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[Q] Concerns Before Purchasing 7 Plus

I am seriously considering getting a SGT 7 Plus. I was going to be patient and wait for the 7.7 but I fear here in the UK that it will release at a silly price. I'm thinking I should save some money and just get the 7+. I have a few concerns with buying the 7+ though. I keeping reading about the problems with the random reboots and also the poor WiFi strength. Am I right to be concerned? I have definitely narrowed my search down to a SGT, it's just a question of which one and if I have to keep waiting for the 7.7 then so be it.

Gunnzie said:
I am seriously considering getting a SGT 7 Plus. I was going to be patient and wait for the 7.7 but I fear here in the UK that it will release at a silly price. I'm thinking I should save some money and just get the 7+. I have a few concerns with buying the 7+ though. I keeping reading about the problems with the random reboots and also the poor WiFi strength. Am I right to be concerned? I have definitely narrowed my search down to a SGT, it's just a question of which one and if I have to keep waiting for the 7.7 then so be it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right to have some concern. But also consider that the 7.7 could come with its own host of little bugs too. We just haven't heard about them because its not out yet. At least the 7+ is a known quantity at this point. And fixes are being found for some of the 7+'s known issues.
As far as the two items you mentioned, I can say from my sample of two 7+ tablets (my wife has one too) that my tablet experienced occasional random reboots, whereas my wife's tablet did not. That issue went away, along with the tablet not waking up when the screen would go into sleep mode (aka Sleep of Death or SOD) when I was able to force the wifi to sleep when the screen is off. I have not noticed any issues with wifi strength with either tablet.
Ultimately the decision comes down to you. Is having the slightly faster processor and slightly larger AMOLED screen worth the extra price? Or can the 7+ do everything you need it to do within your budget and do it now?
Good luck on whichever you decide!

Thanks. Just out of interest, your post suggests there are other issues with the 7+. What are they? My worry at the moment is that Samsung price their devices at a premium without actually necessarily being a premium product. On the other hand, they provide what I am looking for (small, light, SD slot, and great battery life).
I suppose my decision would be easier if I actually knew how much the 7.7 was going to sell for here in the UK. I don't suppose anyone has any ideas?
Realistically, I need to wait for the 7+ to drop in price a bit anyway. £349 seems a lot for a device with only a 1024x600 screen when higher res tablets are now around and more powerful tablets are just starting to arrive (e.g. Tegra3 etc).

i have regular sized hands (what a way to start my post! haha). that's why a 7 inch is the best for me. Hardware wise, the GTab 7+ gives me comfort and stability. I haven't encountered any problems so far. Except that I have a P6200 and no one's currently developing anything for it. But i bet that weeks from now, our dev section would be full of Roms and Tweaks.
ALSO ICS is coming to the GTab+. 'Nuff said.
I had the same dilemma as you. I would've waited for the 7.7. But many said that Samsung would be selling it at a premium price! And I think that an upgraded screen and processor is NOT worth it.
And besides. I have "regular" sized hands. Who knows how a .7 inch would affect my comfort.

diospada11 said:
i have regular sized hands (what a way to start my post! haha). that's why a 7 inch is the best for me. Hardware wise, the GTab 7+ gives me comfort and stability. I haven't encountered any problems so far. Except that I have a P6200 and no one's currently developing anything for it. But i bet that weeks from now, our dev section would be full of Roms and Tweaks.
ALSO ICS is coming to the GTab+. 'Nuff said.
I had the same dilemma as you. I would've waited for the 7.7. But many said that Samsung would be selling it at a premium price! And I think that an upgraded screen and processor is NOT worth it.
And besides. I have "regular" sized hands. Who knows how a .7 inch would affect my comfort.
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Thanks for that. I feel the opposite though many ways. I think the extra .7 inch might be a good thing for me. I actually prefer the screen size of the 10 inch tablets by far. If it wasn't for the fact that I also want to carry it around too then I'd buy a 10 inch for definite. I thought the 8.9 inch would be a good compromise but they are ridiculously expensive in the UK and they have no SD slot built in. A 7 inch fulfills my requirements and will fit in my bag a lot easier but I do think I'll miss the screen size of a 10 inch at times. It's all about compromises I guess and what suits you best. In an idea world, I would own 2 tablets. One for on the road and one for home use.

The only other issue I have experienced is that I could not write to the external sd card unless I used the stock file manager. That was resolved by editing a permissions file. Other than that my 7+ has performed beyond my expectations.
As with any high tech device there will be some issues to contend with. None of the issues I've experienced would make me think that the Samsung tablet was less than a premium device. Considering it is a relatively new device that's been out for less than two months, the number of issues do not seem to be higher than normal for a new product, in my opinion.
Also be sure to remember that devices that are not functioning properly can usually be returned or exchanged, as long as you shop from a reputable retailer that has an exchange or replacement policy. As always, caveat emptor.

thoughts by those who upgraded from the prime?

