What you need to do to prevent your Samsung Galaxy Note 7 from exploding or catching fire [Safety Tip]

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What you need to do to prevent your Samsung Galaxy

 Note 7 from exploding or catching fire [Safety Tip]

The new #Samsung Galaxy Note 7 (#Note7) has an enormous battery but there’s a chance it will explode or set your phone ablaze. The fact is Samsung already issued an official statement confirming there were already 35 reported cases wherein the the units either exploded or caught fire during or after charging

The company has yet to identify which batch is faulty but until then, owners can never be sure the safety of their units. While 35 is quite a small number out of 2.5 million units shipped worldwide, you can never really rule out the possibility that you may wake up one day with your unit smoking hot.

Then, there’s the possibility that the unit may explode or catch fire while you’re sleeping or while you’re holding it and may cause more serious safety hazards. There is something you can do to prevent it from happening…

TIP #1: CLOSELY OBSERVE YOUR PHONE WHILE CHARGING

Reports suggest that Note7 may explode or catch fire during or after charging. Samsung said to investigate on the problem to know the reason why it happens but we can’t wait for the results of the investigation considering the fact that it’s your own safety that’s at stake here.

Here’s a simple logic; phones develop heat while charging, too much heat may cause explosion or fire. If you can just prevent the phone from developing too much heat while charging, then you can prevent those situations. That being said, there are things you can do to keep heat in check during charge:

• Turn off your phone if you want to fast charge or planning to leave it plugged in while you run your errands.
• Don’t use the phone or play games while it’s plugged in.
• Place it in a cool (not hot) place during charge.
• Take off those third-party cases.
• Use the original charger and cable.

I understand that doing these things mean you’re walking an extra mile when you shouldn’t be considering you paid several hundred dollars for a premium phone. It should work without a hitch but there are things that even manufacturers can’t control and this is one of them.

So, while charging, try to feel the phone with your fingers to know if it’s heating up too much. Normally, the phone will heat up while plugged in but not to the point where you feel uncomfortable touching it. So, if this is case, unplug the charger immediately and if your phone is powered on, turn it off. Don’t attempt to charge your phone again.

TIP #2: HAVE THE PHONE REPLACED

When it comes to safety, there should never be any compromise. If the phone is heating up while charging, bring the phone back to the store and have it replaced. Here in the U.S., the Big Four already advised their subscribers who own the new Note 7, or at least, you rest assured your phone will be replaced no questions asked.

AT&T: Samsung has notified us that they have identified a battery cell issue in certain Galaxy Note7s. They have asked all retailers, including AT&T, to stop selling the device. We are in the process of determining the exchange process for our customers and how they can replace their current Note7 as quickly as possible. We will have more information later today.

Verizon Wireless: Samsung has notified us that they have identified a battery cell issue in certain Galaxy Note7s. They have asked all retailers, including AT&T, to stop selling the device. We are in the process of determining the exchange process for our customers and how they can replace their current Note7 as quickly as possible. We will have more information later today.

T-Mobile: Starting immediately, customers who are concerned about using the Note 7 can return the device to T-Mobile for a full, complete refund. They’ll get a full refund of anything paid for the device and any Note7 accessories. We’ll waive any restocking charges and shipping fees, and customers can keep the free Netflix subscription they received with purchase during pre-order. 
Customers can visit their local T-Mobile store where they bought the device or call 611 or 1-800-937-8997 to do this, and they can then use their refund to choose a similar device or any device in T-Moble’s stores, including a new Note7 replacement which we expect to be available in the next two weeks.

Sprint: Sprint has suspended sales of Samsung Galaxy Note7 immediately following Samsung’s announcement to discontinue sales of the device globally.  
We are working closely with Samsung to ensure those customers who already have purchased the device are taken care of. For those customers that previously purchased the Note 7 we will offer them a similar device until the issue is resolved. Customers should go to a nearby Sprint store to exchange their Note 7 device.

The bottom line is that you don’t need to take any chances when it comes to this matter especially that your safety is at stake here. Don’t wait for your device to actually catch fire before you something about it. While we understand it’s a hassle and we don’t know yet if you will be provided with a new device immediately considering Samsung is still investigating whether it’s just an issue with some devices that belong to the same batch or not.

How to fix Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge “Warning: Camera failed” error

Let me give you an idea how the camera in your #Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (#S7Edge) works; when you tap on that camera icon on your phone, the first thing that will come to life is the Camera app. Together with that, the sensor will initialize to get ready to snap photos or record videos and all these things happen in a second or even less and everything should work perfectly, otherwise, you’ll get the “Warning: Camera failed” error or “Camera has stopped” one.

