Note II

[QueBert]

Completely incorrect. Look up the one-hand mode.

I should have added with any decent non stock keyboard replacement. One Handed operation requires you to use crummy Samsung apps. Also assuming you're not running a custom rom too.

 

[Skurge]

The only things imho that are benefits of the Note II are web browsing and watching videos. How is having to use 2 hands for everything else a benefit? Texting on a Note/Note II with 1 hand's impossible unless you're Shaq. I can do anything on my iPhone 1 handed while eating a burrito with the other. And when I feel like it I can use both hands.

I can't text with 2 hands on an iPhone. It is just way too narrow. I can barely do so on my Nexus 4.

 

[iahk]

I should have added with any decent non stock keyboard replacement. One Handed operation requires you to use crummy Samsung apps. Also assuming you're not running a custom rom too.

One handed operation works anywhere in the rom. Unless you meant to say it requires you to use samsung's stock keyboard, then yes, that is true. but samsung's stock keyboard, i feel, is better than any other keyboard out there right now. took me a bit but i prefer it much more than anything else out there now. and if you own a note, it's in your best interest to get used to it since you'll lose some key features if you don't use it.

it uses swiftkey predictions now
floating keyboard during multi-window
handwriting recognition with s-pen

i use my note 2 with one handed all the time. one-handed operation keyboard while swiping with no issues.

 

[dawheat]

I doubt I'm the only one. I'm just amazed at what I read here. Their OLEDs are truly horrible but people here love them. I think it may have to do with the fact that Samsung OLEDs are all you guys are accustomed:biggrin:. Now I know how the French feel when they compare their eating habits to ours (Americans).



Hate? Nah, I like their screens on Apple's iPads. I just don't know what you guys see in their OLEDs. They are truly horrendous. Check out HTC's One S, which has AUO's OLEDs and let me know what you think. I have a One S and 2 other smartphones but I enjoy that one a lot. I don't admire Samsung as a company but I respect their hard work. I just don't have any respect for their OLED line so I am really perplexed by what others see in them. IMHO, there is nothing vibrant about them.

I like their other products. When I build my next supercomputer, I'll make sure to put their 512GB 840 SSDs in there, stripped:biggrin:. But I will never touch a Galaxy series phone until they fix the awful OLED screens. Like I said, someone should drop by BB on 23rd street and calibrate their screens so I can check it out. It's teh closest BB to where I live...

Awful/horrible is a bit strong, though I agree the Galaxy screens do tinge blue. If it bothers you that much, it's certainly fair to prefer other phone screens, though the hyperbole is lame.

Text and web browsing is sharp, and content looks great (even if not 'true color'). I took a few screenshots on my Galaxy S3 playing the Avengers and personally I like how it looks (sharper in real life on screen):

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/dawheat/Screenshot_2013-03-03-21-18-24.png
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/dawheat/Screenshot_2013-03-03-21-17-17.png

Since I can't go back to Apple until they go way past 4" screens (web browsing is unbearable for me), I do like HTC screens (One X, DNA, etc). However their battery life has been pretty bad, their software updates are worse even than Samsung, and I need expandable storage (paying $40 for a 64GB SD card that carries my full music library and a slew of HD movies is priceless).

Here's hoping the S4 is super, otherwise I'll be switching to a Note 2 as well.

 

[Dari]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dari

I doubt I'm the only one. I'm just amazed at what I read here. Their OLEDs are truly horrible but people here love them. I think it may have to do with the fact that Samsung OLEDs are all you guys are accustomed . Now I know how the French feel when they compare their eating habits to ours (Americans).



Hate? Nah, I like their screens on Apple's iPads. I just don't know what you guys see in their OLEDs. They are truly horrendous. Check out HTC's One S, which has AUO's OLEDs and let me know what you think. I have a One S and 2 other smartphones but I enjoy that one a lot. I don't admire Samsung as a company but I respect their hard work. I just don't have any respect for their OLED line so I am really perplexed by what others see in them. IMHO, there is nothing vibrant about them.

I like their other products. When I build my next supercomputer, I'll make sure to put their 512GB 840 SSDs in there, stripped . But I will never touch a Galaxy series phone until they fix the awful OLED screens. Like I said, someone should drop by BB on 23rd street and calibrate their screens so I can check it out. It's teh closest BB to where I live...

Awful/horrible is a bit strong, though I agree the Galaxy screens do tinge blue. If it bothers you that much, it's certainly fair to prefer other phone screens, though the hyperbole is lame.

