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Sorry for the dissertation, but this just seemed to never end once I started to write. Feel free to read as little or much as you want, and comment on any combination of thoughts found below. If you just want to skim, I tried to bold the jist of each paragraph, to give you a quick idea of what I am talking about.
Question: Does anyone really understand all the Nokia Lumia (specifically the 900) hype surrounding its release?
I just fail to quite understand why exactly this phone is supposed to be the WP7 savior (the same having been said for the 710/800, which you can't even buy yet, on the att website that is). Its been toughted as the first real windows phone, but I just don't see it.
From the outside looking in, its specs are basically shared with the Titan and Focus S, both of which will have been released for 6+ or so months before the 900 hits my shelves in the states. Same ish processor, RAM, storage, screen size, etc.
Now the camera is supposed to be superior, because of its designer, Carl Zeiss, and his optics technology. I have never heard of this fellow, and maybe he's the best thing since sliced bread for mobile platform cameras, and maybe the Lumia phone will have the best ever camera experience for a mobile, or maybe not, I have not seen any reviews yet so its still up in the air. My Focus S basically shares its camera with the Galaxy S2, which has been toughted as a fantastic phone camera, rivaling that of the iPhone 4S, and takes decent pictures IMO. So what if the Nokia Lumia 900 phone has a good camera, so do many other phones, and if you really want a good picture, you know you are not getting it from a cell phone.
I can't speak to its slightly different processor, I don't know if its any faster than the snapdragon in the Titan and Focus S, but I have not read anything, anywhere, that suggests that it should be. The proc runs at the same clock speed, and seems to share similar architecture, so I assume its probably about the same speed. There are lots of specifics that affect phone speed, and who knows what all in the Nokia may, but the Titan benchmarks slower than the Focus S, and has an overclocked proc., so go figure.
Its form factor is shared by the Focus S, as is its screen size. Now I will say that I do like the squarish figure. I enjoyed the feel of the Flash in my hand, and was disappointed the Focus S wasn't the same shape, but I know most people have different views on this, so I can't see it as a game changer either. I prefer the Focus S lightweight, flexing plastic feel, to the hard metal finish on the Titan, that to me feels like a brick. Maybe the polycarbonate finish of the Lumia feels better, maybe not. But I am willing to bet some people will like it while others will see it as plastic and cheap.
Its screen is AMOLED, what Nokia calls a ClearBlack. I hear its screen is supposed to perform better in direct sun light, but my Focus S looks fine to me. And hell, some people prefer the Titan screen to the Focus S any who, so again, nothing grand here.
Yes it will have certain Nokia only apps. But those who really want them already have them, so its really a moot point.
The only real bonus I see is the 4G LTE, as opposed to the current 4G HSPA+ that the 2nd gen phones have. But hell, I never get anywhere near the max throughput of my phone as it is, and rarely use it outside of WiFi because its just too damned slow. I don't see ATTs network magically becoming much faster over night, perhaps somewhere down the road, but who knows, probably not even ATT. Maybe this is a deal break for some people, but to me, carrier networks are still too far behind the speeds we expect to see and compete with our home networks from Comcast and Fios.
Now, knowing what I know about the Lumia, if I were to get a phone when it comes out, I would probably get the Lumia, over the Titan or Focus S, simply because its something new, Nokia is a good manufacturer, and I like the square look. But if Microsoft, or Nokia, expect people to flock and purchase this phone OOC, or instead of a high end Android or iPhone, I don't see their hopes and dreams coming true, unless someone just really wants the newest windows phone released, because nothing about it says anything other than "I am no different that the 2nd gen phones released last year.". If people did not want them then, and chose something else instead, they probably don't want them now, either.
Again, its basically a Focus S with LTE, but its being talked about as though its something grander and far superior to whats currently available. IMO, windows phones don't need specs like Android, my phone OS is faster than any other phone I tested, including the 4S and Skyrocket. But if they expect me to upgrade, and pay money to do so, they are going to have to give me more than an incremental upgrade, and really convince me that I am purchasing a superior, more advanced product, otherwise I will just save my money and stick with what I have got, which is pretty dern good.
Is there something I am missing? Am i the only one who just doesn't get it? Thoughts?
Oops, once again I accidentally hit the thanks button. oO Anyways.. I think it's not the specs that makes the Lumia (800 or 900) so compelling. It's just its design. Its look and feel (in your hands). Windows Phone looks totally different from any other mobile OS on the market. So does the Lumia (if you leave the N9 aside, that is ). It doesn't have the generic over and over reused look that Samsung und especially HTC devices use to have.
No. I think that pretty much covers it.
I think it is the long term strategy between Nokia and Microsoft that is the difference and not just the current product line. MS actions clearly tell the story that they are ready to sacrifice today for the right answer tomorrow.
dkp1977 said:
Oops, once again I accidentally hit the thanks button. oO Anyways.. I think it's not the specs that makes the Lumia (800 or 900) so compelling. It's just its design. Its look and feel (in your hands). Windows Phone looks totally different from any other mobile OS on the market. So does the Lumia (if you leave the N9 aside, that is ). It doesn't have the generic over and over reused look that Samsung und especially HTC devices use to have.
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i mentioned that a bit - i have never felt a similar nokia device, so I cant comment in its feel, but the look is appealing - if I were OOC I would get it, because I love the WP OS, and its the newest thing to get, but if I am an iPhone fanboy, there is just nothing special
On your bulletin about the Lumia 800 or 900 potentially feeling 'cheap... the answer is a very loud no.
I got the chance to man handle the Lumia 800 at a Windows Phone camp last November in Nokia San Diego and was awestruck at the feel of the device. You really need to hold in person to judge it, but most major editorial tech news site layers it with praise in regard to the design and feel of it. I haven't seen anyone even come close to calling it 'cheap'.
The Lumia 900 I played with at CES. They didn't have any on display to touch, but I convinced a rep to let me see his and again, same wow factor the 800 has.
However, I give the slight edget to the 800 since the display is curved and it really makes the device 'flow' in your hand.
Now, the spec argument is dead with any Windows Phone device. Looking at what device you can buy today, every Windows Phone holds its own very well against other smartphones in terms of everyday use. Yes, Android phones can do random CPU or GPU stuff faster, but when it comes down to using your phone WP rocks. See those videos by Ben the PC Guy to get an idea.
The reason why this device is expected to be the savior can be attributed more to the relationship between Microsoft and Nokia. It will be the first phone that the two push really hard here in the US. Sure the 710 has been out for a month, but the 900 will be so in your face that it will get people to stop and notice.
First, polycarbonate is not plastic.
Otherwise, form factor, screen, Nokia exclusive apps and games that NOT just anyone can get as you seem to think, I could go on.
@OP - The hype is that Microsoft/Nokia apparently think it's 2009. And they're extremely happy about this brand new game-upper of a device.
z33dev33l said:
First, polycarbonate is not plastic.
Otherwise, form factor, screen, Nokia exclusive apps and games that NOT just anyone can get as you seem to think, I could go on.
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Yes actually, it is plastic.
Polycarbonates, known by the trademarked names Lexan, Makrolon, Makroclear and others, are a particular group of thermoplastic polymers. They are easily worked, molded, and thermoformed. Because of these properties, polycarbonates find many applications. Polycarbonates do not have a unique plastic identification code and are identified as Other, 7.
Polycarbonates received their name because they are polymers containing carbonate groups (–O–(C=O)–O–). Most polycarbonates of commercial interest are derived from rigid monomers. A balance of useful features including temperature resistance, impact resistance and optical properties position polycarbonates between commodity plastics and engineering plastics.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycarbonate
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids that are moldable. Plastics are typically organic polymers of high molecular mass, but they often contain other substances. They are usually synthetic, most commonly derived from petrochemicals, but many are partially natural.[1]
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic
gonintendo said:
Yes actually, it is plastic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycarbonate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic
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Polycarbonate is a plastic, however it is not to be confused with other more commonly used plastics derived from ethylene and propylene.
The properties and uses of a polycarbonate are so different from even a high density polyethylene plastic that it is hard to classify the 2 in the same category.
I bring up polyethylene and polypropylene because when people use the term plastic, typically they are referring to these. Not everyone has a degree in chemical engineering and a history in polymer chemistry, however I do and I find your comment ridiculous.
On a side note I do want to congratulate you on the ability to to use wikipedia. You just proved how good information used in the wrong hands makes ignorant people feel intelligent.
jz9833 said:
Polycarbonate is a plastic, however it is not to be confused with other more commonly used plastics derived from ethylene and propylene.
The properties and uses of a polycarbonate are so different from even a high density polyethylene plastic that it is hard to classify the 2 in the same category.
I bring up polyethylene and polypropylene because when people use the term plastic, typically they are referring to these. Not everyone has a degree in chemical engineering and a history in polymer chemistry, however I do and I find your comment ridiculous.
