This is definitely a superior phone to the iphone 4 in most ways, with things such as swype, larger screen, 1080p video, 8MP camera to mention a few. But every time I see an iphone4, I can't help wishing the SGS2 looked more like it. The iphone 4 is aesthetically pleasing with that really nice brushed silver band all the way around it and those cool silver buttons such as the two separate volume rockers. And the back of it has that super polished black glass with silver or white logo. I suppose it would be more fragile if dropped than the SGS2. The whole thing just looks so sexy.
I'm not suggesting my SGS2 is ugly, far from it, it's beautiful, but it's perhaps more like the iphone 3G in shape, ie, a slightly older design copy. I'd like to see the SGS3 looking more like the iphone4. Anyone agree or perhaps you don't find the iphone that special to look at?
if they where to make it have more of a premium feel it would be more heavier and i think they like it light i also think the sgs 3 when it comes out will be lighter with a better screen probably 4.4 or 4.5 inch screen
Hmm, i've seen enough people with iphone4s oggling my sgs2 so I guess it can't look that bad, I understand what you mean about the iphone 4 looking pretty but I wouldn't want a copy
actually, i'd be happy if the SGS series looked nothing like the iPhones at all! What's the point of having an iPhone clone that's not an iPhone? Or a device that's clearly better, only to be labeled as it's clone?
As much as i hate to admit it, the series so far has already quite clearly been inspired by iPhone design, resulting in lawsuits and what not - as well as the wrath of both the android and iPhone community - calling the phones 'clones' of the iphone (SGS1 vs 3gs especially).
it's just that it's such an amazing series of phones - clearly superior to anything else out there - so i do wish it had it's own distinct design philosophy. A bit like what HTC is doing with it's unibody design - it might be gimmicky but it's certainly distinct and it defines and separates HTC phones from other ones in the market.
Though it's clear that samsung worked hard on the SGS2 design. i really do like it, and to make such a powerful phone so thin is a marvel of design and engineering in itself. The monolithic and minimalist exterior are a step in the right direction, so too is the textured back. The only thing i'd change is removing the home-button and the chrome border around the phone, and the samsung logo from the front - so that the face of the phone would look like a slab of black industrial sexiness - somewhat like the nexus s.
Even though I must confess to being a dedicated anti-fan of all things Apple, I honestly believe the iPhone 4 is the single ugliest piece of hardware I have seen in a long time - square, boxy, dull...and that's before you turn the thing on and the boredom levels reach critical.
Gustopher said:
Even though I must confess to being a dedicated anti-fan of all things Apple, I honestly believe the iPhone 4 is the single ugliest piece of hardware I have seen in a long time - square, boxy, dull...and that's before you turn the thing on and the boredom levels reach critical.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That made me lulz.
I feel the same, I think the iPhone overall well crafted, but far from special. and it does indeed hit critical when you switch that screen on lol.
People say that the phone can't be premium and light but I'd argue that a Titanium chassis would probably be lighter than plastic. I think to make the SGS2 more premium removing the lump from the bottom of the phone would work wonders. Again the bezel could have been Titanium, which would have looked cool. If anything getting rid of the home key would have made the phone more Samsung and less iPhone.
Gustopher said:
Even though I must confess to being a dedicated anti-fan of all things Apple, I honestly believe the iPhone 4 is the single ugliest piece of hardware I have seen in a long time - square, boxy, dull...and that's before you turn the thing on and the boredom levels reach critical.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You must not see much hardware in your day to day, or your Apple hatred is blinding you. There's tons of ugly, tacky and terribly designed hardware being released every day. Just look at the PC Modding community or all the mid and low-end phones.
@diablous
You are correct, the build quality is very good and we shouldn't forget that.
It's the design I have a problem with - it's like a 1970/80s Volvo - you know you're not going to come off worst if you hit anything smaller than a sixteen wheeler, but it's not going to attract anything much better than Susan Boyle in the lady stakes.
For the record I'm not overwhelmed by the SGS2 either. It's OK and certainly a bit better than the iPhone 4. iPhone 3 was actually quite sexy...but still boring.
@spybreak
I don't disagree, but I'm talking high end kit here, not the dodgy clones and wannabees
The SGS2 and all Samsung smartphones before it look like an evolution of other Samsung phones that came out before the iPhone.
Samsung copied nothing. The F700, which came out before the iPhone, had the metal surround, square centre button and similar interface.
Even if Apple had a point about the SGS2 looking like the iPhone, which i dont think it does, it still has a problem with the fact that if anything the iPhone copied Samsungs design in the first place. Lets also not forget that the iP4 has design elements that clearly came from the Nokia N96..
looking at it from eastetics i'd say sgs2 is more beautiful than the ip4
it's thinner, lighter and the overal blackness appeals me alot
but i have to give it to the ip4 handle wise
it has a mute switch and spreaker on the bottom side.
best layout i have ever worked with is an idevice.
and headset remote with volume is for me also a big plus
Gustopher said:
@diablous
It's the design I have a problem with - it's like a 1970/80s Volvo - you know you're not going to come off worst if you hit anything smaller than a sixteen wheeler, but it's not going to attract anything much better than Susan Boyle in the lady stakes.
For the record I'm not overwhelmed by the SGS2 either. It's OK and certainly a bit better than the iPhone 4. iPhone 3 was actually quite sexy...but still boring.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you call boring, for some of us, means classy, clean and beautiful. Everyone has their own idea of what looks good. The iPhone has always been regarded as one of the best looking hardware pieces ever made, in all it's versions and Apple has always spent a lot of money on getting the design right.
Just as a curiosity, what do you consider a good looking phone that isn't "boring"?
I love the body. BEFORE the iPhone 4, ask yourself, what was each manufacturer trying to achieve with there phones? (flagships/higher band phones)
THEY WANTED thinness AND lightness.
As soon as the iPhone 4 comes along, the whole industry generally tries to focus on heavier phones. The GS2, makes a stand and brings a whole new feel.
I personally feel uncomfortable with an iPhone 4 in my hand because it feels very brick-like (mainly due to the weight).
Plus, look at home many iPhone users converted to The GS2. I've seen SO many on the forums. God knows how many there are around the world.
I also like the smooth plastic on the bottom-back. (the bulgy bit with the speaker)
Whether it was intentional design or not, I think it's great for some grip and I generally find my little finger resting on the verge (where the back cover rises to the smooth plastic)
i think the SGS2 is a pretty good looking Phone had friends pick it up and say "this is really nice", or "wow that is light!" etc. i think its a Great phone. i Hate iPhones tbf but i did have an iPhone 4 and think the quality of the build was Slightly better (bar the stupid antenna design.. Doh!) mainly due to the higher quality materials used. still cant complain though, i love my S2 !
Spybreak said:
What you call boring, for some of us, means classy, clean and beautiful. Everyone has their own idea of what looks good. The iPhone has always been regarded as one of the best looking hardware pieces ever made, in all it's versions and Apple has always spent a lot of money on getting the design right.
Just as a curiosity, what do you consider a good looking phone that isn't "boring"?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure why you are getting quite so defensive about me expressing my opinion when you then go on to present your own highly subjective opinion as if it is fact. You sound a bit like an Apple fanboi? At least I have been quite open in expressing my prejudice against Apple.
To satisfy your curiosity, I like the HD2 - nice mix of functional oblong and sexy curves. Now, to be clear, that's my opinion, not a statement of fact. It's neither right nor wrong.
Gustopher said:
Not sure why you are getting quite so defensive about me expressing my opinion when you then go on to present your own highly subjective opinion as if it is fact. You sound a bit like an Apple fanboi? At least I have been quite open in expressing my prejudice against Apple.
To satisfy your curiosity, I like the HD2 - nice mix of functional oblong and sexy curves. Now, to be clear, that's my opinion, not a statement of fact. It's neither right nor wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I didn't mean to sound aggressive. I do like Apple and I love their industrial design. I am not, however, a "fanboi" or else I wouldn't have an SGS2 and an HTC Sensation with me
I admit I just find it hard to conceive the iPhone 4 as "ugly", but again, to each his own and I really can't blame you for voicing your own opinion. My apologies. I just wanted to debate a bit on the idea of phone design, which is something I find very interesting.
I agree on the HD2, it's introduces a bit of a "mean" look to the slate design and makes it look tough. The only thing I don't like are the curved buttons. I think squared ones would've looked better.
Come on guys!
This phone is a real master piece, definitely unique in design and really appealing!
It's great to be special!
I wish they...
1- Change the logo
2- Place the speaker at the bottom (to prevent sound muffling)
3- Make a mute button
4- Place the power button at the top (mistakenly pressed when pressing volume rocker)
iphone = glassy brick ....................
sevoflurane said:
Come on guys!
