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Galaxy S7
- Thread starter nviz22
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So great stuff, not only did my unbranding work, I literally just got my unlock code. So now I'm officially unlocked and unbranded 
Now I can use the phone as my primary device for a few weeks and see how it handles Vodafone 4g service.
Now I can use the phone as my primary device for a few weeks and see how it handles Vodafone 4g service.
So great stuff, not only did my unbranding work, I literally just got my unlock code. So now I'm officially unlocked and unbranded
Now I can use the phone as my primary device for a few weeks and see how it handles Vodafone 4g service.
If your local signal is pretty decent you should see some good 4G speeds on Vodafone
Is therea quick way to mute the phone without turning on the display? So used to the switch on my iPhone 6.
I love that on my 6s+! I wish all phones had a physical mute button. I don't know of a way to turn off the sound without turning on the display to do it.Is therea quick way to mute the phone without turning on the display? So used to the switch on my iPhone 6.
Went to a T-mobile store and ordered a GS7E. I know the phone is back ordered so it's going to be a while before I get it. Hopefully they get new stock in soon.
I have no interest in hiding my s7 but this is cool. Dbrand skins have always been pretty neat.
(I'm still flying completely naked with my s7 edge. Not even front screen protector!)
http://www.androidauthority.com/give-galaxy-s7-s7-edge-grip-texture-dbrand-skins-680868/
(I'm still flying completely naked with my s7 edge. Not even front screen protector!)
http://www.androidauthority.com/give-galaxy-s7-s7-edge-grip-texture-dbrand-skins-680868/
Not that I can find. Quickest way is to swipe down on the lockscreen and tap "sound" on your quick settings.Is therea quick way to mute the phone without turning on the display? So used to the switch on my iPhone 6.
No Vodafone coverage is pretty meh here, but realistically we only have two mobile phone networks. Vodafone & Three.
Whilst there are a few smaller providers such as Meteor, e-Mobile etc.. all they do is rent line space on the Three Network.
Yet despite this limited networks, Vodafone has most customers and is the more patchy network. But I and a lot of others stick with them because nearly all my contacts are with them and Vodafone to Vodafone calls and texts are free.
There are a couple of really dodgy blackspots around me too, so yeah with a fairly mixed reception area it will be interesting to see the toll it takes on the otherwise till now great battery life.
-------
So far battery life has been unaffected by flashing unbranded stock firmware.
I'm at 36% left on battery and
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Yay. Managed to buy a new sealed Gear VR from someone who got the freebie but doesn't want it. Got it for €50 including postage
Happy Days. (Cheaper than the €150 Samsung want anyway)
Question ... How is audio handled ? Do you use headphones, is there a headphone jack on the gear VR ?
Also what kind of controller would I need to order for trying a few games ? Will the MFi controller from iOS work to android ? Or my PS3 / PS4 controllers ?
Happy Days. (Cheaper than the €150 Samsung want anyway)
Question ... How is audio handled ? Do you use headphones, is there a headphone jack on the gear VR ?
Also what kind of controller would I need to order for trying a few games ? Will the MFi controller from iOS work to android ? Or my PS3 / PS4 controllers ?
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Review time!
So it has been over a week since I had my S7 Edge plus. As all the other reviews have said, it's nearly the perfect device. Samsung did so much right with this phone, it would be my choice as the best phone on the market and the one I would recommend to anyone who didn't know what they wanted, with the one caveat that they don't need apple services (imessage, facetime, airplay, ect.)
Performance has been terrific, the best performing android phone I have used and right up there with my 6S Plus. I did experience some lag before, especially the keyboard, but after a factory reset it has been super smooth and fast, even after loading all my apps again. I rarely notice any frame skips.
Battery has been great as well, it has dethroned the Note 2 as best battery for an android phone, and again it's up there with my 6S Plus. I can easily make it through a day, getting 5-6hours screen time constantly. And with fast charging, battery has been of no concern.
