Database Info

Is this a good phone to buy?

Long story short, I hard bricked my Evo 3D because I flashed the boot image to the wrong partition by not properly editing the updater-script when trying to port Jellybean (very developer NOOB move even though I'm not one by a long shot). So I'm thinking about buying one on Amazon to tie me over until my upgrade next year, because right now, my parents' only option (until I get the money) is to let me use a Blackberry, its torture (-_-)... I've read up on this and I am thoroughly impressed with the specs given it was released in 2010, plus it has ICS Officially. So I just have a handful of questions!
1. How is the Developer scene here? Is it still very active?
2. How good are the 3G speeds on this (I'm not getting 4G)
3. How is battery life
4. Is the phone easily breakable (this determines if I buy a case or not upon my ordering)
5. Can I still have me an awesome gaming experience? I am the Asphalt 6 and Shadowgun type of guy, so gaming is a must.
6. How quickly can someone fill up that 512MB space? and has someone made script that moves the WHOLE app to an external SD or repartitioned the space to give 1GB space?
I'll be sure to add more questions should they come up...
Now I have read that this has no SD card slot, and this would have been a problem. But as of recently, I have become a cloud kid. My Music is on Google Play Music, I have a couple of Movies and TV Shows on my SD Card but I can put those on my box cloud storage, that means that I can use all 16 GB for Game caches and the few movies and shows I frequently watch.
I just want to know your opinion, and the pros and cons of the phone, alongside the questions I asked. Thanks in advance!

Developer scene is still pretty solid. Expect an additional boost in a few weeks when Jelly Bean arrives. 3G speeds and reception should be decent so long as you have a decent provider, it is more dependent on them than on the phone. Battery life is mediocre, though you can pull off 4 hours of screen time a day with a little bit of effort (and compromise). It is generally a pretty stubborn phone. It won't break straight off the bat, but being plastic it will tend to scratch easily from rough surfaces. The screen can take a fair bit of abuse so don't be scared about the lack of "gorilla glass" branding, plus it's curved which is both great to touch and means it's less prone to scratched glass. I've found a case to be good due to the phone being slippery, but have since decided to use it without one. If you intend to root the phone i'm sure the gaming experience will be a good one, and likely even more so with jellybean - though there are certain games that won't even install (some tegra and tablet based games i think, i don't game that much on the phone so don't take my word on this).
As for storage, you have 16GB in the phone classified as "sdcard". It is built in and non-replaceable, with no external sdcard slot. It is partitioned primarily into /system, /data and /sdcard. /system holds the android operating system and is plenty big enough even for development purposes. /data is approximately 1GB and holds the data for apps only, so you have 1GB worth of apps which you can keep installed on the phone. The /sdcard partition is around 15GB and formatted as FAT32, so you can throw all of your music, photos, videos and sd2ext (built in, not a seperate app) apps here, so any larger games would be thrown onto the sdcard if you choose so, generally giving plenty of room. The only drawback for me, personally, is the lack of room for music - but you seem to have yourself sorted there.
And as i said above, if you really want to get every benefit from this phone it should be unlocked and rooted. It loves being free. Otherwise it's just a Galaxy S.

Harbb said:
Developer scene is still pretty solid. Expect an additional boost in a few weeks when Jelly Bean arrives. 3G speeds and reception should be decent so long as you have a decent provider, it is more dependent on them than on the phone. Battery life is mediocre, though you can pull off 4 hours of screen time a day with a little bit of effort (and compromise). It is generally a pretty stubborn phone. It won't break straight off the bat, but being plastic it will tend to scratch easily from rough surfaces. The screen can take a fair bit of abuse so don't be scared about the lack of "gorilla glass" branding, plus it's curved which is both great to touch and means it's less prone to scratched glass. I've found a case to be good due to the phone being slippery, but have since decided to use it without one. If you intend to root the phone i'm sure the gaming experience will be a good one, and likely even more so with jellybean - though there are certain games that won't even install (some tegra and tablet based games i think, i don't game that much on the phone so don't take my word on this).
As for storage, you have 16GB in the phone classified as "sdcard". It is built in and non-replaceable, with no external sdcard slot. It is partitioned primarily into /system, /data and /sdcard. /system holds the android operating system and is plenty big enough even for development purposes. /data is approximately 1GB and holds the data for apps only, so you have 1GB worth of apps which you can keep installed on the phone. The /sdcard partition is around 15GB and formatted as FAT32, so you can throw all of your music, photos, videos and sd2ext (built in, not a seperate app) apps here, so any larger games would be thrown onto the sdcard if you choose so, generally giving plenty of room. The only drawback for me, personally, is the lack of room for music - but you seem to have yourself sorted there.
And as i said above, if you really want to get every benefit from this phone it should be unlocked and rooted. It loves being free. Otherwise it's just a Galaxy S.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And my decision was solidified with the acquisition of jellybean. I can get a gnex experience for the most part without having to shell out so much money. I just need a gaming device (I'm going to buy chainfire for the coupe of tegra games I want) and an entertainment hub. I will buy a case asap, probably a ballistic case, an some other stuff, thank you so much
Sent from my Full Android on SMDKV210 using xda app-developers app

