Extremely Disappointed - Nokia Lumia 1020

I received my brand new Nokia Lumia 1020 in Yellow this morning. I quickly proceeded to tear open the packaging and snap some shots to find out what all the fuss was about this camera.
Extreme disappointment ensued, shots were grainy, barely in focus and blurry in some instances. The camera struggled to focus on simple objects and the super zoom just made everything very very grainy. I had heard the camera app was a little slow but this was horrid. To me this was unacceptable, my old, smashed HTC Mozart takes better pictures, heck, even my partners N7000 takes better shots. I made sure I was using the ProCam app and fiddled with the settings to no avail. At this point I was getting frustrated, I spent I a nice chunck of cash for this phone and it seemed like Slannmage's epic monologue may actually have a minute morsel of truth in it.
It was around this point that I flipped the phone over to look at the lens to check for dirt when I realized I hadn't removed the scratch protector from the camera... So this is really just a reminder to all new owners of the Lumia 1020, take the plastic protectors off your phone before using it and/or potentially returning it.
Once removed, the photo's were amazing! This camera is really a world apart and on Auto it is easily as good as my Canon 450D on Auto. Props to Nokia for an amazing device!

Haha, I hope that people will read whole post before argueing

damn, my lumia1020 did not have the plastic film

adwienc said:
Haha, I hope that people will read whole post before argueing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i was about to press Back when I saw this after reading the first sentence

have the same problem with you, but i didnot remove the protection because scare of scratch. Now i have a case, Happy with L1020 now.

I made the same silly mistake. Charged my new bought lumia and tested the camera. Funny thing was, I was not disappointed in spite of the protector still on. HAHAHAHA. Better than my previous phone (that cost more to buy)

Hey dude,
glad you didn't fall out with the Nokia in the end. I wanted to get your opinion on how you're finding it (if you still have it)?
I had a Lumia 850 which was great especially when using as a camera where the Nokia software came to life (and in my opinion the Nokia hardware and software was the missing link in Windows Phones).
So I was pretty sure I wanted a Lumia 1020 but due to some bizzare coincidences and screw up by the phone company I am getting sent both a Nokia Lumia 1020 and a Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
You can see my dilema, which one do I got for?! What's your opinion on the Lumia 1020, is it responsive (apps and hardware) and could you see yourself with that phone in 6 months or a years time?
Cheers,
Fz

So I was pretty sure I wanted a Lumia 1020 but due to some bizzare coincidences and screw up by the phone company I am getting sent both a Nokia Lumia 1020 and a Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
You can see my dilema, which one do I got for?! What's your opinion on the Lumia 1020, is it responsive (apps and hardware) and could you see yourself with that phone in 6 months or a years time?
Fz[/QUOTE]
I havent had a note 3 and I can not answer you. As I saw, the note 3 is also a very good device. I myself am very happy with the lumia 1020. My minor issues are that almost every app costs something. Yes, you will say "you bought a phone for 600 euros and you do not spend 1 euro for an app?". For example xda developers app is free in iphone, free on android, costs in windows phone. I mean... come on guys.
My verdict is... if you want to experiment, flash roms, take good photos, then its the note. If you want a reliable phone (until now) with a perfect (in my opinion) camera, get the lumia.

I have both sitting in front of me right now.
Been test driving the Galaxy Note 3 and to be honest it doesn't suit me...I don't know, maybe I have become spoilt by the Windows Phone 8 OS, the Android environment is a cluttered mess and it took me a while to declutter the UI and put what I needed on a single screen.
I am also finding the Note 3 chassis looking a bit old now when compared to the Nokia 1020's beautiful modern design and it feels less like a phone and much more like a tablet (albeit with an old body (Matt black chassis would have really set this device off properly).
In use I found it very good (once I worked out where everything was) but I couldn't help feeling it need all that extra grunt from the hardware to make the new Android usable and it did lag sometimes when navigating through various apps and the UI where as in comparison the Lumia 1020 works great with the Dual-Core app and the Nokia software is a great in use because the software is solidly built throughout.
The Camera Pro app on the Lumia 1020 is great, really brings the lense to life once you spend the time to learn the ins and outs of the Camera features and I agree, the results are simply breathtaking (where as the quality on the Note 3 are quite frankly poor but that could be because I haven't set it up right?).
The Lumia is a Camera Phone, not a phone with a camera like the others and thats the point - it works first time everytime for me, no clutter, no fuss, everything is easily accessible and I bet most of the people who own the Note 3 don't use anywhere near 50% of what it offers.
I have 7 days to return one or both so going to give them a proper test drive but my heart is already set on the Lumia (but my head is saying Note 3 for future proofing).

Ha Ha I am pretty sure this has happened to a few people, easily overlooked though! Glad you solved the problem.

happened to me also buh its all good now haha

hahah

I would have kept my 1020 but...
I would have kept my 1020 but the lack of capability to record calls and archive entire time / date stamped SMS text threads meant that it was a non-starter. It makes the phone non-compliant for data retention purposes. It's a shame that some arcane US law found its way to disabling a global operating system.

Related

Double standards?

