Related
I'm headed to bestbuy now. gonna pick up a nexus S. Just wanted to know if there are any issues, and what to check for when I have the new device in my hand?
Also a side note. I dont really need 4g, as I dont browse much on my phone. But rumor has it, people are seeing speed boosts on some 3g phones. is the NS seeing these boosts in 4g areas?
Good choice!
I can't think of any issues that you need to be aware of from the onset, apart from some BB stores forcing purchasers to also buy one of their cases. I don't know if they are still trying to do that one, though.
The Nexus S isn't a 4G phone, but I do think it has an HSDPA/HSUPA radio so it can - theoretically - get 7.2 mbps down, which is more than you'll ever need in a handheld device as far as I'm concerned. I can routinely get 4mps download, which is plenty for me.
Enjoy your new phone!
I personally would play around with the phone for 2-3 days as stock (rooting is fine) and see how it is. If everything is okay, then fully go into hacking mode and flash roms, clockwork recovery and do all that other stuff.
Just as a backup plan incase something is wrong with your phone and you need to exchange.
Open it, turn it on IN THE STORE.
Check the screen make sure the screen looks white and not tinted some other color.
Look at the soft buttons, make sure they're all lit up evenly. Test them, especially the back and home buttons. Make sure they work correctly.
Test the volume buttons up/down and also the power button.
That should be all the "hardware" issues people are seeing.
If any of these have issues, ask the person for a different one.
Keep in mind that if you buy the phone at full price you have 30 days to return, but I believe it is only 14 days if you buy the phone subsidized.
irishrally said:
Keep in mind that if you buy the phone at full price you have 30 days to return, but I believe it is only 14 days if you buy the phone subsidized.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 14 days depends on your location. Many states, such as here in California, mandate that all cell phone purchases with service contracts can be cancelled/returned in 30 days.
Hi guys, so my friend needs a new phone but he also has a Dell chrome book which he carries around all the time. The problem is that he is very rational. He definitely wants a smartphone and loves stock Android... So he was going to buy a moto g 4g. After telling my friend about the miracle phone from one plus he really started doubting the moto but now he still wants to buy the moto because he has a got a chrome book and the one plus adds nothing to him over the moto g especially because it is so hard to get an invite and the first preorder ducked and it is 100 euro more... Can someone help me convince him to buy a one plus... Or is he right about his moto g being the smarter buy? Thanks!! Ps you got an invite you don't need, he is your guy
ollielol said:
Hi guys, so my friend needs a new phone but he also has a Dell chrome book which he carries around all the time. The problem is that he is very rational. He definitely wants a smartphone and loves stock Android... So he was going to buy a moto g 4g. After telling my friend about the miracle phone from one plus he really started doubting the moto but now he still wants to buy the moto because he has a got a chrome book and the one plus adds nothing to him over the moto g especially because it is so hard to get an invite and the first preorder ducked and it is 100 euro more... Can someone help me convince him to buy a one plus... Or is he right about his moto g being the smarter buy? Thanks!! Ps you got an invite you don't need, he is your guy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The OnePlus One a miacle phone ? Are you serious ?
The only miracle here is people still buying this phone with all the known problems it has.
this late in the game I would suspect that there are much better buys than the one plus one and the moto g for that matter.
Relayers said:
The OnePlus One a miacle phone ? Are you serious ?
The only miracle here is people still buying this phone with all the known problems it has.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean like the yellow band and the touch screen responsiveness? I thought they fixed those?
Negen+1 said:
this late in the game I would suspect that there are much better buys than the one plus one and the moto g for that matter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah? Like what? In Belgium, even the s4 and nexus 5 cost more than a oneplus-one
ollielol said:
You mean like the yellow band and the touch screen responsiveness? I thought they fixed those?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got my phone in october and it has a big yellow band at the bottom of the sreen. It cant be fix.
I also have various touchscreen problems, random reboots, app crash, custom settings that disappear, same for some widgets, terrible signal reception. Some people have a lot of problem with LTE (I dont). Some people have problem with battery draining (I dont).
They have a terrible customer service, Im still waiting for an RMA (2 weeks ), some people waited 6 weeks for an RMA.
This phone is ONE big mistake.
Relayers said:
I got my phone in october and it has a big yellow band at the bottom of the sreen. It cant be fix.
I also have various touchscreen problems, random reboots, app crash, custom settings that disappear, same for some widgets, terrible signal reception. Some people have a lot of problem with LTE (I dont). Some people have problem with battery draining (I dont).
They have a terrible customer service, Im still waiting for an RMA (2 weeks ), some people waited 6 weeks for an RMA.
This phone is ONE big mistake.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry to hear your misfortune
OnePlusOne will soon get a upgrade to android L
And it's the smartphone with the best design on the market
ollielol said:
You mean like the yellow band and the touch screen responsiveness? I thought they fixed those?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ollielol said:
Yeah? Like what? In Belgium, even the s4 and nexus 5 cost more than a oneplus-one
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Click to collapse
Even the S5 ? What do you expect ? Are you for real ? The Oneplus One is a huge defect toy, thats why its only US$350.00. Its fast, it has an amazing battery life, but that's it.
L
ollielol said:
You mean like the yellow band and the touch screen responsiveness? I thought they fixed those?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not really. My rma'd phone still has a very slight yellow band and touch issues, although its much better now (on acceptable grade), is still far from perfect. My old s3 is far better regarding touch sensitivity.
Its still a beast of a phone in everything else - battery for 2 days and 3gb ram are a whole new level for me.
Sent from my A0001 using XDA Free mobile app
Relayers said:
I got my phone in october and it has a big yellow band at the bottom of the sreen. It cant be fix.
I also have various touchscreen problems, random reboots, app crash, custom settings that disappear, same for some widgets, terrible signal reception. Some people have a lot of problem with LTE (I dont). Some people have problem with battery draining (I dont).
They have a terrible customer service, Im still waiting for an RMA (2 weeks ), some people waited 6 weeks for an RMA.
