I took my sister to the AT&T store yesterday and bought her the HTC Inspire 4G. VERY nice phone. So while in the ATT store, the Inspire was on display at the back of the store. I took the liberty and installed GPS Test program from the market and let it run, just for the heck of it.
The damn thing locked on and saw 7 sats within 2 seconds, and got 9-11 sats within the next 5.
So I whipped out my CRaptivate, and ran the same GPS test program. Pathetic POS didn't even lock on to one. I had to walk outside in order to even see sats, and then it took an extra 30 seconds for it to lock on to anything. This is with Firefly 2.4, latest updates, GPS fixes, the whole 9 yards.
Now I see how bad this CRaptivate is. It took just one moment with that HTC to see the light.
The question is, I bought this POS back in October, as it was the only Android offering that was worth it at the time. After having all the problems I do with this phone, what can I do to get ATT to take it back so that I can switch to something like the Inspire??? Or is that a lost cause?
ajm786 said:
I took my sister to the AT&T store yesterday and bought her the HTC Inspire 4G. VERY nice phone. So while in the ATT store, the Inspire was on display at the back of the store. I took the liberty and installed GPS Test program from the market and let it run, just for the heck of it.
The damn thing locked on and saw 7 sats within 2 seconds, and got 9-11 sats within the next 5.
So I whipped out my CRaptivate, and ran the same GPS test program. Pathetic POS didn't even lock on to one. I had to walk outside in order to even see sats, and then it took an extra 30 seconds for it to lock on to anything. This is with Firefly 2.4, latest updates, GPS fixes, the whole 9 yards.
Now I see how bad this CRaptivate is. It took just one moment with that HTC to see the light.
The question is, I bought this POS back in October, as it was the only Android offering that was worth it at the time. After having all the problems I do with this phone, what can I do to get ATT to take it back so that I can switch to something like the Inspire??? Or is that a lost cause?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably a hardware issue IMO. Get it fixed.
For your ATT question i do not know, sorry.
41LY45 said:
Probably a hardware issue IMO. Get it fixed.
For your ATT question i do not know, sorry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm just very scared to attempt to get another replacement that has the random shutdown issue. This is my second phone; my first one had the problem, this one does NOT have the random shutdown issue, but the GPS is borked(?).
There are just so many problems with this phone, it's almost like I'm playing the lottery in trying to get a functioning one.
ajm786 said:
I'm just very scared to attempt to get another replacement that has the random shutdown issue. This is my second phone; my first one had the problem, this one does NOT have the random shutdown issue, but the GPS is borked(?).
There are just so many problems with this phone, it's almost like I'm playing the lottery in trying to get a functioning one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, refurbished phones.
I guess it's just up to one's luck.
41LY45 said:
Lol, refurbished phones.
I guess it's just up to one's luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, to be completely honest, the first 2 phones I got were NOT refurbished. There were brand new (got them exchanged retail at the store).
My GPS works fine it didnt before on stock rom but does now... software issue
sent with Captivate w/ Gingerbread 2.3.3
maxjivi05 said:
My GPS works fine it didnt before on stock rom but does now... software issue
sent with Captivate w/ Gingerbread 2.3.3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be fair, I'm not saying that the GPS is not working at all with the Captivate. I'm saying that the HTC (and pretty much any other hardware) demolishes the Craptivate when it comes to that, and, pretty much everything else. I'm not interested in tweaking my phone forever to do what it should have done to start with. I mean, tweaking is fun, but to an extent. I don't want to be doing this forever. It has to come to an end somewhere, and that probably means for me different hardware.
This is the first and last huge mistake that I will have made with Samsung. I swear I will NEVER buy anything from them, and will do my utmost best to return this POS.
maxjivi05 said:
My GPS works fine it didnt before on stock rom but does now... software issue
sent with Captivate w/ Gingerbread 2.3.3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Notice you'r running Gingerbread 2.3.3; therefore, I would guess that the ROM was loaded very recently. Most Captivates' GPS works great right out of the box, or right after loading a new ROM. Post back how your GPS is working after the ROM has been installed for a month and you have been using it a lot.
Wow, very clever twist on the phone's name.
And thanks for the heads-up on the GPS issue. Never saw any other threads on it.
