• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Any negative reports so far?

Just picked it up last night from my local VZW store, coming off an S6 Edge. So far, my thoughts echo what I've read so far;

  • Lack of wireless charging out of the box, and slight vagueness as to what carrier versions will support it.
  • Lack of headphones in the Verizon variant. Not sure about the other majors, and I know it's trivial but really? Couldn't throw a bone?
  • Initial lack of accessories, but that's to be expected
  • Lack of PdaNet compatibility *** Obviously this isn't a downfall of the phone. Nougat doesn't place nice, at least on Verizon. So it means that I no longer have the ability to fire up a HotSpot via PdaNet like I was able. Supposedly I can tether with USB to a laptop which can then act as a hotspot itself, or Bluetooth (never tried that so I dunno how that even works lol). Downfall though, is that driving in the car, if someone says "hey, can you turn on the internet?" the answer is now no.
  • Subjective, but the inability to turn off a camera shutter sound without muting the phone first. Now, I understand the reasons, just like they were there back in my LG G2 days. However, my S6 had no qualms about giving people an option to turn off the shutter sound, so no reason why it can't be an option.
  • USB-C port. This isn't a bad thing, but it is, in the sense that it's new enough that things like power bricks and such haven't adopted adapters and things for it yet.
That said, what I like? What's not to? It's huge, there's that. But the screen seems to be working fine, it's still rather snappy even now that I've loaded apps back on. The expandable memory is a bonus. Not sure if this is new to Nougat or when it started, but the ability to connect to multiple Bluetooth devices and use each independent for different things - my car transmitter for music, and my headset for calls. The uniqueness, since no one seems to even know about this phone around here at all, so that's kinda fun. And the most important reason - Knock On / Off. Granted, it still suffers that 3rd party launchers don't support the Knock Off by default, and requires a Screen Off app to be triggered, but as long as it works, it's a small price to pay. I do wish in these days of RGB-everything customization, the manufacturers would skin in some color options for things like the softkeys, instead of just black & white.

Overall, very happy, though I should've bought extra chargers.
 
The keeping the screen on thing is something I mean to make a seperate thread about. I used to use screebl on older devices and now I think I'm going to have to make a tasker profile to do the same function.

ONLY thing samsung got right software usage wise was the Smart Stay feature.
 
never used pdanet but I don't know you need it just to have the hotspot active. I need to test it, don't use it often but I used to with my note 3.
 
Napalm said:
never used pdanet but I don't know you need it just to have the hotspot active. I need to test it, don't use it often but I used to with my note 3.
Click to expand...

In my case, I'm on Verizon with an older Unlimited Data plan. PdaNet was my way to activate the hotspot and bypass provisioning to share my data plan instead of being forced to pay even more just to share the unlimited that I'm already paying more for. I can still use it to tether via USB or Bluetooth, according to the site, but I primarily used it on my boat to stream netflix off a smart-TV or to share for the kids in the car to use their wi-fi devices on trips. Not often, but it'll be missed.
 
Anyone find a workaround for low light/dim picture taking? Even with the flash it comes out too dark... The flash doesn't do well...
I've noticed also even with what seems to be high light output on the selfie it comes out dark as well... When I tried to adjust it failed to load?
I've not played with the manual mode, but does it make a difference?
 
CharlzO said:
In my case, I'm on Verizon with an older Unlimited Data plan. PdaNet was my way to activate the hotspot and bypass provisioning to share my data plan instead of being forced to pay even more just to share the unlimited that I'm already paying more for. I can still use it to tether via USB or Bluetooth, according to the site, but I primarily used it on my boat to stream netflix off a smart-TV or to share for the kids in the car to use their wi-fi devices on trips. Not often, but it'll be missed.
Click to expand...

how are you still on an unlimited data plan - wouldn't you have had to switch over with the new phone - surprised that's still cost effective. I was on it for a long time but swapped over when we got my wife's mobile last year. It just wasn't cost effective vs what I was paying for the device and it's connection fee. Interesting.
 
brawlman said:
Anyone find a workaround for low light/dim picture taking? Even with the flash it comes out too dark... The flash doesn't do well...
I've noticed also even with what seems to be high light output on the selfie it comes out dark as well... When I tried to adjust it failed to load?
I've not played with the manual mode, but does it make a difference?
Click to expand...

