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This will be long, but would appreciate anyone taking the time to read it and answering some questions.
A bit of background: Came from a crappy carrier using a Blackberry. I actually loved the BB, hated the carrier so I made the move to T-Mobile and my first Android phone, the GS Vibrant.
Now there are some things I still think RIM/BB do well, I was instantly in love with Android and my new carrier... that is until the lack of support for the Vibrant in both software and accessories.
(Sad I'm reading all these threads of the 32G GSM variant being cancelled and accessories not being produced as well.... though not that it matters, there is still no mention of an official GSM variant to hit the US).
But anyways, I've had the Vibrant since launch, roughly 1.5 years ago. I've honestly felt like I've 'put up with' the Vibrant for the past year though. The thing has a beautiful screen and decent hardware, BUT it is very buggy and those bugs have bothered me. Being my first Android, I have not rooted the device nor flashed anything as if I did happen to brick it, I'm up the creek (or pop the sim in my BB to get basic functionality). So yea, I'm still rocking 2.2 baby!
Now I want to make the jump to the Galaxy Nexus. Out of all the phones I've seen, I think Samsung still has the best displays out there and being a computer guy, the possibilities of a Nexus phone might bring me back to my youth of picking apart my computers and all that sort of fun (and frustration LOL).
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So, it looks like I will have to buy an imported GSM version unless something changes here in the next couple of months. I was really hoping an official GSM version would hit (or a T-Mobile variant) so I could get on contract etc, but whatever at this point.
What do I need to know or look for when getting a GSM Galaxy Nexus? What do I need to know after purchase having never owned a Nexus phone before? (ie: how and where do you get ICS updates? Directly from google?)
With the GSM import version, I assume it will work with my current Vibrant SIM? But will I get HSPA+ or will that require a new SIM?
I think those are all my questions for right now. I just think anything is better than the Vibrant at this point. I just don't know if I should get a Nexus now, wait till my contract is up in 5 months, or wait until the next Nexus phone hits.
As much as I like Samsung's displays and most of their hardware, I think the problem is over-saturation at this point. Seems a new Galaxy phone comes out every 6 months, and that doesn't include the dozens of other Samsung phones that come out every few months. It's no wonder a lot of their phones get dropped support.
Thanks to anyone for their input! Hoping by the end of March I'll get my hands on a Galaxy Nexus!
The Galaxy Nexus receives updates from either Samsung or Google. Despite what you may hear, it really doest matter who updates your phone. You need to know that not everyone gets updates at the same time but when they do, they are the same updates. The Galaxy Nexus will receive android updates for a LONG time so no worries there.
Your current SIM will work with a Galaxy Nexus as well! Good luck!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
galaxy nexus is a good choice. Especially if you want to stay up to date on your phone. If you dont plan on rooting and staying with stock everything, the nexus is your best bet to always be the first to get android updates.
As far as hardware wise, I think the samsung Galaxy S II is a great alternative as well. The dev community is wide for that phone so updates are just as common as some gnex users.
The ONLY thing i dislike about the gnex (CDMA) is the camera, but i can deal... plus i have my dslr and other point and shoot, that im too lazy to get sometimes.
I moved from BB a while ago as well, and its good that your moving to a "high end" android phone. I wouldnt put the vibrant under high end.
If you get the Nexus, your phone should come stock with 4.0.2 i believe. 4.0.3 and 4.0.4 is floating around, but if you just read some of the android news, or hang around the forums, you will definitely know when an OFFICIAL update is out.
pwiiiiiiiiiich said:
What do I need to know or look for when getting a GSM Galaxy Nexus? What do I need to know after purchase having never owned a Nexus phone before? (ie: how and where do you get ICS updates? Directly from google?)
With the GSM import version, I assume it will work with my current Vibrant SIM? But will I get HSPA+ or will that require a new SIM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nothing except try to get it from a trustworthy source. It updates the same way as all other Nexus phones - OTA.
Yes it works on your Vibrant SIM and you get HSPA+ on T-Mo.
GSM is the network band; HSPA+ is the data speed aka 3G/3.5G - they are not really the same thing.
Thanks for the replies, everyone. Very much appreciated.
Right now I'm looking at Expansys, which I think is one of the names I keep hearing about getting the GSM version from. But I do have another question regarding Expansys for anyone who purchased from them:
How reliable are they? Are they selling actual boxed items? And what's in the box (I assume wall charger/usb cable)? I seriously almost pulled the trigger on it just now LOL.
I got my gsm version from expansys usa. It was top notch experience similar to a amazon experience. Sealed box brand new.
Same I ordered off of expansys-usa and it shipped same day and it was new, sealed box. It come's with a UK charger however, but it comes with an adapter in the package.
Ordered from Negri Electronics. Awesome service and the lowest prices right now.
It should work with any HSPA+ carrier's SIM just fine.
Thanks so much, everyone. Really appreciate all the help!
Hoping by mid-end of March I'll have one of these bad boys in my hands. Just waiting on tax return and possibly some birthday spending money. (Which that spending money WAS being saved for new furniture as I'm moving in April... but who needs a couch when you have a NEXUS! )
Ordered yesterday and shipped today (from Expansys-usa).
Now that THAT is out of the way... what are some of the better accessories for the GSM Nexus?
Items I know I want:
Screen protector
Silicone/Gel type case
Items on the fence:
Extended battery
Silicone/gel type case to fit extended battery
I'm assuming my wall charger and car charger for the Vibrant will work with the Nexus? Both are micro-usb.
I believe my car dock will fit the nexus fine (depending on button layout) and my armband should be ok as well, maybe a bit tight.
read reviews on accessories forums before buying screen protectors because gnex has a curved screen, i didnt know a curved screen made a big deal on dry applied screen protectors' edge and bought a lot that i ended up throwing away
pwiiiiiiiiiich said:
Ordered yesterday and shipped today (from Expansys-usa).
Now that THAT is out of the way... what are some of the better accessories for the GSM Nexus?
Items I know I want:
Screen protector
Silicone/Gel type case
Items on the fence:
Extended battery
Silicone/gel type case to fit extended battery
I'm assuming my wall charger and car charger for the Vibrant will work with the Nexus? Both are micro-usb.
I believe my car dock will fit the nexus fine (depending on button layout) and my armband should be ok as well, maybe a bit tight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Take a look at the accessory forum and you will have the answers.
pwiiiiiiiiiich said:
Ordered yesterday and shipped today (from Expansys-usa).
Now that THAT is out of the way... what are some of the better accessories for the GSM Nexus?
Items I know I want:
Screen protector
Silicone/Gel type case
Items on the fence:
Extended battery
Silicone/gel type case to fit extended battery
I'm assuming my wall charger and car charger for the Vibrant will work with the Nexus? Both are micro-usb.
I believe my car dock will fit the nexus fine (depending on button layout) and my armband should be ok as well, maybe a bit tight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love the naked phone; no screen protector or gel case. Just wait until you see the screen. Having said that, I've got a couple of annoying scratches already. I'm used to them but the resale value is down.
Thanks for the replies.
Temporary have my old vibrant screen protector on it as I wait for the case/protector to arrive in the mail.
LOVE THE PHONE!
But I have another question. Either I'm missing something, or what, but is there no 'file manager' on stock ICS 4.0.2? I've emailed myself some files (mp3's and wav files for tones) and can't move them around w/o connecting to my computer.
Is this something that requires root access? Or do I need an app or other third party apk to have a sort of 'file manager'?
pwiiiiiiiiiich said:
Thanks for the replies.
Temporary have my old vibrant screen protector on it as I wait for the case/protector to arrive in the mail.
LOVE THE PHONE!
But I have another question. Either I'm missing something, or what, but is there no 'file manager' on stock ICS 4.0.2? I've emailed myself some files (mp3's and wav files for tones) and can't move them around w/o connecting to my computer.
Is this something that requires root access? Or do I need an app or other third party apk to have a sort of 'file manager'?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll need a third party app..
Try astro
Sendt fra min Galaxy Nexus med Tapatalk
Or es file explorer and transfer files via wifi
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Here is my issue. When it comes to smartphones, I am a IOS guy from the start. I upgrade every 2 years, selling the old on craigslist which pays for the latest iPhone upgrade.
What I like is that there is active (i won't call it development but rather tweaking) in the jailbreak community for that 2 year period mainly due to the fact that all the apple devices run the same code. We all know that...
Well... frankly the iPhone5 bores me, and I think I may go android. However, some things bother me.
One is the plastic/cheap feel of the S3. Apple seems to have build quality way above and beyond the S3 here. No worries, an aluminum bumper and battery cover solves that issue for me.
More concerning is the development path for any particular android device. It seems like manufacturers stop development and release of new OS's in about a year of release which means 3rd party devs need to take the slack. I have a Asus Transformer tablet and this is exactly what happened... however I have found that dev roms are usually not full featured and buggy, especially when you want a new android build. (like going from ICS to JB for instance)
I do however tend to tweak my phones for about the first 6 months and leave them... my iPhone is still on IOS 5.0.
I'm just concerned about getting the latest code on the android since some newer apps don't work on old android. Just dont know what to do.
Any thoughts?
-J
The S3 is the best selling device Android has ever had. You have nothing to worry about. Since you've come to xda you don't have to be concerned about official updates to the firmware. The development community will be putting stuff out for this device for years to come.
The only device on Android with Apple style update support is a Nexus device. If official firmware updates are your main concern get one of those. But the current nexus is getting old. New one is expected by the end of this year.
An attempt at a fully honest reply to your concerns...
Compared to Apply devices, the S3 _is_ made with a cheaper shell and does "feel" cheaper. Not only is the shell and battery cover made of plastic, its made of super thin and flimsy plastic. If that bothers you now, the concern will only fester over time and you might be better off looking for another phone. HTC phones have a higher shell build quality. While I personally don't like the device overall (and wouldn't seriously suggest it), the take a look at the overall "outside quality" of the HTC OneX.. it just feels like it's built better (but at the expense of other things.)
What's INSIDE the phone is usually of a better quality. Having the removable battery and microSD can be a really big deal. The only two current concerns I have with the North American version of the SGS3 is that Samsung seems to be providing the wrong driver for the LED and the battery life isn't as good as the international version (when comparing the two phones on non-LTE networks.) The former should be correctable with a proper LED lib (or perhaps re-worked kernel functionality) and the latter with more tweaking.
As for updates, the North American phone is likely to be a mixed bag. Samsung usually will support their "flagship" phones (such as the original SGS3) for 2 years. However, it appears they drop support for the variants of those phones earlier. For example, the international SGS2 is better supported than the US t-mobile variant of the same. (The AT&T SGS2 is an oddity as it shares the same processor as the international version, so people port the international firmwares to the AT&T one with ease.) The North American version of the SGS3 (qualcomm S4) is a variant of the actual flagship S3 device. Will they continue to support it? It's hard to say - and adding in the fact that carriers (AT&T, etc) seem to control updates, it's possible that a carrier branded SGS3 will lose support before 2 years elapses.
