Advice re Samsumg Models

[Sheryl]

I am about to get a new Samsung to replace my Galaxy Win as increasingly apps don't run on its android version (4.1) and updates are not available...and the battery is shot and the touch screen starting to balk. I've used it for about 4 years.

 

Seeking advice re replacement model -- as you can tell from the above I am not one who needs or wants the newest models/gadgets. What I do need/want is:

 

- stay with Samsung (laziness on my part, gotten used to it, also likely easier to transfer  contents of my current phone to another Samsumg)

 

-  larger screen than Win so thinking of a Note. Not a HUGE screen, should still be small enough to be practical to use as a phone rather than tablet, but bigger than what I currently have which is  a display area of about 2.5' x 3.8').

 

- good battery life (priority)

 

- dual SIM (priority)

 

- under 10K if possible, so obviously not the newest models

 

- android version that is either not likely to be obsolete soon or can be updated, I want to be able to use for at least 2-3 years

 

 

I use my phone mainly for calls, email, Line,  and surfing web. Don't play games on it etc. Don't need or want to sync with my computer. Do use the camera function  occasionally and bluetooth to transfer photos to my computer.

 

Suggestions will be appreciated, thanks!

[Jdietz]

Samsung J7 Prime.

 

Just got the OTA update to Android 7.0 (Nougat), which will be good for a 'while' yet.

Phone is under 8K THB, has a huge battery (as it uses the same battery as the top-end models, but screen uses less power)

 

http://www.samsung.com/th/smartphones/galaxy-j7-prime-2016-g610f/SM-G610FWDGTHL/

 

If you want to get the Oreo OS update however, it's not certain if it will get it.

 

https://www.sammobile.com/samsung-galaxy-android-8-o-update

[Sheryl]

Thanks! Exactly the sort of advice I was looking for.

 

I noted the J7 series when I went to price phones today (and got nowhere when I asked for old models Note - they don't have them, virtually laughed me out of the store so obvious it would be a hassle to source)

 

Any thoughts re relative advantages of J7Prime, J7Pro and standard J7? These are all available in acceptable price range for me...

[Sheryl]

Ended up buying a J7 and lived to deeply regret it - 12 hours of sheer frustration, online with customer service then down at the Samsung shop, just trying to get my email to work. I sensed it would be a problem when on purchase I was automatically given an unwanted, unasked for new gmail email account.

 

Their email software is designed to work with gmail and woe to anyone who tries to set up other accounts within it.

 

I did finally prevail but only after weathering unbelievable nonsense ("your server isn't working, ask them" - when it works fine on computer and in old phone; "this email can't work in new version androids" - complete BS, these are accounts from major IPS; etc etc). Only when I forced them to speak on the phone with the relevant IPSes and get the settings did we finally get anywhere. Still not sure what the issue was but knock on wood seems now to work despite being told umpteen times by Samsung that it simply could not and I needed to "use only  gmail".

 

Possible the issue is just their email software and that downloading other would have solved it, that was what I was getting ready to do when the service center finally got it going.

 

 

[Chivas]

27 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Ended up buying a J7 and lived to deeply regret it - 12 hours of sheer frustration, online with customer service then down at the Samsung shop, just trying to get my email to work. I sensed it would be a problem when on purchase I was automatically given an unwanted, unasked for new gmail email account.

 

Their email software is designed to work with gmail and woe to anyone who tries to set up other accounts within it.

 

I did finally prevail but only after weathering unbelievable nonsense ("your server isn't working, ask them" - when it works fine on computer and in old phone; "this email can't work in new version androids" - complete BS, these are accounts from major IPS; etc etc). Only when I forced them to speak on the phone with the relevant IPSes and get the settings did we finally get anywhere. Still not sure what the issue was but knock on wood seems now to work despite being told umpteen times by Samsung that it simply could not and I needed to "use only  gmail".

 

Possible the issue is just their email software and that downloading other would have solved it, that was what I was getting ready to do when the service center finally got it going.

 

 

I have a virtually a new galaxy 7 edge and whilst it was asking me to sign in via my gmail account thats runs youtube I was able to get the email apps for aol and outlook running within seconds

[Sheryl]

In their email software or other?

 

 I have neither AOL nor outlook and neither their entire tech team in bkk nor people at their shop here, nor I could get it to run.

[dddave]

I set up a friends J-7 and had no problem syncing her G-mail accounts.  I used her primary account for Google account log-in and then added and synced her additional Gmail account. It was pretty much seamless.

 

Googling revealed that some Samsung users have experienced problems if their Google account has two-step verification activated.  If you have two-step verification, this video may assist.

 

 

[Sheryl]

Gmail is defininitely no problem, their email software is set up for it, I would almost say set up to force one to use it..

