Virtually Yours - Samsung Gear VR review

Virtual Reality caught my attention maybe a year back when early Google Cardboard prototypes were officially launched in India, I also noticed a steady rise in the content dedicated to 360 videos on YouTube, however other than the actual Do it Yourselves (DIY) type of cardboard VR boxes there was no actual headset that was available and going by the reviews of other VR devices that were getting launched with Mid-Range phones it did not generate any further curiosity for me personally.

I was also tracking launch of a media wear device by the name ‘Glyph’ manufactured by Avegant primarily for the privacy it had to offer, directly beaming video content on your eye retina to a size of up to 80 inches. I was impressed by the design that cleverly housed decent pair of earphones with the viewer, unfortunately this project took too long to come into existence and as of today it costs around $699, ‘Glyph’ headset does not confirm or claim to have VR capability but when you compare it to getting a free VR device with your flagship mobile phone it is definitely expensive for a standalone gadget.

The Nagging Wait
When I was still reviewing my thoughts to go for Galaxy S7 Edge, the free Gear VR headset offer looked like a sweet deal but it was not the baiting part while going through the purchase. So after receiving S7 Edge, Samsung had set a timeline of 45-60 days for shipping free Gear VR headset to customers who had pre-ordered their new flagship phones. I got my phone on 20th March and the offer to redeem Gear VR code went live on 5th April and from there the headset was delivered to me on 9th May, by this moment the initial excitement of trying Gear VR had faded away from my mind and my phone also encountered heating and screen flickering issue due to which It went in for repair and was given back to me on 19th May so finally it was time to experience the VR tech almost after 2 months of getting the new phone.

Initial Setup
Unboxing and configuring Gear VR is fairly easy as the hardware is entirely made out of plastic and the white color is sure to fade as it would attract smudges and stains over longer period of use. The foam layer strapped around the viewing area touching your head is comforting however it tends to absorb sweat which is not good. If you wear the gear VR headset with a sweaty forehead it would accumulate fog on your viewing lens so keep a micro fiber cloth handy. You get two Velcro straps inside the box, one horizontal and one vertical but the horizontal strap running behind your head should be enough to support the headset with mobile inserted in it. There are two knobs at the both the edges of the headset, one side of these knobs fits into the charging slot of your phone and has position A and B to accommodate Samsung Flagship phones based on their size.

I initially connected my Galaxy S7 Edge to position ‘B’ which was not so ideal for adjusting lens focus, however when you fit S7 Edge on position ‘A’ viewing becomes more comfortable and adjusting focus is easy however the screen door effect (SDE) is prominently visible. It would take very less time in getting accustomed to navigation via touch-pad on the right side of the headset which also has a slot to connect charger at the bottom and houses volume control, a button to go back. Adjusting focus is enabled via a rotary dial on the top middle section of the headset.

You also get a black glossy plastic panel to cover your mobile helpful in preventing any ambient light seeping into VR lenses. If you are not using Gear VR in harsh day time light conditions, this panel can be kept away to let the handset heat up a little less and the weight of this headset is felt on the nose initially however over regular period of use it would not bother you much.

The ‘WOW’ Moment
After following the initial set up guide I explored both Samsung and Oculus store which has a good library of apps to begin with (both paid and free), First thing I tried on the VR headset was the Oculus 360 photos app and I was already in awe and excited like a kid, swaying my head in different directions looking at immersive high resolution photos, next I downloaded Jurassic Park video app and a short Avengers promotion clip which impressed me a lot. I wanted to try the Oculus video app which has different 5 modes to view both online and offline videos. You can connect your Facebook account with the Oculus video app to view online 360 videos you have saved or popular and trending content on Facebook.

You can watch side by side (SBS) format 3D videos too on this VR player and there is a app by the name Milk VR which is available only for the US region on Samsung’s VR store and as a workaround you can download it by installing a free VPN client on your mobile to change your internet access region to US and once the Milk VR app is downloaded you would not need VPN service any further. This app has very good collection of the latest and trending videos which you can download too and the other popular app for searching good VR content is Jaunt VR.

