Samsung Galaxy Note 8

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lopri

lopri

Elite Member
Jul 27, 2002
13,209
594
126
I did not get the impression that Mr. Ruddock is a "stock Android" purist. He gives a fair shake at Touchwiz as well - although it appears that he skipped software review entirely for the Note 8, citing the similarity with Touchwiz on S8/S8+.

At this point Touchwiz is a net plus, even with janks. Ignoring Bixby (literally and figuratively), I prefer Touchwiz to "stock" Android. There are many things that Samsung does better than Google and are actually useful, such as Samsung Pay and built-in dictionary. (The slide-up gesture to activate Samsung Pay from any screen is a genius idea) Note users of course have a whole suite of S-Pen utilities that are not available elsewhere.

And Touchwiz is better than "stock" Android even aesthetically, IMO. "Stock" Android's notification panel and settings app have been fugly and wasteful since lollipop, for example. And I have realized Touchwiz's paginated app drawer is way more convenient than "stock" Android's app drawer which makes you scroll endlessly. It was one of those things that reviewers grumbled about because Samsung did it differently from Google, accusing Samsung of changing things for the sake of differentiation, but it did not take long for me to understand why they did it that way - and that it is better than the "stock" way.
 
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Oyeve

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
21,917
828
126
So, my note 8 fits (barely) in my s8+ vr headset. Nice. Also, where are the instructions to send in the trade phone? I got 425 bucks off for being a former note 7 user and set up my old iPhone 5s to trade in.
 
spacejamz

spacejamz

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
10,801
1,453
126
Oyeve said:
So, my note 8 fits (barely) in my s8+ vr headset. Nice. Also, where are the instructions to send in the trade phone? I got 425 bucks off for being a former note 7 user and set up my old iPhone 5s to trade in.
Click to expand...

on your samsung,.com order page, there should be a label you can print (should be a separate item for the phone you are trading in)....
 
S

s44

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 2006
9,427
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So is it true that Package Disabler Pro doesn't work on the Note 8? If so, what's the best/standard app for that now?
 
Oyeve

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
21,917
828
126
spacejamz said:
on your samsung,.com order page, there should be a label you can print (should be a separate item for the phone you are trading in)....
Click to expand...
Yep. Just printed it. No other instructions. I assume I just mail the phone and no charger or cables.
 
Zaap

Zaap

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2008
7,162
424
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sheesh. I have to wait til tomorrow for mine. LOL. today is going to drag on forever.
 
spacejamz

spacejamz

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
10,801
1,453
126
Zaap said:
sheesh. I have to wait til tomorrow for mine. LOL. today is going to drag on forever.
Click to expand...

My phone was delivered to Ft Worth last night at 11:30 then over the Fed Ex Sorting Center by DFW Airport around 2:30PM today which is about 15 minutes from my home...Tomorrow can't get here soon enough....
 
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Zaap

Zaap

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2008
7,162
424
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spacejamz said:
My phone was delivered to Ft Worth last night at 11:30 then over the Fed Ex Sorting Center by DFW Airport around 2:30PM today which is about 15 minutes from my home...Tomorrow can't get here soon enough....
Click to expand...
LOL *exactly* the same situation here. Mine's sitting in a FedEX facility right off from LAX since 9am with a note "Package Not Due for Delivery" - meaning today I guess.

As I was posting that this morning, my damn phone is maybe 15 minutes from my house as well.
 
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lopri

lopri

Elite Member
Jul 27, 2002
13,209
594
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I'd like to hear about S-Pen responsiveness and precision in writing small letters.
 
gorcorps

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,738
451
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Muadib said:
How does it compare with the note 7? I love the note 8 so far, but someone asked me this.
Click to expand...

For starters, it's not as much of a fire hazard

On another note, it looks like Tapatalk is still automatically putting in signatures with every post people make. I can't stand that garbage... and ever time I see it I want to stop using tapatalk out of sheer principle. At least it can be disabled, but it's enabled by default.
 
Zaap

Zaap

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2008
7,162
424
126
Muadib said:
How does it compare with the note 7? I love the note 8 so far, but someone asked me this.
Click to expand...
This phone feels, performs and looks to me more advanced than the Note 7. I'm pretty much over the N7 now. My opinion, if someone enjoyed the Note 7 they'd be more than happy with the 8.

I'm probably a rare case, but I don't feel a thing is wrong with the pricetag currently. The phone is worth the asking price. Granted, it's nice getting it minus the $425 trade in discount for former N7 owners- but if I HAD to pay full price for it, I would.

My only thing is the virtual buttons take some getting used to. It'll take me some time to keep from hitting them accidentally instead of the spacebar on a virtual keyboard for example.

A physical button for Bixby: I hate it with a passion so far. The volume button being a rocker, it's all too easy to hit the stupid Bixby button instead of vol. down- and then it takes over the screen and disrupts things like dual app mode. (That has to be a bug they fix). I've seen there's ways to disable it and I may end up doing so.

DtS0PQU.jpg

Just had to do a side by side with my last two Notes, the 3 and 4. (Of course the 7 I returned).

I usually don't sell my old phones, though I probably should.

My only wish for the Note 8 is purely cosmetic- I wish I could have gotten it in the same metallic blue as my replacement Note 7 was.
 
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NutBucket

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
27,034
546
126
jesskoh said:
What screen protector are you guys using for your Samsung Galaxy Note 8?
Click to expand...
I've got a plastic one on my S8. Glass is going to be tricky because of the curve.

Supposedly the Whitestone is the one to get but its about $50.
 
dainthomas

dainthomas

Lifer
Dec 7, 2004
14,592
3,427
136
Zaap said:
This phone feels, performs and looks to me more advanced than the Note 7. I'm pretty much over the N7 now. My opinion, if someone enjoyed the Note 7 they'd be more than happy with the 8.

I'm probably a rare case, but I don't feel a thing is wrong with the pricetag currently. The phone is worth the asking price. Granted, it's nice getting it minus the $425 trade in discount for former N7 owners- but if I HAD to pay full price for it, I would.

My only thing is the virtual buttons take some getting used to. It'll take me some time to keep from hitting them accidentally instead of the spacebar on a virtual keyboard for example.

A physical button for Bixby: I hate it with a passion so far. The volume button being a rocker, it's all too easy to hit the stupid Bixby button instead of vol. down- and then it takes over the screen and disrupts things like dual app mode. (That has to be a bug they fix). I've seen there's ways to disable it and I may end up doing so.

DtS0PQU.jpg

Just had to do a side by side with my last two Notes, the 3 and 4. (Of course the 7 I returned).

I usually don't sell my old phones, though I probably should.

My only wish for the Note 8 is purely cosmetic- I wish I could have gotten it in the same metallic blue as my replacement Note 7 was.
Click to expand...

Crazy how just the screen is almost as big as the whole phone used to be.

I love mine so far. The display is the best I've seen.
 
Muadib

Muadib

Lifer
May 30, 2000
17,916
838
126
This is the first time I bought insurance, the phone is damn near $1000 after all. I still have a case, but the screen is naked.
 
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