[Guide] So you can't get the Note 7 - now what?

So we've received a few questions about the Note 7 and for those who were looking to upgrade, its now off the table (sorry Samsung) - but the question becomes, okay - now what do you buy?  We're glad you asked!  Without further ado, here are some thoughts on what you might want to consider if you are wanting or needing to pick up a new smartphone this year.

[News] Samsung has discontinued offering the Note 7 - permanently

Sorry for the cheesy graphics above but...yeah, the Note 7 will no longer be sold by any carriers worldwide, and Samsung has ceased manufacturing them - permanently.  This is a significant financial blow to Samsung as a company for sure.  There will be no more Note 7s ever made...which is sad, because by all reports this is a great, great smartphone.  Except for the bursting into flames thing.

I'll make sure that Sean P. writes a eulogy proper, but for the time being; if you are in the market for a new smartphone, it won't be this one. 

[PSA] The Galaxy Note 7 might explode so....yeah

If you hadn't already heard, the new Galaxy Note 7 has had 35 reported cases in Korea where the battery caught fire, or outright exploded.  This is a bad thing.  Samsung's official statement regarding this issue is as follows:

"Samsung is committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident report from our valued customers very seriously. In response to recently reported cases of the new Galaxy Note7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue.

To date (as of September 1) there have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market. However, because our customers’ safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have stopped sales of the Galaxy Note7.

For customers who already have Galaxy Note7 devices, we will voluntarily replace their current device with a new one over the coming weeks.

We acknowledge the inconvenience this may cause in the market but this is to ensure that Samsung continues to deliver the highest quality products to our customers. We are working closely with our partners to ensure the replacement experience is as convenient and efficient as possible."

So, to recap, a very small number of the reported 2.5 million sold Note 7s had a faulty battery and so Samsung is issuing a recall for all of the devices - so if you have purchased one in the last few weeks since launch, you can replace your "might or might not" explode device with a "definitely won't explode" one.  If you read our guide to buying one of the new Note 7s, and went out and bought one....well, you are probably fine.  All of the reported cases have been outside the United States, so if you are here where we are, you should be good.  If you still want to get a replacement or a refund, check out the CNET article here.

This is your Public Service Announcement.

[Guide] Thinking about buying a Galaxy Note 7?

The Note 7 is one of the hottest phones on the market right now.  Say you are in need of a new mobile device, but aren't sure of what you should buy.  You might come to Silicon Theory in search of what you should get.  We love mobile tech, almost assuredly more than most folks you've ever met. If you are in the market, and you want or like a larger display size - you should give the Galaxy Note 7 from Samsung a long look.  

[Podcast] Episode 7 - Galaxy Note 7 Thoughts

Episode 7 is here, just in time for your weekend listening!  We discuss the launch of the Note 7, what we like and don't like about the device after a little hands on time, and where we feel the price point puts it at.

This is poised to be a very popular Android device - so if you are considering making this your next phone, you should definitely check out this episode.

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[Opinion] The Galaxy Note 7 has been announced...but should you buy it?

Samsung announced the next edition in their Galaxy Note series, the Note 7, and it has sparked a very interesting response.  Sean P. around these parts was in particular very excited to see (and likely purchase) the next Note device, but has cooled significantly since the announcement.  Not that a phone priced at between $850-$890 depending on carrier should be an easy "pull-the-trigger" buy.  So if you are considering making the plunge, are already a Note user or fan, or just want to know what the big deal about this phone is, let's take a deeper dive into what's going on.