Charging Pins causing rash on wrist? - Samsung Gear Live

I purchased the Gear Live for my wife last month. Just last week she was traveling for work and sent me this picture of her wrist. The watch had given her a rash or skin irritation, possibly from the charging pins. I purchased a Gwatch a week after I got her Gear Live, and I don't wear it as often (usually just weekends). I know there was recently an update for the Gwatch to turn current off in the charging pins. I am wondering if the Gear Live may have the same issue that needs to be addressed? Has anyone else experienced this? Or should I contact Google/Samsung about a possible defective unit?
Thanks.

Supposedly we got the same update. Hardly seen anything related to gear live, but that's not to say it wouldn't happen
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gear-live/help/skin-irritation-radiation-t2832318
If you got it through play store, contact google - easy and hassle free exchange from my experience

Copper allergie?

motempo said:
I purchased the Gear Live for my wife last month. Just last week she was traveling for work and sent me this picture of her wrist. The watch had given her a rash or skin irritation, possibly from the charging pins. I purchased a Gwatch a week after I got her Gear Live, and I don't wear it as often (usually just weekends). I know there was recently an update for the Gwatch to turn current off in the charging pins. I am wondering if the Gear Live may have the same issue that needs to be addressed? Has anyone else experienced this? Or should I contact Google/Samsung about a possible defective unit?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too am getting some sort of rash on my wrist from my Gear Live. It didn't occur right away. I wore the watch for almost a week before it got really itchy. I don't think it's the electrical contacts but it might be. Or possibly the rubber in the band. Has anyone else had anything like this? What did you end up doing?

chris.wilcox said:
I too am getting some sort of rash on my wrist from my Gear Live. It didn't occur right away. I wore the watch for almost a week before it got really itchy. I don't think it's the electrical contacts but it might be. Or possibly the rubber in the band. Has anyone else had anything like this? What did you end up doing?
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Had Google replace it. Second one did the same thing. Just sent it back for a refund. Maybe an allergic reaction to the material?

motempo said:
Had Google replace it. Second one did the same thing. Just sent it back for a refund. Maybe an allergic reaction to the material?
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Did you/your wife have a reaction to the LG G watch also or just the Gear Live?

chris.wilcox said:
Did you/your wife have a reaction to the LG G watch also or just the Gear Live?
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Click to collapse
She never had then gwatch. I do, no problem with it. She's getting a moto 360 when available again.

hallettguy said:
Copper allergie?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wonder if it is a Copper Allergy.

Band?
motempo said:
She never had then gwatch. I do, no problem with it. She's getting a moto 360 when available again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It may have been the material in the band. I've changed the band and my skin hasn't been itchy in over a week.

californiarailroader said:
I wonder if it is a Copper Allergy.
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Click to collapse
Tough to be a copper allergy when the contacts are ENIG ( gold plated).

I got a Gear 2 Neo and I'm also getting a rash from the battery terminals.
I had a Gear 1 and never had a problem with that, its only started recently and I've only had the Gear 2 for about 6 weeks.
Could be the heat making me sweat and thats causing the rash with the battery terminals. Or it might be me just not noticing it till now as I'm always wearing it.
Would making the back thicker fix it? I'm thinking of a few layers of tape so the battery terminals are not actually touching the skin. That shouldn't get in the way of the charger but keep it off the skin. Another idea is to just cover the terminals with sticky tape and take it off while charging. Annoying but if it'll stop the rash it might be the way to go.