I am seriously considering the upgrade from the Prime to the Infinity. Its going to cost me $125-150, but already have the dock so that will make things less painful.
Is the screen, slightly faster processor, and overall experience worth the jump?
Thanks for the feedback.

I've found my Infinity to be much more stable. My Prime was incredibly unstable and had very bad screen corruption and flickering on the later firmware, downgrading the firmware fixed that issue on the Prime though. The screen on the Infinity is very nice, but you probably won't notice the increased resolution except with text where it makes a very (to me) noticeable difference. The latest firmware update has seems to make multi-tasking smoother and given it a general sensation of being faster. I have a Nexus 7 and Jelly Bean makes everything very liquid smooth feeling so I have every expectation of Jelly Bean giving that same feel to the Infinity. The less tapered edge on the Infinity is actually very nice. It's more comfortable to hold and the micro sd card is completely inside the frame.
All said and done I think the Infinity is everything the Prime should have been. If you can upgrade for <$150 difference then go for it.

I did the upgrade so that I can compare my Ipad3 to the TF700T as well as wanting a functioning GPS radio. Speed has improved, stability has improved, screen has improved. All of my current applications work well. I have an issue of upgrading from a OTA but others do not so its my specific issue. I have been able to upgrade utilizing the file Asus posts on their service site for each update. As to my Ipad vs. TF700T the screens are for all practical purposes identical. Speed of all functions other than web browsing are identical (I have several applications that are the same function but for IOS or Android). Web browsing is not a tie my Ipad3 is more fluid than the TF700T. I expect that will even out with the release of Jelly Bean for the TF700T. I am waiting until that upgrade to see but if equal after Jelly Beans release then most likely my Ipad3 will be sent to Ebay to get some extra cash for the next Asus tablet release in 2013!

nevergrownup said:
I've found my Infinity to be much more stable. My Prime was incredibly unstable and had very bad screen corruption and flickering on the later firmware, downgrading the firmware fixed that issue on the Prime though. The screen on the Infinity is very nice, but you probably won't notice the increased resolution except with text where it makes a very (to me) noticeable difference. The latest firmware update has seems to make multi-tasking smoother and given it a general sensation of being faster. I have a Nexus 7 and Jelly Bean makes everything very liquid smooth feeling so I have every expectation of Jelly Bean giving that same feel to the Infinity. The less tapered edge on the Infinity is actually very nice. It's more comfortable to hold and the micro sd card is completely inside the frame.
All said and done I think the Infinity is everything the Prime should have been. If you can upgrade for <$150 difference then go for it.
Click to expand...
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Thanks for the feedback. My prime has been rock solid, other than the app stutter / bluetooth issues that most have experienced. I normally upgrade every 18-24 months. Trying to justify the 7 month upgrade here. Thanks.

rlarson)mn said:
I did the upgrade so that I can compare my Ipad3 to the TF700T as well as wanting a functioning GPS radio. Speed has improved, stability has improved, screen has improved. All of my current applications work well. I have an issue of upgrading from a OTA but others do not so its my specific issue. I have been able to upgrade utilizing the file Asus posts on their service site for each update. As to my Ipad vs. TF700T the screens are for all practical purposes identical. Speed of all functions other than web browsing are identical (I have several applications that are the same function but for IOS or Android). Web browsing is not a tie my Ipad3 is more fluid than the TF700T. I expect that will even out with the release of Jelly Bean for the TF700T. I am waiting until that upgrade to see but if equal after Jelly Beans release then most likely my Ipad3 will be sent to Ebay to get some extra cash for the next Asus tablet release in 2013!
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Glad to here the positive experience when compared to the ipad.

I too upgraded for EUR 105,- and it's worth every cent!
The screen is to much better and sharper. Reading forums in portrait mode is no problem now. On the prime it often got to crappy to read and I had to zoom in.
Furthermore it feels faster and it's definitely more stable.Finally no more Wifi issues and SD card won't eject anymore.
Also HDMI port is better designed.
Just upgrade

stunya said:
I am seriously considering the upgrade from the Prime to the Infinity. Its going to cost me $125-150, but already have the dock so that will make things less painful.
Is the screen, slightly faster processor, and overall experience worth the jump?
Thanks for the feedback.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I upgraded and received my Infinity yesterday. Overall, it is a much nicer tablet. I really think this is what the prime should have been when it launched. I have much better wifi and GPS reception, and the screen is much nicer to look at. Another thing that most people aren't mentioning is that the SD card actually fits in the tablet now!
That being said, I'm still having problems (even after the .26 update) running ShadowGun. The game works fine it I've just rebooted the tablet, but after several applications have been launched, I can't get past the first shot or two before the game freezes. You can still hear the game playing in the background, but the screen bounces back and forth between 2 frames. Maybe someone has a fix?
Anyway, yes, I am happy coming from the Prime.

