The I-blades case for the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review - Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Accessories

Hello all and welcome to my first ever review topic I'm posting on XDA. I'm here to discuss and review the first ever "Smartcase" that won CES 2017 for our phone, the Galaxy S7 Edge. I bought into hype about how interesting it is for a Smartcase to be able to read air quality, surrounding temperature, humidity, and pressure. Not only does the case does this, but there is also an extra accessory attachment called the "Smartblade" (which you have to buy separately​ or bundled) that is its own battery pack but also an external storage that has its own built in micro SD card reader!
First thing you'll see here is the box packaging for the case alone. It did not have the smartblade accessory unfortunately as the company rep informed me they are finalizing the product and will be shipped out in two weeks. Anyhow, the packaging is very colorful and solid. The plastic surrounding the case heavily seals it off for protection to the air sensor so it would not malfunction before it's first used.
The case itself feels very nice to hold on have as it's soft TPU material that's built for shock absorbing standards. As you would see in the back, there are three magnet jacks for the Smartblade to be attached to and can be stacked for extra storage capacity as well as battery. The sides are pretty revealing but the phone is pretty secure to the case.
http://imgur.com/5qj9jlF
http://imgur.com/nfNe0zG
http://imgur.com/hknYHR6
Now for software side of things. The company developed an app to use in conjunction with the hardware, and it's called "I-blades" as you can guess that can be downloaded from the Play Store. Having used the app for most of the day since I got the case in the mail, the app has access to your music, pictures, and videos on storage to count up the total memory you have along with the external storage. Then there's a special section called "Environmental" that does the actual readings of the sensor. Now it could be because this is the run of the mill first production model I'm able to get my hands on, but the sensor readings are a real hit or miss.
http://imgur.com/p4f8sCs
http://imgur.com/jFQ7ShH
The Air Quality sensor reads the surrounding air quality around you and has a scale from 0 (very clean) to the maximum of 500 (Hazardous). This has only worked for me about 25% of the time since most of the time I do start it up, it reads the air around me being 500, which apparently I should be dying from anyway. And the time it probably did work was when I was inside the doctor's office awaiting to see the doctor, the sensor reads 0 (which it better be LOL) until I went outside which went up to about 20 or so.
The Temperature readings are definitely not what it is as an actual thermometer because most of the day, it reads the temperature that's as close to my phone's own heat with some margin of error. Very unreliable for what I thought it was intended for.
The Humidity sensor seems correct. I don't know what else to say about it since being in south Georgia where it's been raining for the past month, it's pretty damn humid. :laugh:
I'm unsure how the Barometer is since it remains constant. I can't say too much about this yet.
Finally to conclude this review, I preordered this case since February and I finally received it today on June 19th. I have some odd amount of patience for this case since I was expecting it to be released back in March, but it kept getting pushed back. The app itself is a major battery hogger since the entire time I've had my phone connected to the case, it never went into Doze mode. This right here is a big no-no and the case was actually delayed from last month since the rep told me that they were working out the kinks that caused an issue like this around that time. I guess it didn't work as intended. So far though, I'm generally leaning towards not liking this purchase due to the fact the case's main features are inaccurate and the battery drains awfully. The Smartblades are about 1800 mAh and I don't think I can really see it improving my battery life from the daily usage I've been doing. I may return this case for a refund since it really did not live to the expectations I had for it and I've waited too long already for just more delays in what I spent my $100 for.
So to have a tl;dr with pros and cons of what I have so far with just the Smartcase:
Pros:
-Premium build
-Innovative features
Cons:
-App is a huge battery drainer
-Sensor readings are off
-Very experimental
-Long delay time since preorder (personal case)
Do I recommend this? Right now, no. I'm very much on the fence about returning and getting a refund for it to grab a Zero Lemon case for extra battery life. The smartblade attachment has it along with easy removable storage, but a built in expandable storage to the phone already does this and really not too much of a hassle to take out. Thanks for reading my review.

Related

Warning: Do not buy 360 rotating case from "Worldshopping" on Amazon.

I had put this information in a post in another thread... somewhere... but I wanted to post it in the open here so as many people can see it as possible.
Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Worldshopping...sories/dp/B008RVE54G/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
My review:
I'm going to try really hard to pull what positives I can out of this review, but beware, there's hardly anything positive to say about it.
First, let's start with the overall feel of the product. The exterior feel of it is quite nice. Nothing to be overly excited about, but it feels decent, moderately durable, jet black color while presenting very little shine. It has a leather-like surface to it, which is quite nice. If you open it up you're presented with a plastic mold that your Nexus 7 attaches to. My Nexus 7 attached to it perfectly and was flush at all corners. I thought it'd be cool to have the swivel 360 feature as this case has, but I didn't expect it to be this terrible. The plastic mold spins freely. Literally. In fact it has extra wobble in it as you spin it, allowing you to spin the mold like a kid's pinwheel. This makes it undeniably frustrating to use when you have the front folded back and you're trying to hold the device in one hand while use the touch screen with your other, as the tablet will continuously shimmy left and right. If you're going to have a swivel function, at least make it so it provides some degree of resistance so it's not THIS movable.