 

My issue was that I don't use gmail, I have other email servers and these were a problem to set up and no one at Samsung seemed to have ever dealt with this before.

 

I have no idea what it was  that finally got it to work as the server settings now look the same as the ones that were there when it didn't work. (The didn't work part was that after entering the server settings there was an immediate message saying could not verify because could not contact the server, after which it could not connect to send or receive).

 

 

[katana]

Is there no way you could update the Galaxy Win from Android 4.1 to a later version?
Or does Android 7.0 not work on it?

 

[Chivas]

16 hours ago, Sheryl said:

In their email software or other?

 

 I have neither AOL nor outlook and neither their entire tech team in bkk nor people at their shop here, nor I could get it to run.

Well I'm no techie I assure you but I just got the aol and outlook (hotmail) apps put in my details and it did what ever it does thereafter. Am in UK at the moment not that this should make any difference ??

[Sheryl]

On 10/24/2017 at 2:28 AM, katana said:

Is there no way you could update the Galaxy Win from Android 4.1 to a later version?
Or does Android 7.0 not work on it?

 

No. Galaxy Win does not upgrade beyond 4.1 That was the first thing I tried. Can't even get 4.2 on it.

[Sheryl]

23 hours ago, Chivas said:

Well I'm no techie I assure you but I just got the aol and outlook (hotmail) apps put in my details and it did what ever it does thereafter. Am in UK at the moment not that this should make any difference ??

If I understand you correctly you did not use the built-in Samsung email app but rather downloaded apps specific for aol and outlook. Tends to confirm my suspicion that the problem is with the Samsung email software rather than the phone hardware.

 

My emails servers do not have apps, but downloading another email client and using that was probably what I should have done early on, rather than trying to get Samsung staff to get it to work --    would have saved a whole day of my time and lots of aggravation.

[SheungWan]

You might want to consider biting the bullet at some time and forwarding your current email accounts through either one or more gmail accounts.

[Chivas]

16 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

If I understand you correctly you did not use the built-in Samsung email app but rather downloaded apps specific for aol and outlook. Tends to confirm my suspicion that the problem is with the Samsung email software rather than the phone hardware.

 

 

Yes correct downloaded from play store, aol and outlook apps. Logged in and it did whatever its meant to do at that point but no problem at all

[SheungWan]

On 10/22/2017 at 11:59 AM, Sheryl said:

Thanks! Exactly the sort of advice I was looking for.

 

I noted the J7 series when I went to price phones today (and got nowhere when I asked for old models Note - they don't have them, virtually laughed me out of the store so obvious it would be a hassle to source)

 

Any thoughts re relative advantages of J7Prime, J7Pro and standard J7? These are all available in acceptable price range for me...

Just a thought for the future that Lazada is a go-to source for older phone models eg Samsung Note 4 and 5.

[Sheryl]

good to know, thanks

[JaseTheBass]

It would help if everyone knew the difference between a Google account (needed to access Playstore and the Google ecosystem which is integral to Google's Android OS and a Gmail account (not needed at all).

Sadly around 50% of the world's population works on fuzzy logic and thinks tech and computers do too. An problem I and many other people from the other 50% have to deal with on a daily basis, but to say anything is seen as sexist.

Sent from my R2D2 droid using my C3P0 manservant

[janclaes47]

6 minutes ago, JaseTheBass said:

It would help if everyone knew the difference between a Google account (needed to access Playstore and the Google ecosystem which is integral to Google's Android OS and a Gmail account (not needed at all).

Sadly around 50% of the world's population works on fuzzy logic and thinks tech and computers do too. An problem I and many other people from the other 50% have to deal with on a daily basis, but to say anything is seen as sexist.

Sent from my R2D2 droid using my C3P0 manservant
 

To my knowledge, with a Gmail account you can also access all services for which you need a Google account, so I know which one I need and which I don't.

[JaseTheBass]

To my knowledge, with a Gmail account you can also access all services for which you need a Google account, so I know which one I need and which I don't.

You've got it backwards.

You need a Google account.

If you sign up for Gmail, what you are doing is setting up a Google account and then using Gmail as an 'add-on'.

Sent from my R2D2 droid using my C3P0 manservant

[SheungWan]

2 hours ago, JaseTheBass said:

It would help if everyone knew the difference between a Google account (needed to access Playstore and the Google ecosystem which is integral to Google's Android OS and a Gmail account (not needed at all).

Sadly around 50% of the world's population works on fuzzy logic and thinks tech and computers do too. An problem I and many other people from the other 50% have to deal with on a daily basis, but to say anything is seen as sexist.

Sent from my R2D2 droid using my C3P0 manservant

'Sexist'? Fuzzy or what?