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I, like most of you, think Samsungs Android attempts have been horrible. The Behold 2 was an awful device, touchwiz was even worse. When I heard news of the Galaxy S I shrugged and didn't think twice about it. Now that I've had the opportunity to really play with one though, I have to say I'm VERY impressed.
You see, there are a couple of things I want out of my Android device.
1. Screen quality.
2. Battery Life
3. Reception/Signal
4. XDA Community Support
5. Performance
In no particular order, I can say that this Galaxy S definitely is giving the Nexus a run for its money. It clearly has a better screen (and bigger). One would think the battery life would be much better given the fact that its Super Amoled. (I think the claims were 30% better than standard AMOLED?)
We all know about the finnicky signal of the Nexus. I'm curious how the signal will be on the Galaxy S.
XDA support is the big one. We all love HTC here. Will the Samsung be rootable, romable, will there be a good following of developers for it? You would think, since this phone is world wide, including all 4 major carriers in the U.S. that it will have a lot of support. Maybe some of you can speak a bit more to that subject?
Lastly, performance. We've all seen the tests. We've all heard about Hummingbird. When looking at the live wallpapers on the Galaxy vs Nexus (specifically the water pond wallpaper) there is a very noticiable different in the speed of the water vibrations etc... Now will that translate to performance elsewhere, perhaps. Hard to say, but based on benchmarks, it seems like it.
All of that said, really the only downside to the S is that it doesn't have a flash on the camera. For me, its not that big of a deal. I can understand if it is to some people.
All of that said, are you guys not giving this phone some serious consideration? It's definitely more intriguing that I initially thought it would be.
But you're forgetting the most important part. HTC supports and upgrades their phones. Samsung ALWAYS screws the customer by making them get the new phone.
Ala, the behold2. Higher specs than the MYTouch3g, but the 3g is getting 2.1, AND 2.2. The Behold will never even see 2.0. Plus, visit any samsung forum and they're trying to get 'Vanilla' android because they hate touchwiz.
Fastest upgrades
Dependable care provider
System straight from google.
N1 Wins.
Cuda1337 said:
I, like most of you, think Samsungs Android attempts have been horrible. The Behold 2 was an awful device, touchwiz was even worse. When I heard news of the Galaxy S I shrugged and didn't think twice about it. Now that I've had the opportunity to really play with one though, I have to say I'm VERY impressed.
You see, there are a couple of things I want out of my Android device.
1. Screen quality.
2. Battery Life
3. Reception/Signal
4. XDA Community Support
5. Performance
In no particular order, I can say that this Galaxy S definitely is giving the Nexus a run for its money. It clearly has a better screen (and bigger). One would think the battery life would be much better given the fact that its Super Amoled. (I think the claims were 30% better than standard AMOLED?)
We all know about the finnicky signal of the Nexus. I'm curious how the signal will be on the Galaxy S.
XDA support is the big one. We all love HTC here. Will the Samsung be rootable, romable, will there be a good following of developers for it? You would think, since this phone is world wide, including all 4 major carriers in the U.S. that it will have a lot of support. Maybe some of you can speak a bit more to that subject?
Lastly, performance. We've all seen the tests. We've all heard about Hummingbird. When looking at the live wallpapers on the Galaxy vs Nexus (specifically the water pond wallpaper) there is a very noticiable different in the speed of the water vibrations etc... Now will that translate to performance elsewhere, perhaps. Hard to say, but based on benchmarks, it seems like it.
All of that said, really the only downside to the S is that it doesn't have a flash on the camera. For me, its not that big of a deal. I can understand if it is to some people.
All of that said, are you guys not giving this phone some serious consideration? It's definitely more intriguing that I initially thought it would be.
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+1 for all of this. Although I also used to be the guy that said I didn't care about the camera flash, I find myself taking pics with the flash a good bit, and using it for a flashlight.
I've been with HTC for so many years I'm scared to try someone else, but the Galaxy does look pretty awesome. Its the screen size that does it for me. I like the larger screen on the Evo, but it looks like poop next to the N1.
FishFan does make a perfect point. I wouldn't even consider trading my N1 for the Galaxy unless I could unlock/root/load a vanilla ROM.
I wanna see an in depth N1 vs Galaxy S review done by a reputable reviewer.
I'm still gonna check it out when AT&T gets a demo...
Well see that's the thing, if the Galaxy can be rooted, what really does it matter if Samsung supports it? I'm going to root it and put a custom rom on there anyway. The only thing Im concerned about is future updates of Android. If I'm not mistaken Samsung does not release the source to their drivers, so although you can put vanilla Android on the S, you won't be able to put, for instance, Froyo on there? Would that be accurate?
Just fyi, amoled is The same as super amoled, just the touch later has been combined into one. So battery life is The same.
Unless Samsung is claiming otherwise, I haven't heard.
Cuda1337 said:
Well see that's the thing, if the Galaxy can be rooted, what really does it matter if Samsung supports it? I'm going to root it and put a custom rom on there anyway. The only thing Im concerned about is future updates of Android. If I'm not mistaken Samsung does not release the source to their drivers, so although you can put vanilla Android on the S, you won't be able to put, for instance, Froyo on there? Would that be accurate?
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Well I'm pretty sure they claim to be getting froyo on all the models this year, so that solves that.
BoostedSR20 said:
Well I'm pretty sure they claim to be getting froyo on all the models this year, so that solves that.
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Froyo isn't a concern, but Gingerbread will be. Without support from Samsung, are we going to be able to count on the developers to get Gingerbread or whatever else running on it?
Cuda1337 said:
Froyo isn't a concern, but Gingerbread will be. Without support from Samsung, are we going to be able to count on the developers to get Gingerbread or whatever else running on it?
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lol at today's pace, you'll be buying a new phone by the time Gingerbread comes out.
I'm also with the same doubts as the original poster.
On the Galaxy S forum, according to a post from someone involved with Modaco's rom, so far there can only be a custom rom for the Galaxy S if Samsung provides (or leaks) the base rom. So, it won't be possible to get Froyo, Gingerbread, Sense Ui, Timescape or anything else unless Samsung releases it.
Custom roms for the Galaxy S will only be able to modify the Samsung roms.
@Cuda1337 (OP) +1 to everything you said. That's exactly what I always say when comparing the two phones. I was compelled to sell my Nexus One now that it still has a good price, especially here in my area.
However, I'm not compelled enough to change yet, because it's more expensive and the expense may not justify the potential benefits, given there are risks (like it may not have a good enough dev community). I suggest that we wait for a short while. A superphone should have no compromise.
I'll wait for 4-8 months. By then, I'll expect more than 1Ghz CPU with all necessary superphone specs (camera flash, front-facing camera, etc.) and even a physical keyboard.
If they could stick the Nexus One inside my Gphone I would be the happiest man on earth. It doesn't even have to be pretty.
Cuda1337 said:
Well see that's the thing, if the Galaxy can be rooted, what really does it matter if Samsung supports it? I'm going to root it and put a custom rom on there anyway. The only thing Im concerned about is future updates of Android. If I'm not mistaken Samsung does not release the source to their drivers, so although you can put vanilla Android on the S, you won't be able to put, for instance, Froyo on there? Would that be accurate?
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Just because you root your Samsung Galaxy S, it doesn't mean you can just put any custom ROM on there. A custom ROM has to be specifically designed for the Galaxy S. For instance, people with a rooted Incredible have no decent custom ROMs to flash at the moment, and it is debatable if it is even worth rooting the Incredible. The N1 will always have the latest and greatest stock and custom ROMs. If you don't really tinker too much with your phone then the Galaxy S might be fine for you. For me, there is no question, N1 all the way, and when the next developer phone comes around, that will be my next phone (unfortunately there will not be an Nexus 2).
irishrally said:
Just because you root your Samsung galaxy, it doesn't mean you can just put any custom ROM on there. A custom ROM has to be specifically designed for the Galaxy S. For instance, people with a rooted Incredible have no decent custom ROMs to flash at the moment and it is debatable if it is even worth rooting the Incredible. The N1 ROM will always have the latest and greatest stock and custom ROMs. If you don't really tinker too much with your phone then the Galaxy S might be fine for you. For me, there is no question, N1 all the way, and when the next developer phone comes around, that will be my next phone (unfortunately there will not be an Nexus 2).
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I agree entirely here! I am spoiled by the support from the G1 and Nexus! I can't go without flashing a ROM, a new theme, a new mod, SOMETHING new every other day or week that other phones aren't fortunate to have~
i used to think that camera flash wasn't a big deal and never really used my video camera. but a few days ago a few of my friends were taking videos with their droids and evo's and only my n1 got to turn on its light being able to record in the dark!
RogerPodacter said:
Just fyi, amoled is The same as super amoled, just the touch later has been combined into one. So battery life is The same.
Unless Samsung is claiming otherwise, I haven't heard.
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No. Do your research Roger..
Samsung has claimed that Super Amoled has a 20% brighter screen, 80% less sunlight reflection and at least 20% reduced power consumption - plus the fact that it has a 180degree viewing angle!
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_AMOLED)
And I tend to agree. I get 3 days easy out of my SGS, where as I was only getting 1-2 days from the N1. Mind you, the Hummingbird CPU/GPU package has other refinements such as being lower voltage than the Snapdragon, plus sporting a 45nm SOC (vs 65nm)
BoostedSR20 said:
lol at today's pace, you'll be buying a new phone by the time Gingerbread comes out.
