Official Samsung Galaxy Note (N7000) Thread

[RanzB]

:erm: Just got the phone. Insanely quick delivery.

@Randhir, its seriously easy to operate. If you are going to root etc, its a little more involved. ICS will come via the system update, so that will be a matter of clicking download and update (when the official is pushed). The market or "Play Store" as its called now is also very simple to navigate and download stuff (you need your google account i.e gmail setup first to access it). But in general, settings, apps, all the goodness of Android is very easy to learn.

Thanks dude, I'm sure youtube will help a lot as well.. I reckon you could learn minor surgery on youtube these days.

 

[Trix]

Hey mike, does the s-pen apps work with cm9? is that the rom that you are currently using?

Also who actually uses droidwall and lte privacy guard? It just caused more problems than good. It kept blocking my whatsapp from my contacts. Weird even tho I went into their setting and allowed access lots of times.

Anybody using juice defender?

Hi Randomwalsh

I'm using Juice defender ultimate on a non-rooted note. Initially it was working fine (I'd manage to get around 36 hours battery life but only with minimal use) but lately I've been wondering if its actually saving battery life or not as my phone only lasted a day yesterday (could be that I just used it more), maybe I need to install a faster auto task killer. Any thoughts or any non-rooted apps that would help?

 

[SirFooK'nG]

I can kill my battery in a few hours ... excessive use!

 

[Donald Bradbury]

Hi Randomwalsh

I'm using Juice defender ultimate on a non-rooted note. Initially it was working fine (I'd manage to get around 36 hours battery life but only with minimal use) but lately I've been wondering if its actually saving battery life or not as my phone only lasted a day yesterday (could be that I just used it more), maybe I need to install a faster auto task killer. Any thoughts or any non-rooted apps that would help?

If you do not use it, yes it will probably last a good length of time, as the screen is the biggest consumer.

 

[DominionZA]

Hey mike, does the s-pen apps work with cm9? is that the rom that you are currently using?

Also who actually uses droidwall and lte privacy guard? It just caused more problems than good. It kept blocking my whatsapp from my contacts. Weird even tho I went into their setting and allowed access lots of times.

Anybody using juice defender?

I hadn't tested the pen as yet. Never use it actually I will try it out just now and report back.

I used to use Droidwall and JD but not anymore. I just watch my data in 3G Watchdog and if it starts climbing too quick and change to 2G. My battery is fine so no need for JD.

 

[DominionZA]

Nah, I'm not talking about just phone use, I'm talking about going from knowing nothing (practically) about Android, to installing ICS in the near future.

Check back a few pages dude. I posted a guide on getting up to ICS.

 

[Rob123]

Hi everyone

First post here after having lurked for quite some time.

I've had my Galaxy Note for a month now and its an awesome phone. Like many of you, I also don't wait too long before I root and flash my phone with something different from xda-developers and having come from an HTC Desire, I'm no stranger to flashing my phone. Since getting the Note, I've now had 3 or 4 different versions of ICS on it with the latest being the "official" Samsung update for the German sales code phones but I've removed it and gone back to the latest official Gingerbread ROM available here in SA.

The trouble I've had with the official ICS update (and the ALBY ICS repack (pre-LPY)) was that there were no APNs listed in the Mobile Networks settings and correspondingly, no data connection available to the phone other than Wifi (where I knew the WPA/WEP key).

Other than this I have no beef with with the official ICS update and can reiterate what others have said about it being better, smoother, faster, etc. than Gingerbread but not having mobile data available to me away from a WIFI network is just not on, so thats why I dumped it and went back to the Gingerbread ROM.

Has anyone else come across this updating to the new official ICS ROM and, if you could, how did you fix it?

