[Q] How is the Note 10.1 used as a phone? - Galaxy Note 10.1 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi.
I'm kind of interested in using the galaxy note 10.1 as a replacement phone (weird, I know). How good is it as a phone? It does have built-in phone apps (messaging and calling) right? Will it survive the whole day being mostly in standby with 3g enabled? I am inclined to this than a galaxy note 2 since I am wary of AMOLED phones (LCDs last longer).
Thanks!

It will survive 3 days if You don't have it in continuous use . :laugh::laugh:

Yes, it has phone and messaging apps (GT-N8000 model). Standby is great, even with 3G enabled. Would probably last a week on standby if not used for other tasks. It definitely will last longer on standby than my Galaxy Note (phablet). For phone calls, I would suggest a headset, either wired or bluetooth.

Thanks for the replies. I'm somewhat seriously considering my crazy idea (help me) now if I can only sell my iPad 1 at a reasonable price. Oh well, I'll probably be swapping my sim between the note 10.1 and my xperia play on certain days. If only I could legally clone my sim.

Tethering internet from phone to tablet is some option - if you want to use the SIM card for internet. Using the tablet as phone could be fun though. The sound quality should be excellent.

I'm a bit pissed that ALL tablets don't have phone funtionality... They should be able to, why don't they enable this option....
This is what really made me want the note 10.1... I have an all in one item so don't have to worry about where my bloody phone is.... Much easier, and admit it, you can find a tablet easier than a phone if it gets misplaced(or the 2yo nephew decides its his and hides it on you)....

I have a SIM in my 10.1 that has the same phone number as my Galaxy III (it´s called "extra card" from my carrier)
In my office and at home I prefer to use now the 10.1 as my main phone since sound quality is much better over the speakers ,,,,,,,,,,,,

I just don't get the whole tablet as phone argument?
How often do you have your tablet with you that your phone isn't handy as well? Anyway, there are lots of apps that will allow you to make VOIP calls on your tablet.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk 2

For me it´s very simple: my SIII always slides out of my surgeons shirt pocket when I bow, the tablet is just nearby and when I receive a call the assistant presses answer-slider and I talk (I have nothing to hide).................
I LOVE that device, also Videocalls are MUCH nicer with the big screen ...................
Size DOES matter ! :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

Well to be honest, I'm only considering replacing my phone with a galaxy note 10.1 because phablet galaxy notes are AMOLED and I prefer LCD screens for their longer life. I'm just after drawing wherever I am with great accuracy (I tried drawing with a stylus on an ipad and quite frankly it sucks when compared to a wacom tablet)