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Gingerbread is due at the end of the year. Not everybody can afford to change phones every six months you know...
having a screen that's bigger than 3.9" is an instant loss for me.
i need a phone not a tablet.
but just to humor you,
Support on XDA for nexus is better than samsung (+1 nexus)
Screen better (+1 Sam, resolution wise not battery conserving wise
even if it was the 30% is a comparison between Apple's IPS and
Samsungs SAMOLED not between AMOLED AND SAMOLED)
Battery life (+1 Nexus, standard use 30+ hours unplugged "my use" no way in hell a bigger screen and better processor will give me more)
Google Support (it sucks all over but you get updates directly to your phone the second it's out +1)
Performance (if you take everything into consideration, I don't really have a clear cut winner here)
by your own criteria Galaxy S definitely "Doesn't" give the Nexus a run for its money.
anthro said:
@Cuda1337 (OP) +1 to everything you said. That's exactly what I always say when comparing the two phones. I was compelled to sell my Nexus One now that it still has a good price, especially here in my area.
However, I'm not compelled enough to change yet, because it's more expensive and the expense may not justify the potential benefits, given there are risks (like it may not have a good enough dev community). I suggest that we wait for a short while. A superphone should have no compromise.
I'll wait for 4-8 months. By then, I'll expect more than 1Ghz CPU with all necessary superphone specs (camera flash, front-facing camera, etc.) and even a physical keyboard.
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Click to collapse
I'm with you. The nexus will be a year old after the holidays and ill be ready to upgrade. Ill hang on to this beauty but ill want 2ghz or dual core, 1080p recording, 8-10mp, a screen i can see during the day, 1ghz ram. the Samsung S just isn't a big enough upgrade over the nexus plus samsungs mobile reputation is pitiful count me out. I'm HTC or possibly but doubtfully Motorola .
Not saying the Galaxy S will be the best device out there, especially with samsung's reputation but some of your arguments seem a little biased
kindiboy said:
Support on XDA for nexus is better than samsung (+1 nexus)
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You don't know how both devices will be supported in a few months, OP has a point when he says the Galaxy will be widely available on all carriers. But I do agree it will probably never be as well supported as the G1 or N1.
Screen better (+1 Sam, resolution wise not battery conserving wise
even if it was the 30% is a comparison between Apple's IPS and
Samsungs SAMOLED not between AMOLED AND SAMOLED)
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I'm pretty sure the 30 percents was compared to older samsung AMOLED display
Battery life (+1 Nexus, standard use 30+ hours unplugged "my use" no way in hell a bigger screen and better processor will give me more)
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Well unless you use a galaxy S you can't really compare. I didn't even check how much time galaxy S users get out of their phones, but if one of them say his/her phone works 15 hours with one charge I might conclude that the battery life is better than on the Nexus since I typically get around 12 hours of battery life with MY use. SO you can't really compare unfortunately.
And the better screen (with better sunlight visibility) allows you to lower the brightness, thus saving some battery.
Same goes for the faster CPU : first it may use less power altogether since it uses 45nm carving (do you say "carving" in English ?), and secondly if it's faster it will be used less to perform the same task, thus saving some battery.
Google Support (it sucks all over but you get updates directly to your phone the second it's out +1)
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Can't argue with that, definitely the main pro of the N1
Performance (if you take everything into consideration, I don't really have a clear cut winner here)
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errr... on this point EVERY benchmark and user feedback I read said the Galaxy S performed way better than the N1 (and it's not even on Froyo yet),
IMHO the Galaxy S is definitely better than the N1 as far as hardware is concerned, and a better choice for people who just use there phone as it is out of the box.
But it will probably have less support from developpers, and less frequent updates from samsung, so for people like us the N1 might still be a better choice.
besides, I don't see the point in upgrading from a N1 to any other phone right now. I'll wait for at least the next gen (before christmas maybe ?) before I consider replacing my N1.
I'm so damn tempted by the Samsung Captivate (Galaxy S on AT&T July 18).
It has 16gigs of internal storage space!! 4" Super AMOLED.
The only thing I don't like is the glossy plastic casing, makes holding it feel cheap, although it looks like it's just a bit of that.
I have prepared this thread to help myself and others compare and contrast the different phones and hopefully come to a decision here. If anyone has anything to add to the comparison that I have missed, please list it and we can get it all chocked up.
For the record. I have only listed something as a "Disadvantage" if I believe that the category is below what we would expect of the average Android.
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Advantages:
ATRIX
Battery Life - This is a big thing for me. I can make my vibrant last through a 14 hour day by crippling every single possible feature. But people here are saying that the Atrix runs solid though 30 hour periods. This is a huge plus for me.
Higher Resolution (even if its fake) - Even though this resolution is fake and can actually cause text to blur, I can say first-hand that I saw the screen in action at a local wal-mart and found it to be acceptable by my standards. I think it may help overall with browsing. The GS2 has a larger screen size, and no pentile matrix display, which could possibly be considered better. This is one that may work out to be a tie.
Tegra 2 - I list this as an advantage not because it is faster, the various benchmarks for either processor seem to be inconclusive at this point. I am listing it as an advantage because it has its own series of games optimized specifically for it, and because Google has chosen to build their framework around tegra 2.
Webtop - I am initially hesitant to even mention this. The phone has a webtop environment, it is most likely Debian Linux and it is said to also be very sluggish. If, in the future, devs gain access to this environment and find ways to optimize it and add in worthy apps such as Chrome and open office, then this will be a massive advantage, but right now it is pretty much just a gimmick.
The webtop interface retains its session when you disconnect it. So you can plug the phone back into another dock and go right back to what you were doing. This is one of the good things about webtop.
Laptop Dock - We all know it is hideously overpriced right now and maybe in the future a cheaper solution will be available. But regardless of how you get the dock, it is an advantage to run your apps in full screen, even if you don't use the sluggish webtop interface and firefox.
The dock charges your phone, but plays sound through your atrix speakers, it has no speakers of it's own, you can answer calls by removing the phone, picking it up on bluetooth or by just yelling at it from behind the laptop. The phone retains its session when you remove it and there is no special unmounting procedure, you just grab it and run.
GALAXY S2
Screen - Bright beautiful and extremely rich. Those who have seen the screen firsthand have claimed that there is nothing like it at all and that it is miles above even the old Super Amoled display. The 4.3 inch size is also a bonus for those of us with large hands. This is probably the best overall feature of the Galaxy S2.
Camera - 8 Megapixels, and 2 megapixel front facing camera. People say that megapixels don't really matter in the long run but the Atrix camera is also said to have a purple wash to it and that the video can be splotchy in certain situations.
Design - Even though it looks way too much like the iPhone, this phone actually looks exceptionally nice. I like the three button design much better than the 4, the search button is pretty useless overall. The thinness of this phone is also amazing if you are into that sort of thing. Naturally it may come down to the US carriers to ruin the design, but by it will likely be summer before that happens.
32GB internal storage - Expect to pay for it, but it is there, you get 64 gigs total with this phone.
Gingerbread - The Atrix won't likely get gingerbread until at least this summer, this phone will have it much sooner if you get the international version coming sometime this quarter.
Gyroscope - This phone has it, do any apps support it? Not sure, but it is there.
NFC - In the off chance that any stores upgrade to NFC this year, you will have the ability to use it. NFC may have other uses that we haven't envisioned yet. It is a protocol, so it can be applied to just about anything. You could potentially set it up to unlock your home, cars could start with it, whatever.
So it has a lot of potential use other than having your money stolen from you.
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Disadvantages:
ATRIX
Bootloader - To sum it up for those not familiar, the phone can be rooted, a custom ROM can be flashed, but the kernel cannot be altered at all. (someone will likely correct me here) but if part or all of the webtop code is contained in the kernel somehow it will be difficult to alter it to add new software or make it run more efficiently. This would be a terrible shame.
I can tell you that Team Whiskey has made my Vibrant browse faster than I have seen in Atrix videos, with half the memory and a single core processor. It is scary to think of what this phone could actually accomplish if Moto decided to allow it.
Motoblur - I read that this requires you to sign up for an account before you can even use the phone. I find it alarming that Motorola has decided to help themselves to all this information and it makes me wonder just exactly what they really have access to and why.
Crippled FM radio - WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY. All of these phones have both transmitters and receivers for FM. So can someone tell me why in god's name anyone would disable them? FM radio has many more uses than just listening to local stations and why again should I have to burn my limited data on
internet radio when there is a receiver right in my phone?
GALAXY S2
Heat - My current Galaxy S runs very hot already, if the screen is active while the phone is being charged it will heat up to what seems to be a very dangerous temperature. The pre-release Galaxy S2 was said to be scorching hot after running with the screen on and the charger active.
Fail File System, Hideous and crippling lag - Update: the galaxy S2 is said to not use RFS. Chock one up for Samsung.
Updates - Samsung has a horrible reputation for updates when working with US carriers, even for new phones. If it was not for this community I would have likely given up on Android and Samsung altogether. Although I know that part of the update delay has been t-mobile, it is also in Samsung's interests to ship out new phones instead of updating their old ones.