At this point I realized that the "fold" (aka hinge) of this case seemed extremely flimsy. It has absolutely no strength whatsoever, which is weird because the front has some degree of a more durable "cardboard-like" backing to it, but the hinge itself is just completely loose. It feels as pliable as a microfiber cloth - I'm not kidding. This, of course, presented me with some concern about how well it would hold up my tablet when propped up. I'm here to tell you... it sucks. I'm not exaggerating. It won't even prop up my tablet in the majority of scenarios I tried. There's two notches in the front flap of the case which allows the bottom to be cradled and therefore prop it upright. I'll identify them by calling them notch A (closest to the hinge) and notch B (closest to the edge).
Notch A - Horizontal - Tablet stands upright. Hooray!
Notch A - Veritcal - Falls without hesitation. Fail.
Notch B - Horizontal - Falls without hesitation. Fail.
Notch B - Veritcal - Falls without hesitation. Fail.
I can only attribute this to the unbelievably soft/weak material. It just flat out doesn't work. The lack of strength leaves something to be desired. I admittedly got a little excited when I first opened the item because the exterior finish isn't really bad. In fact it's quite decent for a low end product. That alone is the only semi positive thing I was able to draw out of this product. I'm exceptionally disappointed and find the product a complete joke. I would expect (and have first hand seen) better quality tablet cases out of Five Below and other various "everything's 5 bucks" general stores. 15 bucks online? Including another 7-15 to ship this piece of garbage? Are you absolutely insane?
I have to admit, just prior to purchasing this tablet I couldn't help but to think that "Joanna" and "Ashley" (the only other two posted reviews of this product at the time of my purchase) were fake reviews, considering they both haven't posted a review before and both uploaded their review on the exact same date. Seems all too perfect, eh? Well, evidently it was. I'd like to highlight a few key points as these undoubtedly fake reviewers point out:
Joanna claims that: When open, the stand capabilities fully support the weight of the N7 and it is at a pretty good angle for viewing.
No. It doesn't. I can't even begin to express how much this statement enrages me because it is absolutely false. This thing can hardly withstand the weight of my cell phone, let alone my tablet.
Meanwhile, Ashley claims that: I am very accustomed to recognizing build quality, and I have a high level of technology expertise. I have already recommended this case to numerous people, including coworkers that have also purchased a new google nexus 7.
WHAT! You're accustomed to recognizing build quality and think that this thing in any way shape or form demonstrates even the most minuscule degree of build quality?
Look elsewhere. Please. I beg you. I cannot stress this enough. Buy anything else. Really. Anything. i-Blason, Blurex, Moko, rooCase, I've used countless cases - close your eyes, take your pick, you'll be happier off with anything else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Graphite Heat Sink for Cell Phones

Hello, I'm new to this site and I wasn't sure where to post this but I believe this counts as a possible accessory so I decided to try it out here. I was looking for another solution to the heating problem in regards to the phone as it still does warm up a bit even after the updates to v20a and came across this:
It's a so-called graphite/graphene "ice pad" that sticks to the area inside the back cover, the only caveat is that if used on the LG Optimus 4X HD, it would cover the nfc antenna which is on the original back cover. Personally, I haven't bought and tried it yet, but am wondering if someone already has. I tried searching for it here on the forums but found nothing in regards to it. So I'm just putting this out here in case someone wants to try it, and possibly review it. I'm going to be ordering one for myself to test it out, but if someone already has tried it, please add a review on this thread.
Unfortunately, I can't post the links due to being restricted as a new user, but they are found on dhgate(dot)com and aliexpress(dot)com under the label "Cell Phone Heat Sink Magical Ice Pad Graphite/Graphene"
EDIT: Accessory has been purchased in this post.....http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=41198265&postcount=14
too good for be truth, did you buy it?
donkanmcklaus said:
too good for be truth, did you buy it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's why I am going to get the cheaper one for testing purposes so it won't be a waste of cash. I've also sent an email to Panasonic for a sample of their (PGS) graphite sheet as that's what the ICE PAD reminds me of and that paper-like sheet can disperse heat up to 400 degrees F during testing. Dunno how long they'll (Panasonic USA) reply to me or how long that ICE PAD will get here since I've ordered it with free shipping. In theory and testing, the graphite (PGS) from Panasonic is an ultra-thin, lightweight, graphite film with a thermal conductivity high enough to release and diffuse the heat generated by heat sources such as CPU’s, processors, power amplifiers and cameras. Developed by Panasonic engineers, this synthetically made material was named Pyrolytic Graphite Sheet or PGS. With a thermal conductivity up to four times greater than copper, PGS is extremely pliable and can be applied to heat-source shapes even in high density mounting situations. And according to the slightly broken English on those Asian sites I've mentioned, they've described their product to do exactly what Panasonic's PGS can do and applied it to cooling smartphones.
man how much i hate this heating problem
For anyone wondering about what I'm talking about when I mention the PGS by Panasonic, you can search on youtube or add this /watch?v=ZAEhyY1_czM for a look at how the PGS sheet disperses heat during testing.
did you find any online store to buy it? because i only find the products on chinese web site and i don't trust them
It would probably be possible to cut a small rectangle out of it so that the NFC contact points still work.
