yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Galaxy Note 3 General] Poetik:
I owned the note 2 and currently now own the note 3. The note 2 audio quality was pretty good with the wolfson dac and that acid sound mod my custom rom had. I actually haven't done audio testing between the two since I sold the note 2 and my note 3 is delegated to bluetooth streaming in my car. I did however do some quick a/b testing between a trusty sansa clip+ and the note 3 though. Both had no EQ functions / enhancements on but I feel the note 3 bested it slightly. Mostly in the sound stage width and instrument separation. I believe the bass had less mid bass bloat as well, it just overall felt a bit clearer.

My phone having a better headphone out than a sansa clip is a win in my book. It may not be better than it's predecessor but I can't imagine being too far behind if it actually is. Also If there is any difference between the note 2 and the note 3 audio wise, it's definitely offset by how much smoother the note 3 is and how much better the screen looks.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] JCM800:
I still prefer my note 2 audiowise hands down against my note 3. But having spent £640 on it I'm trying to justify my purchase.

Truth be told I should never have rushed out and got a note 3, my note 2 still has plenty of life in it.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] Solarenemy68:
Yep and with the 4.3 update the Note 2 will also now have KNOX installed and you will no longer be able to root and make a warranty claim.

Again though if you run adapt sound in the settings on the note 3 the improvement in sound quality is godly.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] JCM800:
Also interestingly I had to have a sim tray replaced on my note 2. I'm in UK with network 3.

In the past they took the phone in store and sent it to a third party repair centre I believe.

This time and from now on . Myself and any other customers have to send Samsung devices direct to Samsung. Guess so Samsung can't be tighter on repairs and refuse knox flags?
[Galaxy Note 3 General] shamima:
I guess i'm a little rush to buy Galaxy s4, Note 3 seems much better, i like big screen.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] BarryH_GEG:
I agree with your findings. I have Shure SE535's for travel and Grado GR10's when I don't need noise cancellation. I also have a subset of my music that's not compressed. People listening to compressed media on $50 headphones are expressing their personal preference for what output should sound like. It doesn't mean it's clean or accurate.

GSMArena's thoughts...

Note II

The Samsung Galaxy Note II obviously shares many of its music playback-related internals with the Galaxy S III as it managed to aced our audio quality test in a similar manner to its more compact sibling.

The only average volume levels aside, the Galaxy Note II results came out perfect in the first part of our test. When connected to an active external amplifier, the phablet produces excellently clean output with no weak points whatsoever.

Even more impressively, stereo crosstalk is the only thing to get damaged when we plugged in a pair of headphones. On that occasion the Note II produced one of the cleanest outputs we have seen from a mobile device and that includes the recently tested Apple iPhone 5. The higher volume levels of iOS flagship would probably still make it a slightly better option for audiophiles, though.​

Note 3

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 showed exceptionally clean audio output in our audio quality test. The phablet posted some of the best scores we have seen in both parts of the test and garnished them with decent volume levels. It's not the loudest we have seen, but it's loud enough for 99% of the occasions.

Impressively, there's virtually no distortion when you plug in a pair of headphones. Except for the minor bump in stereo crosstalk the output is barely affected.​
[Galaxy Note 3 General] MadJoe:
After having mine for a month, I must be a lucky one. I don't agree with too many of these. I'm still finding new and amazing things about this phone. The multi-tasking is awesome, and after modifying the multi-window to accept any app, I now use it constantly. But here are my opinions on the most common complaints (if you're interested):

•Not a big enough bump technology wise from the Note 2 - False. The Note 2 is garbage in comparison to the Note 3. More RAM, denser and larger display, much better CPU etc.. I can't even fathom this complaint.

•Poor Radio's - Agreed. Wi-Fi especially.

•The speaker. Wish it had dual speakers. - Agreed!

•The back cover not feel like leather - I don't agree with this. But I have the black Note, which I've heard feels better than the white.

•Small notification light - is the international version different than the US version?? This notification light is obnoxiously large...and bright! I think it would be better if it were placed on top of the phone, instead of in the face though.

