Overall love - Elephone S8 Real Life Review

Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Elephone S8, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Elephone S8 is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!

too much problem

I have no problems at all:
Fast speed (I don't play games)
64gb is enough for me (10gb in use)
4gb is enough for me
Usb-c audio jack adapter works well
YouTube works (I don't use Netflix)
I don't use Facebook (Facebook playback issue)
Camera works well with "Google camera app" ver. 7.0
Screen and body is perfect designed
Weight is normal
Finger sensor is fast
Operation system is clean
GPS works well with only GPS (don't use 4G/3G for navigation)
Listen Music over Bluetooth, it's important to first connect the device and then restart the music app
Wish a nice day

Much the same situation. S8 is my third and last Elephone. My S7 was fine and still is after passing on to my wife. I wanted the big 2K screen and the 21MP camera. I got the big beautiful display but basically a useless camera. The S8 is now my mini tablet used for web browsing, ebook reader, email and occasional Youtube and it works fine for that. I gave up on it as a carry around phone after trying to take a video of a baby turtle release while on vacation in Mexico, a "once in a lifetime experience". Unwatchable with the continual hunting for focus. I have replaced it as a phone with a 5 inch screen, Helio X20, 3GB, 32GB (with a 128GB SD card) Kodak phone and a 21 megapixel camera that actually works ! It is very disappointing that Elephone has not tried to fix the camera bug since last October and I doubt that an Oreo upgrade is at the top of anyone's list. I have not tried Google Camera 7.0 and will not bother because I have my very good replacement. Shame because I could have bought a very good 7 inch tablet for less money to do the same thing.

I have to say this phone has exceeded my expectations in every way.
* Battery life is amazing once you remove the spyware. 2-3 days of normal use for me, and that's with Life-360 on all the time. No idea how much SOT but I'd guess double my old Oneplus One..
* That screen .... I never get tired of it. Really the design as a whole is far above what I was expecting in a cheap phone.
* Fingerprint sensor is super fast and reliable
* The OS seems solid as a rock. I've seen no problems with calls, wifi or bluetooth, and it hasn't crashed on me once.
As for the supposed cons:
* No notification LED is no problem - just configure the NoLED app and it's brilliant.
* Likewise the camera seems fine on mine. I used Open Camera for a few minutes and it seems just the same as my old Oneplus.
* I don't see any of the video sync issues people talk about either. I don't use netflix so maybe that's still broken but ... look, it's 2018, get yourself a VPN and live free.
* If you're into action games the decacore CPU sucks down juice like there's no tomorrow. In fact, no today. But I don't play action games. A little Monument Valley 2 on the way to sleep maybe.
I expect this will be my daily driver for at least the next 2 years. Loving it.

Plowmanx said:
I have to say this phone has exceeded my expectations in every way.
* Battery life is amazing once you remove the spyware. 2-3 days of normal use for me, and that's with Life-360 on all the time. No idea how much SOT but I'd guess double my old Oneplus One..
* That screen .... I never get tired of it. Really the design as a whole is far above what I was expecting in a cheap phone.
* Fingerprint sensor is super fast and reliable
* The OS seems solid as a rock. I've seen no problems with calls, wifi or bluetooth, and it hasn't crashed on me once.
As for the supposed cons:
* No notification LED is no problem - just configure the NoLED app and it's brilliant.
* Likewise the camera seems fine on mine. I used Open Camera for a few minutes and it seems just the same as my old Oneplus.
* I don't see any of the video sync issues people talk about either. I don't use netflix so maybe that's still broken but ... look, it's 2018, get yourself a VPN and live free.
* If you're into action games the decacore CPU sucks down juice like there's no tomorrow. In fact, no today. But I don't play action games. A little Monument Valley 2 on the way to sleep maybe.
I expect this will be my daily driver for at least the next 2 years. Loving it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you remove the Spyware?
I'm guessing you rooted your phone but your still using stock rom?

No need to root the phone, just install ADB and then https://forum.xda-developers.com/elephone-s8/how-to/beware-com-adups-fota-myapplication-t3741622
BragaisG said:
How did you remove the Spyware?
I'm guessing you rooted your phone but your still using stock rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Does anyone screen suffer from bright spots that is more noticeable on white backgrounds?

The only problem I have is the WiFi.
I have a 50 mb connection. Near the router it's ok. But move any bit away and it's so slow. In the kitchen, I get 0mb. It's so frustrating.
On all of the other phones in the house, they have perfect wifi.
Is there any fix for this?
Other than this, the phone is really good