Related

BIIIIIG phone: Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus

Its price is said to be $399 USD for the 16gb version.
Samsung has improved:
Its hardware is stolen from the SGS2, except for the camera, which makes only 720p vids.
"Voice Call
The GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus calling function has been upgraded to let you make and receive voice calls privately by using Receiver Mode in public places. You no longer need a headset or Bluetooth for voice calls."
The speaker phone is on the front enabling normal phone usage, Unlike the previous Tab!
Oh, yeah, and Honeycomb 3.2 . How are they making voice call possible on that, I don't know. But its Samsung, so anything is possible i Guess
Here is the homepage:
http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxytab/7.0/feature.html?type=find
It is also thinner, under 1cm thickness, and lighter than the old one.
The only downside, is its size , and possibly its screen resolution (1024x600). The dpi Should be pretty horrible, just like the Tab 7 was.
What do we Streakers think? Is this a little over the top, or just the size of your pocket?
This or the Galaxy Note?
i´m definetly in to it! Love the screensize and the new ability to make calls private. i only need my device to make just a few calls, so it will be my next device!
I don't get it. Does it make calls over cell networks? If so, who? Or just wifi? Do you hold it up to your head?
Either way, I just think that if it is too big to fit in your front pocket, you wont carry it with you all the time. Then if you want to look something up your out of luck...
I saw another manufacturer that made a 7" phone/tablet. Ill post it here when I find the link...
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
The Gtab 7+ was apparently always able to make calls, but until the recent update it was only able to make speakerphone calls, the update allowed it to use it's phone speaker to make normal type calls (yea it's really wierd how they managed that)
It basically conceptually an even bigger streak 5, a phone speaker in the front and a larger speaker or something (or mabye just that one at full blast) for normal sounds.
It's got a full modem with voice unlike the s7 which is data only (possibly)
slaydog said:
I don't get it. Does it make calls over cell networks? If so, who? Or just wifi? Do you hold it up to your head?
Either way, I just think that if it is too big to fit in your front pocket, you wont carry it with you all the time. Then if you want to look something up your out of luck...
I saw another manufacturer that made a 7" phone/tablet. Ill post it here when I find the link...
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you even open the link about the phone I had in the first post? It has all the answers to your questions!
its really about g0d damn time....I think theres is a market for it. was waiting for something like this..
the question is what US network will allow voice and data on this thing.. hmm.....
Where did you get the $399 price point? I kind of doubt about this price since they did price the S2 at $700. Hmm, but it's too big for me to be a phone anyway. Hope the Galaxy Note will be priced around $400 . Man can dream!
Nevermind, but to answer your question, yes I did click the link and read the entire add...
I think some of the people here are confused; All of the Galaxy tab 7's, including the original version have the phone radio in them. It's just all 4 major US carriers had the phone disabled, but it can be turned back on. I have had the first version almost a year now, and it is the only phone I use now.
Wifi version is up on best buy. Quad band is up for preorder on Amazon. Really hopes this comes to US with 3G. Can't afford to pay much more than $600 though. This would be a dream on honeycomb with phone integrated.
TripleDiamond said:
I think some of the people here are confused; All of the Galaxy tab 7's, including the original version have the phone radio in them. It just all 4 major US carriers had the phone disabled, but it can be turned back on. I have had the first version almost a year now, and it is the only phone I use now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it easily enabled by flashing software? Compatible with At&t voice/3g? Does it take your regular phone sim? Does it fit in your pocket?
