Top Free apps to download for the Samsung Gear VR Review

So I figured after my last review of the samsung s7 edge had done so well I Should do a review on the gear VR which is one of the reasons if not the main reason i bought the handset.

I know alot of people who have bought the VR and stopped using it shortly after. Mainly because at the time of purchase they did not have a wide variety of apps to download for free. Now in my opinion there are so many apps available you really just have to search through them. 

I have used my VR most nights after work for different reasons but mainly in my downtime. 

There is no denying i love the gear VR However there are a small few things i think can be improved. Please note i have the first VR and i have yet to test the upgraded version so this review is on the White Gear VR. 

My main dislike is that i can't charge the phone while its on the VR now there is a micro usb port that should charge your phone however this is only a trickle charging port (meaning it will only charge your handset very slowly) and at most it will barely keep your device on depending what you are doing on the headset. SO this can be quite frustrating if you are playing a game on it and didn't have a chance to fully charge your phone. now i just make sure my phone is charged before using the VR.

Another issue I have is that there are plenty of apps on it to purchase but i never feel compelled to purchase one for the fact that i don't know what i am buying. the descriptions never really give me enough info as to what the game or app would be like. I am the type of person that wants to spend money and i am more than willing to spend it on entertainment like this. so i would suggest for samsung to either improve on descriptions or while searching apps some of them have videos that could be used as a demo in some way. I would make ads or videos like this mandatory for all apps to preview on the download page. 

My last slightly negative thing is that i find even though i can adjust the focus using the wheel on the top of the VR its still blurry i find this effects the real life VR experiences however the animated apps are fantastic. This may just be a case of graphics not quite being there yet but im sure this will improve.

These issues may have improved with the upgrade but the original VR is still quite relevant at a year old i would not deem this product out dated just yet. However i do know that graphics come from my phone so this should definitely be improved with the new samsung that will more than likely come out this year.

Now the negative is out of the way i think people need more of a helping hand in choosing what to download now they have the VR. Some apps are a one time viewing experience but are great if you enjoy watching other people use it like i do. Here is a list of a few FREE apps that I thoroughly enjoyed and am still enjoying. 

1. Casino VR Poker: This is a fully immersive experience into the game of poker. Visually you are sitting at the table as you would in a real life situation sitting across from real people looking at their avatar that you are given to choose from the game itself. You have the option to use voice chat while using headphones. This really gives the game the feeling of 'reality" and makes it so much more enjoyable for me. If you don't want to use voice chat you do not have to use headphones the game will work perfectly without. You can also add friends from your facebook or your Oculus account so you can play against them. This one is my favourite as it can be used again and again.

2. Suicide Squad: This was one of the first games i started playing and loved it. You are playing as characters from the movie each with special weapons and the aim is to shoot at the weird alien creatures (no idea what they are called). You look to aim and tap to shoot. Simple as. Passing through different waves (Levels) The best way i can describe this game for Lovers of this type of game is. Zombies from Call of duty. Only much more fun in my opinion. :) It is also a great app to watch your friends play as their heads turn in all directions and their hands are tapping really fast. 

3.  Introduction to Virtual reality: This app sounds like it would come pre installed however it didn't and i found this was one of the best apps to show others what the VR is like. This is an app compiled of Demos from other apps which are available in the store. 

4. Cirque de soleil: I couldn't believe my eyes when i seen this one. It really opened my eyes to the potential of VR. I am a theatre lover and I adore performing. Cirque de soleil have released a few apps for you to view with out of this world performances and talent that is literally right in your face. My first thought was NO WAY!! I was amazed and could really imagine myself viewing a whole show this way and i would pay for it! The apps do not give you a whole 1 hour show they give you around 10 - 15minutes of a show and they are well worth the watch.

5.  The Samsung Internet: This is exactly what it says. It is a browser for the internet. What i use this for is YouTube. Those 360 videos you see are great here. There are alot of things this can be used for if you have a bit of creativity. Its very cool and futuristic. Makes me feel like i am in a P Diddy video. 

So if you are unsure what to download, try these apps and be sure to let me know what you think. I would be happy to hear of some of the apps and games you guys like to download so feel free to comment. Let me know. 

See you Soon

GG.

Billpay Vs Prepay

Welcome back!

I have waited to post this blog because I wanted to see how much interest there was. Though this blog may not have kicked off yet I have still decided to carry on with it. Why? I spend most of my time off talking about smart phones. I have yet to leave the house without someone asking me questions about their current smart phone or opinion of a smart phone. I never get sick of technology and neither do you. 

In this article I will point out the important things to look out for in a smart phone. Buying a smart phone can be scary because they are so expensive and what if the phone you purchase isn't worth the money you spend on it? Phone stores don't allow exchanges on phones because you have decided you don't like the colour or the phone. unless you have an actual fault in the phone it wont be exchanged and even then it will only be exchanged for "Like for Like" meaning you get the same phone you originally purchased. Something not many people know. The reason behind this is not because the phone company are trying to rob you of your money or trying to sell you a crappy phone. It is because once opened that phone is no longer of use to anyone kind of like when you buy underwear in a shop as far as they know you've worn those underwear and can not be risked anyone else wearing it because of hygiene. That opened phone is not safe for someone else to use for their virtual hygiene in other words for security reasons.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

When you buy a phone in a phone store the end decision is yours. You MUST do your research first before buying a smart phone. Which is why I am here. To give you simple easy to understand insight to purchasing a smart phone. I do not have any diploma in technology but I am a pretty good sales assistant in a phone shop which i won't mention any brands. I am not here to advertise phone companies. I deal with customers everyday from advising them which smart phones to purchase and with the issues they may have with their phone after purchase. I also have a lot of experience from growing up with technology. My first phone was like many my age. The nokia 3310 and upwards to now having a HTC M9 which i will soon be upgrading but more about that at another time.

