LG G3 or the Note 3 - Galaxy Note 3 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

LG G3 or the Note 3 - Galaxy Note 3 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I really need some input here. I'm upgrading with Sprint in a few weeks, and I've been spoiled with the root life on my Galaxy S3 up to now. Wipe, flash, prosper. I was convinced the LG G3 was going to be my next toy, but I'm starting to get spooked by reports of design flaws (maybe isolated) and the fact that unlocking the bootloader and roms are looking difficult.
It seems manufactures must be making it more difficult on devs, because the newer devices are having such a hard time. I can't imagine going back to my pre-rooted days, so now I've been looking into the Note 3. I fully expected that by now there would be a nice choice of stable daily drivers, but all I'm reading here is not encouraging. Rooting seems easier than the G3, but after that it seems the same problems plague the Note 3 - bad battery drain and nonfunctional software glitches.
Am I right, or are there daily drivers that work well that I'm not seeing? If that's the case, I may just go with the G3 and take my chances that roms come eventually. Sprint only has a few legitimate devices to choose from.
Thanks in advance.

Related

LG G2 dev support?

Hi
I already own an HTC One but i'd like to get a Snapdragon 800 device and apparently the LG G2 is the best on the market right now. However, it seems like there is limited dev support for the G2, which is a critical issue for me. I plan to root and test new ROMs on the G2 (why else opt for such a powerful device if you don't plan to customize it to pieces) and i would also appreciate CM support and vanilla Android-based ROMs to get rid of the bloatware UI. But why is there a seemingly poor dev interest in this device? Is it due to the device being relatively new? Or is it due to LG's limited opensource support relative to Sony, HTC, etc? I just don't want to look back at this thread a few weeks from now and then regret my decision to buy the G2. Or is the Note 3 a better choice (its dev section is bristling with new ROMs, etc)? But i'd like an easily pocketable phone rather than a phablet or tablet. I also considered the Z1 as my new S800 device but its huge bezels are a turn-off for me. Maybe i should wait? I don't plan on waiting until 2014 though. :cyclops:

Dude forget the Z1 not only the body is huge for a 5'' screen but it's not even a 5'' screen because contrary to G2 the virtual buttons on screen are not transparent so it's like a 4.6'' usable

electronical said:
Hi
I already own an HTC One but i'd like to get a Snapdragon 800 device and apparently the LG G2 is the best on the market right now. However, it seems like there is limited dev support for the G2, which is a critical issue for me. I plan to root and test new ROMs on the G2 (why else opt for such a powerful device if you don't plan to customize it to pieces) and i would also appreciate CM support and vanilla Android-based ROMs to get rid of the bloatware UI. But why is there a seemingly poor dev interest in this device? Is it due to the device being relatively new? Or is it due to LG's limited opensource support relative to Sony, HTC, etc? I just don't want to look back at this thread a few weeks from now and then regret my decision to buy the G2. Or is the Note 3 a better choice (it's dev section is bristling with new ROMs, etc)? But i'd like an easily pocketable phone rather than a phablet or tablet. I also considered the Z1 as my new S800 device but its huge bezels are a turn-off for me. Maybe i should wait? I don't plan on waiting until 2014 though. :cyclops:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you checked the Android Development and carrier specific development forums for the G2 on XDA?
The phone has now been out for a whopping THREE WEEKS. Root, LOKI and TWRP were achieved within FIVE DAYS of release.
Sorry if I sound like Im venting but there are way too many threads questioning the phone because we dont have CM, 4.3, or KitKat yet.
And a lot of people (even me) who have come from a pure AOSP experience (like I have on my Gnex) are pretty darn satisfied with the phone as it is out of the box. Ive installed CleanROM mostly just for the debloating aspect, the UI remains virtually the same as stock.

cm
I'm running cm now. Alpha build. Dev support has been great.

chrisexv6 said:
Have you checked the Android Development and carrier specific development forums for the G2 on XDA?
The phone has now been out for a whopping THREE WEEKS. Root, LOKI and TWRP were achieved within FIVE DAYS of release.
Sorry if I sound like Im venting but there are way too many threads questioning the phone because we dont have CM, 4.3, or KitKat yet.
And a lot of people (even me) who have come from a pure AOSP experience (like I have on my Gnex) are pretty darn satisfied with the phone as it is out of the box. Ive installed CleanROM mostly just for the debloating aspect, the UI remains virtually the same as stock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1000000 to this. I always chuckle when I see people who are smart enough to check out XDA forums to learn more about the hacking community of their phone of choice but yet don't seem to click on the Android Development carrier sub forums to gauge how Android development is happening. Its like these people expect a CM ROM to show up 2 days after the phone is released or else the hacking developer community is a failure. Threads like this that complain about the lack of Android development should be removed immediately.

chrisexv6 said:
Have you checked the Android Development and carrier specific development forums for the G2 on XDA?
The phone has now been out for a whopping THREE WEEKS. Root, LOKI and TWRP were achieved within FIVE DAYS of release.
Sorry if I sound like Im venting but there are way too many threads questioning the phone because we dont have CM, 4.3, or KitKat yet.
And a lot of people (even me) who have come from a pure AOSP experience (like I have on my Gnex) are pretty darn satisfied with the phone as it is out of the box. Ive installed CleanROM mostly just for the debloating aspect, the UI remains virtually the same as stock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i am also thinking of picking up this phone
what i realised with LG phones is that they don't get much dev attention, like the G and G pro,
so i am not sure what will happen with this device

spazzy1912 said:
i am also thinking of picking up this phone
what i realised with LG phones is that they don't get much dev attention, like the G and G pro,
so i am not sure what will happen with this device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just ignore the working CM10.1 build located in the Android Development subforum for the LG G2, right?
Seriously guys, look around the forums and tell me if you really believe it isnt getting much dev attention.

