Excited for Galaxy Note 3 announcement tomorrow...

[Red Storm]

So apparently DC doesn't do phone payment plans for T-Mobile, only full price. I have to go to MD or VA to get my now delayed Note 3. :|

 

[Eug]

As long as it runs Google services I doubt that they care.

If they are happy to provide apps for iOS then I wouldn't think a slightly different skin of android would bother them.

? I'm sure they're very happy to have tons and tons of Samsung Android phones out there running Google apps, but I'm surprised you don't think Google is concerned about the clout Samsung has with their version of the OS.

Whenever someone (including myself) calls TouchWiz a skin, people are quick to point out that it's not just a skin, and rightly so. In fact, some may even argue that TouchWiz is fork, just a fork that sort of starts anew with each version release of Android.

Here's an article from Forbes discussing this:

How Long Until Samsung Forks Android For The Galaxy Smartphone Range?

I’ve not been through Samsung’s presentation of the Galaxy S III at Earls Court with a forensic filter, but one thing that struck me was the absence of Google from their presentation. By concentrating hard I picked up mentions of Android, but on the software front the dominance belonged to the ‘S’ suite of applications that Samsung describes as bringing intelligence to the technological flagship.

Which is probably the only sensible long-term approach to marketing the Galaxy brand. The S III’s tech specs are only inches ahead of the competition and I could probably make a good argument that the HTC One X is a better hardware platform that the S III. Samsung is the leading smartphone manufacturer in terms of market share and there is no need to sell the handsets with the promise of compatiblity with Google’s Android ecosystem. The goal is to pull away from the crowd and stand alone.

Does Samsung need Google?

I think it’s fair to say Android is needed, because I don’t think the alternatives – Bada, Windows Phone, or Intel’s Meltimi – are a good fit for Samsung’s current market position. That doesn’t mean Samsung need Google, Samsung needs to be in control of Samsung’s destiny as I discussed last week. That means control of the smartphone’s operating system. Not just access to the changes, but total control.

Samsung should fork Android.

Now, I don't agree with this, but it's got to be a huge concern for Google. Samsung is the only phone maker using Android that could theoretically cut ties with Google and still be able to maintain a strong developer following for a Samsung-only app store.

 

[Red Storm]

Samsung is the only phone maker using Android that could theoretically cut ties with Google and still be able to maintain a strong developer following for a Samsung-only app store.

I don't think so. That means losing Google Maps, the Play Store and all other Play apps, YouTube, Gmail, etc. Losing the Play Store is the big one, try explaining to your customers that they no longer have access to the hundreds of thousands of apps that they had before, and all their previous purchases are now gone.

 

[Eug]

I don't think so. That means losing Google Maps, the Play Store and all other Play apps, YouTube, Gmail, etc. Losing the Play Store is the big one, try explaining to your customers that they no longer have access to the hundreds of thousands of apps that they had before, and all their previous purchases are now gone.

Like I said, I didn't agree with the article, but if anyone could do it, it's Samsung. Maps is a big one, but Apple managed to do it, and ironically, Google still scrambled to get Google Maps back onto the iPhone after Apple kicked them to the curb.

Losing the Play Store per se is not such a big deal, as Samsung would pay big developers to come over to Samsung's own store.

So like I said, I don't think there is strong incentive for Samsung to cut ties now, but I'm sure they're keeping this in the back of their minds, and I'm sure Google is worried about it.

 

[WelshBloke]

? I'm sure they're very happy to have tons and tons of Samsung Android phones out there running Google apps, but I'm surprised you don't think Google is concerned about the clout Samsung has with their version of the OS.

Whenever someone (including myself) calls TouchWiz a skin, people are quick to point out that it's not just a skin, and rightly so. In fact, some may even argue that TouchWiz is fork, just a fork that sort of starts anew with each version release of Android.

You're right that TouchWiz is more than just a skin, but its certainly not a fork of Android yet. And as long as Samsung keep putting google services on it Google aren't going to mind. As soon as they lose Google services they will stop being the best selling Android handset manufacturer.

Here's an article from Forbes discussing this:

How Long Until Samsung Forks Android For The Galaxy Smartphone Range?

