The New Phone Thread

[Ex-User (19928)]

Screen burn is pretty normal for OLED tbh. I wouldn't worry about that.

What I WOULD worry about is the viewing angles and how the blue tint comes in quite early compared to other OLED. Apparently it's to do with the polarisation on the screen, whether that means you can use it with sunglasses better than other phones IDK......

I tried a 2XL the other day in store, the blue shift is pretty noticeable compared to my OP3T. However I think on its own you probably wouldn't worry about it as much, real shame though and I've not cancelled my order.. Yet..

 

[Gally]

It's on contract.
Had a replacement as it flagged up with us fault on his checker. Another 28 day "no quibble" returns guarantee on this handset now.

I was waiting for the pixel 2xl after having various Google phones in the past but I didn't like the sound of the screen burn after reading a few reports.
The note is ok tbh, not as good as it's made out though imo. Pretty quick, just need to restore some apps and remove some shite.

What. Don't you like about the Note8.

 

[Ay Ay Ron]

What. Don't you like about the Note8.

The phone itself is decent. I probably should be moaning more about Samsung and not behind able to uninstall the likes of Linked in, or other apps that they force on you. I've had massive updates for these apps too so there's a bit more space lost.
Bixby is awful. I've disabled it now so the button is redundant (I couldn't get the mappers to work to get it to Google assistant)
Honestly, the camera isn't as good as I thought it would be. It was advertised at being absolutely amazing. It's good, it's definitely not amazing. The controls on the pro side of it are terrible. You have to be so precise where you place your finger when selecting the ISO or shutter. If you are half a mm off then you have to start again.
The live view is it? Where its supposed to be decent for portraits? Awful. Pixelated computer generated blur. I've tried it a few times and it just doesn't work.

Maybe I'm expecting too much after the amount of hype it received.

It's definitely a quick phone and the screen is great. I just wish you could truly customise it without rooting (which I imagine is the only way to delete all of the unwanted apps)

 

[Gally]

Linked in? I don't even have that on my device.

Also you can disable or uninstall any app now. Even if you can uninstall disabling it means it will not run or anything else.

I think with Android devices you need to make it work how you want.

The camera is insane I'm not sure what you're doing wrong with it. Anything in the settings?

 

[Ay Ay Ron]

The camera settings are on Max everything.
It boasts low lighting capabilities. My living room is hardly a cave...

This is one from yesterday on Live focus.
The wide angle isn't too bad actually. Click the close up and it looks like it's been taken with a potato.
Wide angle.

Close up.

I'll give it a proper workout once I've got some time off work.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Samsung is definitely not as bad as it used to be with its own stuff, I get that they think they're an innovator, but who on this planet thinks Bixby is better than Google Assistant..

And Gally you cannot say the camera is insane, unless you mean insanely bad at colours and lighting. Look at any of the comparisons vs iPhone or Pixel. No competition at all, and they charge top dollar so it's not like it's a budget phone.

 

[Ay Ay Ron]

Maybe it's a massive improvement from the Note 4(?) that Gally was using. It's certainly not a massive leap from the Nexus 6p I came from.
Probably doesn't help that I've got a £2k+ DSLR in my hand daily.

 

[Gally]

The x2 thing is for long range pics. Not for a metre away. The portrait mode isn't even required most of the time. Auto mode inside a barn and inside the house with no main light.

 

[Gally]

I don't use live focus as dof can be achieved by taking a picture properly.

Use live focus with no zoom and see what it looks like.

 

[Gally]

Oh and the pixel does have a better camera.

 

[Ay Ay Ron]

I don't use live focus as dof can be achieved by taking a picture properly.

Use live focus with no zoom and see what it looks like.

That's the two images that I posted. Once it's in the gallery you have the option to view it was wide angle or close up.

Live focus is supposed to be 1.2 meters away to work according to the in camera text.

Anyway, I'll be out tomorrow shooting some landscape so I'll see how it fares then and at a gig on Tuesday night.

 

[Coby.]

Looking at deals on the S8 and EE are offering the VR Collection ‘free’ but on a slightly more expensive tariff than I really need as I have WiFi at work and home.

How much use are people who have the VR stuff getting out of it? Can’t decide if I’d use it for a day then never again.

 

[welshname]

Pixel 2 XL should be here on Wednesday.

Really excited tbh. Had the Nexus 6P for what seems like forever (15th December 2015!)

It's really showing it's age now though. Have so many jittery moments with it but I know it would be fine after a factory reset. Just can't be bothered.

Gone for:

Pixel 2 XL
Black
64GB

Went for a proper contract as financially it works out better for me seeing as I keep a phone 2 years anyway. Would be more expensive to stick with my sim only and get the phone outright!

 

[Gally]

Good choice mate and perfect upgrade from the 6p! You'll love it.

 

[welshname]

Good choice mate and perfect upgrade from the 6p! You'll love it.

I hope so. Only reason I never went for the pixel 1st Gen was the lack of front facing speakers. I watch a lot of videos on my phone and it was an absolute must.

Couldn't ever go back.

 

[Gally]

Great choice. Let's them iron out the bugs also. They're waterproof? But don't have wireless charging iirc? Everything else is flagship.

 

[welshname]

Great choice. Let's them iron out the bugs also. They're waterproof? But don't have wireless charging iirc? Everything else is flagship.

I think they realised not many people give a s**t about it. They had it in the Nexus 6 but no one used it. Or maybe it was the 5. I can't remember now as I had both. Never used it myself and I'll never want to tbh.

