Database Users

Opinion on the new Nexus 7 hardware design?

Looking at the best buy page and unboxing video that have leaked, it seems like it is a much more landscape-oriented device. The Nexus logo is meant to be read in landscape, and the speakers are placed to be left and right speakers in Landscape mode. Looks much better as a video viewing device. Both the front and rear facing cameras are on a corner, rather than centered, so it looks like regardless of orientation, won't be blocked by the users hands (as someone who hated when Skype went landscape-only on the original N7, a welcome change) and it seems to have a notification light, positioned not for landscape, but portrait - the mode you'll most likely use it in for social networking apps such as Facebook.
I loved my original N7 but not the hardware layout. Seemed pretty crappy. This new one seems to change that. Any opinions?

If this means the OS is going to become more landscape oriented that's cool I guess. Otherwise meh
Just from the looks of it, I was actually wondering if the back would be as secure as the v1 dimpled back

Doesn't wow me to warrant a upgrade..
But planning to get the next nexus for my old man, his phone is more than 4 years old..
Beamed from my Maguro.

I like it a lot. It's a clean and very understated device. The top/bottom bezels are a little large and I wish they'd embedded front-facing speakers into them, but I think it'll be fine in practice.

I still think its a portrait device....even with everything google did to make it landscape (demo'd in landscape, "nexus" in landscape)
the back is really nice...very grippy
its narrower by quite a bit which makes it easier to hole
top/bottom bezels are a little too big IMO, but i assume they are like that because of the speakers, LED, and camera...so I'm OK with that.
the device flies, the screen is fantastic, the speakers are better than previous gen, camera is meh. I'm just in awe with this thing right now. and build quality seems to have imporved greatly...its awesome looking/feeling.

Can you make Phone calls with the nexus 7 LTE?
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

not with a stock phone dialer, but yes you can make phone calls.i love the new design, its way lighter, thinner, skinnier, sleeker. it is beautiful and feels great in the palm of my hands. the back feels great and sits nice in one hand or two. so glad i sold my old n7 last week awaiting the release of this one. worked out great

If you use tablet talk you can make calls
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

turdbogls said:
top/bottom bezels are a little too big IMO, but i assume they are like that because of the speakers, LED, and camera...so I'm OK with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rirere said:
The top/bottom bezels are a little large and I wish they'd embedded front-facing speakers into them, but I think it'll be fine in practice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree the top/bottom bezels look large, but actually they are exactly the same size relative the screen that they were on original Nexus 7. The only difference on the new one is the side bezels are smaller, making the device narrower overall and having a higher aspect ratio. The screen size and height are identical to first one (actually like 1% bigger).

The111 said:
I agree the top/bottom bezels look large, but actually they are exactly the same size relative the screen that they were on original Nexus 7. The only difference on the new one is the side bezels are smaller, making the device narrower overall and having a higher aspect ratio. The screen size and height are identical to first one (actually like 1% bigger).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm well aware-- it's not new news. But the thing is that as the device shrinks, previously "normal" components are easily capable of becoming "large". It's like saying that having the wheels from a real car on a toy model are the same size-- it doesn't preclude them from being "large." But it's definitely not enough of an issue to keep me from looking forward to my preorder coming in now.

The edge isn't quite flush on the screen, that bothered Me. It being more narrow sucks too, the buttons are more flush but harder to press. The back is nice and slick, they should have sent aluminum, the placement of front camera sucks! Screen is beautiful,

mrazndead said:
The edge isn't quite flush on the screen, that bothered Me. It being more narrow sucks too, the buttons are more flush but harder to press. The back is nice and slick, they should have sent aluminum, the placement of front camera sucks! Screen is beautiful,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would have increased the cost making it more expensive.

There are lot of subtle improvements over the older nexus that I'm really liking. The top one for me is that the width has slimmed down just enough for me to get a firm / non tiring grip of the on the short side. This makes for much easier one handed reading. Also like the lighter and thinner design. Dual speakers is much improved over the original where at times I could barely hear anything even with full volume. The only thing that is not so evident to me is the higher resolution screen. I really haven't found the right app to make the new screen shine. Of course everything is sharp due to the higher dpi.

sfsilicon said:
The top one for me is that the width has slimmed down just enough for me to get a firm / non tiring grip of the on the short side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never held or even seen a first gen Nexus 7, but I agree this one is just small enough to hold one handed. If I had smaller hands it might be a problem though. Still, it's perfect like this for me, and it's funny since so many people freaked out about the narrower side bezel being "ugly." Function > fashion. :laugh:

Loose/misaligned home button?

Anyone else have a slightly loose home button? Mine is only very slightly loose but it regularly looks misaligned. I think the problem is the cut out for the button is actually a little bigger on one side so there is room for it to wiggle up and down. I can tell this because of the lines across the bezel. I don't think it is enough of a problem to return it on warranty so it will probably slowly drive me mad over the next few months. I'll take a picture later to try and show it.

cathain said:
Anyone else have a slightly loose home button? Mine is only very slightly loose but it regularly looks misaligned. I think the problem is the cut out for the button is actually a little bigger on one side so there is room for it to wiggle up and down. I can tell this because of the lines across the bezel. I don't think it is enough of a problem to return it on warranty so it will probably slowly drive me mad over the next few months. I'll take a picture later to try and show it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, it isn't loose at all on my phone. You should try and change it - after all you payed a lot of money for this phone.

pedmond said:
Nope, it isn't loose at all on my phone. You should try and change it - after all you payed a lot of money for this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems to be the same problem the Note 3 had. From reading that it seems there might not be much point point sending it back as users who did got the phone back and it still had the issue. Might see about swapping it for a new unit with the retailer I bought from

Here is a couple of pics, it was really hard to get it to focus for some reason despite me having a good camera? But you can see it is crooked with the left side higher than the right, you can even see the small gap along the top of the button towards the right side in the pic where the screen is on.

