Develop Bugs

ARC(S) worth the buy?

hi all
i recently asked a retailer about the price for the arc and acr S recently ( dunno why but o have the urge to do so and i did ) he said the price for ARC is RM1000 and ARC S is RM 1300 which is surprisingly cheap ..and i do love the phone ..never seen anyone used it but i looks gorgeous in videos ...i just bought a galaxy ACE about a month ago and i am planning to change one at the end of the year at december ...so should i get the arc ? i know it have some crappy processors and low ram but i want to hear some opinion for the users ...is it worth the RM 1000? and i do expect the price to drop to RM800 at the end of the year ...

Look wise, the arc is top tier, hands down. I guess it really ties down to what you expect out of your phone. Personally, a phone to me is to remain a phone and not a mini laptop, so the specs of the Arc S is good enough for me. It's fast enough to do everything that I want; stream videos, browse the internet, call/email/text etc. All those hype about new phones, dual cores and etc, what is the purpose exactly? It loads a page faster in 1 sec? Ridiculous. Didn't mean to rant haha, but yeah. If you want a phone that stands out and looks good and is good for everyday use, I would recommend getting the Arc/S. Not to mention, the Camera is awesome.

Hey tohno,nice seeing u here brick guy. Im using arc s rite now n lovin it. Anyway i bought mine from a guy who just used it for two months at rm900. Its used but the guy is new with android n havent mod anything yet so i think its fair if i said that it come fresh from the shop
Sent from my LT18i using xda premium

I say it doesn't worth it, now you have new Sony phones, hTC and many.
Sent from my hTC One X << JK

A medium-high performance phone, with excellent camera and versatile multimedia functions, paired with large high resolution phone for low price? Damn yeah it's worth it!

Buy Arc S
Buy Arc S ...
Great phone ...
Bought one on the launch date itself ...
Xtremely happy

sweet! then i think i will eye for the arc s then!
oh hi malice!

I bought mine 'cause it was on Special + 50€ cash back. So i got it for 350€ in last July.
Love it except the screen which is too weak. And now it is quite weak for new apps.
I'm looking to get a Nexus in a couple of month. But since i unlocked my bootloader I really enjoy it more.
This is definitely not a waste of money.

MAX--K said:
Love it except the screen which is too weak. And now it is quite weak for new apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Screen is strong enough and there are no new apps that I am aware of that require a certain screen strength...

iridaki said:
Screen is strong enough and there are no new apps that I am aware of that require a certain screen strength...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My screen has a broken line on the left side. It has been always carried in a leather holder.
Try to play GTA3 with the arc.
It is a good phone but it is (a bit) outdated.
Sent from my Xperia Arc using XDA

Please don't buy neither Arc nor Arc S, you will face some very depressing problems with these phones, as Arc user I don't suggest this phone because of very poor quality of the phone. You maybe extra careful with your phone but you won't avoid housing crack, scratched screen and body damages. Housing crack appears on almost all Xperia Arc phones, as for screen I would say, its very bright and high quality but, it is not gorilla glass, and you can scratch it by mistake for example when cleaning, as I did. As for body I would say that design is very sexy but you will notice small dots around the screen, and on the back panel, paint gets peeled. My advice, hold the phone in vacuum or wait for Xperia S!

MAX--K said:
My screen has a broken line on the left side. It has been always carried in a leather holder.
Try to play GTA3 with the arc.
It is a good phone but it is (a bit) outdated.
Sent from my Xperia Arc using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, so you need an enhanced durability screen because you are a passionate GTA3 player... Ok, got it!
iR¡[email protected]!* via Tapatalk

I still prefer the thinner look of the arc...
(is that a racoon above me ??? !!!)

giorgobiani554 said:
Please don't buy neither Arc nor Arc S, you will face some very depressing problems with these phones, as Arc user I don't suggest this phone because of very poor quality of the phone. You maybe extra careful with your phone but you won't avoid housing crack, scratched screen and body damages. Housing crack appears on almost all Xperia Arc phones, as for screen I would say, its very bright and high quality but, it is not gorilla glass, and you can scratch it by mistake for example when cleaning, as I did. As for body I would say that design is very sexy but you will notice small dots around the screen, and on the back panel, paint gets peeled. My advice, hold the phone in vacuum or wait for Xperia S!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Remove the shutter proof thing.
Did it 3 months ago and no scratches!
@ OP:
If you want it, get it now!
By the end of the year it will be totally outdated, well, it is already somehow.
Looking forward to the Galaxy S III or a Sony with Snapdragon S4 as the Arc gets too slow after a few days of uptime
Sent from my iPad 2 using Tapatalk

Great phone!
This phone is great! In poland he cost 1300 PLN, this is not too big price for that phone. He have great camera (720p Video [i record a video with friends and that camera have really good quality, better than both normal cameras]).

