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I guess this is kind of a question for the XDA community at large, since you are considered the "rooting gods" by us mere mortals. That being said... I've had enough experience over the years and I've rooted both WinMo and Android phones, including my Hero (running ic3 right now). What bothers me is the push by some people (on other forums, like the Sprint fan page on Facebook) for anyone and everyone to root their phone because "it's like jailbreaking an iPhone" (which is nonsense, since most people jailbreak iPhones to install apps that Apple refuses to put in the App Store) or "because the carriers don't want you to have access to all your phone's features" (more nonsense). Anyone technical enough knows that rooting is like giving someone permanent root access on a Linux or UNIX system, with the risk of doing serious damage if you don't know what you're doing. So, looking for an opinion here, is it wise for "Joe (or Jill) Average User" to attempt to root their phone?
And, as a second question, once rooted, it's always been my assumption that warranties are voided, you lose Total Equipment Protection, etc., but some (supposedly smart and informed people) say that they are not. Opinions again, please?
mjb5406 said:
I guess this is kind of a question for the XDA community at large, since you are considered the "rooting gods" by us mere mortals. That being said... I've had enough experience over the years and I've rooted both WinMo and Android phones, including my Hero (running ic3 right now). What bothers me is the push by some people (on other forums, like the Sprint fan page on Facebook) for anyone and everyone to root their phone because "it's like jailbreaking an iPhone" (which is nonsense, since most people jailbreak iPhones to install apps that Apple refuses to put in the App Store) or "because the carriers don't want you to have access to all your phone's features" (more nonsense). Anyone technical enough knows that rooting is like giving someone permanent root access on a Linux or UNIX system, with the risk of doing serious damage if you don't know what you're doing. So, looking for an opinion here, is it wise for "Joe (or Jill) Average User" to attempt to root their phone?
And, as a second question, once rooted, it's always been my assumption that warranties are voided, you lose Total Equipment Protection, etc., but some (supposedly smart and informed people) say that they are not. Opinions again, please?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think only people who are comfortable rooting should root.
The warranty is null and void if you root the phone.
mjb5406 said:
So, looking for an opinion here, is it wise for "Joe (or Jill) Average User" to attempt to root their phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it wise? That depends on the user deciding if he/she should root. Should they be given the same opportunity as someone that's more tech savvy than the average user? Sure, why not. Android encourages users to fully customize there devices, if that means getting one's hand dirty to get the most of your phone, then give it go. However, if the end user is afraid about "bricking" or "voiding" there warranty; then it's probably best they stick with the factory defaults.
At the end of the day; it's the user's choice. Rooting of course allows one to get the maximum potential out of the phone, non-rooting allows for a decent experience. However, it's quite obvious that once someone see's the many wonderful things that comes with rooting; they too are often enticed and decide to take the plunge. Which, ultimately is a good thing; they're able to join a community like XDA, learn new things about there device and about computers/hacking that they thought they never could, and of course, they now get to enjoy the benefits of rooting.
mjb5406 said:
And, as a second question, once rooted, it's always been my assumption that warranties are voided, you lose Total Equipment Protection, etc., but some (supposedly smart and informed people) say that they are not. Opinions again, please?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The thing is, even Sprint employees root there phones, so at the end of the day, its comes down to the sales/tech person at your local Sprint store. People on here have said that if your phone is broken and you take it in to get it serviced without flashing the Sprint RUU that Sprint will say you've voided your warranty because they can't work with the "modified" phone (e.g. rooted, etc).
However, this is relative from person to person and from store to store. Like I said, pending on the Sprint rep/tech -- they can choose to service your "modified" phone or tell you that you've voided your warranty and that they won't help you. Of course; to remedy this, you just need to go home; flash the latest Sprint RUU and go back to the store -- then they can't complain.
So, if you're worried about voiding your warrenty or that Sprint will freak out, flash the latest RUU before going into your local Sprint store... if you have a good rapport with your Sprint reps/techs, it shouldn't matter if you're phones rooted or not though.
You cannot compare the iphone to the android on a operating system level because android is free under the GPL and by "rooting" the operating system only means that you enabled an option that was otherwise disabled by the source for the end users protection, not because its in any violation of laws like the Iphone.
Rooting the device only opens opportunities for more options on a less limited field rather than being on a more limited field with little options. The iphone is basically like a "Nascar Vehichle" its tagged and ridiculed with many logos and flare, It's commercialized in such a way that not only does jail braking and unlocking violate the companies terms of use but other companies that own the hardware inside the device. My speculation on the sprint fan club is this...
There are three people in the tech field. People who use their equipment,p eople who play with it and people who do both. I do both.. which one are you?
Powers16 said:
You cannot compare the iphone to the android on a operating system level because android is free under the GPL and by "rooting" the operating system only means that you enabled an option that was otherwise disabled by the source for the end users protection, not because its in any violation of laws like the Iphone.
Rooting the device only opens opportunities for more options on a less limited field rather than being on a more limited field with little options. The iphone is basically like a "Nascar Vehichle" its tagged and ridiculed with many logos and flare, It's commercialized in such a way that not only does jail braking and unlocking violate the companies terms of use but other companies that own the hardware inside the device. My speculation on the sprint fan club is this...
There are three people in the tech field. People who use their equipment,p eople who play with it and people who do both. I do both.. which one are you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No question... I do both. But, then again, I've been doing this for years. My issue is that it seems like there are two groups of "rooters": Those that do it and understand what they are doing and the risks that are involved and those that do it, tell other people to do it, and really don't understand the ramifications other than to say it's "cool". There has even been a request for someone to post rooting FAQ on the official Sprint page on Facebook (which is very stupid) and lots of talk about people want to root because they want "free tethering" (also very stupid); to talk about this on a Sprint-monitored forum is not a good idea, IMHO, and to tell people to root their phones when all they get is "What's rooting?" as a reply tells me that those people should probably be content just using their phones and, if they run into problems, go to Sprint for assistance. It's usually easy to tell who has a more technical understanding of the phone just by the content of their posts.
mjb5406 said:
No question... I do both. But, then again, I've been doing this for years. My issue is that it seems like there are two groups of "rooters": Those that do it and understand what they are doing and the risks that are involved and those that do it, tell other people to do it, and really don't understand the ramifications other than to say it's "cool". There has even been a request for someone to post rooting FAQ on the official Sprint page on Facebook (which is very stupid) and lots of talk about people want to root because they want "free tethering" (also very stupid); to talk about this on a Sprint-monitored forum is not a good idea, IMHO, and to tell people to root their phones when all they get is "What's rooting?" as a reply tells me that those people should probably be content just using their phones and, if they run into problems, go to Sprint for assistance. It's usually easy to tell who has a more technical understanding of the phone just by the content of their posts.
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Click to collapse
This is completely true. There are a LOT of people on here who do things without reading or thinking. I think it was when the Hero dropped in price. Everyone bought it, they started googling it, they found XDA, and started posting left and right. I got my Hero the day it came out, but I didn't root it until January 2010. I was a little hesitant and scared, but I did it.... and I'm glad I did.