Thanks in advance, this is starting to sound like an interesting option...
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
yes(well not that easy for some),yes(although AT&T might say you're on the incorrect data plan; hit or miss),yes(reg. SIM), and yes(should fit in your pocket provided your about 6 foot or so, or a real heavy set fella) and I think you can find the original fairly cheap too.
How it is supposed to be carried? My Streak lives in the pocket.
The Galaxy Tab 7 cannot be considered to be use as a daily phone due to its size. Either you constantly carry a bag or you have really really big pockets to fit that in. In my opinion, the Tab 7.0 is useful only for home/indoor usage - i find it difficult to carry such a device outside. Also, if you make a call with it, OMG, this is what I would call holding a brick!!
the EXACT SAME THING can be said of 4.0" phones, then they came out
then the same can be said of 4.5" phones, but they exist
then 5.0" phones, and yet there's the streak.
7" is a bit unwieldly, but it depends on your situation, i've handled a s7 a fair bit and i wouldnt be against juggling it and my s5 as a phone if the s7 could actually make calls.
There's some times where I'd carry around a s7 regardless if I wasnt just borrowing it on and off, those times i'd keep the s5 at home and make calls on the s7 given the chance.
I cant imagine someone owning a tablet without a smartphone, there's too much synergy with having both vs just a tab and a dumbphone.
My hands are still big enough to hold a s7 with 1 hand, it's just about as wide as I can one-hand, anything larger would be because it's the same width but smaller bezels. one-hand-ability and having an actual voice modem would be my only criteria for tablet/smartphone differentation.
I always wear jeans when out, and the s7 fits perfectly, but that's just me. When I have it on hand i carry both the s5 and s7 back to back in the same pocket.
for quite a few of us, the phone calling part is the least important part in our devices, if it works reasonably well that's all we need. We simply dont care if it's super comfortable or call quality, as long as the ocassional call comes though without hassle. The s7 is not at all uncomfortable when held as a phone against your head (depending on how big your hands are), if you ignore the fact it's configured all wrong to make calls (speaker/mic is positioned for video chatting and not voice calls)
documentation is up on tmobile website.. user manual (250+pages), reset your device, and tech specs, etc... looks like no voice calls/phone app/ caller Ids
welp, just have to wait for the XDA community to get this thing calling.. or hope for a Euro voice enabled one...
I'll be keeping an eye on this.
I bought my original tab from onthego solutions. I don't know if they'll have the new version, but mine was designed for the Rogers network so it works perfect in the u.s. with at&t. This also avoided any contract commitment so if it does come to the u.s. it would cost about that much anyway (for out of contract purchase) I've scanning online daily to see if the "full" (voice modem) version has surfaced anywhere yet.
Everyone is talking about how hard it is to hold this thing to your ear for a phone call. I use a bluetooth most of the time. The original doesn't have a ear speaker, it is bluetooth, or speaker phone (which is still great in a noisy room)
I have even seen ads on craigslist locally from people who will unlock the phone modem in these for a few bucks, but when it first came out in the u.s. someone here on xda posted a hack for doing just that (t-mobile phone I believe) so it's not anything new at this point.
confirmed voice calls in indonesia and malaysia..
now to see if flashing these firmwares over ..say... a tmobile version will enable voice calls.
hoping it can so i can upgrade my current galaxy tab

[Q] Contemplating phones, want advice.

