Help USA Carrier OS Fragmentation

[Elantric]

The Owners Manuals for each version of the Galaxy Note 2 sold by the USA carriers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular) are finally available.
The Verizon Owners Manual is still not available.

I know its no longer popular to read manuals - but I feel each of these are an important read for those who are still on the fence on choosing which version Galaxy Note 2 to purchase.

Each carrier has set a unique feature set with Samsung, if you are details oriented you might discover differences between the phones.

The USA Galaxy Note 2's suffer with a large share of carrier OS fragmentation !

For the past month, the International GT-N7100 Owners Manual was my master reference for making the decision to buy this phone.

But what I'm discovering is that some carriers (like AT&T) - have reduced the 140 page A4 size International manual to a 3" x 5" booklet, with far less details IMHO on how to operate the phone. If this was my only reference - Id be lost.


So far the Sprint Owners Manual is closer to the International version feature wise

But each carrier has a different culture, and enforces their own guidelines on these documents - and ultimately the actual features provided on the carrier's version of the Note 2

In a nutshell, they are NOT all the same phones - so its important to browse each owners manual and see if that special feature you saw advertised by Samsung, is actually included in your carriers phone.

You may have a particular need for a specific feature , and assume the only differences are the radios (CDMA/GMS/HSPSA+/ LTE) - NOT!

Review the phone features offered by Your carrier first.

Galaxy Note 2 Owners Manuals
=====================

Native Korean SHV-E250S Galaxy Note 2 Owners Manual
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c...105173523891/SHV-E250S_User_manual_Rev1.3.pdf


International (GT-N7100)
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c...UM_EU_Jellybean_Eng_Rev.1.1_120925_Screen.pdf

T-Mobile (USA)
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c...laxy_Note_II_English_User_Manual_UVLJ1_F8.pdf

Sprint
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c..._Galaxy_Note_II_English_User_Guide_LJ1_F5.pdf

US Cellular
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c...Galaxy_Note_II_English_User_Manual_LJ1_F3.pdf

AT&T (Rev F3)
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c...Galaxy_Note_II_English_User_Manual_LJ2_F3.pdf

Updated Rev F5 ATT Note3 Owners Manual (Nov12)
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c...Galaxy_Note_II_English_User_Manual_LJ2_F5.pdf

 

[Elantric]

For example this is from the Internation GT-N7100 Manual page 49

The following file formats are supported by some applications. Some file formats are not supported depending on the version of the device’s software.
Music: mp3, m4a, mp4, 3gp, 3ga, wma, ogg, oga, aac, and flac
Image: bmp, gif, jpg, and png
Video: 3gp, mp4, avi, wmv, flv, and mkv
Document: doc, docx, xls, xlsx, ppt, pptx, pdf, and txt

But the AT&T Manual page 89 states the Media player omits FLAC, OGG, 3GA, MKV format media files as a supported format

AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3, WMA, 3GP, MP4, and M4A.

 

[ren857]

I think this should be stickied. It's a good point that should be made since this forum is made up of every carrier.

 

[Lateck]

Elantric;
Good job!
Yes, carrier changes actually gives the phone a bad rap!
I may have an issue but you do not because your carrier gave you the program and mine did not.
A perfect example is the "Multi-screen" program.
I now have it, like some international units do, and others do-not!
Why??????
Carriers......

Lateck,

 

[Elantric]

Agreed.
I feel due to this " USA Carrier OS Fragmentation" issue, It begs for a request of folks posting Questions or Help with Problems to always post who their carrier is, while gurus who attempt to answer correctly must search in a "carrier omitted feature lookup table" prior to posting a meaningful correct answer.
I mean seriously, load up each of the different carriers owners manuals, pick any topic, and you may see some carriers do mention the feature, but for brevity, they deleted all the instructions on how to actually use it. I must say so far, the International Manual should be used as the Master Reference Doc for EVERY Galaxy Note 2 owner, grab your device and read that doc from the beginning, and work your way start to finish, but be sure to keep notes on those missing features your specific carrier clobbered or decided to give you their own profit center alternative version (AT&T Navigator? seriously?)

 

[dslatten]

OMFG...look what I just discovered. AT&T manual says the Note II has a 1.5 GHz processor, instead of 1.6 GHz. Is that a typo or does AT&T actually have different hardware than the others?! As an AT&T customer, I'm praying it's a typo.

