Android phones, apps and tablets

I've been having roaming internet problems on my Android 6.0 Nexus 5 for a few weeks. I just updated Android to 6.1 and I got a text message from 3 (from phone number 2549) saying that they couldn't automatically set my phone for internet and picture messaging, and I should go to http://www.three.co.uk/setup and follow instructions.

The instructions are to change the MMS proxy from mms.three.co.uk to 217.171.129.2. I did a whois on that IP address, and it looks like it's legitimately Three.

Will report if it makes any difference...

EDIT: This didn't work at all. But these instructions seem better: http://www.geeksquad.co.uk/articles/three-apn-settings

Openreach's roll out is happening. Just really fucking slowly. We first tried before I came to London (c.2006). BT went as far as setting up the account, starting billing and sending out the kit. Loads of faffing about and an engineer said the signal was too weak.

Earlier this year I heard the nearest box got FTTC so tried again. Same result. They're stuck using a 3G dongle.

Mum has just retired and doesn't drive. Dad's just been diagnosed with MS so trying to up their connectivity for online shopping, speaking to grandkids and that.

3G dongle is ok-ish. Usually enough for the tesco shop but it craps out over skype when the wind changes direction. Next step is just buying them a dongle from three different providers and them just using whatever one has the best signal.

Admittedly it would be much easier (in MANY regards) if they moved into town but they're stubborn.

Brilliant !
I was looking for the same info for my OnePlus X on Orange/EE, it's here:
http://www.geeksquad.co.uk/articles/orange-apn-settings

Why is this stuff so hard in a mass market world ??

Anyone any experience of the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact? Thinking of getting one (in the near year once the prices have dropped a bit), but I've heard some worrying, if rare, stories of the glass on the front and back (why the fuck is there glass on the BACK?) spontaniously cracking.

Also, anyone with any experience of the Nokia 1020 or 808 moving to an android phone with an allegedly 'great' camera know if the cameras are actually that great? The camera on my 1020 is fucking insane and will be hard to replace.

This is the exact one I got, I can't work out which generation it is:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KB0YDBG/ref=pe_385721_51767431_TE_dp_1

I looked it up and it is possible to scratch Gorilla Glass apparently - sand and other glass are apparently good at it. Normally I'd have bought a helicopter tape screen protector but I bought it in a rush because I smashed my Nexus 4 when I smashed my elbow, so I just wanted a working phone.

Basically we both, like @Velocio, want the 6P but smaller. Although I also definitely want it to cost less, the 5X is at the top end of what I want to spend even at its reduced price.

I can find out more details from him if you'd like but it was something like 'community has no internet access, community throws funds in a pot, he supplies a broadband connection and then the big ass wireless kit needed to broadcast it through town'. I remember him going up there to fix/improve antennas and similar. Could be a useful idea if you can get other folk on board and someone with tech knowledge to set it up.

Cheers but not much of a community spirit round their way. Their current set up is a 3g WiFi dongle which by all accounts has better signal than the last USB one. They still haven't figured out that it doesn't need to be plugged into the PC so I'll sort that in a few weeks when I'm home.

There's a huge dairy farm next door and they must have some sort of decent connection to run the business. Saying that, "next door" is half a mile away so they may be just withing reach of the exchange. Maybe I can run some solar/wind powered WiFi extenders along the tops of the hedges....

solar/wind powered

Ireland?

solar/wind powered

ftfy :)

There's a saying in my home town;

"If you can't see Scrabo Tower, it's raining. If you can see it, it's about to rain".

I bought one 2 weeks ago. Early days yet but I'm really liking it. So far, with a few tweaks to power management I'm getting easily two full days between charges. The size and the way it feels is good. The only slight negative is that it has very square corners and they definitely stick out when in a pocket.

A lot of reviewers of the Z5 compact complain about the lack of a higher res screen... honestly, it's fine and colour rendition is great. you can even tweak that if you want.

Really like the audio quality too, running flac files on a set of of Westone UM3X in-ears and it has no probs driving them.

Camera wise, it's good but I feel the compression is too aggressive and it's not as fast as the ads portray (shocked right?). Quite soft around the edges too when used in 16:9 mode. I've attached a scaled down version of a 23MP file, shot at sunset so you can get an idea of low light noise.

1 Attachment

I bought a moto g as a replacement for a nexus 5 in a hurry. Felt like a huge step down in speed, screen quality and especially camera (moto g one is like something from 2005).
Smashed the screen in the first week, on the first drop. Repaired n5, have been using that ever since.

Would really like an n5x, but this isn't really the right time of year to drop £300+ on a phone.

Thanks, although its always going to be hard to match the low light performance of the Nokia 1020.

Example, this photo was taken in near pitch darkness, save for the light of a fire:

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=D64BA66B1C36D0C5!353979&authkey=!AIA8xEcqWFj6IN8&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg

Suggestions for an android phone of same, or smaller, size to the standard iPhone 6? Currently on the original 2013 moto x which is great but battery life is really tailing off these days

Nexus 5x

Thanks for the suggestion. I had considered that but it seems taller, wider and deeper albeit lighter. Overall according to my rough and ready calculations it is about 25% more voluminous. Which strikes me as a lot.

As far as I can see androids are all now quite a lot bigger than iPhones. Which is a bit disappointing. I shall keep searching.

Zwhatever compact, Z5 if you want newest.

Got Moto G, so my Nexus 4 with wireless charger has to go. It's in good condition, only has a tiny crack at the back, which doesn't affect anything. It even has original box.

No way. IPhone 6 is bloody huge. Loads of reasonably sized android phones out there.

Possibly interested in this, how much $$$ you thinking?

£80 for everything?

O2 business model, what a crock

last year i wanted more gb, so begrudgingly paid more on their 'flexible' refresh tariff

phone now due for upgrade so i said i was perfectly happy with my (now very good value) tariff, and just use their 'flexibility' to upgrade handest only..

"oh no, sir, it doesn't work like that, if you want those gb then you have to 'refresh' your tariff.."

but why would i pay £10 per month more for the same gb, i only want the phone..?

confirmed with the whispy bumfluff manager manchild that i could keep my tariff and shop elsewhere for handset, he had such a sad puppy look..

Think my nexus 4 is finally borked. Solid red light, can't turn on or hard reset despite changing battery. Any other genius ideas anyone?

help please - i dropped my google nexus 7 tablet and the screen has a small crack on the bottom left corner. the bottom half of the screen is unresponsive but apart from that the tablet seems functional/fine. what should i do? where will (cheapishly) replace the screen in london?

What version is it?

Go on ebay and buy the thing u need to change, tools included in the bundle.