All that being said, Samsung seems to be better (at least lately) with updating their devices than HTC. Motorola is an unknown right now as they used to really suck, but might get much better with Google now owning them. (It didn't help moto's rep that nearly all their phones in the US were Verizon phones and Verizon is infamous for blocking updates.)
On other point on the updates is that ALL the US variants of the SGS3 are pretty much the same, making any effort to update them more worthwhile.
Finally, you have a final concern about apps not working on older phones. I actually disagree with that statement. Every single app on my current phones will work fine under Gingerbread which is a few years old already. I'd be confident saying that if you buy a phone today that's sure to get jelly bean, you'll be good for apps for at least 3 years.
Take care and good luck
Gary
I don't think you have to worry about apps being incompatible in the next 2 years for the s3. Majority of apps are compatible all the way back to donut. My s2 on gingerbread hasn't ran into this issue either.
I think you will be fine for the next 2 years because of the development with the first galaxy s series alone. But if you want the latest and greatest you might be tempted to get something else next year.
I love my SGS3 but I agreed with the plastic cover being thin and feeling cheap. Samsung just announced that a S4 will be released early next year so I guess a lot of development will go for the newer phone. The micro SD and 4.8" screen did it for me.
build quality
garyd9 said:
An attempt at a fully honest reply to your concerns...
Compared to Apply devices, the S3 _is_ made with a cheaper shell and does "feel" cheaper. Not only is the shell and battery cover made of plastic, its made of super thin and flimsy plastic. If that bothers you now, the concern will only fester over time and you might be better off looking for another phone. HTC phones have a higher shell build quality. While I personally don't like the device overall (and wouldn't seriously suggest it), the take a look at the overall "outside quality" of the HTC OneX.. it just feels like it's built better (but at the expense of other things.)
I think the whole build quality flimsy plastic thing is way over blown. The same discussion takes place in camera forums regarding magnesium bodies vs composite bodies.
for phones the truth is (at least as I see it) that build quality for higher end phones is all smoke and mirrors everyone puts a case on it anyway and they all have the potential to break if you drop them so plastic or aluminum doesnt matter.
If your worried about durability you put a otterbox on and you cant tell what its make of anyway if you are worried about fasion you put some fancy case on and it still breaks if you drop it.
The S3 plastic back is less likely to scratch than the iphone one and if it does it is replaceable the iphone isnt.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
optimus43 said:
everyone puts a case on it anyway and they all have the potential to break if you drop them so plastic or aluminum doesnt matter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, everyone doesn't. I haven't used any type of case on a phone since I was using an ipaq. Some people prefer using them "naked" and might carry them in some kind of belt clip holster. (I used a thin strip of rubber tape to deal with the iphone4 antenna issue.) Some use a case - some don't.
optimus43 said:
The S3 plastic back is less likely to scratch than the iphone one and if it does it is replaceable the iphone isnt.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't speak for the iphone 5 or "3s", but in regards to the original iphone, the 4 and 4S, this statement isn't true. The coating on the back of the S3 is so sensitive that if you sneeze near it you'll have a new scratch.
This is actual experience with the international SGS3 (blue), AT&T SGS3 (blue) and AT&T SGS3 (red) as well as the above mentioned iphone's. (I can also compare to a range of nexus devices, a couple of HTC devices and at least 2 moto android-based devices.)
On the other hand, it IS easy to replace the back cover (assuming you can get a replacement - AT&T doesn't sell them and the various ebay sellers don't seem to have OEM red ones yet. OEM blue ones ship from China the last I checked. I don't have a white phone so can't comment on that.)
I don't want to get into a pissing contest between this phone and that phone. The OP asked I gave a frank and honest response. My own (personal) device that I use most commonly is the international SGS3, but I do own all the mentioned devices (and more.) Is the sgs3 the best device currently? Well, I think it is today (but I don't mind a few scuffs on the back plate of my phone, insist on a replacable battery, don't like being locked into apple, etc.)
I was with the iphone for a long time But then finally jumped over a while ago. Even after looking at the new iphone..there is nothing..nothing at all Apple has done or offered to make me even think about going back.
Perhaps 'everyone' uses a cover is an overstatement but I would say that nearly everyone uses a case is not to far off base.
so far I have had no scratches on my sg3 (although I do have a case on it) I would also suspect that the aluminum will be less scratch resistant than the iphone glass was. Of course we dont know yet but... drag your keys acros the top of a mac book it will definitly scratch.
The Captivate (AT&T Galaxy S1 variant) still has active cyanogenmod development. I think that it's very likely that this will too.
What amazes me is that people actually put the s3 into their pockets without a case... One drop and the screen is toast. Please buy an Otterbox commuter case.... My 18 month old chucks it and not one issue so far. S3 will have a ton of development. Let's hope the S4 does not use a larger screen, except if they get rid of all the buttons and go full screen without any bezel gaps. Going to sell this puppy on amazon and get the S4 when the time arrives.
Sorry please delete me
Sent from my SGH-I747M using xda premium
cheetablaze said:
What amazes me is that people actually put the s3 into their pockets without a case... One drop and the screen is toast. Please buy an Otterbox commuter case.... My 18 month old chucks it and not one issue so far. S3 will have a ton of development. Let's hope the S4 does not use a larger screen, except if they get rid of all the buttons and go full screen without any bezel gaps. Going to sell this puppy on amazon and get the S4 when the time arrives.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's mostly teenagers who think they don't need a case, since at that arrogant age they tend to think that both they and their tech are invincible.