This phone is a real master piece, definitely unique in design and really appealing!
It's great to be special!
I wish they...
1- Change the logo +1
2- Place the speaker at the bottom (to prevent sound muffling) +1
3- Make a mute button. Maybe a button mapping, like a long press on the volume down or something, but not a separate button.
4- Place the power button at the top (mistakenly pressed when pressing volume rocker) +1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...........
Spybreak said:
Sorry, I didn't mean to sound aggressive. I do like Apple and I love their industrial design. I am not, however, a "fanboi" or else I wouldn't have an SGS2 and an HTC Sensation with me
I admit I just find it hard to conceive the iPhone 4 as "ugly", but again, to each his own and I really can't blame you for voicing your own opinion. My apologies. I just wanted to debate a bit on the idea of phone design, which is something I find very interesting.
I agree on the HD2, it's introduces a bit of a "mean" look to the slate design and makes it look tough. The only thing I don't like are the curved buttons. I think squared ones would've looked better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No worries my friend, a bit of healthy debate is always good.
We can agree to disagree about the iPhone, but at least we have some common ground on the HD2.
I'll see your square buttons and raise you soft buttons like the SGS2 though - the only real weakness (in my opinion) with the HD2 was the tendency of the touchscreen to fail apparently because of some connectivity issue caused by wear from repeated use of the power button. Twice mine had to go back for repair.
I'm not sure the SGS2 will ever rival the HD2 for versatility, but it's the first phone that I've had that can work quickly enough to keep me from getting impatient. It's a heck of a device, iClone or not. (And I say definitely NOT)
Honestly never want to own a phone with the iPhone 4 design again. While it looks nice, it demands a case. Drop it your screwed, oh and its a smudge fest front and back.
Related
Before i get flamed for dumbest thread ever, just wanted to note ive been seeing a lot of posts on xda and other forums about all the 4.5"+ screens fixing to come out soon with ice cream sandwich. A lot of these phones wont have physical face buttons. No fanny pack required. Or bigger pockets. Or dolly. Or briefcase. Blah. But who knows. The next generation of phones might be galaxy notes me toos.
I voided my warranty.
Hmmm... I hear what you are saying, but what's your point?
My ATRIX has wrote this without my consent!
Dumbest thread ever!
Sent from my MB860 while sitting on my toilet
That's actually a good point. Plus they'll be thinner.
I'm sure manufacturers did their research before deciding that 4.5" is the future.
you do have a good point. but what about the normal people who actually use their phones for calls and dont want to use two hands to hold the phone up to their ear? and not everyone has huge hands or wears loose jeans.. lol
i even got annoyed using the HD7 at times because you cant use one hand with everything.. its fun for the first few weeks but yeah.
i think 4" to 4.2" is perfect size, not too big or too small. everyone seems to love the 4" sweetspot. i dont understand why not make more of them, especially HTC they always make 4.2" or 3.7" lol. than again its all personal preference.
Dont get me wrong, i would love to have a 4.5-4.7" phone to mess around with and play games on at times, but that is what a tablet is for -_-
stratax said:
you do have a good point. but what about the normal people who actually use their phones for calls and dont want to use two hands to hold the phone up to their ear? and not everyone has huge hands or wears loose jeans.. lol
i even got annoyed using the HD7 at times because you cant use one hand with everything.. its fun for the first few weeks but yeah.
i think 4" to 4.2" is perfect size, not too big or too small. everyone seems to love the 4" sweetspot. i dont understand why not make more of them, especially HTC they always make 4.2" or 3.7" lol. than again its all personal preference.
Dont get me wrong, i would love to have a 4.5-4.7" phone to mess around with and play games on at times, but that is what a tablet is for -_-
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you said i have a good point but i think you still missed it. i was using the atrix as reference because i have it, this is an atrix forum and it's a small topic worth a few posts. if the atrix is ~5" diagonal across, take away the capacitive buttons at the button and add a 4.5-4.65" screen and the phone will not get dramatically bigger. it's going to be kinda like an upgrade from the nexus one, and i speak from experience here, it gotta a hair taller and little bit wider. i think the google nexus will be a little wider. so nothing to balk about when using it as a phone. if it does get a little wider some people might have a problem with it. i sometimes have a hard time reaching the other side but all i gotta do is reposition it. i think at most we'll have another .25" to reach across, but that shouldn't be a problem for me, but it might be for a few. we're prolly talking galaxy s2 at the biggest.
pukemon said:
you said i have a good point but i think you still missed it. i was using the atrix as reference because i have it, this is an atrix forum and it's a small topic worth a few posts. if the atrix is ~5" diagonal across, take away the capacitive buttons at the button and add a 4.5-4.65" screen and the phone will not get dramatically bigger. it's going to be kinda like an upgrade from the nexus one, and i speak from experience here, it gotta a hair taller and little bit wider. i think the google nexus will be a little wider. so nothing to balk about when using it as a phone. if it does get a little wider some people might have a problem with it. i sometimes have a hard time reaching the other side but all i gotta do is reposition it. i think at most we'll have another .25" to reach across, but that shouldn't be a problem for me, but it might be for a few. we're prolly talking galaxy s2 at the biggest.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love this...the Atrix is 5" diagonally...well...since this is how they measure all of the flat screens and such...we don't need it any bigger to be better...just add some more resolution to it...some of us actually use them to talk a-lot on...not just text and play games..I have no problems with the size of it to watch my movies with it...and any bigger will be a royal PITA to carry around at work with out getting banged up...
IMHO
Mac
Yeah, well personally, i hope it s not much bigger either. It wont grow much if at all depending how they do it. Gs2 is too big for and so are the heads.
I voided my warranty.
5" would be great if it was edge to edge lcd, which probably wont happen. Unfortunately, my guess would be that Apple will create the first edge to edge lcd phone and THEN other companies will follow suit
andy2na said:
5" would be great if it was edge to edge lcd, which probably wont happen. Unfortunately, my guess would be that Apple will create the first edge to edge lcd phone and THEN other companies will follow suit
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see it as unfortunate, though. As long as someone is driving innovation in the industry then consumers are benefited.
However, it annoys me that no company other than Apple would do it first.
Edge 2 edge has downsides. The way tour digitizer will react or error when holding it. An example of this is grab a phone with little to no bezel on the sides and a ****ty digitizer. Nexus one is a good example. I cant think of any phones wuth no bezels on the side and good digitizer but it still acts up sometimes when your fingers are over lapping the sides. Also, the phones will get thicker. Everybodys going to have to kick their anorexic phone habits for an edge 2 edge.
I voided my warranty.
The Atrix has a 4" diagonal DISPLAY. The nav buttons do not count. Actually, in order to get 5", you'd have to count the entire face of the phone (and it still wouldn't be quite 5). This is not how it is measured. The issue is display size.
Also, the Atrix has a small display, for one with a 4" diagonal. Since it has a thin aspect ratio (9:16), its surface area is not as great as, say, the Galaxy S, which has a wider aspect ratio (3:5). Both phones have 4" diagonals, while one is actually bigger. I suppose you could say that the Atrix is small for its size.
lurchbyrep said:
The Atrix has a 4" diagonal DISPLAY. The nav buttons do not count. Actually, in order to get 5", you'd have to count the entire face of the phone (and it still wouldn't be quite 5). This is not how it is measured. The issue is display size.
Also, the Atrix has a small display, for one with a 4" diagonal. Since it has a thin aspect ratio (9:16), its surface area is not as great as, say, the Galaxy S, which has a wider aspect ratio (3:5). Both phones have 4" diagonals, while one is actually bigger. I suppose you could say that the Atrix is small for its size.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Duh. Did you even read the thread?
I voided my warranty.
pukemon said:
Duh. Did you even read the thread?
I voided my warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
[edit] Decided its not even worth commenting on.... *facepalm*
A 4.5" 9:16 AR screen would be 2.2" x 3.9". Assuming a quarter inch bezel on all sides, that would be 2.7" x 4.4" or 4.9" diagonally. So you can have a 4.5" screen on a phone just slightly fatter but shorter than the Atrix. 4.5" will be the new standard.
pukemon said:
you said i have a good point but i think you still missed it. i was using the atrix as reference because i have it, this is an atrix forum and it's a small topic worth a few posts. if the atrix is ~5" diagonal across, take away the capacitive buttons at the button and add a 4.5-4.65" screen and the phone will not get dramatically bigger. it's going to be kinda like an upgrade from the nexus one, and i speak from experience here, it gotta a hair taller and little bit wider. i think the google nexus will be a little wider. so nothing to balk about when using it as a phone. if it does get a little wider some people might have a problem with it. i sometimes have a hard time reaching the other side but all i gotta do is reposition it. i think at most we'll have another .25" to reach across, but that shouldn't be a problem for me, but it might be for a few. we're prolly talking galaxy s2 at the biggest.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh, i missed that part. still you do have a good point lol. i wasnt talking about form factor 100%. i just like the screen size itself. i do miss my 4.2" screen on my HD7 but i also got tired of it as well at times. how would you use the phone if it had no bottom or anything? if it were JUST the screen and no plastic/siding on the front, how would you hold it without pressing and wouldnt it be hard as hell to text on? i think the atrix is perfect size with a perfect size screen for just moderate use. i just hate how ugly it is haha. these are the things i cant really make up my mind on though.. i love to have phones with big screen for media, but i like smaller phones for just texting and such, i guess thats why i set at 4-4.2". ive never had a phone bigger so i am not really one to judge! i am interested in the new HTC WP7 with a 4.7" screen though.
jgc121 said:
[edit] Decided its not even worth commenting on.... *facepalm*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
your face must hurt. you facepalm on alot of threads lol.
