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Anyone crazy like me & would like a bigger "SCREEN" in the next G.Note 2?
Soooo.... After owning the phone for a few days and as crazy as it sounds the phone is becoming very "normal" sized to me . Now i think alot of people mis-judge this phone from Youtube comparison vids and such. I said in another post out of the 5 people i let hold it have either said wow its so light and thin or its a very nice device. I am no giant either i am about 6 foot tall lean build.
But back on topic. Now getting used to the extra real estate has been easy for me and been a pleasure to use on the go. So i was looking at my Note last night and thinking man they could prob easily expand a extra 1/4 to 1/2" if they either dropped the touch buttons at the bottom being the next generation note would run on ICS out of the box or maybe even Jelly Bean hopefully and use on screen home/back etc buttons. There is a good 1/4" worth of space up top if they removed that butt ugly At&t logo. And a good 1/2" towards the bottom.
So basically the phone wouldn't get bigger but the actual display would. I know i am on board for that. What do you guys think?
I've said for a long time that I'd like a tablet that I could make phone calls from. That is the only way I would pay for cell service for a tablet when I can just pop a wifi from my phone. I would love a full size 7-10" tablet that I simply had to use a BT or wired earpiece with since I use the phone part of my phone the absolute least of all primary features. I have a feeling that may fall into that catogory also.
Chief Geek said:
I've said for a long time that I'd like a tablet that I could make phone calls from. That is the only way I would pay for cell service for a tablet when I can just pop a wifi from my phone. I would love a full size 7-10" tablet that I simply had to use a BT or wired earpiece with since I use the phone part of my phone the absolute least of all primary features. I have a feeling that may fall into that catogory also.
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Have you seen the new & upcoming ASUS Padfone smartphone/tablet? That seems right up your alley! Not sure when or if if will be coming to the US market anytime soon.
Vcolassi said:
Have you seen the new & upcoming ASUS Padfone smartphone/tablet? That seems right up your alley! Not sure when or if if will be coming to the US market anytime soon.
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Yea there's been rumors of such devices for years and the only thing I've seen come to fruitition is generic no name devices from hong kong. Companies like to keep the dividing line drawn in the sand to keep it two different markets, but it's only a matter of time before the lynch pin breaks by one company doing it then the rest will follow to avoid losing buisness to the one that gives the consumers what they want. I love the idea of one device to do everything, and android is the ideal platform to do it with (for me atleast) as I already use it for so many things from multiple emails, work, play, travel, even as a TV remote for my GTV. So yea, that would be right up my alley, I just need someone to offer it up at a decent price and a decent data package. If T-Mobile can do unlimited everything for $50/month, why can't someone offer this up for unlimited everything $100/month, I'd gladly fork over the cash, even if it did come with a BS datacap w/ data throttle (not fees).
I am for a bigger screen.
I'm also for a thicker phone if that meant a bigger battery. ie 5000 Mah battery to power my device.
To answer the OP, yes and no. While I usually grab the phone by the edges there are times when I grip the area where the AT&T logo is, so having an otherwise non-functional edge can be useful. That said, if they lengthened the screen a little more to take up some of the logo + button areas I wouldn't complain because...
I came from the Advantage, which has a 5" screen but a 4:3 aspect ratio. That made it wider and shorter than the Note. The 16:9 aspect ratio of the Note makes it much more useable as a phone AND for web browsing (narrower so easier to hold as a phone, longer for more screen room in landscape mode). So I definintely wouldn't want the Note's body any wider than it is - and I don't think I would want it any longer either. A longer screen would be fine.
Chief Geek said:
I've said for a long time that I'd like a tablet that I could make phone calls from. That is the only way I would pay for cell service for a tablet when I can just pop a wifi from my phone. I would love a full size 7-10" tablet that I simply had to use a BT or wired earpiece with since I use the phone part of my phone the absolute least of all primary features. I have a feeling that may fall into that catogory also.
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My Galaxy Tab 7.7 international (6800) version has a regular dialer/phone receiver. It's really awkward to use it like a normal phone, though. Combine it with something like Samsung's HM5000 Bluetooth "pen" receiver, and you have something.
The Verizon version of the 7.7 doesn't have voice calling enabled, though I suppose you could get away with using GrooveIP and Google Voice over LTE.
Vcolassi said:
Have you seen the new & upcoming ASUS Padfone smartphone/tablet? That seems right up your alley! Not sure when or if if will be coming to the US market anytime soon.
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yup I need that padfone
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717
I think the maximum size for a phone would be 6 inches screen size. I hope the Note 2 increases the screen size to that
5.7" should be perfect to me.
bigger screen with a bigger battery, same size though. I wouldn't care if they did a non-removable battery if they give it like a 5000 mAh battery. oh man. that would be so sweet
I would like a biggger screen in the same form factor because this phone is almost unusable with 1 hand as it is.
burhanistan said:
My Galaxy Tab 7.7 international (6800) version has a regular dialer/phone receiver. It's really awkward to use it like a normal phone, though. Combine it with something like Samsung's HM5000 Bluetooth "pen" receiver, and you have something.
The Verizon version of the 7.7 doesn't have voice calling enabled, though I suppose you could get away with using GrooveIP and Google Voice over LTE.
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I wasnt aware that the international version had this enabled. This is very appealing. In a year or so I may look into the this or the aforementioned device as an alternative as the new price of these are around the price of a full blown cell/wifi tablet or close to it. Thanks for the tip.
sailador said:
I think the maximum size for a phone would be 6 inches screen size. I hope the Note 2 increases the screen size to that
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I agree...........
a bigger screen size with basically the same device and bigger battery is what i would love to see as well i think that would be my perfect Note
Id like to see a 5.5" edge to edge display and a physical home button for the US version on the next NOTE.
-On another NOTE, Samsung goes 5.3"
swipe pad replaces the need for physical button
When i first got my hd2,i thought this is the best n max for a phone, then came my s2, now note, yes bigger is better, when you like to do all things on a single device, provided the battery is good enough for non stop 24hrs performance, yes you can surely do away with the edges because even on my s2 i hardly use home button, Coz i use swipe pad,i even turn off the phone with swipe pad,by placing screen off on the pad
I agree with the OP. If the next Note has a 5.5" - 6.0" screen AND dual front-facing speakers (like the BlackBerry PlayBook), it would be the perfect device.
I'm fine with the current size- more realestate is always cool, but any bigger and it becomes too hard to pocket it quickly...
Sent from my SGH-I717M using XDA
If battery technology would ever catch up to the battery demands of today's devices then i would like to see a 6" edge to edge screen.
I've been in several discussions with users that have come from (or previously owned) the 5 inch HTC Advantage. I see Dell Streak users have a thread to compare/contrast to the Note, so I thought I would do the same for the Advantage. This may help some to decide to move from the Advantage to the Note - or not.
