First impressions Fairphone 2

Maybe you wanna have a look at this. One user suggested that a new device often lacks sound quality and needs to be used for a while to reach its quality (which can be accelerated by playing pink noise).

Some users reported that it is difficult to take off the screen the first time, but then it becomes easier. There are also tutorials available that show how it can be done easily (see first post in that thread)

[quote=“eqfive, post:164, topic:11491”]
The camera quality [is] not convincing
[/quote].

Basically I agree. Though I also have to say that so far no smartphone camera has convinced me, and I am still very often carrying a decent camera with me. Indeed some phones have a slightly better camera installed, but still I never experienced a convincing phone camera yet.

I am looking forward for the FP-OSOS, which should be either easy to root or come rooted. It is rumored that this should happen in the first quarter of 2016 :smile:[quote=“pwiegers, post:165, topic:11491”]

The backcover is very slippery. It is plastic, but not rubbery. For me, it could be more sticky.
[/quote] Personally I think it gives more grip than most other phones I’ve had in my hands.

[quote=“pwiegers, post:165, topic:11491”]
The proximity-sensor does not always work
[/quote]Did you take off the display protection cover? I heard some people say this problem disappeared after removing it. I never experienced any problems so far (I took the cover off immediately).

This was my fear when I saw th specs. Less than 2500 mAh on a 5 inch screen didn’t seem a lot; and it also proofed to not be a lot. With my usage pattern I hardly get though the day. So far the biggest disappointment for me. I had to buy a Powerbank now, so I can use the phone also during long travels (since I also use it as a work phone; hence I am grateful for the Dual-SIM functionality). So in terms of sustainability, A bigger battery would have prevented me (and maybe also others) from getting an extra battery or powerbank.

The size is rather a consequence of the modularity of the phone than because of a big battery. And of course due to the (for my taste over-dimensioned) display size.

[quote=“pwiegers, post:165, topic:11491”]
But you must actually hold the button while shooting video.
[/quote] I trigger the camera shutter on the screen, not with the button. This way there is no need to hold any button while shooting a video.

Hi everybody,

owning my Fairphone since now 4 days, I am very happy with it: It is working as expected, so far no real crashes (2 reboots over night, don’t know why)…

I even was successful to get it working with myphoneexplorer after half a day of trial, this was essential as the phone is to be used for work and must be connected to outlook…

Highlights:

  1. Phone performance as expected (I have a M8 with the 801 Platform…)
  2. Camera as expected (it was clear it’s not the best)
  3. Battery life as expected (no miracles, but compareable with HTC One M8 which is the same H/W Platform
  4. My Phone Explorer work fine : but only reliable after installing Qulacomm driver and ADB driver
  5. I like the Design -real corners, blue transparent back - what was the best choice-
  6. Software is showing good conditions and stability: I was really surprised as I thought on small companies the maturity of the Software is not as good as you show up to now.
  7. UI/GUI is different than others, really easy to use to me and good even for newbies. Also here I would have expected something more complicated as I would expect more the “nerds” byuing the phone- well done.

One con:
In case of low backlight the display flicker a bit while scrolling: this is nasty and makes me a bit crazy in dark conditions. My M8 do not have such problems…

One wish: Bigger Battery still (there is space inside the cover…)

It was a good choice, “Live Long and Prosper”… Fairphone!

See you in the Forum!

Bernd

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This behaviour is listed in the List of known bugs

I’ve had my fp2 for a couple of weeks now and am basically very happy with it. A few questions though:

  • If I shake the phone, there is a small rattling sound. Is this normal?
  • Is there any battery saver app that really extends battery life?

The sound is probably the vibration motor moving.

There is a battery saver integrated in Android. Go to Settings > Battery and tap the “more options” button (three dots) in the top right corner.

Hi,

Paul again here :slightly_smiling:
Second impressions:

  1. I de-installed Nova Launcher - the crashes stopped !! I reinstalled it, and the crashes came back. So, for the moment, I would advise people not to use this Launcher on the FP2. (I do use quite a bit of apps, so the FP2 launcher is not really workable for me. At the moment, I am using ZenUI. I do not like all those “extra launchers”, but I need more space than just one homescreen. :slightly_smiling: )
  2. About the failing proximity sensor: if I am using a headset when the phone rings, I need to take it out as I do not yet have a headset with a working mic. When I then raise the phone to my ear, the proximity sensor does not shut down the screen. So, I would as people to test this scenario, but for the moment this would seem a bug to me: the proximitysensor is not re-engagaged when you take out a headset plug and use the phone in “normal” mode.

So, working with it, for the moment the FP2 for me is a workable phone. I will try some other launchers, and am searching for a good headset to use with it. I am aware of the wiki, but I want an “sports-in-ear”, like this one. But at the moment I am hesistating to buy it, not being sure if it will work :slightly_smiling:

Regards,
Paul

2 Likes

You can have more than 15 screens (I stopped testing at 16) with the standard FP launcher and you can create folders.[quote=“pwiegers, post:172, topic:11491”]
but for the moment this would seem a bug to me
[/quote]

Yep, it’s on the list of known bugs.

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I have the same issue with this rattling sound - and it’s even worse when the phone rings and the vibration is on - is there any fix on that? Can other FP2 owners confirm that sound? Maybe it is a manufacturing bug… It is a little bit annoying.

Best,

Daniel*

@paulakreuzer do you have an idea where the vibration motor is located? Just to figure out if the sound comes from that part… Why do other phones not rattle when you shake them?

Best,

Daniel*

On the backside in the lower right corner there are two slits. Behind that is the microphone, right above is the vibration motor.

There is someone else who describes such sounds as very annoying. Maybe it’s something else. My FP2 is definitly not that noisy:

Are you also aware of this wiki? :wink:

What do you think? Should I send it back for repair? Does anybody else have this problems?

Best,

Daniel*

A post was merged into an existing topic: Noises and SD cards

Hallo, ich schreibe hier mal auf Deutsch, in Englisch könnte ich dieses Text nicht wirklich gut verständlich schreiben.

Ich habe mein FP2 am 4.2. bekommen und möchte hier mal meine Eindrücke/Meinungen dazu posten.

Ich bin sowohl von FP als Unternehmen als auch vom FP2 relativ stark enttäuscht!

Lieferverzögerung von Novemer bis Februar: der Grund ist bekannt und akzeptiert, die laufenden Informationen dazu von FP sind dagegen schlecht / nicht akzeptabel.

FP2: ich gehe mal nicht auf die einzelnen Bugs ein, die sind ja schon länger bekannnt soweit hier im Forum ‘mitgelesen’ wird.
Was ich nicht toleriere ist, das diese Bugs nicht vor der Auslieferung bemerkt worden sind und behoben wurden. Gibt es bei FP keine Qualitätskontrolle? Oder wurde das ‘unfertige’ Gerät bewußt in diesem Zustand ausgeliefert und die Auslieferung nicht noch weiter zu verzögern? Die Bugs des Displays fallen doch sofort beim ersten ‘Draufschauen’ auf, ebenso die LED-Bugs! Auch die WLAN-Bugs fallen doch relativ schnell auf (das ! bei Rückkehr in den WLAN-Bereich und die verminderte WLAN-Geschwindigkeit).
Mein aktuelles Smartphone ist das Samsung Galaxy S5, welches ja gerne als ‘Vergleichsmodell’ zum FP2 herangezogen wird. Das S5 benutze ich seit Dezember 2014, es ist nicht einmal abgestürzt bzw. hat nie selbsttändig gebootet etc. Das FP2 zeigte dagegen schon nach der ersten Nacht morgens die PIN-Eingabe, es hat also einen Neustart durchgeführt, warum auch immer. Ich benutze ich mein Smartphone sehr viel, es ist praktisch ständig in Gebrauch: auf dem Fahrrad höre ich Hörbücher über ein Bluetooth-Headset, Tagsüber läuft Musik in Form von Radio oder Google Play Music über WLAN. Mittags wird mal ein Video über Amazon Prime geschaut. Abends wird es mit einem Pulsgurt und einer Fitness-App 1-2 Stunden mit einem permanent eingeschalteten Display benutzt. Zwischendurch wird es zum Lesen von Zeitungen, Mails, WhatsApp, Facebook, Tapatalk und zum Telefonieren (irgendwie klingt der Gesprächspartner sehr ‘blechern’, ich bin ständig dabei, das FP2 am Ohr rum zu schieben um den Partner verstehen zu können) benutzt. Weiterhin werden Bücher über die Kindle-App bzw. über PDF in dunkler Umgebung, also mit sehr wenig Helligkeit auf dem Display gelesen. All das macht das gerootete S5 vollkommen problemlos. Das FP2 ist bereits am ersten Tags damit kläglich gescheitert. Immer mal wieder reagiert der Touchscreen nicht, es bootet neu, es flackert etc. Das Flackern des Displays beim Lesen in dunkler Umgebung stört mich sehr stark.
Noch was: es gibt ein Spiel, welches ich hin und wieder mal spiele: Pinball Arcade. Diese Spiel konnte ich vor Jahren schon auf dem Galaxy S2 gut spielen. Auf dem S5 läuft es super, auf dem FP2 dagegen eher schlecht, die Kugel rückelt über das Spielfeld und das ganze Spiel setzt irgendwie zwischendurch mal aus, es ‘friert’ sozusagen kurz ein und läuft dann weiter…