I did, I removed but as I said scratched with cleaning cloth

giorgobiani554 said:
Please don't buy neither Arc nor Arc S, you will face some very depressing problems with these phones, as Arc user I don't suggest this phone because of very poor quality of the phone. You maybe extra careful with your phone but you won't avoid housing crack, scratched screen and body damages. Housing crack appears on almost all Xperia Arc phones, as for screen I would say, its very bright and high quality but, it is not gorilla glass, and you can scratch it by mistake for example when cleaning, as I did. As for body I would say that design is very sexy but you will notice small dots around the screen, and on the back panel, paint gets peeled. My advice, hold the phone in vacuum or wait for Xperia S!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? I didnt know...cause i have dropoed my arc so.many times...i have slept over it, i aint using a screen protector, still the screen is fine! Its quite durable mate! The only problem is..it gets really slow sometimes! So even i wouldn't suggest to purchase arc. But i still love it <3:-D
Fuel The Droid©

well i am actually of buying this phone cause of the relatively cheap price...i just got my ace just a month ago but seeing the arc's cheap price i just can't resist to buy it...and by the end of the year i think arc s will be below RM1000 by then it's a sure buy ..i cant afford high end phones ( expensive ones at least ) like S2 ( it's too common!! ) , sensation etc ...

If I were you, I would buy LG Optimus 2X instead. It has Tegra 2 chipset and a dual-core processor. That makes it much better phone. Cons are it doesn't have as good camera, and the screen is a bit smaller(4.2 > 4.0).
Here in Switzerland it is even cheaper.

I've my arc s for close to 5 months and I do not regret it. It's camera is one of the best among the smart phones for the price of it. When my friend who own the iPhone 4 took the same night scene with my arc, the arc's capture the scene very well, not too bright or too dark -- like what the iPhone does.
Responsiveness is reasonably fast even though it's not rooted. Depending on how you handle the phone, mine is still scratch-free and beautiful. No cracks. The factory screen does trap specks of dust quite easily, but this can be avoided if you apply another matte filter over it.
The phone is light and still able to fit into my pocket despite it's 4+ inch screen. The big screen makes it comfortable to browse webs, watch videos and play games.
What I find a nuisance in the arc is the small internal memory capacity, which means you'll have to be selective in the apps you store in the phone.
Definitely worth buying & keeping if you're a light to medium-usage user.
Good luck in your choice!
Sent from my LT18i using XDA App

Xperia play parts in the philippines

Good day fellow pinoys.. Just want to ask if anyone here knows where I can get parts for my play specifically flex cable and back housing/complete housing? Thanks
Sent from outer space using xda app on my xplay

for the slider flex cable, SE glorietta 3 still doesn't have it, but they do have the digitizer.. i haven't checked yet with MemoXpress SM North EDSA if they have parts yet, people there are a bunch of pricks..
as for me, i bought 3 pieces of flex from UK (through a friend), and replaced my digitizer at glorietta 3..
PS, my flex are all OEM
PPS, housings are only acquired through ebay or glorietta afaik

Thanks for the reply.. Just want to ask do u sell your extra flex? Thanks..
Sent from outer space using xda app on my xplay

Flex Cable for Xperia Play
narflynn619 said:
for the slider flex cable, SE glorietta 3 still doesn't have it, but they do have the digitizer.. i haven't checked yet with MemoXpress SM North EDSA if they have parts yet, people there are a bunch of pricks..
as for me, i bought 3 pieces of flex from UK (through a friend), and replaced my digitizer at glorietta 3..
PS, my flex are all OEM
PPS, housings are only acquired through ebay or glorietta afaik
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hi narflynn619. I went to SM MOA sony service center on sunday August 12. I made a reservation for a flex cable and lcd screen. they told me to wait for 2-3 weeks. well i guess i'll try to wait but i doubt if it would really take 2-3 weeks. In a matter of 4 weeks i would be working at Ilocos province and i dont know if my phone would get fixed by then. It makes me mad to have bought this phone, im so disappointed. I cant use my phone right now and i am forced to buy a temporary cellphone to place my SIM. How much did you buy your flex cable? Would you be kind enough to sell your extra flex cable for xperia play please.

AudiTour said:
hi narflynn619. I went to SM MOA sony service center on sunday August 12. I made a reservation for a flex cable and lcd screen. they told me to wait for 2-3 weeks. well i guess i'll try to wait but i doubt if it would really take 2-3 weeks. In a matter of 4 weeks i would be working at Ilocos province and i dont know if my phone would get fixed by then. It makes me mad to have bought this phone, im so disappointed. I cant use my phone right now and i am forced to buy a temporary cellphone to place my SIM. How much did you buy your flex cable? Would you be kind enough to sell your extra flex cable for xperia play please.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sir how much does the slider flex in MOA? And also did you pay for reservation? Thanks
Sent from outer space using xda app on my xplay

bjo12 said:
Sir how much does the slider flex in MOA? And also did you pay for reservation? Thanks
Sent from outer space using xda app on my xplay
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need not pay for the reservation if you would request for flex cable and screen, provided, you are covered by the product's warranty.
I also went to SM North Edsa lately. They did'nt even bother to take the phone for diagnosis. I just told the attendant of the "grainy screen freeze appearance", and voila... she told me there is a need to replace the flex cables. (well i dont know either if she's right) I didnt bother entrusting my phone to them though i requested for a flex cable and new screen too. The attendant got me pissed off! She gives no "assurance" of a positive solution. She says, "the flex and screen may arrive in 2-3 weeks, (common statement, like a template) but usually goes beyond that, depending upon the availability of the item from the source, no definite time, just call us often for follow up".
Well of course, she's right. But a WARRANTY is a WARRANTY. There should always be available items for warranty covered parts that can be delivered within a DEFINITE period. SONY, you gave us warranty! Warranty for what! Like selling false HOPE! Why not give customers a definite answer!
(Im sorry im not yelling at you) I was just mad about my phone, being so f*****g frustrating.
Maybe i'll try going to Glorietta 3 tomorrow. I hope they would be more professional in dealing with this. Im trying to look for those accessories at e-bay but i dont have a paypal account..
I guess i might turn up asking for a replacement of the unit if not solved. I have availed of the 3-year extended warranty upon purchase. Though I prefer Xperia Play over Arc S (arc goes down to almost 16,000.00 to 19,000.00 per unit now). So if i could get a fair replacement, i would give up my PLAY.