For those that don't know what the Advantage is, it came out 5 years ago - the first phone with a 5" screen. It also included a detachable keyboard, stereo speakers, video port, stylus/pen, and a 8 GB hard drive when most SD cards at the time were below 2 GB. It had its problems, too. Since it was so far ahead of its time it was fairly bulky and heavy even with the keyboard removed. It didn't have a private speaker for phone calls. It had room for a vibration motor internally but it was never implemented even in later models, presumably because it caused problems with the hard drive. The other references in the thread title are the development name, and model names/numbers used by various carriers. Here is the XDA forum for the Advantage: http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=351
My personal reaction, as I've told several already, is the Note is by far a better phone. Physical stats, operating system, having things like a private speaker and vibration which the Advantage should have had, all add up. Not to mention that the Note costs 1/3 of what the Advantage did so you have far less to loose. The Note/Android has its deficiencies. I've had to install a half-dozen apps to add features which were built into Windows Mobile - things like incremental ring volume, ability to get more than a single system notification for things like texts and calendar appointments (miss the first one and you've missed your appointment!), or keeping the screen from timing out when it is plugged in or for specific apps. But at least you can extend/improve the OS with apps without unlocking/rooting or flashing to a whole new OS. Which many Advantage owners did including me.
All that said, the Advantage held a special place in my heart. In the 4 1/2 years I used mine, I often told my wife it was the best gadget I had ever owned and I meant it. Which is saying a lot with all the gadgets and computers I've owned since 1984. But the Note is so good that if IT had come out 5 years ago, I'm sure I would be saying the same thing about it right now. Buy one.
I have a x7501 for a few years, but haven't been actively using it in the last few years also (went to iPhone, Android etc). I am interested in the Note, but haven't decided to get one yet.
But I think one fundamental difference is that the Athena is a keyboarded device (you can use it without, but you also loose the stand at the same time). Its stereo speakers and other positioning makes it a mainly landscape orientation device.
I really don't care about its thickness, it's not that bad. It is a bit thick w/ its leather case, but it does that to any other devices anyway.
What I don't like about the Athena: battery life, speed (I'm shocked reviews that said it's fast), photo taken with camera (rear) has off (red) colour (no ROM can fix that). Especially the last piece, it's unforgivable for a $1,500. USD product! The 8GB HDD is both slow, and battery eating, and cannot be turned off.
I just can't say I like it as much as some of you do. I don't hate it, but I don't think it was worth the $1,000. I paid for. If I had paid $1,500. then, I'd have sued them (just kidding).
I lugged the keyboard around for 1 1/2 years, but finally left it on my work desk permanently. Only used it there when I was streaming XM.
I never had a problem with battery life, it would last me much longer than the 12 hours I would go between unplugging in the morning and plugging it back in when I got home. Never had a problem with the camera, either. Good colors all around, not that the quality was that great.
I think you'll like the Note, all the advantages (pun intended) of the 7501 and none of its problems. After you add some apps to tweak the downfalls of the OS.
i'm one, see my siggie
i've had still have that gigantic heavy monstrous HTC 5" for the longest time
still trying to get Android installed on it someday
I had the x7501, then the x7510, and the note is 1/2 as thick, has a "phone" speaker, and besides all of the obvious spec advantages, is lighter and easier to hold. The screen is far more responsive than the old tft pressure technology without the inaccuracy of the iphone/android capacitive blunt-object to write/draw with issue.
all thumbs up for the note... though the Advantage was WAY ahead of its time.
I don't understand these threads. I get that the advantage was way ahead of its time, but it's 5 years old. 5! Would anyone seriously pick the advantage over the note?
I sold my x7501 long ago. Good times, lol.
nstong said:
I don't understand these threads. I get that the advantage was way ahead of its time, but it's 5 years old. 5! Would anyone seriously pick the advantage over the note?
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I guess sometimes people can't let their old devices go.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
This isn't about keeping the Advantage. Its about comparing one to the other for those that are familiar with the Advantage and loved all of its features.
I think it is not about keeping the Advantage / Athena, may be it's partly nostalgia, partly comparing what's missing on current devices (bad things are not missed, I'm talking about things that users might like or prefer):
1. Stereo speakers. How hard can that be? But so far, iPhone doesn't have it, none of my Android phones up to 4.65" have it, my Tablet P by Sony has a tiny mono speaker. Only the Playbook (once had, now sold), and the Samsung Q1 have stereo speakers and good sound.
2. The metal case has pros and cons. It can get dented and discolouring when bumped / scratched, but it made it more sturdy as it is metal. But at least it is unique, and also makes it feel more premium (until it gets dented, like mine, from dropping, that is). Now everything besides iPhones are just plastics.
3. Magnetic keyboard. Now, no more, never seen and all give way to on screen ones, except a few. But those few, including Blackberry, do not want to do a magnetic keyboard, may be it's the cost, or fear of bad contacts. But again, this is very unique and hasn't been replicated. The see thru window to mimic the status bar on it makes it even cooler.
4. External connections for: USB host (only very lately, there are USB OTG for Android devices, before this, support was very poor, mostly only HID stuff), VGA out, cellular antenna, GPS antenna. Granted, the last 3 are not as needed today, and some Android devices have HDMI outputs that replace VGA more or less.
right now, few Android phones can stand on a desk unless with a kick stand case (which is usually the kind I buy, as I want it stand similar to what Advantage can do w/ the keyboard).
I think some clamshell MIDs like UMID / Viliv had come close to the design of Advantage but physically not as cool, no magnetic keyboard etc.
I guess the problem with modern design is that nobody would make a $1,500. device unless it is for industrial or military use, so they have to save cost and won't engage in fancy design and materials. In the case for Advantage, it's HTC flagship product, so they went all out.
Looking at current HTC products now, there aren't anything really special (I'm talking strictly from the physical point of view, since operating systems are all the same across the manufacturers anyway).
People are often amazed when I tell them that the Note is my third 5" phone. I loved the Advantage and the Dell Streak I had before the Note. No way I can go to a smaller screen. Very happy that the rest of the world is catching on to the benefits of a large screen device. And there are things I miss from Windows Mobile. I found it easier to flash ROMs and change the look and feel of the device.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium
It's called TK2 bluetooth handset. it costs $20 on ebay ATM.
I've just bought one fron ebay. The sound quality is ok, battery life(from what te page says) is pretty good, also it rings when a call comein.
What's bad: The only ringtone it has is the famous iphone one...
I've not decided yet, if i ever saw a more ugly headset then that ... but its defniatly going for the first 3.
Beside that, why should i carry one that is as big as an iPod?
If the Smartphone is already a big one, the rest dont has to / should not be.
it's big. but good find
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TQSLDFjtmE
Im just going to get the SBH52 when its availiable
http://www.clove.co.uk/sony-smart-bluetooth-handset-sbh52
After seeing this and the Samsung pen headset it really comfort me on my choice to go for the sbh52 even if it'll be pricy.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Currently i am using one of these "Bluetooth dialers". They are tiny and work ok - the audio quality is nothing to rave about, though.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk...aler&_nkw=bluetooth+dialer&_sacat=0&_from=R40
Waiting for the sbh52. The only thing i am disappointed about the shb52 is lack of aptx support. Strange that NONE of the Sony Bluetooth headsets have it. Wonder why.
krumbs said:
Currently i am using one of these "Bluetooth dialers". They are tiny and work ok - the audio quality is nothing to rave about, though.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk...aler&_nkw=bluetooth+dialer&_sacat=0&_from=R40
Waiting for the sbh52. The only thing i am disappointed about the shb52 is lack of aptx support. Strange that NONE of the Sony Bluetooth headsets have it. Wonder why.
