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Samsung Galaxy Note II (new flagship Android phone from Samsung)

D

DrFunk

not licensed in your state
Mudkips said:
My data plan is "MEDIA MAX 200 BUNDLE" and I don't think smartphones are allowed on it.
I got it when I got my Samsung Blackjack and just bought my Nexus One directly from Google and slapped my SIM in.

I don't think there's any way in hell they'll let me on 4G with that existing plan.
Did you have a pre-iPhone data plan or a post-iPhone data plan?
Click to expand...

Hm. I was on a post-iPhone plan. What I did was buy one of att's first LTE phones, go to a store, and tell them my sim wasn't provisioned correctly for LTE. They made some changes, and I still kept my unlimited plan.

I think since you get HSPA speeds, you might not have an issue. Worth a shot though.
 
M

Mudkips

Banned
DrFunk said:
Hm. I was on a post-iPhone plan. What I did was buy one of att's first LTE phones, go to a store, and tell them my sim wasn't provisioned correctly for LTE. They made some changes, and I still kept my unlimited plan.

I think since you get HSPA speeds, you might not have an issue. Worth a shot though.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I thought about going with a Note II (SGH-i317) I buy elsewhere and telling them I need a 4G SIM card and hoping they just do whatever to gimme dat 4G, but if they don't do it then I've shot myself in the foot by paying the unsubsidized price.

I may be able to get the phone or the plan or both through work, but I want to do this while maintaining ownership of things myself as much as possible. I'd prefer if they just gave me cash money to buy the phone myself or gave me a monthly credit to cover a 4G data plan.



Edit:
Looks like I'm just gonna have work buy me the SGH-i317 whenever it's available on the street and run 3G for now (no 4G in the area yet).

When 4G is in my area I'll think about upgrading my plan and paying a 1 time fee to port my number to Google Voice and get a new number for the phone.
All calls forwarded to the new number, Google Voice handles all text messages on my GV number (I believe), and I can filter shit out on the GV number.
Still +$30 / month to go to 4G, but the phone is free.

With the phone itself I'll root it and if work ever wants it back at any point or wants it for testing I'll just restore to a clean state and give them the phone without my SIM.
 
K

k3yring

Member
Stopped by Best Buy this afternoon on my way home from work.
Only to find out their release date is the 11th for AT&T version oh well whats a couple more days wait.
 
Y

Yaboosh

Super Sleuth
I finally decided to root my Note 2 (after a week, that is a long ass time for me) and holy shit, I am so glad I did, just for being able to edit the dpi. 320dpi for this phone is ludicrous. I am at 240 for now, though I might go slightly higher. The dialer looks weird, and the Samsung keyboard (which sucks anyway) FCs, and the stock camera app UI is off, but well worth it for the smaller elements.
 
S

Sho_Nuff82

Member
Picked up mine from the Sprint store yesterday. Loving it so far, it's thinner than my Evo but only slightly heavier, the screen is out of this world, and the s pen is so smooth for swype. Honestly I was worried it wouldn't fit in my pockets but it really is a slick piece of kit. Perfect size for Kindle.

Fooled around with the snote, smartglass, and Google now today. Might actually buy chrono trigger and gta3 now that I have a screen worth playing on.
 
Y

Yaboosh

Super Sleuth
My homescreen at 240dpi:

UrIRq.png
Click to expand...

The messed up dialer:

qyEmc.png
Click to expand...
 
B

Baconsammy

Banned
Sho_Nuff82 said:
Picked up mine from the Sprint store yesterday. Loving it so far, it's thinner than my Evo but only slightly heavier, the screen is out of this world, and the s pen is so smooth for swype. Honestly I was worried it wouldn't fit in my pockets but it really is a slick piece of kit. Perfect size for Kindle.

Fooled around with the snote, smartglass, and Google now today. Might actually buy chrono trigger and gta3 now that I have a screen worth playing on.
Click to expand...

I wish they'd sell this thing like how Apple sells the Touch. I'd use it for apps/games/ and as you said Kindle reading. For such a big screen, it's incredibly portable.
 
P

Phat Michael

Banned
just ordered one in white. picking it up tomorrow.

i have an s2 right now. i just synced all my contacts to.my gmail. is that all i have to do before i switch to the new phone tomorrow?

i also took screen grabs of all my home screens so i know what apps and widgets to get...is this the best way?
 