I don't take selfies - and thus have only used the front facing cam one time. so I don't know. worked well for me. now the main rear cam - I used a good bit and it's worked fine in pretty much all light conditions. outside night with just moonlight vs interior of a plane with no lights on. video has seemed washed out but I liken that mostly due to video processing needs.

Is your problem only with the front shooter?
 
Napalm said:
how are you still on an unlimited data plan - wouldn't you have had to switch over with the new phone - surprised that's still cost effective. I was on it for a long time but swapped over when we got my wife's mobile last year. It just wasn't cost effective vs what I was paying for the device and it's connection fee. Interesting.
Click to expand...

I have three lines - the other two lines are on tiered plans, so I rotate phones. I upgrade to a new phone on one of the other numbers, and then swap it to my line and so on. My line has been eligible to upgrade for years lol. I average anywhere from 50-100g a month (used to be more, I cut back once they announced that excessive use could result in the contract being terminated), so it's worth paying more for the phones even if I had to buy it outright, since the monthly for my usage would be something like $1000 a month.
 
Napalm said:
I don't take selfies - and thus have only used the front facing cam one time. so I don't know. worked well for me. now the main rear cam - I used a good bit and it's worked fine in pretty much all light conditions. outside night with just moonlight vs interior of a plane with no lights on. video has seemed washed out but I liken that mostly due to video processing needs.

Is your problem only with the front shooter?
Click to expand...
Yes primarily the front camera, even recording. Led light is super bright, yet the picture or video comes out dim... Even after 2 FDR's separate issue...
 
The only complaint I have is, I am coming from the V10 to the V20 & the V10 had the IOS/Sammy emoji's the V20 however ( for whatever reason the Einstein at LG changed it) is that they now have the ghost emojis which I hate they should have at least given us the option to choose. There is no way to switch them.
 
jaydub110 said:
The only complaint I have is, I am coming from the V10 to the V20 & the V10 had the IOS/Sammy emoji's the V20 however ( for whatever reason the Einstein at LG changed it) is that they now have the ghost emojis which I hate they should have at least given us the option to choose. There is no way to switch them.
Click to expand...
Have to agree that the Emojis are really pretty ugly and also hard to distinguish from each other. However I can't say that that is a deal-breaker LOL
 
Two months hard use, and not a thing to complain about. Fast, stable, reliable workhorse. This is a terrific smartphone!
 
Can't you load - install other emoji crap. I think you can or there's an app for that.

Also I think that piece might be from android 7 not LG - as I believe the pixel has the same sort of thing. could be wrong, I don't use the things.
 
tonytx42 said:
Weird thing about Textra is emojis still show up as ugly LG/Android versions on keyboard; they don't switch to iOS until you send the text.
At least that's my experience.
Click to expand...

That is totally weird. I can go into the Textra settings, set which emoji style I want and it shows on keyboard and in text when i select them. There's 4 different ones in Textra - Android; Twitter; Emoji one and IOS. When you download new emoji's on textra, go and clear your textra cache. and the new emojis show on keyboard. One more thing, are you using googles Gboard?
 
Last edited:
I'm pretty disappointed, coming from v10, that the volume is on the side and in the way. I know it got mixed reviews from at least reviewers who used the phone for 5 days but I grew to love it! Never accidently turned volume up or down while holding in landscape!
 
all my other phones had volume on the side so it never bothered me. but I can see how it might be an issue for people that get used to something
 
My previous phone had the volume button on the right side so I've struggled with it but I'll get used to it. Love the phone as is.
 
tonytx42 said:
Weird thing about Textra is emojis still show up as ugly LG/Android versions on keyboard; they don't switch to iOS until you send the text.
At least that's my experience.
Click to expand...
I'm using swiftkey beta keyboard so mine maybe different but here is what I've noticed. When using Textra, which I love, I have 2 emoji keys; one on the bottom left by the number pad which gives me the ugly Android emojis and a 2nd one up to the left of the message box. It is actually a + sign and I can choose photos and several things from there. But if I use the + sign then I get the nice emojis that I've downloaded.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom