Related
Don't get me wrong, I love this phone and think it'd be PERFECT, but nothing ever really does come perfect and for those who are really keen on buying this, I think you should take a look at some of the things I certainly wish they'd done better.
1) No notification LED - Maybe this is a Samsung thing but for a device catered for business, I really wish they've added this small detail that can do so much good! And don't tell me to get NoLED from market either, the point of the LED is that I can see notifications without having to press any buttons.
2) Poor sound and call quality - It might have to do with the Yamaha codec that others on the forum have been complaining about. My phone before the Note was a Motorola Milestone 2/Droid 2, and Motorola beats Samsung's call quality big time. Motorola has CrystalTalk which would spoil anyone who needs to make calls all the time, whether I'm in HK's busy subway or its most crowded districts, I'm able to hear and the other party can hear me just fine. With Samsung Galaxy Note, I push my incoming call volume to the highest and can hardly make out what the other party is saying unless they voice up. The other party can hardly hear me as well. There's no noise-cancellation whatsoever. It's a tad better if you make calls without a headset, but as a girl, it looks super silly holding up the Note to my face. I use Marshall Minor earphones for conversations and they worked wonderfully well with Motorola, not that great with Samsung. I am not sure if high-end noise-cancellation earphones the likes of Sennheiser or Shure would work better but I'm no audiophile and I really don't want to have to pay half the price of the phone for some quality conversations. Music is passable, both on the speaker and on the earphones, but don't expect it to do a good job with low-bass. If you're an audiophile, you'd need a dedicated MP3 player or HTC's Sensation XE might be a better phone for you.
3) Not-so-great power button placement - The Power/Screen Off button is right where the volume rocker buttons are placed on the other side of the phone. I find myself accidentally pushing the screen off button when I really just want to adjust the volume. There's so much space on the top of the phone for this button.
4) No dedicated camera shutter button - Not really a HUGE deal here but a device this big can come with one. I recently notice that the new phones coming out are dropping this
5) Pre-installed keyboard not good enough - Coming from a Milestone which has a dedicated QWERTY slider keyboard, some might think I'm biased about this, but no, I've played with HTC's Sensation keyboards and hardly make a typing error, and it definitely made me switch to an all touch-screen device. For this one, if you don't get the Thumb Keyboard or some other keyboard you're used to, then you might find it quite frustrating to message or type up e-mails. Of course, you can use the S-pen and handwriting recognition, which I find quite pleasantly smart.
6) Poor customizability - Please note that this is not a Note-exclusive problem but with Touch-Wiz. I am not keen of the Touch-Wiz interface and immediately changed the interface to Launcher Pro, unfortunately, many of the widgets that are part of the Touch-Wiz UI can no longer be added. I wish Samsung would change that.
7) Phone does not include S-Pen tutorials as well as other Note-exclusive features - Unless you download the full 190-page manual (English version), there's not much help in getting to know the features of the phone. There are pop-ups now and then telling you certain features, but if I didn't watch a ton of Youtube 'first impression' videos, I wouldn't know of the gestures functionality and other cool features I can do with the S-Pen. However, this is not a reason for NOT buying the phone.
8) Poor Touch-Wiz Low Customizability- If you don't love Touch-Wiz, you won't like the pre-installed interface. You can always change it to Launcher Pro but that means there'd be widgets you cannot use if you don't use Touch-Wiz. I like the Calendar widget but have to make do with Pure Grid Calendar Widget if I use Launcher Pro. And for some reason, if you're a root user, you still cannot change the battery icons (I've created another thread about this), but I probably should not blame this on Touch-Wiz or the ROM Samsung uses, as rooting is fully a personal choice. I just wish we have themes to turn off the ugly green Android is so fond of using (can't wait till ICS comes out because I see blue finally!)
9) S-Pen is hard to draw with off-table - Unless you have a super steady hand, I find writing (not to mention drawing) on the Note a challenge. There's several promotional videos from Samsung showing off the artwork that can be done with the S-Pen just by holding the Note in your hand as you would a PDA but I personally doubt it'd be easy unless you're a seasoned artist with a very steady hand. However, the S-Pen is FUN to use and amazing for jotting notes, so again, it should not be something to deter you from getting this phone if you don't plan on replacing your WACOM pen tablets with this.
10) Battery Removal required for SIM or MicroSD cards access- You'd think a phone of this size will allow you to swap out at least the MicroSD without having to power off, but unfortunately, this is not feasible with the Note.
So far, these are the few "quirks" I don't like about the Galaxy Note, but otherwise, the phone never ceases to amaze others not only because of its size but it's functionality and brilliant screen.
P.S. Forgot to add one more point, there are no A/V or media ports other than MicroUSB and 3.5mm audio jack (no HDMI or other ports) which doesn't bother me but might others.
If those are your gripes, this phone must be amazing.
Thanks for your POV!
With regards to 1,6 and 8, I agree that these are Samsung wide problems at the moment. But obviously its all down to personal preference. I use ADW Ex on my SGS2 but the fact that you can't use the Samsung S widgets on it means I might actually try TW for a while first!
Just out of interest, where did you get your Not from and how much did you pay in total for it?
JoyR2 said:
If those are your gripes, this phone must be amazing.
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Click to collapse
Haha...yes, other than the poor voice quality, I do think it's an amazing device.
vinokirk said:
Thanks for your POV!
With regards to 1,6 and 8, I agree that these are Samsung wide problems at the moment. But obviously its all down to personal preference. I use ADW Ex on my SGS2 but the fact that you can't use the Samsung S widgets on it means I might actually try TW for a while first!
Just out of interest, where did you get your Not from and how much did you pay in total for it?
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Click to collapse
I got it from a shopping plaza in Mong Kok District of Hong Kong. That plaza sells many 2nd hand as well as new imported phones. I got mine for HK$5760 (~USD 742), they also allowed me to trade-in my good ol' Milestone 2 so I only paid a total of HK$4160 (~USD 536).
1) Notification LED - hopefully we will get a custom kernel with BLN support soon You have rooted it, right??
8) So TouchWiz sux - but there are lots of other Launchers to choose from.
10) Actually you CAN remove the SIM and sdcard without removing the battery - you just need to pry up the edge with a small tool - they are pretty flexible.
I'll add two gripes to your list:
- The protective camera glass on the back is slightly RAISED, so it is gonna get scratched up FAST if you ever put your Note down on any dirty/uneven surface. And because the glass is actually part of the CAMERA (not the case), it's probably not replaceable.
- The S-pen is too small, and pretty laggy in some apps, making it not even worth using (like drawing). And its touch-sensitivity is pretty worthless. And you can't tap the menu/back buttons with it.
But I still love my Note And it's only gonna get better as the custom ROMs start showing up.
