Database Users

First impresions

While still waiting for my note to arrive i would love to hear from anyone who has recieved theres what they think so far and what featured aere the best if not all....i hate waiting but reading peoples veiws will do for now thx

I take it not alot of people got there phone then

Just Got mine yesterday. Uograded from note 1 gtn7000.. one word. Gnote 2 is awesome. So butery smooth! Better display also colors are much deeper. Battery life the best. All I can say is it is a very good choice. Benchmark awesome also. Killed iphone 5 on geekbench
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

Does it have the multi-window feature seen on the Korean version?

Love all this fore play reviews hope mine turns up monday thx

Strategist said:
Does it have the multi-window feature seen on the Korean version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good question, id like to know that too...
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Is there a piece of paper with official specifications? Can someone take a picture of it and post so we can finally see what cell bands it has?
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA Premium HD app

PierreTech said:
Just Got mine yesterday. Uograded from note 1 gtn7000.. one word. Gnote 2 is awesome. So butery smooth! Better display also colors are much deeper. Battery life the best. All I can say is it is a very good choice. Benchmark awesome also. Killed iphone 5 on geekbench
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you notice any black crush on dark scenes when you play videos on your note? how about screen tint on low and high brightness. does the note suffer from tint issues like the s3

Black clipping you mean?
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

PierreTech said:
Black clipping you mean?
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what the difference is between black clipping and black crush, all i knw is that on my s3 when i view most videos with the exception of extremely high quality blu-ray rips, dark scenes appear to loose detail, as if the black become blocky almost like they are not rendering correctly. however bright scenes in daylight or well lit rooms tend to display fine. i was just wondering if the note 2 has solved these problems.
its a very common issues on super amoled hd

I couldn't find it on mine (GT-N7100, ordered from Expansys Austria, shipped from Marseille). I could'nt also find any hint in the englisch manual I downloaded from the Samsung Hongkong Site. I read in a short review that a long press on the back key should bring up the multiview side tab. It definitely doesn't on mine.
Beside the little less text on webpages (which doesn't disturb my surfing experience) I couldn't find a thing that is not better than on the N1.
Strategist said:
Does it have the multi-window feature seen on the Korean version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The plus points for me:
- The screen - brighter, crisper, by far better test result with the black clipping image presented on XDA, good outside visibility. Better automatic brightness handling as far as I'm concerned.
- The pen - oval, so that you can't miss the button side, thicker, longer, riffled button, smooth on the screen
- The battery - I used mine a lot during the day (as it is when you test a new gadget ) and I'm on 28% battery. Very impressed.
- The notification led in different colors.
- The speaker (clearer, more bass)
- Air View works much better than on the promo videos. Practicable and fun.
- Camera with a faster shutter and a lot of bells and whistles.
- Speed of the device - it's just fun to use it.
- Slightly better positioning of volume keys and power key - didn't press the power key by accident so far.
- of course a lot of software improvements but that may come to the N1 too.

Hmm pity about the missing multi-window feature. It looks really cool in that Korean promo video. I would guess it will come in a future update though. There is no reason to make it a Korean exclusive.
Otherwise great to see that you are enjoying the phone. Personally I was impressed with it right from the start but I remember there was a feeling of disappointment among some posters at the announcement. I think a lot of it was because of the slightly lower resolution on the screen. Also it wasn't quite clear at the time that the Note 2 uses RGB instead of Pentile. Anyway clearly the Note 2's screen is great which, combined with all the other upgrades, makes it a worthy successor to a great phone.

Someone needs to get a dump of the korean ROM and make if flashable on the N7000 Note ASAP!!!!!
That is such a killer feature to not have!
- Frank

Whats the multi window feature? I must had missed it

Daps said:
Whats the multi window feature? I must had missed it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1908092

Strategist said:
Hmm pity about the missing multi-window feature. It looks really cool in that Korean promo video. I would guess it will come in a future update though. There is no reason to make it a Korean exclusive.
Otherwise great to see that you are enjoying the phone. Personally I was impressed with it right from the start but I remember there was a feeling of disappointment among some posters at the announcement. I think a lot of it was because of the slightly lower resolution on the screen. Also it wasn't quite clear at the time that the Note 2 uses RGB instead of Pentile. Anyway clearly the Note 2's screen is great which, combined with all the other upgrades, makes it a worthy successor to a great phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Believe me, the Note 2 has so much AI built-in (smart stay, smart rotate, mouse hover, multi windows....i can go on all day) that it makes me realize the name "smartphone" is suddenly an apt one for the device. The quad core + 2GB RAM + full rgb amoled screen yield an experience much like using a laptop so please dont listen to the ones who do not have the device yet and start comparing it to iphone5 out of boredom...doing that is like comparing the note 2 to a 1985 Motorola first generation phone.
Also for the first time I have absolutely no desire to put any custom roms on the phone....the firmware on the note 2 as it is now is an absolute triumph....I cant imagine why anyone would load crap made from the bedroom of some hairless nerd when you have a platform produced by hundreds of professional engineers that went through proper QA

