So, I bought my ZenFone 3 Deluxe from Amazon on October 23, with an estimated delivery of Nov 30-Dec 7. On Nov 4th, surprisingly, my phone got delivered. Coming from a Note 7 (as a long time galaxy user) I had some hesitations, but overall I am pleased. I have owned it for just about a month now, and I would like to share some of the things I have noticed. I am hoping that some of you have a way to fix some of these, or if nothing else, to find out that I am not the only one having the issues.
First, lets start with the IMEI issue I had. Straight out of the box, I took the phone to the AT&T store and got a new SIM card for it. Right off the bat, it picked up good service on the voice network, but failed to connect to LTE (or any data network for that matter). I checked my APN settings, called AT&T 3 different times, and finally fixed it. The cause was the IMEI was reading as a Motorola V577, which is an old flip phone without the data capability. I could pull up my IMEI as a ZF3D but, for whatever reason, AT&T was pulling it up as the Motorola. On the 3rd call, they finally reconfigured my IMEI and a week later I now have data connection. Not LTE, but 4G+ is better than nothing I guess...:victory:
Next, the most annoying thing, is Bluetooth. I have a few devices. A Samsung Gear S2 watch, an LG headset, and my Honda Accord are my main 3. All the devices I have connected initially pair really easily, so no problem there. I am normally wearing both my watch and headset, and for the most part, both stay connected no problem. The biggest thing for me is when I have both connected, and receive a call, it automatically directs it to my watch-not my headset... to "fix" this in call I have to pretty much disconnect my watch, then go into the headset Bluetooth settings, deselect phone audio, then reselect it. I have gotten to the point now that I just leave the watch connected only for "contact sharing" and the headset stays connected for audio. I have only received one call since doing this, so hopefully that works. Also, hopefully someone has a fix on how to have them both connected at the same time and have the headset take priority.
The other big deal with Bluetooth is with my car. The ZF3 will not automatically connect to the car, and manually connecting to the car takes about 10 failed attempts each time. With my Note7, as soon as I would start the car it would start the connecting process. Same with my wife's Iphone 6+. The car will even connect to my wife's phone when I start it up in the morning, her phone inside the house, and mine being in the car before backing out of the driveway...again annoying...
Yet another annoying thing, is the texting fail. Normally not a big deal, but when it comes to picture messages, whether group or individual, it's hit or miss. I have a friend with a Galaxy S7 Edge, and his pictures 90% of the time never come through. For the most part everyone else's come through fine, and his pictures come through on everyone else's phones perfectly (we do a lot of group texts...). The messenger app tells me I have a picture, and gives me the refresh button for each picture, but even when pressed, they wont come through. This happens when connected to both WIFI and Data. A not so big deal, but more of a nuisance, is the texting notification. Regardless of if I have no new texts, it says I have 3 new...the bubble never goes away. If I get new texts, it gains numbers (4, 5, 6, etc.) but never gets lower than 3. I have been through each text, checked all of them, refreshed, checked archived messages, and nothing seems to make the number disappear.
Now for the good. The fingerprint sensor is awesome. I absolutely love it. It is BY FAR greater than the Note7, and leaps and bounds greater than my wife's Iphone. The camera is awesome (minus low light, but I knew that from the reviews) and the wide variety of shooting modes is pretty cool as well. The amount of different themes you can choose from is a plus, and the laser ruler is a neat toy, that will probably never get any real use. I will say, I tested the accuracy with a ruler, and it comes within about 1/2 an inch every time.
The accessories I use are the Sparin clear TPU soft case, and the OMOTON 9H hardness tempered glass screen protector. Both of these I got off of Amazon, and both came in a 2 pack. I am pleasantly surprised with both of these items. The screen protector is extremely smooth to the touch, and goes on easily, you can hardly tell its there. The case is good for a cheap TPU case, and it's a lot smaller scale than an Otterbox, which I am used to having on all of my phones within the last 4 years.
Sorry this is a lot of words, hopefully at least some of you read it and find something interesting, or know of a fix for anything. I would definitely appreciate it. :good:
Thanks again everyone.
Nick
Good read! What model 4ram 64gb soc820?
Hey Nick,
Phones Issues
IMEI: I'm on ATT too. I have the 6/64GB version. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but even when you have LTE connection, it will still only show up as 4G+.
Bluetooth call priority issues: Sound like you need to set the priority This quick read may help.
General connection to car's Bluetooth: the previous info might help this issue as well. My ZF3D automatically connects to my car radio about 10 seconds or less after startup.
Text Fail: Have you tried a different messaging app? Have you checked your MMS settings in the app?
Accessories
I have 3 cases. A soft clear TPU case, Blue Tudia Slim Case, and the black IMAK frosted case. Out of them all, I like the cheap clear case the best. Cost like 2.50 and came with two glass protectors. Super thin and allows the phone's good looks to show (hard to notice that it has a case). I'm surprised how well I like the phone - I do have my rant on some issues, but they are mostly with Asus and the way they operate their phone division rather than the phone itself.
galaxys said:
Good read! What model 4ram 64gb soc820?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no SD820 with 4GB of RAM
Blues-n-Blazin said:
There is no SD820 with 4GB of RAM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes there is...
ultramag69 said:
Yes there is...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How are you going to say yes there is and not give me a model number to back it up?
And if you are saying that referring to a non Zenfone 3 model, well then you know what I meant to say and you should take a look at your avatar...lol. I really should have specified Zenfone, so if that is what you mean, then nicely played sir, got me on a technicality and I can appreciate that.
galaxys said:
Good read! What model 4ram 64gb soc820?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
6 GB ram 64 Gb storage sd820. Even though when I bought it, it was advertised as the 821...
The Simple said:
Hey Nick,
Phones Issues
IMEI: I'm on ATT too. I have the 6/64GB version. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but even when you have LTE connection, it will still only show up as 4G+.
Bluetooth call priority issues: Sound like you need to set the priority This quick read may help.
General connection to car's Bluetooth: the previous info might help this issue as well. My ZF3D automatically connects to my car radio about 10 seconds or less after startup.
Text Fail: Have you tried a different messaging app? Have you checked your MMS settings in the app?
Accessories
I have 3 cases. A soft clear TPU case, Blue Tudia Slim Case, and the black IMAK frosted case. Out of them all, I like the cheap clear case the best. Cost like 2.50 and came with two glass protectors. Super thin and allows the phone's good looks to show (hard to notice that it has a case). I'm surprised how well I like the phone - I do have my rant on some issues, but they are mostly with Asus and the way they operate their phone division rather than the phone itself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info, I'll give the read a try. I haven't tried any other messenger apps, I'm used to the stock messenger just working with Samsung...I have checked the settings though, and even toggling them does nothing.
UPDATE 12/6/2016:
So I tried the Bluetooth autoconnect app thing, and it didn't fix it for me. It sometimes connects to my watch mid call, but only with my headset off. When my headset is on now, it stays connected just fine. Same with the car, if I manually select the car in the Bluetooth menu, it stays connected, but wont actually connect automatically.
As far as the different messenger app, I tried a couple (Handcent, Google Allo,) and while using those, my phone hardly received ANY texts...I uninstalled both, and it seems to have fixed itself with the preinstalled messenger. either that or I no longer get any group texts like I usually do....either way, I'm not complaining.
Thanks for your help everyone!
Nick
Blues-n-Blazin said:
How are you going to say yes there is and not give me a model number to back it up?
And if you are saying that referring to a non Zenfone 3 model, well then you know what I meant to say and you should take a look at your avatar...lol. I really should have specified Zenfone, so if that is what you mean, then nicely played sir, got me on a technicality and I can appreciate that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL....
I too have had mine for about a month, and I'm underwhelmed. I have the same screen protector and it works very well, but good cases are few and far between.
Speed is OK, almost everything runs fine, but the single biggest issue I have is texting. I can make/receive calls, but sending SMS, I'm having to trap "try again" to send text messages waaaaaaaaaaay to often. I receive messages hours after they're sent. Stick the SIM card back in my ZF2, and everything works like it should. So that's frustrating.
Looked at APN settings, matches everything online I can find.
Bluetooth pairing is also a problem for me. It will not pair with my bluetooth ear buds, it shows the Mac address and then the name of the deivce, then when I pair it says device not available. My tablets and ZF2 both pair with them fine, so not sure where the problem is.
I think that if I compare it at 499 vs the 299 I paid for my zenfone 2, the $200 difference isn't worth it, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. And frankly, I think the marketing was a bit misleading, I thought I was getting the 821, and only got the 820, but I didn't find a good side-by-side comparison, and amazon stock was getting low and I needed a phone. And there is no way, based on what I have, that the 799 for the special deluxe is money well spent.
On the hunt for another phone so I can dump this one off on some unsuspecting sucker.
I swung away from samsung, and tried something new, and am now paying the price.
My phone has none of those issues you've described, but based on what I've read, it's one of two things - your phone, or everything else.
Meaning, if it's your phone that is just plain defective and you have a warranty - exchange it. If the connection problems persists, more than likely it's another cause (everything else) and then it gets more complicated. Otherwise I'm with you, dump the phone if it doesn't work right.
I do think that Asus priced the ZF3D too high to be very competitive against other Chinese/Taiwan phone makers. They released it much too late in the year and got undercut by the competition (see examples: OnePlus 3T, LeEco Le Max 2). I was ready to have buyer's remorse, but I realized that that was my problem not the phone or it's quality.
As far as comparisons to your old phone, I have a Zenfone 2 Deluxe as well. I got the dreaded ghost touch problem. I replaced the screen and I still like it. However, the 5.7 inch ZF3D is still a far better and different phone than the Zenfone 2 in my opinion. I find it hard to compare the two.
mrcpu said:
I too have had mine for about a month, and I'm underwhelmed. I have the same screen protector and it works very well, but good cases are few and far between.
Speed is OK, almost everything runs fine, but the single biggest issue I have is texting. I can make/receive calls, but sending SMS, I'm having to trap "try again" to send text messages waaaaaaaaaaay to often. I receive messages hours after they're sent. Stick the SIM card back in my ZF2, and everything works like it should. So that's frustrating.
Looked at APN settings, matches everything online I can find.
Bluetooth pairing is also a problem for me. It will not pair with my bluetooth ear buds, it shows the Mac address and then the name of the deivce, then when I pair it says device not available. My tablets and ZF2 both pair with them fine, so not sure where the problem is.
I think that if I compare it at 499 vs the 299 I paid for my zenfone 2, the $200 difference isn't worth it, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. And frankly, I think the marketing was a bit misleading, I thought I was getting the 821, and only got the 820, but I didn't find a good side-by-side comparison, and amazon stock was getting low and I needed a phone. And there is no way, based on what I have, that the 799 for the special deluxe is money well spent.
On the hunt for another phone so I can dump this one off on some unsuspecting sucker.
I swung away from samsung, and tried something new, and am now paying the price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How could you think you were getting the SD821? They list two options, common sense tells you that it is price tiered.
I have the 256GB SD821, and it was money well spent. Everything works great.
You may need to take your phone to the carrier to make sure all their network settings registered off the SIM card. I got my Dad that phone and he had to get a new SIM card from ATT. For some reason, it doesn't like SIM cards being traded back and forth between phones
Blues-n-Blazin said:
How could you think you were getting the SD821? They list two options, common sense tells you that it is price tiered.
I have the 256GB SD821, and it was money well spent. Everything works great.
