First impressions Fairphone 2

[deedend]

Thanks a lot for this report!!!

[Stefan]

Some follow-up discussions:

@kevr1990

There’s a significant flicker when the screen is on the lowest brightness setting

https://forum.fairphone.com/t/screen-flickers-at-low-brightness-fix-planned-for-future-update/11577

@kevr1990

I’ve noticed one touchscreen issue - when scrolling, the screen will often jump all over the place.

Fairphone 2: Crazy touch inputs (touchscreen issue) - workaround (for some): increase touch & hold delay

Troubleshooting Tips: Increase the touch and hold delay: Rule out screen & battery issues #disassemble your phone, carefully clean the connectors perform a battery reset as described in the #batteryguide Update your Operating System (You can manually update as described here even if your screen doesn’t permit you to update normally). Try to find a pattern. When does this happen? If it only happens during phone calls than it’s probably a proximity sensor issue. Go here for more info an…

@kevr1990

I’d guess the majority of users will only use one sim, so the prominance of dual-sim in the software is annoying.

@paulakreuzer

As long as there is no way to have root access there is no way to change that. As soon as we get the how to root tutorial one can simply install the XPosed Framework with Gravity Box and hide the secondary Sim Symbol.

[kevr1990]

Thanks @Stefan!

[TobiasF]

How about a wiki with known software issues? So if I (or another FP2 owner) encounters such a problem, I don’t need to disturb support because the Fairphone team is already informed and works on an update.

[jftr]

@TobiasF

How about a wiki with known software issues?

Isn’t that what the Bug Reports category is for?

[TobiasF]

Oh. There is already a thread with known bugs.

[root]

Quick comment on NFC - I use NFC to access my Yubikey Neo. However, this should also work via USB-OTG. But this will be more than just a little inconvenience…sigh…

[manu26]

I guess NFC is useful for some users. But why would you buy a phone without NFC and then complain about its lack thereof?

[Fred]

Lucky FP2 Owners,
would you share some nice pictures?!

FP2 - Pictures Gallery

Pictures taken with FP2 (8MP module) Post yours These first ones come from “FutureZone”: [image] [image] [image] [image] [image] [image]

[nohwann]

I got my FP2 today. Fast check…!

looks: awseome
size: big
feelings: fairphone
waiting: root access

Shot by FP2

[georgmayer]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I crawled into my cave and was grumpy for a while and then in the end, regardless what I listed above, still took the FP2 into action.

I never wanted to give it back anyway, I’m a true fan and supporter of FP and I’m happy to have the alternative.

I guess my main shock was that my 128GB disk was destroyed - I know, this has nothing to do with the phone itself, but it really upset me. I now got a new one and that works well (and I had everything backed up).

Also I admit that I know that there is no NFC in the phone when I ordered it (I would even have ordered it without screen) and could have checked the camera beforehand, but that was not my point. I do not want to give the phone back, I wanted to indicate how I experience the phone and what I miss compared to the (quite old) Samsung Galaxy S5.

So yes, NFC and camera are more of personal views. That I cannot get rid of the navigation bar is nevertheless annoying (though I’m already used to it after two days and I do not like to be so easily brainwashed by software ). Booting time - agreed, does not matter and the phone itself is quite fast when working with it.

On the rooting issue - I don’t want to get drawn into a discussion about this. It’s my personal view that it should have come rooted - it’s absolutely fine if other people see it differently, but I guess there are many people reading these threads and trying to get a impression of what the FP2 is and what it is not.

So finally I’ve ordered the third FP2 now, when it arrives the whole family will be equipped with it. If my daughter starts nagging about something missing I will send her here .

Cheers & Thanks
Georg

[Zebrafax]

@georgmayer

So finally I’ve ordered the third FP2 now, when it arrives the whole family will be equipped with it.

So the other FP2 owner seems to be happy with her/his FP2?

[Jon1]

Having recently had to insert and then remove an SD card a few times, I would definitely concede it isn’t very well designed. You have to lift the end up over the two knobs and then slide it out. Not something that is easy to do while holding the phone.