Samsung Gear S rash
5/5/15
I received a full refund of my original retail price 0f $349 in a check from Samsung.
If you are seeking a similar result, you need to be persistent and check in with them on a weekly basis. The following person was my contact for the process:
Jennifer Olivarez <[email protected]> wrote:
My contact number is 469-241-4839, and the Tech Support number is 888-987-4357.
3/19/15:
The update as of today is that I alerted T-mobile to the issue described below. Because I was out of the 14 day trial period, they referred me to Samsung.
I called in and was eventually transferred to what sounded like a girl/young lady named Jennifer Olivarez out of Texas.
After hearing my story, including telling her that I was too concerned about the effect of the watch on my wrist that I would never wear it again, she requested that I send an email describing what happened with pictures if available, and that she would send an overnight box to me to send back the watch in addressed to that office in Texas.
At that time, She said they would have their engineers evaluate the watch and then she would send me a refund for the watch in about 2 weeks.
Of course, I was happy to hear this and Ms. Olivarez then sent me an email with her contact info email and direct line.
I sent the watch on Tuesday, 3/10 and it got there the next day 3/11/15 as confirmed by UPS.
I did not get any word for a week and I decided to call in yesterday. Nobody answered her number. And from what I can see, nobody has seen any of my follow-up emails either.
I called ms. olivarez again today and she did not answer once again. BTW, the voicemail is generic and says nothing about who's phone number it is.
Later today, I decided to call into the Samsung general number. Although they confirmed that they had a record of the incident on file, all I got was the runaround from the other Samsung operators regarding the status of the watch.
After several phone messages and emails to Ms. Olivarez, I still have not gotten any confirmation that anything is being done to get me a refund.
My next move is to call T-Mobile again and find out if they can help me find out if Samsung is being on the level or what.
I'll send an update as I get them.
Hope this helps.
Claudio
3/5/15:
Current status of my rash incident with the Gear S smartwatch:
The first indication of serious trouble was while I was on a call yesterday when I got a burning sensation on my wrist and a buzz sensation which was different than the vibration alert. The sound was more like a sizzling sound than a buzz.
I looked at the watch and there was a warning message that the watch was overheating and that I should take it off and let it cool then the watch cut the call off.
I do know how long the warning was there because I was the call on the watch when it happened.
Immediately, I noticed redness on my skin where the watch sat.
Shortly thereafter, I began to notice an itching sensation. As I scratched the area, I began to feel a rash like symptoms which soon turned into a burning sensation almost like it was blistering.
I put cortisone on the area which reduced the redness. However, the burning remains at this time approximately 18 hours later.
I have reached out to professional guidance on what my recourse is and I am considering going to a doctor to have it examined.
I have attached the pictures.
The following issues have made it frustrating to use and prevented me from wearing the watch 100% of the time:
I have had my Gear S from T-mobile about 30 days ago. I have been wearing it about 80% of the time since.
While navigating through the options and screens, the watch would freeze up at times and I would need to use the button to get out of what I was doing and return to the homescreen before returning back to the menu protocol.
On several occasions I would get messages that the watch was overheating.
S-voice would only work intermittently and speech commands within calling and such were either not there or if they were, they were not very responsive.
The heart rate function would not work intermittently.
I could not find a distance traveled option.
According to T-Mobile, their mobile network is faster than my wi-fi, which took me a while to find out.
The swipe functionality would sometimes think I was going sideways when I wanted to go down.
The swipe functionality would have trouble working when my hands were sweaty. I would prefer a back button to swiping.
T-mobile salesperson originally told me I need the Kies software to transfer from my pc to my phone. However, when I spoke with customer support on the phone, they said I did Not need the kies app and that I could get everything i needed directly from my smart phone.
The t-mobile salesperson told me the Gear S would work with the LG phone he sold me...Which it does not (Only works with samsung android phone 4.3 and higher.)
The sleep function requires that I manually turn it on and manually turn it off, as opposed to my lifetrack which automatically detected my sleep patterns.
The operating system is not android therefore limiting the Google App sync and interfacing which I use almost exclusively to control all activity on all my devices without having to transfer data to another OS.
Background of my decision process to purchase a smartwatch:
FYI, I previously had a lifetrack watch that I absolutely Loved because of the carefree usage, accuracy and ability to function without fail in my workout conditions over approximately a 6 month period.
When I got a new t-mobile contract about 30 days ago, I decided to try the Gear S so that I could expand upon my smartwatch usage beyond the fitness capabilities and into possibly replacing my phone and bluetooth headset during times when I was away from my desk and remote exercise activity.
I like the phone functionality and the quality of the screen and microphone for calls.
However, after several attempts to use the watch during my workout regimen, the size and potential damage to the expensive watch made it uncomfortable and distracting to my activities.
Consequently about 3 days ago, I stopped using it during workouts and solely for around my home office to take calls when I am away from my desk.

It may be that (pure speculation here) moisture on your arm is causing a slight discharge back through the pins and causing issues. If it is a slight raised,kind of burning itch that doesn't spread it could very well be just that. Either that or samsung changed the metal type it uses in the pins. Are you allergic to nickel? I've had problems with cheap piercing jewelry that is coated in nickel personally.

I remember I used to have a rash from the watch, but then I just stopped having a rash. Perhaps its because I used to tighten wristband too tight.

Samsung Gear Live wrist burn... radiation or contact?
So about 3 weeks ago, I noticed a non-itchy rash on my wrist starting to develop (1st picture). I thought it was just a sweat rash or contact dermatitis, but it continued to get worse (other pictures). I'm a Nurse and I've worn the watch about 14 hours a day for almost a year and two months. A doctor on my unit advised me to stop wearing it and it should go away. About a week later, it was worse.
I now have pain in my wrist that goes down to my fingertips. When I press on my wrist, pain shoots up to my elbow. I just got out , of my doctor's appointment and he ordered xrays of my wrist, a dermatologist consult, some steroid cream, and some zofran for the nausea that has developed. I posted a photo on Twitter to see if anyone had the same issue and Samsung got a hold of me within 20 minutes, which is worrisome. They asked me to send the watch back for evaluation by their engineers. I kind of want to get it evaluated independently first before it goes back and disappears forever; however, I don't know where I could find someone with a Geiger counter for radiation emissions. I did some research and apparently the radiation levels of wearable devices are 100 - 1000 times higher than that of a cellphone, which they advise to not even hold close to your face.... What kind of damage is a wearable that's in contact with the body constantly doing? If anyone has the same issue, please let me know! I'll update as I find out more.

Related

MBW-200 Bluetooth Watch $59 with free shipping in the US.

