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James Martin/CNET
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 is now available in a developer flavor for those of you who like to tweak and tinker with your phones.
Available through Samsung at a price tag of $700, the Galaxy Note 4 Developer Edition is virtually identical in features to the retail model sold by Verizon. You’ll find the same 5.7-inch 2,560×1,440-pixel screen, 16-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization, S-Pen stylus, and metal rim.
The version sold by Samsung is tied to Verizon, so by default you’ll have to use it on Verizon’s network. It also comes with all the extra software and apps courtesy of Verizon. But you can easily wipe those away.
A developer edition of a phone allows you to replace the existing OS and add-ons with a custom ROM. A custom ROM typically carries just the Android OS and the basic apps, so you’re not saddled with any of the features added by the manufacturer or the carrier. From there, you can install a variety of apps of your own choosing and make other changes. You can also install different custom ROMs offered by developers, each with their own features and apps.
Though the term “developer” makes it sound like the phone is geared just toward app developers, anyone who wants to tinker with the device can buy it if they’re willing to plunk down the $700.
Those of you who prefer to stick with a locked, carrier-subsidized Galaxy Note 4 can pick one up through Verizon or AT&T for $299 with a two-year contract. The phone is also available through T-Mobile and Sprint.