electronical said:
Hi
I already own an HTC One but i'd like to get a Snapdragon 800 device and apparently the LG G2 is the best on the market right now. However, it seems like there is limited dev support for the G2, which is a critical issue for me. I plan to root and test new ROMs on the G2 (why else opt for such a powerful device if you don't plan to customize it to pieces) and i would also appreciate CM support and vanilla Android-based ROMs to get rid of the bloatware UI. But why is there a seemingly poor dev interest in this device? Is it due to the device being relatively new? Or is it due to LG's limited opensource support relative to Sony, HTC, etc? I just don't want to look back at this thread a few weeks from now and then regret my decision to buy the G2. Or is the Note 3 a better choice (its dev section is bristling with new ROMs, etc)? But i'd like an easily pocketable phone rather than a phablet or tablet. I also considered the Z1 as my new S800 device but its huge bezels are a turn-off for me. Maybe i should wait? I don't plan on waiting until 2014 though. :cyclops:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We don't need anymore users that will complain of the supposed lack of dev support (which btw is not true at all)...so please do us all a favor and get a note 3, and enjoying blowing an Efuse and kissing your warranty good bye the minute you install a custom recovery.. :highfive:

djkinetic said:
We don't need anymore users that will complain of the supposed lack of dev support (which btw is not true at all)...so please do us all a favor and get a note 3, and enjoying blowing an Efuse and kissing your warranty good bye the minute you install a custom recovery.. :highfive:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's an entitled world these days, my friend.
to OP: Development will pick up. As others have mentioned the phone has been out for only a hot minute. The world wasn't built on impatience and here we are getting impatient over a phone.
There are already a few Roms out. Even if there were 100s of Roms. The miniscule differences are laughable but people rage about a new rom. Just relax and wait. You also have the n5 coming out which should ramp up development.

I was torn between the G2 and a Nexus 5. I am so happy with my stock experience G2, I'm not bothered about the 5 any more. The G2 is a fantastic phone.
Dev activity seems to have doubled in the last week, with more people saying that they are waiting for their phones to arrive.
LG have already posted the source for the current roms. I think they may have learned from the Nexus 4 that a decent dev scene equals a very popular phone.
Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk

@op look at the AT&T Note 3 vs the AT&T G2 for example and tell me which one has the most support as of now. The G2 hasnt been out for thaf long and already has all the root, twrp, lokid plus 3 or 4 Roms if im not mistaken. This is great and itll get better with time. Gotta be patient. The G2 out of the box is beast and offers a lot of customization.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk now Free

Are LG usually good about releasing Sources? I've pre-ordered the G2, but I'm still on the fence about actually wanting the new Nexus.
If devs can put out a decent AOSP/AOKP/etc ROM for this device, I'd rather go with the G2 with it's superior battery.

WhiteZero said:
Are LG usually good about releasing Sources? I've pre-ordered the G2, but I'm still on the fence about actually wanting the new Nexus.
If devs can put out a decent AOSP/AOKP/etc ROM for this device, I'd rather go with the G2 with it's superior battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sources are out pretty usuable ones some people say

can anyone who has owned a previous lg device tell me about OTA updates?
from what i heard, LG is very late and has a bad rep for ota updates? not too sure though

Dev support really won't be an issue from what I've seen.

chronicfathead said:
I was torn between the G2 and a Nexus 5. I am so happy with my stock experience G2, I'm not bothered about the 5 any more. The G2 is a fantastic phone.
Dev activity seems to have doubled in the last week, with more people saying that they are waiting for their phones to arrive.
LG have already posted the source for the current roms. I think they may have learned from the Nexus 4 that a decent dev scene equals a very popular phone.
Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also if the rumors are true and the Nexus 5 is based on the G2 then the dev support will most likely explode even more. Porting KitKat and such to the G2 would be a breeze.

chronicfathead said:
I was torn between the G2 and a Nexus 5. I am so happy with my stock experience G2, I'm not bothered about the 5 any more. The G2 is a fantastic phone.
Dev activity seems to have doubled in the last week, with more people saying that they are waiting for their phones to arrive.
LG have already posted the source for the current roms. I think they may have learned from the Nexus 4 that a decent dev scene equals a very popular phone.
Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Amen G2 brother. Long live no bezel

darabo said:
Also if the rumors are true and the Nexus 5 is based on the G2 then the dev support will most likely explode even more. Porting KitKat and such to the G2 would be a breeze.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would porting to a Verizon G2 be more difficult since it's on CDMA?
Sent from my Droid RAZR MAXX using Tapatalk 2

Warning To Developer Edition Owner

With the arrival of a new "batch" of Developer Edition Note 4s delivered in the past couple days and the ones scheduled for delivery in the coming days, the opportunity for a proud owner of one of these devices to lock their bootloader inadvertedly is high. I know the following warnings/information can be found in a number of different threads, but you have to look for them to find them. So here's several do's and don'ts for new Developer Edition Note 4s:
WARNING: MAKE SURE REACTIVATION LOCK IS NOT SELECTED UNDER YOU SECURITY SETTINGS IF YOU PLAN ON INSTALLING TWRP AND ROOT!!!
1) Never take an OTA update from Verizon. Samsung has never updated the firmware on their Developer Edition devices...never. The chance that Samsung will change their policy for the Note 4 is slim to none. Taking an OTA update will most likely lock your bootloader. Yes, if you have TWRP installed and rooted the update should fail if it automatically downloads and tries to self-install. The point is, when notified that there is a OTA update, don't take it.
2) Never flash a firmware file unless you know it has been approved and tested for the Developer Edition. Finding firmware for the Retail version of the Note is easy, finding firmware for the Developer Edition is, at this point in time, impossible. If you flash Retail firmware on your Developer Edition you will lock your bootloader.
3) There is only one ROM available and safe to flash for the Verizon Note 4 Developer Edition...one. That ROM can be found in the Android Development Section below. Flashing a ROM developed for a different carriers device usually produces less than desired results, don't do it.
4) Security Policy updates from the Play Store are safe to install if you want to, but are not necessary. Security updates from Verizon should be avoided.
I hope this helps some new Developer Edition users avoid a costly mistake. We already know of two Note 4 Developer Edition owners that have flashed Retail firmware and now have an expensive Retail model of the Note 4.