I’ve not been through Samsung’s presentation of the Galaxy S III at Earls Court with a forensic filter, but one thing that struck me was the absence of Google from their presentation. By concentrating hard I picked up mentions of Android, but on the software front the dominance belonged to the ‘S’ suite of applications that Samsung describes as bringing intelligence to the technological flagship.

Which is probably the only sensible long-term approach to marketing the Galaxy brand. The S III’s tech specs are only inches ahead of the competition and I could probably make a good argument that the HTC One X is a better hardware platform that the S III. Samsung is the leading smartphone manufacturer in terms of market share and there is no need to sell the handsets with the promise of compatiblity with Google’s Android ecosystem. The goal is to pull away from the crowd and stand alone.

Does Samsung need Google?

I think it’s fair to say Android is needed, because I don’t think the alternatives – Bada, Windows Phone, or Intel’s Meltimi – are a good fit for Samsung’s current market position. That doesn’t mean Samsung need Google, Samsung needs to be in control of Samsung’s destiny as I discussed last week. That means control of the smartphone’s operating system. Not just access to the changes, but total control.

Samsung should fork Android.

Now, I don't agree with this, but it's got to be a huge concern for Google. Samsung is the only phone maker using Android that could theoretically cut ties with Google and still be able to maintain a strong developer following for a Samsung-only app store.

Why would this be a concern for Google? Samsung doesnt mention Google services much at its presentations because every Android phone has the same things. Samsung is trying to sell Samsung phones not Android phones so they are going to stress the things they have above and beyond other Android handsets.

Samsung very much need to be able to use Google services to be able to stay top of the heap in sales of Android handsets.

 

[Ns1]

I don't think so. That means losing Google Maps, the Play Store and all other Play apps, YouTube, Gmail, etc. Losing the Play Store is the big one, try explaining to your customers that they no longer have access to the hundreds of thousands of apps that they had before, and all their previous purchases are now gone.

yeah it would pretty much make samsung DOA to me.

 

[bonkers325]

Picked up 2 Note3's from the T-mo store, one black and one white. If you don't care about the color, pick up the black one because the back feels more genuine than the white one. Rubber feeling vs. plastic feeling.

I'm coming from a Galaxy Nexus and the Note3 is so much better in every way possible. After almost 2 years of stock android, TouchWiz is rather refreshing and a welcome change. Yea, it's geared towards consumers who aren't technically inclined, but it works and the layout makes some sense.

The flipboard integration is nice, hitting home button or swiping up from the bottom brings up Samsung's version of flipboard. I haven't played around with much else yet, it's currently charging next to me. The charger is 2A and the connector is different from my previous micro-usb cables, maybe it's micro-usb2.0? Camera is ok, I took one photo and haven't had a chance to mess around with it. S-pen is neat, being able to doodle on demand is important since I sketch a lot for work. You also get 50gb of dropbox for 2 years, which is nice I guess.

Speed-wise, this thing is fast. Responsive with no hint of stutter so far - not even while installing programs and editing camera photos at the same time. I'll get a chance to play with it some more tonight.

 

[Sid59]

Picked up 2 Note3's from the T-mo store, one black and one white. If you don't care about the color, pick up the black one because the back feels more genuine than the white one. Rubber feeling vs. plastic feeling.

I'm coming from a Galaxy Nexus and the Note3 is so much better in every way possible. After almost 2 years of stock android, TouchWiz is rather refreshing and a welcome change. Yea, it's geared towards consumers who aren't technically inclined, but it works and the layout makes some sense.

The flipboard integration is nice, hitting home button or swiping up from the bottom brings up Samsung's version of flipboard. I haven't played around with much else yet, it's currently charging next to me. The charger is 2A and the connector is different from my previous micro-usb cables, maybe it's micro-usb2.0? Camera is ok, I took one photo and haven't had a chance to mess around with it. S-pen is neat, being able to doodle on demand is important since I sketch a lot for work. You also get 50gb of dropbox for 2 years, which is nice I guess.