Thanks in advance

Use APN Backup & Restore on your GB ROM, then restore them on your ICS ROM.
Or you can request that your network send you the settings OTA. (also from their website)

 

[Wag]

Great phone, better than any phone I used before.
The only negative I have with the Note is placement of the the power button and volume rocker. they are positioned directly opposite each other on the phone and when I pushed the power button one of my fingers touch the volume rocker and only after some time I found that the sound is turned down to zero. As a result I missed a few calls. Is there a way around the problem. maybe a setting to cancel the rocker.

 

[Rob123]

Great phone, better than any phone I used before.
The only negative I have with the Note is placement of the the power button and volume rocker. they are positioned directly opposite each other on the phone and when I pushed the power button one of my fingers touch the volume rocker and only after some time I found that the sound is turned down to zero. As a result I missed a few calls. Is there a way around the problem. maybe a setting to cancel the rocker.

I would hope that this functionality will be included in one of the custom ROMs/kernels soon.

 

[FreeStanler]

New convert! OMW!!! A little help too, please

This is a quick and dirty how to for you guys that want to root and/or go to ICS.
I have done it this way so you guys at least have something to work with and direct links to the relevant XDA threads.
In time I will update this how to to include all relevant steps if required.
If you have any problems please let me know. If you flash a ROM and have issues with the ROM then please read the relevant thread at XDA.

1. Root your stock Galaxy Note. Also installs CWM (Clockworkmod).
If your device is already rooted go to step 2 (GB) or step 3 (ICS).

.Download and install Samsung Kies. This is just to get the right drivers on your PC.
.Thread for rooting. I used this same method on Sat to root/cwm a mates new Note. Worked perfectly.
.Install Mobile Odin on your phone. You will need this later.


2. Flash a custom Gingerbread ROM.

.IMO CheckROM is the best GingerBread ROM. Feel free to try others.
.Actual CheckROM download thread.


3. Flash a custom ICS ROM. Make sure you have a rooted Gingerbread ROM on FIRST (Follow Step 1)!!

.You need to flash Chainfire ICS Repack if you want a perfect and rooted ICS ROM.
You only need to do this once. From here you can flash any other ICS ROM and keep root.
.I am currently using this Cyanogenmod 9 ROM.
My other favourite is Stunner.

Thanks for this!

I have the S2, and my wife just got the Note...SUPER JEALOUS! My S2 looks and feel so inferior in comparison - but I am proud that my wife got such a cool phone

I am confident with rooting and flashing custom ROMs on the S2, but I do have a few questions about the same on the Note, if anyone would be so kind to indulge me:

Before rooting, how do I backup the phone, in case something goes wrong? Do I use 'mybackup'?

Is there a complete factory reset in case the backup is somehow corrupted?

My phone did not come with a SD card - did yours? How do I backup my phone in such a way that a clean data wipe won't touch the backup data? (i.e. where is the backup data stored on the phone, is it safe) I presume I have to move the files to PC?

Are there good S pen replacement apps or uses on the custom ROM's? Looking at Stunner and CM9 thanks to you guys My wife is a fashion photographer and would like to use the s pen to demonstrate light placements and design concepts to clients etc...

I can't ever imagine having a smaller phone. Even if this phone doesn't pack the quad core'ness of the S3 and OneX, I still feel that this phone is so much better.

 

[DominionZA]

The best backup to do is a nandroid.
Root your phone and get CWM installed.
Shut down, then Vol up, home and power. Hold all three until you are in CWM.
Backup. Just follow prompts.

This creates a system image of your phone.

For apps, use Titanium Backup (needs root). Backup all you apps and restore same.
Backups area kept even if doing a factory reset.

EDIT: No micro SD for me either. Had a few laying around so was fine.

 

[Rob123]

Be very careful what you flash - the BRICK bug is still there even on the kernels that have tried to disable it.
I would do a LOT of reading before you flash anything...... just saying.

