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Galaxy Note Tips & Tricks

  • Note 10
    • Official Samsung Galaxy Note 10 User Manual
    • Unbox Galaxy Note 10: What are included in Galaxy Note 10 Box?
      • How to use the new Galaxy Note 10 S Pen?
      • How to use Galaxy Note 10 Clear View cover (S View cover)?
      • Install S Note app and Extension pack on Galaxy Note 10
      • Galaxy Note 10 LED View Cover Guide and Review
      • How to use the Dynamic Lock screen on Galaxy Note 10?
    • How to charge Galaxy Note 10 battery?
    • How to use Samsung DeX for PC with Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+?
    • Galaxy Note 10 SIM Card Guide
    • How to Use Galaxy Note 10 Camera App?
    • Galaxy Note 10 Layout
      • Where is the Galaxy Note 10 zoom-in mic?
      • How to use and remap Galaxy Note 10 Side key?
    • Galaxy Note 10 review: the death of Galaxy Note
      • Top 10 new features of Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ you should try
      • Top 10 missing features of Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ you should know before buying
      • Galaxy Note 10 vs Galaxy Note 10+: what are the differences?
  • Note 9
    • Top 9 new features of Galaxy Note 9
    • Official Samsung Galaxy Note 9 user manual
    • How to use Galaxy Note 9 S Pen?
      • How to use S Pen remote control on Galaxy Note 9?
      • How to change Galaxy Note 9 S Pen nib?
  • Note 8
    • Official Samsung Galaxy Note 8 User Manual
    • Top 8 new features of Galaxy Note 8
  • Note 7
    • Samsung Galaxy Note 7 User Manual
    • Galaxy Note 7 Layout
    • Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Specifications
    • Charge Galaxy Note 7 battery
    • Galaxy Note 7 SIM card guide
    • How to disable Galaxy Note 7 Flipboard briefing?
    • How to access and use Galaxy Note 7 notification panel?
    • How to manage and use Galaxy Note 7 quick setting buttons?
    • Galaxy Note 7 home screen guide
      • App folders in Galaxy Note 7 home screen
      • Add, use and manage apps in Galaxy Note 7 home screen
      • Use Galaxy Note 7 screen grid to customize app icon size
    • Meaning of Galaxy Note 7 indicator icons in status bar
  • Note 5
    • Top 12 new features in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate
    • Official Samsung Galaxy Note 5 user manuals with Android Nougat update
    • How to take screenshot on Galaxy Note 5 without using any apps?
    • Galaxy Note 5 layout
    • Galaxy Note 5 SIM card guide
    • Charge Galaxy Note 5 battery
    • Everything about Galaxy Note 5 S Pen
    • How to use Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo?
    • Galaxy Note 5 touch screen gestures
    • Galaxy Note 5 home screen
    • How to disable flipboard briefing on Galaxy Note 5?
    • How to use Galaxy Note 5 apps screen?
    • How to use Galaxy Note 5 lock screen?
    • How to use app folders on Galaxy Note 5 home screen?
    • How to use Galaxy Note 5 notification panel?
    • Meaning of Galaxy Note 5 status icons and notification icons
    • How to use Galaxy Note 5 quick settings?
    • Galaxy Note 5 air command
    • How to add app shortcuts to Galaxy Note 5 air command?
    • How to use scroll capture in Galaxy Note 5?
    • How to use Galaxy Note 5 themes?
    • How to unhide and access Galaxy Note 5 developer options? and how to hide Galaxy Note 5 developer options?
    • Galaxy Note 5 case guide
  • Note 4
    • Galaxy Note 4 Camera Guide
      • How to take photos continuously without reviewing the photos on Galaxy Note 4?
      • How to use volume button to take photos in Galaxy Note 4?
      • How to use voice commands to take photos and record videos on Galaxy Note 4?
      • How to manage and download Galaxy Note 4 camera effects?
      • How to set storage location for Galaxy Note 4 camera?
      • How to use Galaxy Note 4 camera burst mode?
      • How to customize Galaxy Note 4 camera app interface (and shortcut menu)?
      • How to set picture size and video size for Galaxy Note 4 camera?
      • How to use Galaxy Note 4 video recording modes?
      • How to manage and download Galaxy Note 4 camera modes?
      • Galaxy Note 4 camera modes user guide
    • How to take a screenshot on Galaxy Note 4?
    • How to turn off/on the touch key light (return and recent) on Galaxy Note 4?
    • How to access Galaxy Note 4 hardware menu button?
    • How to turn off Flipboard briefing on Galaxy Note 4 home screen?
    • How to create app folders on Galaxy Note 4 home screen and app drawer?
    • Galaxy Note 4 case guide
    • How to add widgets to Galaxy Note 4 home screen?
    • How to customize Galaxy Note 4 ringtones?
    • How to use Galaxy Note 4 download booster?
    • How to create own vibration patterns on Galaxy Note 4?
    • How to use Galaxy Note 4 finger scanner?
    • How to silence Galaxy Note 4?
    • How to install S Note idea sketch and easy chart on Galaxy Note 4?
    • Meaning of Galaxy Note 4 status icons and notification icons
    • How to use Samsung keyboard?
    • How to use Galaxy Note 4 side key panel?
    • How to enable and access Galaxy Note 4 air command?
    • How to customize Galaxy Note 4 notification tone?
    • Galaxy Note 4 S View Flip Cover Guide
  • Manual
    • Official Samsung Galaxy Note 10 User Manual
    • Official Samsung Galaxy Note 9 user manual
    • Official Samsung Galaxy Note 8 User Manual
    • Official Samsung Galaxy Note 5 user manuals with Android Nougat update
    • Samsung Galaxy Note 7 User Manual
    • Galaxy Note 5 User Manual
    • Updated Galaxy Note 4 User Manual for Android Lollipop Update
    • Galaxy Note 4 User Guide (Kitkat)
    • User manual for Galaxy Note 3
    • Galaxy Note 3 Customer Consultant Guide
    • Galaxy Note 3 Online User Guide
    • User manual for Galaxy Note II (Note 2)
    • User manual for Galaxy Note (Note 1)
    • User manual for Galaxy Note 10.1
    • User manual for Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0
    • Read Online Manual
      • Read Online User Manual for Galaxy Note 3
      • Read Online User Manual for Galaxy Note II (Note 2)
      • Read Online User Manual for Galaxy Note (Note 1)
      • Read Online User Manual for Galaxy Note 10.1
      • Read Online User Manual for Galaxy Note 8.0
    • User manual for Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition
    • Old User Manual
  • S Note
    • Install S Note app and Extension pack on Galaxy Note 10
    • Everything about Galaxy Note 5 S Pen
    • How to use Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo?
    • How to install S Note idea sketch and easy chart on Galaxy Note 4?
    • S Note Tutorial: how to use productivity tools
    • S Note tutorial: how to change text styles (appearance)
    • Top 10 New features of the New S Note in Galaxy Note 3
    • S Note Survival Guide
    • Tips and Tricks
      • 3 fast ways to create screenshot without using any apps
      • Top 12 new features you should try in Jelly Bean 4.1
      • Screen Mirroring with Galaxy Note 3
      • Who stole my butter? Solving slowness problems in after Jelly Bean update
      • How to solve battery issues after ICS update in your Galaxy Note?
      • Top 10 new features in Galaxy Note after ICS update
      • Top 10 questions on ICS update for your Galaxy Note
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Android

Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update: Top 5 disappointments and top 5 consolations

By Simon 239 Comments · First published on: January 27, 2014 · Last Modified on: February 17, 2015

galaxy_note_3_kitKat_updateSamsung released the Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update (Android 4.4.2) to more and more regions. You may check the update through your Galaxy Note 3 or through Kies. Some users may have to wait for the KitKat update a bit longer

The Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update equips Galaxy Note 3  with the latest version of Android, following Nexus (Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10), Moto X, Moto G, and some Google Play edition handsets (e.g., Google Play edition Galaxy S4 ).

However, just like other Samsung’s Android updates,  this Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update brings mixed experience: some disappointments and some consolations. If you are a Galaxy Note user, you probably still remember the battery drain issues in ICS update and slowness issue in Jelly Bean update.

In this post, I will share with you the top 5 disappointments, and 5 cool features (consolations)  in this Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update.

Disappointment #1: No ART options

One of the most important new features in KitKat (Android 4.4) for advanced users is the new runtime option: ART ( Android runtime).  Although Google baked this  new runtime as a beta feature in KitKat, most tests already reported significant speed improvement for almost all apps. In Moto X, we saw extremely good results when this runtime is enabled.

Unfortunately, Samsung totally disable this option in Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update. There is no way to try it in Galaxy Note 3 (with the official ROM).

Samsung may use the “beta” feature as an excuse of disabling ART in the Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update. It does not make sense because Samsung always bundles many alpha-level features  or apps in the handset. As one of the flagship handsets, Samsung should give customers the option.

We have to wait for next update if you want to try ART in Galaxy Note 3.

Disappointment #2: SD card support is limited

Update 1: the SD card issue in Galaxy Note 3 after KitKat update is apparently now solved. In some regions, there is another small update after …

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note Guides, Galaxy Note News Tagged With: accessory, Android, ART, camera, Galaxy Note 3, hangouts, KitKat, S view, samsung, udpate

Who stole my butter? Solving slowness probelms in Galaxy Note after Jelly Bean update

By Galaxy Note 56 Comments · First published on: April 9, 2013 · Last Modified on: September 14, 2013

slow-jelly-beanJelly Bean 4.1 updated for Galaxy Note has been rolled out in phases since February 2013. This update brings Galaxy Note owners many excited improvements, new features and apps. Some of the new features were explained in  the Top 12 new features you should try after getting Jelly Bean 4.1 update for Galaxy Note.