J

joseranulfo

Member
Phat Michael said:
just ordered one in white. picking it up tomorrow.

i have an s2 right now. i just synced all my contacts to.my gmail. is that all i have to do before i switch to the new phone tomorrow?

i also took screen grabs of all my home screens so i know what apps and widgets to get...is this the best way?
Click to expand...

I updated from an S2 a few days ago, there is a couple settings in the privacy meny of the settings to keep a backup and automatic restoration that you should turn on at least while making the change.

I just logged in with my google account in my note 2 and connected to the internet on wi-fi, and it automatically downloaded all my contacts and apps that I had installed in my old phone. It was a nice surpise.
 
P

patrickthehedgehog

Member
Does anyone else find the back button too easy to hit when watching a video or holding the phone with one hand? I love the phone, but this one issue really bothers me. Nothing worse than watching a video and having it close because you got too comfortable holding the phone.

Otherwise this is heaven!

ps: I wrote this out by hand!
 
J

joseranulfo

Member
patrickthehedgehog said:
Does anyone else find the back button too easy to hit when watching a video or holding the phone with one hand? I love the phone, but this one issue really bothers me. Nothing worse than watching a video and having it close because you got too comfortable holding the phone.

Otherwise this is heaven!

ps: I wrote this out by hand!
Click to expand...

If you press the power button while watching a video, you can disable the menu and back buttons to avoid this.

My handwriting is so bad my phone doesn't understand it, I have to do it really careful and put too much attention when I have to.

sPl2P.png


BTW, taking a screen shot, edit it and share it is like the easiest thing in the world.
 
M

michaelius

Banned
So i'm generally completly ignorant to smartphonephone market - I used to have basic LG model with 320x480 screen and this summer got second hand galaxy S and since i don't care about gaming on them I was fine as long as screen was good :D

I checked GSII, GSIII, Xperia S my friends have and all of them were nice but nowhere near the point when i would be willing to spend cash on "upgrade" to SI i got for 120 euro.

But i went to Orange shop and threatened them to leave for other operator. 1 hour later i left the shop with agreement in hand and waiting for my Note 2 to arrive since i got 30% discount on monthly plan :) Which brings total cost for phone+contract to 850 euro over 30 months (unlimited calls/sms and net with speed throtling after 2,5GB).

Got to say it have blown my mind altrough i felt a bit intimidated when unpacking it :) I'm loving every part of Note 2 - screen is great and that sizes makes it perfect for viewing mangas or reading webpages. Next i don't know if it's 4x1,6 Ghz core compared to 1x1,0Ghz is SG1 or android 4.1 vs 2.something or mixture of both but everything is perfectly fluid when before i had a small hickups from time to time. But the best thing is S-pen (my LG had resistance type of screen so i could type super fast text messages on it using any pen or pencil laying around) - hand writing recognition is very accurate and natural already (and it should get even better after few months), and Samsung calendar with the ability to attach hand written notes is also amazing. Also the thing that always pissed me off in smartphones - battery life seems to be much better here.

Since they arrived this week in the offer orange didn't manage to put any shitty branding on it nor instal any bloatware apps into it :D

All those guys pushing for 5" phones with 1080p screens like Sony are completly missing the point - what makes SGN so great is combination of screen ,s-pen and battery.

PS. There's some free apps in samsung store for note 2 owners. Not sure if they are any good as i didn't have time to check them.
 
Y

Yaboosh

Super Sleuth
whatsinaname said:
Saw an ad for the phone play before Skyfall today. At least it isn't being sent out to die like the Note 1 was.



How did you manage that? Do you still have Touchwiz?
Click to expand...

They are just apks at this point. I just installed Gmail 4.2 which has pinch to zoom and swype to archive. I messed around with the keyboard as well, but I hate the new keyboard. No where near as good as Swype for me.
 
W

whatsinaname

Member
Yaboosh said:
They are just apks at this point. I just installed Gmail 4.2 which has pinch to zoom and swype to archive. I messed around with the keyboard as well, but I hate the new keyboard. No where near as good as Swype for me.
Click to expand...

So I can install the 4.2 camera along with the Samsung camera already on there? Do I have to change how my device is identified?
 
W

whatsinaname

Member
The Faceless Master said:
sent out to die? the Note 1 was super hyped. it had a bunch of build up and a Super Bowl commercial! The Next Big Thing!
Click to expand...

