[Note 7 Questions & Answers] Dmac1984:
So ...

For the last few weeks, I've done nothing but scour the internet, reading articles, comparing specs, watching videos etc. and haven't found anything remotely close the the beauty of the Note 7, Samsung just has a way of designing phones to be elegant and appealing while making it functional in and out. I didn't really appreciate the little gimmicky features us Samsung "Fanboys" get until this recall, left me forced to look for a replacement phone. Being loyal to Samsung came pretty easy, not because of the name or anything, there just isn't another phone maker on the market that appeals to me aesthetically or on the tech front, Samsung stays ahead of the pack and always has some new reason to upgrade, at least for me.

What's making it hard to switch even temporarily to a different brand?

I've grown accustom to the curved screen that i once chocked up as a gimmick for its functionality, I now appreciate for it's feel and look, for example making the Note 7 look bezel-less and feel so comfortable in the hand. So while searching for a replacement I see other phones with curved screens and thing "Ok, here we go ..." then look how that companies curved screen functionality just pales in comparisons to Samsung's elegant, refined, clean UI and layout, even though I fully admit, I rarely ever use the edge function, but the thought of losing it makes me a bit sad. The same can be said for the s-pen, even as a graphic designer and digital illustrator, I don't use the s-pen as much as one would think, granted I do rough out sketches on my Note 10.1 2014 before going to my desktop and Wacom Cintiq almost every time I do client work, but the s-pen on my Note 7 stays in its silo unless I jot a quick memo or feel like playing with the functions ... but its there when I want it.

Wireless Charging & Fast charging isn't as accessible as you would think these days, considering Samsung users have it for years, I don't remember the last time i used a cord on my phone. I have an Official Samsung charging puck (non Fast-Charge) in my office at work, and an Official Samsung Wireless Fast-Charge Stand on my nightstand at home, again both functional and both beautiful looking with and without the phone on it.

Official Cases. Nobody does it like Samsung on Official cases, with every new Flagship purchase I grab all the Official Cases, beautiful, premium, function and overall are deigned to enhance the look and feel of the phone.

Build Material and Quality. Just top-notch.

Button Placement. After only using Samsung phones for so many years, the button placement is 2nd Nature. Laid out perfectly.

Camera, Don't even really need to go into details on that. Some of the best in the business. I use the camera daily, I take product photos for work in our portfolios online as well as print, and I use my Samsung's cameras to record our business videos. Everyone here uses the newest iPhones and still call me to take quick product photos for the clients, because as they say "Your phone takes way better pictures." And I agree lol.

Fingerprint scanner. Use it. It works and is refined to work great.

Samsung Pay. It works, haven't had it fail on me yet. And everywhere. Another reason why Samsung is the best in the business.

Iris scanner, new feature, call it a gimmick, I thought it was too at first, but damn ... it works, like every time, at least for me. And it's an awesome feature, Samsung gives you things like this to show you they are leading in innovation and tech, you don't have to use it, but you can if you want that extra gadget.

S-Health? I use it. I LOVE wearables, and once again Samsung leads the pack, I own the Gear s2 and Fit2 currently, and have owned every Gear since the 1st, I can't wait to dish out the money for the Gear S3 in a month either lol. And while the watch may connect to non-Samsung phones, the integration isn't the same. And I like everything cohesive.

Gear VR, Again, have had once since the Innovators Edition, and bought a shiny new one back in August for my Note 7, Use it maybe every 2-weeks to watch some Hulu or Netflix and explore some content, But again, even though I don't power use it, it's there when and if I want to, adding another cool function and layer to own a Samsung flagship.

Some people hate Touch-wiz, I've owned no other brand of phone since the Note 1, can't say I've ever had an abnormal lag issue that people say they've experienced, snag here and there, but name a device or OS that doesn't snag every once in a while. Touch-wiz, like it or not, is clean, smooth, functional, easy to navigate and customize, modern and elegant. I never have any issue with it and I power use with heavy media use pretty much daily.