jpcalhoun said:
With the arrival of a new "batch" of Developer Edition Note 4s delivered in the past couple days and the ones scheduled for delivery in the coming days, the opportunity for a proud owner of one of these devices to lock their bootloader inadvertedly is high. I know the following warnings/information can be found in a number of different threads, but you have to look for them to find them. So here's several do's and don'ts for new Developer Edition Note 4s:
1) Never take an OTA update from Verizon. Samsung has never updated the firmware on their Developer Edition devices...never. The chance that Samsung will change their policy for the Note 4 is slim to none. Taking an OTA update will most likely lock your bootloader. Yes, if you have TWRP installed and rooted the update should fail if it automatically downloads and tries to self-install. The point is, when notified that there is a OTA update, don't take it.
2) Never flash a firmware file unless you know it has been approved and tested for the Developer Edition. Finding firmware for the Retail version of the Note is easy, finding firmware for the Developer Edition is, at this point in time, impossible. If you flash Retail firmware on your Developer Edition you will lock your bootloader.
3) There is only one ROM available and safe to flash for the Verizon Note 4 Developer Edition...one. That ROM can be found in the Android Development Section below. Flashing a ROM developed for a different carriers device usually produces less than desired results, don't do it.
4) Security Policy updates from the Play Store are safe to install if you want to, but are not necessary. Security updates from Verizon should be avoided.
I hope this helps some new Developer Edition users avoid a costly mistake. We already know of two Note 4 Developer Edition owners that have flashed Retail firmware and now have an expensive Retail model of the Note 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good advice...although I would have hoped that people buying a DE would know better.
Slight update to point 3...FireKAT is coming to VZW. The developer is rebasing it for VZW and said it would be available by the end of the weekend. Be sure to thank and/or donate to him if anyone uses it as he may be our best path to Lollipop when it comes out for the Note 4.

I've heard good things about FireKat, can't wait to try it.

Is there a thread somewhere to monitor FireKAT to Verizon progress?

What is even the point of the dev edition then for the average XDA'er? Having an unlocked bootloaders main benefit is the ability to flash other custom roms. However, most phones with locked bootloaders usually use safestrap, but since the amount of people who own the dev edition is relatively small, it doesn't seem that beneficial. I debated for a long time getting a note 3 DE but decided against it. It seemed overall that it was a hassle and I refrained. The only reason I bought the N4 is simply I had an upgrade available and if I didn't, probably would have passed on that too. This way I can keep rotating my 4 lines, 1 with ULD, to get 2 upgrades per year?

Romans8vs1 said:
Is there a thread somewhere to monitor FireKAT to Verizon progress?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are periodic references to it in the TMO N4 dev thread and I exchanged a couple of PMs with the dev related to another topic but it came up ...it will happen, we just need to be patient.
Update: FireKat should be available in a couple days per the dev. When it drops be sure to support him if you flash it.

kimdoocheol said:
What is even the point of the dev edition then for the average XDA'er? Having an unlocked bootloaders main benefit is the ability to flash other custom roms. However, most phones with locked bootloaders usually use safestrap, but since the amount of people who own the dev edition is relatively small, it doesn't seem that beneficial. I debated for a long time getting a note 3 DE but decided against it. It seemed overall that it was a hassle and I refrained. The only reason I bought the N4 is simply I had an upgrade available and if I didn't, probably would have passed on that too. This way I can keep rotating my 4 lines, 1 with ULD, to get 2 upgrades per year?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, there aren't many (only one right now) ROMs available for the Note 4 Developer Edition. But, there are plenty of apps that require root that enable the user to customize, improve performance, improve battery life and perform functions that you can't do on a retail version. That is the primary reason I choose a Developer Edition. Another factor is the fact that I hate SafeStrap. So, if I was interested in flashing customized ROMs I don't want to do it with SafeStrap (that's assuming they ever get root for the retail version and if a version of SafeStrap comes available). Life is full of choices, you made yours and I made mine for different reasons. It's all good.

jpcalhoun said:
Yes, there aren't many (only one right now) ROMs available for the Note 4 Developer Edition. But, there are plenty of apps that require root that enable the user to customize, improve performance, improve battery life and perform functions that you can't do on a retail version. That is the primary reason I choose a Developer Edition. Another factor is the fact that I hate SafeStrap. So, if I was interested in flashing customized ROMs I don't want to do it with SafeStrap (that's assuming they ever get root for the retail version and if a version of SafeStrap comes available). Life is full of choices, you made yours and I made mine for different reasons. It's all good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If root is ever achieved, many of the things mentioned can be done too.
But yeah, I never really liked SS either, just saying that it is an option, but my main point I guess is that the DE sort of splits the community a bit. Many people don't want to lose their UDP so buy unsubsidized anyways so the DE isn't a bad option. However, it just seems like these kind of things cause a lack of dev on one side or the other which is bad for the N4 community as a whole. That's what I was really getting at.
Yeah, I just bought an N4 actually though and am sort of let down this time coming from my N2. MW and the S-Pen I never really utilized with the N2 since I switched to an AOSP based rom as soon as they became available, but halo and floating window were nice too.
The only three features that really stand out to me are the camera, the display, and the fingerprint scanner.