The design is beautiful. One of the best looking handsets out. Build is also very solid, it feels like a solid pebble of glass. There is no creak, give, or bend. And the screen looks amazing, again the best I have seen. Only draw back is a slight color distortion along the curved edges. The phone feels amazingly small in the hands for a phone with a 5.5" screen. The small bezels really make this phone look super slick too. This is my new favorite form factor, I can use the phone handed with minimal hand shuffle. The buttons are very tactile and are all in the right spots. The fingerprint scanner has also been improved, and while it might be a split second slower than the iPhone, it's still very fast and accurate.
The waterproofing has been a great addition. I have taken it into the shower, put it in bowls of water, I rinsed it off in the faucet several times and everything is working perfectly. There is an issue of water getting in the speaker grills muffling the sound, but as soon as it dries sound is back to normal. Glad the Microsd card slot is back too.
The camera is probably the best I've used used on any phone. Daylight still pictures and videos are now on par with the iPhone 6S Plus, can't really tell the difference between the 2. In low light the S7 really pulls away though, the best low light performer i have used. The iPhone still has a slight advantage with live photos though.
Touchwiz has been a joy, I'm using the android 6.0 theme and everything looks great, and the animations give it an awesome flare. Love the battery saver feature where if you don't use an app for 3 days they get placed in hibernation mode, so there are less chances of a rouge app running in the background. And of course multi window works fantastic with this new chipset, both windows running super smooth
Faults are at a minimum. I wish they had a 64gb version available. The palm/edge rejection needs some work, I get quite a bit of phantom touches, though they have lessened as I have gotten used to navigating my way around that. Software updates are still a worry, even though I'm probably just going to upgrade phones and get the newest software that way, they really need to support their phones better. And even though the phone is super smooth now, I was getting the keyboard earlier, and I got that with my Note 5 too after a couple of months, I shouldn't have to do a software reset to keep it running smooth. Wish the black of the glass matched the black of screen to give a more seamless look, the iPhone does a great job with this. And while the Samsung logo doesn't bother me, it would look even slicker with out it. Touchwiz is also taking up almost 9gb of space. Also wish it used usbc, but it's not that big a deal. The dpi settings should've been accessible in the settings app, no reason I should have to use adb or the nova workaround to get it. While I feel it's worth it, the price is high when compared to other android flagships.
Most of those faults are really nitpicks though, overall this is an incredible phone with lots of polish. I would say it's the most well rounded phone out now, it has very few faults. It should hold that mark until fall when the fun begins with the Note 6, iPhone 7, and Nexus.
So it has been over a week since I had my S7 Edge plus. As all the other reviews have said, it's nearly the perfect device. Samsung did so much right with this phone, it would be my choice as the best phone on the market and the one I would recommend to anyone who didn't know what they wanted, with the one caveat that they don't need apple services (imessage, facetime, airplay, ect.)
Performance has been terrific, the best performing android phone I have used and right up there with my 6S Plus. I did experience some lag before, especially the keyboard, but after a factory reset it has been super smooth and fast, even after loading all my apps again. I rarely notice any frame skips.
Battery has been great as well, it has dethroned the Note 2 as best battery for an android phone, and again it's up there with my 6S Plus. I can easily make it through a day, getting 5-6hours screen time constantly. And with fast charging, battery has been of no concern.
The design is beautiful. One of the best looking handsets out. Build is also very solid, it feels like a solid pebble of glass. There is no creak, give, or bend. And the screen looks amazing, again the best I have seen. Only draw back is a slight color distortion along the curved edges. The phone feels amazingly small in the hands for a phone with a 5.5" screen. The small bezels really make this phone look super slick too. This is my new favorite form factor, I can use the phone handed with minimal hand shuffle. The buttons are very tactile and are all in the right spots. The fingerprint scanner has also been improved, and while it might be a split second slower than the iPhone, it's still very fast and accurate.