However, some users reported serious slowness issues after the Jelly Bean update in their Galaxy Notes. It seems the Project Butter is nothing, or Samsung stole our butter.

What are the causes, and what are the solutions?

First, Galaxy Note is powerful enough for running Jelly Bean smoothly. 1GB RAM, and dual core 1.4GHz Exynos 4 Dual 4210 chip are still decent hardware specifications even after1.5 years. A lot of middle range Jelly Bean handsets has far less powerful hardware specifications.

So, do not suspect your hardware. Jelly Bean is not hungry for hardware. Any hardware that can run Ice Cream Sandwich should meet the requirements of Jelly Bean. A lot of manufactures do not give Jelly Bean update simply because  they do not want to put more resources on an old model. In this sense, Samsung did an excellent job.

The slowness problem in Jelly Bean update lies on the update itself. When you update the system, most of your old settings will be kept, some are necessary, some are unnecessary . Some of these settings are fully compatible with Jelly bean; some are compatible  but with degraded performance. For the known incompatible settings, the update will handle them. The biggest issue is that some old settings are not compatible to the new OS/ROM, but it is unknown yet.  Therefore, for the slowness caused by such problematic settings, a factory reset will solve the issue.

Please be careful when performing the  factory reset because it will erase your internal storage. You need backup all your data in the internal storage, including your contacts and messages. Apps can be re-installed, but the settings will be gone. If you have rooted your phone, you can use Titanium Backup  to …

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note Guides Tagged With: Android, Android 4.1, Android 4.2, app, Autorun Manager, backup, cahe, Carbon, Exynos, factory reset, galaxy note, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, Kies, OS, Project Butter, RAM, reset, samsung, TouchWiz, update

Top 12 new features you should try after getting Jelly Bean 4.1 update for Galaxy Note

By Galaxy Note 14 Comments · First published on: April 1, 2013 · Last Modified on: August 14, 2019

jelly-bean-update-for-galaxy-noteJelly Bean 4.1 update has been available in more and more regions since February. Now our almost 1.5-year-old Note gets a new life again after the Ice Cream Sandwich update last year.

If the rumor can be trusted (and it is usually can be trusted), Galaxy Note will get Jelly Bean 4.2 update this year as well. Even better news for Galaxy Note 2 owners, Key Lime Pie (aka, Android 5.0) update will very likely be available for your Note 2. Well done Samsung!. Now Samsung is only second to Google in providing an update for their Android handsets.

Last November, we list top 10 expected features in this Jelly Bean update for Galaxy note. After testing the update recently, we found all features mentioned except Airview were included in this update.

Some of these new features and improvements are part of Jelly Bean update, for example, Google Now and popup browser. Some are Samsung’s extension or exclusive apps, for example, multi-window, Paper Artist,  and easy clip.

In this post, I will share with you 12 must-try new features in this Jelly Bean 4.1 update in your Galaxy Note. All these features are already available in Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Note 8.0  and Galaxy Note 10.1. So, if you own Galaxy Note 2, Note 8.0 or Note 10.1, you can also try all these features out of the box.

1.  Google Now (part of Jelly Bean)

Google Now is the killer feature of Jelly Bean. It was officially unveiled in Google I/O 2012. With Google now, you become the master, not the slave of your smartphones. Google Now essentially digs all your info in your Google accounts, then predicts what info you may need before you ask. The info is presented in “cards”, which are presented once you start Google Now. In Jelly Bean 4.2, more cards will be available.

Of course, you can also use Google Now as knowledge navigator: simple ask questions, Google Now gives you results in natural language. It works far better (not so arguable) than Siri in iPhones.

To …

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note Guides, Galaxy Note News, Galaxy Note Reviews Tagged With: Android, Android 2.3, Android 4.0, Android 4.1, Android 5.0, blocking mode, camera, contextual filename, contextual tag, galaxy note, galaxy note 10.1, galaxy note 2, Google Now, GPS, Jelly Bean, Key Lime Pie, multi window, notification, page buddy, paper artist, photo frame, photo note, popup browser, popup note, popup play, Q Slide, quick memo, S Note, samsung, Siri, tag, update

Is LG Optimus G Pro an Alternative to Galaxy Note 2?

By Simon Leave a Comment · First published on: March 22, 2013 · Last Modified on: September 14, 2013

galaxy-note2-vs-lg-optimus-g-proIt is not a secret that LG wants to step into the phablet market which is dominated by Samsung’s 5.3″ Galaxy Note and 5.5″ Galaxy Note 2. The 5″ rectangle slab, Optimus Vu, and Vu 2, announced last year, failed miserably to get into this niche market.

So, this year, LG Optimus G Pro was announced during Mobile World Congress 2013. It will be released in selected regions next month. This time LG gambles on the Optimus G branding. Will it be successful?

The eye-catching feature of this phone is its 5.5″ full HD IPS display. So, the targeted competitor of Optimus G Pro is not Galaxy S3 or recently announced Galaxy S4. LG actually wants this phone to be the alternative of Galaxy Note 2.

From the timing of the announcement, it can be easily deduced that  Galaxy Note 2 is the target. By releasing a handset in the middle of Galaxy Note 2 and the coming Note 3, Optimus G Pro can get about 6-month lead in hardware specifications against Note 2.

LG recently started to know how to design a great Android phone after they worked with Google for the Nexus 4. LG then transformed Nexus 4 into Optimus G, which is the most successful Android phone LG ever made.

Design and build quality

From the exterior, Optimus G Pro likes  a sibling of Galaxy Note 2. It is totally different from Optimus Vu or  Optimus G. Physical home button and two capacitive buttons for menu and back are similarly placed like that in  Galaxy Note 2. However, Optimus G Pro has slightly smaller side bezels.

For the back, LG also abandoned  the all-glass design spotted  in Optimus G. Plastic was chosen for Optimus G Pro. The build quality is similar to Note 2.

One thing that some people may like in Optimus G Pro is the Q Button. This is a dedicated button in the left side.  You can configure any  (but only one) app for this button. Of course, you can configure it as a camera button, just like many …

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note Guides, Galaxy Note News Tagged With: AMOLED, Android, Android 5.0, camera, display, dual camera, dual shoot, galaxy note, galaxy note 2, Galaxy S4, IPS, Jelly Bean, Key Lime Pie, LG, multi window, Optimus G, Optimus G Pro, Q Memo, Q Slide, S Memo, S Note, S Pen, samsung, TouchWiz, video

Galaxy Note 8.0: the largest smartphone in the history!

By Galaxy Note 8 Comments · First published on: February 25, 2013 · Last Modified on: September 14, 2013

Galaxy Note family now has a new member: Galaxy Note 8.0.

galaxy-note-8It is different from Galaxy Note 10.1, which is clearly a tablet. It is simply a larger version of Galaxy Note 2, a giant phone.

So, this is a smartphone, at least, not a pure tablet. This can be easily identified by: 1). an earpiece and, 2).the iconic Home button and two navigation keys.

The major difference to Galaxy Note 2 is the odd location of the speaker. In Galaxy Note 8.0, it is in the bottom, not on the back. Designer may come from the Mars.

Specification wise, this is surely not a top-notch smartphone or tablet. It is merely a not-so-bad device, based on today’s standard. Under the hood, you get a 1.6GHz quad-core A9 processor (it should be a Exynos 4XXXX), a 2GB RAM, a 1280*800 PLS display, a 16/32GB storage, a 4600mAh battery.

The weight is only 338g, thanks to its full plastic exterior, except display and bezel. Typical Samsung style.

The good news for Galaxy Note and Note 2 users is now you finally can use S Pen  for the menu and back buttons. You also get a new reading mode to make your reading more comfortable.

The bad news is it runs on Jelly Bean 4.1.2 (just like most Note 2 and Note 10.1), not the latest 4.2.2. Disappointed, although you will very likely get the update later.

More disappointed, the battery is not removable.

The most disappointed: the main camera has no flash. So you can guess its quality. The 5MP tag reminds you the price is not in the cheap side.

However, if you compare this giant phablet with the tablet with similar form factor (e.g., iPad mini). It is actually quite decent.

So, the imaginary competitor of this Galaxy Note 8.0 is not smartphones, but 7-8″ tablets.

Samsung probably hopes this giant phone will be the king or queen in this form factor. This could have been true if the specifications were slightly elevated.

It looks stupid to hold this giant phone near …

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note News, Galaxy Note Stories Tagged With: Android, camera, Exynos, galaxy note, galaxy note 10.1, galaxy note 2, galaxy note 8.0, Jelly Bean, phablet, S Pen, samsung, smartphone, tablet

Top 10 expected features in Jelly Bean 4.1 update for Galaxy Note

By Galaxy Note 26 Comments · First published on: November 20, 2012 · Last Modified on: September 14, 2013

jb-new-logoWe all know Samsung has been working on Jelly Bean (4.1) update for Galaxy Note, although this Korean company never officially confirm or announce this update. The information we have is the update may be rolled out as early as in December. and most users will get it in Q1/2013. There is no information on Jelly Bean 4.2 update yet.

Anyway, the waiting is almost over. Now, let’s list the top 10 anticipated features in this Jelly Bean 4.,1 update for our more-than-one-year-old Galaxy Note. For Top 10 new features in ICS update, please read this post: https://www.allaboutgalaxynote.com/top-10-new-features-in-galaxy-note-after-ics-update/ 

All these features are available on Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy Note 8.0 already.

1. Faster, smoother, and more responsive as claimed by Google

Thanks to Project Butter, one major improvement in Jelly Bean is the performance: faster, smoother and more responsive. Of course, I guess Samsung’s TouchViz UI may degrade the performance a bit. Some carriers’ bloatware may also have negative impact on the performance.

But overall, we should notice significant performance improvement.

2. Google Now

It is a shame that Google Now has not got sufficient attention. Google Now is a true innovation on getting relevant information on a mobile device. It makes you the master, not the salve, of the information. Just as claimed by Google, Google Now gets you just the right information at just the right time. If you do not have any Jelly Bean devices now, you may get more info on the Google Now offical site

3. Multi Window

Yes, you can run two apps side by side. Although very limited apps are compatible with multi window at this time, it is a really nice feature for a 5.3″ screen. Of course, this feature is best for Galaxy Note’s bigger brother Note 10.1.

4. Offline voice typing

In Jelly Bean, a new embedded speech recognizer lets you use Voice Typing even when you don’t have an Internet connection.

5. New notification system

The notification system will have significant improvements: more info and more controls. Notifications from the …

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note Guides, Galaxy Note News, Galaxy Note Reviews Tagged With: 4.1, air view, Android, direct call, galaxy note, galaxy note 10.1, galaxy note 2, Google Now, Jelly Bean, multi window, photo note, S Note, S Pen, smart stay, update, voice typing

S Note Tutorial: how to use productivity tools

By Simon 211 Comments · First published on: August 24, 2012 · Last Modified on: November 3, 2018

s-note-tutorial-productivity-toolsS Pen is something unique in our Galaxy Note. ICS (aka Android 4.0) update simply made our Note more useful with some new apps specially for S Pen. S Note is one of these new and interesting apps.

However, some Galaxy Note users are not sure how to use S Note, although, Samsung already includes the 6-page S Note tips, 6-page productivity tips, and 6 samples (not sure why Samsung guys like 6, 6=s) in the S Note app.

So, I created this tutorial to give you some idea how to use the productivity tools in S Note.

This tutorial works on all Note devices: Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy Note 8.0.

For Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition, this productivity tools is integrated into S Note app. So in the new S Note app, you can not find this tools directly. Please read this post for more info.

In the 8min 30s video (screen cast with audio), the following topics are covered:

  • 1). start and navigate through S Note;

  • 2). find and use the productivity tools button;

  • 3) handwriting to text;

  • 4). shape match;

  • 5). formula match;

  • 6) export S Note

Enjoy the video.

Tools used to create this video include:

  • Galaxy Note (for sure)
  • openShot  video editor (http://www.openshotvideo.com/, sorry, Linux only)
  • Ashot (capture and cast phone screen from PC, http://www.mightypocket.com/2010/08/android-screenshots-screen-capture-screen-cast/)
  • Super Text To Speech Free app (I tried to Galaxy Note as much as possible, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=alliance.supertexttospeech.android )
  • Blender 3D (used by openShot, http://www.blender.org/ )

More tutorials  for S Note app can be found here in  the S Note guide page.

More tips on Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note 8.0 and Galaxy Note 10.1 can be found in Tips and Tricks page.

Galaxy Note 3 online manual (HTML edition) is available here.

If you want to download the PDF version of Galaxy Note 3, Note Ii, Note 8.0. Note 10.1, or read the PDF version on line, you can find all of them in this User Manual page.…

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note Guides, Galaxy Note News, Galaxy Note Videos, S Pen Tagged With: Android, app, export, formula matach, galaxy note, handwriting to text, Ice Cream Sandwich, ics, productivity tools, S Note, S Pen, samsung, shape match, tutorial, video, youtube

Top 10 new features in Galaxy Note after ICS update

By Galaxy Note 184 Comments · First published on: July 16, 2012 · Last Modified on: September 14, 2013

After the official release of ICS 4.0.3 update for Galaxy Note  in May and ICS 4.0.4 update last week, some users asked me what the new features are. Thanks to Samsung’s Touch Viz UI, most users will not visually find any changes after the update. Here I prepared the top 10 new features in your Galaxy Note after the ICS update.

Each update fixes some bugs and the performance should be improved, so we usually recommend users to apply the update, although some new problems may be reported, e.g. battery issues, RAM issues. Given the short lifespan (1-3 years) of samrtphones, it is impractical to wait for the perfect firmware.

In this post I will try to introduce you the features. I will create  tutorials for some of these features later.