eRode said:
Also for the first time I have absolutely no desire to put any custom roms on the phone....the firmware on the note 2 as it is now is an absolute triumph....I cant imagine why anyone would load crap made from the bedroom of some hairless nerd when you have a platform produced by hundreds of professional engineers that went through proper QA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You may change your mind about that when you find out your current rom doesn't support multi-windows.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

eRode said:
I cant imagine why anyone would load crap made from the bedroom of some hairless nerd when you have a platform produced by hundreds of professional engineers that went through proper QA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because historically, that 'crap' has been better than what the engineers put out?
If custom roms weren't better, each in their own ways, then nobody would use them.
- Frank

I find this multiview issue to be weird. Cuz on the Swedish Note 2 manual that is the same as any N7100 it clearly states that multiview is available and how to activate it.
I saw a Swedish video of it with 4G obviously N7105 and sue enough. Multiview was shown.

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Yup. It clearly states that "this function might not be available for your region or depending on carrier brand"

My brief first impressions

Got my device yesterday, played with it most of the day. Overall very impressed!
Build quality feels good, got around 7hrs screen on time out of the first charge with variety of browsing, music, app installing etc etc Screen is very good with punchy contrast (much better than my Nexus 4) Loud speaker is plenty loud enough (again, louder than Nexus 4 IMO), vibration is strong so no missed notifications when silent. Only made one call on it so far, quality seemed fine, and no complaints on the other end about not being able to hear me clearly. Performance is great as expected, no slow downs when browsing and such.
There are plenty of reviews on the camera over in the Z1 section, so without repeating what's already been said: avoid the "superior auto" mode and spend a few seconds configuring the manual mode for the shot you want to take, and you get some great results. The superior mode seems to suffer particularly badly in poor light as it drives the ISO up sky high and produces horrible grainy photos.
Only negative comment I have is the screen protection, or lack-thereof. The screen its self is "scratch resistant" but there is a cheapy plastic film on top which I grazed within minutes, I'm told this can't be replaced or removed without losing the warranty. Sony do include a screen protector of sort that you can apply on top of this in the box, unfortunately its one of the god-awful 10 for £2 type plastic things. I'd suggest buyers budget an extra £20 for a good quality film or tempered glass protector to go on top. This is for me the biggest disappointment with this phone; having had my Nexus 4 "naked" most of its life, and suffering no damage, I'm very frustrated that my new £450 phone has to be covered with a cheapy plastic sheet to protect the screen - not good.
Any questions fire away and I'll do my best to answer.

Thank for review. What about led notification? Can you share photo for it?
Sent from my MI 2S using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

dtosun said:
Thank for review. What about led notification? Can you share photo for it?
Sent from my MI 2S using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LED notification is nice and bright, I've set up "light flow lite" to customize the colours / blink rate etc and all is well. I've tried to take a quick photo here, but it doesn't really do it justice. (excuse the terrible screen protector fitting, I threw it on in a bit of a huff. Waiting on a better one to arrive)
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Side by side with Nexus 4
XDA home page vs Nexus 4. (Note nexus 4 is using SlimRom with custom colour profiles etc. Have its set quite cold ad my preference)

does it feel better in hand than nexus 4? it looks like nexus 4 is almost the same size as z1c... I thought z1c will be more of a compact phone.

progosu said:
does it feel better in hand than nexus 4? it looks like nexus 4 is almost the same size as z1c... I thought z1c will be more of a compact phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It has to. It's much more narrow and the screen is definitely smaller.

Thank you for your insightful input! One thing so important to me is screen and software responsiveness and fluidity...and you're the perfect person to tell me how fluid it feels compared to the nexus 4 and I will be eagerly waiting your response!
---------- Post added at 04:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:04 PM ----------
how is the charging time? is it quick charge enabled?

Hi, can you also please put the z1 compact on the top of your nexus? It makes me easier to recognize the size difference

Answers to a few questions:
Charge time from almost flat seemed to be in the region of 2.5 hours, which is pretty good by my reckoning.
It feels a lot smaller than it looks. The reduction in width makes the most difference, and after 2 days using the Z1c the Nexus 4 feels chunky to me now. I don't have my Nexus to hand for size comparison photo now I'm afraid, but laying the Xperia over the top of the Nexus 4 allows you to see 2-3mm on all 4 sides. Next to no difference in weight, through the Sony feels more dense/solid to me - Gives a premium feel.
The phone operation is very fluid and smooth, I went through numerous custom roms and kernels on the Nexus 4 to get the kind of smoothness that the xperia offers right out of the box. Launching the camera app is very quick: Maybe 2 seconds from sleep (via the shortcut button), and near instant from the menu shortcut. Shot-to-shot time is very impressive too - This is one thing where the N4 was always poor in my opinion.
I haven't missed the screen size at all, others may I guess, but personally I prefer being able to operate the whole screen comfortably with one hand!