RashaMatt said:
8) So TouchWiz sux - but there are lots of other Launchers to choose from.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...which would make some of the widgets obsolete.
RashaMatt said:
10) Actually you CAN remove the SIM and sdcard without removing the battery - you just need to pry up the edge with a small tool - they are pretty flexible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...true, but why need a tool in the first place, why can't Samsung just design it so you can remove them easily?
RashaMatt said:
- The protective camera glass on the back is slightly RAISED, so it is gonna get scratched up FAST if you ever put your Note down on any dirty/uneven surface. And because the glass is actually part of the CAMERA (not the case), it's probably not replaceable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strange, but my camera glass is actually indented into the area surrounded by the metal square. My Note is imported from Poland, I wonder if they have different builds?
RashaMatt said:
- The S-pen is too small, and pretty laggy in some apps, making it not even worth using (like drawing). And its touch-sensitivity is pretty worthless. And you can't tap the menu/back buttons with it.
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Click to collapse
Yes, you're right about the small part, I'm Asian and a girl, so my hands are pretty small which makes the pen just right, but I can understand some people with bigger hands will find using it a real pain. I do agree with you on the other points!
wendyalison said:
Strange, but my camera glass is actually indented into the area surrounded by the metal square. My Note is imported from Poland, I wonder if they have different builds?
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Click to collapse
I got a Polish "plus" Network model too (from handtec.co.uk) - how weird. Poor quality control...
First some comments on the above gripes :
noled shows you led notifications without you needing to touch the screen. It's pretty decent. I'd rather have a real led but it's not bad at all. Try it.
If you are using the stylus you hit the button and swipe up for the menu, and or swipe left to go back. That's how you get around the button issue.
Now my gripes:
The capacitive buttons (menu, back) are WAY too sensitive and I find myself accidentally hitting them constantly. One handed use is almost possible too, but I keep rubbing those buttons and it wrecks everything.
I think I need more friction to write with the stylus - I don't use it much at the moment.
- Frank
Performance
what about the performance is there an issue or lag
as i couldn't get a conclusion of this point
ChodTheWacko said:
First some comments on the above gripes :
noled shows you led notifications without you needing to touch the screen. It's pretty decent. I'd rather have a real led but it's not bad at all. Try it.
- Frank
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you find that NoLed impares the battery function of your phone? I have heard reviews on the SGS2 that it kills the battery while others say it is OK. As far as I am aware, NoLed turns the entire screen on while displaying its mini icons, would be nice if it could just activate a few icons on the top left or right of the screen.
I guess they put the notification LED in the Nexus, keeping it excluisive to that.
I am willing to buy the Note sight unseen because I love my friends S2's and I drooled over the LTE HD edition coming out. The Note is like 50 times better. I can't wait for my shipment on Monday!
tito17182 said:
what about the performance is there an issue or lag
as i couldn't get a conclusion of this point
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends what you're running. With Launcher Pro, I do feel a wee bit of lag when I use the Pulse widgets on one of the homescreens, I have 3 of those dragged out though and they all need to gather data, so I wouldn't expect it to go smoothly.
Otherwise, i'm playing Asphalt 6 while playing music with PowerAmp and I don't feel lag.
wendyalison said:
I got it from a shopping plaza in Mong Kok District of Hong Kong. That plaza sells many 2nd hand as well as new imported phones. I got mine for HK$5760 (~USD 742), they also allowed me to trade-in my good ol' Milestone 2 so I only paid a total of HK$4160 (~USD 536).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AWESOME!!!
I will go there first chance I get!
bbdj69 said:
Do you find that NoLed impares the battery function of your phone? have heard reviews on the SGS2 that it kills the battery while others say it is OK. As far as I am aware, NoLed turns the entire screen on while displaying its mini icons, would be nice if it could just activate a few icons on the top left or right of the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all, remember that this is amoled and each pixel is lit up individually. So it doesn't 'turn the entire screen' on unless you turn the entire screen white. Or you run on an lcd phone with a backlight.
It runs fine for me at the moment Although i want to do more battery tests to see what uses how much power. It could still be the case that noled drains battery via cpu usage or wakeups.
Frank
ChodTheWacko said:
First of all, remember that this is amoled and each pixel is lit up individually. So it doesn't 'turn the entire screen' on unless you turn the entire screen white. Or you run on an lcd phone with a backlight.
It runs fine for me at the moment Although i want to do more battery tests to see what uses how much power. It could still be the case that noled drains battery via cpu usage or wakeups.
Frank
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is from the NoLed FAQ, similarly to what I have read online, opinion varies:
Q: What about battery drainage ? How much battery percentage does this app consume per hour ?
A: To answer this question, I quote our friend evilhunter101 from xda-forums.com
"That's a question that simply can't be answered for you and everyone else who wonders. Why? Because all the available settings change the battery consumption, as well as what other apps you have installed and what kernel or OS you are using. Simply put, try the app. If you like it, keep it. If not, uninstall it. You have literally got nothing to lose.
P.s. I see no difference with or without NoLED, while others swear its a battery hog. I imagine we have it set up very differently."
wendyalison said:
P.S. Forgot to add one more point, there are no A/V or media ports other than MicroUSB and 3.5mm audio jack (no HDMI or other ports) which doesn't bother me but might others.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the MHL adaptor for GS2 working well~~
wendyalison said:
Yes, you're right about the small part, I'm Asian and a girl, so my hands are pretty small which makes the pen just right, but I can understand some people with bigger hands will find using it a real pain. I do agree with you on the other points!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am a short guy with pretty small hands, so I'm curious about how you feel using it. Is it even possible to do anything one-handed for you? Do you feel it's comfortable holding in one hand and using the other other for navigating? And finally, is it comfortable using the on-screen keyboard, might it be too big?
Thanks for your input so far. Good having people saying what's not so good as well.
wendyalison said:
I got it from a shopping plaza in Mong Kok District of Hong Kong. That plaza sells many 2nd hand as well as new imported phones. I got mine for HK$5760 (~USD 742), they also allowed me to trade-in my good ol' Milestone 2 so I only paid a total of HK$4160 (~USD 536).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you get the Galaxy Note? at the plaza in argyle street at the end of ladies market? If so I couldn't find one...
Fair comments,
Actually make me feel a lot more confident in buying the Note - just need to convince the wife now!
wendyalison said:
And don't tell me to get NoLED from market either, the point of the LED is that I can see notifications without having to press any buttons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not following this comment. NoLED doesn't require you to press any buttons.
wendyalison said:
It's a tad better if you make calls without a headset, but as a girl, it looks super silly holding up the Note to my face. I use Marshall Minor earphones for conversations and they worked wonderfully well with Motorola, not that great with Samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait, you're saying call quality through earphones is WORSE than call quality just holding the phone? This is very alarming as that's how I make most of my calls. Can anyone else confirm this?