I REALLY want to get this tablet. Mainly because Google has pissed me off with their Nexus 10 (2013) release secrecy and because this is just a beautiful tablet with a lot of great features. But what makes me feel like it might be a wasted investment is the lack of developer support. We have a root method that trips Knox and absolutely 0 roms after a month.
$600 is too much for a device that's this unpopular among developers. The one developer we do have working on this, is even contemplating returning it for a Nexus 10 (2013). So my question is,
Do all Android devices take this long to gain developer momentum? Will things be radically different in a month or two (e.g. full proof root methods, toolkits, and loads of Roms?)
If it's not this tablet, then it's sitting around like a dunce and waiting for Google to stop playing games with the next Nexus release. Nothing else Android is worth it IMO and I rather go tablet-less than ever purchase Apple's gestapo iOS device again.
As an owner of the Note 10.1 2014, I only bought this because of the S Pen which I rely on heavily for work. If I was buying just a general tablet for using around the house and whatnot and didn't care about the S Pen, I would wait for the new Nexus 10. If the main purpose of your purchase is note taking, then go right ahead and buy the Note 10.1 2014 without hesitation. The Nexus 10 won't be able to take notes like the Note 10.1.
I don't think it's worth putting up with all the Samsung crap if you are going to have the Nexus 10 as an alternative that can meet your needs. Seeing what they did with the Nexus 5 and 7, I'm pumped about the Nexus 10 even though I'm not buying one.
As far as support goes, I have no idea. Sorry.
shall tedoed
Stocklone said:
As an owner of the Note 10.1 2014, I only bought this because of the S Pen which I rely on heavily for work. If I was buying just a general tablet for using around the house and whatnot and didn't care about the S Pen, I would wait for the new Nexus 10. If the main purpose of your purchase is note taking, then go right ahead and buy the Note 10.1 2014 without hesitation. The Nexus 10 won't be able to take notes like the Note 10.1.
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Click to collapse
It wouldn't be my main purpose, but I love the idea of taking notes as well as annotating books that I'm reading. Tell me about your experience with it's note taking capabilities. Does it feel as effortless as writing on paper? Between a notepad and pen and this device would you rather jot down notes on the Note 10.1 based on what feels better?
EDIT: Also, are you by any chance rooted? If so, hows that working out for you? Does it feel like any other rooted android device? Any limitations that don't exist elsewhere? It just boggles my mind that the Note 3 has taken off with full proof root methods and roms, but this is stuck in no mans land.
I'd love to hear others answer these questions as well.
The Note has only been available in Germany for about a week or two and in other countries too. Most people buy it specifically for the note taking abilities and are happy with the touchwiz stuff, like me.
I rooted it, there are no restrictions that I know of. All in all this is one of the best devices I have owned so far. It becomes extremely fast once you disable a bunch of samsung apps and stuff you don't need. Love the multiwindow for productivity and the S-Pen is superb. I use it for taking notes at university, reading pdf's (not really annotating them) and just for general browsing and watching youtube. If you don't really need the S-Pen then maybe get an AOSP-ish device like the Nexus 10. I rely on the S-Pen, any other tablet without would be totally useless for taking notes in lectures and generally for studying.
unless you have a need for the pen/digitizer combo then you don't need this expensive device. the original note 10.1 took a good while to get some devs. i think there were only 3 when i sold mine. unless you get the "cheap" android tablet that all the cool kids get then you may not get much dev support. this is one expensive tablet to mess up modding and slap that knox warranty void and it'll scare a few guys/gals away.
There are only so many developers and with as many Android devices that out there, makes it difficult for developers to buy and develop for. We'll get developers, just will take time. Phones will get developers first because they are more essential than tablets, which are still considered luxury items. There really isn't much that I'm waiting for a ROM to fix and feel that Samsung has moved fast in updating this tablet. MuIti-user was added with the last update.The only thing I want is to have more options to run multi-window with.
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk 4
vdc530 said:
EDIT: Also, are you by any chance rooted? If so, hows that working out for you? Does it feel like any other rooted android device? Any limitations that don't exist elsewhere?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do the same things as on any other rooted device and the SM-P605 LTE model can be rooted via "Root de la vega".
This method directly patches the system partition and does not trip Knox.
Sometimes a little additional tweaking is needed because the new Notes also come with SELinux.
I haven't felt a real need to root my 2014 Note 10.1 yet, but it is somewhat strange to see such a wonderful, capable light-weight device getting so little attention.
I expect a price drop soon, with the iPad Air now looming mostly over it. I have little doubt that developers and the public will come to know this tablet for what it is in coming months. Since I have few complaints the way it works now, apart from the knox warranty thing, the only thing remaining is improved compatibility of some apps + games.
When I created this thread I was leaning away from getting this tablet. But you guys have really turned my opinion around. Also, on top of these responses I've found out that the device includes such things as an IR blaster (I'm not mistaken right?) which is something that won't exist on the Nexus. Also, the dimensions of the device are the same as the iPad 4, but with a larger 16x10 screen. I might hate a lot of what Apple does, but I agree with the dimensions of the iPad being a nice fit for a tablet, minus the 4x3 screen (what decade is this lol). Every single 10" Android tablet is long and short making books look weird when in portrait mode.
All that on top of the S-pen, multi-window, hard buttons instead of a navigation bar and a fully functioning root has got me really interested now. So, I contacted Amazon to see if they'd extend their $50 gift card promotion to the black 32gb version (currently only for the 16gb white) and they said that they'd be happy to make an exception, but they'd have to run it by their promotional department first. I expect to hear from them within the next 24-48 hours.
Long story short, Iooks like I'll be joining your ranks guys
P.S. if you guys have other things to add about the device, I'd love to hear it. Been checking up on this thread constantly. :good:
Agreed. Honestly all it needs is the bloat removed and with root you can do that through titanium.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
I don't get it... The device is a failure because there is no developer action? In pretty happy with my note and much like my s3 and Gnex before it I wouldn't run 3rd party software on it anyway. I would, however, root and de bloat if I could do it without tripping Knox.
SomeGuyDude said:
Agreed. Honestly all it needs is the bloat removed and with root you can do that through titanium.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. Is there a guide about what I can remove through Titanium? I've rooted my tablet but with hat it does, I'm not really asking for much. It was great out of the box.
icebergisonfire said:
Agreed. Is there a guide about what I can remove through Titanium?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. We definitely need to put together a de-bloat guide. It's the very first thing I do with my android devices. I wonder if we can use the Note 3's information to compile a list?
icebergisonfire said:
Agreed. Is there a guide about what I can remove through Titanium? I've rooted my tablet but with hat it does, I'm not really asking for much. It was great out of the box.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I seem to remember a topic with apps which can be disabled, without root. Not many posts there yet. Will look it up..... Done
There are 2 in fact:
- Disabling Apps
- [Q] Removing Bloat...
vdc530 said:
I REALLY want to get this tablet. Mainly because Google has pissed me off with their Nexus 10 (2013) release secrecy and because this is just a beautiful tablet with a lot of great features. But what makes me feel like it might be a wasted investment is the lack of developer support. We have a root method that trips Knox and absolutely 0 roms after a month.
