Updated 9/18/2012
I started this post intending to post a few gripes about the Titan after using it for only 24 hours. I thought it was only fair to toss in some things that I like about the Titan. After typing it all out, this is just short of a full review! I'll add to these lists as I continue to use the phone.
Caveats:
This is my second Windows Phone, so I'm being much harder on it than I was on my Focus. On the other hand, aside from the ever-present accidental hits of the capacative buttons, I never really had a problem with my Focus anyway.
This is, ultimately, a considerable upgrade from my Focus. It just feels higher quality build-wise, I love the heft, the massive screen is a dream come true, and the whole package isn't THAT much bigger than my Focus. Further, the software runs noticeably faster. This is the best phone I have ever owned, period.
Finally, I got this from AT&T for one freakin' penny, so I have no room to complain anyway.
Gripes:
CALL QUALITY: I haven't had consistent call quality. I've been told a few times that I sound muffled, but the other party is sometimes on a headset. Jury's still out on this one, as I'm not sure if it's the Titan or the other parties' handsets. UPDATE (12/12): I wanted to give it a few more chances before reporting this problem, but after two weeks I can confirm that the outgoing call quality leaves an awful lot to be desired. It doesn't seem to be as bad as some are reporting (and returning their Titans for), but I'm consistently told that I'm hard to hear on the other end. It may be due to some combination of the way I'm holding it or where I'm holding it, but whether it's up to my ear, on speakerphone or through the [wired] headset, I'm told I'm muffled. CRAPPYPANTS. UPDATE (9/18/12): As you can see from my grin list, I've never had a signal issue with WiFi or cellular service. Unfortunately, the call quality problem never EVER resolved. It's extremely difficult for people to hear me, and I need to repeat myself several times during any given conversation. It was actually made slightly worse, according to some, after I added the simple silicone case, but that doesn't mean it wasn't horrendous before. Worse yet, I recommended the Titan to my dad when it went on sale for a penny. Now I can't understand him and he can't understand me. "What?" "What?" "What?" "What?" GRRR THIS IS LITERALLY THE LAST OUTSTANDING, ANNOYING ISSUE I HAVE WITH THIS PHONE!
KEYBOARD LAG: There is considerable lag each and every time I use the keyboard. This is really weird, but the first key I tap doesn't do anything, and then it always "catches up" right after I type the next key. Subsequent key presses are fine. I know I'm a fast typer, and it only happens on the first key, but it's still annoying. UPDATE (12/5): This behavior has disappeared, presumably after the device has been restarted once or twice over the past few days. UPDATE (12/20): This behavior is BACK, even noticeable on the code input on my lockscreen—I'll push the first two digits before it "catches up." UPDATE (9/18/12): I no longer notice any keyboard lag. Unfortunately, the lock screen lag continues to be an issue.
RANDOM RESTART: The Titan restarted itself when I plugged it in to charge. (This was just 5 minutes ago, and it killed my podcast. Curses.) UPDATE (12/20): This only happened once and hasn't happened since! UPDATE (9/18/12): Like all Windows Phones, stability remains amazing. I'll have a random restart like every 6-8 weeks max. That said, as happy as I am with the stability, there was one crash way back in January that wiped out my phone completely and required a factory reset. I have no idea what caused it, and it hasn't happened again, but it was really sad. Thankfully my WiFi backup ensured I didn't lose any photos or video!
VOLUME LEVEL: The volume is too loud. I was excited that the Titan was going to have higher volume than the Focus, but it never occurred to me that that meant the lowest volume would be louder too. When I want to listen to something quietly through the speaker, 1 is too loud. I actually have to partially cover the speaker grille if I want it at a discrete level. When it comes to listening to things over the headset, things sound pretty good anywhere under 10, but if I'm listening to things in the quiet of my bedroom before falling asleep, even 1 is too loud. I just answered with my wired headset for the first time 2 minute ago and my wife's voice just about blew out my eardrums because the in-call volume was set to 10. Lowered it to 1, and it was tolerable, but I wish I could lower it further. UPDATE (12/5): Put a Christmas channel on Slacker yesterday and propped up the phone on a table where me and family were playing board games. It wasn't pristine sound, but it was sufficiently loud and clear to add to our ambiance. UPDATE (12/20): Volume is great for the AUX input in my car. Sound is pristine. UPDATE (9/18/12): The volume is great through the speaker, the few rare times I use it, but the lowest setting is still too loud, either through headphones or through the speaker. There are times that I turn a caller down all the way and they're still hurting my ears; and these aren't folks with loud voices either.
HEADSET: The AT&T version did not come with a wired headset. CHEAPSKATES! UPDATE (9/18/12): Still no headset. Thank goodness for the Focus headset.
VIBRATE: Maybe it's because this device is so much heavier, but the vibrate on this phone is weak—not nearly as strong as it was on the Focus. As I pretty much only use two settings, silent and vibrate, this is a huge problem for me. I've already missed a half dozen calls because the phone was in my pocket on vibrate, which I should have felt. UPDATE (12/20): This is still a huge issue for me, and I miss phone calls like crazy because I don't always feel the vibrate. UPDATE (9/18/12): Still an issue. I've just gotten used to missing calls.