I'm set to meet with a craigslist seller tomorrow to buy his N7000.
I have another thread on here where I asked how to determine whether the phone was or was not genuine. Thanks to the generous response of posters here I'm satisfied that I now have enough information to make that determination.
Now I'd like to know what all of you think I should check for when buying a used Note above and beyond the question of whether it is a fake or not ....
Obviously I'm going to use my sim card and check for call quality, but other than that .... what tests do you think I should make? What should I look out for?
Any and all advice greatly appreciated as I'm somewhat nervous about this purchase (more money than I have yet spent on a phone!).
beside the eye examination of scracthes look for death pixels.
kromosto said:
beside the eye examination of scracthes look for death pixels.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the suggestion! Do you think I should use a program to look for dead pixels or just eyeball them?
There is a built in test set which covers an large number of things. Definitely do the touch test and leave the phone alone for a bit to see if there are ghost touches (you can see it happen here, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1597981 ).
To start the test screen, go into the dialer and dial star-hash-zero-star-hash. It will help find dead pixels, test cameras and sensors, test the pen and touchscreen.
Haints said:
Thanks for the suggestion! Do you think I should use a program to look for dead pixels or just eyeball them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
download dead pixel test app from play store.... then keep pressing the screen until u get the white screen which is dimly lit.... coz bright light covers up the dead pixels
Will you open a third thread after you have bought the Note? Why not continue the other one here ... or kindly ask a Mod to close the other one as it has become obsolete.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=33704486
BTW this is general section, not dedicated for questions - there is a Q&A section made especially for this type of content.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=19930252
Check the internal memory, if its less than 11GB (on 16GB version) it could contain "bricked" sectors.
If its rooted, (the phone is) you could install emmc check and check the memory.
As per the thread, this should not be closed. It is very much valid, and could be a guidance to anyone who wants to buy a new GNOTE. The other thread is on authenticity, this one is on the potential issues with used genuine Notes.
Did you care to read what I typed? There are 2 threads of the same type opened by the exact same user. Hence, my question to close ONE of the two threads
AA1973 said:
Will you open a third thread after you have bought the Note?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, assuming I have some questions related to rooting it, or about black crush, or some other issue related to actually owning the device. That is, unless, there is some sort of rule about how many unrelated threads I am allowed to start. If there is, by all means, let me know about it ...
AA1973 said:
Why not continue the other one here ... or kindly ask a Mod to close the other one as it has become obsolete.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=33704486
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are two different threads. The first one was specifically about determining whether or not a Note is genuine. This thread is about other things to watch out for when buying a used Note--dead pixels, etc. Two different subjects. Again if there is some limitation on the number of unrelated threads I can start--please point me to that information.
AA1973 said:
BTW this is general section, not dedicated for questions - there is a Q&A section made especially for this type of content.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=19930252
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here I think you are actually in the right. Yes this thread probably could have gone in Q&A and I realized that only after the fact. However before I could actually delete my first post, I got two or three responses right off the bat, so I decided to just leave it as it was. If a mod wants to move it I won't complain.
i came across this matter 1 month ago. someone selling cheap note to my friend. sadly he bought it withot a doubt. when i check it. it was a fake. hardware is note but firmware is s3. the first thing i notice is the homescreen wallpaper. it was galaxy note 2 wallpaper. what i do then is i download android hardware info and check it there. instead of telling model name : GTn7000 it was something else. the cpu and ram is the same. then i go to setting and check for spen setting. there is none! i also restart the phone because if it is a galaxy note the first one to appear is a word : galaxy note gt-n7000. then i check the lockscreen wallpaper and it is different from stock lockscreen wallpaper. then i go checking the storage sadly it was 2g only.
1) Check the watermarks on the phone and battery. I'm not sure where these are located but I know phones always have one to identify water damage.
2) Check the screws to make sure there aren't any marks on them. Marks on them indicate that the owner has opened it before. If he has opened it before, the question becomes, why?
3) Make sure that the phone has 16 GB of internal memory, it should be about 12gb of user space. Run an emmc test on it. If you want, download the app, and put it on your own microSD card and bring it there. So you can sideload it and run the test yourself even if you have no WIFI.
4) Shake the phone to hear for any signs of rattling; an indicator that something could be broken inside.
5) Download the app phone tester to test all the sensors too. Make sure the accelerometer is working, proximity sensor, etc.
6) Play a song/video file to make sure the speakers are functional, and if they are functional, that they aren't busted (e.g., cracking when volume is too loud).
Can't think of anything else....but lastly, trust your gut. If the guy seems shady and something doesn't sit right with you, just leave the deal.
Check the USB charging port!!!!
Bring along a laptop and a USB cable that you know works. Make sure you can charge and that you get a data connection. Gently wiggle the end connected to the phone and make sure the connection doesn't drop.
burtcom said:
Check the USB charging port!!!!
Bring along a laptop and a USB cable that you know works. Make sure you can charge and that you get a data connection. Gently wiggle the end connected to the phone and make sure the connection doesn't drop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+ 1. Very important.
I'm sitting here with my 6month old note and it isn't charging....it's stuck on 1% !
Have the seller open the back and check if the battery fits perfectly. A small step on the bottom end means the battery is bulged and very near the end of its life.
Great time to buy second hand Androids, since the release of the rediculously cheap yet hi spec nexus 4, I've noticed most people are basing there offers on this new low price level, not sure this is healthy for Android. The note 1 should be worth near to £300 as its the same or was price level as an iPhone 4s, yet most offers come in sub £200....unless you really need a stylus and a old spec rapidly forgotten phone I would wait till nexus 4 or add some cash to the falling in price note 2
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app
If it's rooted run the Emma check. Good luck buds.
Sent from the man hiding in your attic.....
A few N7000's suffer from non working/very low volume bottom microphone.
I thought I'd start a thread to talk about my research in to this tablet and the conclusions and decisions i have taken in choosing it, setting it up and the mods i choose to incorporate or leave out. Dont know if it will help other people in choosing to buy one of these or not or if it will help others into expanding the capabilities of their stock unit, but I appreciate the feedback I've been getting on the individual threads I've been looking at.
Why I chose the Note 8.0
Since tablets first started becoming mass market items, I always had a problem with the 10 inch format that is most popular. I myself own a 10 inch tablet (an ASUS Transformer) and while I enjoy using it at home, I find it too bulky to take out with me yet too small to replace my laptop for any serious tasks. Having played with many tablets in stores over the years I soon decided that the 8-9inch form factor was one that was most ideal. 7inches was too small and too close to a mobile phone for my liking. Going up 1 inch adds about 25% more screen real estate and this is significant for me. Saying that, I never found a tablet in that size range that was up to standard in terms of tech spec. They always seems over priced, underpowered or were missing an important feature for my liking. The original note phone came out. I loved the idea and benefit that the spen brought to the table but thought it was too small to be useful for any serious input.
