So who's invested in the samsung ecosystem?

[nickdalzell1]

I just got an S20 FE that I just adore. My time with an A01 had me running back to my HTC Thunderbolt and later my iPhone 6S (needed to use apps the aging HTC couldn't run). But I got an excellent deal on this thing and I just love it. I hated the original 1.x OneUI that was too 'spacey' to me (I adored TouchWiz Nature UX as I adore nature) but OneUI 3.x seems to have brought the fun back and some of the lost nature cues. Got some Buds Live too, and they're the best I've used. Great bassy noise, ANC and they never fall out of my ears. Also, the case charges properly on my wireless pads and doesn't die with the buds out of them (my AirPod Pros loved to drain their case when being used, and I'd get the 'your airpods are dying' sound but it always was the case. The case never charged correctly either, getting a 'charging error' LED flash on my pads. Goofy.

But those Galaxy Buds do look like beans...But they work, so really who cares? I can only hope I get 10 years out of this phone. I waited a month before posting to be sure after the excitement wears off, whether or not I could still stand it, but so far it's a perfect phone. Even the gesture controls work properly.

 

[kkh786]

I'm speaking mostly phone, watch, buds... how's the connectivity and does it rival Apple?

Also when does the Microsoft/Samsung partnership begin on windows and text messaging from phone to PC? I read something about that.

Over the last couple of years I have got further entrenched in to the Samsung ecosystem.. not complaining though!

Currently have.. the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the Galaxy Watch3, a pair of Galaxy Buds Live, a Samsung Smart Monitor, a Samsung QLED TV, a Samsung microwave oven (planning to move to Samsung fridge/freezer and washing machine soon as well) and even have the versatile Samsung Pay+ Card by Curve! Hehe.

Only major thing missing is the tablet but I am waiting for the Tab S8. Also like the look of the Galaxy Book Pro laptops as my current Macbook has served me well for years.

 

[Steve Adams]

I just got an S20 FE that I just adore. My time with an A01 had me running back to my HTC Thunderbolt and later my iPhone 6S (needed to use apps the aging HTC couldn't run). But I got an excellent deal on this thing and I just love it. I hated the original 1.x OneUI that was too 'spacey' to me (I adored TouchWiz Nature UX as I adore nature) but OneUI 3.x seems to have brought the fun back and some of the lost nature cues. Got some Buds Live too, and they're the best I've used. Great bassy noise, ANC and they never fall out of my ears. Also, the case charges properly on my wireless pads and doesn't die with the buds out of them (my AirPod Pros loved to drain their case when being used, and I'd get the 'your airpods are dying' sound but it always was the case. The case never charged correctly either, getting a 'charging error' LED flash on my pads. Goofy.

But those Galaxy Buds do look like beans...But they work, so really who cares? I can only hope I get 10 years out of this phone. I waited a month before posting to be sure after the excitement wears off, whether or not I could still stand it, but so far it's a perfect phone. Even the gesture controls work properly.

The buds look much better than the ill fitting white earwax dripping look of the apple garbage.

 

[Expos of 1969]

I just got an S20 FE that I just adore. My time with an A01 had me running back to my HTC Thunderbolt and later my iPhone 6S (needed to use apps the aging HTC couldn't run). But I got an excellent deal on this thing and I just love it. I hated the original 1.x OneUI that was too 'spacey' to me (I adored TouchWiz Nature UX as I adore nature) but OneUI 3.x seems to have brought the fun back and some of the lost nature cues. Got some Buds Live too, and they're the best I've used. Great bassy noise, ANC and they never fall out of my ears. Also, the case charges properly on my wireless pads and doesn't die with the buds out of them (my AirPod Pros loved to drain their case when being used, and I'd get the 'your airpods are dying' sound but it always was the case. The case never charged correctly either, getting a 'charging error' LED flash on my pads. Goofy.

But those Galaxy Buds do look like beans...But they work, so really who cares? I can only hope I get 10 years out of this phone. I waited a month before posting to be sure after the excitement wears off, whether or not I could still stand it, but so far it's a perfect phone. Even the gesture controls work properly.

