Meizu M3 Note Owners Thread

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#1587244 6-Jul-2016 18:02

Long time reader, first time poster, but I thought I would add to the thread.

I picked up one of the Meizu Note 3's after attending the PBT launch (thanks for that, BTW). I needed another test phone at the office, and given the value for money, couldn't resist. By and large, I'm impressed. Many excellent features and functions, and the build seems great, but be warned - the glass covering the camera lens scratches incredibly easy! I have this phone in one of the TPU cases and after a couple of weeks, the lens cover has at least 5 very visible scratches across it. I don't use this phone for pictures (and reviews seems to pan the camera, so you may not want to either), but it would be nice if the lens cover was a bit more resilient. Maybe I'm just used to whatever "higher quality" phones use for their covers.

Also, I have noticed that Netflix app doesn't behave as it should. I cannot get the overlay to stay on the screen, it appears for a micro-second, then it's gone. So to pause, you have to tap frantically in the corner and hope you click the pause button. Can't get to subtitles or anything else like that either. Has anyone else notice that?

tripp

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#1587421 7-Jul-2016 06:59

Friend and I went shopping this weekend and he ended up getting one, he was looking at the nexus 5x ($499 @ noels currently), I told him about the m3 and how we should go and have a look, once he agreed (it did take a few minutes of saying "PBtech is like 15 minute drive lets just go"). Once he saw the M3 and had a small play with it he got it. Also got a case/screen protector all up about $430. The only thing that let PBtech down was the screen protector they sell for the phone, its that plastic film stuff that is just sh**. Cost him about $25 and he pulled it off with 10 minutes. If anyone from PBtech reads this please just get the glass screen protectors in or if you have to sell the film plastic ones then drop the price, I found the same one you sold him on aliexpress for $1.40AU, glass ones for $5

Only thing that was an issue is for some reason the data is turned off in the settings, That was a quick fix of just finding the data setting for him.

Over all I like the phone, battery life last long enough.

pristle

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#1587569 7-Jul-2016 11:57

FeralPhil:

.......................... and the build seems great, but be warned - the glass covering the camera lens scratches incredibly easy! I have this phone in one of the TPU cases and after a couple of weeks, the lens cover has at least 5 very visible scratches across it. I don't use this phone for pictures (and reviews seems to pan the camera, so you may not want to either), but it would be nice if the lens cover was a bit more resilient. Maybe I'm just used to whatever "higher quality" phones use for their covers.

Also, I have noticed that Netflix app doesn't behave as it should. I cannot get the overlay to stay on the screen, it appears for a micro-second, then it's gone. So to pause, you have to tap frantically in the corner and hope you click the pause button. Can't get to subtitles or anything else like that either. Has anyone else notice that?

Interesting you make this comment about the lens. Despite reviews, like I mention below, I don't believe it's Corning anything glass. While I've not scratched mine, it actually feels like plastic. It even flexes under my thumbnail. I had thought I hadn't properly peeled shipping protection off.

After reading some in depth specs of the other recent Android releases, across all brands, they all featured a spec no M3 Note review listed: the camera sensor. Most seem to mention the '5-element' and 'Corning Gorilla 3 glass protection', but nothing of the sensor.

However I found a 'spec sheet' here: www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/88043b31, which mentions the sensor being an OmniVison OV13853 (details for which are at www.ovt.com/products/sensor.php?id=189). Armed with that info, it seems that the camera should be delivering much better performance than it does. While I'm not finished with testing, it seems that the solution may be in the camera software. I have found that Google Camera delivers a better result then the included Flyme app. Open Camera is on a par with with Google, but with more flexibility. The best, by a long margin (to date) is the Better Camera app. At the other end though, is Camera Zoom FX, which used work flawlessly and with great results on my old dismal Huawei G300. The images it produces on the M3 Note is akin to have a Vaseline smear on the lens. I have found that using the camera in 8Mp mode delivers the best image clarity.

I see what you mean about Netflix. It only happens in full screen mode, rotating the screen into portrait mode seems to help. To pause in full screen it requires a double-tap in the centre of the screen, with another to resume.

TeaLeaf

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#1587597 7-Jul-2016 12:31

Guys is this a good phone for the $300? I wasnt sure about the M2 but this look a bit more refined. I dont need the 4G LTE, 3G is fine as I rarely use data outside of WIF.