On an average day I will carry a camera, my phone, a note pad, my 10 inch tablet and sometimes a sketchbook as well. While I feel the 8.0 is a little overpriced (not alot overpriced like many reviews seem to lable it) the benefit of the spen allows me to ditch the notepad and sketchbook as well as the 10 inch tablet. This is huge for me as although the other items arent heavy, a whole day carrying my bag can start to take its toll on my shoulder.
Initial thoughts
My tablet arrived in my hands late last night so I havent had much time to spend with it. I love the responsiveness of the spen although I'm not used to the pressure sensitivity of it yet for drawing applications.
I'm a little overwhelmed by the additional apps, functions and settings added to the OS by Samsung at the moment. There seems to be a lot to go through and at least a few things that I have no use of. After I've spent a few days with it, I will talk about what I have enabled and disabled and why but in the mean time I expect to start at least one thread asking a few questions.
Waiting on my microSD card to arrive before I attempt to root it.
A few days in
Rooted the tablet using the method in the link in the mods section bellow. The process was smooth although I no longer am able to access Readers Huib as it displays "Rooting detected"
Installed SetCPU, Trickster, Greenify and FolderMount.
Installed 18GB of games with the assistance of my 64GB microSD and FolderMount.
Set 2 underclocking profiles using setCPU (screen off and battery <= 15%). Dont think ill overclock (at least not at the moment anyway) as everything seems to be running smooth as it is.
Set a few apps to hibernate with Greenify but will build up the list as i notice more apps unncessarily running in the background.
Not really sure if ill get much use out of Trickster yet.
Not had any issues with battery life, but I tend to disable anything I dont need at the time. went the whole weekend with out needing to charge with my current set up and regular use.
Will put up pictures to show my set up when I'm next home and remember (I mostly use forums at work...).
A few weeks in
Had a bit of an extended play now and can report back some more information. I havent used it for drawing as much as I had intended so far as i've been getting carried away with the amount of games that I can store on the device. The overall experience has been extremely positive. I have found that ive not really used the "S series" apps at all. I have S calendar on there but think i preffer google callender. I've been using Awesome note to take most of my notes although I havent figured out how to sync it with evernote yet. Thats the main reason I'm using that app. Im using LayerPaint as my main drawing app. So im only using S note when Im really in a hurry and need to jot something down.
For gaming I'm finding it a pleasure to use. The screen is extremely responsive and i have had little in the way of stuttering issues. The one thing I will say is that a section of the screen gets uncomfortably warm when playing a CPU/GPU intensive game. The CPU shows a temp of 40 degrees but the screen feels warmer than that making me think it may be the GPU thats getting hot. I've not had the chance to explore this further, but it is putting my off wanting to overclock them.
The GPS signal is great and im finding having an 8 inch satnav (with navfree) a really good companion in the car. The battery life is draining about about 20% per hour as a rough estimate through my initial tests with it. volume 60%. screen 60%. GPS on. All other conections off. Power saving mode enabled (not sure this makes much difference for me. Set CPU locks the CPU at my preffered settings, so this is just reducing the refresh rate and lowing the brightness slightly).
A month in
Switched from setCPU to TricksterMod. Although you cant set up specific scenarios with it, there are guvernors that do what I intended with scenarios anyway (luzactiveQ limits the CPU when the screen is off). I overclocked and undervolted both the GPU and CPU and have been pretty stable on my current settings (in the summary section bellow). It seems to be running cooler now as well and I'm no longer getting a hot patch on the left hand side of the screen. Got a new case based on the recomendations on this forum and a few more apps. Art Flow - recommend, although I'm still stuck on LayerPaint. Reviewing a few art reference apps I noticed on FaeMinx's post your homescreen post.
Accessories
Case
I decided to try a cheap case to start me off. Reported issues with magnetized cases on older notes has me spooked (see this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2288809). I liked the idea of the "Hidden Note" (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2254176) but I think its a little overkill for me.
I'm starting off with this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mulbess-Lea...TF8&colid=2SV9ALFBCBWRE&coliid=I21F5LS9DX0EES cheap and cheerful, plus the slight lip on the bezel it has will help prevent me accidentally triggering the capacitve buttons on the bottom of the tablet while holding it in landscape. This seems to be working. There are magnets in place to hold it closed. Im not sure how I feel about this...
Now got the Poetic Revolution case. Its a little pricey but not compared to the official one, but it does everything i wanted in a case. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2311243
Additional Spen
Bought the 8pi pen a few weeks ago once I had decided I wanted a note. It works very well with the tablet from my initial tests. I plan on doing a lot of digital art on this device.
Want to get a few days of usage under my belt before I decide if I want to do this or not though http://phandroid.com/2012/12/05/how-to-adjust-s-pen/ (adjust spen sensitivity)
microSD card
Due to the small amount of internal storage i decided a large microSD card is a must and will use an app or combination of apps to either move apps or app data onto it to allow me to install more than would otherwise be avialable. Ordered a Scandisk 64GB class 10 card.
Screen Protector.
Currently undecided whether I will use one or not. The case I have should keep the screen protected in transit and I cant see myself doing any damage to it with the sylus. The Revolution comes with a screen protector built in. If it starts to annoy me, I'll just pop it out.
Car Mount.
As this device has GPS I figure I'll take full advantage and use it as my Satnav (Nav Free) / in car entertainment system. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00BXFLYTW/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Mods
Root - A must for me to be able to take advantage of the microSD card. used this method http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2251033 was a smooth process.
ROM - undecided. waiting to try out touchwiz to see if I like its features and to see what I can disable / uninstall if necesary to boost performance if i find a feature of no benefit
Kernel - Flashed Civs kernal. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2272917 Really pleased with it. allowed me to both undervolt and overclock the CPU and GPU and not had any performance issues.
CPU
100 - 1704
lulzactiveq (a modified interactive but also with the benefit of limiting the cpu when the screen is off). also set ignore_nice_load to 1. so that nice to have processes are now no longer run. only the higher priority ones are.
row
uv -75
GPU settings on
160 - 837500
350 - 912500
440 - 962500
533 - 1025000
1 up - 90
2 down - 41
2 up - 90
3 down - 70
3 up - 90
4 down - 73
System Apps
Trickster - Was using setCPU but foudn the additional functionality of Trickster to be useful. Specificy with the GPU tweeks.
FolderMount - I dont want to swap the internal and external memory as I plan on still being able to hot swap SD cards if I wish to review some of the photos I've take. I hope that by only moving the app data and not the app itself, I should have no issues doing this.
Auto Airoplane Mode - switches all connections off when the screen is off
Greenify - identify apps that open in the background looking for updates and dissabling that ability in order to preserve battery. I only want some apps to update if I open them.