AudiTour said:
hi narflynn619. I went to SM MOA sony service center on sunday August 12. I made a reservation for a flex cable and lcd screen. they told me to wait for 2-3 weeks. well i guess i'll try to wait but i doubt if it would really take 2-3 weeks. In a matter of 4 weeks i would be working at Ilocos province and i dont know if my phone would get fixed by then. It makes me mad to have bought this phone, im so disappointed. I cant use my phone right now and i am forced to buy a temporary cellphone to place my SIM. How much did you buy your flex cable? Would you be kind enough to sell your extra flex cable for xperia play please.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off, are you a native of Region 1 or just going there to work? I live permanently in La Union, first province just before Ilocos Sur, but I live in Quezon City right now because of my job.
Good luck with that (sarcastic). Like I told you, they're a bunch of soulless pricks who seem to have universal replies to customers in almost all of their branches. See I told you SM NORTH EDSA BRANCH will only drop turd on you! The best branch I've been so far was Glorietta 3. They are very accommodative, willing to help, and friendly I even made friends with one of their technicians.
As for the slider flex, I only have 1 piece remaining and I'm sorry I'm reserving it for the "incoming crisis" (since I noticed that OEM flex for the Xperia PLAY only lasts 5-7 months, I'm disappointed but I'm really in love with my phone right now).
It's just unbelievable that after buying my Xperia PLAY May last year, it had undergone already three repairs in just one year (two repairs for the slider flex and one for the digitizer). I'm hoping the new digitizer and flex cable will now last, as I am soooooooooooo careful in opening and closing the gamepad.
PS, the slider flex cost me around PhP800.00 per piece, converted from UK Pounds.

i have full housing in white if your interested

Does it include digitizer? How much would it cost?

narflynn619 said:
Does it include digitizer? How much would it cost?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no digitizer, if your still interested i will list a price

How much? Knowing the price FIRST makes buyers PROBABLY interested.

silvacrest said:
no digitizer, if your still interested i will list a price
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How much is your full housing? Original Sony?
Sent from outer space using xda app on my xplay

Housing for Xperia Play
silvacrest said:
i have full housing in white if your interested
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I'm interested to buy the full housing. Gamit ko ngaun yung xperia play na orange, kaso sobrang basag basag na yung housing. Magkano yung Full housing mo? may ibang kulay ka ba aside from white?

$20 shipped locally (United kingdom)
$25 shipped internationally

mimacheda said:
Hi, I'm interested to buy the full housing. Gamit ko ngaun yung xperia play na orange, kaso sobrang basag basag na yung housing. Magkano yung Full housing mo? may ibang kulay ka ba aside from white?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dude, ENglish please..

Sir narflynn do u stil have your spare flex? Tnx
Sent from outer space using xda app on my xplay

yes i do but i'm saving it for future crises.. read 7th POST on this thread for my testimonial why i'm saving it..

Another Phone up for parts
Hi,
I have a play in India, whose slide flex cable is damaged. All other parts are working perfectly.
Looking to sell. Please contact if interested.

Wow, I didn't know the flex cable breaks within 5-7 months. Guess I've just been lucky with my 11 month xp.

Ure a lucky KID.

HTC One X build quality is abysmal.

I have no idea how any of you guys have a flawless HTC One X. Seriously.
I have had 10 phones. TEN!
How HTC can send this pile of rubbish out is just beyond me. Sure, the screen is lovely. If it's not covered with yellow splodges, or a faulty digitizer. Or the case surrounding it doesn't creak or flex.
I updated my latest and unfortunately not the greatest 10th phone to sense 4.1. And it's great they have got rid of the three dots.
But whatever they doing at their factories, they are not doing much quality checking. Or perhaps they are sticking the screens down with chewing gum.
If anyone asks me "should I buy a HTC One X". Guess what my answer is going to be?
Sure, if you want to spend the next 2.5 months sending your phone back for replacements, spending over £160 in doing so in line rental, telephone calls to your supplier and postage to send it back. Go for it. It's really fun.
So how did you do it guys? Seriously? Or am I thinking that some of you have actually got slight flaws, but are living with them.
I honestly feel like I could get a crate of HTC One X's and there would be 5 or 6 in it that were without any kind of flaws.
I don't need to put on a flame proof suit. I'm sure I'll get jumped on for this post. However, I genuinely do not believe for one moment that there is such thing as a flawless HTC One X.
People can't seem to understand why Samsung is charging ahead with such success with badly designed phones compared to HTC.
Well, now you know why. Because as much as the design of the Samsung is pants, I imagine their build quality is light years ahead of HTC's.
So it depends if you want your phone to look good, or to actually be without build quality issues.
I know which I would rather have. And let me tell you, it's lesson hard learned.
What a pile of crap.