One more thing to point out though, if you end up getting the 4G version (the only CDMA version, which i think is what Sprint uses) it may take longer to get JB and I can't comment on CDMA networks 3G. It will be approximately on par with most other phones running on the same network, though.

ognimnella said:
I just want to know your opinion, and the pros and cons of the phone, alongside the questions I asked. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Nexus range is the first to get the Jelly Bean update, so it's certain that Google is paying extra attention to it.
As a friend of mine (also owning a Nexus S) pointed out, the development activity is one of the best out there.
In terms of performance, I was happy with it in 99% of time, you can't pretend the same performance as a quad core phone but overclocking the phone at a safe 1200mhz makes it significantly faster.
All in all, it is a very good phone for the price you pay.
Good luck and let us know if you decided getting the phone.
Sent from my Nexus S using xda app-developers app

Harbb said:
One more thing to point out though, if you end up getting the 4G version (the only CDMA version, which i think is what Sprint uses) it may take longer to get JB and I can't comment on CDMA networks 3G. It will be approximately on par with most other phones running on the same network, though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am aware of Sprint and their inability to push updates properly, so it's expected. I will be rooted and running a slim ICS Rom anyway
, so I can just install JB after they get the update it in rooted Rom style.
whoisrikk said:
The Nexus range is the first to get the Jelly Bean update, so it's certain that Google is paying extra attention to it.
As a friend of mine (also owning a Nexus S) pointed out, the development activity is one of the best out there.
In terms of performance, I was happy with it in 99% of time, you can't pretend the same performance as a quad core phone but overclocking the phone at a safe 1200mhz makes it significantly faster.
All in all, it is a very good phone for the price you pay.
Good luck and let us know if you decided getting the phone.
Sent from my Nexus S using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got a little excited yesterday and decided to do research on some other phones that could be possible contenders, but this phone takes home the crown. My parents said that because I broke the phone, I cover the expenses. So I did the math.
If I get a galaxy nexus now:
I have to buy out my contract ($100), and then buy the phone ($150) = $250
If I buy a galaxy S III now:
I have to buy out the contract (same) and buy the phone ($200) = $300
if I buy this phone:
But it from Amazon ($150) and transfer my number (free) = $150
The numbers say it all. I will get this phone . Plus, I want a nexus 7, so I need to save as much money as I can. I will wait until next year to get my upgrade to the gnex
Sent from my GTablet using xda app-developers app

Anyone else disappointed in the S6? (List those reasons)

I am really disappointed @ ‪#‎Samsung‬ !!! what have they done to the S6!! No removable battery, no water resistance, and worst of all NO MICRO SD card!! ‪#‎thenextbigflop‬‪. Samsung is going down hill, what a shame. One step forward and 3 steps back....i was really looking forward to it, i owned the S1, S2, S3, S4 and skipped the S5 figuring ide wait for the S6...now after the wait i'm really disappointed, i'de figure they would add some improvements, not remove the previous improvements.... Anyone else feel the same way? List those reason, maybe Samsung will listen, although it may be too little to late, they will lose major market share in premium handsets because of this move.

yeahh i'm pretty sad too... no removable battery, no extended storage.... it quite annoys me that the jack-port is on the bottom, and oh, if we are at the bottom: my first thought was "oh look, an iphone 6!"

I actually loved what they did with the S6. I had the S3 and S4, completely ignored the S5, but now Samsung has my attention again. I've never needed a microSD card and if battery life can last me 24 hours, that's really all I need. I have to say, I am very impressed overall with the S6.

I don't like the fact that it is no longer waterproof.
I have an S5 and although I don't dunk it in water, I do like the fact that I don't have to worry if I'm out and about in wet weather. From a simple mechanical engineering perspective, I would have thought the S6 would be easier to make waterproof than the S5 - smaller (USB2) port, sealed back, etc.

Well, I am pretty disappointed in the new Samsung S6. With the changes from the S4 (which I have), to the S5, and now the S6, it is pretty obvious Samsung does not have a concrete strategy and are just trying a shotgun method and see what sticks. The fact that they took out the removable battery feature and also MicroSD card is a deal breaker for me and I won't be purchasing the phone or any similar models like it in the future. This is just me personally, but if I were going to buy the S6 like it is right now, I'd rather just get the new Nexus 6 instead.

Totally disappointed, what happens when the battery starts going, we all know that'll happen down the road. Also why the hell should I buy a more expensive model for more gigs when I have a 128g sd card. I waited so long for this like you all I skipped the 5. Guess I'll have to get a note 4 with my upgrade and if they continue what they're doing I'll have to switch company's in the future.