Thanks great to know the xperia ui doesn't slow the experience

Headphone sound quality
Hi Guys,
Some more feedback on my experiences with the phone.
I'm noticing improved WiFi reception compared to my Nexus 4, My desk in the office is a bit of a black spot normally. My laptop frequently disconnects from the wireless, the Nexus hardly ever managed to connect, the Z1c seems to obtain a connection here and I'm streaming music over it without dropouts :victory:
On a related note, The sound quality through the headphones is very good too. I'm using Logitech Ultimate ears 200, previously had fauxsound on the Nexus 4 for improved volume, and whilst this did allow my N4 to go louder than the Z1c does, the sound quality is definitely better here, stereo separation in particular seems to be better.

Mine arrived in the mail this morning, and I'm impressed so far
Still setting it up mind, but it's the perfect size for my hands (pretty much the same size as an iPhone 5 with a case on)
In comparison with my current Android phone (HTC One X), although in physical size it's only a little smaller to look at, it feels much smaller in the hand, and more usable (no over-stretching of the thumb, reaching for the on button, etc...)
And as for the responsiveness, it's genuinely on par with the iPhone 5 too!
I'm glad I took the gamble to pre-order! :good:
(Just need to set-up the SmartWatch that came with it next...)

Any impression about the ringer volume? I've got a Z, and I had to use a mod (replaced the Fusion3 file) in order not to lose notifications and calls.

quite surprised to see they did not include headphones.. I guess they gotta sell some bluetooth headsets..
Initial impressions coming from an Samsung Galaxy S2 with kitkat.. I miss the settings button And don't understand why they could not put the buttons on the empty field below the screen instead of using the screen .. :\
Laying the Z1c on top of my sgs2 is pretty much same size.. although the Z1c is a little thicker than the SGS2

Pytte said:
quite surprised to see they did not include headphones.. I guess they gotta sell some bluetooth headsets.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you care about audio quality, you'll already own decent headphones/iems and have absolutely zero use for any included iems which would stay wrapped up and un-used and be a waste of sony's dosh. much rather sony spent the money they will save by not bundling cheapo iems on a phones build quality etc

Mine from O2 came with earphones And surprisingly they are actually quite good but the rubber buds slide out the my ears.
Sent from my D5503 using xda app-developers app

alpha beta gaga said:
if you care about audio quality, you'll already own decent headphones/iems and have absolutely zero use for any included iems which would stay wrapped up and un-used and be a waste of sony's dosh. much rather sony spent the money they will save by not bundling cheapo iems on a phones build quality etc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
i dont care about included audio piece.. got my own AKG k450, pretty good stuff

Would you guys recommend this over a Nexus 5?
Sent from my Nexus 4

Very important question for me!

tiru.adi13 said:
Would you guys recommend this over a Nexus 5?
Sent from my Nexus 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't own a Z1 compact (yet) but I had two Nexus 5 devices - both sent back to get a refund because Nexus 5 has some serious issues with its microphone. The audio recording is terrible during video footage and a lot of users complain about crappy quality during phonecalls (on the receiving end).
Here's a link: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/nexus/0hvTK4eMVGk

First impressions too
To share my first impressions: I received mine yesterday, and I spent the afternoon playing setting up the phone .
The size and weight are about the same as my previous phone (a HTC sensation).it fits well in my hand and well in my pocket too.
The built seem of quality, the flap are easy enough to manoeuver (and allow to plug cable easily), and seems built to last. Overall it gives an impression of quality. I don’t have any issue with the plastic protection screen.
On the software side, everything run fast, and smooth. I have been really impressed by the 4G: it seems merely as fast as at home. All the connections are running well (no issue with gsm, wifi, Bluetooth, nfc). Phone calls are clear, and the micro works greatly according to the “test” I made.
The only drawbacks I found are linked with my experience on my previous phones, and are softwares linked (it might be possible to solve them, but I have search yet to do so): I found the keys of the keyboard to be a bit too small; The intelligent dialer is not as good as I wish (start to look in the phone number before looking at name); I am missing the HTC clock which was also indicating the weather.
If you have any question, feel free!
Franck

*Д Device specific reviews Д* Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3

Welcome to the home of the Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3
Device Reviews Thread​
In this thread please post the following:
Your personal reviews
Written reviews found online
Any and all
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videos can be posted in this thread (no need for 30 different YT threads)
:good:
Lets enjoy the input of others regarding their point of view.
Not all points of view may represent your thoughts, so please do not disrespect the views of others​