And On-Topic: The S3 is on track to sell 30 million devices, so it'll be seeing support for at least 2 years. My less popular 2.25 year-old Captivate got CM7, CM9, and CM10 updates afterall.
zmore said:
It's mostly teenagers who think they don't need a case, since at that arrogant age they tend to think that both they and their tech are invincible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
30, no case. Haven't had one for any phone and haven't needed one. Have dropped a gs2 from 5 feet onto asphalt without a scratch. Cases are for people who are not careful with their devices, or have a mission critical need for their phone. Although really, cases are for people that get suckered in by the salesman who has to meet his accessory quota. Or any other ridiculous generalization you want to make.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium
zmore said:
It's mostly teenagers who think they don't need a case, since at that arrogant age they tend to think that both they and their tech are invincible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wish I was a teenager again. At 41, and prefer not to take a thin phone and make it thick with a case. I do use a belt holster, however, to carry it around. (I have too much other stuff in my pockets to put my phone in there.)
Oh, and I'm still arrogant... that has nothing to do with age.
garyd9 said:
I wish I was a teenager again. At 41, and prefer not to take a thin phone and make it thick with a case. I do use a belt holster, however, to carry it around. (I have too much other stuff in my pockets to put my phone in there.)
Oh, and I'm still arrogant... that has nothing to do with age.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hah. You guys are outliers! And the kids are still in school right now.
abhaxus said:
30, no case. Haven't had one for any phone and haven't needed one. Have dropped a gs2 from 5 feet onto asphalt without a scratch. Cases are for people who are not careful with their devices, or have a mission critical need for their phone. Although really, cases are for people that get suckered in by the salesman who has to meet his accessory quota. Or any other ridiculous generalization you want to make.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't agree with you more. Although every phone I have owned I've spent the money and had a Zaag screen protector. No matter how careful you are with the phone, one small item in your pocket and the glass is scratched.
I have 3 cases for my S3, all of which I used for up to an hour and took it off. Especially the OtterBox. I couldn't stand it.
And to the father's who hand their phones out to their young children. Your nuts. I have enough old phones they can play with but there not touching my S3 haha
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
miatawnt2b said:
More concerning is the development path for any particular android device. It seems like manufacturers stop development and release of new OS's in about a year of release which means 3rd party devs need to take the slack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A further reply on this comment - and concerning the references to apple/iOS. As you said, Apple tends to keep OS updates going for at least a couple years.
However, you didn't mention what level of updates they actually get. A year after I got an iphone4, iOS 5 had a new feature called "siri." For some reason, apple didn't give that to the iphone 4 users. (The jailbreaking community proved that the older phone could easily handle running it.) This year, iOS6 is being pushed to my iphone4. There are SEVERAL "new" features of the OS that aren't appearing on my iphone4 including several related to the maps, navigation, siri, etc, etc.
Essentially, while apple does send out OS updates to a phone for two (or even more) years, they aren't complete updates and really are no better (and in many cases quite a bit worse) than the updates you'll see with an android device. At least Samsung doesn't send out an update called "jellybean" that has jellybean features stripped out of it.
Example? The SGS2 (over a year old now) is getting google's voice search(similar to siri) with the JB update (even if Samsung doesn't push it, there are already CM10 ports available for it), already has the map features that the iphone4 will never get, etc.
g2tegg said:
I couldn't agree with you more. Although every phone I have owned I've spent the money and had a Zaag screen protector. No matter how careful you are with the phone, one small item in your pocket and the glass is scratched.
I have 3 cases for my S3, all of which I used for up to an hour and took it off. Especially the OtterBox. I couldn't stand it.
And to the father's who hand their phones out to their young children. Your nuts. I have enough old phones they can play with but there not touching my S3 haha
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Rock 'quicksand' cases are the only ones I can tolerate. Add a good screen protector and you have a slim but protected s3.
miatawnt2b said:
Here is my issue. When it comes to smartphones, I am a IOS guy from the start. I upgrade every 2 years, selling the old on craigslist which pays for the latest iPhone upgrade.
What I like is that there is active (i won't call it development but rather tweaking) in the jailbreak community for that 2 year period mainly due to the fact that all the apple devices run the same code. We all know that...
Well... frankly the iPhone5 bores me, and I think I may go android. However, some things bother me.
One is the plastic/cheap feel of the S3. Apple seems to have build quality way above and beyond the S3 here. No worries, an aluminum bumper and battery cover solves that issue for me.
More concerning is the development path for any particular android device. It seems like manufacturers stop development and release of new OS's in about a year of release which means 3rd party devs need to take the slack. I have a Asus Transformer tablet and this is exactly what happened... however I have found that dev roms are usually not full featured and buggy, especially when you want a new android build. (like going from ICS to JB for instance)
I do however tend to tweak my phones for about the first 6 months and leave them... my iPhone is still on IOS 5.0.
I'm just concerned about getting the latest code on the android since some newer apps don't work on old android. Just dont know what to do.
Any thoughts?