Tlbradshaw said:
I upgraded and received my Infinity yesterday. Overall, it is a much nicer tablet. I really think this is what the prime should have been when it launched. I have much better wifi and GPS reception, and the screen is much nicer to look at. Another thing that most people aren't mentioning is that the SD card actually fits in the tablet now!
That being said, I'm still having problems (even after the .26 update) running ShadowGun. The game works fine it I've just rebooted the tablet, but after several applications have been launched, I can't get past the first shot or two before the game freezes. You can still hear the game playing in the background, but the screen bounces back and forth between 2 frames. Maybe someone has a fix?
Anyway, yes, I am happy coming from the Prime.
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Click to collapse
I never owned a Prime (cancelled pre-order) so can't compare the two but from all the negative reports from the users, I can definitely say that the 700 is the most worthy successor to the 101. This is my gaming tablet and with just a few exceptions will be loaded with nothing but Tegra 3 games and full HD apps. The speed and resolution of the 700 is just right for 1080p movies, it plays the streamed .mkv files like it was coming from the sdcard! So smooth and lag free.
No way the Prime's 1280x800 can match the 700's display, no contest there but of course there will be an additional power drain to contend with so power regulation is a must.

Glad I switched
I exchanged and updated my 201 for 700 this week. Other than having an issue doing and OTA update (which is a serial number issue again with ASUS! I was able to update manually with no problem) I am very happy I did so. In the last 48 hours I have not had any issues, which I always did with prime. I use mine for work and play although I do not really play intense games on the device. WIFI is tons better and GPS is rock solid. I did compare my screen with my daughters ipad 3 and even she was impressed with the quality. She is an apple fanatic but even she sees where being locked down in the apple OS world has its limitations as compared to android. Glad she learned something in college!

rap6388 said:
I exchanged and updated my 201 for 700 this week. Other than having an issue doing and OTA update (which is a serial number issue again with ASUS! I was able to update manually with no problem) I am very happy I did so. In the last 48 hours I have not had any issues, which I always did with prime. I use mine for work and play although I do not really play intense games on the device. WIFI is tons better and GPS is rock solid. I did compare my screen with my daughters ipad 3 and even she was impressed with the quality. She is an apple fanatic but even she sees where being locked down in the apple OS world has its limitations as compared to android. Glad she learned something in college!
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good deal. first time i wish i bought something from BB...could have upgraded for free. thanks for the feedback.

well thanks, thats all the convincing i needed. ordered an infinity about 20 mins ago.
Thanks all!! I look forward to joining the group!!
PS-anyone need a very lightly used prime? HA!

I finally pulled the trigger and sold my Prime for the Infinity on Craigslist today. Went to Best Buy hoping to find tf700 with no luck. Fortunately for me the employee I was speaking to was very friendly and found one available at one of the other bb locations 23 miles away! Though a display model I still wanted it. I purchased it ahead of time and drove 23 miles to pick it up. When I got there. They took it off the display and showed me the scratch marks on the back plate and the slab of adhesive they used to keep the tablet connected that they couldn't peel away. Then I noticed that the label says tf201!!!! Mother [email protected]#ker!! The employee that said that they had one available mistakenly thought that that was the tf700 because it was so similar!!! The employee explained it to me and apologized. I said I drove for 45 mins to get here and was assured that you guys had the tf700!!! I was very upset. The guy was scared and looked around... finally he found one in the store!!! It was reserved for someone else that paid online. I ended up with a new tf700 and not a display model!!! Lol Apparently the person that ordered online had cancelled his order after checking the system and I was very fortunate to come out of BB with a brand new tf700!! So far loving the new toy.
Sent from my PC36100 using xda app-developers app

Once my Infinity arrives, giving my Prime to a close family member, rooted with Androwook and chock full of my paid apps.
Thanks for the thread, sounds like it'll be a redeeming (mostly?) upgrade! Now for those roms...
Sent from my Incredible 2 using xda app-developers app

I exchanged my C1 Prime at Best Buy which GPS was dead when I bought it and ended up with a C7 Infinity. Wifi/BT/GPS were great, however vibration, haptic feedback was dead out of the box. Attempted trying to toggle the settings but still nothing on power up/down, etc. It also couldn't find the OTA when I tried to update and I had to install .26 from my microsd which I take it is this issue here.
Took it back yesterday. Pretty bummed since my major issue with 201 was wifi/BT problems using my headset and music/netflix but it seemed good on the 700. Overall it seemed better than the Prime but that's not saying much .. Asus still has some pretty bad QC in my opinion

I've had my Infinity for a week now since I got my prime refunded. To echo a previous comment in this thread, this is what the prime should have been and what I expected it to be. Everything just works and the screen is absolutely beautiful. My prime never got a GPS lock, and running Bluetooth to my Thunderbolt for Tablet Talk would make my internet slow so an unusable crawl on the Prime. Here on the infinity I can stream music while browsing the web or XDA and texting. Used it successfully a few times for navigation while tethered; got a GPS lock nearly as fast as my phone locks. Plus it fits more snugly in my 201 dock than my Prime did. My only gripe is that the battery has not been quite as epic as my Prime, but it has been more than sufficient for daily use.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2

stunya said:
well thanks, thats all the convincing i needed. ordered an infinity about 20 mins ago.
Thanks all!! I look forward to joining the group!!
PS-anyone need a very lightly used prime? HA!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure you're already aware, but if not...that if you purchased your Prime tablet from Best Buy you can actually exchange it for an Infinity by way of One year manufacturer warranty.