Hi everyone,
I'm a longtime lurker in these forums, and I'd love some advice on phone options.
I'm a Verizon Wireless customer, and for some specific reasons, have to stay that way.
My current phone is a Droid 2 Global. It's my first Android device. Previously, I had Windows Mobile, for phones and PDAs, dating all the way back to when it was called Windows CE.
I'm happy-ish with Android, and plan on staying with Android for now, but it's time to upgrade, and I'd like to do it while I can still stay on my grandfathered unlimited data plan (so anytime between now and the next 3-4 months).
I'd like to get a phone I'll be happy with for the next 2 years, so I'd like to have some future-facing features, like high resolution and NFC, in addition to enough RAM to run today's software and tomorrow's.
My current phone, the D2G, running the stock rom and the .629 update, is slow like a turtle moving through molasses. It once wasn't this way, and it's not overloaded with apps, but it's a situation I'd like to avoid in the future.
So, in my next phone, I'm looking for the following, and I can't seem to find a phone that has all of these features:
-removable, easily replaceable battery (so I can carry around more than one)
-global (GSM/HSPA) capability
-physical keyboard
-1 GB RAM or more
-dual core processor (or better)
-4G LTE
-ICS + moderately decent upgrade schedule for future releases
-NFC
-1280x720 screen
No phone matches all of these. The three phones that come closest are:
1. HTC Rezound: no physical keyboard or NFC
2. Samsung Galaxy Nexus: no physical keyboard or global capability
3. Droid 4: non-removable battery, no NFC, no 1280x720 screen
I travel internationally a couple of times a year, but not more frequently, so I suppose that I could just keep my current phone (the D2G, which is SIM-unlocked) for world-roaming purposes, and use it when I travel.
I've had a physical keyboard for a long time - my last 5 phones have had one, and I type much faster on it. I could give it up, but don't really want to.
I feel like NFC is a serious want-to-have, not for today, but for 12 months from now, when it'll be convenient and more common.
I want the higher resolution 1280x720 screen. I don't HAVE to have it, but when buying a phone for 2 years, it seems like it'd be foolish not to get it.
The other thing that tempts me is that it seems like we have phones with quad-core processors just around the corner - is it worth waiting a few more months to get one? My single core D2G was the fastest phone out there when I got it about two years ago, and now it's one of the absolute slowest - does it make sense to go dual core when quad cores are here?
---
Anyway, that's what I am thinking about. Can anyone provide some guidance?
Should I just bite the bullet and get the Galaxy Nexus, and travel globally with my slow-as-molasses D2G? Or should I saddle up with the Droid 4 and its sad screen, forget about replacing the battery, and live near a charger at all times? Or maybe just wait until something cooler comes out from around the corner?
Anyone?
Bueller? Bueller?
Wait a couple weeks for the S3 and either use your D2G for global use, or buy an incredible 2 or Droid 3 for global use on the cheap. Physical keyboard is worthless now, as screen sizes coupled with amazing auto correct software make touchscreen keyboards a breeze and an obvious choice.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
Would you take the SIII over the Galaxy Nexus?
Are the non-Nexus Samsungs much harder to root?
I honestly love the Nexus. It's sexy and snappy. I bought one for my wife. I don't think the SIII will be harder to root than the Nexus. Your call really. The SIII will be newer and the "it" phone for a while, but the Nexus is still very capable and is gonna be way cheaper right now. You can probably get a Nexus for about $100 on contract as long as you avoid corporate Verizon stores. They will rape you on price and give you **** service. Check Costco or Best Buy in your area. They'll be cheaper on both devices than a Verizon store.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
one thing I would say about the resolution is that its a bit of a marketing ploy.
once you start getting above WVGA resolutions unless you perch the device on your nose its quite hard to tell the difference.
Whats more important is actually the screen tech, I can promise you that a decent panel at a lower res will look a lot better than a cheap or average panel with a high res.
Will time make a difference? nope, not unless you become very short sighted and actually have the device on the end of your nose
To be honest id agree with you on the NFC thing, if your set on keeping it for a few years it would be worth it, but that's a relatively newish tech hitting the markets, might be worth holding back a few months until Q3 12 to see whats in the pipe line. A lot more NFC devices will be coming out, one of them is bound to tick more of your boxes....
just a thought.
Nexus is always a good bet...
Coming from Sprint, I don't really know about Verizon's phones..
However,
Physical Keyboards are a dying breed. Most of these phones will be bulky and have bigger batteries or shorter battery life.
Currently typing this on my Galaxy Nexus, I highly recommended this phone.
Yes, there are only soft buttons (sans the power and volume), but its definitely future tech.
Amazing resolution (the screen has mfc defects, but they're often overlooked)
LTE, HSPA, GSM
And I do believe it has a place for your SIM card (Sprint doesn't use sim cards, so I'm not sure)
The phones extremely thin, light battery, and has a nice feeling curved glass and battery cover.
Great battery life once you unlock it and flash a battery mod.
No complaints here
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

