It has been a week since the new GEAR VR came out and it is already sold out. It appears that Samsung was probably not expecting this peak demand and was sort of ill prepared for it in terms of support. Having said that, most users are really loving the product with 90% approval ratings on most sites. Here are some of the observations noted from various sites. Hope this helps.

Here is a list of some of the 7 problems and suggestions for these problems.

1. Lack of support from Samsung main site. When you click on “Troubleshooting” under the right hand corner of the “Gear VR” page, you are directed to the following link which is pretty much blank.

http://support-us.samsung.com/cyber/popup/iframe/pop_troubleshooting_fr.jsp?modelname=SM-R322&from_osc=&idx=629941&modelcode=

Your best bet is to look at android central or the reddit forums for GearVR as the community is trying to answer most of the questions. I have compiled this list based on these two forums.

• Overheating is still an issue. Some folks have reported receiving a message that your Gear VR needs to cool down for optimal performance. One way for you to circumvent this message is to turn off your wireless and Bluetooth and you can enjoy it without heating for a couple of hours. Samsung’s recommendation is to use the gear for no more than 30 minutes on a continuous basis. Folks that were calling Samsung support desk via phone verified this.
• Customers on Verizon network reported that they were still missing the VR update/upgrade from Verizon as of 11/19. This issue has reportedly been fixed. You will need to check.
• How do you actually search through the Oculus Store? Congratulations! You are an early adopter and there are relatively few apps so, no need for search yet. Your current search is limited to scrolling and looking through different categories.
• I’ve downloaded Vrse from the Play Store but I don’t know how to access the app or its videos when my Note5 is attached to the GearVR. I couldn’t locate Vrse in the GearVR store and I can’t locate any of my downloaded Vrse videos in the Oculus Video section. Vrse is in the gear vr oculus store. Look for the THE DISPLACED image. That’s the Vrse app. You can download the videos using this app. Expect significant cycle times for downloading via Vrse reported by many users.
• On certain games like Dreadhalls and Dead Secret I have been experiencing sound issues. Some are pretty bad. When I launch these games there is always a horrible echo at the beginning. And in Dead Secret the voice talking in the beginning is SUPER slow motion. According to the community, this could be a problem since you are using a Bluetooth headphones. Please use the phone sound or a good pair of wired headphones. Your GearVR is not broken.
• I am looking for Controllers to use in games such as Dreadhalls and Quake. The two prominent ones to look into are Moga Power Pro and Hero Edition Moga. Check the sites for more information.

Update:

Samsung’s Gear VR is a great piece of VR technology that when paired with the smartphone can give an immersive experience. Gear VR has seen a lot of success since the release of its developer version. But like any other device, it also encounters some problems that can be very annoying. Luckily enough, you can solve the problems with simple tricks.

Here are the common problems faced in Gear VR:

Problem #1 Overheating

This was a pretty big issue with the developer version that your VR headset got heated too much too soon, killing the whole VR experience. This problem has so far been reduced to the commercial version of Gear VR. Samsung recommends using the Gear VR for a limited amount of time; up to 30 minutes in one go.

The solution is to force stop all the apps running in the background and consuming the battery. This will not only save the battery but also prevent your headset from overheating. Also, avoid putting apps on download, when using Gear VR.

Problem #2 Fog

This is the most annoying issue with VR headsets. The lenses get fogged up due to a temperature discrepancy between the headset’s lenses and the phone. The fog will usually go away after a short time. But you can also solve the problem with a spray. Just put some on your fingers and rub gently on the lenses.

Problem #3 Dust

You slide your phone into the headset, start your game and find dust in the field of view. This is very common as dust gets into the gear. An air canister can be used to blow off the dust from the lenses and the phone right before the use.

Problem #4 Low Battery

S6 has a very good battery life but using Gear VR can consume the power quickly. The easiest way is to use a USB cable to connect your phone to the USB port on the Gear VR. This helps keep your phone charged.

Tip: Use a long USB cable so that you have room for moving your headset without snapping the cable.

Problem #5 Field of View Reflections

The reflections cause two dark squares to appear on the sides of the image. Although not too prominent, they can be somewhat distracting. You can put bandages on your nose and these reflections disappear.

Problem #6 Low-Quality Audio

The sound quality can be corruptive when using Gear VR without headphones. The best way to get optimal high quality and interference-free audio is to use headphones while using Gear VR. Also, it is best to use wired headphones as full Bluetooth audio support is yet to be mastered.

Problem #7 Motion Sickness

This is rare but since some people are more sensitive than other they can feel queasy after some time. You can find comfort ratings on the apps in the Oculus store. The ratings are comfortable for all, comfortable for some or comfortable for few. This should help you avoid any motion sickness.

Please let us know if you have found other tips to deal with the common issues.