[georgmayer]

yes, she is very happy. And as I said, I’m using it also now, from which you can deduce that I nag about what I don’t like but still I’m happy. Hope I made nobody unhappy.

[werner_noebauer]

Hi,

After one week using my new FP2 I will share my first impressions:

Delivery:
unexpected fast (30.12.2015). I was surprised to receive the phone before new years eve in Vienna/Austria

Packaging:
The paperfoam box looks nice, the box was a little bit shifted, but protected the content very well.

Manual:
Basic intro to the phone. A larger manual to download would be helpful (e.g. did not know what the WiFi Icon with “!” stands for)

The phone:

• calls: much better call quality, than FP1U
• speed: the phone start takes some seconds but when it is started it runs smooth and fast
• display: good resolution, clear and bright
• touchscreen: much better than FP1U, sensitive, easy to type
• weight: 174g, it feels lighter than the FP1U
• Back cover: (in my case black mate) fits very well, it was a bit tricky to fold it over all the edges
• Dual (Micro) SIM - I had to get a Microsim from my provider first to use my new phone.
• MicroSD Card slot - it feels a bit loose and I was not sure if the card is in the right position. But it worked and the card (64GB) is accessible.
• Battery duration - currently with normal use: 10-12h - maybe I’m using my new FP2 too much and the battery has to calibrate or I have to change some settings (GPS, Brightness)
• Camera - outside with bright light the pictures are OK, inside with motion there are blurred parts and I hope that there will be a better camera module available soon.

OS:

• Android 5.1 - I must admit I have to get used to it. It’s a new design and some functions have to be “explored”. Personally I liked Android “Jelly Bean” 4.2.2 a lot, but I think I will get used to “Lollipop”
• Apps: some apps (WhatsApp, Evernote) were not running perfectly and had some issues (see other posts) EDIT: I had to uncheck “Privacy Impact”!
• root: I hope there will be an easy instruction available soon

Summary:
For me it was a bit a challenge to replace my FP1U by the new FP2 (maybe I like my " old" FP1U too much) and to get used to the Android 5.1 look.
The improvement of the call quality is a big plus, also the better processor and the sensitive touchscreen.
I expected a better performance of the camera and the battery. But these are parts that can be replaced easily, so I hope that there will be a solution to improve this soon.

Greetings from Vienna!
Werner

[Jon1]

@werner_noebauer

Manual:Basic intro to the phone. A larger manual to download would be helpful (e.g. did not know what the WiFi Icon with “!” stands for)

There is now a topic on this: https://forum.fairphone.com/t/wifi-reconnection-problem/11753

[vivia]

Hi all!

I am writing in the “first impressions” thread, because it was really the very first impression I got from the FP2, before even using it.
I am referring to the postcard that says “My Fairphone will outlast my boyfriend (among other things)” - IIRC that was even somewhere on the phone startup.

That can mean one of two things:

1. My relationship with my boyfriend is expected to last for a few more years at best - in this case, I’d feel outside the target group at best, offended at worst.
2. The Fairphone will keep working for decades over decades - in this case, it would have been much funnier to state it as “my Fairphone will outlast my building”.

To the Fairphone team: If you read me, could you replace the word “boyfriend” with something that will make more people want to identify with it (like, “my sofa” or “my car”) rather than going wtf?

[ben]

@georgmayer

I never wanted to give it back anyway, I’m a true fan and supporter of FP and I’m happy to have the alternative.

Welcome back! Great to hear.

@georgmayer

I guess my main shock was that my 128GB disk was destroyed - I know, this has nothing to do with the phone itself, but it really upset me.

Quite understandable. Can you elaborate how that happened to help other users preventing such thing to happen? I know 128GB cards are still quite expensive!

@vivia

My Fairphone will outlast my boyfriend (among other things)

I think that is quite funny.

[kevr1990]

@ben

My Fairphone will outlast my boyfriend (among other things)

I think that is quite funny.

I agree