In this post, I will address the “Camera failed” error, which is more of a hardware issue than an app problem. It’s often the result of failed initialization of the sensor and it doesn’t necessarily it’s a serious problem. Sometimes, services crash due and there are a lot of things that could happen when the system loads up so issues like this can actually happen every now and then.

“WARNING: CAMERA FAILED” ON GALAXY S7 EDGE

More often, this problem occurs out of the blue and basically, it’s just a symptom; the real problem is inside. So, we really need to troubleshoot to determine what’s causing the problem and to know if we can fix it on our own.

Step 1: Boot your device in safe mode and try to open the camera there

You need to put your device in diagnostic state immediately and isolate the problem and while in that state, try to open the app again and see if the error still shows up.

1. Press and hold the Power key.
2. As soon as you can see the ‘Samsung Galaxy S7 EDGE’ on the screen, release the Power key and immediately hold the Volume Down key.
3. Continue holding the Volume Down button until the device finishes rebooting.
4. You may release it when you can see ‘Safe mode’ in the bottom left corner of the screen.

So, if the error shows up, you need to rule out the possibility that it’s a firmware issue. However, you need to clear the cache and data of the camera app first.

Step 2: Clear the cache and data of the Camera app

This is to rule out the possibility that it’s actually the app that crashes and affected the sensor and not the hardware itself so, it’s necessary before you go after the firmware.

1. From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
2. Find and tap on Settings.
3. Touch Applications and then Application manager.
4. Swipe to ALL tab.
5. Find and touch Camera.
6. Tap Storage.
7. Tap Clear cache and then Clear data, Delete.

Step 3: Wipe the cache partition

This is if the error shows up in safe mode and if the problem persists after clearing the cache and data. If you reach this step, it means the problem might either be in the firmware or the hardware. This procedure has to be done prior to the reset:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key.
3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
4. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds.
5. Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe cache partition.’
6. Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
7. Now highlight the option ‘Yes’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
8. Wait until your phone is finished wiping the cache partition. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
9. The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

Step 4: Reset your phone

This is the last thing you can do to rule out the possibility that it’s a firmware problem. It goes to the last because you will have to go through the hassle of backing up your data and files. After this and the problem still persists, it’s safe to assume the problem is with the sensor and you need a technician to check it for you:

1. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key. NOTE: It doesn’t matter how long you press and hold the Home and Volume Up keys, it won’t affect the phone but by the time you press and hold the Power key, that’s when the phone starts to respond.
3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
4. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds. NOTE: The “Installing system update” message may show on the screen for several seconds before displaying the Android system recovery menu. This is just the first phase of the entire process.
5. Using the Volume Down key, navigate through the options and highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset.’
6. Once highlighted, you may press the Power key to select it.
7. Now highlight the option ‘Yes — delete all user data’ using the Volume Down key and press the Power button to select it.
8. Wait until your phone is finished doing the Master Reset. Once completed, highlight ‘Reboot system now’ and press the Power key.
9. The phone will now reboot longer than usual.

Step 5: Bring the phone to the shop

As far as basic troubleshooting is concerned, you’ve already done enough. Now, it’s time to let the technician handle it for you.

“WARNING: CAMERA FAILED” ERROR ON GALAXY NOTE 7

“WARNING: CAMERA FAILED” ERROR ON GALAXY NOTE 7

When you open the Camera app, the sensor initializes and gets ready to take a shot and this happens in a second or less. Now, if the app can’t successfully load, you might encounter the error above or the app closes as soon as it opens. On the other hand, if the sensor failed to initialize, you might get the “Camera failed” error, although it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the only problem if you get that error…there could be more. To troubleshoot this problem, here’s what you’re going to do:

Step 1: Restart the phone in safe mode

Yeah sure, it’s a camera issue but it’s more of a hardware problem than an app issue. You need to boot the device in safe mode to put it in diagnostic state wherein only pre-installed apps and services are running. If the camera app and sensor works in safe mode, you need to reset your phone to know how serious the problem is.

Should the error occur after the reset, then you might be looking at a sensor problem. Needless to say, you need to have the phone replaced.

Step 2: Wipe the cache partition

Do this if the problem occurred out of the blue without apparent cause. Sometimes system caches get corrupted and may affect the functions of some hardware. Try to do this and see if the problem still persists:

1. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
2. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key. NOTE: It doesn’t matter how long you press and hold the Home and Volume Up keys, it won’t affect the phone but by the time you press and hold the Power key, that’s when the phone starts to respond.
3. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
4. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds. NOTE: The “Installing system update” message may show on the screen for several seconds before displaying the Android system recovery menu. This is just the first phase of the entire process.
5. Using the Volume Down button, highlight the option ‘wipe cache partition’ and press the Power key to select it.
6. Use the Volume Down button again to highlight ‘yes’ and press the Power key to select.
7. It may take a few seconds to completely wipe the cache partition so wait a little.
8. Once completed, the option ‘Reboot system now’ must be highlighted, so press the Power button to restart your phone.
9. The Note 7 will then boot up normally.