-J
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For a quick answer to your question go check out the threads for the sgs1 (I9000). Pawitp is an awesome dev and that device has a great cm10 ROM.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
I received my Note 2 a few days ago. I found no screen defects, although my volume button is loose (and was confirmed normal as per other XDA member's feedback). I have a tiny black marker above the earpiece on the bezel (also confirmed by another fellow XDA member), and I know it sounds like I have OCD, but $700 dollars is not little. Also, I should mention, I purchased my device without contract from T-Mobile on their website, and the retail box (pristine clean condition) came in a bubble wrapped bag instead of an actual box I was expecting. Lastly, while un-boxing, I noticed I didn't find any plastic clear tape to remove on the sides of the bezel like I did in the previous Note (International version). My Note 2 only came with the T-Mobile Logo on front and Plastic on the back cover. Today, I tried registering the product on Samsung's website, and came across the message that my phone's Manufacture Date is 11/30/1993.
Is whatever I described above something to be concerned about? Or am I just being too anal. What about the warranty? Is my device refurbished? Should I have purchased at a retail store instead? My phone apparently came from Kentucky (Origin on UPS Scan shows Louisville, Kentucky) with a pre-paid return label to Forth Worth, Texas.
Relax..... That's not a refurbished device. You can check under the battery and it will be listed as a refurb.
I had 3 Note 2's with Sprint before moving here. They all came the same way. There's no tape on the sides of the phone. Only the screen and and back cover are protected by plastic.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
winlinmac001 said:
I received my Note 2 a few days ago. I found no screen defects, although my volume button is loose (and was confirmed normal as per other XDA member's feedback). I have a tiny black marker above the earpiece on the bezel (also confirmed by another fellow XDA member), and I know it sounds like I have OCD, but $700 dollars is not little. Also, I should mention, I purchased my device without contract from T-Mobile on their website, and the retail box (pristine clean condition) came in a bubble wrapped bag instead of an actual box I was expecting. Lastly, while un-boxing, I noticed I didn't find any plastic clear tape to remove on the sides of the bezel like I did in the previous Note (International version). My Note 2 only came with the T-Mobile Logo on front and Plastic on the back cover. Today, I tried registering the product on Samsung's website, and came across the message that my phone's Manufacture Date is 11/30/1993.
Is whatever I described above something to be concerned about? Or am I just being too anal. What about the warranty? Is my device refurbished? Should I have purchased at a retail store instead? My phone apparently came from Kentucky (Origin on UPS Scan shows Louisville, Kentucky) with a pre-paid return label to Forth Worth, Texas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have purchased 2 notes from tmobile and they have both come in a padded mailer vs. an actual box. The inside boxes were sealed though, I had to slice through seals to open the box. I recall on the international version the back plastic actually wraps around a little to cover the sides, I think it was the same with the tmobile version as well. You can't rule it out entirely but it seems unlikely you got a refurb, in my opinion.
Thanks for the replies :good:, what about the power / volume button, little black mark, and most importantly, the manufacture date. Have any of you tried registering your devices yet? Please let me know. Thanks again.
winlinmac001 said:
Thanks for the replies :good:, what about the power / volume button, little black mark, and most importantly, the manufacture date. Have any of you tried registering your devices yet? Please let me know. Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you even have to ask? Consider the source, the world we live in for a moment. The fact is some devices are sold "New" even if they technically need be listed as refurb. If you feel so confused, instead of asking internet strangers about your own device, I'd return it online and buy one in store if it makes you feel any better. But at the end of the day it's just a cell phone
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
I'm not feeling confused; its really just the manufacturer date I am more concerned about. It might be just a cell phone to you, but $700 dollars invested into a machine like this is not little. The world we live in now requires most of us to think twice before we buy. Coming to the Note 2, Every Note 2 sold has minute issues like I stated in my first post. I might be just being OCD, lol. Also, It's a Samsung thing--QC at its finest.
bipoler said:
Do you even have to ask? Consider the source, the world we live in for a moment. The fact is some devices are sold "New" even if they technically need be listed as refurb. If you feel so confused, instead of asking internet strangers about your own device, I'd return it online and buy one in store if it makes you feel any better. But at the end of the day it's just a cell phone
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
winlinmac001 said:
I'm not feeling confused; its really just the manufacturer date I am more concerned about. It might be just a cell phone to you, but $700 dollars invested into a machine like this is not little. The world we live in now requires most of us to think twice before we buy. Coming to the Note 2, Every Note 2 sold has minute issues like I stated in my first post. I might be just being OCD, lol. Also, It's a Samsung thing--QC at its finest.
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Hey I'm I'm your side I'm just saying more action less debate about your money...if I purchase something online and I have doubts I don't need to consult with strangers on what to do. As far as the device heck yeah return it and buy in store if it tickles your fancy, our see a doctor about your ocd. In regards to the manufacturer date..this is not the first nor last gadget to have a funky date some are more accurate others are internal...not a big deal.....this technology clearly didn't even exist back then, uncommon sense tells you it's just a Samsung filler, just a date they used. Even if the date was this year..who cares lol enjoy your phone
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
Watched a couple of unboxing videos on the T-Mobile version, there was plastic tape on the sides as well. I'm just guessing it varies by batch. Lol.
Anyway, too much plastic. I think thats the biggest flop of Samsung; Plastic
mowgie said:
I have purchased 2 notes from tmobile and they have both come in a padded mailer vs. an actual box. The inside boxes were sealed though, I had to slice through seals to open the box. I recall on the international version the back plastic actually wraps around a little to cover the sides, I think it was the same with the tmobile version as well. You can't rule it out entirely but it seems unlikely you got a refurb, in my opinion.