Speed-wise, this thing is fast. Responsive with no hint of stutter so far - not even while installing programs and editing camera photos at the same time. I'll get a chance to play with it some more tonight.

it's USB3.0

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Picked up 2 Note3's from the T-mo store, one black and one white. If you don't care about the color, pick up the black one because the back feels more genuine than the white one. Rubber feeling vs. plastic feeling.

I'm coming from a Galaxy Nexus and the Note3 is so much better in every way possible. After almost 2 years of stock android, TouchWiz is rather refreshing and a welcome change. Yea, it's geared towards consumers who aren't technically inclined, but it works and the layout makes some sense.

The flipboard integration is nice, hitting home button or swiping up from the bottom brings up Samsung's version of flipboard. I haven't played around with much else yet, it's currently charging next to me. The charger is 2A and the connector is different from my previous micro-usb cables, maybe it's micro-usb2.0? Camera is ok, I took one photo and haven't had a chance to mess around with it. S-pen is neat, being able to doodle on demand is important since I sketch a lot for work. You also get 50gb of dropbox for 2 years, which is nice I guess.

Speed-wise, this thing is fast. Responsive with no hint of stutter so far - not even while installing programs and editing camera photos at the same time. I'll get a chance to play with it some more tonight.

The new connector is micro USB 3.0 but it's fully backwards compatible.

 

[dawheat]

Picked up 2 Note3's from the T-mo store, one black and one white. If you don't care about the color, pick up the black one because the back feels more genuine than the white one. Rubber feeling vs. plastic feeling.

I'm coming from a Galaxy Nexus and the Note3 is so much better in every way possible. After almost 2 years of stock android, TouchWiz is rather refreshing and a welcome change. Yea, it's geared towards consumers who aren't technically inclined, but it works and the layout makes some sense.

The flipboard integration is nice, hitting home button or swiping up from the bottom brings up Samsung's version of flipboard. I haven't played around with much else yet, it's currently charging next to me. The charger is 2A and the connector is different from my previous micro-usb cables, maybe it's micro-usb2.0? Camera is ok, I took one photo and haven't had a chance to mess around with it. S-pen is neat, being able to doodle on demand is important since I sketch a lot for work. You also get 50gb of dropbox for 2 years, which is nice I guess.

Speed-wise, this thing is fast. Responsive with no hint of stutter so far - not even while installing programs and editing camera photos at the same time. I'll get a chance to play with it some more tonight.

The black vs. white texture is kinda of surprising to me - though I'm glad I ordered the black one. However the white one I felt in-store seemed decently better than the glossy back of the Note 2.

I've also heard the indexing service can be a battery drain the first day until it finishes - have you experienced that?

 

[bonkers325]

The white one I have has the feeling of unfinished plastic. Rough and rigid, but still better than the glossy backs of old.

I just charged my phone from 55%to 100% in about 2 hours. So I don't know if the indexing service is causing me any battery issues. I will let the battery run down for the next day and see what I can get out of it.

 

[Red Storm]

Just got mine. Loving the in hand feel of it! Time to disable the bloat lol.

 

[evident]

i'm not sure if i understand the appeal of phablets, especially since the note 3 has the same resoultion as my sgs4. To me, id rather have a smaller phone with a 1080p resolution than the note 3. wasn't the appeal for phablets a bigger resoultion? am i missing something? I also never use my old nexus 7 anymore since i got my sgs 4.

 

[Red Storm]

i'm not sure if i understand the appeal of phablets, especially since the note 3 has the same resoultion as my sgs4. To me, id rather have a smaller phone with a 1080p resolution than the note 3. wasn't the appeal for phablets a bigger resoultion? am i missing something? I also never use my old nexus 7 anymore since i got my sgs 4.

To me, it's not seen as a phone, it's a hand held computer that also makes phone calls. I like having a stylus, and I consider the Note line the minimum size needed to make good use of a stylus. I also like the bigger display for pictures, video, and reading. Also the much better battery life. And let's not forget true multitasking with Multi-Window, which is another thing that works better on a bigger display.

 

[WelshBloke]

Just got mine. Loving the in hand feel of it! Time to disable the bloat lol.

How do you debloat out of interest?

I've been using dsixda's Android Kitchen and cooking my own ROMs recently (mainly because I'm trying to run without root).