The Oculus video app renders virtual environment exceedingly well and the experience of watching videos on a large virtual screen cannot be put down in words. If you prefer watching your favorite movies or shows lying down on the couch or bed select the void screen mode which has a travel mode option it keeps the screen always in front of you and also allows increasing or decreasing the size of screen to your comfort. You can actually hear the sound from the video playing change direction as you turn your head around. I have played Anshar War 2 and Smash Hit on Gear VR and both these games look awesome to deliver on a VR experience fit enough for a device of this category.

Most downloaded VR video files with 4K resolution would fill up your internal phone memory very fast so to move content on your SD card follow below steps:

• In your SD card root directory create folder by the name ‘Oculus’, you can also create folder ‘MilkVR’ in case you want to watch downloaded 3D VR content.
• Under Oculus folder create these subfolders – 360Photos, 360Videos, Movies
• If you want to watch regular 3D SBS (Side by Side format) video content, create another ‘3D’ subfolder under the Movies folder.

You can also visit my YouTube Playlist here, I keep adding interesting VR content on this regularly.

Current Pitfalls
When it comes to watching online streaming content you would need a high speed broadband connection to render 360 degree content seamlessly and I found my 8mbps connection struggling at times to buffer video content and this was also causing the mobile handset to heat up pretty fast, next surprise is absence of a native YouTube app on the Oculus or Samsung VR store which forces you to use inbuilt internet browser that delivers less than pleasing quality of video content while accessing web version of YouTube. Even if you happen to find interesting 360 degree videos for download you have to ensure that the video quality is no less than 4K resolution and anything below that is going to be pixelated.

Playing the free game ‘Smash Hit’ got me nauseatic in short time and I had to take the headset off to prevent any further disorientation. This is where users need to take necessary precaution and avoid wearing this if you feel any fatigue on your eyes or dizziness in your head. Do not wear the VR headset if you are tired or exhausted and most important of all do not forget to blink. The manual rightly advises to take frequent breaks and for me personally I ensure to take it off after 30-40 mins of use.

Is VR technology just a hype?
I remember our school days when we used to study planets in books, today VR technology can actually transport our kid’s right into space which can fuel their curiosity to a new level and achieve a heightened state of learning in an immersive environment where they can actually feel themselves flying around a planet, this potential extends to many other areas beyond learning and media (BTW do not allow kids below age 13 to use Gear VR), I saw two apps on the VR store that help you to deal with the fear of height and public speaking as they place you directly in a virtual world that has cause a mental block for you.

I also watched some videos on Chennai Floods and Nepal Earthquake shot in 360 degrees, it definitely elevates the emotional effect with the sight and sound of destruction and despair that feels so real and imagine a simulation of any natural calamity made available on VR, it could go a long way in training and teaching people what their first response should be in such conditions and how they can ensure their survival in difficult times. There are tourist destinations, places of religious importance in India which can be brought closer to people.

The success of VR technology again depends on consumer adaptation and the way it is put to use by sectors other than entertainment industry, 3D technology did not take off so well after the initial hype but it is not necessary VR would go that way too. Sony has announced arrival of PlayStation VR at this year’s E3 expo, the initial offerings for the console platform look very promising. We also hope other OEM players would come up with advanced portable VR gadgets which would not require the processing power of a PC or a Console and to augment VR capabilities work is also in progress to integrate smell and motion to deliver a life like experience.
When you think of televisions sold these days a lot of these high end models are equipped with 4K display, however mainstream broadcasting media has just graduated to HD and there is limited 4K content that you can watch directly on your television without streaming it from internet. VR experience requires 4K content by default and this is where the cranked up resolution and excellent quality of mobile display combined with pixels per inch (PPI) sharpness are put to good use.

My first personal entertainment device was a Videocon Walky series cassette player purchased in the mid 90’s. The joy of listening to your favorite music by blocking the world around you was something novel in those days when everything else like watching TV, going to movies etc. was done with the family, later in the age of smartphones our mobile screens and tablets became default choice to meet our entertainment needs on the move by merging a host of services that required separate gadgets earlier into one.