The waterproofing has been a great addition. I have taken it into the shower, put it in bowls of water, I rinsed it off in the faucet several times and everything is working perfectly. There is an issue of water getting in the speaker grills muffling the sound, but as soon as it dries sound is back to normal. Glad the Microsd card slot is back too.
The camera is probably the best I've used used on any phone. Daylight still pictures and videos are now on par with the iPhone 6S Plus, can't really tell the difference between the 2. In low light the S7 really pulls away though, the best low light performer i have used. The iPhone still has a slight advantage with live photos though.
Touchwiz has been a joy, I'm using the android 6.0 theme and everything looks great, and the animations give it an awesome flare. Love the battery saver feature where if you don't use an app for 3 days they get placed in hibernation mode, so there are less chances of a rouge app running in the background. And of course multi window works fantastic with this new chipset, both windows running super smooth
Faults are at a minimum. I wish they had a 64gb version available. The palm/edge rejection needs some work, I get quite a bit of phantom touches, though they have lessened as I have gotten used to navigating my way around that. Software updates are still a worry, even though I'm probably just going to upgrade phones and get the newest software that way, they really need to support their phones better. And even though the phone is super smooth now, I was getting the keyboard earlier, and I got that with my Note 5 too after a couple of months, I shouldn't have to do a software reset to keep it running smooth. Wish the black of the glass matched the black of screen to give a more seamless look, the iPhone does a great job with this. And while the Samsung logo doesn't bother me, it would look even slicker with out it. Touchwiz is also taking up almost 9gb of space. Also wish it used usbc, but it's not that big a deal. The dpi settings should've been accessible in the settings app, no reason I should have to use adb or the nova workaround to get it. While I feel it's worth it, the price is high when compared to other android flagships.
Most of those faults are really nitpicks though, overall this is an incredible phone with lots of polish. I would say it's the most well rounded phone out now, it has very few faults. It should hold that mark until fall when the fun begins with the Note 6, iPhone 7, and Nexus.
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Yes, there is space on the Gear VR to handle headphones. It is the best way to immerse yourself.Yay. Managed to buy a new sealed Gear VR from someone who got the freebie but doesn't want it. Got it for €50 including postage
Happy Days. (Cheaper than the €150 Samsung want anyway)
Question ... How is audio handled ? Do you use headphones, is there a headphone jack on the gear VR ?
Also what kind of controller would I need to order for trying a few games ? Will the MFi controller from iOS work to android ? Or my PS3 / PS4 controllers ?
As for controllers, there is Moga Power Pro and Mad Catz. I personally use the Moga. I doubt an mfi controller will work without rooting your phone and using some wacky BT hijack method.
Does that void the warranty?So great stuff, not only did my unbranding work, I literally just got my unlock code. So now I'm officially unlocked and unbranded
Now I can use the phone as my primary device for a few weeks and see how it handles Vodafone 4g service.
How easy is it to do?
I'm about 85% sure that I'll get the S7 edge next week. I don't think I can stop myself lol
Pretty sure warranty is still good because it is all official . Jealous you can do that in Europe!
Very easy really and no debranding by flashing an official firmware doesn't void your warranty or trip Knox.
Essentially go onto www.sammobile.com/firmwares/
Search for S7 edge and select the country you want the firmware for, select the correct firmware for UK it's BTU for the Samsung unbranded firmware (the firmware Samsung put on devices sold through their website). The XEU firmware is also unbranded and is for unbranded devices sold by third parties like Clove or Expansys.
You will need a sammobile account to download firmware. Once you select the firmware click on it, the click the download icon.
Free download is slow, so just let it do its business. It's around 2gb.
From the firmware selection you will find the link to download Odin 3.10.7. You will need a PC or Mac running VM/Bootcamp.
Install Odin
Connect your phone to PC and make sure you get latest drivers. You will also need to put phone into debugging mode in developer menu so unlock that by clicking build number 7 times in about settings section.
When you've downloaded the file from sammobile, extract it. You will likely end uppity 4-5 files.