Root and titanium?

 

[Zaap]

i'm not sure if i understand the appeal of phablets, especially since the note 3 has the same resoultion as my sgs4. To me, id rather have a smaller phone with a 1080p resolution than the note 3. wasn't the appeal for phablets a bigger resoultion? am i missing something? I also never use my old nexus 7 anymore since i got my sgs 4.

My answer is similar to Red Storm's. I like the physically larger screen better. I use the stylus a lot to jot down numbers and notes. I prefer my N2 to the S4 regardless of the S4's higher resolution, and now it's moot anyway with the N3.

The S4 is a great device though- I have no doubt I'd have one if not for the N2.

The size difference is something of a mind-game. Looking at my N2 right now, it not only doesn't look all that big, it actually seems a little small. Because its more like a small tablet than a large phone. Carrying it and using it makes ZERO difference to me vs. a phone the size of the S4. I had an S3 and I tend to think of it now as having been as big as my N2, but when I see an S3 I'm literally astonished how small it is. But I recall thinking of it as about the same size as I now think of the N2.

Now that the N3 is actually slimmer, with a bigger screen- man I'm gonna be spoiled! There's no way I'll ever be able to settle for less than a similar mix of large screen/slim device/high res screen/plenty of power after getting used to a phone that has all of those.

 

[Red Storm]

How do you debloat out of interest?

I've been using dsixda's Android Kitchen and cooking my own ROMs recently (mainly because I'm trying to run without root).

Root and titanium?

Maybe at some point, for now I just mean disabling the bloat via application manager.

I've just noticed that they took out the option to hide apps in the drawer. That's a little annoying. Guess I'll have to install Nova Prime.

 

[WelshBloke]

Maybe at some point, for now I just mean disabling the bloat via application manager.

That works for most of it. I sometimes get a bit OCD about some of the others. :biggrin:

I've just noticed that they took out the option to hide apps in the drawer. That's a little annoying. Guess I'll have to install Nova Prime.

Nova Primes a better launcher all round anyway. :thumbsup:

 

[Zaap]

Nova Prime with all settings at 'faster than light' and animation off on all my devices.

 

[Enrique2SIM]

Like I said, I didn't agree with the article, but if anyone could do it, it's Samsung. Maps is a big one, but Apple managed to do it, and ironically, Google still scrambled to get Google Maps back onto the iPhone after Apple kicked them to the curb.

Losing the Play Store per se is not such a big deal, as Samsung would pay big developers to come over to Samsung's own store.

So like I said, I don't think there is strong incentive for Samsung to cut ties now, but I'm sure they're keeping this in the back of their minds, and I'm sure Google is worried about it.

I agree, even more know that they start to sell region-locked devices...

By the way, all the new Note 3 owners here have seen the region-locked sticker in their boxes?

 

[Chocu1a]

I went to AT&T today & played with the Note 3. I cannot wait for the 10th (Verizon ),
This phone is gorgeous. Feels much better in hand than my Note 2. Already bought my cases off Amazon (Diztronic & Unicorn Beetle).

 

[Platypus]

I built a custom recovery and got it on it within 15 minutes of getting it heh, I'll post the tmo variant here for anyone that wants it once I fix a stupid bug courtesy of samsung's shitty root protection in the kernel.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9459955/photos/IMG_20131002_162013.jpg

 

[dawheat]

Good news - Samsung has fixed the handwriting to text issue via an update to the keyboard app in the Play Store. Installing the updated app has fixed it.

 

[zerogear]

I built a custom recovery and got it on it within 15 minutes of getting it heh, I'll post the tmo variant here for anyone that wants it once I fix a stupid bug courtesy of samsung's shitty root protection in the kernel.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9459955/photos/IMG_20131002_162013.jpg

Is the T-Mobile version bootloader unlocked?

 

[Platypus]

Is the T-Mobile version bootloader unlocked?

yep, tmo almost never carries devices that you cannot write stuff to pretty easily. just interface with download mode and it will allow you to write whatever.

This device uses a newer dtb kernel build just like G2 and the new sony as well, a bit wonky but nothing too bad. Everything works now just need to test more stuff.. and I want to play with the phone too