On a side note I do want to congratulate you on the ability to to use wikipedia. You just proved how good information used in the wrong hands makes ignorant people feel intelligent.
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The fact of the matter is that polycarbonate is a plastic. It's a great plastic for making a phone with, different from what's usually used, but it's still a plastic. What people refer to when they say plastic and how commonly used it is doesn't change that. It's like saying mercury isn't a metal because when people think of metals, they think of steel and aluminum. And pardon me for trying to back my claim up with evidence.
It may be a plastic...but is an awesome one for making a phone. It isn't like buying a cheap plastic phone.
Wow, this thread has gone sideways. I thought this was a valid question that I have even found my self asking.
Nice, but so what?
I personally am glad to see Nokia entering the market in the states again. I swore by Nokia phones when they were available. They are certainly a nice product, but there are other ones too. It is good to have another quality manufacturer still in the game.
At the end of the day, MS is strugling in the phone OS business and Nokia was strugling in the Hardware (and OS) business. Together, they garner significant press and attention from the investment community.
Together they make hype....
Simply put; the hype is self serving to win market share and clearly doing ok. There is no such thing as bad press, even a thread gone sideways.
N!njaDuck said:
Wow, this thread has gone sideways. I thought this was a valid question that I have even found my self asking.
Nice, but so what?
I personally am glad to see Nokia entering the market in the states again. I swore by Nokia phones when they were available. They are certainly a nice product, but there are other ones too. It is good to have another quality manufacturer still in the game.
At the end of the day, MS is strugling in the phone OS business and Nokia was strugling in the Hardware (and OS) business. Together, they garner significant press and attention from the investment community.
Together they make hype....
Simply put; the hype is self serving to win market share and clearly doing ok. There is no such thing as bad press, even a thread gone sideways.
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Agree with you on all but one minor detail, nokia has been consistently putting out really nice hardware since they finally ditched resistive touchscreens. (The N8 and onward, iirc). It was pretty much just their software that was holding them back. (And even then, there were and still are are symbian diehards.) The E7 specifically is one of the nicest looking and feeling phones I've ever seen. Before that, I thought it was impossible to make a phone with a landscape keyboard look nice.
z33dev33l said:
First, polycarbonate is not plastic.
Otherwise, form factor, screen, Nokia exclusive apps and games that NOT just anyone can get as you seem to think, I could go on.
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jz9833 said:
Polycarbonate is a plastic, however it is not to be confused with other more commonly used plastics derived from ethylene and propylene.
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Hmm... So it is a plastic?
Nokia = name brand. Known by us older generation as the very high quality almost unkillable phones of our times. I had an old nokia that i dropped in the snow once. I ran over it 4 times with my truck while it was out there. 4 days later i found it. Damn thing still was working. You couldn't read the display as it got cracked but it still dialed and answered calls.
Nokia is also known for innovation. I had a nokia that would do exchange, but wasn't a smart phone. The phone actually split into a keyboard so that half the querty was on the left side and half was on the right of the screen.
http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/nokia-6800-unlocked/4505-6454_7-30532370.html
How many phones of that time did that? And look at the style of that phone. For it's time it stood out.
Most nokias were traded in, or donated in still working condition after you upgraded to the next.
So the sheer thought of a premium nokia handset that looks like the lumina 900 with Super plastic as you guys have pointed out, that doesn't feel like plastic, and clear black display - it frankly makes my generation druel (i'm 37). Don't get me wrong, i love my titan, but i would give it up for the nokia in a heartbeat even though i know i would be losing a replaceable battery and going a little smaller screen size wise then my titan's massive and awesome 4.7
Nokia also has all the contacts. They are one of the biggest phone manufactures to the globe. (note i didn't say smartphone). If they can bring windows phone to most of those customers, you are going to see it take off. In each country that nokia has released a new phone, so far sales have skyrocketed. Places are selling out.. Nokia is bringing marketing to the platform that was never attempted by other oems - like there life depends on it (which it does).
So that my friend is the hype - at least for me.
grimchicken402 said:
Hmm... So it is a plastic?
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ROTFLMAO......
This phone definitely doesn't feel cheap.
Something that Nokia has done very well is consider how the device will feel in the hand (not counting low-end phones). Every mid to high-end Nokia I've had has felt amazing and never ever cheap. And I've been buying their more expensive devices ever since the 7210 came out almost a decade ago.
The 800 is so solid and sexy. I don't mind the specs of the Focus S, but at the AT&T store they've had to tape the back cover to it because it keeps popping off with the security thingy glued to it. I also really really really hate the feel of actual plastic. Polycarbonate feels dense.
Wait til I post the results of my accidental "drop test". Was in the case and flew out of my pocket onto pavement, hit the corner near the audio jack, landed on the display and slid. There's a tiny nick out of the corner and a 1-2mm scratch on the glass, outside of the display. There are also a few tiny, tiny marks that look like small hairs that you want to blow off the screen that can only be seen while black and clean.
Needless to say, I was hoping that I'd have gone about a year before dropping the device... not 3 weeks, but am super impressed with how it handled the impact.
its good to get some input from some people who have actually had some face time with the devices
and I purposefully used the term "plastic" to describe its material composition, a. because I knew it was plastic, but more so b. because I figured it would stir debate over its feel and form factor.
so what it seems to boil down to is, its not so much the device or its specs, although by all accounts it looks to be the best WP yet, although not leaps and bounds better than previous offerings. its not so much its form factor, although it seems to be of high quality and feel. its more about the name recognition and marketing that should coincide with its release that should stir the market into finally recognizing the WP OS and its phones.
lets hope it works.
windows phone 8 will be cool-till then android baby!
Question: Does anyone really understand all the Nokia Lumia (specifically the 900) hype surrounding its release?
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I'm thinking its because it's hype. No one has used the device, and the current lumia users are having quite a few issues with their devices. That's not to say that Nokia and Microsoft isn't repairing the issues, but as far as first devices goes, you don't want to have many big issues. I think the main hype is besides the N8, this is the bonafide first Nokia phone that's getting a somewhat bigger push than any phone Nokia previously released
So what if the Nokia Lumia 900 phone has a good camera, so do many other phones, and if you really want a good picture, you know you are not getting it from a cell phone.
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very true, but if anything, people don't want to invest so much in "just a camera" and would prefer to consolidate when necessary. It's a futile argument I do admit, but its one many people have. It's also why the apple iphone camera painstakingly tries to get the best photographic experience for casual users
Its form factor is shared by the Focus S, as is its screen size. Now I will say that I do like the squarish figure. I enjoyed the feel of the Flash in my hand, and was disappointed the Focus S wasn't the same shape, but I know most people have different views on this, so I can't see it as a game changer either. I prefer the Focus S lightweight, flexing plastic feel, to the hard metal finish on the Titan, that to me feels like a brick. Maybe the polycarbonate finish of the Lumia feels better, maybe not. But I am willing to bet some people will like it while others will see it as plastic and cheap.
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I think most realize its polycarbonate, a totally different beast.
I reviewed the focus s and it was the first phone I did review. And sadly, I wasn't enthused, I wasn't impressed with it, and overall I just felt the device itself was mediocre. Especially with the brightness issue that the focus s had that wasn't on the focus flash - a phone I would prefer over its big brother any day of the week.
Its screen is AMOLED, what Nokia calls a ClearBlack. I hear its screen is supposed to perform better in direct sun light, but my Focus S looks fine to me. And hell, some people prefer the Titan screen to the Focus S any who, so again, nothing grand here.
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compare the screen to the focus flash and you will writhe in disappointment of the focus s screen in terms of brightness and contrast. Super Amoled+ has better and richer colors, but overall it just wasn't that great.
The titan screen while huge, wasn't much to write home about. For some reason, the bigger the screen on slcd on windows phone, the worst the quality gets. I am perfectly loving the htc radar screen because it is just leaps and bounds above the titan screen. Higher DPI, more color richness, definitely a great screen
Yes it will have certain Nokia only apps. But those who really want them already have them, so its really a moot point.
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I think apps are very important and a great selling point for any phone. And that matters to have more apps that many would find on competing factors. It's not a moot point in the eye of the average user who is used to using a plethora of apps
Now, knowing what I know about the Lumia, if I were to get a phone when it comes out, I would probably get the Lumia, over the Titan or Focus S, simply because its something new, Nokia is a good manufacturer, and I like the square look. But if Microsoft, or Nokia, expect people to flock and purchase this phone OOC, or instead of a high end Android or iPhone, I don't see their hopes and dreams coming true
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Agreed. Now tell that to some other wp7 users...watch a flame war spark
Again, its basically a Focus S with LTE
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little bit premature to say that considering you've never used the device. just saying
I would like to preface this with a couple of items:
1. I have owned these Samsung mobiledevices:
Vibrant
GS 2
GS 3
GN 2
N 10
So it IS fair to say that I have a preference for Samsung devices
2. My unit, mfg date 5/11 ...does not seem to suffer from some of the screen issues that others are having. As for overheating... my GS 3 and GN 2 get blisteringly hot when running 3D intensive games. That, is a reality of mobile gaming... that much computing power in such a small, passively cooled form factor is a recipe for poor heat dissipation. Thus, I do not find the GS 4 to be any different (neither a step back nor an improvement in heat dissipation.)