Text and web browsing is sharp, and content looks great (even if not 'true color'). I took a few screenshots on my Galaxy S3 playing the Avengers and personally I like how it looks (sharper in real life on screen):

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/dawheat...3-21-18-24.png
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/dawheat...3-21-17-17.png

Since I can't go back to Apple until they go way past 4" screens (web browsing is unbearable for me), I do like HTC screens (One X, DNA, etc). However their battery life has been pretty bad, their software updates are worse even than Samsung, and I need expandable storage (paying $40 for a 64GB SD card that carries my full music library and a slew of HD movies is priceless).

Here's hoping the S4 is super, otherwise I'll be switching to a Note 2 as well.

I really do admire the enthusiasm of others here about the Note II. I wish I could feel the same since its got a lot going for it. But that OLED screen ruins it all. I want to like the Note series but cannot get past the awful screen. AUO needs to step up their game to show Samsung how it's done...


Posted from Anandtech.com App for Android

 

[lopri]

It's treated as a phone. It's not big enough to be considered a tablet. I personally view the Nexus 7 as the minimum size for a tablet.

Hmm.. How about ASUS fonepad or Note 8.0?

(Sorry I don't mean to thread-jack but it's quite curious to me)

 

[jacktesterson]

I really do admire the enthusiasm of others here about the Note II. I wish I could feel the same since its got a lot going for it. But that OLED screen ruins it all. I want to like the Note series but cannot get past the awful screen. AUO needs to step up their game to show Samsung how it's done...


Posted from Anandtech.com App for Android

I think the Screen is far from "awful"

To each there own.

 

[Yuriman]

One thing to consider about OLEDs is that the screen tint changes over time. Blue pixels wear out (and become less bright) faster so the screen gradually becomes more natural (and farther down the road, more red). OLED phones ship from the factory with a blue tint very intentionally.

 

[Chocu1a]

As far as being able to use the phone 1 handed, yeah, at first that was a big issue for me. I almost got rid of it & went back to my GS3. But, like I said, after using it for a week straight while I was on vacation, I forgot all about that. You get accustomed to using your other hand, to the point that you don't notice it anymore. Just like the screen size.
Also, I use an app called button savior, which puts on screen buttons for home, back, recent, anywhere you need on the screen. so no more 2 handed navigation.
Also, I have never heard anyone bitch about the screen being blue or horrible. Only thing I hear is how gorgeous the screen looks & damn, that thing pops. I guess I am just uneducated on such important things.

 

[MrX8503]

I used the note yesterday and after 10 min I couldn't get used to the size. With the GS3, I could get used to though. The note 2 required two hands for almost everything and it got to the point of being a full fledged tablet.

How do you zoom out or make text smaller on the note 2? Everything was huge in the web browser and I couldn't see any more content compared to my iPhone 5

 

[jacktesterson]

I installed CleanRom and Perseus 33.3 Kernel

I'm now running the phone at 1.8 GHz CPU (At same voltage as standard 1.6) and the GPU at 733 MHz rather than 533 MHz with a slight (.25 bump) bump in voltage.

Will test battery life out, but used heavy last night and everything seemed stable.

Also undervolted all other CPU states across the board by .50v too.

wouldn't be surprised if I get same level or better battery performance.

 

[Red Storm]

Completely incorrect. Look up the one-hand mode.

You don't even need that, swipe style typing can be done faster one handed than normal two handed typing.

 

[Chiropteran]

I think the Screen is far from "awful"

To each there own.

Agreed, the note 2 has the best screen I've ever seen on a phone. Yes size counts!

An amazingly sharp clear screen doesn't count for much if it's so small you need to tape it to your eyeball to use it. I'd much rather use the Note 2 which has a great screen but also a larger screen such that I can use it from a normal viewing distance and still see everything clearly.

 

[vi edit]

I used the note yesterday and after 10 min I couldn't get used to the size. With the GS3, I could get used to though. The note 2 required two hands for almost everything and it got to the point of being a full fledged tablet.

For me, just about anything larger than 4.5" is almost a full commitment to 2 handed operation. I tried out a Lumia 920 and it was teetering on the edge of usability one handed. And it was slippery, and heavy enough that I was cautious of doing so.

So, at that point I figured what the hell, why not embrace the two handed operation and just go big or go home. So I've got a note 2 sitting in my pocket. First two days took a bit to get adjusted. But by the first week I'm in the same boat as almost all other owners...now most other phones look like kids toys. Picking up my old iPhone4 and trying to browse on it is laughable. I'm in love with the added real estate that the screen provides.

The difference isn't something that slaps you upside the head and obviously apparent in 10 minutes. Use the phone for a couple days and then go back to a smaller screen and you realize how much you appreciate the added size of the Note. Things like slick deals home page are perfectly legible at arms length with no zooming needed. Forums have excellent reading capability at an arms length. I didn't realize how often I was bringing my old iPhone close to my face to read things until I went back and tried it after using the Note for a few days.