You may need to take your phone to the carrier to make sure all their network settings registered off the SIM card. I got my Dad that phone and he had to get a new SIM card from ATT. For some reason, it doesn't like SIM cards being traded back and forth between phones
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going to go get a new SIM and see. The last OTA, and a factory reset seems to have cleared up all but one issue, which is the massively delayed texting. I'm trying the NXTGENPHONE APN, to see if it helps, but some initial tests aren't encouraging. Everytime I reboot the phone, all the "delayed texts" come in bam bam bam, and I can send. Then 10-15 minutes later, I send myself a text, and nothing. Reboot the phone, and bam, here it is. So we'll see if the new APN helps, and I'll snag a new SIM on my way to work Monday if the AT&T store isn't too busy.
I managed to cobble together a decent wallet-ish case that I'm happy with, so that's a plus.
I used this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HQKYJOE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 , and
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KPOOL5U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 with this screen protector
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H3SI1TS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and it's all working together pretty well for me, and appears to be holding up, so one major gripe eliminated. (If you pull the lip of the case up with your fingernail and run your nail all the way around the case, it will come down on top of the glass, and add some extra "hold-down" power. If you don't, the glass seems to just touch the edge of the case, and depending on how you grab it, raise it up just a tad so you see a little air bubble around the edge).
Anyway, I was probably a bit harsh, the phone is a good phone, good build quality, battery life for me has been very good, > 1 day, everything I try is working well, my NFC works, I can pay stuff with android pay, all those parts are good, it's now just the texting, and while I won't be a happy camper, at least I'll be a satisfied one.
I've kind of lost my custom rom fetish with phones, so lack of custom roms, and unlockers really doesn't sway me either way. Will I buy a ZF4? Probably not, but this will work for now...
mrcpu said:
I'm going to go get a new SIM and see. The last OTA, and a factory reset seems to have cleared up all but one issue, which is the massively delayed texting. I'm trying the NXTGENPHONE APN, to see if it helps, but some initial tests aren't encouraging. Everytime I reboot the phone, all the "delayed texts" come in bam bam bam, and I can send. Then 10-15 minutes later, I send myself a text, and nothing. Reboot the phone, and bam, here it is. So we'll see if the new APN helps, and I'll snag a new SIM on my way to work Monday if the AT&T store isn't too busy.
I managed to cobble together a decent wallet-ish case that I'm happy with, so that's a plus.
I used this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HQKYJOE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 , and
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KPOOL5U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 with this screen protector
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H3SI1TS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and it's all working together pretty well for me, and appears to be holding up, so one major gripe eliminated. (If you pull the lip of the case up with your fingernail and run your nail all the way around the case, it will come down on top of the glass, and add some extra "hold-down" power. If you don't, the glass seems to just touch the edge of the case, and depending on how you grab it, raise it up just a tad so you see a little air bubble around the edge).
Anyway, I was probably a bit harsh, the phone is a good phone, good build quality, battery life for me has been very good, > 1 day, everything I try is working well, my NFC works, I can pay stuff with android pay, all those parts are good, it's now just the texting, and while I won't be a happy camper, at least I'll be a satisfied one.
I've kind of lost my custom rom fetish with phones, so lack of custom roms, and unlockers really doesn't sway me either way. Will I buy a ZF4? Probably not, but this will work for now...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The NXTGENPHONE APN is what my Dad's phone got put on and his works great. He has the SD820
I've had it (5.7", SD820/64Gb variant) since late October;
- the design is amazing, but the smooth back can be a tad slippery; mine already fell on the pavement from around hip-height & got dents.
This is definitely not aircraft-grade aluminium but a softer alloy.
- the screen is OK; QHD would've been better but FHD is a good compromise with power consumption. Colour saturation is what you'll come to expect from an OLED display & autobrightness kicks has an acceptable reaction time. Full brightness is quite good, even in direct sunlight.
- performance: processing power - takes everything I throw at it. Disk performance is a 50/50 though. Nothing beats the NMVe, not even UFS 2.
The external storage (128Gb Samsung EVO+, exfat formatted) works fine.
- audio: nothing to write home about - good general purpose quality over A2DP/earphones, but not audiophile.
- video playback: works fine.
- software: I've grown to tolerate the ZenUI - it's fast & snappy, but I definitely do not like it. I can't wait until we finally have a bootloader unlock to slap an AOSP build.
- connectivity: 4G/LTE reception &call quality is OK. BT is also OK once it connects (can be a bit slow to connect). WiFi is a miss though - I have worse reception than on my other devices (examples: Nexus 9, Samsung A5/2016, Huawei P8max). Maybe this is due to the "no antenna lines" approach.
- power management: the worst of the bunch - battery life is subpar. I have no other choice than to force close some apps until I check on them again.
I didn't have such an issue on my Xiaomi Mi5 (same SD820 SoC) or Huawei P8max, which leads me to believe it's an issue with the inkernel implementation or pm framework. Again, one of the reasons we absolutely need a bootloader unlock & play around with nogapps or custom firmware builds.
ASUS should've considered at least 3500mAh, or even 4000mAh, seeing how even the budget phones like UMi or elephone are able to include Sony batteries of such capacity while keeping a low profile (thickness).
- fingerprint sensor: it's usually quite fast, but can be slow when being probed from deep sleep.
- camera: I don't use it too often, but it does take amazing pictures in a well-lit environment (I usually use HDR Pro mode).
It does struggle & produces subpar quality in lowlit conditions. The sensor itself is quite good (IMX318), thus I hope we can port some of the code from other devices using similar sensors once we have bootloader unlock.
adwinp said:
I've had it (5.7", SD820/64Gb variant) since late October;
- the design is amazing, but the smooth back can be a tad slippery; mine already fell on the pavement from around hip-height & got dents.
This is definitely not aircraft-grade aluminium but a softer alloy.
- the screen is OK; QHD would've been better but FHD is a good compromise with power consumption. Colour saturation is what you'll come to expect from an OLED display & autobrightness kicks has an acceptable reaction time. Full brightness is quite good, even in direct sunlight.
- performance: processing power - takes everything I throw at it. Disk performance is a 50/50 though. Nothing beats the NMVe, not even UFS 2.
The external storage (128Gb Samsung EVO+, exfat formatted) works fine.
- audio: nothing to write home about - good general purpose quality over A2DP/earphones, but not audiophile.
- video playback: works fine.
- software: I've grown to tolerate the ZenUI - it's fast & snappy, but I definitely do not like it. I can't wait until we finally have a bootloader unlock to slap an AOSP build.
- connectivity: 4G/LTE reception &call quality is OK. BT is also OK once it connects (can be a bit slow to connect). WiFi is a miss though - I have worse reception than on my other devices (examples: Nexus 9, Samsung A5/2016, Huawei P8max). Maybe this is due to the "no antenna lines" approach.
- power management: the worst of the bunch - battery life is subpar. I have no other choice than to force close some apps until I check on them again.
I didn't have such an issue on my Xiaomi Mi5 (same SD820 SoC) or Huawei P8max, which leads me to believe it's an issue with the inkernel implementation or pm framework. Again, one of the reasons we absolutely need a bootloader unlock & play around with nogapps or custom firmware builds.
ASUS should've considered at least 3500mAh, or even 4000mAh, seeing how even the budget phones like UMi or elephone are able to include Sony batteries of such capacity while keeping a low profile (thickness).
- fingerprint sensor: it's usually quite fast, but can be slow when being probed from deep sleep.
- camera: I don't use it too often, but it does take amazing pictures in a well-lit environment (I usually use HDR Pro mode).
It does struggle & produces subpar quality in lowlit conditions. The sensor itself is quite good (IMX318), thus I hope we can port some of the code from other devices using similar sensors once we have bootloader unlock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SD820 - RAM6/64Go
I have pretty same comments as you after 2weeks daily driver, even though:
- Design: I would have prefer white body
- Automatic brightness still too bright for me
- Audio/Video: good enough for my moderate usage
- ZenUI: snappy, but I don't like it either. Colors too flashy, and smaller text size would have been nice in display settings. Looking forward LineageOS (CM14.1 RIP)
- network: everything fine (same or better than P8max - my previous phone)
- power management: would have loved to have 3500/4000mAh. But I recently discover I could run a full day with Location off (hope may help you)
- camera: ok, but not ergonomic enough in manual mode. Too much sub menu
I owned one for about a month also and I am underwhelmed by the phone also. I hadDa note 7 before this. I have mine on the T Mobile network here are some of my pros and cons:
PROS: The price. Great quality build. The phone is nice and sturdy. Capable of 256 GB microsd storage. Phone runs buttery smooth, no lag. Customer service is good. Not a lot of bloatware.
CONS: Battery life is bad. Camera is horrible. For a 23 MP camera the zoom and picture quality is bad. If you move the phone even a little the picture will blur. The phones features are lackluster. There is no video calling from the dialer. You will have to look for several third party apps to do things familiar to Samsung. Updates from ASUS are lacking. For some reason my phone signal doesn't see LTE signals. I get H, 4G and 4G+. Right now I'm coordinating with TMobile and their engineers are going to provision the phone in 72 hours.
OK, it's been another month, new SIM, NXTGENPHONE APN on AT&T, and still nothing has gotten better with the texting. I suppose it may get better with an update somewhere, but enough's enough, it's gotta go. I went back and reactivated my zf2, and everything works just as expected. Not that that's proof, but it seems unlikely to be an AT&T problem.
I think it could've been a great phone, I'm actually really happy with my cobbled together wallet case, performance is relatively snappy.
I guess it's either take a shot on another off-brand, like a huawei which looks nice, or stick with tradition, and go with samsung. Anyway, thanks for those of you that offered advice.
Ok Nick
Ok mister Ramble the fu%* on...... Dude I don't no what planet you come from but here on earth there is no NOTE 7....WTF R you talking about bro....
Nicksjohnson said:
So, I bought my ZenFone 3 Deluxe from Amazon on October 23, with an estimated delivery of Nov 30-Dec 7. On Nov 4th, surprisingly, my phone got delivered. Coming from a Note 7 (as a long time galaxy user) I had some hesitations, but overall I am pleased. I have owned it for just about a month now, and I would like to share some of the things I have noticed. I am hoping that some of you have a way to fix some of these, or if nothing else, to find out that I am not the only one having the issues.
First, lets start with the IMEI issue I had. Straight out of the box, I took the phone to the AT&T store and got a new SIM card for it. Right off the bat, it picked up good service on the voice network, but failed to connect to LTE (or any data network for that matter). I checked my APN settings, called AT&T 3 different times, and finally fixed it. The cause was the IMEI was reading as a Motorola V577, which is an old flip phone without the data capability. I could pull up my IMEI as a ZF3D but, for whatever reason, AT&T was pulling it up as the Motorola. On the 3rd call, they finally reconfigured my IMEI and a week later I now have data connection. Not LTE, but 4G+ is better than nothing I guess...:victory:
Next, the most annoying thing, is Bluetooth. I have a few devices. A Samsung Gear S2 watch, an LG headset, and my Honda Accord are my main 3. All the devices I have connected initially pair really easily, so no problem there. I am normally wearing both my watch and headset, and for the most part, both stay connected no problem. The biggest thing for me is when I have both connected, and receive a call, it automatically directs it to my watch-not my headset... to "fix" this in call I have to pretty much disconnect my watch, then go into the headset Bluetooth settings, deselect phone audio, then reselect it. I have gotten to the point now that I just leave the watch connected only for "contact sharing" and the headset stays connected for audio. I have only received one call since doing this, so hopefully that works. Also, hopefully someone has a fix on how to have them both connected at the same time and have the headset take priority.