Related

[Q] Samsung Galaxy pro

hi
I am thinking to buy the Samsung Galaxy pro
I read many review and specfication but dint find any information about its ARMV
and on some sites there is a debate that it has got secondary camera or not
and does the adobe flash player works same as it runs on samsung galaxy s
plz clear my douts
thanx.........
I just got one... it does not have any secondary camera.... But let me tell u... i feel that its one of the best android mid range phone in the market... i know its not one of the prettiest looking but it surely is one carrying a good processor speed and RAM
@gauravkittz: Congrats on your new phone!
I am also looking at this phone seriously so I hope you don't mind a couple of questions.
In pinoytechblog {can't post links yet, so just google it), the reviewer posted that the Facebook app has the icons on both side cut off by the screen edge and arcMedia player won't display in landscape mode.
Can you comment on both these point? It's not like I want to use arcMedia player, but I just want to know if there are incompatibitlity with some programs existing for this device.
Next, what's your battery life like? If Samsung had included 1500 mA battery instead 1350 mA, it would have been the BOMB! but would really appreciate any estimate.
How's the music playback with the earphones provided with the set, and how many hours of music playback can the set handle?
Well, I hope you can give me some of the answers for the questions mentioned, and any shameless promoting of the handset is also welcome!
Thanks in advance!
I picked my Samsung Galaxy Pro up on Thursday and am really enjoying it.
The 800 Mhz processor and memory seem to buzz along quite comfortably and I seldom have any slowdowns or freezes.
I have not found Adobe Flash Player in the Market, and when I log onto market.android.com and try installing it from there I get a message saying it is not compatible with my device.
The battery life is comparable to my HTC Desire GSM in an average day's use (with skype running all the time)
The device was bought from a Three store in the UK and is network locked to Three UK.
Something also to note is that the Android version is 2.2.2 rather than the 2.2.1 as advertised on the Samsung and Three website.
If you have any more questions post them here or on Twitter @Todoleo, I'll do my best to get back to you asap.
@ todoleo: Thanks for the reply.
Can you by any chance comment on a certain complaint by a customer in some website (which I forgot about) that there is no call accept and call end button and he had a hard time ending calls? It sound so stupid on paper, and looking at the phone, there is not call accept and call end button, but I always assumed that there were on-screen equivalent...
Can you give some numbers regarding battery life? I know that battery life is directly affected by how you use the phone, but gmarena user reviews gave such conflicting information, I thought I would ask you for some clarification.
Lastly, regarding Flash, I do remember reading in some website that the phone is Flash 10.1 compatible and some people claim to be able to play youtube vids direct from websites; are the misinformed or is it confirmed that the phone is Flash incompatible?
Thanks for all you help! Flash is not the deal breaker for me. Battery life is more important. If I can get some positive confirmation about the rumored 600+ standby time - or even a third of the time mentioned - I'll be very happy.
drussthelegend said:
@ todoleo: Thanks for the reply.
Can you by any chance comment on a certain complaint by a customer in some website (which I forgot about) that there is no call accept and call end button and he had a hard time ending calls? It sound so stupid on paper, and looking at the phone, there is not call accept and call end button, but I always assumed that there were on-screen equivalent...
Can you give some numbers regarding battery life? I know that battery life is directly affected by how you use the phone, but gmarena user reviews gave such conflicting information, I thought I would ask you for some clarification.
Lastly, regarding Flash, I do remember reading in some website that the phone is Flash 10.1 compatible and some people claim to be able to play youtube vids direct from websites; are the misinformed or is it confirmed that the phone is Flash incompatible?
Thanks for all you help! Flash is not the deal breaker for me. Battery life is more important. If I can get some positive confirmation about the rumored 600+ standby time - or even a third of the time mentioned - I'll be very happy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as battery life is concerned I can explain how I use the phone and how long the battery lasts. I am a heavy user and always have 3g/umts switched on with Skype+seesmic+gmail+gtalk running in the background.
When I get up and go to work, I unplug the phone and use it all day for calls, texts and data. When I get home in the evening, I still have battery left to do sofa surfing while watching tv. As far as I am concerned the battery life is similar to the HTC Desire and the ZTE Blade: enough to get me through a day.
The phone has no green and red call hardware buttons. The Software does have start and end call buttons. I believe the proximity sensor kicks in when in a call because when I move the phone from my ear to look at the screen the screen turns on and I do have an end call button to press onscreen.
So far I have not been able to install or run flash on the device, but I'll look into it and let you know.
Feel free to ask any more questions!
keyboard backlight
The keyboard backlight turns off after about 20 secs unlike the display which can be set. It is annoying when you sms in the dark... Anyone experience this problem...?
matt
matteosg said:
The keyboard backlight turns off after about 20 secs unlike the display which can be set. It is annoying when you sms in the dark... Anyone experience this problem...?
matt
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What happens when you press an arrow key? You don't type anything and the screen keeps on.
I don't have the pone yet but I think it would be a solution...
Phonearena review:
http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Samsung-Galaxy-Pro-Review_id2736
i just got the device, and it seems OK
screen is not the best with small text for my eyes
no flash support is a bummer although it was mentioned that it will support it over at GSMARENA.com
altogether the device is neat, and beats some blackberry devices with one hand
right now i have only one concern, how to update the software as there isnt Kies support!
i got mine recently. its an awesome phone. keyboard is snappy for messaging, phone calls sounds good for both parties. SipDroid works a charm. ummm, yeah as a phone its really really good. If you want a smart phone with a large screen, perhaps its not for you. but if you spend most of you time using a phone or sending messages, its very good. little apps work, things like skype work. ability to create VPN's back to your home systems (avoiding the phone networks) works. Google maps with the GPS etc. For me, the screen size is fine - i suspect the next gen will be bigger. I've never really bothered with twatter or facebook etc and its nice to have a phone by default where these aren't in your face.
basically, it works and I think works very well. My previous phone was a smartphone with oodles of processing and a large touch screen but I found I never used most of its potential and as I have a tablet (of which tethers happily to the samsung on 3G) for large screen browsing i recommend this phone!
Here you have a review that I made few days ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXUecPyNNhM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uenK3POdaKI
you knows how and where you can unlock Samsung Galaxy Pro B7510 ?
I found the cheapest on the auction in allegro Poland is something like ebay. 39.99 PLN = £ 8.81
i purchased galaxy pro 1 month before..
bought it in 11700/- in bangalore,, after barganing..
this one is ma firsy android phone so it feels me nice..
camera and video both quality is really good ..
processor is also really fast...
sound quality is good...
touch is good..
i got sm prb related to this one..
1. battery- battery is not as expected.. it's discharged within 12 hours..
if i started using it from morning 10 to 8 then it ll okkk..
2. phone memory- in built memory is also low.. only 181mb
so cant install many full version games at a time..
ram - ram is 279mb.. ram is good,, not bad..
overall phone is good..
only the prb is battery..
otherwise its a best phone wid in this range..
robin1429 said:
i purchased galaxy pro 1 month before..
bought it in 11700/- in bangalore,, after barganing..
this one is ma firsy android phone so it feels me nice..
camera and video both quality is really good ..
processor is also really fast...
sound quality is good...
touch is good..
i got sm prb related to this one..
1. battery- battery is not as expected.. it's discharged within 12 hours..
if i started using it from morning 10 to 8 then it ll okkk..
2. phone memory- in built memory is also low.. only 181mb
so cant install many full version games at a time..
ram - ram is 279mb.. ram is good,, not bad..
overall phone is good..
only the prb is battery..
otherwise its a best phone wid in this range..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can install apps on the SD. Go to Settings/Applications...
The RAM is 512mb but Android needs memory to be loaded. For this reason you "only" have 279Mb of RAM. If we could install some cooked ROM we would have more RAM but I don't know if this phone will be as successful as for it. It's soon for this, I think.
xfox said:
i just got the device, and it seems OK
screen is not the best with small text for my eyes
no flash support is a bummer although it was mentioned that it will support it over at GSMARENA.com
altogether the device is neat, and beats some blackberry devices with one hand
right now i have only one concern, how to update the software as there isnt Kies support!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It should be supported...
nrbuitenhius said:
It should be supported...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think QVGA resolution isn't supported...
I have been playing with my Galaxy Pro these past days. This is what i noticed.
1. Battery
I have an app called Battery indicator and OSMonitor which indicate the percentage of battery left. I charged the phone while it is switched off up to 100%. I switched it on without the plug. The app read 97%. And after five minutes, it dropped to 93%. Then it jumped to 87%. Then stayed 87% for a long time. I don't know what is the logic of these apps. Of course you cannot see the % in the notification bar. It just show the battery image, no percentage. So samsung might have intentionally not put the % so users will not complain. I will inform you later what is the actual time till it is dead.
2. Samsung IM App
Samsung is nice to include this. But only YM, Windows Messenger and Google talk? No Facebook?. Also, when using the app, you have no option to hide offline contacts.
3. Some apps cannot be seen in the Market
The reason could be that the app does not support the phone's resolution. I have android before and playing Words with friends. I cannot see this phone in the market.
I've heard ther's no kies support?
what does this mean?no updates?
I'm trying to understand if it's better value for money than the htc chacha
am sure chacha will be more expensive than galaxy pro. But 600Mhz processor? If the battery is significantly longer, I may shift.
Update regarding battery. In my third day of Galaxy pro, it passed 16hours of moderate to heavy use. This includes always online in Trillian (chat client with YM/FB)... Ocassional web surfing, sms.. No music/video yet as am still testing this as messenging machine...
I have my portable battery with me so i can charge it anywhere.. though, I home there will be a higher capacity battery available out there. 16hours of continous use is acceptable for me..

Does anyone else feel like Kit Kat is a very buggy OS and not ready for release?