If you want to know if ATT will do something about it, ummm, why don't you ask them?
mfw my gps works perfectly and tracks my every move on pheonix 6.0
comdei said:
mfw my gps works perfectly and tracks my every move on pheonix 6.0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm. Working GPS vs. bleeding retinas. Nah, not worth it.
rbtconsultants said:
Wow, very clever twist on the phone's name.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very fitting.
rbtconsultants said:
And thanks for the heads-up on the GPS issue. Never saw any other threads on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All the ROM and GPS fixes get the GPS barely usable compared to other phones that get GPS right. After using the Inspire for a few minutes, it's clear that the CRaptivate is highly flawed, even in its "fixed" state. Thanks so much to all the ROM chefs and devs working so hard on it; I can only imagine the pain they have to go through because Shamsung doesn't know how write software for shi*.
rbtconsultants said:
If you want to know if ATT will do something about it, ummm, why don't you ask them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will. I just wanted to get some input from someone who might have gotten them to successfully swap phones for them.
ajm786 said:
Very fitting.
All the ROM and GPS fixes get the GPS barely usable compared to other phones that get GPS right. After using the Inspire for a few minutes, it's clear that the CRaptivate is highly flawed, even in its "fixed" state. Thanks so much to all the ROM chefs and devs working so hard on it; I can only imagine the pain they have to go through because Shamsung doesn't know how write software for shi*.
I will. I just wanted to get some input from someone who might have gotten them to successfully swap phones for them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They probably won't do much unless you're a super valuable customer to them. We all like to think we are, but lets face it, some customer are worth a LOT more than others, this is true for every business. Plus there's a reason they give you 30 days to try the phone, one month of use should be more than enough to know whether the phone suits your needs or not. Unless you're consistently spending like $400+ on your phone bill every month and haven't had issues in the past, I doubt they will do much other than warranty exchange, especially since you've had the phone for 5 months now. I must've been one of the lucky ones, never really had any GPS issues, recent flash to Cog 4.1.1 actually screwed it up for me for some reason (I blame the solar flares) and the GPS wouldn't increase it's accuracy from 4900 meters, but this was easily remedied by applying the GPS fix in SGS Tools.
@ 6months you can do an early upgrade but you will extend the contract and pay a lot more for the new phone than the advertised contract price, that's probably the best you can do to get out of the captivate. or you can buy a phone outright.
sorry guy, my gps is as good as any phone i have ever owned but i do admit that the better htc phones are a bit better in that area. really my gps can lock with the same speed and accuracy as a droid x in the verizon store which has a metal roof, but the incredible does lock to 7meters while my phone and the motorola only lock to 30 meters. generally the hardware can get the job done as well as other phones. infact my iphone could not lock under a metal roof, or any kind of roof for that matter, it was incapable of navigation. the gps signal on the iphone 3g was bad for many of my friends as well so im not crazy. my friends also complain about there blackberry gps and other android phones.
my phone never had gps that couldn't lock but it also never tracked well and got a strong signal at the same time untill somewhat recently after a lot of finding what didn't work. it either tracked but lost signal under cloud cover and bridges or it locked but the positioning was all over the place. futzing around in lbs test mode never really helped untill i realized that it needed to agree with secgps.conf and jupiter.xml
the real issues with the galaxy s seems to be sensitivity to noise and every phone is a bit different. it can take a lot of experimentation to get it working, or it might never work.
Buy a TomTom... Case closed
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Crap, topic starter! you say that it locked INSIDE building? bull****! GPS ain't capable of working indoors. Oh, yeah - also count how much battery GPS is using on Inspire and on Cappy
ajm786 said:
Very fitting.
I will. I just wanted to get some input from someone who might have gotten them to successfully swap phones for them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just depends if you have a reasonably justifiable hardware / software issue, and how assertive you are. Demand a phone that has that basic capabilities advertised, and get it warrantied.
Meanwhile, ask for an adjustment on your bill. Go up 2 or 3 levels of Customer Service with your complaint, and tell them how many phones - how many times this has occurred.
I've done it at least 4 times in 6 mos - had them let me demo a Windows 7 phone for free for a week - had 200+ USD credited to my account - gave the Win 7 phone back no charge - Replaced my Refurb Captivate with a Brand New one with 12 Mos. Factory Warranty. Replaced it again. Free.
Some days you get the Bear - Some Days the Bear gets you... When it comes to Customer Service - YOU PAY THEM. Get the Bear.