This phone is ONE big mistake.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry to hear that... Hope you get a new functioning phone soon. Thanks for warning me
Relayers said:
Even the S5 ? What do you expect ? Are you for real ? The Oneplus One is a huge defect toy, thats why its only US$350.00. Its fast, it has an amazing battery life, but that's it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I said s4, of course the s5 is a lot more expensive, are you going to ditch the one plus? Or give it a last try?
I guess I am lucky to get a one plus one with no known issues. I only have access to lte band 4 but I did use the Qualcomm tools to enable the other bands and should be getting access to band 2 soon. I have no yellow colors and touch screen works great. I think most users that do not have issues are not posting in XDA or one plus forums. Only real issue I have is how slow it charges.
Other options might be a zte phone or Dell or other higher end China brands
I came form a N5 and my OPO build date is Oct. No issues what so ever. Love the phone, I still have my N5 to play with the dev version of L. The N5 runs fantastic with L, but I've not used it since I got my OPO. If you can afford the N6, I would certainly get it, but if you don't want to be under the thumb of the carriers, I don't think you can do much better for near the price/features of the One. Also, I got my N5 when it first came out and you would of thought it was the worst made phone in the history of phones. I remember the same thing with the IP5, antenna gate! Most of the people who complain, are very vocal. Most of the people who don't have an issue don't really post. Any of the Samsung have so much bloat on them and its such a pita to get the same functionality you get out of the box with the One.
Yeah certainly true, thanks man! But still they only sold half a million and I keep seeing these complaints pop up since the launch of the OPO in July, maybe part of it is true... And how is your battery life, is it consistent? I a almost planning on selling my LG g2 to my friend and buying the one plus myself if I can get an invite
With so many people having issues, I wonder why I don't have any issues, NEVER had a random reboot. No touch issues whatsoever with any ROM/KERNEL.
I have a very slight yellow band, but its not really noticable compared some of the pictures that I've seen
Hands down the best phone I've ever used
Relayers said:
The OnePlus One a miacle phone ? Are you serious ?
The only miracle here is people still buying this phone with all the known problems it has.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean those problems that only affect a small percentage of the total units sold? The problems that have been blown way out of proportion? It's ridiculous to say the things you're saying about this phone just because you're having a bad experience. You're the minority.
Transmitted via Bacon
---------- Post added at 09:27 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:25 AM ----------
naeem76 said:
With so many people having issues, I wonder why I don't have any issues, NEVER had a random reboot. No touch issues whatsoever with any ROM/KERNEL.
I have a very slight yellow band, but its not really noticable compared some of the pictures that I've seen
Hands down the best phone I've ever used
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's because the overwhelming majority of these phones are perfect, just like any other smartphone, the problems only affect a small number of the overall devices sold.
Transmitted via Bacon
---------- Post added at 09:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:27 AM ----------
ollielol said:
Yeah certainly true, thanks man! But still they only sold half a million and I keep seeing these complaints pop up since the launch of the OPO in July, maybe part of it is true... And how is your battery life, is it consistent? I a almost planning on selling my LG g2 to my friend and buying the one plus myself if I can get an invite
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The battery life is fantastic. The phone is fantastic. Don't listen to the whiners, they make it sound so much worse than it actually is. Every single smartphone on the market encounters bugs and the like. The fact is the people who have problems always stomp their feet and carry on like children, while the majority of the owners who have zero issues just enjoy their device. You don't see people creating threads just to say that their phone is working the way it should, and that's why the overly vocal complainers give the false impression that this phone is a lemon.
Transmitted via Bacon
small percentage of the total units sold? Good one... Sad fanboys.
Relayers said:
small percentage of the total units sold? Good one... Sad fanboys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got proof? Didn't think so.
Transmitted via Bacon
I once did a poll, only about 5 percent of people couldn't use the phone at all, another 30 percent had small bugs but that's CM
I am from India ,Today i say the OnePlus One on amazon for a shocking price and wanted to buy it ,But when i came here Many people reported so many problems and I was afraid that something would have happened..
Actually I am a die hard music fan and listen to so many songs everyday ,i have read the headphone jack is not good and it might not work long ,Is it true or they are just false claims..
And actually i wanted to buy a laptop ,But when i say this device i was so much impressed ,But when i went to reviews i saw many cons and things ,So i got worried and finally landed here
So guys what you say is it wroth more than a lap for me?
And i have a Moto g 2014 now ,But the battery sucks and there is no development ..
Whats your reason to buy this phone?
(Sorry if i am in wrong section)
The phone is great. Like any electronic device sold around the world there are a few defective units, but the vast majority of these phones are perfectly fine. The problem is that if you do get a defective unit, the OnePlus customer service and RMA system is very bad (terrible). But, buying through Amazon should give you good customer protection so I think you should go for it.
Transmitted via Bacon
The phone is totally worth.
I came from Nexus 5 and i have to say its on par or even better than N5. Moto G is not even in its league. Battery life is also good on OPO. It can easily last u a day with moderate usage. And as far as the defect is concerned there are very few defective ones, mine is perfectly fine and even if u receive a defective model u can return it back to Amazon they will refund u the whole amount.
I would say buy the OPO provided u have the invite with u, otherwise its a hard phone to get as invites are scares.
I truly love this phone. You simply can't beat this type of bang for your buck. I will say it is a bit if a gamble. If something turns out to be wrong with the phone, I hear the RMA process is horrible. However I believe that most of the new phones don't have that many problems. Luckily I have no problems at all with mine, the screen didn't even need uv for yellow tint.
Coming from a nexus 4, I love it. Screen is awesome, it's very snappy, and I get GREAT battery life compared to it. I can get almost 7 hrs sot. Also has 64gigs!
Sent from my A0001 using XDA Free mobile app
Don't listen to what others say about a product. Be the one to conclude your own opinions about the product. The headphone jack, there is no problems with it other than OnePlus using the reference design from Qualcomm for the headphone jack but there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Only problem would be that some headsets may not play nice with the phone but this is problems for all phones.
If you want a phone that is relatively cheap compared to the phone's competitors, development community for custom ROMs/Kernels then get the phone.
This phone has superb battery life, specifications at a very nice price.
Damm i got an invite , But i am like 4k short to OPO ,God i wanna buy this phone :crying::crying:
I got 43 hours left ****
Tell me fast should i buy?