Battery Life I have a feeling that Samsung tried to push the limits to get their phone to be as thin as possible and I am worried that they have done so at the expense of battery life. We won't know for sure until it gets in people's hands but I expect the battery life to be subpar.
NO HID Bluetooth Support (possibly) - I have had a black wiimote sitting here for 6 months waiting to connect to my Vibrant. I love emulated classics but action games are near impossible to play with the on-screen kb. So if you want this feature, I would make sure that the GS2 has it first, because it is not likely that it will.
Availability - What it really comes down to now. Unless you want to shell out over 1000 for the phone, you will probably need to wait 5 months from now for any kind of US availability this summer. And don't doubt that those versions will become crippled and even more bloated in the process. But again there is no locked bootloader here.
Ok I think that covers it. Having written all this down, I think I am really leaning more toward the Atrix. There just doesn't seem to be anything else out there now that will be able to match it at the moment. And as you can see, our experience with Samsung has not been exceptional.
Good comparison there. I am also looking at the exact 2 models and thank you very much, looks like Atrix will too be my choice.
I guess I'll get the atrix laptop dock too and prays for the devs here to make it all better. Otherwise, I think its still a good piece of hardware I don't mind owning.
""Samsung's dual-core, Gingerbread-powered Galaxy S II has appeared on Play.co.uk alongside a tentative SIM-free price and release date. According to Play, which is currently taking pre-orders for the phone, it'll ship Mar. 31 for £599.99 (~$960). Pre-release prices are never guaranteed to be accurate and are always subject to change, but £599 seams like a realistic price point for the Galaxy S II, as it's slightly higher than current single-core offerings from other manufacturers.""
Just published at androidcentral. £599.99 (~$960)?? Get a grip..
Not bad, just a couple of things to note that I thought of while reading. First, the screen resolution can be arguable considering the Pentile screen that the Atrix uses. That gives the SGS2 more sub pixels, but then it's a bigger screen, so less (I believe) pixel density still... it's really kind of a toss up, but I think they will both look great. I think the lower resolution and bigger screen on the SGS2 will look just fine with the full 3 subpixels per pixel.
Also, the SGS2 looks nothing like an iPhone. I wish people would stop saying that about every phone that comes out. Apparently every square black phone with a screen is an iPhone now.
And also it's been reported that the SGS2 does not use RFS.
The Galaxy S2 looks like a great phone, but even as much as I hate Motorola's implementation of the lockdown...I can't *STAND* Samsung for updates. They've promised up and down that they would release updates for every phone since Android came out, and they've delivered on about 3 of those promises...out of probably 20. They are *HORRIBLE* at updating devices and they don't even apologize when they cancel. I would *never* buy a Samsung on the hopes that it would get an updated OS.
As for the screens, I don't really notice much of a difference. I'm a pretty severe audiophile and videophile and although I can tell a difference it's absolutely not enough to make me go with one phone over another. I'm coming from an iPhone 4 which has the best screen to date on a mobile phone...and even between that and my Atrix I barely see a difference. They're both fantastic screens.
hotleadsingerguy said:
The Galaxy S2 looks like a great phone, but even as much as I hate Motorola's implementation of the lockdown...I can't *STAND* Samsung for updates. They've promised up and down that they would release updates for every phone since Android came out, and they've delivered on about 3 of those promises...out of probably 20. They are *HORRIBLE* at updating devices and they don't even apologize when they cancel. I would *never* buy a Samsung on the hopes that it would get an updated OS.
As for the screens, I don't really notice much of a difference. I'm a pretty severe audiophile and videophile and although I can tell a difference it's absolutely not enough to make me go with one phone over another. I'm coming from an iPhone 4 which has the best screen to date on a mobile phone...and even between that and my Atrix I barely see a difference. They're both fantastic screens.
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The updates aren't really an issue for people who visit sites like this. I would never rely on Samsung to update my phone. My Captivate has been running 2.2 for ages while they just released the update for everyone else. Yes, Samsung sucks at updating, but the hacking community will always get it done regardless.
I must be the only one, but i use the search hotkey absolutely all the time. I love it and I realize that you can hold menu for the same effect on the SGS2, but i'd prefer to have the 4th hotkey than their ugly stupid home button. It is not an iPhone, embrace uniqueness samsung.
eallan said:
I must be the only one, but i use the search hotkey absolutely all the time. I love it and I realize that you can hold menu for the same effect on the SGS2, but i'd prefer to have the 4th hotkey than their ugly stupid home button. It is not an iPhone, embrace uniqueness samsung.
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I really miss the hardware home key! The orientation of the 4 buttons makes it a bit awkward to thumb navigate since its so close to the bottom. Its actually one of the things about the sgs2 that is making me think twice about my atrix. Despite how much I love it.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Man_of_Leisure said:
I really miss the hardware home key! The orientation of the 4 buttons makes it a bit awkward to thumb navigate since its so close to the bottom. Its actually one of the things about the sgs2 that is making me think twice about my atrix. Despite how much I love it.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
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I wouldn't mind if the buttons were hardware, thats another debate. I just want all four of them!
The back button is beyond crucial. Maybe back and home should be two hardware with the other capacitive? For symmetry, obviously a concern for samsung .
I definitely want the new Galaxy S 2. I've heard that the Atrix was a huge let down. I used to own a Captivate and I loved everything about it except the ****ty build quality and lack of flash for the camera. It was so smooth with voodoo and custom roms. The Galaxy S 2 will have an amazing screen and I think it will do average on battery consumption. Just my 2 cents
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
King Shady said:
I definitely want the new Galaxy S 2. I've heard that the Atrix was a huge let down. I used to own a Captivate and I loved everything about it except the ****ty build quality and lack of flash for the camera. It was so smooth with voodoo and custom roms. The Galaxy S 2 will have an amazing screen and I think it will do average on battery consumption. Just my 2 cents
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
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****ty build quality? Like hardware wise? I personally think the Captivate is the nicest of all of the Galaxy S phones. The hardware itself has been absolutely wonderful for me. The software quality leaves a lot to be desired from a stock standpoint though.
AJerman said:
****ty build quality? Like hardware wise? I personally think the Captivate is the nicest of all of the Galaxy S phones. The hardware itself has been absolutely wonderful for me. The software quality leaves a lot to be desired from a stock standpoint though.
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The plastic build was a huge downgrade for me, especially coming from a beautiful iPhone 4. I'm much happier with the Inspire 4G now though. HTC Sense is amazing and super smooth, and HTC build quality is great. The phone feels ultra solid.
SGS2 is apparently RFS-free. Also, some versions will have Tegra2 instead of Exynos - hope this includes us.
People knock Samsung's plastic designs, but they're actually a lot harder to break than the "well-built" iPhone 4.
Very good write up man, these are the posts that I like to see.
By looking at my signature, you can see that I just got the Atrix as well, and I love the phone. Amazingly fast, awesome screen (love the higher density and the effect itbhas on the overall experience), and the battery is pretty good too.
I'm seriously thinking about buying the laptop dock, but I don't know how well that will perform, and I haven't seen any live videos of it.
I really like the design and specs of the GS 2, but there are a lot of possible problems holding me back....
Rooted/ROM Captivate (For Sale)
Rooted Atrix
FLAC Vest said:
Very good write up man, these are the posts that I like to see.
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Thanks a lot, bro.
I am no engineer and I can't build tools. But I can put a few thoughts together and provide someone with some information.
This is an amazing community and what people do here is outstanding, I just want to do what I can to add to that.
King Shady said:
The plastic build was a huge downgrade for me, especially coming from a beautiful iPhone 4. I'm much happier with the Inspire 4G now though. HTC Sense is amazing and super smooth, and HTC build quality is great. The phone feels ultra solid.
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S2 looks like meizu m9
I have both and a Galaxy S 2 on order
Why? I really liked the Captivate. My plan was to use both but the Atrix is so much more fun to use I'm selling the Captivate. Well, maybe. Maybe not.
Yesterday after I removed the SIM card and replaced it, the Atrix went bonkers with freezes and instability issues. After numerous soft resets, two factory resets and replacing the SIM card, SD card and battery a couple of times it seems to be back to normal. I suspect I had reinserted the SIM card incorrectly but maybe there was another issue.
So why would I pay $1000 for the Galaxy S 2? The Captivate was that much fun. Although I'm sure we will be able to do more custom rom's shortly on the Atrix, the Galaxy S 2 sounds like an even bigger blast than either. And boy oh boy does that LG 3D look interesting. But you have to draw the line somewhere.
Here is what the Atrix has that the Captivate does not:
1-better graphics and screen quality, dynamic and vivid visuals, a joy to read and watch (text as well as video quality is sharp and crisp, very clear)
2-more interactive features with outside devices (i.e. computers)
3-interacts more efficiently with e mail, voice and text programs (really like the way it handles multiple incoming calls especially when you are already on one-notification, instructions and directions for handling)(I can now actually use Excel spreadsheets and Word documents) (works well with contacts)
4-updated browser can handle more types of video content and pop up windows better
5-it feels better when you hold and talk or watch or do most anything with it (I did make one call and even though I could hear the other party clearly they could not hear me-I do not what happened.)
My friends all tell me I should get an iphone. I had one for years and the Androids are far more fun. I'll never return. I don't think. LG 3D anyone?
I think Tegra2 is actually a disadvantage for Atrix 4G.
