4096

Grrr, just dropped my Pixel 5a phone onto my kitchen floor (not tile, just plain ol’ “linoleum”) and the screen is pretty much dead. It just blinks. I can’t even turn it off unless there’s some super secret way of turning it all the way off without being able to interact with the screen. The volume buttons work.

Gotta say, I’m not impressed with its durability vs my old Pixel 3a, which got dropped as many times and never had a problem. Both have been in Spigen Tough Armor cases.

Guess I’m gonna have to pull the SIM from the phone while it’s on and pop it into the 3a like I had to do once before (when the screen died the first time). This is some bullshit.

4097

I actually like the Samsung browser.

4098

Brave all the way for me.

4099

Dang that sucks. At least Google Store is having a sale.

4100

Yeah, as to durability, the Pixel 5a with 5G is like an origami flower compared to the 3a XL’s M1 Abrams. It’s ridiculous.

Also on the subreddit I’m reading that some recent security update for Android is bricking some 5a phones. That hasn’t happened to me, thank goodness.

EDIT: Turns out that the 5a has a known frame weakness issue, so much so that if it’s just the screen being replaced it’s still covered under warranty for a second year since purchase (the first year ended in late November).

All fixed now!

4101

Did they eff up Android gesture navigation somehow? I can’t seem to find a dependable way to open the “all apps” drawer. Swiping up from home and holding shows recent apps, swiping up from home shows the home screen(s).

4102

Working fine for me via Nova Launcher.

4103

I know exactly what you mean, it drives me nuts on the tablet. In my case it usually opens the all apps

start anywhere near the bottom. Avoid the black border. Swipe up.

my problem is getting the equivalent to window’s alt and hold tab to work (to get a list of all open tasks)

4104

Is it possible you used to use the “three-button navigation”, and were switched to “one-button navigation” without realizing it?

The one-button navigation is complete shit, but it’s also been the default for a few years. I always get tripped up by this for the first few days after switching a phone, because the two modes are superficially so similar that I don’t initially realize what is wrong. But something clearly is wrong, because nothing works quite right.

System > Gestures > System Navigation > Three-Button in the Settings app.

4105

Thanks. The trick is not starting at the home button but above that. I probably knew that at some point but had forgotten it.

4106

I used to use one button navigation but they took it away for either 12 or 13. Now it’s either old school three button navigation or gestures.

4107

My Pixel 2 spontaneously shut down today and got stuck on the Google loading screen, at which point I was able to force another restart via the physical buttons. Is this a sign that it’s starting to fail and is due for replacement?

4108

Pixel 2? The 2017 one? If thats the case I think you got your moneys worth. I had a pixel 2 that had to be replaced twice in the first year because the screens kept going out. Weird pixel lines going up and down, I think it was delamenating?

I really liked that phone, but dont trust it. If I were you, I would at least make sure everything is backed up.

4109

That pixel 2 is worth $25 trade in! The time to act is now!

4110

The only android devices I have ever owned that have died have been google devices.

All of my Samsung phones have just been given up due to their batteries getting so bad they could barely hold a charge for a full day.

4111

My google devices have had the same problem. Battery hardly holding a charge anymore. What really worked for me with the Pixel 3 is to try to not charge the phone past 80% too often. Mostly just keep the device between 20 and 80% charged. That worked really well, I eventually lost my Pixel 3 after I got the Pixel 6 Pro, but it was still running fine, including the battery. So I think not fully charging the battery too often does wonders for the life of the battery long term.

4112

My Galaxy S10 still has a decent enough battery nearly 4 years on from me buying it. But, now unless I do a top up charge in the middle of the day it ends the day near 15% charge.

I feel like getting 4 years out of a phone is fine, for a device that gets used as much as it does. The question is… what do I get next? I can’t get a headphone jack from anyone anymore (without making serious compromises). Do I continue my Samsung purchasing? Or do I wait for the next Google Pixel?

I am also tempted by the possibility of a USB-C Iphone.

4113

I’m personally loving the leaked renders of the pixel folding phone and the next Galaxy Z-fold. I wonder if they’ll be more affordable on launch than the predecessors? Z-fold 4 sold at launch for $1000 on the Google Fi store, and it still hasn’t come down, it’s still $1000.

4114

Yeah, I don’t really need an upgrade from my Pixel 5, although my battery is starting to get a little dodgy, but I am keen to see how the next generation of folding phones come out. Absent something built from the ground up for it like a Duo, I’m actually more interested in the Flip form factor than the fold, but maybe Google is going to beef up side-by-side Android to go with the Pixel version.

4115

You guys know you can replace batteries right? I’ve gotten lots of practice since I crack screens a lot. You’d probably prefer to hire someone for the job thought as it does require a bit of technique and dexterity (which I lack)