The other big deal with Bluetooth is with my car. The ZF3 will not automatically connect to the car, and manually connecting to the car takes about 10 failed attempts each time. With my Note7, as soon as I would start the car it would start the connecting process. Same with my wife's Iphone 6+. The car will even connect to my wife's phone when I start it up in the morning, her phone inside the house, and mine being in the car before backing out of the driveway...again annoying...
Yet another annoying thing, is the texting fail. Normally not a big deal, but when it comes to picture messages, whether group or individual, it's hit or miss. I have a friend with a Galaxy S7 Edge, and his pictures 90% of the time never come through. For the most part everyone else's come through fine, and his pictures come through on everyone else's phones perfectly (we do a lot of group texts...). The messenger app tells me I have a picture, and gives me the refresh button for each picture, but even when pressed, they wont come through. This happens when connected to both WIFI and Data. A not so big deal, but more of a nuisance, is the texting notification. Regardless of if I have no new texts, it says I have 3 new...the bubble never goes away. If I get new texts, it gains numbers (4, 5, 6, etc.) but never gets lower than 3. I have been through each text, checked all of them, refreshed, checked archived messages, and nothing seems to make the number disappear.
Now for the good. The fingerprint sensor is awesome. I absolutely love it. It is BY FAR greater than the Note7, and leaps and bounds greater than my wife's Iphone. The camera is awesome (minus low light, but I knew that from the reviews) and the wide variety of shooting modes is pretty cool as well. The amount of different themes you can choose from is a plus, and the laser ruler is a neat toy, that will probably never get any real use. I will say, I tested the accuracy with a ruler, and it comes within about 1/2 an inch every time.
The accessories I use are the Sparin clear TPU soft case, and the OMOTON 9H hardness tempered glass screen protector. Both of these I got off of Amazon, and both came in a 2 pack. I am pleasantly surprised with both of these items. The screen protector is extremely smooth to the touch, and goes on easily, you can hardly tell its there. The case is good for a cheap TPU case, and it's a lot smaller scale than an Otterbox, which I am used to having on all of my phones within the last 4 years.
Sorry this is a lot of words, hopefully at least some of you read it and find something interesting, or know of a fix for anything. I would definitely appreciate it. :good:
Thanks again everyone.
Nick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Related
I've only had the RAZR for 3 days - 2 of which it's been on the Verizon network.
Looks - what's to be said the thing looks great.... I bought the drab black silicone skin (msrp 19.99) from Verizon and it comes off to easily - returned!
The Otterbox Verizon sells makes the phone look like any other cellphone - the box is humongous – don’t get it (DefenderSeries). Get the CommuterSeries (SIC) from Radio Shack or the Otterbox website (msrp 34.99) it still fits in the car adaptor (its just a tiny bit bigger than the pure silicone skin – which brings me to the next point – everyone on the Motorola website is saying their phone won’t fit in the car kit… Maybe they aren’t taking out the insert?! The Motorola car kit I got from Verizon works great.
Data
I switched to Verizon for better 4G, and the 4G is way faster than TMobile, but from what I read and from what my friend says about his HTC AMAZE (Tmo) it looks like the new processors have a lot to do with web browsing.
I notice that the 4G and 3G tend to take turns every once in a while, but the 4G speed is insane.
The WIFI wasn’t working on the 1st night but was working earlier… Problem solved by reboot – for some reason the WIFI couldn’t connect to my router (after checking wireless on other devices and rebooting the router, I rebooted the phone).
APPS
NFL 12 is about 214MEGS! I think I’m going to uninstall it! Other than that, the “Bloatware” seems to serve a good purpose – I like MOTOCAST – it allows you to access folders you select, in your PC, from your phone.
The bTTY app I purchased for my other phone only goes in 10% increments on the RAZR…. Publisher says it’s a Motorola thing.
Apps / OS run fast.
Hardware
No FM radio – fine never used it on the G1, HD2, and MTG4.
Bluetooth is fast.
The RAZR reeks of style – too bad the battery can’t come out… Not a big deal for me. I play grave defense for about 30 – 45 min in the morning, download a bunch of programs (LTE), surf the net, and just keep the display going, and the battery lasts me about 12 hours. Look, at the end of my work day, I get in my car and hook up the phone to power… I have an home OUTLET-TO-USB thingy that I got from my Amazon Kindle – DON’T USE IT WITH THE RAZR – it overheated! I used it with the MTG4 and it never got that hot! Sorry too lazy to check the specs. I’m not sure why people are complaining the RAZR takes longer to charge than other phones (it comes with a larger btty ) because I haven’t noticed it takes longer, but then again I haven’t formally timed it.
Haven’t tried the durability of the glass.
CAMERA SUXS and the video is better but not much better (IMHO). Maybe I don’t know how to use it, but if your hand isn’t absolutely steady, your shot is going to look blurry! - this is the only reason why I’d consider getting another phone – its almost a deal breaker for me because I like to take pictures of my family and don’t want to carry around another device.
Call quality is ok – I think that TMO offers (at least on the MTG4) better call quality – I have no idea why, because Verizon seems to have better coverage.
I was a little worried with the signal strength, but it looks like Motorola is more conservative with their graphic depictions… I used WIFI Analyzer to check the WIFI signal strength and it looked like the MTG4 and the RAZR had almost the same db levels, but the stock signal strength indicators looked lower than the MTG4's.
I also wanted NFC, but figure it won’t become popular for another 2 years – at which point my btty will die and it will be time for a new phone anyway…. Plus I’ll let all the hackers work out the security bugs before I use NFC…
Speaker phone is loud and clear , for what I use it for; voice. I can’t see using my phone speakers for music! No phone gives good quality music unless you’re using headsets – yes even apples suck (IMHO).
Buttonology is weird – the power button is on my right side with the volume button right below – guess I’ll get used to it. The softkeys work great.
The USB and HDMI out are on the top of the phone and I’m not sure why they made that decision… Unless it’s because they couldn’t fit them anywhere else.
Think I’m keeping this phone despite the camera.
Hope this helps
UPDATE 20111213
Betty drops to about 70 range from 100 when playing sentinel3 and listing to internet radio. Also I have brightness @ 0.
Camera: check in the camera settings, Motorola auto set the camera to take 6mp pictures instead of 8mp by default, switch it to 8mp and it is much better.. also, wish they did without the buttons and expanded the screen, that would have been beautiful.
The bezel is also like 2mm too thick lol
Sent from my XT910 using XDA App
zexco said:
Camera: check in the camera settings, Motorola auto set the camera to take 6mp pictures instead of 8mp by default, switch it to 8mp and it is much better.. also, wish they did without the buttons and expanded the screen, that would have been beautiful.
The bezel is also like 2mm too thick lol
Sent from my XT910 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I'll try it.
My RAZR black screened on me with the notification light blinking - hold the power and volume don button to reset. (Reset won't loose your settings)
Im currently on a hd2 and due for an upgrade, with all the phones currently out do you recommend the razr? iv never had a motorola before...
JR
Recommended for purchase
Has anyone tried this with their tab? I am very tempted to pick it up.
Looks interesting. I was about to buy the Samsung HM5000 bluetooth pen, but this mini phone looks much better than talking to a pen like ur a russian spy from the 1900's.
Lol
But I think carring a tab and a phone is too much. A pen would not be too bad. But talking into a pen would look too lame.
Wonder if there was a way to hack my old xperia mini and turn it into a bluetooth receiver. Anyone?
Currently i'm running the Note 8 N5120 with the Satechi bluetooth mini-phone. But disclaimer, its only been 5 days.
Honestly for a 3 year old product the mini-phone is very nice. I use that to avoid looking dumb by holding up my 8" phone to my head with a call.
For the cost of it, i think its definitely worth giving it a shot to see if it works for you. I've already convinced two people to buy one, as it works for them.
The drawbacks to be aware of i have, are mainly due to the age
- my range is only ~10ft
- caller id does not transfer over (only number, you have to create the names manually in the mini-phone)
- still trying to find how to volume up/down while in a call.
If your actual phone stays on you - purse, pocket, whatever - than the range isn't a big problem. I was originally hoping to leave it on my desk and walk around my office, but i'm still adjusting.
For the cost, honestly its an great product, i haven't seen anything else similar yet. Due to the age of it there are serious limitations that you might want to consider though.
Its not perfect but after all the criticisms i have to say i like it
Sent from my TrueSmart using XDA Free mobile app
It's ok, I like mine too
What do you like about it though?
I'm getting another SIM to use in it and I think I'll like it more then, but the fact that the companion app is so poor means that the integration with bluetooth isn't an option really.
I'm quite happy with it too.
I have the 1/8 2100 version, and all seem to work well.
- It started up out of the box
- The cradles charge ( I got the extra one I ordered)
- the buttons don't fall off
- call quality is awesome
- screen sensitivity is good (sometimes a little too good, but hey)
- bluetooth, wifi and gps have a proper connection
- "back button" swipe left action works
And in general use:
- surprisingly easy to read on small screen
- even able to watch short video/tutorials on watch (very handy when needing both hands free)
- app installing/start up goes quick
- I use Minuum Keyboard now, and that is awesome, Frees up half the screen for reading conversations, perfect!
- with Minuum keyboard it's also easy to make small voice commands that turn to text, for me works even quicker than responding with the "normal phone" in the old days
by having the phone on the wrist it makes checking if you need to respond 10 times faster. Just a flick of the hand and a two finger swipe when you get a short vibrate or buzz from a message/email/update and you are ready. Where as the "normal phone" you have to get out of the pocket, check and put back.
The two biggest downside that I find, are not necessarily omate related but more smartwatch in general:
- by having the watch on your wrist, if you use it for typing, by default are using both arms. Where as a "normal phone" you can operate with one hand.
- I don't 100% like the reading angle: you have to hold your arm really parallel to the body to read without make strange neck moves. Having "landscape" mode is even worse.
I think about 35 degree angle of the arm would be a way better reading position. That maybe would be the biggest advantage of the round type smartwatches like the moto 360, the ability to adjust the screen orientation till it ergonomically fits you best.
Wiggz said:
What do you like about it though?
I'm getting another SIM to use in it and I think I'll like it more then, but the fact that the companion app is so poor means that the integration with bluetooth isn't an option really.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My experience is pretty much identical to timkey's. It does what its supposed to. Typing is obviously slower but its better than I thought. Screen is sharp. It's fast. And it's a phone on my wrist I think rooting it and putting on soft keys and a status bar are pretty essential though. I do find the touch screen goes a little haywire sometimes.
To help with the viewing angle, I wear it a little loose and then I can twist it slightly towards me.
Sent from my LG-V500 using XDA Free mobile app
I like it because it functions just how I wanted it to. Its quite simply an android phone on your wrist, which is pretty damn awesome. Calls work pretty good, texting on this is awesome (so handy being able to just look at your wrist), and it's pretty much taken every app and game I've thrown at it so far. I also like being able to throw a song on and have handsfree music, so I can cut rebar or something at work and have music. And to top it off, I get pretty great battery life out of it. It's always lasted at least a full day, if not two. Even after two days the lowest I've had it is 30%
So, despite the company itself acting like a total noob for supporting this, it does function quite well (after some necessary patching of course). Having proper sources and support with proper firmware updates and having more tweaks android is known for available, would all just be icing on the cake.
So would those who like it buy a TS2, or has the arrogance and sheer mismanagement of Omate put you off, even though you enjoy the product?