As a new generation dualcore processor, it's early, but not strong.
It's video playback ability of H.264 is limited, but H.264 is currently the most frequently played format.
It has no neon support, big loss on processing power.
Till now Tegra2 has not proven itself in Graphics power. In benchmarks it's no superior to Hummingbird.
However the performance of Mali400MP on GS2 is also questionable, so just wait and see...
hotleadsingerguy said:
The Galaxy S2 looks like a great phone, but even as much as I hate Motorola's implementation of the lockdown...I can't *STAND* Samsung for updates. They've promised up and down that they would release updates for every phone since Android came out, and they've delivered on about 3 of those promises...out of probably 20. They are *HORRIBLE* at updating devices and they don't even apologize when they cancel. I would *never* buy a Samsung on the hopes that it would get an updated OS.
As for the screens, I don't really notice much of a difference. I'm a pretty severe audiophile and videophile and although I can tell a difference it's absolutely not enough to make me go with one phone over another. I'm coming from an iPhone 4 which has the best screen to date on a mobile phone...and even between that and my Atrix I barely see a difference. They're both fantastic screens.
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Click to collapse
+1 great post!
King Shady said:
The plastic build was a huge downgrade for me, especially coming from a beautiful iPhone 4. I'm much happier with the Inspire 4G now though. HTC Sense is amazing and super smooth, and HTC build quality is great. The phone feels ultra solid.
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See, I don't understand that. There is far less plastic on the Captivate than the majority of the phones out there. The front is all glass, and the back is mostly metal. It's only the top and bottom on the back that are plastic, and they have both felt very solid to me since I got the phone on launch day. I came from an iPhone 4 as well, and granted nothing compares to the iPhone 4 in build quality, the Captivate definitely doesn't seem bad at all to me.
As long as you're happy with what you have now though, that's what matters. I just think the Inspire is a bit of a waste of money considering it's lack of power compared to all the other phones coming out now. It feels like it's last generation still. I did play with it a little at the AT&T store though, and it seemed nice. If it had come out last summer with the Captivate (even if it didn't have 4G), I might have gotten it. Now I'm going to wait until a dual core offering I like though.
Coming from N1, I really appreciate the abundance of ROMs and no crap stock software. No TouchWiz to add a layer of bugs seems right. Also, there's an uncertainty about ICS situation on Note. Other than that, its all in favor of the Note. What do you guys think?
For me the reason to opt for Note is the 5.3in screen and S pen.. if u dont mind this two then u shd be good for Nexus..
Agree with razorpixel. As for touchwiz and the software that is coming with the Note, I think that Samsung did a great job. The email app with its previews and split pane layout in landscape is very user friendly. The planner on it is very nice (bit limited though) and touchwiz is working great on this device. I particularly like the way you can add notes to the home screen and resize them to almost any size you want.
My overall impression of the apps on the note: very professional. Certainly not bloatware.
I was facing exactly the same dilemma. For me galaxy nexus is a big disappointment hardware-wise. CPU is barely OK, GPU sucks - may not be futureproof, looks cheap, no gorilla glass, I don't like software buttons and I'm afraid that it may be the only phone with this funny resolution (1280x720 minus the space for software buttons) which may lead to problems with apps scaling badly, wallpapers etc. I would rather choose Galaxy S2 LTE HD in place of nexus, but lord only knows when they launch it in europe. Note it is then.
As to ICS: even if it takes samsung forever to launch an official update, I bet there will be plenty of unofficial XDA roms before that and knowing myself I would end up with some custom one anyway.
I was thinking also about Nexus but since 99% of users/owners here are more than amazed with the phone, it became a clear choice for me.
Plus at this point, Nexus is only guaranteed for Verizon, no date yet on when/if it will come to AT&T.
the galaxy nexus CPU is more than "barely ok". . . .the OMAP4460 is a 1.5 GHZ cpu that is so good, they they can clock it down to 1.2GHZ (where its at) and get the same performance on the phone. the GPU, stock, runs at 200 MHZ. the version in the galaxy nexus is over clocked to 384MHZ. thats almost twice as fast. plus, it has a dual channel memory, which i think other phones dont have. it allows fro better multi tasking so it can get data in and out quickly and simultaneously. also, it has an IVA 3 hardware accelerator that decodes HD video much quicker at much less power. another top new android phone, the RAZR, has an OMAP 4430, at 1.2 GHZ and the same GPU at 304 MHZ. i think its difficut to say this phone is a "let down"
sidenote: the nexus line isnt about bleeding edge hardware, its about bleeding edge software.
Biggest let-down with the Nexus for me was the lack of sdcard along with just 16 gig of storage. Being on a capped data plan, the cloud isn't a great option for me. Lack of gorilla glass and an inferior SOC to my GSII were just the final nails in the coffin.
kunalparwani said:
Biggest let-down with the Nexus for me was the lack of sdcard along with just 16 gig of storage. Being on a capped data plan, the cloud isn't a great option for me. Lack of gorilla glass and an inferior SOC to my GSII were just the final nails in the coffin.
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Click to collapse
Your reasoning is valid. But from logical point of view, if you were liking Nexus but not happy with its spec, you should get something better of similar size factor. Note on the other hand is a different league device. Don't confuse like - I wanted to buy helicpoter but since I did not like the speed, I am getting Boeing 777.
Hardware is pretty hard to change. Software however. . . Wait a minute, this is a developer forum . . .
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA App
willstay said:
Your reasoning is valid. But from logical point of view, if you were liking Nexus but not happy with its spec, you should get something better of similar size factor. Note on the other hand is a different league device. Don't confuse like - I wanted to buy helicpoter but since I did not like the speed, I am getting Boeing 777.
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Click to collapse
But i want a device better than my current one(SGSII). And there really isn't anything else on the market right now. And i made a mockup of the phone...so size doesn't seem to be an issue...
koniakki said:
I was thinking also about Nexus but since 99% of users/owners here are more than amazed with the phone, it became a clear choice for me.
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Click to collapse
I agree that the vast majority of people here, both owners and those who have objectively read several reviews such as the one from 3G, are impressed with the Note. So it is a pity to sometimes see a disproportionate amount of gripes threads here for they damage the reputation of the Note which may finally result in it's failure because people are persuaded not to buy.
Gaugerer said:
I agree that the vast majority of people here, both owners and those who have objectively read several reviews such as the one from 3G, are impressed with the Note. So it is a pity to sometimes see a disproportionate amount of gripes threads here for they damage the reputation of the Note which may finally result in it's failure because people are persuaded not to buy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. But then again. This phone is not for everyone and I believe most of us agree on this.
Yes, it indeed is too big for a phone, but not that big. Yamaha codec? Yes, could be better. S-Pen? I wish it wasn't there. But to be honest, I had caught my self using my HTC Touch HD stylus sometimes.
Conclusion: Yes, it has it's flaws like many other devices. But are they a deal breaker? Personally: NOT even close..
When it arrives I will use it at it's full glory. Why? Because this is the phone I wanted. Maximum portability(debatable for some) vs maximum performance/screen size. It's a winner in my book. I skipped the SGS2 for this for a reason.
Gaugerer said:
I agree that the vast majority of people here, both owners and those who have objectively read several reviews such as the one from 3G, are impressed with the Note. So it is a pity to sometimes see a disproportionate amount of gripes threads here for they damage the reputation of the Note which may finally result in it's failure because people are persuaded not to buy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm happy that people are talking openly about their gripes. Everywhere else, it's either apple fanboys trying to shout down the device or android fanboys shutting down negative conversations.
The reason I signed up on this forum and I'm following the discussion here more closely is that that people openly discuss the problems they're facing. As a first time will-be android buyer, it's important to me to know everything I'm getting into. And personally, I'm thrilled that the only problems people have with the Note (other than a few HW problems) are things that are unimportant to me personally, while at the same time, it seems like everything I've ever wanted in a smartphone...
I have already reserved at our local Samsung store here in Singapore. It comes two weeks from the now (that's what they keep telling customers). The main reason I'm getting the Note is because of the 1280x800 res on a 5.3" SAmolled display. The pen features are just the cherry top for me.
Keith
HTC Flyer with LeeDroid v1.0.0
kunalparwani said:
Biggest let-down with the Nexus for me was the lack of sdcard along with just 16 gig of storage. Being on a capped data plan, the cloud isn't a great option for me. Lack of gorilla glass and an inferior SOC to my GSII were just the final nails in the coffin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you{& others} fail to understand is what's the purpose of Google Nexus Series.
Google never ever launched these phones to compete with any other smartphones{hell N1 never came out of it's native region},Nexus S was launched in limited countries only.
But these smartphones offers you unskinned,pure,greatest & fastest updates.They compete with each other{consider them as Apple iphone}.
Nexus S was a definite improvement over N1{better camera,hardware,screen,NFC},,similarly Galaxy Nexus is a giant leap forward compare to N1 & Nexus S.
Galaxy Nexus is not launched with the intention to compete with S2/Note/Sensation series.....if you want unskinned version,you want stock you go for it.It's here to launch with ICS, introduce it,bring on HD resolution{it will be a norm from now on for high end droids}
If you are looking for best hardware on the market{although ICS with hardware acceleration will run like super smooth on Nexus}...wait for some time,,you can almost bet Samsung Galaxy 3 or HTC next supersmartphones will have better screen/processors/camera than it.
