Verizon Note 2 First Impressions

[Thomas S]

Text relfow:
When you're surfing the web and zoom in on the text so that you can read it better the text will reformat so that you don't have to scroll sideways to read it.

What Is Text Reflow? | eHow.com

Mine is not doing a very good job of that. Is there a setting I can change? Mine is stock and when I double tap to zoom in it doesn't "text reflow".

 

[Harplayr]

Mine is not doing a very good job of that. Is there a setting I can change? Mine is stock and when I double tap to zoom in it doesn't "text reflow".

Yes, I did change a setting, but forgot which one it was. I had to return the phone and won't get my replacement until Tuesday so I really can't help you out. Maybe somebody else can offer some advice.

 

[dogsnfish]

Had mine since Thursday and it is an amazing phone. I went for it over the DNA to literally get rid of the small notebook I always carry at work to jot things down. I am traveling to a meeting that goes all next week so will really find out what it can do work wise. My only negatives:

1. The flip cover. Finally took it off today and went to the mall and bought a speck because that was all they had. It was a pain for me because I could not glance at the phone's indicator lights. Guess I am an addict after being with blackberry for four years. Cover also a pain for me when taking pictures.

2. I cannot believe VZW left off the calendar and email widgets. I was playing with the s-optimized calendar and email and was ready to switch from touchdown, except no widgets.

 

[Damar1979]

Mine is not doing a very good job of that. Is there a setting I can change? Mine is stock and when I double tap to zoom in it doesn't "text reflow".

It is a tad annoying, but here's how it's done. Make sure format web pages to fit screen is checked out on the internet settings. When you go to any webpage that has a article on it pinch to zoom first, after that double tap the screen. They could take a page from HTC, because all they have to do is pinch to zoom and that's it

 

[Thomas S]

It is a tad annoying, but here's how it's done. Make sure format web pages to fit screen is checked out on the internet settings. When you go to any webpage that has a article on it pinch to zoom first, after that double tap the screen. They could take a page from HTC, because all they have to do is pinch to zoom and that's it

Oh perfect! Thank you very much! Im coming from an htc evo 3d and there are a few things about it that I miss.

 

[Damar1979]

Oh perfect! Thank you very much! Im coming from an htc evo 3d and there are a few things about it that I miss.

Coming from the HTC DNA, I completely understand

 

[ThelVlaster]

I know Verizon dicked us over on the Wifi ongoing notification - but I have a quick question: Does anyone get a little keyboard icon in the top left tray? It asks me to choose the input method... Sometimes I am able to get it to go away, but the notification shows up randomly later on

 

[MiXoLoGiSt]

I know Verizon dicked us over on the Wifi ongoing notification - but I have a quick question: Does anyone get a little keyboard icon in the top left tray? It asks me to choose the input method... Sometimes I am able to get it to go away, but the notification shows up randomly later on

Yes that happens an all versions of the Note 2 while any keyboard is open. It makes it easy to switch keyboards if you want to.

It should disappear once the keyboard is closed.

 

[Wolfedude88]

Yes that happens an all versions of the Note 2 while any keyboard is open. It makes it easy to switch keyboards if you want to.

It should disappear once the keyboard is closed.

That started on phones with ICS, I believe on tablets with Honeycomb, not specific to a certain phone or carrier.

 

[Androidcurious]

I personally think that HTC has released on Verizon, the almost perfect phone they could have made. What it boiled down 2, was the memory. I had no problems with the battery, it lasted all day. And by all day I mean taking off the charger at 7 a.m., and lasting until 10 o'clock at night before recharging. The screen was flawless. Everything about that device what, except the memory for me. Lack of a SD slot, to put movies on, hindered the device for me.

Thats exactly how I feel about the DNA. Wonderful device virtually crippled by lack of storage. This is a device begging for media, so of course in the interest of selling higher data packages VZW removes storage. I love their coverage but their cynicism towards their customers makes me sick.

 

[Damar1979]

Yes that happens an all versions of the Note 2 while any keyboard is open. It makes it easy to switch keyboards if you want to.

It should disappear once the keyboard is closed.

Actually that happens on all jellybean devices. I think ice cream sandwich too. When you have more than one keyboard enabled

 

[Harplayr]

It is a tad annoying, but here's how it's done. Make sure format web pages to fit screen is checked out on the internet settings. When you go to any webpage that has a article on it pinch to zoom first, after that double tap the screen. They could take a page from HTC, because all they have to do is pinch to zoom and that's it

Thanks for chiming in.
That is what I did to enable text reflow.
I agree that it's a tad kludgy, but I'm happy it works. It makes the phone much more usable for my poor eyes.

 

[ThelVlaster]

Yes that happens an all versions of the Note 2 while any keyboard is open. It makes it easy to switch keyboards if you want to.

It should disappear once the keyboard is closed.

Thanks ... wow I feel stupid haha

 

[taxiron1]

Then don't get it.

I couldn't care less if there's a tiny logo on the case or button. Just about everything I own is branded in some way. I'll be spending my time looking at the beautiful display rather than obsessing about a tiny logo on the home button.

Typing this on my Logitech branded keyboard while looking at my Dell branded laptop screen and clicking send with my Logitech branded mouse dressed in my Levi branded jeans, Nike branded shoes and fruit of the loom branded skivies.

Agree 100% I cant believe how many people are getting cranked up about a button that is at the bottom of the phone, and takes up less than 5% of surface space ? I dont get it. Just enjoy the phone.... its great !

 

[sueoandsnow]

Has anyone from verizon noticed that there are only 7 apps loaded onto the multi task tab bar? This means that we can only open 2 windows using these 7 apps. Every other carrier seems to have more apps loaded into the bar (such as facebook, youtube etc).
There is not ability to add more apps at this point to the task bar. You can delete any of the 7 apps but you can not add more.
This is a drag! Does anyone with verizon know how to get around this problem? Verizon did not have the answer and neither did Samsung.

 

[mormandy3]

Agree 100% I cant believe how many people are getting cranked up about a button that is at the bottom of the phone, and takes up less than 5% of surface space ? I dont get it. Just enjoy the phone.... its great !

Easy solution for those so bothered. You can get a matching white / titanium button cover on Ebay. Personally it just doesn't bother me that much. When I fire up that big AMOLED screen, that's all I see.

After my first few days with the N2, the main thing I have to say is "wow, it's fast". No lag, pauses, hangs...the stuff that made me leave android and get a 4s.

I was amazed by how quickly I have adopted the s-pen. I use it for all but quick texts, and use it constantly when using the internet, finding that it eliminates a lot of pinch zooming and just improves the whole experience. For a videophile like myself, the preview feature it brings on the video timeline is absolutely priceless.

As far as comparisons to the DNA....
my N2 is 16gb +64gb UHS-1 exfat = 80gb of storage....a DNA is crippled with no SD slot. On a large beautiful screen, who DOESN'T want to store some movies? I just don't understand phones without SD slots. No SD = deal breaker. BTW, my UHS-1 Sandisk 64gb card is very fast when reading and has no problem displaying HD video without frame drops, lag, sync issues, etc. While it's not as fast as on-board memory, it's fast enough for whatever one will need to do with an SD card.

Cons: One....the Kies app won't work...despite loading current java...it says "to download files install java". Fail. Other than that...

As a phone model, I think the N2 reception is so-so, but good enough with Verizon. Before buying this phone I owned ATT and Sprint N2's for a day each (thought about switching carriers for savings). The ATT went back the next day because it got no signal in the house. The Sprint went back the same day, because it got no signal in the office. Of course with Verizon the N2 works in both places and everywhere else. BUT....at home I am often around one or two bars where as my iphone was usually 4-5 bars. Of course bars by themselves are meaningless, so I did some RF testing and the N2 is about 7 db below what my 4s was on average. Not a big deal, but I do think Samsung needs to do a little better jobs on their radios. On a side note, the N2 has separate 4G and RF antennas so it can do voice with data, something no iphone does on Verizon. So the reception issue is moot for me with Verizon, at worst a very minor irritant for OCD people like me.

Size? How can anyone who buys a large screened "phablet" complain about size really? I see a benefit and will will live with packing a huge phone. Cost? For what you get, it's actually a good value.

Overall, this is the best cell phone ever made IMHO.

 

[ThelVlaster]

Has anyone from verizon noticed that there are only 7 apps loaded onto the multi task tab bar? This means that we can only open 2 windows using these 7 apps. Every other carrier seems to have more apps loaded into the bar (such as facebook, youtube etc).
There is not ability to add more apps at this point to the task bar. You can delete any of the 7 apps but you can not add more.
This is a drag! Does anyone with verizon know how to get around this problem? Verizon did not have the answer and neither did Samsung.

If you use Chrome or Skype, I know a link where you can download apk files which allow Multi Window use without root