AlderCass said:
It would probably be possible to cut a small rectangle out of it so that the NFC contact points still work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if it is truly a graphene sheet, it's possible, but if it's not, then don't
Has anyone tried this magical stuff?
This stuff sounds amazing.
Wouldn't it make sense to have it directly on the CPU instead of sticking it to the back plastic?
Then maybe that way it shouldn't affect the NFC?
I would love to try this!
GizModio said:
This stuff sounds amazing.
Wouldn't it make sense to have it directly on the CPU instead of sticking it to the back plastic?
Then maybe that way it shouldn't affect the NFC?
I would love to try this!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but then you would have to cut away the plastic to fit the sheet in
alekthefirst said:
but then you would have to cut away the plastic to fit the sheet in
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is video in youtube about the Graphite sheet and that even cutting it won't affect it. Search for Panasonic Pyrolitic Graphite Sheets - Another Geek Moment by digikey.
alekthefirst said:
but then you would have to cut away the plastic to fit the sheet in
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who said anything about cutting? There's only 10 screws holding the back cover on!
Sent from my LG-P880 using xda app-developers app
I was watching LG Optimus 4x HD dissasembling on youtube. I noticed that the CPU is on the other side of PCB turned to screen. I don't konw were you can attach this sink. If you attach it to the top of CPU the most of heat will go to screen and this will cause bubbles under screen. On the other side of CPU is SIM PCB. Maybe you can attach it between main pcb and sim pcb.
I think you must watch the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGD64_g-ssE
OK, I just got the graphite/graphene "ice pad" yesterday and have started testing it by adding it as it supposed to be via enclosed instruction (the butchered English grammar notwithstanding). So far, close to within 24 hrs of current testing, I've seen some "slight" improvement. The phone - so far - within the span of an hour or more of solid gaming with all the cores on (software updates included) - doesn't get aggravatingly hot enough to the point where it feels as if it will blister your skin unlike before where I almost believe it will blow up. Yeah, I know it may sound like an exaggeration, but it DID get that hot prior to everything that I feared it will melt the sd card/sim card along with the plastic back cover when I first got the phone. And yes, I have already updated my phone to v20a with the obligatory root and tweaks... however, on stock ROM from LG ONLY. Currently, it does get warm but not overly "toasty" as it did out of the box. The battery still drains like a rock during super heavy use, but that is expected of quad core devices, especially on stock battery with EVERYTHING on (wifi/data/etc). I wish I had a thermal camera to really see the difference but it does "seem" to be able to dissipate heat faster. Alas, I am a noob when it comes to custom ROMs and have only rooted my unit with as-is stock v20a updated from LG so I cannot tell if there is a definite difference with people using the thing with custom ROMs. Will keep testing for the next few weeks.
And yeah, I did cut out a small portion of it to let the back cover still have access to the antenna.
HitTheRoadJack said:
OK, I just got the graphite/graphene "ice pad" yesterday and have started testing it by adding it as it supposed to be via enclosed instruction (the butchered English grammar notwithstanding). So far, close to within 24 hrs of current testing, I've seen some "slight" improvement. The phone - so far - within the span of an hour or more of solid gaming with all the cores on (software updates included) - doesn't get aggravatingly hot enough to the point where it feels as if it will blister your skin unlike before where I almost believe it will blow up. Yeah, I know it may sound like an exaggeration, but it DID get that hot prior to everything that I feared it will melt the sd card/sim card along with the plastic back cover when I first got the phone. And yes, I have already updated my phone to v20a with the obligatory root and tweaks... however, on stock ROM from LG ONLY. Currently, it does get warm but not overly "toasty" as it did out of the box. The battery still drains like a rock during super heavy use, but that is expected of quad core devices, especially on stock battery with EVERYTHING on (wifi/data/etc). I wish I had a thermal camera to really see the difference but it does "seem" to be able to dissipate heat faster. Alas, I am a noob when it comes to custom ROMs and have only rooted my unit with as-is stock v20a updated from LG so I cannot tell if there is a definite difference with people using the thing with custom ROMs. Will keep testing for the next few weeks.
And yeah, I did cut out a small portion of it to let the back cover still have access to the antenna.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does NFC work as before?
Hellothere718 said:
Does NFC work as before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does. if you can check on the pic I included, I made sure the contacts on the back cover had clear access to the contacts on the phone by cutting out a small piece of the pad .