I guess Im the only one who is down for a larger display standard, I would even go as far as 6 inches and still put an Otterbox on it lol. I dont keep my phone in my pocket now as it is I carry it in my hand most of the time. And yes I do have a tablet, but I still want an oversized phone as I spend much more time on it. I think its Sony who is working to develop the "foldable" displays, I believe its just a concept at this time. But yea if I could buy a 6 inch display or a phone that unfolds into a tablet I would lol.
Edit: and Im not talking a kyo cera (or whatever it is) ugly ass 2 screen fold Im talking the actual display itself is bendable (currently only up to so many thousand times then the display quality starts to decrease). Do a Goog search you will find it..
WiredPirate said:
I guess Im the only one who is down for a larger display standard, I would even go as far as 6 inches and still put an Otterbox on it lol. I dont keep my phone in my pocket now as it is I carry it in my hand most of the time. And yes I do have a tablet, but I still want an oversized phone as I spend much more time on it. I think its Sony who is working to develop the "foldable" displays, I believe its just a concept at this time. But yea if I could buy a 6 inch display or a phone that unfolds into a tablet I would lol.
Edit: and Im not talking a kyo cera (or whatever it is) ugly ass 2 screen fold Im talking the actual display itself is bendable (currently only up to so many thousand times then the display quality starts to decrease). Do a Goog search you will find it..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that tablet looks badass, i wish there was less of a gap in the middle though. i am so glad to see sony in the tablet business now.
I'd like a big phone but phones with big screens should be the only ones. not everyone wants a huge phone that cant even fit in your pocket.. some people like a medium screen with a keyboard on bottom, some people like a 4" screen that isnt too big or small, some people like phones that look like dvd cases up to your head and cant fit in your pocket, and some people are even more dumb and like small screens with no keyboards. its all personal preference. there shouldnt be only one choice. im up for the first three always being available. iphone sh*t that isnt only 3.5 can go away all it wants. too small. unless you are 12, which you shouldnt even have a phone if you are.
i remember those days when everyone was freaking out over the dell streak, i wanted to get my hands on one so bad lol.
I saw this very attractive young woman recently using a dell streak to text or something. Then she got a phone call. I had to walk away very fast because it was hilarious. It looked like she was trying to talk to a book. But i welcome 4.5" inch screens with out buttons on the face. the phones out now are way too big as and i dont want anybody laughing at me.
I voided my warranty and your mum.
A good article.
http://mobile.osnews.com/story.php/25750/The_Galaxy_Note_confirms_it_people_want_larger_screens
It jokes about the "optimal" iphone 3.5 incher.
YES. People like Galaxy Note.
Sent from the galaxy far far away.
This is so true. At first i thought "damit is that thing big, i should bring it back to store" but when i put it in my pocket it fits and i can walk run and jump with the note in my pocket. So for me its the best phone ever until now iv'e ever had. I love the scree size, if i compare it to the holy iphone i have to laugh everytime about the size..... Its so cute this little iphone thing. I could give it to childrens who can play with it in a sandbox.
Exactly. Those "tech bloggers" should be making fun of people trying to use their "revolutionary" smartphone's functions on a tiny, heavy and fragile 3.5 incher instead...
I hardly ever played any games on my EVO but thats all I do on my Note!!
It simply kicks ass!! Fun times!!
All the reviewers are Jabronis.....perfect size the note is ....especially if you have big hands like me ....cant stand anything else will never go back.....
On-screen controls in games always felt wrong on those small 3.5" phones.. on the S2 they felt better.. on the note they make sense..
sure smaller is sometimes better.. but when packing all this power into a device biggish is good
5.3" aint that big either, just a tad bigger then my wallet but alot thinner.
i followed some links in that blogg and came onto another planet where i was told the android UI makes us need larger screens cos else we wouldn't see anything if android got higher res.. font-size? bigger icons? felt like easy fixes...
kinda feels like iphonE lovers just digs deeper and deeper into something to hold on to.. to make them feel "i did the right choice, my phone is the best"
sad truth is my sister loves the Note but felt she couldn't buy it cos its to big.. she would feel looked at and laughed at.. so she settled with the S2.
i often tell ppl if they are not into computers, etc when they ask if they should buy an iphone or Note to buy an iphone, the safe no-one will laugh at your choice and no-one will question why. its kinda like putting on pants, no one will ask you why.
sorry for the rant..
Awesome. Hope the note 2 or 3 has a slightly bigger screen. 6 inches would be even more awesome
zas311 said:
people want larger screens
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
... or people want a stylus and Apple may have to eat SJ's words if they want to catch up.
Apparently a lot of Asian markets like the Note because it's easier to input characters than a keyboard based interface.
Personally, any larger form factor and it would be difficult to fit in my jeans pocket.
DPMAce said:
Awesome. Hope the note 2 or 3 has a slightly bigger screen. 6 inches would be even more awesome
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, but only if the kept the same form factor as they have now, but getting the screen bigger by stretching it all the way to the edges, in other words, almost no bezel.
i remember a point when I said 5" is the most any phone should go to. well, now I do believe the limit is 6" since anything bigger than that is a tablet fully at that point.
man i want a 6" phone or a SAMOLED+ HD tablet with telephony
I have to admit - i bought the Note without trying it first. When it arrived, i unboxed it and was terrified...
My first impression ? Oh my god, what have i done...but it took two days of using - and now i don't even notice the size. What's more - i don't really mind the size anymore, it feels normal, and is very useful.
iPhone's 3,5" was nice - 3-4 years ago. After that i moved to 4,3" HD7 and now to 5,3" Note. Bigger IS better here, especially with superior AMOLED screen.
Akiainavas said:
I have to admit - i bought the Note without trying it first. When it arrived, i unboxed it and was terrified...
My first impression ? Oh my god, what have i done...but it took two days of using - and now i don't even notice the size. What's more - i don't really mind the size anymore, it feels normal, and is very useful.
iPhone's 3,5" was nice - 3-4 years ago. After that i moved to 4,3" HD7 and now to 5,3" Note. Bigger IS better here, especially with superior AMOLED screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can tottaly relate, I bought it blindly like you :-D
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk
I also almost regret my Note but after 2 days ... I was just hooked
I think, it's not like people want large screen, it's just it fit some people needs (like watching movies, browsing etc)
Yeah there's still more room in my pocket for something bigger.
But not my jean pockets lol. I don't know how you guys can put this phone in your jean pockets. And I want a full usb port or 2 on it. The more things it can do like a netbook, the better.
zas311 said:
A good article.
http://mobile.osnews.com/story.php/25750/The_Galaxy_Note_confirms_it_people_want_larger_screens
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is more a rant than an article.
The note does not confirm that "people want larger screens". What it confirms is that some people want larger screens.
The claim that "Android phones go for the larger screen" is also not correct. There are many Android phone manufacturers and many models, of all shapes and sizes. Search using gsmarena finds 185 Android models with sceeen of size 3.2" or smaller.
I've got the largest hands in the whole town so the NOTE feels average to me.
Sometimes I even think, maybe this should be a little larger like 5.5inches. But now I've equipped the NOTE with the TPU case. Its quite protective, has a very grippy sides and it has a KICKSTAND!!!
But with the case on, I have some trouble slipping it into some pockets (jeans mainly).
So after pondering a bit, I think Samsung should make the NOTE with a kickstand, and shave off the bezel from the top and bottom portions.
OR
Make it smaller (from 147 x 83mm; 5.3inch) to 145mm x 79mm (shorter, little less wide, 5.1inch). It needs to shave off some of the bezel, for the premium aspects.
Though my biggest problems is that:
-Back and Menu buttons should be physical (its too damn easy to accidentally press them; frustrating when you accidentally exit an App and have to start from scratch)
-They should position the volume rocker on the right side and make it clickier (like the Nexus S)
-They should position the power button on the top and make it larger and clikier (like the Nexus S)
-Trade the position of Back and Menu button; and hitting the Menu button should bring the contexual menu's on the bottom and the search bar on the top.