http://www.expansys-usa.com/sony-er...m2o-g.s.K2zbkhpYPWk_PWFbCw&ito=LKSPvTvb1zzm2o
Enjoy, I purchased one.
I did too: €56,83 including delivery to the UK from Expansys France. Some reviews (at least in French) say it is a female watch. Looks quite big and male too me. We shall see.
With an name like "evening classic" one would get the impression it is a women's watch. However from the pictures it certainly looks like a mens watch to me.
Got it now - looks male and big but the wrist strap is too short
ps3taker said:
Got it now - looks male and big but the wrist strap is too short
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea I had the same problem, it fit on the last hole. Also the display on mine faded to where you can't see it in the first night. Is yours still working?
I guess all the functions work with the PLAY? (I have small wrists, this would be good!)
Rogue Leader said:
I guess all the functions work with the PLAY? (I have small wrists, this would be good!)
Click to expand...
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With the openwatch program everything worked great, its just that the display quit in less then 12 hours.
Had mine for 3 days, does not seem to have any problems with the screen or battery but maybe because i haven't discharged it yet. Vibrates and shows messages on the screen so the display was used only limited number of times. Hope it won't fade quickly as paid more money to replace the wrist band.
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using Tapatalk
"MBW-200 series comes in three distinct designs; Sparkling Allure, Contemporary Elegance and Evening Classic. "
"Missed an important call or SMS because you couldn’t hear or find your phone at the bottom of your handbag?"
Now, unless things are THAT much different between the US and the EU, I would think those 2 lines would be a dead give-away that this was intended to be a Ladies' watch.
That would explain the wrist band being so small, as well.
netizenmt said:
"MBW-200 series comes in three distinct designs; Sparkling Allure, Contemporary Elegance and Evening Classic. "
"Missed an important call or SMS because you couldn’t hear or find your phone at the bottom of your handbag?"
Now, unless things are THAT much different between the US and the EU, I would think those 2 lines would be a dead give-away that this was intended to be a Ladies' watch.
That would explain the wrist band being so small, as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Sony-Ericsson-MBW-200-Evening-Classic-Review_id2206
The important part:
....Sony Ericsson MBW-200 Evening Classic, a device of the “modern ladies” lineup of devices of the manufacturer.
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Click to collapse
Too bad I already asked for it for Christmas. Also I mean the damn thing is huge compared to a normal ladies watch, and the design is similar to any mens watch, so would it really be that bad for a man to wear?
EDIT: I looked up the other 2 watches in the lineup and they are very obviously Women's in design....
Don't worry it is huge and doesn't look female. Strap is too short for big wrist however. Battery on mine is only one third down after more than five days use. Some report it last only hours but redoing Bluetooth connection from scratch seems to fix it for them. No led problems on mine yet. I was surprised to keep in car Bluetooth connection despite watch being connected to phone all the time.
Sent from my R800i
I've got the MBW150 Music Edition and the MBW200 Evening Classic. The 200 does look more feminine but it's nothing that can't be solved by switching to a more manly band. There is a tiny crystal at the 12 o'clock position but no one will ever judge it on that alone.
The 150 was available in Classic, Executive, and Music editions with leather, metallic link, and rubber wrist bands respectively. I don't think the name implies what gender it is for.
Btw on first charge it lasted 7 days and a bit. On second charge it is only 1/3 discharged after almost 10 days. Connected to the phone all the time.
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using Tapatalk
I got the 200 for Christmas today, I have to say looking at it, it does have a bit of a feminine look to it, but that goes right out the window when you see the digital display. I showed my family who thought it was one of the craziest things they ever saw (they are easily impressed). It works great so far, all the functions are good. Also I have small wrists so the band works for me.
I did disconnect it from my phone since its now sitting in my watch box, and I likely won't leave it connected all the time as I won't be wearing it except at work or when I go out. Don't want to destroy it when I'm working on the car or something.
Well this sucks. After 15 days it stopped turning on even though the battery said it still had half its juice left. So i plugged it in, charged it, and it will charge, but as soon as I disconnect the charger its dead as a rock.
They are taking mine on return exchange, but their site no longer lists it, I have a feeling I'm getting a refund.
lol if you want my opinion...
are you THAT LAZY!
or is this Buck Rodgers 1984 dystopian nightmare.
Just glad I'm not wearing one. wouldn't want to catch the flak from looking like a nerd
Hogwarts said:
lol if you want my opinion...
are you THAT LAZY!
or is this Buck Rodgers 1984 dystopian nightmare.
Just glad I'm not wearing one. wouldn't want to catch the flak from looking like a nerd
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, but its a cool gadget. I like gadgets. In fact everyone who saw it complimented on how cool it was.
Go back to ripping off developers.
Rogue Leader said:
Well this sucks. After 15 days it stopped turning on even though the battery said it still had half its juice left. So i plugged it in, charged it, and it will charge, but as soon as I disconnect the charger its dead as a rock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same happend with my 200. Did teardown and replaced the internal battery. Month later and its still rocking.
Sent from R800x
I've had a MBW-150 for 3 or so years, never had an issue and always used! I highly recommend purchase, though at $300, I would avoid the -150