The reason why you're getting so many bad ones is probably because, unless you are going to a store and personally picking your phone out of the new ones, it's probably a refurb. HTC likely doesn't do much QA for refurbs, so you're sorting through phones that have been returned for the same reasons why you returned your phone. In all likelihood, the defective Samsung phones never even leave the factory.
It sucks, but what can you do?

Sorry to say the obvious, but you've had some really really awful luck with your devices if you've managed to go through 10, and all of them with faults that are worthy of a replacement.
If my device has any issues, it's that there is a slight gap around the screen bezel, enough for 1 tiny spec of dust to get stuck in, and tbh, that's the sort of issue I expect from any phone I purchase, I know Samsung don't do any better with gaps between joins in their design, Apple definitely don't. Guess I have a godly HOX or something?

My HOX has one slight issue as far as im aware, and yes im LIVING with it. Its the fault where if I hold it with my Left hand (WHICH I USUALLY DO) I completely or mostly lose WiFi, I can't be bothered doing the squeeze test etc, as this makes it worse. And I know I have the issue, but 10 phones worthy of replacement? Sounds like your more unlucky than the devils *****.
But canI ask a question?
WHAT IS THESE 3 DOTS EVERYONE IS ON ABOUT?!

I know those issues with a big german service contractor of O2. Not HTCs fault directly but very annoying.
They replace broken phones with refurbished ones and save the QC.
First One X had a faulty digitizer after 3 month -> Swap
Returned one had a gap at the bottom where the light shone through, the black plastic around the screen stood up a bit, a rattling vibrator and a bright 2 cm strech where the bottom backlight is situated. -> Swap
Third one now seems technically ok. I can push the glass out if I like to, because it does not really sit tight which is ok as I am a tinkerer anyway and the SIM card holder looks like somebody chewed on it.
They don't want to swap the card holder alone and want the whole phone returned.
I think I will keep it as I guess it can only get worse with a new one. Chewed holder is nothing compared to most complaints here
@Wilks3y
The 3 dots are a big bar for the menu at the bottom on the screen that show up with some applications that are not yet optimized for Android 4. It's annoying and takes space, but nothing else.

HTC said they solved all the quirks in PRODUCTION. You're getting replacements from your carrier, and you're getting the phones which have been manufactured long time ago (before june or july), because they always hand over the older devices first. They know that some people aren't so aware of the problems and device will eventually find an owner which does not care or know about problem. What you got caught into is the cruel business model.
And that's the reason everyone should insist on picking your phone in the store. I always tell them to show me 5 devices out of the stock and I will inspect them personally (that's a costumer right) for any faults. HOX is not the first device with QC problems, and two owners and friends of mine have zero problems. and if you think samsung is any better, my friend got one in June and chrome plastic around screen started peeling already with his phone always in protective case! plus he cannot get it replaced on warranty because "he himself damaged the device by dropping it".
scam is everywhere mate.

Why have you created a new thread for the same rant?
I understand your frustration though. I went through a very similar thing and only yesterday is it sorted. Unless the wifi issue comes back. I bought the phone on release.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app

when you say build quality is abysmal it means all the one Xs they make are from the same kind of quality, for example very cheap plastic being etc or they all have a broken screen
this is not true, in fact a flawless One X is very fancy in terms of build and sturdiness
the issue you talk about is not build quality, its quality control, meaning some defected phones are being let out of factory
when you keep getting defected phones (like my luck when i first went to buy it) it means you should change your source

I have bought one x about 2-4 weeks after being released and had no problems with it so far. Probably some series of phone have been faulty or had low quality control .

I'm with the OP.
I don't think it's easy to quantify what the problems are with this phone - or is it indeed the manufacturer?
Here's my story.
First phone - yellow patch problem - wasn't sure about the wifi issue - but the yellow spots sucked.
Within the 28 day period, so got a straight swap with retailer - in my case Tesco mobile partner (2020mobile I think they're called).
In this time I really baby'd the phone - no drops, no hard knocks, no nothing. No screen protector admittedly - but - within this initial 3 week period, the Gorilla glass 2 (ROFL) still picked up fine scratches.
Replacement phone arrived - this one - less yellowing patches - but still enough for me to notice and not want on a phone which is meant to do me for 2 years. Also at this point I noticed the phone had the infamous wifi problem.
Again, really fine scratching appearing on screen.
So - sent back - outside 28 days, so had to be through HTC repair.
After 1st repair - looks like they'd replaced the screen, but not fixed the wifi - plus they'd managed to scratch the camera lense and body when it was in, so, back it went for repair.
It came back with new housing (ie no camera lense scratch or body scratches), but now I'm finding the wifi issue has clearly not been resolved.
This is just completely nuts.
And the fine scratches on my new screen are now starting to show, after about 3 or 4 weeks use - again with me babying it.
Seriously - this phone if it it didn't have these flaws would be great.
But in reality it seriously sucks.
End of my tether.

