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Hi all - I've been planning to upgrade from my Infuse 4G to a Note for a while now, primarily because of the extra screen real estate (obviously), though I hear the battery on the Note is killer as well. The thing is though that the Note isn't available in the States, which means I'm looking at $700-$800 at least to get one. Typically I'd be okay with that, but these days more and more phones are actually making it over here, and I know there is a rumor that the Note will follow suit. I'd hate to spend $800 just to see it for $400 in a couple months. I'm thinking I'd rather get something like the LG Nitro for now, which I can get for $250, and then still get the Note when it hits the States for less anyway - and still probably spend less than getting a Note right now.
Anyway, I'm looking for some opinions... The fact that there isn't a thread for the LG Nitro here yet counts for something, but I'm sure there will be one soon enough. It looks like some of the Optimus drivers work for rooting, so I'm okay there. And I don't care about the stylus at all. So it really just comes down to screen - Super AMOLED 5.3", or super high pixel density 4.5"? And is the battery on the Note really that awesome?
If you want a Note, just use your upgrade to get something with high resell value (like an iphone), sell it, then buy the Note. Even if the Note comes to the US next year, you won't be able to get it for $400 if you use your upgrade now to get a Nitro for $250.
dscline said:
If you want a Note, just use your upgrade to get something with high resell value (like an iphone), sell it, then buy the Note. Even if the Note comes to the US next year, you won't be able to get it for $400 if you use your upgrade now to get a Nitro for $250.
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I actually have two lines (one that I used in a wifi access point) that are available for upgrade. In any case, I'd rather stick with my Infuse than get an iPhone! That's a downgrade!
I'm not suggesting you actually use the iphone, just buy it, sell it, then buy what you really want with the profit. It's just a way of taking advantage of the subsidy without being limited to the phones they officially subsidize.
dscline said:
I'm not suggesting you actually use the iphone, just buy it, sell it, then buy what you really want with the profit. It's just a way of taking advantage of the subsidy without being limited to the phones they officially subsidize.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh. Well, I was looking for a replacement for my Infuse, for the next few months at least.
Anyway - I did pick the Nitro up at lunch. The screen is SUPER crisp, though it does suffer from the lack of contrast range of the Super AMOLED screen. So far I like it. We'll see how it goes over the next month.
It is also LTE, and I did some side-by-side comparisons, and it definitely loads up web pages faster (though that could also be the fast proc; I'm not sure).
if youre fine with gingerbread, i'd say grab the nitro. samsung already announced the note will be getting ICS. LG are normally slow to update their phones (look at the optimus 2x, only just got gingerbread quite recently).
on the bright side, the LG uses a 4.5inch IPS panel combined with a HD resolution. the combination leads to incredibly sharp pictures with quite vivid colours. i wouldnt mind giving one a go myself. the only major downsides with the LG are tiny built in storage and the poor battery life. but if you have a 32gb class 10 microSD card and charge your phone on a nightly basis anyway, that wont be an issue.
The Note's Amoled screen will definitely have burn-ins, maybe in months if you are a heavy user. The Nitro's screen won't have any of that problem since it's screen is LCD. One thing to consider.
The massive width of the Note is the only thing I don't like, and has me considering selling and switching to Optimus LTE (or Nitro HD if it can be unlocked). The Note's screen is beautiful, taking screenshots is super easy with the stylus or with palm swipe. If Note was 1280x720 it would not be quite as wide. I do love the S-Calendar and S-Memo apps, with or without the stylus, and Samsung's text message app is nice looking too.
9 Dec - Just saw Galaxy S II HD LTE specs. 1280 x 720, 4.7". This could be perfect. Would be much easier to handle one-handed. It is only 3 mm wider than S II, and actually 1 mm less than Skyrocket in width. If they would only add the S-Pen and its apps!
cushcalc said:
The massive width of the Note is the only thing I don't like, and has me considering selling and switching to Optimus LTE (or Nitro HD if it can be unlocked). The Note's screen is beautiful, taking screenshots is super easy with the stylus or with palm swipe. If Note was 1280x720 it would not be quite as wide. I do love the S-Calendar and S-Memo apps, with or without the stylus, and Samsung's text message app is nice looking too. Doesn't have Universal Inbox for Mail, which the Atrix 2 had - just found out that Optimus LTE does have Universal Inbox.
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Click to collapse
Yeah; I did pick it up yesterday and I was actually quite impressed with the Mail app. The only thing it is missing is that you cannot auto-sync folders other than your Inbox in Exchange accounts. BUT, I only need that for RSS feeds anyway, and I can always install another mail app for just RSS.
I am bummed though because while I could root it, I was having some problems with some apps and I used BusyBox installer to try to update BusyBox, and it broke my root! Now, I have superuser installed but it cannot actually authorize anything, and SuperOneClick can't do anything because it keeps trying to use the old BusyBox (I think). So I believe I'm stuck until someone comes up with some ODIN images...
SolusCado said:
Hi all - I've been planning to upgrade from my Infuse 4G to a Note for a while now, primarily because of the extra screen real estate (obviously), though I hear the battery on the Note is killer as well. The thing is though that the Note isn't available in the States, which means I'm looking at $700-$800 at least to get one. Typically I'd be okay with that, but these days more and more phones are actually making it over here, and I know there is a rumor that the Note will follow suit. I'd hate to spend $800 just to see it for $400 in a couple months. I'm thinking I'd rather get something like the LG Nitro for now, which I can get for $250, and then still get the Note when it hits the States for less anyway - and still probably spend less than getting a Note right now.
Anyway, I'm looking for some opinions... The fact that there isn't a thread for the LG Nitro here yet counts for something, but I'm sure there will be one soon enough. It looks like some of the Optimus drivers work for rooting, so I'm okay there. And I don't care about the stylus at all. So it really just comes down to screen - Super AMOLED 5.3", or super high pixel density 4.5"? And is the battery on the Note really that awesome?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're not dieing for the Note (Like I was haha), just wait until the price drops to $600.
DO NOT buy the AT&T N7000B, the Note that's coming to the states
Heres Why:
-The USA Note will have the 1.5ghz Snapdragon processor SoC, similiar to the T-mobile Galaxy S2 and the LTE Galaxy S2, which is even worse than the 1.2ghz Exynos in the Galaxy S2. The LTE Galaxy S2 or dubbed the "****rocket" by AT&T and the T-mobile Galaxy S2's users have reported laggy transitions, bad performance when gaming, and general slowness.
-AT&T LTE is probably the biggest marketing trap ever created. The people who want LTE think that the NEW LTE phone will be better, but they are generally worse (hardware wise). LTE from AT&T gives you decent speeds IF you live in one of the 9 cities that has AT&T LTE coverage. BUT... if you use too much data too fast, which is almost impossible to stop on LTE, you get throttled.
Then your download speeds on LTE are 0.05kbps
-AT&T and USA carriers have been found to put software that tracks your EVERY move on the device and they can see EXACTLY what you're doing. Big Brother is watching...
-AT&T is famous for releasing butchered versions of smartphones after incorporating LTE, so much so that developers for our OG Note will not be able to port over ROMS/Kernels. Basicly you're gonna receive no developer support. The AT&T Skyrocket section is so depressing that there are 2 developers, and the users are beginning to start paying for ROMS.
-AT&T bloatware... will hinder your device and sometimes you may not even realize what bloatware they have on your USA Note.
Well if that doesn't stop you from buying the USA Note, I don't know what will. While others read this, I'm going to think of a clever name to make fun of the USA Note with.
xAnimal5 said:
If you're not dieing for the Note (Like I was haha), just wait until the price drops to $600.
DO NOT buy the AT&T N7000B, the Note that's coming to the states
Heres Why:
-The USA Note will have the 1.5ghz Snapdragon processor SoC, similiar to the T-mobile Galaxy S2 and the LTE Galaxy S2, which is even worse than the 1.2ghz Exynos in the Galaxy S2. The LTE Galaxy S2 or dubbed the "****rocket" by AT&T and the T-mobile Galaxy S2's users have reported laggy transitions, bad performance when gaming, and general slowness.
-AT&T LTE is probably the biggest marketing trap ever created. The people who want LTE think that the NEW LTE phone will be better, but they are generally worse (hardware wise). LTE from AT&T gives you decent speeds IF you live in one of the 9 cities that has AT&T LTE coverage. BUT... if you use too much data too fast, which is almost impossible to stop on LTE, you get throttled.
Then your download speeds on LTE are 0.05kbps
-AT&T and USA carriers have been found to put software that tracks your EVERY move on the device and they can see EXACTLY what you're doing. Big Brother is watching...
-AT&T is famous for releasing butchered versions of smartphones after incorporating LTE, so much so that developers for our OG Note will not be able to port over ROMS/Kernels. Basicly you're gonna receive no developer support. The AT&T Skyrocket section is so depressing that there are 2 developers, and the users are beginning to start paying for ROMS.
-AT&T bloatware... will hinder your device and sometimes you may not even realize what bloatware they have on your USA Note.
Well if that doesn't stop you from buying the USA Note, I don't know what will. While others read this, I'm going to think of a clever name to make fun of the USA Note with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really don't care about the whole CarrierIQ stuff, and AT&T is actually getting a lot better about bloatware - you can uninstall all the crap they pre-loaded on the Nitro (though it's easy enough to freeze such apps anyway). Developer support would be a concern, and I happen to be one of those living (and working) in an area with LTE coverage - so the extra speed is ... well, something. But the processor change... why would they do that?
SolusCado said:
I really don't care about the whole CarrierIQ stuff, and AT&T is actually getting a lot better about bloatware - you can uninstall all the crap they pre-loaded on the Nitro (though it's easy enough to freeze such apps anyway). Developer support would be a concern, and I happen to be one of those living (and working) in an area with LTE coverage - so the extra speed is ... well, something. But the processor change... why would they do that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, right now it's half speculation/half leaked reports. The general consensus that people have reached is that it's the Snapdragon.
As for why... I have come to believe that AT&T likes using Snapdragons primarily because they are cheaper to manufacture/or they receive a discount for the parts.
Ah, another detail I forgot to mention (you may already know this) but... LTE radios require extra space and that adds extra thickness to the phone, as well as changes the dimensions--not too much, but enough to make our OG cases unusable for the USA note.
xAnimal5 said:
Well, right now it's half speculation/half leaked reports. The general consensus that people have reached is that it's the Snapdragon.
As for why... I have come to believe that AT&T likes using Snapdragons primarily because they are cheaper to manufacture/or they receive a discount for the parts.
Ah, another detail I forgot to mention (you may already know this) but... LTE radios require extra space and that adds extra thickness to the phone, as well as changes the dimensions--not too much, but enough to make our OG cases unusable for the USA note.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AT&T isn't the manufacturer, so I can't imagine parts cost is a factor. It's probably more likely a power consumption/radio interference issue.
Good point on the LTE thickness! I'll probably just enjoy my Note for now, and then when it does hit the States take that opportunity to check out the screen and form factor in person - make sure I really prefer it to the Nitro - and then order one from overseas...
I myself used the "if it comes to AT&T with LTE it's probably going to end up with a slower processor" argument as a reason to get an international unit now. But...
xAnimal5 said:
-AT&T LTE is probably the biggest marketing trap ever created. The people who want LTE think that the NEW LTE phone will be better, but they are generally worse (hardware wise). LTE from AT&T gives you decent speeds IF you live in one of the 9 cities that has AT&T LTE coverage. BUT... if you use too much data too fast, which is almost impossible to stop on LTE, you get throttled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't understand this. Assuming your data usage doesn't change (you still go to the same sites, download the same data, etc.), you shouldn't use any more data than you would on 3G. Now, if your saying that because you CAN download data faster an LTE, you COULD use more data and therefore get into trouble faster, that's hardly a downside of LTE. That's like saying you want a slower car because you get tickets in a faster car. That doesn't mean a faster car is worse, that just means you can't control yourself. Personally, I would MUCH rather have the ability to download faster, and get the same amount of data in less time. Here in Atlanta anyway, 3G is really bogged down, and when I'm at a crowded event I may not be able to get any service. I would love to have the ability to use the much less crowded spectrum. But if I have to get a slower CPU and less battery life, then it becomes less appealing.
xAnimal5 said:
Well, right now it's half speculation/half leaked reports. The general consensus that people have reached is that it's the Snapdragon.
As for why... I have come to believe that AT&T likes using Snapdragons primarily because they are cheaper to manufacture/or they receive a discount for the parts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think that has anything to do with AT&T. Even the Korean LTE Note supposedly uses the Snapdragon. Why would Samsung use someone else's CPU in their LTE enabled phones if their own CPU could do it? I don't understand why, but apparently the current version of Exynos just can't do LTE.
dscline said:
I myself used the "if it comes to AT&T with LTE it's probably going to end up with a slower processor" argument as a reason to get an international unit now. But...
I don't understand this. Assuming your data usage doesn't change (you still go to the same sites, download the same data, etc.), you shouldn't use any more data than you would on 3G. Now, if your saying that because you CAN download data faster an LTE, you COULD use more data and therefore get into trouble faster, that's hardly a downside of LTE. That's like saying you want a slower car because you get tickets in a faster car. That doesn't mean a faster car is worse, that just means you can't control yourself. Personally, I would MUCH rather have the ability to download faster, and get the same amount of data in less time. Here in Atlanta anyway, 3G is really bogged down, and when I'm at a crowded event I may not be able to get any service. I would love to have the ability to use the much less crowded spectrum. But if I have to get a slower CPU and less battery life, then it becomes less appealing.
I don't think that has anything to do with AT&T. Even the Korean LTE Note supposedly uses the Snapdragon. Why would Samsung use someone else's CPU in their LTE enabled phones if their own CPU could do it? I don't understand why, but apparently the current version of Exynos just can't do LTE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, from the reports I've been hearing from my friend with an HTC Vivid, he said that some of the bloat that ships with LTE phones auto-updates even if you have it turned off. If unnoticed over a long period of time, it stacks up.
Just for me at least, if I get LTE... I will probably hit 30gbs per month haha, so I might as well stick with Faux G.
I also researched the processor predicament as well. It seems the only chipset + processor that works with Quad-band phones with LTE are the Snapdragons. It's a shame though because Snapdragons are unreliable and give a studdery performance. I played with the ****rocket at my corporate AT&T store in NYC and it was extremely laggy compared to the model for the OG SGSII.
Exynos Chipsets just aren't compatible with LTE radios yet I guess. Oh well, if I get LTE, I'll get throttled after a couple of hours, so I'll stick with my OG Note.
There may also be the question of ICS for the USA Note. Depending on when it's released, it may not ship with ICS. If that's the case, USA Note purchasers will be held hostage waiting for AT&T to give them an update for it.
One big reason to get International version.
PHYSICAL HOME BUTTON.
The size of the Note makes it very hard to solely rely on the smallish recessed upper right power button. Especially one handed.
Exynos is also a good reason. And if it gets any thicker it would fee "too big" IMHO.
SolusCado said:
. . . I am bummed though because while I could root it, I was having some problems with some apps and I used BusyBox installer to try to update BusyBox, and it broke my root! Now, I have superuser installed but it cannot actually authorize anything, and SuperOneClick can't do anything because it keeps trying to use the old BusyBox (I think). So I believe I'm stuck until someone comes up with some ODIN images...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would start over, root with Chainfire setup.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
cushcalc said:
I would start over, root with Chainfire setup.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't I need a device-specific kernel for ODIN to do that?
Restore to stock before re-attempt root.
SolusCado said:
Wouldn't I need a device-specific kernel for ODIN to do that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know about doing it with Odin.
I would follow dr.ketan's guide (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=18978158&postcount=1):
"Now How I can revert back to Stock ROM/Unroot (In case of replacemet may i need)
I you have Just rooted only but not added CWM - Just Download this Extract - Execute - Rum Me unroot.bat
If You have Root + CWM - then first find out original stock kernel (zImage file)
Now place this file in zImage folder, n repeat procedure(Initial CFRoot Flasher), which you have done at time of pushing CWM by selecting I am rooted already
Now unroot with above said unrooting tool."
