Note 9: Issues, Quirks, Improvements

[Drak3]

BIXBY IS BACK AND BADDER THAN EVER.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/24/17777248/samsung-galaxy-note-9-bixby-button-disable

 

When Bixby debuted with the S8, no one cared. When Bixby had a dedicated button right under the volume rockers, people cared. People got angry and took to social media. Long story short, Samsung gave us the option to disable Bixby with the S8 and Note 8.

 

But with the Note 9, the Bixby button is no longer able to be disabled.

Spoiler

 

Quote

 

The Galaxy Note 9 is available in stores today. It is an excellent flagship device with few flaws, but it is plagued by Samsung’s virtual assistant Bixby. Most people would assume you could turn off Bixby on the Note 9, just like you could on the Note 8, Galaxy S8, and Galaxy S9 phones — but it turns out, you can’t.

Unlike Samsung’s prior Galaxy smartphones, there is no “Bixby Key” settings screen within Android’s main settings or the Bixby app. Previously, you could switch off Bixby entirely, including disabling the key itself so that it did nothing. (Sadly, Samsung doesn’t let you actually remap it to another more useful function, even on the S9 or other earlier models.) Meanwhile, if you make a quick search for “Bixby Key” on the Note 9, you’ll come across this empty screen.

 

 

Bixby sucks. Virtual assisstants on the whole are hot garbage, but Bixby takes the cake for having a dedicated button. Just having that button right below the rocker is asinine. However, I'd welcome a dedicated camera button recessed in the bottom right corner of the phone.

 

 

HOLY GAPGATE BATMAN!

https://bgr.com/2018/08/28/galaxy-note-9-hardware-bug-light-bleed/

 

Back in 2014, the lesser known GAPGATE was an "issue" that affected the Note 4. Back then, it was a gap meant for expansion and compression of the metal band holding the phone together.

Fast forward to 2018, and the Note 9 is afflicted by its own version, and this time, it's an actual issue of varying importance (depending on if you light like bleed).

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the issue is described as a gap between the edge of the display and the bezel where a thin line of light shines through. In some instances, the line is continuous, appearing all the way down the phone. In others, it is split up.

The seal between the Glass and metal frame isn't full on some phones. Beyond an annoying line, the phone is not compromised. It'll function just as its supposed to.

 

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Former Android Police author Paul Fidalgo tells the site that he swapped his Note 9 out five times before he was able to find a unit that didn’t have the problem. He was eventually able to find a Best Buy display unit that didn’t exhibit the detect. It’s also worth noting that plenty of Note 9 owners aren’t experiencing this problem, and our own Zach Epstein didn’t notice any light bleed when he reviewed the Note 9 earlier this month.

So, basically, we know nothing about how wide spread this is. It might just be the start or end of an early batch. It might be a significant amount of phones.

 

SAMSUNG DEX NO LONGER REQUIRES DEX DOCKS

 https://mobilesyrup.com/2018/08/09/samsung-dex-igalaxy-note-9/

First party testing

 

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Samsung’s DeX desktop platform is now built into the Galaxy Note 9. As a result, Samsung users no longer need to purchase a separate DeX Pad accessory to take advantage of the Note 9’s PC-like capabilities. Instead, all that’s needed is a single HDMI to USB-C adapter and an external monitor.

The Note 9 no longer needs the DeX Station or Pad to work. Instead, any HDMI adapter and bluetooth peripherals are required for a 'desktop' experience.

 

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With the Note 9, the smartphone can be used as both a keyboard and trackpad when running DeX. When not used in that capacity, it’s possible to still utilize the Note 9 as a standard smartphone while DeX is still launched on an external display.

So, if you want to handicap your experience, you technically don't NEED anything more than the adapter.

 

 

As for my quick testing, the Note 9 is completely compatible with the Lumia HD-500 dock. A little metal block of magic that turns the Lumia 950/XL into psuedo Windows desktops. It's also  fully functional as a dock with the MacBook Pros.

 

And add the Note 9 to the list. Verified by using DeX to write this, actually. Display out works over HDMI, and USB peripherals are detected and working. The phone is even charging fairly quickly!

Whereas only display out worked with the S8, and DeX mode didn't work. Just a mirror of the screen. The Sony Xperia XZ Premium only supports USB, display out doesn't work. So, Note 9 owners, if you can find an HD-500 dock for cheap, and want DeX, it's worth it.

[dizmo]

Would the screen defect be covered up by the side lip of a case?

[Drak3]

Just now, dizmo said:

Would the screen defect be covered up by the side lip of a case?

Depends on the case, but likely no.

[ScratchCat]

Brixby: I see you are busy, how can I be of annoyance today?

[D13H4RD]

18 minutes ago, ScratchCat said:

Brixby: I see you are busy, how can I be of annoyance today?

BixBYE

[ScratchCat]

5 minutes ago, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

BixBYE

Custom ROM or glue the button? ?

[Drak3]

3 hours ago, ScratchCat said:

Custom ROM or glue the button? ?

There's conflicting reports that the button can be remapped via third party app without root.

[linkboy]

5 hours ago, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

BixBYE

 

BxActions is a great app for that (and it's been updated to work with Bixby 2.0).

[ScratchCat]

2 hours ago, Drak3 said:

There's conflicting reports that the button can be remapped via third party app without root.

I'll go with that it can(the others seem to be reporting that the button cannot be disabled in Samsung's menus), if they patch that someone only needs to write a script for ADB to add root, remap the button and unroot again.

[Drak3]

4 minutes ago, ScratchCat said:

I'll go with that it can(the others seem to be reporting that the button cannot be disabled in Samsung's menus), if they patch that someone only needs to write a script for ADB to add root, remap the button and unroot again.

Cool, I'll read through it and update later.

[DrMacintosh]

17 hours ago, Drak3 said:

The Note 9 no longer needs the DeX Station or Pad to work. Instead, any HDMI adapter and bluetooth peripherals are required for a 'desktop' experience

Lol DeX. You would be better served with a ChromeBook if you needed a "desktop experience" 

[Drak3]

6 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

Lol DeX. You would be better served with a ChromeBook if you needed a "desktop experience" 

No, you wouldn't.

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, Drak3 said:

No, you wouldn't.

I've seen people review DeX......Its not a pleasant user experience. 

[Drak3]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

I've seen people review DeX......Its not a pleasant user experience. 

I used it to write this. For office tasks, browsing the interwebs, and the like, it's pretty comparable to Ubuntu or OSX.

[DrMacintosh]

2 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

it's pretty comparable to Ubuntu or OSX.

Mhm