Here's Everything You Need To Know About Samsung's New Phone
The Galaxy Note 7 goes on sale tomorrow and we got a sneak peek.
Zoe Burnett / BuzzFeed
Waddup Android peeps! There's a new Samsung phablet: the Galaxy Note 7.
Galaxy Note phones have always been great for productivity, with their spacious screens and handwriting-friendly styluses. Today, Samsung is announcing the *new* Note 7, an oversized, 5.7-inch device that goes on sale in the US on August 19, and is available for pre-order August 3.
Samsung brought its phone/tablet hybrid up to the standards set by the Galaxy S7 Edge, released earlier this year. The company waterproofed the entire device (even the stylus), added eye iris scanning, and gave it a curved edge that actually makes the phablet comfortable to hold.
I'm generally not a fan of Samsung phones. The devices typically come pre-loaded with a ton of bloatware (useless apps that take up precious phone memory). But I was very impressed by the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, which both boast great processors and gorgeous, brilliant displays.
So my expectations for the Note were very high – and, after spending a few hours with the phone, can report that the new Note is *the* phone for big hands and stylus lovers. Here are some of my first impressions.
TL;DR – The Galaxy Note 7 is a Galaxy S7 for grown-ups.
Nicole Nguyen / BuzzFeed
The Note 7 has iris scanning, so you can unlock your phone WITH YOUR EYES.
From the demo, this feature seemed p r e t t y impressive, if anything because it looked like a fantastic party trick. Have glasses? Don't worry – the feature is spectacle-friendly.
If the iris scanner doesn't work, you can use the fingerprint scanner or enter a passcode as a back up.
Nicole Nguyen / BuzzFeed
A new protected Secure Folder feature keeps your private docs, nudes, etc. under wraps.
You can keep important files, like a copy of your passport, in a separate folder that can be protected with an extra layer of protection (a passcode or iris scanning).
Nicole Nguyen / BuzzFeed