•Knox security - I haven't used it, and it hasn't bothered me yet thankfully.

•Gets hot when stressing the device - I can't think of a superphone that doesn't.

•Screen Gap - Thankfully I don't have this issue

•Battery Drain - Greenify. But even without it I was getting 36 hours with moderate use.

•Region Locking - There's an app for that, but a crappy thing for Samsung to do.

•Only 4 columns on home screen - There's an xposed module for that.

•Bezel size - Would love it to be smaller, but I don't think it's too big.

•Bloat ware from carrier - Agreed, but easily fixed

•Long press the on the soft menu button will run S –Finder not Google Now - Agreed! There's a clunky workaround, but there shouldn't have to be!
[Galaxy Note 3 General] winol:
do not complain here return it!, I get my devices only at authorized dealers, no problem never!,
[Galaxy Note 3 General] midnite_blue:
justification for the Region Lock...

Thanks for that explanation and the link, BarryH_GEG. You made a number of clear points.

I think I understand the point about pricing... if Samsung can restrict the number of sellers in a market region, especially to a single reseller, then the reseller(s) it chooses can afford to buy phones from Samsung at a marked-up price, passing the extra amount on to the consumer without fear of competitive pricing. Also, if the approved reseller controls the price, it can afford to engage in some things at a loss as a middleman between consumers and Samsung, like absorbing not only the expense of processing repair orders but also whatever cost might come by making sure TouchWiz updates are made available as soon as possible to the people they resell phones to, if I understand you right. I have to admit I didn't realize there were unreimbursed expenses associated with these things.

(Am I'm oversimplifying by saying that the problem of consumers not knowing that some resellers can't guarantee warranty coverage could be solved by Samsung simply honoring the warranty on all its phones? Doesn't any seller have marketing costs and, in a competitive environment, sometimes inadvertently stimulate the sales of their competitors, or am I being naive here?)

Anyway, I wasn't sure what you meant about region-by-region software issues based on patent litigation. It sounds like Samsung-approved resellers have to incur expenses making sure Samsung's software is in compliance with regional regulations & case law, costs that the non-approved reseller wouldn't have to bother with. What would an example of that kind of cost be?
[Galaxy Note 3 General] Solarenemy68:
In a nutshell the grey market is simply this. Provider A is authorized by the manufacturer to sell a phone to buyers at a subsidized price. That means the buyer is actually making payments on the phone through the contract he also buys the phone on with provider A. The issue is that many are buying the phone at the subsidized price and making those payments but they are taking the phone and using it on a different provider and sometimes even letting the contract and payments go. If provider A decides to cut their service, so what? They are not even using that service. That is the grey market that most providers and manufacturers are trying to avoid and that is why they use region locking so they can keep the phone meant for that region in that region.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] BarryH_GEG:
Here's an example. HTC lost a lawsuit to Apple in the U.S. over "a method to select an application." They issued a s/w update that removed the offending functionality in the U.S. and left it intact for the rest of the world where the judgment didn't apply. Access to functionality and content is also controlled regionally; in Samsung's case by the CSC assigned to a device. I have a grey market N10.1-14 from Latin America. Based on its CSC I can't access Samsung's music or video stores. You'll also read here on XDA where people can't download specific apps from Google Play because they don't show if a specific devices CSC isn't in the table authorizing access.

All these things already are in place but Samsung making it harder to use devices outside their assigned region just reinforces the policy.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] toker_X1:
My screen died on Monday on my N3 (my third N3). This time they wouldn't replace the phone instead only fixing the faulty screen.

This has got to be the worse phone ever.

Going HTC soon as they upgrade to Snapdragon 800.

F*** Samsung from now on, ain't ever buying there phone ever again.

SH** PHONE

SH** BUILD QUALITY

SH** SAMSUNG

RANT OVER
[Galaxy Note 3 General] JCM800:
You didn't get what you wanted for it on eBay then? Nexus 5 didn't appeal after all?