Zu den Ersatzteilen möchte ich auch noch etwas sagen:
bis auf das Mainboard sind die Preise m.M. nach in Ordnung. Sollte nach eingen Jahren ein neues Maiboard benötigt werden, ist es sehr fraglich, ob ich dafür über 300 € ausgeben würde. Ich hatte in der Verwandschaft mal ein defektes S4. Zuerst war die USB-Buchse ausgeleiert, später ging es ständig selbsständig aus. Die USB-Buchse auf einer kleinen Platine hat 8€ gekostet, das Mainboard später 120€.
Beim FP2 habe ich die Besorgnis, dass es Teile und Akku irgendwann nicht mehr/nur schwer zu beschaffen gibt (siehe FP1).

Mir gefällt das ganze Projekt wirklich sehr gut, umgesetzt wurde es bisher meiner Meinung nach bis dato aber schlecht!
Es ist ja mit 540€ auch nicht gerade ein Schnäppchen.

Seit Wochen sind die Bugs bekannt, es gab jedoch noch nicht einmal eine Ankündigung für ein Update. Einige Fehler wurden ja noch nicht mal lokalisiert. Und ob das Flackern des Displays wirklich ein Software-Problem ist?

Ich werde das FP2 noch knapp 2 Wochen liegen lassen. Sollte es bis dahin kein Update geben werde ich es wohl oder übel zurückgeben.
Hoffentlich klappt dieser Vorgang dann zumindest ‘problemlos’.

1 Like

Dafür gibt es viele Gründe, zu lesen hier. Kurz gefasst: Fairphone hätte die Bugs vor Auslieferung beheben können, aber dann hättest du noch länger auf dein vorausbezahltes Telefon warten müssen. Fairphone brauchte das Geld um die Produktion zu starten und hat sofort an Kunden ausgeliefert statt erstmal viele Prototypen zu produzieren.
Samsung kann es sich leisten ein Handy zu produzieren, zu testen, Fehler zu beheben und erst dann zu verkaufen. Verzögerungen die dabei entstehen bekommst du gar nicht mit, weil das Handy erst am kurz vor Verkauf angekündigt wird.

Von 5 bugs wissen wir bereits, dass sie behoben wurden, aber du hast recht: Ein Datum für das heiß erwartete Update gibt es noch nicht.

wenn ich wüsste, dass die Bugs wirklich in angemessener Zeit behoben würden, hätte ich kein Problem damit. Aber ob es wirklich nur Softwareprobleme sind, ist fraglich.
Und wenn sich FP für jede Fehlerbehebung wochenlang bis zur Ausrollung Zeit lässt, hat man für lange Zeit eine Dauerbaustelle dabei.
Der LED-Bug (Rot/Grün) ist behoben, warum wird dann nicht mal ein Update ausgerollt, das dürfte kein großer Aufwand sein (siehe CM-Nightlies), und sei es nur, um zu zeigen, dass man bemüht ist und das sich etwas tut).
Dafür ist mir das Risiko zu groß, dass ich nach den 14 Tagen Rückgaberecht ein 540€ teures Smartphone im Schrank liegen habe.