Any down sides I should be aware of?

FeralPhil

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#1588967 9-Jul-2016 19:53

Pristle, thanks for that link, definitely states the lens cover is Gorilla 3. If that is actual-factual, then Corning have let their standards slip big time with this one, as the lens cover on mine has scratched badly. Either that, or I got a handset made on Monday morning or Friday afternoon, which slipped through the QA process. Meizu should have used the DinoRex glasses they put on the front, as that seems to be very scratch resistant.

FeralPhil

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#1589654 11-Jul-2016 13:20

Took that handset back to PB, and the good folks there said "that's not normal" and swapped it out, which is fantastic.

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JoeTurksta

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#1594506 18-Jul-2016 14:31

Ok, so I'm trialing the Note M3 for work as we're considering making it the fleet phone for our business, so I'm a guinea pig (YAY).

So, First Limitation, Dual SIM only allowing me 1 provider or the other because the provider is the same (SIM1 Skinny, SIM2 Spark). I can only use 1 SIM at any given time. Borrowed a friends Vodafone SIM and my Skinny and Voda numbers co-existed as they should.

Is there a way around this? I found no note of this limitation on PB Tech's website either.

Anyone that can help?

NikT

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#1594508 18-Jul-2016 14:45

JoeTurksta:

Ok, so I'm trialing the Note M3 for work as we're considering making it the fleet phone for our business, so I'm a guinea pig (YAY).

So, First Limitation, Dual SIM only allowing me 1 provider or the other because the provider is the same (SIM1 Skinny, SIM2 Spark). I can only use 1 SIM at any given time. Borrowed a friends Vodafone SIM and my Skinny and Voda numbers co-existed as they should.

Is there a way around this? I found no note of this limitation on PB Tech's website either.

Anyone that can help?

Ah, so - that's because Spark/Skinny/Telecom does not have a 2G network. No way around that, I'm afraid.

Almost without exception, Dual SIM phones work by setting one SIM to primary on 3G/4G, and the second SIM to 2G only. Limitations of antennas and chipsets and so on - it's essentially two phones in one. Just now a few devices have hit the market which support 3G standby on the second SIM - currently limited to the OnePlus 3 and the Sony Xperia X/X Performance Dual as far as I'm aware - which are of course significantly pricier than M3 Note and friends. If you absolutely require 2x Spark network SIMs in a single handset, those are unfortunately the only options.

Product Manager @ PB Tech

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old3eyes

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#1594512 18-Jul-2016 14:51

NikT:

JoeTurksta:

Ok, so I'm trialing the Note M3 for work as we're considering making it the fleet phone for our business, so I'm a guinea pig (YAY).

So, First Limitation, Dual SIM only allowing me 1 provider or the other because the provider is the same (SIM1 Skinny, SIM2 Spark). I can only use 1 SIM at any given time. Borrowed a friends Vodafone SIM and my Skinny and Voda numbers co-existed as they should.

Is there a way around this? I found no note of this limitation on PB Tech's website either.

Anyone that can help?

Ah, so - that's because Spark/Skinny/Telecom does not have a 2G network. No way around that, I'm afraid.

Almost without exception, Dual SIM phones work by setting one SIM to primary on 3G/4G, and the second SIM to 2G only. Limitations of antennas and chipsets and so on - it's essentially two phones in one. Just now a few devices have hit the market which support 3G standby on the second SIM - currently limited to the OnePlus 3 and the Sony Xperia X/X Performance Dual as far as I'm aware - which are of course significantly pricier than M3 Note and friends. If you absolutely require 2x Spark network SIMs in a single handset, those are unfortunately the only options.

I'm hoping in the next 12 months with 2G networks being shut down around the world that we may see more phones that can do LTE on SIM 1 and 3G on SIM 2 ..

Regards,

Old3eyes

JoeTurksta

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#1594513 18-Jul-2016 14:51

Right, that's a bit stink.

May I suggest you add a note on your website for the meizu products of this limitation? I'm a wee bit disappointed. I can of course move providers for my personal number, but the amount of data and minutes I have banked up in my Carry Over bank is phenomenal. Our business also has a struck a deal with Skinny for personal numbers where we get more minutes and data on our top ups.

NikT

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#1594517 18-Jul-2016 14:55

JoeTurksta:

Right, that's a bit stink.