What I don't understand is at the start of the year we had the big show down of the GS4 vs the HTC One. People were going spec crazy to even the fact that the GS4 must be better because it has DDR3 or the HTC One screen must be better because the PPI is 480 (my phone says 480) to the GS4s 441. We even had people complain that the GS4 was a pentile screen and it didn't look as sharp as the HTC One and that OLED fades over time and if you have a static image on for too long, you'll see burn in. I can confirm the screen burn with OLEDs, the phones I've had in the past with OLED screens always get it.
However suddenly when it comes to Nokia they seem to get away with selling you dated hardware. It's 720p, the PPI is 334 and it's a PENTILE OLED screen...... they even put this tinted black glass over the front to try and hide the future screen burn. Somehow Nokia get away with it and people don't care, where it comes to everyone else however, they'll get scrutinized and people will say it's **** straight away.
Not only that but you're getting a dated S4 dual core and an Adreno 225 which is 2/3 years old at this point. What Nokia are basically doing is selling you last years hardware at $300 on contract! I could accept the argument that Windows Phone doesn't need better hardware or whatever, though nor does Android. My Galaxy S2 never had any lag or weird issues at the time it was released, it was one of the fastest phones out there. It's easy to look back at it now and say it was a PoS, that's because the software has evolved to the point it's showing its age. My point is, I'm not going to buy a phone that is crazy expensive, to get dated hardware that is now so cheap that Nokia must be making a mint.
I keep seeing this argument of how Android is laggy and requires 1000 cores to run properly. It's just not the case, I have a HTC One and Android runs perfectly smooth, no stutter and nothing has pushed it in terms of gaming and the browser is mega fast. If I put the HTC One next to a Windows phone in a store and compare them, I'm not seeing Android lag at all. In fact what I do see is the browser on the HTC One is way faster and it boots up a hell of a lot faster and the animation on the scroll is smoother, where it looks like it is dropping frames on the Windows Phone.
Windows Phone is smooth on the whole yeah, however it's a myth to me that Android is a laggy pos that requires a super computer to run well. I look at my usage on my HTC One and what does it say? 2 cores in use, 2 cores on idle and it's clocked at 1.1ghrz. So in reality Android doesn't need 4 cores to run well, those cores are only used from moment to moment when the cpu requires it. The same with memory, my phone is using 768mb ram right now, it doesn't need 2gb of ram, though I'm guessing a chunk of that is for the GPU as well, when it comes to memory, more is always better as it allows games to use larger texture files and what not. So I just don't get why you'd spend more money for less, I don't find that acceptable, yeah if the price was cheaper then it would be fine but... it isn't.
Battery life as well for the 1020 is meant to be horrible if you actually use the thing you buy it for, the camera. It's only 2000MaH and you cannot replace it and from my experience with the 808, you really need to replace that battery if you're taking lots of shots. If an Android device got that poor battery life, people would be going crazy, yet it's another thing that because it's Nokia... let them get away with it. I get 1-2 days out of my HTC One, it's only like 300MaH more than the Nokia 1020 and the 920, it's proof again for me that Android doesn't drain battery life mad, it's how you use it. You have freedom on Android to use the device how you life, I'm sure if you have 6 pages of widgets and you have every app open from under the sun in the background, you will drain battery. I'm just glad I have the freedom to do that and with true multitasking, not just a saved state.
I have to come onto form factor as well, again if an Android phone was as big as a 920 or a 1020 then people would be going crazy, even if it was an iPhone. Every review says the 920 is giant and hard to fit into your pocket and every review says the 1020 is horrible to hold because they put the camera bump too low down. Why do they get a free pass from that? People hated how the HTC One rocked about on a flat surface but no one seems to care that the 1020 is even worse.
Windows Phone lacks apps, it's a restrictive OS where you have to wait for Microsoft to do everything for you. It's basically a worse IOS with a different look, both pride themselves on being smooth but where Windows Phone lacks functionality, people give it a free ride because it looks different. I see so much hate on IOS because of Apple and how it's a closed OS, yet the same people do not care it's the same for Windows Phone. If Microsoft made it open like the desktop, I'd be so happy, however I hate having to wait years for them to do something, when a custom rom would have already done it on Android. Yet in every argument, the good points of Android never come up, it's always these unfounded arguments of how poorly it runs. I just think do your research, if you're going to buy a PoS phone that runs Android, then that's your own fault, you can find those cheap good for nothing phones on any platform.
At the end of the day though the 920 had a mediocre over saturated camera where the images were far too soft. I remember a website doing a blind comparison and funnily enough the iPhone 5 was everyone's favourite because Apple just get the software so right. The 1020's focus is obviously the camera and technically it beats everything but the 808, which lets be honest isn't really a smart phone as it runs Symbian. I've owned an 808, I've compared pictures to the 1020 and the 808 looks much better, especially in full resolution mode. I had to sell the 808 because I couldn't stand being on Symbian any longer and a camera doesn't make a phone, I can buy a separate camera and I have. I have a go pro 3 for my Motorcycle and I have a DSLR for shooting pictures I actually care how they turn out... obviously a DSLR beats even the 808 and 1020.
Again though I think the 1020s camera is flawed, it doesn't have a dedicated image processor, so images take so long to save. At the same time I could have taken 20 images on the HTC One or GS4 and for every day use they look just as good when you upload them to facebook or whatever people do. I think people are trying to treat the 1020 as some professional camera and forgetting about the rest of the phone. If you want a professional camera, there are much better options and you don't get locked into a 2 year contract paying $300 upfront. I do not feel that it's a good quick point of shoot like most other smart phones out there, just simply because it does take a long time to save images. Obviously the image quality is better, I've had first hand experience, however the images are over saturated like mad, judging by the 920, Nokia will not fix this. The images are over sharpened, you can not go down to ISO 50 and there is no ND filter for direct sunlight shots. So I don't see any advanced in this camera over say the 808 or a dedicated camera, I cannot see why it's hyped so much. The end result is too much grain and noise in the picture, especially if you use Nokia's automatic settings which just increase the ISO even in the daylight to 200... no wonder why there is so much noise. Realistically I want to be putting it to 50... yet I can't?
I think there is far too much hype for the phone that doesn't really do anything really well, the OIS could have been much better and the mic performance is lacking. I'm not sure if it's their software controlling the mics or if it's crap hardware. However it sounds like it's only recording in mono or it's really muffled or something, maybe Windows Phone doesn't support stereo recording?
You get these crazy rabid Nokia fanbois now just going crazy if there is any criticism and it's really weird. You don't get this from Android because people aren't tied to an OEM, people generally just go for the best handset that is released at that moment in time.
slannmage said:
What I don't understand is at the start of the year we had the big show down of the GS4 vs the HTC One. People were going spec crazy to even the fact that the GS4 must be better because it has DDR3 or the HTC One screen must be better because the PPI is 480 (my phone says 480) to the GS4s 441. We even had people complain that the GS4 was a pentile screen and it didn't look as sharp as the HTC One and that OLED fades over time and if you have a static image on for too long, you'll see burn in. I can confirm the screen burn with OLEDs, the phones I've had in the past with OLED screens always get it.
However suddenly when it comes to Nokia they seem to get away with selling you dated hardware. It's 720p, the PPI is 334 and it's a PENTILE OLED screen...... they even put this tinted black glass over the front to try and hide the future screen burn. Somehow Nokia get away with it and people don't care, where it comes to everyone else however, they'll get scrutinized and people will say it's **** straight away.
Not only that but you're getting a dated S4 dual core and an Adreno 225 which is 2/3 years old at this point. What Nokia are basically doing is selling you last years hardware at $300 on contract! I could accept the argument that Windows Phone doesn't need better hardware or whatever, though nor does Android. My Galaxy S2 never had any lag or weird issues at the time it was released, it was one of the fastest phones out there. It's easy to look back at it now and say it was a PoS, that's because the software has evolved to the point it's showing its age. My point is, I'm not going to buy a phone that is crazy expensive, to get dated hardware that is now so cheap that Nokia must be making a mint.
I keep seeing this argument of how Android is laggy and requires 1000 cores to run properly. It's just not the case, I have a HTC One and Android runs perfectly smooth, no stutter and nothing has pushed it in terms of gaming and the browser is mega fast. If I put the HTC One next to a Windows phone in a store and compare them, I'm not seeing Android lag at all. In fact what I do see is the browser on the HTC One is way faster and it boots up a hell of a lot faster and the animation on the scroll is smoother, where it looks like it is dropping frames on the Windows Phone.
Windows Phone is smooth on the whole yeah, however it's a myth to me that Android is a laggy pos that requires a super computer to run well. I look at my usage on my HTC One and what does it say? 2 cores in use, 2 cores on idle and it's clocked at 1.1ghrz. So in reality Android doesn't need 4 cores to run well, those cores are only used from moment to moment when the cpu requires it. The same with memory, my phone is using 768mb ram right now, it doesn't need 2gb of ram, though I'm guessing a chunk of that is for the GPU as well, when it comes to memory, more is always better as it allows games to use larger texture files and what not. So I just don't get why you'd spend more money for less, I don't find that acceptable, yeah if the price was cheaper then it would be fine but... it isn't.