COST OF PURCHASING A HIGH END SMART PHONE 

Before purchasing your smart phone you need to accept that you will have to spend a decent amount of money. Countless times people come in store and they want the top branded phone but don't want to spend the money on them. So phone companies have given us bill pay. This allows us to make a certain amount of calls and texts and use a certain amount of data AND either have a phone for free or at a much less cost all depending on your tariff.  IF you do not have the money to spend on a top brand phone you either have to choose between a lower end to mid range phone at a cost you can afford or sign up to a monthly tariff you can afford. Its that simple. There are no hidden discounts that the staff are hiding from you. Trust me when I say if there was discounts you would know about them before asking. People always ask. Most of the time if you look around the shop any offers that are on at the time will be displayed. The staff want you to buy and so does the company so they want to give you offers as phone companies are constantly competing against each other. If we tell you a phone is €659.99 we really me is €659.99 we have no control over that. That comes from the brand of the phone not the company unless there is an offer on.

BILL PAY VS PREPAY 

Now with all that said and thought about, you have decided if you are going to buy a phone out-right or get it on bill pay. If you have decided to buy it outright you can skip this this part. However if you are contemplating bill pay in order to get a phone at a discount. DO NOT just go ahead and pick the cheaper plan with whatever is free. DO NOT expect to go on the cheapest plan and get everything on your tariff and the highest branded phone for free. THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN! I can not stress that enough. you get what you pay for. Yes prepay (top up) can work out cheaper at a monthly cost if the plan or bundle is right for you but you will not get the same in bill pay with a phone at the same monthly cost. Please respect that it is a business, They do want to make money at the end of the day just like the rest of us won't work for free. A lot of the time Bill Pay can work out cheaper for people because they end up topping up by more than a monthly bill cost, I am one of those people. Bill Pay is the way for me. 

Now you need to decide what you want from your phone. Please don't say 'I want calls, texts and data' That is pretty much obvious we all want that. Now if you do want everything you can have everything at the higher price. Be ready for that price but if you want to keep costs down be realistic about what you do on your phone. As an example. Internet is my most important feature. with or without WiFi. I use facebook, and whatsapp and google and games I play, use Internet as well. For some people YES facebook uses internet (some people do not know this), I am also a texter so I could live without calls and I could probably get over not having many texts then again i like knowing i can pick up my phone and use everything. I also need to have the most up to date phone being the gadget lover that I am my phone is a very big part of my life. I do not make enough money to pay outright for a high end phone and I am terrible at saving but i will always pay my bills so Bill pay is the most satisfying option for me. Some people run business' so they will always need their phone to hand and need it to be reliable therefore they will be the same as me. They need to have every feature their phone can offer and will most suit a bill pay option. 

If you have decided bill pay is not for you then choosing a prepay option that best suits you. Again I am not here to advertise so I won't go into phone companies plans but do go to each company and find a plan on prepay that suits you after you have considered the above. Think what could you live without the most, calls, tests or data? what is the one feature you can not loose? Prepare a budget for a decent phone. DO NOT go for the cheapest unless you need a phone for a very short period of time. those cheap phones are not made to last a lifetime like you expect. I would suggest a budget for a prepay phone would be around €200 - €300 or go all the way and spend nearly €700 if you have it. 

My next article will be about what phones and features to look out for, When buying your first smart phone or if you're a little more advanced, we will then have a look at other brands to look out for. In the meantime if you have any questions or any feedback then please post a comment :) 

Happy Shopping,

GG 

a little bit about me

Smart phones for dummies

So hey, this is my first blog. Where have i been right?!

As most people blog about their passions nowadays which seems to be all about make-up and fashion, as much as i do enjoy those things being a girl I also love other things. I am going to blog about mine or more so what i spend my day doing. Which also happens to be my job. What do I do you ask? I work in a phone store. A mobile phone shop. Now before you think of it, I am not here to sell you anything, Therefore I  wont be mentioning the brand of phone shop I work in. 

what is my goal?

What I am aiming to do is have a place for all you guys and gals that don't know how to use your smart phone or have parents/friends that can't use their smart phone, a place to go for you to learn or for you to show them how to use their/your phone.

It may seem ironic that I am using the Internet through a blog page to show people that do not know how to use a smart phone how to use their smart phone, because we mostly assume that those people can't access the Internet, never have and are still living under a rock, however NOPE that's not the case. working in a phone shop has told me that most of these people have already been using this technology but for some reason they can not grasp the mobile phone. they would much rather keep to a nokia 3310, well let's face it, if we still had one we wouldn't to throw it away either. (or is that just me giving away my age)

I NEED YOUR HELP!!!

It will be a tough task to pull off I think but with your help I know it will work out. so what I am going to ask is that you guys share any of your questions about smart phones with me anything that you're unsure about or were unsure about in the past and any suggestions you might have. 

I will be posting a blog on turning the phone on and off.. Yes I know to some of you that this might seem a little unnecessary. but hey the page is "smart phones for dummies" and we wanna share everything from the beginning to the endless possibilities so that includes the magic power button. You would be surprised how many people come in store and think their phone is broken. wanting to buy a new one because this one stopped working for me to then turn it on and them looking amazed like I had just saved a dog from a burning fire. 

So as this is my first blog I would like to keep it short and sweet. Think of it like a little introduction into what it will all be about. SO please feel free to share your smart phone fears and tell me anything you would like to know. ( I don't know how to end this thing, I kind of feel like saying xoxo gossip girl) maybe i need some sort of cool signature at the end too like gadget girl instead of gossip girl :) so if you have any suggestions share those too. until then you will have to settle for this.

Bye,

 GG