ATTENTIVE PHONE: Trying out Attentive Phone, I've had a few issues. Flipping the phone over sometimes turns on the speaker, sometimes doesn't. Twice now, however, picking it from face down with speaker on doesn't just turn the speaker off but actually hangs up on the person I'm talking to! UPDATE (12/20): From what I can tell, Attentive Phone also causes the phone to vibrate for an extended length of time while in your pocket (or ring louder). This alleviates my gripe about vibrate (above), but the first few times it happened I thought, "oh crap, my phone is screwing up." UPDATE (9/18/12): I forgot it even had these features. Guess I'll have to try them out again.
Grins:
SPEED: Keyboard lag, screen sensitivity, and random freezes aside, this thing screams. I'm not seeing any software lag. I first noticed it in the camera app, when I took a picture and it was ready to take another picture FAR faster than my Focus would have been.
CAMERA: Speaking of the camera, it is fantastic. I'd say less saturation than my Focus, but again that's probably chalked up to the screen (see above). The extras HTC put in are awesome, and a large part of why I chose this phone (because my point-and-shoot is all but dead, and I intend for this phone to take its place, as my Focus did before it). UPDATE (12/20): Have taken some stunning shots with this camera, but I admittedly took some amazing shots with the Focus too. Please let me know if you'd like me to post any.
CONNECTION SPEEDS: Download speeds seem fine (yay "4G!"), Wi-Fi works well.
TEXT/FONTS/PIXELLATION: I am not experiencing jagged graphics/text or any visible pixellation, even on Internet Explorer with zoomed-out pages (as some have reported). Others have said that it's the icons at the bottom of apps that break down—if you look closely, maybe, but that's a real stretch. I recently noticed how crappy an app icon looked on gMaps, but since all the other apps' icons look fine, I have to pin that on the developer.
GLASS: I'm guessing that the verdict is that this has hardened glass, but not Gorilla Glass. I'm still not even clear what my Focus had, but as long as it's as hardy as my Focus, I'll be happy. After 8 months, my Focus screen was barely scratched. This screen still seems okay, but I'm keeping my eye on it. I've never had a single good experience with screen protectors. UPDATE (12/20): After 3 weeks of use, I've scoured the device and cannot find a single scratch, scrape, or any other kind of damage. It don't have a case or screen protector, and it either lives in my jeans pocket or on my desk in front of me.
STORAGE: Don't care about the storage issues. 16GB (aka 12.5GB) is plenty for me, and Live Mesh keeps everything synced between my computers, so I don't want/need to use this thing as a flash drive. If preventing expandable memory helps speed up the phone by locking down the file system and allowing faster memory, I'm all for it. UPDATE (12/20): Loaded up 1500 Christmas songs for a trip alongside my typical two-dozen podcasts. Phone had no problems.
CAPACITIVE BUTTONS: I haven't experienced nearly as many accidental hits of the capacitive buttons as I did on my Focus. I'm not sure if it's the Titan's size or the button placement, but this is a huge relief.
MANGO: Mango rocks. I'd laundered my Focus before Mango came out, so I've had to watch my wife NOT use all of Mango's cool new features on her Focus. Now that I have it, I'm very, very happy. "Multitasking" is great, and I'm a Contact Group addict. I hope they create App Groups soon.
HTC APPS: Very impressed by HTCs app offering. Makes Samsung's app collection look paltry.
BUILD QUALITY: Just to reiterate and buttons aside, the build is fantastic. I love the heft, I love the metal, I love how the screen and innards sit "inside" the back cover. UPDATE (12/12): Really getting used to the size, heft and materials. Feels great and familiar!
Grins formerly known as Gripes:
SIZE: One-handed operation is difficult, especially reaching for things on the far side of the screen with my thumb. Fine, I have smallish hands and totally expected this. Still annoying. UPDATE (12/12): Really getting used to the size, heft and materials. Feels great and familiar!
GHOSTING: Ghosting is an issue, at least for me. I don't think I'll notice it much, but if you look for it it's very noticeable. Some are saying the text "blurs," but I'm definitely thinking this is genuinely ghosting, as I'm seeing a white "trail" behind my text as I scroll. UPDATE (12/20): As expected, I do not notice this AT ALL.
SCREEN RESPONSIVENESS: Screen is not as sensitive/responsive as my Focus. The surface is smooth, but just seems the tiniest bit "stickier" than the Focus; I'll have to swipe or tap more than once to do one thing more often than I did on the Focus.UPDATE (12/20): I guess I've just adapted, because I'm noticing this less and less.
BUTTONS: The buttons suck. They are all far too flush. Like many reviewers have said, it's all but impossible to feel your way to the power button, and volume rocker isn't much better. UPDATE (12/5): I have to reiterate my complaints about the buttons. On my Focus, I could easily change the in-call volume with my thumb while the phone was held up to my ear. Now I'm using the tips of my fingers to frantically search for a volume rocker I can't feel. I'm still not used to the power button and not sure I ever will be. It's also worth noting that because this phone has so much front "real estate," it's actually tough finding the exact millimeter where the speaker is against your ear.UPDATE (9/18/12): I put a simple case on my phone several months ago, and although the white has turned a dingy yellow, it has raised areas where the buttons are. The buttons are easier to find and push, so I've had no problems since!