I love my new nexus 5. The hardware is amazing. But it stops there. Kit Kat is complete junk. Keeps on crashing. Things like YouTube doesn't even work correctly. My signal keeps dropping. So many features missing. It just feels like Google rushed in making the latest version. Anyone else feel this way?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Nope. Everything works smooth and fast for me
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
99% of the time all is good BUT you know this is a NEXUS device?! We are the beta testers. There will be issues.
nope.. nexus 5 plus kitkat make the killer android experience..
Everything works well to me, no problems, i think that it's definitely better than JB 4.3.
I come from a Gnex.
I've actually found that apps like Facebook and anything that requires scrolling really works much more smoothly on the Nexus 5. In terms of the OS, I must say I haven't really enountered any bugs myself, apart from Google Services using up 30% of my battery.. but I think I have fixed that now. I am really happy, and so is my 41 year old mother that has one too :silly:
I've had none of those problems.
I too have yet to find a bug. I admit that I do expect bugs, but not really found one yet,.
everything very nice here thank you
My only issue with Kit Kat and the Nexus 5 has been with Location Reporting - other than that Kit Kat feels slick and polished. Haven't experienced anything you of the issues you complained about.
Overall it's been great. Very fast and smooth.
YouTube and Google Now are the only things giving me problems so far. Google Now is worse on KitKat for me.
No issues so far
I've no problems so far. It has captured bug reports at times, but for what I never checked. Feels like an upgrade to jelly bean for me.
Ben36 said:
Nope. Everything works smooth and fast for me
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try doing a force media scan. I bet the process will crash...
Try changing radio bands via *#*#4636*#*# under phone information menu. i bet i will crash...
try selecting an mp3 as alarm ring-tone.. using the app best alarm you cant were as before with jelly bean you could...
try watching netflix without earbuds... you can barely hear it..!
the phone over heats when using wireless charging pads.
exchange processes crash all the time
spontaneous reboots galore
speakerphone sound just sucks
colors are washed out...
if its true that this is a phone for beta testers, the Google shouldn't market it for the main stream buyers like me. i just want a nice phone (hardware wise this phone is) that works...
returning the Nexus 5 today and going back to Samsung even if it costs double the money. My galaxy s2 lasted me around 3 years and cant complain about it...
jzsax1 said:
Try doing a force media scan. I bet the process will crash...- Never had to do this before
Try changing radio bands via *#*#4636*#*# under phone information menu. i bet i will crash... - That's been broken since 4.1 IIRC
try selecting an mp3 as alarm ring-tone.. using the app best alarm you cant were as before with jelly bean you could... - Using Sleep as Android I can select an mp3 just fine. Seems that app hasn't been optimized for 4.4. That isn't the phones fault.
try watching netflix without earbuds... you can barely hear it..! - No issues here
the phone over heats when using wireless charging pads. - Never used one
exchange processes crash all the time - I've had no crashes
spontaneous reboots galore - Never even had one random reboot.
speakerphone sound just sucks - Speaker is perfectly fine on my end. Coming from an S3, it's a huge step up
colors are washed out... - No, they're not. They're a more accurate reproduction than AMOLED panels or other oversaturated displays.
if its true that this is a phone for beta testers, the Google shouldn't market it for the main stream buyers like me. i just want a nice phone (hardware wise this phone is) that works...
returning the Nexus 5 today and going back to Samsung even if it costs double the money. My galaxy s2 lasted me around 3 years and cant complain about it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Responses in bold. Maybe you should re flash the stock image and see if that fixes any of your problems. I have literally had NONE of the problems you mentioned. And this screen destroys the S3s in every single way.
piratefinn said:
I've no problems so far. It has captured bug reports at times, but for what I never checked. Feels like an upgrade to jelly bean for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That happens when you push vol up + vol down + power at the same time. There are a lot of issues with cases making this happen. Still trying to find a way to disable it.
ive had force closes. but whatever. it's a very nice phone.
No issue for now whit stock rom, very few FC with custom rom, fine by me
Not at all. Polar opposite. It's the most polished android os yet imo
NX5
Well, my issues are:
a) Screen wakes for no apparent reason from time to time. Cannot pinpoint a trigger.
b) Google Services using plenty of battery, as well as just last night, on airplane mode, 11% 'Device Idle' usgae in 7 hours.
c) Sound on video recordings is EFFED.
Other than these, overall I am happy. I am confident updates will fix these.
jzsax1 said:
Try doing a force media scan. I bet the process will crash...
Try changing radio bands via *#*#4636*#*# under phone information menu. i bet i will crash...
try selecting an mp3 as alarm ring-tone.. using the app best alarm you cant were as before with jelly bean you could...
try watching netflix without earbuds... you can barely hear it..!
the phone over heats when using wireless charging pads.
exchange processes crash all the time
spontaneous reboots galore
speakerphone sound just sucks
colors are washed out...
if its true that this is a phone for beta testers, the Google shouldn't market it for the main stream buyers like me. i just want a nice phone (hardware wise this phone is) that works...
returning the Nexus 5 today and going back to Samsung even if it costs double the money. My galaxy s2 lasted me around 3 years and cant complain about it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not for beta testers per se... but nexus started as development phones and kinda a guide for manufacturers. samsung never followed that guide which has made the development communities rather frustrated, but why should they, samsung make cpu's that do more per clock cycle than the competition, unless you buy a usa phone where they just use the same processors as the competition.
samsung makes fantastic hardware. if i had an i9100 with nfc i'd be using it today with it's low res screen and all. perfect phone. not too big, and basically defined all phones after it, from nfc, to usb OTG, to mhl. it was a great phone then they went all crazy with the rom on the s3 and s4.
even the samsung nexus phones weren't quite what their own line were.
the nexus brand is a bare feature set that manufacturers can work from. and lg makes a pretty piss poor build quality (opinion, some say the same about samsung, those people are wrong of coarse ), but i like the feature set without it getting gimmicky (but s-beam is cool, makes more sense to use wifi with nfc being more of a trigger, android beam seems like they missed out on something pretty obvious.) it's not a bad phone but not a ground breaking device either. the screen does wash out with viewing angle more than some other lcd type screens but for $350 did you expect pixel density as well as a high qulity panel? and maybe you are used to amoled, i am, but i think the nexus screen looks as it should. the phone is delicate, the camera firmware needs work.. these are all true things. but some of what you describe is probably cause for an RMA. the speaker, that's a build defect. not all of them are like that and mine is as loud as any phone i ever owned (louder actually but i never had a "one") so there are 2 things you can cross out because they may take it under warranty. my phone doesn't over heat on my samsung Qi charger, it work perfectly, there is slight heating but that is expected for putting an inductive coil on osmetihng that contains metal parts... no overheating on mine, just comfortable warmth.... are you using a cheap charger? there is a communication standard that is part of QI and the phone regulates the transmitter output with feedback, it's possible that some of the cheap chargers aren't following the Qi standards. as far as the alarm app not working, well it's a new os, interfaces change, things break, deal with it untill the market place catches up. that's like upgrading windows and the printer stops working... if the phone reboots it may be a hardware defect, you should RMA the phone or i'm sure someone will buy it from you.

[Q] Are the Zgpax S6 and the CL-W211 the same smartwatch?