I don't know. I didn't see too much hype. Released that late in the cycle on one carrier. I felt they didn't do a proper launch in the US.

Then again, maybe I didn't notice because I wasn't in the market for a phone at time.
 
The Faceless Master

The Faceless Master

Member
whatsinaname said:
I don't know. I didn't see too much hype. Released that late in the cycle on one carrier. I felt they didn't do a proper launch in the US.

Then again, maybe I didn't notice because I wasn't in the market for a phone at time.
Click to expand...

people were actually complaining that it was advertised TOO MUCH for a device that was only on (at the time) one carrier.
 
R

Radec

Member
whatsinaname said:
So I can install the 4.2 camera along with the Samsung camera already on there? Do I have to change how my device is identified?
Click to expand...

yes to both.

but this 4.2 camera doesnt work yet with flash on. photosphere works and so is the gallery with editor.

root access is required though.
 
S

SRG01

Member
Before I get this phone, is it possible to change the font without flashing a new ROM? Touchwiz's font (not Roboto, I think?) throws me off...
 
Y

Yaboosh

Super Sleuth
SRG01 said:
Okay, that's good to hear. What about activating Google Now? I heard that the center button activates S-Voice instead?
Click to expand...


You want to turn off the home button activating s voice because it introduces lag to the button. Holding the menu button from the home screen activates Google now. It works fine.


Edit:

P4CvZ.png
Click to expand...

Was playing a game all day and doing some internet browsing. I am pretty darn happy with the battery on this thing so far. Around 25% brightness.
 
The Faceless Master

The Faceless Master

Member
Yaboosh said:
You want to turn off the home button activating s voice because it introduces lag to the button. Holding the menu button from the home screen activates Google now. It works fine.

8_hour_screen_on.png

Was playing a game all day and doing some internet browsing. I am pretty darn happy with the battery on this thing so far. Around 25% brightness.
Click to expand...

should put a NSFW on that screencap, i know a few people who would fap to it
 
S

SRG01

Member
Yaboosh said:
You want to turn off the home button activating s voice because it introduces lag to the button. Holding the menu button from the home screen activates Google now. It works fine.


Was playing a game all day and doing some internet browsing. I am pretty darn happy with the battery on this thing so far. Around 25% brightness.
Click to expand...

What in the world?! That's kind of insane.
 
P

Phat Michael

Banned
need some help as this phone is driving me crazy. theres this little blue tab on EVERY screen which seems to be a shortcut tab and I just cant gey rid of it. any clues? its in front of all videos and browers and everything...
 
The Faceless Master

The Faceless Master

Member
Phat Michael said:
need some help as this phone is driving me crazy. theres this little blue tab on EVERY screen which seems to be a shortcut tab and I just cant gey rid of it. any clues? its in front of all videos and browers and everything...
Click to expand...

hold the back button.



kinggroin said:
It sure does let you open apps hombre

Edit: we ARE talking about google search's voice control right? Try saying, open YouTube app.
Click to expand...

ooooooooh, that's enabled now!? nice! one less exclusive checkbox for S Voice.
 
E

eastmen

Banned
I decided to pick this up for $200 on sprint since they wont be getting a windows 8 phone till next year ( i'm betting april /june)

I'm so used to my arrive and the fantastic podcast support from the zune app .


Is there any podcast/videocast software close to being that good on android ?
 
S

SRG01

Member
Just to confirm: they're going to push out the OTA for multiview AFTER release, right? I'm waiting until I can get a good Otterbox case before my purchase...
 
Y

Yaboosh

Super Sleuth
eastmen said:
I decided to pick this up for $200 on sprint since they wont be getting a windows 8 phone till next year ( i'm betting april /june)

I'm so used to my arrive and the fantastic podcast support from the zune app .


Is there any podcast/videocast software close to being that good on android ?
Click to expand...



Not sure how the zune app is on Windows phone, but the podcast apps are pretty damn good on android. I really like beyondpod myself. Pocketcasts and doggcatcher are also good.
 
E

eastmen

Banned
Yaboosh said:
Not sure how the zune app is on Windows phone, but the podcast apps are pretty damn good on android. I really like beyondpod myself. Pocketcasts and doggcatcher are also good.
Click to expand...

thanks , I will give it a try. I'm going to enjoy the phone but will miss windows. Hopefully sprint gets its act together and I can grab one early next year. I had horrible experiances with my epic 4g
 
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