I am ready now ,Just need a little more advice ..
Hope i get this after this post ..
Mohdsultan said:
Tell me fast should i buy?
I am ready now ,Just need a little more advice ..
Hope i get this after this post ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Buy it if you don't like it resell it , make up your own mind it's your money
Cholerabob said:
Buy it if you don't like it resell it , make up your own mind it's your money
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am most fearing is Dead pixel's and yellow tint ,That's it
I am sure to buy ,but i called amazon and asked any service center in india they say "No"..
OPO are opening them next year
^That thing just stopped me .....
Edit:How much ram do you get ,like available to you and memory?
The One plus just launched 5 days back in India ( I know, its 5 months late). A friend of mine ordered the phone and it looks like an absolute peach!!
Don't get me wrong, I've turned down a swap for a new Iphone 6 with my phone, with there seems to be something about the One Plus!! I love my phone, but is the One Plus better ?
All its specs are better than the Nexus 5 on paper, but I wanna know if you guys have used them both and whats your view on it. If I sell my Nexus ( which turn 1 yr on 25 Dec), it'll get the same price as for a new One Plus, so do the economics of switching make sense?
Many Thanks
TarunN5 said:
The One plus just launched 5 days back in India ( I know, its 5 months late). A friend of mine ordered the phone and it looks like an absolute peach!!
Don't get me wrong, I've turned down a swap for a new Iphone 6 with my phone, with there seems to be something about the One Plus!! I love my phone, but is the One Plus better ?
All its specs are better than the Nexus 5 on paper, but I wanna know if you guys have used them both and whats your view on it. If I sell my Nexus ( which turn 1 yr on 25 Dec), it'll get the same price as for a new One Plus, so do the economics of switching make sense?
Many Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hardware wise the OnePlus is the better one clearly, software wise (the relationship between OnePlus and Cyanogenmod is kinda cooling off) i think the Nexus 5 has the better firmware. Especialy if the Oppo software (color rom) may be implemented on the OPO in the future, though development may compensate that off course. Me personaly i prefer a phone that i can buy instead of hoping on a invite and i don`t know how complaints and defects are beeing handled by the chinese company. Check out the OnePlus One Forum here on XDA for more info.
Oneplus' warranty return process is a bit of a joke apparently. @Theshawty can attest to that. That said, he's had both and would probably say get the OPO. Not sure what it will be like for AOSP though.
gee2012 said:
Hardware wise the OnePlus is the better one clearly, software wise (the relationship between OnePlus and Cyanogenmod is kinda cooling off) i think the Nexus 5 has the better firmware. Especialy if the Oppo software (color rom) may be implemented on the OPO in the future, though development may compensate that off course. Me personaly i prefer a phone that i can buy instead of hoping on a invite and i don`t know how complaints and defects are beeing handled by the chinese company. Check out the OnePlus One Forum here on XDA for more info.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a few friends who have invites with them, so that's not the issue. Like you pointed I am wary of how the customer service will be. Never had to use LG's service though, haven't had to send this to the shop!!
Any color on how the device is to use ? Usually the hardware specs are only 50% of the job done, phones usually pop up with small problems when using them everyday that you don't get in the instruction manual!!
Would be great to hear some guys who have used both
Stikc with da N5 bro
I own both, both are great phones but 1+ is a better phone. Stock CM11 software works like a champ. No issues. Bigger screen, great camera, very elegant big phone, 64g memory. You can also run experimental lollipop but in US/Canada everyone has a problem with VM notification, kinda works in Europe. Glitches remain. Overall - get One Plus.
Obviously between the two, the one plus one is the better buy (bang for the buck)
TarunN5 said:
The One plus just launched 5 days back in India ( I know, its 5 months late). A friend of mine ordered the phone and it looks like an absolute peach!!
Don't get me wrong, I've turned down a swap for a new Iphone 6 with my phone, with there seems to be something about the One Plus!! I love my phone, but is the One Plus better ?
All its specs are better than the Nexus 5 on paper, but I wanna know if you guys have used them both and whats your view on it. If I sell my Nexus ( which turn 1 yr on 25 Dec), it'll get the same price as for a new One Plus, so do the economics of switching make sense?
Many Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive had the OPO and decided to go back to my N5. The best thing i found about the OPO is the battery life, its an absolute beast, but i am not a fan of the software on it. I know its cyanogen mod, but theres so many bugs and glitches that it just doesn't do it for me as a daily driver. The other reason i sold it is because of the size. OPO might only seem like a tad bigger, but i hated not being able to use it with 1 hand.
Ended up selling it, going back to the N5. Not happy about the battery life, but its stable, comes from a reputable company and warranty is great. Thats another thing, if you need to RMA the product you'll fine quite the wait.
TarunN5 said:
The One plus just launched 5 days back in India ( I know, its 5 months late). A friend of mine ordered the phone and it looks like an absolute peach!!
Don't get me wrong, I've turned down a swap for a new Iphone 6 with my phone, with there seems to be something about the One Plus!! I love my phone, but is the One Plus better ?
All its specs are better than the Nexus 5 on paper, but I wanna know if you guys have used them both and whats your view on it. If I sell my Nexus ( which turn 1 yr on 25 Dec), it'll get the same price as for a new One Plus, so do the economics of switching make sense?
Many Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had to make the same decision a few weeks back and decided to go with the N5, reasons:
(1) Phone size: The N5 feels better in my hand, OPO is too big (my hands are not small )
(2) OS: I wanted to go with stock Android, hence N5 easier choice, whereas you can flash stock Android also to OPO I assume
(3) OPO itself: OPO just launched and its their first phone, hence customer service etc. is not that great (you got XDA though for help), the phone itself is better than the N5 hardware wise
At the end I chose the N5 with the thought that I normally use any phone 2-3 years and I would estimate that the One Plus Two (or whatever name it will have) will launch some time end of next year/beginning of 2016, hence fits into this timeline.
btw: also thought about N6, but same issue with size (and price tag)
rootSU said:
Oneplus' warranty return process is a bit of a joke apparently. @Theshawty can attest to that. That said, he's had both and would probably say get the OPO. Not sure what it will be like for AOSP though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd say the OnePlus One IF (and only IF) you can get a fault free version. Their warranty return process (and the whole "support") is a joke.
