Long-time iOS users...what is your real opinion of the Note 7 having made the switch?

[Inevitable Flux]

I haven't been able to bring myself to try Windows yet. I've only had one Windows computer for personal use (been a Mac user since the late 90's). The Surface Pros look nice, but for the price of those I could also just get a MBP when they're updated.

The Surface Pro 4 was a mess at launch (and for a good many months after) -- lots of bugs and performance issues, but it's really become a worthwhile purchase for me in the last 4-5 months as firmware updates and such have ironed out the kinks. That said - I'm with you. At least with similar pricing in a MBP, you might have some assurances it'll just "work" if history is anything to go off of

I'm new to the Mac OS. I was in the market for an all-in-one about 6 months ago, and when the Best Buy sales rep educated me on bootcamp/Windows OS option, I was sold! Can't imagine ever going back to strictly windows for a desktop when I can have both Mac OS & Windows OS on one machine. It's perfect.

 

[alexeisch]

I didn’t read any of the previous posts because I didn’t want to taint my review. I have been an Apple girl for years. Before that I was a Note girl. I made the switch a few years back only because I thought that the technology was better and was going to progress in a much more expedient manner. I was right…..for a time.

I have had my Note 7 now since the 18th and I have to say that I am REALLY impressed. The one thing that really makes me happy is the ability to customize the phone’s interface (thanks Nova Launcher!). I just love that I can make my phone totally mine by changing just about everything.

On top of that I have had no issue with lag and no issue with battery life when compared to my iPhone 6s Plus. I also have to admit that I like the aesthetics and overall feeling of the Note 7 when compared to the iPhone. I do have to admit that I am not utilizing the s-pen as much as I want to but I suspect that as I get to know the phone better that will happen.

Bottom line is that I don’t have any regrets switching into my Note 7. I am a BIG fan!

 

[bkrell]

What do you think about the Android version of Apple Music? I haven't tried it yet because I signed up for the 4 month free trial of Play All Access when they offered it last month. All I really like about it is ad free YouTube though.

Seems exactly the same as on iOS. Which, honestly, is still a little confusing for me these days. My wife and I share my Apple ID because I can never get hers to work right with our family iCloud group. So I have a bunch of her music I have to wade through to make my own lists.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Anyone wiping cache.. Remember, it can be slower for a bit after that. The phone will rebuild those cache that were cleared.

 

[spasell]

Re: Curiosity: iPhone transplants a week later

You mentioned setting up Android Pay. I strongly suggest setting up Samsung Pay. From what I can tell it does everything that Apple Pay does and more. Samsung pay is what mobile payments should be.

It does
NFC payments
Payments on "swipe" only terminals (Apple can't do this)
Store loyalty cards
Add gift cards

It's my understanding that Android Pay works at any NFC swipe machine and Samsung Pay, like Apple, only works in selected stores.

 

[spasell]

Re: Curiosity: iPhone transplants a week later

With Wallet it's more than that. It's movie tickets, concert tickets, airline tickets, all in one convenient spot.

That's correct. Very convenient to just hit that app and it's all right there. And my downloaded airline boarding passes without having to go through a bunch of steps to save a photo of it.

It's just easier. But all that said love this overall device better.

 

[spasell]

Re: Curiosity: iPhone transplants a week later

I tell ya, the Gear Fit 2 is pretty darn nice, especially considering it's price. I only charge it while I'm in the shower, and leave it on all the time otherwise. Great screen, and a decent (as in not cheap feeling like some android wear devices) vibration motor. If you can live without audible commands and replying to texts, it's better than the Apple Watch in many ways (as in has GPS and sleep tracking, better battery life). I also prefer S Health to Apple's health apps.

I'm sure the Apple Watch 2 will have major improvements, but for now the Fit 2 has been a great replacement for my first gen Apple Watch.

I got this as the free gift. I already had a 128GB SD card so that's plenty for me. Plus the SD cards retail for $70 and the Gear Fit 2 $179.

I watched a video on it and loved it. Says mine is shipped and will be here Wednesday.

 

[msm0511]

Anyone wiping cache.. Remember, it can be slower for a bit after that. The phone will rebuild those cache that were cleared.

That's the first thing I tried when I was having stuttering animation. I never had lag per se, but the unlocking animation and some other stuff was really choppy. Cleared it right up. There are still things I wish were a little more snappy though. May come with a software update, but it's not dealbreaking stuff. I still haven't switched to Nova. That's saying something for me. I've used it on my last few Android phones almost immediately after getting them.

 

[msm0511]

Re: Curiosity: iPhone transplants a week later

It's my understanding that Android Pay works at any NFC swipe machine and Samsung Pay, like Apple, only works in selected stores.

Android Pay, like Apple Pay has to be accepted by the store. It won't just work because the machine has NFC. That's why there are places that accept Apple Pay, but not Android Pay and vice versa. Samsung Pay is supposed to work anywhere that has a magnetic reader, but I haven't found that to be the case.

 

[wookiee2cu]

Re: Curiosity: iPhone transplants a week later

It's my understanding that Android Pay works at any NFC swipe machine and Samsung Pay, like Apple, only works in selected stores.

I can't speak about Android Pay because I have never used it. In regards to Samsung Pay it uses NFC and MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission, older terminals without NFC use this technology) so it tends to work at a lot more terminals than other payment methods. The con to SamSung pay is the banks have to get on board with it but the list is continuing to grow, here is a link to the banks (and cards) that work with Samsung Pay Which banks and credit cards are compatible with Samsung Pay? When Samsung Pay first came out I want to say there was only 5 or so banks initially so the list has grown quite a bit in the last year +. Some people have said they have issues at Walmart but I had no problem over the weekend so it may be a individual store issue and if they are blocking it for some reason. Now and then it has given me an error but usually if I try it again it will work. One store had just gotten new terminals and it didn't work but I went back a week later and it did so maybe they had to activate something on their end. It doesn't work on machines like gas pumps or ATM machines where you have to insert the card. I would say in the 70+ times I have used it, only 3 times would it just not happen and I had to pull out my wallet and swipe the card.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

That's the first thing I tried when I was having stuttering animation. I never had lag per se, but the unlocking animation and some other stuff was really choppy. Cleared it right up. There are still things I wish were a little more snappy though. May come with a software update, but it's not dealbreaking stuff. I still haven't switched to Nova. That's saying something for me. I've used it on my last few Android phones almost immediately after getting them.

Oh since Nova supports the edges, that will be the first thing I download haha.

I can't stand that you don't have infinite scrolling in the app drawer. I hate apps aren't put on alphabetical order. I absolutely loathe folders in my app drawer, especially ones I can't get rid of.

After being on TouchWiz as a launcher for so many years, I don't like the limitations of it as a launcher now.

 

[msm0511]

Oh since Nova supports the edges, that will be the first thing I download haha.

I can't stand that you don't have infinite scrolling in the app drawer. I hate apps aren't put on alphabetical order. I absolutely loathe folders in my app drawer, especially ones I can't get rid of.

After being on TouchWiz as a launcher for so many years, I don't like the limitations of it as a launcher now.

I definitely prefer the vertical scrolling in Nova as opposed to the horizontal app drawer in TouchWiz. I have TouchWiz set to alphabetical, but after I install new apps I have to click it again. They don't automatically place new apps in alphabetical order. I kind of like it though so I can remember new apps I downloaded just to try out. I know I can scroll to the end of my list and see all my new apps at the end.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Oh I don't like vertical scrolling at all lol. But I do like to get to the last page and scroll to the first page next.

I also like having two pages of 8 icons on my dock, the standard 5 is just too limiting for me.

Not being in alphabetical order? My extreme OCD for organization won't let me sleep if my apps aren't in alphabetical order.

 

[Silly Putty]

I keep reading people complain about a boring iOS experience. Once you finish customizing your android phone, won't you run into the same boredom as iOS, only with a less fluid experience? I've owned multiples of both so I'm genuinely curious.

 

[msm0511]

I keep reading people complain about a boring iOS experience. Once you finish customizing your android phone, won't you run into the same boredom as iOS, only with a less fluid experience? I've owned multiples of both so I'm genuinely curious.

I personally don't find iOS all that boring, but I guess their point is if they get bored they know they can recustomize in different ways to make it feel new again.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

I keep reading people complain about a boring iOS experience. Once you finish customizing your android phone, won't you run into the same boredom as iOS, only with a less fluid experience? I've owned multiples of both so I'm genuinely curious.

No you don't get bored. You can switch everything. Even when Apple allowed SwiftKey, it was a stripped down version of it. You don't get full use of it at all.

 

[Silly Putty]

No you don't get bored. You can switch everything. Even when Apple allowed SwiftKey, it was a stripped down version of it. You don't get full use of it at all.

I get that. But how often are you customizing your phone outside of that first week? I can understand if you are rooting it, but I would wager most Samsung users aren't.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

I get that. But how often are you customizing your phone outside of that first week? I can understand if you are rooting it, but I would wager most Samsung users aren't.

I change up many things. I don't change wallpaper a lot but I change icons and other things. Not to mention the apps that let me do things that iPhone apps won't let me.

But it isn't about changing it up all the time, it is about not being able to do A much. That is what bored me in two weeks.

 

[jdfry15]

I keep reading people complain about a boring iOS experience. Once you finish customizing your android phone, won't you run into the same boredom as iOS, only with a less fluid experience? I've owned multiples of both so I'm genuinely curious.

I agree with you to a degree. I have set my android phone up pretty much the same for the last few years, just used to it and where a I put everything. Every os has pros and cons.

 

[Wildo6882]

Thanks for all the replies. Good, openminded, non-biased thread...which frankly I didn't expect on an Android-specific website.

The above though...and the "Samsungy - Androidish" tendency to lag (come on...everybody knows it lags) and to require cache wipes and reboots to make everything work smoother and do what it's supposed to do is a turn-off to me as the user of an OS that doesn't call for that, at least not on anything like a common basis. I'm not slamming Android at all, but it requires the user to "tinker" with it to keep the ship sailing straight moreso than what I'm used to. When I was younger and had a less-busy lifestyle, I didn't mind having to jack with my Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and BlackBerry devices...because it was pretty much expected. Now that I'm older and less patient with my electronics (ha!) I expect them to work smoothly without my input. Fantasy stuff, I know! But, I know that Android devices take more "user maintenance" than iOS ones do...normally.

I will say that I took the time to visit my local VZW emporium yesterday and handle a genuine Note 7 for myself...and I was pretty impressed with the design and build quality. It felt really "sexy" and smooth in my hand, even moreso than the iPhone 6s that's my daily driver. I wish I could have waited for a sales rep (it was super crowded) to let me test drive a phone, but for now...it still has my interest.

While I understand what you're saying, but I really do disagree. I've been using a 6s Plus since December as my daily. My wife has had both a S6 edge Plus and an S7 edge during my tenure with my iPhone. I can count on one hand the times I've had to fiddle with her phone for her. And she is incredibly NOT techy. One of the times was this morning, but all it was was a rogue app playing bad and I force stopped it and all was good. I don't think it requires much more than my iPhone does, if at all. My iPhone has definitely not been error free.