The Pro1, almost a year later

[Wasmachineman_NL 99]

So it's been almost a year since I received my Pro1, here are my thoughts:

Unless you _absolutely_ want a keyboard phone, do not buy the Pro1. Why not?

• So-so build quality (my display was f'd from the start but now it's getting worse, the edges on the right side of the display are starting to become black)
• Play in the slider hinge
• Software is atrociously bad and quite unstable at times, even with LineageOS
• Being unable to film anything properly with the camera because the mic is borderline useless
• No Maemo /s
• The staggered keyboard layout is dumb IMHO

I could have spent that €670 I paid on something better like towards a new bike. I only use the Pro1 now when i'm going away from home for extended periods and even then I still use my N900 for Rockbox.

[EskeRahn 5,460]

It certainly is a matter of priorities!

I just love my Pro1! 😍🥰 🤩

Sure there are things that could be better. But there are NO other devices offered that comes closer to fulfilling my needs&wishes. So with no viable alternatives, Pro1 got an easy win in my book....

 

[Slion 1,201]

On 10/23/2020 at 12:46 PM, Wasmachineman_NL said:

Unless you _absolutely_ want a keyboard phone, do not buy the Pro1.

I thought that was pretty obvious.

On 10/23/2020 at 12:46 PM, Wasmachineman_NL said:

So-so build quality

So true, quality need to improve.

On 10/23/2020 at 12:46 PM, Wasmachineman_NL said:

Software is atrociously bad and quite unstable at times, even with LineageOS

That I don't get, mine is so stable on stock and can run months without a reboot.

On 10/23/2020 at 12:46 PM, Wasmachineman_NL said:

Being unable to film anything properly with the camera because the mic is borderline useless

I don't do much video recording, technically I don't think any smartphone does any filming 🤣
However mic has either software or hardware issues as people often complain they can't ear me well in speakerphone modes notably over facebook messenger.

On 10/23/2020 at 12:46 PM, Wasmachineman_NL said:

The staggered keyboard layout is dumb IMHO

I'm just happy it has a keyboard at all 😉

Edited October 25, 2020 by Slion

[VaZso 1,998]

2 minutes ago, Slion said:

However mic has either software or hardware issues as people often complain they can't ear me well in speakerphone modes notably over facebook messenger.

Anyway, the active speaker during handsfree mode is the one near main microphone while the other one is muted.
My other phone had the opposite anyway.

Generally it does not seem to be a good idea producing a "noise" next to the microphone which should have the "signal" input.
So practically it should has been interchanged in software.

[Slion 1,201]

1 hour ago, VaZso said:

Anyway, the active speaker during handsfree mode is the one near main microphone while the other one is muted.
My other phone had the opposite anyway.

Generally it does not seem to be a good idea producing a "noise" next to the microphone which should have the "signal" input.
So practically it should has been interchanged in software.

@Erik @Waxberry Can we get a fix for this? Should be as easy as fixing the stereo issue which was fixed a while ago.

Edited October 23, 2020 by Slion

[Slion 1,201]

2 hours ago, Wasmachineman_NL said:

I could have spent that €670 I paid on something better like towards a new bike.

I'm pretty sure you could get a descent price for it on ebay.

[Hook 3,021]

2 hours ago, Wasmachineman_NL said:

So-so build quality

I'm not sure how universal this is.  My build quality so far is fantastic.

 

2 hours ago, Wasmachineman_NL said:

Unless you _absolutely_ want a keyboard phone, do not buy the Pro1

Yeah, this is kind of duh.  😉

2 hours ago, Wasmachineman_NL said:

Play in the slider hinge

Again, not here

2 hours ago, Wasmachineman_NL said:

Software is atrociously bad and quite unstable at times, even with LineageOS

Again, not here on Lineage OS.

I like they keyboard except for how we get / and ?. but I've adapted easily.  Most of the other points aren't that relevant for me (e.g.,I don't use a phone for video much) and therefore can't attest one way or another.  Are there improvements that could be made on a first ever phone for a new company, sure.  I certainly hope they make it to a Pro2 or whatever where they will no doubt do that.  But I would reverse your opening statement:  "If you really want a good keyboard phone, buy a Pro1!"  🙂

As Eske said, different priorities.

[Wasmachineman_NL 99]

4 hours ago, Hook said:

I'm not sure how universal this is.  My build quality so far is fantastic.

 

Yeah, this is kind of duh.  😉

Again, not here

Again, not here on Lineage OS.

I like they keyboard except for how we get / and ?. but I've adapted easily.  Most of the other points aren't that relevant for me (e.g.,I don't use a phone for video much) and therefore can't attest one way or another.  Are there improvements that could be made on a first ever phone for a new company, sure.  I certainly hope they make it to a Pro2 or whatever where they will no doubt do that.  But I would reverse your opening statement:  "If you really want a good keyboard phone, buy a Pro1!"  🙂

As Eske said, different priorities.

Android is not optimized for landscape devices whatsoever unlike something like Maemo which is designed from the ground up for landscape use. Have been using a N900 for almost 10 years now and the Pro1 doesn't come close. Maybe if it ran Maemo-Leste and had Nokia tier build quality I would have reconsidered my opinion.