BATTERY: A 1950mah battery of the same size has already been found, which is only annoying because it means someone skimped. Right now the Titan seems to have a far shorter battery life than my Focus, but it's brand new, so I've been using it like crazy and know that this isn't a fair assessment! UPDATE (12/5): I have no hard numbers to back this up, but I'm disappointed with the battery thus far. The Focus seemed to last longer, and my WinMo phone from a year ago lasted much longer. I'll have to tweak some things to see if that improves anything. UPDATE (12/20): Two weeks later and I'm doing a complete 180 on the battery. Maybe it's the conditioning or the fact that I'm using it less since it is no longer "new," but this thing lasts forever. I took a five hour car ride and played Zune through my car speakers the whole time and it was only down to seventy-something from a full charge! My wife's Focus dies with much less use. UPDATE (9/18/12): Batter life is better than ever. Occasionally I'll turn on battery saver right away after a full charge if I need my phone to work for a long, long time, or I put airplane mode on if I'll be in a low signal area. The bottom line is that this thing, big screen and all, seems to last forever.
SCREEN COLORS: The only thing I'd heard about the LCD screen was the the blacks weren't as black as the AMOLED screens. True, but that's NOT the only thing different. Overall, the screen is considerably less saturated than my Focus. Not a deal killer, and I might grow to even prefer the more subtle colors, but I just wanted to point it out. Regardless, it is far preferable to the blue tint of the whites on the Focus S screen. UPDATE (12/20): As predicted, I have come to MUCH prefer the color on my Titan to my oversaturated Focus.
FREEZING: I've also noticed a few freeze-ups. Last night the HTC Flashlight app stopped responding all of a sudden; I think I just hit the power button twice and that brought it back. Luckily, none of the freeze-ups have required a restart (and no, these aren't SRS-related freeze-ups). UPDATE (12/20): This only happened once and hasn't happened since!
WINDOWS LOGO LED: Totally forgot this stupid little cosmetic gripe: whatever LED is behind the Windows logo is a smidge too close to the bottom right panel of said window. It's brighter than the other three quadrants, almost to the point of seeing the LED itself. Does that make sense? Maybe it's just my unit, but it's definitely noticeable and off-putting…just the sort of thing that will nag me for the next two years. UPDATE (12/20): Truly this is just a niggle. It's only apparent in low-light conditions, and I just don't notice it any more.
Just got mine today, though I've been using WP7 on my HD2 lately.
I'm sure I'll get used to the buttons, I have had trouble finding the volume keys but I like where they are, at the thumb. The power button was awkward, but in less than a few hours I'm used to it. My hands are small, and I have accidentally activated the search button with my thumb joint while reaching across with my thumb. Already dropped it in the car :/, minor fall, no scrapes or scuffs anywhere.
My only issues so far have been software; I have the zune music pass, I used the dj function and handed it to my sister. It would play 40 seconds of each song before going to the next one. Works fine after a reboot. Then, when using Maps/GPS navigation, it wouldn't advance to the next step automatically; I had to manually push each step... though I might not be using it right. I did press 'start' but it refused to automatically advance as I reached each turn.
I know it's not Super Amoled, but side by side with my HD2 and wow, it's like I've never seen colors before! Blacks are pleasantly black, and I don't have a samsung phone on hand to compare it to, but to my memory this is nearly as good as my friend's samsung captivate.
I agree that even the lowest volume setting is too loud, though I haven't changed my SRS settings yet, as I have had no lag, ever, yet. Internet is fine, no issues here in both wifi and 4G. I hope that the rumors of the focus s having faster speeds are false...
Speaking of 4G, is it actually 4G or did they rebrand H as 4G? I think it is faster, but then again the titan could just have better throughput than the HD2 or my Pure.
I wanted to test out the focus s and titan in store before buying, but I got tired of reading online and being swayed for one or the other with everything I've read... and then the penny sale happened, so I went with my gut and just got the titan. HTC does a better job on build quality than samsung, and afaik the only benefit of a samsung (in practical terms) is the superior screens they craft with magic and rainbows. eh, I have my samsung tv, that's enough. I hope the titan's battery is as good as I've read...
Last; what's with chevron labs 'out of tickets'? Come on! My thought process as I saw this: 'I would have paid $9, but I'm not patient enough to wait microsoft! *tries to send dev unlock cab, fails* guess I have to wait'. there isn't a way to unlock it otherwise, is there?
I am assuming that H is HSPDA+ because Titan does display 3G icon sometime before i pop back to H.
People are complaining that AT&T limit their Titan Bandwidth/ Titan Hardware problem/
I must be the user this phone was designed for. I have not had any issues with one-handed operation, including being able to use the power button. I also don't have any issue with the camera or volume rocker buttons. I can easily type one-handed.
I was very apprehensive about the size of the screen. Now that I have used it for a week, I absolutely love it. I can see what people are calling ghosting, but I really don't think that is an adequate description. Ghosting is more about casting shadows. In the case of this device, it often appears that text is blurring when scrolling. This is something that is easily ignored in my case.