Other Useful Apps
Titanium Backup
ES File Explorer
DiskUsage - true view of storage space in a easily understood layout. Helps identify wasted space and erase unused files.
Apps for use with Stylus (creative)
Sketchbook Pro - still learning how to use this
LayerPaint - simple lay out, but powerful tool. My favourite at the moment. The fadein/out pen is especially good for line art.
ArtFlow - relatively new app, but good support and growing features.
Lecture Notes - Better than S Note according to sources on here. Not tried it yet
Art reference tools
Handy
Pose Tool
All comments, feedback and suggestions welcome. I've had some great feed back so far on here but would like to have my entire set up in one thread so that people can make advice for me in complete context. Any performace enhancing or battery saving tips appreciated.
Special thanks to @FaeMinx for your general art app help and discussion and @civato for your general support to the comunity. Others have been helpful as well and hopefully I've clicked thanks where appropriate, but these two have been particularly helpful to me.
thank you
Thank you for your comprehensive note.
Please report here any eventual experience with an alternative ROM.
I'm not a Note 8 owner yet, waiting for a 32GB 3G version.
hertsjoatmon said:
I thought I'd start a thread to talk about my research in to this tablet and the conclusions and decisions i have taken in choosing it, setting it up and the mods i choose to incorporate or leave out. Dont know if it will help other people in choosing to buy one of these or not or if it will help others into expanding the capabilities of their stock unit, but I appreciate the feedback I've been getting on the individual threads I've been looking at.
Why I chose the Note 8.0
Since tablets first started becoming mass market items, I always had a problem with the 10 inch format that is most popular. I myself own a 10 inch tablet (an ASUS Transformer) and while I enjoy using it at home, I find it too bulky to take out with me yet too small to replace my laptop for any serious tasks. Having played with many tablets in stores over the years I soon decided that the 8-9inch form factor was one that was most ideal. 7inches was too small and too close to a mobile phone for my liking. Going up 1 inch adds about 25% more screen real estate and this is significant for me. Saying that, I never found a tablet in that size range that was up to standard in terms of tech spec. They always seems over priced, underpowered or were missing an important feature for my liking. The original note phone came out. I loved the idea and benefit that the spen brought to the table but thought it was too small to be useful for any serious input.
On an average day I will carry a camera, my phone, a note pad, my 10 inch tablet and sometimes a sketchbook as well. While I feel the 8.0 is a little overpriced (not alot overpriced like many reviews seem to lable it) the benefit of the spen allows me to ditch the notepad and sketchbook as well as the 10 inch tablet. This is huge for me as although the other items arent heavy, a whole day carrying my bag can start to take its toll on my shoulder.
So. Here I am, about to receive my new tablet this weekend and very excited to do so. I would have bought one sooner, but I was waiting for news of a higher capacity device but according to Samsung Westfield and Samsung Customer Support that is unlikely to arrive anytime soon.
Accessories
Case
I decided to try a cheap case to start me off. Reported issues with magnetized cases on older notes has me spooked (see this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2288809). I liked the idea of the "Hidden Note" (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2254176) but I think its a little overkill for me.
I'm starting off with this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mulbess-Lea...TF8&colid=2SV9ALFBCBWRE&coliid=I21F5LS9DX0EES cheap and cheerful, plus im hoping the slight lip on the bezel it has will help prevent me accidentally triggering the capacitve buttons on the bottom of the tablet while holding it in landscape. Will report back my experience.
Additional Spen
Bought the 8pi pen a few weeks ago once I had decided I wanted a note. I tried it will my girlfriends original note and it felt nice in my hands. I plan on doing a lot of digital art on this device.
microSD card
Due to the small amount of internal storage i decided a large microSD card is a must and will use an app or combination of apps to either move apps or app data onto it to allow me to install more than would otherwise be avialable. Ordered a Scandisk 64GB class 10 card.
Screen Protector.
Currently undecided whether I will use one or not. The case I have should keep the screen protected in transit and I cant see myself doing any damage to it with the sylus.
Car Mount.
As this device has GPS I figure I'll take full advantage and use it as my Satnav (Nav Free) / in car entertainment system.
Mods
Root - A must for me to be able to take advantage of the microSD card
ROM - undecided. waiting to try out touchwiz to see if I like its features and to see what I can disable / uninstall if necesary to boost performance if i find a feature of no benefit (Peel Remote?, Multi-Windows?, spen on pull ou?t, touchdown push?)
Kernel - Will be flashing a custom kernel. I plan on overclocking the CPU slightly but will also be looking to do the same with the GPU as if it is like the S3 it can be pushed a little harder with out upping the voltage.
System Apps
SetCPU - will overclock slightly but also set it to underclock when the battery is getting low and when the screen is off.
FolderMount or link2SD - I dont want to swap the internal and external memory as I plan on still being able to hot swap SD cards if I wish to review some of the photos I've take. I hope that by only moving the app data and not the app itself, I should have no issues doing this.
That will do for now. I better get back to work. Been typing this for a while now. Will talk about about what theming I plan on doing and some of the other apps I intend on using. Wont bother talking about games or anything like that though.
All comments, feedback and suggestions welcome. I've had some great feed back so far on here but would like to have my entire set up in one thread so that people can make advice for me in complete context. Any performace enhancing or battery saving tips appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lautunno said:
I'm not a Note 8 owner yet, waiting for a 32GB 3G version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You may be waiting a while... As I stated in my post, according to both the official store and the online customer service there is no current planned release date for a 32gb model (at least not here in the UK). They say that the demand isnt there (which is a joke in my opinion). Having been told this I decided to go down the "transfer app data to microSD" route.
Honestly, peel is useful to me solely for turning on the television. It's painfully slow to send commands like channel selection to the set.
Multiwindow is very valuable. Comparing things to instructions (ie, have root explorer and a browser open simultaneously to look at files; have a browser and a terminal emulator open simultaneously to read commands in the browser and issue them correctly without swapping between apps.)
I don't know if the multiwindow app in Play supports non-touchwiz roms, but at this point the alternate roms are still touchwiz based, afaik.
Civato has a kernel with underclock, undervolt and overclock support. The recommended app for working with it is trickster, and folks are getting good results.
So far the s-pen handwriting recognition has been disappointing to me. I used some of my 25 dollar Play credit to buy My Script Notes Mobile.
Using it basically requires disabling the use of the GPU for 2d rendering at this time. That's too bad, because doing so does have some impact on overall performance at least in benchmarks. I'm undecided on whether it's also a real issue in use (just learned of the fix last night) and the handwriting recognition is very good.
roustabout said:
So far the s-pen handwriting recognition has been disappointing to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really?