I have recently seen an explosion of new Android phone/ smart watches coming to market from China, all with similar specs. I am interested in buying the CL-W211 which just came out. When reviewing the specifications I notice that they are almost exactly the same as the Zgpax S6, and even on one website on one of the pictures of the CL-W211 you see the S6 model number - Are these two watches one and the same?
Also, I find it very odd that both smartwatches seem very close in appearance to the Samsung Galaxy Gear - Could this be a preview of what the Samsung Galaxy Gear Solo is going to look like?
If anyone already owns one, I would love to hear what they think about the device.
If there are any of you who might be interested in this type of Android tech, here are the specifications of the CL-W211:
Android: Android OS v4.04.
GPS: Built in GPS. Support A-GPS, GLONASS
Networks:
Band 2GGSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz.
Band 3G: WCDMA 850MHz/1900MHz/2100MHz
Wifi: 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth Version: 4.0
SIM card: Single SIM Card Single Standby
Memory card: Support 32G
Single Camera: 2.0MP
CPU: MTK6577. CPU Frequency: 1.0GHz (Dual Core)
RAM: 512MB.
ROM: 4GB
Battery Capacity: 700mAh
Standby Time: About 2~3 days
LCD Size: 1.54 inch, 240×240 pixel OGS capacitive screen ( for iPad Mini screen )
Net Weight: 66g (Including battery)
Dimension: 60×43×17mm
Looks the same to me.
I received my Zgpax S6 three days ago, pretty satisfied with it so far.
Good reception on all radios: about the same as any other android phone I've used, really, which is impressive given the size.
Easy to root.
Very fast processor, gets out of and back into deep sleep quickly, so good standby life
Surprising app compatibility. Stock versions of apps like Soundcloud, Pandora, Kindle, Youtube, Slingbox, and plenty of others reformat themselves to the screen size well, though there are rare issues where you have to be a bit clever. Got Google Voice Search working with a fix from the S5 thread, and others have Google Now launcher working. I'm using ADW launcher with a 4x4 grid.
Uses a long-style micro USB (8mm), regular micro USB cables will bump up against the outside of the watch. You can get extras online if you search for "8mm micro usb".
Big, but not too big. I have small arms/wrists and it still looks reasonably normal on me.
Good speaker/mic, but calls can sound a little quiet. There might be a way to boost this but I haven't looked into it. Media sounds good and loud. Bluetooth audio and calling works very well.
Because the processor is so fast, it can blow through the battery quickly if you run something that does a ton of processing and prevents lower power states from being entered for a long time. For instance, you can run pandora or soundcloud for hours and hours without draining the battery too much, and Youtube isn't too bad, but something live like streaming video or radio will make it hot and angry in just a few minutes.
The headset/earbuds it comes with (which connects through that extended micro-usb port, there's no 3.5mm jack) is actually pretty well made. It improves FM reception, too, which sounds great on local stations.
All of the software and fixes for the S5 work on the S6, so this thread is still extremely useful:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2575556
jordanManfrey said:
Looks the same to me.
I received my Zgpax S6 three days ago, pretty satisfied with it so far.
Good reception on all radios: about the same as any other android phone I've used, really, which is impressive given the size.
Easy to root.
Very fast processor, gets out of and back into deep sleep quickly, so good standby life
Surprising app compatibility. Stock versions of apps like Soundcloud, Pandora, Kindle, Youtube, Slingbox, and plenty of others reformat themselves to the screen size well, though there are rare issues where you have to be a bit clever. Got Google Voice Search working with a fix from the S5 thread, and others have Google Now launcher working. I'm using ADW launcher with a 4x4 grid.
Uses a long-style micro USB (8mm), regular micro USB cables will bump up against the outside of the watch. You can get extras online if you search for "8mm micro usb".
Big, but not too big. I have small arms/wrists and it still looks reasonably normal on me.
Good speaker/mic, but calls can sound a little quiet. There might be a way to boost this but I haven't looked into it. Media sounds good and loud. Bluetooth audio and calling works very well.
Because the processor is so fast, it can blow through the battery quickly if you run something that does a ton of processing and prevents lower power states from being entered for a long time. For instance, you can run pandora or soundcloud for hours and hours without draining the battery too much, and Youtube isn't too bad, but something live like streaming video or radio will make it hot and angry in just a few minutes.
The headset/earbuds it comes with (which connects through that extended micro-usb port, there's no 3.5mm jack) is actually pretty well made. It improves FM reception, too, which sounds great on local stations.
All of the software and fixes for the S5 work on the S6, so this thread is still extremely useful:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2575556
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply and preliminary review. I am glad your watch is working so well, and I am excited for the arrival of mine in mid to late September. Thanks also for the link to the tricks/ fixes for the S5, which should come in handy. If I may, two additional questions:
- Is the Play Store preinstalled?
- Can you use it to tether (do you have access to all the Android settings)?
Thanks again for your feedback!
probstc said:
- Is the Play Store preinstalled?
- Can you use it to tether (do you have access to all the Android settings)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes and yes
jordanManfrey said:
Looks the same to me.
I received my Zgpax S6 three days ago, pretty satisfied with it so far.
Good reception on all radios: about the same as any other android phone I've used, really, which is impressive given the size.
Easy to root.
Very fast processor, gets out of and back into deep sleep quickly, so good standby life
Surprising app compatibility. Stock versions of apps like Soundcloud, Pandora, Kindle, Youtube, Slingbox, and plenty of others reformat themselves to the screen size well, though there are rare issues where you have to be a bit clever. Got Google Voice Search working with a fix from the S5 thread, and others have Google Now launcher working. I'm using ADW launcher with a 4x4 grid.
Uses a long-style micro USB (8mm), regular micro USB cables will bump up against the outside of the watch. You can get extras online if you search for "8mm micro usb".
Big, but not too big. I have small arms/wrists and it still looks reasonably normal on me.
Good speaker/mic, but calls can sound a little quiet. There might be a way to boost this but I haven't looked into it. Media sounds good and loud. Bluetooth audio and calling works very well.
Because the processor is so fast, it can blow through the battery quickly if you run something that does a ton of processing and prevents lower power states from being entered for a long time. For instance, you can run pandora or soundcloud for hours and hours without draining the battery too much, and Youtube isn't too bad, but something live like streaming video or radio will make it hot and angry in just a few minutes.
The headset/earbuds it comes with (which connects through that extended micro-usb port, there's no 3.5mm jack) is actually pretty well made. It improves FM reception, too, which sounds great on local stations.
All of the software and fixes for the S5 work on the S6, so this thread is still extremely useful:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2575556
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also tried root the S6, but I have problem with TWRP, touch screen doesn´t work, in this case I can´t instlall new ROM. How did you solve it? Have you same problem as me?
TWRP and GPS
lizzy1 said:
I also tried root the S6, but I have problem with TWRP, touch screen doesn´t work, in this case I can´t instlall new ROM. How did you solve it? Have you same problem as me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the exact same problem, worse, when I reset it gets stuck on the TWRP screen. I installed the Modified UI and the touch still doesn't work, the buttons don't work either.
My biggest issue is my GPS can't get a lock, it's like plus or minus 3 miles. My EPO won't download, any ideas?
Installed the Windows launcher, I Love it now.
ZGPAX S6 = CL-W211 smartwatch
I just received my ZGPAX S6 today (labelled CL-W211), and here are my first impressions:
Pros:
- Bloatware free, full Android 4.04
- Screen is bright, easy to read and responsive
- Device has decent performance for such modest specifications
- So far all the features tested have work. I still have to test the GPS.
- Speaker quality is excellent
Cons:
- Battery life is terrible, especially if you use many of the phone's features at once
- WiFi reception is very weak
- Build quality is not the best and makes you wonder about durability
- Chinese instructions and power plug were useless and a bit of a joke considering where the device was being shipped to
I think this watch phone has potential, and will serve me well as a proof of concept until more sophisticated models are released.

Samsung S7 to Pixel

I'm curious if there are any forum members that replaced the Samsung S7 with the Google Pixel. I have one pre-ordered and I'm glad for the wait, but I would like to hear from those that are moving from Samsung to this phone. I've had stock Android before with the Nexus 6P. How do the two compare as far as battery life, photos and day to day functionality.
I've seen the YouTube reviews, but they are mixed and who knows if they are paid reviews.
Sent from my SM-G930V using XDA-Developers mobile app
Here are my first impressions. I posted this originally on TheVerge
Setup of this phone was the fastest I have ever done. More apps are taking advantage of the Google Drive backups and using the cable to plug directly into my S7 Edge allowed me to move over 3.3 GB of data in 3 minutes. Additionally I had to install 92 more apps which seemed to just fly through. I had to sign in to a few but DashLane helped speed that process up
No more grinding down to a stall when installing apps. One thing that annoyed me about pretty much all Android devices especially the S7 Edge was the fact the entire system will just slow down to almost a complete standstill when apps where updating. Not the Pixel, didn't even realize app updates where happening in the background. I can actually use my phone while an app is updating.
Hey look! The Pixel can charge my Galaxy S7. This may come in handy in a crunch with my iPhone
It is still going to take me a while to get used to the button placements on the Pixel after using the S7 which had them reversed. I still think there are capacitive buttons in there to sometimes as I press the non functional chin.
Wow my Tile now works correctly. It ill now ring my phone when I press the button like it is supposed to do. This feature never worked on the S7 Edge.
Whatever DAC their using in this phone sounds great. Had me lit on Young Jeezy driving to work. However, where is the damn equalizer?
I prefer Action Launcher to the Pixel Launcher. Swiping for the shortcuts seems more intuitive than long pressing.
Built in Visual Voicemail is sweet. Maybe I can finally stop using Google Voice for VM. I would like transcription though which would be nice.
I dig the notification sounds
Fingerprint sensor is so much better than the S7 Edge
Double Tap to open an notification at the lockscreen. Geez here have you been all my life. Its the small things.
All in all I'm liking this phone. After being in the Samsung camp for my past 2 phones S6 Edge and S7 Edge I am happy to be back to the Googlish way of doing Android.
I came from a Samsung Galaxy S7 and love it. I am on Verizon but I bought my Pixel from the Google Store. Battery life for me anyway is better despite having a smaller battery in the Pixel. I could definitely get 2 days out of this phone. I am a light to medium user. I am actually sick at home so I haven't tried out the camera much. I thought I would miss at first some of TouchWiz features, but I don't miss them at all. Day to day use: everything works great as expected from a high end smartphone. No issues yet. I am glad I made the jump. The stock ui is a nice to have back. I had the Nexus 5 a while back. Glad to be back to Google's stuff. I do miss the waterproofing though. But I will manage.
Bruce,
Thanks. I'm a medium to heavy user. I normally put 2.5 to 3 hours of screen on time daily and I make it through the day. I look forward to getting the pixel at the end of November. I trying to wait for Google and other break down and order from Verizon.
Sent from my SM-T700 using XDA-Developers mobile app
I was a die hard Samsung user. I had the S4, S5, S6 and the S7. Before that I had the first Nexus out. When I heard about the Google Pixel and that it was high end hardware I thought I'd give it a try and get back to the Google Android experience. Since I've had it I love it and am not looking back. Battery life is better, it is more responsive, camera is great. I too thought I'd miss some of the features on the S7 but not the case at all. I see this phone offers a lot of good features out of the box and very customizable.
Don't regret the move at all.
Edit: and the fingerprint sensor is more accurate and responsive.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers mobile app
HeCareth said:
Here are my first impressions. I posted this originally on TheVerge
Setup of this phone was the fastest I have ever done. More apps are taking advantage of the Google Drive backups and using the cable to plug directly into my S7 Edge allowed me to move over 3.3 GB of data in 3 minutes. Additionally I had to install 92 more apps which seemed to just fly through. I had to sign in to a few but DashLane helped speed that process up
No more grinding down to a stall when installing apps. One thing that annoyed me about pretty much all Android devices especially the S7 Edge was the fact the entire system will just slow down to almost a complete standstill when apps where updating. Not the Pixel, didn't even realize app updates where happening in the background. I can actually use my phone while an app is updating.
Hey look! The Pixel can charge my Galaxy S7. This may come in handy in a crunch with my iPhone
All in all I'm liking this phone. After being in the Samsung camp for my past 2 phones S6 Edge and S7 Edge I am happy to be back to the Googlish way of doing Android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never have any problem with my S7 edge with exynos as far as phone stalling....
---------- Post added at 05:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:15 AM ----------
for what its worth, the S7 edge is the only phone right now with the longest lasting battery. I had the I7 for a month and would constantly have to charged by 5 pm everyday (unplug at 7) my S7 edge would get through 8-9 pm with 41% left. Honestly, the only thing that hold me back from getting the pixel 1. its made by HTC 2. no Always on display. 3. IP68 rating 4. dual speakers...my S7 edge and i'm sure S7 exynos variant can be flash to utilize dual speakers.
I had the 6p a while back too, if its not for the snapdragon 810 with the 28mm architecture, I would've kept the phone, Samsung perfected the 14mm architechture with their in-house chip and its a wonderful experience now.
Things I miss from the S7:
- Wireless charging
- microSD card capabilities
- Folders in the stock app drawer (fixed with Nova Launcher, paid version)
- Charging status LED (fixed with Light Manager, free version)
- Gear S2 capabilities (moved onto Android Wear, but still)
- Functional "Smart Switch". Didn't want to work, so I had to transfer via Bluetooth and manual setup
- Physical "home" button for waking up screen during calls (I'm hesitant to press power button on important calls as that's my "hang up" button)
- Root/Xposed (won't be long though)
- Apps broken with Nougat (R.I.P. Llama)
Things I love on the Pixel:
- Far better camera
- USB type C
- MUCH faster phone in general. Hardly any lag at all. S7 lagged big time when I traded it in, still not sure why.
- Official Google support
- Google apps not as forced as Samsung apps (automatic photo backup for example is easy to prevent)
- Default apps perform better
- No bloat. S7 had some NFL crap and 3-4 games that I couldn't remove. Pixel had none of that. Bought from Verizon too.
- No TouchWiz stupidity (remember "I'll just save this selection as default without asking you if you wanted that"? Pixel asks every time if you want)
Comparable between both:
- Screenshots (power + home for S7, power + Volume Down on Pixel)
- Internal storage (both were 128 GB)
