Goodbye HTC, Hello Samsung

It doesn't seem that long ago since I got my HTC One (M8). It actually wasn't all that long ago (April 2014). I generally keep my devices for a while, but it was time to upgrade.

I had a few devices in mind, so I sent out a call for recommendations:

I got back really high recommendations from Cory House (@housecor), Jon Mills (@jonathanfmills), and Cori Drew (@coridrew) for the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. This was one of the devices on my list, and I also saw some folks with them when I was at KCDC a couple weeks ago.

BTW, the runner up seemed to be the Nexus 6P (if you want a big phone) or the Nexus 5X. A big thanks to everyone who replied.

Hello Samsung
So my new phone arrived today. Here it is next to the outgoing HTC One (M8):

Samsung Galaxy 7 Edge (left) and HTC One M8 (right)

The phones are about the same physical size (weight is about the same as well) -- this will be great since I'm used to carrying a device this size. But the screen on the Samsung is quite a bit bigger. Also, the Samsung is a tiny bit thinner (which I think I'll like as well).

It was expensive. But this is a device that I have with me all the time. I'm planning on keeping it a long time. I don't upgrade often, so I figure getting a "flagship" will give me a bit more life out of it in the long run.

There are a couple features that I'm interested in exploring, including Samsung Pay. This is capable of paying over NFC like Android Pay (and Apple Pay), but it also can generate a magnetic field that mimics a credit card swipe. I'm not sure if I'll actually use that, but I've heard that it seems kind of magical the first time you try it.

I'm not sure about the "Edge" part of the device. I'll have to spend some time with it to see if I really like it or if it's just a gimmick.

Update: I just discovered that the camera has a "Food" option. I think I may be too un-hip to own this phone...

Goodbye HTC
I really like my HTC One M8. It has served me well, been stable, and has received Android updates during the time I've had it. I considered the M10 (or M9), but unfortunately, people who went from the M8 to one of these other devices didn't have good things to say about it.

I generally keep my devices for a while. I've only had the HTC for a little over 2 years. I wasn't planning on retiring it so soon, but it developed a bit of a bulge:

Getting big around the middle

Yikes!

I first noticed this about 2 months ago. And it's slowly been getting worse. This points to a swelling battery, and I probably should have replaced it right away. But I put it off because of the travel that I've been doing. I guess I should consider myself lucky that the battery didn't burst into flames while it was in my pocket.

So, Goodbye HTC. You served me well. Thank you for the memories.

Why Not Microsoft?
When I got my last phone, I asked the question: Why not Microsoft? It seems like a question that doesn't need to be asked anymore.

Looking Forward
So, here's looking forward to years of memories with the Samsung. I'm still getting things set up, and I'm sure that it will take me a while to get used to things. But from what I've seen so far, I'm happy with the purchase.

Happy Coding!