As for the screen burn in issues, whenever it starts to annoy me and I notice any marks on the phone I'll just RMA it for a brand new device. The colour shift doesn't really bother me all that much. I rarely look at a phone not straight on. It's not a TV, it's for me to watch, not everyone else lol.

 

[Ay Ay Ron]

I think they realised not many people give a s**t about it. They had it in the Nexus 6 but no one used it. Or maybe it was the 5. I can't remember now as I had both. Never used it myself and I'll never want to tbh.

As for the screen burn in issues, whenever it starts to annoy me and I notice any marks on the phone I'll just RMA it for a brand new device. The colour shift doesn't really bother me all that much. I rarely look at a phone not straight on. It's not a TV, it's for me to watch, not everyone else lol.

Good luck with that if you are going contract route..
I ended up going to Huawai to get issues sorted with my 6p as CPW didn't want to know.
Hopefully if any issues come up you get them sorted.
I spoke to Google and if I'd have bought it cash I'd have had a replacement the next available day. No issues.

 

[welshname]

Good luck with that if you are going contract route..
I ended up going to Huawai to get issues sorted with my 6p as CPW didn't want to know.
Hopefully if any issues come up you get them sorted.
I spoke to Google and if I'd have bought it cash I'd have had a replacement the next available day. No issues.

That sucks if I don't get to go through Google...

It is a Google phone now though so they are the direct manufacturer even though they outsource it.

I loved being able to go direct to Google to get it fixed.

 

[JamesBryan]

Good luck with that if you are going contract route..
I ended up going to Huawai to get issues sorted with my 6p as CPW didn't want to know.
Hopefully if any issues come up you get them sorted.
I spoke to Google and if I'd have bought it cash I'd have had a replacement the next available day. No issues.

That's the good thing about getting them direct from Google. The downside is you have to fork out for the price of the phone.

 

[Ay Ay Ron]

I think CPW even wanted money from me to get it looked at.
If I have any issues with this Note after 28 days I'll be going directly to Samsung.


Tried the camera again. It's better for Lansdcapes.. also tired it last night when out doing some Astro photography. Bearing in mind some phones are incredible in low light, this is dire. I've seen shots of the Milly way captured on phones (Huawai P10 pro is absolutely incredible) Never happening on this though although it's not the end of the world.

Sunrise this morning.

Highlight handling isn't the best and I'm still not convinced on the camera interface.

 

[JamesBryan]

f**k the Samyang off 😂

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

See that looks like it's a nice picture. But you zoom into the dark bits and it looks grainy to me. And the sun bit is completely blown out.

3 years ago that would be expected when taking pictures of the sun (my gopro 4 black does the same). But with the new phones claiming to have HDR, it's not that great.

My Pixel is due next week, it's the colour shift that disappoints me though, which sucks, they could have made the perfect phone if they gave it an iPhone quality screen.

 

[JamesBryan]

I see both the Pixel 2 phones are having problems with the camera in LED light

 

[Gally]

Read an article yesterday about that, seems really bad, maybe another software fix?

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

When the Pixel came out there were "horror" videos about how garbage its image stabilizing was at times. It's just standard "omgwow look at how bad this is" news that seems to do so well these days. Same with the iPhone and its super delicate glass screen - I definitely wouldn't call it durable, but unless you treat your iPhone badly it'll be fine.

If by some fashion, Google managed to get a phone to market without their testers using the camera under common LED lighting and realising there was a problem then that's a pretty poor story, as Gally says, it'll be software at worst case.

My thoughts jump to "they're filming at different FPS, because that is a common effect when looking at LEDs with cameras".

 

[Rich..]

Never mind sorted.

 

[Gally]

Mine is set up to do that but I have a 4 digit code.

 

[Rich..]

Yeah it was me :blush: I was trying to unlock it with the 6 digit code for my iPad instead of the 4 digit code it needed.

 

[Rich..]

I was really worried, I download some new VR p**n last night that I haven't had chance to look at yet.

 

[welshname]

Pixel 2 XL has arrived. Very happy with it. Also it's unlocked so I've been able to put my old sim in whilst i wait for the number to transfer tomorrow. Result

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

My Pixel hasn't even been dispatched and I pre-ordered it over a month ago. Would cancel and get it elsewhere but I want the free home mini...

 

[welshname]

My Pixel hasn't even been dispatched and I pre-ordered it over a month ago. Would cancel and get it elsewhere but I want the free home mini...

Mine is going up for sale shortly lol.

Not opened as I won't use it.

 

[Gally]

I got Dex with my Note, swapped in CEX for a 2017 gear VR, Dex really isn't that useful for me!

 

[davo172]

Looking at deals on the S8 and EE are offering the VR Collection ‘free’ but on a slightly more expensive tariff than I really need as I have WiFi at work and home.

How much use are people who have the VR stuff getting out of it? Can’t decide if I’d use it for a day then never again.

Can't say about VR but S8 is a fantastic phone had mine since launch and can't fault it !

 

[Gally]

One plus 5T announced today.

Sub 500 quid powerhouse. Nice.

 

[chriscummins7]

Outstanding release that!

Definitely getting one to replace the 3T!

 

[Gally]

Yeah it's now a proper 2017 phone. The op5 just wasn't.

 

[N0ddie]

Seems like a bargain compared to iPhone and Galaxy line up?

 

[ForceIndia]

Yeah it's now a proper 2017 phone. The op5 just wasn't.

I don't agree. The design wasn't modern, but it outperforms the S8 that I had. Better battery life as well.