Here are the cons in my view, in decreasing order of importance:
Exynos instead of Qualcomm's 810, which means most likely no quality custom ROMs
not waterproof
no exchangeable battery
no SD card, hence be extra careful with them factory resets

Aqua1ung said:
Here are the cons in my view, in decreasing order of importance:
Exynos instead of Qualcomm's 810, which means most likely no quality custom ROMs
not waterproof
no exchangeable battery
no SD card, hence be extra careful with them factory resets
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Not true at all....
2. The S5 isn't WATERPROOF either..
3. I seriously wonder how many times you've changed your battery?
Please get your facts straight before posting ignorant things like this

So far I had almost all Galaxy phones, even started with an Omnia. I had the Spica, S, S II, S3, and now I own Note 3. But the S4 was not much more than the S3, so I bought the Note 3, specially for the big screen. The S5 was good again, but smaller than my Note, and not much faster. The Note 4 didn't have any real improvements over the Note 3.
But this one? It probably means no custom roms, another KNOX flag, no SD card, and you can't rip the battery out if it boot loops. And it's just too expensive. I think, I'll try out an Asus Zenfone 2 with 4GB RAM and 64 bit x86 processor.

JoeFCaputo113 said:
I seriously wonder how many times you've changed your battery?
Please get your facts straight before posting ignorant things like this
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Click to collapse
I permenantly carry a spare battery with me for my S4 and swap it out at least a couple of times every week. I also need to have 128GB space on top of my internal RAM. so I am not happy at all about this release.

I've posted in several threads already, my requirements for phone are pretty simple:
- AMOLED display
- Capacitive buttons below the actual display with hard home button
- Removable battery (for the inevitable time when it starts losing its charge)
- SD card because I do not want to keep everything in the cloud and because I do not want to pay megabucks for 64GB+ of onboard storage
- Cyanogenmod support
- Not too big (no phablets for me, even 5.1" is pushing it for me)
- Easy to repair if something breaks
Up until now Galaxy S line was perfect for me. Without removable battery or storage S6 has lost a lot of its appeal to me. The exynos processor is also hard to develop for, if you google, exynos processors have a very spotty Cyanogenmod support. Because of all this S6 is a non starter for me.
I've said it before, I think the new S6 look good if not downright gorgeous, but I cannot ignore the drawbacks. I'm sure Samsung will sell S6 in record numbers, I'm just sad that it's getting harder if not impossible to hit all the bulletpoints on my list. S4/S5 were the last phones where I didn't have to compromise on anything on my wish list. After S5 I'm going to have to give up one or the other feature if I ever want to get a new phone.

XeoNoX said:
I am really disappointed @ ‪#‎Samsung‬ !!! what have they done to the S6!! No removable battery, no water resistance, and worst of all NO MICRO SD card!! ‪#‎thenextbigflop‬‪. Samsung is going down hill, what a shame. One step forward and 3 steps back....i was really looking forward to it, i owned the S1, S2, S3, S4 and skipped the S5 figuring ide wait for the S6...now after the wait i'm really disappointed, i'de figure they would add some improvements, not remove the previous improvements.... Anyone else feel the same way? List those reason, maybe Samsung will listen, although it may be too little to late, they will lose major market share in premium handsets because of this move.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not much to add. I concur 100% with everything you said, and I mean everything!!! I also owned the S1, S2, S3, S4 and skipped th S5... Battery and Micro SD, super deal breaker for me!!! What they were thinking? Where did they do they mktg research??? Certainly not here! I'm so freaking upset....
What other premium Android phone has a removable battery and micro SD? I can't give up any of those 2. I have four (4) spare batteries for my S4. My S4 has rarely seen a wall plug in the last year...

I wonder if the new Note will have this set up as well ? I take a lot of pictures, so I use the MicroSD card extensively and that was one of the main reasons I got rid of my iPhone (among many) was because Apple was gouging just to have internal storage.
Like the other posters, I may look either at an older version or the Galaxy or another phone. The LG G3 actually created a removable battery from the G2 and has a microSD.
I believe the HTC M8 has a microSD but no removable battery. Of course the Nexus is just like the new Galaxy S6 except more custom ROM friendly.

JoeFCaputo113 said:
1. Not true at all....
2. The S5 isn't WATERPROOF either..
3. I seriously wonder how many times you've changed your battery?
Please get your facts straight before posting ignorant things like this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. True. The Exynos platform is a dead end as far as AOSP custom roms are concerned. Modded stock roms are.....well....modded stock roms.
2. The S5 is IP67 rated. It has been tested by many reviewers and users independently and found to satisfy that IP67 rating.
3. I seriously wonder how many times one needs to change a battery before having the ability to change the battery becomes important...
Please get your facts straight... :angel:
---------- Post added at 09:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:54 PM ----------
XeoNoX said:
I am really disappointed @ ‪#‎Samsung‬ !!! what have they done to the S6!! No removable battery, no water resistance, and worst of all NO MICRO SD card!! ‪#‎thenextbigflop‬‪. Samsung is going down hill, what a shame. One step forward and 3 steps back....i was really looking forward to it, i owned the S1, S2, S3, S4 and skipped the S5 figuring ide wait for the S6...now after the wait i'm really disappointed, i'de figure they would add some improvements, not remove the previous improvements.... Anyone else feel the same way? List those reason, maybe Samsung will listen, although it may be too little to late, they will lose major market share in premium handsets because of this move.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Japultra said:
I actually loved what they did with the S6. I had the S3 and S4, completely ignored the S5, but now Samsung has my attention again. I've never needed a microSD card and if battery life can last me 24 hours, that's really all I need. I have to say, I am very impressed overall with the S6.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ZephCr said:
Totally disappointed, what happens when the battery starts going, we all know that'll happen down the road. Also why the hell should I buy a more expensive model for more gigs when I have a 128g sd card. I waited so long for this like you all I skipped the 5. Guess I'll have to get a note 4 with my upgrade and if they continue what they're doing I'll have to switch company's in the future.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
paleman27 said:
Not much to add. I concur 100% with everything you said, and I mean everything!!! I also owned the S1, S2, S3, S4 and skipped th S5... Battery and Micro SD, super deal breaker for me!!! What they were thinking? Where did they do they mktg research??? Certainly not here! I'm so freaking upset....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why did you guys all skip the Galaxy S5 (given that it was the best of the Galaxy S series - if you ignore TouchWiz's attrocious performance issues)?
I ask because many have expressed the view that the poorer-than-expected sales figures for the S5 (presumably compared to the Galaxy Alphas) led to these design decisions for the S6.