I found the handwriting recognition to be amazing... Perhaps I'm just lucky, but my messy inconsistent poorly formed chicken scratch gets recognised perfectly every time... I was actually surprised because I thought I would have to learn to write carefully and slowly to make use of this feature.
I'm thrilled I can whip out the S Pen and scrawl across the screen at speed and the device just understands... Hell, even I can't make out my letters sometimes.
@herts,
Thanks for liking the Hidden Note 8 concept. I'm designing the 3rd version of it with an integrated micro USB wired 3mm thick keyboard. The TPU protected Note 8 and the keyboard would be housed in a 16mm thick notebook.
Yup, it's overkill but it works for some people. More on that thread one i finish making it.
I've been trying to use Directory Bind so that large data would be on the external card and "ghosted" on to the main device memory when the app is used. Initially it works, but then the links disappear on a restart. This was successful with my Note 2, where the direct-wifi file transfers go directly onto my large capacity micro SD card.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using XDA Premium HD app
Finally got my Note 8.0 last night (a week later than planned) and will add my initial thoughts to the OP.
Basically its that I love the tablet but am a little overwhelmed at the additional features and applications added by Samsung. Need to get comfortable with them and remove those which I dont use. As a fan of efficiency, even if i only get a few extra minutes of battery life or a few extra mb free, ill still get rid of functionality I wont make use of...
FaeMinx said:
Really?
I found the handwriting recognition to be amazing... Perhaps I'm just lucky, but my messy inconsistent poorly formed chicken scratch gets recognised perfectly every time... I was actually surprised because I thought I would have to learn to write carefully and slowly to make use of this feature.
I'm thrilled I can whip out the S Pen and scrawl across the screen at speed and the device just understands... Hell, even I can't make out my letters sometimes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too, unfortunately the default settings aren't necessatily the best.
HasC in the note 10.1 Tips and Tricks thread has a great video on setting up recognition which is applicable for the note 8:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=30747569
Do you find the 8PI accurate? I use another pen and found it okay by two pixels at a perpendicular angle and at a slant is of by as many as five MM.
Sent from my GT-N5110 using XDA Premium HD app
Bonisaur said:
Do you find the 8PI accurate? I use another pen and found it okay by two pixels at a perpendicular angle and at a slant is of by as many as five MM.
Sent from my GT-N5110 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had no issues with it with the initial test sketches I've been doing with it.
I have found I leave the battery saving option in the spen settings on as I am a bit OCD about saving battery. It means I have to pull the supplied spen out a small amount when I want to use the 8pi, but I have no issues in doing this.
I read alot about the pens being slightly off, I even started a thread about it in the Q&A section of this forum, but I'm finding it to be very accurate with this device, even when using it at an angle.
There doesnt seem to be a left handed or right handed option in this tablet which makes me thing that an offset with an older Note may be purposely put there to account for people holding a pen at an angle. What ever orentation I'm using the tablet in, the pointer on the screen seems to be at the tip of the nib, so I am happy.
Added some more comments to the OP about my experience having had the tablet a few days now. added a link to the root tool i used. and a few extra comments on some of the apps i am using.
Some screen shots of my desktop area and settings...
added a but more of my experience having had the tablet a week or 2 now.
My stylus is pretty much perfect. I dont know with the others but mine is fine. Maybe because my hand are not shaky? hahaha.
alicepattinson said:
My stylus is pretty much perfect. I dont know with the others but mine is fine. Maybe because my hand are not shaky? hahaha.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Shaky hands? Are you refering to the person who was complaining about the handwriting recognition? I've had no issues with both the supplied stylus or the 8pi. Both are working fantastically and I preffer the handwriting input to the keyboard when inputting text and even better with the drawing applications I've tried so far.
Added further experience. switched from set CPU to Trickster Mod and included my current settings. Got a new case and few new apps.
Not decided whether I will condence my experience progress into one section with my final result or leave it as it is showing how I came to the conclusions I have...
As in the title, anybody have loads of glue residue on the screen after taking off the screen plastic?
Got mine today and have just spent an hour getting it all off, though there's still residue left. I've never experienced this before on a new phone.
meangreenie said:
As in the title, anybody have loads of glue residue on the screen after taking off the screen plastic?
Got mine today and have just spent an hour getting it all off, though there's still residue left. I've never experienced this before on a new phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sucks. Sounds like it spent some time in a hot environment that made the adhesive gooey. I hope that doesn't happen with mine (when I get one).
benjmiester said:
That sucks. Sounds like it spent some time in a hot environment that made the adhesive gooey. I hope that doesn't happen with mine (when I get one).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, a bit disappointing, it took that new phone feeling away a bit. On the plus side though, now I've played around with the phone, I'm really enjoying it. It's very fast and I've not come across any bugs so far.
meangreenie said:
Yeah, a bit disappointing, it took that new phone feeling away a bit. On the plus side though, now I've played around with the phone, I'm really enjoying it. It's very fast and I've not come across any bugs so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that's no fun. Good news on the rest though. How is the cell signal? That was my big concern with the Axon 7. Actually my current motoXP gets pretty mediocre reception and GPS signal losses too. I heard battery life was just epic. One reviewer got 11 hours of SOT!! I'll be happy if I can even manage half of that with one given the heavy navigation I use daily.
Sent from my XT1575 using XDA-Developers mobile app
benjmiester said:
Yeah, that's no fun. Good news on the rest though. How is the cell signal? That was my big concern with the Axon 7. Actually my current motoXP gets pretty mediocre reception and GPS signal losses too. I heard battery life was just epic. One reviewer got 11 hours of SOT!! I'll be happy if I can even manage half of that with one given the heavy navigation I use daily.
Sent from my XT1575 using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So far no trouble with signal, on EE in the UK, but not gone anywhere atm. I want to test wifi notifications when it's deep sleep, because the max 2 has trouble with that.
No problem with mine. Every thing perfect until now.
I guess mine was one off since no one else reporting it, I've certainly not seen it before. It's almost as the plastic screen protector was re glued on.
meangreenie said:
I guess mine was one off since no one else reporting it, I've certainly not seen it before. It's almost as the plastic screen protector was re glued on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice to hear that you enjoy your new device!
As the specs and the price are really astonishing, I am also thinking about ordering it. For me only one question is left open: does the Le Pro 3 really have a NFC chip (like stated in the specs)?
Could you maybe just shortly try to install any NFC reader app (like https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nxp.taginfolite) and test if it works? (I am a developer working with NFC, so missing NFC would be a deal-breaker for me.)
Many thanks in advance!
androcheck said:
Nice to hear that you enjoy your new device!
As the specs and the price are really astonishing, I am also thinking about ordering it. For me only one question is left open: does the Le Pro 3 really have a NFC chip (like stated in the specs)?