Those caveats aside, here are my initial impressions:
1. Aesthetically speaking, this is the closest in form to an iPhone that I have perceived a galaxy device to be. Does it bother me...not particularly, but it does give credence to those who bemoan "copy cat" and others who say that the galaxy design ethos is a bit... "tired".
2. Remaining on aesthetics for a moment, which is a very subjective matter....mind you, the GS 4 does not hold a candle to the HTC one. In my opinion, one is a ground-up rethink of mobile design with "form" being a primary emphasis... the other a simple continuation of a design that has met with success in the market. While the GS 4 is not ugly... the HTC One IS stunning. I tip my cap to HTC... (and to some extent sony), and hope that it will push Mobile Divisions to approach future design, with part ruler and part brush.
3. Durability: Now I don't have the stones to just drop my phone; nor has my ownership period been long enough to rebuke anyone else...but the device feels surprisingly sturdy in my hands. Reading some of the comments on the board... and coming from the Brick that is the GN 2 (which survived several falls unscathed), I expected the GS 4 to be a porcelain doll. Frail and fragile to the touch. Not the case. It is clearly lighter than the GS 3 and slimmer as well, but it does not feel like it was done to so at the expense of durability. Now I know that there are plenty of comments and reviews that dispute this... but, in MY hands, some of the initial concern that was raised by all reports has been dispelled. I hope (keyword) that the hairline fractures some have experienced are a mfg anomaly and not a design flaw.
4. Smart gestures: I am one, who truly thinks that this could be a revolution in mobile technology...and I admire what Sammy is trying to accomplish here. But (you knew one was coming), the current implementation just feels not-ready-for-primetime. The gestures do not respond as intended all the time... and sometimes they just flat out don't work. When they do... it is impressive, and is a window in the future of interaction with technology. Given time, I think samsung will iron the kinks out.... I just don't think we will see that on the GS 4.
5. UI: Touchwiz is a love or hate proposition for many... personally, I tend to use some functions and replace others. That being said, whether its smart gesture integration, poor coding or loads of bloatware...sammy dropped the ball here. The UI feels clunky and gimmiky... and lags on hardware that should easily breeze through transitions, screen renders and app launches. You can literally feel the Snapdragon chomping on the bit... being restrained by a poorly designed UI. This to me, was the largest disappointment. Not because I don't think I can fix with kernel and Rom installations... but rather because I was so impressed with how far touchwiz had come on my GN2. This feels like a huge step back... with stutters and judder reminiscent of my Vibrant. For me aesthetics are a luxury... but function is a necessity. Multi-window does feel much smoother in this implementation...so there is that, but still, for shame sammy (don't take 1 step back for every 2 forward). Again, our community will most certainly solve these issues... but it should not exist out of the box for premium hardware.
6. Camera: Very simply, impressive. Will it replace your D9...or any nice DSLR? No. Does it take sharp photos, with a bevy of adjustments, filters and post processing perks? Yes. Can it serve as an everyday shooter? Absolutely. Crisp photos, quick autofocus and no shutter lag make it a joy to snap shots with. Low light performance does lag behind some other phones (notably Nokia and HTC)... but I find this to be the only shortcoming.
7. GPS: It works. Well. I will never....ever.... ever...forget the vibrant debacle. It is the first thing I check on all my TMO samsung devices
8. Display: I left this for last... because, really if you didn't read anything else (TL;DR) then know this: the display ALONE is worth the price of admission. Maybe I have been conditioned as such... but when it comes to mobile devices give me the deep blacks of AMOLED over LCD. Furthermore, sammy had learned a bit from the community, and toned down some of the intrinsic oversaturation. The clarity, rendering and overall visual candy of the 1080x1920 Super AMOLDED is OUTSTANDING. Apple, HTC, LG all make excellent flagship phones... this is reality. No one touches the display technology of Samsung, yet... this is fact. The pixel density allows for the obliteration of any aliasing due to the pentile arrangement. It is jaw-dropping. For those who have gotten a device with screen issues... I wouldn't wait, return it and return it and return it until you get one that is perfect, because it is well worth the hassle.
Conclusion:
Is the Galaxy design, tired and in need of a refresh...probably. Is the HTC One the "prettiest" device on the market... certainly. Did touchwiz initially sour my excitement...definitely. However, those who compare the GS3 to GS4 evolution to the iPhone X to iPhone Xs tract... neither know android nor samsung hardware. Though the design is not a complete or even partial refresh (though I love the way the GS4 feels in my hand as compared to the GS3 and even my GN2) this phone is clearly the next step forward in Samsungs continued mobile presence. The hardware is top notch and only slightly fettered by TW. The display is stunning and the camera and accompanying software a leap forward from both the GN2 and GS3. The continued dedication to sd card expansion and removable batteries should not be underscored.
Perhaps the GN3 or the next GS will feature an aesthetic redesign befitting the hardware inside... and if that is of the utmost importance, than by all means you can wait. Or buy the One, (which in my time with, I did truly enjoy...). But...
If you are eligible for the upgrade... or have some coin kicking around, I can say with all confidence that Galaxy S4 is a top flight device... and quite possibly the best available on the market today.
Nice review Poser. I too have had an GS2, GS3, GN2 and now GS4. I feel you have hit it right on the head. TW is disappointing and the hardware isn't very exciting (except cam). But the device is top notch and Sammy did a good job overall. I came from VZW to Tmobs because of Wifi call/text. Such a great feature!!!
I just got a s4. My old phone was the s3. The phone is great but heres my view on it. It is no different than the s3 except it is faster cpu wise and has a higher res screen. If u had an s3 next to an s4 (like i do) and played around with both of them you would think its the same phone. Some of the features are pointless on the s4. Like air guestures (in my opinion). They are novelties. Why wave my hand 3 inches above the screen to scroll through pictures when i could simply just lower my finger 3 inches and swipe through my pics? All and all it is the fastest phone out and im happy i got it. But if i was goin to keep my s3 though, there wouldnt be much differance.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app
As much as some people despise TouchWiz and the Samsung Apps that are preloaded, I actually like using some of the features.
I think, so far, my favorite is the Air Hover where I can preview emails.
Nice op. I had the S3 on Sprint, which was a great device as long as I was on Wifi. So far I have been very happy with the S4 on T Mobile. All the pros as noted above, plus an affordable data plan with excellent coverage for my areas. The wifi calling feature is simply awesome and all carriers should have this technology built in. As far as touchwiz goes, I find it to be functionally quite similar to vanilla android, meaning the basic functions work the same way. For example, adding widgets or adding a shortcut to the dock is done easily (as opposed to how the latest Sense does it). The esthetics are a different matter but are easily altered. Lag is zero with some basic tweaks.
Very well worded essay, Poser. My thanks for addressing aspects of the phone that are important to me (how well the GPS works in particular, which few people seem to comment on). I too hope (and expect) that the reports of screen cracks are an indication of defective samples and not a design flaw. I find it hard to believe that the design would not have been subject to a battery of stress tests.
I spent some time looking at and handling the phone at Best Buy, and I liked how it felt in my hand. That experience makes me dismiss comments about the plastic construction. Seeing the phone up close and personal also showed me just how gorgeous the display is (it truly is eye candy), and thanks for emphasizing this point.
Some additional thoughts:
1. Wifi calling is exceptional when it works flawlessly... I have noticed that it does experience voice dropouts, call answering issues and connecting issues. This was a problem that was present in my S3 GN2 and S4, and does seem to be software propigated (independent of access point).
