Related
I'd buy a Samsung Note 2014 but in my country only 16GB is available (like many others european countries)...
Do you recommend this tablet to me also with its memory size? How much memory does it have on out of the box?
I'm a little scared about apps I could install on it.. Because also if it has microSD i know it's not possibile to install apps on microsd.. :crying:
mouse100 said:
I'd buy a Samsung Note 2014 but in my country only 16GB is available (like many others european countries)...
Do you recommend this tablet to me also with its memory size? How much memory does it have on out of the box?
I'm a little scared about apps I could install on it.. Because also if it has microSD i know it's not possibile to install apps on microsd.. :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check out this thread. Its got what you wanted to know
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2516970
mouse100 said:
I'd buy a Samsung Note 2014 but in my country only 16GB is available (like many others european countries)...
Do you recommend this tablet to me also with its memory size? How much memory does it have on out of the box?
I'm a little scared about apps I could install on it.. Because also if it has microSD i know it's not possibile to install apps on microsd.. :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I only had the 16gb original Note10.1, and I never had any problems with space, as I installed everything that wasnt an app onto a 64gb external SD Card.
And so I didnt think twice about getting the 16gb Note10.1(2014), cos I knew I'd end up using the same apps, and the same SD Card in fact lol.
By the way, if you're thinking of rooting, you might as well just get the 16gb one because:
1) You can install apps onto the external SD Card then anyway (least you can on other devices, I assume it would work on this one too)
and
2) At the moment the knox thing means you get no warranty, so you might as well go for the cheapest device just in case.
If you arent rooting (I'm not at the moment, until knox is sorted out) then it depends on how many apps you plan to install. I only use my tablet for drawing, writing, and reading, and browsing, and these apps dont take up huge amounts of space (the biggest space is taken up by my sketchbook pro picture files), everything else (books, comics, videos) are all on external storage.
Games are your only issue, but I only occasionally get a couple games on there, and I uninstall them when i finish with them.
Hope this has been vaguely helpful anyway!
nirurin said:
I only had the 16gb original Note10.1, and I never had any problems with space, as I installed everything that wasnt an app onto a 64gb external SD Card.
And so I didnt think twice about getting the 16gb Note10.1(2014), cos I knew I'd end up using the same apps, and the same SD Card in fact lol.
By the way, if you're thinking of rooting, you might as well just get the 16gb one because:
1) You can install apps onto the external SD Card then anyway (least you can on other devices, I assume it would work on this one too)
and
2) At the moment the knox thing means you get no warranty, so you might as well go for the cheapest device just in case.
If you arent rooting (I'm not at the moment, until knox is sorted out) then it depends on how many apps you plan to install. I only use my tablet for drawing, writing, and reading, and browsing, and these apps dont take up huge amounts of space (the biggest space is taken up by my sketchbook pro picture files), everything else (books, comics, videos) are all on external storage.
Games are your only issue, but I only occasionally get a couple games on there, and I uninstall them when i finish with them.
Hope this has been vaguely helpful anyway!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your answer. Isn't it possible to root with root de la vega and maintain warranty? Did you try it?
mouse100 said:
Thanks for your answer. Isn't it possible to root with root de la vega and maintain warranty? Did you try it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats only for the LTE Snapdragon version, which as far as I know isnt even for sale over here yet, and is more expensive anyway (and a waste of money but anyway).
The normal WiFi version doesnt have a proper root yet. There was a pledge to get one done, but the person who took the money only gave a basic root which trips knox, so its pretty much worthless.
I dont think people are going to put up another pledge either, unfortunatly. Bit of a shame really, if it doesnt get sorted out then this device may die a slow developmental death.
Fingers crossed though, that something may get transferred over from another device someday.
Edit: I should say "Worthless to me", as I know some people were happy with losing their warranties. Not sure why, but to each their own.