Yuna said:
Crap, topic starter! you say that it locked INSIDE building? bull****! GPS ain't capable of working indoors. Oh, yeah - also count how much battery GPS is using on Inspire and on Cappy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
speak for yourself
i am inside a solid cinder block office building and i can get consistent locks on 8-11 satellites.
Outdoors is 10-12 with usually all or occasionally all but 1 locking.
opcow said:
Hmmm. Working GPS vs. bleeding retinas. Nah, not worth it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats an easy solution.
Flash firefly or supernova then flash blackfroyorogers thems over it. Both have GPS as good as or better than phoenix and blackrogersfroyo theme tones down the colors to very neutral black and grays.
I have an old Captivate....it works perfectly.
Other than the original 2.1 software that came with it, every ROM I have used has excellent GPS performance.
I have no random reboots on any ROM, not even with CM7. I suppose this means there is some type of hardware issue. All directions have been followed to a tee when reflashing.
I am a huge Samsung fan in general, and I love the Captivate hardware...but to be honest I wouldn't look to them first for a phone. HTC has the better track record for updates. Thankfully the xda and dev community rocks.
I couldn't imagine being on a stock 2.1 for all those months...
Related
Need to return this. I've been waiting on two fixes, and they haven't come...
1. Random Powering off (i use no setcpu, widgets, etc, i'm rooted, did a factory reset, etc).
2. GPS Fix
2a. Waiting on 2.2 Froyo could be forever on AT&T.
I'll return to my crappy iphone 3gs, until the problems on the 1st batch of phones is fixed.
main thing is the random powering off, gps, i've started to live with, but is really annoying once you become lost while driving and REALLY need directions fast w/o fumbling around on your phone.
I do love the phone.... just wish it was really reliable.
Hopefully youll be back soon.
if its just turning off randomly i'd be pretty annoyed with that as well.
I'm sorry if I'm being naive but, if it were me, I'd try bracing up the battery with a thickness or two of card stock paper to see if the problem was just a loose battery.
That would be easy and free to try and it just might solve the problem.
pmpntl said:
Need to return this. I've been waiting on two fixes, and they haven't come...
1. Random Powering off (i use no setcpu, widgets, etc, i'm rooted, did a factory reset, etc).
2. GPS Fix
2a. Waiting on 2.2 Froyo could be forever on AT&T.
I'll return to my crappy iphone 3gs, until the problems on the 1st batch of phones is fixed.
main thing is the random powering off, gps, i've started to live with, but is really annoying once you become lost while driving and REALLY need directions fast w/o fumbling around on your phone.
I do love the phone.... just wish it was really reliable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've replaced my original captivate due to random shutdowns. Since then there was no single power off problem for me.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
The random powering off issues sound like a hardware defect you should definitely return that phone.
Sorry to go a litte off topic but how do I do a return through AT&T? I still have all the original equipment, box, return label, and everything. I'm tired of this random shut down + GPS issue as well.
michintom said:
Sorry to go a litte off topic but how do I do a return through AT&T? I still have all the original equipment, box, return label, and everything. I'm tired of this random shut down + GPS issue as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bring everything to the store.
michintom said:
Sorry to go a litte off topic but how do I do a return through AT&T? I still have all the original equipment, box, return label, and everything. I'm tired of this random shut down + GPS issue as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry your having probs, but I still believe this is the best phone on the market and I could never return it other than to get another one. Chances of you getting another one with the shut off issues are slim.
The GPS fix and Froyo are not far off and in my situation I can wait. I understand others rely on their GPS more than me. I just couldn't give up all this Galaxy S has to offer.
he's a troll dont answer him. What in the world is the purpose of creating threads saying, im bringing it back?
droidal said:
I'm sorry your having probs, but I still believe this is the best phone on the market and I could never return it other than to get another one. Chances of you getting another one with the shut off issues are slim.
The GPS fix and Froyo are not far off and in my situation I can wait. I understand others rely on their GPS more than me. I just couldn't give up all this Galaxy S has to offer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm really bad with directions and the map application is great if the gps ever worked correctly. I called about 10 at&t stores and couldn't find any store that had the iphone 4 in stock. I still have till next week to return the phone. I guess I still have some time to re-think everything.