Also you rooted and tripped Knox? They haven't queried that?
[Galaxy Note 3 General] toker_X1:
I ordered Nexus 5 but lead time is 4-5 weeks so its still 1-2 weeks to go but there issues with N5 also. So I might just give that away as a Xmas present

I did put it on ebay but I broke my KNOX count so people were offering peanuts for the phone.

I decided for what I get back it wasn't worth selling.

Then my screen died on Monday it's fixed now but 2 months and I am on my 3rd N3 and it's been in for repair already.

This has been the worst experience ever.

I think putting needles in my eyes would be less painful
[Galaxy Note 3 General] JCM800:
Yeah I tried selling mine pristine Virgin two days after I got it and it's value had plummeted. I also decided I wouldn't take a loss. So said screw it and rooted it.

Am quite happy with mine now, no issues as such only gripes about the audio but come to terms with that begrudgingly.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] toker_X1:
Looks like I will have to do the same and stay with it. Am hoping for a AOSP rom soon that might be my only hope.

Recent updates have made the phone abit better but I find this unacceptable as it a flagship phone build quality is something samsung has no idea what so ever, along with all their restrictions they are imposing it's the last samsung phone for me.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] JCM800:
Try Bobcat rom mate, it's great. But yeah Knox is ****, I'm living in fear of a hardware issue now just because I flashed a Rom and Samsung don't like it. It's Apple big brother mentality, I left Apple because of that and shall seriously rethink purchasing another Samsung mobile myself.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] toker_X1:
Thanks but all custom roms are based on TW. I will wait CyanogenMod.

Agreed with you Samsung are becoming Apple. So it bye bye Samsung for me just like I did with Apple.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] davitox87:
HTC is also terrible when it comes to build quality for their flagship's. Didn't you hear about all the issues with the one x? I had it but I got lucky and had no problems. I also have no problems with my note 3.

No phone is perfect from any maker. Maybe you just have bad luck? :what:
[Galaxy Note 3 General] toker_X1:
Samsung made all 3 of my N3 and all 3 have shi* build quality. That's not bad luck that's poor manufacturing.

Theres 5 people at work with HTCs and no build quality issues there.

No phone is perfect I understand that but at least try, Samsung is all about making $$$$ now they don't care about their customers anymore.

I never went HTC cos there camera is bad and no SD card but will live with that and go for HTC M8 next year. Samsung N3 will just be a expensive paper weight on my desk.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] MILJANN:
Exactly... So many millions of N3 are on the market... Me and my friends have no issue with notes...
[Galaxy Note 3 General] cyberprodigy:
I just picked up my Note 3 from Verizon and I have no issues at all with mine. Up to 6 fingers in multitouch and no problems, battery life is fantastic (60% to 20% in about 5 hours of non-stop usage).
[Galaxy Note 3 General] Mrlovkim:
What's funny is I hear so many complaints for every phone out there. There is going to be someone out there having an issue with a phone over and over. When I had my S3 dozens of times and it never broke. Drop an iPhone once it shattered. Everybody has a story to hate a brand so move on and buy another phone that will be obsolete in 6 months. All these makers want is your money so enjoy your toy as much as you can.

Sent from my SM-N9005
[Galaxy Note 3 General] md1008:
I don't have the note 3 but I know I will definitely not upgrade to any new note series unless Samsung does something different and quick.

I am running a 4.3 romantic with most if not all N3 features ported. I dislike the snotes app. It looks a lot nicer in terms of UI but is infinitely less user friendly. You can't easily import old snotes files to the new format. I dislike knox, I dislike lack of development for this rom. Although I don't own one I hate how they made a big deal about the "leather" feel to it when it just feels like plastic. I am indifferent to material as I just put a case on it but I feel the marketing was misleading. I think nexus 5 or new HTC is calling my name. I love snotes but I am really not liking the way they are handling software uldates. I was impressed with Sammy with the gs3 even became a "fan boy" but Samsung is really doing a terrible job. And their success can always reverse. Like it did with Htc. Funny is that HTC seems to improved where Samsung has fallen
[Galaxy Note 3 General] MILJANN:
Sorry but this is topic about N3 owner opinions and you dont own galaxy note 3. Anyway I like S note and all of the features of the TW that brings Galaxy Note 3 more to office device. That's why all I will not Flash my device.