kimdoocheol said:
If root is ever achieved, many of the things mentioned can be done too.
But yeah, I never really liked SS either, just saying that it is an option, but my main point I guess is that the DE sort of splits the community a bit. Many people don't want to lose their UDP so buy unsubsidized anyways so the DE isn't a bad option. However, it just seems like these kind of things cause a lack of dev on one side or the other which is bad for the N4 community as a whole. That's what I was really getting at.
Yeah, I just bought an N4 actually though and am sort of let down this time coming from my N2. MW and the S-Pen I never really utilized with the N2 since I switched to an AOSP based rom as soon as they became available, but halo and floating window were nice too.
The only three features that really stand out to me are the camera, the display, and the fingerprint scanner.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are correct, if root is achieved many of the things I pointed out can be achieved. I also agree that two different versions of one phone can split the community. But in today's environment, it is getting harder and harder to even get root much less unlock bootloaders or get a version of SafeSTrap that will work. If that remains the status quo then I'm glad the development community at least has the Developer Edition to work on. I'm not a crack flasher but I do like the ability to run the five or six apps that I like that require root and have the option to flash a custom ROM if I want. Plus, I really like the ability to create my own debloated ROM by getting rid of all the Verizon, Samsung and even some of the Google crap they put on our phones. I can cut the size of the stock ROM by almost 50% by debloating and have all the functionality I want or use. It makes a noticeable difference in the speed and smoothness of the phone's functions and battery life. I guess I just hate to be like the iPhone community that is locked into what ever Apple thinks we need or want, LOL. But, that "freedom" is getting harder and harder to come by.

Thanks for the heads up op.
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA Free mobile app

jpcalhoun said:
You are correct, if root is achieved many of the things I pointed out can be achieved. I also agree that two different versions of one phone can split the community. But in today's environment, it is getting harder and harder to even get root much less unlock bootloaders or get a version of SafeSTrap that will work. If that remains the status quo then I'm glad the development community at least has the Developer Edition to work on. I'm not a crack flasher but I do like the ability to run the five or six apps that I like that require root and have the option to flash a custom ROM if I want. Plus, I really like the ability to create my own debloated ROM by getting rid of all the Verizon, Samsung and even some of the Google crap they put on our phones. I can cut the size of the stock ROM by almost 50% by debloating and have all the functionality I want or use. It makes a noticeable difference in the speed and smoothness of the phone's functions and battery life. I guess I just hate to be like the iPhone community that is locked into what ever Apple thinks we need or want, LOL. But, that "freedom" is getting harder and harder to come by.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in a similar boat myself, but the thing is I have 5 lines I can manipulate my upgrades with so buying subsidized is more of a benefit for me with all the current workarounds than shelling out 700. When I was going to get the N3, I xfer my upgrade and sold my note 3 retail to get the DE, but decided last minute not to do it. For some reason, the aesthetics of the N3 did not seem that appealing but the N4 is beautiful.
But yeah, I just think it is a sad state we are stuck in with VZW. The service is good, but the company is definitely somewhat crooked and incompetent. I had TMob, AT&T before, but the service and speeds never compared to what I got in my area with VZW. That's why I really want the N6 if there is an unlocked bootloader, as an added bonus the phones all seem to be the same SKU which means the user base and dev base will be huge.
And yes, 100% agree, not even having root now is very unappealing for no TiBU, and quite a few other apps I constantly use that require root, Repetitouch for example, bunch of xposed mods, and no custom DPI. I seriously cannot even think about using Chrome without adjustable DPI or the ability to block permissions.
Agreed again, iDevices main downfall is they didn't license out their OS. I don't have the numbers, but I know SS captured a big amount of their market, but if you add in the other Android phones I don't think iOS even comes close. Which was the only reason I ever had an iDevice, but I really missed the level of customization and that was coming from the OG Droid, haha.
So right now I am sort of stuck in this spot, either keep the N4, return it for an N6 when it comes to VZW or sell the N4 and get the device from the play store. From what i've played around with, the camera, display, and the fingerprint scanner make it a hard decision. Also I am so used to soft keys rather than capacitive buttons, feel like that eats up a lot of screen real estate. But I am pretty sure I am going to get the N6 and move away from SS, which is quite sad because I like their peripherals and overall devices.

To be honest I don't know why everyone is so eager to jump ship to the Developer Edition note 4 when there is absolutely no development going on right now for it.
The vast majority of Galaxy Note 4 users are retail. Unless a vast majority of Developer Edition Phones are bought by the public I just don't know how there will be development for the device since there is no popularity. (ie no audience to develop for)
I mean sure.... you get root. You can debloat a little here and there but what matters most is getting your favorite rom that you want ported to your device.
Other than that. Developer edition doesn't look like a hoot right now, imo =/

kimdoocheol said:
I'm in a similar boat myself, but the thing is I have 5 lines I can manipulate my upgrades with so buying subsidized is more of a benefit for me with all the current workarounds than shelling out 700. When I was going to get the N3, I xfer my upgrade and sold my note 3 retail to get the DE, but decided last minute not to do it. For some reason, the aesthetics of the N3 did not seem that appealing but the N4 is beautiful.
But yeah, I just think it is a sad state we are stuck in with VZW. The service is good, but the company is definitely somewhat crooked and incompetent. I had TMob, AT&T before, but the service and speeds never compared to what I got in my area with VZW. That's why I really want the N6 if there is an unlocked bootloader, as an added bonus the phones all seem to be the same SKU which means the user base and dev base will be huge.
And yes, 100% agree, not even having root now is very unappealing for no TiBU, and quite a few other apps I constantly use that require root, Repetitouch for example, bunch of xposed mods, and no custom DPI. I seriously cannot even think about using Chrome without adjustable DPI or the ability to block permissions.
Agreed again, iDevices main downfall is they didn't license out their OS. I don't have the numbers, but I know SS captured a big amount of their market, but if you add in the other Android phones I don't think iOS even comes close. Which was the only reason I ever had an iDevice, but I really missed the level of customization and that was coming from the OG Droid, haha.
So right now I am sort of stuck in this spot, either keep the N4, return it for an N6 when it comes to VZW or sell the N4 and get the device from the play store. From what i've played around with, the camera, display, and the fingerprint scanner make it a hard decision. Also I am so used to soft keys rather than capacitive buttons, feel like that eats up a lot of screen real estate. But I am pretty sure I am going to get the N6 and move away from SS, which is quite sad because I like their peripherals and overall devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can appreciate your position. Hey, the N6 is a great phone, go for it.