I would never get the Nitro myself.
-Development by the community will most likely suck for it
-The battery life is awful
-Average build quality
-Sub par camera for 8mp
-Not an amoled screen
Hey everyone (particularly those I previously interacted with in the - now much less active - Note 3 forum )
My fist post in this forum signifies... pretty much a complete 180 wrt my interest in the Note 4, altering it from "ehh, no thanks" to "I wonder if the Tmo store down the street has any in stock?"
First, my current Note 3: I freaking love it, easily my #1 fav out of the many phones I've owned. It's running Tweaked 3.9, leanKernel 3.11.3 and themed with @cbucz24's B&W Tweaked theme and a sick themed stock Samsung keyboard that he made. Run's like a dream (Antutu benchmarks always in the mid 40k's with an all time high of about 47.5K), Nova Prime, any otherwise heavily customized software-wise (most significant example: I've basically totally altered the stock S pen function via GMD S-pen / no auto Air Command, but launch-able via GMD and significant progress towards my goal of doing literally anything (access obscure settings / direct dial, etc.) just by scribbling a path on the screen. Also, froze flashbar service, replaced with sidebar launchers of Flppr - access pre-configured widgets, divided into categories, from ANY screen via swipe gestures (awesome in general, but particularly useful for "remotes" such as Smart Remote, Yatse, Ultimate Remote...), OmniSnitch (grabbed from the ROM flashed on my "week or so NEW" Note 10.1 2014, T-mo lte variant (p607t, which is actually just a carrier branded P605 - international lte variant, thus completely compatible with p605 ROMs :good, and PIE. Last example (maybe most significant) example, replaced Pen Window, which is rather slow, clunky, and functionally limited AND split window with the far superior XHalo module. Really the only "native" function that I use is handwriting recognition, which IMO works amazingly well). Also, I'm pretty good storage-wise, with the 32GB internal, a 64GB external (must have root app: FolderMount!) AND a few of those tiny USB / USB OTG drives - two of them being USB 3 / 64 GB (but the first Corsair one I got was "misplaced" (read: very likely lost forever) - replaced it with the equivalent Patriot drive which has the fastest transfer speeds I've EVER seen on a flash drive, but via PC USB 3 and phone micro usb 2! Oh, last thing, tons of accessories, most of which incompatible with the Note 4 (ex. cases... so many cases! and a micro USB 3 4 port hub).
So while, having the 'old' JUMP program and not yet using it, it makes more "sense" to trade my Note 3 for a 4, then do the same when this period of "transitional" phone releases passes, and the 64-bit "phone of my dreams" (yes, to confirm, phone ownership CAN affect sleep ) becomes available. However, given my exceptional "fondness" for my N3 & it's extensively customized tweaks, I am somewhat concerned about ditching it for its (currently, at least) less customizable successor.
Keeping my N3 AND getting an N4 really is not an option - I don't really have the cash to buy it straight up, and wouldn't be particularly compelled to if I did. However, having the 'old' JUMP, which I haven't yet used, I feel like, logically, I should go for upgrade 1 of 2 / year, and swap the N3 for a 4, which would be sort of a "transitional" device, until something that I NEED to have released.
SO Note 4 owners (JUMPers... first and last time I'll ever be using that adjective ), where any of you in a similar situation, but decided to go for it anyways? Are you happy to have done so? Any regrets?
Last (any peripheral) question: is anyone aware of the current availability of the N4? Is it typically available in stores yet (particularly in Chicago - the store near me is in Lincoln Park on Clark, if I have any neighbors around here )? Or is the best (fastest) way to JUMP via ordering online (if so, would it be a pre-order and if so, how long of a delay should be expected?) I do know a really cool / helpful guy at the T-mo store (who I talked EXTENSIVELY about root etc., explicitly making sure the new tablet wasn't locked down before buying it, and even straight up asking him if he thought that it would be cool to flash alternative firmware on my new deposit-less AC1900 if I flashed it back to stock before returning it, to which he surprisingly responded "yeah, I'm pretty sure that's fine"!) so he could possibly help me out if availability is still an issue (he also ordered a LTE booster, sent to my house, since I told him I wanted both but was told I could only have one or the other shipped. Paid the deposit for that one, but just got tracking info: delivery date = tomorrow )
So I can / plan to roll by the store to check it out, but just wondering if anyone has bought / ordered one recently and has any info re: current availability.
Really looking forward to discussing / exploring the mod potential for this device with you all! Thanks in advance - mostly hoping to resolve the matters that are making me hesitant to JUMP over to this device and it's MUCH more active discussion :good:
For me, the Note 4 is everything I've ever wanted in a phone (minus dual front facing speakers, but oh well)
I LOVED my Note 3. LOVED it. It was hands down the best device I've ever owned. Until now. I didn't use my JUMP (even though I have JUMP 1.0) kept the Note 3 so I could give it to my friend who would never be able to afford a beastly phone like that.
The Note 4 is the best phone money can buy right now (IMHO). No regrets, and I got it on release day. I baby it and it already has a couple of minor scratches on the aluminum bezel but I could care less. I never dropped it, ever, and I'm ultra careful with my phones (the Note 3 is still flawless, I mean literally looks brand new). So keep that in mind, you will get scratches on the bezel, but honestly even with that, still THE best phone in the world.
That tweaked 3.9 is a GREAT rom, but the note4 is an all around better device. Battery life, camera focus speed, processor speed (once tweaked a little), and the s-pen does function better.
And that fast charger makes anything else obsolete. Charging to 75-90% in 1hr is just crazy.
Screen is pretty nice too :wink:
I was pretty bummed about the rear speaker, and the non wolfson dac, but I guess only a few media people even care about sound quality lol.
If it's a stretch money wise, just skip this iteration, it's improved but not mind blowing
Hey thanks a lot man! Just called the store, and the guy made it pretty clear that online order was the way to go (specifically, they had one white one at 6PM Thurs., and he said it'd likely be gone within 10 mins!) Additionally, with the online JUMP, I have 30 days to give my N3 a :crying: proper goodbye :laugh: )
I'm going to go ahead and find + order a case (slim but protective w/ built in port covers / tempered glass saver. Would welcome recommendations on that :highfive:
Amd4life said:
That tweaked 3.9 is a GREAT rom, but the note4 is an all around better device. Battery life, camera focus speed, processor speed (once tweaked a little), and the s-pen does function better.
And that fast charger makes anything else obsolete. Charging to 75-90% in 1hr is just crazy.
Screen is pretty nice too :wink:
I was pretty bummed about the rear speaker, and the non wolfson dac, but I guess only a few media people even care about sound quality lol.
If it's a stretch money wise, just skip this iteration, it's improved but not mind blowing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah yes, the speaker; meant to address that. Placement / quality of a device's speaker(s) is probably the lowest priority criteria for device selection. By that I mean, if I'm doing anything on the phone where I care about sound quality (media, gaming (occasionally, but not usually), pretty much anything aside from ring / notification tones) I'm going to be connecting either headphones, APTX BT speaker, or even my 7.1 AVR. Any of those is going to produce better sound than even the best built in speakers on any mobile device, for which I would do the same. The lack of the Wolfson DAC is a drag or rather a "wtf sammy".
Situation seems to be that N4 is unquestionably "better" overall than the N3, and I basically have the choice of walking around with one or the other in my pocket, or burning 1/2 JUMP upgrades. Now that development for this phone has picked up, it seems to me that grabbing an N4 vs. holding onto my N3 would be an "emotional rather than logical" decision.
When you get your phone, you will love it. I switched from an AT&T S3 to this T-Mobile N4. A tad pricey, but oooh so worth it. I've wanted a Note phone for years and I finally have one. I'm tempted to root and tweak but worried about tripping Knox and any unforseen warranty hassles.
Anyway, glad you love your N3. Hope the N4 is everything you want it to be.
Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA Premium HD app
jazzmachine said:
Hey everyone (particularly those I previously interacted with in the - now much less active - Note 3 forum )
My fist post in this forum signifies... pretty much a complete 180 wrt my interest in the Note 4, altering it from "ehh, no thanks" to "I wonder if the Tmo store down the street has any in stock?"
First, my current Note 3: I freaking love it, easily my #1 fav out of the many phones I've owned. It's running Tweaked 3.9, leanKernel 3.11.3 and themed with @cbucz24's B&W Tweaked theme and a sick themed stock Samsung keyboard that he made. Run's like a dream (Antutu benchmarks always in the mid 40k's with an all time high of about 47.5K), Nova Prime, any otherwise heavily customized software-wise (most significant example: I've basically totally altered the stock S pen function via GMD S-pen / no auto Air Command, but launch-able via GMD and significant progress towards my goal of doing literally anything (access obscure settings / direct dial, etc.) just by scribbling a path on the screen. Also, froze flashbar service, replaced with sidebar launchers of Flppr - access pre-configured widgets, divided into categories, from ANY screen via swipe gestures (awesome in general, but particularly useful for "remotes" such as Smart Remote, Yatse, Ultimate Remote...), OmniSnitch (grabbed from the ROM flashed on my "week or so NEW" Note 10.1 2014, T-mo lte variant (p607t, which is actually just a carrier branded P605 - international lte variant, thus completely compatible with p605 ROMs :good, and PIE. Last example (maybe most significant) example, replaced Pen Window, which is rather slow, clunky, and functionally limited AND split window with the far superior XHalo module. Really the only "native" function that I use is handwriting recognition, which IMO works amazingly well). Also, I'm pretty good storage-wise, with the 32GB internal, a 64GB external (must have root app: FolderMount!) AND a few of those tiny USB / USB OTG drives - two of them being USB 3 / 64 GB (but the first Corsair one I got was "misplaced" (read: very likely lost forever) - replaced it with the equivalent Patriot drive which has the fastest transfer speeds I've EVER seen on a flash drive, but via PC USB 3 and phone micro usb 2! Oh, last thing, tons of accessories, most of which incompatible with the Note 4 (ex. cases... so many cases! and a micro USB 3 4 port hub).
So while, having the 'old' JUMP program and not yet using it, it makes more "sense" to trade my Note 3 for a 4, then do the same when this period of "transitional" phone releases passes, and the 64-bit "phone of my dreams" (yes, to confirm, phone ownership CAN affect sleep ) becomes available. However, given my exceptional "fondness" for my N3 & it's extensively customized tweaks, I am somewhat concerned about ditching it for its (currently, at least) less customizable successor.
Keeping my N3 AND getting an N4 really is not an option - I don't really have the cash to buy it straight up, and wouldn't be particularly compelled to if I did. However, having the 'old' JUMP, which I haven't yet used, I feel like, logically, I should go for upgrade 1 of 2 / year, and swap the N3 for a 4, which would be sort of a "transitional" device, until something that I NEED to have released.
SO Note 4 owners (JUMPers... first and last time I'll ever be using that adjective ), where any of you in a similar situation, but decided to go for it anyways? Are you happy to have done so? Any regrets?
Last (any peripheral) question: is anyone aware of the current availability of the N4? Is it typically available in stores yet (particularly in Chicago - the store near me is in Lincoln Park on Clark, if I have any neighbors around here )? Or is the best (fastest) way to JUMP via ordering online (if so, would it be a pre-order and if so, how long of a delay should be expected?) I do know a really cool / helpful guy at the T-mo store (who I talked EXTENSIVELY about root etc., explicitly making sure the new tablet wasn't locked down before buying it, and even straight up asking him if he thought that it would be cool to flash alternative firmware on my new deposit-less AC1900 if I flashed it back to stock before returning it, to which he surprisingly responded "yeah, I'm pretty sure that's fine"!) so he could possibly help me out if availability is still an issue (he also ordered a LTE booster, sent to my house, since I told him I wanted both but was told I could only have one or the other shipped. Paid the deposit for that one, but just got tracking info: delivery date = tomorrow )
So I can / plan to roll by the store to check it out, but just wondering if anyone has bought / ordered one recently and has any info re: current availability.
Really looking forward to discussing / exploring the mod potential for this device with you all! Thanks in advance - mostly hoping to resolve the matters that are making me hesitant to JUMP over to this device and it's MUCH more active discussion :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool story bro. So cool I couldnt finish it.
Yup
I thought i was the only one,
The UI feels a bit clunkier And the battery life isnt nearly as good for me as a heavy user i could get almost a full day and a half, on the note 4 i might get barely a day same use.
If i couldve taken the note 3 software multi window UI and put it in the note 4 body it would be the perfect phone.
tmotechsupport said:
I thought i was the only one,
The UI feels a bit clunkier And the battery life isnt nearly as good for me as a heavy user i could get almost a full day and a half, on the note 4 i might get barely a day same use.
If i couldve taken the note 3 software multi window UI and put it in the note 4 body it would be the perfect phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree. Turned my note 3 on last night to play with it and it's smooth. Still on stock rooted and animation is smoother with less lag.
Battery on my note 4 i would say lasts 15% less. I've only disconnected my phone for 5 hours with 2:15 screen time and I'm already at 55%. I'm losing about an hour total screen time compared to my note 3.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
Yes, Note 4 is worth the JUMP....
I loved my Note 3, but I love my Note 4 more.
There are only two things that I miss about my Note 3.
Temperature sensor
Humidity sensor
If none of these matter to you, the Note 4 is a no brainer. Even if those things mattered to you (like it matters to me ) the Note 4 is still a no brainer.
Those are great AnTuTu benchmakrs for the Note 3, but the SD800 in the N3 is no comparison to the N4 SD805. If you look in my sig, I've hit 50K+ on stock kernel running FireKatv2.
JUMP on over! :good:
To give some back round I first bought the Galaxy S6 Edge 128 gb Black Sapphire from ATT direct.
As you can see from my posts no matter what I did I could not get the batter life under control.
Another thing was the screen had a pink cast (the whole screen). I returned the phone back to ATT.
I then continued to read these forums as saw that there was a good majority of people getting
very good battery life. I decided to give the SGS6 another shot but this time I bought the
regular version NOT the Edge. Ordered from the same source ATT online. 128 GB Black Sapphire but the regular version.
Received phone and I can say that there is a night and day difference. First off the screen is perfect.
NO pink cast or banding. Now this phone was set up exactly like the one I returned. Both phones had the
latest Google Services in case you were wondering. The battery life on this phone is amazing! I could
not be happier.
I have to think that there are some phones out there that are defective. I cannot believe the difference
from this phone to the Edge version. I do not think its an Edge problem as just phone by phone basis
but it would be interesting to see if the majority complaints on battery life are from Edge users?
All in all I can say this phone is absolutely amazing, I love it. Thanks to all the posters who made me see the light
and give the S6 another chance.
CC
I had a similar situation. First bought an S6 Edge 32GB from AT&T. Used it for a week...battery life was horrible even after doing the things recommended on XDA to improve it. Phone was very sluggish, apps crashed a lot...and my palm would accidentally touch the edge screen sometimes, which irritated me so I exchanged it for a non-Edge 32GB from AT&T.
COMPLETELY different phone, it's nice and fast, no lag...I get at least 4x the battery life out of this one as I did the Edge. It surprised me, actually. So yes, I'm pretty sure there ARE defective ones out there.
Made In Korea
iiNFAMOUS CHRiS said:
I had a similar situation. First bought an S6 Edge 32GB from AT&T. Used it for a week...battery life was horrible even after doing the things recommended on XDA to improve it. Phone was very sluggish, apps crashed a lot...and my palm would accidentally touch the edge screen sometimes, which irritated me so I exchanged it for a non-Edge 32GB from AT&T.
COMPLETELY different phone, it's nice and fast, no lag...I get at least 4x the battery life out of this one as I did the Edge. It surprised me, actually. So yes, I'm pretty sure there ARE defective ones out there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As a side note my new unit is made in Korea. That may also be a factor. I really believe the Korean made
units are better quality. My screen is flawless, the Edge I returned was pink as hell.