I also agree with OP
.. to many different and possible defects:
- GPS
- Sensors
- dead pixel
- dust under Display
- yellow spots
- WIFI issues
- Heating issue (differs from model)
- case and display - Quality (not instantly visible after unpacking)
- Bluetooth
... many more
i changed my phone also 9 times, important part:
- different shops
- different serial 23 to 27
and the best of allnce i sent my phone for repair and received a much worse model with two defects on the case
it defect rate is much better in SH /HT 27 but still a lack of quality...
Well, i think some of the defects are not visible to everyone because they don´t use/need the features !!
SGS3 was no option for me - i stick to the HOX - just want a model without lets call it "build" defects or lack of quality control.. the result is always the same for the customer. I messed around with all the problems and still love the phone ... i think for many "ex" HTC customers it was the last HTC phone for a long time ...
So HTC missed the spot - they invested a lot of money in "interesting" projects or companies instead of dealing with the core business - i am sure the managers who are responsible for this all are still earning a lot of money ... and a few thousand workers have been fired
Well done HTC

I changed my hox 4 times,every time different problem so then I changed to another phone make ,feels bad leaving HTC but when your QUADCORE phone becomes a source of a pain like in my case there is no point hangin about,can't wait to see what HTC will come up with comes Christmas or April 2013 really excited

subharmonic said:
And the fine scratches on my new screen are now starting to show, after about 3 or 4 weeks use - again with me babying it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Clearly you have grit or something in your pocket then.
Remember - scratches are caused by a harder object, rubbing against the screen. This isn't a manufacturing fault. The screen is not anymore susceptible to scratches than any previous gorilla glass, nor any other standard glass screens.
Either get a screen protector, or find the source of your scratches, ie grit in your pocket and get rid of it. If you have a pouch, could be there is grit in that embedded in the inside fabric layer
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app

So if I go to a store and they give me 10 defective devices what would I do? Not go through that store.
Or maybe creating multiple threads will solve what common sense couldn't.
Why not merge your two whining threads together since you haven't said anything new.
Sent from my AT100 using xda premium

I don't know what the deal is, but it ain't the overall build quality.
I had ONE HOX and it's perfect build quality. Actually, best build quality I've ever had, and certainly WAAAAAY Better than my mom's SGSIII or my previous SGSII and SGS.

This is a fact that has been established. But still refreshing to see it pop up again . But I agree with the OP. When I said goodbye to the HTC sensation XL, the One X was on my priority list, for all the obvious reasons. But then I asked myself: do I really want to go through it again, given that everyone is going through with the One X. The answer is no. Half my "thanks" came from defending HTC in the early launch, but now when I see the complaining posts, I cant be bothered to defend anyone anymore.

Now I feel extremely lucky, having a phone with none of these defects. SH23.
One X to rule them all.

DarkDvr said:
I don't know what the deal is, but it ain't the overall build quality.
I had ONE HOX and it's perfect build quality. Actually, best build quality I've ever had, and certainly WAAAAAY Better than my mom's SGSIII or my previous SGSII and SGS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I think the OP meant 'quality control' or 'reliability'. Not 'build quality' - I'd say if anything, the quality feel of hTCs higher end devices in the hand is second only to Apple. It's my big issue with Samsungs, really - they charge £450 for a device that is made of exactly the same materials, and has had exactly the same amount of thought into the design as a £90 ZTE Blade. Incidentally, my HOX is 'perfect', at least for now - they do exist.
However, for the bootloader unlocking/warranty invalidation nonsense hTC have been preaching, even if I hadn't heard so many bad things about the One X, I'm never going to buy another device from them or advise others to. Kind of a shame when devices like the Desire and Desire Z were so damn good.

I bought my hoz, from singapure, using eBay. Its perfect, but I will choose all my entery life a broken hoz than a good sg3. A lot of my friend from my country got 20 time their sg3 back, and still changed it, broken glass inside the Box, no light bottons, others dont turn on and so on. As they dont speak english, and as they use sg3 app phone, no modding at all. I will start writing for then in sg3 Forum talking about Samsung sg3 broken glasses and defect software quality.
So that will be a lovely Forum. It will be a good action, cause a love my friends and to help them. I think every hoz uswrs with friends with sg3 problems should do the same.
Enviado desde mi HTC One X usando XDA Premium HD app

I have a March-build HT23 and it was perfect when I got it and its still perfect now. Go figure.

Rate your Refurb

This thread is intended to discuss your experience with your refurbished Galaxy Note 2 from AT&T so others can decide if a refurbished device is the right choice for them. If you want to rate the quality of your device on a scale of 1-10 I will keep the OP updated with the average rating. I for one was somewhat skeptical about ordering a refurbished device but I took the plunge after reading another members good experience and so far I have had no regrets. Please follow XDA rules and have fun.
That being said I would rate the quality of my device as a 10 . I ordered the white model and I have not been able to find any flaws ( and I am anal about little things ) I had a very bad experience with AT&T when I had the HTC one X , They sent me 3 refurb's in one week and all of them had issues. I am very happy so far with my Refurbished Galaxy Note 2 and I have the insurance just in case something goes wrong after the 90 days.
I did run into the loose charging port that I read about in these forums and discovered it to be the actual cable , not the phone. my solution was to file down the upper part of the housing and now the charging usb actually clicks into place. Also this aftermarket usb cable from radio shack fits perfect. see attached image.
Average user rating 8.7

