t's got a pretty intriguing case to go along with it. The Dot View case does a few things at once. First and foremost, it protects your phone in that folio style that everyone seems to be doing these days. And it does so while still allowing information to come through, and while allowing you to interact with your phone, but in a much different way.
A magnet on the front cover of the case (it's hidden behind the HTC logo) enables the case mode. And once the phone recognizes what's going on, it'll flash the time and weather on the display — and it looks like a series of dots shining through — when you hit the power button or double-tap on the front. Very cool. Adjust the volume with the flap closed, and you'll see that, too. Get a phone call? You'll see who's calling, and you can swipe up or down to accept or reject the call. Or, just hold the phone up to your ear — with the case still closed — to take the call. Swipe to launch voice dialing, too. Pretty cool stuff.
It works by displaying what looks like 8-bit images on your screen. But with the cover closed, all you see is dots. Very cool stuff. HTC has also released the Dot View app into Google Play, so it can update this functionality without requiring a complete system update.
In July 2014, HTC updated the Dot View app to include theming, which lets you add a wallpaper to the Dot View experience. You can choose from one of the 18 included images, or use your own. HTC also added some more functionality to phone calls and notifications.
The case itself is a sort of soft-touch rubber, and it feels decent enough. We've found typing to be a little tough when you flip the cover around to the back, however, since it's flat, but the back of the phone is curved. Then there's the issue of price: $49.99 isn't cheap, even for cool dots.
The Dot View case is initially available in gray but will later come in Warm Black, Imperial Blue, Orange Popsicle, Atlantis and Baton Rouge. You can order a Dots View case directly from HTC, and it's available now from ShopAndroid.com.
Battery life is one of the areas of smartphone tech in which there's still much room for improvement. As a cutting edge handset, the Nexus 6 includes some of the latest developments in mobile tech — wireless charging, quick charging through the bundled Motorola Turbo Charger, and improvements on the software side thanks to Google's "Project Volta."
Despite this, there going to be times where you wish you were able to squeeze more juice out of this gigantic phone's equally enormous 3,220mAh battery. As we mentioned in our review, the device's battery life is pretty good, but not astonishingly so. So it's worth going over a few basic steps to help you get the most out of your battery.
Turn off Ambient Display
Android 5.0 Lollipop's Ambient Display mode pulses notifications on your Nexus 6's display while the screen is locked. It can be a useful way to see what's going on without going to the trouble of hitting the power button, but waking the phone and pulsing that info also uses power. (It's also kinda hazardous for pocket-dialing, too.)
In fact, Google lists two different standby times for the Neus 6 depending on whether or not you're using this feature — 250 hours with Ambient Display, or 330 hours without.
If you'd rather save a little juice and benefit from longer standby time, head to Settings > Display > Ambient display to turn it off.
Check your brightness settings
The Nexus 6's massive 6-inch Quad HD display is perhaps its most power-guzzling component. If you've got the brightness cranked up all the way, it's going to take a noticeable toll on your battery life.
In Android 5.0 Lollipop, automatic brightness (aka Adaptive brightness) is turned on by default. Double-check it's still enabled under Settings > Brightness.
What's more, Lollipop makes it easy to change your relative brightness level at all times using the brightness control in the quick-settings panel. To access it, pull down the notification shade from the top of the screen, then tap anywhere on the grey panel at the top (showing date, time, etc.) The brightness slider is the big bar atop the other quick settings.
Check Location settings
Head to Settings > Location to see which apps are using location services, and how much battery power they're using. Often apps like Twitter have their own location settings built into the app, so it's worth checking for these too.
If you want to cut back on power usage by location services entirely, you can always switch to a lower-powered location mode entirely, disabling the more battery-intensive GPS system.
Be an opportunistic charger
The Nexus 6 charges slowly using Qi wireless charging, or quickly through the bundled Motorola Turbo Charger. That means it's easier than ever to top up gradually throughout the day. If you're sitting at a desk most of the day, a Qi wireless charging pad is a convenient way to keep your Nexus 6 topped off while you work.
Same deal for easy charging overnight on a nightstand — nothing beats being able to plop your phone down on a charging pad when you're done for the night.
If you're not using Ambient Display, you might well miss out on notifications as they arrive. An expensive but effective solution to this problem is to invest in a smartwatch, and as at the time of writing there are a few decent Android Wear-based watches worth checking out.
Android makes it easy to see if an application is using more than its fair share of juice. Head to Settings > Battery to see a breakdown of what each app has been using. More intensive apps like video streaming services and games will naturally use more battery power, but if something is drastically wrong then spotting it here should be pretty easy. For example, if an app you haven't been using much has claimed a good chunk of your battery, chances are it might be misbehaving in the background.