I enjoy mine, though I can rarely use it as intended due to water issues. I have a T-Mobile sim in it. I would not only not ever buy anything associated with Omate ever again, but also not Umeox and not MTK. Never Again.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
It depends. I mean, the reality is I paid about £120 for a brand new android phone in watch form. If the TS2 was also a bargain, I'd probably get one. Hopefully they would learn some good lessons from this.
I am an engineer and did my degree in electronics, so I have some experience with product development. It was very clear to me that the timescales Omate were claiming were ridiculous and that made me question their competence. I'm still impressed they produced what they did as fast as they did. The testing problems people are experiencing are not acceptable but they are expected. Omate kinda painted themselves into an corner with their optimistic claims and high ambitions.
Now, all that said, I don't see what I would want from a TS2 that in don't get from this device. Its too small to do anything too intricate. It creates a WiFi hotspot and provides basic smartphone functionality well, which is all I need it for. Maybe if I got a 4G data plan, it might be good to have a watch that can make use of it but that's all I can think of.
Sent from my LG-V500 using XDA Free mobile app
The device has potential. I could maybe live with the HW shortcomings like IP rating, non-responsive buttons, add SD-card kills back seal etc as well as HW limitations like a little too heavy and too thick. The delays and communication failure from Omate is a separate story. I believe llepen believes what he says, he is still communicating still.
What I do not accept is the crappy firmware, that is HW specific. Noproper open source either. That kills BTLE, battery etc, as well as limits the adaptations required to get Android usable on a small device. I am not talking about limiting functionality like Android Wear, but an adapted Android experience w button actionssweep. Omate/Umeox mostly relies on MediaTek, and MediaTek seem to make good HW, but are both breaking GPL and incompetent in SW development.
I love my TS. I tried to have few expectations as to not be let down if it sucked, but I was happy to find that it was just about everything I could hope for in a smartwatch. It is solidly built, not too big, the screen is very sharp and sensitive, the camera is Good Enough(tm) (though the camera app really should rotate 90 degress left, which it does in the BlueTooth tether ROM, iirc).
My one major complaint is that Omate's version Android is awful. I work around it with third-party software (e.g. Nova Launcher, All in One Gestures), and with some effort, after-market ROMs can be ported. I'm very disappointed that no sources are available, but we all knew that would be the case.
That the notification bar is always hidden bugs the heck out of me, but the BlueTooth tether ROM fixes that.
Screen-on battery life is okay; not great, not awful, but it charges very quickly, so that's usually not a big deal. Screen-off life is fantastic.
I wish I could change the DPI for Ingress. It would be so cool to be able to play on my wrist.
Working with Omate is indeed like rolling a boulder uphill, and while I'll probably never buy anything from them again until they prove themselves reliable, I do believe Le Pen is trying. And I'm as disappointed with Omate as I am with those who continue to try to poison the TS community, making productive, open collaboration difficult.
timkey said:
I'm quite happy with it too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with just about everything you say. Anymore I use my phone only for long text conversations and more-than-casual web browsing. Everything else is done on my TS. Flesky is remarkably easy to use once you get used to it (although whoever decided to put backspace next to return needs a smack in the face). I'm especially happy that it's so easy to read text on the small screen as I read lots of RSS feeds on and off all day long.
The reading angle bothered me at first, but my arm just had to get used to being held in an unfamiliar position.
gerhardo said:
I could maybe live with the HW shortcomings like IP rating, non-responsive buttons, add SD-card kills back seal etc as well as HW limitations like a little too heavy and too thick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The IP rating and back seal issues don't matter much to me, but I can see how that would be a disappointment to other users. The button responsiveness, weight, and thickness are fine for me. It did seem a bit heavy for the first day or two, but I quickly got used to it.
nicktastique said:
I wish I could change the DPI for Ingress. It would be so cool to be able to play on my wrist.
Working with Omate is indeed like rolling a boulder uphill, and while I'll probably never buy anything from them again until they prove themselves reliable, I do believe Le Pen is trying. And I'm as disappointed with Omate as I am with those who continue to try to poison the TS community, making productive, open collaboration difficult.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Xposed Framework
Xposed Per App Settings
I consider setting default dpi to something higher than 120, to see better and change dpi where needed
gerhardo said:
Xposed Framework
Xposed Per App Settings
I consider setting default dpi to something higher than 120, to see better and change dpi where needed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, but it doesn't work, and others have confirmed. Is your experience different?
Smockingjacket said:
So would those who like it buy a TS2, or has the arrogance and sheer mismanagement of Omate put you off, even though you enjoy the product?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.
While I like the watch itself, if I were to drop another $200-$300 on a new watch, it would be from a company that can support it's device a little more competently. I really doubt we'll ever see a firmware update.
Although as long as this watch doesn't **** the bed I should be using it for a good long time. It functions pretty much like I want it to, so I don't feel the need to upgrade anytime soon.
I like it as well. After changing launcher and installing a few apps I felt it was usable. I tried for a while to use it as phone replacement. It DOES work as that, but the upsides of having a watch (smaller / lighter than a phone, won't forget something strapped to your arm and so on) doesn't really outweigh the downsides (hard to type, sometimes hard to navigate menus, small screen causing readability and layout issues, battery is slightly worse than my phone, etc). The most annoying issue though is when the screen goes into over-sensitive mode and register button press all over the place. Someone said it gets a lot better with a screen protector on, I will try that.
However, it does work great in some areas. My main use is for exercise - RunKeeper (and similar apps) works great. I can take a run, track my progress, listen to music, and see notifications if someone is trying to reach me, without needing a much more cumbersome phone jumping around in my pocket.
It's also useful when I'm outdoors, say fishing or hiking. While it isn't waterproof, it does what I need (gps / maps, tell time, make calls if I need to, no risk of dropping it).
So overall, it's a nice device (even though software and such needs some urgent updates). Maybe not great for a phone replacement but for outdoor use and exercise it's really good imo.
nicktastique said:
Yes, but it doesn't work, and others have confirmed. Is your experience different?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Works fine for me, using it for SuperSU and Titanium.
Well, the TS is unavailable again: Screen is black, no response to buttons (except the feedback I added with Xposed Additions to get virtual physical button) and no adb. adb is a common issue, very seldom works. But I have my device for a couple of days, I have occasionally borrowed one for time to time though.
He means that changing the DPI to 90 for Ingress doesn't work, I think, gerhardo.
Actually, I play Ingress with my TrueSmart and the stock Ingress client (only) and it mostly does work. Hacking and firing work fine from the front screen long press menu and I was even able to deploy I found recently mainly by lucky pressing in the portal view on a crunched up set of buttons there. I had previously thought deploying impossible with stock and stock. Its still impractical.
What was reported no longer working was adjusting the DPI because of some change Niantic introduced into their code at some point a while back. I have not tried that anyway.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
trent999 said:
He means that changing the DPI to 90 for Ingress doesn't work, I think, gerhardo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes that's what I mean in particular. Ingress no longer honors density settings via App Settings. It doesn't even appear to honor ro.sf.lcd_density on the TS, though it does on my Note 2 (which is annoying since it's set to 280).
I like mine too (1/8 2100 Dev).
Straight from the box, no patch, no rom, no bootloader, no nothing. The apps tho aren't there but it's almost like when the new Xbox, Playstation or Nintendo come out - people don't introduce games until the hardware is in use. I figure the developers of apps are waiting, working and planning something awesome for all smartwatches (not just companions).
Omate, well, hopefully, lessons on their side have been learned and fingers crossed the TS2 (if there is one) will be better planned for.
Hats off to SWApp Link tho. The app is the best thing that's been introduced for me. I had my SIM in my phone originally, then the watch and now back to the phone (just to work out what is best for me - I take a lot of photos and use 4G too much so my Note 3 is where my SIM is needed most) but the app - Bluetooth aside - is absolutely wonderful.
I don't regret buying the TureSmart, nor regret using Kickstarter - I have backed many an idea over the months. My regret is that the technology in total isn't there, yet.
But thank you XDA for being here :good:
Hello,
I thought I'd post a quick review for anyone considering a Verizon G3. I'm sure others have reviews to give as well. My last 2 phones were the Verizon S3 and Verizon S4. I also had many HTC phones going back to WM.
Battery life - at first I'd say it was comparable to my S4 but then I went to all applications and disabled a bunch that were on after I activated my phone - now the battery life is great - I've had it on but unused and uncharged since last night (1 push email account - no texting, no imdb, no calls) and it only went down 5% in 12 hours (BT enabled, WIFI disabled). The screen activity does seem to use more battery life than my S4 and so does GPS. Otherwise phone talk time seems to have about the same battery drain. I only use BT for making calls so BT is on 24x7. FYI I just got the Plantronics EDGE and it is amazing (I also have the Sennheiser presence which has better battery life but overall I like the Edge much more.
Charging - the phone is picky about chargers. I've used the same chargers I've had for years for my Nexus, S3, S4, Plantronics and Sennheiser headsets but the G3 said it wasn't acceptable and wouldn't use it to charge. On the plus side the included charger does seem to charge it quickly. Biggest disappointment - that it didn't come with a wireless charging backplate.
Signal strength - I'd say it has only slightly better voice signal reception than the S4 but every bit helps (e.g. calls from the cement garage beneath my apartment complex). Data seems a teeny bit slower though when running speedtest. I haven't done enough testing for this to be an accurate or detailed analysis.
Overlay - I have to say it seems zippy enough to me and as user friendly as the Samsung although different so it takes a teeny bit of getting used to - except the back arrow - that took a lot since it is on the opposite side from where my thumb automatically tried to go when I wanted to go back.
Screen - great size. I don't think the contrast is as sharp as the S4 - you can say it is color saturation or whatever you want - in the end it still means some things are as well separated. There is a color adjustment some say impacts contrast but what it does is adjust colors - not contrast IMHO.
Buttons - I thought I'd really freak out about not having the hard buttons where I had in the past but that was easier to get used to than the back button - I'm finally used to both though.
Bloat ware - both Samsung and LG have some apps I'd love to just uninstall but until you root them, you are stuck with the crap although most of it you can disable. Health was the very first thing I would uninstall if I could.
Issues - no issues so far other than the charging one. No reboots or hangs. My guess is that people are installing an app that doesn't play well with the G3 or perhaps the current version of Android. I admit I don't have more than 15 apps I install myself. The only ones I really care about are truecaller(mediocre call blocker/id app), Tesla (flashlight), call history, cal widget (calendar for home screen) and the rest are items I only use occasionally - e.g. ip calcs, where's my car, speedtest etc. I tried some live wallpapers and went back to static ones - attempting to keep every bit of battery life. I had a hard time pairing my BT headset with my new phone - perhaps there is something different about the process on the G3 - I ended up using NFC and it worked instantly.
Conclusion - I like the phone a lot although I'm sure the S5 would have been an excellent choice as well. I like the screen size on this a bit more but I like the contrast on the Samsung screen. I notice the difference in large 4K TVs right away but for a screen of this size the S4 resolution was fine. You really have to look to notice the difference.
I changed the soft button placement on mine to make back on the right side.
squeeze said:
I changed the soft button placement on mine to make back on the right side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's an excellent idea. It turns out - I use back more often so it is more comfortable to me in the LG position although I admit it took me many many many fumbled pressing of the wrong button before I'm used to the new layout.