2. Disabling smart gestures and home key activation of S Voice... SIGNIFICANTLY reduces lag
3. The screen is Amazing. I cant say this enough,
Coming form sgsii
While rebooting, flashing roms, running ANY benchmark, taking video, or browsing the web the phone compared to my SGSII gets way hotter than i would have ever imagined. maybe it is just my phone, however i cant get a stable overclock at all. my MAX stable OC is 1999mhz..... really? that's just a 100mhz overhead from stock........ a 5.2% increase in speed is all i can get.......... in contrast my SGSII i was able to get 300mhz out of it (25% increase in speed) and it would run cooler than this phone on stock.....
however at stock speeds the SGS4 is snappy, lag free, FAST, comfortable to hold, poor battery life, bright screen, alright overall
7 out of 10 is what i give MY phone. as it did meet my personal expectations. I was hoping for 2.2ghz cpu stable 550mhz gpu and then i could see it getting as hot as it is now. i guess i just got a poor OC phone
I'm thinking about shorting the circuit board while it is on, and if that doesn't work, i will hook up usb cable to straight 120VAC wall current and see if it explodes. at least i would get a different phone....
overall disappointed in the phone i got, however the phone itself, like most Samsung products is GREAT!
jimmboonline said:
While rebooting, flashing roms, running ANY benchmark, taking video, or browsing the web the phone compared to my SGSII gets way hotter than i would have ever imagined. maybe it is just my phone, however i cant get a stable overclock at all. my MAX stable OC is 1999mhz..... really? that's just a 100mhz overhead from stock........ a 5.2% increase in speed is all i can get.......... in contrast my SGSII i was able to get 300mhz out of it (25% increase in speed) and it would run cooler than this phone on stock.....
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Well, IIRC the GS2 only had a dual core CPU clocked around 1.2-1.5GHz, so to be fair you can expect the GS2 to be cooler and more stable since the stock speed is lower and less cores.
jimmboonline said:
I'm thinking about shorting the circuit board while it is on, and if that doesn't work, i will hook up usb cable to straight 120VAC wall current and see if it explodes. at least i would get a different phone....
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I'd like to see a video of that...
Poser said:
I would like to preface this with a couple of items:
1. I have owned these Samsung mobiledevices:
Vibrant
GS 2
GS 3
GN 2
N 10
So it IS fair to say that I have a preference for Samsung devices
2. My unit, mfg date 5/11 ...does not seem to suffer from some of the screen issues that others are having. As for overheating... my GS 3 and GN 2 get blisteringly hot when running 3D intensive games. That, is a reality of mobile gaming... that much computing power in such a small, passively cooled form factor is a recipe for poor heat dissipation. Thus, I do not find the GS 4 to be any different (neither a step back nor an improvement in heat dissipation.)
Those caveats aside, here are my initial impressions:
1. Aesthetically speaking, this is the closest in form to an iPhone that I have perceived a galaxy device to be. Does it bother me...not particularly, but it does give credence to those who bemoan "copy cat" and others who say that the galaxy design ethos is a bit... "tired".
2. Remaining on aesthetics for a moment, which is a very subjective matter....mind you, the GS 4 does not hold a candle to the HTC one. In my opinion, one is a ground-up rethink of mobile design with "form" being a primary emphasis... the other a simple continuation of a design that has met with success in the market. While the GS 4 is not ugly... the HTC One IS stunning. I tip my cap to HTC... (and to some extent sony), and hope that it will push Mobile Divisions to approach future design, with part ruler and part brush.
3. Durability: Now I don't have the stones to just drop my phone; nor has my ownership period been long enough to rebuke anyone else...but the device feels surprisingly sturdy in my hands. Reading some of the comments on the board... and coming from the Brick that is the GN 2 (which survived several falls unscathed), I expected the GS 4 to be a porcelain doll. Frail and fragile to the touch. Not the case. It is clearly lighter than the GS 3 and slimmer as well, but it does not feel like it was done to so at the expense of durability. Now I know that there are plenty of comments and reviews that dispute this... but, in MY hands, some of the initial concern that was raised by all reports has been dispelled. I hope (keyword) that the hairline fractures some have experienced are a mfg anomaly and not a design flaw.
4. Smart gestures: I am one, who truly thinks that this could be a revolution in mobile technology...and I admire what Sammy is trying to accomplish here. But (you knew one was coming), the current implementation just feels not-ready-for-primetime. The gestures do not respond as intended all the time... and sometimes they just flat out don't work. When they do... it is impressive, and is a window in the future of interaction with technology. Given time, I think samsung will iron the kinks out.... I just don't think we will see that on the GS 4.
5. UI: Touchwiz is a love or hate proposition for many... personally, I tend to use some functions and replace others. That being said, whether its smart gesture integration, poor coding or loads of bloatware...sammy dropped the ball here. The UI feels clunky and gimmiky... and lags on hardware that should easily breeze through transitions, screen renders and app launches. You can literally feel the Snapdragon chomping on the bit... being restrained by a poorly designed UI. This to me, was the largest disappointment. Not because I don't think I can fix with kernel and Rom installations... but rather because I was so impressed with how far touchwiz had come on my GN2. This feels like a huge step back... with stutters and judder reminiscent of my Vibrant. For me aesthetics are a luxury... but function is a necessity. Multi-window does feel much smoother in this implementation...so there is that, but still, for shame sammy (don't take 1 step back for every 2 forward). Again, our community will most certainly solve these issues... but it should not exist out of the box for premium hardware.
6. Camera: Very simply, impressive. Will it replace your D9...or any nice DSLR? No. Does it take sharp photos, with a bevy of adjustments, filters and post processing perks? Yes. Can it serve as an everyday shooter? Absolutely. Crisp photos, quick autofocus and no shutter lag make it a joy to snap shots with. Low light performance does lag behind some other phones (notably Nokia and HTC)... but I find this to be the only shortcoming.
7. GPS: It works. Well. I will never....ever.... ever...forget the vibrant debacle. It is the first thing I check on all my TMO samsung devices
8. Display: I left this for last... because, really if you didn't read anything else (TL;DR) then know this: the display ALONE is worth the price of admission. Maybe I have been conditioned as such... but when it comes to mobile devices give me the deep blacks of AMOLED over LCD. Furthermore, sammy had learned a bit from the community, and toned down some of the intrinsic oversaturation. The clarity, rendering and overall visual candy of the 1080x1920 Super AMOLDED is OUTSTANDING. Apple, HTC, LG all make excellent flagship phones... this is reality. No one touches the display technology of Samsung, yet... this is fact. The pixel density allows for the obliteration of any aliasing due to the pentile arrangement. It is jaw-dropping. For those who have gotten a device with screen issues... I wouldn't wait, return it and return it and return it until you get one that is perfect, because it is well worth the hassle.
Conclusion:
Is the Galaxy design, tired and in need of a refresh...probably. Is the HTC One the "prettiest" device on the market... certainly. Did touchwiz initially sour my excitement...definitely. However, those who compare the GS3 to GS4 evolution to the iPhone X to iPhone Xs tract... neither know android nor samsung hardware. Though the design is not a complete or even partial refresh (though I love the way the GS4 feels in my hand as compared to the GS3 and even my GN2) this phone is clearly the next step forward in Samsungs continued mobile presence. The hardware is top notch and only slightly fettered by TW. The display is stunning and the camera and accompanying software a leap forward from both the GN2 and GS3. The continued dedication to sd card expansion and removable batteries should not be underscored.
Perhaps the GN3 or the next GS will feature an aesthetic redesign befitting the hardware inside... and if that is of the utmost importance, than by all means you can wait. Or buy the One, (which in my time with, I did truly enjoy...). But...
If you are eligible for the upgrade... or have some coin kicking around, I can say with all confidence that Galaxy S4 is a top flight device... and quite possibly the best available on the market today.
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great review OP, thanks!
As of late, I've read a lot of debate between whether or not people should ultimately lock themselves into the Verizon One for a couple years (or even shell out the full price retail investment), and I'd like to give my personal insight as to what you should do in this regard, especially if you're "stuck" with Verizon.
It seems as if a lot of people on the forums are not interesting in buying the One simply based on the fact that you can't unlock the bootloader and gain S-Off. The question burning on your mind should be "What exactly am I going to do with this device?"
If you're like me (as in, not a developer, light SDK use, more of a power Android user), you use the resources provided by the developers on XDA to enrich your experience with your device. Maybe you've lightly brushed into making your own custom ROM, and some phones provided kitchens to do this fairly easily, but you're probably not going to make a ROM. You're more so interested in removing all the bloat, using Titanium to restore from your previous device, and maybe fiddle with Root Explorer to get rid of some apps you'll never use. Maybe you'll want to overclock the CPU/GPU, etc., but I imagine the majority of the users interested in root and S-off want to install custom ROMs or barebones AOSP/Google Play edition.
If your intention is to get back to AOSP, you can simply install an AOSP-like launcher by going to the market. The nag on the inside of you will say you want Sense and BlinkFeed removed completely, but all in all, you're going to get the same stock like experience on a blazing fast device. Even if you're going to overclock, chances are you're going to see minimal noticeable gains, mainly at the fact that your benchmark is going to score higher. You're also going to be trying to overclock a quad-core device, which if you've had any desktop overclocking experience, most of the time the processors are developed on a bed of cores (perhaps 6-8, who knows) and the lower performing cores are then locked, which is cheaper than throwing out the entire chip and remapping. Even if the device has exactly 4 cores, the lowest rated core will have to be running at about 1.7GHz. This basically means with 4 cores the chances are slimmer that you'll have a core compatible to run at rates much higher than 1.7GHz, and you'll have stability issues, so you'll end up clocking back to 1.7GHz. Add the fact that there aren't really many programs on Android that are going to have noticeable benefit from overclocking, you're really only going to have done it for the trophy of "I did it!"