jjdevega said:
I finally pulled the trigger and sold my Prime for the Infinity on Craigslist today. Went to Best Buy hoping to find tf700 with no luck. Fortunately for me the employee I was speaking to was very friendly and found one available at one of the other bb locations 23 miles away! Though a display model I still wanted it. I purchased it ahead of time and drove 23 miles to pick it up. When I got there. They took it off the display and showed me the scratch marks on the back plate and the slab of adhesive they used to keep the tablet connected that they couldn't peel away. Then I noticed that the label says tf201!!!! Mother [email protected]#ker!! The employee that said that they had one available mistakenly thought that that was the tf700 because it was so similar!!! The employee explained it to me and apologized. I said I drove for 45 mins to get here and was assured that you guys had the tf700!!! I was very upset. The guy was scared and looked around... finally he found one in the store!!! It was reserved for someone else that paid online. I ended up with a new tf700 and not a display model!!! Lol Apparently the person that ordered online had cancelled his order after checking the system and I was very fortunate to come out of BB with a brand new tf700!! So far loving the new toy.
Sent from my PC36100 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is internet browsing faster? Thats my problem with the prime sluggish.

LOVE IT
This is what I was expecting when I bought Prime. GPS and Wi-Fi work great. Screen crisp and clear. Camera takes really good pics. Had 2 primes, both had terrible picture quality. Gone into settings a few times and did update check, won't show one. No biggie, I'll d-load and push. Rooted fine.
Only complaint is, battery doesn't last as long as primes did.
Overall, very pleased. Especially since I had best buy damage warranty and they gave me Infinity free.

This is what the prime should have been! WFI,GPS, works. Had it for 24hrs, so far so good

I never really had problems with my prime (except bad GPS and pixels), but I exchanged it anyways for an infinity. I have to say the infinity is really what the prime should have been, the screen resolution is amazing, it's fast, GPS works and I even notice better wifi connections. I had to root the prime and tweak the hell out of it to get it to perform anywhere near what the infinity does right out of the box. Oh and its the first asus tablet I've had the does not have dead pixels.

$150 for Nexus 7-like specs w/ MicroSD slot AND HDMI out

About a month ago I noticed a story about an HP 7" tablet with decent specs, but it's low resolution screen and poor build quality made it weak competitor. So, I just found out that Walmart will be selling a Tegra 3 tablet with similar specs to the Nexus 7 for $150. The kicker is that it has a microSD slot, rear-facing camera AND HDMI out.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/23/hisense-sero-7-lt-pro-tablets/#continued
I was waiting for news about the follow-up to the Nexus 7, but with nothing on the horizon I'm tempted to check out one of these tablets. The ability to hook the tablet to my TV for gaming with a Bluetooth controller outweighs the fast Android updates. Especially it if manages to get some developer support.

For $99 I might have to check one out.

ED2O9 said:
About a month ago I noticed a story about an HP 7" tablet with decent specs, but it's low resolution screen and poor build quality made it weak competitor. So, I just found out that Walmart will be selling a Tegra 3 tablet with similar specs to the Nexus 7 for $150. The kicker is that it has a microSD slot, rear-facing camera AND HDMI out.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/23/hisense-sero-7-lt-pro-tablets/#continued
I was waiting for news about the follow-up to the Nexus 7, but with nothing on the horizon I'm tempted to check out one of these tablets. The ability to hook the tablet to my TV for gaming with a Bluetooth controller outweighs the fast Android updates. Especially it if manages to get some developer support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just recently heard about this and I am extremely intrigued by this tablet (Hisense Sero Pro is the one for $150).. I was considering riding it out for a new Nexus 7, have been tablet-less for a bit now, but it was not a huge priority for me as it seems that chance has slowed down. Seeing this tablet and the specs, for such a great price, seems too good to be true in a way. I am hoping some people are going to get their hands on it over the next few days and hear some reviews. That price tag and those specs are tempting me :laugh:

Few custom ROMs and unknown update frequency.

Luna_Sky said:
Just recently heard about this and I am extremely intrigued by this tablet (Hisense Sero Pro is the one for $150).. I was considering riding it out for a new Nexus 7, have been tablet-less for a bit now, but it was not a huge priority for me as it seems that chance has slowed down. Seeing this tablet and the specs, for such a great price, seems too good to be true in a way. I am hoping some people are going to get their hands on it over the next few days and hear some reviews. That price tag and those specs are tempting me :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too feel the temptation, however imagine how you would feel if everyone upgraded to the new Nexus 7 with a full HD screen and you were stuck with a $150 device that was on par with the N7 minus the giant user base. I think those looking to upgrade should hold on for now.