So this comparison is not worth.
android_master said:
So this comparison is not worth.
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It is hard to take your posts objectively when I see your signature.
Also, I was going to get the Nexus exactly for the reason that it was going to be the bleeding edge, and it just about was. It is a fair comparison.
I've been umming and arring about a Galaxy Nexus or a Galaxy Note. In the end I plumped for the Note. I currently have a Nexus One, a Galaxy Tab (original 7 inch) and a Galaxy Tab 10.1. I like them all for different reasons, but do find that sometimes I'm using the N1 when I wished it was the Tab 7 inch, and sometimes using the 7 inch when I wished I had the 10.1 close by.
The Note I think will nicely replace the N1 and the Tab 7 in those circumstances. Also the fact that I can sell those two on (with accessories) and pretty much make up the cost of the Note also helped. I'm also lucky in that my company pays for my phone data, so I'm not interested in plans or suchlike.
It'll be sad to part with the Nexus One - the best smartphone I've owned. I love the huge community behind it. I was all set for the Galaxy Nexus, but for me I feel it's a bit limiting. 16GB-only for the UK it seems. No SD slot. The biggest selling point is that it'll be ICS out of the box, but software comes to all who wait...
As for my 7" Tab, recently I've reverted that to Froyo as it's actually better performing than Gingerbread in certain areas - BBC iplayer being the most significant improvement for me. I originally used it as a phone as well, but it was just too big to use natively, and a pain to always have a bluetooth device for hands-free calling.
ICS will get to all current devices very soon, but I'm confident that the Note runs Gingerbread very well from all the reviews I've seen. It seems like the perfect compromise (all devices are compromises) for heavy phone use and casual tablet use.
Guys I need your help. I'm not sure what I should do but the galaxy nexus looks really good to me. Now I know the Galaxy s 2 that we have is pure BEAST, in fact as far as the internal go it's better than the galaxy nexus. But i do like the 720p screen on the nexus, the no capacitive buttons and the bigger screen and of course Ice Cream Sandwich bare naked. So should I get the nexus or should I wait for ICS on the S2 and get the s3 later?
Wait for those A15 cores.
$1 gets you a reply
The 720p screen is Pentile. While it has a lesser effect at higher pixel densities (I have seen the Galaxy Note and it's way better than my friend's SGS1), it's still noticeable. Like the guy above said, wait for the A15-equipped phones.
I would love to buy a pure Google phone but they always seem to be six months behind Samsung's Touchwiz devices. It seems that in order to stay bleeding edge you have to make do with Touchwiz. The Galaxy Nexus isn't of BAD spec; but the pentile screen tech and camera and lack of expandable memory makes it a no-go for me. The Galaxy S3 will completely destroy it. I just hope for a more solid construction that doesn't scuff and scratch so easily and that Touchwiz is redesigned to be more sexy than it currently is. I want Samsung to move away from their current garish design ethos and make something a bit more smart.
leoni1980 said:
I would love to buy a pure Google phone but they always seem to be six months behind Samsung's Touchwiz devices. It seems that in order to stay bleeding edge you have to make do with Touchwiz. The Galaxy Nexus isn't of BAD spec; but the pentile screen tech and camera and lack of expandable memory makes it a no-go for me. The Galaxy S3 will completely destroy it. I just hope for a more solid construction that doesn't scuff and scratch so easily and that Touchwiz is redesigned to be more sexy than it currently is. I want Samsung to move away from their current garish design ethos and make something a bit more smart.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What I'll like to see from SGS3:
Non-Pentile 720P SuperAMOLED
Camera with 1080p 60fps recording
Dual or quad core A15
Fully open source. That includes driver so that Team Hacksung can work their magic.
I just sold my GS2 and my Nexus is on its way. I did my research, I know that the GS2 has slightly better internals, but the Nexus phones were never about having bleeding edge hardware. The Nexus phones are about bleeding edge software... and when it comes down to it, you can have all the hardware in the world, but stay stuck with crappy software.
The only thing, IMO, that keeps the S2 going is Cyanogenmod. I have immense respect for their work, but when the developers have to hack around closed-source, ****ty code from Samsung, things mostly work. Emphasis on mostly. I'm sick and tired of being constrained by Samsung's unwillingness to cater to the Android dev community, and I decided to break free from their chains.
Is the Galaxy S2's GPU slightly better? Yes. Is the S2's camera slightly better? Yes. Does the S2 have a SD Card slot? Yes. But the GPU in the Nexus is better than the GPU in the iPhone 4, and that thing is super smooth & capable. The camera in the Nexus does what its supposed to - take good quality photos for Facebook, G+ etc. I've always had SD cards in my phones, and have never used them.
Go look at the Nexus's development forum... its like a beehive in there, and the honey looks crazy sweet
So yes, the S3 will probably destroy the Nexus in terms of hardware... but its simply not what counts - look at all the N1 users who are only upgrading now, because only now their phone feels like it needs upgrading. Software is where its at.
ppl should get a nexus and compare. I got both at the moment.
Hands down a better experience.
like soulcro said, the development there is amazing!!
doubt me, check these - all this over 2 weeks.
http://www.evernote.com/shard/s18/s...12690192d279/402eb97e626011c2b2a8d828ab90144c
http://www.evernote.com/shard/s18/s...24b19efbe36e/8aac1540cbe655c3c4199885ea92b509
http://www.evernote.com/shard/s18/s...470f65bbda91/b9945d9911d7c3934950bbd34776d1d4
ALL OPEN SOURCE! WINZIP KANG WARRIORS GETS SHUT DOWN IN < 8 HOURS
Does the Galaxy Nexus have a MicroSD card slot? No
'nuff said.
Ok
Gs2 has muuuch better GPU not only slightly, try 1080p on Nexus...
Nexus has no MicroSD slot, which means constantly moving files from ur phone to pc to free up space ( unless you dont make oics and videos at all, or dont watch any movies on it)
On Nexus u cant even watch 720p on youtube it's lagging like hell!!!! (Talking about flash from any browser)
Cant transfer bluetooth files TO Nexus! The only way is to ZIP them and then send them ( not rly convenient. Has no problems from Nexus to any device
The camera...oh god, pics not bad with lots of light, but indoors in low light, noisy as hell!!! Video recording is not even close to the quality of GS2!!!
Nexus doesnt have DLNA app u have to download thirdparty one, the best is Skifta,but on ICS it drains the battery like hell!
Nexus doesnt have wifi direct, it's just API for developers
Battery is the same, but Nexus manages the processes better. No wakelock etc. no tweaks are needed to get good battery life )
Nexus has pathetic speaker!!! Almost unusable on loudspeaker unless it's really quiet around you!
Nexus is sooo much more expensive than GS2!
a good point is the Screen of Nexus it's really good!! Cant even tell it's pentile. it is so much easier to read anything with HD screen
Those observation are from about 1 month testing
I think I have said enough to make ones mind into bying any of the two hope it helps
Guess which One I'm gonna keep, but still everyone has different needs
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
I ran out of memory on both my internal and external card (8gb) so had to buy a 32gb which is now half full. Nexus is useless to me.
Anyway, this question is a bit like asking on a BMW forum whether I should buy a Mercedes.
Why not go ask on the Nexus forum??
Sent from my GT-I9100
I think i would be better to wait for the sgs3...
Samsung made a really great job with the original sgs and the sgs2...
sxi200 said:
I ran out of memory on both my internal and external card (8gb) so had to buy a 32gb which is now half full. Nexus is useless to me.
Anyway, this question is a bit like asking on a BMW forum whether I should buy a Mercedes.
Why not go ask on the Nexus forum??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It helps to judge it properly by having both devices. Don't think I will ever buy a non-nexus again.
s2d4 said:
It helps to judge it properly by having both devices. Don't think I will ever buy a non-nexus again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True. But where do I fit the more than 20gb of data I already have on my S2.
Like I said, its useless to me. A bit like buying a fantastic 2 seater car for a family of 5. Doesn't serve the buyers purpose.
Sent from my GT-I9100
not worth it
i was at the same situation and stay'd with my SGS2.
the Gnex not offering real upgrade over the SGS2
* CPU - the TI OMAP 4460 CPU is good for lower Power consumption but is no match for the sammy's 4120.
* GPU - the Gnex GPU is SGX540 clocked at 400mhz while the SGS2 GPU is the MALI-400
an old GPU but much stronger then the SGX540\400mhz.
* Screen - the Gnex 720p screen is real blessing but the Pentile matrix ruin's it
i dont know if anyone saw it before but it looks a bit blurry compare to the SGS2
"SAP" screen.
* Software - its very important to keep the phone updated but to be honest
no one actually stay's with the original rom for long.
with ICS our SGS2 will be even faster then the Gnex in every parameter.
so software OTA is irrelevant.
* Camera - the SGS2 camera is amazing 28mm 2.4 that takes really great shots
no Camera-phone is nighttime capable (yet!)
stay with the SGS2 and get the SGS3 when it comes out.
My only reasons to get Nexus is that, it's LED Notification (Although overcome by BLN in S2) and of course, Nexus's AMOLED HD (Although I've yet to get it hands on, so, I'm not sure how good it is).
Lastly, my fear is that, Custom ROMs & Kernels developers would shift to other devices within my two years of contract with my carrier for S2 although Nexus is my dream.