It would be a side grade at best. However if you don't one hand your phone and want something bigger it might be worth the swap. More battery and more storage space (64GB version) are the advantages, the SoC is a tad faster but nothing you would notice as N5 is already as fluid as it gets.
Thanks guys, I think I'll wait for a bit and try to use my friends One Plus for a few days. But seems the general opinoin is to stick with the Nexus
I'm using OPO n it's amazing earlier used Nexus4. as many said already 5.5in may be a bit big in size but after using a day r two u'll love the display of 5.5 in.
I'm fully satisfied with OPO. Don't know guys who said OPO is too big what they say about Nexus6
Sent from my A0001 using XDA Free mobile app
Note 4 Story
Why this thread? Short background - I am building a '61 Chevy Bubbletop, and have a thread in a Chevy fourm that I have been posting pics, etc. Have had a lot of interest and helpful feedback. I thought it would be fun, and maybe helpful to some (maybe even me), so here goes.
I will have the phone in hand Monday. So first, background on my Note 4, and what I'm hoping to experience with the V20.
I have come to the point that I prefer to not install ROMs. I find that typically, no matter how great and stable everyone says a ROM is, it always has some issue of some kind. (Of course even stock ones do to).
So I went a long time w/o rooting or applying a ROM. I finally just had to have root. So I sold my AT&T Note 4 (couldn't root it), and purchased a T-Mobile Note 4 which could be rooted. I rooted it and used like that for quite a while.
I am one that uses a LOT of apps. (The phone is to use, no?) And with that comes more memory use, and lag. The phone got so laggy I just had to try a ROM. I tried 2-3 with varying success. I finally tried Maximum Overdrive's ROM for the Note 4 (he is now working on a ROM for the V20).
It was like a different phone. Fairly fast, not near as much lag. It has allowed me to extend the life of the phone over the past year. In fact, it works well enough that I wonder how smart I am spending several hundred dollars for a new phone.
So why the new phone? I moved to Florida a year and half ago, and AT&T's data here sucks ripe lemons. I'm going to move to Verizon. (My daughter has them, and we have compared speeds etc., and Verizon is much better here).
Choosing the V20
It has been a few months that I have been on the watch for my next phone. I won't bore you with the long story of that...just a few details.
One of my 'must haves' for the next phone was to have 6GB of memory...due to my high application load. Over time my highest priority switch from 6GB of memory to capability to use a phone on both GSM and CDMA (read that AT&T/Verizon) networks. That way I can tergiversate regarding carriers.
So, some of my top phone choices dropped off the list. In fact, pretty much all of them except for the US996.
Concerns
I do have a few concerns about the V20 that I hope will be alleviated quickly:
Battery - I've been reading posts regarding battery and it does not sound good. Since moving to the Max Overdrive ROM on the Note 4, my battery is unbelievable. I'd hate to go downhill with this phone. This may be something that necessiates rooting.
Camera Lens - I'm sure everyone knows why this is a concern
Performance - I read, for the most part, that this phone performs well. But I also read a lot of complaints about LAG. Ugh...my high app use may make this a likely scenario for me
Camera - I see some complaints about low light pics. But I've seen a lot of praise for the camera as well
Initial Plans
Once I get all apps installed, and data imported/restored for those that need it, I plan to use it stock for at least 30 days and see how it goes. Depending on how it goes, especially related to the concerns above, I'll either keep it and move forward, or return it.
I'll start out with it on AT&T. May hold off moving to Verizon until I pass the 30 day return availablility.
Rooting
I would really like to root the phone. But, as that the only way to unlock the bootloader is via the LG site for this phone, I don't know if I will or not...at least this early with the phone. Why does that make a difference? Will lose warranty, as they indicate that on the LG site where you go to get it unlocked.
Apply Rom?
Given that there is a Maximum Overdrive rom for the V20, you'd think I would want to put that on. Actually, this is true...but he is only making one for the 918, as that is the phone he has. So, I will miss out on that honey.
I have read some positive info on a couple others out there, but do see constant issues, even with just rooting. It's not near as smooth as a Samsung (I base that opinion on the issues I see here vs. have experienced with the Samsung). So, I'm skittish about doing anything to it. Given the 996 unlocking flags the phone as out of warranty, I fear that a bricked phone will be a several hundred dollar loss.
Summary
So, looking forward to getting the phone and seeing how it goes, and having fun communicating here about the journey.
ewingr said:
Note 4 Story
Why this thread? Short background - I am building a '61 Chevy Bubbletop, and have a thread in a Chevy fourm that I have been posting pics, etc. Have had a lot of interest and helpful feedback. I thought it would be fun, and maybe helpful to some (maybe even me), so here goes.
I will have the phone in hand Monday. So first, background on my Note 4, and what I'm hoping to experience with the V20.
I have come to the point that I prefer to not install ROMs. I find that typically, no matter how great and stable everyone says a ROM is, it always has some issue of some kind. (Of course even stock ones do to).
So I went a long time w/o rooting or applying a ROM. I finally just had to have root. So I sold my AT&T Note 4 (couldn't root it), and purchased a T-Mobile Note 4 which could be rooted. I rooted it and used like that for quite a while.
I am one that uses a LOT of apps. (The phone is to use, no?) And with that comes more memory use, and lag. The phone got so laggy I just had to try a ROM. I tried 2-3 with varying success. I finally tried Maximum Overdrive's ROM for the Note 4 (he is now working on a ROM for the V20).
It was like a different phone. Fairly fast, not near as much lag. It has allowed me to extend the life of the phone over the past year. In fact, it works well enough that I wonder how smart I am spending several hundred dollars for a new phone.
So why the new phone? I moved to Florida a year and half ago, and AT&T's data here sucks ripe lemons. I'm going to move to Verizon. (My daughter has them, and we have compared speeds etc., and Verizon is much better here).
Choosing the V20
It has been a few months that I have been on the watch for my next phone. I won't bore you with the long story of that...just a few details.