Sd card
Being able to use a TV doesn't do anything for me but having the card reader built in..
This is something Nexus will likely never have.
I think the 7 inch size is just about perfect.
Now if I just had a reason to go to Wal Mart...
If I did & could check out one of these out.. there could go next week's lunch money.

Although... the name "Hisense Sero Pro" doesn't sound nearly as awesome as the infamous Ainol Fire.

I just picked up the Pro for $150 beans but haven't opened it up yet. Wally gives you 15 days to return, so I'm gonna' see if the tab gets any XDA love. If it does, I'll still keep my N7 but give my Gtab 2 to my wife replacing an aging Nook Color.
I'm hoping that its similarity to N7 specs makes it easy to root and build roms. I don't even know if the bootloader is locked or not??? Hopefully, some people will start to buy it and we see some development feedback over the next few days. :laugh:
Looks like a pretty solid tab for the bucks and even if the current N7 comes down to about $150, if the Hisense gets any decent dev support, it will still be a good deal with the extra features that aren't available on the N7.
EDIT: In another thread, someone suggested giving motochopper a try for root. It looks like motochopper for the N7 doesn't unlock the bootloader, so you don't lose your data. But, who knows if it will work for the Hisense, maybe I'll give it a try if no other solutions materialize over the next few days. Stuff like this travels fast on the internet, so I'm optimistic.
Mike T

Looks like a very good tablet for the price, has good features would definitely pick one up if I get a chance. It would make a very good present for my girlfriend as she always wanted something like a nexus 7
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

webdroidmt said:
I just picked up the Pro for $150 beans but haven't opened it up yet. Wally gives you 15 days to return, so I'm gonna' see if the tab gets any XDA love. If it does, I'll still keep my N7 but give my Gtab 2 to my wife replacing an aging Nook Color.
I'm hoping that its similarity to N7 specs makes it easy to root and build roms. I don't even know if the bootloader in locked or not??? Hopefully, some people will start to buy it and we see some development feedback over the next few days. :laugh:
Looks like a pretty solid tab for the bucks and even if the current N7 comes down to about $150, if the Hisense gets any decent dev support, it will still be a good deal with the extra features that aren't available on the N7.
Mike T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am having no luck thus far finding a place locally that I could buy it.. It seems the Wally site is not even showing an option to buy it online, though it is listed on the site. If you get the chance to open it up soon and try it out, PLEASE share your thoughts with us if you are able to.

Luna_Sky said:
I am having no luck thus far finding a place locally that I could buy it.. It seems the Wally site is not even showing an option to buy it online, though it is listed on the site. If you get the chance to open it up soon and try it out, PLEASE share your thoughts with us if you are able to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As mentioned, I'm probably gonna' hold off on opening it for at least a few days. It looks like for the time being, Wally only has it available in-store. Maybe, they're waiting for more allocation from Hisense before they make it avail online. I guess I'm fortunate that I have 2 fairly large Walmart stores within a few miles of each other. Hopefully, you'll find one soon.
If you haven't already seen this, here's another XDA thread you can follow. I'm sure over the next few days, we'll see more people buying them, therefore, more info and hopefully...ROOT! :good:
EDIT: Sorry, forgot the link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2284022
Mike T

Local Walmarts have them. BUT. They keep them "in the back" for some reason and had none on display. Be persistent and it might help to take along a model number and UPC. Crazy good deal so far.

TonyBigs said:
Local Walmarts have them. BUT. They keep them "in the back" for some reason and had none on display. Be persistent and it might help to take along a model number and UPC. Crazy good deal so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I mentioned in a previous post, my local Walmart had them in display cases with other tabs. I guess as usual, YMMV.
Also. forum member tharien has already managed to gain root. Those that are interested, check out link below and please click the thanks button for him. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=41803251&postcount=37
EDIT: Root and CWM recovery have been achieved!
Mike T

Nothing but the Nexus brand for me for as long as I'm with Android. Never used the HDMI on my Iconia and I only used the back camera like 5 times in 2 years. Though I think I'd get this to replace my mother's aging Nook Color. No need to spend extra money on shipping for something that she wouldn't notice.

As someone mentioned earlier - having the SD card is something that a Nexus device is extremely unlikely to ever have, so if there's at least root, I'm probably in for this one.
I'm testing an AT&T Galaxy S 4 right now (coming from my Nexus 4....) and it's a work device, so I can't root. I've actually been impressed with things I'm able to do nowadays without needing root. The only things I'm hating is the notification drawer garbage and ability to use custom lockscreen shortcuts like I have on CM10.1. Other than that, I've been able to do everything I need to get it to look pretty much like my Nexus 4 does. Oh, and being unable to remove the AT&T and Samsung crapware are a pain, too.