Sent from Note 3
[Galaxy Note 3 General] infin1ty_13:
got the note 3 today, so far so good. i came from an S4 (which is my gf's now). the bezel could have been metal, and that little gap between screen and bezel shouldn't have been there but for the rest it's a fine phone and i'm happy with it.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] Maroc_Specops:
I have had the first note and then the 2nd. Now the third.

NO REMORSE WHATSOEVER
[Galaxy Note 3 General] civato:
I'm very satisfied with the Note3.

The things I don't like I just change. Rom and kernel that is the fun of having android. Open source.

Ok maybe Samsung makes it a little harder with there Knox but I don't care about warranty.

It is my device so I do with it what I want and warranty is what , 2 years.

No regrets here.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] avenging:
seeing the white gold color made me remorseful of my jet black hahaha.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] toker_X1:
If I got offered a full refund I would bite your arm of for it without hesitation.

However, selling it will result in 50%+ loss. This just shows you how poor this phone.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] krohme:
what he said :good:
[Galaxy Note 3 General] MILJANN:
That % is not the same in Europe. you'll lose only 20% of the value,selling used note 3(good shape). otherwise you lose 30 to 40%...
[Galaxy Note 3 General] stoney73:
If it's so bad, get it replaced. Just stop the incessant whining already.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] toker_X1:
It's been replaced 3 times already. Samsung also replaced the screen on Monday. They won't refund me because the faults occurred after 28 days. Resale value is less than 1/2.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] sydboy007:
no remorse yet

Only been a week since i gote the note 3. Amazing upgrade from my original Note 1.

The new touchwiz really peved me, but have changed to nova launcher and replaced s calendar with jorte so pretty happy with that combo for now.

Maybe it's because I don't have a case for the phone yet, but it just feels easier to hold one handed. Could be the more grippy back too.

So far nothing had caused me any issues with the phone. Certainly loud enough with MH-50s headphones and the battery life is quite amazing. nearly 40 hours since I last charged and still over 30% left. I'm not a power user of the phone, but it does get a video / browsing workout on the way to work.

Hopefully no one shows me a Nexus 5. Was quite keen on it due to the price, but think the extra 1GB of RAM and upgradeable memory with the M-SD slot are worth the extra $$$.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] qunungnauraq:
Square Trade

I bought my SM-N900 unlocked international model outright for $699.00 and Square Trade 2 year Accidental damage from handling insurance for $100.00, which also covers manufacturing defects. Rooting my phone has no effect on my insurance. The insurance covers repairs and replacement if repair isn't possible. Something to consider.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] Mrlovkim:
The Black one actually feels like leather.

Sent from my SM-N9005
[Galaxy Note 3 General] midnite_blue:
similar but different

Thanks, Solarenemy68. You stated that really well. We may be talking about two different things, which often happens since 'sim locking' previously referred only to a phone being restricted to a specific network provider.

The provider-unlocking you describe isn't in itself a market, grey or black. But I think you & I would agree that a contract phone is not ours to sell until we've discharged our responsibilities in the contract. That might be called a grey market, albeit a small one.

What Samsung is targeting with Region Locking is something different: wholesellers undercutting prices in territories Samsung wants them to stay out of.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] toker_X1:
Thanks for the tip, it's been suggested to be me by some fellow workers too.

I paid £620 that's around $1,000 for my unlock N3 and it's disappointing that I have to resort to insurance to get it fixed.

I have home insurance which covers mobile phone damage / lost so over Xmas holidays I will 'accidentally' on purpose lose my N3 so I will get a new and hopefully build quality issues would have be resolved by Samsung by now tho I rather have money/refund to another phone.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] h2s:
The Note 3 is an amazing phone, but if you plan to travel out of your country, could turn into a nightmare due to the region lock. The so called activation does not work. Take it from my experience.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] midnite_blue:
Sorry to hear that, h2s. How did you find out that the activation process didn't work?
[Galaxy Note 3 General] midnite_blue:
beyond exhaustion...