1 Like

It is that difficult to speak english ?
Anyway, i was going to put my review of it,i made it in english, but since i’m french, i will post it in JAPANESE just to be sure that you don’t understand it !

So, my review (in english because i don’t have a japanese keyboard):

I have received my Fairphone 2 2 days ago, and since i played with it for the last 48h
hours, i think it’s time for a « little review » :

1/Packaging
The packaging was minimal and the phone was well protected inside, only complain is that the whole « first use manual » could have been recorded numerically inside the FP2 instead of paper, but, it’s fine:)

2/Overall Construction
I have waited less the 30 hours before trying to completely disassemble it:)
I have read that users had problem to separate the screen for the first time, but i didn’t had any problem, for the simple reason that the screen wasn’t properly assembled in factory (it was working flawlessly, but the front facing camera wasn’t perfectly aligned with the hole in the screen).
So, very easy to disassemble, just some trouble with the jack plug that block a bit the removal of the upper
module, nothing terrible.
As an engineer, i love well engineered things, and i have to say that the FP2 is a perfect example of what i love, all modules are very well assembled, with metal threading for screws, dustproof, sealing for open areas like proximity sensor, annnnndddd POGO CONNECTORS ! Why i’m yelling it ? Because they are f****ing awesome ! Every
connectors have spring loaded pins, gold plating and sealing, they are wonderful pieces of engineering, durable, stainless and close to waterproof…except for the camera connector, where the rubber sealing can’t rest around, i was a bit disappointed by this little lack of……constancy :

So except that one connector, the insides are just super cool, and the visible vibration motor is awesome !

When using it, its maybe a bit too large/too thick, but nothing awful, I would have preferred a lower locking
button and a lower camera button, but its more personal felling

3/Chargers
I was also worried by all the persons that had trouble charging it, I tested around some chargers and monitored the charging current with Ampere:

  • RAVPower 4 port 30W: 1 A port : 0,98A
    2,1 A port : 1,1A
  • RAVPower power bank130000: 1 A port: 0,73 A /2 A port:Can’t charge it
  • OnePlusX charger (5V 2A): 1 A
  • Motorola charger (5,1V 0,85A): 0,64A
  • Clevo P150SM notebook: 1 A port: 0,87A/0,5 A port: 0,17A
  • Chromecast charger (5,1V 0,85A): 0,65A
  • RaspberryPi Charger from Vilros (5V 2A): 1,35A

So, basically all my chargers worked, only the RAVPower Power bank got me trouble, but
only for one port, thumbs up to the Raspberry charger that hold the
record :slight_smile:

4/Screen
The screen is really nice the FHD is wonderfull, colors are good, backlight could have
been better, but I have seen worse.

5/Software
The first thing I noticed is the Google supremacy, it’s not the “full featured” package we have: Store, Gmail, Drive, Picture, Maps, Agenda, Music, Film, Camera.
It could have been worse, I got rid of almost all except the Store, my main problem was finding an app gallery that worked with OpenCamera, I found a beautiful app named Pikture (unfortunately not Open Source).

One thing bothered me that was Ifixit App was installed as a system app….

The overall system is very reactive and I didn’t came across bugs other than screen flickering or led, nothing new.

I didn’t really liked the Fairphone Launcher, and i’m left handed, I couldn’t find a way to used the edge swipe from the other side, so I use Nova Launcher.
I love the quick response system, I discovered it ages ago on CyanogenMod 7 (on an Optimus 2X), it’s great to have it again, but the problem is that we can’t see the message we are replying to, and if we go past the 170
character limit, It completely delete your whole message (and I hate when it does that !!!)