I do know that mine will freak out once in a great while and shutdown or require a battery pull but not enough for me to take it back and exchange it for an iPhone! If you really want the iPhone that bad why didn't you buy it instead? I bought the Captivate because I wanted a high end android phone and I did not want an iPhone because I am not a huge apple fan. Like if yours is shutting off daily then I would suggest return the phone and exchange it for another Captivate, my gps works fine with out any issues.
HTH,
Charlie
On my second captivate and I have experienced both of them shutting down on me. It's still not a reason for me to return this phone and that wasn't the reason I happen to be on my second one. Problem only occurred after the phone was rooted and some non market apps were installed.
If it weren't for the fact that I'd be returning to a first Gen iPhone or a Nokia E63, I'd return mine until the community developed more.
I like the hardware but I'd really like vanilla android. Even stock eclair. The GPS issues are able to be overlooked. I did it with my Fuze for the longest.
Sent from my Samsung Captivate.
BigJayDogg3 said:
If it weren't for the fact that I'd be returning to a first Gen iPhone or a Nokia E63, I'd return mine until the community developed more.
I like the hardware but I'd really like vanilla android. Even stock eclair. The GPS issues are able to be overlooked. I did it with my Fuze for the longest.
Sent from my Samsung Captivate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
god that fuze was just balls.
ne way, mr. troll, phone should never be locking up and requiring a battery pull. go get a new one.
EXCHANGE IT!
as of august 1st, firmware 2.1-update1 has been released. it fixed ALL of those problems! (I had the random shutoff, gps probs, and my fbook barely synced)
definitely worth the exchange and its FREE!
what
new firmware released? will i get it if i check for updates?
have i been under a fkin rock or something?
systoxity said:
what
new firmware released? will i get it if i check for updates?
have i been under a fkin rock or something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
apparently i've been misinformed, check my other thread and see if yours matches up
droidal said:
I'm sorry your having probs, but I still believe this is the best phone on the market and I could never return it other than to get another one. Chances of you getting another one with the shut off issues are slim.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I swapped mine for a replacement 3 days ago because of the random powering off issue, and this morning my new one was off when it should have been sounding an alarm to wake me up for work. I actually had to pull the battery to get it to work again. Then two hours later, while I was using it, it shut off again. It's an instant-off. The screen just suddenly goes black and it's all dead until it gets manually powered up again.
I've got three days left on my 30-day return period, so I'm anxious to call the warranty folks tonight.
weird. I have never had mine lock up.....ever.
its really hard to believe but its true. but then again I never do these so called "tweaks", I find that they tend to do more harm than good too often
My captivate had shut off randomly a few times, but every since I installed juice defender, and advanced task killer, it hasn't shut off at all.... as for GPS, that should be fixed with 2.2, but I don't use it that often, so not a huge deal for me, I say exchange, I'm sick of apple, I'm glad AT&T picked up a killer android phone!!
Sent From My Captivate
EXCHANGE IT!
sorry! I'm just really excited, I wasn't getting any GPS signal so I took it back to the corporate store, saved a quick ti backup to my sd, swapped the phone and BAM! I now get perfect GPS locks within SECONDS of activating maps!
also! I had some weird Facebook errors, only few would sync, wouldn't sync all the time etc. etc. NO PROBLEMS ANYMORE all my contacts sync and match up perfectly.
seriously the phone is now like it should be.
I asked the corporate rep (same guy I've been going to for years) he told me that the first batch of captivates went out with corrupt firmwares, but they weren't bad enough that they would have noticed anything wrong (or they did and chose to ignore it...) anyways, round two of the phone is fixed up and great!
My firmware: 2.1-update1
my baseband: I897UCF6
my kernal 2.6.29
that is the LATEST firm/base/kernal and If you can't get your phone to OTA update to it, I HIGHLY suggest you make a Ti backup and exchange it, you'll be out a few hours of your life but the phone will WORK
I bought my Captivate on launch day, and I've been running the same firmware/baseband/kernel since day one. You were misinformed about an initial batch of bad firmware.
That is the same Firmware, Baseband, and Kernel everyone has...
You were misinformed.
Expect your GPS to work for a few days then crap out.
Same here. Got it on release day and have the same firmware. I have not noticed any issues yet.
jmreed97 said:
That is the same Firmware, Baseband, and Kernel everyone has...
You were misinformed.
Expect your GPS to work for a few days then crap out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well my GPS didn't work out of the box but i just figured it was because I was in the mall. but as soon as I got the new one, it started right up.
facebook sync wouldn't sync properly either, and now it is syncing 100% fine
the phone would randomly shut down, it's been 4 days no shut downs
I dunno, I waited to post this to make sure it wasn't a fluke, maybe its just mine but it seems legit and my launch day device was definitely NOT 2.1-update1, I checked it right before I turned it in and it was just 2.1
yup, same here, got it on launch day, same info, but no dice on a consistent GPS lock.
you just got a bad phone dude. my friend got a launch day phone and his ate his external sd card, had a dead pixel, and would random shut off. just one of those thangs!
I got mine on launch day and have same firmware and everything. We didn't all happen to get a few bad phones. Samsung has manufactured phones that are bad from the beginning and they won't admit to it yet. This is worse then antennagate with apple.
Atleast then all you had to do was stick a piece of tape on the corner and voila! no problems. I wish fixing the issues with this phone were that easy. But we have the brightest minds at xda trying to fix our issues and they are still stumped by gps... nearly a month after release.
And even if xda minds can fix the issues... I find it extremely frightening that part time developers that do this for fun can fix issues faster then samsung can even admit to it(lag fix for example..) The more and more I think about this whole issue... the less I feel confident about Samsung as a mobile manufacturer.
V DidDy 210 said:
my baseband: I897UCF6
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure it is I897UCF6, or is it I897UCJF6 ? Mine has a J.
Mine has JF6 also.
:facepalm:
everyones GPS works for the first day or two.
Can anyone confirm OP's post? It is possible that Samsung released a corrupted batch. At this point I almost want to unroot my Captivate and exchange it for a new one. I paid $500 for this and it's not working.
Speaking of which can someone PM an UNROOT tutorial for the Captivate. I'll be a guinea pig and go exchange my phone for a new one to see if this fixes any issues.
I returned my Phone yesterday and can confirm the GPS issue still exist on the replacement. Also, according to the sales rep this was from a newly shipped batch, so take it for what its worth.
So I wonder if I should even bother returning it?
This is a little ridiculous. This is supposed to be the best smartphone on the market and it can't even get a GPS lock in under 10 minutes.
IsaiahC said:
So I wonder if I should even bother returning it?
This is a little ridiculous. This is supposed to be the best smartphone on the market and it can't even get a GPS lock in under 10 minutes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Gps problem is a known problem for last few months, so i wouldnt be holding my breath for any fix to be coming out anytime soon. I am sure they will get around to it eventually if they do. Seems to me they are more concerned getting galaxy s phones out in multiple markets
IsaiahC said:
So I wonder if I should even bother returning it?
This is a little ridiculous. This is supposed to be the best smartphone on the market.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
According to who?
i have the same firmware as you bro, everything is the same with the same GPS issue as everyone else.
IsaiahC said:
Can anyone confirm OP's post? It is possible that Samsung released a corrupted batch. At this point I almost want to unroot my Captivate and exchange it for a new one. I paid $500 for this and it's not working.
Speaking of which can someone PM an UNROOT tutorial for the Captivate. I'll be a guinea pig and go exchange my phone for a new one to see if this fixes any issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So to follow up from yesterday, I installed a lag fix and messed my phone up pretty badly. I flashed back to stock rom and took it back to AT&T and exchanged it for a new one.
I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO TROUBLE GETTING A LOCK IN UNDER 1-3 SECONDS EVERY TIME. Also, as a note, the SIM tray in the back of the phone is different than the one I had previously.
I'm not telling you to go exchange your phone but AT&T has an under 30 money back or exchange return policy. Just tell them you called Samsung or AT&T already and they told you to bring it in for a new one because it has trouble establishing a GPS lock.
Anyone try gps status app?
Run that first, get a lock then go to maps, should get a lock fast...
I Had my phone for 2+ weeks and gps works, not great but works (locks under 2 minutes if I can point to the sky, drop signal occasionally, pretty accurate).
Long story short, My Cappy won't get satellite lock AT all. I called ATT tech support. They had the gall to blame Google Maps. I said I want a new phone please. They said go to a retail store and get the phone tested and we'll see what we can do. I then called Amazon's support.
My new Cappy will be here Wed.
And now your probably going to get another cappy with no gps again! Lol jk dude, good luck. I'm starting to wonder about mine. The only timer my gps worked somewhat, was on jh3, I'm on jh7 now and can't even get accuracy past 100 meters in maps. Weird.... Starting to piss me off a little
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Amazon has always provided great service for me. I order through them without hesitation.