Turn off your mobile phone and unplug it from PC.
Boot phone into download mode by pressing & holding power button down + home button + volume down.
You will be created with download screen, select OK to continue.
Connect it to your PC with cable and let it once again install driver (just let Windows auto download the driver).
Once done, launch ODIN
You should see a blue little window under COM if your phone is detected.
If it is, now select BL on right and navigate to extracted firmware and select the one marked BL
Do same for remaining three AP, CP, CSC, etc.
Then once selected press start ....
Once flashed phone will reboot. Unplug it from computer. Let it go to initial startup / setting and instead of completing setup turn phone off.
Now we want to make sure CSC has been aligned.
Now reboot into recovery mode by power button + home + volume up
Then in recovery mode, use volume buttons to select wipe cache partition. Then i always select wipe data / factory reset and let it factory reset once more, once ok, wipe cache partition once more. Then select reboot.
Device will reboot and eventually start up from initial boot screen.
That's it...
Definitely watch some YouTube videos and definitely make sure you run 3.10.7
You will have official unbranded S7 and warranty intact.
Not that I can find. Quickest way is to swipe down on the lockscreen and tap "sound" on your quick settings.
Press the volume button on the side of the phone and then tap the speaker to switch to vibrate.
I learnt lots from this post http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/136986-samsung-galaxy-s7-tips-and-tricks-master-your-new-galaxy
FYI a easy way to permanently fix the giant scaling has been uncovered. I am in love with the phone now that it takes advantage of all the pixels.
http://bgr.com/2016/03/18/galaxy-s7-tips-condensed-display-mode/
http://bgr.com/2016/03/18/galaxy-s7-tips-condensed-display-mode/
Thanks. I may give this a go. I've decided I'll get the S7 edge. Won't be until Friday as I'm working up until then. You guys have convinced me to get it. I'll be getting it from o2 so it will be locked but I want it unlocked so I can put a 3 SIM card into it and keep my main sim in my iPhone.Very easy really and no debranding by flashing an official firmware doesn't void your warranty or trip Knox.
Essentially go onto www.sammobile.com/firmwares/
Search for S7 edge and select the country you want the firmware for, select the correct firmware for UK it's BTU for the Samsung unbranded firmware (the firmware Samsung put on devices sold through their website). The XEU firmware is also unbranded and is for unbranded devices sold by third parties like Clove or Expansys.
You will need a sammobile account to download firmware. Once you select the firmware click on it, the click the download icon.
Free download is slow, so just let it do its business. It's around 2gb.
From the firmware selection you will find the link to download Odin 3.10.7. You will need a PC or Mac running VM/Bootcamp.
Install Odin
Connect your phone to PC and make sure you get latest drivers. You will also need to put phone into debugging mode in developer menu so unlock that by clicking build number 7 times in about settings section.
When you've downloaded the file from sammobile, extract it. You will likely end uppity 4-5 files.
Turn off your mobile phone and unplug it from PC.
Boot phone into download mode by pressing & holding power button down + home button + volume down.
You will be created with download screen, select OK to continue.
Connect it to your PC with cable and let it once again install driver (just let Windows auto download the driver).
Once done, launch ODIN
You should see a blue little window under COM if your phone is detected.
If it is, now select BL on right and navigate to extracted firmware and select the one marked BL
Do same for remaining three AP, CP, CSC, etc.
Then once selected press start ....
Once flashed phone will reboot. Unplug it from computer. Let it go to initial startup / setting and instead of completing setup turn phone off.
Now we want to make sure CSC has been aligned.
Now reboot into recovery mode by power button + home + volume up
Then in recovery mode, use volume buttons to select wipe cache partition. Then i always select wipe data / factory reset and let it factory reset once more, once ok, wipe cache partition once more. Then select reboot.
Device will reboot and eventually start up from initial boot screen.
That's it...
Definitely watch some YouTube videos and definitely make sure you run 3.10.7
You will have official unbranded S7 and warranty intact.