That said, Samsung nailed it with the Note 7. They did and I know I'm not alone is saying that. This phone aesthetically, is perfect. symmetrical, minimal but still flashy with the glass and reflection, the shape of the phone is exactly how I always wanted a phone to look, rectangle, thin, flat and the edges only slightly rounded, unlike Samsung's S-Series that are very rounded and almost look like a toy or feminine in my opinion, very round and bubbly, the Note series, seems to look more masculine and business like with harder corners and a sharper less-gimmicky aesthetic. And the Blacked-out understated Black Onyx Note 7? ... c'mon. So freaking sleek.

Inside, Touch-wiz is clean, granted I also use the "Black Edition" Theme and an app that create custom rounded Google Paper-esque Icons for each App icon, making my home-screen so great looking. * App I use is called "Materialize" I highly recommend it.

So I guess to keep ALMOST everything i stated above, the smart and easy solution is to just grab an S7 and maybe I will, but VERY VERY reluctantly, and without a choice, because as I stated above, they're just ugly, the shape of the phone I just cant digest. Spec-wise the phone is a parallel phone, ascetically and feel-wise, it's not even in the same ball-park. My little brother owns and loves his S7 Edge, I purchased an S7 Edge Pink Gold for my mom when i grabbed my Note 7 in August, she loves it, Says shes never owned anything so pretty. But for me, after holding a Note 7, there's no going back, it may not be a downgrade on paper, but in hand and visually, anything but the Note 7 is a downgrade.

After reading article after article and comment after comment of people bashing Samsung and of people trying to bully people or talk them into just exchanging the phone, I figured I'd write this post up as a little bit of insight into why I at least haven't yet, and maybe I'm alone in feeling like this, don't really care.

Overall, I feel safe with the phone. I don't fly often (haven't in years and don't plan to anytime soon) so the FAA Ban doesn't affect me. I own my home, my wife doesn't feel threatened by the Note 7 (also a Samsung user) and I know if my phone does "explode" that it's on me, I take responsibility for holding onto the phone after the recall. I will not sue or go to the media.

But I can't for the life of me, turn this phone in. I can't. lol I want to, so i cant move on and pout this recall fiasco behind me and enjoy my phone and my Gear VR, but after weeks of researching and physically holding different phone options, they all pale in comparison. In my eyes, Samsung finally made the perfect phone aesthetically, at least for me. And now I just gotta give it back?! lol nah. Not yet at least.

I'm on the next plan through AT&T, turned my S6 Edge + into upgrade, so without the Note 7 I'm phone-less, I've looked into just buying a temp phone until the S8, granted that the S8 appeals to me. And even with buying a temp phone, it has to be up to spec and allow me to have the functions I've grown used to with Samsung's latest Flag-ships. So again, an S7 Edge is my only option, and paying $800 for a phone that I originally passed on almost a year, is a hard pill to swallow. To think the S8 is just gonna be another S7 looking phone with only a 5.5" screen and maybe an added iris scanner, isn't really getting me excited, but I can at least hope they took a page from the Note 7's looks for it.

And then to wonder if the Note series in general is dead ... man. lol That sucks. The Note series wasn't built off trend like the iPhone, it was built of merit, its earned its reputation and earns my business. The Note 7 having it's issues is so unfortunate, especially when in my opinion, its THE BEST Samsung phone to ever hit the market.

So while I still weigh my options for a replacement phone, not knowing if I will wake up to that dreaded only 60% charge or even worse a blocked IMEI or bricked phone. I don't do it lightly. This post and my feelings may seem excessive, but Aug/Sept is like my Superbowl, I wait yearly for new tech announcements and I really enjoy it, my phone is on me daily, everywhere. It get used a lot, i have to hold it and use it a lot. I have to enjoy using it and trust my information on it, it has to be an all in one, and for me ... it also has to look good doing it. So that's why I love this Note 7. It nails my criteria and kicks it up 100 more notches.

I'm sure this post will get trolls throwing the "fanboy" crap around or the know-it-all's blowing it up with "just turn it in!" nonsense, But at least here's one persons view of why i still carry a "potential bomb" (laughable) around. And for the people that could easily just return, switch brands or exchange to an S7 and move on, awesome, wish i could too, but for me it's not that simple, I have too much invested in Samsung, money-wise and routine-wise, and too much time and enjoyment invested in this specific phone to just hand it over.

Anyone else is the same boat?