That being said, travel back to the fact that many of the people rooting and unlocking the device will not be doing much hard development. This is where I give developers much credit, because they basically do what a lot of us end users of their exploits and software simply can't do (or have yet to learn how to). That basically means you don't really need S-Off. The main reason you need S-Off is when developers create, it's easier to not have the restrictions locked with S-On. As far to my knowledge, you don't even necessarily need to have S-Off to put custom ROMs on your device, its more at flashing Radios and things that have a higher likelihood of bricking your phone, so why tread that dangerously if you don't have to?
The Stock version of the One already has pretty exceptional battery life in my opinion (5% = 1hr on average), if you happen to like Sense and BlinkFeed (which I personally happen to do although I see it kind of as a novelty) the UI isn't horrible, and you have the option of installing another launcher to rid yourself of Sense. If you're in desperate need to remove the bloatware, you can go to Apps, All, and disable all of the things you'll never use. I realize in this instance, there is still some bloat, but its very minimal, and yes you have the nag of knowing its still in memory, but you won't have to look at it anymore.
To sum up, the biggest gains from Root (higher speeds, custom ROMs/Kernels, extended battery life, no bloat) are things that can be worked around in Stock while you wait for an exploit to come out.
The next question is "What do I physically like about the device?"
Fast forward to the capacitive touchscreen smartphone era, and the playing field has been lifted in the hardware aspect of mobile devices. Back up slightly before slide out keyboards made their way in, and basically the options you chose on your devices were all independent versions of Java or other mobile operating skins. I had a Moto KRZR way back in the day, and to be honest, I liked the UI that Motorola had on their phones, but most decisions were made based on a cosmetic appearance less than an internal system. Even before then I had a Motorola V710, and post that I had a Moto Q for a brief period. Thinking back you can see why Motorola was the king for so long.
But the point is back then you had cosmetic options as opposed to now mostly having hardware and software options. Now your limitations are basically where the standby/power key is located, where the volume rocker is located, where the charge port and headphone jack are located, and whether the front of the phone has physical, capacitive or on screen navbar buttons, and whether or not your device is made of plastic, aluminum, or.. glass (if you're an iPhoner and want to repair both sides of the phone, be my guest, or get an OtterBox or Survivor and completely eliminate the aspect of what the chassis is made of, making the idea of using glass much cheaper than molding a metal back... yadda yadda could go on forever).
To me, in my opinion, the One is physically built better than any phone released. Sure, the phone isn't rugged, but the device makes logical sense in most of the design aspect. The charge port is on the bottom, giving you a tiny bit of extra leverage if holding the phone in hand while charging in portrait mode. The headphone jack is located on the top of the phone, meaning when you're holding it you're not fumbling around with the phone, gives it more grip in landscape mode. The only design flaw I can think of is if you have big fingers, holding and listening to the front speakers as it was intended can be a little difficult, but the sound more than makes up for this. I had a GNex prior to this and I could turn the volume all the way up and barely hear it coming through the front, I'd always end up cupping the speaker with my hands just to let someone else hear in also. With the One, you don't get that, the sound is awesome, and you can show 3-4 people a video and not worry about if they're going to hear what's going on.
The one con I can come up with is the camera. If your intention of having a smartphone is to use it mainly to share and take pictures, you might want to consider other options. In my personal opinion, a camera on a smartphone is just a bonus to capture things you could've completely missed if you didn't have it with you. Even with the Nokia 1020, you get huge 41MP images but you still get the grainy texture of a built in smartphone camera. No smartphone camera should be substituted for a live digital optical camera. With the aforementioned comment behind, the One takes marginal pictures. I took one video in Full HD, and while impressed with the quality of playback on the One itself, when I uploaded it to my desktop, it was still alright, but again you have the "built-in camera" feel, which every smartphone is going to have. But the pictures are really what makes the camera lackluster. If you zoom in whatsoever, you'll likely end up with pixelated distortion. My thoughts on their marketing decision for calling it HTC's proprietary UltraPixel camera is just to shy you away from the fact that its a 4 megapixel camera. While you might find higher MP values in the S4 (which is 13MP, I believe), I'd imagine you get the same built in camera feel from the pictures as you would any other digital camera.
The build quality of the aluminum chassis is pretty good, at least on my One. I've heard of others complaining a little bit about some gaps around the edges of their builds, but all in all, its very very miniscule and probably attributed to the completely closed chassis build quality. With light use, the heat expansion and contraction will eventually cause any type of metal housing to warp slightly, which might just pressurize enough to push the edges up slightly. Samsung has been consistent with their plastic build quality and Motorola has edged a little over Samsung in the fact that it was using the Kevlar back and Gorilla Glass, but I personally feel that higher build quality is with a metal phone.
In conclusion, I think ultimately if you've had any interest in the One up to this point, I'd say put a fork in it, bite the bullet and grab a One. You aren't going to be disappointed in the long run, as has been said the development will gain momentum once there's an exploit, and there aren't going to be very much better phones in the near future. If you're leaning towards the Moto X or the S4, go with one of them and try it for 14 days. I personally don't think the X has done anything truly groundbreaking, and if you're going for the Dev Edition/Dev Edition ROMs, it really doesn't matter. $35 restocking fee might seem hefty for a phone, but you're basically renting to try it out, and that's not entirely a bad deal. You might see a couple bigger phones in the Note III and the HTC One Max (T6, unofficial) and Xperia, but that's an entirely different target.
I hope this post will help make things easier for people who are stuck on their decision of phones on Verizon.
Periodically looking at Amazon reviews, which are raving for the most part. Best watch ever created, no problems etc. Given all the problems being bought up here, I have to wonder, are these reviews for real? I had the same experience with some IP security cameras I bought.. all these rave reviews about how great they were, easy to install and set up... No one mentioning the complications and issues of port forwarding needed to access cameras remotely. They were not even close to being easy to set up, even the tech support had trouble getting them set up via remote access. (I actually ended up figuring it out myself after they gave up and said the advanced tech support would call me.) That experience left me wondering if these review are actually legit...
Are they Verified?
swngdncr said:
Periodically looking at Amazon reviews, which are raving for the most part. Best watch ever created, no problems etc. Given all the problems being bought up here, I have to wonder, are these reviews for real? I had the same experience with some IP security cameras I bought.. all these rave reviews about how great they were, easy to install and set up... No one mentioning the complications and issues of port forwarding needed to access cameras remotely. They were not even close to being easy to set up, even the tech support had trouble getting them set up via remote access. (I actually ended up figuring it out myself after they gave up and said the advanced tech support would call me.) That experience left me wondering if these review are actually legit...
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Look for Amazon Verified Purchase. Also, not every one is as tech savvy or as picky as many of the folks here. This is a fine looking watch and functions well as such.
The reddish brown tint is a little annoyance that I would not of even noticed if it was not mentioned here and even after it was it took me a while to make out what they were talking about. I don't think the HRM on any of the devices I have owned is even 75% accurate most of the time and this is not what I would call a sport watch. The black one looks a little more sporty but who wants a metal band on a sport watch?
Most of the time, people that are happy with something will rarely come here unless they are a total tech head. For example, over a million Samsung 6 edge phones were sold and take a look at the forum total for that device and you get the idea that maybe five percent of the people that buy these things ever learns about the device.
So if all you read and believe comes from XDA then you will pass on a lot of devices that actually work well under normal use. Consider the source, I'm keeping my watch because it is a great looking watch and does what I need it to do. It comes with a year warranty so if there is a problem that becomes unbearable, I will exercise that right. Go to you tube and watch the reviews of the watch there and also the V.S. comparisons. You'll find that most of them are positive and everyone agrees that this is the nicest watch they own for style, usability, and functionality. It's whatever your personal experience is and your unique preference that is going to make you love or hate this device.
Well put.
I'm happy with my watch even though it has the red tint. I figure this thing only needs to last maybe two years before it looks like a dinosaur. I don't have all of the problems. I would give it four stars. Five if they fix the red tint and the twist to wake algorithm.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
I have kind of stopped coming here because my experience with the watch has been great. The watch looks great, the screen is great and i have gotten multiple compliments on it. It just doesn't match at all the feedback I get from some users here.
My only complaint would be the low vibration strength. I hear the vibration more than feel it. Most times that isn't a problem, but it can be when I'm wearing headphones. I'm trying to figure out if it's a big enough problem to go in a different direction.