I agree with everything @nirurin has said apart from " I didnt think twice about getting the 16gb"
I was stressing on getting the 32GB and like you my country isn't selling the 32GB so in the end I decided to just live with the 16GB and tbh its the best decision I made and saved loads of money. I have about 9GB free and this is after pretty much all my major apps have been installed. I have a few movies and TV shows which are all on my 64GB external SDcard but I have no games installed on my Note yet. But I'm positive that even with games I shall have plenty of space available.
But you have to bear in mind everyone uses their tablets completely differently some people on here have nearly filled their 32GB and some (Like me) will be more than happy with 16GB - Best of luck.
I also got the 16gb. I did consider getting the 32gb from Expansy (when it was only £450) but I figured a 2 year warranty was more important. I also came from the original galaxy note 10.1 tablet and that was also a 16gb. However, I felt it was a substantial amount for me as I had a 32gb micro sd card. I just store all my videos, etc onto there. I'm not fussed about rooting in all honesty although maybe I'll consider it in the future. For me though, I'm personally happy with the amount of storage. But I guess think realistically what you'd use your tablet for and how long it would take for roms to be made for this tablet.
nirurin said:
Thats only for the LTE Snapdragon version, which as far as I know isnt even for sale over here yet, and is more expensive anyway (and a waste of money but anyway).
The normal WiFi version doesnt have a proper root yet. There was a pledge to get one done, but the person who took the money only gave a basic root which trips knox, so its pretty much worthless.
I dont think people are going to put up another pledge either, unfortunatly. Bit of a shame really, if it doesnt get sorted out then this device may die a slow developmental death.
Fingers crossed though, that something may get transferred over from another device someday.
Edit: I should say "Worthless to me", as I know some people were happy with losing their warranties. Not sure why, but to each their own.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We paid the developer for root, with or without tripping, he earned his money. And we all paid after it was done, so everybody knew about knox counter problem.
I paid $90 for 3rd party warranty for 3 or 4 years (I'm sure I won't keep this tablet that long) and they cover rooted devices too. Not worthless for many of us.
You need to be careful as in some apps like bbc iplayer and Skygo download internally and not to the sd card.
Particularly in terms of front & back camera(s) performances ?
Also:
- What improvements would you like to see in OxygenOS ?
Cameras, screen and battery are the only improvements that can be had, perhaps audio.
Every other box has been ticked.
Storage
Size
Performance
Ram
Aesthetics
Are all perfect
Cameras, battery and audio are also really top notch so I wouldn't expect anything ground breaking.
We're approaching a stage where things can't progress at the rate they once did.
For me I would only make the battery larger but that's just nitpicking.
(See screenshot)
Waterproofing is here as Is superb wireless charging and reverse charging.
In regards to the OS id like to see no features removed, only made optional.
Screen off animations, OS size changes, static icon alterations like the status bar clock and signal icons, they should be fully themeable, which you can see from the screen shot I've already changed on mine.
I don't think major, but a progression... Further aod features, battery improvements, etc....
I think that Samsung have moved the game on by producing a folding handset, and that everybody else will eventually need to move into that space if they want to keep selling phones.
Sure it's still going through some teething issues (and the app market hasn't caught up yet), and I can't imagine that the 9 Pro will be folding, but I'd expect that the 10 Pro or 11 Pro will be.
Philip said:
I think that Samsung have moved the game on by producing a folding handset, and that everybody else will eventually need to move into that space if they want to keep selling phones.
Sure it's still going through some teething issues (and the app market hasn't caught up yet), and I can't imagine that the 9 Pro will be folding, but I'd expect that the 10 Pro or 11 Pro will be.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't buy a folding phone again.
The startac was the last good folding phone.
Folds are a phase, an expensive one.
dladz said:
Folds are a phase, an expensive one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Folding screens are a whole different ballgame to the antediluvian technology that was the Startac.
Who wouldn't want a phone that folds down to half (or less) of its normal use size when you put it in your pocket, especially as the screens get thinner and lighter, and the software evolves to make use of the form factor.
The technology still has a little way to go, but in the not-too-distant future all handsets will have foldable screens.
Philip said:
Folding screens are a whole different ballgame to the antediluvian technology that was the Startac.