Glad to hear about your new phone. That is quite a jump into the future for you isn't it?

 

[nickdalzell1]

Pretty much. I was stuck in 2015 for quite a while. I just couldn't see any reason to upgrade and most modern phones are huge or don't fit me well in the software dept. I did try out a Galaxy A01 and it was garbage.

I saved so much $$$ from NOT buying the latest and greatest that I had amassed enough to get a much better specced phone and had the choice between the S10, an S8 (our Walmart still sells this! I had an S8, was ok, but not 'me') and the S20 FE 5G. I decided on the latter because the demo felt perfect, I liked how the latest Samsung Health app looks and works, and I wanted to try out a newer Galaxy Watch (the 2018, my last one was the Gear S3--I don't like the look of the Watch 3, it has huge buttons that seem easy to press by mistake). I also was curious how the Buds Live compared with the AirPods.

Since it's 5G capable, has a huge battery (leave work with 75% vs. the 30% from my Thunderbolt or the 15% from my 6S), and water resistance, so it's pretty much future proof. I tend to prefer longer lifecycle products, as I'm an 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' kinda guy who likes not having to learn a new UI every few years.

I really love Bixby Routines, too. It's very nice to put my Buds in at a park, and have the park playlist I listen to automatically play through them, so my phone stays in my pocket while I walk, and I can even open and play YouTube Music via the buds since the Google Assistant also works hands-free via the Buds. Just wish they would fix Bixby on the watch--it's no Siri, and can't start playlists at all, and a lot of functions are still missing which work on the phone. Also, it isn't stable, hangs up or is touchy with any kind of noise.

One issue is with Samsung Pay. For some reason, my Amex Serve trips fraud detection any time Samsung Pay is used, and I have to pull my phone out, tap 'resolve issue' on the email it sends me, and try the NFC transaction again. My calls to Amex have resulted in no solution other than 'don't use Samsung Pay or contactless'. That's kinda dumb since they officially support Samsung Pay. It USED to work, back in 2017, but now it declines due to 'fraud' everywhere. Tapping resolve in email just fixes it the one time, then it declines the next time. Makes using it seriously inconvenient. Tried removing and re-adding many times, no luck. It's an old card, which expires in 2023, and has no chip, so maybe merchants or their terminals have blacklisted it? I'm also getting declines from online subscriptions which have worked fine since I've had the card. My main cell line got cut off this month because the card had declined. Didn't send a fraud email though. I can't even swipe the card at Shell even though they take Amex, and many terminals today won't accept a card without a chip.

 

[Vegastouch]

This is not even close to the same thing. With "your phone" you have complete control over your phone on your computer screen. this app just shows your phone on your computer screen. you still have to touch your phone to do anything. Apps from supported samsung phones work like native apps on Windows when connected. It's in a completely different league compared to a basic mirroring app where you can just SEE your screen on the computer.

No I don't. I do tasks from the PC while my phone is linked to it. I don't have to touch my phone at all.
If I get a call while on my PC, I answer it from the PC. Texts I do from the PC, etc.

Not sure what app you are thinking of but it isn't "your phone companion".

 

[Steve Adams]

I mis understood, I thought that the video was for another mirroring app. Your Phone is what I am talking about for the best control over an android phone using PC.

 

[nickdalzell1]

In past Windows versions, the 'your phone' was nothing more than a glorified notification center for your PC. It lacked even the level of handoff/continuity support that Apple has had for a few years. However, the latest version (assuming you have a recent Samsung phone that includes the Microsoft Suite) has far more features that have gotten the feature parity pretty dead on. Still can't get tabs from your phone browser to also show from Edge but oh well.

Also, they got some sort of support for messages and phone calls on some of their tablets as well, similar to a call or text on your iPhone also showing up on your iPad. Only works with my Tab S3 though, not the more recent Tab A 10.1 or Tab A 8.0 that are 2019 devices running Android 10. Not sure why that is...