Sent from my SM-N915V using Tapatalk
What @vvveith is saying is mostly true - consider the source. Amazon reaches a very large audience and there's no way to know what level of experience those reviewers are comparing against. But since @swngdncr posted the question here on XDA, you'll get a more scrutinous answer. There are basically two kinds of people who visit XDA: 1. Those with an extreme technical knowledge and expertise and 2. Those who want to chat with/collaborate with/get the opinion of #1. That is the kind of community we have here and it's AWESOME.
A very large percentage of what is posted on these boards have little to no relevance to a very large percentage of the general population. But for those of us who are like-minded, we relish the exchange here. Personally, for me, I feel a little let down by Huawei - not because AUO shipped them a batch of defective displays (issues like these are commonplace for early adopters) but because they refuse to acknowledge the issue or even really communicate with their customers. They have engineered insulation in the form of a 3rd party support staff who runs the US call center and forums and cannot speak "officially" on behalf of Huawei but there is no way to contact Huawei directly.
They are a huge player overseas and with a $400 watch, I expect top quality. Like others have mentioned, other watches use similar technology (LG) and do not have these issues. Considering this is their first major entry into the US market, my view of them is now tarnished and I am concerned around support and quality of the upcoming 6P which previously had no doubt in my mind that it would be my next phone.
Good points from everyone. Yes, Amazon is going to have a much broader audience, but in general, it seems to me that the market for Smart Watches is stronger in those who lean to the techi side of things. I've got a couple of decades on most of the people here, and certainly in my social circle, there are very few, almost none in fact that are interested in SW, and those who are, it's the Apple Watch. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out, but I would expect that the market for this watch is going to be more heavily weighted to people with technical inclinations that are less likely to accept the kinds of defects that are being reported here. It would be interesting to know what the return rates at Amazon, Google and BB are, and whether the return rate reflects the reviews. Doesn't seem like Huawei is taking a book from how Fitbit is handling their QC issues with the Surge and the Charge, I've now got two replacement Surges, one because of condensation under the screen, the second because the strap is failing. Fitbit is handing out replacements like candy at Halloween... the didn't even ask for pictures on the strap, or that I return the defective product. They do not want to get a bad rap.
I am certainly in the number 2 group of XDA participants Wyld describes... I have technical inclinations, but didn't grow up with tech.. I was an adult by the time PC's started coming into peoples homes. But I come here to learn and get the most out of my devices. I rooted and installed a custom ROM on my Asus Transformer Prime, all with the help of the wonderful people here on XDA who seem very willing to help out people like myself. I also love the tolerance here... seems that most are very respectful of others opinions... that is refreshing. -cjr-
wy1d said:
What @vvveith is saying is mostly true - consider the source. Amazon reaches a very large audience and there's no way to know what level of experience those reviewers are comparing against. But since @swngdncr posted the question here on XDA, you'll get a more scrutinous answer. There are basically two kinds of people who visit XDA: 1. Those with an extreme technical knowledge and expertise and 2. Those who want to chat with/collaborate with/get the opinion of #1. That is the kind of community we have here and it's AWESOME.
A very large percentage of what is posted on these boards have little to no relevance to a very large percentage of the general population. But for those of us who are like-minded, we relish the exchange here. Personally, for me, I feel a little let down by Huawei - not because AUO shipped them a batch of defective displays (issues like these are commonplace for early adopters) but because they refuse to acknowledge the issue or even really communicate with their customers. They have engineered insulation in the form of a 3rd party support staff who runs the US call center and forums and cannot speak "officially" on behalf of Huawei but there is no way to contact Huawei directly.
They are a huge player overseas and with a $400 watch, I expect top quality. Like others have mentioned, other watches use similar technology (LG) and do not have these issues. Considering this is their first major entry into the US market, my view of them is now tarnished and I am concerned around support and quality of the upcoming 6P which previously had no doubt in my mind that it would be my next phone.
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Try the app vibration notifier
I agree with most of what you guys said. Despite the problems it's a great watch. Just one thing for now that I am actually missing: the qi charging. Today the watch had terrible battery life and I had a qi enabled battery pack on my bag, but the watch charger at home... That fact alone made me consider exchange the HW for the new 360.
I just got mine last night. It's the black case with the black metal band. I ordered one of the "used" ones from Amazon Warehouse, and as far as I can tell it's perfect. I think the only issue was that its box had been scuffed up a bit, which is why they weren't selling it as new. Seems silly to me, but it was over $100 off MSRP, so whatever. Anyway, so far so good: no issues with red tint, charger connection, flickering screen, etc. It's funny, because after reading all the stuff here, I was mentally prepared to ship it right back to Amazon, assuming it would have numerous flaws. But it's really just a great-looking watch!
Alright, alright. I had to create an account after reading several critiques and complaints on this forum. I'm sure a lot of people that are considering buying the phone will be popping in and reading the very same complaints while considering their purchase. The purpose of this thread is to clear up said complaints, from my own personal experience.
First of all, I'd like to ensure you all who haven't bought the phone yet that you absolutely have to buy it and experience it for yourself before making any decision. After all, you usually have 14 days to return it. I say this because, while the phone is not "perfect" as many here on this forum have pointed out, it is probably one of the most aesthetically pleasing phones I've ever laid eyes on, and feels incredibly comfortable in the hand. Pictures DO NOT do this phone justice, and the overflowing screen, combined with the size and weight of the phone, gives an overwhelming feeling of vibrancy when holding/viewing. The colors are phenomenal, the contrast is phenomenal, the screen just pops out at you and is bursting with seamless beauty.
(Cost) The phone is expensive, yes, but there's a reason for that: it's a top tier smartphone. If you haven't gotten used to a hefty price tag yet, then you must not have been in the market for long. If you can't afford it, get a OnePlus 3, but I can guarantee you it wont be as fine an experience. Most cell phone companies offer financing, too. Meaning, you make a small monthly payment for the phone itself over the course of the 1-2 years that you'll be using it anyway, and if you decide to, you simply cancel service and pay the phone off. Most companies will then give you an unlock code, and the phone is then yours to do what you please with it, or bring it to another service provider. Either way, every dime you pay while financing brings you closer to owning it, if you decide not to buy it outright. I personally will probably just pay mine off when the price tag gets down to about $400 dollars.
(Delicacy or Lack Thereof) As I stated in the introduction, the phone is thin, comfortable, feels great in the hand, but the overflowing screen gives it a very large & vibrant appearance even though it doesn't FEEL that large in the hand. Does this mean it feels delicate and fragile? Not at all. Now that's not to say you wouldn't WANT to drop it, but for the most part, it's easy to handle, has the perfect weight to it, and doesn't feel fragile by any means. This phone is NOT going to scratch/break in your pocket, unless you're mashing your legs into the sharp edges of tables or falling onto it, or for whatever reason like to keep sharp objects in the same pocket as your phone. It's NOT going to scratch by simply setting it down on a table, or having it slide in between the seats of your car.
This brings me down to a point I've emphasized before: If you're going to buy a $900 phone? DO... not... drop it! I mean, honestly, lets be real here guys: accidents DO happen. However, it's those of us who are incredibly careful, who are capable of owning phones like these. If you're someone who is very clumsy, careless, active, etc., perhaps NO phone of this design type is meant for you. That is not the fault of the manufacturers. There are many phone manufacturers who build phones designed for DURABILITY. My last Galaxy, which wasn't exactly designed for durability, lasted me 2 FULL YEARS however, and has never been dropped once, nor does it have a single scratch. This phone IS durable though- it's durable for a phone of THIS make, this design, and trust me... this is a stylish designer phone, it simply is not an ACTIVE phone. If you want to turn it INTO an ACTIVE phone? Buy a damn Otterbox Defender. When you're hiking/rock climbing/playing basketball, whatever- you're going to have an ACTIVE Note 7 phone. Then when you're doing some casual driving, sitting at a desk, sitting anywhere at home really, at dinner with friends, or pretty much doing anything that's non-active, pop it out of it's case. You'll then, once again, have the nicest phone that anyone's ever laid eyes on.
To summarize the above, be a responsible phone owner, and you'll be fine. If you can't handle the responsibility of owning such an expensive product that was designed to be durable while keeping a fantastic overall appearance, don't buy it. You can't fault manufacturers for your lack of care.
(Battery Life) I've owned this phone for a little while now, and I've charged it approximately one and a half times (by a half, I mean plugged it in at 40-50% before leaving the house) per day. I keep High Accuracy GPS on, I keep brightness at 85-95%, I keep a multicolor 'Always On' display up, I have the "screen off" time set to 3 minutes, I have HD quality wallpapers for home & lock screens, and I keep WiFi on. I have yet to use any of the battery saver modes or capabilities. During the first few days of owning this phone, I would install back to back programs, take 15+ pictures while playing around with the different camera & video settings, record videos of my screen, experiment with the S pen, experiment with different mobile games, set up setting after setting, security feature after security feature, experiment with high quality video, stream YouTube & Netflix movies, the list goes on and on and I'm sure anyone who's ever owned a new phone knows exactly what I'm talking about.