Infra said:
There was no attitude in that message But it was already stated couple of posts ago that b19 fixes the wrong alignment of the navbar buttons.
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Click to collapse
fair point, different purpose.
I stream practically all my media so SD card is a mute point for me.
Anyways, i am happy with the sentiments. That should fetch me a good price for the gs2 then.
OT: I will never buy a sports car with fitting a family as a requirement.
I played with a GNex a few minutes in-store and I must say CM9 on sgs2 is 3 times faster. Nexus even lags when switching screens slightly and especially when entering appdrawer. Screen is nice, but it's nowhere near Retina-quality is should've been. I'd say it's VERY slightly clearer. Performance on SGS2 is just crazy fast. Not to mention a lot better camera and SD card slot.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
NoOneCanHelpMe said:
...
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GUARDIANBD said:
...
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Everyone uses their phone differently. I've never, ever had a use for DLNA/Bluetooth File Transfer/Wifi Direct/MicroSD. The flash is reportedly working fine when you upgrade to 4.0.3. The camera does exactly what its supposed to - pictures for usage by Facebook, etc... I hope you're not taking your wedding pictures with your S2
The speaker problem is easily fixed with Volume+, although I've seen users saying the stock volume works for them.
Regarding software - yes, developers can and will port AOSP ICS to the S2. But I've been using Cyanogenmod (only worthwhile AOSP in my experience) on my previous three phones - HTC Desire, Samsung Galaxy, and Samsung Galaxy S2. In all cases, the CM developers had to work around propriety code/drivers, and the end user always had to sacrifice one or more features in order to get AOSP on his device. On the Nexus line of phones, everything is wide open - meaning developers don't have to jump through hoops to get things working.
No more "petition Samsung to release XYZ!!!", no more "XYZ doesn't work because we don't have the source for XYZ", etc etc. I used to think owning a Nexus wasn't worth it due to the developers, but its simply not the case.
And I think we can agree the TouchWiz, or any manufacturer skin for that matter, just kinda sucks.
GUARDIANBD said:
* CPU - the TI OMAP 4460 CPU is good for lower Power consumption but is no match for the sammy's 4120.
* GPU - the Gnex GPU is SGX540 clocked at 400mhz while the SGS2 GPU is the MALI-400
an old GPU but much stronger then the SGX540\400mhz.
* Screen - the Gnex 720p screen is real blessing but the Pentile matrix ruin's it
i dont know if anyone saw it before but it looks a bit blurry compare to the SGS2
"SAP" screen.
* Software - its very important to keep the phone updated but to be honest
no one actually stay's with the original rom for long.
with ICS our SGS2 will be even faster then the Gnex in every parameter.
so software OTA is irrelevant.
* Camera - the SGS2 camera is amazing 28mm 2.4 that takes really great shots
no Camera-phone is nighttime capable (yet!)
stay with the SGS2 and get the SGS3 when it comes out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CPU, agreed. However with hardware acceleration in ICS. less load is on CPU, even max 700MHz is fine for a lag free experience.
GPU, agreed. Maybe I don't play enough games, however Modern Combat 3 on the GNEX dispay is amazing
Screen, this is where one would need both phones in comparison, gs2 is not even close on this one even though the gnex has pentile.
Software, with pure AOSP. Sort of, not with closed source though. It took Jkay awhile to get to where its at, the same thing happens on the nexus in 2 days. Check my previous posts with links to screenshots.
with how samsung is making it like gingerbread, not so much.
Camera, agreed. Not for low light conditions, iphones are better yet. The gs2 has better camera, however not highly noticeable so far between the two for me.
Hmm, it looks like I don't need the gs2 anymore, any buyers?
---------- Post added at 05:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:12 PM ----------
freemini said:
I played with a GNex a few minutes in-store and I must say CM9 on sgs2 is 3 times faster. Nexus even lags when switching screens slightly and especially when entering appdrawer. Screen is nice, but it's nowhere near Retina-quality is should've been. I'd say it's VERY slightly clearer. Performance on SGS2 is just crazy fast. Not to mention a lot better camera and SD card slot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is that a proper google phone or a carrier version?
Like CM9 is non stock firmware, put a good rom and kernel with vm tweaks on the gnex, it is silky smooth even at 700MHz.
VERY slighly clearer? I wear glasses and I can tell it's a better screen. put the GNEX on 240DPI and see the diff.
Retina quality is awesome for the small display, but the screen resolution and the resultant ppl, even my gf on the iphone 4s likes the GNEX screen better.
---------- Post added at 05:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:21 PM ----------
soulicro said:
Regarding software - yes, developers can and will port AOSP ICS to the S2. But I've been using Cyanogenmod (only worthwhile AOSP in my experience) on my previous three phones - HTC Desire, Samsung Galaxy, and Samsung Galaxy S2. In all cases, the CM developers had to work around propriety code/drivers, and the end user always had to sacrifice one or more features in order to get AOSP on his device. On the Nexus line of phones, everything is wide open - meaning developers don't have to jump through hoops to get things working.
No more "petition Samsung to release XYZ!!!", no more "XYZ doesn't work because we don't have the source for XYZ", etc etc. I used to think owning a Nexus wasn't worth it due to the developers, but its simply not the case.
And I think we can agree the TouchWiz, or any manufacturer skin for that matter, just kinda sucks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed.
I think the main point here may be people defending their purchase, or just being fanboys without actually using the GNEX.
I've paid the same price for both phones due to being a fairly early adopter.
I have no such need to justify purchases and can definitely compare both in my hands to have an objective view.
btw, a sound comparison between the two by plugging them into a stereo system clearly ensures the gnex as the better device. Sorry I checked coz I had been asked to check before.
I came to the GS2 from the RAZR. The siren call of the GNex and it’s big screen is sweet but in the end I couldn’t stand not having a decent camera in it. The pictures I take with my cell camera when I don’t have my regular digital camera will play an important part of recording my kid’s as they grow up. I feel that the GS2 has one of the top 3 cameras in android at this point.
Ask yourself this: if the GNex wasn’t first to market with ICS, would it really have been THAT much of a big thing?
The GS3 should be a world beater with great camera, OS AND HD screen.
Hello!
So I have been using my Captivate for a long time...tweaked and overclocked to its max...just a great phone (except for lame GPS). Of course time passes and you want more. 4" is not enough for me any more (and I am speaking about my phone screen!!! LOL).
So I was set on the GS3 BUT a few things have made me think about the Note.
First , I dont care about silly things like looks..come on now. Or the camera....more megapixels on a a freakin small phone sensor? Some people need to learn about real cameras before commenting.
Anyways, the thing is....the GS3 is great the way it is Internationally with the Quad and nice GPU BUT after seeing the 5.3" Note I was like WOW this is BIG.
I use my phone mainly for watching youtube, streaming MST3K , SouthPark etc.
Also for playing emulators, FPSE , MAME etc.
So the bigger display would , in my opinion, be something I can really use.
So in that regards the high resolution big Note screen is awesome as long as it at least looks as good as the one in my Captivate.
The bad thing about the Note...well, some benchmarks, specifically Nenamark2 , I have seen low scores. I mean my Captivate, I hold (I think I still do) the record of 33.5 for that phone and normally score around 30-32 which is VERY close to what I have seen for the Note so that makes me feel like its not a huge upgrade but maybe those were an older Rom or something.
On the other hand I am sure dual core and specially 1GB Ram should give the phone a very smooth feeling compared to my OCed phone.
Another bad thing about the Note is, I got the impression Dev is not huge for it not overclocking.
So on the GS3 end...well the hardware is faster and better overall but the screen is smaller and there is a change the USA ends up with a dual core as well instead of quad. So right I am like...wait for the USA release or just get the Note and enjoy it now.
Its a tough decision.
Any feedback is appreciated specially if anyone is running emulators, specially the new Mame one that plays .139 roms as I would like to know how afterburner runs on dual core.
Regards
Are talking about ATT Note or the Int. Note? Confused, you said that ur waiting for the US release, I'm assuming your talking about the ATT versions of both phones?
Yes both will be the ATT version.
decision is still yours
well i am using my note for like 4 months now, and i am very happy with it, because of its magnificient screen for browsing and my ebooks. I am a surgical resident and this galaxy note saved me from carrying my laptop to the hospital. Here i am sharing my experience abt the note. Its easy to carry my hybrids in the rounds while taking overs during rounds. capture HD videos and pics related to the clinical findings. sometimes i even take it to the OR during cases when i am not assisting or scrubbed. I have all my books for references on my note. The good thing is being loaded with my work stuff, i have plenty of space to have my entertainment part on it. So right now i would say that i have never used a device like the galaxy note.
As far as S3 is concerned. Its an upcoming device with enhanced processor and a few more sensors. So its also charming.
Now as note prices have fall down, if u want to be on the saving path get a note, if u want to be on the top notch in competition, get an S3 as it will be the king till 2013.
I got my Note about 3 months ago and I really will not use anything smaller than the Note.
Before I got this I was tossing a coin between GS2 and Note. I mean literally
The coin landed for the GS2 and I got the Note hehe
I just couldn't resist this phablet.