Who wouldn't want a phone that folds down to half (or less) of its normal use size when you put it in your pocket, especially as the screens get thinner and lighter, and the software evolves to make use of the form factor.
The technology still has a little way to go, but in the not-too-distant future all handsets will have foldable screens.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No dude, I know.
Point I'm trying to make is, every person who had an ounce of taste had a startac.
Only people who'll buy a folding device are people who don't know their phones or someone who blindly buys the latest gadgets.
The processors in those phones are pants as are the batteries, look at the Motorola flip?
The technology is a non starter.
I'll never change my mind on that, if they sell as much as the startac did then I'll admit I'm wrong, but I doubt it.
dladz said:
...... Are all perfect
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am changing the subject on you. I should have created a new thread, but I am not sure if you would see it in that case.
After waiting a month, I still haven't received my OnePlus 8 Pro. Do *NOT* ever buy anything from Bludiode.com. It is a scam. These guys claim Covid-19 is delaying the clearance of my payment. A virus can slow down electronic payment for a month?! I already called my credit card company to dispute it and got my money back. Since they do charge a 2 . 9% service charge to use a credit card, I assume those who do a bank transfer from their checking account to avoid this charge are their real victims. Anyway, I digress.
Since I don't have a OnePlus 8 Pro in my hand yet, I have a new concern before I buy it again. Does it have a boot-up (NOT lockscreen) password? I just learned that through a custom recovery like TWRP, one can always delete the locksettings.db and/or other similar files to erase the lockscreen password. Further, since TWRP has a built-in file manager, even if an attacker doesn't reboot to system, he can simply browse in TWRP.
TWRP doesn't officially support a password, and I can understand why because it's futile. An attacker can simply flash a fresh TWRP through download mode anyway to wipe out the existing password.
The only way to prevent an attacker from stealing my private info is to
1. encrypt the internal memory, or
2. unroot the phone and lock the bootloader so that a custom recovery cannot be installed, or
3. the device has a boot-up password.
Neither #1 or 2 would work for me. That leaves only #3.
Can you please confirm if OnePlus 8 Pro supports boot-up password?
By the way, if the upcoming upgrades in the 9 Pro would be marginal, I may just wait till the 9 Pro comes out and then buy the 8 Pro on the cheap. What time of the year does OnePlus usually release a new phone?
Thank you
luckysoul777 said:
I am changing the subject on you. I should have created a new thread, but I am not sure if you would see it in that case.
After waiting a month, I still haven't received my OnePlus 8 Pro. Do *NOT* ever buy anything from Bludiode.com. It is a scam. These guys claim Covid-19 is delaying the clearance of my payment. A virus can slow down electronic payment for a month?! I already called my credit card company to dispute it and got my money back. Since they do charge a 2 . 9% service charge to use a credit card, I assume those who do a bank transfer from their checking account to avoid this charge are their real victims. Anyway, I digress.
Since I don't have a OnePlus 8 Pro in my hand yet, I have a new concern before I buy it again. Does it have a boot-up (NOT lockscreen) password? I just learned that through a custom recovery like TWRP, one can always delete the locksettings.db and/or other similar files to erase the lockscreen password. Further, since TWRP has a built-in file manager, even if an attacker doesn't reboot to system, he can simply browse in TWRP.
TWRP doesn't officially support a password, and I can understand why because it's futile. An attacker can simply flash a fresh TWRP through download mode anyway to wipe out the existing password.
The only way to prevent an attacker from stealing my private info is to
1. encrypt the internal memory, or
2. unroot the phone and lock the bootloader so that a custom recovery cannot be installed, or
3. the device has a boot-up password.
Neither #1 or 2 would work for me. That leaves only #3.
Can you please confirm if OnePlus 8 Pro supports boot-up password?
By the way, if the upcoming upgrades in the 9 Pro would be marginal, I may just wait till the 9 Pro comes out and then buy the 8 Pro on the cheap. What time of the year does OnePlus usually release a new phone?
Thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'd need the password to obtain data access to that part of the system, as in it has to decrypt.