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I'll just contact Samsung, and confirm some details. It would be silly to return without knowing that everything described is normal on Samsung's part, lol.
bipoler said:
Hey I'm I'm your side I'm just saying more action less debate about your money...if I purchase something online and I have doubts I don't need to consult with strangers on what to do. As far as the device heck yeah return it and buy in store if it tickles your fancy, our see a doctor about your ocd. In regards to the manufacturer date..this is not the first nor last gadget to have a funky date some are more accurate others are internal...not a big deal.....this technology clearly didn't even exist back then, uncommon sense tells you it's just a Samsung filler, just a date they used. Even if the date was this year..who cares lol enjoy your phone
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
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My phone was manufactured last month, it was asking for IMEI not serial
winlinmac001 said:
My phone was manufactured last month, it was asking for IMEI not serial
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How you could entertain the idea that the phone was manufactured on 11/30/1993 in beyond me.
dkb218 said:
How you could entertain the idea that the phone was manufactured on 11/30/1993 in beyond me.
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:victory: I don't think OP actually thought the device was manu in 93 xD Probably just concerned it doesnt say 2011 or 12 like it should . lol
OP MADE IN CHINA is all you have to see to answer your questions about loose this or that . This isn't the first thread I've seen about loose buttons on this device. . China makes junk , period. We're kinda lucky as many of these devices function flawlessly from the factory. My and it apears few other radios were bad too I had to get a replacement . Fact is lot of these devices are OK. But chinese quality control just isnt on par with even korea or the phillipines.
Thanks AFAIK, everyone's buttons on the Note 2 are loose, even those Made in Korea (as per XDA Note 2 General Forum Members). I've had the Made in Korea Note and Galaxy S2 before and they both sucked in quality control and were Made in Korea. Its not country of manufacture, its Samsung and their best friend, Plastic. Why not just use rubber? Lol...
Some_dude36 said:
:victory: I don't think OP actually thought the device was manu in 93 xD Probably just concerned it doesnt say 2011 or 12 like it should . lol
OP MADE IN CHINA is all you have to see to answer your questions about loose this or that . This isn't the first thread I've seen about loose buttons on this device. . China makes junk , period. We're kinda lucky as many of these devices function flawlessly from the factory. My and it apears few other radios were bad too I had to get a replacement . Fact is lot of these devices are OK. But chinese quality control just isnt on par with even korea or the phillipines.
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winlinmac001 said:
Thanks AFAIK, everyone's buttons on the Note 2 are loose, even those Made in Korea (as per XDA Note 2 General Forum Members). I've had the Made in Korea Note and Galaxy S2 before and they both sucked in quality control and were Made in Korea. Its not country of manufacture, its Samsung and their best friend, Plastic. Why not just use rubber? Lol...
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mine arnt . thats the only thing on this phone that is ok . I guess your right on the samsung. I've predominantly used HTC throughout my smartphone experience. And their build quility is top notch . maybe Ill trade this thing for a one x or something. I mean the device itself is cool but .
Loose buttons , gps not working very well on more than a couple devices , terrible radios the fragililty of the device itself . I mean I cant tell you how many times Id dropped the MT4GS and I never had any problem with it.
1 think you a lemon ;P
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
I've noticed quality issues on the Note 2, notably the bezel. The bezel is a throwback to the GS2 with the cheap electroplated plastic. Too easy to scratch, and out of the 3 or 4 I have had, most of them suffered from some sort of manufacturing defect. The GS3s bezel is actually constructed much beter, and I was hoping it would be the same. Instead it's identical to the Note 1 or the GS2.
I wonder how Samsung is able to sell something like this of very poor build quality. It's very shocking and insulting.
Very poor build quality? I have to disagree with you on that. They are built different, lots of plastic that's all. As far as I know anyway. My 3rd Galaxy phone model, and 4th total. I've never had an issue with any of them. However, for $700 I'd expect perfection regardless of where it's made. If you aren't happy definitely contact them.
G●Note~2 {Jedi X5}
winlinmac001 said:
I wonder how Samsung is able to sell something like this of very poor build quality. It's very shocking and insulting.
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What are you even talking about??
I've gone through a few Note 2s now (long story), but all of them arrived in a very thin bubblewrap bag, and had the back plastic wrap on loose/wrinkled/something. I'm not sure why that happens, but they were all new and unused. One had a power button that didn't work right, the other had a deep nick on the side (ironically, near the power button) - and that was painted so it was definitely a defect, and then another one had a bad speaker.
The 4th still doesn't sound quite as good as I recall the 1st sounding, but everything otherwise is great and fine so I'm sticking with that one.
Also, I think the front edge of the ring that goes around the sides of the phone has paint that chips, possibly? I think those with the white Note 2s could provide more info about that, because I also see tiny black specs there sometimes, but I can't tell if it's dirt/dust or just the paint, or what? It's really hard to tell since the grey ones are painted really dark hehe.
Awesome phones though!
Also noting: All of these were made in China, and one says rev 1.1 on the box and had a slightly clickier home button (made on 12/3 I think?) but all were virtually identical otherwise. They're really nice phones, just.. not HTC or Apple quality hardware-wise I guess.
a///
Seadra said:
He bought it yesterday , so I'm really ****ed. I talked to him on the phone and he was somewhat crying as he was hardly able to afford this after selling his laptop , as it's in India and it's really expensive in India. He didn't buy it from Google, so no RMA there.
I dropped it, sides got scratched :crying:. The scratches isn't on the back cover or the display. It's on the very sides (between the screen and the back) I don't know what that part is called, it's a glossy black which is rounded on the screen, may as well be a part of the screen.(I hope not)
I can I think afford 30-40$ max to get his tablet fixed, not more than that unfortunately. He bought it for 390$(Indian price).
Please Please, help a fellow member out I was about to root this thing for him so he can have some goodies but sooo unfortunate of this event. It's 12AM right now and I will be meeting him at 11AM tomorrow and I really don't want him to get much worried(not that he already is) and he is my best friend so that can ruin our friendship aswell :crying::crying::crying:
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Not sure how you're going to find that particular part for it, much less find it for 40 bucks or less, maybe buy him a fosman TPU case to cover up the markings.
Might be helpful if you posted a pic.
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You can't repair the screen like that.
Full replacement or none at all.
Either he forgives you which is going to be hard, under the circumstances you mentioned or you sell your Nexus 5 and buy him a new Nexus.
Then, take his old Nexus, sell it and buy another phone for yourself.
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Seadra said:
Thing is we both are students, if i try to sell my n5, my parents won't allow me to do that.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
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Wow! Definitely sucks for both of you! Sometimes doing a favor for a friend will turn around and bite you on the ass! I'm not going to comment about if you end up having to sell your N5 to make it right and your parents have a problem with it. I think you know that you have to make it right, even if it means using a dumb phone for a while. Talk to your friend, see what he wants you to do, suck it up!
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Seadra said:
Yeah, I know. I'll try everything to make this right.
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Awesome! I feel for you! I've rooted a lot of devices for friends and family but I've been lucky so far!
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Seadra said:
hehe(smiling after like 12hrs), anyways this will be my last device. I won't ever bring someone's phone or tab or help them with their stuff. Will help them only when it's with them.
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You have to use your best judgement! I personally don't want to be buying anyone a new device unless maybe she is damn good looking and willing to show some gratitude! Otherwise....
I am going to buy LG G4. I have heard a lot about hardware failure of this phone. So, what is your opinion on this? Need your guidance,please.
Regards
My opinion would be to buy a G3 or Moto X Pure, if you're looking for something on the cheaper end. G4 is a mess.
If extra cash isn't an issue I'd say wait and check out the HTC 10 tomorrow. The Huawei Mate 8 looks sweet, too, if you can find one.
A lot of boot loop issues with early production models. It may not be the case with later production models, but these boot loop issues take 5-8 months to show. If you are buying brand new, make sure you have at least a 12 month warranty.
Sent from my LG-E980 using XDA Free mobile app
i would like to read on this matter of bootloops. so far i heard all 505xxxxx have bootloop.. and i will like to read more on this.. can anyone give me link to discussion of this matter.?
Guys, friend of mines has LG G4 but it's volume down when it's pressed it doesn't work, it gives him a recent apps instead. How he fix it ??
Sent from my ZTE Grand S II LTE using XDA-Developers mobile app
raptorddd said:
i would like to read on this matter of bootloops. so far i heard all 505xxxxx have bootloop.. and i will like to read more on this.. can anyone give me link to discussion of this matter.?
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http://forum.xda-developers.com/g4/help/lg-g4-stuck-bootloop-t3268734
Bootloop has been reported as far as 603.
510's for model US991 seem good. We have it, and haven't had ANY of the reported issues (bootloop nor others).
Sent from my Moto MAXX using XDA-Developers mobile app
I will buy Pure Now. As, I am buying from outside my country and I dont want to take any risk.
Thank You everyone for your kind and prompt replies.
Sammae7 said:
My opinion would be to buy a G3 or Moto X Pure, if you're looking for something on the cheaper end. G4 is a mess.
If extra cash isn't an issue I'd say wait and check out the HTC 10 tomorrow. The Huawei Mate 8 looks sweet, too, if you can find one.
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What is your opinion on HTC One M9? Should I consider it?
DawarAzhar said:
What is your opinion on HTC One M9? Should I consider it?
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I had am M9 for less than a week. It's a beautiful phone that functioned fine but it got hot fast. I had GPS on for maybe five minutes and the phone got hot enough for me to feel it on my leg through my jeans. Very warm. If you can handle that, it's a nice phone.
Sammae7 said:
My opinion would be to buy a G3 or Moto X Pure, if you're looking for something on the cheaper end. G4 is a mess.
If extra cash isn't an issue I'd say wait and check out the HTC 10 tomorrow. The Huawei Mate 8 looks sweet, too, if you can find one.
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Sammae7 said:
I had am M9 for less than a week. It's a beautiful phone that functioned fine but it got hot fast. I had GPS on for maybe five minutes and the phone got hot enough for me to feel it on my leg through my jeans. Very warm. If you can handle that, it's a nice phone.
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What about OP2?
I've never owned a of the OP devices, only because I could never get ahold of them.
Currently, I'm super excited about the HTC 10. It is sounding amazing. Can't wait for a few reviews.
DawarAzhar said:
I am going to buy LG G4. I have heard a lot about hardware failure of this phone. So, what is your opinion on this? Need your guidance,please.
Regards
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If I may throw my hat in the ring, I have a G4 and am quite dissatisfied. I am getting a Nexus for my next phone and I suggest you take a good look at them as well.
G4 is a beautiful device it does as commands and is loyal. I bought mine recently and it looks elegant with brown leather. Yes it had hardware failure with 505 and i did get mine keeping that in mind. I own a 512 EU H model. Rooted. Works as a charm. Still optimus has its moments but
Thank god it isnt touchwiz. The camera is jewel and it paints magnificently on the patriot class 10 64gb i reserved for it. Other than that its your call.
