My Note 20 Ultra upgrade

[worwig]

I used to upgrade my phones constantly. But after my wife passed away a few years back, I'm less motivated to do things. So I have been using a Note 8 since they first came out. No real issues with the Note 8, except the battery was a bit small, so needed charged a bit more often then I like.

1. I recall on the Note 8 a number of reviewers thought that the fingerprint reader on the back of the phone was horrible. Well guess what, the fingerprint read in the middle of the screen is much worse. I would love to have a good fingerprint reader in the back of the phone.

2. They took away the heart rate and oxygen saturation sensor. I never thought to check for that. Just assumed they would not take out a feature like that, but they did. Not the end of the world, but annoying.

3. Of course they removed the headphone jack. So I need to get a couple of adapters for the USB C port. Annoying that they play 'follow the leader' to Apple like that. Luckily the SD card slot wasn't removed.

4. If I press and hold the home button inadvertently, I get Google Assistant. I don't want Google Assistant. I have not found a setting to change that annoyance. Luckily, there is no separate 'Bixby' button that I need to chisel off like the Note 8 had.

5. The pin to unlock the screen now must be variable length. I used to be able to quickly type the four digits and unlock. (or use the easy to access fingerprint reader on the back) Now I type my 4 digits, stare at it a moment, realize I need to hit enter also. An no, face unlock seldom works for me.

6. Yes, it looks like I will be getting much better battery life, which is great.

7. The camera extra wide angle and zoom abilities are awesome. And the stabilization when zoomed out to x50 amazes me that it works so well. But I do wish they would improve the low light ability a bit more. Still, awesome.

So right now my biggest complaint is turning on and unlocking the phone. On the Note 8 I would simply pick it up with my finger on the fingerprint sensor, and boom, it was unlocked when I looked down at it. With the Note 20, I have to fiddle with things. The other things are just annoyances, like no headphone jack, I will find work arounds like adapters.

 

[donm527]

For #4... Go to Settings > Apps > 3 buttons on top right corner of screen > Default apps > Assist app > Press Device assistance app > Choose None.

That will disable the gesture. But it also disables Assistant. Unless there is newer info it seems as though it's an all or nothing with Assistant.

#1... I also had a Note 8 for the past three years and for me, the FPS on the Note 8 was always hit and miss needing to re-register my prints every 6 months it seems and even then hit or miss. With the Note 20U and with a TPU plastic screen protector, I can say it's worked better than my Note ever has in 3 years.

#5... I don't have to press enter to unlock with 4. I also use 4 digit pin and it unlocks after the 4th digit.

 

[j_hansen]

If you are having problems with the fingerprint sense on the Note 20 Ultra and you are NOT using a screen protector, then delete your prints and do them again but this time do each finger twice, mine have worked 99.99% of the time and is also quicker than the Note 10 plus 5G was.

 

[donm527]

#5... I don't have to press enter to unlock with 4. I also use 4 digit pin and it unlocks after the 4th digit.

In the setting for PIN, make sure you have checked "Confirm PIN without tapping OK"

 

[donm527]

2. They took away the heart rate and oxygen saturation sensor. I never thought to check for that. Just assumed they would not take out a feature like that, but they did. Not the end of the world, but annoying.

Lost my Yahoo! Stock Watch List app from the Edge panel :-\

Lost my SnapBizCard app that was available to Note 8 owners... so convenient to snap a pic of business card and it adds to contacts automatically. :-\

 

[worwig]

In the setting for PIN, make sure you have checked "Confirm PIN without tapping OK"

Duh, missed that setting. Thanks for that.

I have also relearned my finger prints a few more times, plus face unlock. It is a bit better, though I'm not happy with it yet. It still annoyingly requires pressing the power button and entering the PIN first thing in the morning. After I sit there half asleep trying to get my fingerprint to wake up the phone for a minute. Haven't found a setting there.

Now to figure out why Edge Lighting does no show my notifications.

 

[rsmin]

Duh, missed that setting. Thanks for that.

I have also relearned my finger prints a few more times, plus face unlock. It is a bit better, though I'm not happy with it yet. It still annoyingly requires pressing the power button and entering the PIN first thing in the morning. After I sit there half asleep trying to get my fingerprint to wake up the phone for a minute. Haven't found a setting there.

Now to figure out why Edge Lighting does no show my notifications.

Worwig, just wanted to say, sorry for the loss of your wife. I can only imagine how hard that is.

 

[lindajm22]

How do you require only 4 digits for the unlock PIN? Mine requires 6 digits. Is that maybe because I have work security applied to my phone?

 

[worwig]

How do you require only 4 digits for the unlock PIN? Mine requires 6 digits. Is that maybe because I have work security applied to my phone?

Likely your workplace security. Mine allowed 4 digits at the time.

I really do not need security turned on at all now. All of my personal banking, secure documents, and such apps, now have security built into them. So I can likely turn off the phone lock completely. But it would feel strange after years of using it.

 

[worwig]

Worwig, just wanted to say, sorry for the loss of your wife. I can only imagine how hard that is.

41 years. It really sucks.

 

[rsmin]

41 years. It really sucks.

Worwig, I am so sorry. I can only imagine, I have been married 44 years and life would seen very strange without my wife.

 

[ctuna1]

Observation's on unlocking . Face recognition kind of hit or miss. Fingerprint reader pretty good , Pattern always works.
Also you can set it up so if you are at your home wi fi address it's unlocked so many features. Takes a few day's even if you
are a Techy.

 

[AndroidFanboy8]

Auto facial unlock works like a charm for me. I got a usb-c 3.5mm headset and dual fast charger adapter from amazon. FYI btw. Make sure you get the one that is compatible with super fast charging as some of them are not.

I used to upgrade my phones constantly. But after my wife passed away a few years back, I'm less motivated to do things. So I have been using a Note 8 since they first came out. No real issues with the Note 8, except the battery was a bit small, so needed charged a bit more often then I like.

1. I recall on the Note 8 a number of reviewers thought that the fingerprint reader on the back of the phone was horrible. Well guess what, the fingerprint read in the middle of the screen is much worse. I would love to have a good fingerprint reader in the back of the phone.

2. They took away the heart rate and oxygen saturation sensor. I never thought to check for that. Just assumed they would not take out a feature like that, but they did. Not the end of the world, but annoying.

3. Of course they removed the headphone jack. So I need to get a couple of adapters for the USB C port. Annoying that they play 'follow the leader' to Apple like that. Luckily the SD card slot wasn't removed.

4. If I press and hold the home button inadvertently, I get Google Assistant. I don't want Google Assistant. I have not found a setting to change that annoyance. Luckily, there is no separate 'Bixby' button that I need to chisel off like the Note 8 had.

5. The pin to unlock the screen now must be variable length. I used to be able to quickly type the four digits and unlock. (or use the easy to access fingerprint reader on the back) Now I type my 4 digits, stare at it a moment, realize I need to hit enter also. An no, face unlock seldom works for me.

6. Yes, it looks like I will be getting much better battery life, which is great.

7. The camera extra wide angle and zoom abilities are awesome. And the stabilization when zoomed out to x50 amazes me that it works so well. But I do wish they would improve the low light ability a bit more. Still, awesome.

So right now my biggest complaint is turning on and unlocking the phone. On the Note 8 I would simply pick it up with my finger on the fingerprint sensor, and boom, it was unlocked when I looked down at it. With the Note 20, I have to fiddle with things. The other things are just annoyances, like no headphone jack, I will find work arounds like adapters.