Battery life as well for the 1020 is meant to be horrible if you actually use the thing you buy it for, the camera. It's only 2000MaH and you cannot replace it and from my experience with the 808, you really need to replace that battery if you're taking lots of shots. If an Android device got that poor battery life, people would be going crazy, yet it's another thing that because it's Nokia... let them get away with it. I get 1-2 days out of my HTC One, it's only like 300MaH more than the Nokia 1020 and the 920, it's proof again for me that Android doesn't drain battery life mad, it's how you use it. You have freedom on Android to use the device how you life, I'm sure if you have 6 pages of widgets and you have every app open from under the sun in the background, you will drain battery. I'm just glad I have the freedom to do that and with true multitasking, not just a saved state.
I have to come onto form factor as well, again if an Android phone was as big as a 920 or a 1020 then people would be going crazy, even if it was an iPhone. Every review says the 920 is giant and hard to fit into your pocket and every review says the 1020 is horrible to hold because they put the camera bump too low down. Why do they get a free pass from that? People hated how the HTC One rocked about on a flat surface but no one seems to care that the 1020 is even worse.
Windows Phone lacks apps, it's a restrictive OS where you have to wait for Microsoft to do everything for you. It's basically a worse IOS with a different look, both pride themselves on being smooth but where Windows Phone lacks functionality, people give it a free ride because it looks different. I see so much hate on IOS because of Apple and how it's a closed OS, yet the same people do not care it's the same for Windows Phone. If Microsoft made it open like the desktop, I'd be so happy, however I hate having to wait years for them to do something, when a custom rom would have already done it on Android. Yet in every argument, the good points of Android never come up, it's always these unfounded arguments of how poorly it runs. I just think do your research, if you're going to buy a PoS phone that runs Android, then that's your own fault, you can find those cheap good for nothing phones on any platform.
At the end of the day though the 920 had a mediocre over saturated camera where the images were far too soft. I remember a website doing a blind comparison and funnily enough the iPhone 5 was everyone's favourite because Apple just get the software so right. The 1020's focus is obviously the camera and technically it beats everything but the 808, which lets be honest isn't really a smart phone as it runs Symbian. I've owned an 808, I've compared pictures to the 1020 and the 808 looks much better, especially in full resolution mode. I had to sell the 808 because I couldn't stand being on Symbian any longer and a camera doesn't make a phone, I can buy a separate camera and I have. I have a go pro 3 for my Motorcycle and I have a DSLR for shooting pictures I actually care how they turn out... obviously a DSLR beats even the 808 and 1020.
Again though I think the 1020s camera is flawed, it doesn't have a dedicated image processor, so images take so long to save. At the same time I could have taken 20 images on the HTC One or GS4 and for every day use they look just as good when you upload them to facebook or whatever people do. I think people are trying to treat the 1020 as some professional camera and forgetting about the rest of the phone. If you want a professional camera, there are much better options and you don't get locked into a 2 year contract paying $300 upfront. I do not feel that it's a good quick point of shoot like most other smart phones out there, just simply because it does take a long time to save images. Obviously the image quality is better, I've had first hand experience, however the images are over saturated like mad, judging by the 920, Nokia will not fix this. The images are over sharpened, you can not go down to ISO 50 and there is no ND filter for direct sunlight shots. So I don't see any advanced in this camera over say the 808 or a dedicated camera, I cannot see why it's hyped so much. The end result is too much grain and noise in the picture, especially if you use Nokia's automatic settings which just increase the ISO even in the daylight to 200... no wonder why there is so much noise. Realistically I want to be putting it to 50... yet I can't?
I think there is far too much hype for the phone that doesn't really do anything really well, the OIS could have been much better and the mic performance is lacking. I'm not sure if it's their software controlling the mics or if it's crap hardware. However it sounds like it's only recording in mono or it's really muffled or something, maybe Windows Phone doesn't support stereo recording?
You get these crazy rabid Nokia fanbois now just going crazy if there is any criticism and it's really weird. You don't get this from Android because people aren't tied to an OEM, people generally just go for the best handset that is released at that moment in time.
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Click to collapse
The hype is for the camera. It is much better than anything out there. There are dozens of reviews for this phone already. They have regurgitated the same things you have listed. No one in the mainstream tech media is trying to distort the truth. Just because searching Lumia 1020 on Google turns up a million hits from MyNokiaBlog and WPCentral and WMPoweruser, the domain names should already make it obvious. These are fansites and propaganda sites with almost zero traffic. Just because you see them often on Google or twitter doesn't mean everyone is gushing over the Lumia 1020 and ignoring or justifying all its failings. No one has this phone and no one is buying this phone. The Lumia 1020 forum at WPCentral is almost dead and this forum is practically dead. This is the internet. It should be pretty obvious that it only takes one or two people posting incessantly to make it feel like a legion.
Lol people call me a troll when I post long rants about the Lumia 1020. But this is a real troll rant. Blowing up little flaws and non-issues, or spinning misinformation. It's like an aggregate or everything bad that has been ever said about this phone, true or false, for the sake of piling it on instead of real concern. I actually care about the Pureview tech, so I complain alot. I think you're just bored.
Nothing I said was false.
All true things no doubt. But if you value having a truly great camera in your pocket, then the shortcomings are able to be quite easily overlooked.
The only things lasting more than two years in your phone are your pictures - why not get the best ones possible so you can have good mementos?
Sent from my RM-877_nam_att_205 using Tapatalk
Wow... you really need to get back on your medications dude. Maybe get outside more.
LagunaCid said:
All true things no doubt. But if you value having a truly great camera in your pocket, then the shortcomings are able to be quite easily overlooked.
The only things lasting more than two years in your phone are your pictures - why not get the best ones possible so you can have good mementos?
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Click to collapse
Exactly. During his techno-babble rant against the 1020 (or is it the 920? or WP in general? )... the one spec that the OP forgot to mention ... the one that is most salient to why the 1020 is getting hype... the one that everyone is talking about... the fact that it has a 41MB camera. Oops, must have forgotten that one. I'll say it again, FORTY ONE MEGABYTE camera. That is not a leap in phone technology and innovation, it is a freakin rocket launch. That absolutely crushes all existing smart phones, beats most point-and-shoots, and even produces better photos than some entry level DSLRs. None of the other specs matter if the OS runs smooth (save maybe the screen argument... although you blew that too. Ive had a 920 since it came out and there is no sign of fading or burn-in at all, and never will be during its useful life). Number of cores... GHZ processor... blah... blah... blah... none of that matters if the user experience is excellent, which it is and you even admitted:
Windows Phone is smooth on the whole yeah
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having quad core this or over-clocked that does a WP user no good because unlike android, it doesn't need it to run properly. That is stuff that android users haggle about. But the one things that your phone won't ever do... ever... with all it's technical superiority and all... is take 41-freakin-MB photo
You know what really grinds my gears with Nokia? Battery. Can they at least ball up and put something that actually lasts? 2000mAh is n.o.t.h.i.n.g. for smartphone these days, especially phone with CPU/data active OS like WP. Got 920 and then swapped it for 925 (work phones), and i really really don't talk that often or use it, and i couldn't even last a day without shutting things down. Sad.
I am an amateur photographer, I had the lumia 1020 phone since release and I haven't looked back. In matter of fact I stopped using my galaxy note II completely. Alot of people say megapixels are over rated but 41mp has been really helpful to me, I can crop out like 5 individual pictures out of 1 shot without losing quality.
smuook said:
Exactly. During his techno-babble rant against the 1020 (or is it the 920? or WP in general? )... the one spec that the OP forgot to mention ... the one that is most salient to why the 1020 is getting hype... the one that everyone is talking about... the fact that it has a 41MB camera. Oops, must have forgotten that one. I'll say it again, FORTY ONE MEGABYTE camera. That is not a leap in phone technology and innovation, it is a freakin rocket launch. That absolutely crushes all existing smart phones, beats most point-and-shoots, and even produces better photos than some entry level DSLRs. None of the other specs matter if the OS runs smooth (save maybe the screen argument... although you blew that too. Ive had a 920 since it came out and there is no sign of fading or burn-in at all, and never will be during its useful life). Number of cores... GHZ processor... blah... blah... blah... none of that matters if the user experience is excellent, which it is and you even admitted:
Having quad core this or over-clocked that does a WP user no good because unlike android, it doesn't need it to run properly. That is stuff that android users haggle about. But the one things that your phone won't ever do... ever... with all it's technical superiority and all... is take 41-freakin-MB photo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean 41 Mega Pixel photos? 41 MP not MB. I can make most cameras take a 41MB picture but it doesnt mean its going to look good. Its an innovation for its packaged size as in for its ability to be designed into a relatively thin form factor. In fact the full 41 MP, photos are not as good as its down sampled 5MP version. The hardware on the 1020 is solid only the camera is bleeding edge. My problem with WP is not the hardware or the UI its the app ecosystem. The lack of the apps I absolutely need keeps me from getting one. I had a 920 last year for a week and the lack of my most used apps was just too much. I waited and those apps still arent on WP. I will continue to wait till WP has the apps I need before I buy another one.