I'm sure there's more, but that's off the top of my head. Bottom line is Pixel is far better at what it's designed for, but I do still miss the microSD and wireless charging capabilities. I can live without them however.
This is really interesting feedback as I am trying to decide right now between the Pixel and the S7.
The two things I am pretty interested in knowing about are battery life and durability (Ive had an S4 for years, dropped it plenty of times and while there are a few dings around the edges, that phone keeps on rocking).
Anyone else have thoughts after having used both phones?
I also came from the s7.
My only thing I really miss is my Tumi case I had for it. I'm hoping they will make one for the pixel. Otherwise the pixel performs better, great photos, fingerprint is very fast. I would get lagging all the time on the s7, probably touch wiz related.
I've had 2 instances where my Bluetooth quit playing music from Google play on my Toyota Camry, I've had to restart my car to get it to connect again. I'm still troubleshooting if it's the car, Google play or the phone. I've used Spotify in the past and never had the issue.
My battery is much better and quick charging also works great. I have no problem getting through the day without running my battery down
I have a galaxy gear that appears to work perfectly with it.
I don't have an SD card on my s7 and haven't needed one. So that's not an issue. I have however used up my Dropbox 10gb in the past so the unlimited photo storage is nice.
I've had mine for about a week now and just sent my s7 in for the edge up.
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
DMCShep said:
- Physical "home" button for waking up screen during calls (I'm hesitant to press power button on important calls as that's my "hang up" button)
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should be able to touch the fingerprint sensor to wake the phone while in a call.
scottjb said:
You should be able to touch the fingerprint sensor to wake the phone while in a call.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fancy that! I'll give that a try
coming from S7 Edge you will NOT like the volume level while you're on speaker phone calls or youtubing on the toilet lol ,,,,I am waiting for volume mod on this thing,,other than that you'll love the phone,,even if she doesn't wireless charge,,oh also the charging times it's bull sheet,,,i timed it 15 mins 7 hours more like 30 to 45 mins charge still fast but not that google bullcrap fast,,,standby battery time it's pretty good better than S7 Edge kind of like the iPhone on standby where your battery percentage seem to not go down too fast,,anyone agree?
HeCareth said:
Here are my first impressions. I posted this originally on TheVerge
Setup of this phone was the fastest I have ever done. More apps are taking advantage of the Google Drive backups and using the cable to plug directly into my S7 Edge allowed me to move over 3.3 GB of data in 3 minutes. Additionally I had to install 92 more apps which seemed to just fly through. I had to sign in to a few but DashLane helped speed that process up
No more grinding down to a stall when installing apps. One thing that annoyed me about pretty much all Android devices especially the S7 Edge was the fact the entire system will just slow down to almost a complete standstill when apps where updating. Not the Pixel, didn't even realize app updates where happening in the background. I can actually use my phone while an app is updating.
Hey look! The Pixel can charge my Galaxy S7. This may come in handy in a crunch with my iPhone
It is still going to take me a while to get used to the button placements on the Pixel after using the S7 which had them reversed. I still think there are capacitive buttons in there to sometimes as I press the non functional chin.
Wow my Tile now works correctly. It ill now ring my phone when I press the button like it is supposed to do. This feature never worked on the S7 Edge.
Whatever DAC their using in this phone sounds great. Had me lit on Young Jeezy driving to work. However, where is the damn equalizer?
I prefer Action Launcher to the Pixel Launcher. Swiping for the shortcuts seems more intuitive than long pressing.
Built in Visual Voicemail is sweet. Maybe I can finally stop using Google Voice for VM. I would like transcription though which would be nice.
I dig the notification sounds
Fingerprint sensor is so much better than the S7 Edge
Double Tap to open an notification at the lockscreen. Geez here have you been all my life. Its the small things.
All in all I'm liking this phone. After being in the Samsung camp for my past 2 phones S6 Edge and S7 Edge I am happy to be back to the Googlish way of doing Android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cons:- no Waterproofing, no wireless charger, no SD slot, no removable battery, no IR blaster, no dual stereo speakers very less features no themes support for example, big bezels, looks ugly from behind and very overpriced.
just very basic bore-bones boring Google Pixel.
you can get Pixel launcher and Google assistant for FREE if you Root and install custom ROM so whats the big deal?
Pros:-
Excellent Screen, Excellent Camera, very fast and smooth, fast updates, excellent build quality, unlocked boot loader. i love the finger print scanner on the back with gestures, swipe up and down.
but the very high price outweighs the good points.
even OnePlus 3, ZTE Axon 7, Moto Z play, Honor 8 are better buy less price more software and hardware features.
if you want to know which is better between Galaxy S7 Edge and Google Pixel the answer is very clear galaxy S7 win's hands down.
youtube channel's like CNET are biased.
people think it's the iPhone from far away or even from just couple feet away. Phone is awesome just the hardware doesn't have an identity yet lol
Curious to hear more about the battery-life comparisons between the S7 (non-Edge) and Pixel. In this thread a few have said the Pixel wins, but I've read plenty of other reviews that suggest they're on par when it comes to battery life/SoT.
Battery life and Camera quality are the top-two priorities for me -- sounds like camera quality is about equal although the S7 does offer RAW support, which AFAIK the Pixel does not (at least not without a third party app). S7's default camera app also seems a lot more comprehensive than the Pixel's
In my test the pixel standby is definitely longer I have S7 Edge and standby will go down much quicker
kingrichards said:
In my test the pixel standby is definitely longer I have S7 Edge and standby will go down much quicker
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. S7 standby is not good. I find my Pixel does much better in standby mode.
scottjb said:
This. S7 standby is not good. I find my Pixel does much better in standby mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know. Thanks. And is SoT about the same between them with, say, heavy use in one day?
I can't say--I have not done an SOT test as all my use is mixed. A heavy use day for me is 3 hours of SOT and just about any phone can handle that. I did have occasion to charge the S7 during the day. That's rare with my Pixel.
I went from the stock Unlocked S7, which ide expect to be the closest to the Play Store Pixel - both lacking carrier bloat. Having said that, the Pixel outperforms the S7 hands down on battery life and performance. I don't have anything scientific, but I simply replaced my S7 with a pixel as my daily driver. I didn't change my habits (if anything I use my Pixel more). At the end of the day my S7 would be in the ~20% range. Currently at the same time everyday my Pixel is at ~60%. The difference is drastic and very noticeable.