Nice review. Think I will be picking up one this week.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Thoughts on jumping from an S3 to the G3? Just picked up an S5 for the wife (currently has a Droid 4, yikes) due to slightly better battery life and camera from what I've read. Debating myself whether or not to run with the S3 or the G3. I typically play with my phones more than my wife so the S5 may be out due to it's lock down by VZ.
teamhurtado said:
Thoughts on jumping from an S3 to the G3? Just picked up an S5 for the wife (currently has a Droid 4, yikes) due to slightly better battery life and camera from what I've read. Debating myself whether or not to run with the S3 or the G3. I typically play with my phones more than my wife so the S5 may be out due to it's lock down by VZ.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The S3 to the G3 would be a huge jump in battery life alone (but so would a jump to the S5). If you play games with your phone I'd go with the S5. If you just want to root them - I really couldn't say which would be better suited for that.
teamhurtado said:
Thoughts on jumping from an S3 to the G3? Just picked up an S5 for the wife (currently has a Droid 4, yikes) due to slightly better battery life and camera from what I've read. Debating myself whether or not to run with the S3 or the G3. I typically play with my phones more than my wife so the S5 may be out due to it's lock down by VZ.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me know how the camera works out. I found from my experience that it was too slow especially at night shots.
---------- Post added at 02:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:34 AM ----------
boe said:
That's an excellent idea. It turns out - I use back more often so it is more comfortable to me in the LG position although I admit it took me many many many fumbled pressing of the wrong button before I'm used to the new layout.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi. I am right handed so I need it close to the right thumb.
squeeze said:
[/COLOR]
Hi. I am right handed so I need it close to the right thumb.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm right handed as well - but my thumb is more comfortable extended than bent so I prefer it on the left now that I'm used to it but if you prefer it close, I think you made an excellent suggestion about reassigning it.
boe said:
The S3 to the G3 would be a huge jump in battery life alone (but so would a jump to the S5). If you play games with your phone I'd go with the S5. If you just want to root them - I really couldn't say which would be better suited for that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Catch is the S5 has less than half the storage and when L releases, ART sucks up 25% more storage and needs about 1GB more floor to operate stably. If a light to medium user, IMO the G3 is the best newer device overall. If a heavy user, I would not recommend the G3, but JMO. I would hold off for the 805 models that will release that are to battle the evil iPhone 6 army this fall.
Note 4 is looking sweet, but even bigger than the G3. Touch Wiz is an easy Nova fix. Do not be surprised if LG releases the G3 Plus as well this fall. Not seeing LG staying out when Samsung releases the "Prime" and Note 4. The industry is fully expecting new Android devices to combat iPhone 6.
I wonder if the reason the carriers priced the 3/32 as they did (about $100 less than normal for these specs) due to a looming new model?
rushless said:
Catch is the S5 has less than half the storage and when L releases, ART sucks up 25% more storage and needs about 1GB more floor to operate stably.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you tell me what are L and ART?
boe said:
Can you tell me what are L and ART?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android L is the newest Android release coming this fall, it's currently released as a beta but will most likely be android version 5.0 (currently 4.4.4). Art is a runtime for apps, it improves speed and such but also requires more storage per app. You can manually activate ART but it's not finished (phones currently use Dalvik). it'll be the the default runtime for Android L and will finally be stable as well. Battery life will also jump up around 36% because android L and ART manage apps / the phone far better.
The 36% was in a very controlled scenario of what apps and usage. For heavier use, there will be little improvement since the main drainers are the display and chipset, closely followed by the radios.
Overall the only thing everyone will notice is less storage space.
rushless said:
The 36% was in a very controlled scenario of what apps and usage. For heavier use, there will be little improvement since the main drainers are the display and chipset, closely followed by the radios.
Overall the only thing everyone will notice is less storage space.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know - thanks.
Can anybody that upgraded from a Note 3 specifically comment on radio performance on the G3? Maybe a quick comparison of dBm if possible? I'm pretty satisfied with my Note 3 but the RF hasn't really been that great. From what I've read so far the G3 seems to have strong signal reception.
untouchablez said:
Can anybody that upgraded from a Note 3 specifically comment on radio performance on the G3? Maybe a quick comparison of dBm if possible? I'm pretty satisfied with my Note 3 but the RF hasn't really been that great. From what I've read so far the G3 seems to have strong signal reception.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The G3 has SLIGHTLY better call reception - not huge but I can make calls a LITTLE more reliably in bad places e.g. partially underground parking garages. Not as much as I hoped but better than my S4. Data speed seems a teeny bit slower. Not the exact same as the Note3 but I've had reception problems with every Samsung phone I've ever had on Verizon - starting with the Galaxy Nexus, S3, S4...
Are there any swift key users out there. I have noticed some lag with the keyboard and lag overall....Now this leads me to my next question, a deadspot where the delete key is, but easily fixable by shutting off screen and back on...Would you determine thats software or hardware issue?
I guess you wanted us to chime in as well? Here's my review...
This is the second phone I’ve purchased without seeing it first. I have to say it’s a great phone, but if you’re looking to pay full price to keep your unlimited data, then I do not feel it’s worth the $600+ if you already have a premier device. I’d go so far as to say, if you have a G2, I wouldn’t upgrade to the G3. The differences between the two are not that big in my opinion. Since I was able get the phone for $99+ activation fee and tax, I do feel that it is well worth that price to upgrade from any device that you are unhappy with.
Screen – If you love AMOLED, you’ll hate this screen. It’ll seem washed out to you and not as crisp. If you hate AMOLED, you’ll love this screen. It’s that simple. AMOLED screen always seem to have that “In Your Face” feeling to me. They actually hurt my eyes and I’ve never been a fan of them. After spending years in the Motorola line, I never got used to a sharp display. The toned down QHD display of the G3 is perfect for my eyes even when it’s 100%.
Battery – A lot has been said about the battery life on this phone. The screen does pull down the battery more than other phones, but it still lasts all day. That’s all I care about. Can I get through an entire day with the phone? If so, then the battery is good. I typically watch a little NetFlix, read some emails, play a few games, maybe turn on the hotspot for a little browsing with my tablet, then go to bed with it around 20-30%. As far as I’m conserved, that’s good battery life.
Size – My opinion, this is one of the best features of this phone. The 5.5” display does not feel like it’s that big because the phone is not that much bigger than its predecessor the G2. The thin bezels are a thing of beauty and most of what you see is the screen, not blank real-estate. However, the bottom bezel is just big enough that it works great for holding the phone while playing games without touching the screen.
Software – While the Android software is pretty much the same 4.4.2 that LG put out for the G2, they have added a few features that work well with the bigger screen. QSlide is a nice feature and one, which if you remember it’s there, can be very useful. It allows you to open an app in front of the current app as a window. Of course there’s only certain apps this works with. I am mixed about the SmartTips. I haven’t seen anything that is useful to me, but maybe I don’t need anything “Smart” enabled? As for Smart Bulletin Screen, I turned it off. It would have been better if they had designed a “Blinkfeed” style window here instead of a combination screen for SmartTips and LG Health.
IR Blaster – This one is finicky. I found that the IR port had to be directly facing the equipment to work. I most cases, you have to point it right at the device and not in the general direction. For me, it’s not a big deal as I really never used it on the M8.
Camera – I love the camera. It’s basically the same one from the G2 and I loved the G2’s camera. I haven’t really noticed any difference in the focus speed of the camera, so I am not sure if the laser focus is a gimmick or not, but the camera itself works just as you’d expect and it is right up there with the premier phones of today.
Signal – I do wish LG had improved the radios. I went around with the G2 and G3 reading decibels in different areas. I saw no difference between the two phones leading me to wonder if they even did anything to the G3’s radios. SpeedTest were also identical and I live in an xLTE environment. I have even had the G3 slip into 3G mode where the G2 always stayed in 4G. I’d have to say this is the biggest disappointment for me. (If it continues to slip into 3G mode in certain areas, then I will consider switching back to the G2.)
Conclusion: If you’re looking to move from the latest and greatest phone (IE: HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5, or even the LG G2), I would advise against it. There’s just no noticeable upgrade from today’s premier devices. However, if you’re unhappy with your current phone, then the G3 is one to consider. I do believe that this phone will be my main carry device for the next year or so. Well, maybe until the iPhone 6 is released…
We should also see two Samsung phones to counter the iPhone 6 launch and maybe a 805 version of the G3.... Maybe.
Not a full review yet, that's to come soon. But here's my unboxing and first impressions/first look at the device!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40hMAEae1NA
boe said:
Hello,
I thought I'd post a quick review for anyone considering a Verizon G3. I'm sure others have reviews to give as well. My last 2 phones were the Verizon S3 and Verizon S4. I also had many HTC phones going back to WM.
Battery life - at first I'd say it was comparable to my S4 but then I went to all applications and disabled a bunch that were on after I activated my phone - now the battery life is great - I've had it on but unused and uncharged since last night (1 push email account - no texting, no imdb, no calls) and it only went down 5% in 12 hours (BT enabled, WIFI disabled). The screen activity does seem to use more battery life than my S4 and so does GPS. Otherwise phone talk time seems to have about the same battery drain. I only use BT for making calls so BT is on 24x7. FYI I just got the Plantronics EDGE and it is amazing (I also have the Sennheiser presence which has better battery life but overall I like the Edge much more.
Charging - the phone is picky about chargers. I've used the same chargers I've had for years for my Nexus, S3, S4, Plantronics and Sennheiser headsets but the G3 said it wasn't acceptable and wouldn't use it to charge. On the plus side the included charger does seem to charge it quickly. Biggest disappointment - that it didn't come with a wireless charging backplate.
Signal strength - I'd say it has only slightly better voice signal reception than the S4 but every bit helps (e.g. calls from the cement garage beneath my apartment complex). Data seems a teeny bit slower though when running speedtest. I haven't done enough testing for this to be an accurate or detailed analysis.
Overlay - I have to say it seems zippy enough to me and as user friendly as the Samsung although different so it takes a teeny bit of getting used to - except the back arrow - that took a lot since it is on the opposite side from where my thumb automatically tried to go when I wanted to go back.
Screen - great size. I don't think the contrast is as sharp as the S4 - you can say it is color saturation or whatever you want - in the end it still means some things are as well separated. There is a color adjustment some say impacts contrast but what it does is adjust colors - not contrast IMHO.
Buttons - I thought I'd really freak out about not having the hard buttons where I had in the past but that was easier to get used to than the back button - I'm finally used to both though.
Bloat ware - both Samsung and LG have some apps I'd love to just uninstall but until you root them, you are stuck with the crap although most of it you can disable. Health was the very first thing I would uninstall if I could.
Issues - no issues so far other than the charging one. No reboots or hangs. My guess is that people are installing an app that doesn't play well with the G3 or perhaps the current version of Android. I admit I don't have more than 15 apps I install myself. The only ones I really care about are truecaller(mediocre call blocker/id app), Tesla (flashlight), call history, cal widget (calendar for home screen) and the rest are items I only use occasionally - e.g. ip calcs, where's my car, speedtest etc. I tried some live wallpapers and went back to static ones - attempting to keep every bit of battery life. I had a hard time pairing my BT headset with my new phone - perhaps there is something different about the process on the G3 - I ended up using NFC and it worked instantly.
Conclusion - I like the phone a lot although I'm sure the S5 would have been an excellent choice as well. I like the screen size on this a bit more but I like the contrast on the Samsung screen. I notice the difference in large 4K TVs right away but for a screen of this size the S4 resolution was fine. You really have to look to notice the difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I may ask, which apps did you disable/turn off after you set up your G3? I am curious what you found to be the battery hogs that you don't or won't need. Everyone has different needs, but knowing what others did will help others as well.
New updates on review are in the 2nd post. Thanks for reading!