Thoughts on Note 3 and iPhone 5

I have a Note 3 AND an iPhone 5. I've been using an iPhone since the first one was released. When I purchased the Note 3 a little over 2 weeks ago I regarded it as somewhat of an experiment. As a result my iPhone 5 was placed safely in a drawer. 2+ weeks on I still find myself taking the iPhone out to play around with it and asking myself which phone I want to stick with. I still don't have an answer.
Random thoughts after owning the Note 3 for 2+ weeks and the iPhone 5 for a year:
1. The iPhone 5 is undeniably slicker. Everything feels so much more like it is working in harmony and I rarely if ever experience any system slowdowns or crashes. Since using the Note 3 I've experienced crashes with a few apps.
2. The iPhone 5 is also undeniably easier to get in and out of just about any pocket. Sometimes when I take the Note 3 out I have to be conscious of which pants I put on as some pockets just aren't deep enough.
3. The accessory situation with the Note 3 is absolutely putrid! I've scoured my town and found so little it's shocking. Contrasting that with the iPhone 5 is absolutely a joke, there are accessories EVERYWHERE for the iPhone 5.
4. The build quality of the iPhone is sublime. It looks and feels like a fine piece of jewelery. The Note 3 is merely ok. The "chrome" band that wraps around the phone is of embarrassing quality when scrutinized. It looks ok from a distance but look at it closely and it's just not a smoothly finished piece of material. The home button on mine and every other one I have tried is loose. It works ok but I am constantly adjusting it to sit level. These issues do not portray what a $700 device should.
5. I was literally shocked when I took my iPhone out of its safe drawer storage location and a notification came in. It sounded so loud and crisp. In comparison the Note 3 speaker is so underwhelming. I can't understand who decided this was a good decision. My Galaxy Tab 1 speakers (admittedly 2 speakers in stereo) sound infinitely better and at least from the outside looking at them are basically the same size each. Couldn't they use 1 of these in the Note 3 for a dramatically improved sound experience? Money certainly can't be the reason on a flagship phone, bad mistake Samsung. I would have paid $705 instead of the $703 I did to get a decent speaker.
6. On the bright side the Note 3 screen is EPIC. Not only in size but in quality. I'm not stunned when I go back to the iPhone 5 that its screen is poor, hardly. But the size difference is impossible to ignore.
7. How can you ignore the Apple ecosystem? For every app I've tried on the Note 3, the iPhone version was better. It's hard to put a finger on why, but that is my perception.
8. IMO the Note 3 is a great device but it feels very thrown together from so many often unrelated parts. It's like a car made up of Porsche, Lexus, Audi, and Mercedes parts, and none of the companies ever talked to each other. The iPhone is exactly the opposite, it feels like a tightly integrated machine. Like a Lamborghini, period.
With all of this said, the Note 3 is outstanding and I can't imagine ever going back to a smaller device.
so your basically saying every negative thing about the note and praising the iphone 5 i would be suprised if this place doesn't turn into a flaming centre and you are saying that you still like it ?? it's like saying my wife is a ***** but i still love her
Blackwolf10 said:
so your basically saying every negative thing about the note and praising the iphone 5 i would be suprised if this place doesn't turn into a flaming centre and you are saying that you still like it ?? it's like saying my wife is a ***** but i still love her
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I still like it, very much in fact. I'm just giving the perspective of someone who owns both. Yes I did point out every negative I have personally observed with the Note 3. But all of these negatives combined don't change the fact that the Note 3 is a terrific device. BTW I'm sorry your wife is a *****. :laugh:
You should consider getting iPhone 5s instead. It's clearly the better device for your needs.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
To OP..clearly u are not belong here..anyway enjoy ur iphn 5..or just upgrade it to iphn 5s..
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This is the problem with Samsung. Its a cheap asian knock off company and their quality is typically asian. Samsung phones are franken phones made up of what ever pieces they can find. They are not put together with care or thought. If it fits it will go in.... Apple designs their phones which is why it takes 24 months for a new design.
If Apple launched a 5 inch iphone id likely go back to Apple. I used to use all the android features and freedom but now i cant be bothered.
To be honest im getting tired of the Android ecosystem of manufacturers. Only Apple and Nokia know how to make a quality made device. Samsung have no idea, Their S3 was ugly and their nature theme was a puke inducing typical asian idea that the west just doesnt get. Now these whole notebook theme is another typical korean theme that they think is "cool" The problem is that Korea and China and the rest of Asia have no idea what "Cool" is or even what good design is.
Clearly an iphone lover looking to start up a flaming thread....
This is the problem with Samsung. Its a cheap asian knock off company and their quality is typically asian. Samsung phones are franken phones made up of what ever pieces they can find. They are not put together with care or thought. If it fits it will go in.... Apple designs their phones which is why it takes 24 months for a new design.
If Apple launched a 5 inch iphone id likely go back to Apple. I used to use all the android features and freedom but now i cant be bothered.
To be honest im getting tired of the Android ecosystem of manufacturers. Only Apple and Nokia know how to make a quality made device. Samsung have no idea, Their S3 was ugly and their nature theme was a puke inducing typical asian idea that the west just doesnt get. Now these whole notebook theme is another typical korean theme that they think is "cool" The problem is that Korea and China and the rest of Asia have no idea what "Cool" is or even what good design is. This is why they cant get enough of European brands and western luxury items.
Samsung have never made a cool phone ever. Never will either..
It's obvious that you purchased a device that you don't need . I don't think that a device sound be made of expensive materials here in Europe I can buy an original samsung back cover for my note 3 spending $3 I also can replace it's broken screen for 150$ try to do that with an iPhone so if can suggest something ...next time you gonna a buy a device just value your needs
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
irzero said:
This is the problem with Samsung. Its a cheap asian knock off company and their quality is typically asian. Samsung phones are franken phones made up of what ever pieces they can find. They are not put together with care or thought. If it fits it will go in.... Apple designs their phones which is why it takes 24 months for a new design.
If Apple launched a 5 inch iphone id likely go back to Apple. I used to use all the android features and freedom but now i cant be bothered.
To be honest im getting tired of the Android ecosystem of manufacturers. Only Apple and Nokia know how to make a quality made device. Samsung have no idea, Their S3 was ugly and their nature theme was a puke inducing typical asian idea that the west just doesnt get. Now these whole notebook theme is another typical korean theme that they think is "cool" The problem is that Korea and China and the rest of Asia have no idea what "Cool" is or even what good design is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you should take a look at the HTC One mate. Best designed phone around I reckon. Truly beautiful.
As for the rest, stick with 5 or 5s. Both great phones and seemingly fit your needs better. Alternately I'd highly recommend the highly acclaimed HTC One if you want a bigger screen than Iphone but want a gorgeous aluninium device rather than the cheaper plastic design of Samsung.
And to all the anti-metal lot... no, not every plastic phone feels cheap. (5c and HTC One X, etc) Samsung are just lax and can't be bothered with design.
I'm 100% with you, iPhone is the best. Android is just another Symbian and/or Java. I buy android phones for 2 reasons, first for the big display and second to test the apps for free before I buy them for my iDevices. I gotta tell you though this is the first time I used a Samsung device and the display is awesome
fade2black101 said:
Maybe you should take a look at the HTC One mate. Best designed phone around I reckon. Truly beautiful.
As for the rest, stick with 5 or 5s. Both great phones and seemingly fit your needs better. Alternately I'd highly recommend the highly acclaimed HTC One if you want a bigger screen than Iphone but want a gorgeous aluninium device rather than the cheaper plastic design of Samsung.
And no, not every plastic phone feels cheap. (5c and HTC One X, etc)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The HTC one is a nightmare. My friend had 5. The build issues are huge. Its a very nice phone and maybe next year if they make a follow up just as good as the one then i might jump. As long as they fix the dead pixels and poorly stuck down aluminium pieces. Slow charging and short battery life.
The Note 3 will have to do till next year. Im hoping things get better next year. Specs are now high enough for me not to care.. i want quality design and build now.
docprego said:
1. The iPhone 5 is undeniably slicker. Everything feels so much more like it is working in harmony and I rarely if ever experience any system slowdowns or crashes. Since using the Note 3 I've experienced crashes with a few apps. Mac OS X runs lovely on a Mac, but you can still do more on a traditional PC, you can take full advantage of the entire provided hardware on the PC rather than on a Mac (overclocking, hotswapping of mods, hardware upgrades).
2. The iPhone 5 is also undeniably easier to get in and out of just about any pocket. Sometimes when I take the Note 3 out I have to be conscious of which pants I put on as some pockets just aren't deep enough. They are two different types of devices, one is a PHABLET, one is a PHONE.