Although I would FAR prefer it had a removable battery, if Samsung's efficiency claims are true, I could probably live with the S6 on that account. Water resistance would have been a nice addition, although not a deal breaker. No SD card is by far the biggest negative for me. I will not use any cloud service for a number of reasons, and being locked into even 128GB of non-expandable storage makes this phone a huge disappointment to me. If it just had an SD slot, I would almost certainly buy the 128GB, non-Edge version, although I still want to see what the G4 & Z4 have to offer. As of now, the S6 is no longer even a consideration for me. Maybe they'll come out with a Developer Edition/Active/Rugged version with an SD card, in which case I'd probably continue buying Samsung, because spec-wise, the S6 looks head and shoulders above every contender. They managed to include a SIM slot, they could have easily added an SD slot.

Goes to show that we can't have everything. Waterproof, removable battery, and added SD card means plastic casing. Metal casing means none of the above. People will always complain till they can put the 2 together.
I personally prefer to have the above even though it means plastic casing. It's what it is inside and what it can do that counts. Not what it look like or what it is made of. Just my 2 cents..
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Aqua1ung said:
Here are the cons in my view, in decreasing order of importance:
Exynos instead of Qualcomm's 810, which means most likely no quality custom ROMs
not waterproof
no exchangeable battery
no SD card, hence be extra careful with them factory resets
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The same here.
S6 is a shame. Useless for sy who wants to use his/her knowledge and freedom in a tidy way.

XeoNoX said:
I am really disappointed @ ‪#‎Samsung‬ !!! what have they done to the S6!! No removable battery, no water resistance, and worst of all NO MICRO SD card!! ‪#‎thenextbigflop‬‪. Samsung is going down hill, what a shame. One step forward and 3 steps back....i was really looking forward to it, i owned the S1, S2, S3, S4 and skipped the S5 figuring ide wait for the S6...now after the wait i'm really disappointed, i'de figure they would add some improvements, not remove the previous improvements.... Anyone else feel the same way? List those reason, maybe Samsung will listen, although it may be too little to late, they will lose major market share in premium handsets because of this move.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where to begin?
No removable battery a glass back not to mention gorilla glass hype that i can not stand it is just tempered glass. Iphone 6 look right down to the horrid flattened capsule shape that is a very weak shape. If i want a iphone 6 ill get a iphone 6. Why the hell they made it look like a iphone i have no clue. And a glass back just means more glass to break. No sd card no removable battery all huge mistakes. Im a repair tech and i will not buy or recommend this phone unless it is very easy to get worked on. Even then ill likely steer people towards another companies flag ship device or the note 3 or 4 or if samsung done copy the s6 crap to the note 5 a note 5. This phone is just one big mistake.

the only thing im disappointed about is the release date, april 10???!?!?!?!

MiyagiSan said:
Why did you guys all skip the Galaxy S5 (given that it was the best of the Galaxy S series - if you ignore TouchWiz's attrocious performance issues)?
I ask because many have expressed the view that the poorer-than-expected sales figures for the S5 (presumably compared to the Galaxy Alphas) led to these design decisions for the S6.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mostly because I've already had my Note 3. And I bought the Note 3, because to me the S4 was only a refurbished S3. By the time the i9505 the LTE model with the Snapdragon chip came out the Note 3 was already hyped, and then I fell in love with the huge screen I can still carry in my pocket. And the S5 is almost the same specs, but with smaller screen, and less RAM, and only 16GB avalilable unless you want to dig around a lot.