May I suggest you add a note on your website for the meizu products of this limitation? I'm a wee bit disappointed. I can of course move providers for my personal number, but the amount of data and minutes I have banked up in my Carry Over bank is phenomenal. Our business also has a struck a deal with Skinny for personal numbers where we get more minutes and data on our top ups.

Can do. This is a limitation of every Dual SIM phone that currently exists, though (except for two or three), rather than Meizu-specific. :)

As Old3eyes points out, 2G is being retired globally over the next ~5-6 years, so we will see more phones that support 3G on the second SIM in the same timeframe.

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JoeTurksta

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#1594519 18-Jul-2016 14:58

Is it a software limitation or a firmware/hardware capability? Since you're a Meizu distributor/supplier for NZ, feedback to Meizu a possibility?

The phones kickass otherwise. The value for money that these phones give are fantastic, and the minimal 'Bloatware' is very ideal.

NikT

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#1594534 18-Jul-2016 15:30

JoeTurksta:

Is it a software limitation or a firmware/hardware capability? Since you're a Meizu distributor/supplier for NZ, feedback to Meizu a possibility?

The phones kickass otherwise. The value for money that these phones give are fantastic, and the minimal 'Bloatware' is very ideal.

It's hardware - when you have two SIMs simultaneously operating in a handset ("Dual Active"), they need to use separate modems, antennas and power amplifiers to send/receive calls and texts. It's essentially two phones in the one box, and putting them in one box has challenges and limitations. Only one SIM can be active for data at once, for example - bridging two data connections from different networks would be very cool, and that's hopefully something we'll see in the future (As much as the telcos would hate it).

Dual SIM Dual Active phones have 1x 2G/3G/4G antenna, and 1x 2G-only antenna - The only known exceptions being the two models mentioned previously. Usually you can switch which SIM uses which antenna in software, although that is not the case with all phones - some like the ASUS Zenfone 2 restrict the second SIM to 2G-only with no software switching.

Meizu are aware we'd like 4G Extended/Band 28 and Dual Active 3G for the NZ market - or to ditch Dual SIM entirely in favour of Band 28 - but I'm not holding my breath for either of those in the short-term.

Sorry you feel caught out by the limitation, it's just how Dual SIM phones work. Any other handset from any other brand would work the same way - unless you ended up buying one of those very specific new Xperia SKUs or the OnePlus 3. Historically 2x simultaneous 3G connections would have absolutely smashed battery life and posed serious RF challenges, so I'm curious to find out how the antennas are laid out in those units when/if I eventually get hands-on. Folks have been waiting a long time for Dual Active 3G.

Product Manager @ PB Tech

Smartphones @ PB Tech | Headphones @ PB Tech

JoeTurksta

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#1594566 18-Jul-2016 16:08

Well it's not the Data part the bugs me, it's the calls. I would like to receive Calls on my work SIM (Spark), but use my Personal (Skinny) SIM for everything else (even my O365 account, as it's not that Data Hungry).

Just unfortunate that Spark don't have a 2G capability for voice. So either way, I'm poked as I couldn't even change to Vodafone/2DM for everything on my Personal and set that as the Preferred Data SIM Card, because Spark/Skinny SIM's can't be set to receive voice calls.

tripp

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#1594578 18-Jul-2016 16:31

JoeTurksta:

Well it's not the Data part the bugs me, it's the calls. I would like to receive Calls on my work SIM (Spark), but use my Personal (Skinny) SIM for everything else (even my O365 account, as it's not that Data Hungry).

Just unfortunate that Spark don't have a 2G capability for voice. So either way, I'm poked as I couldn't even change to Vodafone/2DM for everything on my Personal and set that as the Preferred Data SIM Card, because Spark/Skinny SIM's can't be set to receive voice calls.

Or buy a one plus 3 :P

I don't know about battery life however as 2 x 3g or 1x3g 1x4g might suck the power out of it. 2G was very nice for battery life (remember that good old 5110/3110 nokia's etc, they use to last for days on 1 charge).

It's only been over the last couple of months that phones have started to come out supporting 3g on the 2nd sim.

Reason why Spark does not have a 2g network is because when they switched from CDMA to WCDMA they did not need a GSM network as their 3G (WCDMA) network support most of the country and it was a new network.

Only reason why 2degrees when down that path was because it had the roaming deal with vodafone (from my understanding).

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