One of my 'must haves' for the next phone was to have 6GB of memory...due to my high application load. Over time my highest priority switch from 6GB of memory to capability to use a phone on both GSM and CDMA (read that AT&T/Verizon) networks. That way I can tergiversate regarding carriers.
So, some of my top phone choices dropped off the list. In fact, pretty much all of them except for the US996.
Concerns
I do have a few concerns about the V20 that I hope will be alleviated quickly:
Battery - I've been reading posts regarding battery and it does not sound good. Since moving to the Max Overdrive ROM on the Note 4, my battery is unbelievable. I'd hate to go downhill with this phone. This may be something that necessiates rooting.
Camera Lens - I'm sure everyone knows why this is a concern
Performance - I read, for the most part, that this phone performs well. But I also read a lot of complaints about LAG. Ugh...my high app use may make this a likely scenario for me
Camera - I see some complaints about low light pics. But I've seen a lot of praise for the camera as well
Initial Plans
Once I get all apps installed, and data imported/restored for those that need it, I plan to use it stock for at least 30 days and see how it goes. Depending on how it goes, especially related to the concerns above, I'll either keep it and move forward, or return it.
I'll start out with it on AT&T. May hold off moving to Verizon until I pass the 30 day return availablility.
Rooting
I would really like to root the phone. But, as that the only way to unlock the bootloader is via the LG site for this phone, I don't know if I will or not...at least this early with the phone. Why does that make a difference? Will lose warranty, as they indicate that on the LG site where you go to get it unlocked.
Apply Rom?
Given that there is a Maximum Overdrive rom for the V20, you'd think I would want to put that on. Actually, this is true...but he is only making one for the 918, as that is the phone he has. So, I will miss out on that honey.
I have read some positive info on a couple others out there, but do see constant issues, even with just rooting. It's not near as smooth as a Samsung (I base that opinion on the issues I see here vs. have experienced with the Samsung). So, I'm skittish about doing anything to it. Given the 996 unlocking flags the phone as out of warranty, I fear that a bricked phone will be a several hundred dollar loss.
Summary
So, looking forward to getting the phone and seeing how it goes, and having fun communicating here about the journey.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just so you know att only has a 14 day return policy
jerrycoffman45 said:
just so you know att only has a 14 day return policy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know. I purchased from B&H Photo. Besides. AT&T doesn't sell the 996, I don't think.
But thanks for the warning. Had I purchase it from them, and expected 30 days, it would have been a pain to learn the hard way that I can't return it if I decide to.
I had the Note 3, 4 then 7 and this phone is larger than all 3. I just recently switched from Sprint and traded in my s7 edge for the V20 and I am happy so far. I purchased a OtterBox Defender case for the phone and with it installed I no longer have any worries of the camera glass, the case is very solid. Plus I left the factory plastic on the camera which people say will help if the phone was to be dropped.
Good luck!
I had been anxiously awaiting the Note 7. At the time 6GB memory was the top of my 'must have' list. So, when it came with 4GB, I was disappointed and decided to watch for a while. Then we know what happened.
I've actually been very interested in chasing some of the better priced competitors, such as Axon 7 or OnePlus 3t. But both the cameras were rated poorly, and then are GSM only.
But, I'm getting tired of these $800 prices. Rumor now is 1K for the Samsung 8.
I ended up purchasing an open box V20 from B&H, has full factory warranty. Got it for 675, no tax, no shipping.
ON the case, I have been using a Bestbuy PLatinum case, which comes with a belt clipped holster, and a kickstand in the case itself. Been great for me. Coming from IT and needing the phone on my at all times, and not wanting to fight the pocket, I used that.
Turns out it is made by Seido, and they have the same for the V20. It arrived from Amazon today. I'll add some pics when I get the phone and get it set up.
This story will continue. Hopefully it will be a pleasant one.
ewingr said:
Note 4 Story
Why this thread? Short background - I am building a '61 Chevy Bubbletop, and have a thread in a Chevy fourm that I have been posting pics, etc. Have had a lot of interest and helpful feedback. I thought it would be fun, and maybe helpful to some (maybe even me), so here goes.
I will have the phone in hand Monday. So first, background on my Note 4, and what I'm hoping to experience with the V20.
I have come to the point that I prefer to not install ROMs. I find that typically, no matter how great and stable everyone says a ROM is, it always has some issue of some kind. (Of course even stock ones do to).
So I went a long time w/o rooting or applying a ROM. I finally just had to have root. So I sold my AT&T Note 4 (couldn't root it), and purchased a T-Mobile Note 4 which could be rooted. I rooted it and used like that for quite a while.
I am one that uses a LOT of apps. (The phone is to use, no?) And with that comes more memory use, and lag. The phone got so laggy I just had to try a ROM. I tried 2-3 with varying success. I finally tried Maximum Overdrive's ROM for the Note 4 (he is now working on a ROM for the V20).
It was like a different phone. Fairly fast, not near as much lag. It has allowed me to extend the life of the phone over the past year. In fact, it works well enough that I wonder how smart I am spending several hundred dollars for a new phone.
So why the new phone? I moved to Florida a year and half ago, and AT&T's data here sucks ripe lemons. I'm going to move to Verizon. (My daughter has them, and we have compared speeds etc., and Verizon is much better here).
Choosing the V20
It has been a few months that I have been on the watch for my next phone. I won't bore you with the long story of that...just a few details.
One of my 'must haves' for the next phone was to have 6GB of memory...due to my high application load. Over time my highest priority switch from 6GB of memory to capability to use a phone on both GSM and CDMA (read that AT&T/Verizon) networks. That way I can tergiversate regarding carriers.
So, some of my top phone choices dropped off the list. In fact, pretty much all of them except for the US996.
Concerns
I do have a few concerns about the V20 that I hope will be alleviated quickly:
Battery - I've been reading posts regarding battery and it does not sound good. Since moving to the Max Overdrive ROM on the Note 4, my battery is unbelievable. I'd hate to go downhill with this phone. This may be something that necessiates rooting.