I bit the bullet and picked one (the PRO) up today sight unseen.
Holy Crap.
It's a SOLID build, feels good, LOOKS GOOD. Pretty much Pure Google. It does have a Sams and Walmart app on it (which can be EASILY uninstalled). stuck in a 64gb card and.. wow. Oh, incase you wonder, the extra button on the screen... screen shot button.
This is a winner. Just need to find a case for it (It's a TINY bit wider and longer than the N7)

Box UPC
In case anyone else is having trouble with their local walmart looking this up, the actual UPC on the box is: 854098003418
The "Walmart Product Code" (551515189) from Walmart.com came up in their scanner at my local store, sort of, but didn't actually tell if they had any inventory or not. The clerk was nice enough to unlock and check the cases without me needing to ask. They had 4 BTW, 3 now, in Coralville, IA.

This one was in the case, right next to the Nexus 7's and 10's (irony thy name is WalMart) about 15 of the LT and 8 or 9 PRO. Now anyone know of a case that will fit?
Additional irony, stack of Nexus 7 chargers (hi power ones, with usb cable) clearance out at $10.

Just checked it and YouTube it. Looks very nice and all. Nice specs and price (Pro one). I would buy the Pro one if I didn't already have my Nexus 7. With that HDMI, I'll be killing hard in DeadZone on my big led tv. Ty and bookmarked.

Anyone know if this will be sold in Canada? I don't think they are selling it here, at least not yet.
Sent from XDA app

Recommend the G pro 2? Would you buy again? What's to know?

I've kept my eye on the G pro 2 for a while (was about to get the original O G pro, but waited for this to come out). So I'm well aware of the specs, features, reviews, etc. But what I want to know is a real world user's opinion of the device.
Is the phone pretty decent? Any frustrations or quirks to know before trying to get one?
Key questions:
*How is the Mic/voice quality? (sending and receiving during a voice call)
*How is the battery life(I know it depends on usage and habits of the user, but just overall, how would you rate it personally, compared to other current/comparable Android phones)?
*Is it relatively stable and responsive?
*What bothers you about this phone?
*Would you buy it again if you were in the market for a new phone right now?(tells me that you like the phone and are overall happy with it)
I plan on getting a F350(a bit confused with the S/L/etc. acronym endings, can any one shed light?) I want to use it on at&t's network. On paper, and seeing professional reviews, the G pro 2 seems like my phone (1080p 5.9" screen, expandable memory via microsdhc, user replaceable battery, decent camera, etc.) But I want to know, if in practice, the phone is stable/frustration free(relatively speaking), decent real world battery life (if it's competent/comparable at least.. ), hoping that this is not one of those, "you have to root it and install a custom rom in order for this phone to be bearable"- type thing.
My other considerable is the Sony Xperia Z2 (prices are right, even though the screen is smaller and the battery isn't "replaceable"). I didn't want the Samsung Galaxy series due to the smaller screens and bloatware they put on there(note's a great series, but simlar.. bloatware, plus really expensive).
Thanks! I appreciate any input!

these are my questions too..

I came from a Samsung S3 (running CM).
first impressions were: Nice clean looks and lines, it's big (but it's not unwieldy). my wife has a Note 3 and it's about the same. the curve along the back sides makes it more comfortable to hold. Obviously, it's a heavier phone due to size, so your hand might get tired if you're one to use your phone lying down or something.
Screen is fantastic. I have no problems with colour issues with the screen and it's bright enough for me, even outdoors.
Battery life is good. standby can last more than a day. in usage, i was a bit busy yesterday and didn't use it too much, but from 0700 to 2300, i had 63% before i plugged it in. on a more typical day, I'd probably have around 40%. mainly a mixture of whatsapp, a few blogs, games and some TV show watching at lunch.
Camera is decent and acceptable auto focus speed. not a lot of bloatware.
I'm running 10e firmware due to bugs in 10f and waiting for lollipop. 10e is stable. not had problems with it.
problems: it's not widely available and the user base is small. so don't expect any fancy mods/firmwares or anything like that. as such, there's not a lot of accessories for it either outside of LG's own stuff.
My friend has the Z2 (not looked, but isn't the Z3 pricing nearly the same now?), and his camera is better and the battery life is longer due to Sony's Stamina software. display is about the same. If you want a big, stock phone, the LG is great. if you want to play around and like to customise your phone, then i'd go with the Sony.

Thanks for your input Ray-Lee .
I'm on the fence between the two phones, I like the bigger screen on the G pro 2, I haven't held one yet in person, but I don't think I"ll be bothered by it at all. Only thing that really entices me for the Z2 are the current prices for it right now.. for relatively similar specs, smaller screen, but better camera compensates. Honestly, I want the device to work well out of the box.. this is xda and I do play with custom firmwares and roms, but that's more of a result than a mission for me these days.. as in, if the unit runs better/faster/more stable compared to stock(or.. if stock is so horrendous that it must be rooted and flashed to be "decent").