1. Pop- up play (ICS 4.0.4 update is needed)

pop-up-play-galaxy-notePop up play was debuted on Galaxy S3  last May. In the Googl Play store, there are a few paid apps (e.g., Stick it! (Pop-up Player)) doing the similar job. What it does is quite simple, you can watch your video and use other apps at the same time. The video will be re-sized as thumbnail and you can move it to any locations on your screen. Pretty cool, right?

Of course, only the built-in video player support this. Once the video is open, you can find the re-sizing (or pop up play?) button in the top right corner. If you want to stop the video, just touch the video area and release your finger. If you want to go to full screen, you can long press the home button to get the task manager and open the video player.

Two limitations: 1). the size of the video cannot be adjusted, at lest I did not find any ways to adjust it; 2). If you want to go back to full screen, the video will be played from the beginning, not from where you stop in the pop up play mode. Thanks to julien for correcting me. (Tap the video,  it will go back to the full …

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note Guides, Galaxy Note News Tagged With: Android, Android 4.0, browser, chrome, data usage, face unlock, galaxy note, Galaxy S3, Ice Cream Sandwich, ics, My Story, premium suite, S Note, S Pen, samsung, signature unlock, task manager, update, video player

ICS 4.0.4 update for Galaxy Note is arriving, globally

By Galaxy Note 395 Comments · First published on: July 12, 2012 · Last Modified on: September 14, 2013

ics-4.0.04-galaxy-note-300After 2 months of the initial ICS update(4.0.3) for Galaxy Note, Samsung now quietly roll out ICS 4.0.4 globally. I was a bit surprised when I saw the update notification, because I just got the information the 4.0.4 update would be roll out gradually.

Apparently, immediately after releasing the ICS update for AT&T’s version Galaxy Note on July 11, Samsung also pushed out the ICS 4.0.4 update for Galaxy Note users in German. And today, more regions including most European countries and Asian countries get the Android ICS 4.0.4 update for Galaxy Note.

Hopefully, this update will solve some of the battery issues most users experienced in GB and ICS 4.0.3.

Now, all Galaxy Note users are expecting the next major update for Jelly Bean (Android 4.1). The information we have is that Galaxy Note  and S3 will get the Jelly Bean update, probably in Q1 2013.

Also, the coming Galaxy Note 2 (with ICS pre-installed, not Jelly Bean) will be very likely announced in the IFA 2012 (August 31-Sept. 5) and start to shipping in November (roughly one year after the release date for Galaxy Note) . So, hopefully, in the Q1 of 2013, both Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note 2 will get the Jelly Bean (4.1) update.

Anyway,today’s minor update (from 4.0.3 to 4.0.4)  is about 100MB.  So, please try to download through WiFi or Kies if your mobile data is very limited.

Any questions? please post the  in the comments section below or in the Galaxy Note Forums.

ics-4.0.4-galaxy-note-updated…

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note Guides, Galaxy Note News Tagged With: Android, battery, galaxy note, Galaxy S3, ics, Jelly Bean, sam, update

Why did I get less free RAM after the ICS update in my Galaxy Note?

By Galaxy Note 28 Comments · First published on: June 28, 2012 · Last Modified on: September 14, 2013

Some users felt the sluggish immediately after the ICS update on the Galaxy Note. Some users even want to go back to Gingerbread, as commented by some users on the post of Top 10 questions on ICS update for your Galaxy Note and Ice Cream Sandwich is coming to your Galaxy Note

Of course, it is NOT necessary to go back to GB. Don’t over-react on the feeling. In this post, I will share with you how to read your available RAMs, and some tips to make your Note more responsive.

During the ICS update, for some unknown reasons, all apps will be started (we all know all apps will be re-installed by the updater, but I am not sure why they are started). So, after the update, your Note will not so responsive. A quick solution is rebooting your phone after the update. Most apps will not run automatically, so, after the reboot, only some apps started.

Now, you can check your memory (RAM) usage through Settings–Applications–Running. You should have 200-400MB free RAM. This is more than sufficient for most apps!! For example, for my note as shown below, it still have 299MB free RAM after running a few days.

But if I use the bundled Task Manager, it reported only 101MB free RAM as shown in the screenshot below. This is why a lot of  users get scared!. Do not trust any task manager or system info apps. Most of them suck. Most of apps report available RAM inaccurately.

Wait a minute, the specification says my Galaxy Note have 1GB ram, but it shows I only have about 800MB.  Is Samsung cheating us? Surely not. The about 200MB RAM is reserved by the system, mainly for GPU.  In your Galaxy Note, there is a GPU (Mali 400-MP, to be precisely) whose duty is to render whatever to be shown on the screen. All such embedded GPUs do not have “dedicated” memory: they have to share the system RAM (your 1GB RAM). As GPU need contiguous (both physical and virtual)  address, memory should be …

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note Guides Tagged With: Android, battery, cpu, galaxy note, GPU, ics, Linux, memory, RAM, samsung, task manager, update

How to solve battery issues after ICS update in your Galaxy Note?