My GPS won't get closer than 1600 meters. The lady at amazon said she's fully aware of the problem, suspected a bad shipment. She also said if this one has the same problem I could port my number back to Sprint. I hope it doesn't come to that.
why would you be glad to order through amazon??? Buy in store, pay a little more yes, but you get a new phone basically no questions asked immediately. I exchanged 3 times and didnt have to wait 3 days and the guys never doubted my reasons for a second. That is worth the extra money to me
I got the run around from ATT tech support. I spent 40 minutes on the phone with them. They wouldn't own up to the possibility the GPS was bad in my phone. Time on the phone with Amazon, about 5 minutes.
that is your own fault for trying to call tech! We all know they are terrible. Calling them is much different than walking in the store and talking to someone and getting the phone immediately. at least you are getting a new phone though
gunnyman said:
I got the run around from ATT tech support. I spent 40 minutes on the phone with them. They wouldn't own up to the possibility the GPS was bad in my phone. Time on the phone with Amazon, about 5 minutes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tech support denies the problem, so does the corporate store, they claim they haven't heard about a gps issue, lol, seriously! They will replace it on the spot at the store without question, they don't even look at it, I doubt the know what SU is or root. I swapped out 2 and I am on 3rd. I have the new one for a week now, gps is ok, dosen't lock at all or see satellites inside, who cares, I know where the bathroom is. I have used it while driving and it worked. Anyhow, I have 3 weeks left to swap this one out if I run into any problems. I am sticking with this phone, it's the best one AT&T has and I am stuck with them. Good luck man, I hope your next one works.
Your first phone was probably just like all Galaxy S phones they all have a non working GPS. It's not just a batch of phones. I think the problem is software related. They need to hurry up with a fix because people are getting irritated that a ton of apps rely on GPS and this phone does not have a working GPS like it's supposed to. I'll bet you get another non working GPS phone.
galaxyjeff said:
Your first phone was probably just like all Galaxy S phones they all have a non working GPS. It's not just a batch of phones. I think the problem is software related. They need to hurry up with a fix because people are getting irritated that a ton of apps rely on GPS and this phone does not have a working GPS like it's supposed to. I'll bet you get another non working GPS phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. Not sure why anyone is allowing returns for GPS related issues.
gunnyman said:
I got the run around from ATT tech support. I spent 40 minutes on the phone with them. They wouldn't own up to the possibility the GPS was bad in my phone. Time on the phone with Amazon, about 5 minutes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah calling Tech is about the slowest way to get a new handset, or a good answer. I took mine back to the store because the 1.2oc would crash the handset. Told em it wasn't working right and I wanted an exchange, walked out 10 minutes later with a new one. Faster than Amazon.
Regardless, you bought the phone from Amazon. AT&T does not cover the warranty. After the 30 days, you will have to deal directly with Samsung (unless you get lucky and an AT&T rep sets up a replacement regardless of you buying elsewhere).
In terms of warranty/replacement, AT&T support is usually great. However, if you didn't purchase through them, they will probably give you the run around.
Just out of curiosity can your amazon phone boot into recovery?
I´m about to purchase one from amazon and wondered if they still have the "old"captivates.
Can you do this please:
go to the phone keypad, dial *#*#197328640#*#* from there it will pull the service menu, go to Version Info, SW Version, READ ALL SW VERSION, and post the info.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL silly rabbit, they all have GPS problems, even your replacement will!
gunnyman said:
Long story short, My Cappy won't get satellite lock AT all. I called ATT tech support. They had the gall to blame Google Maps. I said I want a new phone please. They said go to a retail store and get the phone tested and we'll see what we can do. I then called Amazon's support.
My new Cappy will be here Wed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Every single Galaxy S including the new one Amazon is sending you will have the GPS problem. Every Captivate, Every Vibrant, Every Galaxy S on Every Continant has the problem. Just pray your new phone doesn't have a different problem, because the GPS issue is on ALL Galaxy S phones
But I bet you are going to prove us wrong and tell us your new replacement has a perfectly working GPS
I want to order a phone on Amazon, but I'm worried about the shut down issue.
This is good news that they were so accommodating. Makes me want to go place my order as we speak honestly.
I read on Android Forum the problem with our GPS is an almanac and driver issue. After reading that and not getting a lock I figured if I clean out the phone's cache and do a hard reboot I might get a lock. I did just that and I now get a lock in five secs or less. That GPS almanac has to be cleaned each time before a new trip or it reverts to some type of loop of old info and won't process new input. In other words it won't clean out. That is a faulty driver. The fix should be easy to implement. Anways, my GPS works with this action and keeps the lock throughout the trip now. It never did before.
EDIT I get three meter accuracy too.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
catire said:
Just out of curiosity can your amazon phone boot into recovery?
I´m about to purchase one from amazon and wondered if they still have the "old"captivates.
Can you do this please:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My phone will boot into recovery, download mode is tricky but I can get it there.
Code:
CP SW Version:I897UCJF6
HW Version: REV 0.4
FTA SW Version: I897.005
FTA HW Version: Rev 0.4
RF CAL Date: 210.8.6
No idea what that means as var as what version I have. Enlighten me?
SamsungGalaxySVibrant said:
Every single Galaxy S including the new one Amazon is sending you will have the GPS problem. Every Captivate, Every Vibrant, Every Galaxy S on Every Continant has the problem. Just pray your new phone doesn't have a different problem, because the GPS issue is on ALL Galaxy S phones
But I bet you are going to prove us wrong and tell us your new replacement has a perfectly working GPS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get that, but my problem seems different, to me anyway. In a 4 acre open field on a bright sunny day, the GPS would not lock AT ALL when I turn of wireless and rely on GPS hardware only. When turning on Wireless, the best it would do was 1600 meters.
I was about to return my phone to AT&T until I downloaded the new beta firmware. GPS is dramatically improved. I thought it was hardware, but I stand corrected. I'm getting full GPS lock within seconds now.
i thought u can only do one swap at at&t? after that they wont allow you... is that right? ive been reading and ppl have swapped out 3 already! how is that so? if thats the case i hope when i get my captivate i can do the same
After 6+ years with a Windows Smart Phone (1st MPX220) I see the platform is dead and I have to go elsewhere. I am thinking of going to the Captivate. I like the new BB also but I am not sure if I want a crack berry. I think the Captivate will be more fun to have in the long run.
The cheapest I can find the phone with a 2 extention and keeping my old plan is Best Buy for $149 plus a $30 one time credit to my account.
I am wondering how to get I get all my texts and info from my old phone to my new phone. I have used PPCPIMbackup when doing firmware updates to my phone to back up all my info. Does this work with Captivate also? I am not sure because of the different OS.
I have never had a phone with out a keypad. This will be new for me. I wish I could have a phone with one. I see having a nice slim phone will also be nice. I think the keyless pads is how all phones exept for BB will be very soon.
Does anyone have any good tips or information before I go over to this phone? I know going from a Windows phone to this is going to be very different.
Thanks,
Swype makes everything all good.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I'm using the xda app so can't see your sig, what phone are you coming from? I've used winmo for about 2 yrs and love this phone. Not sure how to copy things over, seen alot of posts with problems. Best I've seen is manually enter em in google and sync that way. I just used my sim card. Didn't have a bunch of special contact info to copy.
From a phone on an app
I am coming form the Samsung Epix.
Anyone know if the PPCPIMbackup software will work on getting my old texts to my new phone?
veener79 said:
I am coming form the Samsung Epix.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also migrated from the Epix... you will not be sorry. With regard to your question about transfering texts, generally anything is possible in Android, and a quick google search confirms this:
http://www.google.com/search?q=transfer+texts+from+windows+mobile+to+android&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=
veener79 said:
I am coming form the Samsung Epix.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I gave up on my Epix. Were you one of the lucky ones?
The Captivate is a wonderful phone, if you don't mind waiting for a GPS fix.
My own experience: I was concerned about the lack of a physical keyboard, but found that swype makes things easy. However, I am more frustrated that I expected at the lack of really good business applications in android (I am waiting for Pocket Informant android, specifically). Also, if you use Outlook, you may have some frustration with syncing.
There is certainly no android phone to compare on ATT.
Thank you for the link. Looking over this site the only issues I see is with GPS on this phone. Is that about correct? Also it looks like it will get the 2.2 upgrade?
Kanzeon said:
I gave up on my Epix. Were you one of the lucky ones?
The Captivate is a wonderful phone, if you don't mind waiting for a GPS fix.