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Which one specifically are you using? They look kind of cool... The ability to dial from the device itself.
I know you can do that with the SBH52 but I'd quite like a lightweight option that you can just keep on a lanyard etc.
baileyjr said:
Which one specifically are you using? They look kind of cool... The ability to dial from the device itself.
I know you can do that with the SBH52 but I'd quite like a lightweight option that you can just keep on a lanyard etc.
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I use the Bluedio BD100 - http://dx.com/p/bluedio-bd100-1-0-oled-usb-bluetooth-v2-1-dialer-headset-white-3-5mm-jack-127233
A discussion around it on XDA itself - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1709473
Interesting, it has one feature that the SBH52 does not - the ability to sync the phonebook. The BD100 copies over all the phonebook entries, and allows you to scroll through and dial out from the device itself. The SBH52, from what I have read, can only redial recent calls (which even the BD100 lets you). I am surprised why Sony left out such a useful feature.
Apart from that, the BD100 has vibration and a single high-pitched ringtone (which will scare you the first time you hear it!). You cannot change it, but luckily you can turn it off. Though there is a model from Satechi that, apparently, comes with 8 ringtones.
Call quality is ok, though a bit muffled. Music quality is mediocre, especially if you are used to aptx headsets like the HS3000 from Samsung or the HTC BH S600.
I have been using it for over six months (previously with my Note 2) and have not encountered the issues others have in the XDA thread. Been stable and reliable for me.
The best part is the size and weight. Worth the price i paid.
krumbs said:
I use the Bluedio BD100 - http://dx.com/p/bluedio-bd100-1-0-oled-usb-bluetooth-v2-1-dialer-headset-white-3-5mm-jack-127233
A discussion around it on XDA itself - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1709473
Interesting, it has one feature that the SBH52 does not - the ability to sync the phonebook. The BD100 copies over all the phonebook entries, and allows you to scroll through and dial out from the device itself. The SBH52, from what I have read, can only redial recent calls (which even the BD100 lets you). I am surprised why Sony left out such a useful feature.
Apart from that, the BD100 has vibration and a single high-pitched ringtone (which will scare you the first time you hear it!). You cannot change it, but luckily you can turn it off. Though there is a model from Satechi that, apparently, comes with 8 ringtones.
Call quality is ok, though a bit muffled. Music quality is mediocre, especially if you are used to aptx headsets like the HS3000 from Samsung or the HTC BH S600.
I have been using it for over six months (previously with my Note 2) and have not encountered the issues others have in the XDA thread. Been stable and reliable for me.
The best part is the size and weight. Worth the price i paid.
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Sure it have interesting features, but going size, weight, features and price wise you can go as well for a full phone, like a Nokia 105 with longer talking time and standby time as well as better audio quality with Nokia quality and the all for about $20.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
krumbs said:
The SBH52, from what I have read, can only redial recent calls (which even the BD100 lets you). I am surprised why Sony left out such a useful feature.
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I'm surprised at that as well. I hope they release an app that rectifies that and at least lets you access the entire phonebook.
could someone please explain to me why anyone would want a device like this?
so many nice, small, BT headsets, with great sound, and many even ring when you get a call, so why would you want something this big, ugly, with horrible sound, when a nice BT headset is so much better in every way?
thanks!
wase4711 said:
could someone please explain to me why anyone would want a device like this?
so many nice, small, BT headsets, with great sound, and many even ring when you get a call, so why would you want something this big, ugly, with horrible sound, when a nice BT headset is so much better in every way?
thanks!
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I don't think the sony sbh52 is in any way ugly. It's just like a normal Bluetooth set as it allows you to plug in headphones but it also lets you take calls without the headphone connected.
I agree some of the other units which are basically like a small phone are not by cup of tea. At that point I just as well carry a normal small phone plus a tablet lol
I agree the sony unit isnt really ugly, but a couple of the other ones I saw really were..
it just seems weird to carry "2 phones" around with you at the same time...or am I missing something?
wase4711 said:
I agree the sony unit isnt really ugly, but a couple of the other ones I saw really were..
it just seems weird to carry "2 phones" around with you at the same time...or am I missing something?
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Well I can't speak for anyone else but yes by getting the Z Ultra Im trying to combine the phone/tablet experience and only have to carry one device.
Having said that I won't mind carrying the SBH52. But the point is if I forget it I can still make calls without it. :good:
I thought that is what my mindset would be when I bought the GN2; I ended up getting a Note 8.0 a couple of months ago, which is the perfect tablet size, IMO..Can you put the sony in your pocket when you wear "normal" pants, not skinny jeans, or, will in not fit in any pants pocket? It looks narrow and long, like it would fit in loose pants pockets..
wase4711 said:
I thought that is what my mindset would be when I bought the GN2; I ended up getting a Note 8.0 a couple of months ago, which is the perfect tablet size, IMO..Can you put the sony in your pocket when you wear "normal" pants, not skinny jeans, or, will in not fit in any pants pocket? It looks narrow and long, like it would fit in loose pants pockets..
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I think it will fit in normal pants pockets but definitely not skinny jeans. What I did was buy a cheep TPU case off ebay for $3 so I could check out the dimentions and try it in my pockets first
Coming from a note 2 I know what you mean. I don't have much use for a full blown tablet though and in the past I've handed down both an ipad and nexus 7 to family members. I just want a large screen mobile thats not a pain to browse or consume media on while on the move. For anything other than that, serious browsing or for real productivity I'll switch to the laptop.
Even then I find Im far more productive when trying to do real work when using a desktop PC. The laptop is a macbook pro so its no slouch, but simply being sat at a desk using a large screen monitor, full sized keyboard etc.
Anyway I got off track there a little lol.. I think the note 8 is a good size, pity they made the side bezels so big though. The phone functionality on the cellular model is sometime id like to see enabled on all tablets.
my wife has the note 10.1 tablet, which I find too big; we both had original Motorola Xooms, which were also 10 inch, and I thought was too bulky..The 8 inch tablet really hits the sweet spot, IMO..
problem is, if I get a 6.4 inch phone, and have an 8 inch tablet, are these devices too similiar too each other?
my tablet is a wifi model, but I make VOIP calls with it, and can text with it too; wifi is everywhere, and where it isnt, I just tether to my GN2, so connectivity is not an issue..
My wife is already warning me I am not getting the Sony, so, until someone is selling it here, and I can take her to a store and show her how cool it is, I have to control myself! She thought I was nuts getting a Note 1, then she wanted one; when I got a note 2, she said I was nuts again, but now she has one too, so there is definately a pattern here I can take advantage of!
wase4711 said:
my wife has the note 10.1 tablet, which I find too big; we both had original Motorola Xooms, which were also 10 inch, and I thought was too bulky..The 8 inch tablet really hits the sweet spot, IMO..
problem is, if I get a 6.4 inch phone, and have an 8 inch tablet, are these devices too similiar too each other?
my tablet is a wifi model, but I make VOIP calls with it, and can text with it too; wifi is everywhere, and where it isnt, I just tether to my GN2, so connectivity is not an issue..