[Q] buying nexus 5 to replace S4

Hey,
i am currently galaxy S4 owner. I am interested in buying nexus 5 black 32GB model. If i order now, has the manufacturing improved with regards to microphone issue, speaker issue, and some buttons rattling? I am more concerned about microphone and speaker though. My friend has N5 and there is a microphone issue - no one can really understand him .
Also, any improvements over galaxy S4? I am using cutomized TW 4.3 UEML6 (got updated from samsung two days ago), so its pretty good so far. I just have storage issue with S4 and having snapdragon 600. battery life is medicore, i mean everything is debloated - no samsun crap, not much google crap except gmail and youtube and google settings. GPS + Location is always off. i pull 23 Hours on avg with 2 hrs 58 minutes on screen time. This is when almost everything is off, and usage is few youtube videos (10 minutes) HD, web surfing, texting, and 20-40 min HSPA+ calls.
Is it really worth switching?
I am not having loss going to N5, i mean i dont have to input extra money.
Note: I am a university student that commutes a lot : trains and buses. Also, my carrier uses HSPA+ AWS band (1700/2100) so i am not sure if that has any influence over the battery performance..
Thanks!
LimitsX said:
Hey,
i am currently galaxy S4 owner. I am interested in buying nexus 5 black 32GB model. If i order now, has the manufacturing improved with regards to microphone issue, speaker issue, and some buttons rattling? I am more concerned about microphone and speaker though. My friend has N5 and there is a microphone issue - no one can really understand him .
Also, any improvements over galaxy S4? I am using cutomized TW 4.3 UEML6 (got updated from samsung two days ago), so its pretty good so far. I just have storage issue with S4 and having snapdragon 600. battery life is medicore, i mean everything is debloated - no samsun crap, not much google crap except gmail and youtube and google settings. GPS + Location is always off. i pull 23 Hours on avg with 2 hrs 58 minutes on screen time. This is when almost everything is off, and usage is few youtube videos (10 minutes) HD, web surfing, texting, and 20-40 min HSPA+ calls.
Is it really worth switching?
I am not having loss going to N5, i mean i dont have to input extra money.
Note: I am a university student that commutes a lot : trains and buses. Also, my carrier uses HSPA+ AWS band (1700/2100) so i am not sure if that has any influence over the battery performance..
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
id say if you really want it go for it, the nexus 5 is great and i have a nexus 5 i think its the 11k build the newest one is 12k and i have no issues so far my mic sounds fantastic and when i call my other friends on T-Mobile HD voice kicks in and boy does it really sound great
the battery life is not bad about the same as your s4 perhaps better with the location power savings android 4.4 brought. so if you got the money for it might aswell get the latest and greatest from google
LimitsX said:
Hey,
i am currently galaxy S4 owner. I am interested in buying nexus 5 black 32GB model. If i order now, has the manufacturing improved with regards to microphone issue, speaker issue, and some buttons rattling? I am more concerned about microphone and speaker though. My friend has N5 and there is a microphone issue - no one can really understand him .
Also, any improvements over galaxy S4? I am using cutomized TW 4.3 UEML6 (got updated from samsung two days ago), so its pretty good so far. I just have storage issue with S4 and having snapdragon 600. battery life is medicore, i mean everything is debloated - no samsun crap, not much google crap except gmail and youtube and google settings. GPS + Location is always off. i pull 23 Hours on avg with 2 hrs 58 minutes on screen time. This is when almost everything is off, and usage is few youtube videos (10 minutes) HD, web surfing, texting, and 20-40 min HSPA+ calls.
Is it really worth switching?
I am not having loss going to N5, i mean i dont have to input extra money.
Note: I am a university student that commutes a lot : trains and buses. Also, my carrier uses HSPA+ AWS band (1700/2100) so i am not sure if that has any influence over the battery performance..
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the GS4, the Nexus 5 is a vastly superior device. As far as the defects are concerned, they aren't as widespread as people make them out to be. Keep in mind that nobody rushes to post "My N5 has no defects!" threads. Mine was a launch day model and it is absolutely flawless. No mic issues (people often think I'm on a landline), no power button rattling, and the speaker volume was fixed with one of the OTA updates. It's MUCH louder now. Battery life is also pretty good, I average between 4-5 hours of screen time. I was 16 hours off charger today with over 2 hrs screen time and about 45 min of calls and I was only down to 55% before I tossed it on the charger. Not quite as good as my Moto X, but still better than pretty much every other android phone I've owned. If it's within your means, I'd say go for it. Nothing beats the stock android experience.
I wanted to buy the S4 but by the time I could save up enoughf money. The nexus 5 came out.
So I purchased it.
The latest and greatest form Google.
Nexus 5.
All I can say is that it been a royal disappointment. Heck Id swap you my N5 for your S4. If I could.