ssnova said:
Thanks for your input Ray-Lee .
I'm on the fence between the two phones, I like the bigger screen on the G pro 2, I haven't held one yet in person, but I don't think I"ll be bothered by it at all. Only thing that really entices me for the Z2 are the current prices for it right now.. for relatively similar specs, smaller screen, but better camera compensates. Honestly, I want the device to work well out of the box.. this is xda and I do play with custom firmwares and roms, but that's more of a result than a mission for me these days.. as in, if the unit runs better/faster/more stable compared to stock(or.. if stock is so horrendous that it must be rooted and flashed to be "decent").
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Click to collapse
Ive been using this phone pretty much since it came out (D838 rooted stock) and the stock Performance is fantastic if im honest it really doesn't need a custom rom unless you want to "mod" alot of things and even then as long as your careful theres still alot you can do with just root, i love this phone so much and its modified enough for my liking without a rom, its fine right out of the box and if you can live without a custom rom (which is really doesnt need that much) i think you'll be as happy as i am with this phone on stock with or without root.
But yes if you do like to flash and mess about alot go with the z2/note3 as there is more options there but this is still a brillant phone.

bjscott55 said:
Ive been using this phone pretty much since it came out (D838 rooted stock) and the stock Performance is fantastic if im honest it really doesn't need a custom rom unless you want to "mod" alot of things and even then as long as your careful theres still alot you can do with just root, i love this phone so much and its modified enough for my liking without a rom, its fine right out of the box and if you can live without a custom rom (which is really doesnt need that much) i think you'll be as happy as i am with this phone on stock with or without root.
But yes if you do like to flash and mess about alot go with the z2/note3 as there is more options there but this is still a brillant phone.
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Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for the assurance. I'm still bouncing around phone options, I guess it just comes down to price (best bang for buck, with expandable memory at least). I'm still considering the G pro 2, but I saw how the GS note 3 has come down a lot in price.
Thanks again!

ssnova said:
Thanks a lot for the assurance. I'm still bouncing around phone options, I guess it just comes down to price (best bang for buck, with expandable memory at least). I'm still considering the G pro 2, but I saw how the GS note 3 has come down a lot in price.
Thanks again!
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I've had both and granted you can mess around with roms and stuff but for pure joy in use i much prefer the g pro 2 its a really really good phone and for the low price you really cant beat it in my opinion unless this phone gets a good recovery and cm11 ill never bother with costom roms ect. For me its perfect on stock the peformence is amazing, to date (about 6 months of owning this phone) the battery still amazes and im yet to see any lag ever!! The ui is amazing, for a phone out of the box you cant beat it if you like music it outputs brillantly im just in love so maybe im a little one sided but i hope whatever you do you will be happy! Let me know!

bjscott55 said:
I've had both and granted you can mess around with roms and stuff but for pure joy in use i much prefer the g pro 2 its a really really good phone and for the low price you really cant beat it in my opinion unless this phone gets a good recovery and cm11 ill never bother with costom roms ect. For me its perfect on stock the peformence is amazing, to date (about 6 months of owning this phone) the battery still amazes and im yet to see any lag ever!! The ui is amazing, for a phone out of the box you cant beat it if you like music it outputs brillantly im just in love so maybe im a little one sided but i hope whatever you do you will be happy! Let me know!
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Click to collapse
I only can agree with that!
I did get mine last week and i am very happy with it! Came from Galaxy Note 2 wich i liked very much but i dont trust Super Amoled Display technology since noone grants you that it will operate more than 3 years with heavy use. I chose this device because it has similar dimensions as the Note 2, stronger hardware, bigger 1080p reliable IPS LCD screen and fabulous 3200 mAh battery.
It's a must have for phablet lovers that want to have a good performing phone with large screen.
After just a few days of use this is my opinion. On software side is everything ok, just the usual Kit Kat problem that bugs lots of users out here, tha lack of having permissions for apps to write to sd card. That was the only thing that bothered me, but thats on Google side. This phone is truly amazing!
Hope that helps the peple to choose the best device for their specific needs. I found mine definitely.

Thank you for the input bhun and derbyshire! I really like the phone and want to get it, but for me the G pro 2 shipped from Asia to the US (I need the F350 model for LTE compatibility), it's about $600, I'm going to wait out just a little longer, it's a bit out of my budget (was hoping to score a phone for less than $450.. Sony Z2 and ZU did fit that for me, but not anymore either, haha).
I'm glad to hear that it's a great phone though(G pro 2), hopefully the prices will come down a bit for the F350 model and I can obtain one soon. Thanks again to all who have contributed!
bhun said:
I only can agree with that!
I did get mine last week and i am very happy with it! Came from Galaxy Note 2 wich i liked very much but i dont trust Super Amoled Display technology since noone grants you that it will operate more than 3 years with heavy use. I chose this device because it has similar dimensions as the Note 2, stronger hardware, bigger 1080p reliable IPS LCD screen and fabulous 3200 mAh battery.
It's a must have for phablet lovers that want to have a good performing phone with large screen.
After just a few days of use this is my opinion. On software side is everything ok, just the usual Kit Kat problem that bugs lots of users out here, tha lack of having permissions for apps to write to sd card. That was the only thing that bothered me, but thats on Google side. This phone is truly amazing!
Hope that helps the peple to choose the best device for their specific needs. I found mine definitely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

The things that bother me about this phone are the poor wifi signal, I can be within a meter of my router and it still fluctuates between 3 and 4 bars. Any less than 4 bars wifi signal seems to have a noticeable impact on browsing performance. I also find the mobile data hotspot a pain, every so often the connection would hang and you would have to turn data off and back on again to get it to work. It seemed to do that every hour or so. Also if the phone gets even minutely warm, the brightness level will restrict itself to between 80% and 90%. I have had 3 LG G Pro 2 and they have all been the same. I also notice some flickering at times, especially when there is a white background on a webpage. I am almost fed up of mine and looking at selling it soon. It does have the potential to be a good phone, and I think all the faults I mentioned could be fixed with a decent firmware update.