My wife is already warning me I am not getting the Sony, so, until someone is selling it here, and I can take her to a store and show her how cool it is, I have to control myself! She thought I was nuts getting a Note 1, then she wanted one; when I got a note 2, she said I was nuts again, but now she has one too, so there is definitely a pattern here I can take advantage of!
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Theres a big difference in screen area between 6.5" and 8" I actually wish the Ultra bezels were smaller and they had stuffed a 7" screen in there.
!! Seriously it would fit in almost the same footprint, just a couple of mm wider. The note 2 will be the superior device if you use the spen a lot for note taking etc. The Ultra note taking is nowhere near as good as on the Note 2 or Note 8, but its ok for infrequent use.
Me and the mrs both had note 2's. She smashed the screen on hers so I bought her a mega 6.3. Forward thinking so she could't moan about me buying the Ultra lol
I'm about 2 months in on my gear S, and It feels like the run is coming to an end. Main reason? No support for always on clock faces. I'm a every day watch wearer, and having really no options for a stylish always on face is unacceptable. Plus I'm finding the gear manager to buggy, I can't even manage my notifications anymore...
I'm sick of using only samsung apps, still don't know how to reply to an email correctly. Developement seems slow, all apps are paid apps, not enough apps. Really a shame considering the hardware is really nice, and tizen itself if pretty solid. S voice blows donkey chode... if it could use google now, i would be set. I do alot of random searches throughout the day, and pulling out my phone to using google now because of s voice inadequacies seems stupid.
Just called my pops to order me a moto 360, not sure if I'll be anymore happy, guess we will see. Bottom line, not using 3g card or phone call features as much as I thought, I hate svoice, and gear manager. No replacement watch bands, a rubber band on a $350 watch, malarkey, nuff said.
Update:
Looks like the jumping of the ship did not work... Got the 360, love the looks, love the charger, love google now. Dislike interface overall, whole cards thing just doesn't work, battery life is an absolute joke. Back to the gear s for now, someone please get an aftermarket band and always on faces going. Kinda shocked on how bad android wear is.... hope apple comes out and blows everyone out of the water.
Sampson0420 said:
I'm about 2 months in on my gear S, and It feels like the run is coming to an end. Main reason? No support for always on clock faces. I'm a every day watch wearer, and having really no options for a stylish always on face is unacceptable. Plus I'm finding the gear manager to buggy, I can't even manage my notifications anymore...
I'm sick of using only samsung apps, still don't know how to reply to an email correctly. Developement seems slow, all apps are paid apps, not enough apps. Really a shame considering the hardware is really nice, and tizen itself if pretty solid. S voice blows donkey chode... if it could use google now, i would be set. I do alot of random searches throughout the day, and pulling out my phone to using google now because of s voice inadequacies seems stupid.
Just called my pops to order me a moto 360, not sure if I'll be anymore happy, guess we will see. Bottom line, not using 3g card or phone call features as much as I thought, I hate svoice, and gear manager. No replacement watch bands, a rubber band on a $350 watch, malarkey, nuff said.
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Bye...
Bye Felicia
He does raise some very valid points, especially about the watch faces. However, the available alternatives have much less functionality. I studied the moto in detail before finally buying the gear s. I am sure I made the right decision, even with the many shortcomings of the gear s. I am also hopeful that some of those glaring omissions (which can very easily be fixed in an update) might actually be updated at some point. Although Samsung is infamous for having the slowest updates in the industry, I remain hopeful.
Agreed, gear can do much more, google wear as a whole has much less functionality. This is why I've passed up on the 360 in the past and waited for gear s. I'm just finding I don't use the gear's extra funtions hardly ever. The functions I do use, the wear watches execute better. I'll have both the next couple weeks and will report back...
Agree with all criticisms, but still Gear S is a keeper
The ability to answer a call or text on my wrist overwhelms the very valid criticisms cited above. I have owned two Pebble watches for over a year now, and while the Pebble does all the small stuff well, the Gear S is so much more powerful on the two most important things that matter, texting and receiving a phone call when your phone is stuck in your pocket. I have also tried several of the android wear devices, and both the Pebble and Gear S still blows them all away. Don't waste your time with Android Wear right now. Buy a Pebble Steel or Gear S.
I agree with jwhedberg. Yesterday after work I went out for a quick discussion with a friend over a beer. Like this happens sometimes, I ended up hitting the town with till very late in the night. My phone battery died at some time and I couldnt charge it at the bar, but I was still able to receive my phone calls on the smartphone number (activated "Call forwarding when unreachable"), I could call and send texts, all from the gear S. Thats a deal maker for me.
An always on face with stylish look would be nice, but I think that even if it was available it would drain too much battery and I wouldn`t use it. I use a combination of always on black and white faces / motion activation, depending of how much of a show off I want to be
I fully agree on the strap issue. This is the most expensive of all my watches, but the strap looks like its from a toy watch. I think first manufacturer of a really cool strap will have some cool sales.
This thread probably could have gone in the returned Gear S thread. I really liked the Gear S but just seemed buggy to me. If a software update came out I might consider getting again but wish some how you could charge the battery wireless or not have to put the dock on. I'll be checking out the Gear S 2 which I guess could be out sooner then what I thought.
The gear s is by far the best smart watch out right now. There is an always on option if you look in the settings. Also you dont wont wireless charging on a device this small. Wireless charging creates excessive heat whuch is bad for batteries. It is one of the reasons why users of the Moto 360 have had device failure. I dont even use wireless charging on cellphones, slow and not worth the added cost for the convience. I like the fact that Samsung placed an extra battery in the charger, that way you can charge the Gear S without a power supply. You can even wear it with the charger. Do you guys actually own the device? Or even read up on what you are buying? Most of the concerns addressed on this thread or easily answered by Samsung and options provided by the device itself.
sniickers said:
The gear s is by far the best smart watch out right now. There is an always on option if you look in the settings. Also you dont wont wireless charging on a device this small. Wireless charging creates excessive heat whuch is bad for batteries. It is one of the reasons why users of the Moto 360 have had device failure. I dont even use wireless charging on cellphones, slow and not worth the added cost for the convience. I like the fact that Samsung placed an extra battery in the charger, that way you can charge the Gear S without a power supply. You can even wear it with the charger. Do you guys actually own the device? Or even read up on what you are buying? Most of the concerns addressed on this thread or easily answered by Samsung and options provided by the device itself.
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Click to collapse
lol @ wearing the watch with the charger. The battery in the charger was cool but putting the charger on the watch was a hassle. Imo The watch is very nice and yes I owned it for 20 days and yes I could afford it. LoL I love wireless charging and Note 4 doesn't get hot with the OEM wireless cover. I wouldn't care if it did since I switch phones so much. That was another reason why I didn't keep the Gear S is because if I get a different phone I can't use all the features of the watch. Not everyone is going to love everything so don't get mad at people returning something. Not like you have to read this thread. Just saying
owned the pebble for 6 months, it was ehhh ok. It just looked crappy, and yes I did have the OG, not the steel. On the other hand, it was pretty darn rock solid in regards to working consistantly. Sold it and don't miss it... starting to think twice though about abandoning my S.