In comparison to other Android phones I cant say much on that as this is my first ever Android phone and everything on it is great. From watching movies to browsing and even just looking at the thing will make you
Sure it is a bit bulky but I really like it that way. Also it depends on how much you call on it. I spend about 95% doing everything else than calling people. So holding it to my ear is a rare thing. It's better for people with big hands.
I guess everything else can be found on review sites.
I have read a lot about the S3 so far and I gotta say it's not that much better than what the Note is right now. Sure it has an updated touchwiz (in the end both are running ICS so no biggie) with better hardware performance and added apps and features but overall I would not give up my Note for an S3.
But given your situation and if I was in the same situation I would struggle to choose between the two. I would most likely lean towards the Note. About a 60-40 ratio towards the Note.
lets face it QUAD CORE !! (what for) nothing uses that much power and yet its a muscle show for companies over each other. HTC did it sammy said (ME 2).
i love my note and by far the description you wrote means your device acts as a multimedia tool not for a normal usage phone, the note matches your requests fully well it has many ROM to speed it up and give you a great battery life (BTW i dunno about battery on SG3) so stick with note, cutsom version some guys say the ICS official has a bug well dunno i'am using it and its fine but you can wait i guess one week everything will cool down now and problems will be fixed.
NOTE advantages:
Screen HD 5.3"
1 GB RAM
2500 mAH
big phone with great images and brightness
8Mp cam
1.4 Dual Core enough for nowa days
that it by far if you try it you'l never regret or even change it XD unless another comes out !
BTW i hate to say so but i think it's not right to upgrade to an SG3 its about almost the same specs nothing serious for a daily use except for Camera and ICS !
happy buying the phone....
Yesterday i sold my sgs2 . It was a great device, but had some hardware problems. I am thinking too ''should i go for white note '' or ''should i wait for sgs3'' one thing for sure if i'll buy note now, i will lose some money for selling it latter after sgs3 official release.
Please give me some advices.
Things i like about note:
1. huge hd screen
2. better res and ppi than on sgs2
3. normal sim card (not micro)
4. same specs as sgs2
Things i hate about note:
1. damn stylus ! - what is it for ? 2012 and we are still using stylus ?
2. stupid look while making a call
3. i am not sure if it is possible to write a text message with one hand
4. mobile phone with big screen in my pocket - much easier to damage a screen!
Things i like about sgs3:
1. even better resolution and ppi. MUCH BRIGHTER SCREN
2. quad core (not sure if i can feel a difference on apps i am using now) but must be significant difference in battery life.
3. nfc, bt4, few more tweaks with camera & sensors
4. wireless charging
Things i hate about sgs3:
1. rounded look (egg shape)
2. not a big improvement in camera or rams
3. micro sim card
4. PRICE
benzas said:
Yesterday i sold my sgs2 . It was a great device, but had some hardware problems. I am thinking too ''should i go for white note '' or ''should i wait for sgs3'' one thing for sure if i'll buy note now, i will lose some money for selling it latter after sgs3 official release.
Please give me some advices.
Things i like about note:
1. huge hd screen
2. better res and ppi than on sgs2
3. normal sim card (not micro)
4. same specs as sgs2
Things i hate about note:
1. damn stylus ! - what is it for ? 2012 and we are still using stylus ?
2. stupid look while making a call
3. i am not sure if it is possible to write a text message with one hand
4. mobile phone with big screen in my pocket - much easier to damage a screen!
Things i like about sgs3:
1. even better resolution and ppi. MUCH BRIGHTER SCREN
2. quad core (not sure if i can feel a difference on apps i am using now) but must be significant difference in battery life.
3. nfc, bt4, few more tweaks with camera & sensors
4. wireless charging
Things i hate about sgs3:
1. rounded look (egg shape)
2. not a big improvement in camera or rams
3. micro sim card
4. PRICE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are wrong in the brightness department of s3!!
note is about 100cd/m2 brighter than the s3 and could be easily said that its one of the brightest amoled screens around.
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s_iii_vs_htc_one_x-review-759p2.php
pikulu said:
You are wrong in the brightness department of s3!!
note is about 100cd/m2 brighter than the s3 and could be easily said that its one of the brightest amoled screens around.
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s_iii_vs_htc_one_x-review-759p2.php
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdnI9s-GD5w have a look here when compared. s3 looks so brighter, might it be just a dimmed settings ?
Just get the Galaxy Note,I have been using it for over 5 months now its one great piece of device,as for SGSIII I would have considered it or the HTC ONE X for that matter only if the GNote did not exist.
shaolin95 said:
Hello!
So I have been using my Captivate for a long time...tweaked and overclocked to its max...just a great phone (except for lame GPS). Of course time passes and you want more. 4" is not enough for me any more (and I am speaking about my phone screen!!! LOL).
So I was set on the GS3 BUT a few things have made me think about the Note.
First , I dont care about silly things like looks..come on now. Or the camera....more megapixels on a a freakin small phone sensor? Some people need to learn about real cameras before commenting.
Anyways, the thing is....the GS3 is great the way it is Internationally with the Quad and nice GPU BUT after seeing the 5.3" Note I was like WOW this is BIG.
I use my phone mainly for watching youtube, streaming MST3K , SouthPark etc.
Also for playing emulators, FPSE , MAME etc.
So the bigger display would , in my opinion, be something I can really use.
So in that regards the high resolution big Note screen is awesome as long as it at least looks as good as the one in my Captivate.
The bad thing about the Note...well, some benchmarks, specifically Nenamark2 , I have seen low scores. I mean my Captivate, I hold (I think I still do) the record of 33.5 for that phone and normally score around 30-32 which is VERY close to what I have seen for the Note so that makes me feel like its not a huge upgrade but maybe those were an older Rom or something.
On the other hand I am sure dual core and specially 1GB Ram should give the phone a very smooth feeling compared to my OCed phone.
Another bad thing about the Note is, I got the impression Dev is not huge for it not overclocking.
So on the GS3 end...well the hardware is faster and better overall but the screen is smaller and there is a change the USA ends up with a dual core as well instead of quad. So right I am like...wait for the USA release or just get the Note and enjoy it now.
Its a tough decision.
Any feedback is appreciated specially if anyone is running emulators, specially the new Mame one that plays .139 roms as I would like to know how afterburner runs on dual core.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly dude.. i would go out and hold a phone that's 4.8in and hold the Note and see which one you'd feel comfy handling 12 hours a day x 2 years.
Boiled down, they're almost the same phone. Quad doesn't necessarily > Dual. Just better if you're a heavy heavy multi-tasker. I multi-task like i'm on crack when i'm on the Note and don't feel any bit of fatigue.
Benchmarks don't mean SH
They're like college degrees. Nice on paper, but the important thing is being able to apply that knowledge in real-life situations.
anyways. i love my note. first week: it's too big (TWSS)
now when i handle an iphone it feels like a little kid's toy in my hand. like someone else said, can't go back to anything smaller.
Although i DO wish i had this on the Note (that the SGS3 has)
-That amazing screen
-That amazing camera (i take over 50 photos a day and that would be my fav feature of all)
-Software features they included (eye tracking, etc)
Still think it's lame how they didn't increase the ram though. I'd never have to close anything if I had 2gb
Also, since there's no LTE in Hawaii.. (yet)... I'd still go with international version. Exynos is king. Snapdragon will probably be what's in the AT&T version. bleh.
benzas said:
Yesterday i sold my sgs2 . It was a great device, but had some hardware problems. I am thinking too ''should i go for white note '' or ''should i wait for sgs3'' one thing for sure if i'll buy note now, i will lose some money for selling it latter after sgs3 official release.
Please give me some advices.
Things i like about note:
1. huge hd screen
2. better res and ppi than on sgs2
3. normal sim card (not micro)
4. same specs as sgs2
Things i hate about note:
1. damn stylus ! - what is it for ? 2012 and we are still using stylus ?
2. stupid look while making a call
3. i am not sure if it is possible to write a text message with one hand
4. mobile phone with big screen in my pocket - much easier to damage a screen!
Things i like about sgs3:
1. even better resolution and ppi. MUCH BRIGHTER SCREN
2. quad core (not sure if i can feel a difference on apps i am using now) but must be significant difference in battery life.
3. nfc, bt4, few more tweaks with camera & sensors
4. wireless charging
Things i hate about sgs3:
1. rounded look (egg shape)
2. not a big improvement in camera or rams
3. micro sim card
4. PRICE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really don't understand it when people say "damn stylus ! - what is it for ? 2012 and we are still using stylus ?". This is very narrow minded.
First of all that is like saying, "pens, pencils? What the hell are they for?" The stylus is used for taking notes, it's excellent for that. It is used for drawing, have a look at some of the threads on here where people post their artwork, some pretty amazing stuff. Fingers just aren't accurate enough to do all that. So, fingers are just used for navigating through the phone and selecting things, the stylus is used for so much more than that.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA
ngocdao said:
Honestly dude.. i would go out and hold a phone that's 4.8in and hold the Note and see which one you'd feel comfy handling 12 hours a day x 2 years.
Boiled down, they're almost the same phone. Quad doesn't necessarily > Dual. Just better if you're a heavy heavy multi-tasker. I multi-task like i'm on crack when i'm on the Note and don't feel any bit of fatigue.
Benchmarks don't mean SH
They're like college degrees. Nice on paper, but the important thing is being able to apply that knowledge in real-life situations.
anyways. i love my note. first week: it's too big (TWSS)
now when i handle an iphone it feels like a little kid's toy in my hand. like someone else said, can't go back to anything smaller.
