Samsung Galaxy Note II User Review - Missing Features

I bought my dream handset Samsung Galaxy Note II on 12th December 2012. I ordered the combo of the handset and flip cover through flipkart and got the same delivered in just 24 hours on 13th December 2012. So it has been more than a month since I am using this handset.  So I think this is a right time to post the review from actual end user point of view. 

This handset is really a monster on all fronts and it is very robust. It delivers up to the expectations.  Also Samsung provided the facility to import my previous Nokia backup directly (indication that people are moving away from Nokia to Samsung). So the transition was smooth. 

But As I started to write this review, I felt that for a premium handset like this, if I start writing the positive list of features, it would be unending and also would not be very helpful since it is expected out of this handset. Also its already there on a lot of other websites. So its better and easier to write the negative list of features and missing features. Please keep in mind that some of these are handset specific, while some of these are problems in Android as a whole. I am using the latest Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 version. 

So after using this handset for more than a month now, I have noticed the following shortcomings:

1) Wi-Fi Broadband Connection is must: Internal Memory of this handset is 16 GB and RAM is 2 GB. So even though the memory is sufficient, there are hardly any pre-installed applications. So you have to start from scratch and download all the applications which you need. Downloading so many applications on GPRS is very painful, and practically you need to have wi-fi broadband connection to make the full use of this handset.

2) Common Applications: There are many applications these days, which I am sure that more than 75% of the users would be using. Still Samsung doesn't provide these applications pre-installed. Even though you get them free of cost from the Play Store, you have to do that downloading exercise. I think the following applications should be pre-installed:

a. facebook

b. Twitter

c. Skype

d. Oxford Dictionary

e. WhatsApp

3) MS-Office Editor: For business users, it is must to have the MS-Office editor. Although the viewer is pre-installed, you need to download the Editor to create/edit Excel and Word files. I downloaded the Polaris Office software.

4) Photo Editor: This handset captures beautiful photographs and it is designed for "being creative". But creativity demands that there should be a photo editor software. This handset has a Paper Artist application which converts the photos to different types of sketches. But a basic photo editor is not there. I downloaded the same from Samsung Apps store. But it a again a pretty basic editor. For a premium handset, there should be advanced photo editor installed. 

5) Headset: The headset provided with this handset is a pretty average one. Samsung should provide premium noise cancellation headset or a Bluetooth headset with this handset. 

6) Charging Cable Length: The length of the charging cable provided with this handset is just 40'' (just below 3.5 ft) i.e. 100 cms. It is too short. If I want to place the same on a normal centre table for charging, I have to place some big size books below the handset so that the cable reaches to the AC wall socket. The cable is good to use as a data cable, but not with a charger. Why can't Samsung provide the longer cable?

7) Maps Offline Access: Being an android handset, it uses Google Maps. In my previous Nokia handset, I had Ovi Maps installed and complete Drive India navigation was also saved in the handset itself. So Maps used to function even without a sim card, just by turning the GPS ON. But now with Google Maps, continuous data connection is required. And Maps consume a huge amount of data. Even though you can now save Google Maps for offline access, a very limited area in your city can be saved. And in offline access, you cannot determine the route by setting the destination. So if I am using offline saved map, to determine the route, I have to go online temporarily and then go offline again once the route is set. I think country specific Google Maps should be saved in the devise itself for better offline navigation. 

8) E-Wallet Type Application: With Mobile e-commerce being on the rise, this handset should provide a secure e-wallet type of an application for mobile payments and storing credit card information. 

9) Mobile Tracker:  If this handset is lost or stolen, it can be tracked remotely using www.samsungdive.com but this service requires that the handset is online after being stolen. 

Now there is a high probability that the thief inserts a new sim card, but doesn't have a data connection plan on that sim card. In such a case, this mobile tracker is of no use. So this mobile tracker should work on SMS basis as well, in case data connection is not available, just like www.wavesecure.com works. Also Samsung Dive doesn't display the new mobile number after the sim is changed. 

10) Anti-virus: Anybody using this handset must be a tech savvy person and must be using this handset for browsing most of the times. This exposes the handset to security risks and naturally it is expected that a good anti-virus and firewall should be pre-installed. I have downloaded Avast Anti-virus, it is working pretty well but I am not too sure whether it is effectively protecting the handset from malware or not. 

11) Premium Games: There are no pre-installed games. It is expected that the premium handset should provide the full versions of some premium games. Samsung should provide the facility to download at least 5-10 full version premium games.

12) Conversation View in SMS: Messages are displayed only in Conversational form. While "View Mode" option, providing the options to select " Standard View" and "Conversation View", is there for Email Client, similar option is not there for SMS. So if I want to check only my Sent Items, it is not possible.

13) Business Card via SMS rather than MMS: When Business Card is sent via message,  the vcf file is sent as MMS rather than as a normal SMS. So I am not too sure whether the receiver would be able to download the MMS message or not. The workaround that I found for this is first to go to Compose Message option, then "Add Text" and then select "Contacts" to send the contact details as in-line message. But the receiver is not able to save the same directly to his contacts without typing the name, as is the case with Business Cards.  

14) Sync Direction: If I keep the Sync option enabled, the sync always works in both the directions. But suppose, for example, if I want to sync my facebook or Picasa albums to my handset and then want to delete the unwanted photos from my handset only, while retaining the same at their original location, it is not possible. So there should be option to set the sync direction from "Internet to Mobile", "Mobile to Internet" or "Both Ways".

