Galaxy note 7....*sigh* ...now what?

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#1651349 14-Oct-2016 22:55

To all the baffled out there: Sony released an Xperia X performance model earlier this year, which is available in NZ on several carriers, and then announced its successor the XZ which has only reached market internationally this month. The difference is USB-C and slightly different camera setup from memory.

Geektastic

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#1651358 14-Oct-2016 23:26

sidders80: Yes they do. Its not so much the fingerprint reader which is an issue I think its the placement and how it is used. Something along those lines. It is only a US thing. I also read if they download an international ROM to the US version the fingerprint is then enabled. Nonetheless the NZ version will have the fingerprint reader.

Good to know. It seems better than I thought (I may have read reviews of the predecessor which had a fairly similar name/appearance - although I think there was a version of that with a better display than this one has) and the camera can be quite good in reasonable light. No cellphone I have seen has a big enough sensor (in physical size and so on rather than MP) to shine in low light but to do that you would really need a cellphone module attached to a camera rather than the other way around! You can sort of do that with cameras that can connect to the phone with Bluetooth I suppose.

I quite like it and I am really feeling like a non-iPhone option this time - I have never had any other kind of smartphone (other than a Blackberry at work for a while) and a change is as good as a rest! Maybe a return to iPhone with the 8s. The 7 is just too dull, frankly - it's like having a faster version of the 6 I have now. Have to see if the XZ turns up at Vodafone! They still list the XA and X but not the XZ yet.

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#1651381 15-Oct-2016 03:27

I know it's not necessarily the specs that might apply in NZ but here's a list:

http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_xz-8313.php

The Huawei P9 Plus is very similar - same res but larger Super AMOLED screen, no water resistance. Good camera with Leica optics. 'Smart' stereo speakers. LED port.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Geektastic

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#1651413 15-Oct-2016 08:32

1eStar: To all the baffled out there: Sony released an Xperia X performance model earlier this year, which is available in NZ on several carriers, and then announced its successor the XZ which has only reached market internationally this month. The difference is USB-C and slightly different camera setup from memory.

Thanks! Way to go on the logical naming etc Sony.

Still, better than TV models. "Good Morning, I'd like to by a TCTGHX544467777SL please...."

ibuksh

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#1651546 15-Oct-2016 12:09

Has anyone gone from note7 to iphone 7 plus? Hows the user experience?

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#1651599 15-Oct-2016 14:38

ibuksh: Has anyone gone from note7 to iphone 7 plus? Hows the user experience?

No but my wife has a 7 plus and I can say that it is virtually identical to use as a 6s if you've ever tried one. It's one reason I've not bothered, for the first time ever, to get the new iPhone.

MikeB4

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#1651610 15-Oct-2016 14:59

The S7 Edge is a good alternative to the N7 however there are some caveats I would put on it. Icons on the outer edges of the screen are very easy to launch or move to another page accidently because of the curved screen. This is worse if you don't use a case. Without a case the handset is a slippery sucker and the thin edge does exacerbate this. It is a finger print magnet, I swear they get on there worth out even touching the device.

As for functionality, with the demise of the N7 it is one of the best handsets on the market. There are better value handsets eg Huawei P9 plus, Oneplus 3.

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sidders80

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#1651623 15-Oct-2016 15:34

XZ pricing $1099 at JB and $1199 at Sony

http://shop.jbhifi.co.nz/mobile-phones/mobiles-outright/sony-xperia-xz-smartphone-mineral-black/102292

http://store.sony.co.nz/XPERIAXZ.html#cid=gwt%3Acategory%3Asubnav-mobiletablets%3Asmartphones&start=1

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#1651630 15-Oct-2016 15:54

Can any of you folks who have more detailed knowledge of the myriad of mobile phone systems/frequencies confirm that the XZ would be good in terms of worldwide use?

The specs on the Sony link above in @sidders80's post say

4G LTE (4G) Cat 9
GSM GSM GPRS/EDGE (2G)
UMTS UMTS HSPA+ (3G)

Which probably means a lot more to many of you than it does to me!

MarkH67

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#1651688 15-Oct-2016 19:59

DaveB:

I have to admit I did give it some serious consideration as there really is nothing to compare to the Note 7. Even the S7 Edge I have now feels like a step backwards.

I considered a Note but chose the S7 Edge, can you elaborate on how the S7 Edge is a step backwards?

I only really saw the advantage of the Note as having a stylus, not a lot different between the phones apart from that.

My S7 Edge gets great battery life and seems to perform well in all aspects as far as I can tell, I absolutely LOVE the camera!

DaveB

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#1651910 16-Oct-2016 13:31

MarkH67:

DaveB:

I have to admit I did give it some serious consideration as there really is nothing to compare to the Note 7. Even the S7 Edge I have now feels like a step backwards.

I considered a Note but chose the S7 Edge, can you elaborate on how the S7 Edge is a step backwards?

I only really saw the advantage of the Note as having a stylus, not a lot different between the phones apart from that.

My S7 Edge gets great battery life and seems to perform well in all aspects as far as I can tell, I absolutely LOVE the camera!

Hi Mark. Yes the stylus was a huge advantage for the way I use the phone, so in that respect it was a huge step backwards and would have been regardless of which phone I eventually had to go to after the recall.

The other areas are subtle, but when taken together tend to add up. These include

1. Form factor of the phone. The curved edges on the Note were not as sharp as on the S7E and the phone sat more comfortably in your hand when using without a case. In other words, the S7E feels sharp and less comfortable in my hands. Of course with a case, this issue become null and void. I have always however had a preference for a naked phone and use a case rarely. I will have to use one with the S7E all the time I think.

2. The step down to Android 6.0.1 (from 6.1 as used in the Note 7) brings it's own issues, especially with regards to phone optimisation. Even though the s7E has a larger battery, I am finding battery life not as good as the Note 7, even though I am using the same apps. Clearly when the s7E is updated to 6.1 or better we should see an improvement. When that will happen remains to be seen, but hopefully it is not too far away.

3. Stepping back from the Grace UI used in the Note 7 was a definite backwards step. I am quite sure that when this is released for the s7E, it will be welcomed.

4. Likewise, my s7E appears to not be as fluid as the Note 7 was. I assume this is due to the combination of android 6.0.1 and the current Touchwiz GUI. I have noticed a little lag on the odd occasion with the s7E that I never experienced with the Note 7.

5. Interestingly, mobile signal reception seemed to be better with the Note 7 than it is with the s7E. We live in a very poor reception area and have always only been able to get reception in a corner of our lounge or 1 upstairs bedroom. The Note 7 reception was definitely better.

Just minor things (apart from the loss of the s-Pen), but when combined together, they do add up. One thing I can say with all the confidence in the world, when the S7E is optimised to the level that the Note 7 was released, people are going to be more happy with the overall improvements.

pdkm

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#1651997 16-Oct-2016 18:07

Well, I went and swapped my Note 7 over today for the S7 Edge. I have to say, I agree with everything Dave has said above.
It is a great device, but I really miss the nicely rounded edges along with nice and clean UI in the pull down menu and settings screen of the Note 7 instead of the coloured circles etc. found on the edge.
Still, miles ahead of my previous Xperia Z3 :)