During these times, my battery would last approximately 9 hours before falling to 20% or below. That's EXTREME HEAVY use, with battery draining functions, brightness, and high resolution screens, and no power saving whatsoever giving me 9 hours of use without even falling into critical battery levels. When I get down to around 20%, I plug it in and it takes about 40-50 minutes to charge back to 100%. If my battery is at 30% or higher, I simply plug it in and it's charged in 30-40 minutes or less. I have ONCE allowed my phone to fall below 10%, and it took no longer than one hour to charge to 100%. So yes, the battery is EXTREMELY good, and it charges extremely fast.
(Fingerprints) This phone will have fingerprints on it within just a few minutes of use, however, they are hardly noticeable unless you're actually looking for them. Once it gets marked up really heavily, which only takes about two hours of use to happen, it becomes a little more noticeable at a glance, but still, you have to be UP CLOSE to the phone to even notice. Now, I have EXTREME OCD, so this should bother me a lot more, right? No, it doesn't. What I do is keep 2 microfiber towels- one on my desk(where I spend a lot of my time) and one in my car. Whenever I pick up my phone after an extended period of non-use, I simply wipe it with the dry towel(takes 15 seconds) and viola- it looks like it JUST came out of the box again... brand new. When going somewhere, I do a quick wipe of the phone before exiting my vehicle- and viola. Brand new looking phone sitting in my pocket wherever I'm going. The gorgeous material of this phone is a worthy sacrifice for some barely noticeable fingerprints that can easily be rectified. Oh, by the way. BECAUSE of the material the phone is made of, it is MUCH EASIER to clean with said microfiber towels than the older plastic models, such as the S4. That one took at lot more scrubbing and hitting specific areas, and would also get smudge marks from the fingerprints being "wiped in" by the cloth, that were almost impossible to get rid of.
(The "oh so" Awful Speaker) This is one of the biggest critiques the phone has received, by both people on this forum, and review videos/articles/websites all across the interwebz. And I? I just don't see it. The speaker, to me, is LOUD. Now, it's not booming, bass boosted music cube quality, however... it is loud enough to where I could easily hear it ringing(depending on the ringtone) from across the house in another room. It's also loud enough to where I could play a video, turn the volume to max, set it about 50 feet away, and still hear it vividly. Also, I love the quality of the sound. It doesn't sound cheap, or poor at all to me. Non-speaker voice sound is crystal clear through this during calls. Sometimes if you hold the phone a certain way, you can block off the speaker since it's on the bottom, muffling the sound. However, muscle memory allowed me to quickly get used to preventing this after the very first time it happened. I never have a problem with the speaker being on the bottom, outside of the fact that I slightly prefer the headphone jack being on the top.
(Performance) Mentions of slow loading, TouchWiz lag, etc on this forum, I have yet to experience once. TouchWiz also has a much better interface now, especially after downloading a free theme that I liked. TouchWiz does not lag at all for me. Nothing on this phone loads "slowly" for me. I did a screen-record video of myself navigating different apps, games, etc on my phone, and literally sh** was opening within milliseconds of each tap, minus games, which, depending on the size/type of game, would take just a few seconds. I see no "slowness" in this phone whatsoever. There's literally not even delays between navigating pages on Facebook, switching from Facebook to YouTube and then from YouTube to Gmail and then from Gmail to a video on my phone. If I were to do all these app switches and loads in order of what I just listed, it would take no more than the time it takes me to open the Edge screen and tap the different apps. Game-play on games such as Mage and Minions is fluid, without noticeable frame drops, and without lag.
(Fingerprint & Iris Scanners) Fingerprint scanner works perfectly if you actually use it right, i.e., gently place your *entire* fingertip over the button. The iris scanner is not perfect, but it works 95% of the time and is FAST... VERY FAST when it does work. If you're looking for a "more secure" method of locking your phone- that's what it's for. It is supposed to be much more secure than the fingerprint scanner, and it's very fast as long as you do it right. Like, I'm talking, sometimes I don't even have time to see the "eye circles" appear on the screen. It just unlocks in a millisecond, as I'm already holding the phone in the correct position upon swiping up. Now, if you wear glasses or contacts, just skip the iris scanner. It is not 100% necessity, by any means, and your phone can be secured with simply the fingerprint scanner or a complex password. Not the end of the world.
(Camera) I'm only very slightly disappointed with the outdoor light(ex: sitting in a carport with an overhead light at night). This causes somewhat of a grainy appearance in the camera. In every other light/dark scenario so far, unless zoomed in too far, these pictures are crystal clear. Near professional. Beautiful. The camera is fast & responsive. The interface is very easy to use and understand.
Now, I do not consider myself to be a "Samsung fanboy," nor a "Galaxy fanboy." I do not dislike Apple Products outside of the fact that I think they're just a tad highly priced in comparison to Samsung(I know, the difference is becoming very slight, but even still). My wife has the 6s Plus, and it's a great phone. I do not work for Samsung, I do not work for any cell phone company at all, I am not paid to write any of the above. This was simply my unbiased response/personal review of the Note 7, that I was inclined to write after seeing so many negative comments on this forum in addition to a lot of misinformation. I WANT others to get the same experience I'm getting with my Note 7, and frankly, not be discouraged by others. So there you go.
i can agree to just about everything that you said, except for my experience with the battery. i haven't had a chance to really test it in optimal conditions because i have little to no service while i'm at work underground in an elevator shaft but we will see. i hear mixed things about screen on time, etc. but most things are a factory reset away if there is any trouble. for the most part this is one of my favorite devices i have ever owned. if you love the note line or never have been in it, this phone (note 7) is the culmination of all of its beauty and brawn.
Ace Ryan said:
After all, you usually have 14 days to return it
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Anyway please remember that we are on an International forum and this possibility is not always offered in some countries, or impracticable or too expensive when buying online from some far east sellers.
IMHO it's still too early for a definitive evaluation of the expensive N7, so personally I preferred to cancel my pre-order and wait a couple of months after having seen many reports of daily usage from normal users like me, not only web magazine techie or pseudo-techie people (unfortunately sometime questionable if not clearly biased... )
themissionimpossible said:
Anyway please remember that we are on an International forum and this possibility is not always offered in some countries, or impracticable or too expensive when buying online from some far east sellers.
IMHO it's still too early for a definitive evaluation of the expensive N7, so personally I preferred to cancel my pre-order and wait a couple of months after having seen many reports of daily usage from normal users like me, not only web magazine techie or pseudo-techie people (unfortunately sometime questionable if not clearly biased... )
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Deciding to wait is not a bad idea- however- while you do not know me and vice versa, I promise you that all of what I said above is completely true and honest, with no bias whatsoever. The problem is, people who "review" things for a living need something to REVIEW. They NEED both good AND bad. That leads to nitpicking. I on the other-hand, don't have a reason to nitpick, as I am not a paid reviewer or anything like that. Not only that, but I rely on this phone heavily for work, and I use it almost constantly during down times at work to keep myself entertained & busy. That said, even though I do not have reason to nitpick, I DO have many reasons to NEED an amazing phone.
My phone, as of right now, is far from factory default. I already have about 7 videos, 35+ pictures, I've downloaded every program that I used on my previous Galaxy phone, IN ADDITION to other programs/apps/games.
This is part of why I wrote such an extensive review, because even though I haven't had the phone that long, I've been putting it through the ringer and it's still performing phenomenally. I've been glued to it since the day I got it almost non-stop. While using it heavily for work, I'm texting/calling CONSTANTLY, almost every 10-25 minutes throughout 10 - 14 hour shifts, in addition to taking credit card payments on this phone. That said, I've accumulated close to a thousand text messages or more already and a pretty massive call log.
Also, of course I'm aware that return policies differ, not only from place to place but from carrier to carrier, which is why I said "usually." I do not want anyone to mistake that statement for fact and cause them to buy a phone they cannot return, so I'll add some extra emphasis on that in my OP. Everyone, however, should always do their own research on their sellers return policies and general procedures. This should be common sense.
themissionimpossible said:
Anyway please remember that we are on an International forum and this possibility is not always offered in some countries, or impracticable or too expensive when buying online from some far east sellers.
IMHO it's still too early for a definitive evaluation of the expensive N7, so personally I preferred to cancel my pre-order and wait a couple of months after having seen many reports of daily usage from normal users like me, not only web magazine techie or pseudo-techie people (unfortunately sometime questionable if not clearly biased... )
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Hi. Respectfully if you believe what is written on forums regarding ANY device you would never make a purchase, not even a pair of shoes.
THE only review that counts should and must be your own.