If Samsung hired me for a prototype, my device would outsell any competitors!
I'm also for shaving off the Bezels but to have instead a larger screen by keeping the same overall size.
hagba said:
I'm also for shaving off the Bezels but to have instead a larger screen by keeping the same overall size.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
---What are your thoughts on the kickstand?
Should it be on the device, or on the case?
(If its on the case, it means you need to use a case, meaning the overall size is increased and its harder to draw/place into pockets.)
---What are your thoughts on the Navigational Buttons?
On-screen? all physical? all capacitive? or have the Home physical and the rest capacitive?
adelmundo said:
Agreed, but only if the kept the same form factor as they have now, but getting the screen bigger by stretching it all the way to the edges, in other words, almost no bezel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the idea of 6 inches with the same form factor is great all they would then need to do is increase the resolution as the pixel density will not compete with the likes of Sony Arc S or some of the other 4-4.5 HD screens.
If they did both of these and then made even better stylus apps and support. Then I think it would be game over even for some of the tablet market.
One a separate NOTE, does anyone know if the Note2 is confirmed?
Kangal said:
---What are your thoughts on the kickstand?
Should it be on the device, or on the case?
(If its on the case, it means you need to use a case, meaning the overall size is increased and its harder to draw/place into pockets.)
---What are your thoughts on the Navigational Buttons?
On-screen? all physical? all capacitive? or have the Home physical and the rest capacitive?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a kickstand on my HD7. Thought it was nice - at first. Later on...i never even used it. Phone would just fall down, and it was impossible to use it with any cable connected ( earphones ) cause it would - again - fall.
I like the idea of a kickstand, but i think it might be a bit hard to make it stable enough on such a large phone.
Well I'm returning s8 plus. It just can't beat out pixel overall. Pros and cons of s8 plus for anybody interested.
Pros
Screen- is bright and very big
Battery- best battery I've ever used to date
Sdcard- also best phone with sd slot I've used to date, loads 10,000 plus photos in seconds
Camera- excels in low light, regular light it can't touch pixel
Web pages- loading and scrolling is probably fastest I've ever seen on mobile device
Samsung pay- still love Samsung pay over Android pay
No bezels- looks amazing and sleek
Samsung ui- I've always loved it and I still like it. Has countless options that are unreal but still not as fast as pure Android but that's to be expected
Edge screen- probably my favorite feature. Absolutely love night clock
Cons
Screen- is weird ratio and colors look over saturated except on basic mode then everything else looks washed out. Some apps don't like no bezels. Keyboard is weird and reply tabs in notification bar are very tiny and odd
Camera- normal light pixel has it beat, too saturated and unrealistic
Fingerprint sensor location- yes you get used to it but back on pixel and it is still way easier
Screen protector/case- good luck getting a glass screen protector to stick and a case to match without intruding on each other
No bezels- I found it hard to reach to bottom of phone for home button or anything on nav bar really
Bixby/buttons- bixby needs no statement it is just rubbish (and bixby button) and the other buttons are spread out. I like how pixel has volume and power on same side and textured power button
oneandroidnut said:
Well I'm returning s8 plus. It just can't beat out pixel overall. Pros and cons of s8 plus for anybody interested.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like your Pros outweigh your Cons, although I do agree with your statement on the fingerprint scanner.
[RANT]Whatever possessed Samsung to place it where it is, is beyond me, for me the placement has rendered it pretty much well useless (Yes, in time you will get used to it; I could also get used to driving my car from the back seat, but bad design is bad design). Thankfully there are other options to secure your phone (facial recognition is by far my favourite and quickest; Even if it isn't as secure...)
However, I have always detested Touchwiz, even with the constant improvements it doesn't compare to some of the top launchers out there.[/RANT]
Enjoy your Pixel XL
coldmethod said:
Looks like your Pros outweigh your Cons, although I do agree with your statement on the fingerprint scanner.
[RANT]Whatever possessed Samsung to place it where it is, is beyond me, for me the placement has rendered it pretty much well useless (Yes, in time you will get used to it; I could also get used to driving my car from the back seat, but bad design is bad design). Thankfully there are other options to secure your phone (facial recognition is by far my favourite and quickest; Even if it isn't as secure...)
However, I have always detested Touchwiz, even with the constant improvements it doesn't compare to some of the top launchers out there.[/RANT]
Enjoy your Pixel XL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They might but things like the over saturated screen and weird ratio are very big deals to me so therefore they outweigh all the good lol
Yes the fingerprint is weird. I honestly think they quit R&Ding the device and just threw on back to beat iphone out and get some sales. Hopefully they take their time with the Note 8 and it is perfection. I would rather have my note 7 back over the s8 plus at this point.
Touchwiz has gotten better but yes it could still use some more features. But hey they all could always use more feautres!
oneandroidnut said:
They might but things like the over saturated screen and weird ratio are very big deals to me so therefore they outweigh all the good lol
Yes the fingerprint is weird. I honestly think they quit R&Ding the device and just threw on back to beat iphone out and get some sales. Hopefully they take their time with the Note 8 and it is perfection. I would rather have my note 7 back over the s8 plus at this point.
Touchwiz has gotten better but yes it could still use some more features. But hey they all could always use more feautres!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fair call on the oversaturation, I think I have just gotten used to it (almost all of my devices are Samsung, I'm constantly fiddling with our TV picture settings ). Although I'd probably suggest getting used to the new aspect ratio, I imagine it will make an appearance on the Note 8 and become the norm, considering Samsung now has a penchant for using large phones with one hand.
Default screen mode is Adaptive - this over saturates the screen colours. Use Amoled Photo. This is calibrated to Adobe RGB standard.
No bezel - this is a plus for me, and most people. This is the way smartphones are going. Less bezel = better phone. More for aesthetics than anything.
Screen protector/case - I never use them. They ruin the look and feel of the phone.
Camera - still the best on the market in my opinion. Beats anything else out there.
http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/0...probably-shouldnt-buy-a-google-pixel-anymore/
the_scotsman said:
Default screen mode is Adaptive - this over saturates the screen colours. Use Amoled Photo. This is calibrated to Adobe RGB standard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cheers for the tip, I hadn't touched this setting, but now I've made the switch it looks much better.
coldmethod said:
Fair call on the oversaturation, I think I have just gotten used to it (almost all of my devices are Samsung, I'm constantly fiddling with our TV picture settings ). Although I'd probably suggest getting used to the new aspect ratio, I imagine it will make an appearance on the Note 8 and become the norm, considering Samsung now has a penchant for using large phones with one hand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I don't like the fake look though. If I take a photo I want it to be realistic. I took some photos and then look at photo and object and was like man it looks way off. The note 8 better have a normal screen ratio!
the_scotsman said:
Default screen mode is Adaptive - this over saturates the screen colours. Use Amoled Photo. This is calibrated to Adobe RGB standard.
No bezel - this is a plus for me, and most people. This is the way smartphones are going. Less bezel = better phone. More for aesthetics than anything.
Screen protector/case - I never use them. They ruin the look and feel of the phone.
Camera - still the best on the market in my opinion. Beats anything else out there.
http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/0...probably-shouldnt-buy-a-google-pixel-anymore/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't stand the over saturation. Looks bad unless you drop to basic. Pixel camera is best imo ?
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
I also went back to my trusty Pixel XL. It is the first time I have ever voluntarily gone back to a device. The Pixel's performance can't be even distantly touched by the S8+. The optimization is worth its weight in gold alone. The S8+ is a beautiful and all around more polished piece of hardware that is severely hampered by what might be a disparity in GPU requirements v. Infinity display requirements and software that simply makes horrid use of the 2017 spec bump underlying it. I think Samsung went a bit too ambitious this time and left a few too many rough edges.
TheAnarchist1 said:
I also went back to my trusty Pixel XL. It is the first time I have ever voluntarily gone back to a device. The Pixel's performance can't be even distantly touched by the S8+. The optimization is worth its weight in gold alone. The S8+ is a beautiful and all around more polished piece of hardware that is severely hampered by what might be a disparity in GPU requirements v. Infinity display requirements and software that simply makes horrid use of the 2017 spec bump underlying it. I think Samsung went a bit too ambitious this time and left a few too many rough edges.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't have said it better. The s8 is just so close to perfection but so far from it lol
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
I smell descent in the S8+ ranks... lol
coldmethod said:
Looks like your Pros outweigh your Cons, although I do agree with your statement on the fingerprint scanner.
[RANT]Whatever possessed Samsung to place it where it is, is beyond me, for me the placement has rendered it pretty much well useless (Yes, in time you will get used to it; I could also get used to driving my car from the back seat, but bad design is bad design). Thankfully there are other options to secure your phone (facial recognition is by far my favourite and quickest; Even if it isn't as secure...)
However, I have always detested Touchwiz, even with the constant improvements it doesn't compare to some of the top launchers out there.[/RANT]
Enjoy your Pixel XL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read that the only reason they threw the sensor in the back was because they ran out of time. They wanted it in the screen but didn't have enough time time for production.
I forgot garbage bixby and the button!!!
Edited op for it!
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
you forgot a couple more things that makes the s8+ sweep the floor with it..
HDR screen certification.
IP68 water and dust proofing.
Wireless charging and Fast Wireless Charging
Micro SD card expansion.
Bluetooth 5.0
Always On Display.
Iris scanner security.
bye felicia
-Alan said:
I read that the only reason they threw the sensor in the back was because they ran out of time. They wanted it in the screen but didn't have enough time time for production.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also read somewhere that the above sensor placement may hold the CrApple iSh#t 8 from being delivered as per their normal schedule, if it is true at least CrApple have the sense to ensure deadlines don't affect the final product. (please excuse my uncharacteristic optimism regarding CrApple products)
For the fanboys/fence sitters - Yes Apple has it's applications, yes some people prefer simple... this is an Android forum. As I have said in the past iPhones are for people that want a smartphone but aren't smart enough to use them. ~ from an open platform fanboy.
oneandroidnut said:
I forgot garbage bixby and the button!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too forgot this useless piece of redundant garbage (sort of points out how irrelevant Bixby is in a world of Google Now), although the button remapped to be a "back" button is handy.
Hopefully Samsung will pull their collective heads out of each other's butts and allow the button to be remapped to whatever the consumer wishes without a 3rd party app, instead of the usual "this is how you will use the device you payed for and rightfully own" attitude of large corporations.
-Alan said:
I read that the only reason they threw the sensor in the back was because they ran out of time. They wanted it in the screen but didn't have enough time time for production.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They wanted it to be on the same spot as the home button under the screen, but Synaptics couldn't get it working good enough in time.
I'm also going to return mine. I'm kind of disappointed that the audio quality is subpar IMHO. Comparing it with my Nexus 6P, the sound level is lower than the 6P and honestly the 6P sounds more crisp. If I'm paying close to a grand for a device- S8+ with paid bundle, I would wish the manufacturer doesn't skimp on features like Samsung did with this phone. The mono speaker audio and then the issue with the tint... I tried adjusting in settings but there's still a slight red hue which is annoying to say the least. The fingerprint scanner... But I can get used to that. The Bixby button being disabled to use with other applications. It's just too many compromises for a device like this. Thinking I'll wait for the Note 8 or the next Pixel. Damn, I had such high hopes and really wanted to like this phone, but I can't justify spending $950 on something I'm not fully satisfied with.
xxsanioutlawxx said:
I'm also going to return mine. I'm kind of disappointed that the audio quality is subpar IMHO. Comparing it with my Nexus 6P, the sound level is lower than the 6P and honestly the 6P sounds more crisp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well pointed out. One of the major gripes I think is the sound quality. I have tested a bunch of different HiFi headphones on my S8+ but it's nowhere close to the previous Mate 9 audio quality: to low the volume, mushy details in medium tonality, overall "not there". I am not sure where Pixel stands from the sound quality perspective but I would be eager to test it beforehand.
h4ck3r69 said:
you forgot a couple more things that makes the s8+ sweep the floor with it..
HDR screen certification.
IP68 water and dust proofing.
Wireless charging and Fast Wireless Charging
Micro SD card expansion.
Bluetooth 5.0
Always On Display.
Iris scanner security.
bye felicia
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually have sdcard in the op thank you and they still don't beat the pixel lol always on you know pixel has this too right?
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
the_scotsman said:
They wanted it to be on the same spot as the home button under the screen, but Synaptics couldn't get it working good enough in time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once again shows Samsung is becoming more like Apple. I got money on the s9 having it under screen on front pulling more people in to buy it instead of waiting a few more months and perfecting the s8!
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
TheAnarchist1 said:
I also went back to my trusty Pixel XL. It is the first time I have ever voluntarily gone back to a device. The Pixel's performance can't be even distantly touched by the S8+. The optimization is worth its weight in gold alone. The S8+ is a beautiful and all around more polished piece of hardware that is severely hampered by what might be a disparity in GPU requirements v. Infinity display requirements and software that simply makes horrid use of the 2017 spec bump underlying it. I think Samsung went a bit too ambitious this time and left a few too many rough edges.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There were two key features that kept me from getting the pixel. Wireless charging and dust and water resistant. In my line of work I need That! If pixel 2 has those, I'm sold.
Hello, everyone!
I watched few reviews about the phone...And really sorry to say it but I'm not much impressed, but I definitely will upgrade to from htc one m8. Big htc fan here . I like the style, screen, colours ..Can't really say about the camera probably will be good.The new sound should be awesome + the headphones... But when come to the software..... For one year they didn't touch the sense? Really ? Even TouchWiz is changing, can't understand why htc decided to stay at sense 8, or like is now just "HTC Sense UI" . In the whole review, I generally see - The colours, squeeze (I think they too much depending on this new feature which we still didn't know how it will work after month or two of using it), How google OK works that was fun tho , wasn't working the first few times and the 3d sound...And exactly how they said - simple. And I wasn't disappointed like this from quite long time .I expected something more "brilliant". They just made a review on software app - the edge stuff, htc companion and OK Google They even didn't mention htc sense, which didn't move much from 2015. Isn't this little bit pathetic to you? I want to hear your thoughts on that. Did you expect more, like me? Anyway, I'm still considering buying it when the sales start in my region.
Well having been able to hold it in my hands and play with it for a few hours I can say the following:
First of I really like the Edge Sense feature as it worked really well on my review unit. In combination with a deeply integrated Goggle Assistant and Amazon Alexa it will be a well done upgrade if new ways of using your phone. Sense has made a large step in the last year and continues in debloating with regard to reducing HTC Apps that are redundant to Google Apps, as well as tweaks regarding performance done under the hood, and last but not least integration of the above mentioned Edge Sense.
Camera is top notch, achieving highest DxOMark - 90 Points - rating of a Smartphone thus far.
Audio has come one step further as well. Only thing to name here, as it will already suffice, is the implementation of Active Noise Cancellation with the In-Ear Headphones coming in the box, and USB-C-to-3.5mm-adapter that brings an integrated Amplifier as well an an 24bit DAC.
The display, though some might dislike the design of the front, has really deep blacks and good colours - especially if compared to an AMOLED.
Ah and IP67 of course is a great step forward.
Those are just my 2 cent of a first impression coming from a personal hands on. Mire will follow once I receive the U11 myself and go to some more time to play.
Sent from my htc_pmeuhl using XDA Labs
How black is black? The G6 came close to AMOLED with a 0.228 cd/m2 and the HTC 10 logged in at 0.29 according to the GSMArena review.
jpmiv said:
How black is black? The G6 came close to AMOLED with a 0.228 cd/m2 and the HTC 10 logged in at 0.29 according to the GSMArena review.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Screen noticeably better than on 10. U11 is a "must update" for anyone holding prior to a 10. For 10 owners, not mandatory (but definitely better in several ways).
anyone listened to the headphones is it the same loudness of of htc 10 ?
Huge ugly bezels and only 71.4% screen to body ratio.
Looks very much like a pixel from the front which had a very "dated" look from the front and that was months ago in 2016. This being 2017 now this large bezeled design looks even more outdated.
HTC failed in this aspect and really should have shrunk the bezels and made the screen larger as 5.5" is just too small and large bezels are an eyesore.
Other than that the phone seems really great on paper to me and has some very desriable specs.
Sent from my S8 plus, Note 7, S7 Edge or S6
5m4r7ph0n36uru said:
Well having been able to hold it in my hands and play with it for a few hours I can say the following:
First of I really like the Edge Sense feature as it worked really well on my review unit. In combination with a deeply integrated Goggle Assistant and Amazon Alexa will be of a well done upgrade if new ways using your phone. Sense has made a large step in the last year and continues in debloating with regard to reducing HTC Apps that are redundant to Google Apps, as well as tweaks regarding performance done under the hood, and last but not least integration of the above mentioned Edge Sense.
Camera is top notch, achieving highest DxOMark - 90 Points - rating of a Smartphone thus far.
Audio has come One step further as well. Just One thing to name is the implementation of Active Noise Cancellation with the In-Ear Headphones coming in the box, and USB-C-to-3.5mm-adapter that brings an integrated Amplifier as well an an 24bit DAC.
The display, though some might dislike the design of the front, has really deep blacks and good colours - especially if compared to an AMOLED.
Ah and IP67 of course is a great step forward.
Those are just my 2 cent of a first impression coming from a personal hands on. Mire will follow once I receive the U11 myself and go to some more time to play.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is good to hear. I'm a big fan of HTC and this device seems a step in the right direction for them. I put my pre-order in and am very excited. I've also always liked HTC for their willingness to let users unlock as they please, dev friendly. This phone has me pretty excited.
One thing I need to know, is the earpiece speaker better/louder than the horribly quiet 10? If I'm anywhere other than a relatively quiet place I can barely hear anyone on a phone call.
yung40oz84 said:
This is good to hear. I'm a big fan of HTC and this device seems a step in the right direction for them. I put my pre-order in and am very excited. I've also always liked HTC for their willingness to let users unlock as they please, dev friendly. This phone has me pretty excited.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which colour did you pick. I went for black. Thought of ordering the Amazing Silver but they didn't have it at my carried in Germany. Those two colours are the most gorgeous ones in my eyes. Maybe black is better as on silver you can see fingerprints a lot better than on the black one. Guess this would get me on my nerves by the time anyway.
And the glas, as well as the metal edge are feeling really good in hands. Was a warm day when I used it this first time, and it had a good grip even with my sweaty hands. There was no time it felt slippery to me.
Sent from my htc_pmeuhl using XDA Labs
I'm excited to see how the device does irl, I never pre-order. The echo dots are cool, but I don't think I will use them much. Also concerned about charging and using headphones at the same time. I do that at work and on flights. I might wait for the note 8, but that is a long way off and will probably be a huge phone.
For the money, I think the U11 is the best bang/buck combo, especially because it is unlocked, will have custom roms and all kinds of tweaks that this great community will use.
Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk
force70 said:
Huge ugly bezels and only 71.4% screen to body ratio.
Looks very much like a pixel from the front which had a very "dated" look from the front and that was months ago in 2016. This being 2017 now this large bezeled design looks even more outdated.
HTC failed in this aspect and really should have shrunk the bezels and made the screen larger as 5.5" is just too small and large bezels are an eyesore.
Other than that the phone seems really great on paper to me and has some very desriable specs.
Sent from my S8 plus, Note 7, S7 Edge or S6
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get out of here Sammy fanboy. My current HTC 10 is 5.2" and it's not small by any means. I couldn't care less about the bezels on this device or mine... I'll take them over the gimmicky curved edges that cause a slew of annoyances and functionality issues. I had the S8 for a week and I took that crap back and gladly paid the $50 restock fee.
tkoreaper said:
Get out of here Sammy fanboy. My current HTC 10 is 5.2" and it's not small by any means. I couldn't care less about the bezels on this device or mine... I'll take them over the gimmicky curved edges that cause a slew of annoyances and functionality issues. I had the S8 for a week and I took that crap back and gladly paid the $50 restock fee.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah im honestly not a huge fan of the edge screens either ..gotten used to it but would prefer a flat screen for sure.
And just because 5.2 isnt small to you automatically means that everyone should think the same?
And fanboy? Takes one to know one HTC fanboy
force70 said:
Yeah im honestly not a huge fan of the edge screens either ..gotten used to it but would prefer a flat screen for sure.
And just because 5.2 isnt small to you automatically means that everyone should think the same?
And fanboy? Takes one to know one HTC fanboy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Given an option I'd like less bezel for sure but definitely not even close to a deal breaker. I have multiple phones Pixel XL is my daily driver, have iPhone 7 plus, S8+ and G6. The G6 and S8+ look great with minimal bezel but using Pixel or iPhone 7 plus doesn't bother me at all.
kirdroid said:
Given an option I'd like less bezel for sure but definitely not even close to a deal breaker. I have multiple phones Pixel XL is my daily driver, have iPhone 7 plus, S8+ and G6. The G6 and S8+ look great with minimal bezel but using Pixel or iPhone 7 plus doesn't bother me at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not a deal breaker for me either im just not a fan of the aesthetics.
The 5.5 screen is something i can't deal with though ...my s7 edge has it and I hate it (although the U11 would be alot better due to the normal aspect ratio). Its mostly why i went with the S8 plus....just for the screen size.
force70 said:
Yeah im honestly not a huge fan of the edge screens either ..gotten used to it but would prefer a flat screen for sure.
And just because 5.2 isnt small to you automatically means that everyone should think the same?
And fanboy? Takes one to know one HTC fanboy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is this, high school? It's easy to assume your fanboyism based on the phones you have in your signature and the fact that you had absolutely nothing good to say about the U11... Why are you even here? What is your assumption based off of... that fact that I disagree with you? If I'm an HTC fanboy then why would I even bother with the S8? I guess you just overlooked that. You also forget that barely 6 years ago the first Note came out with a 5.3" screen and that was considered huge at the time... And even now that is FAR from small.
---------- Post added at 07:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:17 PM ----------
If a smartphone can be too thin for its own good, we can agree the same applies to bezels. I wager that people wanting less and less bezels aren't accustomed to the issues that come with them. First, a bezel adds strength... I'll let you take a guess as to what effect shrinking it would have on that. Then there's the absolutely annoying accidental touching issues... and no, cases don't help with that unless you use a really bulky case. I've never held or owned a phone and said "I wish the bezels were smaller" nor have I ever felt that bezels impeded any phone's functionality and my ability to use them.
tkoreaper said:
What is this, high school? It's easy to assume your fanboyism based on the phones you have in your signature and the fact that you had absolutely nothing good to say about the U11... Why are you even here? What is your assumption based off of... that fact that I disagree with you? If I'm an HTC fanboy then why would I even bother with the S8? I guess you just overlooked that. You also forget that barely 6 years ago the first Note came out with a 5.3" screen and that was considered huge at the time... And even now that is FAR from small. You really think that the 0.3" that your S8+ has over this U11's 5.5" display really matters, ROFL? Don't make me laugh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive owned lots of phones from various manufacturers over the years including HTC. Other than the 6P there hasnt been anything else that Ive really liked the last few years other than what sammy has delivered.
And i guess your reading comprehension is not that great as i mentioned 2 things i wasnt a fan of on the U11...and I also mentioned everything else looked great.
Im here because the device does hold some interest for me...and because I can be. Dont like what i say....move along...
And i wont bother with your silliness after this, dont want the mods in here now do we?
Moderator Warning,
Guys enough of the bickering please. Can we keep the posts civil. I will be keeping a eye on this thread.
5m4r7ph0n36uru said:
Which colour did you pick. I went for black. Thought of ordering the Amazing Silver but they didn't have it at my carried in Germany. Those two colours are the most gorgeous ones in my eyes. Maybe black is better as on silver you can see fingerprints a lot better than on the black one. Guess this would get me on my nerves by the time anyway.
And the glas, as well as the metal edge are feeling really good in hands. Was a warm day when I used it this first time, and it had a good grip even with my sweaty hands. There was no time it felt slippery to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually got that dark blue
force70 said:
Huge ugly bezels and only 71.4% screen to body ratio.
Looks very much like a pixel from the front which had a very "dated" look from the front and that was months ago in 2016. This being 2017 now this large bezeled design looks even more outdated.
HTC failed in this aspect and really should have shrunk the bezels and made the screen larger as 5.5" is just too small and large bezels are an eyesore.
Other than that the phone seems really great on paper to me and has some very desriable specs.
Sent from my S8 plus, Note 7, S7 Edge or S6
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is a tired and worn out argument. The performance of the U11 in all ways justifies the Bezels. Samsung wouldn't be able to pull off as great as a phone with their Bezel-less gimmick. The Bezels are there for good reason.
LibertyMonger said:
this is a tired and worn out argument. The performance of the U11 in all ways justifies the Bezels. Samsung wouldn't be able to pull off as great as a phone with their Bezel-less gimmick. The Bezels are there for good reason.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please elaborate, Id like to see what exactly bezels...in particular top and bottom have to do with performance.
I could see before on the m7,m8 etc with the full front firing speakers but such is not the case with the U11.
And I wasnt remotely argumentative..i was merely sharing my first impression of the device as that is the thread title is it not?
Thanks.
Sent from my S8 plus, Note 7, S7 Edge or S6
***UPDATED AGAIN****
This is my first time posting a review for phone, because I am that impressed.
A little background so you have an idea of where I am coming from. I have literally purchased every flagship phone a company has had to offer since 2009 (Very expensive vice) from Blackberry 10 devices, Windows devices, iPhones to Android devices. I have an absolute love for gadgets and phones, I hold no loyalty to any company period and never will, just because you have 2-3 products that were solid from the company doesn't mean its not going to create a turd every once in awhile. Loyalty with hardware generally in my opinion garners tunnel vision for someone and the user tends to ignore the downsides or errors with a product. Samsung built Note's 1-7 and the S series, you think all of them were great? No, but big publications I notice seem to think so and its not just Samsung, its all manufacturers for phones. Your decision to buy a phone should be based not only what speaks to you personally but can do what it needs to do for you, not what is "cool" or what everyone else has. Every individual is born with their own preference on things and people should use it.
Parts I am covering, if I left something out and you want me to add it or just ask a question please feel free.
*Overall Build Quality
*Screen Quality
*OS overall functionality and speed
*Sound Quality with HD Bluetooth (LDAC) / Reception
*Camera
*Battery Life
*Summary (Praise and Gripes)
Build Quality
The second you take this phone out of the box and peel off the plastic covering it, you know you are holding top quality piece of hardware, you will find yourself looking all over it from top to bottom for a couple of minutes easy. It's edges are smooth, you don't feel any sharp points while holding the phone, it is a bit slippery (I use a case on every phone no matter what) so I would suggest a skin if you don't like cases. I don't have the brass to walk around with 800 dollars possibly slipping out of my hands and into the wind. Even the speaker grills to the USB-C port cutouts are top notch. I LOVE where they placed the fingerprint sensor, right on the side where my thumb is, this should be the location for every phone ever built in my opinion. I've been using the Blackberry Keyone for a week now and one of the big things I love about a Blackberry is the build of almost all their phones (Priv was garbage) and you will hear a lot of people just say the Keyone is a solid built brick and they are right. This guy is right there with it except glass, it has some nice heft in your hand when you hold it. I would rate the build of this phone without a doubt the 2nd best built quality wise across all platforms of phones so cheers to Sony for that.
Screen Quality
So I put this guy up against the the S8 Plus, and the iPhone 7 Plus. The reason I put the iPhone 7 Plus in here is because its only 1080p and the Sony shows 1080p until you are actually running 4k so its not always in 4k mode FYI and there is not an option to change this (Stupid!) So I was running content side by side against these 2 guys and weather its in 1080p or 4k, theres no comparison, the detail is just stupid. The blacks are amazing and the fact that this phone is an IPS display out-doing an AMOLED is crazy talk. This is the king of displays hands down no contest not even up for debate.
OS overall functionality and speed
Ok so some of you are familiar with Google's Nexus phones and the latest being the Google Pixel and know that since you are getting everything Google intended the user experience on Android to be, for the people that are new or aren't familiar with these Android devices, lets just say you should really try one out, they are bloat free and extremely fast phones. So for the last year or so, the Google Pixel was the fastest Android phone period, it really blew people away at how fast opening and closing applications to having a ton run in the background just wouldn't slow the thing down. So I have always said the there's fast, then there's Google Phone fast...... until now. I dont even know where to begin on how stupidly fast this phone is anything you do or throw at it, and you can say "well it has the Snapdragon 835 in it", yeah that's true but if phones were purely off a spec sheet, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Plus would run at the same speed, software implementation with hardware is extremely important. In no way shape or form is the Galaxy S8 or Plus even in the same solar system as this thing. You can lookup on Youtube there are posts of people running tests this guy and it's quite embarrassing how much faster this Sony is and the one thing I never see reviewers do is show how actually using all the applications while have all of those open at the same, time. This phone does....not....slow....down. Run 10-12 apps on my S8 Plus, lagasaurus rears its ugly head, micro shudders you know what I am talking about. People that claim that theirs never does that is a liar. There are only a few phones on Android that I would say are free of Lag and Micro Stutters, Google Pixel, HTC M8, talk about butter...mmmm...butter.... There could be the argument "who needs that many apps open", well believe it or not when you are busy sometimes, you don't always close everything down and really you shouldn't have to in this day in age with tech. The ease of use navigation using Sony's launcher and the Settings is so simple it doesn't need a spotlight to be hones, its clean and straight forward and you aren't digging for options unlike some out there.
Sound Quality
(Speakers)
There are 2 front facing stereo on this guy, and I do and I know a lot of people love the fact they are facing you and not facing down so when you are cupping the phone it blocks the sound. Its a huge plus for this phone, the sound quality out of the speakers are not amazing but solid, games or Youtube or speakerphone on a call is loud enough that you can hear what is going on even if your surroundings are not so quiet. Quality wise I wouldn't say its going to win awards nor would I say its going to blow you away like some of HTC's boom sound on previous phones or like the Blackberry Passport. But all in all its right where it needs to be and if you need louder speakers I suggest getting some headphones.
(Headphones)
So I own quite a few headsets ranging from Blue Headsets, Sony MDR-1000X, Sennheiser HD 800s just for example, Plugging any one of these guys and listening to all sorts of music sounds just awesome, not just good but actually awesome. I'm not going to go any further into it because this is a very very subjective category given some people are audio files and some are not, some people can actually hear certain sounds and some actually physically cannot (yes you can actually go see a doctor to see which frequencies you can actually hear).
(Reception/ Call Quality)
So this is just my experience with AT&T, I can't give claim to other carriers. The calls are clear and precise and people say they can hear me just fine, no echos. I can hear people with no issue at all same goes for putting the call on speaker as mentioned before. I have 0 complaints in this department.
Camera
Alright sorry about the long delay for the Camera review. Now I will state from the start I am not a pro photographer and nor am I skilled with manually adjusting camera's. I will keep this short and sweet because you can find a ton of pictures from this phone online in forums or YouTube for reference. I did a comparison between the S8+ the iPhone 7 Plus and the Google Pixel. I personally prefer the natural colors that come from the iPhone and the Sony and the Pixel, popping colors from the Samsung might be yours so I believe it to be personal preference. So what I was looking at purely on these phones was, how clear are the pictures and is the shutter lag bad? For a simple user, that's all you care about. I immediately ignore low light references because they are null, who the heck takes pictures in the dark? Majority people send pictures of things or family/friends during the day, if you need low light go buy a DSLR. Back to the camera. The selfie camera I can barely tell the difference between all of them, they are all clear and I would say the Pixel is a little less detailed. I can distinguish what is what as clear as day in all of the front facing cameras. The rear camera, like I mentioned before, the S8+ is the only one that has extremely high saturation, but quality overall, I cant really tell the difference they all look fantastic in my opinion and maybe on some pictures some look more sharp than others but all of them are extremely fast to take a photo and it looks great. As far as the slow motion, its not very easy to use nor can I think of many places or instances I will use it. As far as the few I have seen with camera issues, I am sorry to hear that I would get the phone replaced because the photo quality is right up there with the best and if you are getting any different that is substantially noticeable, then that means there is something wrong.
Battery Life
So this might be premature but usually with phones battery life is horrible at the start because it needs to break-in and a phones software needs to settle in. Well I for one can say since day one its like the rules of everything we know don't apply here, I would consider myself to be a heavy phone user. I watch YouTube, Funimation shows, Wifi is on all day, I really don't cut things out or turn things off on phones just to save battery because I am either too lazy, or it cuts out to much functionality. I take the phone off the charger at 630AM every morning, then at lunch I'm always at 75% or more. I plug it in and let it charge, I don't while I clear out some emails and work and by the time I pick it up again its at 100% and I don't have to plug it in until bed time which is 11PM roughly, and when I am ready at 11PM, its at 65%. I have never got this thing down below 60%. I have no complaints here for battery life.
Summary
As you noticed I haven't spoken about the bezels, and I am not going to because its irrelevant, they are there because of the speakers and Sony's choice, if it bothers or you don't like it that's fine go buy another phone. There are quite a few other phones out there that are worth your hard earned money, and the more you spend I believe you should get more. "When I spend more money I want less" said NO ONE EVER! Sony does not disappoint in this regard yet in the past, I would highly beg to differ. If you look at everything you are getting with this phone, its really hard to think of anything that they left out. HD Bluetooth Sound, LDAC, Headphone Jack, 4k Screen, Stero Speakers, Front Facing Speakers, Amazing Camera, Awesome build quality, Rapid 3.0 Charging, USB-C, Fingerprint Sensor, Notification Light I mean the list goes on the only thing its missing is Cake. My only real negative things I can say so far right now is that the US version of this phone has a disabled fingerprint sensor, I purchased the UK variant to get around this. Also I actually like the Sony launcher a lot, I always use Nova or Action Launcher 3, been toying with Evie another great launcher, you can change the Grid Size and Icons to whatever you like too. Theres no option to change the screen resolution which does bother me, I am not saying my phone needs to be in 4k all the time because of obvious reasons but at least 2k. But other than that, this phone deserves a lot more attention that it will actually get.
Hope this helps anyone looking to get a phone or just plain curious about this guy and what it has to offer. Cheers!:fingers-crossed:
*audiophile
Nice! I will get mine tomorrow !