Mine has a distinctive click sound when i press it and takes a bit more force over the note 2

re: loose button on note 4
Yeah mines slighly loose too. I checked out two other ones in seperate stores and they all seem to have minor play in their home buttons. I even compared it to the note 3 they also had on display and it felt identical. It looks to me like its a common "feature" for the note series. Looking at the disassembly videos on youtube shows that the button isnt really adheared to anythingand iis simply pinched between the frame and glass. With that knowledge, its easy to understand why the button has some play in it without worrying too much about it. Even if you swap it for another one, its gonna be the same with maybe a slight difference in tolerences but overal it will be loose sooner or later. Same story goes for the power and volume buttons.
As for me however, ive got this is issue with the oleophobic coating right under the home button which according to Videotron in Montreal Canada, Isn't covered by warranty even if the phone is only a week old!! For some reason the oleophobic coating is missing under my home button which leaves a bunch of fingerprints just under it. Its a pain to look at especially since its freaken brand new and shouldn't have this happening so early on. But so far Videotron has NOT honored any kind of replacement warranty to me and informed that so long as it doesn't hinder the usability of the device, its wont be covered. I think Thats the lamest after sale service Ive hade to date and can't believe that they don't stand behind their products.

colapticus0983 said:
Yeah mines slighly loose too. I checked out two other ones in seperate stores and they all seem to have minor play in their home buttons. I even compared it to the note 3 they also had on display and it felt identical. It looks to me like its a common "feature" for the note series. Looking at the disassembly videos on youtube shows that the button isnt really adheared to anythingand iis simply pinched between the frame and glass. With that knowledge, its easy to understand why the button has some play in it without worrying too much about it. Even if you swap it for another one, its gonna be the same with maybe a slight difference in tolerences but overal it will be loose sooner or later. Same story goes for the power and volume buttons.
As for me however, ive got this is issue with the oleophobic coating right under the home button which according to Videotron in Montreal Canada, Isn't covered by warranty even if the phone is only a week old!! For some reason the oleophobic coating is missing under my home button which leaves a bunch of fingerprints just under it. Its a pain to look at especially since its freaken brand new and shouldn't have this happening so early on. But so far Videotron has NOT honored any kind of replacement warranty to me and informed that so long as it doesn't hinder the usability of the device, its wont be covered. I think Thats the lamest after sale service Ive hade to date and can't believe that they don't stand behind their products.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I think you're right. The little bit of play I don't mind but it seems the resting position for the button on my phone is always slightly crooked. Nobody else even notices it until I point it out to them. I've emailed Samsung to see what they say but I think I'm just resigned to living with it.
Thats crap about you oleophobic coating, I find with new phones it wears off after a few months anyway so eventually the whole front will be a fingerprint magnet!

Here's some pics of the oleophobic coating defect I was describing from my previos post.

Exchanged my Note 4 for a new one and it is much better, hardly any play in the button. Maybe I'm overanalysing it but it still looks ever so slightly crooked, I can live with it though.

cathain said:
Exchanged my Note 4 for a new one and it is much better, hardly any play in the button. Maybe I'm overanalysing it but it still looks ever so slightly crooked, I can live with it though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I need to do this.. Mine has become a loud, creaky mess when it was originally just fine.

cathain said:
Exchanged my Note 4 for a new one and it is much better, hardly any play in the button. Maybe I'm overanalysing it but it still looks ever so slightly crooked, I can live with it though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how much play is there now, compared to before? my note edge has a similar "problem". not really a big deal for me personally,
but it's kind of annoying. it's not very noticeable though, i have to look real close to even see any crookedness.
i can barely notice that my home button ever so slightly moves if i push it with my fingernail, but it's not like it's loose or anything.
i guess this is just the way it's supposed to be. working as intended and all that.
still wish the home button would be like the one on my note II. not jiggly, and nearly no clicking sound.