I run always on clock face on my gear, I'm typically around 35% at the end of the day. Battery life on this watch is awesome, I charge daily, so no complaints there.
Qi charging is the best thing ever created, there's no going back. Auto alarm clock on a $25 3 coil stand charger and $8 insert on my note 3, completely worth it.
I have the moto 360 and wore it once it does not compare to the gear s because you still have to use your phone for everything
fatboypup said:
Bye Felicia
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OMG im dying here.
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA Premium HD app
flamebeats said:
I have the moto 360 and wore it once it does not compare to the gear s because you still have to use your phone for everything
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Click to collapse
You can't use google now to respond/dictate text or email?? Or do quick searches?? If true... that sucks.
This watch is an accessory it is not for the weak at heart. It will not cook you dinner or drive your car clean your house ect. You made the right choice for YOU at this rate you will not be happy with any Smart watch. They are not for everyone with that said good luck with your search
I thought the bands on the moto360 were ugly and cheap looking.
I've owned the Gear S for a month now and love it. Not sure why someone would want the always on feature. Your not always looking at your watch and the slight twist of your wrist it comes on. Saves battery this way too. But to each his own I guess. No problems with notifications here either. In fact I think it notifies me too much. But I like the fact that I can leave my phone anywhere and get messages and calls to my Gear S. I don't get good reception in my place of work so have to use whatsapp over wifi and I like the fact that I can reply to whatsapp messages with watch. I've become a master of swiping on a small keyboard.
just my 2 cents worth, now let me get back to designing watchfaces with watchstyler. lol
so after 8 days of use ....... and totally expecting it to cook me dinner. Im taking mine back too, I hope a model with bigger battery is heading down the pipe and i can totally live with a wifi only option. It's been fun I'll still look in and see if anything happens dev wise that might make me want another. :good:
The Motorola 360 seriously looks like something out of a gumball machine, I was actually taken back by how ugly and cheap it looked the first time I seen one in person. But again it's Motorola, aesthetics and quality aren't Strong suites for them.
But I do agree with the band issue with the Gear S, I love this watch, but was looking forward to the different band options ... still nothing. While the current band looks good I think, it creaks where it touches the watch when you touch the band, two Gear S' in and same thing. Anyone else?
Regardless, this watch is a def keeper, its beautiful and functional.
My band also creaked once in awhile. The watch was either to big on my wrist to where I was moving it a lot. Or it was to tight causing it to sweat on my wrist.
I also was stuck with the band either being to big on one hole or too small on the other .... thought it was just me one left clasp marks on my wrist the other made the hrm not functional
So, I bought my ZenFone 3 Deluxe from Amazon on October 23, with an estimated delivery of Nov 30-Dec 7. On Nov 4th, surprisingly, my phone got delivered. Coming from a Note 7 (as a long time galaxy user) I had some hesitations, but overall I am pleased. I have owned it for just about a month now, and I would like to share some of the things I have noticed. I am hoping that some of you have a way to fix some of these, or if nothing else, to find out that I am not the only one having the issues.
First, lets start with the IMEI issue I had. Straight out of the box, I took the phone to the AT&T store and got a new SIM card for it. Right off the bat, it picked up good service on the voice network, but failed to connect to LTE (or any data network for that matter). I checked my APN settings, called AT&T 3 different times, and finally fixed it. The cause was the IMEI was reading as a Motorola V577, which is an old flip phone without the data capability. I could pull up my IMEI as a ZF3D but, for whatever reason, AT&T was pulling it up as the Motorola. On the 3rd call, they finally reconfigured my IMEI and a week later I now have data connection. Not LTE, but 4G+ is better than nothing I guess...:victory:
Next, the most annoying thing, is Bluetooth. I have a few devices. A Samsung Gear S2 watch, an LG headset, and my Honda Accord are my main 3. All the devices I have connected initially pair really easily, so no problem there. I am normally wearing both my watch and headset, and for the most part, both stay connected no problem. The biggest thing for me is when I have both connected, and receive a call, it automatically directs it to my watch-not my headset... to "fix" this in call I have to pretty much disconnect my watch, then go into the headset Bluetooth settings, deselect phone audio, then reselect it. I have gotten to the point now that I just leave the watch connected only for "contact sharing" and the headset stays connected for audio. I have only received one call since doing this, so hopefully that works. Also, hopefully someone has a fix on how to have them both connected at the same time and have the headset take priority.
The other big deal with Bluetooth is with my car. The ZF3 will not automatically connect to the car, and manually connecting to the car takes about 10 failed attempts each time. With my Note7, as soon as I would start the car it would start the connecting process. Same with my wife's Iphone 6+. The car will even connect to my wife's phone when I start it up in the morning, her phone inside the house, and mine being in the car before backing out of the driveway...again annoying...
Yet another annoying thing, is the texting fail. Normally not a big deal, but when it comes to picture messages, whether group or individual, it's hit or miss. I have a friend with a Galaxy S7 Edge, and his pictures 90% of the time never come through. For the most part everyone else's come through fine, and his pictures come through on everyone else's phones perfectly (we do a lot of group texts...). The messenger app tells me I have a picture, and gives me the refresh button for each picture, but even when pressed, they wont come through. This happens when connected to both WIFI and Data. A not so big deal, but more of a nuisance, is the texting notification. Regardless of if I have no new texts, it says I have 3 new...the bubble never goes away. If I get new texts, it gains numbers (4, 5, 6, etc.) but never gets lower than 3. I have been through each text, checked all of them, refreshed, checked archived messages, and nothing seems to make the number disappear.
Now for the good. The fingerprint sensor is awesome. I absolutely love it. It is BY FAR greater than the Note7, and leaps and bounds greater than my wife's Iphone. The camera is awesome (minus low light, but I knew that from the reviews) and the wide variety of shooting modes is pretty cool as well. The amount of different themes you can choose from is a plus, and the laser ruler is a neat toy, that will probably never get any real use. I will say, I tested the accuracy with a ruler, and it comes within about 1/2 an inch every time.
The accessories I use are the Sparin clear TPU soft case, and the OMOTON 9H hardness tempered glass screen protector. Both of these I got off of Amazon, and both came in a 2 pack. I am pleasantly surprised with both of these items. The screen protector is extremely smooth to the touch, and goes on easily, you can hardly tell its there. The case is good for a cheap TPU case, and it's a lot smaller scale than an Otterbox, which I am used to having on all of my phones within the last 4 years.
Sorry this is a lot of words, hopefully at least some of you read it and find something interesting, or know of a fix for anything. I would definitely appreciate it. :good:
Thanks again everyone.
Nick
Good read! What model 4ram 64gb soc820?
Hey Nick,
Phones Issues
IMEI: I'm on ATT too. I have the 6/64GB version. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but even when you have LTE connection, it will still only show up as 4G+.
Bluetooth call priority issues: Sound like you need to set the priority This quick read may help.
General connection to car's Bluetooth: the previous info might help this issue as well. My ZF3D automatically connects to my car radio about 10 seconds or less after startup.
Text Fail: Have you tried a different messaging app? Have you checked your MMS settings in the app?
Accessories
I have 3 cases. A soft clear TPU case, Blue Tudia Slim Case, and the black IMAK frosted case. Out of them all, I like the cheap clear case the best. Cost like 2.50 and came with two glass protectors. Super thin and allows the phone's good looks to show (hard to notice that it has a case). I'm surprised how well I like the phone - I do have my rant on some issues, but they are mostly with Asus and the way they operate their phone division rather than the phone itself.
galaxys said:
Good read! What model 4ram 64gb soc820?
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Click to collapse
There is no SD820 with 4GB of RAM
Blues-n-Blazin said:
There is no SD820 with 4GB of RAM
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Click to collapse
Yes there is...
ultramag69 said:
Yes there is...
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Click to collapse
How are you going to say yes there is and not give me a model number to back it up?
And if you are saying that referring to a non Zenfone 3 model, well then you know what I meant to say and you should take a look at your avatar...lol. I really should have specified Zenfone, so if that is what you mean, then nicely played sir, got me on a technicality and I can appreciate that.
galaxys said:
Good read! What model 4ram 64gb soc820?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
6 GB ram 64 Gb storage sd820. Even though when I bought it, it was advertised as the 821...
The Simple said:
Hey Nick,
Phones Issues
IMEI: I'm on ATT too. I have the 6/64GB version. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but even when you have LTE connection, it will still only show up as 4G+.
Bluetooth call priority issues: Sound like you need to set the priority This quick read may help.
General connection to car's Bluetooth: the previous info might help this issue as well. My ZF3D automatically connects to my car radio about 10 seconds or less after startup.
Text Fail: Have you tried a different messaging app? Have you checked your MMS settings in the app?
Accessories
I have 3 cases. A soft clear TPU case, Blue Tudia Slim Case, and the black IMAK frosted case. Out of them all, I like the cheap clear case the best. Cost like 2.50 and came with two glass protectors. Super thin and allows the phone's good looks to show (hard to notice that it has a case). I'm surprised how well I like the phone - I do have my rant on some issues, but they are mostly with Asus and the way they operate their phone division rather than the phone itself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info, I'll give the read a try. I haven't tried any other messenger apps, I'm used to the stock messenger just working with Samsung...I have checked the settings though, and even toggling them does nothing.
UPDATE 12/6/2016:
So I tried the Bluetooth autoconnect app thing, and it didn't fix it for me. It sometimes connects to my watch mid call, but only with my headset off. When my headset is on now, it stays connected just fine. Same with the car, if I manually select the car in the Bluetooth menu, it stays connected, but wont actually connect automatically.
As far as the different messenger app, I tried a couple (Handcent, Google Allo,) and while using those, my phone hardly received ANY texts...I uninstalled both, and it seems to have fixed itself with the preinstalled messenger. either that or I no longer get any group texts like I usually do....either way, I'm not complaining.
Thanks for your help everyone!
Nick
Blues-n-Blazin said:
How are you going to say yes there is and not give me a model number to back it up?
And if you are saying that referring to a non Zenfone 3 model, well then you know what I meant to say and you should take a look at your avatar...lol. I really should have specified Zenfone, so if that is what you mean, then nicely played sir, got me on a technicality and I can appreciate that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL....
I too have had mine for about a month, and I'm underwhelmed. I have the same screen protector and it works very well, but good cases are few and far between.
Speed is OK, almost everything runs fine, but the single biggest issue I have is texting. I can make/receive calls, but sending SMS, I'm having to trap "try again" to send text messages waaaaaaaaaaay to often. I receive messages hours after they're sent. Stick the SIM card back in my ZF2, and everything works like it should. So that's frustrating.
Looked at APN settings, matches everything online I can find.
Bluetooth pairing is also a problem for me. It will not pair with my bluetooth ear buds, it shows the Mac address and then the name of the deivce, then when I pair it says device not available. My tablets and ZF2 both pair with them fine, so not sure where the problem is.
I think that if I compare it at 499 vs the 299 I paid for my zenfone 2, the $200 difference isn't worth it, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. And frankly, I think the marketing was a bit misleading, I thought I was getting the 821, and only got the 820, but I didn't find a good side-by-side comparison, and amazon stock was getting low and I needed a phone. And there is no way, based on what I have, that the 799 for the special deluxe is money well spent.
On the hunt for another phone so I can dump this one off on some unsuspecting sucker.
I swung away from samsung, and tried something new, and am now paying the price.
My phone has none of those issues you've described, but based on what I've read, it's one of two things - your phone, or everything else.
Meaning, if it's your phone that is just plain defective and you have a warranty - exchange it. If the connection problems persists, more than likely it's another cause (everything else) and then it gets more complicated. Otherwise I'm with you, dump the phone if it doesn't work right.
I do think that Asus priced the ZF3D too high to be very competitive against other Chinese/Taiwan phone makers. They released it much too late in the year and got undercut by the competition (see examples: OnePlus 3T, LeEco Le Max 2). I was ready to have buyer's remorse, but I realized that that was my problem not the phone or it's quality.
As far as comparisons to your old phone, I have a Zenfone 2 Deluxe as well. I got the dreaded ghost touch problem. I replaced the screen and I still like it. However, the 5.7 inch ZF3D is still a far better and different phone than the Zenfone 2 in my opinion. I find it hard to compare the two.
mrcpu said:
I too have had mine for about a month, and I'm underwhelmed. I have the same screen protector and it works very well, but good cases are few and far between.
Speed is OK, almost everything runs fine, but the single biggest issue I have is texting. I can make/receive calls, but sending SMS, I'm having to trap "try again" to send text messages waaaaaaaaaaay to often. I receive messages hours after they're sent. Stick the SIM card back in my ZF2, and everything works like it should. So that's frustrating.
Looked at APN settings, matches everything online I can find.
Bluetooth pairing is also a problem for me. It will not pair with my bluetooth ear buds, it shows the Mac address and then the name of the deivce, then when I pair it says device not available. My tablets and ZF2 both pair with them fine, so not sure where the problem is.
I think that if I compare it at 499 vs the 299 I paid for my zenfone 2, the $200 difference isn't worth it, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. And frankly, I think the marketing was a bit misleading, I thought I was getting the 821, and only got the 820, but I didn't find a good side-by-side comparison, and amazon stock was getting low and I needed a phone. And there is no way, based on what I have, that the 799 for the special deluxe is money well spent.
On the hunt for another phone so I can dump this one off on some unsuspecting sucker.
I swung away from samsung, and tried something new, and am now paying the price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How could you think you were getting the SD821? They list two options, common sense tells you that it is price tiered.
I have the 256GB SD821, and it was money well spent. Everything works great.
You may need to take your phone to the carrier to make sure all their network settings registered off the SIM card. I got my Dad that phone and he had to get a new SIM card from ATT. For some reason, it doesn't like SIM cards being traded back and forth between phones
Blues-n-Blazin said:
How could you think you were getting the SD821? They list two options, common sense tells you that it is price tiered.