The only update I have at the moment after almost a month of testing is that the heat rarely rises to "ouch" levels now. A long phone conversation only becomes warm now to my ear, and I did this by calling one of the worst customer service call centers I knew of with a VERY long hold time. Yes, the one where they BOUNCE you through a TON of lines before you get to the right department.
Sadly, however, I still can't test this via thermal imaging camera as I don't know anyone personally who owns one to really validate the rest of my tests. All I know so far is that it does help with the heat to a small degree with all the added extra precautions included in taking care of your phone. I've roughly played a two-hour game on it without the feeling of it cooking my hand. I've switched between wifi/data, etc and had the screen on from 60% brightness and up - the thing still automatically stops the brightness control when the unit gets too warm - including leaving it lit for the same amount of time straight as when I was playing a game. In fact, I did both at the same time and separate to see the difference. Only once did it go up to 100 degrees fahrenheit and slightly above that on max brightness using a flashlight app while looking at the internal indicator on as reference before I lost my nerve and let it cool off. It cooled off faster though when it was with the pad than without.
In the end, I would like to say that does kinda work, but don't take my word for it. Everyone in here has different setups for their own units so I hope this thread will get some more people interested in testing it out. For less than ten dollars US (I got mine for five with free shipping), I can say that it's an acceptable risk to test the pad out.
HitTheRoadJack said:
In the end, I would like to say that does kinda work, but don't take my word for it. Everyone in here has different setups for their own units so I hope this thread will get some more people interested in testing it out. For less than ten dollars US (I got mine for five with free shipping), I can say that it's an acceptable risk to test the pad out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you find it?
Arne_B said:
Where did you find it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL the site still won't let me post links until I get more seniority. You can search for it under "Graphite/graphene heat sink for cell phone". I came out with sites like dhgate(dot)com and aliexpress(dot)com... I got mine from gadget-buy(dot)com for about less than 5 dollars US, it used to come with free shipping but I guess a lot of people want it because when I went back to the site, I saw a shipping price already added to it. You can probably keep on searching until you can find a cheaper one.
Ok thx. I've had bad experiences with these sites and found them on there indeed. I was kind of hoping you found it at ebay somewhere, but I couldn't find it over there.
Another question. Does the back cover still close easily?
Arne_B said:
Ok thx. I've had bad experiences with these sites and found them on there indeed. I was kind of hoping you found it at ebay somewhere, but I couldn't find it over there.
Another question. Does the back cover still close easily?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It closes perfectly, no problems whatsoever. Just make sure you make a space/hole if the place you're going to put it on has an antenna connection. This should work on most phones. Actually, I think they sell also on ebay, but it's rare I guess. I did a recent search on ebay, and nothing came up either. It took me a while to look up those pads so I believe you have to be patient while you trawl through the net for a reliable site. I certainly took my own time to decide on whether I should get it or not, but when I got to a site that sold it for less than $5, then took the plunge on getting it. Only time will tell if it is an investment well spent or not, and the price is negligible enough to not put me in the hole.

I disagree with the bad reviews, this thing is BADA$$.

Been using my Galaxy Gear since Friday, had the weekend to play with it and in my honest opinion those bad reviewers were smoking something. =)
First off, they say there is lag and it's slow to respond. I'm VERY sensitive to lag and I have yet to find any lag on it, the UI is very smooth for me. It registers all of my swipes first try. The only real "slowdown" is S-Voice, but it's really not that bad considering it has to fetch the information and communicate with the phone.
Second they say the camera is mediocre. I disagree, I think the camera is GREAT on a tiny little device like this especially macro shots. Sample attached.
Third, some say it's uncomfortable, I found out after wearing for 10 minutes I hardly notice it on my wrist. It's just as comfortable as any other large men's watch while having a very sleek modern look to it.
Most importantly it doesn't feel like a beta product to me at all, everything works GREAT, it integrates very well with my Note 3. All the things I thought I'd have issues with turns out to be non-issues. I use the stock email client for Gmail and it works fantastic. Battery life is GREAT in day to day use, I went through a whole day of moderate use and still ended with 40 percent life left. It's the perfect companion device for me, I never miss anymore emails, phone calls or text messages. It has a very reliable bluetooth connection, only disconnecting when I'm too far out of range.
Being notified of an email or text message with a discreet little vibration on your wrist during a meeting or movie is priceless. Seeing people's face in awe when you answer a call from your watch never gets old. I'm a cyclist and this thing will be a godsend, I always would have to stop in the middle of a nice ride to check my phone when I receive a text just to see if it's important. Now I can just glance down at my wrist and keep on rolling if it's not urgent.