CC
cc999 said:
As a side note my new unit is made in Korea. That may also be a factor. I really believe the Korean made
units are better quality. My screen is flawless, the Edge I returned was pink as hell.
CC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't get me wrong but I thought they were all made in Korea since Samsung is a Korean company could be wrong.
There are definantly more regular S6 that had the Pink screen problem than edge variants. But mostly it seems the S6s in general that came out of Vietnam were problematic to say the least and the US got alot of those expecially poor T-mobile. and speaking I have a Gold s6 Edge and its flawless, I get about days use out of it and achieve somewhere around 3-4 hours playing video games on it off charger. The only problem that really been edge exclusive is the Fast charging Frying the Oriantation sensors. but even then I really wouldn't use the fast charger out of absolutely needing it like on the move or at work where your not gonna leave it on the charger... ie use a slow charger to charge it up when you sleep. < you'll be doing the longevity of your battery a favor.
plaxy said:
There are definantly more regular S6 that had the Pink screen problem than edge variants. But mostly it seems the S6s in general that came out of Vietnam were problematic to say the least and the US got alot of those expecially poor T-mobile. and speaking I have a Gold s6 Edge and its flawless, I get about days use out of it and achieve somewhere around 3-4 hours playing video games on it off charger. The only problem that really been edge exclusive is the Fast charging Frying the Oriantation sensors. but even then I really wouldn't use the fast charger out of absolutely needing it like on the move or at work where your not gonna leave it on the charger... ie use a slow charger to charge it up when you sleep. < you'll be doing the longevity of your battery a favor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the 128GB S6 (white) for AT&T via Best Buy -- seems to have been manufactured in Korea. No screen issues -- battery life is OK (could be better it feels like) -- I'd concur that I generally get about 1 day worth of use out of it. This seems like one of those things that generally get improved after a couple of firmware releases -- though, I could be wrong, time will tell. So far -- after about 2-3 weeks of use -- it's showing about 14 hours of (estimated) life, on average.
Of course -- once power save mode kicks in and those cores cut off, general responsiveness / app switching seems to take a significant hit.
I bought two from AT&T yesterday. Both had perfect screens and buttons. No issues whatsoever so I guess I was lucky. Both units were made in Korea as well.
Korean
Red5 said:
I bought two from AT&T yesterday. Both had perfect screens and buttons. No issues whatsoever so I guess I was lucky. Both units were made in Korea as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am very confident to say the Korean made phones are the best for screen quality and overall
build. Its just the luck of the draw what phone you receive. Allot of Vietnamese phones
are having problems.......
CC
cc999 said:
I am very confident to say the Korean made phones are the best for screen quality and overall
build. Its just the luck of the draw what phone you receive. Allot of Vietnamese phones
are having problems.......
CC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True that. My At&t one is korean made and is perfect beside Att bloatware Tried and returned two 920i from eBay both made in vietnam and both having problems and poorly made. First one had his front camera not exactly in the middle of the opening and also after restart screen was with really dark colors until you hit the power button and then its fine. The second one had issue with its home button making clicking noises without really pressing it, but just touching it (really annoying).
I have a Korean made black 128gb model purchased from ATT online. Screen is beautiful. Battery life is about what I expected - typically get around 16 hours off charger with 3 hours screen on and some phone calls.
Its just the luck of the draw what phone you receive.
Silly question. How do you guys know point of origin? Im sure somewhere on the box it says, however if I did a warranty claim and they sent the phone only is there something in the model number or about phone list that would indicate?
I am looking for a new WiFi-only 8" tablet. The Galaxy Tab Active3 looks like the best performer with its Exynos 9810 processor and 128GB of memory. I also like its SD-card storage and 3.5mm jack. Price isn't too bad at $509.
Here are the issues that I am running into.
These tablets are not available anywhere. Has anyone purchased one in the USA?
Still running Android 10. Any news on Android 11 or custom ROMs?
Root has not been achieved which would be a deal killer for me. There seems to be some hopeful signs when I do a search
Lack of a dedicated XDA forum group is discouraging that items 2&3 are being actively addressed
Lastly, I dont need the ruggedized feature and would like a slimmer case that can hold up the tablet for watching movies on a plane.
Maybe I need to hold out for a non-ruggedized version of this tablet. Does anyone think that is likely?
swieder711 said:
I am looking for a new WiFi-only 8" tablet. The Galaxy Tab Active3 looks like the best performer with its Exynos 9810 processor and 128GB of memory. I also like its SD-card storage and 3.5mm jack. Price isn't too bad at $509.
Here are the issues that I am running into.
These tablets are not available anywhere. Has anyone purchased one in the USA?
Still running Android 10. Any news on Android 11 or custom ROMs?
Root has not been achieved which would be a deal killer for me. There seems to be some hopeful signs when I do a search
Lack of a dedicated XDA forum group is discouraging that items 2&3 are being actively addressed
Lastly, I dont need the ruggedized feature and would like a slimmer case that can hold up the tablet for watching movies on a plane.
Maybe I need to hold out for a non-ruggedized version of this tablet. Does anyone think that is likely?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ive been looking and this is best 8inch tablet out there right now. Its getting android 11 right now, but idk about root, i dont use root on my tablet. Missing forum group is also bad yes
A slimmer case does not do much good since the tablet itself is already chunky.
I would just use it without a case, it is certainly not as fragile as regular tablets and can take a beating.
I have had one for a couple of days now and it is starting to grow on me. I will probably going to use it as my main device and also use it as a phone.
Today I got the Otterbox Universe case which I like better than the stock case.
The S-pen stores on the side instead of on the top on the Samsung case which I find more convenient.
I would also prefer an 8-inch version of the Tab S7 but we are in a minority.
I have used a Huawei MediaPad M6 8.4 and M6 Turbo 8.4 in the past but these gave problems with certain Google functions (location never worked as it should in certain apps) and the strict killing of apps in the background annoyed me.
Hardware wise they were excellent though, a much more premium feel than the Active3.
Flavio said:
A slimmer case does not do much good since the tablet itself is already chunky.
I would just use it without a case, it is certainly not as fragile as regular tablets and can take a beating.
I have had one for a couple of days now and it is starting to grow on me. I will probably going to use it as my main device and also use it as a phone.
Today I got the Otterbox Universe case which I like better than the stock case.
The S-pen stores on the side instead of on the top on the Samsung case which I find more convenient.
I would also prefer an 8-inch version of the Tab S7 but we are in a minority.
I have used a Huawei MediaPad M6 8.4 and M6 Turbo 8.4 in the past but these gave problems with certain Google functions (location never worked as it should in certain apps) and the strict killing of apps in the background annoyed me.
Hardware wise they were excellent though, a much more premium feel than the Active3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
are you based in the US and what model is the Tab active 3. i just ordered a T577US/DS model and on amazon several people have said it can’t be used as a regular phone.
Can someone please let me know if the model SM-T577 can be used as regular phone ?
If not can i flash the stock for the same with the european version (SM-T575) for it to work?
swieder711 said:
I am looking for a new WiFi-only 8" tablet. The Galaxy Tab Active3 looks like the best performer with its Exynos 9810 processor and 128GB of memory. I also like its SD-card storage and 3.5mm jack. Price isn't too bad at $509.
Here are the issues that I am running into.
These tablets are not available anywhere. Has anyone purchased one in the USA?
Still running Android 10. Any news on Android 11 or custom ROMs?
Root has not been achieved which would be a deal killer for me. There seems to be some hopeful signs when I do a search
Lack of a dedicated XDA forum group is discouraging that items 2&3 are being actively addressed
Lastly, I dont need the ruggedized feature and would like a slimmer case that can hold up the tablet for watching movies on a plane.
