It has been a long time since I’ve visited GS! Nice to see it is busy as ever.
Last week, my original Samsung Note died. . I was so happy with it. But it is well and truly fried, so we stopped by ATT and bought a Samsung Mega 2 for me. I didn’t go for the latest Note because I like the width of the original Note which is identical to the Mega 2. Only the Mega 2 is a LOT longer. I don’t really need the extra length, but anything shorter is generally much narrower. Now, maybe it is because it is new and latest, but I just don’t like it as well as my old Note. Bloatware. No proper settings menu. Wahhh!
I’ve got another 10 days in which I can return it if I want to. I went to a different ATT store, and saw a Nexus 6. It is marginally smaller than the Mega 2, but if feels better in the hand, and the whole screen experience is way smoother and cleaner. Anyway, it feels that way to me. Could be my imagination. And it has a 13 megapixel camera which is pretty rad.
So I need to hear a review from any Nexus 6 guppers? How do you like it? How’s the battery life? Not being able to swap out batteries is inconvenient, especially when traveling, but maybe it charges fast? Up sides? Down sides? All around impression?
Initially, I was not sure about the giant screen size, and the fact that how would it feel in my hands, and pocket, but surprisingly, I got used to it pretty fast. The screen is very bright and very responsive. Processor is ultra-fast. Battery life is about 10 hours I think (maybe less), but then I use my phone at its top capacity. My notifications are on, wifi is always o, Bluetooth is always (in fact the least I use my phone for is to make actual phone calls). It charges pretty fast I think. With smart phones, I learnt to keep my charger with me all the times, so my phone is mostly on charge at work. At home, its off the charge for about 5 hours or so before I plug it back in when going to bed. So cant tell anything for sure.
One problem I have faced so far is when sometimes I am making a phone call using my Bluetooth (and once when I was using the hard-wired headphone), the phone feature of Nexus 6 stops responding (No voice from either side). In case of blue tooth, I need to switch to phone mode for it to work. In case of headset, phone feature stopped working. I could not hear the bell ringing or if I make the call, then I could not hear the other party. It seemed that the phone was stuck in headphone mode, without having headphone plugged into it. My wife insisted that I am goofing up and not using the phone properly, and the problem is with me and the phone, but I don’t think so. If the phones are so feely touch about how delicately they need to be used, then its not a good device. Period.
Over all , I will give it 9/10 as I could not find anything wrong then the once in a while Bluetooth/phone quandary
I bought the Mega 2 without my usual study, study, study and weigh decision and be happy with my choice. I needed a phone, right then and there. But I am not satisfied with it, and I think the Nexus may have battery issues and anyway is quite expensive, so I decided to return the Mega and will just get an (new!) original Note on eBay for about $300 less, and then I will wait until the next incarnation of Nexus comes out which hopefully will have battery issues dealt with and maybe SD card capability, and maybe cheaper!
I think I decided it was too narrow. I know I rejected it for some reason or other. You can't tell how a phone is going to feel till you actually hold it and mess with it, you can't assume that it will feel right just by reading the specs. Anyway, I have already bought my new phone on eBay, so there is no going back now...
OK, I’m back. My new old Samsung Note is doing some of the same reboot-reboot-reboot crap which my original one did just before it died completely. So I HAVE to get a different phone. I hate changing phones…
So what I like about the original Note is the width, because I do a lot of reading on it. I’ve checked out the sizes of all the likely culprits, and the Oneplus One is in the zone. However, I still remember how great the Nexus 6 seemed, even though it was too expensive. Smooth, great display, and NO BLOATWARE!! I would probably stick with Samsung but the whole bloatware thang has gotten way out of hand.
As you can see, I am back’n’forth, back’n’forth about all of this. Now, TLK, you and your wife have had both of these for some time now. What are your opinions on them now?
I have one of those OTG cables, convenient at times/tasks but not that convenient for constant use.
PROs:
I have had the Nexus 6 for a couple of weeks also, and I concurr with TLK, its an awesome phone. I also use it a lot, for everything, including for booting dead servers, video (lovely screen), audio (front speakers, although not as good as HTC One). Its fast and great at multi-tasking, gets me the latest updates (although I do have it rooted with a custom ROM, so I stay on the bleeding edge).
CONS:
As TLK said, the battery leaves something to be desired. I do carry around my charger with me, so have to give it a boost during the day. Unlike most of my previous phones, the battery is not replaceable, so i can't carry a spare battery. It also doesn't have an SD card slot so i'm stuck with the 32gb of internal space it came with. And I miss my beloved S-Pen on my Note 4. Also, it doesn't have the IRDA port that i got used to (universal remote control).
CONCLUSION:
I do like the phone a lot, almost (but not quite) as much as my previous Note4. It does everything i hoped for and does it with ease and a wink.
PS: On the OnePlus One front, if you are used to phones in the Nexus6 and Note4 range you'd never be happy with the OPO. Its a great phone for the money, but I was always craving the "umph".
. I was so happy with it. But it is well and truly fried, so we stopped by ATT and bought a Samsung Mega 2 for me. I didn’t go for the latest Note because I like the width of the original Note which is identical to the Mega 2. Only the Mega 2 is a LOT longer. I don’t really need the extra length, but anything shorter is generally much narrower. Now, maybe it is because it is new and latest, but I just don’t like it as well as my old Note. Bloatware. No proper settings menu. Wahhh!
My new old Samsung Note is doing some of the same reboot-reboot-reboot crap which my original one did just before it died completely. So I HAVE to get a different phone. I hate changing phones…