Just to toss this out not Note related however I bought my daughter a referb s3 and it has been flawless as well. Att seems to ensure your getting a quality referb device. When I was with tmobile the same could not be said..
sent from my Galaxy Note 2

9.5.. Clean, no scratches, Functions well. the only -.5 is because the batter installed was completely dead, and it didnt come with a headset/headphones.

j0hnny_5 said:
9.5.. Clean, no scratches, Functions well. the only -.5 is because the batter installed was completely dead, and it didnt come with a headset/headphones.
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I bought 2 brand new from Best Buy, and they didn't come with a headset, I don't think that something manufacturers do anymore. It's a shame though, considering the price of the phone

Captivate-me said:
I bought 2 brand new from Best Buy, and they didn't come with a headset, I don't think that something manufacturers do anymore. It's a shame though, considering the price of the phone
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Click to collapse
I had a refurbished Samsung replaced under warranty since my camera focus quit working**....it was basically flawless and in perfect condition. :good:
**Wasn't till later that I realized that my phone mounted on a motorcycle handlebar for a 2,900 miles trip might have contributed to the problem (i.e. vibration)?? Wasn't sure but makes sense. Anyway it quit working so I got a refurbished one which I still use on my motorcycle.

Haven't had a refurb note2 but my original note was replaced under warranty with a refurb and the first replacement had scratches on the camera lens, called at&t and told them that was unacceptable as I'm anal about my phone, most people probably wouldn't have even cared, they said no problem and sent me a new one.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda app-developers app

Captivate-me said:
I bought 2 brand new from Best Buy, and they didn't come with a headset, I don't think that something manufacturers do anymore. It's a shame though, considering the price of the phone
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My new one from BestBuy also didn't have headphones.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium

10. No physical flaws, runs smooth as butter, etc.

9.5
my back plate is super easy to take off... is that normal? with my skyrocket i had to pry it and pull with a little force. This GN2 just peels right off.

droidbabyxda said:
9.5
my back plate is super easy to take off... is that normal? with my skyrocket i had to pry it and pull with a little force. This GN2 just peels right off.
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Same here. Replaced the wife's 3gs with one.
Back is not hard to remove but doesn't seem it will fall of at all.
Some other things that I'd Ike to know if normal or not:
- very low call volume (still have to play with this more)
- beeps continuously while charging with my nexus one 1A (or less, don't remember) charger.
- &#%$&#%&$&#% lots and lots of AT&T crap ware. It kept trying to make me type my Gmail passwd on a att.com page during setup... riiight. Now every time I press contacts tab on phone app it shows a dialog about downloading contacts from att for a few seconds.
...will I be fine if I flash cyanogen or something else on it?

gcbxda said:
Same here. Replaced the wife's 3gs with one.
Back is not hard to remove but doesn't seem it will fall of at all.
Some other things that I'd Ike to know if normal or not:
- very low call volume (still have to play with this more)
- beeps continuously while charging with my nexus one 1A (or less, don't remember) charger.
- &#%$&#%&$&#% lots and lots of AT&T crap ware. It kept trying to make me type my Gmail passwd on a att.com page during setup... riiight. Now every time I press contacts tab on phone app it shows a dialog about downloading contacts from att for a few seconds.
...will I be fine if I flash cyanogen or something else on it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't recall any of that happening to me, however you should be able to install some aftermarket firmware after rooting and installing a recovery using Odin or Heimdall (depending on your OS)
However if you still have the low call volume and whatnot, I'd say completely revert back to stock and return it. AT&T will give you a brand new one at no extra cost if they deem it unworthy xD

j0hnny_5 said:
9.5.. Clean, no scratches, Functions well. the only -.5 is because the batter installed was completely dead, and it didnt come with a headset/headphones.
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Click to collapse
Same for me(received my unit yesterday, (upgrading from a root and modded Skyrocket) excellent looking unit, battery was dead, no headphones... battery charged very quickly, much quicker than I expected... visually the phone itself is perfect, LOVE it.
What an incredible deal even with the specs of the IV that have been revealed over the last few days I feel VERY happy with this purchase, can't touch this battery life and screen size!

I've not received a Note 2 refurb, but for other's that I have; e.g. Skyrocket, S3, etc I only received the phone housing, never any other accessories such as battery, back plate, etc as I've always been told to keep those from the original.
Is the Note 2 different in that AT&T now provides those additional with a refurb replacement? Seems a bit odd they'd go through this trouble considering that would more than likely not have anything to do with the phone HW which is being addressed under warranty.
EDIT: Ah.... ok I mis-read this as I was under the impression this was in regards to warranty replacement... disregard.

