Actually, I had forgotten when I got it, and the patch level on the phone says "October 1st." I looked at it a minute ago when a coworker was bitching that the didn't have 6.0 yet.
TIL that patch level is independent of Android version.
Yeah the patch level is based on the monthly security updates Google started after stagefright.
Yeah but is that the US neutered version? The initial release had them released without the fast fingerprint sensor which is on all the other versions of the phone sold everywhere?
I am actually hoping Apple goes the iPhone 6c/7c route and that it is reasonably popular so that Android phone makers will offer a competing handset. I would gladly go for a slightly smaller screen and a significantly fatter phone for ridiculous battery life.
What do you want a fingerprint sensor for anyway? Doesn't sound useful to me.
In countries where NFC payments are the norm you won't even need to carry around your card anymore, I won't have to type in my 20 character passwords for each website, app, service or authentication required. It's really useful once you've used it.
It is somewhat useful on the Nexus 5X because they put it on the back of the phone. My finger naturally lands on it when I reach into my pocket, so the phone is unlocked already when it comes out of the pocket. It'd be even more useful it I didn't already have a smartwatch set as a trusted device.
I'm wary on recommending the 5X. It is indeed too big, the camera app is still buggy, and the phone can grind to a halt on you due to full-phone encryption w/ only modest RAM.
It is the best Android phone on the market today by a wide margin. Even running Sony Android 5.1, the form factor and battery make it worth any compromise, any degradation.
I will never suffer a large, unwieldy, or poorly made phone again. Android is good enough now that I'll compromise on basically all the software just to ensure the hardware is good.
Does FM radio in e.g. Japan or Korea have a substantially different cultural role than the US? I just can't imagine listening to a terrestrial broadcast on my device that has the whole internet in it.
I don't want an FM radio. I want an AM radio to hear NY Sports. I can illegally stream a Mets game to my HTPC, and I can even do it to my phone with great difficulty. But listening on the radio during a subway ride would be the best option.
Does FM radio in e.g. Japan or Korea have a substantially different cultural role than the US? I just can't imagine listening to a terrestrial broadcast on my device that has the whole internet in it.
Most phones in Japan have FM and TV tuners build in, but just like you said, they're a bit old hat now that you've got the internet on them too. They were a much bigger thing before. The new hotness is TVs in the center consoles of cars so you can watch TV while you drive.
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I'm wary on recommending the 5X. It is indeed too big, the camera app is still buggy, and the phone can grind to a halt on you due to full-phone encryption w/ only modest RAM.
http://mashable.com/2016/01/22/apple-iphone-5se-report/#iixPlC7L_aqb
It is the best Android phone on the market today by a wide margin. Even running Sony Android 5.1, the form factor and battery make it worth any compromise, any degradation.
I will never suffer a large, unwieldy, or poorly made phone again. Android is good enough now that I'll compromise on basically all the software just to ensure the hardware is good.
It also has an FM radio.
Barring nuclear disaster, I doubt I'll ever actually use it. But it's there. It's fascinating.
To find out where the reavers are.
In fact, I just checked: the radio won't even start unless I plug wired headphones in.
Add $20 to the price of a phone, no big deal. Doubling the size of the phone just to add a really good radio, not so good.