Every Galaxy devices I've come across, whether in the stores or personally speaking, have a misaligned home button, looks more prominent on one side compared to the other. Unfortunately, shows Samsung's innovation. I've been through over a dozen Note 4's, the AT&T variants had an extremely loose feel, whereas the T-Mobile variant is just about right.
cathain said:
It seems to be the same problem the Note 3 had. From reading that it seems there might not be much point point sending it back as users who did got the phone back and it still had the issue. Might see about swapping it for a new unit with the retailer I bought from
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Judging by the pictures, looks normal to me, based on Samsung's manufacturing standards if you ask me.
cathain said:
Here is a couple of pics, it was really hard to get it to focus for some reason despite me having a good camera? But you can see it is crooked with the left side higher than the right, you can even see the small gap along the top of the button towards the right side in the pic where the screen is on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Shouldn't require too much force. The click shouldn't be too loud and tacky, the sound be soft.
equlizer said:
Mine has a distinctive click sound when i press it and takes a bit more force over the note 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When going through the return and exchange process for the Note 4's, each home button had its distinctive feel, some felt squishy on the left side with a significant gap between the right side and display. One home button even had a noticeable scratch on the aluminium part of the button.
Regarding the Oleophobic coating, its advised to never clean the display with water or oily hands. Install a screen protector from day one. 70% isopropyl alcohol is the way to go.
colapticus0983 said:
Yeah mines slighly loose too. I checked out two other ones in seperate stores and they all seem to have minor play in their home buttons. I even compared it to the note 3 they also had on display and it felt identical. It looks to me like its a common "feature" for the note series. Looking at the disassembly videos on youtube shows that the button isnt really adheared to anythingand iis simply pinched between the frame and glass. With that knowledge, its easy to understand why the button has some play in it without worrying too much about it. Even if you swap it for another one, its gonna be the same with maybe a slight difference in tolerences but overal it will be loose sooner or later. Same story goes for the power and volume buttons.
As for me however, ive got this is issue with the oleophobic coating right under the home button which according to Videotron in Montreal Canada, Isn't covered by warranty even if the phone is only a week old!! For some reason the oleophobic coating is missing under my home button which leaves a bunch of fingerprints just under it. Its a pain to look at especially since its freaken brand new and shouldn't have this happening so early on. But so far Videotron has NOT honored any kind of replacement warranty to me and informed that so long as it doesn't hinder the usability of the device, its wont be covered. I think Thats the lamest after sale service Ive hade to date and can't believe that they don't stand behind their products.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you press hard enough you can actually re-position and resettle the button more to the right to fill that gap you were referring to. I've felt buttons in the which which felt like something protruding through the middle as I move my index finger from left to right (edge-to-edge) on the home button.
cathain said:
Yeah I think you're right. The little bit of play I don't mind but it seems the resting position for the button on my phone is always slightly crooked. Nobody else even notices it until I point it out to them. I've emailed Samsung to see what they say but I think I'm just resigned to living with it.
Thats crap about you oleophobic coating, I find with new phones it wears off after a few months anyway so eventually the whole front will be a fingerprint magnet!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will look slightly crooked to you because Samsung never added adequate cushioning to keep the button centered. Overtime, the button will settle itself. Some Note 4's, even as seen in previous Galaxy phone, have light from the capacitative phones leaking between the gap of the home button and capacitative buttons; best seen in dark-room settings.
cathain said:
Exchanged my Note 4 for a new one and it is much better, hardly any play in the button. Maybe I'm overanalysing it but it still looks ever so slightly crooked, I can live with it though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Over time, the home button wears off a bit. Every Galaxy device I've owned, I've always added a piece of scotch tape on the home button to not mess up with the alignment, etc. Everytime it came to reselling the device, the home button would feel as new to the subsequent owner as it did to me.
ateld said:
I need to do this.. Mine has become a loud, creaky mess when it was originally just fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
---------- Post added at 04:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:49 PM ----------
Its definitely the way its supposed to be. Some home buttons will even appear flushed / recessed whereas some will even looked elevated sticking out from the display. Samsung doesn't take this into account in their QC process, because they add the minimum adhesive to make the plastic home button work. If they had changed their materials and design a bit, would have made a dramatic difference; but they didn't since the Galaxy S2 days.
niqen said:
how much play is there now, compared to before? my note edge has a similar "problem". not really a big deal for me personally,
but it's kind of annoying. it's not very noticeable though, i have to look real close to even see any crookedness.
i can barely notice that my home button ever so slightly moves if i push it with my fingernail, but it's not like it's loose or anything.
i guess this is just the way it's supposed to be. working as intended and all that.
still wish the home button would be like the one on my note II. not jiggly, and nearly no clicking sound.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To say the issue doesn't exist, doesn't mean you're wrong, its just how far your eyes can see. The majority paid over $700 for a device which is suppose to compete with the inferior iPhone. Samsung had to make some compromise somewhere. Samsung believes and priorities in profits and margins, manufactures virtually everything in the IT Sector, and doesn't have the caliber to keep a quality control basis or invest in the amount of innovation compared to Apple; however the INTERNAL technology in Samsung's phones will always be superior, because they innovate and design them, from SoC's to Display technology ; Apples priorities their development based on innovation, patents, and EXTERNAL design more over their profits and margins, their most recent report is mere coincidence.

great answer there man, thanks :good:
just something we have to live with then
overall, i'm very satisfied with my note edge. but with such an expensive and high-end device it's easy to get
caught up in the details, such as this very very minor flaw found in the home button alignment.
like i stated earlier, mine isn't really that crooked, but it's just obvious enough to take note of it. about 0.5 mm difference between the right and
the left side of the button i would say. it's literally almost nothing at all, but for the "trained eye" it might cause some headache.
i suppose the only thing to do about this is to accept things the way they are.
hey, my home button works. that's the most important thing. it's not loose by any means.
i actually paid about 8000 norwegian krones for my phone (1000 us dollars) for this phone, off contract.
it's expensive. this is also probably why i'm very aware of any possible "defect" or "fault" to the device.
great phone though. no regrets :good::good: :cyclops:

I'll quote you, for the "trained eye" it might cause some headache.
There are other faults in the display as well, which we can blame AMOLED technology on.
Its not good to know too much. :silly:
I'm glad my ownership with this device is pretty much a lease with T-Mobile. Once I reach $375 in payments, I'll be off to the Galaxy S6 or Note 5, whichever suits me first.
niqen said:
great answer there man, thanks :good:
just something we have to live with then
overall, i'm very satisfied with my note edge. but with such an expensive and high-end device it's easy to get
caught up in the details, such as this very very minor flaw found in the home button alignment.
like i stated earlier, mine isn't really that crooked, but it's just obvious enough to take note of it. about 0.5 mm difference between the right and
the left side of the button i would say. it's literally almost nothing at all, but for the "trained eye" it might cause some headache.
i suppose the only thing to do about this is to accept things the way they are.
hey, my home button works. that's the most important thing. it's not loose by any means.
i actually paid about 8000 norwegian krones for my phone (1000 us dollars) for this phone, off contract.
it's expensive. this is also probably why i'm very aware of any possible "defect" or "fault" to the device.
great phone though. no regrets :good::good: :cyclops:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

arjun90 said:
I'll quote you, for the "trained eye" it might cause some headache.
There are other faults in the display as well, which we can blame AMOLED technology on.
Its not good to know too much. :silly:
I'm glad my ownership with this device is pretty much a lease with T-Mobile. Once I reach $375 in payments, I'll be off to the Galaxy S6 or Note 5, whichever suits me first.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't know exactly what you are referring to when you say faults in the display, but as far as i know i haven't noticed
much to report, except for some weird and very light tendencies of "shadow artifacts" to the left of the app icons
on my edge display. this is only something i barely was able to see if i scrolled up and down through the edge display.
the app icons caused some darkened areas on the left side of the edge display, but this is hard to depict and
probably just me seeing things. if i covered the edge display with a piece of paper the effect was no longer to be seen.
if i removed the paper, the "shadows" were still there. (only covered the app icons, and by doing this the shadows disappeared while scrolling).
we could go on like this for ages though, there will always be something.. :laugh:
i'm also keen on getting my hands on either the note 5 / note edge II (?) or the S6. the note edge is by all means a fantastic device,
and i'll stick to it until i feel the urge to move on. S6 / S6 edge = just around the corner :good:

