Samsung Galaxy E7 Philippines Review Part 2 : User Interface, Social Networking Experience, Productivity
Hi TP friends! I’ve been testing the Samsung Galaxy E7 as my daily driver and I would like to share my insights about my experience using the smartphone as a corporate professional. Hopefully, these articles would be helpful to readers that also work in the office on a daily (or nightly) basis.
Previously, I have written about my first impressions of the phablet. Now, I’m going to cover the following topics: smartphone user interface, social media experience, and productivity experience.
User Interface
I’m a long-time user of Samsung’s Android smartphones since the first Galaxy S was released, and I’m quite familiar with their customization of Google’s OS which they call the TouchWiz UI. Some people may not like it because the previous generations of TouchWiz exhibit stutters and lags. The latest version installed on this device has already improved in terms of the smoothness of the user experience. There are seamless transitions and the animations are “buttery smooth” when I try to go from one app to another.
In summary, TouchWiz operates similarly like stock Android. There are home-screens wherein you can place your most-used apps (from the app drawer) and widgets (you need to long press the home screen). Its difference versus stock Android could be seen in terms of aesthetics (its use cartoony icons), and functionalities that are only present in Samsung large screen devices.
One such feature is the Split-Screen. Users are allowed to open two apps simultaneously displayed side-by-side to maximize the 5.5” screen. I don’t use this feature too much on my Galaxy S5 which has a 5.1” screen. But I believe this multi-window feature is going to be more useful on the Galaxy E7’s simply because it is larger. Here is an example: You can describe directions with another person more easily because Google Maps and the SMS app could be simultaneously shown on the screen.
Social Media Experience
I tried the popular social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Instagram. I could say that I am really satisfied with my visual experiences while using them. Posts are loaded instantly and stutters are almost non-existent. The 720 x 1280 Super AMOLED display is sharp enough to allow users to read small fonts such as those used by Facebook. One of the things that I also wish to highlight is how enjoyable it is using Instagram because of the vibrant and sharp images displayed on its large screen. As an example, I photographed the E7 beside my other smartphone that has a 4.7” display. Obviously, small images in the collage could be viewed more easily on the Samsung phablet.
Productivity Experience
As a project coordinator, it’s part of my job to constantly coordinate with clients and the project team, whether I’m in the office or deployed in the field. In these work situations, I’m fairly satisfied using the Galaxy E7 as my tool for communications and productivity with the use of email and messaging apps. The large screen size enables me to read texts and compose emails made up of 1-2 paragraphs. I could also review, edit and send files taken from the Dropbox even if I am not in front of my office desktop computer.
The Galaxy E7 is not without areas for improvement. I would like to mention that the stock keyboard does not have haptic feedback. This can be remedied by installing the Google Keyboard from the Playstore. Notification light also seems to be non-existent. For me, this is an important hardware component because I do not want to wake up the screen every time to see if I have unread messages. There’s also no ambient light sensor, so you have to manually adjust the screen brightness.
Having said these things, I could attest to the highly satisfactory performance of the Galaxy E7. It’s smooth, it’s a great device for viewing social media feeds, and it’s a very practical productivity tool in my line of work. I have been happy so far with the Samsung Galaxy E7.
Previously, I have written about my first impressions of the phablet. Now, I’m going to cover the following topics: smartphone user interface, social media experience, and productivity experience.
User Interface
I’m a long-time user of Samsung’s Android smartphones since the first Galaxy S was released, and I’m quite familiar with their customization of Google’s OS which they call the TouchWiz UI. Some people may not like it because the previous generations of TouchWiz exhibit stutters and lags. The latest version installed on this device has already improved in terms of the smoothness of the user experience. There are seamless transitions and the animations are “buttery smooth” when I try to go from one app to another.
In summary, TouchWiz operates similarly like stock Android. There are home-screens wherein you can place your most-used apps (from the app drawer) and widgets (you need to long press the home screen). Its difference versus stock Android could be seen in terms of aesthetics (its use cartoony icons), and functionalities that are only present in Samsung large screen devices.
One such feature is the Split-Screen. Users are allowed to open two apps simultaneously displayed side-by-side to maximize the 5.5” screen. I don’t use this feature too much on my Galaxy S5 which has a 5.1” screen. But I believe this multi-window feature is going to be more useful on the Galaxy E7’s simply because it is larger. Here is an example: You can describe directions with another person more easily because Google Maps and the SMS app could be simultaneously shown on the screen.
Social Media Experience
I tried the popular social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Instagram. I could say that I am really satisfied with my visual experiences while using them. Posts are loaded instantly and stutters are almost non-existent. The 720 x 1280 Super AMOLED display is sharp enough to allow users to read small fonts such as those used by Facebook. One of the things that I also wish to highlight is how enjoyable it is using Instagram because of the vibrant and sharp images displayed on its large screen. As an example, I photographed the E7 beside my other smartphone that has a 4.7” display. Obviously, small images in the collage could be viewed more easily on the Samsung phablet.
Productivity Experience
As a project coordinator, it’s part of my job to constantly coordinate with clients and the project team, whether I’m in the office or deployed in the field. In these work situations, I’m fairly satisfied using the Galaxy E7 as my tool for communications and productivity with the use of email and messaging apps. The large screen size enables me to read texts and compose emails made up of 1-2 paragraphs. I could also review, edit and send files taken from the Dropbox even if I am not in front of my office desktop computer.
The Galaxy E7 is not without areas for improvement. I would like to mention that the stock keyboard does not have haptic feedback. This can be remedied by installing the Google Keyboard from the Playstore. Notification light also seems to be non-existent. For me, this is an important hardware component because I do not want to wake up the screen every time to see if I have unread messages. There’s also no ambient light sensor, so you have to manually adjust the screen brightness.
Having said these things, I could attest to the highly satisfactory performance of the Galaxy E7. It’s smooth, it’s a great device for viewing social media feeds, and it’s a very practical productivity tool in my line of work. I have been happy so far with the Samsung Galaxy E7.
 | TechPinas Correspondent Mon Arguelles is a graduate of Environmental Management, a joint program of the Ateneo De Manila University and University of San Francisco. He’s currently taking up his MBA. He is a part-time professor and environmental researcher but considers being updated about the latest technological trends to be one of his favorite pastimes. |
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