I will not get into the details. Cause I find that the few who have spoken out about the N5 short comings. Have been baned or kicked off XDA.
If a senior member is willing to let me talk. Im willing to have a detailed Technical Debate on why its the worst phone ever made.
RonChinoy said:
I wanted to buy the S4 but by the time I could save up enoughf money. The nexus 5 came out.
So I purchased it.
The latest and greatest form Google.
Nexus 5.
All I can say is that it been a royal disappointment. Heck Id swap you my N5 for your S4. If I could.
I will not get into the details. Cause I find that the few who have spoken out about the N5 short comings. Have been baned or kicked off XDA.
If a senior member is willing to let me talk. Im willing to have a detailed Technical Debate on why its the worst phone ever made.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't need a senior member's permission to speak your mind. Just be respectful and be prepared for some backlash from some of the less mature posters here. I for one would love to hear your opinions. I think it's a great phone, though it certainly isn't the magical unicorn phone that some people make it out to be. I do like it a lot more than I did my S4, though I prefer my Moto X.
I came from the s4 prior to my n5 and haven't regretted the UPGRADE for a second. Battery life is the same for me. No Samsung Knox crap to worry about, unlocked from the get go, early aosp roms run great compared to early aosp based roms for Samsung... and you are always running the latest version of android vs what Samsung is on and my favorite n5 feature... no waiting for carrier branded updates.
Sent from my manta
I came from a S4. I had a AT&T S4. I was lucky enough to have received mine with AMDL firmware so I could still use Loki to flash firmware. However it was always a big pain when I had to odin/flash back to stock, I had to remove SIM card and not connect to wifi to make sure it didn't even attempt to download the OTA Update that broke loki and made custom firmwares a thing of the past with its locked bootloader.
Also the S4 had so many bugs with any custom firmware. It was normal to get reboot hands where it got stuck on the S4 logo on boot and you would have to turn the phone on and off sometimes 5 times for it to boot. So annoying.
On top of that, the Camera sucked. Not sure if it was just the firmware ,or the camera itself. My S4's Camera (13MP) took worse photos than my iPhone 4S (8MP). In turn, my Nexus 5 now takes WAY BETTER photos than both phones even though it's only 8MP. The focusing, contrast and brightness and shutter speed adaptation is perfect (after 4.4.1 update which included a camera firmware update). HDR function actually works as well. The S4, in both Samsung based ROMS and AOSP roms would always take blurry junky HDR photos and I could never leave it on. Nexus 5 i have no problem taken HDR shots even from a moving car.
Overall I find the Nexus 5 to be a MUCH MUCH better phone than the Galaxy S4. For AOSP / Custom Rom support its hands down better, and camera. It's also slightly faster. (Talking 300mhz..not much). The only downfalls are:
1. Non removable Battery. I loved this on the S4. I had 3 batteries, one would be on a charger, and i'd carry a spare with me and just swap it out when needed so I never had to charge the phone. I could start out each morning with a fresh 100% charge without worrying about plugging in my phone at night.Battery life is the same as the S4. Just I liked that feature.
2. No SD card. Not a huge problem. I had a 32gb S4 and a 64gb microSD card. I thought I couldnt live without it but its fine. I just backup my phone to my PC once every few days just in case something happens. (I liked microSD so if the phone died, I still could get my photos). I got this, the Meenova USB OTG card reader. http://www.meenova.com/st/p/m3r.html Works great! I use it for TWRP backups / nanoids. I also use it to store seasons of TV shows, then copy them over to my phone half a season or so at a time as needed so I dont have to fill up my phone. Very handy.
3. Hardware buttons. I liked the S4's hardware buttons. I've gotten used to not having them, just a preference thing really.
4. Screen. The screen is the same resolution. You will get the same detail on it. However, you're comparing AMOLED to a regular LCD. The AMOLED on the S4 has more "vibrant" colors. It also had a slightly better viewing angle, and higher brightness and contrast in comparison to the S4 screen. Nothing major, however you will notice it if you're a detail freak.
That about sums it up.
All in all, I'm very happy with my switch from my Galaxy S4 to the Nexus 5 and I would do it again given the choice. Never buying another Samsung phone ever. Sticking with Nexus phones from now on.
WoodburyMan said:
I came from a S4. I had a AT&T S4. I was lucky enough to have received mine with AMDL firmware so I could still use Loki to flash firmware. However it was always a big pain when I had to odin/flash back to stock, I had to remove SIM card and not connect to wifi to make sure it didn't even attempt to download the OTA Update that broke loki and made custom firmwares a thing of the past with its locked bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sounds awful, my buddy has the s4 and he said that he had to be careful flashing stuff because theres so many variants as well