Edited October 23, 2020 by Wasmachineman_NL

[Hook 3,021]

14 minutes ago, Wasmachineman_NL said:

Android is not optimized for landscape devices whatsoever unlike something like Maemo which is designed from the ground up for landscape use. Have been using a N900 for almost 10 years now and the Pro1 doesn't come close. Maybe if it ran Maemo-Leste and had Nokia tier build quality I would have reconsidered my opinion.

My point was not to have you reconsider your opinion.  I had no doubt you had good reasons for your opinion.  My point was to simply let someone coming here know there are other opinions.  🙂

 

[EskeRahn 5,460]

22 minutes ago, Hook said:

My point was not to have you reconsider your opinion.  I had no doubt you had good reasons for your opinion.  My point was to simply let someone coming here know there are other opinions.  🙂

Indeed. I have no doubt that for the vast majority of people the extra weight and thickness alone outweigh the benefits of a real keyboard of the Pro1.

But for a small group it is the other way around. And among that group some of us also finds the benefits outweighing the oddities and bugs (that we obviously hope will be ironed out).

Everybody has their own priorities, and for ANY device counting the pluses and minuses can lead us to what is most suitable for each of us. But I can not imagine that there ever will be a device that is ideal for all. Not even within this small group of keyboard lovers

[sequestris 710]

Have had phone since 2020/01/27 (January 27th of this year)

Things I like:

• Excellent Camera (with Camera PX 7.2.014.278150624 software)
• Fully customizable keyboard with SwiftKey overlay so I can cheat when typing
• Amazing speed
• The keyboard
• Ability to install/uninstall every and anything
• Storage capacity (1TB sd card works perfectly)
• Fast charging
• Seamless app integration (Contacts+ 5.32.601 is the BOMB)
• Samsung Browser speed and that it doesn't hang up and gag like it does on my other phone
• Super responsive screen
• The keyboard
• Multi-taking ability
• Pairs to everything instantly
• Bizarrely amazing sound from playback
• Great speed when watching videos and streaming
• The keyboard

Things I don't like:

• In call sound, volume, stability, and well...everything about making a phone call is excruciating and I am glad I have a land line at home
• Some menus are weird and convoluted
• Can't stream using Microsoft Mirrorcast (no picture only sound)
• Autorotate is possessed by the Demon Spawn of Hell
• Sometimes default sound notifications get reset to default when the phone is rebooted.
• When switching from wifi calling to cellular, sometimes the phone won't place calls so I have to reboot.

[netman 1,424]

1 hour ago, sequestris said:

• Sometimes default sound notifications get reset to default when the phone is rebooted.

Are the audio files for them on the SD card perchance?

[Slion 1,201]

11 hours ago, sequestris said:

Autorotate is possessed by the Demon Spawn of Hell

Thankfully we have the Angelic Blessing of Heaven to fix that.

See: https://github.com/Fxtec-Community/Pro1-Android/issues/6
Whatever issue you may have could also be remotely related to: https://github.com/Fxtec-Community/Pro1-Android/issues/5

Edited October 26, 2020 by Slion

[Hook 3,021]

I have never had a problem with "autorotate"-- maybe because I have it turned off. Everything works as it should.  Apps that can do landscape do it with the keyboard out. Apps that can't don't and get used in portrait or split screen.  Apps that are adaptable can be used in either orientation.  I especially appreciate having Kindle Reader in portrait with the keyboard out as a grip.

[Adrienspawn 126]

It made sense as a purchase at the time because we assumed the screen and microphone would be functioning normally.

They seem to have all shipped with a green tint and the microphone is indeed behaving very strangely, dropping low.

I can understand the buttons and mechanism being a bit rickety, and the software shipping incomplete, but it's been a year, and they announced the Pro1-X now.

[sequestris 710]

On 10/25/2020 at 11:26 PM, netman said:

Are the audio files for them on the SD card perchance?

Right now nothing is on the SD card so not that.

[sequestris 710]

5 hours ago, Adrienspawn said:

It made sense as a purchase at the time because we assumed the screen and microphone would be functioning normally.

They seem to have all shipped with a green tint and the microphone is indeed behaving very strangely, dropping low.

I can understand the buttons and mechanism being a bit rickety, and the software shipping incomplete, but it's been a year, and they announced the Pro1-X now.

I don't know what the green tint that you refer to is. Don't have that problem.
Microphone works fine for me - just the earpiece that is issuematic (screw you Firefox; it IS a word).
Buttons and mechanism quite stable.

Software is a little less-than, I agree with that.
But honestly, I'm and Android Girl and I vet all my apps thoroughly before installing.
I do wish that they had addressed existing issues before launching new ventures...

[sequestris 710]

And since I use the Samsung Browser I just disabled Chrome so I never have to deal with it "popping" on 🤣

[VaZso 1,998]

11 minutes ago, sequestris said:

I don't know what the green tint that you refer to is.

When the brightness of display panel is decreased, the colors are shifted a bit which is noticeable especially in the lowest part of the scale.
(So in that part there it is not really modifies the brightness but do some change in colour balance which may apply perfectly well for another display but not the one used in Pro1 units.)