Everything that bothers me/what I love about the Mix 3

Hey together. I have been using the Mix3 for a few month now. The black 265GB variant, China version with international Software.
But I got to say that there are a few problems I wasn't able to solve. Maybe you can!
So here is the List
Love
Screen ratio
MIUI
The overall Look. Gave it to a friend so he can call someone... Damn this phone looks good!
Position of Volume-rocker and Powerbutton
Wireless-charging
Not that good or worse
Thickness
The battery lasts barely a day (medium use)
The AI button... I hit this one too often by accident
No pocketdetection. The screen activates too often by accident (while calling, in the pocket or just picking up)
While calling you got to position the speaker very near to your ear, because if you move it a bit you can't understand the one on the other side anymore
inconsitent strength of the magnetic slider (sometimes it moves very hardly and other times too easy)
connection delays with bluetooth devices. If you did not connect a device in the last few days you got to manually connect the device (click on it in bluetooth settings)
If you got solutions for my concerns you can maybe safe it from getting abandoned or beeing forwarded to my brother
agree on AI button - hate it! especially in phone case it gets triggered too often just holding the phone
any way to mute that button or change it to another usage? I think I can only deactivate the google assistant itself, but it keeps reacting starting it up and asking to enable the assistant again
steffenmix3 said:
agree on AI button - hate it! especially in phone case it gets triggered too often just holding the phone
any way to mute that button or change it to another usage? I think I can only deactivate the google assistant itself, but it keeps reacting starting it up and asking to enable the assistant again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a magisk module to remapped the button
dondrexer said:
Hey together. I have been using the Mix3 for a few month now. The black 265GB variant, China version with international Software.
But I got to say that there are a few problems I wasn't able to solve. Maybe you can!
So here is the List
Love
Screen ratio
MIUI
The overall Look. Gave it to a friend so he can call someone... Damn this phone looks good!
Position of Volume-rocker and Powerbutton
Wireless-charging
Not that good or worse
Thickness
The battery lasts barely a day (medium use)
The AI button... I hit this one too often by accident
No pocketdetection. The screen activates too often by accident (while calling, in the pocket or just picking up)
While calling you got to position the speaker very near to your ear, because if you move it a bit you can't understand the one on the other side anymore
inconsitent strength of the magnetic slider (sometimes it moves very hardly and other times too easy)
connection delays with bluetooth devices. If you did not connect a device in the last few days you got to manually connect the device (click on it in bluetooth settings)
If you got solutions for my concerns you can maybe safe it from getting abandoned or beeing forwarded to my brother
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agree with the AI button thing, I click it ALL the time by accident it's super annoying. There is a thread on XDA for changing the functionality and a Magisk module as well. The Magisk module is for the Mi 9 but may work for the Mix 3 as well, not entirely sure on that. I haven't experienced the Bluetooth issues though, and I have the global hardware (6 GB RAM 128 GB ROM). My Bluetooth works flawlessly. The slider does feel a bit inconsistent, not sure how/why but I rarely use the selfie camera anyway so it's not a big deal for me. I feel like the battery is pretty average for a smartphone, nothing great but not bad. I can usually get through a day with it and its better than my V30 so that's a plus. Hope you're still enjoying the phone overall!
---------- Post added at 09:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:51 AM ----------
raven213 said:
There is a magisk module to remapped the button
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you talking about the one for the Mi 9? It works fine for the Mix 3 too?
Rockmadeofrock said:
Totally agree with the AI button thing, I click it ALL the time by accident it's super annoying. I've been looking for a way to disable it entirely but haven't found anything I understand yet. I'll keep you updated on that. I haven't experienced the Bluetooth issues though, and I have the global hardware (6 GB RAM 128 GB ROM). My Bluetooth works flawlessly. The slider does feel a bit inconsistent, not sure how/why but I rarely use the selfie camera anyway so it's not a big deal for me. I feel like the battery is pretty average for a smartphone, nothing great but not bad. I can usually get through a day with it and its better than my V30 so that's a plus. Hope you're still enjoying the phone overall!
---------- Post added at 09:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:51 AM ----------
Are you talking about the one for the Mi 9? It works fine for the Mix 3 too?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah it should be check on magisk it's there it's called Xiaomi AI remapper
raven213 said:
Yeah it should be check on magisk it's there it's called Xiaomi AI remapper
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome thanks!
Rockmadeofrock said:
Awesome thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem
Personally, I don't have any issues with the thickness and actually, it makes it easier to hold with my large hands. I have had thinner devices, like the LG V30, S9 Plus, and Note 9, but they just feel like toys by comparison.
The AI button isn't an issue for me. I am not rooted but I have used ADB to uninstall Xiaomi's when I was using the Chinese ROM my device came with and used ADB to remove Google Assistant when I installed the Global Stable ROM. I have no issues finishing a day of very heavy use with about 10% battery left using both SIM slots simultaneously. On average, I finish my day with about 30% left, but I do travel often, so those days, I spend more time watching YouTube on planes and texting more than anything else. I have used ADB though to remove a lot of bloat that can run and waste battery life.
I don't use Bluetooth devices at all so i can't really comment on how well or how well it doesn't work on the Mi MIX 3. However, many devices do experience Bluetooth issues for various reasons. Firmware updates for cars or the Bluetooth in the device itself is usually the more common answer. No manufacturer is exempt from these issues.
I definitely agree with the earpiece. Because it is technically set in the bottom part of the device, it has to send sound straight through the other to get to your ear. If your ear is right over the hole where this comes through, it's fine, but it does take some getting used to and makes it hard to rest the phone on your shoulder and still talk on it.
I haven't had any issues with the slider. From the day I got my device, the slider has been stiff and robust. I often use it just fiddling around as well. The magnets pull and push feel just as strong as the day I opened the box. I also haven't noticed the screen being on when it is in my pocket and have never had my screen on when removing it from my pocket. I do have double tap to wake and lift to turn on the screen disabled though. Perhaps it is one or a combination of both of those settings causing that issue for you.
Trusted place
jcsww said:
Personally, I don't have any issues with the thickness and actually, it makes it easier to hold with my large hands. I have had thinner devices, like the LG V30, S9 Plus, and Note 9, but they just feel like toys by comparison.
The AI button isn't an issue for me. I am not rooted but I have used ADB to uninstall Xiaomi's when I was using the Chinese ROM my device came with and used ADB to remove Google Assistant when I installed the Global Stable ROM. I have no issues finishing a day of very heavy use with about 10% battery left using both SIM slots simultaneously. On average, I finish my day with about 30% left, but I do travel often, so those days, I spend more time watching YouTube on planes and texting more than anything else. I have used ADB though to remove a lot of bloat that can run and waste battery life.
I don't use Bluetooth devices at all so i can't really comment on how well or how well it doesn't work on the Mi MIX 3. However, many devices do experience Bluetooth issues for various reasons. Firmware updates for cars or the Bluetooth in the device itself is usually the more common answer. No manufacturer is exempt from these issues.
I definitely agree with the earpiece. Because it is technically set in the bottom part of the device, it has to send sound straight through the other to get to your ear. If your ear is right over the hole where this comes through, it's fine, but it does take some getting used to and makes it hard to rest the phone on your shoulder and still talk on it.
I haven't had any issues with the slider. From the day I got my device, the slider has been stiff and robust. I often use it just fiddling around as well. The magnets pull and push feel just as strong as the day I opened the box. I also haven't noticed the screen being on when it is in my pocket and have never had my screen on when removing it from my pocket. I do have double tap to wake and lift to turn on the screen disabled though. Perhaps it is one or a combination of both of those settings causing that issue for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will add one more issue regarding MIUI - can't add trusted device (snartwatch) and trusted places
georgito said:
I will add one more issue regarding MIUI - can't add trusted device (snartwatch) and trusted places
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have some issues with MIUI as well. Would they stop me from buying another Xiaomi device? No.
Tue stock apps suck! The default Messaging app doesn't support rotation and doesn't display group texts under those in that. It splits tue group texts under their individual threads. Changing Messaging apps leaves me with notification sounds that can't be changed because Xiaomi developers are stuck in the years of KitKat with how their sounds work!
The change to not being able to lock the bootloader when switching ROM's is probably the worst I can think of. I get the reasoning behind the change but I bought thebChinese model as the Chinese model because I wanted more RAM.
MIUI settings are also lacking when it comes to restricting roaming from one SIM but not the other.
My T-Mobile plan works in multiple countries and I want that to roam when outside of the US. My Telus SIM though is insane for roaming so I don't want that SIM roaming but I want that SIM left enabled to see who calls and texts.
All that said and a few more gripes. The Mi MIX 3 is still a superb device and one I don't regret buying.
Notifications are awful. I have yet to have a notification display on the lock screen. When I do receive new mail or an SMS message, it can take up to 40 minutes before notifying me if the screen is off. If the screen is on I get the notification within a couple of minutes but that is only if the screen is on. Screen on means the screen is being displayed and the lock screen has been dismissed. It does not mean that the always on ambient display is on. That is just as bad as the display being completely off which makes me think that the problem lies with the phone being locked and is not just an over aggressive doze problem. I am using the notification repeater app and I also use Auto-notifications with its notification categories feature. Both of those have helped a little bit but it is rare that I get a notification within 10 minutes of my phone receiving e-mail or text messages when the screen is off (10 minutes is actually good).
There is also an issue with Android calendars. These aren't the calendars attached to your gmail account and they are not local calendars as well. Android calendars are usually created by 3rd party apps that offer holiday calendars for every country, sports scedules for every NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and NCAA teams (motor sports and European football in some apps). The apps that also create TV listing calendars create their calendars as Android calendars. Any calendar app for Android can display them and you can choose to display or hide them individually within any android based calendar apps. Not with MIUI though. I can see them in the settings of any calendar app I install and can set them as hidden or viewable but they will not display as a calendar in any calendar app. MIUI has a few nice features but it is not worth the lack of timely notifications and it would also be nice if I could actually display all of my calendars. I have gone the custom GSI route and there were issues with every GSI based ROM I tried. I could install every GSI ROM I tried. I could even install Resurrection Remix GSI without a problem (repairing and resizing the system partition so you can install GAPPS is easier than most people realize. I kept running into deal breaker isssues with each GSI ROM though. I don't remember what the issue was with BlissROM but I do remember taking half a day to try and find a work around to no avail. Pixel Dust had an annoying random reboot problem and Resurrection Remix seemed to work just fine until it randomly would display a Setting up phone message after logging into the phone at a very random time. It would sometimes do this somewhere with the first few hours of use but could go as long as a day and a half before doing it. The only way to get past that screen was to get into the phones settings and clear out your fingerprints and set the phone to not require any type of password, pin or pattern. Once you clear those out the phone will continue to boot. If you want security you will need to setup security again and you will find yourself doing this all over again anywhere within the next hour too 24 hours. This is a known issue and there is a thread about it. It is a ROM issue because it is doing it on many different brands of phones. It is doing it very randomly though and the developers of the ROM have not had it happen to one of their phones yet. It makes the ROM unusable for those of us that are running into it though which is why I am back to MIUI (eu version) and in my opinion, MIUI ruins what would be a very good phone experience.
The pocket detection is occasionally driving me crazy, it's an issue on the PE rom too. The settings pull-down is active even on the lock screen, so while it's in my pocket it will sometimes turn wifi/bluetooth on or off, etc. I'm hoping the Cyanogen rom will eventually improve this. Only seems to be a problem for me when the radio app is automatically activated when I turn on my bluetooth headset.
Bluetooth connection also causes me some minor irritation. It won't auto-connect to the A2DP unit in my car, although it does connect to the phone module. I've been looking through the configuration files trying to find something to tweak this, but the structure of the current roms makes finding anything useful almost impossible.
AI button, also a hassle, but it can't be that bad because I haven't bothered to install the Magisk module to remap it yet. I much prefer a button to call up the assistant rather than "ok google".
Battery, I have no idea what you're talking about, but I guess it depends on what device you came from. This device is far and away the most battery frugal I've ever had, by a long shot, and the speed of the wireless charging makes it even better.
I never have a problem with the earpiece, but I do remove the lint from it fairly regularly, maybe that's the problem? If anything, the sound on calls I would rate as way better than previous phones.
My slider mechanism is also variable. Sometimes it's perfect, other times it's hard to get it to slide, but I think it's more to do with the friction from my fingers than the mechanism itself, sometimes the surfaces feel super-slippery! Give me cheap, rubberized plastic and a removable rear cover and battery every day of the week!
invisiblewave said:
Battery, I have no idea what you're talking about, but I guess it depends on what device you came from. This device is far and away the most battery frugal I've ever had, by a long shot, and the speed of the wireless charging makes it even better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess you are right there with the point from where you came from. In comparison to my "old" Huawei Mathe 10 Pro the Battery is bad. But on the other Hand the Mix3 has (fast) Wireless Charging :good:
I checked the last weeks my Battery stats and usage. There was nothing uncommon. To me it is not satisfying, especially when I am on a trip (like last week) I barely made it back to the Hotel with a few % left.
Just to get this into Context (for most of you tl;dr):
Listening to music for 2 hrs
Navigation for public transport - also active for 2 hrs
checking Mails - hard to measure
searching for a place for diner - 20 min
checking social media... every minute is too much
In my opinion this is an average usage and therefore the battery is considered bad to me.
dondrexer said:
I guess you are right there with the point from where you came from. In comparison to my "old" Huawei Mathe 10 Pro the Battery is bad. But on the other Hand the Mix3 has (fast) Wireless Charging :good:
I checked the last weeks my Battery stats and usage. There was nothing uncommon. To me it is not satisfying, especially when I am on a trip (like last week) I barely made it back to the Hotel with a few % left.
Just to get this into Context (for most of you tl;dr):
Listening to music for 2 hrs
Navigation for public transport - also active for 2 hrs
checking Mails - hard to measure
searching for a place for diner - 20 min
checking social media... every minute is too much
In my opinion this is an average usage and therefore the battery is considered bad to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you must have a problem somewhere. Which software are you running?
georgito said:
I will add one more issue regarding MIUI - can't add trusted device (snartwatch) and trusted places
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the deal breaker, had to go custom ROM route, no smart lock is no good.
dondrexer said:
Hey together. I have been using the Mix3 for a few month now. The black 265GB variant, China version with international Software.
But I got to say that there are a few problems I wasn't able to solve. Maybe you can!
So here is the List
Love
Screen ratio
MIUI
The overall Look. Gave it to a friend so he can call someone... Damn this phone looks good!
Position of Volume-rocker and Powerbutton
Wireless-charging
Not that good or worse
Thickness
The battery lasts barely a day (medium use)
The AI button... I hit this one too often by accident
No pocketdetection. The screen activates too often by accident (while calling, in the pocket or just picking up)
While calling you got to position the speaker very near to your ear, because if you move it a bit you can't understand the one on the other side anymore
inconsitent strength of the magnetic slider (sometimes it moves very hardly and other times too easy)
connection delays with bluetooth devices. If you did not connect a device in the last few days you got to manually connect the device (click on it in bluetooth settings)
If you got solutions for my concerns you can maybe safe it from getting abandoned or beeing forwarded to my brother
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im very sure the problem with the slider is because of your case, remove ur case and try again move the slider
invisiblewave said:
I think you must have a problem somewhere. Which software are you running?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Latest weekly. MIUI 10 / 9.5.17 / (weekly)
juninhoak said:
im very sure the problem with the slider is because of your case, remove ur case and try again move the slider
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Appreciate that tipp, but I don't use any case. (Why buy a pretty phone, when you put plastic around it?!) *screen is crying silently in fear :crying: *
Love the phone. The screen, everything. Running Lineage at the moment.
Really hate:
Notifications on MIUI. Seriously.
The process around flashing roms. Vendor image, dirty flash doesnt work (at least for me), switching roms difficult. Just very, very tiresome.
Would I buy it again? Definitely.
dondrexer said:
Hey together. I have been using the Mix3 for a few month now. The black 265GB variant, China version with international Software.
But I got to say that there are a few problems I wasn't able to solve. Maybe you can!
So here is the List
Love
Screen ratio
MIUI
The overall Look. Gave it to a friend so he can call someone... Damn this phone looks good!
Position of Volume-rocker and Powerbutton
Wireless-charging
Not that good or worse
Thickness
The battery lasts barely a day (medium use)
The AI button... I hit this one too often by accident
No pocketdetection. The screen activates too often by accident (while calling, in the pocket or just picking up)
While calling you got to position the speaker very near to your ear, because if you move it a bit you can't understand the one on the other side anymore
inconsitent strength of the magnetic slider (sometimes it moves very hardly and other times too easy)
connection delays with bluetooth devices. If you did not connect a device in the last few days you got to manually connect the device (click on it in bluetooth settings)
If you got solutions for my concerns you can maybe safe it from getting abandoned or beeing forwarded to my brother
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine is running rooted crDroid ROM, which allows me to address most of these points.
Thickness: this is a tradeoff for sliding display.
Battery: crDroid is very good battery-wise, but also installed magic module LKT and get easily 1.5 days of heavy use now
AI button: Used magisk module and button remapper APK to remap mine, for me single press does nothing (because like you i press it accidentally all the time) double press toggles flashlight and long press launches google assistant.
Pocket detection: You can enable this in crDroid settings
Holding phone to ear: I don't have this problem
Slider: My slider took a bit of wearing in. That might sound strange but it was a bit squeeky and felt weaker than it should be to begin with but after a few months of use it now feels great.
Bluetooth delays: No idea, never use bluetooth. Sorry about that one.

Categories

Resources