Camera Lens - I'm sure everyone knows why this is a concern
Performance - I read, for the most part, that this phone performs well. But I also read a lot of complaints about LAG. Ugh...my high app use may make this a likely scenario for me
Camera - I see some complaints about low light pics. But I've seen a lot of praise for the camera as well
Initial Plans
Once I get all apps installed, and data imported/restored for those that need it, I plan to use it stock for at least 30 days and see how it goes. Depending on how it goes, especially related to the concerns above, I'll either keep it and move forward, or return it.
I'll start out with it on AT&T. May hold off moving to Verizon until I pass the 30 day return availablility.
Rooting
I would really like to root the phone. But, as that the only way to unlock the bootloader is via the LG site for this phone, I don't know if I will or not...at least this early with the phone. Why does that make a difference? Will lose warranty, as they indicate that on the LG site where you go to get it unlocked.
Apply Rom?
Given that there is a Maximum Overdrive rom for the V20, you'd think I would want to put that on. Actually, this is true...but he is only making one for the 918, as that is the phone he has. So, I will miss out on that honey.
I have read some positive info on a couple others out there, but do see constant issues, even with just rooting. It's not near as smooth as a Samsung (I base that opinion on the issues I see here vs. have experienced with the Samsung). So, I'm skittish about doing anything to it. Given the 996 unlocking flags the phone as out of warranty, I fear that a bricked phone will be a several hundred dollar loss.
Summary
So, looking forward to getting the phone and seeing how it goes, and having fun communicating here about the journey.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
About Battery>> Remember that a) you will be dealing with a phone with IPS screen instead of AMOLED (this has a huge impact on the battery). b)the amount of apps that you have (specially those that requires to sync in the background are often part of the issue of battery drainage (my v20 used to last up to 7+ or 8+ with screen on with just about 7 user apps and the rest system apps, now i have 85 user apps + the system apps which make my phone last about 5+ hours screen on). On the other hand, The Doze mode of this phone is INSANE!!!! OUTSTANDING! With screen off your phone can easily last a day or even two (if you like to listen to music with pandora or Spotify >>> it will still last a lot with screen off).
About Camera Lens>> This is just an opinion but im starting to believe that the camera lens sensitivity is just to a small percent of the stock. Believe me when i tell you that i have throw my phone so hard to the wall (by accident) and with that kind of pressure (even with the poetic revolution cover) it should have made the glass of the camera crack (not to mention my phone has fell a lot). On the other hand, do not remove the plastic it comes with , just to be safe.
About Performance>> The phone is fast but just like any other phone, regardless of the processor, or the amount of ram, it has its limits. Thus, at the beginning i had a blazing fast LG V20. But put 85 user apps inside any phone and see how this will change lol. IT still fast. But every once in a while i experience a little lag. But that is just when i have only 500+mb left of ram. ( how can i know my ram quickly? OvrDrive Rom has the ram bar)
About Camera>> The camera does become slower when you are at very dark environments. But many report, including me, that using manual mode and adjusting it to your liking will make it very fast. I believe the issue is the automatic mode. Although sometimes for me the automatic mode in the dark works great. Also, some people report their photos looking like water paint (it does happen to me only with the wide angle camera. Not very often, but it does)
Now, if you are looking for developments and all that, this phone seems to be going in the right direction. We pretty much have root for every variant, we have some custom stock roms, and also we have LineageOS, Resurrection Remix, and AOKP among others so far for almost every variants.
Appreciate the input. We'll see how my experience goes.
I have a comment/reply or two in blue down in the quote of your response.
jinkerz9430 said:
About Battery>> Remember that a) you will be dealing with a phone with IPS screen instead of AMOLED (this has a huge impact on the battery). b)the amount of apps that you have (specially those that requires to sync in the background are often part of the issue of battery drainage (my v20 used to last up to 7+ or 8+ with screen on with just about 7 user apps and the rest system apps, now i have 85 user apps + the system apps which make my phone last about 5+ hours screen on). On the other hand, The Doze mode of this phone is INSANE!!!! OUTSTANDING! With screen off your phone can easily last a day or even two (if you like to listen to music with pandora or Spotify >>> it will still last a lot with screen off).
Yup. All understood. My comparison will be to my almost 3 year old Note 4. It has all the apps I will have on the V20, Doze mode (Max Overdrive ROM), etc. This has a just barely smaller battery than the Note 4 (which is disappointing...would prefer a fatter phone with fatter battery). So, I would hope the processer is more efficient, and in the end, at least as good on battery as my Note 4.
About Camera Lens>> This is just an opinion but im starting to believe that the camera lens sensitivity is just to a small percent of the stock. Believe me when i tell you that i have throw my phone so hard to the wall (by accident) and with that kind of pressure (even with the poetic revolution cover) it should have made the glass of the camera crack (not to mention my phone has fell a lot). On the other hand, do not remove the plastic it comes with , just to be safe.
I will definitely have the phone in cases. Hopefully I'll have same experience as you.
About Performance>> The phone is fast but just like any other phone, regardless of the processor, or the amount of ram, it has its limits. Thus, at the beginning i had a blazing fast LG V20. But put 85 user apps inside any phone and see how this will change lol. IT still fast. But every once in a while i experience a little lag. But that is just when i have only 500+mb left of ram. ( how can i know my ram quickly? OvrDrive Rom has the ram bar)
I'm sure it has it's limits. I do abuse them, with lots of apps. MOre than 85, I'm sure. I do have a tendency to freeze apps I don't use often. But of course that requires root. With the Maximum Overdrive ROM on my Note 4, the lags aren't too bad. I'm thinking (hoping) that this phone will shine in comparison to my Note 4 with the better specs.
About Camera>> The camera does become slower when you are at very dark environments. But many report, including me, that using manual mode and adjusting it to your liking will make it very fast. I believe the issue is the automatic mode. Although sometimes for me the automatic mode in the dark works great. Also, some people report their photos looking like water paint (it does happen to me only with the wide angle camera. Not very often, but it does)
I use some modes other than automatic on my Canon. I'm excited to see the capabilities of the camera on this phone. With an understanding of shutter and aperture as an advantage, maybe I'll be very happy with it.
Now, if you are looking for developments and all that, this phone seems to be going in the right direction. We pretty much have root for every variant, we have some custom stock roms, and also we have LineageOS, Resurrection Remix, and AOKP among others so far for almost every variants.