Hey everyone! Many of you know me from other threads or some Q&A, but I wanted to share my experience with the Nexus 6P. I do have a thread where you can ask me anything to try or test out on the device, to help answer some questions. I am a front end developer, UX/UI designer, and business owner. This review is based on how I use the phone and where the phone either shines or fails to perform to my needs. The #hype is real on this device and I am hoping to provide you some feedback that removes the bias of #hype and focuses on the device. Hope you find this helpful and thanks for reading!
Introduction
The Nexus 6P is probably the one device I was so excited to get since the iPhone 4. From reading every possible hands on review, watching every YouTube video, and being on the forums trying to calculate shipping dates. This phone has generated so much buzz that I finally felt so excited to get a device. Compared to last year, nothing was "omfg must have". The Nexus 6P filled that hope.
Ergonomics & Hardware
There is no need for me to get into the specs, we all know them or they are easily available elsewhere. This review is about how the specs of the phone play to the hardware and software to make OUR experience the best. The Nexus 6P has some amazing hardware. I got the 32gb Aluminum (long live #aluminati!) version. It is such a delight to hold. The device feels fantastic in my hands, and I have average size hands for a 5'10" individual. I am coming from a Moto X Pure, Note 5, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 6, and Nexus 6 over the past year. Yes, I change phones frequently...mostly for entertainment or variety. Unlike the iPhones, Note 5, and Nexus 6 - The 6P feels stable in my hands, easy to hold, my thumb can reach across the screen without slipping and the weight of the device does help me balance it for one handed use. Where iPhones were so light and thin, the ergonomics sucked to hold; the 6P thickness actually helps in one handed use. The width of the device is not so wide, like the 2014 N6, that one handed use is easy and 2 handed use works just fine as well.
Slippery - Or should I say, lack thereof? The metal on the phone has a slight grip to it. Similar to that of the Moto X Pure (minus the rubber), but it stays in my hand. Those of you worried about the metal frame and possibly being slippery like the iPhones or even Nexus 6; have no fear.
Metal & Screen - Every version (color) will probably differ. I can only speak for the aluminum version. I have barely put the device down and I have zero fingerprints on the back. Oils do not absorb into the metal to look dirty. The only area where fingerprints are obvious is where they should be...on the screen. Which brings me to the glass of the screen. The glass, in the first hours, felt good but over the ongoing use it has been a little tough for me to slide my fingers over. Could be me or maybe I just need to put the damn phone down. The glass is beautiful and seems strong, but I ordered a glass screen protector to help with fingerprints and always feeling smooth to the touch.
There is a lip around the edge. The metal lip seems to be that of 0.2mm, give or take. It's extremely subtle, but obvious it is there to the touch. If that is something that would bother you, the glass screen protectors seem to hit the correct dimensions in thickness to flatten the surface out entirely. I can imagine the lip probably makes applying a glass screen protector even easier due to form fitting vs aligning.
Buttons and Fingerprint Sensors
The buttons are metal and solid. They don't wiggle around, which drove me insane on my iPhone and Moto X Pure. You can tell they were built well. The home button has a texture to identify easily and works quite well. The click in on volume and home buttons have a easily identifying feedback so you know you are pushing them. As silly as it may sound, the Moto X Pure failed in that area. Where the buttons were so easy to push and lack of feedback on press, there were nights where I would watch a YouTube clip and accidentally click the volume in and piss off the lady.
The fingerprint sensor is like every other reviewer has put it. Extremely fast and reliable. I programmed my index and middle fingers on both hands to the fingerprint sensor. I love that I can pull my phone out of my pocket and its ready to go without awkward thumb bending on the front to reach. Only gripe here on the UX is the inability to unlock the device with my fingerprint when it's laying on my desk. It's not a huge deal to some, but I am at a desk non stop. There is a solution, in Android Marshmallow for this though. I setup certain areas as my "trusted" areas. My car, for example, is a trusted connection and the phone does not require to unlock. I did the same for the bluetooth on my work desk. Solves the issue, but leaves the phone open to access if that worries you.
Notification Light
I love notification lights. This one is simple and great. Not buried into the speaker. Obvious pulsing and colors. Just make sure you turn it on! My phone had it disabled. To enable, go to settings > Notifications > Pulse Notification Light. This is one of my favorite features, for as simple and dumb as it may sound.
Speed and Battery
This phone is lightning fast for me. It was built to work fluidly with Android M and it does exactly that. I haven't ran into any hiccups, crashing, issues and everything just...works! Not sure when I was last able to say that about an Android device. This is the first Android I don't have the "want or need" to begin installing greenify, sleep, and other apps that help chill the phone out and not drain the battery. App switching is smooth, RAM usage has stayed consistently at 1.5gb and the camera opens without stutter or lag for me. I frequently find something I wish to take a picture of and it just opens without delay. More on the camera further down.
The battery is great. The synergy with Android M, Doze, and the Nexus 6p - the battery life for me has been phenomenal. It's too early to reveal screenshots, but just in my general use today I have only used 9% of my battery. I have sent numerous emails, taken some pictures, showed off the device, used Google Maps for navigation, and listened to a Play Music Radio Station on the drive to work. I am happy to say that I am sure battery life won't be a big complaint amongst users. If you use your device so intensively, the rapid charging is rapid. Not as fast as my Moto X Pure, but pretty darn fast. It won't let you down.
Battery life screenshots attached in this post. I am impressed by the battery on this device.
Camera
I ****ing love this camera. The pictures are beautiful, detailed, and vibrant with colors. I take a lot of pictures with my devices and generally, my family will ask me to use my phone (whatever it may be at the time) to take those perfect shots. The focus, ISO, exposure and color has not let me down at all. I was able to get some amazing night shots, with the improved camera here. Lack of OIS isn't missed much on pictures, but at 4k video recording it would have been very helpful. In general, the camera is reliable and great quality. The pictures you may want to take at a bar or night environment will probably come out better than that of any other phone...with or without a flash. Samples attached of a couple night shots I posted elsewhere.
I did install a camera app called FV-5. It gives you far more control over the camera and has made some pictures really incredible. I have to tinker with it more and learn about some settings, but the face detection, focus and more on the app really allows the hardware to shine. Hopefully they update it quickly with more support for the 6P camera hardware features.
Connectivity
The most important part of the phone. I have Verizon and some areas in my house or office will be weaker than others. Where my Moto X Pure wasn't getting the best signal, I do see a slight stronger signal on the 6P. Nothing much though and wouldn't bank on it improving your past experiences substantially. WiFi speeds are great. I attached a screenshot of my speeds at home, on WiFi, with the 6P.
Bluetooth and Car
I use my phone in the car all the time. If this one aspect of a phone is flawed, then it goes back. I was concerned at first, because the phone and car would not connect. I was worried it was related to Android M. After I turned off bluetooth and turned it back on - it connected and paired, finally. I was most worried at this point.
Since then, I have gotten in and out of my car and the transition and connection to bluetooth has been seamless and quick. Where my Moto X Pure and iPhones took about 30 seconds to finally connect to the car and have a 3s gap where I miss conversation; The 6P seems to connect and transition the audio instantly. I hope it stays that way!
In the End?
I love this phone. It does live up to the #hype. Without any bias to my excitement to have it, this phone has pretty much hit every aspect of feature I would want out of a mobile device. The best part is IT JUST WORKS. That used to be my argument for Apple devices, but I can now say the same for Android. Sorry if that disappoints some of you... This is also the first android device where I don't feel the need to unlock or root. I will unlock and root because it's a Nexus and I like to develop/test ROMS out. However, those of you who felt you had to rely on unlocking and rooting to tinker settings, you may find that you won't have that urge to do so anymore. If anything, I'll do it for TWRP.
Where I would normally plan on switching devices every few months or 6 months, I can see myself keeping this device for a year to 2 years. Just won't tell the lady that or else I'll hear it when I want to upgrade to next years Nexus line...
Lastly, in the day using it, I have had many people ask me, "Hey, what phone is that?". While I don't care for being known to have the latest and greatest, it's fun showing it off. I can't wait to see some Frosties or Graphites in the wild, but for you folks with #aluminati...stand proud and shine. I hope this helped provide some honest insight and answer some questions.
Thanks folks!
Note: The only changes I made to the pictures was reduce the size of them. They were too large to upload, but no post edits were done for enhancements.
***UPDATES***
Blue Tint / Hue: I got our second device today and first thing I looked for was the blue tint/hue. I am surprised to say that there really isn't much of one on the second device. It's the exact same 32gb aluminum. That being said, I still never notice it on the first device and personally don't find it worth the effort to replace.
Bluetooth Issues: Some bluetooth connectivity issues have began to show their faces. I think it has to do with Android 6.0 and NOT the 6P, but we'll see.
Car: Mazda3 2014 Grand Touring, updated to most recent software
Symptoms: "Google Now" isn't working when connected. It seems that the device is depending on the vehicles microphone for any input and the vehicle microphone only triggers on button press. My other devices in the past year did not have this problem, including iPhone's "Hey Siri".
Resolution: Pending
Speakers: This is purely based on opinion, but I love the speakers on the 6P. I find them to sound rich and some great tones for a phone. I DO prefer them to my Moto X Pure, don't shoot me. Really though, speakers are great. I watched a movie last night from the device, for about 30 minutes, and no pops, crackles, stutters at all. Was pleased.
I did notice on speakers, that the volume range is a bit wonky. The low to mid setting for speakers in media playback was quite hard to hear. At 75% it was what I expect at medium. At 100% it was too loud. Food for thought, but hopefully this is addressed in software updates or use Viper.
What accessories are you using?
I love to accessorize my devices. I usually run my phone naked, to display all of it's beauty and engineering. Project Fi did send me a 50% off the ADOPTED case, which I ordered. Can't beat $10.81 with free shipping on a Google official case.
Screen Protectors:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016XZLFD6?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014UNPYEE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01
These haven't arrived yet. One gets in Tuesday. I will test it out to make sure it does not block any sensors along with making the lip feel flush. Will report back on these.
Car Charger:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0146FK3G0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01
There is a great thread, somewhere in accessories about Car Chargers. If you have lots of questions about it or need specifics, most have been answered there. I will say that RAPID CHARGING from this charger DOES WORK. Confirmed. I was able to charge up from 60% to 100% on a short drive home. It works great and the spare USB slot is appreciated.
Extra USB-C Cable:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010VFFSL4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
Braided, heavy duty and feels very solid/premium. Length is great and I am using it with a Moto X Pure charging block. Rapid charging works and it's a great cable.
Car Mount:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VEAF6SG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00
This is the first car mount I have tried. I am picky about how things are in my car and I like it clean. Since my CD slot is at the bottom of the front dash, this fits quite well. It doesn't shake much and gets the job done.
Con: The piece that holds the phone expands and snaps back to default when you remove the device. It's not the easiest to use. You also can't center your device because the "arms" that hold the phone will press the volume/power key. This thing looks like it was built for an iPhone or LG G3+ type phone. Food for thought.
SPEAKERS VOLUME VIDEO:
***UPDATE TO OP 11/03***
Hey everyone! So after a week of use, I have some updates to the review. I have pasted the updates below, so you don't have to jump back to OP.
Battery
This seems to be one of the most discussed topics and quite a sensitive one! Some users are experiencing incredible SoT while others are not. Ultimately, it will boil down to what apps you have installed along with your connectivity. If your LTE connection is weak, your phone's battery will reflect that. There are many factors to take into consideration with battery, so please understand it is literally per individual basis!