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
Another vote for the nexus 6p from me. A big amoled screen with front facing speaker running the latest android is a perfect combination. It may be expensive outside the US but if u already consider the m9, the 6p won't be much of a stretch in term of budget. No sdcard and removable battery are nexus' only downsides
Quickdraw996 said:
If I may throw my hat in the ring, I have a G4 and am quite dissatisfied. I am getting a Nexus for my next phone and I suggest you take a good look at them as well.
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Any specific reason that you're dissatisfied with the G4?
Nexus are certainly nice phones though
Good Son 5 said:
Any specific reason that you're dissatisfied with the G4?
Nexus are certainly nice phones though
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I was excited because I finally got a phone that wasn't trash and was expecting to get the ROMs and Kernels etc. that a flagship usually has and was lucky enough to get with lesser phones like the original LG Volt. I was quickly screwed by LG. A spectacular phone ruined by hardware problems and a locked bootloader. I won't have these problems with a Nexus, plus the price is better and it has support for GSM and CDMA networks. I can go to and from any carrier I choose while not having to wait 9 months for them to push OTAs or load my phone with trash. It is for all intents and purposes, my dream phone. The only thing missing is external storage, which may change with the next one. If you don't care about root and what not, buy a Samsung. The hardware and software are superb, unless you don't like TouchWiz of course. I don't mind OEM skins, so it doesn't bother me but some hate it. If you don't want a sammy, I would also recommend HTC flagships, they are praised by everyone I know who owns one.
---------- Post added at 01:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:48 AM ----------
I guess it can be summed up as having too high of expectations.
Quickdraw996 said:
I was excited because I finally got a phone that wasn't trash and was expecting to get the ROMs and Kernels etc. that a flagship usually has and was lucky enough to get with lesser phones like the original LG Volt. I was quickly screwed by LG. A spectacular phone ruined by hardware problems and a locked bootloader. I won't have these problems with a Nexus, plus the price is better and it has support for GSM and CDMA networks. I can go to and from any carrier I choose while not having to wait 9 months for them to push OTAs or load my phone with trash. It is for all intents and purposes, my dream phone. The only thing missing is external storage, which may change with the next one. If you don't care about root and what not, buy a Samsung. The hardware and software are superb, unless you don't like TouchWiz of course. I don't mind OEM skins, so it doesn't bother me but some hate it. If you don't want a sammy, I would also recommend HTC flagships, they are praised by everyone I know who owns one.
---------- Post added at 01:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:48 AM ----------
I guess it can be summed up as having too high of expectations.
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Expectations can really be everything. If having complete control over the phone is the top priority, getting a Nexus is the obvious solution. Especially if you want other features like GSM/CDMA compatibility. And the quick updates are great of course.
I suppose I have the benefit of lower expectations - well, mainly in regards to the lack of an unlocked bootloader and the potential for bootloop issues (or the need for a warranty). For me, expandable storage is a must. As is having a great camera (and all the phones mentioned seemingly do). I also like the replaceable battery - as it has the potential to add long-term life to the phone. OEM skins aren't the worst thing, though TouchWiz isn't my favorite. Obviously, I would love complete control of the phone, or at least the ability to completely remove and bloatware I don't want, but most of the time I am happy enough using a launcher like Nova.
The Nexus is a little big for me as well. I'm coming from a 5" screen, so even the 5.5" on the G4 is a little big - and likely would be too big if not for the relatively small size of the phone otherwise. When I was at Best Buy recently, the S7 was definitely the best device to hold in my hand. Looks great, works great, but cost too much for me right now. Also, while this may not be a factor for everyone, the Gear VR did not meet my expectations - and certainly gave me concerns about impact on my eyes and/or brain, as well as doubtful how long the battery would last using it
In the end, ordering a G4 (with a US warranty) + case, screen protector and tax was less than $350. Sure, I won't be able to root it (at least right now), and I will always be cautious about the bootloop occurring, but that seems like a great deal for less than half the price of the S7, and $200+ less than a Nexus.
Good Son 5 said:
Expectations can really be everything. If having complete control over the phone is the top priority, getting a Nexus is the obvious solution. Especially if you want other features like GSM/CDMA compatibility. And the quick updates are great of course.
I suppose I have the benefit of lower expectations - well, mainly in regards to the lack of an unlocked bootloader and the potential for bootloop issues (or the need for a warranty). For me, expandable storage is a must. As is having a great camera (and all the phones mentioned seemingly do). I also like the replaceable battery - as it has the potential to add long-term life to the phone. OEM skins aren't the worst thing, though TouchWiz isn't my favorite. Obviously, I would love complete control of the phone, or at least the ability to completely remove and bloatware I don't want, but most of the time I am happy enough using a launcher like Nova.
The Nexus is a little big for me as well. I'm coming from a 5" screen, so even the 5.5" on the G4 is a little big - and likely would be too big if not for the relatively small size of the phone otherwise. When I was at Best Buy recently, the S7 was definitely the best device to hold in my hand. Looks great, works great, but cost too much for me right now. Also, while this may not be a factor for everyone, the Gear VR did not meet my expectations - and certainly gave me concerns about impact on my eyes and/or brain, as well as doubtful how long the battery would last using it
In the end, ordering a G4 (with a US warranty) + case, screen protector and tax was less than $350. Sure, I won't be able to root it (at least right now), and I will always be cautious about the bootloop occurring, but that seems like a great deal for less than half the price of the S7, and $200+ less than a Nexus.
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Good luck. I hope you like it.