 

[zakdoc89]

Yep... Read, ask, read... And repeat till youre 150% sure... I fell for the ICS bug... Flashed the German ICS (LPY) on my stock rooted GB using mobile odin pro, Then I got stuck in a bootloop... I reflashed using PC odin and it worked, but ive lost root and the kernel im currently on is suspect... So fingers crossed it lasts till theres a fix im confident wont brick my phone

 

[DominionZA]

I never had one ounce of kak and I flashed all the variations of ICS. Just follow instructions and you will be fine. The devs make them clear enough.

I have used the particular guide above many times and no issues at all.

 

[zakdoc89]

You're rooted on ICS? Which version you running?

 

[DominionZA]

You're rooted on ICS? Which version you running?

Currently CM9 Nightly and probably stay here now. So nice and smooth.
Favourite prior to this was Stunner.
Tried all the others but always ended up back on Stunner.
If you intend to change to another ICS ROM, just flash the AbyssNote redpill kernel first, then you new ROM.

My mini guide a page or 3 back shows how to root on ICS.

 

[Wag]

Currently CM9 Nightly and probably stay here now. So nice and smooth.
Favourite prior to this was Stunner.
Tried all the others but always ended up back on Stunner.
If you intend to change to another ICS ROM, just flash the AbyssNote redpill kernel first, then you new ROM.

My mini guide a page or 3 back shows how to root on ICS.

Mike, did the root thing install cm9 nightly but 2 things I need help with :

How do I lock into in my google account to sink contacts and other data? I only manage to set up my google mail account
How do I get a manager, like astro manager onto my phone to excess and manage my apps on pc's hard drive?

 

[FreeStanler]

The best backup to do is a nandroid.
Root your phone and get CWM installed.
Shut down, then Vol up, home and power. Hold all three until you are in CWM.
Backup. Just follow prompts.

This creates a system image of your phone.

For apps, use Titanium Backup (needs root). Backup all you apps and restore same.
Backups area kept even if doing a factory reset.

EDIT: No micro SD for me either. Had a few laying around so was fine.

Thanks Mike, Rob and Zakdoc.

I was wondering how to make a backup before rooting in case something goes wrong with the root process, but I guess I'll take the root plunge first anyway!

I do make backups using CWM for Nandroid backup and Titanium Backup for apps on my S2; but in the absence of a mini sd card in the Note, I guess I'll have to move the backup files to PC before flashing a new ROM. How tiresome.

Can I flash a new custom ICS ROM (not Touchwiz ICS) straight from a rooted GB ROM? I guess I (pedantically so) need confirmation that I indeed need to flash something else first (Abyssmod red pill ICS repack or whatever). I really want to try the 'Stunner' ICS ROM.

 

[zakdoc89]

Thanks Mike, Rob and Zakdoc.

I was wondering how to make a backup before rooting in case something goes wrong with the root process, but I guess I'll take the root plunge first anyway!

I do make backups using CWM for Nandroid backup and Titanium Backup for apps on my S2; but in the absence of a mini sd card in the Note, I guess I'll have to move the backup files to PC before flashing a new ROM. How tiresome.

Can I flash a new custom ICS ROM (not Touchwiz ICS) straight from a rooted GB ROM? I guess I (pedantically so) need confirmation that I indeed need to flash something else first (Abyssmod red pill ICS repack or whatever). I really want to try the 'Stunner' ICS ROM.

I just use google drive... With a good wifi connection its painless... I hate schleping with a USB cable etc...

 

[DominionZA]

Mike, did the root thing install cm9 nightly but 2 things I need help with :

How do I lock into in my google account to sink contacts and other data? I only manage to set up my google mail account
How do I get a manager, like astro manager onto my phone to excess and manage my apps on pc's hard drive?

If your contracts are not part of your Google account then you can do a merge from the people/contracts app. All future contacts must link to your Google account and they will forever remain in the cloud.
Check in your Accounts & Sync that Google contacts are set to sync.

ES File Explorer has great LAN functionality.

Titanium Backup can use your cloud storage (dropbox, gdrive) for backup. Look in preferences.

Hope that helps