I have not noticed any lag or sound issues or random freezes. As far as screen sensitivity, I find it just about right for me. I also like the smaller capacitive buttons as I do not seem to have issues with hitting them by accident. This has been an issue with every smartphone I have owned with capacitive buttons. I am very happy that this phone is not exhibiting this issue.
I guess, like everything else in life, it is all relative. My hands are apparently large enough to handle this phone without feeling strained. I also get plenty of tactile feedback for my needs. I also LOVE the led. I don't understand why so many devices leave this out of the design.
Returning my ATT HTC Titan Today
Having read the above posts and others, also considering my previous experience with inconsistancies with HTC devices in the past, I am, regrettably, returning my beautiful HTC Titan to the store today.
Inconsistant out bound voice quality (ATT rep couldn't hear me cancelling my order). Fail
Throttling of 4G to below 14Mbs (was actually able to acheive almost 6Mbs in a rural part of Georgia, barely over 1.5 Mbs in metro Atlanta). Fail
Lack of storage. (thought I could live with this, can't!). Fail
Maybe I'll try the Focus S, any ideas?
Focus S doesn't have expandable storage either, though. If you're not in a rush, maybe wait for the nokia line of phones comes out? They have some with LTE in the works.
Back to ghosting: I think naplesbill is right, the people who are claiming to have 'ghosting' are using that term incorrectly. If anything, what we have here is a slightly delayed pixel response in the screen, or perhaps the rendering isn't quite smooth on the software side.
Here is an extreme case of ghosting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0esjdQ4RSuo
Titan battery life is much, much improved over my original Focus on Mango.
everything else about this phone is sooooo much improved over the Focus (a great phone too mind you) it cannot be explained. The OP's detailed info is useful but OCD-like and pretty worthless in regard to choosing a phone.
huge improvements include less accidental clicks with back/serach as well as general feel. The phone is large enough to use and hold properly and no "slipped out of my hand".
Get one.
nycny said:
Having read the above posts and others, also considering my previous experience with inconsistancies with HTC devices in the past, I am, regrettably, returning my beautiful HTC Titan to the store today.
Inconsistant out bound voice quality (ATT rep couldn't hear me cancelling my order). Fail
Throttling of 4G to below 14Mbs (was actually able to acheive almost 6Mbs in a rural part of Georgia, barely over 1.5 Mbs in metro Atlanta). Fail
Lack of storage. (thought I could live with this, can't!). Fail
Maybe I'll try the Focus S, any ideas?
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If you use the headphone to make the call, i am afraid that it has the bug that the phone will have broken noise through out the headphone and it may not even let you call anyone . I experienced that bug myself, that when i plugged in the headphone, it turn out to unable to call anyone or, even receiving a call.
link68759 said:
I'm sure I'll get used to the buttons, I have had trouble finding the volume keys but I like where they are, at the thumb.
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Ha! Even though I'm right-handed, I ALWAYS use phones with my left for whatever reason. It never occurred to me that the Samsung had it backwards and the Titan is better. Maybe it's time to change a long-standing habit!
link68759 said:
I hope that the rumors of the focus s having faster speeds are false...
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Me too. If confirmed, I'll definitely add it to my gripe list. However, WPCentral is reporting that it is false.
Strike_Eagle said:
If you use the headphone to make the call, i am afraid that it has the bug that the phone will have broken noise through out the headphone and it may not even let you call anyone . I experienced that bug myself, that when i plugged in the headphone, it turn out to unable to call anyone or, even receiving a call.
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No headset, just holding the phone normally. I never have a problem hearing. Several people said they couldn't hear me clearly or at all. And then I have had long conversations clearly. Seems if I move the phone ever so slightly toward or away from my chin the outgoing voice quality varies dramatically.
Those of you having issues with battery life, you probably should give your phone some time to get adjusted to its battery or if its been a while already, get a new one.
This phone is lasting so much longer than any other smartphone I've owned. I used to have to watch the battery meter throughout the day, but with the Titan, I no longer have to worry. I can easily get through a full day with moderate to heavy use and still have about 50% - 40% batter remaining depending on use at the end of the day. Its absolutely amazing.
This is with Facebook and Twitter syncing, with Hotmail and Gmail set to 'as items arrive', and with about 3 or 4 tiles/background tasks running throughout the day, on top of my regular use of the phone (checking Twitter, reading news feeds, reading e-mails, browsing the web, using Bing search, playing games, texting, etc.).
Of course I'm sure there are other minor variables involved that make differences for all of us, but this phone has had the best battery life of any smartphone I've owned, period.
Also, not having any of the other issues most other people are reporting. The buttons feel great to me, especially the camera button. I found the volume buttons on my HD7/S were too easy to press, so I was always changing volume, the Titan has a much better built volume rocker. The power button could protrude a bit more, but its still MUCH better than the HD7's power button.
I’m a few days in on mine, upgrading from the Focus and am a bit mixed. I love the size. Was worried about it being too big, but not at all its great.
But beyond that it’s a mixed bag. First and most disappointing is the screen, its big, but I like the way it looks much less than the Focus screen. It seems washed out or muddy looking and the blacks aren’t as dark. I think that really this is just saying that the focus screen is really very good.