15) Contacts Search from Phone Only: In my handset, I have synced contacts from multiple accounts like Google Account, Facebook etc. But I have set the "Contacts to Display" option to display contacts from Phone only. So in Contacts, I can see the contacts from my phone only. But as soon as I start typing something in Contacts search field, all the contacts from all the synced accounts start getting displayed in search results, causing confusion as to which contact to choose. So "Contacts to Display" and "Contacts to Search" should be from Phone only. 

16) Apps should close by Pressing Back Button: It is expected that if I press the Back button, the app should close completely, and if I press the Home button, the app will continue to run in the background. But here, no matter you press which key, the app continues to run in the background. To close the app, you need to press and hold the Home button and swipe horizontally the apps to close those. This background running of the apps causes the battery to drain more quickly. And this can be easily avoided if apps can be closed by pressing the back button. 

17) Flip Cover: The Samsung flip cover for Note II is good. But in case I want to use the back camera, I cannot turn the cover to backside completely since it covers the camera lens. 

So capturing images while flip cover being half open is something difficult. 

There should be a window provided to the flip cover precisely at the same place so that the back camera lens remains open. Also if this flip cover can be designed in a way like iPad magnetic cover, it would be excellent. 

18) Calculator: User friendliness demands that the "+" button on the calculator should be bigger than other buttons, since that is the most used function.

All in all, though I have listed these shortcomings, I must admit that I am more than happy using this handset and this is an awesome and best in class handset indeed. Those who are thinking of buying this handset can certainly go ahead and enjoy the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 experience. 

Barfi! in the Oscars, but does Oscars deserve that?

Ever since India has announced that its official Oscars nomination for this year would be Barfi!, controversies have began and people are questioning the Oscar worthiness of this movie since some of the scenes of the movie appear to have been copied from hollywood movies like The Notebook, City Lights, The Rain, The Adventurer etc. Some people are even feeling ashamed to know that we have nominated Barfi! into the Oscars. 

Is it the case that Indians are the only ones who copy from others? Now, there are some people living in India or born in India who feel that they are so unfortunate having born in India. They feel that whatever India does, it can't be good. If it is good, then it is always copied from the western world. They easily forget that India has a history of thousands of years and we were more civilised and knowledgeable as compared to rest of the world. That is the reason why the people from other parts of the world came to India. What did the western world had before the industrial revolution began some 200-300 years ago? We were the ones who provided the basic knowledge of all the advanced sciences to the world, Astronomy, Mathematics, Physics, Medical Sciences like Ayurved, Yog (Yoga as proudly called now due to westernisation), to name a few. Didn't others copied from India? Why the western world is now moving towards herbal products and why to they need to file patents for turmeric? Why do they need non genetically modified food to be imported from India?

Just look at what Samartha Ramdas Swami has written in Dasbodh, somewhere in 17th Century in Marathi:

रेणूहून सूक्ष्म किडे । त्यांचें आयुष्य निपटचि थोडें । युक्ति बुद्धि तेणेंचि पाडें । तयामधें ॥ १ ॥ ऐसे नाना जीव असती । पाहों जातां न दिसती । अंतःकर्णपंचकाची स्थिती । तेथेंचि आहे ॥ २ ॥ त्यांपुरतें त्यांचें ज्ञान । विषये इंद्रियें समान । सूक्ष्म शरीरें विवरोन । पाहातो कोण ॥

Isn't this what we nowadays call "Microbiology"? Where did this knowledge came from?

Anyways, coming back to Barfi!, I found the movie truly refreshing and it has done what the primary job of any movie is, i.e. to entertain the audience. Ranbir and Priyanka have acted beautifully and they have truly lived their rolls. Even though, both the main characters are differently abled, the movie isn't completely sad or emotional. 

As far as the question of Oscars nomination is concerned, I am of the opinion that India should boycott the Oscars for ever. This is because I feel that the Academy Awards appear to be biased and anti-indian if we compare the films like Slumdog Millionaire and Lagaan. 

Indians had celebrated when "Slumdog Millionaire" got eight out of ten academy award categories in which the film was nominated. Was it the Indian film? It was directed by Danny Boyle and produced by Christian Colson, who were not Indians. The movie had depicted only the ugly side of India. It was projected as if India is a country full of slums and poverty and people take a dip in the shit. Was the movie technically sound and oscar worthy. Well, it was not! If we compare it with the movie "Lagaan" which was nominated in Best Foreign Film category some years ago, I think Lagaan was far better on all fronts than Slumdog Millionaire. A.R.Rahman's music in Lagaan was far far better than his music in Slumdog Millionaire.  I am sure that if somebody asks this to the musical maestro himself, he would also agree privately. Lagaan was a period film and if you read the book The Spirit of Lagaan, you would come of know how difficult it was to make this movie. This movie was shot without a day break in schedule, sync sound technique was used for the first time in this movie, so many foreign actors were involved to manage their dates and it was technically better than Slumdog. Then why it was not awarded with the Academy Awards? Just because it was an Indian film. Apart from Slumdog, the other so called Indian film to have won the oscars is "Gandhi" which was also not an Indian film, since it was directed by Sir Richard Attenborough.  

This is the reason why I feel that India should boycott the Oscars for ever. We do not need Oscars and at the same time, Oscars also doesn't deserve that. Amitabh Bachchan had publicly said that "They are great in their place and we are so in our place. It is not that Oscar awards are the ultimate recognition" 

What do we get if our films win the Oscars? Nowadays, with Indians spread all over the world, our good movies are already doing excellent business abroad. My friends who are abroad are watching Indian movies on the same day when they are released in India. The market in India is such a big market that we do not need to go outside for business. In fact, rest of the world is now eyeing on this 1.2 billion plus market and it is the time for India to capitalise on this.