$600 is too much for a device that's this unpopular among developers. The one developer we do have working on this, is even contemplating returning it for a Nexus 10 (2013). So my question is,
Do all Android devices take this long to gain developer momentum? Will things be radically different in a month or two (e.g. full proof root methods, toolkits, and loads of Roms?)
If it's not this tablet, then it's sitting around like a dunce and waiting for Google to stop playing games with the next Nexus release. Nothing else Android is worth it IMO and I rather go tablet-less than ever purchase Apple's gestapo iOS device again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had both the original Samsung tab 10.1 and. Galaxy note 10.1. Both tablets needed development and rooting straight out of the box. They were both lacking in functionality and had significantly more lag. I rooted and installed custom roms for those devices because it was needed. I can honestly say for me at this point there is no absolute need for any rooting or rom develppment. Although people say there is lag on this device, this device with nothing but 3 software updates from samsung is leaps and bounds faster and more responsive than my previous develpoed devices. This is the product Samsung should have come out from the beginning. There are a couple things that can be done to increase speed such as installing nova launcher but these are minor things anyone can do. Hope this helps to change your mind
Have lost interest in rooting/custom ROMs since benefits like free WIFI tethering can be achieved without it with toggle widgets, Jelly Bean support debloating by disabling apps, etc. while there are benefits to staying stock such as to avoid invalidating warranty, maintaining stability and features like multi-window multi-tasking. Once Google include built-in support for wireless bluetooth PS3 game controller to replace root required SixAxis controller app it erases any need to root/custom ROM for me. So, this is a non-issue when I get the Note 12.2 Snapdragon 800.
mi7chy said:
Have lost interest in rooting/custom ROMs since benefits like free WIFI tethering can be achieved without it with toggle widgets, Jelly Bean support debloating by disabling apps, etc. while there are benefits to staying stock such as to avoid invalidating warranty, maintaining stability and features like multi-window multi-tasking. Once Google include built-in support for wireless bluetooth PS3 game controller to replace root required SixAxis controller app it erases any need to root/custom ROM for me. So, this is a non-issue when I get the Note 12.2 Snapdragon 800.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wait...how do you get the PS3 game controller to work without root? I want to sue mine but do not want to root the tablet. Does it automatically set up the joysticks too or does it use them like a D-pad? It didnt pair when I tried it. Thanks for any tips!
vdc530 said:
It wouldn't be my main purpose, but I love the idea of taking notes as well as annotating books that I'm reading. Tell me about your experience with it's note taking capabilities. Does it feel as effortless as writing on paper? Between a notepad and pen and this device would you rather jot down notes on the Note 10.1 based on what feels better?
EDIT: Also, are you by any chance rooted? If so, hows that working out for you? Does it feel like any other rooted android device? Any limitations that don't exist elsewhere? It just boggles my mind that the Note 3 has taken off with full proof root methods and roms, but this is stuck in no mans land.
I'd love to hear others answer these questions as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I absolutely LOVE it for note taking capability. The trick is finding the note taking app that works best for you. I personally love Quill but other people like other apps. I hate S Note though. It should be called Sh!t Note. I've been taking notes for over a year and have not touched a paper notebook since I bought the original note 10.1. My personal recommendation for screen protector is ArmorShield because it is kind of squishy which gives you a little more drag and I think makes it feel more natural. I have all of my notes in one place, tagged and organized. My co-workers have a pile of notebooks and sticky notes with no idea where anything is. It's a beautiful thing and my notes will never be heaving than 1.2 lbs. The best part is that the width of the screen in landscape is the width of a regular sized sheet of paper. The new high res screen and better S Pen makes for some beautiful notes. I could not recommend more for note taking. I love it. It's been a game changer without a doubt. I has completely redefined how I work and what I can do. I literally have the equivalent of having a notepad with a camera attached to it. I'm doing things at work my co-workers can only dream of.
I wish I had this in college honestly. I'd have a folder of files instead of 4 boxes full of notebooks.
I rooted it. I disabled knox and s finder with titanium backup. With the latest update and having root which allows me to use the 3rd party apps I need to make this tablet usable, I actually love using it. Before I could mod it though, I wanted to break this tablet in half. I hated being forced to use the physical buttons in the center and S Finder replacing Google Now. Rooting is super easy for the wi-fi edition if you don't care about tripping the warranty bit. I imagine with each update it's only going to get better. It took the original Note 10.1 4 months before Samsung finally optimized everything and squashed the lag. I'm hoping the same thing happens with the 2014 edition.
I'm still annoyed Samsung is using a phone notification shade instead of the new tablet one Google designed but I can live with it. It just looks absolutely ridiculous. I'm hoping Samsung will eventually fix that in an update but I doubt it. Samsung may know how to add valuable features, they have no clue when it comes to software design it seems.
My view of this tablet is very negative for non-note takers because i think you can have a better cheaper experience elsewhere. But for people doing note taking, it has few peers. My wife's Surface pro 2 can also do some amazing things for note taking with Office 2013, but she paid 3x what I paid and has to deal with different set of trade-offs. It's in a completely different class.
Hope that helps.
atg284 said:
wait...how do you get the PS3 game controller to work without root? I want to sue mine but do not want to root the tablet. Does it automatically set up the joysticks too or does it use them like a D-pad? It didnt pair when I tried it. Thanks for any tips!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wireless bluetooth PS3 controller support via SixAxis app still requires root until Google add built-in support in future Android release. For now, PS3 controller works with USB cable without rooting.
mi7chy said:
Wireless bluetooth PS3 controller support via SixAxis app still requires root until Google add built-in support in future Android release. For now, PS3 controller works with USB cable without rooting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah I see. I guess I was hoping google already had support for it and I don't really want to root right now :/
I did play around a little bit with it directly plugged in but the joysticks did not seem to work. Also with it plugged in do you need an app to map the buttons? if so, which one is the best for that? When I tried playing Asphalt 7 I did not see a section in the settings for controller support :/
Thanks a ton for any help!
I am just another angry user, after the "fabulous" android 4.4.2 implementation made by Samsung for my (previously) beloved note3.
This is intended to be a an indictment made for a public conviction of Samsung, for what they did, and also a cry for help.
Please, if you have counterarguments and/or practical advices, expose them here.
I'm expecting at least an official position from Samsung, considering that customers of a 700 Euro flagship phablet deserve their complete attention.
I'm an Orange Romania customer, and I was one of the happy users of note3 (Orange firmware) until several days ago, when I decided to give up to the upgrade invitation message arrived, to move up to 4.4.2.
What I received:
1. The first and most important problem: no call recording program is working anymore. I do need such a program, because I receive a lot (I mean A LOT) of tasks and situations, only by voice calls, daily. Anyway, i really do not think I need to justify my needs, but I'm prepared to do it if absolutely necessary. Where is the solution, my "dear" Samsung ?
2. I'm not able anymore to read my IMAP4 mail account without activating synchronization. In the previous 4.3 version, with synchronization disabled, I was able to refresh manually the mail. Of course, with synchronization now enabled, the battery is drained in a day or less.
3. iGO cannot be used with maps and content kept on SD Card anymore. I've taken that SD card especially for my phone, now I am not able to use it. This is like a curse of Samsung, thrown in my face !