By Galaxy Note 322 Comments · First published on: June 17, 2012 · Last Modified on: December 21, 2013

galaxy-note-battery-issuesUpdate: although the post was initially written for Galaxy Note with ICS, the method actually works for Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Note 3 and many other Android devices with different versions of Android.

After ICS update, some Galaxy Note users complained about poorer battery life compared with that with Gingerbread. Initially, I thought it is a problem of “feeling” because I personally felt similar battery life after the ICS update. I was a bit disappointed because I had expected some sort of battery life improvements.

Suddenly, last week, I encountered the battery drain issue: battery just draining crazily. In one hour it can drain 3-10% battery capacity when the phone is idle. So, I know the users complaining are not alone.

As I finished my investigation and found the culprit, now I share with you how to solve battery issues on your Galaxy Note after the ICS Update. If you already have battery issues or you feel you have battery issues, you may follow my steps.

First, I installed an free app called CPU Spy (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bvalosek.cpuspy), which will give you the duration of  each CPU state. When your phone is idle (screen off, no music playing, no downloading), normally, your CPU should be in “Deep Sleep” state. For example, after one night, you check your CPU Spy, it should look like this.

As you can see, this is the normal situation. In the night, 95%of the time, the CPU is in deep sleep, and after 11 hours, about 6% battery was drained (I also checked emails before sleep).  If your phone does not go to deep sleep, you will find the duration on other state is higher. Very likely, you have battery drain issues if more than 20% battery are drained when you are sleeping (6-10 hours),  You probably will find far larger percentage on 200MHz state. If more than 30% are drained in one night, very likely, your phone never goes to Deep Sleep state.

So, install the CPU Spy (free), use your Galaxy note as usual for a few hours,  fully charge your phone, disconnect …

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note Guides Tagged With: Android, app, battery, cpu, galaxy note, Ice Cream Sandwich, kernel, samsung, update, wake lock

Top 10 questions on ICS update for your Galaxy Note

By Galaxy Note 328 Comments · First published on: June 4, 2012 · Last Modified on: September 14, 2013

galaxy-note-ics-update-girl-with-phonesYes, ICS update is available for about one third Galaxy Note users. To get the most current    status on the availability of ICS update in different regions, you may check this post (I will update it once new info is available).

I received some inquiries on ICS update for Galaxy Note: some are through comment of the post mentioned above; others are through Google+.  For all these questions, I tried my best to answer them, and will continue to answer them.

I noticed there are some repeated questions, so I decided to put some frequently asked ones in this post to save reader’s time. It will not be just 10, as I will always update it if it is necessary.

Question #1. Why did some users get the ICS update earlier than me? 

Normally, firmware update must go through local testing. For regions with more users (and so Samsung collected more money there), the testing usually is faster. And Samsung also may put some sorts of priority for such regions.

The second reason is that the local carrier may want to bundle more bloatware (in addition to that bundled by Samsung). This may slightly delay the update availability. If your handset is subsidized, the carrier always tries very hard to give you more bloatware.

Another possible reason is marketing scheduling. For example, if Samsung is planning to launch Galaxy S3 in your region, usually it is not a good idea to release ICS update for Galaxy Note (another flagship product) just a few days before the launching event. In this case, the update will be normally scheduled after the event.

Question #2. Why should I update to ICS?

ICS update for your Galaxy Note is just a software update. Software generally is getting better and better: more stable, more functions, more compatible apps. Android 4.0 (ICS) is a major update merging software stacks for phone (Ginger Bread) and tablet (Android 3.0, Honeycomb). So, it is almost perfect for Galaxy Note, which is somewhere between phone and tablet.

Specifically, with ICS update for your Galaxy Note, you get

  • Latest
…

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note Guides, Galaxy Note News, Galaxy Note Stories Tagged With: Android, Android 4.0, Android 5.0, ClockworkMod, CWM, face unlock, firmware, galaxy note, ics, Jelly Bean, Kies, My Story, OTA, premium suite, root, S Note, samsung, software, update

Galaxy Note Android 4.0 ICS source code is available now, why Samsung must release the source code?

By Galaxy Note Leave a Comment · First published on: May 23, 2012 · Last Modified on: September 14, 2013

Today, Samsung finally released the Android 4.0 (ICS) source code for Galaxy Note. If you are enthusiastic developer, you can work out your own ROM now very easily. Very likely, within one month, several different flavors of Galaxy ICS ROMs will be floating around.

open-source-softwareWhy does Samsung (and all other licensed Android hardware manufactures) have to release the source code to the public?  This is simply the obligation of using Android, because Android is using Apache license 2.0 except the Linux Kernel (which uses GPL v2 license).