They just released the 8T so in six months the 9 will be out.
That sucks about that place.
Did you get your money back??
after owning 4 op phones in between other flagships from other companies just for the love of op this op8 pro will be the last i buy from op. even cyanogen dint have this kinda bugs back in the day lol. if this is what they call a stable os moving forward. they are now more concerned about pushing mid range phones to get a slice of the market share that what people came to love about them like software smoothness is just purely ****. like the word **** is being nice at this point. i hope things change moving forward but this isnt going well for them at all
I'm testing and getting a couple donated tablets ready for a group, and one came in that was a SM-T237 (which is pre-KRACK-patches ). So far I have tracked down that it is an Exynos 3470 powered system, different from the Marvell SM-T230, and the Qualcomm Matisse, but I can't find even a code name for this particular device, and I want more information before I try to flash "TWRP for Galaxy Tab 4 Degas" or anything else that may or may not break it. Is it similar to any other tablet for a starting point at least?
Looks like nothing simple anyway. Thinking I'll probably slap a "be careful... vulnerabilities" sticker on this one and send it back with Lollipop, and focus my attention on the probably equally difficult ZenPads, but they have 3GB RAM and I have two of them to spread the justification for the effort over.
Seems like a simple enough question but I've been having a really difficult time trying to gain traction about information on this tablet or any tablet.
Yes. i've owned one since is was released last year but there is NOTHING on xda. Even though it's new and fairly speedy, no one has worked on an ROM for this. I wanted to unlock and root it so I can use it on another ISP/Mobile.
Gasaraki- said:
Yes. i've owned one since is was released last year but there is NOTHING on xda. Even though it's new and fairly speedy, no one has worked on an ROM for this. I wanted to unlock and root it so I can use it on another ISP/Mobile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's very very frustrating, there seems to be very little support for it. Do you know if you can charge while having a thumb drive hooked up? Like OTG style? I have purchased 2 tablets so far and neither have this capabilities. I don't want to be purchasing a third with the same result
Gasaraki- said:
Yes. i've owned one since is was released last year but there is NOTHING on xda. Even though it's new and fairly speedy, no one has worked on an ROM for this. I wanted to unlock and root it so I can use it on another ISP/Mobile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just ordered o e and it showed up today and it also does not charge while a thumb drive is hooked up. Have you found any information or help on this product anywhere. Do you know of any other forums where people actually answer problems? I am so impossibly frustrated
Gasaraki- said:
Yes. i've owned one since is was released last year but there is NOTHING on xda. Even though it's new and fairly speedy, no one has worked on an ROM for this. I wanted to unlock and root it so I can use it on another ISP/Mobile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No need to root to switch to another isp. get unlock code from current isp, install odin 3.14.1 and install any isp firmware you want from https://galaxyfirmware.com/model/SM-T307U/ I had an at&t branded with android9, and now i am running wind/freedom android11 firmware.
bbortnick said:
No need to root to switch to another isp. get unlock code from current isp, install odin 3.14.1 and install any isp firmware you want from https://galaxyfirmware.com/model/SM-T307U/ I had an at&t branded with android9, and now i am running wind/freedom android11 firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, thnx for the useful info. Did you have trouble getting the unlock code from at&t? Where did you enter that code? A specific app on the at&t rom I'm guessing?
Getting a sprint version of this device, but want to use it t-mobile. Have read that just factory reset device and use odin to flash other firmware would work, does that sound feasible to you? I'm kind of doubting that but have no idea really.
It used to be flashing diff rom would sim unlock, but not anymore I don't think.
thnx for taking the time, so little info for this available.
cheers
No problem with at&t, although i had to impersonate a US location. Start here: https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/unlockstep1
Like I said, vendor unlock, install odin on your pc, use odin to install the desired firmware you downloaded.
The firmware should boot up, but maybe the radio bands are different between the two isp's? and therefore the LTE part of the tablet may not work. i don't care since I don't install a sim card, just use it on wifi.
Thanks a lot for the info guys. For anyone else reading, I used 'T307UVLS6CUH1' (BMC) - and it is unbranded and doesn't have a ton of bloatware.