I have the 256GB SD821, and it was money well spent. Everything works great.
You may need to take your phone to the carrier to make sure all their network settings registered off the SIM card. I got my Dad that phone and he had to get a new SIM card from ATT. For some reason, it doesn't like SIM cards being traded back and forth between phones
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going to go get a new SIM and see. The last OTA, and a factory reset seems to have cleared up all but one issue, which is the massively delayed texting. I'm trying the NXTGENPHONE APN, to see if it helps, but some initial tests aren't encouraging. Everytime I reboot the phone, all the "delayed texts" come in bam bam bam, and I can send. Then 10-15 minutes later, I send myself a text, and nothing. Reboot the phone, and bam, here it is. So we'll see if the new APN helps, and I'll snag a new SIM on my way to work Monday if the AT&T store isn't too busy.
I managed to cobble together a decent wallet-ish case that I'm happy with, so that's a plus.
I used this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HQKYJOE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 , and
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KPOOL5U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 with this screen protector
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H3SI1TS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and it's all working together pretty well for me, and appears to be holding up, so one major gripe eliminated. (If you pull the lip of the case up with your fingernail and run your nail all the way around the case, it will come down on top of the glass, and add some extra "hold-down" power. If you don't, the glass seems to just touch the edge of the case, and depending on how you grab it, raise it up just a tad so you see a little air bubble around the edge).
Anyway, I was probably a bit harsh, the phone is a good phone, good build quality, battery life for me has been very good, > 1 day, everything I try is working well, my NFC works, I can pay stuff with android pay, all those parts are good, it's now just the texting, and while I won't be a happy camper, at least I'll be a satisfied one.
I've kind of lost my custom rom fetish with phones, so lack of custom roms, and unlockers really doesn't sway me either way. Will I buy a ZF4? Probably not, but this will work for now...
mrcpu said:
I'm going to go get a new SIM and see. The last OTA, and a factory reset seems to have cleared up all but one issue, which is the massively delayed texting. I'm trying the NXTGENPHONE APN, to see if it helps, but some initial tests aren't encouraging. Everytime I reboot the phone, all the "delayed texts" come in bam bam bam, and I can send. Then 10-15 minutes later, I send myself a text, and nothing. Reboot the phone, and bam, here it is. So we'll see if the new APN helps, and I'll snag a new SIM on my way to work Monday if the AT&T store isn't too busy.
I managed to cobble together a decent wallet-ish case that I'm happy with, so that's a plus.
I used this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HQKYJOE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 , and
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KPOOL5U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 with this screen protector
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H3SI1TS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and it's all working together pretty well for me, and appears to be holding up, so one major gripe eliminated. (If you pull the lip of the case up with your fingernail and run your nail all the way around the case, it will come down on top of the glass, and add some extra "hold-down" power. If you don't, the glass seems to just touch the edge of the case, and depending on how you grab it, raise it up just a tad so you see a little air bubble around the edge).
Anyway, I was probably a bit harsh, the phone is a good phone, good build quality, battery life for me has been very good, > 1 day, everything I try is working well, my NFC works, I can pay stuff with android pay, all those parts are good, it's now just the texting, and while I won't be a happy camper, at least I'll be a satisfied one.
I've kind of lost my custom rom fetish with phones, so lack of custom roms, and unlockers really doesn't sway me either way. Will I buy a ZF4? Probably not, but this will work for now...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The NXTGENPHONE APN is what my Dad's phone got put on and his works great. He has the SD820
I've had it (5.7", SD820/64Gb variant) since late October;
- the design is amazing, but the smooth back can be a tad slippery; mine already fell on the pavement from around hip-height & got dents.
This is definitely not aircraft-grade aluminium but a softer alloy.
- the screen is OK; QHD would've been better but FHD is a good compromise with power consumption. Colour saturation is what you'll come to expect from an OLED display & autobrightness kicks has an acceptable reaction time. Full brightness is quite good, even in direct sunlight.
- performance: processing power - takes everything I throw at it. Disk performance is a 50/50 though. Nothing beats the NMVe, not even UFS 2.
The external storage (128Gb Samsung EVO+, exfat formatted) works fine.
- audio: nothing to write home about - good general purpose quality over A2DP/earphones, but not audiophile.
- video playback: works fine.
- software: I've grown to tolerate the ZenUI - it's fast & snappy, but I definitely do not like it. I can't wait until we finally have a bootloader unlock to slap an AOSP build.
- connectivity: 4G/LTE reception &call quality is OK. BT is also OK once it connects (can be a bit slow to connect). WiFi is a miss though - I have worse reception than on my other devices (examples: Nexus 9, Samsung A5/2016, Huawei P8max). Maybe this is due to the "no antenna lines" approach.
- power management: the worst of the bunch - battery life is subpar. I have no other choice than to force close some apps until I check on them again.
I didn't have such an issue on my Xiaomi Mi5 (same SD820 SoC) or Huawei P8max, which leads me to believe it's an issue with the inkernel implementation or pm framework. Again, one of the reasons we absolutely need a bootloader unlock & play around with nogapps or custom firmware builds.
ASUS should've considered at least 3500mAh, or even 4000mAh, seeing how even the budget phones like UMi or elephone are able to include Sony batteries of such capacity while keeping a low profile (thickness).
- fingerprint sensor: it's usually quite fast, but can be slow when being probed from deep sleep.
- camera: I don't use it too often, but it does take amazing pictures in a well-lit environment (I usually use HDR Pro mode).
It does struggle & produces subpar quality in lowlit conditions. The sensor itself is quite good (IMX318), thus I hope we can port some of the code from other devices using similar sensors once we have bootloader unlock.
adwinp said:
I've had it (5.7", SD820/64Gb variant) since late October;
- the design is amazing, but the smooth back can be a tad slippery; mine already fell on the pavement from around hip-height & got dents.
This is definitely not aircraft-grade aluminium but a softer alloy.
- the screen is OK; QHD would've been better but FHD is a good compromise with power consumption. Colour saturation is what you'll come to expect from an OLED display & autobrightness kicks has an acceptable reaction time. Full brightness is quite good, even in direct sunlight.
- performance: processing power - takes everything I throw at it. Disk performance is a 50/50 though. Nothing beats the NMVe, not even UFS 2.
The external storage (128Gb Samsung EVO+, exfat formatted) works fine.
- audio: nothing to write home about - good general purpose quality over A2DP/earphones, but not audiophile.
- video playback: works fine.
- software: I've grown to tolerate the ZenUI - it's fast & snappy, but I definitely do not like it. I can't wait until we finally have a bootloader unlock to slap an AOSP build.
- connectivity: 4G/LTE reception &call quality is OK. BT is also OK once it connects (can be a bit slow to connect). WiFi is a miss though - I have worse reception than on my other devices (examples: Nexus 9, Samsung A5/2016, Huawei P8max). Maybe this is due to the "no antenna lines" approach.
- power management: the worst of the bunch - battery life is subpar. I have no other choice than to force close some apps until I check on them again.