Yep, the display issues are less visible on the Note Edge thanks to the curved area which tends to mask the tint effect. The shadowing is as a result of the Pentile Matrix used on the display, not a true RGB panel. However, close-enough. Samsung is a funny company nowadays, sometimes releases phones with AMOLED sRGB panels and sometimes Pentile. The best display to date was on the Note 2. I don't know why I was so keen on selling that beast.
niqen said:
don't know exactly what you are referring to when you say faults in the display, but as far as i know i haven't noticed
much to report, except for some weird and very light tendencies of "shadow artifacts" to the left of the app icons
on my edge display. this is only something i barely was able to see if i scrolled up and down through the edge display.
the app icons caused some darkened areas on the left side of the edge display, but this is hard to depict and
probably just me seeing things. if i covered the edge display with a piece of paper the effect was no longer to be seen.
if i removed the paper, the "shadows" were still there. (only covered the app icons, and by doing this the shadows disappeared while scrolling).
we could go on like this for ages though, there will always be something.. :laugh:
i'm also keen on getting my hands on either the note 5 / note edge II (?) or the S6. the note edge is by all means a fantastic device,
and i'll stick to it until i feel the urge to move on. S6 / S6 edge = just around the corner :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

arjun90 said:
Yep, the display issues are less visible on the Note Edge thanks to the curved area which tends to mask the tint effect. The shadowing is as a result of the Pentile Matrix used on the display, not a true RGB panel. However, close-enough. Samsung is a funny company nowadays, sometimes releases phones with AMOLED sRGB panels and sometimes Pentile. The best display to date was on the Note 2. I don't know why I was so keen on selling that beast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hehe, i must agree with you there, note II has a great display. still got mine right here.
it will probably be sold on though, i'm a student and i can't really afford having multiple phones right now. :silly:
you seem to know your way around these phones, i'm more of a novice in terms of the technical stuff i'm afraid
are you familiar with the "shadowing" on the note edge? i've asked around, but so far people have told me i'm seeing things
that aren't there. quite a nut though, that these shadows seen to the left of my app icons disappear if i cover my edge display
while scrolling it. the shadows appear to the far right of my main display, right next to the edge. funny how i cannot see them
if i cover the edge display itself, but hey, i'm a novice.. and until today i thought my eyes were only playing tricks on me
i'll be quite interested to see what kind of display samsung will use on their coming flagship phones.
fingers crossed the home buttons will be a tad better, but let's not get too optimistic :laugh:

The shadow you are are talking about is an anomaly as a result of Samsung's manufacturing of the curved screen. Not all the screens are curved equally. In each and every screen has a slight variation as seen in the regular Note 4 as well. Samsung has gone to far. They can't maintain consistent quality control. There's a thread in the accessories section of the forum for the Note 4, and many are reporting how substandard the screens are in terms of equal curvature on both sides. I'm very sure the same principle applies to edge, where on Note Edge might have a greater degree of curvature compared to another Note Edge Unit. This is why I didn't purchase the Edge this time around. It always takes eons for Samsung to understand what we all are facing with their products. It took them four years to correct the black color in their AMOLED screens, 5 years to figure out a metal frame was more viable than plastic frame, and the list goes on. Sam-sung needs to start listening to their customers if they want to regain trust, business, and move beyond the competition.
niqen said:
hehe, i must agree with you there, note II has a great display. still got mine right here.
it will probably be sold on though, i'm a student and i can't really afford having multiple phones right now. :silly:
you seem to know your way around these phones, i'm more of a novice in terms of the technical stuff i'm afraid
are you familiar with the "shadowing" on the note edge? i've asked around, but so far people have told me i'm seeing things
that aren't there. quite a nut though, that these shadows seen to the left of my app icons disappear if i cover my edge display
while scrolling it. the shadows appear to the far right of my main display, right next to the edge. funny how i cannot see them
if i cover the edge display itself, but hey, i'm a novice.. and until today i thought my eyes were only playing tricks on me
i'll be quite interested to see what kind of display samsung will use on their coming flagship phones.
fingers crossed the home buttons will be a tad better, but let's not get too optimistic :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

arjun90 said:
The shadow you are are talking about is an anomaly as a result of Samsung's manufacturing of the curved screen. Not all the screens are curved equally. In each and every screen has a slight variation as seen in the regular Note 4 as well. Samsung has gone to far. They can't maintain consistent quality control. There's a thread in the accessories section of the forum for the Note 4, and many are reporting how substandard the screens are in terms of equal curvature on both sides. I'm very sure the same principle applies to edge, where on Note Edge might have a greater degree of curvature compared to another Note Edge Unit. This is why I didn't purchase the Edge this time around. It always takes eons for Samsung to understand what we all are facing with their products. It took them four years to correct the black color in their AMOLED screens, 5 years to figure out a metal frame was more viable than plastic frame, and the list goes on. Sam-sung needs to start listening to their customers if they want to regain trust, business, and move beyond the competition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
very true my friend. and yes, the edge is a new concept, at least in this format. S6 will also be available with a curved screen they say.
quite interested in seeing what changes they've made, if any, and how the display acts accordingly.
all these minor issues is evidently a biproduct of innovation. truthfully i must admit i'm quite impressed samsung
has the balls to step up their game and try out new things, even though this edge concept might still be in its early stages
of development, and there are many things that could be improved. i hope they'll find a way to polish things correctly. if they do,
this might be a potential game changer. we'll find out, sooner or later :good:
despite the anomalies that may occur (or do occur) i find the edge to be very useful. it really adds the edge (quite literally) to the functionality of
the note, which has been superb thus far, at least in most cases. last note i had (and still have) is the note II though.. two generations apart, and
several differences big enough to make these phones very alike in their own ways. all respect to the note II though.. quite the champ!