Next is the responsiveness. When sliding my finger up and down on the home screen or anywhere else, there is a sponginess when starting to move or changing directions that’s odd to me. This may be there in the focus but is exaggerated in the Titan because of the larger size screen at the same res.
Like others I think the buttons are too hard to press. After a few days I still have to work at it more than I’d like.
And finally I wonder about durability and how this thing will hold up over time. I can’t tell you how much abuse my Focus went through and came through hardly phased. Once I dropped it off the top of a 6’ ladder on to concrete and another time it fell out of my truck and got kicked across concrete several feet among other abuse and the thing still looks virtually new. First day with the Titan and it got knocked off a table onto a concrete floor and the back and camera lens is completely scratched up. So day one this thing looks worse than my year old Focus.
Don’t get me wrong I do like it, I just don’t love it..yet. I think if I was coming from any other device I’d probably be raving about it.
(deleted - all gripes and grins now updated in first post)
willp2 said:
And finally I wonder about durability and how this thing will hold up over time. I can’t tell you how much abuse my Focus went through and came through hardly phased. Once I dropped it off the top of a 6’ ladder on to concrete and another time it fell out of my truck and got kicked across concrete several feet among other abuse and the thing still looks virtually new. First day with the Titan and it got knocked off a table onto a concrete floor and the back and camera lens is completely scratched up. So day one this thing looks worse than my year old Focus.
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Funny you should say this, as three or four times now I've panicked because I've felt my wedding ring scrape against the back panel. I turn it over, and it's just fine. However, this didn't happen to me at all with my Focus. It's like this device is stronger and tougher than my Focus, but strangely more delicate to minor damage, so I'm babying it.
My Focus also always looked new—it was amazing! It even looked new after I put it through the laundry and killed it…
willp2 said:
I think if I was coming from any other device I’d probably be raving about it.
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You took the words right out of my mouth!
drokkon said:
Funny you should say this, as three or four times now I've panicked because I've felt my wedding ring scrape against the back panel. I turn it over, and it's just fine. However, this didn't happen to me at all with my Focus. It's like this device is stronger and tougher than my Focus, but strangely more delicate to minor damage, so I'm babying it.
My Focus also always looked new—it was amazing! It even looked new after I put it through the laundry and killed it…
You took the words right out of my mouth!
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Try getting the invisible shield full body; I haven't installed mine yet, but I put it on everything I own. I expect it to make the phone easier to grip, too.
As for the screen vs the focus.... samsung screens are always better. No one should be surprised here...
link68759 said:
Try getting the invisible shield full body; I haven't installed mine yet, but I put it on everything I own. I expect it to make the phone easier to grip, too.
As for the screen vs the focus.... samsung screens are always better. No one should be surprised here...
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I first thought the same but after watching this,i changed my mind
http://www.wpcentral.com/screen-comparison-samsung-focus-s-and-htc-titan
Titan seems to produce more natural colors;whereas, focus s has blacker blacks. also focus s has a blue tint on it(at least according to this vid)
MaziarAmiri said:
I first thought the same but after watching this,i changed my mind
http://www.wpcentral.com/screen-comparison-samsung-focus-s-and-htc-titan
Titan seems to produce more natural colors;whereas, focus s has blacker blacks. also focus s has a blue tint on it(at least according to this vid)
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This video definitely played into my decision too. When I visited AT&T on the days leading up to my purchase, I checked out the Focus S and confirmed the blue tint. Unfortunately, they didn't have a Titan on-hand for me to take a look at. Since, that was really the last in a long list of little things pointing away from the Focus S and toward the Titan, I took the plunge and ordered the Titan sight-unseen on "Black Saturday."
It wasn't until I had the Titan side-by-side with my wife's Focus that I could really tell how less saturated the Titan's screen was, and I wrote in my first post:
Overall, the screen is considerably less saturated than my Focus. Not a deal killer, and I might grow to even prefer the more subtle colors, but I just wanted to point it out.
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I guess that's what others are calling more "natural" color. It's true, I do like it just as much as my old oversaturated Focus, and possibly a bit more!
one happy user
first time WP user.. and so far enjoying it..
only gripe I have is with speakerphone.. its way too weak compared to its regular speaker (one used for Music and ringer). Regular speaker goes up to 30, while speakerphone goes up tp 10, and even at 10 its very quiet. I also feel needing more volume for regular hands on calls as well.
Titan battery life is great, I am a heavy user through out the day.(Office job, a ton of down time.) My SGS2 ate threw battery like nothing(atleast 1-2 charges a work day) this thing I can get a full day with out a charge.
The ghosting is due to the VA panel used in an SLCD. Basically you are trading pixel response time for lower black levels and better viewing angles, compared to a standard TN panel. The slowest pixel transitions are black to white, so you'll see the most ghosting with black backgrounds. Grey to grey on the other hand is the fastest, with everything else in the middle.
"Some are saying the text "blurs," but I'm definitely thinking this is genuinely ghosting, as I'm seeing a white "trail" behind my text as I scroll."
The OS is most definitely not causing the blurring.
Let me start by saying that i bought this phone only 3 days ago and these are the problems I've found with it.