I didn't have such an issue on my Xiaomi Mi5 (same SD820 SoC) or Huawei P8max, which leads me to believe it's an issue with the inkernel implementation or pm framework. Again, one of the reasons we absolutely need a bootloader unlock & play around with nogapps or custom firmware builds.
ASUS should've considered at least 3500mAh, or even 4000mAh, seeing how even the budget phones like UMi or elephone are able to include Sony batteries of such capacity while keeping a low profile (thickness).
- fingerprint sensor: it's usually quite fast, but can be slow when being probed from deep sleep.
- camera: I don't use it too often, but it does take amazing pictures in a well-lit environment (I usually use HDR Pro mode).
It does struggle & produces subpar quality in lowlit conditions. The sensor itself is quite good (IMX318), thus I hope we can port some of the code from other devices using similar sensors once we have bootloader unlock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SD820 - RAM6/64Go
I have pretty same comments as you after 2weeks daily driver, even though:
- Design: I would have prefer white body
- Automatic brightness still too bright for me
- Audio/Video: good enough for my moderate usage
- ZenUI: snappy, but I don't like it either. Colors too flashy, and smaller text size would have been nice in display settings. Looking forward LineageOS (CM14.1 RIP)
- network: everything fine (same or better than P8max - my previous phone)
- power management: would have loved to have 3500/4000mAh. But I recently discover I could run a full day with Location off (hope may help you)
- camera: ok, but not ergonomic enough in manual mode. Too much sub menu
I owned one for about a month also and I am underwhelmed by the phone also. I hadDa note 7 before this. I have mine on the T Mobile network here are some of my pros and cons:
PROS: The price. Great quality build. The phone is nice and sturdy. Capable of 256 GB microsd storage. Phone runs buttery smooth, no lag. Customer service is good. Not a lot of bloatware.
CONS: Battery life is bad. Camera is horrible. For a 23 MP camera the zoom and picture quality is bad. If you move the phone even a little the picture will blur. The phones features are lackluster. There is no video calling from the dialer. You will have to look for several third party apps to do things familiar to Samsung. Updates from ASUS are lacking. For some reason my phone signal doesn't see LTE signals. I get H, 4G and 4G+. Right now I'm coordinating with TMobile and their engineers are going to provision the phone in 72 hours.
OK, it's been another month, new SIM, NXTGENPHONE APN on AT&T, and still nothing has gotten better with the texting. I suppose it may get better with an update somewhere, but enough's enough, it's gotta go. I went back and reactivated my zf2, and everything works just as expected. Not that that's proof, but it seems unlikely to be an AT&T problem.
I think it could've been a great phone, I'm actually really happy with my cobbled together wallet case, performance is relatively snappy.
I guess it's either take a shot on another off-brand, like a huawei which looks nice, or stick with tradition, and go with samsung. Anyway, thanks for those of you that offered advice.
Ok Nick
Ok mister Ramble the fu%* on...... Dude I don't no what planet you come from but here on earth there is no NOTE 7....WTF R you talking about bro....
Nicksjohnson said:
So, I bought my ZenFone 3 Deluxe from Amazon on October 23, with an estimated delivery of Nov 30-Dec 7. On Nov 4th, surprisingly, my phone got delivered. Coming from a Note 7 (as a long time galaxy user) I had some hesitations, but overall I am pleased. I have owned it for just about a month now, and I would like to share some of the things I have noticed. I am hoping that some of you have a way to fix some of these, or if nothing else, to find out that I am not the only one having the issues.
First, lets start with the IMEI issue I had. Straight out of the box, I took the phone to the AT&T store and got a new SIM card for it. Right off the bat, it picked up good service on the voice network, but failed to connect to LTE (or any data network for that matter). I checked my APN settings, called AT&T 3 different times, and finally fixed it. The cause was the IMEI was reading as a Motorola V577, which is an old flip phone without the data capability. I could pull up my IMEI as a ZF3D but, for whatever reason, AT&T was pulling it up as the Motorola. On the 3rd call, they finally reconfigured my IMEI and a week later I now have data connection. Not LTE, but 4G+ is better than nothing I guess...:victory:
Next, the most annoying thing, is Bluetooth. I have a few devices. A Samsung Gear S2 watch, an LG headset, and my Honda Accord are my main 3. All the devices I have connected initially pair really easily, so no problem there. I am normally wearing both my watch and headset, and for the most part, both stay connected no problem. The biggest thing for me is when I have both connected, and receive a call, it automatically directs it to my watch-not my headset... to "fix" this in call I have to pretty much disconnect my watch, then go into the headset Bluetooth settings, deselect phone audio, then reselect it. I have gotten to the point now that I just leave the watch connected only for "contact sharing" and the headset stays connected for audio. I have only received one call since doing this, so hopefully that works. Also, hopefully someone has a fix on how to have them both connected at the same time and have the headset take priority.
The other big deal with Bluetooth is with my car. The ZF3 will not automatically connect to the car, and manually connecting to the car takes about 10 failed attempts each time. With my Note7, as soon as I would start the car it would start the connecting process. Same with my wife's Iphone 6+. The car will even connect to my wife's phone when I start it up in the morning, her phone inside the house, and mine being in the car before backing out of the driveway...again annoying...
Yet another annoying thing, is the texting fail. Normally not a big deal, but when it comes to picture messages, whether group or individual, it's hit or miss. I have a friend with a Galaxy S7 Edge, and his pictures 90% of the time never come through. For the most part everyone else's come through fine, and his pictures come through on everyone else's phones perfectly (we do a lot of group texts...). The messenger app tells me I have a picture, and gives me the refresh button for each picture, but even when pressed, they wont come through. This happens when connected to both WIFI and Data. A not so big deal, but more of a nuisance, is the texting notification. Regardless of if I have no new texts, it says I have 3 new...the bubble never goes away. If I get new texts, it gains numbers (4, 5, 6, etc.) but never gets lower than 3. I have been through each text, checked all of them, refreshed, checked archived messages, and nothing seems to make the number disappear.
Now for the good. The fingerprint sensor is awesome. I absolutely love it. It is BY FAR greater than the Note7, and leaps and bounds greater than my wife's Iphone. The camera is awesome (minus low light, but I knew that from the reviews) and the wide variety of shooting modes is pretty cool as well. The amount of different themes you can choose from is a plus, and the laser ruler is a neat toy, that will probably never get any real use. I will say, I tested the accuracy with a ruler, and it comes within about 1/2 an inch every time.
The accessories I use are the Sparin clear TPU soft case, and the OMOTON 9H hardness tempered glass screen protector. Both of these I got off of Amazon, and both came in a 2 pack. I am pleasantly surprised with both of these items. The screen protector is extremely smooth to the touch, and goes on easily, you can hardly tell its there. The case is good for a cheap TPU case, and it's a lot smaller scale than an Otterbox, which I am used to having on all of my phones within the last 4 years.
Sorry this is a lot of words, hopefully at least some of you read it and find something interesting, or know of a fix for anything. I would definitely appreciate it. :good:
Thanks again everyone.
Nick
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