Lastly, this thing is a chick magnet lol. I had 3 ladies asking me about the watch while standing in line at a show, granted one was like 50+ but still. Chicks see the commercial and they get LOVE IT. I'm happy to report I love it also.
the idea behind the gear is great, but samsung did not impress me with features out of the box. admit it, smartwatch could be done 10 times better, even for 1st generation.
comparing features (except for camera/phone functionality) sony smartwatch 2 has most of them too, and it's like 2.5 times cheaper.
i'm not being cheap or greedy, but paying 300 euros for beta product is way too much in my opinion. i guess it will all change once there are custom roms and more software, but still, this thing should be a beast out of the box on the release day! why do we always have to wait for updates?
Dan37tz said:
Lastly, this thing is a chick magnet lol..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree it is smooth and fast in operation, and as for ladies.... my wife and her daughter want one! Guess I married the right young lady :highfive:
You're preaching to the choir. Great hardware... Love the phone, SVoice and notifications.
I think your just wrong i understand if €300 is a lot of money for you to pay but is it fair to criticise a product because you think it's expensive.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
thats why i never trust reviewers, remember what they said about the original note? lol
I totally agree with the OP. This device is already great and will get much better.
it's expensive for the things it does. they should include things like sms writing support, full e/gmail browser, web browser, easy way to customize 'clock screen', timer, stopwatch, compass, flashlight (white screen), maps and full notification support i could justify the 300 euros price tag. but at the moment it really lacks simple features, or they are done in an annoying way.
I agree with you
Software software software.... All I read is moans and groans about bloody software. They will come, this is new technology in terms of software.
The real problems are the hardware and that we can do zero about. WHO in their right minds makes a wrist watch that is only water resistant to IP55 ie splashes or minor-some contact with water. If this watch gets a soaking even in the rain it will become a brick.
The clasp. It has the most infamous type of clasp used in the watch trade. There are already threads on this very topic that I warned about when the Gear thread section opened. The sort of clasp is just totally unacceptable for a watch in this price range. The camera is great when there is no moisture on the lens, that hole at the back of the lens needs to be sealed with tape.
The idea, the concept and design are great the software will come BUT this watch may not last long enough to take advantage of further software development. Like it, love it or hate it we cannot blindly enjoy the James Bond feeling for a month or two only, There are several severe hardware features that truly should have been sorted before this came on the market. I hate having to remove this watch every time I go near water and need to immerse my hands. That clasp is already starting to show signs of not closing correctly and those who bend that tiny spigot will soon realise that that bending only resolves the problem for a short time as once we start bending that spigot it weakens the metal and eventually leads to complete clasp failure.
I, like the OP, like the concept and enjoy the experience of ownership but only to a point. I fear a number of those who crow loudly now will soon be writing here about these problems.
I do find it idiotic that some owners have returned their watch due to the lack of software! That is the least of my concerns. This is not a well developed watch. It is also very expensive here in Europe. I don't even want to start the comparison game BUT how does Sony manage to make their devices far more water resistant yet Samsung cannot? OH and don't forget for those of us who live in hot climates its not only rain that causes the damage its also perspiration. Some guys have actually made their own wrist bands to go under the watch strap to prevent perspiration problems! Absurd for us to need to do this.
I do suggest we have a balanced and realistic review of the Gear. It simply isn't all bad and its far from perfect. Its rather clever in so many ways yet.....mmmmmm, not yet there.
Kind regards.
I love the watch, and I too have found a way to wear it and not even notice it's on my wrist.
Sent from my SM-N900T using xda app-developers app
Ryland Johnson said:
Software software software.... All I read is moans and groans about bloody software. They will come, this is new technology in terms of software.
The real problems are the hardware and that we can do zero about. WHO in their right minds makes a wrist watch that is only water resistant to IP55 ie splashes or minor-some contact with water. If this watch gets a soaking even in the rain it will become a brick.
The clasp. It has the most infamous type of clasp used in the watch trade. There are already threads on this very topic that I warned about when the Gear thread section opened. The sort of clasp is just totally unacceptable for a watch in this price range. The camera is great when there is no moisture on the lens, that hole at the back of the lens needs to be sealed with tape.
The idea, the concept and design are great the software will come BUT this watch may not last long enough to take advantage of further software development. Like it, love it or hate it we cannot blindly enjoy the James Bond feeling for a month or two only, There are several severe hardware features that truly should have been sorted before this came on the market. I hate having to remove this watch every time I go near water and need to immerse my hands. That clasp is already starting to show signs of not closing correctly and those who bend that tiny spigot will soon realise that that bending only resolves the problem for a short time as once we start bending that spigot it weakens the metal and eventually leads to complete clasp failure.
I, like the OP, like the concept and enjoy the experience of ownership but only to a point. I fear a number of those who crow loudly now will soon be writing here about these problems.
I do find it idiotic that some owners have returned their watch due to the lack of software! That is the least of my concerns. This is not a well developed watch. It is also very expensive here in Europe. I don't even want to start the comparison game BUT how does Sony manage to make their devices far more water resistant yet Samsung cannot? OH and don't forget for those of us who live in hot climates its not only rain that causes the damage its also perspiration. Some guys have actually made their own wrist bands to go under the watch strap to prevent perspiration problems! Absurd for us to need to do this.