Droid 4 Shutting Off Randomly

About a week ago my D4 started to randomly shut off. Opening the keyboard, using Dolphin, or just sitting in my pocket. I am unable to turn it back on without plugging it in to a charger, like it needs a jump or something. Once it fires back up, it says I have plenty of battery. The only other thing I see is when I plug it in but don't turn it on, it says it has 0-5% battery. It is rooted with safestrap and Eclipse installed but I've been running the stock version because some things weren't working quite right in Eclipse. Iv'e seen some posts say it could be a battery problem. Others say to factory reset or SBF. I'm going to give these a try but does anyone else have any ideas? I bought it off ebay a month ago and I'm worried they might not honor the warranty being purchased second hand. Luckily I still hadn't sold my trusty D3, but I dowant to get the D4 back in operation.
I've seen this problem with a few other of my older keyboard phones and it was always a hardware issue. I bet a ribbon has pressure applied to it so that the system briefly doesn't detect a battery...
xredjokerx said:
I've seen this problem with a few other of my older keyboard phones and it was always a hardware issue. I bet a ribbon has pressure applied to it so that the system briefly doesn't detect a battery...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I figured something like that. Weird thing is every once in a while if I plug it in to the charger it will show 5% battery, then go up to 10% after about 20 minutes, then suddenly shoot up to 100%. The phone would work fine off the charger for about a half hour then die, rinse and repeat. So it is charging but only like 5% then it will show 100%. I'm probably just going to bring it in and hopefully get a replacement.
Well I ended up calling Verizon and they are going to send a replacement, no questions asked. Apparently it doesnt matter if you bought the phone second hand, they will still honor the warranty (or I got just the right CSR). Case closed.
Really? They told me to f* off last time I called about warranty off a phone from cl... lol
I was guessing they were going to tell me to F off as well since most people were saying that's what they do when you try to get a warranty replacement on a second hand phone. It was literally the best experience I've ever had calling any customer service line. Told him my phone wouldn't stay on, he said he was going to talk to an engineer, next thing I know he's asking for my address. Win!
interesting.. will call tomorrow (my earpiece speaker crackles) >_>
Just got to get the right person to answer. My guy actually sounded like he was based in the US, not Kazakhstan. I told the person on the phone my story and that I had already gone to an authorized retailer (which I did) and that my phone wouldnt stay on. Put me on hold for a minute, came back and said were going to get a warranty replacement out. What may have helped is that I had my D3 active on my line and D4 was deactivated, so maybe they couldnt look up the info that would flag it as not from original buyer.
xredjokerx said:
interesting.. will call tomorrow (my earpiece speaker crackles) >_>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine does this too. Not all the time, just enough to irritate me. I've been putting off calling in to get a replacement because I'm worried whatever they send me will have more problems than just a crackling ear piece.
kwyrt said:
Mine does this too. Not all the time, just enough to irritate me. I've been putting off calling in to get a replacement because I'm worried whatever they send me will have more problems than just a crackling ear piece.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My old one crackles as well. I"ll let you know if the new one does, comes in tomorrow.
any update on this??
my rear speaker is clicking during certain music outputs, like when I'm playing Lane Splitter
xredjokerx said:
any update on this??
my rear speaker is clicking during certain music outputs, like when I'm playing Lane Splitter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whoops forgot to update. New phone definitely has less crackle. Old one was very noticeable, new one has little to no crackle. Only thing was it wasn't updated when I got it, had to manually go in and have it update to 219. I don't use the rear speaker very often but I don't remember it having a cracking sound. All in all there are no issues with it

LG G Watch R Problems

I'm on my second G Watch R with problems and thought I'd share this chat session I had with LG. Has anyone else had issues? I'm bummed
Orlando:
Welcome to LG Electronics U.S.A. Support only. How may I provide you with excellent service today?
Me:
hi
Orlando:
good afternoon
Me:
I have a new G Watch R and I have a few questions
Orlando:
how may i assist ?
Me:
This is my second watch. The first shut off and would not turn on
Orlando:
may i ask did you place the unit in the cradle
Me:
This watch randomly freezes and restarts and the I believe there's an issue with the accelerometer because the watch face with the compass constantly looses calibration and I have to move it in a figure 8 pattern to restart the compass function.
Me:
Yes it was fully charged. I tried restarting it in the cradle with no success
Me:
And I tried holding in the button until a long vibrate but it still wouldn't restart.
Orlando:
thanks and did you press the power button?
Me:
In any case, I presume these issues can be resolved with a software update. Can you tell me if LG is working on an update?
Me:
Yes, I pressed the power button
Orlando:
thanks may i ask when was the unit purchased ?
Me:
When this new (second) watch freezes, I have to hold in the power button until there's a long vibration and that restarts it.
Orlando:
may i ask have you attempted to reset the unit ?
Me:
I bought the first one at the AT&T store in MA. They did not have a replacement and issued a refund. I bought the second one at the AT&T store in MA
Me:
Yes, I have reset it a few times with no change in performance. I also noticed it's hard to get it to light up with a simple twist of the wrist. I have to let my arm hang to the side of my body, then lift my arm and it lights up. Between that and the compass issue, I suspect a problem with the accelerometer.
Orlando:
thanks and may i have the date of purchase please
Me:
I purchased the second watch from AT&T in MA on 11/14/14
Me:
Just this past Friday
Me:
I plan to return it unless I can be assured there is a fix in process
Orlando:
thanks in this case based on the issues you are reporting the unit will have to be sent in to the repair facility for evaluation
Me:
Can you tell me if there is an update? The build number on the watch I have now is KNX01R
Orlando:
sorry their is no updates available for this unit at this time
Me:
Ok - that's unfortunate. It's a nice product but with problems on two different watches, it appears clear to me that it was released with several bugs, or simply not well engineered. I will return it and get a different brand. Thanks and have a great day.
Orlando:
I am sorry to hear about this.
Orlando:
Thank you for your time and patience. It has been a pleasure to assist you today. Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us again. Thank you for choosing LG Electronics. We appreciate your business. Have a great day!
Seriously what you would have expected from such a standard support line?
It is the perfectly typical dialog for an online support. You have been unlucky I guess.
Not all of these units are created equal. My first unit had dirty white colored paint on the bezel markings and the bluetooth and accelerometer were sketchy. I exchanged it for a new unit today. The white markings are actually white as opposed to a putty color and the bluetooth and accelerometer work flawlessly.
As with any new release, you are going to get some lemons.
mitchellvii said:
As with any new release, you are going to get some lemons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agreed! The difference is how you consume them .... I prefer lemonade .
mitchellvii said:
Not all of these units are created equal. My first unit had dirty white colored paint on the bezel markings and the bluetooth and accelerometer were sketchy. I exchanged it for a new unit today. The white markings are actually white as opposed to a putty color and the bluetooth and accelerometer work flawlessly.
As with any new release, you are going to get some lemons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting how they differed - thanks for the feedback ............... I like the watch so I'm considering returning it, waiting a while for some fresh production and repurchasing later. Still have another week or so before the 14 day return period is up. I especially like the hiking watch face but having to constantly recalibrate the compass and set the reference elevation kind of kills the cool factor. Since my initial post, the watch has not randomly restarted.
tksuther said:
Interesting how they differed - thanks for the feedback ............... I like the watch so I'm considering returning it, waiting a while for some fresh production and repurchasing later. Still have another week or so before the 14 day return period is up. I especially like the hiking watch face but having to constantly recalibrate the compass and set the reference elevation kind of kills the cool factor. Since my initial post, the watch has not randomly restarted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same thing with the Surface Pro 3. First 2 units were crap, 3rd one perfect. Frustrating but nature of the game for early adopters.