I would have opted for the Note Edge had case manufacturers stepped up their game in manufacturing cases for this gem. Also, I was a bit disgruntled when Samsung chose to go with a plastic frame instead of metal for the Note Edge. Hopefully the S6 and subsequent generation of Galaxy phones will all be streamlined into one manufacturing standard.
niqen said:
very true my friend. and yes, the edge is a new concept, at least in this format. S6 will also be available with a curved screen they say.
quite interested in seeing what changes they've made, if any, and how the display acts accordingly.
all these minor issues is evidently a biproduct of innovation. truthfully i must admit i'm quite impressed samsung
has the balls to step up their game and try out new things, even though this edge concept might still be in its early stages
of development, and there are many things that could be improved. i hope they'll find a way to polish things correctly. if they do,
this might be a potential game changer. we'll find out, sooner or later :good:
despite the anomalies that may occur (or do occur) i find the edge to be very useful. it really adds the edge (quite literally) to the functionality of
the note, which has been superb thus far, at least in most cases. last note i had (and still have) is the note II though.. two generations apart, and
several differences big enough to make these phones very alike in their own ways. all respect to the note II though.. quite the champ!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

HTC One (M9) Build Quality/Hardware - your findings

Since the M9 is starting to become available on several markets, it could be interesting to compare the quality of the different batches re: screen, finish, temperature, camera...
I have two different M8 and it's almost like they are two different phones. One has a vibrant screen with perfect white balance, the other has a washed out yellowish display, the one with the yellow display has louder loudspeakers (same ROM), and the camera protection film is smudged whereas the other one is like new.
Please post your report with the first 6 digits/letters of the serial number to identify the batch. Like HT42WW
Looking forward to the first feedback
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Free mobile app

Can you post pictures of the phones side by side?

I do not have my M8 anymore as I returned it to get my M9.
Using my M9 with manual +2 brightness makes it very pleasant to use.
HT53CY is my build
Silver/gold
Orange ROM. 15, France
Great build quality, no defects
Screen not very bright in auto, great in manual
Camera very good, front cam overexposed
Sent from my HTC One M9 using XDA Free mobile app

from my experience with htc, they have two or three factories. I forget which one was preferred manufacturer but the lcd is definitely different between some. This started with the mytouch 4g I believe, it was also seen in a few others such as the amaze and sensation. not sure if there are any others but I wouldn't be surprised.

Teo032 said:
from my experience with htc, they have two or three factories. I forget which one was preferred manufacturer but the lcd is definitely different between some. This started with the mytouch 4g I believe, it was also seen in a few others such as the amaze and sensation. not sure if there are any others but I wouldn't be surprised.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I remember that thread. I also found that the Sensation had two screen manufacturers and started a thread about it in that section.. I think with the My touch 4g it was Sharp and Sony and you wanted the Sony screen. The sharp looked like crap. With the Sensation it was Sharp and AIO or something like that and with that one you wanted the sharp panel (although some preferred the AIO panel)

Mine is UK version, Carphone warehouse. Gold on Silver. The screen is very good, not leaning to red/yellow or green, best white balance i've seen so far on a non iphone.
There are slight gaps around where the new lip is, which i'm sure destroys the IPX3 rating and will be a dust magnet, although up to now, no dust has gone anywhere lol.
Speakers are brilliant! Better than M8.

I got my silver/gold AT&T version yesterday and so far no problems. Solid build quality. No dead pixels, screen is great. No problems that I can see really. Serial starts with FA53DY

Jonathan-H said:
Mine is UK version, Carphone warehouse. Gold on Silver. The screen is very good, not leaning to red/yellow or green, best white balance i've seen so far on a non iphone.
There are slight gaps around where the new lip is, which i'm sure destroys the IPX3 rating and will be a dust magnet, although up to now, no dust has gone anywhere lol.
Speakers are brilliant! Better than M8.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you please give us the first 6 characters of the serial number, in order to figure out the factory batch? Thanks!

Please excuse my post here, as I don't have the device yet, I just wanted to post my findings.
Sadly, I think build issues remain in the M9 as well. On close-up shots in some video reviews I watched you can see them. Take a look here for example. On 2:17 you can see the right part of the screen protruding a bit from the front metal panel and in the next close up, around 2:22, you can see there are (multiple?) gaps on the left side of the screen between the screen bezel and the frame. What is really weird is that, in the second example, it's not a single straight gap, but multiple gaps, extremely weird for a metal design.
I know I'm probably nitpicking and many of you would dismiss those issues even if they were on a massive scale, but I won't. Never mind my OCD (this can be tamed ) but I really hoped HTC would crush such issues after dealing with them on both the M7 and the M8.
Let's hope those are isolated (or even better, illusions caused by the angle of the video) and will be (or are already) fixed in retail models. It's the first time I'm planning to upgrade from my M7 (all of the four models I had had some kind of build quality issue) and I would hate it if I had to play hide and seek with Arvato again.