RiPpeR_dUdE said:
I've not received a Note 2 refurb, but for other's that I have; e.g. Skyrocket, S3, etc I only received the phone housing, never any other accessories such as battery, back plate, etc as I've always been told to keep those from the original.
Is the Note 2 different in that AT&T now provides those additional with a refurb replacement? Seems a bit odd they'd go through this trouble considering that would more than likely not have anything to do with the phone HW which is being addressed under warranty.
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Click to collapse
Most of the posts here are from people who purchased the the refurb note 2 from the at&t .99 cent sale.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium

I just wanted to say that if anyone wants a case with a kickstand, this is the case I got today from Best Buy, as they were out of cases at the AT&T store. I do quite like it (even though I probably won't be using it for its kickstand), but it is pretty thin and seems pretty durable for its thinness. It basically seperates into two by pushing on a specific area on the back and that way only (I tried prying it open via the sides for testing purposes and it wasn't budging). The kick stand is also magnetic and it works just fine on let's say, a table or other hard surface...
So yeah. Just thought I'd put it out there for anyone who needs a thin case and no I wasn't paid to post this xD
EDIT: I also have a question. I'm currently on the DataPro 4G 3Gig plan, but need to upgrade to the corresponding LTE plan. Will AT&T upgrade me to the 3Gig LTE plan (that's the same price) automatically or will they bump me down to a 300megabyte plan? Because I'm too lazy to call them oops.

estabien said:
I just wanted to say that if anyone wants a case with a kickstand, this is the case I got today from Best Buy, as they were out of cases at the AT&T store. I do quite like it (even though I probably won't be using it for its kickstand), but it is pretty thin and seems pretty durable for its thinness. It basically seperates into two by pushing on a specific area on the back and that way only (I tried prying it open via the sides for testing purposes and it wasn't budging). The kick stand is also magnetic and it works just fine on let's say, a table or other hard surface...
So yeah. Just thought I'd put it out there for anyone who needs a thin case and no I wasn't paid to post this xD
EDIT: I also have a question. I'm currently on the DataPro 4G 3Gig plan, but need to upgrade to the corresponding LTE plan. Will AT&T upgrade me to the 3Gig LTE plan (that's the same price) automatically or will they bump me down to a 300megabyte plan? Because I'm too lazy to call them oops.
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Click to collapse
They should keep you on the same price. Open a web chat if you dont want to call lol.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium

Intub8 said:
They should keep you on the same price. Open a web chat if you dont want to call lol.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just call.. they have specific data plan names for 4g phones
Sent from my SGH-I727 using xda premium

estabien said:
I just wanted to say that if anyone wants a case with a kickstand, this is the case I got today from Best Buy, as they were out of cases at the AT&T store. I do quite like it (even though I probably won't be using it for its kickstand), but it is pretty thin and seems pretty durable for its thinness. It basically seperates into two by pushing on a specific area on the back and that way only (I tried prying it open via the sides for testing purposes and it wasn't budging). The kick stand is also magnetic and it works just fine on let's say, a table or other hard surface...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That case is $20 on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Seidio-CSR3SS...&qid=1363336856&sr=8-3&keywords=seidio+note+2
I don't know why the ones in BB are called "PT" though. All I've ever owned is Seidio cases, my last one held up great for two years and I am in the construction industry. Here is the one I got, it is 2 cases in one:
http://www.amazon.com/Seidio-BD4-HK...3336987&sr=1-1&keywords=seidio+note+2+convert

Received my Note II (both of them) also .. visually a 10, functionality a 10 .. both phones are flawless. Was surprised however that both phone came with 4.1.1 on them .. being refurbished, I would had expected AT&T upgraded them to current before shipping .. but then again, that helped me .. LOL .. both phones UNLOCKED before upgrading

The two we got are in really good shape, except I can't get them to use the home wireless -- which is supplied by AT&T ironically enough. They both keep saying "authentication error". We have tested them outside the home and Wifi works fine there, so they just won't work at home.
Regardless, the recipients are no longer jealous of my Note 2, which I bought on (AT&T) launch day.
LordGeek said:
Received my Note II (both of them) also .. visually a 10, functionality a 10 .. both phones are flawless. Was surprised however that both phone came with 4.1.1 on them .. being refurbished, I would had expected AT&T upgraded them to current before shipping .. but then again, that helped me .. LOL .. both phones UNLOCKED before upgrading
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

is the z1c reliable?

Ok I have to say I am exited about this phone but now after spending some time on this forum and the sony forum I am starting to get cold feet. I don't mind changing the back cover, but I see other serious issues with the screen (there is a long thread in the sony forum about it), not to mention camera button, volume, alarm problems.
It seems for a 450 euro phone it's a lot of flaws. I know in forum it's mainly troubleshooting, but buying a phone in a country where there is no warranty is scary, see my other thread.
So what is the general consensus about reliability? Also is it true the latest phones produced have fixed the the light bleed already fixed?

I own a Z1C and I can't say anything bad about it. Please remember that happy people tend not to share their good experiences, while those with faulty units tend to exaggerate their unhappiness, making them more visible.
Sent from my Xperia Z1 Compact using Tapatalk

Don't believe everything you hear in the internet. Samsung, HTC, Apple, LG, Nokia...They all have interest to bash this phone on the net.
Great battery life, Great screen with really good blacks, Snapdragon 800, Aluminum and glass, fast 20MP Camera. What's not to love?
Never judge a phone until you hold it yourself in the store! Don't believe internet until you check it yourself, ever!
I thought the same as you until I held that phone in the store and then everything changed.

