S22+, but then returned it the next day. It’s a good overall size but it was too chunky, and the flat hard edges dug into my hand.
Got the Ultra and though it’s taller, the curved screen and thinner, rounded edges made the phone feel much more comfortable to hold. The weight took a little to get used to, but after a while it’s not a huge deal, though I still wish it were a few ounces lighter.
Re keyboards, I just discovered in my periodic search for a universal clipboard that Swiftkey has pretty seamless cut and paste between PC and Android. Unfortunately, having used Swiftkey for a day for the first time in years, I’m finding it incredibly frustrating. The common punctuation marks are not conveniently located, the long press is a little too long, and I just find myself mistyping way more than on Gboard. So, for a Pixel user, is there any alternative which is as convenient for clipboard sharing? I’ve used Pushbullet before but in its current incarnation it’s still a bit of a pain. I just want to copy on one device and paste on the other.
SwiftKey is also very customizable. IIRC, long-press duration, key size, and at least some layout elements are all user-configurable.
I couldn’t find any way to move the secondary keys, only the QWERTY layout.
Canuck
4086
Swiftkey used to be my go to a long long time ago but then it got terrible under Microsoft. Currently using gboard and it’s ok. I do miss how with if you forgot to capitalize the first letter of the word you were typing, you could hit shift while typing the word and then select the capitalized word from the word bar above. Gboard doesn’t seem to offer that option.
Jazar
4087
My galaxy s10 started flickering and I thought it was on its last legs, so I bought a used S22. It was a great price with no issues, but man, it has been the most lackluster phone upgrade I’ve ever done. The 120hz is ok I guess? And they dropped the resolution to 1080p.
Soma
4088
Got the Galaxy S23+, one thing I notice immediately is how the haptic is so much better than on the midrange phones. This thing can vibrate like the PS5 DualSense controller. There are gazillion Samsung bloatware and it will take some time to remove them all, right now don’t know which is useful which isn’t.
Pretty much none of them.
As somebody who has used Samsung phones and tablets, that is an accurate answer.
But on the upside, most of them are non-removable without rooting the phone. So just learn to disable/ignore.
Gladguy
4092
Or, like, don’t buy Samsung phones?
The decent tablets seem to be Samsungs thought.
Soma
4094
Well it isn’t like even Google won’t saddle you with bloatware in its phones (like do I really need Google Docs/Slides/Sheets or Google Meet?). But Samsung clearly is duplicating Google apps rather than adding what is missing in Google’s offerings, like keyboard. And Bixby.
Yeah those unnecessary Samsung build-in bloatware are in their own Samsung folder rotting in digital purgatory.
The android market is consolidated down to a few manufacturers and unfortunately all of them think they know better than consumers on what apps MUST be present. They know this because they did a lot of deep analysis on topics like around “how can squeeze more ad money out of customers?” and who will pay us to include their crapware?"