Although i DO wish i had this on the Note (that the SGS3 has)
-That amazing screen
-That amazing camera (i take over 50 photos a day and that would be my fav feature of all)
-Software features they included (eye tracking, etc)
Still think it's lame how they didn't increase the ram though. I'd never have to close anything if I had 2gb
Also, since there's no LTE in Hawaii.. (yet)... I'd still go with international version. Exynos is king. Snapdragon will probably be what's in the AT&T version. bleh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Size is not a problem with the phone for me.
My reason for wanting a quad was mostly for emulators as some are not super efficient so the more power I can provide the better although that MAME one I mentioned seems to be done for duals.
Yes benchmarks are not the last word but they do give an idea of relative performance.
Well one thing I wanted to have was a Tegra 3 chipset. Not because it is the fastest but because the lame market thing with Tegra game having extra features etc. I hope the trend does not continue.
As for Exynos vs Snapdragon, I thought there was not much different between the ATT and international version but I guess I can always sell it then by the international version or something.
Not sure if there is LTE and I dont really care for it except that with my BS "Unlimited" plan if I had a LTE phone my limit before they slow me down to unusable speeds will be 5GB instead of 3.
Thanks
Markhypnosis said:
I really don't understand it when people say "damn stylus ! - what is it for ? 2012 and we are still using stylus ?". This is very narrow minded.
First of all that is like saying, "pens, pencils? What the hell are they for?" The stylus is used for taking notes, it's excellent for that. It is used for drawing, have a look at some of the threads on here where people post their artwork, some pretty amazing stuff. Fingers just aren't accurate enough to do all that. So, fingers are just used for navigating through the phone and selecting things, the stylus is used for so much more than that.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually the styles us something I like for taking notes for sure...would be very nice.
qazibasit said:
well i am using my note for like 4 months now, and i am very happy with it, because of its magnificient screen for browsing and my ebooks. I am a surgical resident and this galaxy note saved me from carrying my laptop to the hospital. Here i am sharing my experience abt the note. Its easy to carry my hybrids in the rounds while taking overs during rounds. capture HD videos and pics related to the clinical findings. sometimes i even take it to the OR during cases when i am not assisting or scrubbed. I have all my books for references on my note. The good thing is being loaded with my work stuff, i have plenty of space to have my entertainment part on it. So right now i would say that i have never used a device like the galaxy note.
As far as S3 is concerned. Its an upcoming device with enhanced processor and a few more sensors. So its also charming.
Now as note prices have fall down, if u want to be on the saving path get a note, if u want to be on the top notch in competition, get an S3 as it will be the king till 2013.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My concern with the S3 is , how much enhanced is going to be if the USA cripples it to dual core..then it would feel more like a small note since not even the RAM changed.
NutZInTheHead said:
I got my Note about 3 months ago and I really will not use anything smaller than the Note.
Before I got this I was tossing a coin between GS2 and Note. I mean literally
The coin landed for the GS2 and I got the Note hehe
I just couldn't resist this phablet.
In comparison to other Android phones I cant say much on that as this is my first ever Android phone and everything on it is great. From watching movies to browsing and even just looking at the thing will make you
Sure it is a bit bulky but I really like it that way. Also it depends on how much you call on it. I spend about 95% doing everything else than calling people. So holding it to my ear is a rare thing. It's better for people with big hands.
I guess everything else can be found on review sites.
I have read a lot about the S3 so far and I gotta say it's not that much better than what the Note is right now. Sure it has an updated touchwiz (in the end both are running ICS so no biggie) with better hardware performance and added apps and features but overall I would not give up my Note for an S3.
But given your situation and if I was in the same situation I would struggle to choose between the two. I would most likely lean towards the Note. About a 60-40 ratio towards the Note.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am hoping I can have AOKP with it and hopefully some Overclocked kernel. That should make me happy.
As for calling, I dont use my phone to call, always use a headset so no problem there.
REVERSiN said:
lets face it QUAD CORE !! (what for) nothing uses that much power and yet its a muscle show for companies over each other. HTC did it sammy said (ME 2).
i love my note and by far the description you wrote means your device acts as a multimedia tool not for a normal usage phone, the note matches your requests fully well it has many ROM to speed it up and give you a great battery life (BTW i dunno about battery on SG3) so stick with note, cutsom version some guys say the ICS official has a bug well dunno i'am using it and its fine but you can wait i guess one week everything will cool down now and problems will be fixed.
NOTE advantages:
Screen HD 5.3"
1 GB RAM
2500 mAH
big phone with great images and brightness
8Mp cam
1.4 Dual Core enough for nowa days
that it by far if you try it you'l never regret or even change it XD unless another comes out !
BTW i hate to say so but i think it's not right to upgrade to an SG3 its about almost the same specs nothing serious for a daily use except for Camera and ICS !
happy buying the phone....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree...that is what my usage of the phone looks like and since camera is not important to me as I have real cameras when a shot matters, then I keep leaning towards the Note right now
benzas said:
Yesterday i sold my sgs2 . It was a great device, but had some hardware problems. I am thinking too ''should i go for white note '' or ''should i wait for sgs3'' one thing for sure if i'll buy note now, i will lose some money for selling it latter after sgs3 official release.
Please give me some advices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Labas benzas
As truputi suprantu lietuviskai
Its better to create your own post to get more responses.
I hate when I cannot make a clear cut decision. LOL
ate
Benchmark results aren't relative at all.. that's the problem
Its like the quote goes "you can't rate a goldfish's intelligence based on its ability to climb"
There is a significant difference on exynos / snapdragon. (Stock) I've tried both notes.
Another prime example is AT&T S2 w/ exynos and TMO S2 on snapdragon. The latter is horrible on stock.
I still hate writing on the stylus, since i cant write as fast on it as i do with a reg. Pen and professor talks too fast. I do all my mock up sketches though on it/annotations.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
shaolin95 said:
Labas benzas
As truputi suprantu lietuviskai
Its better to create your own post to get more responses.
I hate when I cannot make a clear cut decision. LOL
ate
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hahah . Labas! Nice to see some native language in here
went to some phone shops today to hold NOTE ... also compared it to nexus (as nexus is the same size as s3) and i easily made my mind. BOUGHT NOTE FROM EBAY TODAY. £359 so that's about $577 , brand new n7000 , factory unlocked - WHITE
s3 in uk going to be part of Olympics (official olimpics phone) so i presume price is gonna stay high for a long time. I'll hold note for some time now , and decide if it is worth to go for s3 latter when it is cheaper.
benzas said:
hahah . Labas! Nice to see some native language in here
went to some phone shops today to hold NOTE ... also compared it to nexus (as nexus is the same size as s3) and i easily made my mind. BOUGHT NOTE FROM EBAY TODAY. £359 so that's about $577 , brand new n7000 , factory unlocked - WHITE
s3 in uk going to be part of Olympics (official olimpics phone) so i presume price is gonna stay high for a long time. I'll hold note for some time now , and decide if it is worth to go for s3 latter when it is cheaper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ah good idea! I will do the same to see how much different the size will be. I wish I could just get the international version but then again, I guess I can always sell it and get the international one.
Are you in Vilnius? I am planning to visit in late June.
Aciu
shaolin95 said:
ah good idea! I will do the same to see how much different the size will be. I wish I could just get the international version but then again, I guess I can always sell it and get the international one.
Are you in Vilnius? I am planning to visit in late June.
Aciu
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No bro. I live in United Kingdom for last 7 yrs. but originally i am not far away from Vilnius.
My advice for you would be : - go for note and if you'll be very disappointed go for s3 in autumn or so. (maybe even NOTE 2 )
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR DECISION
Based on what I use it for I think the big screen will be the choice for sure. I will go by the store today.
Yeah many of my friends are moving to the UK as well so I hope to see them before they leave.
malonu
benzas said:
Things i hate about note:
1. damn stylus ! - what is it for ? 2012 and we are still using stylus ?
2. stupid look while making a call
3. i am not sure if it is possible to write a text message with one hand
4. mobile phone with big screen in my pocket - much easier to damage a screen!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.- Really, hey if you dont like it you dont HAVE to use it, i love it couse its great to making some postcards out of picture of me and my gf just for fun, also its great for playing drawsomthing, but you dont have to use it.
2.- I dont think how you look should matter in this case you want something useful you are not modelling right?
3.- With ICS you can write with one hand, it has a special one hand handling feature
4.- Sure, but after 6 months no problem with my phone, and i broke 2 other small ones so i gues it depends how you take care of your stuff
Bottom Line, i Love my Note, im not planning on any change unless Note 2 is out there and yet, it has to be a great update, cause this phone has it all
I would say go for the note.
-- Although the ATT version doesn't have the same power as the international version. overclocking to 1704hmz is certainly a plus for the note, and some roms can go higher. If you are going for the Note do the international version.
As apps get more complicated (and they will) more cores will be needed. Currently thats not the case, but it will happen. I remember 20 years ago when people were saying 52mb was all you would even need in a hard drive!
Thats basically what it comes down to. For me its the bigger screen as apps don't need 4 cores at the moment, and im loving the Note. The next note will be quad core so that will be my next purchase...
I'm never going for a smaller phone than the note...