 

[Elantric]

It would probably be a big project to create a Spreadsheet, with every feature listed then have a breakdown of "Which Mobile Carrier Supports this feature?" and which one blocked it?"

Perhaps we could get reports / feedback on this thread from actual owners of Galaxy Note 2's on each Carrier network?

Compare the "International" version feature list and report back what is missing or not working on his/her specific carrier's Note 2?

 

[nlitenme]

It would probably be a big project to create a Spreadsheet, with every feature listed then have a breakdown of "Which Mobile Carrier Supports this feature?" and which one blocked it?"

Perhaps we could get reports / feedback on this thread from actual owners of Galaxy Note 2's on each Carrier network?

Compare the "International" version feature list and report back what is missing or not working on his/her specific carrier's Note 2?

We could start with something like this & then expand on it with the specs/features that aren't listed.

If there's enough interest, I could throw together a dedicated thread that, with everyone's contributions, I will keep updated with all of the specs.

Let me know.

 

[Elantric]

We could start with something like this & then expand on it with the specs/features that aren't listed.

If there's enough interest, I could throw together a dedicated thread that, with everyone's contributions, I will keep updated with all of the specs.

I feel that would be extremely valuable!!


The goal would be to hold each of our carriers responsible to implement the feature we are quickly discovering remains missing - and press them to provide an ETA timetable for release.

 

[nlitenme]

Anyone else?

(for whatever reason)

 

[Elantric]

Well I finally got my device yesterday, so I can skip the theory and test reality.

On the ATT -Yes the S-Pen Screen Recorder DOES EXIST

and I have a post which describes my essential apps for my geek needs here:
http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-note-2/646298-post-your-favorite-note2-apps.html#post5187791

My old iPhone4 is soon going to be very lonely

 

[Elantric]

Updated Rev F5 ATT Note2 Owners Manual (Nov12)
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c...Galaxy_Note_II_English_User_Manual_LJ2_F5.pdf

Rev F5 differences - (after a 2 minute glance)
(page 36) Finally explains Screen Capture swipe procedure.

and elsewhere - How to unmount the SD Card and many other improvements covering operational procedures in more details compared to the first released "F3" AT&T manual

 

[Veritas4420]

OMFG...look what I just discovered. AT&T manual says the Note II has a 1.5 GHz processor, instead of 1.6 GHz. Is that a typo or does AT&T actually have different hardware than the others?! As an AT&T customer, I'm praying it's a typo.

LOL at all the differences between what TMO and ATT have on the specs. one says 450k apps and the other says over 600k. one says 1.9 front camera and the other says 2mp front camera.

 

[Elantric]

Galaxy Note II Master list of Troubleshooting Tips (In Korean = the original source of info)
(Use Google Translate)
Support for SHV-E250S

and
Native Korean SHV-E250S Galaxy Note 2 Owners Manual
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c...105173523891/SHV-E250S_User_manual_Rev1.3.pdf

 

[Elantric]

AT&T Note 2 SG-I317 is also missing:

* Group Shot Camera mode - with the ability to change faces.

* Mobile data toggle

* Blocking mode toggle.

and
* Screen Recorder

* MultiView

Its not the phone I was sold via Samsung Marketing.

Major omissions compared to other carriers

ATT SAmsung galaxy note 2, why are there radio and... - AT&T Community Support

 

[Elantric]

Updating the thread with a URL link to the latest Verizon Note 2 Owners Manual that just went live.

Support - Verizon Wireless Cell Phones SCH-I605 | Samsung Cell Phones

 

[Elantric]

The Samsung Mobile site now has training simulators for USA carrier versions of the Note 2

Here is the AT&T Note 2 Simulator
Samsung Interactive Tutorial


Here is the Verizon Note 2 Simulator
Samsung Interactive Tutorial


Here is the Sprint Note 2 Simulator
Samsung Interactive Tutorial

Here is the US Cellular Note 2 Simulator
Samsung Interactive Tutorial


Here is the T-Mobile Note 2 Simulator
Samsung Interactive Tutorial

 

[Sokudo Ningyou]

Interestingly, the Verizon User Guide, for all its size, skips a few things. I had to look on the Samsung Verizon Wireless page that I downloaded it from to actually find out what music files it will play (apparently the same as the International, including .flac, and .ogg), but sadly, no .mkv video.