Maybe I need to hold out for a non-ruggedized version of this tablet. Does anyone think that is likely?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought one... They are on ebay and being shipped. Be aware many times the 4G version is the same price as the WiFi depending on which knucklehead is selling it. No rhyme or reason. I think B&H is selling them too reasonable. You are looking for a T570 for wifi only and the T575 and T577 for the cellular enabled units. Keep in mind that all of the T575 units I have investigated have dual sim and the second sim can be substituted for a micro SD. The 4G version is just worth more money and is convenient if you have to travel. Especially out of the country. Or if you sometimes work somewhere away from all the pests and distractions. It just makes sense. I bought my open box unit 128gb dual sim through make and offer of $250usd plus 12.50 shipping. There are good deals to be had. Just spring for the 4G one. Its really worth it especially with
I have T575 and can use like regular phone.
Rooted with Magisk ( copied here: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...ChAWegQIChAB&usg=AOvVaw2prG-uE2LdqUQQQJWYZaLS )
Take the Magisk modified tar file. Replace vbmeta.img with a zero-byte file, pack it together again, flash it. This is enough for rooting the SM-T575.
But, before that (!!!) check if KnoxGuard got tripped... power down the phone, connect it to USB, then press volup+voldn together. It should not show "KG STATE" at all. If it does, especially if KG STATE is "Checking" or "Prenormal", flash stock with CSC (basically, wipe it), connect it to the internet during setup and keep it continously online and powered for at least 7 days / 168 hours. Only then you will be able to flash.
I have my work's Galaxy Tab Active3 tablet here, which I locked with a password a months ago and I can't seem to recover... Can anyone please tell me how to:
1) Shut it down
2) Enter recovery mode
Any help would be appreciated!!
I currently have and use a Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. I love the phone but it feel it's time to upgrade and I'll add this S20 to my pile of phones to play with. So far I like the S21 Ultra better because of the build quality over the S20 Ultra. I like the metal around the camera lens over the glass of the S20 Ultra. I also like the bigger fingerprint scanner behind the screen. Mine bugs out occasionally and can be irritating. The screen is phenomenal on the S20 Ultra and even better on the S21 Ultra. So should I upgrade or wait for an S22 Ultra? Or should I branch away from Samsung? I was a long time HTC user and switched fully to Samsung back at the release of the Galaxy Note 5. I've used and played with many Nexus, Motorola, OnePlus, LG and other phones and I'm stuck on Samsung. Hell I even went back to an iPhone XS Max because my family all has them, and let me tell you, that didn't last long. So I'm just wanting your guys opinions, worth the upgrade now? Wait? Branch away?
Not sure I'd upgrade but my upgrade span is normally two years. But the facts are that the camera is far better, the chipset is far better (regardless of region), it has S-pen support, the screen is better and it looks better.
If you think that's worth the price then go for it.
Check the video below for a more in depth comparison.
Beefheart said:
Not sure I'd upgrade but my upgrade span is normally two years. But the facts are that the camera is far better, the chipset is far better (regardless of region), it has S-pen support, the screen is better and it looks better.
If you think that's worth the price then go for it.
Check the video below for a more in depth comparison.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do agree that it's a better handset all around. I love my S20, but I hate it at the same time with all of its quirks. I guess I haven't looked yet, but I'm sure they are planning the S22 very soon, and it might be worth me waiting for that. I've just had small minuscule issues with my S20 Ultra, like currently waiting on my replacement since my screen quit entirely as well as all the rear camera sensors. I'm using my spare Galaxy A20 that was brand new in the box until my new S20 Ultra gets here. This A20 is super disappointing in terms of performance so I'm trying to not use it as much as I dont have to.
KaydenMcCurdyTech said:
I currently have and use a Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. I love the phone but it feel it's time to upgrade and I'll add this S20 to my pile of phones to play with. So far I like the S21 Ultra better because of the build quality over the S20 Ultra. I like the metal around the camera lens over the glass of the S20 Ultra. I also like the bigger fingerprint scanner behind the screen. Mine bugs out occasionally and can be irritating. The screen is phenomenal on the S20 Ultra and even better on the S21 Ultra. So should I upgrade or wait for an S22 Ultra? Or should I branch away from Samsung? I was a long time HTC user and switched fully to Samsung back at the release of the Galaxy Note 5. I've used and played with many Nexus, Motorola, OnePlus, LG and other phones and I'm stuck on Samsung. Hell I even went back to an iPhone XS Max because my family all has them, and let me tell you, that didn't last long. So I'm just wanting your guys opinions, worth the upgrade now? Wait? Branch away?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not going to be a night and day differnce. Cameras are definitely better and focus issues are fixed. Screen is only a minor upgrade in terms of quality - unless you want to leverage the new processor to run it a WQHD+ at adaptive refresh rate. Even that is barely discernible against the FHD+ with VRR. At least to my eyes.
Is it worth it monetarily? No. It doesn't make any financial sense dropping that kind of money every year on a handset. THe S21U is definitely better than the S20U, but not $1000 better
Is it worth it as a shiny new toy for playing around (provided money isn't that big a concern for you)? Hell, yeah.
Depends how you define "worth" and what your yearly budget is for gadgets.
enigmaamit said:
It's not going to be a night and day differnce. Cameras are definitely better and focus issues are fixed. Screen is only a minor upgrade in terms of quality - unless you want to leverage the new processor to run it a WQHD+ at adaptive refresh rate. Even that is barely discernible against the FHD+ with VRR. At least to my eyes.
Is it worth it monetarily? No. It doesn't make any financial sense dropping that kind of money every year on a handset. THe S21U is definitely better than the S20U, but not $1000 better
Is it worth it as a shiny new toy for playing around (provided money isn't that big a concern for you)? Hell, yeah.
Depends how you define "worth" and what your yearly budget is for gadgets.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I don't feel its worth dropping $1,000 every year, maybe every 2, sometimes 3 years. I actually paid $1,500 for my S20 Ultra right when it came out. I've just only started to get bored of it or irritated with little issues. But really, I think I'll wait it through and get the next Galaxy that jumps out ahead of competition in relation to specs. They usually wait to see what Apple will do, and try and get a couple steps ahead of them, not just 1 or the same. Sadly enough, Apple is competing side by side now with their new chips and they aren't doing too bad. I'm kind of wanting to try the 12 Pro Max but that would go against my religion.
KaydenMcCurdyTech said:
Personally I don't feel its worth dropping $1,000 every year, maybe every 2, sometimes 3 years. I actually paid $1,500 for my S20 Ultra right when it came out. I've just only started to get bored of it or irritated with little issues. But really, I think I'll wait it through and get the next Galaxy that jumps out ahead of competition in relation to specs. They usually wait to see what Apple will do, and try and get a couple steps ahead of them, not just 1 or the same. Sadly enough, Apple is competing side by side now with their new chips and they aren't doing too bad. I'm kind of wanting to try the 12 Pro Max but that would go against my religion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's a sensible decision to wait for the next galaxy, especially since you have a "relatively" recent device already. Who knows, you may fall for the Z Fold 3 ?
Don't wait for Samsung to copy Apple too much though.... next thing you know, they'll stop including the phone in the box
enigmaamit said:
I think it's a sensible decision to wait for the next galaxy, especially since you have a "relatively" recent device already. Who knows, you may fall for the Z Fold 3 ?
Don't wait for Samsung to copy Apple too much though.... next thing you know, they'll stop including the phone in the box
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I very well could fall for the Z Fold 3, but who knows, I really am not sure I like the folding or flipping phones. I tried that a few times, even sliders, and they just weren't for me. I had every generation of Motorola Droid with the slider since first introduced, actually still have them lol, but the slider I wasn't a fan of. I had a Palm Pre Plus, and I had a Kyocera Echo. Cool concept and way ahead of it's time in 2013/2014, but was glitchy and cheap. I like a solid build. Probably the only flipping or sliding I liked was the original Motorola Razr V3m/or VE20. The Palm slider was nice though.
And you're not wrong on the Apple part . Thanks for the laugh. I think in terms of new phones, Samsung has had the cat in the bag for a long time.
