Note 3. My 'out of the box' review

[Cleoriff]

What do you know? Cleo is writing a review about a phone....:smileywink:

This will not be a usual review. It won't be full of technical specifications. The Note 3 was released last year so many of you will be familiar with it. (this was one of the reasons I chose it....I knew I could ask for help and it would be freely given)

I happily admit to being a technophobe. Each to their own. I know I have come a long way in two years since moving into the alien world of smartphones

My needs were simple. Currently I was using a Samsung S3 and though I loved it, I felt I needed something bigger. So it had to be Samsung. It had to be the Note 3. It had to be red.

This was my choice....

It arrived. I opened the box. I fell in love....easy as that.

(Picture taken courtesy of my S3)

Technical Specifications http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_3-5665.php

I can tell you now that I haven't tried half the features on this phone. If honest I probably never will..but I am using what suits me at present. Who knows, if I feel I want to live dangerously I may try a few more things?

Things I love...

The look and feel of this phone. It's big and beautiful. The screen size is just what I wanted. The display is clear and in my opinion, unbeatable. The keyboard is fast and responsive. The battery life is amazing. I charge it every 3 days. Job done.

The camera takes wonderful pictures. I have tried one video recording and hey, it all worked well.

I call and text a lot. Absolutely no problem

It takes a micro sim and the one from my S3 was transferred into this phone.

Setting it up...

This is where I aim to raise a few smiles. I had no clue. I admit to it. Therefore I will be showing a few of the conversations that went on between me and @MI5  (All credit to him. Without his expertise this phone would still be in the box)

Me: I want to set up the Note 3, how do I get everything from my S3 transferred over?

MI5: Have you backed everything up?

Me: Errrmmmm NO?

MI5: Do it now please.

Me: OK. How do I back them up?

MI5: Back your contacts to Gmail and your photos to Dropbox

Me: (A few hours later) Ok I have done that now...shall I put the sim in the Note 3?

MI5: You don't need to put your sim in yet.

Me: Are you sure?

MI5: Absolutely positive.

Me: (getting angry now) Well you better explain that to me because I am an idiot!!

Explanation given ...and yes I am an idiot.....A few hours later I started again....

Me: Oh God...it is saying there is a firmware/software update. It wants me to install it

MI5: Click install

Me: NO! It might wipe stuff.......

MI5: It wont. Click install now. Then turn the phone off and reboot.

(I knew how to do that)

Me: That's done and now another one has come in....

MI5: Install it......

I have to say there were many many more conversations of this nature. All amusing and time consuming but you get the gist of most of it.

My last question went along the line of....This S Pen thingy...what do I do with that? MI5's response was...lets get you all set up then I can talk to you about the S Pen (No doubt he was rolling on the floor with laughter at that one)

My final test was when I took my new Note 3 to Spain. In the past I have had no problem when I land, turning my S3 on and network is found immediately. Not so with the Note 3. It was if I turned her on and she woke up and thought...hang on hang on... where the hell am I?...

No real problem as I searched for the network manually...once found she was good to go and behaved impeccably during my time away.

So that's it....My red Note 3 is now attired in her new red case and looks the business.

I love it. I can't see me ever wanting to change

I hope my 'review' made you smile. If so my work is done

Thanks for reading this... and of course special thanks to @MI5  for all his amazing help and support

[viridis]

Sorry I plan to be busy Dec/Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr/May/Jun/Jul/Aug/Sep/Oct/Nov.
*delete as required.

[Bambino]

Without wishing to take this thread off topic, I'd just like to say that as far as I'm concerned, this thread is the essence of what this community should be. A member needing help, and another member giving that help, willingly and freely. No thought of scoring points that would enhance their status. Just the way it used to be when I first joined here.

Again, my apologies for veering away from the subject, but I felt this needed to be said.

[Cleoriff]

I have just been reading some articles on the S Pen...Clever little thing isn't it? I may leave my tutorial on this feature till after Christmas...

The S Pen is located on the bottom right-hand side of the Galaxy Note 3. Removing the stylus will cause the device to launch the Air Command menu, which can appear on the home screen or inside of an app. The menu gives quick and easy access to various S Pen features, such as Action Memo, Scrapbooker, Screen Write, S Finder, and Pen Window. It can also be enabled by hovering over the screen and clicking the button on the side of the stylus. (Tech Radar)

This is just a small paragraph in relation to the S.Pen.....

[Beenherebefore]

But @Cleoriff do you know what "Action Memo, Scrapbooker, Screen Write, S Finder, and Pen Window"

actually do ???????

[Cleoriff]

While I am here can I just say there is another software update

Download booster, Kids Mode, New camera function(Virtual tour) Rapid key input etc etc...

All good....however one thing worries me

ATTENTION You are about to upgrade from Knox v1.0 to v2.0....

Am I ok to just go ahead and install without backing anything up.......

[jonsie]

Brilliant review @Cleoriff and made me chuckle. All set up with some great help from Rich. I can't thank him enough. ...it could have been me 

[viridis]

That was quick

[viridis]

Off down the bookies to collect

[Cleoriff]

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@jonsie wrote:

Brilliant review @Cleoriff and made me chuckle. All set up with some great help from Rich. I can't thank him enough. ...it could have been me 

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Indeed it could @jonsie  You can thank Thailand for saving you. However, I do know the date of your return

Seriously, everyone who has commented on here has helped me in so many ways. I salute you all

[Beenherebefore]

Collect mine while you're there please........I left a suitcase with them, I think it'll be big enough.