Related
This should make all the sgs2 owners out there feel good since atrix was the main competition. Let me break down exactly what I liked about the Atrix (which *was* a great phone except for one major problem, more on that later)
Atrix
Pros:
- high resolution was great
- had a nice weighty feel in your hands
- tegra2 games were awesome (i'm looking at you galaxyOnFire2 HD)
- games in general ran amazingly well
- you can unlock the bootloader
Cons:
- took a while for the bootloader unlock to come through (was a great day when it did)
- comparing it to my friends nexus s i got the feeling that the colours on my screen were much less vibrant (colours on sgs2 are even better than nexus s)
- live wallpaper's made the whole UI choppy, no matter what rom or launcher I was running, strange because the tegra2 was so good with games, yet eveything lagged up from a simple LWP.
- HERE IS THE MAJOR ONE: after about 4 months of using the atrix, the touch functionality started to deteriorate. Nothing helped it, I flashed new roms, followed guides to wipe partitions, NOTHING worked. Basically, there was a 1/4 inch section about 3/4 inches away from the top of the screen that didnt respond to touch input.
AND later on a similar section on the bottom developed, this is ultimately why I decided to sell the phone on ebay (fully disclosing the issues with it of course)
the issue I'm talking about has been reported by a number of Atrix users, some were able to fix it with certain apps from the market and wiping partitions or caches, I was not one of those ones.
SGS2
Pros:
- bigger screen (depends on person, pro IMO)
- the colours are absolutely phenomenal. I have friends pick up my phone and go 'woah' once they see the colours
- fast as hell, right out of the box. the UI is like butter
- easy to flash new firmware versions, KI3 gave me an extra 20% battery life per day at minimum, and android 2.3.5 == awesome
- i quite like touchwiz 4. i didn't think I would, but it's nice to use and very smooth
-thin thin thin thin
Cons:
-i have 1 always green pixel, but to be honest i only ever would notice it using a dead pixel test app from the market and even then only when the screen is on red, can't see it on any other colour.
- resolution wasn't as good as the atrix! i know they used different methods to count total pixels, but at the end of the day, side by side, you could tell the atrix had more pixels and was 'sharper'
- almost would've liked a little more weight to the phone. though unlike certain reviews i definitely don't feel that it feels plasticy or cheap. it's just light.
- not the same support for games, GoF2 would be nice to play on this thing.
(i'm aware of chainfire3d, I tried to get it to work but GoF2 would load up *properly* except all the textures would be white, no idea why)
If it wasn't for the issue I had with the atrix I'd still have it (and 600 bucks in my pocket). The end result was I sold the atrix on ebay for around 300 (pretty good for not fully working, though the condition of the phone was mint).
However, I have to say that this is the greatest phone I have had the pleasure of using to date. I've been fiddling with it for a week, rooted it, flashed stuff with odin, played with CWM, upgraded firmwares/modems/radios and all that ****.
It's been awesome. Looking forward to spending some more time with this thing, checking out new UI's when I get bored of touchwiz, and all the awesome stuff that XDA has to offer. Keep up the great work guys.
**Note: I was unable to return my atrix because it was not under warranty, I live in canada and bought it on ebay (from the states) before it was released in canada, I called motorola and complained but they weren't having it.
I couldn't stand my atrix. The feel of it was great but the lag was out of this world. Trying to scroll through homescreens with no icons or widgets was even laggy. I blame that tegra chip. SGS2 is buttery smooth
Nice switch I guess. I still oogle over the lappy dock. Wish I was skilled enough in code to make the lappy dock and sgs 2 be able to work but hey, just a early student, know nothing on driver coding. xD
In the past, i was also hesitating between Atrix and SGS2.
But when I see that Motorola is already announcing (and prepared to sell) the Atrix 2, this means there were too many things to improve in this phone.
I think I have made the best choice : SGS2 !
Atrix and that poor excuse moto backflip was the 2 worst devices I had in my possession within the last year. I had nothing but lag with that device, and even worst when I tried to theme/change launchers. Only pro for me was the mini hdmi on the side. SGS2 was the best 750(release day) Ive ever spent.
Ill have the sgs2 until I can buy a galaxy note.
imo, right now samoled+ is enough to prefer sgs2 over any other phone out there...
I came from Atrix to i9100. stock motoblur was garbage but after BL unlock and flashing some 2.3.4 ROMs it actually ran pretty nice! I liked that you could define long press behaviour (ie long press of home opened SMS app) - that's about the only thing I miss.
Hi dear Galaxy Note owners.
As many of you I'm not quite satisfied by Galaxy Note screen.
Most of the feedback reveal sub-par results, despite we all know the potential here is huge (to say the least).
References:
- [Q] Galaxy Note Screen Issues!!!
- [Q] Video on Note
Worst offender being shadows rendering: my diagnostic: what's supposed to be dark is not so dark.. and then boom its black (ie black clipping)
As a result color look dull, some UI elements show not quite as they're supposed to, and videos exhibit awful banding, blocking and ringing artifacts.
That's why I can announce here I started working on Galaxy Note screen color.
Don't expect immediate results as it's a complex topic and I'm working on other projects where users expect updates (like Voodoo LOUDER), but I wanted to give keep you updated.
Next step:
Measurements with a colorimeter, at several brightness levels.
And after that.. there will be fixes and solutions.
− be patient.
wow tahts amazing news.
That's great news, indeed, Note deserves a little more care with that beautiful screen . Waiting patiently for the first results.
just a small token of appreciation to start with ...
Paypal : 71761221FM351443M
Friendly Greetz ..
tids2k
This is the most amazing news right after CM9...
Really happy to see my beloved note becoming more popular among devs now. So far was a little jealous of GSII owners... Not any more.
Thanks a lot you guys!
Great news!
What a team - Galaxy Note + Supercurio
supercurio said:
Hi dear Galaxy Note owners.
As many of you I'm not quite satisfied by Galaxy Note screen.
Most of the feedback reveal sub-par results, despite we all know the potential here is huge (to say the least).
References:
- [Q] Galaxy Note Screen Issues!!!
- [Q] Video on Note
Worst offender being shadows rendering: my diagnostic: what's supposed to be dark is not so dark.. and then boom its black (ie black clipping)
As a result color look dull, some UI elements show not quite as they're supposed to, and videos exhibit awful banding, blocking and ringing artifacts.
That's why I can announce here I started working on Galaxy Note screen color.
Don't expect immediate results as it's a complex topic and I'm working on other projects where users expect updates (like Voodoo LOUDER), but I wanted to give keep you updated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great news!
People say that I was nitpicking about the black levels and rendering issues on the G-Note.. Only show that their expectation is below average
Cant wait for your updates!
Lets see how the fanboys react to the words highlighted, calling all the majority vs minority defenders
EarlZ said:
Great news!
People say that I was nitpicking about the black levels and rendering issues on the G-Note.. Only show that their expectation is below average
Cant wait for your updates!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh sure.
Also, people disagreement is expected as one screen can vastly differ from another.
Its a source of endless fights in forums but also make fix/improvement attempts a lot more difficult.
supercurio said:
Oh sure.
Also, people disagreement is expected as one screen can vastly differ from another.
Its a source of endless fights in forums but also make fix/improvement attempts a lot more difficult.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly, the sad part is that they are just very dismissive about the issue and outright rude just because they got a 'perfect' screen or their standards are low.
Im getting my screen replaced this sunday because the lines are getting more visible and the greenish tint at the bottom is starting to creep upto half of the screen.
supercurio said:
Hi dear Galaxy Note owners.
As many of you I'm not quite satisfied by Galaxy Note screen.
Most of the feedback reveal sub-par results, despite we all know the potential here is huge (to say the least).
References:
- [Q] Galaxy Note Screen Issues!!!
- [Q] Video on Note
Worst offender being shadows rendering: my diagnostic: what's supposed to be dark is not so dark.. and then boom its black (ie black clipping)
As a result color look dull, some UI elements show not quite as they're supposed to, and videos exhibit awful banding, blocking and ringing artifacts.
That's why I can announce here I started working on Galaxy Note screen color.
Don't expect immediate results as it's a complex topic and I'm working on other projects where users expect updates (like Voodoo LOUDER), but I wanted to give keep you updated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
supercurio said:
Next step:
Measurements with a colorimeter, at several brightness levels.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
supercurio said:
And after that.. there will be fixes and solutions.
− be patient.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THANK YOU!!!
Nice to see that the Note is getting more and more cred.
Here in sweden, one of the major cell networks had massive pressure for this device and couldnt deliver enough phones for the ppl that wanted it. Their struggling to get more...
Feels like the interest for a size between 4,1" and 7" is massive!
Thanks Supercurio for your dedication and work!
Great new from great dev!!
I already use your voodoo screen tuning app on my galaxy tab and s2. I was hoping to use it on my note.
Thanks a lot sir!
This is simply great....
Any chances for showing some love for audio? I know it is just wishful thinking... But still...
Tapashocked via my gt-I9003 with a random keyboard of my choice !
Lordrdx666 said:
Thanks a lot sir!
This is simply great....
Any chances for showing some love for audio? I know it is just wishful thinking... But still...
Tapashocked via my gt-I9003 with a random keyboard of my choice !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check Voodoo LOUDER in the market maybe...
Latoc said:
Check Voodoo LOUDER in the market maybe...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought it even if I didnt need it XD
supercurio said:
Hi dear Galaxy Note owners.
Worst offender being shadows rendering: my diagnostic: what's supposed to be dark is not so dark.. and then boom its black (ie black clipping)
As a result color look dull, some UI elements show not quite as they're supposed to, and videos exhibit awful banding, blocking and ringing artifacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I would be careful to not crush the darks too much. You then lose detail in shadows in dark photos. On the Infuse they do this and shadow detail is completely lost, even though they ramp smoother. This is wrong too.
It definetly does black clipping, I noticed it in that pic I made, after 4 it just goes black. It should obviously ramp smoothly to the last color which is black 0,0,0. This shows up in videos as colors are gone after a certain amount making compression artifacts really stand out instread of blending.
I don't know what the hell Samsung was thinking.
Good to see you are looking at it though, thanks.
Thanks, Supercurio, for your attention on these details!
One suggestion: incorporate some sort of "screen filter" into your app, so that Note owners can enjoy much greater brightness adjustments all from one Supercurio app!
Right now the screen is too bright to read at night...
Hi guys,
Recently sold my Xperia Z as personally I thought it was a huge dissapointment IMO. So now I have the cash again to splash on a phone but need some real user experiences and reviews from people who have received their devices today.
If possible I am looking for any information about the things you like or don't like. Any suprises or dissapointments. Camera/Video samples. Screen comparisons with existing devices.
I understand it is early days but hopefully over the next couple of days, or until at least HTC sort the stock problems out, I will have an idea if I should go ahead with buying this device. I also know therer are many reviews posted across this forum, but I am looking for real user experiences which will hopefully help people like myself decide on if this is the phone for us.
Thanks all!
Some first impressions
- It looks and feels like a piece of advanced alien technology - it makes my brothers iPhone 5 look cheap
- Screen is amazing. Tried the Xperia Z in store, this screen is miles ahead. Viewing angles and saturation is top notch.
- This is the first time I've liked sense, and haven't felt compelled to stick CM on it as soon as possible
- It gets a tad warm if you use it for ages, but it's not too bad
I owned this phone since 20 July of 2012 and joined XDA in september. More than 3 Years in the community. The Galaxy Note GT-N7000 was my first Android phone. The first time I saw it was in 2011 in a billboard here in Buenos Aires, for that moment the phone was incredibly huge (and even bigger in that billboard) and I loved it. But it was really expensive and I could not afford it. A year later, the price dropped a bit and was the moment to buy it, and I did. It took 1 week to come to my house. When I first saw the box it was... small. Also the Note was printed at the cover of the box (I thought it was the real size), but then I took the cover apart... HELL THAT'S A HUGE PHONE I said to my family, and they laughed. The phone covered the dimensions of the box, making it minimalistic and in a nice presentation. I remember when I first turned it on, it showed the name of the phone in white letters and a nice, Amoled black that I never saw before (The first time I saw that image was hilarous, now everyone here in XDA fears when the phone tooks more than 10 seconds in that screen due to the eMMC brickbug ). And the little green android appeared. The camera was amazing, the games I've played were really fluid and really HD sharpness (GTA III, Modern Combat 3, GTA VC, GTA SA, FIFA12, etc) and the screen... the screen was insane, even better than some actual devices. The S-Pen got me a passion for drawing, and now I have my future decided (Going to study Graphic Design in University) thanks to this phone. And then started my flash-a-holic vicious. Started with the ICS leaks and worried (like everyone) to wipe data that triggered the eMMC brickbug in so many Notes.. I still remember the wave of threads starting at "Stuck at GT-N7000 because of wipe data". Until Jelly Bean came up. That was a new life to this phone. It was fast, minimalistic and enhanced thanks to that update (It didn't had nothing to envy to the GSIII or the brand new Note 2). And there was the support for the phone. No further updates, no further support, the phone was going into a slow comma. And here the problems started... The USB board with ghost charge, the camera doesn't focus anymore, the S Pen draws without touching the screen, the battery swelled up...
I was in hurry to upgrade the phone, and I saw the Note 3, but some days later, the Note 4 started to leak... So I waited for it, it was announced, Around 1000 USD for that phone? That was insane!
So I waited, with a slow phone and half of it features without working. But then Android 5 was released, and bauner ported it... Another life to this phone (Froyo, Gingerbread, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, Kitkat and now Lollipop!)
Now the Note 4 is around 700USD and I can afford it so.. it's time to leave my Note now.
They were good times, and I had learned much with this phone. Modifying frameworks, apks, smali codes, themes, flashing roms, developing, testing, failing, testing, failing again.. Now is time to move.
I will miss this community and all the love you people gave to me. The Note 4 is way too different, a higher resolution, a way different processor and, with the inclusion of Knox, it would be harder than the N7000 to make mods for it.
So, that's all. I will be here and there, because I want to test what I didn't tested before with this phone (because it was my primary phone).
Goodbye people, goodbye N7000 community.
All the best. A still N7000 main user
All the Best Bro. Hope you will shine in the Note 4 community.
In fact still i'm using some of your mods and themes when i switch to TW. Specially Your White Keyboard is my favorite
Thanks again for your all friendly support and kindness.
Cheers :good:
** This is just my personal thoughts and musing on my experience with my first Android phone. I doubt it's very interesting but I thought I'd share anyway and welcome others to comment and share their experiences. If you're not interested just don't read it, please don't pick holes and post snarky comments. **
Boring introduction
I've had an iPhone since the 3G went on sale and upgraded over the years to the 4 and then the 5. Apple always made beautiful hardware and software with flawless usability but at 3 years old my iPhone 5 was looking like a poor relation compared to the latest flagships and the recently launched, palm filling iPhone 6.
I had gone SIM ONLY after my iPhone 5 contract had finished and I was paying around half the amount for pretty much unlimited everything. I certainly didn't want to start another contract with hefty bills each month but there was no way I was going to shell out over £600 for a new one.
I was also getting frustrated with the limitations of the iPhone devices. Everything works perfectly but why do I need a Stocks app if I don't have any stocks? Why do I need an Apple Watch app, the new U2 album or be restricted to using iTunes for my music? (Other music apps are available but don't integrate as well into the functions of the os)
So about 12 months ago I picked up an Android magazine during a long wait in Gatwick Airport and thought I'd see what the other side was offering. I've been an amateur Linux hacker/enthusiast for a number of years so I knew from experience that the trade off in flexibility from a largely open source platform was potentially a more buggy, ugly and inconsistent user experience.
The magazine featured a review of the ZTE Blade S6. It looked just like a very cheap iPhone 6 knockoff (I now have one at work, it's cheap but it does the job) but my mind started mulling over the specs and I began to put a wishlist together in my head. Good camera, expandable storage (a massive drawback on Apple devices), large screen (so I could do away with my crappy tablet), long battery life and good looking (I didn't want a super glossy, plasticy, Samsung Galaxy or iPhone clone).
My investigations lead me to news of the LG G4 launch and a beta testing programme. The phone looked amazing, it was leather for a start, how crazy. I applied for the trial but didn't get selected. The G4 was going to set me back £500 unlocked so after reading the reviews of the G3 and finding it online for just over £200, I bought my first Android phone.
First thoughts
The package arrived and as I opened it I saw a gold and brown box (the kind of colours you expect to see on the wallpaper in an Indian restaurant). I panicked - I had ordered the white phone, I didn't want gold. Metallic plastic looks nasty (no offence if you have the gold one). Luckily it was white inside.
The pearlescent white was OK, not amazing, in fact kind of cheap looking and the logo strip on the front looked like the design had been lifted off of a 90s microwave but overall it was pleasant to hold, slim and if you didn't look too closely it looked quite sleek and modern.
I charged it up (the accessories were actually more stylish than the phone. They should promote the team who made the charger) and booted it.
WTF!!! The icons! Who thought that square icons in grubby shades of the dullest colours was remotely a good idea? The oversized status and soft key bar icons looked uncomfortable and Smart Bulletin was about as much use as a pocket on a sock.
Customisation
I lived with it for a few weeks. The weather effects were fun, I was getting used to the blinking LED and having a file manager was a whole new freedom that meant I could actually work on my phone. I installed an icon pack but still couldn't make peace with that clunky and aesthetically unpleasing UI. Time to root and sign up to XDA.
The first ROM I tried was Resurrection Remix. It had been recommended to me and it was amazing. Customisation that I dreamed of. But for some reason the phone would randomly shutdown in the middle of the night and could only be turned back on by removing the battery. I couldn't risk it. I use my phone as an alarm so I needed it to be reliable.
I discovered Cloudy and combined with XPosed I was able to get a UI that was a compromise between LG and what I wanted, although apps such as the dialer, calculator and the settings interface still bugged me.
I know they are only small things and shouldn't really bother me but your phone becomes an extension of yourself. In fact I interact more with my phone on a daily basis than I do with a lot of people, so it needs to be an enjoyable experience.
When MM was released I went back to stock and thought I could just live with the ugliness. Cloudy had shut up shop, Fulmics wasn't there just yet and I wanted MM! It was a massive trade off. For full camera functions and stability, I sacrificed my hard work fine tuning my ROM, but I got impatient fast. In fact Marshmallow has been announced months ago and no sooner had 6.0 been given to us like a late Christmas present, 6.0.1 was out for other devices.
CyanogenMod 13.0
Then I discovered the tread about CM13. I knew about CM already and knew it was the base for many of the custom ROMs I'd tried in the past but I thought installing this would give me an almost pure Android experience with regular updates and I can live without slo-mo video or the other LG features.
Initially there were bugs that meant my first attempt was short-lived and I ended up going back to stock within a few hours. I have a Xiaomi Mi Band and CM couldn't recognise BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) devices.
Soon the bug was fixed and CM13 was reinstalled. In general my CM experience has been pretty good although it's evident the software wasn't intended for your device. It's not a perfect fit with fewer features in the camera and some niggly bugs (it's only in beta).
The ROOT of all evil
Tiring of my epic quest for the perfect ROM and settling with CM13 was a short lived moment of harmony. I had come to terms with my banking app not working and even the camera but then the rumour leaks - UK to get Android Pay by the end of March.
It's nearly the end of March and no sign yet but it got me thinking about the future of mobile technology and more importantly what I want from a device (it's rarely used as a phone).
It's obvious they are worming their way into more and more areas of our lives and will continue to do so. Android Pay doesn't currently work with CM or rooted devices and it's a cat and mouse game to cloak, hide and workaround these barriers. What I need is a device that fits my wish list and I can run without root.
Hello Moto
So last night I decided to take the plunge and treat myself to a new device. A purer Android experience with a snazzy look, regular updates and a low price tag. My Moto X Style should arrive tomorrow and I'm hoping our relationship will not be as turbulent as it was with the G3.
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
"The course of true love never did run smooth". Android isn't an OS for everyone and im glad you took the plunge into the android world after so many years with an iPhone. Hope you enjoy your Moto X and also hope your time with that phone would last for a long time.
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
Shifters123 said:
"The course of true love never did run smooth". Android isn't an OS for everyone and im glad you took the plunge into the android world after so many years with an iPhone. Hope you enjoy your Moto X and also hope your time with that phone would last for a long time.
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I do love Android. I love the freedom.
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
Thanks for your honest opinions , give lightning launcher a try with minimal work it can give you a totally different looking type of interface
markthomson1404 said:
Thanks for your honest opinions , give lightning launcher a try with minimal work it can give you a totally different looking type of interface
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I'm on Google Launcher at the moment. I really like Microsoft Arrow launcher in a way but it needs more customisation options.
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
Hi, although I don't hate my phone, I'm totally agree with you.
The shutdown issue... terrible thing of CM12.1 (and of stock firmware too, but less frequently).
Then you criticized the limitations of LG system, like any other. Sadly many trademarks choose to promote banal and heavy customatizations which make phone like a "closed box"... like iPhone & Family!
Personally, when I want to buy or suggest a phone, I look only for hardware specifications.
The stock firmware will be replaced asap.
I really would appreciate a Nexus with both external SD and removable battery support: the stock Android experience and an easier modding experience, without too many bootloader complications.
It's the same with me, but I'm stuck with a contract.. Have fun with your Moto!
Simone98RC said:
Hi, although I don't hate my phone, I'm totally agree with you.
The shutdown issue... terrible thing of CM12.1 (and of stock firmware too, but less frequently).
Then you criticized the limitations of LG system, like any other. Sadly many trademarks choose to promote banal and heavy customatizations which make phone like a "closed box"... like iPhone & Family!
Personally, when I want to buy or suggest a phone, I look only for hardware specifications.
The stock firmware will be replaced asap.
I really would appreciate a Nexus with both external SD and removable battery support: the stock Android experience and an easier modding experience, without too many bootloader complications.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was in the hardware is important camp and just wipe the software but with Android Pay launching and requiring you to be unrooted, I need the software to be as perfect as possible stock.
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
RapHaeL_4_4_4_ said:
It's the same with me, but I'm stuck with a contract.. Have fun with your Moto!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. Amazon should hopefully deliver it in a few hours so I'll report back later
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk
that's sad. did you try the official marshmallow stock rom?? for me its the most perfect and smoothest rom ever used in my G3. btw moto is awesome too. good luck!
superawesomeme said:
** This is just my personal thoughts and musing on my experience with my first Android phone. I doubt it's very interesting but I thought I'd share anyway and welcome others to comment and share their experiences. If you're not interested just don't read it, please don't pick holes and post snarky comments. **
Boring introduction
I've had an iPhone since the 3G went on sale and upgraded over the years to the 4 and then the 5. Apple always made beautiful hardware and software with flawless usability but at 3 years old my iPhone 5 was looking like a poor relation compared to the latest flagships and the recently launched, palm filling iPhone 6.
I had gone SIM ONLY after my iPhone 5 contract had finished and I was paying around half the amount for pretty much unlimited everything. I certainly didn't want to start another contract with hefty bills each month but there was no way I was going to shell out over £600 for a new one.
I was also getting frustrated with the limitations of the iPhone devices. Everything works perfectly but why do I need a Stocks app if I don't have any stocks? Why do I need an Apple Watch app, the new U2 album or be restricted to using iTunes for my music? (Other music apps are available but don't integrate as well into the functions of the os)
So about 12 months ago I picked up an Android magazine during a long wait in Gatwick Airport and thought I'd see what the other side was offering. I've been an amateur Linux hacker/enthusiast for a number of years so I knew from experience that the trade off in flexibility from a largely open source platform was potentially a more buggy, ugly and inconsistent user experience.
The magazine featured a review of the ZTE Blade S6. It looked just like a very cheap iPhone 6 knockoff (I now have one at work, it's cheap but it does the job) but my mind started mulling over the specs and I began to put a wishlist together in my head. Good camera, expandable storage (a massive drawback on Apple devices), large screen (so I could do away with my crappy tablet), long battery life and good looking (I didn't want a super glossy, plasticy, Samsung Galaxy or iPhone clone).
My investigations lead me to news of the LG G4 launch and a beta testing programme. The phone looked amazing, it was leather for a start, how crazy. I applied for the trial but didn't get selected. The G4 was going to set me back £500 unlocked so after reading the reviews of the G3 and finding it online for just over £200, I bought my first Android phone.
First thoughts
The package arrived and as I opened it I saw a gold and brown box (the kind of colours you expect to see on the wallpaper in an Indian restaurant). I panicked - I had ordered the white phone, I didn't want gold. Metallic plastic looks nasty (no offence if you have the gold one). Luckily it was white inside.
The pearlescent white was OK, not amazing, in fact kind of cheap looking and the logo strip on the front looked like the design had been lifted off of a 90s microwave but overall it was pleasant to hold, slim and if you didn't look too closely it looked quite sleek and modern.
I charged it up (the accessories were actually more stylish than the phone. They should promote the team who made the charger) and booted it.
WTF!!! The icons! Who thought that square icons in grubby shades of the dullest colours was remotely a good idea? The oversized status and soft key bar icons looked uncomfortable and Smart Bulletin was about as much use as a pocket on a sock.
Customisation
I lived with it for a few weeks. The weather effects were fun, I was getting used to the blinking LED and having a file manager was a whole new freedom that meant I could actually work on my phone. I installed an icon pack but still couldn't make peace with that clunky and aesthetically unpleasing UI. Time to root and sign up to XDA.
The first ROM I tried was Resurrection Remix. It had been recommended to me and it was amazing. Customisation that I dreamed of. But for some reason the phone would randomly shutdown in the middle of the night and could only be turned back on by removing the battery. I couldn't risk it. I use my phone as an alarm so I needed it to be reliable.
I discovered Cloudy and combined with XPosed I was able to get a UI that was a compromise between LG and what I wanted, although apps such as the dialer, calculator and the settings interface still bugged me.
I know they are only small things and shouldn't really bother me but your phone becomes an extension of yourself. In fact I interact more with my phone on a daily basis than I do with a lot of people, so it needs to be an enjoyable experience.
When MM was released I went back to stock and thought I could just live with the ugliness. Cloudy had shut up shop, Fulmics wasn't there just yet and I wanted MM! It was a massive trade off. For full camera functions and stability, I sacrificed my hard work fine tuning my ROM, but I got impatient fast. In fact Marshmallow has been announced months ago and no sooner had 6.0 been given to us like a late Christmas present, 6.0.1 was out for other devices.
CyanogenMod 13.0
Then I discovered the tread about CM13. I knew about CM already and knew it was the base for many of the custom ROMs I'd tried in the past but I thought installing this would give me an almost pure Android experience with regular updates and I can live without slo-mo video or the other LG features.
Initially there were bugs that meant my first attempt was short-lived and I ended up going back to stock within a few hours. I have a Xiaomi Mi Band and CM couldn't recognise BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) devices.
Soon the bug was fixed and CM13 was reinstalled. In general my CM experience has been pretty good although it's evident the software wasn't intended for your device. It's not a perfect fit with fewer features in the camera and some niggly bugs (it's only in beta).
The ROOT of all evil
Tiring of my epic quest for the perfect ROM and settling with CM13 was a short lived moment of harmony. I had come to terms with my banking app not working and even the camera but then the rumour leaks - UK to get Android Pay by the end of March.
It's nearly the end of March and no sign yet but it got me thinking about the future of mobile technology and more importantly what I want from a device (it's rarely used as a phone).
It's obvious they are worming their way into more and more areas of our lives and will continue to do so. Android Pay doesn't currently work with CM or rooted devices and it's a cat and mouse game to cloak, hide and workaround these barriers. What I need is a device that fits my wish list and I can run without root.
Hello Moto
So last night I decided to take the plunge and treat myself to a new device. A purer Android experience with a snazzy look, regular updates and a low price tag. My Moto X Style should arrive tomorrow and I'm hoping our relationship will not be as turbulent as it was with the G3.
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that totally sucks! I want iPhone users to see what's so great with Androids. I would actually recommend the G3 to any iPhone user trying to switch to Android. It blows you didn't have a good experience as I love the phone so much I won't upgrade because this phone is a beast. With fulmics 4.2 MM, xposed and G3 tweaksbox your phone would have been a better experience. I myself want to try an iPhone but I just can't let this phone go lol. Well I hope this bad experience didn't want to make you go back as the new G5 might change your mind :fingers-crossed:
GTRanushka said:
that's sad. did you try the official marshmallow stock rom?? for me its the most perfect and smoothest rom ever used in my G3. btw moto is awesome too. good luck!
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I tried official Marshmallow for a few weeks, the battery life was incredible and it was so smooth. I think that's what I find so frustrating, LG make some amazing tech, the specs are top notch and they don't age/slowdown as fast as others but there are so many proprietary modifications to the OS that it's put me off LG.
It's obviously just a personal preference but I just find their design aesthetic unpleasing, like a hybrid of Kit Kat (the dull colours and oversized status/nav icons) and Lollipop (material design, but poorly executed in this case).
The heavy skinning was the reason I avoided Samsung too. Again incredible hardware. These companies seem to take the same half-assed approach to UI design as Microsoft. A jumble of different styles, moving forwards with good ideas but poorly executed with remnants of the past hanging about.
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RapHaeL_4_4_4_ said:
It's the same with me, but I'm stuck with a contract.. Have fun with your Moto!
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Omg it's amazing. I few things I miss from the LG...
- Power button position (I'll get used to it)
- Double tap to wake
- Wireless charging
Other than that it's practically perfect (so far)...
- The display is incredible. I'm on about 15-20% brightness and it's so vivid and clear. I had to have the LG between 50-60%.
- Snapchat video filters work, inc slow-mo, fast, reverse (these didn't work on LG)
- Moto display for alerts, you just wave your hand over the front for a power friendly notification screen.
- Pure Android experience so no ugly status bar.
- Super fast burst mode on camera (plus improved low light mode)
- Front flash
- Beautiful shape and rear texture
- Gestures such as double twist for camera mode, karate chop for flashlight, etc
This is the droid I was looking for!
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