The background is the OLED panel itself and the properties of any LEDs.
So its LEDs are not producing the exact same light for the exact same driving current, so they should be calibrated in relation to each other.
A different kind of panel may have different behaviour (a need of different calibration) and also there are some differences between every panels.

What would they need is applying some correction data which represents the characteristics of the display what F(x)tec use in their products.

[sequestris 710]

4 minutes ago, VaZso said:

When the brightness of display panel is decreased, the colors are shifted a bit which is noticeable especially in the lowest part of the scale.
(So in that part there it is not really modifies the brightness but do some change in colour balance which may apply perfectly well for another display but not the one used in Pro1 units.)

The background is the OLED panel itself and the properties of any LEDs.
So its LEDs are not producing the exact same light for the exact same driving current, so they should be calibrated in relation to each other.
A different kind of panel may have different behaviour (a need of different calibration) and also there are some differences between every panels.

What would they need is applying some correction data which represents the characteristics of the display what F(x)tec use in their products.

Interesting. I tried decreasing it all the way with no green shift.

[VaZso 1,998]

5 minutes ago, sequestris said:

Interesting. I tried decreasing it all the way with no green shift.

Somewhere there was a dragon picture linked recently which was in an old thread.
It can be noticed if you look at that picture while modifying the brightness - so you may see it in some photos and you may not notice it in others.

Edit: Here it is

Edited October 28, 2020 by VaZso

[silversolver 849]

2 hours ago, sequestris said:

I do wish that they had addressed existing issues before launching new ventures...

Many of the software improvements made for the P1X will be applicable to the P1 as well, and presumably be implemented on both platforms as they're developed. I think the P1X is an exciting new product that addresses many of the complaints about the P1, and will give those who were disappointed with the P1 a real chance of having a device that makes them happy. Also, ever onward and upward. Grow or die is how it works. I'm glad to see what looks like growth after a very rough year thanks to CONTROL-19.

[claude0001 1,341]

On 10/23/2020 at 12:46 PM, Wasmachineman_NL said:

...
Unless you _absolutely_ want a keyboard phone, do not buy the Pro1.
...

I must say that @Wasmachineman_NL does have a valid point here.

Android apps are designed with portrait orientation in mind, and while all (that I use) support landscape somehow, most do not even try to make any clever use of a wide screen. There are a few notable exceptions (like K9-Mail) but they are rare.

When using Lineage, I rarely slide out the keyboard for that simple reason: For many on-the-go tasks -- like single-handed web browsing, email checking, or even writing short messages -- landscape is not practical, as, both, the apps and the (huge) phone are simply not optimised for that. That was a different story with the N900, which not only had an OS designed for landscape, but was also small enough to be held and operated comfortably in that orientation, even using a single hand.

I do use the keyboard all the time when working with Debian (in chroot): There, I have software that is designed for running on desktop PCs with mouse pointer control. I place the phone on a table, slide out the keyboard and use the screen as a touchpad. So, effectively, I use the pro1 as a tiny (but surprisingly functional) laptop. But let's face it: How many want to run software designed for PCs (or servers 😎) on their phones?

So I think @Wasmachineman_NL is right: Unless you have a very specific application (and there certainly are some!) taking advantage of the hardware keyboard, there is little reason to buy a (quite expensive) Pro1. The unlocked bootloader is a nice feature, but it is not like running third-party OSes is impossible on other devices (that might be cheaper or more powerful). Yes, this may seem obvious to us, but maybe not to everyone passing by ...

 

On 10/26/2020 at 4:13 AM, sequestris said:

• Excellent Camera
  ...

I tend to disagree on that. I find that my N900 took much better pictures, at least in daylight conditions. Of course, the N900 had a quite good camera for its time, but as so many years have passed, I expected more from an expensive 2019 phone.

After frustrating weeks spent with the default camera app, I now installed OpenCamera. The more fine-grained control of the device it offers (via the camera2-API) seems to help a bit -- still, the camera is my greatest disappointment with the Pro1.

Do not get me wrong: I think the Pro1 is a great device overall -- especially when considering that it is Fxtec's first product. But it is obviously not perfect. Criticism can be a good thing when formulated in a constructive and polite way (as on this thread), and I believe Fxtec have shown that they are quite open to that.  

Edited October 28, 2020 by claude0001

[EskeRahn 5,460]

11 hours ago, silversolver said:

Many of the software improvements made for the P1X will be applicable to the P1 as well, and presumably be implemented on both platforms as they're developed.

I think you can pretty safely drop the first "m". From what we know they got identical hardware identical less the storage option (and colour)

[EskeRahn 5,460]

27 minutes ago, claude0001 said:

On 10/23/2020 at 12:46 PM, Wasmachineman_NL said:

...
Unless you _absolutely_ want a keyboard phone, do not buy the Pro1.
...

I must say that @Wasmachineman_NL does have a valid point here.

I doubt that ANYONE would disagree in principle. Anyone rarely using the keyboard would just get extra thickness and weight at a higher price than without. For those I suggest go buy one of the 986876 other available phone/phablet models out there...