Under Apache 2 license, user has the right to get the source code so that they can modify as they want (although this very likely will void the product warranty). So, the manufacturer MUST make the source code available to users, but it is NOT necessary to be under Apache license. For example, Samsung has its own license on using the the Android source code released by Samsung.

The Linux Kernel is released under GPLv2 license, which requires all modified work must also be released under such a license. Sometimes, this is named as “copyleft” license. Under this license, user get more controls of the source as manufactures are NOT allowed to impose additional terms on using the source code.  But due to its copyleft obligation, manufacturers usually want to avoid such license for competition reasons.

Although there are some critics on the openness of Android project,  Android is unarguably the best open source OS for mobile phones. It gives you the freedom you deserve.

This is one of the biggest advantages of using open source software, for consumers. You are not locked in; you can check how good or how crappy the code is.

For fruity fanbois, or M$ slaves, they never understand what freedom means, as a consumer.

 …

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note Guides, Galaxy Note News, Galaxy Note Reviews Tagged With: Android, Apache, free, galaxy note, GPL, Ice Cream Sandwich, license, Linux, mobile, open source, OS, samsung, smartphone, source code

CyanogenMod 9 (Ice Cream Sandwich) for Galaxy Note

By Galaxy Note Leave a Comment · First published on: May 2, 2012 · Last Modified on: September 14, 2013

CyanogenModCyanogenMod is an aftermarket firmware distribution and CyanogenMod 9 is for  Android 4.0 (ICS). Now, there is a mostly workable distribution for Galaxy Note with S Pen support.

According the dedicated  forum thread of CyanogenMod 9 for Galaxy Note in XDA-Developers, almost everything works  except:

  • FM radio (CyanogenMod 9 does not have FM Radio support for any devices)
  • Speakerphone
  • DSP Manager
  • USB On-The-Go (OTG)
  • Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL)

The good thing is the firmware works for both international version of Galaxy Note and the AT&T version.

Of course, CyanogenMod is for geeks and nerds. For most users, we are still waiting for the official ICS update for Galaxy Note due in this quarter (within less than 2 months if Samsung can keep the words.)…

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note News, Galaxy Note Stories Tagged With: Android, AT&T, CyanogenMod, firmware, galaxy note, Ice Cream Sandwich, MHL, radio, S Pen, samsung, smartphone, USB OTG

Ice Cream Sandwich for Galaxy Note leaked (for AT&T version)

By Galaxy Note Leave a Comment · First published on: April 5, 2012 · Last Modified on: September 14, 2013

galaxy-note-with-ice-cream-sandwich.jpgYes, about 5 million Galaxy Note users are patiently waiting for the update to the delicious Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS, aka Android 4.0) since last November. Initially, we heard the ICS update will be available together with Galaxy SII  in March. Later, Samsung officially announced the ICS update for Galaxy Note would be pushed to Q2, with Premium Suite specially for Galaxy Note.

Yesterday, another ICS ROM for Galaxy Note was leaked. According to Rootzwiki, the build is for AT &T version, not the international version. It has most functions (e.g., face unlocking) expected in ICS and almost all works flawlessly.

SlashGear/Android Community also put a 5-min video on Youtube:

If you have an AT & T version of Galaxy Note, and want to try the update, you may follow these steps (it may avoid your warranty and may damage your phone!!):

  1.  download the file from RootzWiki site to your Windows PC (it works on Windows PC only)
  2. Connect your Note to PC through USB
  3. Power off and boot to flash mode (press volume down and power buttons simultaneously ), then confirm with volume up
  4. Run the downloaded Odin OneClick file
  5. Follow the instructions to flash your ROM
Anyway, it seems the waiting for ICS on Galaxy Note will be over soon!

 …

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note Guides, Galaxy Note News, Galaxy Note Stories, Galaxy Note Videos Tagged With: Android, AT&T, face unlock, galaxy note, Ice Cream Sandwich, ROM, RootzWiki, samsung, update, USB, Windows, youtube

5 million Galaxy Note Users cannot be wrong!

By Galaxy Note 3 Comments · First published on: March 29, 2012 · Last Modified on: September 14, 2013

galaxy-note-shipped-5million-unitsSamsung just announced they shipped 5,000,000 Galaxy Note. 5 months, 5 millions units shipped, it is impressive! Potentially (some are still in the vendors’s warehouse) 5 million users!

For a smartphone, whose 5.3″ size was questions by many reviewerssince its initial release 5 months ago, it is a big success.  5 million buyers proved there is a genuine market for such Phablets. I like the size as written in the Size Always Matters post.

Hope Samsung can maintain the momentum and push out Ice Cream Sandwich update to Galaxy Note earlier.

What’s your opinion?…

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Filed Under: Galaxy Note News, Galaxy Note Stories Tagged With: Android, galaxy note, Ice Cream Sandwich, review, ship, size, smartphone, vendor

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