You can also access the Battery usage page in Lollipop by tapping the battery percentage readout in the quick settings panel.
If all else fails, consider a factory reset
Resetting your phone back to its out-of-box condition is a drastic step, and one most of us would rather avoid.
But when it comes to squishing general weirdness — including battery-related issues — sometimes a hard reset is the best way to go. Make sure you're properly backed up, then head to Settings > Backup & reset to pull the trigger.
Ok, so maybe you love the Galaxy Note 4, but you aren’t the biggest fan of the carrier you have? Or maybe you love the phone and the carrier, but you’re going overseas and want to be able to save some serious cash by using a SIM card in the new country instead of roaming there using your SIM (after all long-distance, Skype, etc. are all way cheaper then roaming)? Either way, you’ll need to unlock the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to get it to play nice with another SIM card and thanks to the new law here in the US, unlocking a phone is now completely legal (again).
The easiest way to unlock a phone is to use an unlock code. Anyone with a locked phone can purchase an unlock code through a reseller on the web. These resellers get the codes themselves from manufacturers and even carriers (yes, they lock your phone and then allow these companies to pay to have you unlock them –it’s a strange arrangement, but it’s how it has always been). In the below video, I’ll show you how to find a supplier, order your unlock code from them, input it into your Galaxy Note 4, and then setup the phone to make sure it works well on the new carrier.
I. Find Your IMEI
The IMEI is your device’s particular serial number and this is used to find the corresponding unlock code (there’s a database somewhere with your IMEI and an associated unlock code next to it essentially).
1. Pull down the notification shade.
2. Tap the gear icon in the top right to get to settings.
3. Tap General.
4. Tap About Device.
5. Tap Status.
6. Write down the IMEI listed there without any spaces or dashes.
II. Buy an Unlock Code
You can either Google around using the term “Galaxy Note 4 Unlock Code” or (and yes, this is a shameless, but at least transparent plug) you can buy one from us. I just started selling these codes again and have multiple suppliers I use to try and make the experience better for you guys (since some of these companies are a pain to deal with). Regardless of whether you use my site or find another, always make sure there is some money back guarantee if they cannot get the code (yes, we have that).
1. Once you find that supplier, follow their prompt to purchase the code (usually clicking buy now and inputting your IMEI and Make/Model of your device).
You can buy it from me here or from below (It’s $39.95, but honestly, if you ever sell the phone, the fact that it’s unlocked will raise its value by more than that. Just sayin’.)
2. Wait the time frame for them/me to process the code (usually 2-3 business days depending on the device).
3. You’ll eventually get an email with your unlock code in it.
III. Input the Unlock Code into the Galaxy Note 4
1. Remove the current SIM card from the phone and take the SIM card you WANT to use on the device (it may have to be active, too, by the way) and insert it into the phone.
2. You will be prompted for the unlock code.
3. CAREFULLY, input the unlock code you were sent and triple check it before hitting OK. The phone has a limit of how many times you can input an unlock code, after that, you’ll never be able to unlock it if they all fail (point is, be careful).
4. If the code was successful on the first input, you’re all set! If it isn’t, contact the supplier of the code and let them know BEFORE you try to input it again.
That’s it. The device is now unlocked and you can use it on any GSM carrier. This unlock is permanent, too, even if you reset the phone etc. but just in case, save the email with the unlock code so you can re-input it if necessary.
Now, if you’re device doesn’t have data signal, that’s okay and doesn’t mean the unlock didn’t work. What it does mean, is that the phone didn’t automatically setup it’s internet settings. Because of that, here’s how to manually input the settings and get your internet and MMS working.
IV. Input the APN Settings (Optional)
First, you need to find your carrier’s internet settings. These settings essentially tell the phone where it should go to access the internet and picture messages from the carrier. I actually started a repository of these internet settings here on the site a long time ago, you can head to the Internet Settings section, then click on your country, then your carrier to be presented with the settings you need.
Next, let’s input these settings into the Note 4.
1. Pull down the notification shade.
2. Tap the gear icon in the top right to get to settings.
3. Tap on Connections.
4. Tap on More Networks.
5. Tap on Mobile Networks.
6. Tap on Access Point Names.
7. Tap the + sign at the top right
8. Enter whatever you want for the name field and then enter in the rest of appropriate fields with the information from my internet settings section.
9. Once all of that is in, tap the three dots at the top right and tap Save.
10. Tap the dot next to the new APN to turn it green and enable it.
Go to Chrome and try to go to a website (if I may add another shameless plug, http:///ForknPlate.com is a fantastic foodie site you should see). If the site loads, you’re all set.