3. The accessory situation with the Note 3 is absolutely putrid! I've scoured my town and found so little it's shocking. Contrasting that with the iPhone 5 is absolutely a joke, there are accessories EVERYWHERE for the iPhone 5. The Note 3 just came out, give it some time. Also the iPhone community is much bigger than the Note 3 community, because the iPhone has a tiny screen and most of the population have small hands and can't take the Note's big screen.
4. The build quality of the iPhone is sublime. It looks and feels like a fine piece of jewelery. The Note 3 is merely ok. The "chrome" band that wraps around the phone is of embarrassing quality when scrutinized. It looks ok from a distance but look at it closely and it's just not a smoothly finished piece of material. The home button on mine and every other one I have tried is loose. It works ok but I am constantly adjusting it to sit level. These issues do not portray what a $700 device should. An iPhone is so girly, in the sense that they live the life of a girl, they would sacrifice everything just to look good. What does the iPhone 5 have? 3GB RAM? Eight-cores/S800 Quad? S-Pen? Big screen? Big battery? LOL should I even continue? The Note 3 is already so good, and packs all this hardware into such a thin form factor.
5. I was literally shocked when I took my iPhone out of its safe drawer storage location and a notification came in. It sounded so loud and crisp. In comparison the Note 3 speaker is so underwhelming. I can't understand who decided this was a good decision. My Galaxy Tab 1 speakers (admittedly 2 speakers in stereo) sound infinitely better and at least from the outside looking at them are basically the same size each. Couldn't they use 1 of these in the Note 3 for a dramatically improved sound experience? Money certainly can't be the reason on a flagship phone, bad mistake Samsung. I would have paid $705 instead of the $703 I did to get a decent speaker. Well Samsung is notorious for speaker complaints, you don't really choose LG for waterproof devices, or Sony for the Nexus line, you know the rep of the phone you're buying, you're in for the problems. If you want a good phone with good speakers, try the HTC One with Beats (last model of phones to release with Beats on HTC).
6. On the bright side the Note 3 screen is EPIC. Not only in size but in quality. I'm not stunned when I go back to the iPhone 5 that its screen is poor, hardly. But the size difference is impossible to ignore. Both different kind of devices, screen size shouldn't matter, you can't compare an iPod Nano to an iPod touch, clearly there is no winner.
7. How can you ignore the Apple ecosystem? For every app I've tried on the Note 3, the iPhone version was better. It's hard to put a finger on why, but that is my perception. The App Store has been here and fully controlled by Apple ever since the 2.0 days. It obviously controls every aspect of every app, which limits developers to what Apple wants them to do. On Android, they could have been made by kids, grandmas or your mom, there's more freedom, but you can't complain because Google encourages more "free" apps to be developed to take advantage of the hardware.
8. IMO the Note 3 is a great device but it feels very thrown together from so many often unrelated parts. It's like a car made up of Porsche, Lexus, Audi, and Mercedes parts, and none of the companies ever talked to each other. The iPhone is exactly the opposite, it feels like a tightly integrated machine. Like a Lamborghini, period. An iPhone is like a Macbook, all software built for it's hardware. But an iPhone is so simple, and 'jailed' in a non-sandbox environment/containers that cannot essentially interact with each other nicely. What you get from an iPhone is if you want things to work, stay with the iPhone, you don't get more options than an Android, instead, you are running Touchwiz Home on Easy mode....more integrated machine? Well, as I said, Apple makes the software and hardware. Samsung, skins the original software from Google, creates the hardware, and also develops the drivers for each individual machine. This is why people mod cars, you can buy a closed system like Lamborghini or Porsche, keeping all their stock values and everything, limited from doing anything 'special'. One Android, you can essentially run Samsung/HTC/LG/Motorola specific apps on one device, and you can overclock it to make it faster too. You can't upgrade the graphics card in an iMac, but you can on a PC - means that when a new game comes out, the Android runs it better on a newer device by a different company the next week, rather than limiting down THE GAME to be able to run smoothly on an iPhone. People who think iPhone's are better, they're alright, because they DO NOT LIKE CHANGE, and they do not like to **** up or experiment hands on (no offence but it's true), and jailbreaking is just getting a skin + addons onto the device. On Android, you can run different platforms of OS'es, like Windows 95 (natively in VM) or Ubuntu 13 (as a complete OS install).
With all of this said, the Note 3 is outstanding and I can't imagine ever going back to a smaller device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just my two cents. Not here to flame the Apple-loving crowd roaming around an open source OS development website.
I used an iPhone for 2 weeks last month, I didn't notice this "Apple ecosystem" people are so much talking about. LOL even Play Store is way better than Apple's App Store. Also, of course iPhone accessories will be everywhere because they make so much money from Apple users. When I went to buy a Note 3 they didn't even ask me if I wanted extended warranty or not, somebody was buying an iPhone right beside me and I couldn't believe how they sold extended warranty(not Apple Care), screen protector and a case. If somebody is buying an iPhone, they're probably very naive, so upselling is very easy lol On iOS you have to wait for those annoying animations to finish before the screen recognises your finger. If this is what you call "smooth/fast" no thank you I'm happy with my "laggy" Android
Sent from my SM-N900W8
.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Dreadful thread tbh
In regards to the HTC One, the earlier models may have had issues but from what I've seen the newer ones are fine.
---------- Post added at 12:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:49 PM ----------
Also, someone who can see the benefits of both OS is not an "Apple fan"
I don't own any Apple products and I was using a more productive but horribly laggy windows mobile back when smartphones were not common. By the time the iphone came out you could see that it was aimed at the more casual market and it has since inproved significantly but Android will always be the one for tweaking and customizing. There was no denying though that even from day 1, iPhone was much smoother and a better user experience in comparison to windows mobile.
Some people couldn't care less about that though, and people shouldn't get so defensive if someone wants to compare this phone with the iPhone 5. I don't have a Note 3 and I'm still on 2, and I read this part of the forum for general feedback.
Some people need to get a life and realise its only a phone. People will have different needs! If you really can't bear to see a thread like this and feel is MUST be locked down, then you really need to reevaluate your lives.
fade2black101 said:
Also, someone who can see the benefits of both OS is not an "Apple fan"
I don't own any Apple products and I was using a more productive but horribly laggy windows mobile back when smartphones were not common. By the time the iphone came out you could see that it was aimed at the more casual market and it has since inproved significantly but Android will always be the one for tweaking and customizing. There was no denying though that even from day 1, iPhone was much smoother and a better user experience in comparison to windows mobile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Were you aiming this at me, calling him an Apple fan?
Well...I never said the word 'fan', but he has a Note 3 and an iPhone, but he's more towards an iPhone, as they are more...an 'iPhone person'.
Back in the day, Apple was the new thing, cool, fast and everything. But that is in the past. Imagine running Symbian on loads of devices today, I'd go no phone forever. Windows Mobile 6.5 and below....were so slow.....so Apple fixed that, but now Android adds upon what Apple does, and Samsung builds on Google, but since Samsung's shares are increasing, Apple sues Samsung for all they got, instead of innovating as what Steve Jobs and past partners would have done.
The OP has a point.
people are missing the big picture.
this is not the tipical apple /android flame thread , because this are not tipical times . The tides are changing
.
the apple fans are here admitting the virtues off iphone but recognizing that note 3 is superior.
that post about asians suck at aesthetics .. oh man is so true! Note 3 wins .. but what is going on with the aesthetics? Its just screen basically. . Hard to miss .. and sometimes they do ( n 2 / s3 phones ugly as sin )
And android with TW is truly bad ! Thats why modding is good and we like . Those ex-apple-fanboys-still-think-they-are , probably run all stock.
Never owned an iphone , to me an iphone since day one, is a girl thing.
irzero said:
This is the problem with Samsung. Its a cheap asian knock off company and their quality is typically asian. Samsung phones are franken phones made up of what ever pieces they can find. They are not put together with care or thought. If it fits it will go in.... Apple designs their phones which is why it takes 24 months for a new design.
If Apple launched a 5 inch iphone id likely go back to Apple. I used to use all the android features and freedom but now i cant be bothered.
To be honest im getting tired of the Android ecosystem of manufacturers. Only Apple and Nokia know how to make a quality made device. Samsung have no idea, Their S3 was ugly and their nature theme was a puke inducing typical asian idea that the west just doesnt get. Now these whole notebook theme is another typical korean theme that they think is "cool" The problem is that Korea and China and the rest of Asia have no idea what "Cool" is or even what good design is. This is why they cant get enough of European brands and western luxury items.
Samsung have never made a cool phone ever. Never will either..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here, watch this video.
http://youtu.be/WxmD2xPBJ2w
You're welcome.
Sent from my SM-N9005