4. Adobe flash is now completely unusable. I used flash with dolphin very well on previous 4.3. Now, that hacked version presented here (thank you XDA) is extremely slow even on this monster hardware that is note 3. Where is that big difference from Apple, one of the reasons I've switched to Android several years ago, to be able to browse flash sites ?
5. If I'm not happy with an "improvement" offered by manufacturer, I think I'm entitled to request to keep my previous system, without any penalties (only at most with some excuses), but Samsung do not let me go back to the previous behavior of my phone. So, I'm not free anymore to use my own device as I wanted to do ? What the hell? What is then the difference that Samsung made in terms of freedom of use compared to Apple, well-known for their restrictions paranoia ? The freedom of Android and the efficiency of Samsung made me switch from Apple for good, several years ago, without regrets, but now Samsung seems that they started on the same path of restrictions. Maybe is time to look somewhere else and switch again...
I really think Samsung has to solve this. But not next month or next week, nor even tomorrow. Samsung must do something NOW: or a patch, or the ability to switch back to the exact previous behavior with 4.3
Thank you all for your opinions and (of course) valuable solutions.
LE:
Finally, after a long pain, a lot of nerves, but thanks to the supporting messages posted here, I've succeeded to "downgrade" my Note3 with kitkat , by changing it with a new one with latest JB 4.3 version, just asking for tech support at Orange and Samsung. If anyone interested, please read all thread, I simply asked them to restore lost functionalities, but I think I was really angry so their solution was to change the device.
Maybe some sticky messages (suggested in my post here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=51890578&postcount=22 would be useful for a lot of us).
The biggest problem is the Knox trigger that voids the warranty. I paid a lot of money for this phone and I should be able to use it however I want, rooted or unrooted, and they should have no right to void my warranty based on this.
I'm thinking to root this device and if I ever need to send the phone for repair and they won't, I'll play dumb and call for consumer rights.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 3
lvnatic said:
The biggest problem is the Knox trigger that voids the warranty. I paid a lot of money for this phone and I should be able to use it however I want, rooted or unrooted, and they should have no right to void my warranty based on this.
I'm thinking to root this device and if I ever need to send the phone for repair and they won't, I'll play dumb and call for consumer rights.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 3
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Click to collapse
I was going to buy this phone later but after reading the op I think I will wait first or look elsewhere. Samsung is really copying apple and apple should sue them again...
1. Call recording is working, there's a mod for that, but ur device should be rooted.
2-3. I dunno never use.
4. Flash player is working. There's a way to enable it in Kk, and can be used with boat browser (dunno others).
As for go back to 4.3, it is unable due to the bootloader installed. They keep on making patches to the bootloader. Something that we cannot stop them.
@nm8 : samsung vs apple = never ending stories.
Sent from N7105, DN3 with AGNi kernel.
I could understand why all android devices manufacturers are trying to keep their customers away from rooting, this is just because possible increases in customer support expenses.
But of course, I don't want to break my warranty agreement, and with 4.3 I didn't feel the need to root the note 3, it was completely functional.
@nm8 - Yes, Apple could sue Samsung again, now Samsung is copying even the worst habits from Apple, I don't understand that crayziness of Samsung.
@antique_sonic - Thank you, I know about the mod for call recording, but as I said, I want to play fair and safe, to keep my warranty. And the same with adobe flash, it worked perfectly in 4.3, why do I need now that headaches ?
There are also a lot of other troubles with SD Card in 4.4.2, just another example: I'm not able to keep my apps backed up with ES file explorer on SD Card anymore. I used to make copies of my apps because I've met sometimes problems with some apps after updates, so I was able to return to the previous version of that app (AirFun from Realtek is just an example of an app that lost some functionalities after update, so I was able to install the previous working version from backup).
I wonder if there are some "eyes" from Samsung staff on this forum, what is their official opinion about all these complains ?
Thank you,
You do realize the SDcard issue is GOOGLE's doing, not Samsung's?
Google updates the Kitkat permissions, Samsung had nothing to do withit. Any issues with apps you need to complain to their developers to update their permissions.
Thank you ShadowLea, most probably you're right in technical terms.
BUT the real problem is, if I'm not happy with this change in Google's android policy, as a Samsung's customer, I need to be able to choose to keep my previous functions as they were before upgrade. In other words, I must be able to revert to 4.3, without any pain, penalties and so on, at most with excuses from Samsung. Because Samsung is now forcing me to stay at 4.4.2, not Google ! Is it fair ?
Thank you,
The flash player problem is also Google and not Samsung.
Life isn't fair and Samsung already have your money so why should they care?
It's not like the other options are any better. None of the other manufacturers care about you either.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
dr.m0x said:
The flash player problem is also Google and not Samsung.
Life isn't fair and Samsung already have your money so why should they care?
It's not like the other options are any better. None of the other manufacturers care about you either.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He should root the monster and be happy. Like me. Lol
Sent from my ME173X using xda premium
He should root the monster and be happy. Like me. Lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you're right, but what about losing the warranty, if I will really need it in the future ?
Or maybe there is already out there a complete reversable rooting method for 4.4.2 that I don't know about ?
Thank you,
@dr.m0x - Ok, let's try to change something about this !
Still have no idea how to do it, but there must be a solution ! We must be the real owners of our paid devices, and we must be able to use them by our own rules, not their rules!
Thank you,
nick61 said:
Maybe you're right, but what about losing the warranty, if I will really need it in the future ?
Or maybe there is already out there a complete reversable rooting method for 4.4.2 that I don't know about ?
Thank you,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
reversable in terms of unroot = YES
reversable in terms of KNOX flag = NO (bounty hunter for this has reached $3K+, yet no one claims)
nick61 said:
@dr.m0x - Ok, let's try to change something about this !
Still have no idea how to do it, but there must be a solution ! We must be the real owners of our paid devices, and we must be able to use them by our own rules, not their rules!
Thank you,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
at the moment to be the "real owner" in terms to be able to fully utilize is only to root your device, and those "headache" setting for flash player. But "real owner" to be able to reverse KNOX flag is still a NO answer at the moment.
And "real owner" to be able to reverse/downgrade bootloader (without any problem), also stil a NO at the moment
Just do a few testing of common issue on Note 3 + read properly on how to root + use any other custom thingy (follow properly what the thread said), you are good to go.
Warranty so far is needed for those who never try to understand first what is the thread said.
Though all the devs here develop thing just for hobbies and free (donation is optional), they will do all the necessary testing on their device first before releasing it out. So, if their device can work, similar device to them should be able to work properly (doesn't necessary to claim your warranty, unless there's a hardware failure due to several tweaking you eager to try yourself without reading properly)
All I wrote here is just my opinion, just a thought. You may not agree, and not necessary to follow.
I'm totally with you... This actually looks like a "Double - penetration" by Sammy AND Google two companies destined to lose costumers... See? http://bbc.com/news/business-26933449
My unrooted, bloatware-ated, kit-kat-ed note 3 is half useful in practical terms than the rooted S3 I gave to my wife, if it weren't for the screen size, I would have change it with the old S3.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
I'm samsung user from galaxy s2, note 1. And now note 3. I'm happy to use both devices on previous.
But since knox implementation on note 3. I feel like stuck in some where I cannot do any what I want on the phone.
I though that having note 3 will same as having note 1 and s2. Freedom...
So, this probably will my last samsung device. Will switch to other brand if i change phone.
Sent from my SM-N9005
When you look at the perspective of root/ void warranty everybrand is more or less the same except nexus and sime new china brands like xiaomi or oppo. In htc you void your warranty by unlockibg bootloader. Sony same thing (sony devices you can backup your ta) lg as qfuses and the list can be larger.
I had twice problems with samsung knoxed devices (2 s4) and they never rejected warranty repairs. And you can allways kill your device in order to cheat samsung service. Like they cheat you putt a flag on your phone. So I decided to trip mine again and if they refuse warranty I will be give them a nice war.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Thank you all for your empathy and support.
Encouraged by all these messages, I've succeeded yesterday to CHANGE THE NOTE3 with a new one with latest 4.3 version at Orange service.
I don't know if they agreed to solve my request only because my old client status, but the service tech guy from Orange, specialized in Samsung devices, spent over 4 hours looking for all the flaws and troubles I've mentioned with 4.4.2. Also, he had several long phone conversations with a tech guy from Samsung.
My advice to everyone in the same situation is to try everything they could try, and also, if possible, DO NOT UPDATE TO 4.4.2 !
Now my device is completely restored to full functionalities: call recording, flash sites with the last official adobe flash apk and dolphin and reasonable speed, battery is again lasting at least 2 days of heavy use (calls, net, video, mails, everyday notes etc.)
Also, I've learned that even the "inside" guys from tech support have no other clever solution to downgrade or to solve my problems.
Both Orange and Samsung tech guys promised to inform and escalate my complaints about 4.4.2 implementation so maybe there will be a patch in the near future.
Thanks again XDA,
nick61 said:
I am just another angry user, after the "fabulous" android 4.4.2 implementation made by Samsung for my (previously) beloved note3.
This is intended to be a an indictment made for a public conviction of Samsung, for what they did, and also a cry for help.
Please, if you have counterarguments and/or practical advices, expose them here.
I'm expecting at least an official position from Samsung, considering that customers of a 700 Euro flagship phablet deserve their complete attention.
I'm an Orange Romania customer, and I was one of the happy users of note3 (Orange firmware) until several days ago, when I decided to give up to the upgrade invitation message arrived, to move up to 4.4.2.
What I received:
1. The first and most important problem: no call recording program is working anymore. I do need such a program, because I receive a lot (I mean A LOT) of tasks and situations, only by voice calls, daily. Anyway, i really do not think I need to justify my needs, but I'm prepared to do it if absolutely necessary. Where is the solution, my "dear" Samsung ?
2. I'm not able anymore to read my IMAP4 mail account without activating synchronization. In the previous 4.3 version, with synchronization disabled, I was able to refresh manually the mail. Of course, with synchronization now enabled, the battery is drained in a day or less.
3. iGO cannot be used with maps and content kept on SD Card anymore. I've taken that SD card especially for my phone, now I am not able to use it. This is like a curse of Samsung, thrown in my face !
4. Adobe flash is now completely unusable. I used flash with dolphin very well on previous 4.3. Now, that hacked version presented here (thank you XDA) is extremely slow even on this monster hardware that is note 3. Where is that big difference from Apple, one of the reasons I've switched to Android several years ago, to be able to browse flash sites ?
5. If I'm not happy with an "improvement" offered by manufacturer, I think I'm entitled to request to keep my previous system, without any penalties (only at most with some excuses), but Samsung do not let me go back to the previous behavior of my phone. So, I'm not free anymore to use my own device as I wanted to do ? What the hell? What is then the difference that Samsung made in terms of freedom of use compared to Apple, well-known for their restrictions paranoia ? The freedom of Android and the efficiency of Samsung made me switch from Apple for good, several years ago, without regrets, but now Samsung seems that they started on the same path of restrictions. Maybe is time to look somewhere else and switch again...
I really think Samsung has to solve this. But not next month or next week, nor even tomorrow. Samsung must do something NOW: or a patch, or the ability to switch back to the exact previous behavior with 4.3
1....pe forum gasesti versiunea modificata pentru adobe flash care merge f bine pe kitkat cu firefox de exemplu.
2. Daca copiezi continutul igo pe internal nu pe external o sa iti functioneze perfect. Oricum asta e vina google si nu samsung, si mai avem si 32 interni, deci destul loc
3. Pentru mail iti recomand K-9 mail client il regasesti pe play store.
4. Inregistrarea convorbirilor e putintel ilegala fara mandat...deci...cred totusi ca te plangi prea tare pt niste chestii care din cate stiu eu au toate rezolvare pe aici pe la xda
My poit is that all of his problems has an workaround here on xda. Only first one need a root. The rest of them is a metter of minutes of searching xda.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@calinormy
Thank you for your message (let's keep it in english if anyone else is interested).
Point by point (in fact covered in the first post):
1. Yes, I've already tried the hacked flash for 4.4.2, is unbelievable slow on such a monster (hardware speaking) as note3. Official old version is stable and flawless in 4.3
2. Ok, that's true, but I want to use the internal speedy memory for other stuff, and I want to organize files on my own rules, not their's... yes, this is a Google's problem, but my request to Samsung is to let me downgrade from 4.4.2 if I do not like it.
3. I'll check it
4. Concerning call recording, the legal issues are exclusively my problems, not Samsung's. In fact, is not even a legal problem, if the other person is informed about recording.
But please read my last post, they've changed my phone with another new one with 4.3 !
Thank you,
Glad you got your problems sorted. KK is ****, said the man who refuses to try it. Because it's ****
New firmware doesn't always mean better. For me, Gingerbread was a hell of a lot better than ICS.
To be frank... I don't know what the hell is beneficial "for me" by upgrading to kitkat All the changes in KitKat are about implementing restrictions by Samsung or Google If I wanted to be restricted I would have chosen an iPhone in the first place... They simply sh&#tted on what all android is about :silly: and the as#hole sammy even lured people into upgrading. Never again will I trust all those official phone reviewers on forums or youtube... the ordinary man's experience is what counts.
I've been an iPhone user for years but I've always wanted to move on to Android because of how much more freedom it provides compared to IOS. Jailbreaking was somewhat simple to do but Apple would be quick to patch that out and they are just so restrictive, on top of having weak hardware it was enough for me to want to move on. I've owned my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge for a week now and I'm still getting used to this new OS and so far I'm finding the edge screen to be annoying because the way I hold the phone my skin would touch the edge and it would just make the side bar continuously pull out. Anyways I'm looking to get the most out of my new phone.
1. Is there any way for me to prevent my phone from auto updating? yesterday it said there was an update available and I didnt want to immediately rush into updating on the chance I would be missing out on rooting my device but then a couple of hours later my phone would light up and it would update all my applications as well as the firmware without my consent. As wonderful as that sounds I would prefer to make that choice myself so I dont accidentally update past a firmware where its possible to root. Even after updating is it possible to rollback at all or no? My device is now on 6.0.1 so I hope I'm not too screwed.
2. I have some preinstalled apps I am positive I will never use in my life such as Uber (I drive my own car) and Facebook (I dont have Facebook and dont plan on it anytime soon). I saw options to disable it but I would prefer if it was outright deleted so is it possible? I would like to save on the space that it takes up no matter how minuscule that may be especially on apps that are just dead weight.
My phone is Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and my service provider is AT&T.
I'm exactly in the same boat as you, having just moved to Samsung/Android after using iphones since it's first release. It feels so great to have the freedom that comes with the S7 Edge.
I too found the edge screen to be annoying, but as soon as I bought my case ( OtterBox Commuter) that issue you describe quickly dissapeared, I beleive any case will deliver the same result, as you'd been griping the actual case and not the edge screen .
There is a way to disable your play store updates through the play store settings.
As far as firmware updates you can control these in the Settings - About options. However I don't beleive that Android updates are there to plug any capabilities of rooting Android, from my understanding as long as the baseband is unlocked, and that will depend on which version of the Edge you have then it will remain rootable regardless of any software updates pushed. However someone with more android experience is probably best to confirm this.
I'm suprised that your device came pre-installed with Uber and Facebook, I had to install them through play store and likewise am able to uninstall them. There is an app called package disabler in the app store but as the name suggests it only disables them which you say you have the option to anyway. I beleive a root will be able to fix that.
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
first time android user
To be very honest i did hands on many android smartphone but my love to windows phone always increase respectively
. Do you really think a hard core windows lover its gonna be easy to sift at android .
On the T-Mobile version you can hit postpone when it pops up and then schedule it.
Thank you ih8un for your response. I guess I'll wait until rooting becomes available in order to delete these preinstalled apps.
Can anyone confirm if firmware updates can patch out rooting? If yes how do I disable or prevent firmware updating? I cant seem to find that option anywhere in the settings.
*You have got snapdragon version which have locked bootloader so unless samsung and at&t push out official update that unlock it, it is unlikely your device will get rooted at least not normal method.
1.It is possible but unlikely that new update can make root impossible(assume that your s7 get bootloader unlocked and root by flashing supersu) but if your device get root in special way by using exploits(like jailbreaking ios) update will patch up exploit and disable rooting.
2.Uninstall preinstall app will recover no space for user since system partition has fixed size and separate from data partition.
(Preinstall apps is in system partition. User apps and data is in data partition)
Also once your device is rooted it will list your software as custom and disable ota update.
Sent from my SM-A9000 using Tapatalk
@RemixDeluxe couple things.
Package DisablerPro even though they don't uninstall the apps such as Uber it does disable and they won't show up in your folder nor update.
To stop automatic app update go to Playstore settings and check the do not auto update box.
As far as firmware update I took the update so no biggie
Since the bootloader on the G935A ATT is locked down tight I seriously doubt there'll be a root exploit but if someone does find one if you root you won't have to worry about auto updates because the device won't be able to take the OTA.
I use a thin Speck case and Case Mate makes a good case as well and they will eliminate the incidental screen touches.
I've had the Galaxy S series of devices since the S2 and I've got to say in my humble opinion of course you won't find a finer device.
Yes I've owned several other android devices as well.
I've bought the international S7 Edge and that device is fully rootable so if you can come up with the money it's an idea to consider.
Even the Tmobile S7 Edge bootloader is locked down now so that's out of the question.
I hope I've answered some of your questions.
Feel free to hit me up if you have more.
"And on that bombshell!"
Sent from my Smokin G935A
NonXtreme said:
*You have got snapdragon version which have locked bootloader so unless samsung and at&t push out official update that unlock it, it is unlikely your device will get rooted at least not normal method.
1.It is possible but unlikely that new update can make root impossible(assume that your s7 get bootloader unlocked and root by flashing supersu) but if your device get root in special way by using exploits(like jailbreaking ios) update will patch up exploit and disable rooting.
2.Uninstall preinstall app will recover no space for user since system partition has fixed size and separate from data partition.
(Preinstall apps is in system partition. User apps and data is in data partition)
Also once your device is rooted it will list your software as custom and disable ota update.
Sent from my SM-A9000 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm confused by your post, I thought rooting the phone was the equivalent to jailbreaking on IOS as in it makes the device open source but by no means is it official by the developers of the OS.
So are you saying I can only disable updates once my phone is rooted? I mean how would I stop it in the first place so I can get root to begin with? sounds like a catch 22.
s7freak said:
@RemixDeluxe couple things.
Package DisablerPro even though they don't uninstall the apps such as Uber it does disable and they won't show up in your folder nor update.
To stop automatic app update go to Playstore settings and check the do not auto update box.
As far as firmware update I took the update so no biggie
Since the bootloader on the G935A ATT is locked down tight I seriously doubt there'll be a root exploit but if someone does find one if you root you won't have to worry about auto updates because the device won't be able to take the OTA.
I use a thin Speck case and Case Mate makes a good case as well and they will eliminate the incidental screen touches.
I've had the Galaxy S series of devices since the S2 and I've got to say in my humble opinion of course you won't find a finer device.
Yes I've owned several other android devices as well.
I've bought the international S7 Edge and that device is fully rootable so if you can come up with the money it's an idea to consider.
Even the Tmobile S7 Edge bootloader is locked down now so that's out of the question.
I hope I've answered some of your questions.
Feel free to hit me up if you have more.
"And on that bombshell!"
Sent from my Smokin G935A
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont care about applications updating since that doesnt affect the OS in terms of exploits but for firmware updates I want to be able to not update because I imagine Samsung or AT&T (whoever it concerns) would not want their customers to root their devices and have open souce access they arent suppose to have. Maybe I'm too used to Apple stomping out jailbreak and I should ease up with Android updates, this is all new to me so forgive my lack of understanding.
RemixDeluxe said:
I dont care about applications updating since that doesnt affect the OS in terms of exploits but for firmware updates I want to be able to not update because I imagine Samsung or AT&T (whoever it concerns) would not want their customers to root their devices and have open souce access they arent suppose to have. Maybe I'm too used to Apple stomping out jailbreak and I should ease up with Android updates, this is all new to me so forgive my lack of understanding.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly I doubt very seriously if there will be root for the ATT, Verizon, TMO s7 edge. Just like the s6 edge or Note5. There was root for a very short period for the s6 edge but the exploit was patched very quickly. It seems devs aren't even trying to find root for ATT devices since the bootloaders are so tightly locked.
As far as updates to the OS since root isn't available there's no worry about exploits being patched.
It sucks tremendously but the major carriers are more concerned with security than anything else.
Tomorrow my ATT s7 edge is going back to the corporate store and from now on I'll be buying the international versions outright.
I've been lucky since I've had a couple other devices that I was able to sell on Swappa to offset the cost.
"And on that bombshell!"
Sent from my Smokin G935A
I really wanted to root my device, its half the fun of owning a new device and this really bums me out I may possible never get to experience that.
So am I completely screwed out of rooting or do you think there will be some workarounds in the foreseeable future?
Thanks for keeping me informed.
RemixDeluxe said:
I really wanted to root my device, its half the fun of owning a new device and this really bums me out I may possible never get to experience that.