Beautifully made. Very impressed. Too scared to use without a case, however .

akpe said:
Please excuse my post here, as I don't have the device yet, I just wanted to post my findings.
Sadly, I think build issues remain in the M9 as well. On close-up shots in some video reviews I watched you can see them. Take a look here for example. On 2:17 you can see the right part of the screen protruding a bit from the front metal panel and in the next close up, around 2:22, you can see there are (multiple?) gaps on the left side of the screen between the screen bezel and the frame. What is really weird is that, in the second example, it's not a single straight gap, but multiple gaps, extremely weird for a metal design.
I know I'm probably nitpicking and many of you would dismiss those issues even if they were on a massive scale, but I won't. Never mind my OCD (this can be tamed ) but I really hoped HTC would crush such issues after dealing with them on both the M7 and the M8.
Let's hope those are isolated (or even better, illusions caused by the angle of the video) and will be (or are already) fixed in retail models. It's the first time I'm planning to upgrade from my M7 (all of the four models I had had some kind of build quality issue) and I would hate it if I had to play hide and seek with Arvato again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
get it exchanged, the units i tried had the glass completely level with the front plate, it's part of it's beauty, the news are reporting shortage and delayed delivery for the USA, so let's this hope this will not pressure the amazing QC

I have a grey M8 at home right now. Will update this post later tonight when I get you the serial number and pictures
My HTC M9 is from the HTC Champions launch event which happened in Atlanta this week for retail employees.
M9 serial: FA53FY
M8 serial: *will post later today
Overall the M9 feels a lot better than the M8 in terms of build and feel in the hand. If I place the M9 on four fingers and tilt my hand forward or backward the phone doesn't slip off unless my hand is almost vertical. The M8 would slip out of my hand after like a rotation of 10-15 degrees lol
The M9 is a little slimmer and that I don't like. Coming from a OnePlus one and large phones regularly, the M9 feels too small. Overall I'm happy because I put a case on it and it brings the size back a little to me. Bought a Nexus 6 last night anyways haha.

Mine is perfect. SN FA53K.....
My M8 was FA as well. Also perfect.

Just had a scan for any of the noted imperfections & unless only visible under microscope all is sweet & dandy with mine

Unlocked Gunmetal Grey M9 from HTC.com. Everything is perfect with mine. Couldn't be happier with it. Now I just need a good case lol.

Awesome feedback. Feel free to post your serial number (first 6 digits) even if your phone is perfect. It's good to know the good batches as well!

avara said:
Awesome feedback. Feel free to post your serial number (first 6 digits) even if your phone is perfect. It's good to know the good batches as well!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Developer Edition - FA53HY - Perfect condition - Screen is Excellent / not yellow or pink at all more a very light gray than anything

My lower volume button is pushed in slightly at at the top end, looks a bit wonky but still works as it should, ill update with serial and photos soon - Adam

Adam182 said:
My lower volume button is pushed in slightly at at the top end, looks a bit wonky but still works as it should, ill update with serial and photos soon - Adam
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My volume down is the same mate, I put it down as a design feature as it functions as it should

Duncan1982 said:
My volume down is the same mate, I put it down as a design feature as it functions as it should
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine doesn't appear to have this. It was one of the first things I checked since I noticed this in some videos too. Kind of surprised, really. The volume down button does however protrude slightly less in its entirety compared to the volume up one.
After going over everything very carefully it seems I have only two minor issues:
IR blaster cover is a tiny bit misaligned on the right side
On the lower left-hand and upper right-hand corners of the screen the polycarbonate has a small dent you can only see in a certain light
Very satisfied in general, it seems very solid. I do worry however that there might get dust in-between the face and aluminium unibody parts.

How big is the air gap of the display?

I always loved the laminated screens, yes even before apple sold it as innovation, and after seeing some videos it seems like the air gap of the Moto x style is pretty big. How visible is it in daily use if you are used to laminated screens for a long time?

Pretty sure it's laminated. If not, it must be a very small air gap because I don't notice much, if any, difference between how close the pixels are to the surface vs my wife's iPhone 6.

Thanks, that sounds good. I can see a gap though on most YouTube videos where the device is shown from different angles you can clearly see that the black edges of the screen disappear or get bigger depending on the angle. Which means there is a gap. But if it's not really noticeable on regular usage it would be fine for me. Still waiting for my ordered 64gb version in Germany. The delay is bad and makes me think about cancelling and getting an nexus 6p instead...

Shahpur.Azizpour said:
Thanks, that sounds good. I can see a gap though on most YouTube videos where the device is shown from different angles you can clearly see that the black edges of the screen disappear or get bigger depending on the angle. Which means there is a gap. But if it's not really noticeable on regular usage it would be fine for me. Still waiting for my ordered 64gb version in Germany. The delay is bad and makes me think about cancelling and getting an nexus 6p instead...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hm. I haven't seen that, but maybe it's because I have the black front model. Possibly easier to notice on the white front model.

I have a white model and can't see any gap, regardless of viewing angle. If there is a gap, I can't see it.

It could also be from the rounded glass on the edge.

I had a GS6 before this and the gap is noticeably bigger on the Pure. It's not bad at all and you certainly habituate to it but it was noticeable.

johnclevenger said:
I had a GS6 before this and the gap is noticeably bigger on the Pure. It's not bad at all and you certainly habituate to it but it was noticeable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also currently have an s6. The s6 has basically zero air gap and I hope the Moto x Display gap will not turn me off too much.

Shahpur.Azizpour said:
I also currently have an s6. The s6 has basically zero air gap and I hope the Moto x Display gap will not turn me off too much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why are u moving from s6 to moto x if u don't mind me asking. For stock Android exp?
---------- Post added at 10:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:40 PM ----------
Definitely want minimal gap for this phone as well. Makes the screen seem to float.

