Flip phones

[Easy-X]

I got the Flip 3 as my last upgrade and this is sorta a long term review and a comment on flexi-screen flip phones in general.

If you've not seen one close up the trick is the flexible plastic screen. Upside is they're hard to shatter but the downside is it's easier to pick up minor surface damage (that something like Gorilla Glass would be immune to.) Samsung at least try to mitigate this by adding a factory fit screen protector and this is where the problems start...

I've just sent mine away for repair as this protector is lifting off around the centre line where the screen folds. Talking of folds the larger Fold 3 is prone to same issue. Thing is: I'm not even half way into the 2 year warranty so I can see the same thing happening again next year. My advice is make sure you know how to perform backups!

As the Flip and Fold 4s are coming out you might see some of the older 3s enter the second-hand market. Pay careful attention to how much warranty is outstanding or be prepared to fit a screen protector yourself. Personally I'm about 50/50 success on fitting conventional phone screen protectors but I wouldn't look forward to lining up something and taking the centre fold line into account.

Apart from that I'd say it's a great little phone. Battery is the weakest point but that's a sacrifice to the design - you can't have one big lithium-ion slab in there.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

I used to like Samsung’s clamshell phones before I went to the dark side.

Why do you need a screen protector on a phone which folds to cover the screen when not in use?

[Nobby the Bastard]

One suspects its one of those ones where the screeen flips in half when you close it.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

Yes, so it ought to be shielded from keys and grit and stuff. I don’t suppose the two ends of the screen touch either.

[Nobby the Bastard]

It's a single screen in both halves and it's starting to delaminate where the joint is.

Some people expect magic from materials....
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Easy-X]

The phone doesn't fold completely flat...

https://m-cdn.phonearena.com/images/article/132540-wide-two_1200/Samsung-Galaxy-Z-Flip-3-to-have-much-smaller-bezels.jpg

The screen itself is perfectly fine but I suspect being plastic it would easily pick up surface scratches and Samsung has got feedback from previous iterations of the Flip. (When I say "screen protector" it's the thin-film "sticky backed plastic" sort not the heavy duty second layer of glass you'd have on a conventional phone.)

Personally I'd prefer the aesthetic of the Motorola Razr:

https://images.anandtech.com/doci/15106/razr_678x452.jpg

But compared to the Flip 3 it's overpriced and underpowered.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Polarbear]

I had a Motorola Razor, does that count?

I love technology but I can't really see the point for a flip screen. Size matters I presume???

TBH I'm a total phone neanderthal. I have a motorola G6 that does everything I want and if I drop it it cost me pennies. Daughter 2 has some hyper I Phone that costs way over a grand. Madness.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Easy-X]

It's a novelty item. If I had to pay for a phone out of my own pocket I'd be enquiring about this G6 of yours

Case in point I got by with an old HTC Evo 10 while the Flip was being repaired and it could do 90% of what was needed. (Samsung does a better job of contactless payment IMHO compared to the generic Google Pay.) Bit of a slab but with battery life measured in days not hours.

And that's it: the Flip is the anti-slab. The novelty is a comment on how smart phone's have gone wrong with the chase for ultimate screen size. Still, people in glass houses... I've always been a fan of the Note series.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Polarbear]

[M.C]

[Easy-X]

Oft missed is that the enhanced security on newer phones isn't just the software, new hardware as well like fingerprint readers. Samsung Pass for instance is quite nifty. They're missing a trick not having a Windows or Mac version. I suspect Microsoft have asked them not to so we're afflicted with the piss-poor "Phone Link" instead
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[WD Forte]

So
its a phablet you can fold in half
Very clever I'll admit but still full of the same
annoying fucking bloatware they all are I spose.
I find I have no urge to go and get one

I liked my old type SE flip/clamshells for their abilty withstand my clumsiness and their ability to survive in my cluttered pockets with keys, tools n shit.
I disliked the fact I had to use SE specific connectors, instead of industry standard connectors.
W980
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/161785982638-0-1/s-l1000.jpg
I was very fond of my wee W300i, kinda miss that one
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0a/07/53/0a0753cba635b1a9c8b02b6bbf6adb80.jpg

I have a Redmi Note 8T now and that'll do me but
tempted to try and root the bloatware shit out of it tho'
but nowadays that might compromise the security and hackers might hack it and blackmail me for watching big breasted ladies rubbing Marmite on their tits on the bus
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bikers smell of wee

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

My old favourite was the tiny Samsung SGH-E720. Work of art.

[Easy-X]

The original Razr was aesthetically the best flip phone:

https://www.slashgear.com/img/gallery/the-new-motorola-razr-does-what-no-other-foldable-has/motorola-razr-2019-56.jpg

So much so it's modern incarnation has to simulate the metal keypad
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Jmoan]

I prefer the originals but it would have been nice if smartphones had never come into existence in their current form.
https://www.puppybandana.co.uk//wp-content/uploads/2013/01/beam-me-up-scotty1-300x273.jpg

[WD Forte]

[Polarbear]

[1198]

[Keithy]

[ThunderGuts]

[Easy-X]

I think dual screen devices have been tried a few times but never caught on. It's only Samsung throwing its hat in the ring that's different now. Judging from the marketing push with the Flip/Fold 3 continuing unabated with the 4 series it seems Sammie are confident they'll last the 2 years. Maybe a couple of warranty screen protector replacements have been factored into the price

BTW this has to be about the most amusing flip phone I ever owned:

https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/resize/a3a0ad173bcb7fa16467a85f8d1186b9f647a091/2014/09/03/a62aae6b-3334-11e4-9e6a-00505685119a/se-p800-i5.jpg?auto=webp&width=768

With the keypad flipped up the keys literally had little fingers that prodded the touchscreen underneath. Utterly pointless and bonkers
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[uberkron]

I got the z flip, mate got the fold.

6 months in still good.

however, I find myself using my smart watch to take calls as I can't always be bothered opening the thing.

others seem to really like it but all are concerned it is fragile.
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i ride a zip 50 2smoke. It overtakes a hundred times a day.