I agree with you on wifi reception, its been the worst amongst all the phones i have owned
Sent from my LG-D838 using Tapatalk

Good Buy
It's a good buy switching. Switched from GS5 to this

[Q] Shield 2014 or Nexus 7 2013

I am considering getting a new tablet and I am looking at both the Shield and Nexus 7 (2013). Today I can get the Shield for $240 or the Nexus 7 for $128. Both are 16gb, new and not re-certified. I want a quality everyday tablet that will be supported often and timely. I probably will not stream games from my PC to my tablet. I am concerned about some of the edge cracking and wifi issues the shield seems to have (according to what I've read online). That being said I'm also concerned about the Nexus being over a year old with "out dated" specs. Please provide thoughts, suggestions/recommendations, and comments. Thank you.

I ditched my Nexus 7 2013 because of the screen issues (common with a batch of them, but not all) and I was very happy with it while I had it. Although the price of the Shield is nice, if you don't do anything spectacular with it (like hardcore gaming) then I'd say go with the Nexus.
Either way, you can't go wrong, its up to how much you want to spend.

Just download Nexus 7 II Screen Tester on any of them and they freak out.
I think my shield now has a cracked edge because I dropped it too high onto a soft rug, a bummer when I've dropped my Tab S from about 3 feet onto a concrete sidewalk face down, watch it bounce face up, and only weather a couple tiny dents. Even so, the crack is barely noticeable. I'm more distracted by the little bits of dust and junk that get between the screen and bezel.
Regarding issues, I've had a few, mostly with the pen, but if I'd have to choose between one of these two, NVIDIA seems to have better customer support.

I had the N7 2012, and went through the same issue (along with a 3rd contender, the Nexus 9, although that was quickly dismissed because I don't like the form factor). In my case, I need mobile (LTE) support, so it was kind of a no brainer. The 2013 Nexus 7 LTE **STILL** doesn't have a Lollipop factory image available, much less an OTA upgrade. The WiFi versions got theirs long ago, but not LTE. Grr.
Not that Lollipop is an absolute must for me, but the whole idea of getting quick upgrades is. I'm not going to spend a lot of money on a tablet knowing that any given upgrade may take 3 to 6 months (or more) to filter down to me.
Had the N7 LTE upgrade come out at the same time as the WiFi version, I probably would have opted for the 2013 N7. Like you, I don't really play games, I'm a big fan of the Nexus line, and I gotta say, Wireless charging and NFC support are big plusses in my book. Quick updates are most important to me though, so the Shield won out in the end.

I have both. The N7 feels snappier for every day usage. Why? I dunno. For gaming and the like, the Shield is better. I also like the slightly larger screen, and the colors are more vibrant.

primetechv2 said:
Just download Nexus 7 II Screen Tester on any of them and they freak out.
I think my shield now has a cracked edge because I dropped it too high onto a soft rug, a bummer when I've dropped my Tab S from about 3 feet onto a concrete sidewalk face down, watch it bounce face up, and only weather a couple tiny dents. Even so, the crack is barely noticeable. I'm more distracted by the little bits of dust and junk that get between the screen and bezel.
Regarding issues, I've had a few, mostly with the pen, but if I'd have to choose between one of these two, NVIDIA seems to have better customer support.
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Click to collapse
The crack is a known issue with certain batches of the tablet. I just exchanged mine at microcenter and they didn't give me any trouble, and I'm pretty sure nvidia will swap it for you too if you're outside your return policy.

My Nexus(s) have been handed down or are sitting.
Shield hasn't been put down since it came home basically.
WR

I have both. Currently, I'm using the NST as my daily driver. It's definitely faster... Until it lags and crashes and reboots... Ymmv.
Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using Tapatalk

ailima said:
I have both. Currently, I'm using the NST as my daily driver. It's definitely faster... Until it lags and crashes and reboots... Ymmv.
Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Ditto for me except the devices are reversed. Maybe that's just complete coincidence, or maybe lollipop just likes to do that.

Go for the Shield. I have both and like it a lot more. The hardware is superior, optimized for performance, there's HDMI output and removable external storage (microSD card slot). The battery lasts longer under heavy load even though the display is more intensive, the controller is pretty cool and the stylus isn't a bad option to have. The device tree and kernel source is open and Nvidia releases timely updates. Don't get a deprecated product, go for the Shield.