I see Gear VR as a decent entry level personal entertainment device to get a customer acquainted with VR technology and also offer an option to enjoy the content they like to watch without disturbing others, imagine the convenience it offers you to watch movies/shows during long flights/train journey. Wearing a Gear VR device in public is obviously going to attract weird and curious stares due to its bulky build, I prefer the design to evolve into something subtle like the LG VR headset.

Samsung has made both smart and a bad move by limiting compatibility of Gear VR to their flagship phone line up, however if you plan to buy one, owning Gear VR headset is a no-brainer as there are few offers in progress which customers can avail to get Gear VR at discounted rate and without any offers spending Rs 7,990 on this headset would require a second thought, If you are only going to use it for only for the novelty factor.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge - The Android Flagship Awakens

My Samsung experience prior to using S7 Edge

My first android phone was a Samsung Galaxy S2 GT-I9100 purchased 4 years ago and after using Galaxy Note & S4, I decided to quit using Samsung phones because they were getting too gimmicky with features and not willing to give up the plastic back panel. While using Galaxy S4 and encountering frequent bugs, I realized that sending feedback to Samsung did not yield any fruitful response. They were more interested in selling their phones in large numbers than to strengthen customer confidence through effective customer support. I felt it was better to keep away from Samsung for some time as they were literally flooding the market with so many lookalike Galaxy variants, literally as if they were preparing for some Clone Wars!

The Mid-Range Mashup

As the budget Android mobile segment grew bold by offering impressive hardware specifications I felt that the stock android experience and 8MP camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) on LG Nexus 5 would suffice my shift for moving away from Samsung and once the Lollipop upgrade arrived it started giving me battery backup and screen lag issues so I then moved on to Asus Zenfone 2 which was promising in many aspects as the first phone with 4GB RAM in India and I must admit it that Asus has the most active online forum where the moderators are constantly interacting with consumers knowing their feedback about various Asus mobile devices, taking note of common issues reported and as a result of this they always pushed across various versions of device based firmware upgrades. I never felt Zenfone 2 overheating with intensive usage and it still works like a charm. This is one android phone that offers a host of customization options enhancing overall usability.

Asus chose Intel for powering the processor on Zenfone 2 with a Quad core 2.3GHz Atom Z3580 chipset and probably this was one area where I felt they were let down because I never got decent battery backup especially after the lollipop OS upgrade and some buggy firmware versions. I could see that Android OS wake lock was consuming battery power constantly even after using all possible tweaks available and performing complete reset on the phone twice. I could barely cross screen on time beyond 3.5 Or 4 hours and if fully charged before leaving to office it would lose charge before evening 6-7 PM. I could live with the barrage of bloatware Zenfone 2 was packing but not the dwindling battery life and I also did not have high hopes with this phone’s camera either. I had shortlisted 2 Android phones for my next change – Lenovo Vibe X3 and Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016).

Dilemma of a Swap and Upgrade

Vibe X3’s wide phablet like display, superior audio, 4K video recording and overall beefy specs offered at a price less than Rs20,000 that too with a 3500mAh battery qualified as strong USP for this new Lenovo launch. Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016) came on my search radar purely due to its looks and design as I felt I could try a Samsung phone this time to see if it fared well on my expectations since this phones camera also had OIS and a 3,300mAh battery, only thing that worried me was the internal memory of 16GB even though it was expandable via memory card and Samsung was clever to provide an independent SD card slot. A7 (2016) was slightly overpriced at launch for around Rs33,900 with price now reduced to Rs29,900.

For a brief period Sony’s Experia Z5 phone had caught my fancy with the water resistant features and it’s camera quality was crowned to be the amongst the best as per DxOMark mobile camera rating test of 2015. I realized that with the rising PPI and use of QHD display along with overall large mobile screen trend followed for most premium phones it was unrealistic to expect a stable battery back up on Android OS even if the manufacturers bumped up the battery capacity. So I had almost made up my mind not to go for any high end flagship phones until 2017.


The Force was strong with this one…

When I started following Galaxy S7 Edge reviews ahead of its India launch I found the slick design of this phone with the curved metal back covered in glass that provided S7 Edge a very distinct and stunning look from the most mobiles in Galaxy series with candy bar form factor, water resistant feature was a good value add and the deciding factor was going to be battery backup and camera which looked good on paper in terms of specs. When Samsung sweetened the pre-order deal with a free Gear VR headset I had started seriously considering this phone by now which my wife realized and I was in for a surprise receiving this phone as my birthday gift. I was skeptical in my mind about the Touchwiz lag and buggy OS issues from the S4 experience in the past, S7 Edge was going to be all impulse and gamble and it actually began with a bumpy ride (read more here at leisure)

I am not going into the hardware specifics as there are lot of S7 and S7 edge reviews floating around on the web, and the reason I have given a detailed background before actually beginning with phone review is because for a consumer seeking value out of any mobile phone in the Android ecosystem choice is both a bane and boon, so I am sharing my view about S7 Edge in a question answer format after using it for exactly 2 months now.

Does S7 Edge really command such hefty pricing compared to other mid-range flagship phones matching or surpassing Samsung on the hardware/ software specifications?

Globally smartphone manufacturers are aware of the imminent saturation visible amongst consumers in the developed markets which is eating into their sales figures and shipments. Consumers have kind of grown tired running on the hamster wheel and there is really not much of novelty left in the current gen annual mobile handset upgrades.

The next phase is poised to evolve mobile communication as a service taking it from a phone to foldable screens, glasses, digital walls, tables and any possible medium that can keep us connected on the go at all times. So most of the manufacturers are now beefing up mobile phone hardware to crazy levels, design wise there is not much to distinguish and they have found a new way to extend app and platform ecosystem by augmenting it with wearables and VR tech.

You can pat yourself for being money smart and buy a mid-range flagship from a host of new Android phone manufacturers who have entered Indian market. These companies have offerings in so many niche areas now, however most likely a buyer really does not give too much consideration to the after sales service network of these brands and they would be happy to move on to another budget phone once it creates any problem that might not be worth the cost of repair or the novelty factor wears off.

S7 Edge is a costly mobile phone for a top end android device and if we talk about value for money proposition it becomes subjective to an endless debate, for me it proved to be an all-round mobile phone not just on paper but in actual use too.

Is the S7 Edge camera really that good?

Yes, it is one flagship phone which I have found true and close to what it claims to be in its marketing pitch. I am sharing link to my Flickr gallery of the snapshots taken with Galaxy S7 Edge. In some images the camera lens picked up more light from what my eyes could actually see at some spots where pics were taken. The image processing algorithm is not perfect and it does tend to leave traces of bleeding effect with a touch of soft blur applied on low light and night snapshots, however the detail to difference in color of light coming from multiple sources is amazing.

I have seen live image feature on iPhone, S7 Edge betters it by giving you option to take snapshot of a frame from live image which is very useful during an event when people are not exactly looking at the camera to capture candid moments applies also to kids and pets etc., There are few add-on camera modes that can be downloaded for free. I have also noticed S7 Edge does not overheat in some 4K videos taken.

Competition is swift and HTC 10 has already joined the party with S7|S7 Edge in sharing the top slot for best camera phone of 2016 (until now) on DxOMark rating chart. It also has OIS for the front facing camera and LG G5 is also not behind as it almost equals G7 Edge in most of the imaging comparison test videos and reviews I have seen online.You can leave your point and shoot camera at home finally and the imaging quality is splendid for regular day time images probably the best I have experienced after Nokia N8.

What about TouchWiz and Marshmallow OS?

Samsung’s infamous OS skin is much more subtle and less buggy on S7 Edge, I am not completely sure but I think it still manages to randomly impact gaming performance during screen loading and for some heavy multi-tasking activities on the phone, though the lag effect is momentary it does not extend for longer duration or happen frequently.

I have faced 3-4 instances of screen freezing until now and especially with the YouTube app, luckily holding the power and volume down button helps to reboot the phone without any issues, other than these glitches I do not have any TouchWiz or OS complaints, I have tested S7 Edge on extended gaming sessions the back panel does not heat up, it may get a little warm on heavy games but you would not feel it much on your palms. S7 Edge’s high end hardware configuration augments Marshmallow OS performance on the phone and it is lighting fast and I could notice the difference in browsing speed on Chrome browser, Wi-Fi connectivity speed, and Screen Mirroring stability in comparison to my Asus ZE551ML phone.