MiuKing said:
To be honest I don't know why everyone is so eager to jump ship to the Developer Edition note 4 when there is absolutely no development going on right now for it.
The vast majority of Galaxy Note 4 users are retail. Unless a vast majority of Developer Edition Phones are bought by the public I just don't know how there will be development for the device since there is no popularity. (ie no audience to develop for)
I mean sure.... you get root. You can debloat a little here and there but what matters most is getting your favorite rom that you want ported to your device.
Other than that. Developer edition doesn't look like a hoot right now, imo =/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you dont know that. tmobile kernels work fine. and as far as firekat coming it will be here tomorrow or later this week i have talked to dev about it already.
also stock rom debloated with tweaks and a kernel you dont need much more right now honestly. and i can tell you this GOOD LUCK with rooting the retail and you will NEVER get an unlocked bootloader

MiuKing said:
To be honest I don't know why everyone is so eager to jump ship to the Developer Edition note 4 when there is absolutely no development going on right now for it.
The vast majority of Galaxy Note 4 users are retail. Unless a vast majority of Developer Edition Phones are bought by the public I just don't know how there will be development for the device since there is no popularity. (ie no audience to develop for)
I mean sure.... you get root. You can debloat a little here and there but what matters most is getting your favorite rom that you want ported to your device.
Other than that. Developer edition doesn't look like a hoot right now, imo =/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on my 3rd rooted device and yet to install a custom rom. I simply want root access, and the ability to have my phone be MINE! I don't want BS apps on my phone. I don't want the factory browser to have locked bookmarks. I don't want a camera telling me I can't use flash when I'm at 12% battery life.

kimdoocheol said:
If root is ever achieved, many of the things mentioned can be done too.
But yeah, I never really liked SS either, just saying that it is an option, but my main point I guess is that the DE sort of splits the community a bit. Many people don't want to lose their UDP so buy unsubsidized anyways so the DE isn't a bad option. However, it just seems like these kind of things cause a lack of dev on one side or the other which is bad for the N4 community as a whole. That's what I was really getting at.
Yeah, I just bought an N4 actually though and am sort of let down this time coming from my N2. MW and the S-Pen I never really utilized with the N2 since I switched to an AOSP based rom as soon as they became available, but halo and floating window were nice too.
The only three features that really stand out to me are the camera, the display, and the fingerprint scanner.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
Besides the 3 things you found better than the N2, what about cell and wifi reception, is it better when compared to the N2?
Thank you,
Bryan

trapperjohn said:
Hi,
Besides the 3 things you found better than the N2, what about cell and wifi reception, is it better when compared to the N2?
Thank you,
Bryan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cell reception is definitely better John.
WiFi is the same. I've never had a bad experience with WiFi.
My N2 for some reason lately was capped at around 80kb/s-100kb/s and I can't seem to get much higher than that. When I first got the phone it was 300+ almost all the time, but that could be because LTE wasn't as big back then or the updates they have done henceforht.
EDIT: When I say better, I mean a lot better. I sit in the same spot at my desk and with my N2 I was always constantly having to stand up to send a text or make a call. This phone I can do it practically while laying on the ground. So reception has improved drastically for me.

MiuKing said:
To be honest I don't know why everyone is so eager to jump ship to the Developer Edition note 4 when there is absolutely no development going on right now for it.
The vast majority of Galaxy Note 4 users are retail. Unless a vast majority of Developer Edition Phones are bought by the public I just don't know how there will be development for the device since there is no popularity. (ie no audience to develop for)
I mean sure.... you get root. You can debloat a little here and there but what matters most is getting your favorite rom that you want ported to your device.
Other than that. Developer edition doesn't look like a hoot right now, imo =/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude you miss the whole point of a DE Note 4, FREEDOM!!!!
I had a retail Note 4 before I got he DE. With the retail I felt trap, almost choking to a point. I couldn't immerse my self with it, and NOT HAVING Viper4Android was a NO NO. You have to hear the Note 4 with V4A with a pair of Sony MDR-1RTBT MK2. Coming from flashing almost a ROM per week on my note 3 and ending up with stock debloated TW version didn't feel bad at all and this where I'm at with the N4. I'm about to Flash AMSPilot debloated now and so far I'm good until FireKat.

Poloasis said:
Dude you miss the whole point of a DE Note 4, FREEDOM!!!!
I had a retail Note 4 before I got he DE. With the retail I felt trap, almost choking to a point. I couldn't immerse my self with it, and NOT HAVING Viper4Android was a NO NO. You have to hear the Note 4 with V4A with a pair of Sony MDR-1RTBT MK2. Coming from flashing almost a ROM per week on my note 3 and ending up with stock debloated TW version didn't feel bad at all and this where I'm at with the N4. I'm about to Flash AMSPilot debloated now and so far I'm good until FireKat.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you misunderstood what i meant.
http://media.giphy.com/media/fFwOzwhCO1FMA/giphy.gif