Doubt there is air gap. Hardly any phones have air gap these days. Usually relegated to the lowest end phones with cheapest components. The 'gap' might be due to the moto x ha ing gorilla glass 3 and not 4. GG3 is thicker than 4. They both have same strength, just GG4 is thinner. It has made nice difference almost touching the actual display. My Motorola atrix is a canyon compared to my recent phones in regards to air gap.

cougzzz said:
Why are u moving from s6 to moto x if u don't mind me asking. For stock Android exp?
---------- Post added at 10:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:40 PM ----------
Definitely want minimal gap for this phone as well. Makes the screen seem to float.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The S6 is my first Samsung device which is not a Nexus. I was hoping that they learned from their past mistakes but I found following issues:
- battery life was good at first and now it's just plain bad. In the morning I unplug the device with 100 %. And it loses 20 percent in the way to the office with only a few minutes onscreen time.
- I don't give a ... that the s6 has great benchmarks. In real life this hardware beast stutters and is slower than my old N5. This may be different for games, but I dont play 3d games on smartphones. I think TW is still the culprit here. Basically Samsung is using high end specs and killing them off with their stupid overlay. Even though the UI is getting better, the Samsung add ons to Android seem to bog down the whole experience.
- I hate the fact that I hit the capacitive buttons all the time when holding the device in landscape. That doesn't happen with onscreen buttons since my hands can rest on the bezel.
- the fingerprint scanner is slow as hell. It's a joke compared to my iPhone 6.
These are the reasons I really look forward to get the Moto x. For me they tick all the right boxes.

@rbiter said:
Doubt there is air gap. Hardly any phones have air gap these days. Usually relegated to the lowest end phones with cheapest components. The 'gap' might be due to the moto x ha ing gorilla glass 3 and not 4. GG3 is thicker than 4. They both have same strength, just GG4 is thinner. It has made nice difference almost touching the actual display. My Motorola atrix is a canyon compared to my recent phones in regards to air gap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could also be the case. But the result is the same for the users eye. It looks like a gap, I can clearly see the black edges changing their size depending on the angle you look at the device. But as most say it's not a huge thing I hope I'll be OK with it.
I was one of the people really hating the ipad air because of the gap. Back then my colleagues said it doesn't matter. But one year later Apple introduced the laminated screen. And everybody was freaking out.

You guys are funny
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

shoman94 said:
You guys are funny
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's funny about this discussion?

Shahpur.Azizpour said:
What's funny about this discussion?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mostly that you keep claiming there is an air gap when you haven't even seen the phone in person. I have the phone in my hand and I don't think there is one, thought the glass might be a tiny bit thicker than the Galaxy S6. By the way, I looked at my friend's white iPhone 6 Plus and the black border around the edge of the display also changes size when viewing it from different angles, so I don't think that indicates that the screen isn't laminated.

gtg465x said:
Mostly that you keep claiming there is an air gap when you haven't even seen the phone in person. I have the phone in my hand and I don't think there is one, thought the glass might be a tiny bit thicker than the Galaxy S6. By the way, I looked at my friend's white iPhone 6 Plus and the black border around the edge of the display also changes size when viewing it from different angles, so I don't think that indicates that the screen isn't laminated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The thread is a question. So I'm not claiming anything just stating what I can see on HD videos. And one guy with a s6 confirmed my impression. So it might be the screen glass, it might be an air gap. It doesnt matter, if the result is the same visually.
I was just curious to know and some people seem to notice it, others don't. Well my Moto X is already under way and I will see it myself soon.
Honestly the more I see about the Nexus 6p the more I like it. I'll get a nexus 6p as work phone and the style is my private phone. Eager to see which one will wind up becoming my main phone.

Lol. How contorted does your head or phone need to be for you to see this "air gap"? I've had a long list of phones and have never noticed what is being described in this thread. I must have issues.
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

PiousInquisitor said:
Lol. How contorted does your head or phone need to be for you to see this "air gap"? I've had a long list of phones and have never noticed what is being described in this thread. I must have issues.
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This kind of reactions remind me of the discussions I had when the first devices with pentile amoled screens arrived back then (nexus one). It looked like crap, but one of the inventors tried to convince everybody on xda that the human eye can't see the pentile matrix on a hvga resolution.
The point is: it's great if you don't see it. Be happy.

Shahpur.Azizpour said:
This kind of reactions remind me of the discussions I had when the first devices with pentile amoled screens arrived back then (nexus one). It looked like crap, but one of the inventors tried to convince everybody on xda that the human eye can't see the pentile matrix on a hvga resolution.
The point is: it's great if you don't see it. Be happy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The difference is with the air gap you have to view the screen from unnatural angles to see it.
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

PiousInquisitor said:
The difference is with the air gap you have to view the screen from unnatural angles to see it.
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, that's not what it's about. With an air gap the image on the screen doesn't look like it's printed on the screen (which is more pleasant to the eye). And when you interact with the screen, a small or nonexistent air gap will have a better UX because it feels more immediate to touch an image which is as near to the screen/digitizer surface as possible.
The best example is the first ipad air. It felt totally awkward because the gap was huge. Much bigger than the previous ipads. Apple didn't make a big deal out of the laminated screen with no reason.