So am I completely screwed out of rooting or do you think there will be some workarounds in the foreseeable future?
Thanks for keeping me informed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never underestimate the xda community even if it looks grim now I'm keeping a positive outlook that us variants will eventually have root. But maybe that's just wishful thinking. But there are plenty of modifications and customization options available to us without the need of root.
I have a couple of requests in regards to some applications if anyone would be generous enough to suggest anything.
1. Are there any applications to get free inapp purchases without root?
2. Anyway to stop ads in apps or while viewing youtube videos? I've tried a few adblockers but they dont seem to do much if anything at all.
3. I used this app on my iPhone called Mewseek which allowed you to download music on the fly and listen to it instantly. Is there any equivalent of that on Android?
Mini-rant
OK, so I have to rant (just briefly) about the whole state of Samsung phones at the moment. Basically, we spend gobs of money on expensive devices and get locked down pre-loaded junk in return. Oh, they are physically impressive, have good specs, and are aesthetically nice gadgets. But would you spend $1600 bucks on a new laptop that came with software you couldn’t remove and could only be upgraded for the next 4 years?!?!
I have wanted to experiment with LineageOS for years. I bought a used Samsung S8+ in 2018 and quickly found out that LineageOS was a no go because Samsung locks the bootloaders on all US and Canadian models. So, that was never going to happen unless some guru found a hack.
Now, five years later, I went out of my way to find a Global/European S10+ (an SM-G975F) specifically so that I could install LineageOS. Now, I managed to do that easily enough. But now I am stuck with a phone that has poor reception and slow LTE speeds because it is missing LTE bands used in Canada (i.e. the SM-G975F uses different bands than the SM-G975W).
So here we are… making tradeoffs again.
And while I like fiddling with things like this, I have to wonder... why are we here in the first place? I just want a phone that doesn’t come preloaded with junk that I don’t want. I don’t want Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok or even Office 365 pre-installed and non-removable. It is like moving into a new house and finding out that the builder picked out furniture for the living room and, while you can push it off to the side and cover it with a blanket, you can never actually remove it. Why is the builder picking out furniture for me in the first place?
Some will say they like the furniture the builder picked. Most will say they don’t hate it or that they found a way to cover it up sufficiently that they don’t really notice it anymore. That isn’t really the point though, is it?
LineageOS on the other hand comes with nothing that it shouldn’t. Oh, and you can have LineageOS if you like (if you stand on your head and find a way to order a phone from another market) but then you have crummy reception forever. Oh, and when you are done you are a 2nd class citizen who can't use the NFC chip on his/her phone to pay for things because you were a "bad person" who found a way to remove the builder's sofa from your living room.
Oh, there are tricks… download this tool or that… but some don’t work anymore because of update XYZ…
Why can’t I just turn on the LTE bands I need??!?! Like, seriously, why not?!?!
Or better yet, why doesn’t my phone do it for me when it sees the Bell SIM card?!?!
Whose phone is this anyway?!?!
The state of Samsung phones in North America is garbage. Full stop. Pure garbage. No, I am not being too harsh.
1) All phones should come with basic firmware that makes the phone work and nothing else. The phone should not be used as an on-ramp into whichever ecosystem is paying the manufacturer more. OEM apps (i.e. Samung Calculator, Samsung DeX, etc.) are fine but no 3rd party junk like Facebook and Instagram. That is what the store is for.
2) All bootloaders should be unlockable and re-lockable once custom firmware is loaded if that firmware is itself signed. No "tripping Knox" or this nonsense.
3) All radio/LTE/carrier settings should be accessible and customizable with easily selectable presets for major carriers worldwide.
Anything else is a closed ecosystem that doesn't respect your basic property rights.
OK, done ranting... Maybe someone from Samsung will notice and maybe it will make a difference.
Best regards,
The Fish
I run two stock N10+'s, a N975U and a N975U1.
Running on Android 9* and 10 respectively. Neither have had their firmware upgraded. I use Package Disabler to block about 70-80 apks and settings are heavily optimized. Both run fast, stable and fullfill their mission with almost no issues and little maintenance. Excellent SOT and standby time.
Both are compatible with AT&T and as such there are no reception issues. You check and verify this before you purchase. Slam the sim card in and they're good to go. Once optimized and running well, don't upgrade firmware or update apps and it will run fine for years. Don't do the above and you will need to find work arounds... if they exist.
Current load on this N10+ will be 3yo this June. No malware during that time. Still looks, feels and runs like new. Only repair has been a battery. After a steep learning curve I'm very pleased with these devices. They are still a joy to use. However I can't say the same for the proceeding Samsung flagships and will never own one of them for a litany of reasons*.
Samsung phones with/in this SOC/generation can run well in capable hands, stock, if used as described.
*has last Android 9 firmware update
**lol, don't get me started
blackhawk said:
Neither have had their firmware upgraded. I use Package Disabler to block about 70-80 apks and settings are heavily optimized. Both run fast, stable and fullfill their mission with almost no issues and little maintenance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This kind of proves my point. I am not saying there isn't a way to get your Samsung phone running the way you want it. I am saying that the hoops we have to jump through and the tradeoffs we have to make are unacceptable.
Why do you have to use Package Disabler to block about 70-80 apks?!?! Why should you have to block *any* APKs at all?
Why do you have to stick with old, outdated firmware? Why do you have to make this tradeoff? Why do we have to have a hostile relationship with Samsung?
Why can't we have a nice phone, no bloatware, no junk, no apps we don't want. Get updates for a reasonable amount of time (i.e. till the hardware no longer supports it)?
blackhawk said:
Both are compatible with AT&T and as such there are no reception issues. You check and verify this before you purchase. Slam the sim card in and they're good to go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure. And I knew ahead of time when I purchased the Global S10+ (the SM-G975F) that it didn't support all the same LTE bands as the Canadian model (the SM-G975W). But again, I had to make tradeoffs because I wanted to run LineageOS. Again, why do we have to choose between two crummy options?!?! Where are the good options?!?
I am daring to imagine a world where this is better. Really, we used to have phones locked to service providers and 5-year contracts. Those were the bad old days. But these days right now (with the bloatware, etc.) are also not great. It reminds me of the Windows XP era of PCs where you would buy a new PC and be prompted to sign up for 100 different services upon initial bootup. Only difference then was you could re-install the operating system on your PC and free yourself from the OEM bloatware. But now, with phones, they make even that impossible with locked bootloaders.
Basically, if I could unlock the bootloader of a Canadian SM-G975W that would be ideal. Any why isn't it like that anyway?!?! Isn't that the way it should be to begin with?
Locked bootloaders with no option to unlock should be illegal.