Just bought this phone. Is the camera still the best?

Just bought my 1st Windows phone to test out. Is this still a good phone? I would love your thoughts.
Just bought this phone as well to see what all the noise is about the camera.
I tested it against my nexus 5 and the zoom was incredible shot out of 20th floor window, but I have not taken it anywhere yet to take real photos.
I would like to hears other thoughts as well.
I think we are the only 2 people that own this phone and visit xda
yeah I think so as well.
Probably since MS locked it down so hard and it can not be rooted, maybe people lost interest.
This is my test phone and that time when we all wish we had a good camera device to take a quick picture(now waiting on that moment.)
Nexus 5 is still my daily driver, but I like this phone a lot.
To answer you original question, from everyone I have talked to this is still one of the best, if not the best camera/phone combination out there.
It's still the best camera phone (maybe except Nokia 808 with bigger sensor, but no stabilization). Lumix CM1 should be much better, but will cost twice more and it still isn't in sale.
Is there any camera app to allow me to set exposure time more than 4s like default application?
hinix said:
Is there any camera app to allow me to set exposure time more than 4s like default application?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I saw this app on a couple of forums.
it cost 1.99 in US store.
didn ot say alot about exposure though
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/proshot/3d6a3d7e-5aca-4aee-b059-590b9f53cc13
qnc said:
I saw this app on a couple of forums.
it cost 1.99 in US store.
didn ot say alot about exposure though
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/proshot/3d6a3d7e-5aca-4aee-b059-590b9f53cc13
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, but nope, I checked trial version 5 min ago and maximum time is 4 seconds too.
Do your guys camera kinda rattle when you put the phone down?
Or if you tap the phone earlier against your hand?
stu5797 said:
Do your guys camera kinda rattle when you put the phone down?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked that up when I first got the phone. Can't remember where I found the information, but it is just the OIS element.
I'm not a camera guy so I looked up OIS element. It appears that regular cameras have the rattle as well.
OIS = Optical Image Stabilization
New one to me.
Most said that if the rattle stops then you are in trouble.
Long story short Rattle is good.
Guys visit the site for detailed information Windows Phones and anything related to Lumia/ Win Phone
http://allaboutwindowsphone.com/
I've bought and tried almost every smartphone with a good camera.
Nokia Lumia 1020 takes the best photos of all till now...
The pureview technology is unique...
As a previous owner of lumia 1020. My thoughts and info.
Currently I am a note 3 user. Lumia 1020 was for me a very good phone. My only issue is that earpiece volume was low (Small ear problem due to my work, but I can say iphone and now note 3 are double lowder) . At first it was perfect. After the 8 update it went lower. Restored to the initial version but no improvement. Kept and updated to 8.1........ still the same. Contacted microsoft but no answer given (dah). If the volume was higher I would never have sold it. I was an iphone user, android, lumia, iphone and now again on android. These are my conclusion on personal experience.
1. Camera is far far superior than other phones. YES. By far. I dont know about the iphone 6.
2. Rattle noise of the camera is a little bit disturbing but as I have read its on the stabilisation of the camera.
3. Windows os is FASTER than any other (Yes I have previously rooted my HTC m7 and used custom roms)
4. Support from microsoft sucks (sorry but they have not answered any of my emails with a solution)
5. To take great photos you have to study and learn the camera 's features.
Do I miss my Lumia? YES
Will I ever buy a Lumia? YES ( thinking of the 930 but I saw many issues with that as well.) In a year or two if they take their jobs seriously they can make unbelievable smartphones.
Hope I have helped someone.
stunning camera. Way above anything else.
I've been using the phone since June 2014. It has a STUNNING camera and I've been a serious DLSR photographer since 2004.
Its not all things to all men but low light and detail from the large 41.3-megapixel BSI CMOS image sensor are v good. Its a FX - full frame camera in a phone without the add-on lenses. FX on a DLSR is £1000 entry level.
I perhaps wish I had more control over the photographic process. I'd love a variable Neutral Density Filter. I'd love a simple HDR app.
I'd like better 3rd party apps. I think this camera\Nokia 1020 will ultimately fail in the market as it is locked down by MS and Nokia. Such a shame....and self defeating. Camera 10/10.
I tried to debrand it when I got it. Failed.
No WP equivalent Cyanogen Mod or simple 8.1 for me then.
it is locked down by MS and Nokia. Such a shame....and self defeating. Camera 10/10.
I tried to debrand it when I got it. Failed.
[/QUOTE said:
My 1020 is on Consumer Cellular which uses the AT&T network.
I did not have to unlock it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I came frome the LG G2, which still has one of the best Android cameras, and I'm really impressed. I'd never have thought that a smartphone camera is this good.
And yes, the rattling is the OIS
caldo said:
I've bought and tried almost every smartphone with a good camera.
Nokia Lumia 1020 takes the best photos of all till now...
The pureview technology is unique...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Especially since no other can do 4x FHD zoom without serious quality drop
Mine glass broke while moving and I bought galaxy s4+ while waiting repairs and I decided to keep it, since the operating system gives so much leeway...
Only problem is that now I have to use burst to get even one good image even in good light
I upgraded to Nexus 6 but always carry the 1020 for pictures can't beat the camera
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Hi there guys. Im not new in the forums but new to this threads. I used to have Motorolas and still love them, awesome devices and still think the best out there, at least in Android side, but my GF took mine for a game and gave me this Lumia 1020. which to be honest i sold her the idea of getting it in the first place.
So far ive been investigating as many people talks too much BS about 41 megapixels not being important bla bla...
My findings so far:
The phone specs are medium to high compared to pocket cameras. The quality is actually amazing, a few small details as with anything but i think its just perfect to avoid buying a camera. I just dont like that the zoom is not that much, to be honest its great when im at an stadium and i take this pictures that are simply amazing compared to what any other smartphone can take, but if i want to zoom then im the one with the crappiest zoom. But i bought this Lensung zoom 12X and im going to check it once it arrives in a couple of weeks or more.
There are some cool apps out there for this camera so the biggest problem is to know which one fits you better, thats why i have about 8 apps installed. Ive been playing with some and they all fit somehow. Im an amateur photo lover beginner in the lowest level but damn this camera makes me look at least as a good enough camera man he he he.
Issues so far: i hate the phone overheats but i know it is normal.
No real quality lenses out there (im going to test the one i mentioned but not sure its gonna be good enough yet)
Possible advantages:
Ive seen people working on creating cases that fit real lenses, professional ones, waiting for the results and possibilities to buy them.
And one last thing, in the party a couple weeks ago every single person started taking pictures... i was the one taking pictures at the end of the party as there was no match for this camera-phone, simply they all surrendered to its quality pictures, iPhone lovers, Android lovers, Samsung lovers, all of them. So yes, this phone is still the best camera phone you will find!