New Note 5 Owner Here

Y'all are looking at the owner of a brand new Samsung Galaxy Note 5 64 GB in the black. After spending about 4 hours with it I've come to really love this phone. I am coming from spending almost 2 years of a great experience with Windows Phones and if it wasn't for "Big Red" being the only carrier that works at my family's cabin I would probably switch to AT&T to stick with a Windows phone. Unfortunately that left me with 2 choices go to an iPhone which was alright for me in the past or go to an android phone which I have had bad experiences with in the past (note 2, Droid razr m, stratosphere ). Well I chose the Note 5 to try to change my experience with android devices and so far I'm glad I did. Even though if it wasn't for me dropping my Lumia Icon 25 feet onto the ground while hanging a treestand the other day I would still be using it instead of this brand new Note 5.
CodeGunner
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
Congrats
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
CodeGunnerDevelopment said:
Y'all are looking at the owner of a brand new Samsung Galaxy Note 5 64 GB in the black. After spending about 4 hours with it I've come to really love this phone. I am coming from spending almost 2 years of a great experience with Windows Phones and if it wasn't for "Big Red" being the only carrier that works at my family's cabin I would probably switch to AT&T to stick with a Windows phone. Unfortunately that left me with 2 choices go to an iPhone which was alright for me in the past or go to an android phone which I have had bad experiences with in the past (note 2, Droid razr m, stratosphere ). Well I chose the Note 5 to try to change my experience with android devices and so far I'm glad I did. Even though if it wasn't for me dropping my Lumia Icon 25 feet onto the ground while hanging a treestand the other day I would still be using it instead of this brand new Note 5.
CodeGunner
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Congrats! A bad experience with a Note 2 though? That was an awesome phone, it's what totally changed my perception of Samsung. It was a one smooth beast up until I got the Note 5.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 5 on Verizon Wireless USA
cmraymond said:
Congrats! A bad experience with a Note 2 though? That was an awesome phone, it's what totally changed my perception of Samsung. It was a one smooth beast up until I got the Note 5.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 5 on Verizon Wireless USA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was more a bad experience with Verizon than it was the Note 2 and Verizon's refurbished department. I had an Android OS update download corrupted and bricked the phone. It was stock and unrooted. The refurbished phone they sent me then wouldn't connect to any WiFi network at all. The next refurbished phone they sent me would get so hot you couldn't touch it at all. The next one they sent then would not charge due to a bad USB port. Then on top of it every time I had to call them (Verizon ) it would turn into a 3 hour phone call with them repeatedly in the same conversation with the same person referring to me as a member of the opposite sex even after me politely correcting them. So inside of 3 weeks time I went through several phones and repeated abuse from Verizon which tainted my experience with the Note 2. I had a great 3 months with my original Note 2 until the bad update. I so far am extremely happy though with the Note 5
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The Note 5 really is a splendid phone. I was really worried as this is my first Samsung phone and a lot of people complain about TouchWiz being slow and bloated. While I can see how it could be considered bloated with the amount of pre-installed apps (a fair amount which are actually useful), I have yet to see the phone perform poorly no matter what I'm doing. The camera is especially quick to load and take pictures, which is usually somewhat sluggish on most phones.
I'm more disappointed that we may never have root access than anything else, but if I had to use a phone without root it would definitely be this phone. It's the only one to really bring unique features versus just a different Android "skin" like most other Android phones. I Particularly enjoy using the S Pen for writing quick notes, and the ability to share the screen between two apps, as well as have floating apps (like the calculator) all at the same time.
I've yet to try any games, so can't comment on the GPU power, but being a flagship phone it must be fairly decent.
While there does seem to be some truth to the multitasking issue (not many apps able to run in the background) I've personally not had any issues yet. I mainly just want to be able to text/browse and listen to music like Pandora at the same time. Hopefully there is a good reason they are not keeping too many apps in the background. Maybe it is to free up space to keep the experience quick (I wouldn't be surprised if it's to allow room for things like the camera to load quickly).
Hardware wise it is a beautiful phone. My only complaint (coming from a HTC One MAX with Dual stereo speakers) is the sound is about average, worse if you're laying in bed with the bottom of the phone resting against your chest/body because it covers up the only media speaker on the phone. Personally I think the speaker would have been better suited on the top of the phone if it had to be located along the side. It feels so nice that when my case came in the mail I took it back off because it felt so horrible compared to the phone being naked. I really hate to put a case on this phone.
New note 5 owner here coming from the LG G3. Loved my G3 but loving this much more in just a few hours. Amazing device I despised samsung due to my wife's S5 but after testing and upgrading to the Note 5 my perception is far different. Glad to be here
I'm loving how many people made the jump from the Note 2 to the Note 5, like myself. It was such a great phone. I still have it sitting on my desk and considering I had unlimited data with it, I do feel a slight tinge of regret. I'm gonna miss being able to load YouTube videos or any web page or song at my heart's content. But that price hike really isn't worth it. I can deal with WiFi hunting. And man this Note 5 is a beast, I didn't think I would ever need another phone again after the Note 2, but this one is significantly better. Web browsing, general multitasking, and the pen especially. Amazing device.

Do I like it or not?