Gear VR Innovator Edition (Note 4) $150 in stock @ Amazon

Many of you guys know that the newer Gear VR Consumer Edition apparently doesn't fit the Note 4. So I was searching for the older Innovator Edition for my Note 4, but all of the prices were jacked up to ridiculous amounts on Amazon and Ebay and it was sold out at Best Buy. And then I happened across a seller with certified refurbished Innovator Editions for both the Note 4 and S6 on Amazon for $150 with Prime shipping.
http://amzn.com/B018UHFZXQ
It looks like the 'certified refurbished' is a program from Amazon and it does come with a 90 day warranty.
I also made a Slickdeals post http://goo.gl/XuoyEm because I think there will be plenty of people who will be using their Note 4 for a while and want to experience VR.
Impossible to get one in or to Canada. Scammers on eBay and Amazon.ca selling for upwards of $500.
Just ordered one, to be delivered Thursday. Will let you know how it looks. Hopefully works with Sac23's Note 5 Ported ROM, otherwise it'll be time to do some flashin'!
ThaiM said:
Impossible to get one in or to Canada. Scammers on eBay and Amazon.ca selling for upwards of $500.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that's why I was so happy to find a certified refub one from a reputable seller. Unfortunately, it didn't come with the microSD card, but the seller has been good about sending one out to me. As soon as I get it, I'll report back.
kennysp said:
Just ordered one, to be delivered Thursday. Will let you know how it looks. Hopefully works with Sac23's Note 5 Ported ROM, otherwise it'll be time to do some flashin'!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I will do the same.
Techngro said:
Yeah, that's why I was so happy to find a certified refub one from a reputable seller. Unfortunately, it didn't come with the microSD card, but the seller has been good about sending one out to me. As soon as I get it, I'll report back.
Thanks, I will do the same.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, got the Gear VR (1 day early, thanks Amazon!) in a plain white box, and looks almost new to me. The only thing that I might question is whether or not it was used, as the foam surround looks like it may have been worn before.
Overall, no scratches, came with the headgear, back strap, top strap, faceplate cover, extra foam surround, and instruction manual, all in the big black carry case. It did not include the microsd card that is found in the retail version. The headgear did have the protective plastic covering on it as if it were new, but the one that should be on the back strap didn't, and neither did the top piece nor the faceplate cover.
Overall, it's a pretty solid buy, especially since you can download the oculus software from Sandman here. Now, I can't vouch for how well it works yet, since: A. I just unboxed it, and B: I'm running Sac23 Note 5 Ported V2 .1 10/2 http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-sprint/development/rom-sac23-note-5-ported-v1-9-23-t3208932Rom right now, which doesn't seem to support Gear VR. I'm currently installing [ROM] [N910PVPS4COK1] [100% Stock, Root, Odexed&Deodexed, No KNOX/Itson] [12/15/2015]http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-sprint/development/rom-t3271966 to get that functionality back, and will update once I have done so.
It's not the deal that the new users get with the $99 Gear VR, but compared to the $299 this guy was, I'm pretty happy.
kennysp said:
Well, got the Gear VR (1 day early, thanks Amazon!) in a plain white box, and looks almost new to me. The only thing that I might question is whether or not it was used, as the foam surround looks like it may have been worn before.
Overall, no scratches, came with the headgear, back strap, top strap, faceplate cover, extra foam surround, and instruction manual, all in the big black carry case. It did not include the microsd card that is found in the retail version. The headgear did have the protective plastic covering on it as if it were new, but the one that should be on the back strap didn't, and neither did the top piece nor the faceplate cover.
Overall, it's a pretty solid buy, especially since you can download the oculus software from Sandman here. Now, I can't vouch for how well it works yet, since: A. I just unboxed it, and B: I'm running Sac23 Note 5 Ported V2 .1 10/2 http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-sprint/development/rom-sac23-note-5-ported-v1-9-23-t3208932Rom right now, which doesn't seem to support Gear VR. I'm currently installing [ROM] [N910PVPS4COK1] [100% Stock, Root, Odexed&Deodexed, No KNOX/Itson] [12/15/2015]http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-sprint/development/rom-t3271966 to get that functionality back, and will update once I have done so.
It's not the deal that the new users get with the $99 Gear VR, but compared to the $299 this guy was, I'm pretty happy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the update. When you get it set up, let us know if everything works.
Techngro said:
Thanks for the update. When you get it set up, let us know if everything works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So far, everything checks out. It isn't quite as smooth as when I tried it on my phone while running kitkat...though that may be because I was impatient and did a dirty flash lol (I know, tsk tsk, shame on me, my phone will blow up, yadda yadda yadda. I was impatient! I'll do a clean install in the next few days to update the performance of Gear VR with a properly done flash).