Does the Edge interface (UX) stand out on S7 Edge?

Apart from the contacts/people edge card I did not find any compelling reason to praise usability of the Edge screen and it still needs support from more developers to build a decent library of edge based apps and utilities. Reading notifications, RSS feeds etc. is more like a good to have feature and where it lacks content is in the must have category.

How good is the Water Resistant Capability?

Okay, whatever the company might say I am not willing to risk my phone to test it like a guinea pig for its water resistant feature. There are many YouTube videos showing crazy kind of tests done on S7 and S7 Edge and those companies or users are probably getting paid or compensated to do those frightening things even if the phone is damaged. I would update my post whenever the inevitable happens with my phone.

VR Experience

I got the free Gear VR headset from pre-order offer on S7 Edge. It is probably the best entry level device to get you acquainted with VR tech and there are really some cool games and apps you should really try on the Gear VR. It does feel a little heavy around and on the nose after wearing it for a while but the amazing world it transports you into is beyond words to explain. What is really needed is a dedicated YouTube app for the Gear VR and I hope it becomes available very soon, using it via the inbuilt Samsung browser does not guarantee a high quality viewing experience via YouTube website.

I really liked the Oculus video app which has various video watching modes and you can actually hear the sound changing direction when you move your head sitting in a virtual cinema hall or a home movie room. My favorite is the void screen which allows you to zoom the viewing area and you can even watch your video content relaxing on your couch or bed by adjusting the viewing screen position with just a tap.

The phone battery drops at least around 20-25% on over a hour’s Gear VR usage and the mobile heats up too. I am still trying to figure out some source to download high quality VR videos as the streaming experience is not always clear and high quality and I can feel my 8MBPS broadband connection sometimes struggling to buffer 360 VR video content.

Some Observations

When I initially used this phone for 2-3 days without the SIM, it gave me screen on time of around 9 hours and in regular day to day moderate to heavy usage I am able to get 6-7 hours of screen on time and the charge cycle lasting close to 1.5 days. I am also going to try the package disabler pro from OS police or EZ Package Disabler which is particularly useful on Samsung phones just to enhance the battery backup further on this device.

Quick charging 2.0 takes around 1 hr 20 min to 1 hr 30 min until full charge and Samsung has managed to keep the bloatware to the bare minimum this time, also allowing you freedom to disable some of the apps you do not need. What I disliked the most is presence of only one down firing speaker at the bottom and even the 3.5mm headphone jack has been place positioned at a weird location. Tactile feedback of power button and volume rocker is firm and does not feel tacky.

It would have been great if Samsung could have provided a separate slot for second sim or SD card instead of the hybrid solution. Do remember to get a case for S7 Edge that offers protection at the edges and firm grip because as good looking and curvy the design is, it is a finger print magnet and does not inspire confidence for single hand usage or even holding it with both hands horizontally. There is always a fear in my mind of dropping it accidentally.

Conclusion 

I would never judge any one too critically for using an iPhone or any other Android phone because it boils down to matter of personal choice and preference and one thing I have noticed is the way some people check out the S7 edge, sometimes they don’t have anything to say and they pretend as it if it us just another phone and few even have advice ready for you to ask why are you not using an iPhone, why did you go for this expensive phone for an Android? These are the type of questions that get me irritated. It’s my choice if I do not want to bite the Apple, so be it!

The same applies to consumers who find it sensible to use mid-range flagship android phones rather than splurging money over some expensive device, if you are happy with your phone then there is no need to ridicule someone who could afford a high end flagship mobile or maybe it is something that satisfies their need, desire or ego whatever it could be as I have also come across articles by some tech journalists and enthusiasts writing stuff to just to prove their point and declaring how their budget device can knock this expensive phone out of the park. That’s the way competition moves in today’s world and even I believe S7 or S7 Edge can never rule the Galaxy of smartphones forever.

To summarize I am in a love hate kind of situation - in love with the product but still hate Samsung for leaving me with a bitter customer service experience so please disregard any hype surrounding the S7 and S7 Edge, this phone would not disappoint you with battery backup and camera so if you have the budget go for it eyes closed.