1. The Second screen back light issue. This is a common problem among many lg v10 users as i have noticed, and i have that same problem too. to the extreme left of the second display it is brighter than the rest but only when it is off. I do not find this very annoying since i do not use the second display for reading my notifications while it is off. i mostly use it when the screen is on
2. In addition to that, the power button/ fingerprint scanner combo is completely garbage, as in the actual clicking. the button seems loose and when i click it, it squeaks. Also, when i run my finger up and down the power button it wobbles and has the same annoying squeak.
3. The charging port is loose. Not so much that the cable could slide out not in that axis, but it moves side to side freely and up and down. this worries me because i think that if i put too much pressure on the cable the port could break somehow.
4. The steel bezels are nice and stuff but the gaps, are uneven at the bottom left, the metal bezel is like bent and you can easily see through it. also at the back when you pop in the cover it seems like it doesn't align with the bezel. but that might just be my ocd lol
This phone in my opinion is great the best phone I've had. but its just that these things are what let me down. This phone is great but they absolutely ruined it with the quality control. note* my batch is from January 15, 2016
U probably just got a bad one. Sometimes, they make it thru the quality control somehow. I would return it until u get the one ur satisfied with.
Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk
youngpettyboi said:
U probably just got a bad one. Sometimes, they make it thru the quality control somehow. I would return it until u get the one ur satisfied with.
Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk
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Yeah I think I should but I'll wait until the weekend and decide if I should change it.
Probably a good idea. The flaws won't change. I have the lightbleed on the 2nd screen, but I never notice unless it's absolutely pitch black where I am and the screen is off. It doesn't annoy me tho.
Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk
YMartin said:
This phone in my opinion is great the best phone I've had. but its just that these things are what let me down. This phone is great but they absolutely ruined it with the quality control. note* my batch is from January 15, 2016
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I like the phone, maybe I love it. I have the same problem with the residual light on the left of second screen. (phone batch 26 Oct.2015) But, what I dislike the most:
1. The lack of a LED on the front.
2. The second screen, about my opinion is useless until then a developer create an xposed apk for a flashing light on second screen when I loose a call.
3. The fingerprint sensor is useless too for me.
4. Volume of the speaker is not too loud.
But, I like the size and the shape of the phone. It is a catch eyes everywhere I go. Benchmarks are very good for a Snapdragon 808. The screen is very fluid. And the most, the camera and his software are great; you believe or not I compared in photoshop pictures from an expensive Sony semiprofessional DSLR camera with photos made with my V10 and the overall quality are quite the same. It's the best phone I ever had (and I had a lot of top level androids)
I don't want to change it, even on a G5!
H961 dual SIM, rooted, debloated.
The light bleed is a common issue, but everything else sounds like your phone was assembled incorrectly, you should exchange it
Okay so today I was wondering if I could find any more nit picky problems and noticed that the back cover did not sit flush with the buttons and that if I pushed it down it became flushnot a big issue but it bugs me when I'm turning up the volume or turning on the phone
thisisjason said:
The light bleed is a common issue, but everything else sounds like your phone was assembled incorrectly, you should exchange it
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Well I exchanged a week ago and now that the time limit to return it is over, it cracked, not from a drop. It just cracked by itself there is a small hair line crack right by the metal rail and if is so annoying I paid good money and I take care of my phones well even if this was made to be tough. It cracked while I was in the car waiting for someone and then out of no where I heard a little pop and I thought nothing about it but after I finished watching the video I noticed it and got so scared I was like"did I drop it" but I did not idk how it managed to break I haven't dropped my phone yet and it just cracked out of nowhere
i dont get it, majority moan and down rate Samsung for its location, i find it perfect as when i hold or pickup the phone my index finger naturally extends to the sensor
Seems like the only reviewer agreeing on this
https://youtu.be/esdpijm0BCc?t=246
vadimo said:
i dont get it, majority moan and down rate Samsung for its location, i find it perfect as when i hold or pickup the phone my index finger naturally extends to the sensor
Seems like the only reviewer agreeing on this
?t=246
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I like it too...
Because it is hard to reach without changing holding position for most people. I need to hold the phone tight on both sides for my index to access the sensor but in this position I can't use my phone coz my thumb is not long enough to touch the other end of screen so everytime I have to move my hand up and down to unlock and use. The back of phone is very slippery and when my focus is somewhere else there is a chance the phone might slip and fall while unlocking if I am not careful. Pixel/6p like sensor position would've worked the best for note.
smackdownn said:
Because it is hard to reach without changing holding position for most people. I need to hold the phone tight on both sides for my index to access the sensor but in this position I can't use my phone coz my thumb is not long enough to touch the other end of screen so everytime I have to move my hand up and down to unlock and use. The back of phone is very slippery and when my focus is somewhere else there is a chance the phone might slip and fall while unlocking if I am not careful. Pixel/6p like sensor position would've worked the best for note.