Best rootable Verizon phones with removable battery

So I'm still using my Galaxy S4 with the bootloader/baseband that allows me to have a custom recovery and custom ROMs. At this point, the internal memory of 16GB is (only ~9.7 useable) is pretty much full. That and I'm a power user so not only are there a ton of apps which are crushing the battery, but it's also pretty slow at this point.
I need a new Verizon compatible phone that is fully rootable (I rely heavily on Xposed and a series of root-access-required apps daily.) I also need removable batteries because I burn through a LOT of them every day and need spares ready to roll.
I know those constraints are tough enough to hit, but if possible I'd prefer something that allows custom ROMs (AOSP if possible), custom kernels, has a good camera, and has significant internal storage and is much more powerful than the S4.
I'm pretty sure this phone doesn't actually exist, but I'm wondering which phones would be the best bet for me.
Recommendations?
(I realize Verizon is the worst carrier for what I want, but I use a lot of data and can't give up grandfathered unlimited data at this point.)

kwest12 said:
So I'm still using my Galaxy S4 with the bootloader/baseband that allows me to have a custom recovery and custom ROMs. At this point, the internal memory of 16GB is (only ~9.7 useable) is pretty much full. That and I'm a power user so not only are there a ton of apps which are crushing the battery, but it's also pretty slow at this point.
I need a new Verizon compatible phone that is fully rootable (I rely heavily on Xposed and a series of root-access-required apps daily.) I also need removable batteries because I burn through a LOT of them every day and need spares ready to roll.
I know those constraints are tough enough to hit, but if possible I'd prefer something that allows custom ROMs (AOSP if possible), custom kernels, has a good camera, and has significant internal storage and is much more powerful than the S4.
I'm pretty sure this phone doesn't actually exist, but I'm wondering which phones would be the best bet for me.
Recommendations?
(I realize Verizon is the worst carrier for what I want, but I use a lot of data and can't give up grandfathered unlimited data at this point.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Happened to find this thread through some Googling, funny enough I would wish for the exact same thing...closest ones out there that I can find meet all criteria but the removable battery bit. Sure wish there was one that ticked all the boxes though!

I'm thinking about biting the bullet and getting an unlocked Pixel (whenever they're back in stock.... last time I checked they were sold out.) For the hardware they deliver, they're charging too much, but it's kinda in a class of its own with respects to being unlockable.
Seems like pretty much everything else is getting locked down, and the more I use phones that need heavy handed hacking to unlock, the more I realize how many problems it ends up causing; I had the Droid X, the Bionic, and now the GS4. For each, the amount of time and effort I committed to hacking then was immense, and the result was very flawed, but at least performed the root functions I would've missed out on otherwise. The problem is you end up with a half-broken phone with lags and glitches.
A phone that's essentially meant to be unlocked seems like the best way to go imo. Sucks that it doesn't have a removable battery though.

The Note is Dead?

https://www.tomsguide.com/news/sams...46294c8b77c&lctg=11155348&M_BT=62222618014014

Probably not the end of the Note series. Don't expect to see one in 2022 though. Samsung has always been goofy... this year has been a disaster for Samsung and the Android OS.
Between Samsung and Google dropping the ball, I said screw this and will be getting my second new 10+ N975U tomorrow. Zero learning curve means I get to have fun with it instead of troubleshooting it.
In my opinion Pie and the 10+ are still the zenith of both Android and the Samsung Note series.
Fast, drop dead gorgeous, rock solid stable with very little maintenance. So far I have replaced the battery on my heavy used current 10+ and the OS load is over a year old. 8-12 hours of SOT.
The build quality on the 10+ is excellent; it still looks and runs like new.
Good as it gets

blackhawk said:
Fast, drop dead gorgeous, rock solid stable with very little maintenance. So far I have replaced the battery on my heavy used current 10+ and the OS load is over a year old. 8-12 hours of SOT.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you replace the battery? Do you have a cell phone repair store do it? (I assume they are not user replaceable)

JeffATL said:
How do you replace the battery? Do you have a cell phone repair store do it? (I assume they are not user replaceable)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I saw it done and learned from that. Not that hard if you know how to do it and take your time.
You need the battery, OEM rear cover seal, various picks, drivers, heat plate or gun, anhydrous isopropyl alcohol/syringe.

Cannot say whether it is really dead or not. Samsung has been diminishing the series with various features being implemented into the Galaxy series.
I may not use it much, but I like have the S-pen integrated in the phone. I use cheap cases with my Notes, that do not have external slots for the pen.
My biggest issue is the recent lost of the micro SD card slot. Forever reason, my cell service carrier does not offer multiple memory options; usually the smallest. I also did not like when removable batteries were lost. People keep buying them nonetheless.
I think the Note may be a victim of too many versions. The Series has everything the Note does, except the S-pen bay. Some slight difference is shape. They also offer more affordable models that work for my others with less features than the Note or Series. My guess is that the Note was not hitting sales targets well enough.
It's possible they may create a new model series that replaces the Note. May offer a Series version that does include the things that made Note popular.

lovekeiiy said:
Cannot say whether it is really dead or not. Samsung has been diminishing the series with various features being implemented into the Galaxy series.
I may not use it much, but I like have the S-pen integrated in the phone. I use cheap cases with my Notes, that do not have external slots for the pen.
My biggest issue is the recent lost of the micro SD card slot. Forever reason, my cell service carrier does not offer multiple memory options; usually the smallest. I also did not like when removable batteries were lost. People keep buying them nonetheless.
I think the Note may be a victim of too many versions. The Series has everything the Note does, except the S-pen bay. Some slight difference is shape. They also offer more affordable models that work for my others with less features than the Note or Series. My guess is that the Note was not hitting sales targets well enough.
It's possible they may create a new model series that replaces the Note. May offer a Series version that does include the things that made Note popular.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The S2x and Note should be merged. For example, make the S22 Ultra have a slot for the S-Pen