I do suggest we have a balanced and realistic review of the Gear. It simply isn't all bad and its far from perfect. Its rather clever in so many ways yet.....mmmmmm, not yet there.
Kind regards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I disagree with your watch clasp opinion. At first I didn't think I'd like it, but to me, they implemented it well (especially with incorporating the speaker bulge). The bulge of speaker however can get annoying when resting your arm (eg typing on keyboard), but then again I usually take any watch off as even just the standard small, pin in hole type clips annoy me
I think we all agree on the lack of waterproofing and moisture issues needing improvement though...
On a side note, also don't think it's a beta product. It's a proper full release. Just they have a couple of improvements to make like any other first gen thing. First gen does not equal beta!
love mine
galaxy note 3
Love mine, specially now that I have loaded music, videos, apps, email and text work flawlessly, added personal notifications and ringtones. Do I need to go on, this Gear is not supposed to overtake your phone but rather complement it. The apps are coming soon from the developers making this a big success for Samsung.
Ian. B
I just waterproffed my gear with this ! One year waterproofed !! Easy done!
http://www.nanostate.co/
Jeshter2000 said:
I just waterproffed my gear with this ! One year waterproofed !! Easy done!
http://www.nanostate.co/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you or anyone else done this before? I'm curious as how it works and will/does it affect the feel of the phone/watch?
I'm very paranoid about getting my Gear wet. Something like this would be great.
daddyd302 said:
Have you or anyone else done this before? I'm curious as how it works and will/does it affect the feel of the phone/watch?
I'm very paranoid about getting my Gear wet. Something like this would be great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope never used it before.. But you arent getting your gear wet when Applying it. You just make a paper towel wet with the stuff and start rubbing your Gear in with the solution . Then wipe it off with a dry cloth and tadaa you Gear in nano coated...
Will make a video when I find myself having the time.
The reason I bought this was i was paranoid too when I went to the toilet and needed to wash my hands. Now that is all gone...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNnbU2qn0HA
I agree, I'm really happy with my device, within the first 20 minutes of pairing it to my Note 3 I received a call while I was dressing my son and what do you know my wrist starts ringing and i took a call hands free, my note was on the kitchen bench in the other room. I didnt need to hold my wrist up to my mouth and I could hear clearly and likewise to the person on my call. I look at emails/text messages while in meetings, this feature is really handy, I dont feel as rude by looking at my watch, with one tap of the screen I can read a message. Battery life is good, I can get 2-3 days with moderate usage no problems. At the end of the day $360 for a watch that pairs with my phone is a good deal, considering how much you would pay for a half decent watch. This is something I will stick to now and in the future, for my watch.
$300 for the Gear is fine..The watch design itself is worth the $300, think about a Rolex, or other expensive watches which cost $1000+. The Gear looks just as good as the expensive watches, plus you can do more with the Gear... Much Much more.
Reviews are like Arsewholes, everyone does one, and all of them stink!! Think for yourself, if you don't like it you can always return it..
GEAR UNLEASHED!!!!
I think the main reasons for the bad reviews are the price and that it only (officially) works with the Note 3, for now.
The price doesn't bother me as much since I got Best Buy to match that 30% coupon deal. But considering about a year ago, I spent $170 on a Casio G-Shock that does nothing more than tell me the date, time, and tide tables. Big deal. Decent watches cost money, even $300 is on the lower end.
What I never understood was how these reviewers gush about the Pebble, which has zero appeal to me - and I'm a gadget freak too! The reviews frequently compare the Pebble to the Gear, which is silly because the Gear is on a whole other level! They all talk about how the Pebble has so many apps and the Gear is lacking... how long has the Gear been out, 3 weeks?? Apps will come, not at all worried about that.
I also have no idea what the reviews are talking about re: camera quality. It's like they read the 1.9 MP spec and immediately dismiss it as a crap camera. Photos looks great for what it is, I was actually amazed at how well they looked. My only complaint about the camera is that there is no official way to turn off the shutter sounds, lol.

Creaks right out of the box!

Lovely! This is my second device, the first had a clicky feel on the bottom of the screen where is slides into the chin. That didnt really bother me, but it would also drain battery overnight when not used (from 100 to 78) the next morning. Returned it to bestbuy (got charged $45) and repurchased (yes i am not a hater, i like the phone) but this one creaks loudly from the screen (not hinge). Anyone having similar issues?
oh great.... I am getting mine tomorrow. I purchased from B&H and I got an extended warranty warranty for 2 more years through SquareTrade at time of purchase. The product is shipping from the US to me (in Canada), and the last thing I want to put up with is "this" kind of "issues". Oh jesus, let's hope and pray FedEx delivers a creak free unit.
As for battery issues, you might want to check out what is draining and using up your battery. You can also get some None_root apps to help "Sleep" apps that are sucking power while in standby mode.
Cheers,
Crossing fingers for you. My second came from B&H. Will be giving them a call tomorrow for options, most likely will end up keeping it like this and hope for a year of trouble free foldings The one that drained battery, it was also right off the box, i do not install any app until i make sure battery issues arent app related. And i also disabled 5g which made the phone heat up quiet a lot
QC seems to leave a lot to be desired, they put a plastic on the external sceeen that came poorly applied in both lol Got to love the razr, i am all about design, so i can gladly put up with some OCD inducing issues, but not pleased with the overall experience, not at $1200 (although high end phones are getting progressively more expensive, look what apple is doing, less for more, a 64GB iphone 12 is $830 plus the charger, it ends up close to $900, i hope ppl realize demand more for their $. Im definitely NOT getting and iphone again)
The first unit I got had a consistently loud creaky hinge too and there was some friction while opening so I got a replacement and to my surprise it's absolutely quiet and smooth!! So now I consider it not normal for a hinge that makes any noise.
Got my phone today
Well, it finally arrived after FedEx messed up the delivery date that was scheduled for last Friday.
I got distracted by the fact that my phone shipped without a screen protector or "Motorola Black" screen shield. The phone shipped folded, and the box looked unopened (the security decals looked super clean unaltered) and there was zero finger prints on the phone nor the display (it's a real finger print magnet like all my other phones lol).
Thankfully, the phone opens and closes like a well oiled hydraulic mechanism that was built by NASA with 0.01% tolerance.
Great! Yeah the ones with an internal screen film and unfolded were review units. Others come with a poorly applied plastic on the external screen, and come folded. My creaky razr also offers some resistance as mentioned above, the hinge would not creak, but rather the screen when being folded, i can feel it by touching the outter screen and back. It had to do with the folding trays rather than the hinge itself. Going back for a replacement.
tessorodesoto said:
Great! Yeah the ones with an internal screen film and unfolded were review units. Others come with a poorly applied plastic on the external screen, and come folded. My creaky razr also offers some resistance as mentioned above, the hinge would not creak, but rather the screen when being folded, i can feel it by touching the outter screen and back. It had to do with the folding trays rather than the hinge itself. Going back for a replacement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn, I feel for you bro... are you in New York, or are you shipping it back and forth. Does B&H cover the shipping fees?
I had the 2019/early 2020 version of this phone, it creaked. The 5G version I have now creaks too. Both from day 1. Moto says it's "normal."
Well, I can report that mine is like I mentioned above, it folds and opens like a well oiled mechanism. I have had it since Monday of this week. I'm hoping that I am the norm and not the exception.
But I'm getting the feeling that this phone will be pretty scarce as far as distribution and total sales.
I've had mine for 4 days now, it emits a single squeak when closing if I use the inner screen for a bit, and makes a click when opening but no creaks that I've noticed.
I think if you leave the phone opened for a long time, the creak will disappear. Mine 1st gen razr is like that
I've had mine since release day. No squeaks or creaks. Just a smooth sound whenever I flip my wrist to open. But even slower opens don't have any noises. And I've been to the beach a few times where I've had sand get in the hinges... Little bit of blowing on the hinge and what little bit of grit is left doesn't seem to be a match for the steel gears after a couple days. Back to being like new.
Sucks you got a squeaker but I would be willing to bet it is in the minority.
No such issues with my Razr, smooth and quiet, although I find the grip to be a bit tricky with one hand, I wish they would had added two tiny grip points on the top sides, to be able to use the weight of the lower half to extend the screen without the risk of dropping the phone.
No such issues with mine, either. Was gifted this phone on my B'day, and I really wasn't planning on buying one, but I intend to keep it for a bit. It's been a decent experience overall.

General Initial S21 Ultra impressions

My preordered, brand spankin' new Galaxy S21 Ultra came in on Wednesday, and here are my initial impressions (coming from a Galaxy S20+):
- The overall design is really as beautiful as what you see in early reviews on YouTube. The camera bump just melts into the overall design. Nicely done, Samsung! Having said that, as soon as you slap a case on it, you don't really see it.
- It's a bit annoying that the camera bump means the phone won't lay completely flat on a table and will rock a bit. That's something I really haven't noticed with my old Galaxy S20+.
- This thing is heavy! It's only 1.5 oz heavier than my old Galaxy S20+, but you can definitely feel it.
- The screen is absolutely gorgeous. It's cool that you can do 120 Hz at the full WQHD+ resolution.
- The U.S. version definitely does not come with a preinstalled screen protector, just a film that you pull off. I chose to add the ESR Liquid Skin Screen Protector (item B08QJ4XCH1 on Amazon). Yes, the screen has Gorilla Victus glass, which can definitely take a beating, but I like having a basic layer of protection against scuffs, micro-scratches, and the like. I can't stand a phone screen that's anything less than pristine.
- Adaptive motion smoothness works really well. Everything is buttery smooth. I don't really play games on this thing, but I'm sure this makes a big difference in day-to-day use as well. Now you don't have to choose between high refresh rates and screen resolution.
- The official Samsung silicone case is actually quite nice, with just the right 'grippiness'. I got it free as part of the $200 Samsung credit for preorders. What I especially like is that this case also covers the actual camera bump (minus the camera lenses, of course)---something that many other cases, including my usual go-to, the Speck Presidio Grip, don't do; they just have one big hole there. I had already ordered the Speck Presidio Grip, as I do for all my phones, but I may actually use this Samsung case instead.
- The fingerprint reader is much more responsive than on my Galaxy S20+. I basically never used it on my Galaxy S20+, since it was just too finicky, but it's much faster and reliable on the S21 Ultra. Having a more reliable fingerprint reader is nice, given that we're wearing masks a lot nowadays, so face recognition isn't as useful. Nothing beats Smart Lock, though, where proximity to my Watch3 basically keeps my phone unlocked.
- To me, the absence of a microSD card slot is not a huge deal. I opted for the 256 GB S21 Ultra (was only $50 more), so that gives me plenty of storage space (for me, at least). My Galaxy S20+ has 128 GB plus a 256 GB microSD card, but I only used about half of the phone storage and a fraction of the SD card storage, so 256 GB is plenty for me.
- I have yet to play with the camera thoroughly, but I really like what I'm seeing so far, especially when zooming. Having 3x and 10x optical zoom rocks!
- Battery life seems excellent. That has never been much of an issue for me, since I'm typically close enough to an outlet to top off my phone if necessary (in the car, for example). My phone battery rarely goes below 60%. S21 Ultra battery life seems at least as good as for my Galaxy S20+.
- I also got one of those SmartTags for free as part of the preorder. I'm struggling to find a use case for it. I've attached it to my car keys, but that's mostly because I can't think of anything else. To me, it seems like a solution in search of a problem (but I may well completely miss the point).
All in all, I'm very happy with my Galaxy S21 Ultra, and I'm planning to keep this phone for a while (after cycling through several phones in 2020).
--Ron
I've had mine for 2 days now. The first day the battery life was bad but that is normal. Today so far I've had an hour of screen on time and I'm at 88%. That is pretty good. You can see that I will have good sot by time this phone dies today. I am happy with that.
I upgraded from an Note10+ and got myself a S21 Ultra 256GB. I own the device for about 48hours and so far the battery, screen and camera are the main points that have improved dramatically.
Battery lasts me way longer than Note10+ and it only the second cycle
Screen is very sharp and vivid
And cameras,damn, that zoom is amazing
Edit: Exynos model (EU variant)
you're on the SD version, guys? any overheating problems? seems there's a lot reported on Reddit. waiting for my carrier here in the Philippines to get this. getting a tab a too as part of the preorder freebies. excited but that overheating stuff is quite concerning. went with OnePlus after the S3 and it felt liberating . hope i don't get disappointed now
Anyone faced Auto restart problem on this phone yet?
I have faced the issue 2 times in till now.
dutch_in_seattle said:
.
- I also got one of those SmartTags for free as part of the preorder. I'm struggling to find a use case for it. I've attached it to my car keys, but that's mostly because I can't think of anything else. To me, it seems like a solution in search of a problem (but I may well completely miss the point).
--Ron
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I intend to use it on checked luggage. I can see it being very useful for that.
maxq1 said:
you're on the SD version, guys? any overheating problems? seems there's a lot reported on Reddit. waiting for my carrier here in the Philippines to get this. getting a tab a too as part of the preorder freebies. excited but that overheating stuff is quite concerning. went with OnePlus after the S3 and it felt liberating . hope i don't get disappointed now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the snapdragon version and haven't had any issues with overheating.
Pls all, provide always what chip in your phone, Snapdragon or Exynos, also what storage did you choose. Thanks.
nightoo said:
Pls all, provide always what chip in your phone, Snapdragon or Exynos, also what storage did you choose. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And if anyone is not sure which chip they have (as they're not aware of the country codes), they can just install CPU-Z from the Play Store (free app - I use it on PC as well) and it'll tell them ALL of their phone's specs right away.
I can't believe I'm still waiting for mine. I ordered it the moment the 256 was available (Sprint/T-Mo) and it's on back order until the 17th at the earliest.
dutch_in_seattle said:
- The U.S. version definitely does not come with a preinstalled screen protector, just a film that you pull off. I chose to add the ESR Liquid Skin Screen Protector (item B08QJ4XCH1 on Amazon). Yes, the screen has Gorilla Victus glass, which can definitely take a beating, but I like having a basic layer of protection against scuffs, micro-scratches, and the like. I can't stand a phone screen that's anything less than pristine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Isn't there a preinstalled screen protector underneath that film that you pull off? Look around the front facing lens.
pathaniliyas said:
Anyone faced Auto restart problem on this phone yet?
I have faced the issue 2 times in till now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Turn it off in battery settings

Categories

Resources