If only Overdrive developed for the 996, I would know what ROM to use. I will likely hold off on ROMS for a while. I still see lots of folks struggling with the ROMS and reporting issues or help needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tomorrow...the journey begins
SHAMELESS PLUG, to remind everyone that not everyone has 800$ to throw at a phone upfront.
I was in your boat. I had my eyes dead set on the US996.
Did my research and ended up on the H918.
Look at the ROM development, it's flooded with H918 support.
Will the US996 pick up traction and have as much support as the H918? Who knows.
I even wanted the dual sim, but that isn't even rooted if my memory serves correctly.
Regardless, this phone is stellar.
WETA rom has an US996 version, which I'd definitely recommend. I have my eyes on Max Overdrive, NATF and Resurrection remix, but after flashing WETA, i wouldn't change a thing.
Best of luck to you, m9.
Thanks for the best luck wishes.
I am seeing more dev for the 996. I am hopeful that I'll be happy with it stock. Although, I really want Root, so I may give in.
One thing for sure, it is confusing having all various models in the same forums, and most folks don't indicate which model they are on.
ewingr said:
Appreciate the input. We'll see how my experience goes.
I have a comment/reply or two in blue down in the quote of your response.
Tomorrow...the journey begins
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah i would say that Max ovrdrive and Weta are the 2 most stable ones regarding stock roms. Have you tried to talk with OvrDrive ? The h918 and US996 are pretty much alike in all the aspects except some frequencies added to the us996. Maybe you can be a tester for the us996 version. But yeah, first try the phone for a while without any root until the 14 days or possibly some more days are over. If you decide to keep it, then you can jump into the v20's board lol . By the way, you said that you rather a fatter phone? I have seen some battery replacements from third party brands such as zero lemon (which is usually a great brand that produces great batteries) their batteries have way more mah than the original battery from the v20. But it comes with a cost that you might get along with them. It requires to put a very fat case to the phone. I personally dont like it but if you dont care about how fat it looks then you coupd go for it.
I didn't personally talk to Overdrive, but it was asked in his thread of his ROM would work on the 996, and his reply was he would not be supporting it as he does not have one. I too have noticed that ROMs are working on more than one model.
I'll wait and see how the stock battery works out before I go try a fatter one. I'm hoping to stay in the Seido case and belt clip I had already purchased.
Good news/Bad news
Bad news first...but not that bad
I won't have the phone in hand until late Thursday, instead of today
Now the great news
I'll have a brand new phone instead of open big phone, and will sane $175.
I went to Phandroid a bit ago and they announced a sale of the V20 at B&H for $499.99. I had paid $675 for the open box. I called B&H to see if they would refund the difference. Nope. Buy the sale phone and return the open box phone.
Fine with me ?
ewingr said:
Bad news first...but not that bad
I won't have the phone in hand until late Thursday, instead of today
Now the great news
I'll have a brand new phone instead of open big phone, and will sane $175.
I went to Phandroid a bit ago and they announced a sale of the V20 at B&H for $499.99. I had paid $675 for the open box. I called B&H to see if they would refund the difference. Nope. Buy the sale phone and return the open box phone.
Fine with me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my v20's price was practically speaking $331 dollars Brand new sealed . Because of the promotion of the $200 off and the earphone of $149 plus an extra earphone ($149) sent to me from the defective lg v20 returned. I think im going to finish of paying by the 27 of this month
tl;dr version: If I see a US996 for sale that says it "only works with US Cellular" do I take the seller's word for it, or do I know better that the US996 is unlocked for all carriers if you have the right SIM card?
"I've got time" version:
I too am considering a journey from a Note 4 to a US996.
I'm on Verizon, and I just dropped my Note 4 Dev Edition (not that the DE means anything now that the BL unlock was released), cracking the LCD and rendering the digitizer useless. A new(ish) Note 4 is around $200... so I wouldn't bother replacing the screen on my otherwise well-used phone. PS... The phone was in a case, in a belt holster (Spigen Slim Armor / Seidio respectively) and a tempered glass screen protector. ugh.
If it wasn't obvious from my owning a Developer Edition phone... I like to have an unlocked bootloader and root. I had CM13 installed on the Note 4 because TouchWiz was so far behind in a lot of ways. So, I'm considering a V20. I'd rather spend a little more and get a phone that has a SUPPORTED BL unlock method. The Verizon V20 version can be BL unlocked via a hack with a debug bootloader, but it's irreversible and that may lead to issues with being painted into a corner. Enter the US996.
So, I started researching the V20, making sure that there was stable bootloader unlock method, the dev base for ROMs is strong, the reviews are good, etc... and I came across some sales that say that the phone is ONLY for US Cellular. Is this true? The US996 is the unlocked version, correct?
I tried to navigate LG's and USC's websites to get a model number and some info... but I'm not seeing it. Could US Cellular have somehow SIM-locked the phone so that only USC's SIMs work in it? Or... does the seller just not know any better, or wants to play it safe by saying it will only work with the carrier listed?
Thanks for the help! Also... anyone switching from the Note 4, please let me know what you miss. I use my stylus a lot for drawing or annotating on pictures and screenshots... so I think it will be the hardest thing to give up if I go to a V20 or other stylus-less phone.
DrPhant0m said:
tl;dr version: If I see a US996 for sale that says it "only works with US Cellular" do I take the seller's word for it, or do I know better that the US996 is unlocked for all carriers if you have the right SIM card?
"I've got time" version:
I too am considering a journey from a Note 4 to a US996.
I'm on Verizon, and I just dropped my Note 4 Dev Edition (not that the DE means anything now that the BL unlock was released), cracking the LCD and rendering the digitizer useless. A new(ish) Note 4 is around $200... so I wouldn't bother replacing the screen on my otherwise well-used phone. PS... The phone was in a case, in a belt holster (Spigen Slim Armor / Seidio respectively) and a tempered glass screen protector. ugh.