Disclaimer: I haven't received any OTA updates yet. There have been 3 thus far and probably address some of the issues I have.
Over the weekend, I noticed my battery life not lasting as long as I would like. Almost seemed that every 5 minutes I was on the phone, I would lose roughly 3%-5%. This raised some questions so I started diving into the possible issues.
Symptoms:
Phone near fingerprint sensor would get warm during phone calls
Bluetooth constantly scanning
WiFi active during Doze/Sleep
WiFi scanning
GPS on
Solution:
Disabled Bluetooth and WiFi scanning passively
WiFi Advanced settings, disabled WiFi on during sleep
GPS was set to battery saving, but wasn't working. Simply turn off GPS, turn it back on, and check battery saving (this was an odd one)
With those adjustments, I have now noticed my battery in DOZE would lose roughly 2% over 4 hours. I'll get some screenshots and update the OP when they are available. Still testing. Battery life after the fixes are substantially better, however, my device is still getting warm while on calls where our second 6P does NOT. Due to this, a replacement has been overnighted to me. When that arrives, I will be unlocking/rooting to have some more fun with reporting to everyone.
VEHICLE BLUETOOTH
So, either this is new in Android M or my car is losing it's AI mind (or lack thereof), but I have figured out what it's doing. When placing a call through the device or the car, the phone will go into a "dialing" status. While it's in "dialing" status, the car will continue to play my music. When someone on the other end of the call picks up, the audio will switch to the phone. It hasn't been easy adjusting to this and I do wish I would just hear the dial tone, but everything else works great in car.
SCREEN PROTECTOR
I just received one of my screen protectors. I will apply it this evening, record it and share the link here for everyone to see. First impressions are that it misses the "edge to edge" by a slight amount. There is a lip on the edge of the device. My hope was the glass would extend from lip to lip. Not the case here, but still worth a shot. The glass DOES protrude above the lip. Glass thickness is slightly thicker than the other posted above, according to specs. That one arrives today, hopefully!
If something like that will bother you, I don't recommend the Yoozon glass. Video will come soon and you can see for yourself and decide which may be best for you, if any.
FINGERPRINT SENSOR
Still works like a charm. I hope they have an update that allows you to use a little more of the edge of your fingers, similar to Sammies or Apple. Other than that, it's reliable and fast even if your finger has moisture. Good stuff Huawei.
More to come soon, but hope this provides you more info and helps!
Thank you for the excellent review.
Excellent review and agree with everything you have said this is one of the best phones I have owned and I have owned a lot of them.
Thanks for the review! I'm currently test-driving a Moto X Pure, and have a week or so left to return it, which means if I want to get the Nexus 6P I'll have to go back to my old LG G2 for several weeks until Huawei gets its butt in gear and starts pumping out more 64gb models. What's your take on the 6P vs. the X Pure?
Chief85 said:
Thanks for the review! I'm currently test-driving a Moto X Pure, and have a week or so left to return it, which means if I want to get the Nexus 6P I'll have to go back to my old LG G2 for several weeks until Huawei gets its butt in gear and starts pumping out more 64gb models. What's your take on the 6P vs. the X Pure?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! Seeing that I literally just came from the Moto X Pure to the 6P, I can say that I have not looked back or regret doing so. I gave my X Pure to my business partner (he was on a 2014 model still). There is a noticeable height difference, but I like it. It actually places the volume rocker and power button in the right spot for my thumb. Unless you did Moto Maker and like that super unique look, I'd pick the 6P hands down.
Great review! Thanks for sharing.
tehpud said:
Hey everyone! Many of you know me from other threads or some Q&A, but I wanted to share my experience with the Nexus 6P. I do have a thread where you can ask me anything to try or test out on the device, to help answer some questions. I am a front end developer, UX/UI designer, and business owner. This review is based on how I use the phone and where the phone either shines or fails to perform to my needs. The #hype is real on this device and I am hoping to provide you some feedback that removes the bias of #hype and focuses on the device. Hope you find this helpful and thanks for reading!
Introduction
The Nexus 6P is probably the one device I was so excited to get since the iPhone 4. From reading every possible hands on review, watching every YouTube video, and being on the forums trying to calculate shipping dates. This phone has generated so much buzz that I finally felt so excited to get a device. Compared to last year, nothing was "omfg must have". The Nexus 6P filled that hope.
Ergonomics & Hardware
There is no need for me to get into the specs, we all know them or they are easily available elsewhere. This review is about how the specs of the phone play to the hardware and software to make OUR experience the best. The Nexus 6P has some amazing hardware. I got the 32gb Aluminum (long live #aluminati!) version. It is such a delight to hold. The device feels fantastic in my hands, and I have average size hands for a 5'10" individual. I am coming from a Moto X Pure, Note 5, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 6, and Nexus 6 over the past year. Yes, I change phones frequently...mostly for entertainment or variety. Unlike the iPhones, Note 5, and Nexus 6 - The 6P feels stable in my hands, easy to hold, my thumb can reach across the screen without slipping and the weight of the device does help me balance it for one handed use. Where iPhones were so light and thin, the ergonomics sucked to hold; the 6P thickness actually helps in one handed use. The width of the device is not so wide, like the 2014 N6, that one handed use is easy and 2 handed use works just fine as well.
Slippery - Or should I say, lack thereof? The metal on the phone has a slight grip to it. Similar to that of the Moto X Pure (minus the rubber), but it stays in my hand. Those of you worried about the metal frame and possibly being slippery like the iPhones or even Nexus 6; have no fear.
Metal & Screen - Every version (color) will probably differ. I can only speak for the aluminum version. I have barely put the device down and I have zero fingerprints on the back. Oils do not absorb into the metal to look dirty. The only area where fingerprints are obvious is where they should be...on the screen. Which brings me to the glass of the screen. The glass, in the first hours, felt good but over the ongoing use it has been a little tough for me to slide my fingers over. Could be me or maybe I just need to put the damn phone down. The glass is beautiful and seems strong, but I ordered a glass screen protector to help with fingerprints and always feeling smooth to the touch.
There is a lip around the edge. The metal lip seems to be that of 0.2mm, give or take. It's extremely subtle, but obvious it is there to the touch. If that is something that would bother you, the glass screen protectors seem to hit the correct dimensions in thickness to flatten the surface out entirely. I can imagine the lip probably makes applying a glass screen protector even easier due to form fitting vs aligning.
Buttons and Fingerprint Sensors
The buttons are metal and solid. They don't wiggle around, which drove me insane on my iPhone and Moto X Pure. You can tell they were built well. The home button has a texture to identify easily and works quite well. The click in on volume and home buttons have a easily identifying feedback so you know you are pushing them. As silly as it may sound, the Moto X Pure failed in that area. Where the buttons were so easy to push and lack of feedback on press, there were nights where I would watch a YouTube clip and accidentally click the volume in and piss off the lady.
The fingerprint sensor is like every other reviewer has put it. Extremely fast and reliable. I programmed my index and middle fingers on both hands to the fingerprint sensor. I love that I can pull my phone out of my pocket and its ready to go without awkward thumb bending on the front to reach. Only gripe here on the UX is the inability to unlock the device with my fingerprint when it's laying on my desk. It's not a huge deal to some, but I am at a desk non stop. There is a solution, in Android Marshmallow for this though. I setup certain areas as my "trusted" areas. My car, for example, is a trusted connection and the phone does not require to unlock. I did the same for the bluetooth on my work desk. Solves the issue, but leaves the phone open to access if that worries you.
Notification Light
I love notification lights. This one is simple and great. Not buried into the speaker. Obvious pulsing and colors. Just make sure you turn it on! My phone had it disabled. To enable, go to settings > Notifications > Pulse Notification Light. This is one of my favorite features, for as simple and dumb as it may sound.
Speed and Battery
This phone is lightning fast for me. It was built to work fluidly with Android M and it does exactly that. I haven't ran into any hiccups, crashing, issues and everything just...works! Not sure when I was last able to say that about an Android device. This is the first Android I don't have the "want or need" to begin installing greenify, sleep, and other apps that help chill the phone out and not drain the battery. App switching is smooth, RAM usage has stayed consistently at 1.5gb and the camera opens without stutter or lag for me. I frequently find something I wish to take a picture of and it just opens without delay. More on the camera further down.
The battery is great. The synergy with Android M, Doze, and the Nexus 6p - the battery life for me has been phenomenal. It's too early to reveal screenshots, but just in my general use today I have only used 9% of my battery. I have sent numerous emails, taken some pictures, showed off the device, used Google Maps for navigation, and listened to a Play Music Radio Station on the drive to work. I am happy to say that I am sure battery life won't be a big complaint amongst users. If you use your device so intensively, the rapid charging is rapid. Not as fast as my Moto X Pure, but pretty darn fast. It won't let you down.
Camera
I ****ing love this camera. The pictures are beautiful, detailed, and vibrant with colors. I take a lot of pictures with my devices and generally, my family will ask me to use my phone (whatever it may be at the time) to take those perfect shots. The focus, ISO, exposure and color has not let me down at all. I was able to get some amazing night shots, with the improved camera here. Lack of OIS isn't missed much on pictures, but at 4k video recording it would have been very helpful. In general, the camera is reliable and great quality. The pictures you may want to take at a bar or night environment will probably come out better than that of any other phone...with or without a flash. Samples attached of a couple night shots I posted elsewhere.
I did install a camera app called FV-5. It gives you far more control over the camera and has made some pictures really incredible. I have to tinker with it more and learn about some settings, but the face detection, focus and more on the app really allows the hardware to shine. Hopefully they update it quickly with more support for the 6P camera hardware features.
Connectivity
The most important part of the phone. I have Verizon and some areas in my house or office will be weaker than others. Where my Moto X Pure wasn't getting the best signal, I do see a slight stronger signal on the 6P. Nothing much though and wouldn't bank on it improving your past experiences substantially. WiFi speeds are great. I attached a screenshot of my speeds at home, on WiFi, with the 6P.
Bluetooth and Car
I use my phone in the car all the time. If this one aspect of a phone is flawed, then it goes back. I was concerned at first, because the phone and car would not connect. I was worried it was related to Android M. After I turned off bluetooth and turned it back on - it connected and paired, finally. I was most worried at this point.
Since then, I have gotten in and out of my car and the transition and connection to bluetooth has been seamless and quick. Where my Moto X Pure and iPhones took about 30 seconds to finally connect to the car and have a 3s gap where I miss conversation; The 6P seems to connect and transition the audio instantly. I hope it stays that way!
In the End?
I love this phone. It does live up to the #hype. Without any bias to my excitement to have it, this phone has pretty much hit every aspect of feature I would want out of a mobile device. The best part is IT JUST WORKS. That used to be my argument for Apple devices, but I can now say the same for Android. Sorry if that disappoints some of you... This is also the first android device where I don't feel the need to unlock or root. I will unlock and root because it's a Nexus and I like to develop/test ROMS out. However, those of you who felt you had to rely on unlocking and rooting to tinker settings, you may find that you won't have that urge to do so anymore. If anything, I'll do it for TWRP.
Where I would normally plan on switching devices every few months or 6 months, I can see myself keeping this device for a year to 2 years. Just won't tell the lady that or else I'll hear it when I want to upgrade to next years Nexus line...
Lastly, in the day using it, I have had many people ask me, "Hey, what phone is that?". While I don't care for being known to have the latest and greatest, it's fun showing it off. I can't wait to see some Frosties or Graphites in the wild, but for you folks with #aluminati...stand proud and shine. I hope this helped provide some honest insight and answer some questions.
Thanks folks!