Video player, Netflix, and photos all work well, though slightly laggy (again, dirty flash), and I noticed that the focus wheel isn't quite as smooth as it should be, though I finally got it dialed in.
For those of you that never tried the Gear VR, it does have a fair amount of pixelation, however after watching a movie for a bit you really don't notice it as much. The touchpad, back button, and volume controls all work as they should.
The phone does overheat while using this. I've had a fan directed at my phone while watching movies, and that seemed to help. There are tutorials and write ups on mods you can do, from heatsinks applied directly to the battery, to attaching mini pc-fans to the back of the phone powered by small usb battery packs hooked on the strap by the temple, to plug in fans. I even read about a guy that stuck one of those cold gel eyepatches that women wear between the phone and the faceplate cover to cool down the phone. Whatever you do, know that heat is an issue while using this for playing videos. I haven't tried any of the games yet, but I imagine that it'd get worse with that.
The lenses on the Gear VR are adequate. Things are relatively sharp in the center, but you do get chroma aberrations on the corners of your field of view (purple fringing on areas of contrast, i.e. the edge of the screen will be slightly out of focus from the corner of your eye, and you'll see a purple hue along it). Not a huge issue, as you're most likely concentrating on the center of your viewing area, and shifting your head towards anything you want to look at, but it's there. I've also noticed that you have to have the headset on just right to have everything in focus top to bottom, left to right. If it is slightly off, then you'll notice that certain areas are not in focus.
Despite all this, it's a great piece of tech. It does transport you from wherever you are to another place, be it a theater, virtual VR tour, Iron Man's lab, etc. It is good enough to allow you to suspend disbelief, and engage in an immersive experience. Occasionally, it will bring you back to reality, sometimes in a jarring fashion, but overall, it does the job pretty well. I've even found myself reaching out my hands to try and touch something, only to remember that it's virtual, and usually laugh at myself afterwards.
All I know is I hope that Samsung continues with it's Gear VR line, and that when my upgrade is due in November, I'll get a new piece of tech that'll surpass what this one can do, primarily the pixelation, overheating, and the quality of the lenses.
My buddy got the Note 5, and just received his Gear VR for his phone. I'll try to snag it soon to give it a try, and I'll let y'all know the differences.
Let me know if you have any questions, and I'll try to answer them the best I can.
kennysp said:
So far, everything checks out. It isn't quite as smooth as when I tried it on my phone while running kitkat...though that may be because I was impatient and did a dirty flash lol (I know, tsk tsk, shame on me, my phone will blow up, yadda yadda yadda. I was impatient! I'll do a clean install in the next few days to update the performance of Gear VR with a properly done flash).
Video player, Netflix, and photos all work well, though slightly laggy (again, dirty flash), and I noticed that the focus wheel isn't quite as smooth as it should be, though I finally got it dialed in.
For those of you that never tried the Gear VR, it does have a fair amount of pixelation, however after watching a movie for a bit you really don't notice it as much. The touchpad, back button, and volume controls all work as they should.
The phone does overheat while using this. I've had a fan directed at my phone while watching movies, and that seemed to help. There are tutorials and write ups on mods you can do, from heatsinks applied directly to the battery, to attaching mini pc-fans to the back of the phone powered by small usb battery packs hooked on the strap by the temple, to plug in fans. I even read about a guy that stuck one of those cold gel eyepatches that women wear between the phone and the faceplate cover to cool down the phone. Whatever you do, know that heat is an issue while using this for playing videos. I haven't tried any of the games yet, but I imagine that it'd get worse with that.
The lenses on the Gear VR are adequate. Things are relatively sharp in the center, but you do get chroma aberrations on the corners of your field of view (purple fringing on areas of contrast, i.e. the edge of the screen will be slightly out of focus from the corner of your eye, and you'll see a purple hue along it). Not a huge issue, as you're most likely concentrating on the center of your viewing area, and shifting your head towards anything you want to look at, but it's there. I've also noticed that you have to have the headset on just right to have everything in focus top to bottom, left to right. If it is slightly off, then you'll notice that certain areas are not in focus.
Despite all this, it's a great piece of tech. It does transport you from wherever you are to another place, be it a theater, virtual VR tour, Iron Man's lab, etc. It is good enough to allow you to suspend disbelief, and engage in an immersive experience. Occasionally, it will bring you back to reality, sometimes in a jarring fashion, but overall, it does the job pretty well. I've even found myself reaching out my hands to try and touch something, only to remember that it's virtual, and usually laugh at myself afterwards.
All I know is I hope that Samsung continues with it's Gear VR line, and that when my upgrade is due in November, I'll get a new piece of tech that'll surpass what this one can do, primarily the pixelation, overheating, and the quality of the lenses.
My buddy got the Note 5, and just received his Gear VR for his phone. I'll try to snag it soon to give it a try, and I'll let y'all know the differences.
Let me know if you have any questions, and I'll try to answer them the best I can.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the update. I got the microsd card today and popped it in my phone, but the touchpad still isn't working. What firmware are you on? I upgraded to the latest 5.1.1 (DOK2), but it's stock. I don't know if that could be the issue or if the Gear VR itself is just defective.
Techngro said:
Thanks for the update. I got the microsd card today and popped it in my phone, but the touchpad still isn't working. What firmware are you on? I upgraded to the latest 5.1.1 (DOK2), but it's stock. I don't know if that could be the issue or if the Gear VR itself is just defective.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on latest as well. If the touchpad isn't working, that's probably a hardware issue with the Gear VR itself. Do you know anybody else with a Note 4 that they can try on your Gear VR? Also, make sure that the micro-usb connection is seated correctly. Sometimes on mine it doesn't push in all the way, and i just lightly press the phone in to make sure it's a firm connection.
kennysp said:
I'm on latest as well. If the touchpad isn't working, that's probably a hardware issue with the Gear VR itself. Do you know anybody else with a Note 4 that they can try on your Gear VR? Also, make sure that the micro-usb connection is seated correctly. Sometimes on mine it doesn't push in all the way, and i just lightly press the phone in to make sure it's a firm connection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I've been fiddling with it to make sure everything is seated properly. I'm pretty sure it's a hardware issue now. I contacted Samsung, but their customer service is so bad right now. I was almost finished with the RMA process, but their system was down and they couldn't find my serial number. Then while I was waiting for the system to work again, the call got disconnected on their end. They said they would call me back if that happened and took my number, but after 15 minutes of waiting, I called back and had to do the same process again with a different rep. And the system was still down, so she said she would call me back within 24 hours. That was Friday. No call yet.
I have contacted Samsung customer service before, but I don't remember it being that bad.
Anyway, I will call back tomorrow and try to get the RMA finished. If not, I'll have to send it back for a refund. It's sad because I was really excited about the Gear VR.
Bought one thru Amazon last week
After numerous tries to talk with someone in marketing at Samsung and being unwilling to even pay the $199, found the $150 refurbished on Amazon. The one I got appears to be new, all protective stickers in place and not a mark on it. The only thing "missing" was the SD card but not needed as the software install required at first use put everything that is on the card on my phone. So far so good.
Now looking to find the best solution to use Cardboard in addition to Oculus. Anyone?
rgh said:
After numerous tries to talk with someone in marketing at Samsung and being unwilling to even pay the $199, found the $150 refurbished on Amazon. The one I got appears to be new, all protective stickers in place and not a mark on it. The only thing "missing" was the SD card but not needed as the software install required at first use put everything that is on the card on my phone. So far so good.
Now looking to find the best solution to use Cardboard in addition to Oculus. Anyone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, I have had such a continued bad experience with Samsung customer service that I have decided to return the Gear VR. I was super excited about it, but at this point it's not worth the aggravation. Three calls, an email, and 6 days and still I can't get them to set up a simple RMA and send me a shipping label despite them telling me everytime that they'll get it done.
Darn Samsung.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
Got one for Xmas. Fun but overheats.
$99 consumer is back in stock now... just a simple mod to each corner and should work fine on N4. So back this goes to be refurbished again!
Telemachus said:
Got one for Xmas. Fun but overheats.
$99 consumer is back in stock now... just a simple mod to each corner and should work fine on N4. So back this goes to be refurbished again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I (and probably a bunch of other people as well) would really appreciate it if, when you make the mods to your Consumer Edition, you'd come back and post pics and instructions on how you did it.
Techngro said:
I (and probably a bunch of other people as well) would really appreciate it if, when you make the mods to your Consumer Edition, you'd come back and post pics and instructions on how you did it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/mobile-vr/gear-vr/99-gear-vr-note-4-t3255739
Telemachus said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/mobile-vr/gear-vr/99-gear-vr-note-4-t3255739
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Click to collapse
Thanks, I was in that thread earlier but didn't know someone had made a post about modding the Consumer Edition.
As posted before.. If you your comfortable Modding, it's now possible to use the New Samsung Gear VR on Note 4.. works great
Cheaper / Better and easier to get
My firmware/model info in signature
The new Gear VR can be made to work with Note 4.. FYI