Also, since there are so few users on this thing, will also drop that I made a stand for it here:
Galaxy Tab A Stand by xnappo
This is a horizontal stand for the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.4 (2020). Admittedly it is a bit specific because of the not-so-popular tablet and the use of a NetDot Gen10 magnetic USB cable. One could use this with USB-C directly - but I do really recommend that (likely stress on USB port). You...
www.thingiverse.com
xnappo
Hello,
I got unlocked ATT SM-T307UZNAATT from eBay.
My provider is Red Pocket, and I have ATT-compatible SIM.
When I try to place a call - ATT window appears and askes to log in to ATT account or create one.
How could I place calls?
Would appreciate any help!
xnappo said:
Thanks a lot for the info guys. For anyone else reading, I used 'T307UVLS6CUH1' (BMC) - and it is unbranded and doesn't have a ton of bloatware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is the speed/lag? This tablet is mega slow, but I was wondering if I loaded different firmware (currently on AT&T) that it might help, since it can't be rooted.
My 8-yr old rooted Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is better than this thing, but alas a few apps won't run on 32-bit architecture. I think I will relegate this AT&T "brick" to my exercise bike for an entertainment interface.
kodiak799 said:
How is the speed/lag? This tablet is mega slow, but I was wondering if I loaded different firmware (currently on AT&T) that it might help, since it can't be rooted.
My 8-yr old rooted Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is better than this thing, but alas a few apps won't run on 32-bit architecture. I think I will relegate this AT&T "brick" to my exercise bike for an entertainment interface.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Meh - no better. It is pretty ridiculous - I was very happy with my 2015 Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 - but it started crashing all the time. This one is slower, thicker, lower resolution, and heavier! 32 GB really isn't enough storage either.
It is super annoying there are not any good 8 inch Android tablets. The Huawei M6 8.4 looks okay, but being in the US it is a bit of a pain to get.
xnappo said:
Meh - no better. It is pretty ridiculous - I was very happy with my 2015 Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 - but it started crashing all the time. This one is slower, thicker, lower resolution, and heavier! 32 GB really isn't enough storage either.
It is super annoying there are not any good 8 inch Android tablets. The Huawei M6 8.4 looks okay, but being in the US it is a bit of a pain to get.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only great 8" tablet is the Lenovo Legion Y700, running SD870 with 12gb ram. 2560x1600, but IPS and not OLED.
I own the Tab S 8.4 (2014), the Tab A 8.4 (2020) and the Y700 (2021, 8.8").
Tab A is terrible.
It's painfully slow.
It needs root.
It has the same RAM as a tablet 6 YEARS older than it, with LOWER resolution and ! much worse performance. I wish it could be fixed.... Android 10 Lineage is out for Tab S 8.4.
kodiak799 said:
How is the speed/lag? This tablet is mega slow, but I was wondering if I loaded different firmware (currently on AT&T) that it might help, since it can't be rooted.
My 8-yr old rooted Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is better than this thing, but alas a few apps won't run on 32-bit architecture. I think I will relegate this AT&T "brick" to my exercise bike for an entertainment interface.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have done quite a few mods/tweaks to system/Global/Secure settings and also disabled Gaming Optimization Service (GOS) via Alliance Sheild X, it has made a MASSIVE difference. This device's (SM-T307U) performance is being HEAVILY limited by software-based restrictions. Most of which can be disabled without root. I can go into more detail as to how ive sped up this device if anyone is interested.
NOTE - If someone has the ATT version and can drop the .IMG or Firmware .zip that'd be awesome.
Ill keep trying to find a way to root this device until i get a new one, if anyone else has any success, DM me.
K0mraid3 said:
I have done quite a few mods/tweaks to system/Global/Secure settings and also disabled Gaming Optimization Service (GOS) via Alliance Sheild X
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've already deleted, turned-off and disabled everything I can. It's a good bit snappier, but still a dog.