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i guess we handle differently, i always pickup phone holding it both sides with one hand but then soon after unlock i ease the grip and start holding phone however i wish
It's in the perfect place for me too. The bixby button is in a bad place personally, because I still tap it accidentally holding my phone. I just got a new bike mount for my phone and the sides hit the button too if I center the phone on the holder.
vadimo said:
i dont get it, majority moan and down rate Samsung for its location, i find it perfect as when i hold or pickup the phone my index finger naturally extends to the sensor
Seems like the only reviewer agreeing on this
https://youtu.be/esdpijm0BCc?t=246
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Click to collapse
Works great and feels natural if you hold the phone right handed, but I hold my phone left handed. Wish I held my phone in my right hand and I would be golden then.
vadimo said:
i guess we handle differently, i always pickup phone holding it both sides with one hand but then soon after unlock i ease the grip and start holding phone however i wish
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It just worries me sometimes because it's so shiny and expensive . Probably wont mind after using it for a month or so. It's not a dealbreaker but I hate it when a product gets everything right except "that one thing".
I have know issues with it all
vadimo said:
i dont get it, majority moan and down rate Samsung for its location, i find it perfect as when i hold or pickup the phone my index finger naturally extends to the sensor
Seems like the only reviewer agreeing on this
https://youtu.be/esdpijm0BCc?t=246
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
apparently a lot of people have small hands or no finger muscle memory......or those people seems to hold their phones all the way at the bottom to the point that their thumb is at least an inch or more below the power bottom. for small hands people if their thumb is on the power button then index finger will fall right on the fingerprint reader or for people with a bit larger hands if thumb is at the bottom or right below the power button then index finger would land right on the reader. but people hold their phones differently than others and there will always be people who complain just to complain.
coming from the v20 I find that the fingerprint reader placement on the Note 8 is actually in the perfect spot for me, its easy to reach with one hand or even if holding the phone with both hands.
i dont have any issues either - for a regular/medium sized hand user. fingerprint registers at least 95% of the time with no issues with reach.
Personally I don't even use fingerprint (face recognition works most of the time) that much and placement doesn't bother me, until I use the phone while driving, which is often. The way my phone is mounted face recognition doesn't work, fingerprint sensor is out of reach and typing passwords in heavy traffic I usually find myself in, could be hair raising. My car has BT, so it unlocks while connected , but my wife's car doesn't have BT, so have to risk accident or ticket, sometimes both. But I love my N8 and sensor is on my "could be done better, but I can live with it" list. Sometimes I ask myself why I'm locking my phone and from whom, but that's another topic.
pete4k said:
Personally I don't even use fingerprint (face recognition works most of the time) that much and placement doesn't bother me, until I use the phone while driving, which is often. The way my phone is mounted face recognition doesn't work, fingerprint sensor is out of reach and typing passwords in heavy traffic I usually find myself in, could be hair raising. My car has BT, so it unlocks while connected , but my wife's car doesn't have BT, so have to risk accident or ticket, sometimes both. But I love my N8 and sensor is on my "could be done better, but I can live with it" list. Sometimes I ask myself why I'm locking my phone and from whom, but that's another topic.
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I use Iris scanner primarily but later at night when I'm in bed I prefer using the fingerprint scanner so I don't blind myself or my wife who's sitting beside me in bed.
vadimo said:
i dont get it, majority moan and down rate Samsung for its location, i find it perfect as when i hold or pickup the phone my index finger naturally extends to the sensor
Seems like the only reviewer agreeing on this
?t=246
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Click to collapse
The placement is fine for me but I think it would be better if it were centered. Just so that it's as easy for left-handed ppl. Same way I would like samsung to let us turn the gear s3 screen upside down for those who like to wear their watches on the right wrist.
I have smaller hands, and it works perfect for me. In fact , now after having the phone for a few days, I can work it lefty or righty. Kinda like it better now, didn't think I would say that , but man that big unblocked screen is nice.
Sent from my Galaxy Note8 using XDA Labs
honestly i dont know.. the only time i use the fingerprint sensor is to set my fingerprint.
I also setup IRIS recognition. most of the time before i move my finger to the sensor it already detected my eyes and unlocked the phone.
vadimo said:
i dont get it, majority moan and down rate Samsung for its location, i find it perfect as when i hold or pickup the phone my index finger naturally extends to the sensor
Seems like the only reviewer agreeing on this
https://youtu.be/esdpijm0BCc?t=246
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same opinion when i had not actually used the phone(or an s8), but since getting a note 8 it really is great placement IMO. its easy and way faster than any other unlock. TBH i only recently realised i didnt have to actually wake the phone to use the fingerprint haha i was too used to pressing power and then scanning like on my old s7edge.
The placement is great for me, i practically unlock the phone as its slideing out of my pocket like i would any other, but with the added functionality of not actually needing to wake the phone it is actually faster than it was on the old models with the sensor on the front.
speaking from a pull out of pocket senario, i think it is probably easier to drop your phone pulling it out and unlocking it from the front, this new placement you can slide it out with full grip on the phone.
what floats your boat, sinks others! I hate it. And if Samsung truly believed it works, why place the sensor back on the front (target future S9/Note 9)?
I thought it would a problem. Once I got used to it. I have no issues works great.
I don't like it.
It has nothing to do with hand size. It cracks me up when new phones come out and people start giving their physical stats as if they're looking for a date.
My phone is usually lying face up. It was much easier to reach over to the table, placing my thumb on the sensor while grasping the phone. It was almost a single move.