Should I return my Pebble Time Steel?

It arrived yesterday from Amazon and I really like it but as i guess you all know today came an E-mail discontinuing support and Warranty. I have already started a return request but as the day goes on and the watch presents it's uses I am increasingly annoye at what has happened. Why? Because this was the Smart Watch I wanted. Long battery life, easy use and just works. I am concerned , however should the watch go wrong or will I see these watches going for far less in a week or two as the news sinks in. What do people think, should I return it. Looking around the Sony 3 looks the closest but nowhere near on Battery life. Any other options?
Same question ...
I'm in the same boat with Pebble 2 HR ... I really like it so far ... bought it yesterday from Best Buy have one month to return it ... don't know what to do. Will it WORK a year from now, don't care to much about warranty but will it actually have the app available !?
So my answer "I don't know!" I think I'll wait until Jan. and see if anything changes, maybe some more info, let the water clear a little.
I will never buy a FitBit that is 100% .
Other option:
Vector Watch Luna - arriving for me on Monday wife agreed to let me buy it ...
No reason the app would go away or stop working. I guess if Android "O" comes out or the new iOS and is somehow incompatible with the existing app it would break, but other than that... I still love my Pebble Rond and can't find anything out there that comes close to it as far as aesthetics and functionality.
thebobmannh said:
No reason the app would go away or stop working. I guess if Android "O" comes out or the new iOS and is somehow incompatible with the existing app it would break, but other than that... I still love my Pebble Rond and can't find anything out there that comes close to it as far as aesthetics and functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Server switch off will quite easily cause a large amount of features to "stop working" so yes return it and get your money back while you can.
Lan3y said:
Server switch off will quite easily cause a large amount of features to "stop working" so yes return it and get your money back while you can.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aside from downloading new watchfaces, I couldn't name a single feature of the Pebble that would require a centralized server.
thebobmannh said:
Aside from downloading new watchfaces, I couldn't name a single feature of the Pebble that would require a centralized server.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^^^^^ Yes. Unlike the Apple watch, the Pebble watch is self-contained. Most apps are local, while many make use of already established APIs (weather, PayPal, etc) that are not controlled by OEM servers.
I'm in the same shoes. I bought my time steel on cyber Monday last week. It works fine since but what if it breaks? I purchased it from amazon so I have a time window to return it but after that I will be alone. I own a pebble classic as well which broke after about 10 months of use and had a warranty replacement. The new one I had is actually working better then the old one which broke. I can easily get 7 days of battery life out of my pebble classic. My only issue is what if my new time steal breaks after 10 months? Or they just shut the servers as other people suggested. The problem is I do love my pebbles but as the future is uncertain maybe time to change to a more reliable future proof brand.
I tried to find a good alternative like Garmin Forerunner 230 which has similar features but more expensive.
I still haven't decided whether I should send it back or not. I probably get a garmin as well and will compare them.
Timeline, weather and voice recognition are but a few which will die after server switch off was confirmed on pocket now podcast
...Continuing on the other option, Vector Luna arrived on Friday and I'm ditching Pebble.
Although my Pebble 2/HR has a better screen it's way smaller, looks more geeky (for me a plus) it has a HR sensor (was accurate enough despite some bad reviews) and the best of all it has voice reply ( probably defunct soon enough) - on Vector no HR and MIC not as refined apps as Pebble but it has the potential to be the best replacement out there for battery life and functionality. I really hate to charge anything, even my phone , every day ... If FitBit kept Pebble alive I've kept the Pebble over Vector, but given the circumstances I'll return it today. Just my 2 cents based on my experience with both.
got my pts on saturday. I love it! before this I've had 2 microsoft bands and a garmin fenix hr.
I've found the pebble more informative and easier to wear to the extent it's far better as a daily driver... sports functions remain better served by a sports band and I'll put that on when I put my sports gear on.
wife has 2 pebbles and a moto 36- 2nd gen and is very attached to the pebbles too.
wish I'd tried one earlier tbh.
Lan3y said:
Timeline, weather and voice recognition are but a few which will die after server switch off was confirmed on pocket now podcast
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Link? None of that makes sense, I think yo'ure confusing things. Weather uses a different server, and timeline doesn't use a server at all.
thebobmannh said:
Link? None of that makes sense, I think yo'ure confusing things. Weather uses a different server, and timeline doesn't use a server at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://forums.pebble.com/t/what-functions-are-server-dependant/26703
Lan3y said:
https://forums.pebble.com/t/what-functions-are-server-dependant/26703
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmph. That's disappointing.
Timeline will continue to work for calendar reminders as those are pulled from your phone and those events are not stored on Pebble's servers. However the weather/sunrise pins will probably stop working. Any other app that Pebble created that might push pins to your timeline will probably also stop working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got a Luna as well as a replacement of the time steel but it does not vibrate with notifications only with incoming calls. All the notifications enabled and the vibration is on. Anyone who went for the luna route have this issue?
I recently replaced my Pebble classic, and at the same time bought my wife one for Christmas. I then Found the news that pebble had sold out to fitsh*t and all warranty and support would cease. Immediately I returned the two new pebbles and bought two different devices. I got the Alcatel GoWatch (actually surprisingly VERY good) and I bought the Mrs a Sony SW3.
I'm gonna miss Pebble, but screw them - they used to be all about their Customers and it seems to me they should up up the creek without a paddle. My advice to everyone is FIND ANOTHER SMART WATCH! There's a lot out there that will beat Pebble hands down, just the battery life that is a pain on other devices.
Fitbit is unbelievable, they just bought Vector too. I just managed to buy a Vector luna over the xmas season from John Lewis for a £100 cheaper and now they been bought by fitbit as well as pebble. At least they don't stop the warranty and support immediately. I cannot believe how unlucky I am.
Server switch off, or just its removal of user-base results in not being able to 'reboot' your pebble. Your to be downloaded apps, watchfaces etc are neuther on watch itself, your ios phone... only on server, ubder you user account
May be hope...
Ok, Pebble-eers...I being a Pebble fanboy, started snooping around, the day I got the message that Pebble died. If your interested, look up Rebble, sorry, new guy...cant post links yet , its worth a look, the Pebble community is very much alive and well...or, another alternative is Gadgetbridge, although there are some drawbacks.
Wow!
I'm loving my PTS since the first day my kickstarter package arrived and before my Pebble classic was the best gadget I ever had. I'm still lucky with my PTS right now and wearing it every day along with gadgetbridge :good:
It was quite fun to write Watchfaces for Pebble since it's some of Code you've trust everyday

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