I have been buying tech stuff since the early 70's and research every single thing I buy prior to purchase. I find this silly habit of mine part of the fun buying experience for me. I have read glowing reports on tech that I have returned the same day and read awful reports on tech that I have kept and used for years.
To cancel the Note 7 based on what you have read either positive or negative is unwise. Take forum posting. How many satisfied owners are going to seek out a forum and write praise? Now, how many are going to write to complain! Its called 'human nature'.
Its totally disproportionate to reality. Sitting on the fence is not the way to live. Buy, test then make your own judgement. You can always return it if not satisfied.
Best of luck, Ryland :good:
The battery takes a lot longer to charge for mine. Does it get hot when charging for anyone else?
Ryland Johnson said:
THE only review that counts should and must be your own.
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Respectfully, IMHO a very pointless suggestion..
I just don't want to buy something first and then regret to have bought it and wasted my money....
themissionimpossible said:
Respectfully, IMHO a very pointless suggestion..
I just don't want to buy something first and then regret to have bought it and wasted my money....
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How do you know that your wants and needs are the same as whoever's critique you're reading? For some reason this forum has an inordinately large number of OMG!'rs that freak out relatively easily. And most are freaking out at theory as they've never touched a Note7 better yet own one.
No phone is going to be perfect as there are always going to be OEM induced compromises. They are what they are. I came from a Note5 and the Note7 exceeds it in every way including all the categories listed by the OP. Some things are different but none that aren't made up for in other ways.
People should buy what makes them happy and do their homework first. That includes reading reviews and forums but filtering the results to what applies to their specific needs and usage. Some of the OCD posts in this forum make me laugh. No phone built or to be built will ever satisfy some folks here.
BarryH_GEG said:
How do you know that your wants and needs are the same as whoever's critique you're reading? For some reason this forum has an inordinately large number of OMG!'rs that freak out relatively easily. And most are freaking out at theory as they've never touched a Note7 better yet own one.
No phone is going to be perfect as there are always going to be OEM induced compromises. They are what they are. I came from a Note5 and the Note7 exceeds it in every way including all the categories listed by the OP. Some things are different but none that aren't made up for in other ways.
People should buy what makes them happy and do their homework first. That includes reading reviews and forums but filtering the results to what applies to their specific needs and usage. Some of the OCD posts in this forum make me laugh. No phone built or to be built will ever satisfy some folks here.
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At Last a voice of reason. Bravo! :good: :good: :good:
Ryland
---------- Post added at 04:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:44 PM ----------
themissionimpossible said:
Respectfully, IMHO a very pointless suggestion..
I just don't want to buy something first and then regret to have bought it and wasted my money....
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Hi, Thanks for the reply. I like certain fruit and what I enjoy you may not so I may say X fruit is bitter but you may like bitter...It truly is a question of perspective.
You simply can't base what you fear buying on other peoples comments be they positive nor negative. Its all so subjective as pointed out several times, mot of the naysayers here, and there are a few, don't even own the device! You are nervous to purchase in case you don't like it based on this forum. Please Youtube this mobile and read the professional reviews, people who have been testing these devices for years. They all appear to me to write and speak highly of the note 7. BTW that would not change how I felt about my ownership even if they spoke poorly of it as I think its a very good work device. NOT for everyone though, not supposed to be. It is for me with bells on.
I wish you well with what ever you purchase. :highfive:
Ryland
Finally I was abput to create a thread about how we discuss the greatness of the phone. Too many negative ppl complaining if you dont like it pick up said phone and take it back, this community is suppose to be positive supportive not bashing new products or what others enjoy regardless. Refreshing to see positivity I love this phone it's simply amazing and superb. Thank you to the others that are positive in this forum.
Sent from my SM-N930V using XDA Free mobile app
very true indeed matsuyamakaze
Phones, like cars and pretty much everything else, are a matter of personal choice. For me this is by far the best phone I have ever owned (last two were a SonyZ3 and a Z3+). I would agree that the speaker is pretty soft but only an issue if you want to use it to play music (get a BT speaker). There's nothing more that I want in a feature packed phone. Read the reviews and make your own choice.
the best fone of 2016 till 2019 ,thats y its note 7 and not note 6 , im so pissed off by all this criticism
Sent from my SM-N930F using Tapatalk
The only complaint I have is that they took out the features from the old s note app like link to action. Besides that I live this gorgeous piece of hardware. Oh another complaint I have to cover this beauty with a case. That's about it though. Even with the recalls. I still love it.
Sent from my SM-N930V using XDA-Developers mobile app
Do you feel there are any caveats to the curved screen? I'm considering a Note 7 because the curvature is a lot less noticeable than on the S7 Edge, which was criticized for distorting the image around the curve afaik. I currently have a Oneplus One that I'm quite happy with but would love something just a tiny bit physically smaller and with a fingerprint reader but don't feel the Oneplus 3 is much of an upgrade in other areas.
themissionimpossible said:
Respectfully, IMHO a very pointless suggestion..
I just don't want to buy something first and then regret to have bought it and wasted my money....
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With mutual respect. So what you suggest is we should all read your opinion and purchase one based on your opinion? Opinions are like ears, we all have them and to suggest we buy based on any report is unwise. Taste is a major factor not to mention what we need the device to perform. I need the S-pen so that leaves me zero options.
No one on earth can choose ones hi-fi set up for us, we all have different preferences in sound reproduction that's why we have such a massive choice and stores that will arrange a listening session before ones purchases. 'The best' is simply ones own opinion and personal taste. Same with mobile phones.
With such a purchase you have to see the item and test it yourself. Forum opinions and professional reports can, on times, be a rough guide but that is all they are. True professional in the field of electronics will state that.
Ryland :good:
---------- Post added at 04:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:00 PM ----------
kasakka said:
Do you feel there are any caveats to the curved screen? I'm considering a Note 7 because the curvature is a lot less noticeable than on the S7 Edge, which was criticized for distorting the image around the curve afaik. I currently have a Oneplus One that I'm quite happy with but would love something just a tiny bit physically smaller and with a fingerprint reader but don't feel the Oneplus 3 is much of an upgrade in other areas.
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First thing. Do you NEED the S-pen? If you don't then consider the S7. Great deals can be found on the S7 at present.
Second point. I have been buying the 'edge' editions since they where introduced and have yet to find a half decent screen saver of any type be it skin or armor glass type. Does this matter? Well yes it does as the Note 7 comes with a more drop resistant Gorilla glass BUT the trade off is it appears softer so 'may' scratch more easily than the S7 edge? I have my Note 7 in the Samsung LED flip case and I have left the factory screen saver on until I can find the courage to change it to the Samsung screen saver looking at me in its box!
YOU must decide what you want then what you need from your mobile and purchase accordingly. Its great fun looking and searching for ones next technology fix! :highfive:
Don't be pushed and don't rush. Enjoy the shopping experience.
Ryland
Ryland Johnson said:
First thing. Do you NEED the S-pen? If you don't then consider the S7. Great deals can be found on the S7 at present.
Second point. I have been buying the 'edge' editions since they where introduced and have yet to find a half decent screen saver of any type be it skin or armor glass type. Does this matter? Well yes it does as the Note 7 comes with a more drop resistant Gorilla glass BUT the trade off is it appears softer so 'may' scratch more easily than the S7 edge? I have my Note 7 in the Samsung LED flip case and I have left the factory screen saver on until I can find the courage to change it to the Samsung screen saver looking at me in its box!
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I don't necessarily need it but I would probably like it. The S7 is too small for me, I'm used to a 5.5" display so anything smaller just seems a bit too small now. I find myself doing a lot of reading on my phone now whereas before with a 5" display phone I used a tablet a lot more. I was wondering about the curved Note 7 display mainly if it causes any problems clicking icons that are on the edge of the screen or seeing them if they are right on the curved part.
Screen protectors or cases don't really matter to me as I generally use my phones without any. So far haven't broken or scratched a single display. If anybody makes a Oneplus One "sandstone black" type texture skin or case for a Note 7 I might reconsider as I love how grippy that is.
Ryland Johnson said:
No one on earth can choose ones hi-fi set up for us, we all have different preferences in sound reproduction that's why we have such a massive choice and stores that will arrange a listening session before ones purchases. 'The best' is simply ones own opinion and personal taste. Same with mobile phones.
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I see you probably live in a more favorable country...
I don't know a store here in Italy that let you install and test by yourself with their 3 or 4 demo top smartphones all your main apps and games, and let you play with those phones for a few hours... Usually those demo phones don't even have a valid SIM card inserted and/or Internet wifi access...
And of course I can't just go to USA or to some other country only for such tests.
Conversely, here in Italy a lot of hi-fi stores let you test many different audio or video setups with your own video or music material, so at least in my case your proper suggestion to do the same with smartphones unfortunately is actually not practicable as with hi-fi...