If it wasn't obvious from my owning a Developer Edition phone... I like to have an unlocked bootloader and root. I had CM13 installed on the Note 4 because TouchWiz was so far behind in a lot of ways. So, I'm considering a V20. I'd rather spend a little more and get a phone that has a SUPPORTED BL unlock method. The Verizon V20 version can be BL unlocked via a hack with a debug bootloader, but it's irreversible and that may lead to issues with being painted into a corner. Enter the US996.
So, I started researching the V20, making sure that there was stable bootloader unlock method, the dev base for ROMs is strong, the reviews are good, etc... and I came across some sales that say that the phone is ONLY for US Cellular. Is this true? The US996 is the unlocked version, correct?
I tried to navigate LG's and USC's websites to get a model number and some info... but I'm not seeing it. Could US Cellular have somehow SIM-locked the phone so that only USC's SIMs work in it? Or... does the seller just not know any better, or wants to play it safe by saying it will only work with the carrier listed?
Thanks for the help! Also... anyone switching from the Note 4, please let me know what you miss. I use my stylus a lot for drawing or annotating on pictures and screenshots... so I think it will be the hardest thing to give up if I go to a V20 or other stylus-less phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure what to say. Can you link the one you are looking at? I think by only work with US Cellular, they MAY (I don't know) mean a U.S. Carrier, ie. Verizon, AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile, as opposed to the company US Celluar.
One thing you need to be aware of for the US996...the only way, right now, that it can be bootloader unlocked is by going to a LG site to get an unlock code from them. At that point it will lose warranty. Due to that, I'll be holding off on unlocking for a while. At least, that is my current plan.
Only thing I miss is the stylus going from the note 3 to the v10.
Though I suppose I don't miss the stylus that much since I jumped from the v10 to v20 instead of going back to the note series.
I would love to see lg put some effort into it and make a stylus based top end model instead of putting a stylus version as a middle model. I was hoping the v series would feature a stylus and the g series be a non stylus version but alas it hasn't happened.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
evo4g63t said:
Only thing I miss is the stylus going from the note 3 to the v10.
Though I suppose I don't miss the stylus that much since I jumped from the v10 to v20 instead of going back to the note series.
I would love to see lg put some effort into it and make a stylus based top end model instead of putting a stylus version as a middle model. I was hoping the v series would feature a stylus and the g series be a non stylus version but alas it hasn't happened.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But i think that LG is trying not to copy other brands such as samsung. For this reason they should limit the amount of resemblance between the features of each phone. Thus, there are just a handful of LG's with stylus in comparison to the note series . After all i doubt LG wants to experience the same thing that happened with samsung been sued by apple, and then apple been sued back by samsung (quite a hilarious story though lol) but if i had a company such as LG, i would definitely not want to even put a step in court for a battle that can easily last more than a month of constant interventions and proofs and etc... and could easily cost me 100+ or 200+ millions. In a lg v20 , i believe the stylus is not a necessity (Even for people that would love to have stylus for the v series). On the other hand, one could buy one of this or similars:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1xTouch-Scr...485550?hash=item33c8e075ee:g:0RkAAOSwIgNXmXla
and see if there is an application that resembles what one can do with the note's stylus. you will definitely wont find one that will be exactly the same. But maybe similar and who knows maybe better.
DrPhant0m said:
tl;dr version: If I see a US996 for sale that says it "only works with US Cellular" do I take the seller's word for it, or do I know better that the US996 is unlocked for all carriers if you have the right SIM card?
"I've got time" version:
I too am considering a journey from a Note 4 to a US996.
I'm on Verizon, and I just dropped my Note 4 Dev Edition (not that the DE means anything now that the BL unlock was released), cracking the LCD and rendering the digitizer useless. A new(ish) Note 4 is around $200... so I wouldn't bother replacing the screen on my otherwise well-used phone. PS... The phone was in a case, in a belt holster (Spigen Slim Armor / Seidio respectively) and a tempered glass screen protector. ugh.
If it wasn't obvious from my owning a Developer Edition phone... I like to have an unlocked bootloader and root. I had CM13 installed on the Note 4 because TouchWiz was so far behind in a lot of ways. So, I'm considering a V20. I'd rather spend a little more and get a phone that has a SUPPORTED BL unlock method. The Verizon V20 version can be BL unlocked via a hack with a debug bootloader, but it's irreversible and that may lead to issues with being painted into a corner. Enter the US996.
So, I started researching the V20, making sure that there was stable bootloader unlock method, the dev base for ROMs is strong, the reviews are good, etc... and I came across some sales that say that the phone is ONLY for US Cellular. Is this true? The US996 is the unlocked version, correct?
I tried to navigate LG's and USC's websites to get a model number and some info... but I'm not seeing it. Could US Cellular have somehow SIM-locked the phone so that only USC's SIMs work in it? Or... does the seller just not know any better, or wants to play it safe by saying it will only work with the carrier listed?
Thanks for the help! Also... anyone switching from the Note 4, please let me know what you miss. I use my stylus a lot for drawing or annotating on pictures and screenshots... so I think it will be the hardest thing to give up if I go to a V20 or other stylus-less phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been thinking a bit. I know I saw in a thread somewhere about the US996 being the same model for the Unlocked and for a carrier (don't recall if it was US Cellular). I think the key is 'Unlocked'. Maybe you should put your question in it's own post. May bet more input, from someone who knows for sure.
Thanks for the replies. Take a look at this auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/381960164377
The seller says they are an authorized US Cellular reseller… so it seems they'd know. And I doubt that they'd distort the truth about the phone being unlocked just to keep USC customers. So maybe there are US996s out there that are locked to USC. It doesn't make sense that there'd be a carrier-locked version of the US996 sold by LG… so maybe USC is locking them. Perhaps I'll ask the seller.
I ended up ordering a "like new" note 4 for $200 before I found out that B&H was selling the US996 for $300 off retail, and now I've missed that deal. So hopefully this Note4 really is in new condition and it will serve long enough for me to try out a V20 while the price drops again somewhere else.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
Update… this is the response I got from the seller:
Thank you for your question. We are not selling the phone as compatible with other carriers or carrier-unlocked. We can't guarantee that the phone will work with an another carrier. We are only saying the phone will work with the carrier US Cellular. We can only guarantee that it works with US Cellular.*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you all think?
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk