Some observations on the switch from Samsung

[dmcman73]

No it doesn't all happen automatically that way and it is really, inferior to the Samsung Gallery. It is just not the same at all.

The Samsung Gallery is easier to deal with, if you open a screenshot from your notification screen it is going to open with the gallery app and your options are there.

Now for the Note 5, no way Google photos can replace the Samsung Gallery app. I've used the Samsung Gallery app for years and I also use Google Photo, and Google photo is much more of a mess. Now it is something we have to deal with more now. Before, my pictures went to my SD card and everything was nicely organized. Even pictures I remove from my phone and keep on Google Photo can be unorganized. It won't upload by album and it can be hard to find a picture.

Actually, it does happen that way. The only thing Samsung's gallery does is display the folder name with the pictures sorted in each folder. Google photos on the other hand by default just displays everything at once and it is not neatly sorted, even though the pictures themselves are in their respective folders.

Install Piktures Gallery (https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ls?id=com.diune.pictures&hl=en&token=t8KNWCKC) without doing anything to your photos and you'll see that this Gallery App shows the respective folders that each folder is saved to (screen shot, facebook, download, etc) just as the Samsung Gallery does. When you created an Album in Samsung's Gallery, it just created another folder with that album name and move your photos you selected into that folder, nothing magical about it, you can move those folders over to a new device and use another Gallery app like I mentioned above to have it display it in a similar way.

As for opening Screenshots from your notification area, it only opens with Google Photos because that's your default photo app. Install another Gallery app and the next time you try opening a screen shot, it will ask you which Gallery app you want to use to open it with. You'll have a choice to select one and set it as Use as default (so you don't get prompted again, and the next time you go to open it, it will use the App you selected as default) or you can select an app and select "Use this one time"

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Actually, it does happen that way. The only thing Samsung's gallery does is display the folder name with the pictures sorted in each folder. Google photos on the other hand by default just displays everything at once and it is not neatly sorted, even though the pictures themselves are in their respective folders.

Install Piktures Gallery (https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ls?id=com.diune.pictures&hl=en&token=PzOiNiqs) without doing anything to your photos and you'll see that this Gallery App shows the respective folders that each folder is saved to (screen shot, facebook, download, etc) just as the Samsung Gallery does. When you created an Album in Samsung's Gallery, it just created another folder with that album name and move your photos you selected into that folder, nothing magical about it, you can move those folders over to a new device and use another Gallery app like I mentioned above to have it display it in a similar way.

As for opening Screenshots from your notification area, it only opens with Google Photos because that's your default photo app. Install another Gallery app and the next time you try opening a screen shot, it will ask you which Gallery app you want to use to open it with. You'll have a choice to select one and set it as Use as default (so you don't get prompted again, and the next time you go to open it, it will use the App you selected as default) or you can select an app and select "Use this one time"

Only the pictures you keep on your phone are in the folders. As I said, with SD cards, that was a lesser issue than it is now with no SD cards. When photos aren't on your phone, Google Photo just won't do all the gallery will do.

Google Photo also doesn't have the photo editing that Samsung Gallery does and picture on your phone, aren't compressed.

There is a bug difference in Samsung Gallery and Google Photo. Been using Google Photo since release and been using the Samsung Gallery for years and on my Nexus 5 the Google Photo isn't sufficient.

 

[dmcman73]

The point is, that is why terminals are being changed, not because of Apple Pay.

Correct. The terminals are being changed because they are required to support the security chips that are now in credit cards, there is no requirements for either pay service BUT, retailers are taking the opportunity at this time to include it within the new terminals instead of adding it later. The terminals themselves are not just for the Apple/Android pay either, there are NFC based credit cards that use the same technology as well.

 

[dmcman73]

Not sure where you're getting this from, I've owned a Galaxy S3, S4, S5, S6 and a Note 4. Each time I moved to a new device my pictures were moved as they were, I made no changes even when i imported them into the S6 with no SD cards. I moved the same folder structure and photos as they were on my S6 into my Nexus 6P and they were sorted the same way in Piktures as they were sorted in Samsung's Gallery. the only time they were not "sorted" was when I used Google Photos, Google photos ignores the folder structure all together and throws everything all together....even thought the pictures are still in their original photos.

the folders you are describing are there. Its the gallery app that will either display the photos within each folder (album) like Samsung Gallery or it will ignore the folders and just show everything at once by date.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Not sure where you're getting this from, I've owned a Galaxy S3, S4, S5, S6 and a Note 4. Each time I moved to a new device my pictures were moved as they were, I made no changes even when i imported them into the S6 with no SD cards. I moved the same folder structure and photos as they were on my S6 into my Nexus 6P and they were sorted the same way in Piktures as they were sorted in Samsung's Gallery. the only time they were not "sorted" was when I used Google Photos, Google photos ignores the folder structure all together and throws everything all together....even thought the pictures are still in their original photos.

the folders you are describing are there. Its the gallery app that will either display the photos within each folder (album) like Samsung Gallery or it will ignore the folders and just show everything at once by date.

I'm not talking about Piktures, I'm talking about Google Photo vs Samsung Gallery.

 

[dmcman73]

I'm not talking about Piktures, I'm talking about Google Photo vs Samsung Gallery.

Sorry, but you mentioned that the only app that displayed in that manner was Samsung's Gallery which led me to believe your statement was that all other Gallery apps could not do that.

In Google Photos: Click the menu icon (the three stacked lines in the upper left corner), select Device Folders and you'll get folder/album view.

As for the picture editing, The Samsung Gallery only had a basic editor in it similar to Google Photos. If you opted to download the editor add on (direct from the Samsung app store), this gave you much more advanced editing features, but it was not built into Gallery, it was an add on that Gallery opened up when you selected edit. Yes, it worked seamless but there are far better photo editing apps in the Google play store that blow the samsung's one away.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Sorry, but you mentioned that the only app that displayed in that manner was Samsung's Gallery which led me to believe your statement was that all other Gallery apps could not do that.

In Google Photos: Click the menu icon (the three stacked lines in the upper left corner), select Device Folders and you'll get folder/album view.

As for the picture editing, The Samsung Gallery only had a basic editor in it similar to Google Photos. If you opted to download the editor add on (direct from the Samsung app store), this gave you much more advanced editing features, but it was not built into Gallery, it was an add on that Gallery opened up when you selected edit. Yes, it worked seamless but there are far better photo editing apps in the Google play store that blow the samsung's one away.

No, I never indicated that the Samsung Gallery app was the only one that displayed that way.

The question was about coming from the Samsung Gallery and then the next question was about Google Photo and gallery apps and I addressed Samsung Gallery.

You don't have that view of photos in Google Photos when photos are not on your phone, that is another issue.

As I also said, the Samsung Gallery edit us different, especially with the Note phones. There are also many things I grab and capture and I don't want them saved or added to my Google Photo. I never download any add ons for my Samsung Gallery.

I've done both and I understand why people used to Samsung Gallery, want a similar gallery on a vanilla android phone. Google Photo is not as user friendly when you are used to the Samsung Gallery. I don't even like to fool with photos and screenshots on my Nexus.

Again, I'm not addressing all galleries, I was addressing Samsung Gallery vs Google Photo.

 

[hallux]

"Starting today, retailers and small businesses who have not yet upgraded their credit card networks will be liable for any Visa, Discover or Mastercard credit card transaction that is fraudulent if the card is EMV-equipped. If fraud occurs when a magnetic stripe card is swiped at a chip-enabled terminal, the bank is still responsible for the fraud. American Express will transfer liability to business owners on Oct. 16."

What You Should Know About the New Credit Card Chip Rule - ABC News

The push back of the requirement was kind of a chicken/egg deal. Some of the card issuers delayed sending cards out because adoption of new terminals was slow. By the way, just because the terminals are being replaced for this does not mean they will have NFC payment capability. My local supermarket recently (last 6-8 months) got all new credit card terminals, they all have the ability to do a chip transaction (though not turned on still) but don't appear to have NFC capability.

Funny that AmEx has offloaded responsibility for fraudulent charges to the merchants, my corporate AmEx has yet to be replaced with one containing a chip. I have TWO personal cards that have chips, and that's only because they were replaced within the last year because the card was either damaged or the program was terminated so the card was changed to a "vanilla" card from the issuing bank.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

The push back of the requirement was kind of a chicken/egg deal. Some of the card issuers delayed sending cards out because adoption of new terminals was slow. By the way, just because the terminals are being replaced for this does not mean they will have NFC payment capability. My local supermarket recently (last 6-8 months) got all new credit card terminals, they all have the ability to do a chip transaction (though not turned on still) but don't appear to have NFC capability.

Funny that AmEx has offloaded responsibility for fraudulent charges to the merchants, my corporate AmEx has yet to be replaced with one containing a chip. I have TWO personal cards that have chips, and that's only because they were replaced within the last year because the card was either damaged or the program was terminated so the card was changed to a "vanilla" card from the issuing bank.

From all the new terminals I have seen here, they have NFC but most don't have it turned on.

 

[hallux]

From all the new terminals I have seen here, they have NFC but most don't have it turned on.

At my supermarket, the terminals have NO markings to indicate the NFC is present.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

The ones around here that are new, have this or similar, thing on top.

 

[neo905]

Coming from a Galaxy S5 and have had a few issues in the first days with the 6P.

1. No gallery app. I know this has been discussed before and that there are third-party apps. But, Google Photos is not a simple replacement. I really like Photos as a backup resource but don't think it's fully developed to just replace a gallery app yet. Also, no third-party apps I've tried are as simple and snappy as the gallery app.

2. The Samsung calendar app was much more intelligent for me in allowing me to one click on conference lines and get the extension in one click. No third-parry app I've tried can do it either.

3. Shutter sound on the camera is very annoying. I used macrodroid to get around it, but that's a very simple thing that Google could add. I like the Google camera app though. Nice and simple for quick, good photos. Also, burst shots are much better on the 6P.

4. I really liked the option to mute and do other things to an ongoing call directly in the notification bar with Samsung. I also miss the persistent on screen notifier when you're on a call but off the call screen.

5. It's minor but I hate the delay when I long press in a text box before I'm given the option to paste.

I still love this phone and could list all of the things that the 6P does so much better (Imprint is just fantastic).

Have you tried Business Calendar? I have Today Calendar as well but Business Calendar has way more customizations. That might have what you are looking for.

 

[hallux]

This is the terminal my market just installed. It has the chip slot but that's it.

 

[PittDucky]

Have you tried Business Calendar? I have Today Calendar as well but Business Calendar has way more customizations. That might have what you are looking for.

No luck.... Thanks though

 

[sstephen17]

The app I miss most from Samsung is the music player. I loved how you could create a playlist by just checking off the box as you peruse your library. Unless I'm missing something, Google Music makes you go to the specific song in your library, then add that one song to a playlist. The inability to batch add songs to a playlist is annoying.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

This is the terminal my market just installed. It has the chip slot but that's it.
View attachment 205559

We have some that look similar, but they have a small "lip" at the top that slants up and has the NFC there, no sticker, but the logo molded into the plastic. People that didn't know what that was wouldn't notice it mist likely, but people like us would recognize it right away.

 

[kyriacou48]

I might be just the minority, but after using a Samsung android phone for the first time for the past year (G S5), I can safely say that there isn't a Samsung app at any point that i've thought "what a beautiful, snappy and functional app!"

In all honesty, can't stand the design of Samsung Apps (either poor or just prehistoric-looking) and all the apps i've used, such as the Gallery or Calendar, are just okay. Nothing special, they work.

My Nexus 6P is waiting for me at the post office (but i'm stuck at work!) and frankly I can't wait for that breath of fresh air that vanilla Android provides. I just want a phone that, out of the box, is the fastest it can be - I want to be able to decide every app that should be on the phone, and if it becomes slow from bloatware, i've only got myself to blame

 

[Gdwheel]

This thread highlights my complaint about "vanilla" android. It is great that it is light and customizable and that we can get quick updates from Google. I have always been shocked by how bad many of Google's apps are compared to the other apps that are available in the app store and the apps that come standard on ios. Gmail is awful as the only mail app. It works okay if your only email account is Gmail. It is terrible for a business mail (exchange) app. The dialer app is not good, The calendar app is not that good. Photos is not a great app. Android wear is not very good (and there is no replacement). Google also seems reluctant to change their apps to meet the requests of users. Just look at their forums some time. Fortunately, developers have created a number of good apps to replace the stock Google apps, but it just seems to me that Google should be ashamed to be outdone by the developers and Apple on their stock apps. They could have a light system with light apps that have better functionality.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

I might be just the minority, but after using a Samsung android phone for the first time for the past year (G S5), I can safely say that there isn't a Samsung app at any point that i've thought "what a beautiful, snappy and functional app!"

In all honesty, can't stand the design of Samsung Apps (either poor or just prehistoric-looking) and all the apps i've used, such as the Gallery or Calendar, are just okay. Nothing special, they work.

My Nexus 6P is waiting for me at the post office (but i'm stuck at work!) and frankly I can't wait for that breath of fresh air that vanilla Android provides. I just want a phone that, out of the box, is the fastest it can be - I want to be able to decide every app that should be on the phone, and if it becomes slow from bloatware, i've only got myself to blame

Personally, the S5 is the worst Samsung in the S series and Note series, IMO. BUT.. Samsung Gallery, not sure how that is prehistoric looking. Like I said, it offers a lot of editing options on the Note versions.

My Files is a much more organized and easy file explorer also. It is very simple and user friendly and will accomplish what you need done, especially between an SD card and your phone and the connecting of Google Drive through My Files.

I have never used any calendar but Google Calendar. My files and Gallery are the main Samsung apps that I use and use them daily.

Now there are things I don't really like about Samsung phones xbut I've never seen a prehistoric looking app, but I have seen a lot of plain, less features and too simple apps many times when looking for various apps for my Nexus to add for file exploring and the gallery. Also the stock Samsung text app has things I don't like, but I do like it much better than the Google Messenger or Hangouts (for texting). I also like the contacts app for Samsung much better than the Google one. To me, the Google contacts, Google messenger and Google Photo (compared to Gallery) look plain and outdated.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

Gmail is awful as the only mail app. It works okay if your only email account is Gmail. It is terrible for a business mail (exchange) app. The dialer app is not good, The calendar app is not that good. Photos is not a great app.

Samsung comes with an email app that is a standard email app. I've used it before and it did well for me.

I forgot about the dialer, I don't like that either. I don't like the big pictures of starred contacts on the dialer app and I can't find a way to turn that off. I have them starred for a reason, but not to have their pictures on my dialer app. The only way I can see to turn that off is to unstar them.

I like the calendar app, it does well for me and I can sync to my desktop and people in my office can add things to my work calendar.

I like the Samsung clock app much better than the Google clock app.

Google Photo, I only use it for cloud back up, but I hate having to try and find a photo on it after I delete it off my device.

If I have a "screenshot" folder or a "wallpaper" folder on my device, I want it to upload the folder and update folders. If I add a new wallpaper to my wallpaper folder every week, when it uploads that to Google Photo I would like it to see "wallpaper" had two new pictures added to it so "wallpaper" on Google Photo is updated with the two new pictures. As it is now, I can have the "wallpaper" folder on Google Photo, but I have to go back in an manually move the uploaded pictures to the specific folders I want them in.

I keep wallpapers and other pictures on my device because it is just too much trouble to go search for them on Google Photo.