Is the 1020 still worth getting?

My 4s is crapping out slowly, and i found a brand new lumia 1020 for $250 on kijiji, brand new, in yellow! kinda tempted to get it cuz of the nice camera and windows 10 around the corner, as well as denim just released, but it is 2015, and the 1020 wasn't a powerhouse to begin with. what do you guys think? save the $250 and wait, or will the phone still be viable for some time? as you can tell, i'm on a budget. would have gone for the oneplus one, but with the canadian dollar + shipping it will likely be $500+ delivered.
anyway, thanks for the advice.
Just for camera?
The question is "Are you going for this phone just for camera?". If you answer is "yes" then, go ahead. This is the simply the best camera out there. At this budget, superb.
But, if you considering moving from Android to Windows Phone, that is a big adventure. Mainly because of the App store and other features of the WP, which Android user may not like.
I advise you to check the Windows Phone OS first (may be borrow phone from a friend) before actually buying.
Note: I am using this phone just for its camera.
I have been using the Nokia Lumia 1020 for about 6 months. It has been doing very well for me, and I bought it for two reasons. One, I missed Windows OS. I used to use a HTC Wizard, then a Tytn and finally the Kaiser. They were fantastic, and the Kaiser I used straight for a good 5 years. In fact, that phone I still have and it works just fine, however the battery is showing its age and the front bezel has cracked and fallen off in places.
The second reason is that my Samsung Galaxy SII LTE was an absolute piece of garbage. I used it for almost 2 1/ years and it was problematic pretty much from the get-go. I had battery issues (replaced the battery)... then there were the constant freezes, crashes, app drops and more. It was absolutely terrible! I had more issues with Android than any other phone I have used..
I've used a lot of phones, but my Windows OS phones have been the best ones I have ever used! I got hooked with the old Motorola VX220... and moved on from there..
Glad to be back to Windows OS and I don't see myself ever going back.
The 1020 I bought both for the camera (I love it) and for the phone itself. It has proven to be more than reliable, it has proven to be an absolute wonderful phone!
Granted it sucks not having expandable storage space, but hey, that 4s you have isn't either!
I'd say grab one, they are excellent phones and will treat you well...! Just make sure you get a case for it as the phone can feel a bit slippery without one..