And the battery life...holy crap the battery life. A few weeks ago I had a disaster situation at work and was off the grid for close to 20 hours. 4 hours of phone calls, a hundred + text messages, another couple hours of screen time...still at 48% battery life. Awesome.

 

[ChronoReverse]

The difference isn't something that slaps you upside the head and obviously apparent in 10 minutes. Use the phone for a couple days and then go back to a smaller screen and you realize how much you appreciate the added size of the Note. Things like slick deals home page are perfectly legible at arms length with no zooming needed. Forums have excellent reading capability at an arms length.

This. It's something you start appreciate if you're the type who does a lot of Internet browsing. My Note 1 is just barely large enough to be a passable ereader too (white on black is surprisingly legible in bright daylight).

My jump was huge too. Came from a 3.7" screen all the way to a Note so it was a shock at first. But now my friend's S3 feels tiny =)

 

[MrX8503]

For me, just about anything larger than 4.5" is almost a full commitment to 2 handed operation. I tried out a Lumia 920 and it was teetering on the edge of usability one handed. And it was slippery, and heavy enough that I was cautious of doing so.

So, at that point I figured what the hell, why not embrace the two handed operation and just go big or go home. So I've got a note 2 sitting in my pocket. First two days took a bit to get adjusted. But by the first week I'm in the same boat as almost all other owners...now most other phones look like kids toys. Picking up my old iPhone4 and trying to browse on it is laughable. I'm in love with the added real estate that the screen provides.

The difference isn't something that slaps you upside the head and obviously apparent in 10 minutes. Use the phone for a couple days and then go back to a smaller screen and you realize how much you appreciate the added size of the Note. Things like slick deals home page are perfectly legible at arms length with no zooming needed. Forums have excellent reading capability at an arms length. I didn't realize how often I was bringing my old iPhone close to my face to read things until I went back and tried it after using the Note for a few days.

And the battery life...holy crap the battery life. A few weeks ago I had a disaster situation at work and was off the grid for close to 20 hours. 4 hours of phone calls, a hundred + text messages, another couple hours of screen time...still at 48% battery life. Awesome.

When I went back to my iPhone 5 I actually appreciated how much more pocketable it was.

I compared screen real estate too, and I wasn't able to see that much more on a Note 2. Maybe if my vision starts going south, I'll need a bigger screen.

I'm happy with the size of the 5, it needs to chop the bezel down though.

 

[iahk]

The default 320dpi of the Note II kind of just makes things larger. If you're rooted, you can make it 240dpi and brings it to a much more noticeable change.

 

[jacktesterson]

The default 320dpi of the Note II kind of just makes things larger. If you're rooted, you can make it 240dpi and brings it to a much more noticeable change.

What Rom are you using?

I prefer CleanRom as it keeps touchwiz, the Stock Camera App and all the S-Pen functionality, but would prefer it at 240 DPI.

 

[tommo123]

i use a samsung based rom but change the dpi or whatever to 240. much better IMO

 

[jacktesterson]

i use a samsung based rom but change the dpi or whatever to 240. much better IMO

How did you do this with a stock rom?

Or did you mean your using a stock based rom. If so, What Rom are you using?

I will need to look into this

My ideal rom would be CleanRom (its a optimized stock Rom) with 240 DPI

 

[tommo123]

i use wanamlite rom. just go to system and edit a file there. change 320 to 240, save, reboot profit 🙂

build prop i think

 

[ChronoReverse]

build.prop

It's under /system (need a root to mount RW and edit).

 

[mosco]

The Samsung fairy dropped off a Note 2, a Tab 2 7, a Tab 2 10, and a Duos S at my desk this morning for some android dev work.

I will probably be using the Note 2 the most, and I already noticed the input lag although I am not sure I would have noticed it if I hadn't been looking for it.

 

[Yongsta]

The Samsung fairy dropped off a Note 2, a Tab 2 7, a Tab 2 10, and a Duos S at my desk this morning for some android dev work.

I will probably be using the Note 2 the most, and I already noticed the input lag although I am not sure I would have noticed it if I hadn't been looking for it.

I've only noticed input lag when I had power saving mode on (CPU power saving). When it's disabled it's smooth as butter. Ironically, I haven't really gotten extra battery life by having power saving mode on (battery life is great regardless, reminds me of the days when I had those old Nokia monochrome phones).

 

[mosco]

The power saving stuff isn't on (which is the default).

It seems more noticeable depending on where you are on the device. For example, I don't really notice it that much on the home screen, but it is super noticeable scrolling through the settings list. I also don't notice it as much in the browser, but maybe the site contents change how noticeable it is.

I will add even on the Tab 2 7/20, it doesn't seem as bad as the note 2. If I remember, I will try on a note 1.