if you are on xda..you shouldn't get this phone

Hi,
I've owned every Samsung flagship and a few nexus's since the Samsung galaxy S2 days(currently own a note 4), And I've always enjoyed XDA (and Android obviously) as I could root and change ROMS and do what ever I wanted with the phone.
However, I learned my lesson when I got the Exynos varient S4 a couple of years ago. As many of you know, Exynos really lacks development with AOSP based ROMS. With my S4 while the Snapdragon varient had a working and stable CM ROM after a month, on the Exynos forums we waited for maybe a year until we got a sami-working CM, and even the last I checked, just to see if progress was made, I saw that those Exynos related bugs are still there(random audio problems, etc). Because I was smarter when I went for the Note 4 I made sure to get the Snapdragon varient and sure enough I'm enjoying CM since basically the phone came out while those with the Exynos note4 had to literally make a forum wide donation, recruit a random dev from xda, fund and buy him a device and since then I think only lately the've started getting some AOSP love(after months and months of dev, and still there are annoying bugs).
I have no idea if it's because Samsung won't share their Exynos sources or just because it's more difficult to develop with this SoC. However- If you are on XDA I can imagine you like having fun with ROMS. Maybe not everyone, but most of us like this site for a reason.
The fact is that I hated my S4 days as I could only choose TouchWiz ROMS(and they aren't that much different). This time, even if I'm not on CM, I can always flash TouchWiz: I have the option, and it's so very much different and not frustrating to be bound to only touchwiz.
The choice is yours, and if there was a snapdragon varient i'd tell you to pick it(..I still like samsung phones) but as it's only exynos..well, just like my S4, the note4, the S6 and basically every other Exynos device- you'd suffer from development.
good luck!
Edit: btw I was only talking about AOSP based development. For those of you that care about samsung updates more - you should know that samsung are treating their Note series very badly when it's related to updates. I didn't own a note2, or a note 3. But I have the note4 and I can promise you I've never owned a device that got treated as badly as this one. Maybe it's only the note4, no idea. But Lollipop update took months upon months to release and it was with many bugs. So far, we didn't get 5.1 as well, even though other Galaxy devices got it awhile ago. It seems like Samsung don't really like the Note series..
for more info just so you won't think I'm bashing for nothing: http://www.sammobile.com/2015/08/05/why-do-you-hate-the-galaxy-note-4-so-much-samsung/
**If you want Samsung to bring faster updates, and be more developer friendly, instead of buying the next phone and praise it- don't buy it and maybe they'll get the msg. personally I'm gonna go a non Samsung flagship next time and see if their attitude changes by the next note**

Does this thread relates or discuss anything about the Note 5.

OP, I was skeptical when I saw your post but after reading it I appreciate your insight.
When I get my Note 5 I will miss being able to tether more than anything. I only need to root to be able to tether.

Mark7z said:
Does this thread relates or discuss anything about the Note 5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try the Android Central forums for the Note 5. It isn't plagued by whining and negativity....

Sher The Love said:
Try the Android Central forums for the Note 5. It isn't plagued by whining and negativity....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
seriously though, 50+ people complaining about it not being a note4 and 5 people actually talking about their new phones.
IDK about you guys, but I have a note5 and would like to discuss the note5.

you know I am too over the whining, crying and fit throwing about the Note 5. All this *****ing isn't changing a damn thing and Samsung isn't going to change something that people are whining about anytime soon. I am all for discussing the Note 5 and leave the comparisons to the Note 4 behind us. Whew I feel better now .

This is the same crap that went on with the Nexus 6. Smartphones are moving in this direction whether we like it or not. Removable storage and batteries are becoming a thing of the past. If that's what you want hang on to your old Note. Let's move on people and concentrate on the facts when the device gets in the hand of users. Which by the way, is starting to look stellar and will probably sell well.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Actually in not trying to be patronizing I realize that this is about the note5 and specifically about its processor. Yes he references other phones but that was to show similarities between the exynos soc and the snapdragon soc. In a much shorter post he said.
"If you like flashing roms and you like AOSP then you may be disappointed by Samsung choice of processor. It makes development a pain in the @$$. "Be Aware".
Instead of complaining about complaints, read, understand, and move on if you don't like it. The problem is that you're on xda. This IS the place to discuss possible development OR THE LACK THEREOF. Not that many people have the phone yet. And to be honest the real developers probably aren't going to waste money on the note 5 because of what the OP stated.

Qwallace70129 said:
Actually in not trying to be patronizing I realize that this is about the note5 and specifically about its processor. Yes he references other phones but that was to show similarities between the exynos soc and the snapdragon soc. In a much shorter post he said.
"If you like flashing roms and you like AOSP then you may be disappointed by Samsung choice of processor. It makes development a pain in the @$$. "Be Aware".
Instead of complaining about complaints, read, understand, and move on if you don't like it. The problem is that you're on xda. This IS the place to discuss possible development OR THE LACK THEREOF. Not that many people have the phone yet. And to be honest the real developers probably aren't going to waste money on the note 5 because of what the OP stated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes but this has been true for all Exynos SoC devices for years, it shouldnt come as a shock to anyone who has been even slightly aware of XDA and samsung for the past 3+ years. It is brought up literally every time samsung launches a device with Exynos, literally every time, which seeing as every samsung release in the past year has had Exynos, this should be common knowledge at this point.

Just because something is true does not remove disdain. Murders happen every 5 minutes. This is true. But is it something that people like? I mean I don't have a note 5. Nor do I care to bash it. But I do find it funny that people who are logged into and are users of a site that can sometimes be referred to as power user central are mad because power users are complaining about something lost that they held dear to them.

I really don't think people are mad that they are complaining as much as it is the volume of which they are complaining that is wearing on people. I get it with every iteration comes change, and with every change comes complaints about the change but there comes a time when you just have to say fine " I don't like this change and so I will have to deal with it or find something else that tickles my fancy" and go on. We all knew weeks ahead of time that the removable battery and the sdcard was going by by. The leaks confirmed it. Like it or not it happened and it also turned out that the battery lost 220mAh which really people isn't that much of a loss and considering that the other improvements like (processor, ddr4 ram, LTE radio, 4.1 bluetooth, ect...) it very may well surprise you, and from the few threads and articles that I have read so far that seems to be the case. Now is it really or is it the way they have used their device, who knows. but I have owned ALOT of phones in my time and I have yet no matter which phone I owned did a battery swap yet even though I have been known to carry a spare at times.
I guess my suggestion to the people that really are pissed off about the changes, write a letter to samsung or something to that affect because I'm 99.9% sure *****ing about it here in the threads isn't doing a darn thing towards change. I could be wrong.
And again Im not flaming the people that are complaining its just my opinion...

I personally won't buy a note device to throw asop on it. While it's nice to have the option, you lose all the functionality you bought the note device for any way. Buy a nexus if you are overly concerned about being able to run CM/AOSP ect. A nice optimized TW rom is all i look for with a Note as is the case with my note 4.

Kaboose666 said:
IDK about you guys, but I have a note5 and would like to discuss the note5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First step to achieving that would be simply ignoring posts with titles like this one has. Lol

Is it just me or the fact that every Samsung handset is being released with an Exynos might be a good thing due to the fact that the Exynos itself might have a higher bounty to develop for?? :fingers-crossed:

gabo1 said:
Is it just me or the fact that every Samsung handset is being released with an Exynos might be a good thing due to the fact that the Exynos itself might have a higher bounty to develop for?? :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's more a matter of sources and ease to develop for.

gabo1 said:
Is it just me or the fact that every Samsung handset is being released with an Exynos might be a good thing due to the fact that the Exynos itself might have a higher bounty to develop for?? :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
exynos is difficult to develop for whereas snapdragon is of a wider developer support

lightiv said:
OP, I was skeptical when I saw your post but after reading it I appreciate your insight.
When I get my Note 5 I will miss being able to tether more than anything. I only need to root to be able to tether.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it's like the S6, FoxFi worked great for the Verizon model.

demand and supply, as i was stating. Now that we all will be rocking Exynos, devs might be more prone to look further into it.

Here is a thread if you haven't noticed it yet that may shed some light .....
http://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=568536&goto=postid&p=4615669#post4615669

gabo1 said:
demand and supply, as i was stating. Now that we all will be rocking Exynos, devs might be more prone to look further into it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Back to the days of the GS3, the problem was not that there is no devs but that there is no sources.
Even now, there is no completely finished lolipop ROM.

Note 3 at the end of 2015, worth buying?

Hi guys,
Yesterday I hard bricked my GS4 trying to update it to marshmellow. The repair will cost $40 and this is after I spent $110 replacing the digitizer. I decided to give up on that device (It was getting a bit beat up anyway).
Walmart is currently selling the ATT version for $250. I bought it but now I am wondering if it is still worth the value now (late 2015). The S4 was starting to show its age especially with the bloatware which is why I was attempting to upgrade the OS. What better place to ask this than a forum full of tech geeks like me who have actually used the device!
So, what do you guys say? Is it worth it now to buy as a daily driver? What do you guys think of the cost? How is the custom rom community? I saw that Samsung EOLed it at 5.0 but what are the chances custom roms will keep going for a few more versions? I have just started to browse this section of xda. The S4 was a hassle especially if people accidentally upgraded it to Lollipop. I know I followed the directions to a T but I still go the hard brick so I am hesitant to attempt to mess around with a Samsung device again.
If anyone has experience with the S4, how is the experience compared to it?
Sorry if this stuff was recently asked, I just quickly browsed the front page of this section

I just got rid of s4 for note 3 also (got mine used £100) note is fantastic but I think you should read read and re read before jumping in. How did you hard brick s4 can you enter bootloader or recovery. As for note 3 I'm running phonesis 5.1.1 as primary and marshmallow test build as secondary rom.
Just get rooted and get a good backup (including efs) and you will be fine

I just really hated the bloatware on the s4 and I thought it really slowed the phone down. My S4 is completely unresponsive, When I plug it into my comp it reads it as an unknown qualcomm device. Do you feel like you could use the note 3 as a daily device for another year?

Yes most definitely nice speed boost from s4 2gb to 3gb makes everything that bit smoother. Stick note5 port on it

Well I don't know which version of S4 you had, but I had the Exynos version and believe me when I say this the software was diabolical, I don't rememeber what version of Android it was, probably KitKat 4.4.2, in any case there was no support for that phone, and had to sell it. Then that hatred of TouchWiz continued in me, and I moved to M7, then sold it in less than couple of months, then bought Moto X 2013, which I literally enjoyed for first two three months, until I realised how pathetic the display was, so sold it and then bought Note 3 last year November, and believe me when I say this, I absolutely love this phone. KitKat was excellent, and despite what people say about ofiicial Lollipop 5.0, I love it too, I don't find any bugs at all! Just wished Xposed was as good as it was on KK. Anyway, for me this phone is performing excellently on 5.0, and especially with Shinto kernel, super smooth.
So if you are not hell-bent with Marshmallow, can live with 5.0 TouchWiz LP, then yes, go on. I believe even with this iteration of Android this phone can run smooth for at least another 5-6 months. Then there are custom ROMs like you said. CM13 is already there, Android 6.0 and all that, I will never touch it, but you know if its your cup of tea, its there. There are Note 5 5.1.1 ports are there as well. Also there are two or three very good to great kernels out there. So I believe if you can live with a decent enough speced phone, then go on, but practically no, I don't think one should get a Note 3 at the end of 2015, especially when Note 4 is really cheap nowadays, and even Note 5 is becoming cheaper gradually, though I am not a fan of it.
I will probably keep using this phone until S7 is announced, then I will have glimpse whether Samsung will bring back user removable battery and IR blaster or not, and I will make my decision accordingly.

Should I buy an LG V20 or HTC 10????

I am a type of geek who like using a phone for long period of time(3.5years for my original moto g now).
I really like the hi-fi audio recording and quad-dac in the V20,but I am worrying about the software support of the phone.I don't want to stuck with outdated software over years of time to degrade the user experience.(retailers in my cities are selling H990N which cannot unlock BL)
So another alternative - HTC 10,come to my mind with some sacrifices,but come with countless dev support to keep me on par with latest android update.
So which one should I choose???
(they are both selling for about $400 USD in my country)

zack1175 said:
I am a type of geek who like using a phone for long period of time(3.5years for my original moto g now).
I really like the hi-fi audio recording and quad-dac in the V20,but I am worrying about the software support of the phone.I don't want to stuck with outdated software over years of time to degrade the user experience.(retailers in my cities are selling H990N which cannot unlock BL)
So another alternative - HTC 10,come to my mind with some sacrifices,but come with countless dev support to keep me on par with latest android update.
So which one should I choose???
(they are both selling for about $400 USD in my country)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me personally, as a tinkerer, would go with which ever phone has support for BL unlock. However, if its primarily software support your worrying about the V20 will probably have the same life span as any other top tier smartphone in the same class, if not more. And with the release of Android O, google has confirmed they will stop upgrading the nexus devices first, and will rather update all android devices with updates as they come out. Google is also fighting the many vetting processes that Providers go through before releasing the update to your phones.
TL;DR: Both phones will have support for years to come, google has stopped updating nexus devices exclusively, and if you're worried about BL Unlocks, go with the one that's unlockable.
Edit: Forgot to mention Im almost certain the v20 has better camera hardware & software then the HTC 10 does, but that can be considered an opinion on the internet now a days so, do with it as you will.