Could you maybe just shortly try to install any NFC reader app (like https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nxp.taginfolite) and test if it works? (I am a developer working with NFC, so missing NFC would be a deal-breaker for me.)
Many thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good morning. I have installed that app in my phone. It sais to turn my NFC. I did It and now It opens but i have no idea how to use It or work. If only was to open the app, yes It opens.
Yes NFC seems to work, I shared a web page with another phone.
sytayeth said:
Good morning. I have installed that app in my phone. It sais to turn my NFC. I did It and now It opens but i have no idea how to use It or work. If only was to open the app, yes It opens.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
meangreenie said:
Yes NFC seems to work, I shared a web page with another phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks to both of you!
@sytayeth: using the Taginfo app you just installed you can try to read any NFC capable smartcards (for example: tap'n'pay banking cards, or wireless access cards, etc.). Just take any NFC card and hold it to the back of your phone while the app is opened. Also if you have 2 NFC capable Android phones you can send the content displayed on one device to the other, just by holding them close to each other (back to back).
"NFC" stands for near field communication and is a wireless standard for small distances, usually only a few centimeters.
Btw, is there anywhere any ROM for this phone available for download? I would like to unpack it and check which NFC drivers it uses (to find out which NFC chipset they use).
[update]
I already found 2 download links to two different ROMs here on XDA (and looked into them):
Chinese/English Stock ROM
A shop ROM apparently packed by grossoshop.net (according to the link-URL and the included bootscreen)
[/update]
Coming from an LG G Flex 2 (hailed a failure amongst devs for the device, but mine ran stable and smoothly all the time just by following the stickies here; IMO original G Flex showed so much potential ). Running global 6.12.8, with some xposed tweaks. I haven't touched a thing since I got that setup. I run the device continuously, with no reboots, and its respectably stable at any given moment. Let me know I'm missing out on anything huge by letting the weeklies go by.
The screen size upgrade was much appreciated - I have big hands, I can Swype reasonably fast using the thumb of the hand I'm holding the phone with. Heft and size plus added reach make two hand usage more comfortable, nonetheless.
Screen itself is absolutely stunning (and tbh, I've never really qualitatively observed any quality problems with 1080p on mobile devices); colors are brilliant.
TLDR: The display is enjoyable to look at
No need for a stylus here. I once rocked an iPad mini as a full fledged phone using GV voice (when it was so simple), and had a stylus for that. Carried that for a while during undergrad. Never cared for styluses since.
Phone camera does what phone cameras do. I'm no expert in cameras (well kinda - Optics PhD student), so I choose not to count too much on the numbers/specs provided. I get good shots that contain all of the information necessary in a phone camera image.
I cheated a bit. I use Nova Launcher. Have settings locked down to a science since LG launcher fail in the original Flex.
No complaints. Everything is quick and fluid. I also have a neat trick that enables knock ON/OFF, so the phone behaves itself and gets locked (one way or another).
The softkeys and accessibility button provide more than enough shortcuts to do whatever you need to do is. Fingerprint sensor is right where it should be, and recognizes my fingers at any given time.
I have a Google voice number, so I switched my default dialer and incoming call receiver to Hangouts dialer. NO COMPLAINTS. I used the regular phone app to make calls plenty before I realized I wasn't actually dialing out through GV (MIUI issue, afaik). VOIP sounds better through the phone's screenspeaker than does a traditional voice call. My carrier tallies my data usage to a ridiculously low number every month, so I don't think VOIP phone causes trouble.
Battery life is a must for me. I'm OCD perfect with battery management of my devices, but I need to know I can take my phone to work every day a and use it for lots of real stuff and/or leisure. 8-9 hours of work a day sets me back to the realm of ~65% battery life. I could come home and play nintendo DS on 400% speed for hours on that kind of juice. 4400 mAh was a major selling point for me, and that's paid off.
Speaker quality is surprisingly good for what the speakers look like sitting there at the bottom.
Once you've rooted and used Lucky Patcher to block ads, you've got one smooth, slick, stone to carry around that will not fail you; cavemen would be very jealous.
Concerns:
Dropping. The case provided makes for a really nice grip. I have never once almost dropped the phone. It's slid out of my pocket once, but short fall = no damage.
Features I miss:
IR blaster. I love them. They make owning entertainment centers even lazier.
Not much else.
Thanks for your impressions. I ordered mine from Light in the Box two weeks ago, and am (im)patiently awaiting.
Quick question on MIUI; I started with Samsung phones, then had a Nexus 6, so full Android all the way. Do you feel like there's a learning curve, getting around MIUI? I love tech, but don't like change too much; I'd love to get this phone working as close to AOSP as possible.
jeromekobriger said:
Thanks for your impressions. I ordered mine from Light in the Box two weeks ago, and am (im)patiently awaiting.
Quick question on MIUI; I started with Samsung phones, then had a Nexus 6, so full Android all the way. Do you feel like there's a learning curve, getting around MIUI? I love tech, but don't like change too much; I'd love to get this phone working as close to AOSP as possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kinda why I opted for a Launcher I was familiar with (it's MIUI themed though, so I get points for trying). I've never found there to be more of a different learning curve from one Android device to another. You figure out what your device can and can't do, you set up your shortcuts, gestures, other personal accessibility options, and then you use it. When you find something about it you don't like, you fix it.
I could give you an enormous list of XPosed tweaks and small things here and there that I've changed, but that might not do you any good because it's personalized to me.
Good to know, thanks. I haven't played around with MIUI yet, so wasn't sure just how different it might be. Xposed on the other hand; that was my bread and butter on my Note 3 and Nexus. That'll go a long ways.
Thanks!
No calls on Verizon.
I have date and text working, no voice calls going thru. Have updated the apn as per the site here. What am I missing. Would appreciate any help.
Thank you.
bigcc32 said:
Coming from an LG G Flex 2 (hailed a failure amongst devs for the device, but mine ran stable and smoothly all the time just by following the stickies here; IMO original G Flex showed so much potential ). Running global 6.12.8, with some xposed tweaks. I haven't touched a thing since I got that setup. I run the device continuously, with no reboots, and its respectably stable at any given moment. Let me know I'm missing out on anything huge by letting the weeklies go by.
The screen size upgrade was much appreciated - I have big hands, I can Swype reasonably fast using the thumb of the hand I'm holding the phone with. Heft and size plus added reach make two hand usage more comfortable, nonetheless.
Screen itself is absolutely stunning (and tbh, I've never really qualitatively observed any quality problems with 1080p on mobile devices); colors are brilliant.
TLDR: The display is enjoyable to look at
No need for a stylus here. I once rocked an iPad mini as a full fledged phone using GV voice (when it was so simple), and had a stylus for that. Carried that for a while during undergrad. Never cared for styluses since.