Hate to say it because of all the hype surrounding the release of the Note 7 but this phone is not impressing me so far. Sure the waterproofing and edge screen is pretty nice but besides that what do we have above and beyond the Note 5 or even the Note 4? The 7 seems a bit heavier, the edge screen is much easier to damage in the event of a screen down drop, battery life is terrible compared to the Note 4 I'm coming from, Bluetooth connections are not reliable at all with any player I have, speaker sound is not the greatest, and I find the touch screen to be not sensitive enough to the point I have to double and sometimes triple press the screen to select something. Really trying to like it but I don't know?
On the other hand, my wife got the S7 Edge and side by side there's not a huge difference in screen size. Also, her phone is much more responsive to touch input, no Bluetooth issues, bigger battery, and at the moment $150 cheaper than the Note 7 (2 year deal @ Best Buy). I'm contemplating a return to get the S7 Edge and put some cash in my pocket or returning it to wait for the new iphone 7 coming out in a few weeks? Or better yet reactivating my Note 4 which felt pretty good in my hand today when I fished it out of the drawer.
Just felt the need to post my concerns with this new wonder phone and see if anyone else is having second thoughts about their purchase?
I agree. The screen sensitivity is a real issue. Always accidentally selecting stuff when swiping and other times it's hard to select things.
dvdslw said:
Hate to say it because of all the hype surrounding the release of the Note 7 but this phone is not impressing me so far. Sure the waterproofing and edge screen is pretty nice but besides that what do we have above and beyond the Note 5 or even the Note 4? The 7 seems a bit heavier, the edge screen is much easier to damage in the event of a screen down drop, battery life is terrible compared to the Note 4 I'm coming from, Bluetooth connections are not reliable at all with any player I have, speaker sound is not the greatest, and I find the touch screen to be not sensitive enough to the point I have to double and sometimes triple press the screen to select something. Really trying to like it but I don't know?
On the other hand, my wife got the S7 Edge and side by side there's not a huge difference in screen size. Also, her phone is much more responsive to touch input, no Bluetooth issues, bigger battery, and at the moment $150 cheaper than the Note 7 (2 year deal @ Best Buy). I'm contemplating a return to get the S7 Edge and put some cash in my pocket or returning it to wait for the new iphone 7 coming out in a few weeks? Or better yet reactivating my Note 4 which felt pretty good in my hand today when I fished it out of the drawer.
Just felt the need to post my concerns with this new wonder phone and see if anyone else is having second thoughts about their purchase?
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I agree 100%
The blutooth issue is my biggest dislike with the phone. I'm giving Samsung/Sprint 14 days to hopefully push out an update to fix some of these problems otherwise it's gonna be the Galaxy S7 Edge for me.
LouRock said:
I agree 100%
The blutooth issue is my biggest dislike with the phone. I'm giving Samsung/Sprint 14 days to hopefully push out an update to fix some of these problems otherwise it's gonna be the Galaxy S7 Edge for me.
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I just returned from Best Buy with my old Note 4 re-activated and I seem happier now. It was tough not getting the S7 edge with the $199.00 deal BB has right now along with free gear watch or sd card but I'm going to hold out for the new iphone 7 and see what apple brings to the table before I decide.
dvdslw said:
I just returned from Best Buy with my old Note 4 re-activated and I seem happier now. It was tough not getting the S7 edge with the $199.00 deal BB has right now along with free gear watch or sd card but I'm going to hold out for the new iphone 7 and see what apple brings to the table before I decide.
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Each person has his/her own experience. At launch, it is tough to say what issues will last and what won't. The note7 has been great for me, and I'm not experiencing any of the lag, touch screen, bluetooth, or battery issues I've heard others complain of. If you can be happier with a cheaper phone, though, I always say, go for it!
mhill1986 said:
Each person has his/her own experience. At launch, it is tough to say what issues will last and what won't. The note7 has been great for me, and I'm not experiencing any of the lag, touch screen, bluetooth, or battery issues I've heard others complain of. If you can be happier with a cheaper phone, though, I always say, go for it!
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Same for me, its been fine for the most part. I didnt like the keyboard so downloaded google keyboard and that fixed typing problems. BT I've only used my headphones with no issue. Battery has been better that my note 4.
I use Nova launcher, package disabler, google keyboard and SD maid to keep it clean. So far its been good. I put animations at .5 from 1 and turned on force 2D GPU.
For me, battery life has been great and I've had no issues with bluetooth after 5 days of use (so far I've only connected my LG Tone to bluetooth). I'm coming from a Note 3, as opposed to most of you probably coming from a Note 4. I normally would've upgraded to the Note 5 following a 2 year pattern, but didn't for many reasons. It was an internal struggle for me to pull the trigger on the Note 7, but ultimately I couldn't resist. If my current phone was a Note 4 I probably would've waited for the Note 8 2017. At least Micro SD is back with the Note 7. And I'm surprisingly impressed with battery life, although I'm still very skeptical about it's longevity. I would've easily paid the same amount for the phone if they just put in a removable battery. The Edges do nothing for me except make me worry more about dropping my phone. I don't like the fact that it's narrower in width. I realize Samsung is trying to sell more units and suck in as many people as it can, but the Note was made to be a specialty powerhouse device. I personally feel that the regular S series phone should be the main flagship, the S series Edge should be the 2nd fall flagship that battles the Iphone, and the Note series should be geared toward the power users who truly appreciate the phone for it's function and not for it's gimmicks and style. I'm keeping the Note 7 for now, but I'll probably pick up a Note 4 just in case. Do I like it or not? It's still too early to tell, but the cons seem to outweigh the pros. FYI, if you're unhappy with the direction the Note series has been going the last 2 years, let Samsung know about it. I've been sending them suggestions since before the Note 5 was released, requesting a Note Classic version. It would build on from the Note 4 with the highest quality current hardware and software, completely unlocked, etc...

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