Unfortunately Google, OEM's and Carriers mostly dictate what ends up on every phone. And cooperation between the three is often lacking, late, fragmented.
I did my research before getting my V20 so I don't have any expectations regarding newer firmwares, b/l unlock or rooting.
I'll take whatever comes along.
There's very little open development and what there is only covers a few variants.
Although the V20 is a fantastic phone I think you would be better going for the HTC or another similar device.

personally I would go with the v20, no doubt!!
a much better screen (unless you're one of the lucky 10% to find a Sharp panel, the Tianma looks quite awful...), a better dac, even if the aQstic dac on the htc10 isn't a bad choice at all; more ram; v20 was equipped with android N at the launch so my guess is it will be updated to android P
about the custom roms matter: I'm not sure how the dac would behave on a custom rom, so you better check before you decide!

LG V20 with official Android P-ie-in-the-sky
I'm also an optimist, but as there's not even 7.1.1 yet I'm not gona hold my breath.

rubiicon59 said:
LG V20 with official Android P-ie-in-the-sky
I'm also an optimist, but as there's not even 7.1.1 yet I'm not gona hold my breath.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is my real concern here as I would definitely keep my device for more than 3 years(unless it gets into hardware bootloop), android updates is something important for me
(I use my tiny moto for so long as it gets 7.1.2 running flawlessly)
However,since I love the feature of V20 so much,it is going to be a tough choice

Yeah it probably is a tough choice. But it is your choice. My suggestion was in reply to your post.
The V20 is one of the best phones I've owned. I knew the state of play before I decided to get it. And I've no regrets.

rubiicon59 said:
LG V20 with official Android P-ie-in-the-sky
I'm also an optimist, but as there's not even 7.1.1 yet I'm not gona hold my breath.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lg has never bothered updating to any x.1 release, so I'm quite positive we won't see any 7.1.1 update... As I'm planning to keep this phone for a couple of years I'm hoping Lg will follow his usual 2 major updates policy anyway... we'll see!

. OK, seems you know more about LG's weird ways of doing things than I do. But I'm learning lol.
So, their flagship V20 the first to be released with Nougat out-of-the-box..... then update limbo until whenever they can be arsed....
Marvellous
I'd be happy with a couple of minor updates, at least security patches would be more pertinent.

Personally because you have a removable battery on the v20 I would say go for it.

Still_living714 said:
Personally because you have a removable battery on the v20 I would say go for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I'm a careless user who drop the phone more often than anyone else,the removable battery option just makes the phone less durable in drops...
But it has a mil spec drop resistant...
Gosh I can't make any choice?

zack1175 said:
As I'm a careless user who drop the phone more often than anyone else,the removable battery option just makes the phone less durable in drops...
But it has a mil spec drop resistant...
Gosh I can't make any choice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The removable battery doesn't affect it's durability, v20 is a bit different in that the back doesn't just pop off there is a button you have to press to remove it. The removable battery won't negatively affect durability.
I think the removable battery is important if you're going to keep your phone long term because the battery is likely the first component to degrade.
As far as updates go LG tends to support their phones for at least one major release (Android O in this case) which is what the majority of manufacturers do.
Google is the only company that tends to support their phones beyond a typical one major release, the Nexus 6 for example has gone from Lollipop (5.x) to Nougat (7.x).
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

I say go with the V20 but ONLY after the V30 info has been released. The V30 might be a worthy upgrade so don't throw any money at the V20 yet.

xbmoyx said:
I say go with the V20 but ONLY after the V30 info has been released. The V30 might be a worthy upgrade so don't throw any money at the V20 yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't purchase latest flagship as they are beyond my budget well over $200 USD...
(400USD VS 699USD for brand new phone)

I've dropped my phone 3x, the back pops off but it hasn't affected the phone or battery in any way. The phone only got minor scratches. Anyways, if the spare removable battery ? isn't important to you then get htc. I believe to truly enjoy this phone YOU HAVE TO have a spare battery. Battery life isn't that great but with a spare I don't care. We'll good luck

Yeah removable battery is key if you plan on keeping phone for 2+ years. Disassembling the whole phone just to change the battery as well as resoldering it is going to be a pain unless you are ok with dealing with the lost capacity from the battery due to age.

Resoldering?
Batteries are modular so there's no soldering required.
And many phones aren't all that hard to dismantle for battery access. Teardowns are readily available.

rubiicon59 said:
Resoldering?
Batteries are modular so there's no soldering required.
And many phones aren't all that hard to dismantle for battery access. Teardowns are readily available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could have sworn the Nexus 5x my buddy had was soldered when he went to switch out the battery. Maybe not I don't really remember as it's been awhile. That's pretty nice if so, still a pain having to take it apart compared to to just a couple of seconds to pop off the back of the v20.
Also doing a battery pull can be very helpful sometimes in the modding community when rooting and stuff. I've had to do it a few times on my s4 and note 4 back when I was flashing all sorts of different rooms trying stuff out.

Nexus 5x has a connector most phones use a connector but there are some devices that are soldered so it's not unheard of. The iPod nano battery replacement is an example of a battery that requires soldering.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Wtf iPod Nano?
Some batteries are connected with a plug.
Some connect via spring contacts - V20 for example.
Modular: easy replacement if required, cuts service labour time etc..
I wonder how many recent devices have hard-wired batteries.

Database Users

welcome