Phone camera does what phone cameras do. I'm no expert in cameras (well kinda - Optics PhD student), so I choose not to count too much on the numbers/specs provided. I get good shots that contain all of the information necessary in a phone camera image.
I cheated a bit. I use Nova Launcher. Have settings locked down to a science since LG launcher fail in the original Flex.
No complaints. Everything is quick and fluid. I also have a neat trick that enables knock ON/OFF, so the phone behaves itself and gets locked (one way or another).
The softkeys and accessibility button provide more than enough shortcuts to do whatever you need to do is. Fingerprint sensor is right where it should be, and recognizes my fingers at any given time.
I have a Google voice number, so I switched my default dialer and incoming call receiver to Hangouts dialer. NO COMPLAINTS. I used the regular phone app to make calls plenty before I realized I wasn't actually dialing out through GV (MIUI issue, afaik). VOIP sounds better through the phone's screenspeaker than does a traditional voice call. My carrier tallies my data usage to a ridiculously low number every month, so I don't think VOIP phone causes trouble.
Battery life is a must for me. I'm OCD perfect with battery management of my devices, but I need to know I can take my phone to work every day a and use it for lots of real stuff and/or leisure. 8-9 hours of work a day sets me back to the realm of ~65% battery life. I could come home and play nintendo DS on 400% speed for hours on that kind of juice. 4400 mAh was a major selling point for me, and that's paid off.
Speaker quality is surprisingly good for what the speakers look like sitting there at the bottom.
Once you've rooted and used Lucky Patcher to block ads, you've got one smooth, slick, stone to carry around that will not fail you; cavemen would be very jealous.
Concerns:
Dropping. The case provided makes for a really nice grip. I have never once almost dropped the phone. It's slid out of my pocket once, but short fall = no damage.
Features I miss:
IR blaster. I love them. They make owning entertainment centers even lazier.
Not much else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pointmanipo said:
I have date and text working, no voice calls going thru. Have updated the apn as per the site here. What am I missing. Would appreciate any help.
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately I've never messed with CDMA networks (Verizon is still considered CDMA, right?); my cell service has always been GSM based.
I use Hangouts to handle all of my phone calls now, mainly because I did have a few issues getting Google Voice to play nice with MIUI, so I'm probably not the right person to ask. I'd suggest making a new thread - increasing your chances of getting the answer you're looking for (it is a legitimate issue, so it's worthy of a new thread).
bigcc32 said:
Unfortunately I've never messed with CDMA networks (Verizon is still considered CDMA, right?); my cell service has always been GSM based.
I use Hangouts to handle all of my phone calls now, mainly because I did have a few issues getting Google Voice to play nice with MIUI, so I'm probably not the right person to ask. I'd suggest making a new thread - increasing your chances of getting the answer you're looking for (it is a legitimate issue, so it's worthy of a new thread).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes thank you for your reply.
Love mine as a daily driver too, have had it since January or so. Got a transparent tpu case for grip and off i went. I have everything working data wise and software wise, even got my Samsung gear s2 to sync up and run well.
Nicolfa said:
Love mine as a daily driver too, have had it since January or so. Got a transparent tpu case for grip and off i went. I have everything working data wise and software wise, even got my Samsung gear s2 to sync up and run well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many have reported that due to the case, the piezoelectric speaker doesnt work as intended giving a very low volume during calls, could you comment on your experience while making or receiving calls with ur tpu case on? is it that low? or perhaps you dont notice cos use earphones or bluetooth earphones??
Please if you could be detailed it would be much appreciated.
Calls and volume have been fine as long as your holding the headset like a phone and not at odd angles or other methods I've seen people do when talking on the a cell phone.
mp3elv said:
Many have reported that due to the case, the piezoelectric speaker doesnt work as intended giving a very low volume during calls, could you comment on your experience while making or receiving calls with ur tpu case on? is it that low? or perhaps you dont notice cos use earphones or bluetooth earphones??
Please if you could be detailed it would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, I use hangouts for all my voice calls, and it seems as though Hangouts has a significant volume boost over the standard phone app.
bigcc32 said:
Again, I use hangouts for all my voice calls, and it seems as though Hangouts has a significant volume boost over the standard phone app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do u use a case on your phone? a tempered glass? or just naked, it seems these addons affect the sound from the piezoelectric device
mp3elv said:
Many have reported that due to the case, the piezoelectric speaker doesnt work as intended giving a very low volume during calls, could you comment on your experience while making or receiving calls with ur tpu case on? is it that low? or perhaps you dont notice cos use earphones or bluetooth earphones??
Please if you could be detailed it would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mp3elv said:
do u use a case on your phone? a tempered glass? or just naked, it seems these addons affect the sound from the piezoelectric device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got a tempered glass screen protector on right now. I haven't noticed any degradation of call quality.
Had mine since november and absolutely LOVE it. I have treated it so carefully, and yet I managed to bring it out with me while partying saturday. Got drunk which I rarely do these days and smashed it in the pavement. I immediately ordered another one. It simply cannot get here soon enough.
I have been using my Mix as a daily driver for a month now running Epic ROM. Glass screen protector and case and no problem with quality of sound. Probably the best phone I have ever used(been using Nexus 6, OPO and OP2 before). When I will miss stock Android I will flash RR or Lineage OS. But for the time I like something different and EPIC Rom (MIUI ) is good for a change.
benziii said:
Had mine since november and absolutely LOVE it. I have treated it so carefully, and yet I managed to bring it out with me while partying saturday. Got drunk which I rarely do these days and smashed it in the pavement. I immediately ordered another one. It simply cannot get here soon enough.
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Sorry to hear about that.
Are you getting a better price this time?
IDK what you paid previously,but, I'd imagine pricing is a little bit better than when it first became available.....
Sent from my Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 using XDA Labs
KOLIOSIS said:
Sorry to hear about that.
Are you getting a better price this time?
IDK what you paid previously,but, I'd imagine pricing is a little bit better than when it first became available.....
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Paid 780$ last time (4/128). This time around 620$ (6/256). Could probably look around for an even better offer, but I was still buzzed and freakin out hehe.
Got mine today (6/256);
I need to agree with 1 simple fact; pictures & videos are not able to do this device justice. I can safely say that this is THE most premium (excluding the likes of Vertu) device I held.
Amazing. (but slippery AF).
I just finished setting it up with my apps & will report usage after a while.
All in all, apps run super smooth.
The only issue I encountered till now, is the slow transfer speed via USB. I get 2x-3x higher speeds on the same PC with my other devices.
I need to isolate the issue - whether it's the cable, or the handset itself.
#EDIT 2017-05-05
- Still need to underline how slippery it is ;]
- call volume is quite low, even on the highest settings
- the USB cable is thin, so I am expecting needing to buy a replacement after a short time
It has rendered my laptop as useless, haven't turned it on since owning the mix just don't need it with this screen size.