I actually have 2, so I may play around with deleting/disabling apps via ADB. But it's not battery drain, which with some securetask special permissions I've gotten it to SIP power while the screen is off (varies, as low as 2% per day up to about 6-7%).
I checked the usual sources and couldn't find any AT&T image files.
kodiak799 said:
I've already deleted, turned-off and disabled everything I can. It's a good bit snappier, but still a dog.
I actually have 2, so I may play around with deleting/disabling apps via ADB. But it's not battery drain, which with some securetask special permissions I've gotten it to SIP power while the screen is off (varies, as low as 2% per day up to about 6-7%).
I checked the usual sources and couldn't find any AT&T image files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah this this is good on power, it is just severely limited. Judging from similar devices with the same exynos processor, there's got to be something holding it back. I again recommend using SetEdit or something similar to modify some params in the settings tables. The line I highlighted is in both this tablet and my Galaxy S22 & S21. I also found a param in there called "Enhanced CPU responsiveness" which was set to off, after turning that on, I noticed a massive gain in my tablet.
Also worth noting is I added the line "Allow_more_heat_value" with a value of "30" and it allows all cores to boot to max.
K0mraid3 said:
I again recommend using SetEdit or something similar to modify some params in the settings tables.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll have to give this a shot. I wouldn't think AT&T throttled the CPU, which means Sammie did it for some reason. Probably to hit some sort of battery life benchmark. Or maybe it caused instability in some devices. But being a mid-tier processor you wouldn't expect that it needed to be throttled.
I believe Sammie is giving up on the Exynos processors. I bet they had issues on this tablet, said "screw it" and just **** this out with a throttled cpu.
kodiak799 said:
I'll have to give this a shot. I wouldn't think AT&T throttled the CPU, which means Sammie did it for some reason. Probably to hit some sort of battery life benchmark. Or maybe it caused instability in some devices. But being a mid-tier processor you wouldn't expect that it needed to be throttled.
I believe Sammie is giving up on the Exynos processors. I bet they had issues on this tablet, said "screw it" and just **** this out with a throttled cpu.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's 100% a Samsung related throttle. From my understanding, it's done because they use many of the same parts/processors in various devices, so as a way to control device specific performances, they set limitations. For example, this tablet has the same processor as some of their other "Higher-end" models (if I'm not mistaken), so to keep this tablet from outperforming the others, it's limited. I'm sure there are other reasons, like the battery benchmark bit that you mentioned too.
But yeah. This is 100% a Samsung based throttling.
K0mraid3 said:
I have done quite a few mods/tweaks to system/Global/Secure settings and also disabled Gaming Optimization Service (GOS) via Alliance Sheild X, it has made a MASSIVE difference. This device's (SM-T307U) performance is being HEAVILY limited by software-based restrictions. Most of which can be disabled without root. I can go into more detail as to how ive sped up this device if anyone is interested.
NOTE - If someone has the ATT version and can drop the .IMG or Firmware .zip that'd be awesome.
Ill keep trying to find a way to root this device until i get a new one, if anyone else has any success, DM me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I’d be interested in how you tweaked this tablet to function better.
K0mraid3 said:
I have done quite a few mods/tweaks to system/Global/Secure settings and also disabled Gaming Optimization Service (GOS) via Alliance Sheild X, it has made a MASSIVE difference. This device's (SM-T307U) performance is being HEAVILY limited by software-based restrictions. Most of which can be disabled without root. I can go into more detail as to how ive sped up this device if anyone is interested.
NOTE - If someone has the ATT version and can drop the .IMG or Firmware .zip that'd be awesome.
Ill keep trying to find a way to root this device until i get a new one, if anyone else has any success, DM me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you please share the mods/tweaks you've done?
I have one of these purely for its size, I travel over Europe and as the seating space is limited the smaller the better. I am running the Canadian Wind software but if anyone can give me a run through on disabling apps/services to speed up a bit that would be helpful.
I am going to buy the Lenovo Legion Y700 but only when a global version with LTE is available.
Cheers
Nick
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am running LineageOS 19.1.
blackhawk said:
The band selections are probably still there although means of access may have changed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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