PhoneArena's video review:

My quick 2-cents on this device thus far....
Pros:
- Build quality is ecstatic for such a low price. Very sturdy and no creaks.
- The screen is absolutely gorgeous. I've been using a G2 and I've enjoyed it's IPS display, but I think this Idol 3's trumps it. It's brighter and colors seem to pop out more. Can't rave enough about the screen.
- The external speakers are absolutely loud and crisp. I honestly think it's really close to the quality the HTC M series have... If the M9's speakers are a 10/10, I'd have to give the Idol 3's an 8/10. They're that good.
- Speed wise, things seem fast. I don't game much on my phone, and if I do it's those simple mobile games, but everyday tasks will fare just fine on this device.
- Love the almost stock Android feel!
Cons:
- While I love the build quality, the back plate has a very cheap feel/look to it. Though it's not really a complaint since I expected it. Granted, I'm not really the type to care about build materials but I know it matters to a lot of people. As long as the phone is sturdy, I'm happy. (My dream would be if dbrand made skins for this phone)
- Not a fan of the Alcatel Launcher or it's icon pack. (Nova FTW)
- Camera is so-so. Seems to be on par with my G2's camera, which isn't bad by any means, just not the best.... but then again, for the $199 that I paid for it, how can this be a con... right?
- For the life of me I can't get the double tap to wake feature to work... Does anyone know if it's something I have to enable in settings? I've tried to look and can't find anything. Thanks
- Can't think of any other con at the moment... I'll edit this if I find more.
So far this device is an absolute steal at at $199! What have you guys thought so far?

Double tap to wake, go to settings and it's the first setting under "device" enable slider to double to wake.

Double Tap
I have Nova Launcher installed and double tap does not work. Double tap does however work on the stock Alcatel skin. In the Nova Launcher settings you have to pay for the premium to get the double tap feature.

Don_GT said:
I have Nova Launcher installed and double tap does not work. Double tap does however work on the stock Alcatel skin. In the Nova Launcher settings you have to pay for the premium to get the double tap feature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got nova prime running with double tap to wake and sleep working. You could always pin a "screen off/sleep" app to your home and tap it to sleep.

redeyss said:
I've got nova prime running with double tap to wake and sleep working. You could always pin a "screen off/sleep" app to your home and tap it to sleep.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you apply double tap to wake and sleep via Nova? I don't see it in the Gesture settings within the app.

mackster248 said:
How do you apply double tap to wake and sleep via Nova? I don't see it in the Gesture settings within the app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Assuming you have the paid version, nova prime. Download "screen off and lock" app from play store first. After installed, nova settings, gestures, assign screen off app to double tap gesture. Alternately, just double tap empty portion of screen while running nova as home and you will be prompted to allow screen off app to assume that gesture. Let me know if you get it, good luck!

redeyss said:
Assuming you have the paid version, nova prime. Download "screen off and lock" app from play store first. After installed, nova settings, gestures, assign screen off app to double tap gesture. Alternately, just double tap empty portion of screen while running nova as home and you will be prompted to allow screen off app to assume that gesture. Let me know if you get it, good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perfect. Thanks man! Works great.

So far I'll mirror mackster's review, spot on! Nice phone and quick with great screen. I crushed it while installing my apps but it didn't get hot, just a little warm, which impressed me.
I'm worried about the camera. I took about 8 shots and so far not so good. Let me play with it for a couple days and I'll get back to you. I too was using a G2 the last few weeks after selling my G3. G2 camera has ois and was pretty decent. Idol 3 reminds me of nexus 5 cam, decent but only under ideal light, which is what all the pre release reviews said. G2 seems to get a sharper image in good light.
This really looks, feels, and behaves like a $600 phone from late 2013/early 2014 IMHO. I paid $199 and I'm worried about scratching or dropping it, then have to remind myself it cost a third of a flagship phone and I'm going to use and abuse it without all the anxiety that comes with a huge price tag. Probably slap a glass screen protector on it and a skin if available but that's it!

redeyss said:
So far I'll mirror mackster's review, spot on! Nice phone and quick with great screen. I crushed it while installing my apps but it didn't get hot, just a little warm, which impressed me.
I'm worried about the camera. I took about 8 shots and so far not so good. Let me play with it for a couple days and I'll get back to you. I too was using a G2 the last few weeks after selling my G3. G2 camera has ois and was pretty decent. Idol 3 reminds me of nexus 5 cam, decent but only under ideal light, which is what all the pre release reviews said. G2 seems to get a sharper image in good light.
This really looks, feels, and behaves like a $600 phone from late 2013/early 2014 IMHO. I paid $199 and I'm worried about scratching or dropping it, then have to remind myself it cost a third of a flagship phone and I'm going to use and abuse it without all the anxiety that comes with a huge price tag. Probably slap a glass screen protector on it and a skin if available but that's it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here! I planned on not using a case on this thing... but it's so damn thin that I may have to lol. It's just hard to hold due to how thin it is. I asked dbrand if they would make skins for this phone, and their reply was "maybe". So I'm holding out for dear hope that they are. Yeah, camera does seem a little bad. And you're right about the G2's camera in great lighting conditions, it really is well above average in that aspect.
As much as I love this phone (so far), Alcatel really blew it with the name lol. I hate the "idol" name and that font at the back of the phone. If dbrand makes skins for this, I'll be fully happy.

redeyss said:
So far I'll mirror mackster's review, spot on! Nice phone and quick with great screen. I crushed it while installing my apps but it didn't get hot, just a little warm, which impressed me. !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here as well.No major issues using apps. Installed and used phone for awhile didn't get hot at all. Only performance issue I saw was closing many recent apps from recent app screen. Screen is nice and very bright. Blindingly bright. The speakers a loud and sound good. Also the sound out of the audio jack is very loud too which I'm happy about. I tried to use the stock launcher but I missed some features from Nova so I had to install Nova Prime. That's not a knock against Alcatel tho. Today I'm happy with it. We'll have to play around with it for awhile.

Guys, I'm struggling with this camera! Just did a series of comparison photos with my G2, one M8, and the idol 3. Indoor shots of my son with overcast light coming in windows behind me. Colors washed out and details soft and muddy. M8 had best color reproduction and G2 had best detail and sharpness. I switched to Google camera and results improved noticeably but not dramatically, with truer color and crisper images. I tried with and without "eis" electronic image stabilization enabled and didn't seem to make a difference. This could be a deal breaker for me but I'll keep trying, please post your results.
PS, t. Stark perhaps a photo thread is in order.

can u try camera mx or some others from appstore? been using it for sometime.
the sensor itself shouldnt be that much of a difference since its the same widely used i guess.
Sent from my LG-D838 using XDA Free mobile app

gavolo said:
can u try camera mx or some others from appstore? been using it for sometime.
the sensor itself shouldnt be that much of a difference since its the same widely used i guess.
Sent from my LG-D838 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will try camera MX but hope to hear from others so I know it is or isn't a defect in my particular phone. Yes its that bad....

redeyss said:
I will try camera MX but hope to hear from others so I know it is or isn't a defect in my particular phone. Yes its that bad....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you set it to 13 megapixels? I haven't done a comparison with my g2 yet. From the little pics I took. It seems okay.

guapinoy said:
Did you set it to 13 megapixels? I haven't done a comparison with my g2 yet. From the little pics I took. It seems okay.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep 13mp and played with settings. G2 has Xcam mod but still miles better. Will try and post pics later from PC.

Moved

my impressions after 2 days:
positives:
1. awesome battery life. i would guess 6+ hours screen time easy.
2. speakers are absolutely awesome.
3. the screen is very bright. wish we could reduce it (might give longer battery life to boot!).
4. no problems with wifi or other things like heat etc.
5. user experience is fast enough - better than nexus 4.
6. excellent build quality.
negatives:
1. camera (ok for the money)
2. need root desperately. to change DPI.
3. biggest negative - tmobile reception is like 10dB lower than nexus 4. at my work, where signal is poor, i used to get LTE with that phone, but now I can't. seriously thinking on returning this .
antutu 64bit score is 33000.

deepasadish said:
3. biggest negative - tmobile reception is like 10dB lower than nexus 4. at my work, where signal is poor, i used to get LTE with that phone, but now I can't. seriously thinking on returning this .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, I've noticed my reception has decreased significantly coming from my HTC One M7 and even the ZMAX is getting better LTE reception. I usually get full bars at home and work but i'm down to 2.
considering returning the phone also and trying out the zenfone 2 since i'm in an area where band 12 is being used by a public tv network and wont benefit me at all.

Asus Zenfone 2 Review USA Spec 4gb/64gb version

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In this review i am looking at Asus’s flagship phone for 2015 the Zenfone 2 complete with 64gb of storage and 4gb ram (most in any phone to date). As a flagship it is going up against some stiff competition such as the Galaxy S 6, the LG G4, and the One M9. With the specs Asus’s top version of this phone boasts it fits well into that crowd but there are areas that they did need to “skimp” on in order to reach that magical $299 unlocked price. There is a lower spec’d version of the Zenfone 2 for $199 unlocked but it does come with a slightly slower processor and 2gb of ram. We shall be focusing on the higher end one here.
Look & Feel​
As you can see from the pictures i was able to grab the red version of the phone. i’m a huge fan of red so any phone released with a red option already gets a bit of an edge in my mind but i won’t let that come into my decision here. I do like that they left the front of the device all black so all you can see in the front is the small chrome speaker grill, chrome Asus logo and the hardware keys. I think it looks rather tastefully done and it does have the premium look that many seem to want these days.
The back of the phone is plastic but they do a good job hiding that a bit with a “metallic” finish with a bit of texture that help in keeping a grip on what is a large phone. It is not a fingerprint magnet by any means. In my opinion it feels even a little better in hand then last years LG G3 even is the Zenfone 2 is a bit taller thanks to those hardware keys. I personally am not a fan of these but many are...all comes down to your taste. Taking more design cues from LG the Zenfone 2 has its volume rocker is on the back. They did opt to put the power button in my opinion the worst spot on such a large phone... Dead center on the top of the device. Not only that... It's also quite "mushy" giving little to no tactical response to let you know you actually pressed it. The Zenfone 2 does have double tap to wake and sleep function as well but it did not work as intended to me all of the time.
The device’s dimensions are 152.5 x 77.2 x 10.9 mm (6.00 x 3.04 x 0.43 in) and weighs in at 170g (6.00 oz) It is a bit thick but the sides slim down to 3.5mm which make it much nicer to hold. What i will say is where the front glass on the phone meets the small “chin” below the hardware keys there is a very noticeable sharp lip. Not enough to hurt but enough to become annoying in my short time with the phone. Overall it’s a well designed phone and for the price.
Under the Hood​Under the back cover you will find a micro SD card slot for up to 128GB of expandable storage and 2...count them 2 sim card slots. This is a bit strange to have in a phone in north america but very common in other areas of the world. I did test this out and switching between phone numbers was easy enough but only sim slot 1 can handle 3g and LTE. The second slot is only for 2G and Phone calls. Inside you will also find a 3000mAh battery but this is not user removable which is a bit of a shame but that’s the way most phones seem to be going. Do note that this phone comes with Intel’s version of quick charge and the $299 version of the phone comes with a high amp quick charger. It does work with all chargers with Qualcomm’s Quickcharge 2.0 spec as well.
User Interface​The Zenfone 2 comes out of the box running Android 5.0 Lollipop which is nice to see. I did receive an OTA right after turning on the device but the version number stayed at 5.0. Everyone is now waiting on phones to get 5.1 but Asus am an interested to see how up to date they keep their not flagship. I will say that this phone as the most “bloatware” I have ever seen on an unlocked device. Even comes running Cleanmaster out of the box...classy. Asus is nice enough to let you uninstall much of it but for the review I wanted to keep most of it intact. I did uninstall Cleanmaster as it was just too annoying to deal with. I do however like that almost all of the phones apps live in the Play Store and can be updated without having to wait for a full firmware update. Nice moves.
Over all Asus stuck to the material design aspects of Lollipop with its revamped ZenUI. The menus are in list view and are easy to navigate. The notifications pulldown is close to stock with few differences but the quick toggles have been completely re-skinned and are customizable. I actually like the way this works and give you a quick brightness slider and access to some of the tools you may use most often on your device.
The only part of the UI i really have a problem with is the one you see most often...the launcher. To get into Google Now you must long press the home button then swipe up... not the most intuitive or the best implementation of this feature. There is also no google now hotword support built into the launcher. It took me about a day to install the Google Now Launcher and all is well.
Performance​ One word can describe the performance of this device...Fast! With 4gb of ram to work with i would expect nothing less. Couple that with the Intel Atom Z3580 clocked at 2.3GHz (Intel Atom Z3560 1.8 GHz in the 2gb version) and this thing is a screamer. I have had Zero slowdowns or stutters since i started playing with it and that is also after loading it up with all of my personal apps and having all of my accounts syncing all of the time. Pretty great!
On the graphics and video handling of this device it was again very good. Running the PowerVR G6430 (same as the iPhone 5s) it has no problems playing some of the most intense games. Its pushing a 1080P screen so not as many pixels as many of the other 2015 flagships. I do not run benchmarks on my phones but can tell you that you will not be disappointed.
Display​ The phone boasts a 72% screen to body ratio which is not too shabby. It comes with a 5.5 inch 1080p IPS display which come out to be 402ppi and to my eyes it is perfectly adequate. Images look sharp and its 3 built in screen modes. Comes set on the balance mode out of the box but has a Reading to cool things down and a Vivid mode which really makes colors pop like on the GS6, even a mode to let the user make their own settings. I left mine on balanced. Where the display does not do well is with readability outdoors. It does not get bright enough to overcome even an overcast day. At the same time does not get dark enough when trying to watch a video or read a website in pitch blackness...my eyes did feel strained. The display is just fine but it is clearly one of the areas that Asus had to give a little to keep the price down.
Camera​ In the press and at the US launch event this is the one area Asus spent the most time talking about. Asus is very proud of this camera and they should be...it is quite good. Lets start out front where the Zenfone 2 is rocking a 5 Mega-Pixel, Fix Focus, Wide View, camera with Asus’s PixelMaster tech. It takes decent selfies and has many modes to help you tweak them to your liking. Out back is a 13 Mega-Pixel camera with Asus’s PixelMaster tech. While the mega-pixel count may seem low for a flagship phone today it actually takes some good shots. In good lighting it did very well. It does not has the optical image stabilization of some of the more expensive phones but it even does well in dim to low light situations. Not the greatest camera but one the best i have seen at this price point for sure.
Battery Life​ One of the most important specs in any mobile device and I am happy to report that the Zenfone 2 delivers in the battery life department. I an not easy on my phones battery. I have all of my social media as well as 4 google accounts and 8 other email accounts constantly updating in the background. While testing i kept the phone on auto brightness. With its 3000mAh cell I was always able to through a whole day with some to spare. As mentioned before it does not have a removable battery but the quick charging is definitely a plus if you have really been hammering on it for a few hours.
In Conclusion​ Asus really wants to make it clear that they are coming to play. The Zenfone 2 delivers in many areas and ticks all the right boxes for what most would want out of a flagship level device. With that said even though Asus is comparing this phone to the likes of the GS6, I am much more comfortable comparing it to the 2014 flagship phones from all of its competitors. The GS5, the LG G3, the HTC One M9, let’s even throw the Oneplus One in there… all still cost more when purchased new and unlocked then the Zenfone 2 at $299 for the top model. I think that is the biggest win here for Asus. Lets not forget that it starts at just $199 unlocked! That is what most flagships smartphone cost for their lowest spec model on contract.

Just a couple notes --- you can reach Google now by holding down the home button for a moment and swiping up. Discovered this through serendipity [emoji14]
And it's odd how everyone talks about the screen being hard to see in sunlight, since I have absolutely no trouble seeing it in direct sunlight with my transition glasses. I must have weird eyes or something [emoji14]

jerflash said:
The only part of the UI i really have a problem with is the one you see most often...the launcher. With no swipe up from home to reach google now you are relegated to using Asus’s google search widget. There is also no google now hotword support built into the launcher. It took me about a day to install the Google Now Launcher and all is well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can pull up to Google Now from the home button. Press the capacitive home for a second and Google Now icon shows up. Just slide finger to it once it does. And from Google Now, you can set the 'OK Google' keyword to be used from any screen.

richard_rsp said:
You can pull up to Google Now from the home button. Press the capacitive home for a second and Google Now icon shows up. Just slide finger to it once it does. And from Google Now, you can set the 'OK Google' keyword to be used from any screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hey thanks for the tip i did not come across that at all while using it. still not very intuitive or the best implimentation

TOT_tomdora said:
Just a couple notes --- you can reach Google now by holding down the home button for a moment and swiping up. Discovered this through serendipity [emoji14]
And it's odd how everyone talks about the screen being hard to see in sunlight, since I have absolutely no trouble seeing it in direct sunlight with my transition glasses. I must have weird eyes or something [emoji14]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those are some special glasses lol

Interesting! I use transition lens myself and this is good news! Still waiting for my phone to arrive though. ?
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Free mobile app

My Impression of Samsung Galaxy S8+ after a day use.

My Impression of Samsung Galaxy S8+ after a day use.
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Design - Design is very subjective but I believe this time not much will ever said this phone is ugly. S8/S8+ is the most beauty touch screen phone ever release. 2nd place I give to LG G6. I just can't stop staring at it. Simple beauty, elegance & gorgeous.
Screen - No doubt it is the best screen I ever use in mobile. You just need to see yourself as word can't describe it. They is some users report have red tint issue, so it is advice proper check during purchase. How many unit got red tint issue I had no idea, as included 9 demo set I molest, I didn't seen any red tint issue in all 10 units from my eye.
Camera - The front and rear camera is very great and nothing much to complain about. Simply awesome. The rear camera for me is far better than iPhone 7 Plus.
System UI - The best ever release by Samsung, I must said I am more impress with this UI than vanilla stock, it is so clean and simple but still attractive.
UI Smoothness - Frank speak all the demo set I touch is not very smooth, even the unit I own also, lucky Samsung had release a new Home Launcher version update in Galaxy Apps Store. All Samsung own apps now is update at Galaxy Apps Store, it is wise don't disable this. After the update, now the UI smoothness is far better, it is not extremely smooth but at least it is in acceptable level now. I wonder why no review mentioned about this, the phone is very fast but the UI smoothness is not top notch.
Loud Speaker - It is ok for single speaker. I am a bit miss my loud speaker in iPhone 7 Plus now.
Sound Output - I find my Bose SoundSport sound nicer than pairing with iPhone 7 Plus. It sound much smoother.
Fingerprint - Whoever does this design and approval is brain broken! The placement at top right back beside the camera is very wrong.
Iris Scanner - I am actually disappointing with it, it is not working well and slow for user that wear glasses.
Battery Life - It is very awesome to me and the wireless fast charging also very fast jut it not stopping even full charge. Now I remember back actually wireless charging never ever knew to stop, it is like that since the first time appear in S6 Edge.
Bixby button - This extra button is really useless, the Bixby is not something everyone fancy about it. Very hope soon can have a proper way to change the button to something else without root. This Bixby is the most lagging apps in S8+, it is not smooth and take few second to fully load.
Game Launcher - I know this is nothing new as it is long there, Samsung doing this is very welcome, all games now in a proper place instead of everywhere in the app drawer.
What I miss from iPhone 7 Plus - the double tap at status bar to scroll to top. The extremely smooth UI where also only happen in iOS 10.3.1. The much better loud speaker.
What I hate in iOS but no longer issue after back to Android - Thanks god I no need to make the screen not sleep or app run in-front when downloading thing from the app. 2nd is they is no more apps that look ugly due to stretching due to the app not FHD support.
Sample Photos taken with Samsung Galaxy S8+

Nice review! Kudos

Great write-up!
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

galaxys said:
Nice review! Kudos
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
howdyace said:
Great write-up!
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for liking.

Wireless charging does stop, just because it says 100% it really has a minor amount to go after that, maybe 3 minutes. Once it's done the light on the charger turns green
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

You could remap the Bixby button using the app bxactions. No root needed.

-Alan said:
You could remap the Bixby button using the app bxactions. No root needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks bro
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

ingenious247 said:
Wireless charging does stop, just because it says 100% it really has a minor amount to go after that, maybe 3 minutes. Once it's done the light on the charger turns green
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is not fully off even both (the phone and charger itself) light on as it is warmer and after my wake up already is 5 or 6 hours later.
-Alan said:
You could remap the Bixby button using the app bxactions. No root needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Appreciate much for this, trying out now.

Finally finish setup my S8+

I have the S7 and was waiting for the S8 to give the S7 to the wife and get the S8 for me but that fingerprint scanner is a major flaw. Something I can't understand to be possible at such high level.
For me the s8 would never leave the shelf and Samsung would had to take the phone off the market in order to correct that hedious monster mistake

Djuganight said:
I have the S7 and was waiting for the S8 to give the S7 to the wife and get the S8 for me but that fingerprint scanner is a major flaw. Something I can't understand to be possible at such high level.
For me the s8 would never leave the shelf and Samsung would had to take the phone off the market in order to correct that hedious monster mistake
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's on the back because they couldn't get the under glass fingerprint reader working in time.

So they should have place it underneath the camera and not sideways on a place that is almost impossible to reach for a regular person, unless you have alien hands.
It's just absurd

"UI Smoothness - Frank speak all the demo set I touch is not very smooth, even the unit I own also, lucky Samsung had release a new Home Launcher version update in Galaxy Apps Store. All Samsung own apps now is update at Galaxy Apps Store, it is wise don't disable this. After the update, now the UI smoothness is far better, it is not extremely smooth but at least it is in acceptable level now. I wonder why no review mentioned about this, the phone is very fast but the UI smoothness is not top notch."
This is the only thing make me annoying about Samsung phones. The UI smoothness is terrible (compare with the phones with the same specifications from other brands)
Thanks for your review BTW.
Sent from my LGM-G600K using Tapatalk

Andrewtst said:
Thanks for liking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, it's been a long time since I was in a Samsung forum, but I recognize this name because of that hand avatar.
Great review btw!

nicholaschum said:
Wow, it's been a long time since I was in a Samsung forum, but I recognize this name because of that hand avatar.
Great review btw!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha! I didn't change the avatar so far.

Djuganight said:
I have the S7 and was waiting for the S8 to give the S7 to the wife and get the S8 for me but that fingerprint scanner is a major flaw. Something I can't understand to be possible at such high level.
For me the s8 would never leave the shelf and Samsung would had to take the phone off the market in order to correct that hedious monster mistake
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have baby sized hands ?
I find it a total non issue, works well for me using either hand + lots of apps are gearing towards using it for password access as a choice.

Congratulations. I'm glad for you.

Andrewtst said:
[*]Fingerprint - Whoever does this design and approval is brain broken! The placement at top right back beside the camera is very wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This ! Man I love my phone but this is just absurd. After using one day my fingers actually hurt because of the weird unnatural position to use the FP scanner. I'm not sure what's wrong but Samsung but things like this make it hard for me to really love the brand.