JeffATL said:
The S2x and Note should be merged. For example, make the S22 Ultra have a slot for the S-Pen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stupid Samsung. The Note was always a flagship power user device. The marketing morons thought they could expand it's appeal by down playing that. A big phone with lots of bells and whistles for everyone.
Now even the customers are confused and want Samsung to jam a spen into every Samsung. Let the spen orgy begin
I just got my second 10+ so both Samsung and Android can fk off. That will hold me over for another 2-3 years so I don't care how badly they screw up.
Of course that doesn't sell phones... actions have consequences.

blackhawk said:
Stupid Samsung. The Note was always a flagship power user device. The marketing morons thought they could expand it's appeal by down playing that. A big phone with lots of bells and whistles for everyone.
Now even the customers are confused and want Samsung to jam a spen into every Samsung. Let the spen orgy begin
I just got my second 10+ so both Samsung and Android can fk off. That will hold me over for another 2-3 years so I don't care how badly they screw up.
Of course that doesn't sell phones... actions have consequences.
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I'm obsessed right now with getting TMB csc on my N20 Ultra. Its not working . Trying to get help in multiple threads. I might just return it as I bought it this week and have not sent in my s20 trade in yet. I think they blocked it.

JeffATL said:
The S2x and Note should be merged. For example, make the S22 Ultra have a slot for the S-Pen
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I don't disagree with you. When S series was originally released, it was a powerful phone like the Note, but was a little smaller and no S-pen. There would were other differences, but it was more because hardware had advanced. When Samsung started doing to multiple versions of S-series and Note, it basically diminished both.
As someone who's been using a Note since the Note 2, I admitted to being biased. I do not have a really an issue with having an S pen usable on a S-series phone. But Samsung made it an accessory to buy. I think that's kind of nickle and dime kind of thing out of the customers.
If Samsung made the "Note" the S-series Ultra with a pen slot and pin. I'd be ok with it.
On a side note, I really hope they bring back sd card slot. I also hope they'll bring back magnetic secure transmission (MST). I use it a lot. Between that and NFC, I rarely need to use my physical credit card. At some point, almost all stores will use some kind of NFC, but the USA is nowhere near it yet.
Personally, I hope they don't make the Z-fold their main flagship and decided to put the S-pen with it. I think the phone is pretty cool and interesting, but I really don't want a phone like that. I see the folding as a risk for breakage. I rather have a large candy bar.
For now, I'll keep using the Note 20 Ultra. Not sure what I'll do with the battery goes bad or my lease ends. I may buy the phone. Who knows what Samsung will have going when either of those situations occur.

JeffATL said:
I'm obsessed right now with getting TMB csc on my N20 Ultra. Its not working . Trying to get help in multiple threads. I might just return it as I bought it this week and have not sent in my s20 trade in yet. I think they blocked it.
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I'm a bit obsessed now too because my new 10+ came today loaded with Android 10 rather than 9.
What should have been a easy seamless switch going between them is now a lame tap dance.
I was looking at the N20 U's and see how your problem could easily happen. Too many variants and the sellers are deliberately not posting full specs. One of the reasons I rejected the 20U.
I know where you can pick up a new 10+ N975U1 for $800 free 2 day shipping stateside. Lol, it's going to be running on Android 10 though. No connection issues; my AT&T sim card brought it straight online.
Many sellers are doing screwball things with the 10+'s too.
Meh... I would send the 20U back for a full refund. There may be more rude surprises.

lovekeiiy said:
I don't disagree with you. When S series was originally released, it was a powerful phone like the Note, but was a little smaller and no S-pen. There would were other differences, but it was more because hardware had advanced. When Samsung started doing to multiple versions of S-series and Note, it basically diminished both.
As someone who's been using a Note since the Note 2, I admitted to being biased. I do not have a really an issue with having an S pen usable on a S-series phone. But Samsung made it an accessory to buy. I think that's kind of nickle and dime kind of thing out of the customers.
If Samsung made the "Note" the S-series Ultra with a pen slot and pin. I'd be ok with it.
On a side note, I really hope they bring back sd card slot. I also hope they'll bring back magnetic secure transmission (MST). I use it a lot. Between that and NFC, I rarely need to use my physical credit card. At some point, almost all stores will use some kind of NFC, but the USA is nowhere near it yet.
Personally, I hope they don't make the Z-fold their main flagship and decided to put the S-pen with it. I think the phone is pretty cool and interesting, but I really don't want a phone like that. I see the folding as a risk for breakage. I rather have a large candy bar.
For now, I'll keep using the Note 20 Ultra. Not sure what I'll do with the battery goes bad or my lease ends. I may buy the phone. Who knows what Samsung will have going when either of those situations occur.
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Exactly , the S22 Standard, FE (if there is one) and Plus should not have S-Pen, but if just the Ultra had it and had a slot it would be king of the castle.
I agree about the Fold3 , it also does not have a slot.
Unfortunately I don't think microSD slot is coming back, its gone the way of the IR Blaster I miss from the s6