Best phone ever

I've had quite a good few Android phones so far. I was somehow skeptical about 1+ 3T but, nonetheless, I decided to get one (guess was one of last lucky ones able to get the 128GB variant before going out of stock! ).
After having spent 2 days with it I'm absolutely amazed by this beauty! So, I want to share my thoughts.
First time ever I don't feel the compelling need to root it as soon as I get a device (thanks also to Nougat improvements).
With a normal use (mail, twitter, wifi on, some calls) I can easily get a 3% per hour battery consumption. Got around 8%/h while using it as hotspot.
Design is just great, can't really find anything wrong with that, and I love the choice to have the back/recents buttons.
Also fingerprint reader works just fine.
Love the very small bezel around the screen.
Display is perfect, not too much to be said here. I had a Samsung Note 4 until now, with bigger screen and higher resolution so, was a little concerned going backward.
I was wrong. Screen readability is perfect, clear and sharp.
Dual SIM: I only need to use a different SIM very rarely, couple times a year while on holiday, so having to swap my SIM ain't a big issue in the end. I would've preferred to get the chance to add extra memory instead (and that's the reason I went for the 128GB model) or one of those fancy readers where you can use MicroSD OR a 2nd SIM. But, still, that's fine.
Very disappointed with the original curved glass screen protector: waste of money. Ordered the Orzly (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01LWOYYYZ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) off Amazon, I'll update the post once I receive it.
I agree with with the "complaints" about camera quality. That's okish for a phone, but that's actually the only thing I'm missing from the G4.
Not a big deal, for me, anyway. I can still take decent enough pics while on the move!
In short: I'd be more than happy to suggest this device instead of any of the more well-know-brands!
EDIT: WiFi seems to just a wee bit less powerful compared to Note 4. Noting major. Difference is minimal, nothing that would make me change mi overall very positive rating for this device.

Completely agree with everything you said. I'm also very satisfied with it, and I came from a Nexus 5.
There are a couple of things here and there in the software that annoy me, like once the aggressive doze feature is enabled it optimizes every app, instead of letting me select wich apps I want to optimize, but that's just me being picky.
I bought the original curved glass screen protector too, and only after saw that it covered the screen. Even if it's just 0.9mm I won't take it, I gotta see every inch of this beautiful screen. Let us know how the Orzly one works for you.
Also, the sandstone case is awesome. For look and feel, not for protection xD

Agreed. I'm a Samsung guy and skipped the S7 for the 3T and never looked back. That screen protector is fine but this is totally true:
PLEASE NOTE: The Pro-Fit Glass Screen Protector is layered with a visible dot matrix grid over the display area which is essential to achieving full cover screen protector (please see images for more info)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You WILL notice the dots and if that bothers you, think twice. Enjoy your phone!

J.Diogo said:
Completely agree with everything you said. I'm also very satisfied with it, and I came from a Nexus 5.
There are a couple of things here and there in the software that annoy me, like once the aggressive doze feature is enabled it optimizes every app, instead of letting me select wich apps I want to optimize, but that's just me being picky
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to settings, battery, and top right options, I think you can choose which to optimize and which not too

SourPower said:
Go to settings, battery, and top right options, I think you can choose which to optimize and which not too
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. I know. What I mean is that by default it optimizes every app. In my opinion it would be better if by default it didn't optimize any apps, and then let me select the ones I want optimized.
It's not very practical to have to disable the feature every time you install an app you don't want optimized.

S7 Edge exynos > all android phones.

Disgustip8ed said:
Agreed. I'm a Samsung guy and skipped the S7 for the 3T and never looked back. That screen protector is fine but this is totally true:
You WILL notice the dots and if that bothers you, think twice. Enjoy your phone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, saw that.
Been looking around for a decent tempered glass screen protector and it looked like the best (or "less worse", maybe?) option.
Any suggestion? I'd really avoid a naked screen

maddler said:
Yup, saw that.
Been looking around for a decent tempered glass screen protector and it looked like the best (or "less worse", maybe?) option.
Any suggestion? I'd really avoid a naked screen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have a decent suggestion because it's the one I'm currently using. It works great but you see the matrix pattern.

Intelliarmor?

Disgustip8ed said:
I don't have a decent suggestion because it's the one I'm currently using. It works great but you see the matrix pattern.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, just received mine and installed. That's way better than what I expected reading reviews.
Matrix is barely visible. The rainbow effect is only visible with screen off/full black. So, no big deal.
TBH I don't think Orzly are tempered glass by the way.
Installing it was easy enough thanks for the glue being only around the black border. Not sure if that's going to be a good thing over time.
Not the best screen protectors I've ever tried but, in the end, price seems reasonable so far given the overall quality.

maddler said:
Ok, just received mine and installed. That's way better than what I expected reading reviews.
Matrix is barely visible. The rainbow effect is only visible with screen off/full black. So, no big deal.
TBH I don't think Orzly are tempered glass by the way.
Installing it was easy enough thanks for the glue being only around the black border. Not sure if that's going to be a good thing over time.
Not the best screen protectors I've ever tried but, in the end, price seems reasonable so far given the overall quality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With it only having adhesive around the outer perimeter, do you have any trouble with the glass sliding around or letting in dust? I guess you won't know about the latter until you've used it for longer...any words of wisdom welcomed.

shadeofgrey said:
With it only having adhesive around the outer perimeter, do you have any trouble with the glass sliding around or letting in dust? I guess you won't know about the latter until you've used it for longer...any words of wisdom welcomed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had the protector on since just a few hrs. I'll now about the dust over the next few days I guess.
So far, I'm more concerned about the fingerprints to be honest... not sure if that's a tactic in order to prevent people seeing the matrix

maddler said:
Had the protector on since just a few hrs. I'll now about the dust over the next few days I guess.
So far, I'm more concerned about the fingerprints to be honest... not sure if that's a tactic in order to prevent people seeing the matrix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dust gets in under the Orzly protector after about a week.

SourPower said:
Intelliarmor?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll have a look around, but can't find it either on amazon UK or ebay.

B3501 said:
Dust gets in under the Orzly protector after about a week.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not for me. Orzly has been perfect...
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

aaronc_98 said:
Not for me. Orzly has been perfect...
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And rainbow halo is pretty much gone, barely noticeable.
So, overall, quite satisfied.