The Fish
thefish123 said:
This kind of proves my point. I am not saying there isn't a way to get your Samsung phone running the way you want it. I am saying that the hoops we have to jump through and the tradeoffs we have to make are unacceptable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm a pragmatist, I use what works.
thefish123 said:
Why do you have to use Package Disabler to block about 70-80 apks?!?! Why should you have to block *any* APKs at all?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's only blocking what I consider bloatware. 10 or 15 of those apks are apps I installed but chose to kept disabled 99% of the time.
thefish123 said:
Why do you have to stick with old, outdated firmware? Why do you have to make this tradeoff? Why do we have to have a hostile relationship with Samsung?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's your choice to upgrade and there's no reason to upgrade if the firmware is fulfilling its mission if you're running Android 9 or higher. If you lack wherewithal you pay a price...
thefish123 said:
Why can't we have a nice phone, no bloatware, no junk, no apps we don't want. Get updates for a reasonable amount of time (i.e. till the hardware no longer supports it)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Updates and upgrades aren't needed on an optimized device that's running well. New phones with the newest firmware are running like crap in case you didn't notice. Very little speed increase in most routine activities and horrible SOT on most.
thefish123 said:
Sure. And I knew ahead of time when I purchased the Global S10+ (the SM-G975F) that it didn't support all the same LTE bands as the Canadian model (the SM-G975W). But again, I had to make tradeoffs because I wanted to run LineageOS. Again, why do we have to choose between two crummy options?!?! Where are the good options?!?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you knew there be connectivity issues and that should have flagged it. Custom roms have custom problems with a limited user/support base.
thefish123 said:
I am daring to imagine a world where this is better. Really, we used to have phones locked to service providers and 5-year contracts. Those were the bad old days. But these days right now (with the bloatware, etc.) are also not great. It reminds me of the Windows XP era of PCs where you would buy a new PC and be prompted to sign up for 100 different services upon initial bootup. Only difference then was you could re-install the operating system on your PC and free yourself from the OEM bloatware. But now, with phones, they make even that impossible with locked bootloaders.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not that bad if you shop smart. I bought out my AT&T N10+ at 2 years. It's almost identical to my carrier unlocked variant. I want the boot loader locked for security. No way I'm touching the firmware as these are premium flagships that run extremely well as is. I have very little to gain and lots to lose... including time.
thefish123 said:
Basically, if I could unlock the bootloader of a Canadian SM-G975W that would be ideal. Any why isn't it like that anyway?!?! Isn't that the way it should be to begin with?
Locked bootloaders with no option to unlock should be illegal.
The Fish
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You buy Samsung flagships for the premium hardware and then work within the framework that's available and what works best for you. You can root the Exynos variants but their hardware is almost always inferior to the Snaps. Consequences.
At this point both Samsung and Android newest products are so out of line that they are unusable to me. I don't care what they do, screw them. I'm in a holding pattern for 3+ more years happily using my N10+'s... I don't care. All my issues are worked out because I threw time at them to do so and I'm very satisfied with the outcome.
In 3+ years I will reevaluate the situation and decide what to do. Right now as things stand I don't reccomend any new Samsung's or anything Android version above Android 10. Unfortunately I have no easy solutions for you other than what I did. Even that isn't simple fix but it's a zero risk fix. I refuse to risk damaging these N10+'s by mucking with their firmware unless its needed for repair.
blackhawk said:
Well you knew there be connectivity issues and that should have flagged it. Custom roms have custom problems with a limited user/support base.
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The reason I purchased this specific model was so that I could run a custom ROM. But the connectivity issues are not caused by the custom rom. They are caused by the fact that I am using a phone designed for a different market where different LTE bands are used.
And yes, I knew that ahead of time. And I am not regretting that. But you are missing the point. The radio in my phone is perfectly capable of using the LTE bands that my carrier uses. So why shouldn't there be a straightforward way to enable them?
What if I used to live in Europe and moved to Canada? Should I be forced to buy a new phone just because Samsung doesn't let me change LTE bands? Or if I travel between Europe and Canada on business then I just have to suffer with crummy reception?
My point is one of ownership, property rights.
thefish123 said:
The reason I purchased this specific model was so that I could run a custom ROM. But the connectivity issues are not caused by the custom rom. They are caused by the fact that I am using a phone designed for a different market where different LTE bands are used.
And yes, I knew that ahead of time. And I am not regretting that. But you are missing the point. The radio in my phone is perfectly capable of using the LTE bands that my carrier uses. So why shouldn't there be a straightforward way to enable them?
What if I used to live in Europe and moved to Canada? Should I be forced to buy a new phone just because Samsung doesn't let me change LTE bands? Or if I travel between Europe and Canada on business then I just have to suffer with crummy reception?
My point is one of ownership, property rights.
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Connectivity is paramount. Regardless of what your user rights should be, you need to work within the limits of the options available. The square peg round hole thing...
You may be able to enable those bands and that's probably where you should be directing your energy. I purposely try to avoid having to do that as much as possible and never had to. You dove down the rabbit hole, hopefully it's not too deep. Try looking at the hidden phone user settings first... I guess.
blackhawk said:
Connectivity is paramount. Regardless of what your user rights should be, you need to work within the limits of the options available. The square peg round hole thing...
You may be able to enable those bands and that's probably where you should be directing your energy. I purposely try to avoid having to do that as much as possible and never had to. You dove down the rabbit hole, hopefully it's not too deep. Try looking at the hidden phone user settings first... I guess.
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Yes, I agree. Being a phone is the most important thing that a phone does. And I am directing my energies in that direction as well. But in the process, it occures to me that a messed-up antagonistic anti-customer ecosystem this whole thing is. We would *never* accept this from a computer company, a car manufacturer, or a home builder. Yet, for some reason, we accept it from phone makers like Samsung and that we need to work within these [artificially imposed] limits.
Anyway, yes, there used to be a hidden phone menu (why hidden?) that would have let me enable the bands that I need. But Samsung removed it sometime last year with an update. Again, why?!?!
I'll keep looking. I'm sure I will figure out something in time inspite of Samsung, not because of them.
The Fish
What OS version are you on?
The band selections are probably still there although means of access may have changed.
My knowledge in this area is very limited. The sim card always configured it perfectly for me.
Best to check with your carrier to be sure that phone model is on their white list.
You could try seeing if someone help you from your carrier tech support...sometimes you get lucky if you try enough.
blackhawk said:
What OS version are you on?
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I am running LineageOS 19.1.
blackhawk said:
The band selections are probably still there although means of access may have changed.
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The band selection app is categorically *not* there anymore because it A) it was part of the Samsung firmware and B) even if I was on Samsung firmware it wouldn't be there anymore either because Samsung removed it.
There used to be a tool you could download that would allow you to access the "hidden" band selection app. But it stopped working because Samsung removed the hidden app altogeather. Like I said in my original post on this thread "Oh, there are tricks… download this tool or that… but some don’t work anymore because of update XYZ…"
My point is that the whole nonsense of disabled bands and locked bootloaders is infuriating. I is like buying a computer that can only access the internet at full speed in Europe and if you fly to Canada and use it there you get penalized with 1/2 speed. Oh, and even through you could change it with the flip of a switch that switch is buried, disabled, hidden behind locked doors.
The Google Pixel 7 Pro has all the bands turned on (i.e. there is one phone for the whole world) and the boot loader is unlocked. Just saying...
At some point I will probably prevail in getting the bands I need turned on. And then I will likely be very happy with this phone for the next 5+ years. But none of that changes the fact that this anti-consumer predatory behavior on the part of Samsung is unacceptable.
The Fish