Step 3: Reset your phone

If the second step failed, then a reset is necessary before you can decide to bring the phone back to the store and have it checked and/or replaced.

UNFORTUNATELY, CAMERA HAS STOPPED” ERROR ON GALAXY NOTE 7

UNFORTUNATELY, CAMERA HAS STOPPED” ERROR ON GALAXY NOTE 7

Apart from reports that the new Samsung Galaxy Note 7 may explode or catch fire during or after charging, some owners also reported to have encounter errors like “Unfortunately, Camera has stopped” and “Warning: Camera failed” the moment they open the camera app to take some pictures.

In this post, I will tackle these two error messages and provide some troubleshooting procedures you may use to fix them. The first error can be just a minor app issue while the second one can be a problem with the hardware. We won’t know for sure what the problem with your phone is if we won’t try to troubleshoot it.

As I said earlier, this error message can be just a problem with the app itself. Obviously, it speaks of the Camera app that crashed or stopped working for some reason. The rule of thumb is when an error messages speaks of a specific app, troubleshoot the app itself and that’s what we’re going to do here so try to follow the steps below:

Step 1: Reboot your phone

Don’t just jump into more complicated troubleshooting procedures, instead, try the simpler ones first especially if it’s the first time this error pops up.

A reboot might be able to fix this issue because if it occurred without apparent reason, it might be just a glitch in the system or app.

Step 2: Boot your phone in safe mode

This is to isolate the problem; you would know if one of the third-party apps is causing the problem or if it’s a problem with the Camera app itself. It is imperative you determine if it’s a problem with the pre-installed app or not so that you will know what to do next. Here’s how you boot your phone in safe mode:

1. Turn your Galaxy Note 7 off.
2. Press the Power key and hold it past the screen that shows the model name of the device.
3. When Samsung logo appears, release the Power key and immediately press and hold the Volume down button.
4. Continue holding the Volume Down button until the device successfully booted up.
5. Once you see “Safe mode” on the bottom left corner of the display, release the Volume Down button.

If the error still pops up in safe mode, it means that the problem is probably with the app or the firmware, otherwise, you need to find the third-party app that’s causing the problem and either disable or uninstall it.

Step 3: Clear cache and data of the Camera app

Do this if the problem still occurs in safe mode. This will delete all caches of the app as well as reset it to its default settings. More often than not, this procedure can fix minor app problems like this one (if it is indeed a minor app problem).

1. From the Home screen, tap Apps icon.
2. Find and tap Settings, then touch Applications.
3. Find and touch Camera.
4. Touch Storage.
5. Tap Clear cache.
6. Tap Clear data, then OK.

Step 4: Backup your files and data and reset your phone

If deleting the cache and data didn’t fix the problem, then the one sure fire way to fix it is by doing a reset. I am sure factory reset will fix the issue so that should be the next thing you need to do but make sure you backup all your data and files as they’ll all be deleted:

1. Backup your data and files saved in the phone’s internal storage.
2. Remove your Google account to deactivate the anti-theft function of the phone.
3. From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
4. Find and touch Settings.
5. Go to Cloud and accounts.
6. Touch Backup and reset.
7. Tap Factory data reset, then Reset device.
8. If you have turned on the screen lock, enter your PIN or password.
9. Touch Continue.
10. Touch Delete All.

If by any chance the factory reset failed, then do the master reset:

1. Backup your data and files saved in the phone’s internal storage.
2. Remove your Google account to deactivate the anti-theft function of the phone.
3. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
4. Press and then hold the Home and Volume UP keys, then press and hold the Power key. NOTE: It doesn’t matter how long you press and hold the Home and Volume Up keys, it won’t affect the phone but by the time you press and hold the Power key, that’s when the phone starts to respond.
5. When the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge shows on the screen, release the Power key but continue holding the Home and Volume Up keys.
6. When the Android logo shows, you may release both keys and leave the phone be for about 30 to 60 seconds. NOTE: The “Installing system update” message may show on the screen for several seconds before displaying the Android system recovery menu. This is just the first phase of the entire process.
7. Using the Volume Down button, highlight the option ‘wipe data / factory reset’’ and press the Power key to select it.
8. Press the Volume Down button a few times to highlight ‘Yes — delete all user data’ and press the Power key to select it.
9. It may take a few seconds to complete the reset so just wait.
10. Once completed, the option ‘Reboot system now’ must be highlighted, so press the Power button to restart your phone.
11. The Note 7 will then boot up normally.