The rise and fall of the K-Zoom

It's such a shame that the K Zoom never really took off. I owned one for about 6 months and loved it. I only changed it when the Note 4 was released. But during my time with the KZ I found the camera produced amazing photos with its 10X zoom and Xenon flash. The phone part was very capable too with a good sized high resolution screen, along with a decent amount of power. I also thought the price tag on this device was very reasonable too.
So why did it fail? Well I am guessing on a few theories. Firstly, maybe that it looked too much like the Galaxy S5 and although I personally don't think either the S5 or KZ look bad at all, a lot of people do. Samsung was getting a lot of criticism for their lack lustre designs and maybe it was released at the wrong time. Another theory would be that it was bulky. Though less so than its predecessor the Galaxy S4 Zoom. Maybe some weren't sure about a hybrid device, especially when cameras on phones in general were exceeding the quality of standalone cameras.
But I am a firm believer that one of the reasons these niche devices fail, is because Samsung just don't develop or support them once they are released. I mean development for their flagship phones doesn't exactly impress, so what chance does a less popular device get? Take the Galaxy Camera and the Galaxy Camera 2. Both great and revolutionary devices at the time but they just didn't get any proper updates. Both stuck on Jelly Bean and both having issues that a firmware upgrade could have cured. The K Zoom would have benefited from some firmware update love and an upgrade from KK 4.4.2 too was much needed.
I have always wanted to be able to afford to keep certain phones I buy in an archive. But due to the cost I tend to trade everything in to get the latest devices. If I had to choose which ones I would keep, then the K Zoom would be one of them. It is a great phone hybrid, it's a shame it didn't sell well and it's sad there is no successor in the pipeline.
So, why do you think the KZ didn't do so well?
I love the Kzoom - i will never be getting rid of it
I have a few fones , my main driver is zen2 4gb ram 64gb 64 bit SoC .
The kzoom is too luxurious to carry around , mainly for special events
The little development that has been, is enough for me -- its a special device and always will be in my eyes
The only fail is people just want the latest and thats not always the best !
Perhaps Samsung should consider aggressively supporting custom ROM development for the device?
I still use my KZ SM-C111 & take it everywhere I go, I think it's the best android smartphone ever. The only downside is no real support from Samsung.
I just wish anyone successfully make Lollipop Lite for KZ since it came with only 8GB capacity :crying:
it's big, it's heavy, it doesn't have enougth memory, the camera is not dust proof, the battery is too small, but I cannot find any other smartphone with a 10x zoom !
Hello, I really love my k zoom. The pictures are beautiful and the phone is absolutely not to heavy. Soon I can pick another phone but what about the motorola x style?
The fact its big and heavier than normal are exactly the reasons I was seriously considering getting one for my mum who has problems with her hands. The weight and size would be easier for her to hold, modern phones are too small and light that she would just drop them.
The fact its stuck on KitKat is a problem though as I worry about any security holes left in the OS due to no updates.
Love it!
:good:
I've got the K-Zoom from the time it just got out and love it.
The only thing that really suck is the way Samsung has been treating its customers with their crappy update policy but one cant blame the phone for that
The main reason the phone never really 'took off' is in my opinion:
Lack of publicity in Europe.
I havent met anyone in Europe who knew the phone. Everyone who sees it and whom I inform about its specs is interested. Especially in its camera's capability's. The huge lens that appears out of the phone amazes everyone as well as the quality of the pictures. Havent had any negative remarks about the looks or its weight. In fact I've had countless requests of people who wanted to buy it from me.
The name should have been S5 zoom to like the S4 zoom which was more of a camera that could make calls.
I only found out about the K-zoom after intensive search for a good camera phone. Most people don't take that time but after calling/messaging, making pictures/videos is the biggest thing on smartphones so the problem want lack of interest.
Sure there are better phones and better cameras but who wants to pack both all the time?
I love my K Zoom but I wish Samsung (or an XDA developer) would support Marshmallow on it and allow apps to be transferred to the SD card.
The K-Zoom is not dead...
It just has been copied:
http://www.droid-life.com/2016/08/31/first-look-hasselblad-camera-moto-mod/
ROTFL!
rin67630 said:
It just has been copied:
http://www.droid-life.com/2016/08/31/first-look-hasselblad-camera-moto-mod/
ROTFL!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
copied? its a moto mod not a phone unlike KZ.
I love my K Zoom
apprentice said:
It's such a shame that the K Zoom never really took off. I owned one for about 6 months and loved it. I only changed it when the Note 4 was released. But during my time with the KZ I found the camera produced amazing photos with its 10X zoom and Xenon flash. The phone part was very capable too with a good sized high resolution screen, along with a decent amount of power. I also thought the price tag on this device was very reasonable too.
So why did it fail? Well I am guessing on a few theories. Firstly, maybe that it looked too much like the Galaxy S5 and although I personally don't think either the S5 or KZ look bad at all, a lot of people do. Samsung was getting a lot of criticism for their lack lustre designs and maybe it was released at the wrong time. Another theory would be that it was bulky. Though less so than its predecessor the Galaxy S4 Zoom. Maybe some weren't sure about a hybrid device, especially when cameras on phones in general were exceeding the quality of standalone cameras.
But I am a firm believer that one of the reasons these niche devices fail, is because Samsung just don't develop or support them once they are released. I mean development for their flagship phones doesn't exactly impress, so what chance does a less popular device get? Take the Galaxy Camera and the Galaxy Camera 2. Both great and revolutionary devices at the time but they just didn't get any proper updates. Both stuck on Jelly Bean and both having issues that a firmware upgrade could have cured. The K Zoom would have benefited from some firmware update love and an upgrade from KK 4.4.2 too was much needed.
I have always wanted to be able to afford to keep certain phones I buy in an archive. But due to the cost I tend to trade everything in to get the latest devices. If I had to choose which ones I would keep, then the K Zoom would be one of them. It is a great phone hybrid, it's a shame it didn't sell well and it's sad there is no successor in the pipeline.
So, why do you think the KZ didn't do so well?
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I love my K Zoom. Was definitely not advertised enough/properly. After I Rooted my phone (My first Rooted phone) I was able to transfer all apps to the external 64gb SD & I mean all (Games, applications, etc)
The only reason that I want to change my phone is its lack of Mirrorlink support that my new vehicle has.
Great camera, good battery life
I even have my LG Optimus 3D because of its 3D camera & glasses free 3D content.
Its for keeps...
[email protected] said:
I love my K Zoom. Was definitely not advertised enough/properly. After I Rooted my phone (My first Rooted phone) I was able to transfer all apps to the external 64gb SD & I mean all (Games, applications, etc)
The only reason that I want to change my phone is its lack of Mirrorlink support that my new vehicle has.
Great camera, good battery life
I even have my LG Optimus 3D because of its 3D camera & glasses free 3D content.
Its for keeps...
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You are lucky if you can afford to keep them. I had a HTC Evo 3D and I loved it. But 3D never took off sadly, the novelty factor was awesome but like most novelties they fall out of favour. This is another phone I would like to have kept in my little phone museum!
rin67630 said:
It just has been copied:
http://www.droid-life.com/2016/08/31/first-look-hasselblad-camera-moto-mod/
ROTFL!
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I disagree. This is just a bolt on to a phone, it's not the true hybrid device of the K-Zoom or S4 Zoom. It looks like Samsung don't have plans to produce another phone like this (though you never know)
G33RT. said:
:good:
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Lack of publicity in Europe.
I havent met anyone in Europe who knew the phone. Everyone who sees it and whom I inform about its specs is interested. Especially in its camera's capability's.
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Here I am from Rome, I quote everything you say. Now I'm just waiting my other phone (P9) to come back from service due to a broken (insured) glass and I'll send there my KZoom to change and clean the lens. This is the only drawback of such a good phone and such an extraordinary camera (I took some wonderful night pictures in Pisa, couldn't believe my eyes). As soon as it will be back I will root it and try to swap memorys.
Salva con nome said:
Here I am from Rome, I quote everything you say. Now I'm just waiting my other phone (P9) to come back from service due to a broken (insured) glass and I'll send there my KZoom to change and clean the lens. This is the only drawback of such a good phone and such an extraordinary camera (I took some wonderful night pictures in Pisa, couldn't believe my eyes). As soon as it will be back I will root it and try to swap memorys.
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I recently damaged my screen with some water. Got me a S5 mini. These are rather cheap and are quite good actually as well as water resist
Its 8mp cam doesn't perform al that bad but it doesn't compare to the K-zoom which i'm definitely going to get fixed!
Our K-zooms are going to be collectors items since there have only been made and sold few of them i believe :good:
Samsung K Zoom was the king once
Bought this phone (CM 115) for my wife the other day since it was on special and she has always wanted one ever since it was released almost two years back. She absolutely loves her new K Zoom and it's so sad to see how such a powerful phone camera is being ignored by it's developer Samsung.
This phone is amazing with how smoothly it integrates with that camera on board. Just also hope that one day there might be a little bit of something coming from Samsung for this phone in terms of OS that might make this phone more current.
I too own the Galaxy K Zoom, it's a bit...damaged - but otherwise works fine
Got it super cheap due to the digitizer being cracked near the bottom, and thought it was the greatest thing ever with that massive camera!
Played around with it for a while and yeah, it's a great phone with reasonable specs, looks like an S5 (Which never bothered me), and was the perfect blend of a "Camera Phone".
For use as a phone - perfect. In your hands it feels just like that era of Samsung Devices, then go into Camera Mode and it becomes like one of Samsungs flagship cameras. It's amazing how that switch is so well thought out.
Hex-Core, 2GB RAM, 4G/LTE etc. At first I thought it has to be more powerful, logically than the S5 but I think I maybe wrong.
Probably due to being on 4.4.2 and my S5 being on 6.0.1, there's a noticeable difference in speed and all that. The S5 is snappy whereas the K Zoom is a bit laggy.
Camera - I used it a lot for some great photos of close ups of electronics, PCBs etc. Then I kind of got a little iffy with the battery draining quick when taking a decent amount of photos and with the whole phone getting pretty warm and went to my S5 again and was happy with it.
So for 6 months it's been in my DroidDraw, (I have a lot of unusual Android based phones in there) and this was hidden at the side along with my other camera based phones like my HTC Evo 3D and Sharp Aquos 3D Camera phone (SH16?), anyway, got the K Zoom out and really made me think why did this phone fail. It is a great phone but for consumers, being bulky, looking like a reused design, an old OS etc. I think it all attributed to it becoming just one of those fad phones.
Whatever, I appreciate it for what it is. Samsung need to do another phone mix up one day. They can do it. Just need the demands for it I suppose.
So nobody made Lolipop for this phone ? How come ?

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