Then there were the times it would be on my desk at work standing on my desk with the vertical kickstand. I could simply press the button, holding my thumb on it unlocking it. Didn't have to turn the phone or even pick it up from the desk.
So basically, it was easier due to the fact that the phone could be unlocked without even grasping it.
Yep, pefect place.
The center on the LG phone never felt natural to me.
Hey
Did not realize the P6's didn't have Face unlock
Yes, this is a HUGE disappointment but I'm hopeful for it's return, along side the fingerprint sensor, in the next year or 2.
Yr sucks although most android face unlock phones are pretty bad and only work in good light then its hit and miss wish they would take a leaf out of apples face unlock at least it works flawlessly 99% of the time even in the dark only android phones with 3d facial unlocked that came near apples was from Huawei think p40 pro etc maybe 30 pro if remember correctly , I would of much preferred a side mounted fingerprint than a in display one there just as bad with screen protectors etc
Had many inexpensive Chinese 'phones where face unlock is flawless, in near darkness too. My Smartisan is superb in any light, my TCL 10 Pro not so good, even in good light. It has been suggested that face unlock is not very secure (particularly the Chinese models) but I've never managed to fool it with anyone else's face, in a mirror, photographs or random objects . I really like face unlock though one of the problems with more recent versions of Android is that you are often required to use a password after a number of hours have expired. This also applies to fingerprints too. I realise it is for security, but it truly is a pain. My Windows PC has face unlock and it not only recognises me at some distance, but so far I've not needed a password in nine months or so since buying it.
I work with my hands and my fingerprints must become worn, cut or just plain dirty and I find optical fingerprint readers fail to recognise my fingers or thumbs from day to day, hour to hour. Ultrasonic or at least physical fingerprint readers work far better for me. So if Google can add face unlock, I would be grateful. Even if it is a greater security risk.
mkstevo said:
Had many inexpensive Chinese 'phones where face unlock is flawless, in near darkness too. My Smartisan is superb in any light, my TCL 10 Pro not so good, even in good light. It has been suggested that face unlock is not very secure (particularly the Chinese models) but I've never managed to fool it with anyone else's face, in a mirror, photographs or random objects . I really like face unlock though one of the problems with more recent versions of Android is that you are often required to use a password after a number of hours have expired. This also applies to fingerprints too. I realise it is for security, but it truly is a pain. My Windows PC has face unlock and it not only recognises me at some distance, but so far I've not needed a password in nine months or so since buying it.
I work with my hands and my fingerprints must become worn, cut or just plain dirty and I find optical fingerprint readers fail to recognise my fingers or thumbs from day to day, hour to hour. Ultrasonic or at least physical fingerprint readers work far better for me. So if Google can add face unlock, I would be grateful. Even if it is a greater security risk.
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I'm in the same boat, I'm old, my fingertips are worn and getting fp unlock to work is a challenge at best.
On my OP7 (current device) I've been using face unlock for almost 2 years without a single issue. When I initially set it up I was only messing around so I set it up in bed while watching TV, with very dim lighting. But thanks to that it works every time, it's never failed under any lighting and 7 times out of 10 even works at the grocery when I'm wearing my mask.
I'll be using Swipe or None on my Pixel 6 lockscreen now because Google removed face unlock "for security" ... not sure how Swipe/None are more secure though, it's simply ridiculous and makes no sense at all.
Nimueh said:
I'm in the same boat, I'm old, my fingertips are worn and getting fp unlock to work is a challenge at best.
On my OP7 (current device) I've been using face unlock for almost 2 years without a single issue. When I initially set it up I was only messing around so I set it up in bed while watching TV, with very dim lighting. But thanks to that it works every time, it's never failed under any lighting and 7 times out of 10 even works at the grocery when I'm wearing my mask.
I'll be using Swipe or None on my Pixel 6 lockscreen now because Google removed face unlock "for security" ... not sure how Swipe/None are more secure though, it's simply ridiculous and makes no sense at all.
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I do wish they had both and was kind of counting on it due to earlier reports. I am also, I'll call it elderly since "old" seems to be a state of mind. I have trouble sometimes with FP especially in certain environments such as dry weather or wrinkly skin after swimming. I've taken to one hand mode so I can enter the keys rather quickly although I do curse at it most of the time. My experience with face unlock on the P4 was rather good in all kinds of lighting until face masks became ubiquitous. Then it didn't work at all. Apple figured it out but you needed an iWatch (is that what they call it?) in order to make it flawless and that is not acceptable to most users of Android. But hopefully they will enable both in the future perhaps with a software update or dare I say it, the P7?
mkstevo said:
Had many inexpensive Chinese 'phones where face unlock is flawless, in near darkness too.
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Your face is now the property of the PRC.
I suspect Face Unlock will show up on the Pixel 6 in due time. Unfortunate that is not there in release.
I wouldn't be surprised for this to show up as a software update in the future officially, given the difficulties being experienced with the in-screen fingerprint sensor combined with screen protectors.
96carboard said:
Your face is now the property of the PRC.
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Almost certainly! Especially as a few have been direct imports of brands not sold (widely, if at all) out of the Chinese markets.