I almost immediately rooted my phone, messed around, made the phone almost unusable (don’t worry it happens all the time with me :)) so I had to completely reinstall it and re-root, but its part of the wonderful journey of doing what I want with my phone! After that, I noticed that the widget “i got my fairphone since xxxx” also got reset….so if every update the thing is reset, it’s completely useless, It should have been hardcoded from manufacturing date……

With the help of titanium backup, I made some cleaning around useless stuff, I also installed “Device Control”, an app to control precisely SoC behavior, and that can make automatic tasks to change CPU/GPU
strategy (governor) based if screen is ON or not: it automatically switch to powersave governor and reduce CPU speculative execution, I also changed I/O scheduler to cfq which should be a bit better.

AntutuV6 : 44700pts (nothing unexcepted, performances on pars of other 801AB equiped phones)

I played a bit with Deemo and Cytus, two awsome music game, I din’t noticed any lag,
But the game “unpossible” is a bit laggy when using “high” graphic settings.
No problem for Implosion So overall good performances, but the FHD screen is really heavy on GPU

As some says, even when doing nothing the CPU seems to be constantly busy, and report 50% of usage, that can be greatly lowered ( to 5-15%) by using interactive CPU governor, (instead of “ondemand”) no lag noticeable in everyday usage, but games are greatly affected ( Antutu: 33000 pts)

6/Audio
The Rear Speaker is crap, there is a lot of sibilance and past the 3/4 of volume, it start crackle and saturate…
Audio jack : the stereo is inversed, wich is not cool at all ^^, but the chanel separation is quitely good, the overall frequency response is not too bad IMO (i’m not an audiophile, but i like precision when i listen to classical).
in bluetooth : my MDR10 RBT from Sony is recognized, the commands are working great and the sound is what we can expect from a SBC codec, nothing terrible, but the AptX could have helped.
Microphone : not super good, we can hear my finger a sliding on the backcover, and the overall quality is not awesome, but i rarely use it (i’m using hand free earphone)

7/Wireless
Good GPS fix, good Cellular fix, good ping, good transfert rate, all good :slightly_smiling:

So, to conclude, it’s a great phone ! sure, it lacks some things i liked, like NFC, fast charging, AptX, the battery is probably a bit light for a full day of use, it’s bulky, it cost a lot, but overall, it’s very good, it’s sturdy and robust, and made to last, and thats why i bought it :slightly_smiling:

9 Likes

Maybe you can provide some more details of your findings in this thread?


You should use the Fairphone Launcher also as left handed, as the menu appears from both side of the screen, if you care about the small zone (of I would say less than 1cm) from eacht side edge.

2 Likes

I didn’t realized that we can use it from the left ! thanks for the tips (i was desesperatly searchig for an option ^^)

I received mine a couple days ago and here are my first impressions:
-well packaged, the cardboard parcel box was in excellent state but the white cocoon enclosing the phone was badly damaged. So that must have happened on the packaging chain. A disappointment as I like to have all packaging kept mint when it is special objects like the FP.
-The phone looks was a good surprise. Looks plain enough but not as ugly as I feared. It is not that huge and it is light for its size. I like the feel of the back cover and the blue transparency makes it quite unique.
-the case was a nightmare to fit but it’s not something you do everyday so not such an issue.
-Apart from the camera one, all the side buttons are misplaced: the power button is too high and the volume button is in the way. I end up inadvertently raising or cutting the volume all the time.
-Where has the Peace of Mind app gone??
-The sound through Bluetooth is pretty awful, borderline unusable. I am hoping that a fix will come soon for this.
-Luckily I haven’t observed any other bugs - I suspect that the notification lights are always red but that is of little importance to me.
-I haven’t really tested the camera, I suspect it is not great but it can’t be any worse than the one on my tablet.
-wifi, 4G and GPS all good.
-battery is a catastrophy. I have been used to a battery going down 15% in a day. With the FP2 by the time I had got to work it was down 15%. In the meantime I use a charger during the day (which I never had to before), the airplane mode when not in use, and a nifty little app called PowerPRO. Looking forward to root so I can download and use Peace of Mind again.
Overall the FP2 is as I expected vastly inferior to my previous phone but I got it for the right reasons: fairness, sustainability, and the power to play with the software and the hardware…

3 Likes