And there you go, unlocking the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in the easiest way possible. Let me know in the comments below how it went for you, and if you used me to get the code, let others know how the experience was!
Head to my How To section for more tips and tricks!
Xiaomi’s newly announced Mi Note series is a little more expensive than what we would usually expect from the low-cost Chinese smartphone company. The hardware specifications, price tag and even the name, suggests that Xiaomi is targeting some of the industry’s more premium brands this time around. So let’s see if Xiaomi’s Mi Note Pro is really worthy of the name, by sticking it up against Samsung’s mighty Galaxy Note 4 in a head-to-head spec battle.
Now let’s take a look at the brains behind each of these flagships. The cheaper Mi Note features a slightly older Snapdragon 801. Although its GPU isn’t as capable as the Note 4’s, the lower 1080p display resolution should result in roughly comparable performance for gaming. The Mi Note Pro is a clear winner in the raw performance category though, as the latest Snapdragon 810 packs in at least equivalent CPU power to the Note 4, backed by a new high-end Adreno 430 GPU, which is apparently 30 percent faster than the Galaxy Note 4’s Adreno 420 or equivalent ARM Mali-T760. This is an especially important point for gamers to consider, as you’ll want the Mi Pro’s extra horsepower to pump out a smooth frame rate at this higher QHD resolution.
3GB vs 4GB of RAM is unlikely to make any noticeable difference in general performance terms, but very heavy multi-taskers may find that it’s slightly faster to go back and forth between apps on the Mi Note Pro. CPU performance between the octa-core Snapdragon 810 and the equally well specced Exynos 5433 will be a very close call, and even the quad-core Snapdragon 805 and 801 hold up rather well. However, the Snapdragon 810 has 64-bit support for Android Lollipop and future 64-bit apps, while the Note 4 does not. For more information, check out our breakdown of the Snapdragon 810 vs Snapdragon 805.
Only minor differences so far, but the Mi Note Pro perhaps manages to edge itself out in front for featuring the very latest hardware. Even so, we’re going to require a closer at the handsets’ additional features in order to pull them apart.
Network wise, Xiaomi has opted for dual-SIM compatibility, which is a particularly sought-after feature in Asian markets, while the Galaxy Note 4 only offers single SIM use. The Mi Note Pro also features Cat. 9 LTE speeds for up to 450Mbps downloads on a compatible network, a tad faster than the Galaxy Note 4’s Cat. 6 peak of 300Mbps. As for storage options, the 64GB Mi Note Pro comes with more room as standard, but the Galaxy Note 4 accepts microSD cards for an extra 128GB of space, offering up a potential 160GB of total memory, albeit at additional cost.
The Galaxy Note 4 features a rather excellent 16MP OIS camera. While Xiaomi’s 13MP OIS snapper should provide clear high-res images, it’s impossible to judge important factors, such as low light performance, without spending some hands on time with the two. However, we do know that the Galaxy Note 4 can record 30fps QHD video, while the Mi Note Pro is locked to a still acceptable 1080p resolution. Oh, and the two phones feature a roughly similar battery sizes as well.
One thing that we haven’t included on the spec sheet is build quality. Again, it’s hard to judge without holding the device in hand, but both feature a premium looking sturdy metal frame exposed around the handsets’ edge. The Mi Note opts for a glass back cover, while the Note 4’s faux leather may give it a little extra grip.
Overall, the two flagships offer fairly comparable hardware, at an early glance, but Samsung retains an edge when it comes to additional features and software. Love it or hate it, Samsung has fleshed out its Touchwiz UI with plenty of tweaks designed to make use of the Galaxy Note 4’s additional screen space, including improved multi-window support, S-Pen features, and one-handed operation mode. Xiaomi’s MIUI 6 may also offer one-handed mode support, but its software feature list is considerable lighter than Samsung’s, for better or worse.
Choosing the best of the two will boil down to whether or not Samsung’s extra software, S-Pen, fingerprint and heart-rate scanners are worth an extra $130 or so to you over the cost of Xiaomi’s handset. The Galaxy Note 4 throws virtually the best of everything into the handset, while Xiaomi’s offering packs in the latest and greatest high-end essentials, rather than the full works.
Priced at 3299 yuan ($530) compared with the Note 4’s retail price of around $700, the Xiaomi Mi Note Pro offers some seriously competitive hardware at a price that substantial undercuts the competition. However, the even more reasonably priced 2299 yuan ($370) standard Mi Note model may provide the best value for money for those looking for a powerful, no frills phablet.
Do you think Xiaomi’s Mi Note Pro is a worthy competitor to the Galaxy Note 4, or is Samsung’s handset still the king of flagships?