Note: The only changes I made to the pictures was reduce the size of them. They were too large to upload, but no post edits were done for enhancements.
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Click to collapse
You have a fantastic cat sir
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
I think it is a very good review. Granted, I have only had my phone for just now 24 hours and only completed full set up early this AM.
Can't speak about the battery yet as it is too early to tell and it has been on and off charger. I anticipate tonight forward I can get a better read.
Camera is one of the best and I REALLY like the Moto X 2015 Pure. I think N6P may trump it as a few low light pics came out great. At very least is on par with Apple 6S Plus which I also own.
Fingerprint scanner is phenomenal and IS faster than Apple 6S Plus, which I thought was fast. N6P trumps it.
Now, I don't necessarily agree with connectivity on LTE: I STILL think MOTO has better radios and at work I have very sketchy connectivity. I do notice my Nexus 6 and even when I owned the Moto X 2015 Pure, it would grab a weaker signal and have faster data connections moreso than the Nexus 6P. I had to keep toggling airplane mode on the Nexus 6P to get signals. So, I think it is OK but MOTO still has better radios IMHO.
Furthermore, I also think the processor is a "tad" slower than Nexus 6. The Nexus 6 seems to fly and is speedier (both Nexus 6 and N6P are decrypted as well). Granted, I perceive no lag on the N6P, but I definitely feel a controlled movement.
Good review, but my thoughts differ from yours a bit.
My Nexus 6P just arrived. Initial impression? The screen on my Moto X Pure is better (brighter, better whites, less graininess up close). Also, the speakers on the Moto X Pure are better. The Moto X Pure is also a little smaller and easier to grip with the rubber back. My Moto X Pure has very clicky and solid buttons, so maybe that's just a flaw in your particular Moto X.
I'm actually shocked because I fully expected to fall in love with the 6P immediately and ditch the Moto X Pure based on the stellar reviews I have been seeing, but now I'm thinking this is going to be a tougher decision than I thought, and I might actually end up returning the 6P!
Chief85 said:
Thanks for the review! I'm currently test-driving a Moto X Pure, and have a week or so left to return it, which means if I want to get the Nexus 6P I'll have to go back to my old LG G2 for several weeks until Huawei gets its butt in gear and starts pumping out more 64gb models. What's your take on the 6P vs. the X Pure?
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I am in exactly same boat. Have till Nov. 13. Great review OP. You make me really want one and if they were readily available I probably would have it.
tehpud said:
Hey everyone! Many of you know me from other threads or some Q&A, but I wanted to share my experience with the Nexus 6P. I do have a thread where you can ask me anything to try or test out on the device, to help answer some questions. I am a front end developer, UX/UI designer, and business owner. This review is based on how I use the phone and where the phone either shines or fails to perform to my needs. The #hype is real on this device and I am hoping to provide you some feedback that removes the bias of #hype and focuses on the device. Hope you find this helpful and thanks for reading!
Introduction
The Nexus 6P is probably the one device I was so excited to get since the iPhone 4. From reading every possible hands on review, watching every YouTube video, and being on the forums trying to calculate shipping dates. This phone has generated so much buzz that I finally felt so excited to get a device. Compared to last year, nothing was "omfg must have". The Nexus 6P filled that hope.
Ergonomics & Hardware
There is no need for me to get into the specs, we all know them or they are easily available elsewhere. This review is about how the specs of the phone play to the hardware and software to make OUR experience the best. The Nexus 6P has some amazing hardware. I got the 32gb Aluminum (long live #aluminati!) version. It is such a delight to hold. The device feels fantastic in my hands, and I have average size hands for a 5'10" individual. I am coming from a Moto X Pure, Note 5, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 6, and Nexus 6 over the past year. Yes, I change phones frequently...mostly for entertainment or variety. Unlike the iPhones, Note 5, and Nexus 6 - The 6P feels stable in my hands, easy to hold, my thumb can reach across the screen without slipping and the weight of the device does help me balance it for one handed use. Where iPhones were so light and thin, the ergonomics sucked to hold; the 6P thickness actually helps in one handed use. The width of the device is not so wide, like the 2014 N6, that one handed use is easy and 2 handed use works just fine as well.
Slippery - Or should I say, lack thereof? The metal on the phone has a slight grip to it. Similar to that of the Moto X Pure (minus the rubber), but it stays in my hand. Those of you worried about the metal frame and possibly being slippery like the iPhones or even Nexus 6; have no fear.
Metal & Screen - Every version (color) will probably differ. I can only speak for the aluminum version. I have barely put the device down and I have zero fingerprints on the back. Oils do not absorb into the metal to look dirty. The only area where fingerprints are obvious is where they should be...on the screen. Which brings me to the glass of the screen. The glass, in the first hours, felt good but over the ongoing use it has been a little tough for me to slide my fingers over. Could be me or maybe I just need to put the damn phone down. The glass is beautiful and seems strong, but I ordered a glass screen protector to help with fingerprints and always feeling smooth to the touch.
There is a lip around the edge. The metal lip seems to be that of 0.2mm, give or take. It's extremely subtle, but obvious it is there to the touch. If that is something that would bother you, the glass screen protectors seem to hit the correct dimensions in thickness to flatten the surface out entirely. I can imagine the lip probably makes applying a glass screen protector even easier due to form fitting vs aligning.
Buttons and Fingerprint Sensors
The buttons are metal and solid. They don't wiggle around, which drove me insane on my iPhone and Moto X Pure. You can tell they were built well. The home button has a texture to identify easily and works quite well. The click in on volume and home buttons have a easily identifying feedback so you know you are pushing them. As silly as it may sound, the Moto X Pure failed in that area. Where the buttons were so easy to push and lack of feedback on press, there were nights where I would watch a YouTube clip and accidentally click the volume in and piss off the lady.
The fingerprint sensor is like every other reviewer has put it. Extremely fast and reliable. I programmed my index and middle fingers on both hands to the fingerprint sensor. I love that I can pull my phone out of my pocket and its ready to go without awkward thumb bending on the front to reach. Only gripe here on the UX is the inability to unlock the device with my fingerprint when it's laying on my desk. It's not a huge deal to some, but I am at a desk non stop. There is a solution, in Android Marshmallow for this though. I setup certain areas as my "trusted" areas. My car, for example, is a trusted connection and the phone does not require to unlock. I did the same for the bluetooth on my work desk. Solves the issue, but leaves the phone open to access if that worries you.
Notification Light
I love notification lights. This one is simple and great. Not buried into the speaker. Obvious pulsing and colors. Just make sure you turn it on! My phone had it disabled. To enable, go to settings > Notifications > Pulse Notification Light. This is one of my favorite features, for as simple and dumb as it may sound.
Speed and Battery
This phone is lightning fast for me. It was built to work fluidly with Android M and it does exactly that. I haven't ran into any hiccups, crashing, issues and everything just...works! Not sure when I was last able to say that about an Android device. This is the first Android I don't have the "want or need" to begin installing greenify, sleep, and other apps that help chill the phone out and not drain the battery. App switching is smooth, RAM usage has stayed consistently at 1.5gb and the camera opens without stutter or lag for me. I frequently find something I wish to take a picture of and it just opens without delay. More on the camera further down.
The battery is great. The synergy with Android M, Doze, and the Nexus 6p - the battery life for me has been phenomenal. It's too early to reveal screenshots, but just in my general use today I have only used 9% of my battery. I have sent numerous emails, taken some pictures, showed off the device, used Google Maps for navigation, and listened to a Play Music Radio Station on the drive to work. I am happy to say that I am sure battery life won't be a big complaint amongst users. If you use your device so intensively, the rapid charging is rapid. Not as fast as my Moto X Pure, but pretty darn fast. It won't let you down.
Camera
I ****ing love this camera. The pictures are beautiful, detailed, and vibrant with colors. I take a lot of pictures with my devices and generally, my family will ask me to use my phone (whatever it may be at the time) to take those perfect shots. The focus, ISO, exposure and color has not let me down at all. I was able to get some amazing night shots, with the improved camera here. Lack of OIS isn't missed much on pictures, but at 4k video recording it would have been very helpful. In general, the camera is reliable and great quality. The pictures you may want to take at a bar or night environment will probably come out better than that of any other phone...with or without a flash. Samples attached of a couple night shots I posted elsewhere.
I did install a camera app called FV-5. It gives you far more control over the camera and has made some pictures really incredible. I have to tinker with it more and learn about some settings, but the face detection, focus and more on the app really allows the hardware to shine. Hopefully they update it quickly with more support for the 6P camera hardware features.
Connectivity
The most important part of the phone. I have Verizon and some areas in my house or office will be weaker than others. Where my Moto X Pure wasn't getting the best signal, I do see a slight stronger signal on the 6P. Nothing much though and wouldn't bank on it improving your past experiences substantially. WiFi speeds are great. I attached a screenshot of my speeds at home, on WiFi, with the 6P.
Bluetooth and Car
I use my phone in the car all the time. If this one aspect of a phone is flawed, then it goes back. I was concerned at first, because the phone and car would not connect. I was worried it was related to Android M. After I turned off bluetooth and turned it back on - it connected and paired, finally. I was most worried at this point.
Since then, I have gotten in and out of my car and the transition and connection to bluetooth has been seamless and quick. Where my Moto X Pure and iPhones took about 30 seconds to finally connect to the car and have a 3s gap where I miss conversation; The 6P seems to connect and transition the audio instantly. I hope it stays that way!
In the End?
I love this phone. It does live up to the #hype. Without any bias to my excitement to have it, this phone has pretty much hit every aspect of feature I would want out of a mobile device. The best part is IT JUST WORKS. That used to be my argument for Apple devices, but I can now say the same for Android. Sorry if that disappoints some of you... This is also the first android device where I don't feel the need to unlock or root. I will unlock and root because it's a Nexus and I like to develop/test ROMS out. However, those of you who felt you had to rely on unlocking and rooting to tinker settings, you may find that you won't have that urge to do so anymore. If anything, I'll do it for TWRP.
Where I would normally plan on switching devices every few months or 6 months, I can see myself keeping this device for a year to 2 years. Just won't tell the lady that or else I'll hear it when I want to upgrade to next years Nexus line...
Lastly, in the day using it, I have had many people ask me, "Hey, what phone is that?". While I don't care for being known to have the latest and greatest, it's fun showing it off. I can't wait to see some Frosties or Graphites in the wild, but for you folks with #aluminati...stand proud and shine. I hope this helped provide some honest insight and answer some questions.
Thanks folks!
Note: The only changes I made to the pictures was reduce the size of them. They were too large to upload, but no post edits were done for enhancements.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is that a Huawei watch?
bullshark888 said:
Is that a Huawei watch?
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Yup!
tehpud said:
Yup!
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I am still debating this or the 360, maybe wait for the black Friday.
bullshark888 said:
I am still debating this or the 360, maybe wait for the black Friday.
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Click to collapse
I would wait for Black Friday tbh. I am probably going to return it and wait for the Moto 360 Sport. I already have a nice watch, but need something that I can use while I work out.
Was there really a need to start a new thread about reviews?
Now that is what I call a fantastic review
Very nice review. Thank you for taking the time and sharing. I think I know my next device after mapping this against the Moto X Pure.
Does VoLTE work on Verizon with the 6p? If not, does it have dual radios to let you call on CDMA and still use LTE data?
jmileti said:
I am in exactly same boat. Have till Nov. 13. Great review OP. You make me really want one and if they were readily available I probably would have it.
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Very frustrating! If only I could hold both at the same time...