IMHO the decision to upgrade or not comes down to value. By the time the S22 is released the S21 will be a better value and from rumors online it doesn't look as though the S22 Ultra (or whatever it's labeled) will have enough improvements to justify the additional cost. I'm thinking Samsung released the S21 Ultra earlier than previous devices because the S20 Ultra had some issues and it didn't generate sales volume they anticipated. As far as the Fold goes I see only one advantage, it can fold for a larger display. When one compares features with the S21 Ultra it's nowhere near the value especially if the focus is on features. I kinda feel sorry for users who dropped a bundle of money for the S20 Ultra, it's a bit of a tweener who's features were eclipsed in a significant way by the S21 Ultra.
varcor said:
IMHO the decision to upgrade or not comes down to value. By the time the S22 is released the S21 will be a better value and from rumors online it doesn't look as though the S22 Ultra (or whatever it's labeled) will have enough improvements to justify the additional cost. I'm thinking Samsung released the S21 Ultra earlier than previous devices because the S20 Ultra had some issues and it didn't generate sales volume they anticipated. As far as the Fold goes I see only one advantage, it can fold. When one compares features with the S21 Ultra it's nowhere near the value especially if the focus is on features. I kinda feel sorry for users who dropped a bundle of money for the S20 Ultra, it's a bit of a tweener who's features were eclipsed in a significant way by the S21 Ultra.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't agree more. Now the S20 Ultra is a significantly better phone than the iPhone XS Max I used shortly before it, and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge I was using before the iPhone. I had the Galaxy S8+ before going back to the S7 Edge, but that phone the first day I got it, it was dropped not even 3 feet onto a carpeted floor and cracked the screen. I immediately sent in for a replacement and not even 6 months of using it, it died. So I dug the trusty S7 Edge out of my drawer and put it back to use.
I did overspend on the S20 Ultra sitting back and looking at it now because I wanted the newest greatest phone and I was eligible for the upgrade, so I just did it. It's little issues with the fingerprint scanner are definitely annoying and the camera was good, but not what I thought it was shook up to be. I also have issues randomly dropping service, even in full bar areas. It games nicely, and the specs are great. I hate that I spent the money I did to get the lower RAM/storage version. But they didnt have a 256 or 512gb in stock. Next one I get will definitely be a 512gb with the highest RAM option. Granted this phone has never slowed down with a bunch of apps, I just ran out of 128gb faster than I thought I would.
KaydenMcCurdyTech said:
I couldn't agree more. Now the S20 Ultra is a significantly better phone than the iPhone XS Max I used shortly before it, and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge I was using before the iPhone. I had the Galaxy S8+ before going back to the S7 Edge, but that phone the first day I got it, it was dropped not even 3 feet onto a carpeted floor and cracked the screen. I immediately sent in for a replacement and not even 6 months of using it, it died. So I dug the trusty S7 Edge out of my drawer and put it back to use.
I did overspend on the S20 Ultra sitting back and looking at it now because I wanted the newest greatest phone and I was eligible for the upgrade, so I just did it. It's little issues with the fingerprint scanner are definitely annoying and the camera was good, but not what I thought it was shook up to be. I also have issues randomly dropping service, even in full bar areas. It games nicely, and the specs are great. I hate that I spent the money I did to get the lower RAM/storage version. But they didnt have a 256 or 512gb in stock. Next one I get will definitely be a 512gb with the highest RAM option. Granted this phone has never slowed down with a bunch of apps, I just ran out of 128gb faster than I thought I would.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, with no MicroSD available some users like myself understand the 256GB (about 200GB after system use is deducted) isn't enough. Lots of users are comfortable with this available internal storage for their purposes and utilize external storage devices to compensate but I'm not one of them. I have zero faith in Cloud Storage for privacy and security concerns.
Since you're in the US, if you decide on acquiring a 512GB device the Branded Service Provider's have no 512GB units available, not sure if some of them ever did offer it. Then that leaves you with a couple of options, the Snapdragon or Exynos Global variants. Given a choice I prefer the Snapdragon 888 SoC.
I opted for the Hong Kong (CSC - TGY) 512GB device. In addition to the largest internal storage it offers no carrier bloatware, dual sim's, unlocked bootloader and faster OTA's. There are some downsides as well. It's more expensive since there's no trade-in promotion, so you'd need to sell the S20 Ultra private party if you don't want to add it to your other older units. There is a 1 year warranty but that requires it be shipped back to the original retailer. That didn't bother me since I've never had repair issues with any of my previous Galaxy devices. Lastly, certain Branded Carrier Call Features like 5G and Carrier Aggregation may not work. My device does enable 4G LTE, WI-FI Calling which are sufficient for my usage. My S9+, S10 Plus were Hong Kong variants as well and I had no issues other than what I've already shared.
A Carrier Branded device may be the best value for you based on overall costs but the internal storage constraints killed it for me, 200GB just doesn't cut it. With my S10 Plus it made sense to buy the 128GB variant at a lower price and drop in the MicroSD, problem solved! If the S21 Ultra had external memory I would have done the same workaround and saved about $400 USD. I like the S21 Ultra alot, it's the best device available IMHO, if it had MicroSD I'd LOVE IT!
varcor said:
Agreed, with no MicroSD available some users like myself understand the 256GB (about 200GB after system use is deducted) isn't enough. Lots of users are comfortable with this available internal storage for their purposes and utilize external storage devices to compensate but I'm not one of them. I have zero faith in Cloud Storage for privacy and security concerns.
Since you're in the US, if you decide on acquiring a 512GB device the Branded Service Provider's have no 512GB units available, not sure if some of them ever did offer it. Then that leaves you with a couple of options, the Snapdragon or Exynos Global variants. Given a choice I prefer the Snapdragon 888 SoC.
I opted for the Hong Kong (CSC - TGY) 512GB device. In addition to the largest internal storage it offers no carrier bloatware, dual sim's, unlocked bootloader and faster OTA's. There are some downsides as well. It's more expensive since there's no trade-in promotion, so you'd need to sell the S20 Ultra private party if you don't want to add it to your other older units. There is a 1 year warranty but that requires it be shipped back to the original retailer. That didn't bother me since I've never had repair issues with any of my previous Galaxy devices. Lastly, certain Branded Carrier Call Features like 5G and Carrier Aggregation may not work. My device does enable 4G LTE, WI-FI Calling which are sufficient for my usage. My S9+, S10 Plus were Hong Kong variants as well and I had no issues other than what I've already shared.
A Carrier Branded device may be the best value for you based on overall costs but the internal storage constraints killed it for me, 200GB just doesn't cut it. With my S10 Plus it made sense to buy the 128GB variant at a lower price and drop in the MicroSD, problem solved! If the S21 Ultra had external memory I would have done the same workaround and saved about $400 USD. I like the S21 Ultra alot, it's the best device available IMHO, if it had MicroSD I'd LOVE IT!
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Oh my, I didn't even pay attention to them not including a MicroSD. They did that in the S8 but only the S8, and that's not okay with me. I have a 512gb SD I transfer from phone to phone for photos and file management. That's not going to cut it for me relying strictly on internal storage. Although I seen they make a type C to micro SD adapter that's inexpensive and works well, so I guess if I do upgrade I could do that. But, idk, I'm liking the Note 20 Ultra right now as well.
You should want an SD card.
Samsung's are the most customizable stock Androids on the planet... if you haven't noticed.
The only thing I would consider at this time personally is the Note 20 U or another Note 10+ 512gb Snapdragon variant. I'll wait another year to see if Samsung and Android can get recover from their high G flat spin.
Otherwise I'll default to my former choices. My preferred OS is still Pie and the 10+ is a solid, fast, stable performer. Decisions, decisions...
Samsung's offerings this year so far are weak. Android 11 is looking like another Vista.
That's 2 strikes and the 3rd strike be making the mistake of buying it
blackhawk said:
You should want an SD card.
Samsung's are the most customizable stock Androids on the planet... if you haven't noticed.
The only thing I would consider at this time personally is the Note 20 U or another Note 10+ 512gb Snapdragon variant. I'll wait another year to see if Samsung and Android can get recover from their high G flat spin.
Otherwise I'll default to my former choices. My preferred OS is still Pie and the 10+ is a solid, fast, stable performer. Decisions, decisions...
Samsung's offerings this year so far are weak. Android 11 is looking like another Vista.
That's 2 strikes and the 3rd strike be making the mistake of buying it
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I haven't had any issues with Android 11 as of yet, there just wasn't much added. Having no SD Card is a downside for me. I do love how customizable Samsungs are right out of the box. I'll probably get a Note 20 Ultra because why not. I'd get the largest variant available to me.
KaydenMcCurdyTech said:
I haven't had any issues with Android 11 as of yet, there just wasn't much added. Having no SD Card is a downside for me. I do love how customizable Samsungs are right out of the box. I'll probably get a Note 20 Ultra because why not. I'd get the largest variant available to me.
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The 20U is a solid platform. Get a good case before you start using it. They are beautiful slippery fish.
The Notes wuv to corner hit and face plant when dropped. The spen corner seems to be their favorite corner to land on
I use the Zizo Bolt and the Gorilla IQ Sheild screen protector. Zero damage in 1.5+ years in spite of nearly a dozen drops from 2-4 feet onto concrete.
A SD card allows you to have a data drive.
All critical data goes here including everything you need to do a full reload including installable app copies. No Playstore needed. This drive is then redundantly backed up to at least 2 hdds that are physically and electronically isolated from each other. Use a V30 rated card or higher.
Lexar's work right out of the box.
The internal memory regardless of its size is the OS drive. Loaded apps and the temporary DCIM and download* folders go here.
You now have a dual drive 1+tb computer in your hand
This is how my 10+ is set up. It runs like a bat out of hell. Current load is over a year old, still running fast and stable. A complete reload takes about 2 hours to set it back up, no internet or PC required.
*transferred to data drive once vetted
blackhawk said:
The 20U is a solid platform. Get a good case before you start using it. They are beautiful slippery fish.
The Notes wuv to corner hit and face plant when dropped. The spen corner seems to be their favorite corner to land on
I use the Zizo Bolt and the Gorilla IQ Sheild screen protector. Zero damage in 1.5+ years in spite of nearly a dozen drops from 2-4 feet onto concrete.
A SD card allows you to have a data drive.
All critical data goes here including everything you need to do a full reload including installable app copies. No Playstore needed. This drive is then redundantly backed up to at least 2 hdds that are physically and electronically isolated from each other. Use a V30 rated card or higher.
Lexar's work right out of the box.
The internal memory regardless of its size is the OS drive. Loaded apps and the temporary DCIM and download* folders go here.
You now have a dual drive 1+tb computer in your hand
This is how my 10+ is set up. It runs like a bat out of hell. Current load is over a year old, still running fast and stable. A complete reload takes about 2 hours to set it back up, no internet or PC required.
*transferred to data drive once vetted
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Click to collapse
How big is your SD Card? I'm considering ordering a 1TB card and transferring everything over. I use my phone for editing video, photos, rendering, office, receipts etc. Which is why I haven't played with its OS and such because it just works. I have a 256gb that's nearly full. I'll get a note 20 U and buy a 1tb card and leave my 256gb in my S20 U.
KaydenMcCurdyTech said:
How big is your SD Card? I'm considering ordering a 1TB card and transferring everything over. I use my phone for editing video, photos, rendering, office, receipts etc. Which is why I haven't played with its OS and such because it just works. I have a 256gb that's nearly full. I'll get a note 20 U and buy a 1tb card and leave my 256gb in my S20 U.
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I have a 512gb Lexar V30 card ($65) and currently using about 340gb.
Thinking about upgrading to a 1tb V30 card but they aren't cheap ($180-240).
The V30 is fast enough to stream video and wav files from with no issues. The Lexar writes around a [email protected]
The 20U has a faster bus than the 10+ so it may benefit from a faster card. Not sure as it doesn't apply to me and I haven't pursued it; V30 is fast enough for what I need.
If you have a large database you'll chew up one 1tb fast. My current database is about 1.5tb; really I like to see dual SD card slots
blackhawk said:
I have a 512gb Lexar V30 card ($65) and currently using about 340gb.
Thinking about upgrading to a 1tb V30 card but they aren't cheap ($180-240).
The V30 is fast enough to stream video and wav files from with no issues. The Lexar writes around a [email protected]
The 20U has a faster bus than the 10+ so it may benefit from a faster card. Not sure as it doesn't apply to me and I haven't pursued it; V30 is fast enough for what I need.
If you have a large database you'll chew up one 1tb fast. My current database is about 1.5tb; really I like to see dual SD card slots
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Now theres an idea I can get behind! I have a large database for sure. I sort everything in folders and label everything etc. My phone is my computer lol. I even run my GoPro through my phone to edit and upload video. I would love to see dual SD Cards someday. Maybe even faster cards as well. Phone already are coming out with 16gb of RAM, there is no reason they couldn't do dual storage cards. Actually I know it's possible because I have my SD card in my s20U and I use a USB c to micro USB to my S7 edge with another SD card in it to transfer data, and I set the S7 edge up as a storage drive on my s20U. So they just need to do it already. I think Nvidia needs to try and develop another mobile GPU that's insane and Samung needs to build a media based work usable phone. Like bring back the Galaxy Mega with some decent specs instead of garbage. Use a 120hz OLED panel, like 5.5-6 inches, with a 500+ pixel density, dual SIM, dual SD card, nvidia GPU, best 8 core Snapdragon, 16-20gb ram, s pen, amazing cameras front and rear and just have it blow away the competition. I'd spend 1500 on that all day. That phone would appeal to a fair amount of people. The galaxy Mega didnt sell well along side the note series because they limited it to a single carrier in the US, the specs were ehh at best, the screen was trash and no SPen support.
The Note held a niche until the battery drama and the S Series increased the size of the display. Samsung axed it knowing sales volume would be limited and it would directly compete with the S Series. It's a good device but shaded compared to the S21 Ultra. SoC, CPU, battery, cameras, bluetooth and display resolution. It's less expensive and still offers MicroSD but other than that it's second fiddle. At least you'll have the last of a dying breed. If I were to weight value for the Note 20 Ultra it would be against the A72 at half the price, not the S21 Ultra.
varcor said:
The Note held a niche until the battery drama and the S Series increased the size of the display. Samsung axed it knowing sales volume would be limited and it would directly compete with the S Series. It's a good device but shaded compared to the S21 Ultra. SoC, CPU, battery, cameras, bluetooth and display resolution. It's less expensive and still offers MicroSD but other than that it's second fiddle. At least you'll have the last of a dying breed.
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True, I would. But it's pretty comparable with my current S20U except for camera and so forth but still a great device. I've been thinking that's what I'll do instead of the s21U. I'd like to not step away from Samsung. Who knows, if dont like the Note, then I might check out the Z fold. I just know I won't like it though.
varcor said:
The Note held a niche until the battery drama and the S Series increased the size of the display. Samsung axed it knowing sales volume would be limited and it would directly compete with the S Series. It's a good device but shaded compared to the S21 Ultra. SoC, CPU, battery, cameras, bluetooth and display resolution. It's less expensive and still offers MicroSD but other than that it's second fiddle. At least you'll have the last of a dying breed. If I were to weight value for the Note 20 Ultra it would be against the A72 at half the price, not the S21 Ultra.
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The rounded display corners suck. In pictures they don't seem bad but in person they look horrible compared to the modern Notes. The colors and gamma of the 10+ are spot on. The display is one of a kind and just drop dead gorgeous. I stream vids constantly on mine.
The 12 gb ram variant of the 10+ or 16gb for the 20U are needed for a power user. The Snapdragon variant is the most desirable but difficult to root.
Battery excursions were a one shot deal although any Li can fail at any time especially when degraded.
The intergrated spen can't be replaced and even though I don't use it a lot, when I need it, I need.
As I learned battery and the C port PCB are relatively easy to replace once you know the tricks. Not near as bad as the reviews rate it.
A case is mandatory or it will get destroyed... sooner or latter.
If you can swing it and are tech savvy, get a Note.
As for being dead, doubtful. Sammy loves to play that to the hilt.
Samsung needs to rethink what their customer base wants rather than dictate what they can have. If Sammy fails to do this or fidgets like LG, they will suffer badly... if you can't rock it, somebody will.
But hey, how much can you expect from a rabid box of gerbils anyway?