Shnig said:
*audiophile
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Language flame as first reply. Thank you Internet, faith restored.
ukemochi said:
This is my first time posting a review for phone, because I am that impressed.
A little background so you have an idea of where I am coming from. I have literally purch...........
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Click to collapse
Is there an option settings to change the display scaling or alternatively in developer settings to change the dpi or smallest width?
I always find Sony and Samsung to be scaled like a child's play phone.
Thanks
You can change icons size and grid settings on homescreen and app list.
Are the Volume and Camera buttons made out of metal? or are they the same as the side?
Lazaros_K said:
Are the Volume and Camera buttons made out of metal? or are they the same as the side?
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All the buttons on the phone are of the same material and it seems like a hard plastic, its not cheap feeling at all.
FartyParty said:
Nice! I will get mine tomorrow !
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You will be impressed, enjoy.
I am thinking about this phone to replace my Sony Z3 compact but $800 isn't an easy pill to take.
I am also thinking about the HTC U11. I am going to make a choice in the next few days as the screen on my Z3 compact is failing due to the seal failing. I know a dud can happen but I have had two Z3 compacts fail me so I am on the fence.
Just got mine today and boy does it feel premium
Amazing quality bloody hell!!
Also fired up the 4khdr demo video amd was blown away
sfex3best said:
Just got mine today and boy does it feel premium
Amazing quality bloody hell!!
Also fired up the 4khdr demo video amd was blown away
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Enjoy it!
4ktvs said:
I am thinking about this phone to replace my Sony Z3 compact but $800 isn't an easy pill to take.
I am also thinking about the HTC U11. I am going to make a choice in the next few days as the screen on my Z3 compact is failing due to the seal failing. I know a dud can happen but I have had two Z3 compacts fail me so I am on the fence.
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Hope this helps, I dont know where you live but if you are in the US, order from the UK from Clove Tech, you pay the EX-VAT price which is huge savings. They sell it for 540 pounds which is 697 dollars, and their variant unlocked version has the fingerprint scanner, where as if you wait for the US to get it you will pay 800 dollars and thats not including tax and you DONT get a finger print scanner.
Im sorry about your Z3 bud, I bought one for the wife quite awhile back and hers is still plugging away. Best of luck.
Great review, roll on camera pictures and review. Oh and battery life
Just to share my 2 cents.
Received mine this morning.
Pros -
Build quality is incredible, ts like a piece of jewelry or an expensive watch. Fit and finish is superb.
The colour choice "Midnight Black" is awesome
Performance is very good, smooth and snappy
Photos compared to my s7 edge are actually very very good. Better in some.
Video recording is also very very good.
On the fence -
Whilst the screen is very very good, i personally still prefer the look of amoled panels. Even with a 4k HDR beast the s8 in my opinion still has a better screen. Its a good screen, a very good screen just not the best.
The bezels are a little large and considering the speakers aren't very powerful i'm not sure what the trade off is.
Cons -
Speakers even being stereo are not particularly loud but if you have had a Sony phone in the past then you are probably used to this.
Bloat - There is a bit of bloatware pre installed, it can be disabled but not uninstalled.
Screen - If you're going to give us a 4k screen give the user the option to choose 4k resolution at all times. Its my choice to sacrifice battery life if i choose to.
A couple of bits that i'm not sure are specific to my unit, the vibration motor isn't very powerful and there is a faint click sound occasionally when it is buzzing. Nothing that would make me believe it has a fault but i can hear it.
Also my screen has missed a couple of inputs, it may be me just getting used to it.
jms.flynn said:
Just to share my 2 cents.
Received mine this morning.
Pros -
Build quality is incredible, ts like a piece of jewelry or an expensive watch. Fit and finish is superb.
The colour choice "Midnight Black" is awesome
Performance is very good, smooth and snappy
Photos compared to my s7 edge are actually very very good. Better in some.
Video recording is also very very good.
On the fence -
Whilst the screen is very very good, i personally still prefer the look of amoled panels. Even with a 4k HDR beast the s8 in my opinion still has a better screen. Its a good screen, a very good screen just not the best.
The bezels are a little large and considering the speakers aren't very powerful i'm not sure what the trade off is.
Cons -
Speakers even being stereo are not particularly loud but if you have had a Sony phone in the past then you are probably used to this.
Bloat - There is a bit of bloatware pre installed, it can be disabled but not uninstalled.
Screen - If you're going to give us a 4k screen give the user the option to choose 4k resolution at all times. Its my choice to sacrifice battery life if i choose to.
A couple of bits that i'm not sure are specific to my unit, the vibration motor isn't very powerful and there is a faint click sound occasionally when it is buzzing. Nothing that would make me believe it has a fault but i can hear it.
Also my screen has missed a couple of inputs, it may be me just getting used to it.
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I too have one in hand. I think the color is Deep Sea Black but who cares, right? :silly:
The large bezels help when you need to hold the phone in landscape mode. I too think it would be nice if the speakers were a little louder but I think it is a result of the waterproofing. If they were to boost the volume signal then they would probably distort too much and then we would complain about that. Can't win.
My vibration is a little soft also, but then again the only phone I know of with a strong vibration is the Moto X Pure. The wife has a brand new one because she smashed the screen in the one I gave her and she loves it (as do I) and the vibration on that thing will knock the fillings from your teeth. Not sure if it has to do with the amount of power being sent to the motor, or the motor itself. I just know that every phone I have ever owned except the Pure has a relatively weak vibration.
I am OK with the screen being at the default of 1080. Plenty good enough for a 5.5 in screen. I have an Amoled phone and comparing the two screens it's hard to tell which is which. The XZ Premium screen looks great in bright sunlight so no problem there. So far I love it. I do wish that Sony would unlink the ringtone volume from the notification volume. I know it can be done because I have another phone running Nougat 7.1.1 and they are not linked. What I did was use a ringtone creator app to artificially lower the volume of the sound I use for notifications (texts) and that way when the volume is on full for the ringtone the notification volume appears to be about half as loud... just the way I like it.
I would recommend this phone to anyone! :good:
figo_rulz11 said:
Great review, roll on camera pictures and review. Oh and battery life
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Thank you, and as far as the camera and battery life added into the review, I will do it at the end of the week so the battery is broken in and I have some time to really play with the camera in all aspects, I should have something up by Saturday.
jms.flynn said:
Just to share my 2 cents.
Received mine this morning.
Pros -
Build quality is incredible, ts like a piece of jewelry or an expensive watch. Fit and finish is superb.
The colour choice "Midnight Black" is awesome
Performance is very good, smooth and snappy
Photos compared to my s7 edge are actually very very good. Better in some.
Video recording is also very very good.
On the fence -
Whilst the screen is very very good, i personally still prefer the look of amoled panels. Even with a 4k HDR beast the s8 in my opinion still has a better screen. Its a good screen, a very good screen just not the best.
The bezels are a little large and considering the speakers aren't very powerful i'm not sure what the trade off is.
Cons -
Speakers even being stereo are not particularly loud but if you have had a Sony phone in the past then you are probably used to this.
Bloat - There is a bit of bloatware pre installed, it can be disabled but not uninstalled.
Screen - If you're going to give us a 4k screen give the user the option to choose 4k resolution at all times. Its my choice to sacrifice battery life if i choose to.
A couple of bits that i'm not sure are specific to my unit, the vibration motor isn't very powerful and there is a faint click sound occasionally when it is buzzing. Nothing that would make me believe it has a fault but i can hear it.
Also my screen has missed a couple of inputs, it may be me just getting used to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd would keep on eye on that click sound, you and the guy that posted just right after you mentioned that the vibration isn't that strong, but mine vibrates pretty strong and actually manages to scare the crap out of me at work because I'll have it on the desk and it goes off (co-workers will always make dirty jokes in reference to the sound) but that's something I will keep my ear open for on that click sound, so far nada.
ukemochi said:
I'd would keep on eye on that click sound, you and the guy that posted just right after you mentioned that the vibration isn't that strong, but mine vibrates pretty strong and actually manages to scare the crap out of me at work because I'll have it on the desk and it goes off (co-workers will always make dirty jokes in reference to the sound) but that's something I will keep my ear open for on that click sound, so far nada.
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Its not clicking the duration of when the vibration motor is active which makes me believe it isn't a fault. As an example if i get a call and my phone is on vibrate i don't hear it at all. Its only when i have vibrate on screen tap and use the soft keys. It's like the faintest of clicks when the vibration motor is initializing. Again nothing to make me think its faulty but i noticed it straight away.
jms.flynn said:
Is there an option settings to change the display scaling or alternatively in developer settings to change the dpi or smallest width?
I always find Sony and Samsung to be scaled like a child's play phone.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah you can change it in the developer settings best setting to ever come to android for none rooted users anyways