JeffATL said:
... Unfortunately I don't think microSD slot is coming back, its gone the way of the IR Blaster I miss from the s6
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I agree about the SD card slot. All the more reason to get people to buy/subscribe into cloud storage systems.
I forgot about the IR blaster. I did not use it much on my Note4, but I did like it. That could still be useful today. Many media appliances have some kind of app or internet interface, so it's usefulness becomes more diminished by the year.

JeffATL said:
Unfortunately I don't think microSD slot is coming back, its gone the way of the IR Blaster I miss from the s6
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Samsung is feeling the heat. 2021 is a bust for Samsung as far as phone sales go.
They have no one to blame but themselves.
With no SD card slot the phone is dead to me.
I'm adding a 1tb v30 card to my second N10+.
I can fill that, no problem as I actually need 2-3tb of data storage. Even 500gb of internal storage barely meets my minimum needs.
May take a year or two but Samsung will likely bring the SD card slot back as has happen so many times in the past. Cloud storage is no substitute for onboard memory; it wastes battery and bandwidth.
Samsung's ineptness has cost them at least one newly released flagship phone with me, probably two or more by the time it's all said and done.
I can do fine for at least 2-3 more years running the 10+'s.
I don't care...

blackhawk said:
Samsung is feeling the heat. 2021 is a bust for Samsung as far as phone sales go.
They have no one to blame but themselves.
With no SD card slot the phone is dead to me.
I'm adding a 1tb v30 card to my second N10+.
I can fill that, no problem as I actually need 2-3tb of data storage. Even 500gb of internal storage barely meets my minimum needs.
May take a year or two but Samsung will likely bring the SD card slot back as has happen so many times in the past. Cloud storage is no substitute for onboard memory; it wastes battery and bandwidth.
Samsung's ineptness has cost them at least one newly released flagship phone with me, probably two or more by the time it's all said and done.
I can do fine for at least 2-3 more years running the 10+'s.
I don't care...
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I never use that much memory - you load it with 4k movies?

JeffATL said:
I never use that much memory - you load it with 4k movies?
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221gb in wav files alone, lol my CD/HDCD collection in my pocket. My photos are around 1+tb. Data files are around 100gb.
Movies are still the minority simply because I haven't ripped them to hdd.
As far as I'm concerned you can never have enough backup copies...
My actual 10+ app load is deliberately light. Zero social media apps. .

replace screen and frame

has anyone replaced both the screen and frame? Any tips?
Can't find a video for both, only screen.

That's a lot of damage. Do you know if the mobo is still good? Don't go throwing much money at it otherwise especially if it hit on the mobo side.
I recommend observing ESD protocols when working on it. Out circuit the mobo and display are suspectable to ESD damage. A earth grounded ESD mat and wrist strap are best. At least raise the humidity of the room to 50% and wear cotton clothing.

it's a phone I've been using since I dropped it, but the touchscreen is intermittently intermittent.
I need to change the USB charge port and batt. I have a back phone, jic.
I have a wrist strap but no mat.

metropical said:
it's a phone I've been using since I dropped it, but the touchscreen is intermittently intermittent.
I need to change the USB charge port and batt. I have a back phone, jic.
I have a wrist strap but no mat.
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Sounds like major surgery doctor.
Good, earth ground the strape and use a bare wood surface.
Get some...

it'll either suck or work. Time will tell.

metropical said:
it'll either suck or work. Time will tell.
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If it doesn't break the bank, go for it.
At the worst you'll have a parts queen, which is fine if your intentions are to keep using this model.
The smartphone releases this year have been nothing but disappointment. Android 11 and 12 are DOA. Next year looks bad for both as well.
I can see why you want to stick with a model/OS version you like. I'm doing the same myself.

I'll buy a Pixel 4a if the patient doesn't survive. HTC, unfortunately, has bit the dust for phones .
In US Android, there seems to be only Samsmug and Pixel left. At least the Pixel have some lineage to HTC.
One plus has not been around long enough to trust.
But I'm not buying another glass backed phone.

metropical said:
I'll buy a Pixel 4a if the patient doesn't survive. HTC, unfortunately, has bit the dust for phones .
In US Android, there seems to be only Samsmug and Pixel left. At least the Pixel have some lineage to HTC.
One plus has not been around long enough to trust.
But I'm not buying another glass backed phone.
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I'm using the Note 10+'s Snapdragon variant. However no 3.5 mm jack which you likely hate not having. I use the Buds+ which sound pretty good using the proprietary SSC bt codec.
The 10+ was the last great flagship release from Samsung. Fast, stable, a drop dead gorgeous display, reliable, a solid workhorse if running on Android 9 or 10... 11 not so much so.
My oldest 10+ is 2 years old, one battery replacement, it looks and runs like new after heavy usage. The glass back has been no issue and is cheap to replace. Use care though when replacing the battery removing the rear panel.
The other nice thing is the Samsung UI and its customization. Its fast, friendly and extremely customizable with hundreds of free themes, icon packs and UI apps like the Good Lock family from the Galaxy store. It doesn't look or act like a Pixel... thank god.
Always use a good case. I use the Zizo Bolt case. Without it my 10+ be a wreck. Over half a dozen 2-4 foot drops onto concrete, zero damage. However after a couplre hard corner hits I replace the case out of concerns of material fatigue. The only visible case damage is a shiny appearance at the hit corner indicating fatigue.

No headphone jack doesn't bother me. Have a Shure BT w/535. Sounds quite good.
Funny thing, never dropped a phone til the 1st month I had this. Bummer. Case too late.
But it's 3 yrs on now. Which is why I'm willing to chance the repair or replace.
What do you not like about the Pixel? To me Android is Android. The UI doesn't change much that I've seen, except for the awful LG interface that I had for a couple years before I gave up on it. This is my 3rd HTC in 10 years. They've all been good, but HTC had missed the boat a long while back when they released the 10. Many issues. The U11 has been very good even through the damaging drop.
Prior to the N10 I'd never have even thought about the Sam

I'm watching Pixel and not impressed.
No SD card slot. Android 11 and 12 are dogs.
Scoped storage isn't needed and makes it a pain to use.
Samsung has always been hit or miss. But when they're hot, they're hot. So far in my estimation the 10+/Snapdragon is their best Note overall.
I rejected the N20U because of display, 5G, battery and Android 11 issues. The 10+ isn't the best stat wise now, but it's a solid dependable workhorse that's a snappy fast, stable platform. It does everything well. A 1.25 to 1.5tb dual drive handheld PC is no joke.
At this point it be hard to give up the Samsung IU. It's nothing like a "pure" Android such as Pixel, thank god. Samsung has dozens of little system apks to take the edge off of Android 10 and make it more usable. You can mold the IU to fit your needs rather than the other way around.
My Q version Note can be made to look and behave like my Pie version. Even retaining the screen button navigation rather than being force to swipe navigate. I already use swipe control anyway with One Handed Operation + as well as Samsung Edge.
The native spen's Smart Select and bt remote shutter release are great when you need them.
My stock 10+'s are heavily optimized though. I use a package disabler and Karma Firewall. That was a steep learning curve and one of the reasons they run so well. The tools are available for anyone who wants to use them to modify the device without rooting.
It's just a fun device to use and play with... after 2 years it's still fun.
For $800 you can still get a new one and much less for a used one however as with all internet vendors you need to be careful. A lot of scamming going on right now.

I bought this U11 used off Swappa. Been very good. Don't think I'd go anywhere else. I think they have their rules in place.
After all the crappy mSD cards I've had from both Samsung and SanDisk, I think I'd rather just built in storage next time.
I just use it for music. If I seldom want to watch something, I stream from my Emby at home.
Not a gamer. Almost entirely email, text, calls, and some interwebbing.
This one is rooted as have the last couple. But the OS has become efficient enough that I don't think I'd bother.
The ads are more annoying than any other issue.
Never heard of package disabler or Karma. I'll have to look into that. Toying is fun now and then.

Package Disabler is more a Samsung targeted thing but there's a version for other devices. No clue if/how that variant works.
Karma Firewall is a freeware VPN based one with logging features if running on Pie or under. Very low battery consumption.
No issues with my latest Lexar .5tb card. It's important to format it in the phone and best to leave it there. I have over 200gb of wav and hdcd files alone so... yeah I use it.
One of the benefits of using a SD card is for backups. All critical data goes here, only the loaded apps, DCIM and download folders go on internal memory. I keep installable copies of all my apps. I can do a complete reload from the data drive. I redundantly backup the SD card to hdds as well. A may lose a little data but never all. Every PC I set up is as a dual drive even laptops. It saves pain and suffering

I already have protonVPN, not free, but available to me on all my electronic contraptions.
Package disable would be redundant .

metropical said:
I already have protonVPN, not free, but available to me on all my electronic contraptions.
Package disable would be redundant .
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You're already rooted, it be a downgrade from what's available for a rooted phone.
If you wanted to run a stock Samsung though, it applies.

When buying a SD card review its full specs.
Some are rated to work at -13F others only 32F, wtf? Likewise view rated storage temps.
I'll probably go with a Sandisk Extreme even though it's $25 more. It has wider temperature operating parameters indicating better design and production standards.
Get a V30 rated card as well. Always stick to major name brands and avoid buying on ebay, etc.
If it doesn't format in the phone, return it as it will likely never perform properly even if you zero fill it and get it to format. I use Lexar and Sandisk flash memory, zero failures thus far in over 15 years of using them in different form factors.
I around a dozen or so.

just bought a Pixel 5 off Swappa and will retire the U11 as a back up.
So far, very nice phone.
Though the difference from AOS 9 to 13 are lots.