Thanks, BarryH_GEG. I see what you mean (though it appears to be Samsung facing those legal costs instead of independent distributors). Samsung does seem determined to retain market control of property they already got paid for. The linked article you gave us about their reluctance to accept the Indian judgment against them in Samsung Electronics v. Kapil Wadhwa is a good example:

...the High [appellate] Court of Delhi ruled that an Indian businessman should be allowed to continue buying Samsung printers from abroad and selling them in India.

Samsung appealed the ruling [to India's Supreme Court] on the grounds that its trademark was being infringed because products were being sold in another market without its permission.​

The judgment being appealed by Samsung upheld ''that the legislation in India [the Trade Marks Act of 1999] adopts the Principle of International Exhaustion of Rights... [which] takes away the right of the respondents [Samsung & its Indian subsidiaries] to control the further sale and further distribution of the goods.''

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Could you take a crack at a couple of additional questions, BarryH_GEG?

Samsung, through a 'friend of the court,' appears to be prepared to concede that, in the words of the Indian expert on property law quoted in the article...

...once a product has been sold under a trademark, the trademark owner's right to control that product is then exhausted. Whoever buys the product can do what they want, including selling it forward.​

Samsung, however, plans to present an argument that such exhaustion of control only exists for domestic reselling and doesn't mean that a trademark holder doesn't have control over where its products are sold internationally.

How could the act of exporting a product breathe life back into a trademark owner's rights that have already been exhausted?

Question #1

: Do you think Samsung is appealing this ruling because the law in India ''is not as fully developed'' regarding the exhaustion of international trademark rights in parallel re-seller markets, as suggested in the article?

Samsung will also make the case that low-price resellers have an unfair competitive advantage since they don't have the expense of ''market research, product development, brand promotion, after-sales service, and [a] distribution network.'' (Note: the Samsung-approved distributors in India are Samsung's wholely owned subsidiaries.)

Question #2

: Would it help Mr. Wadhwa if his legal team could show that Samsung's has already covered those costs in its wholesale price?

Samsung Electronics, with 18% profit -- 10.16T KRW = 9.57B USD = 7.05B EUR for Jul/Aug/Sep of this year -- has a huge war chest for litigation. I guess the prospect of facing years of legal fees could intimidate anyone considering defying Samsung's wishes, regardless of the judicial outcome.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] zipn:
My single complain about this phone is so big that it can be enough for me to consider getting the money back.

BATTERY DRAIN ! WAKELOCKS etc. android just not running proberly on this device, it can be good one day and HORRIBLE next day, but again, wakelocks is impossible to get rid of on stock. it sucks ass.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] jgajtu:
My wifes also not working but i have no chance to try it in the U.S. since my relative bought me that phone when he went for holiday last October..
[Galaxy Note 3 General] h2s:
We had a friend buy two phones in Saudi Arabia, told him to call for at least 5 minutes. Afterwards, he sent them to us (outside Saudia). Upon inserting our local SIM, the unlock screen came. The phones were bought contract free.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] Archaenon:
What I don't like:

The speaker and headphone jack. Oh and awful, awful touchwiz (which thanks to foxhound and apex is gone).

What I do like:

Everything else, I've been running Foxhound Rom for the last week and it's been stellar. I'm waiting for CM to come along as this point. I have no issues with the build quality and I do have the white, but I keep the Spigen bounce case on it so I never see the battery cover anymore. The biggest improvement has been the pressure sensitivity and the pen, well worth the upgrade, drawing on it it so much easier now then it was on the previous two notes.
[Galaxy Note 3 General] BarryH_GEG:
I'm just offering some rationale for Samsung's actions. Don't mistake that for justification. ;) They seem hell bent on controlling the method of sale and subsequent use of s/w on their devices. Since no other manufacturer does it's either arrogance, ego, greed, or some combination of the three. There may be some consumer benefit in what their doing but I don't think that's the primary driver. $35B of cash-on-hand can make companies do strange things.