Option58 said:
Don't believe everything you hear in the internet. Samsung, HTC, Apple, LG, Nokia...They all have interest to bash this phone on the net.
Great battery life, Great screen with really good blacks, Snapdragon 800, Aluminum and glass, fast 20MP Camera. What's not to love?
Never judge a phone until you hold it yourself in the store! Don't believe internet until you check it yourself, ever!
I thought the same as you until I held that phone in the store and then everything changed.
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Click to collapse
I agree with you but sometimes if u r unlucky enough then u can get a faulty product too and it can happens with any phone.. as i bought galaxy s4 and replaced 3 times but got weird display issue and finally asked for refund. As soon as i will get my refund i will buy z1 compact. So always buy from somewhere where u will get replacement easily.. and also dont blame all the phones if u get a faulty phone.. manufacturing defect can be present on any phones from any company..
Sent from my GT-I8552

coolkoushik07 said:
I agree with you but sometimes if u r unlucky enough then u can get a faulty product too and it can happens with any phone.. as i bought galaxy s4 and replaced 3 times but got weird display issue and finally asked for refund. As soon as i will get my refund i will buy z1 compact. So always buy from somewhere where u will get replacement easily.. and also dont blame all the phones if u get a faulty phone.. manufacturing defect can be present on any phones from any company..
Sent from my GT-I8552
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Click to collapse
Agreed. :good:

Had my z1c about a month and no problems here. I also read about screen problems before buying and was a little nervous but I've had zero issues with screen. I also read a few complaints about a wake up delay but I haven't experienced that either. No random reboots (which I had on all my previous phones) I'm still on sony's 4.3 OS. It's very stable and no reason for me to upgrade to 4.4 at the moment. This thing is the best phone I've ever had, no complaints.
Sent from my D5503 using xda app-developers app

I've had the Z1 for about a month now, it is a good device. But I'd say the price tag is a bit high for this device.
Display is good, but not the best for this price tag.
Camera is good, and that's all it is. I wouldn't stop carrying my camera around, but yeah, it still does take a few nice shots here and there.
Speaker is a big let down. And the software seems to be getting a bit buggy with each update. That I'm sure they'll fix.
Literally half an hour between removing the shipped screen cover which was dirty and putting on a screen guard I had a tiny scratch on the screen. Depressing.
I'm not too happy with the call quality either. But it's probably my service provider.
Pro. Battery life. It's AMAZING. 2 days easy with pretty decent usage.
(for me) New phone after a realllllly long time.
It is a snappy, quick phone. So if you're looking for that, then go for it.
If it's for videos or music, I'd give it serious thought.
At the end, there will be die hard fans and haters, you have to figure this out for yourself!
Just my 2 cents.
Sent from my D5503 using xda app-developers app

thanks for all the feedbacks given.
I will be using the phone mainly for maps, music, Skype, mail, internet and the casual pic here and there. it sounds strange but in the US I wont be using this as a phone beucase Verizon will force me to get data, but in Europe I am good to go.
I never had a smart phone but I had a ipod touch 4g but I need something with gps, better wifi reception and more customizable.
It's too bad the speaker stinks, I think the speaker in the touch it's pretty decent and I didn't have to carry a headphone with me when I am biking around. So perhaps that's something I should think about.

Speaker is rather good quality and clear. Only it reproduces a little lower sound.

I got this phone coming from the Nexus 4. It is a really good phone. Takes great pictures and videos. Sometimes they don't look that good on the phone screen. I cast them to my 42 inch TV and they are crystal clear. Battery is great. I really like the audio quality. Better than the Nexus 4 and 7. Call quality is good. I always have rooted my phones but this one has enough things to tweak I can get it the way I want. No need to change anything. And the great thing is even in a poor signal area the battery doesn't drop like a rock like it has on my other phones. I recommend it.
Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk

There is no real reason to replace the back cover now. It only affected early production models.
Getting a $1 screen protector for the back is a far more convenient way to keep the phone looking good, rather than swapping it out for glass.

jewelkobayashi said:
There is no real reason to replace the back cover now. It only affected early production models.
Getting a $1 screen protector for the back is a far more convenient way to keep the phone looking good, rather than swapping it out for glass.
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Click to collapse
and how do I know if it's a later production? is there a particular date? I see the production number but since I buy it online it's hard to know. Sony always has some problems with their top of the line electronics, vaio, cellphones, etc and are never good at admitting or replacing the faulty units. Look at the problem with their sony vaio 13 and wifi.

I've had mine for 2 and a half months so far and it has had absolutely zero issues. Everything works exactly as it was supposed to work. Display, back cover, camera, buttons, MicroSD card/slot, GPS, battery, you name it. It has never had any weird reboot issues either. I have tested RomAur 1.2, 3.0, and official and unofficial CM 11 nightlies. In fact, I wasn't aware of any of these issues until I read this thread.

It is a great phone. Most of the complaints are nit-picking as we strive for absolute perfection (not a bad thing!) As it is, it is better than all the competition as a good all-rounder.

I have to say owning from 3g iphone to iPhone 5 and I'm on android from lg P990 sgs2 sgs3 and 4 htc one one x and now I have this only drawback huge ugly bottom front side and uncomfortable when I use it with one hand rest is a almost perfect phone for me
Sent from my D5503 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Guess I have the early version of the phone.. cause I have the flash bleeds when I make photos at night or in the dark room.
So far I love this phone if only for this issue.

Mr.Kos said:
Guess I have the early version of the phone.. cause I have the flash bleeds when I make photos at night or in the dark room.
So far I love this phone if only for this issue.
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I also have this issue and as per box information my phone was imported to India on march..
Sent from my Xperia Z1 Compact (D5503)