My own experience: I was concerned about the lack of a physical keyboard, but found that swype makes things easy. However, I am more frustrated that I expected at the lack of really good business applications in android (I am waiting for Pocket Informant android, specifically). Also, if you use Outlook, you may have some frustration with syncing.
There is certainly no android phone to compare on ATT.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After ATT sent me my 4th or 5th phone I was doing better because it did not have the ID1 update. I kept on using firmware updates from this site to make the phone better. After the 6.5 update came out and the phone still was not right I gave up. GPS is still a issue but not like ID1. My texts and e-mail keep on crashing on it. I have not been able to update my hotmail via Live for over a week. Every time I close out of my texts it locks ups for about 20sec to a minute or two. I have finaly given up. Now my battery is only lasting about 2 days on standby. After about 1 hour long call I go though about 40% battery. I am just happy I can start doing a upgrade now.
I just hope the GPS fix comes soon for this new phone.
veener79 said:
Thank you for the link. Looking over this site the only issues I see is with GPS on this phone. Is that about correct? Also it looks like it will get the 2.2 upgrade?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, GPS is not fully functional at this point, but it appears that Samsung is working on correcting the problem. 2.2 is in the works, but no word yet on when it will be released for the Captivate... best estimates seem to shoot for 1-2 months from now.
The gps works well for me with the update. It just takes longer than what I was used to wth the iphone. I get a solid lock in 30 seconds.
k2snowboards88 said:
The gps works well for me with the update. It just takes longer than what I was used to wth the iphone. I get a solid lock in 30 seconds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Excuse me, *for some*, GPS is not fully functional.
For the most part the captivate is great. Just needs a little bit of tweaking here and there. Gps is pretty much b0rked at the moment. Til Samsung gives us an actual fix. Or we find one. Gps can lock somtimes but it will jump around a lot or lose the fix. Navigation wont work for the most part. Aside from that the phone captivate is a great choice.
OK so the GPS sounds about as good as my epix right now. I can not even get a GPS signal in the car unless I have it on the dash with nothing blocking it. If all it takes is 30 seconds to lock on I will be set. That is better then the Epix. What is up with Samsung and the GPS.
veener79 said:
...What is up with Samsung and the GPS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nobody knows for sure. Some speculate it is hardware and won't be fixed. Most of us feel it is software. It supposedly works for some people, but those that can't get it to work are dubious that the ones that work are just not hitting the right circumstances for it to fail. It actually seems to be accurate a high percentage of the time, but when it is off, it is waaaaayyyyy off. Sometimes only for a few seconds. Very inconsistent.
Samsung has indicated it will be fixed in September. Not much time left for them on that commitment.
If they don't make it by then, there will be lots of whining and griping. I'll be doing that in my mind, but plan to refrain from doing so in the forum The GPS problem is probably the single largest issue that has caused a lot of threads, and several contentious posts.
It is a great phone. Hopefully the GPS issue will have true resolution very soon.
I switched from a moto Q. To a samsung jack, used a epix for a bit as well. Got this phone a few weeks ago and have not regretted it for a second. Android and win mobile 6.5 are not even close enough to compare.
Also swype beats out any virtual or physical keypad I have ever used.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I'd SERIOUSLY wait 2 months until the Windows Phone 7 devices are out. I was at MSFT this week and got to play with a dev model for a few minutes, it does seem pretty nice. It will all really depend on what apps are available.
[email protected] said:
I'd SERIOUSLY wait 2 months until the Windows Phone 7 devices are out. I was at MSFT this week and got to play with a dev model for a few minutes, it does seem pretty nice. It will all really depend on what apps are available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My impression, personally, was that windows mobile seemed like it was as locked down as the iphone, but without all of the iphone's features and polish. In short, It seemed like the worst of both worlds. The only thing I that it has going for itself is the nice looking homescreens. That is just my initial impression though and I hope I'm wrong.
You can see my list of phones in my SIG and I know my thing when it comes to HTC and WinMo.... all those phones in that list, were me trying to find a device that ran...well.... the way my Captivate does. Even with fat thumbs I can still type on the software keyboard... I go back to my TP2 and I actually type slower. I just cant type without looking at the keyboard, one thing a software keyboard will never accomplish.
Ive been following WinMo for years, and I can tell you, this makes me never want to go back, even for WP7.
ewingr said:
Nobody knows for sure. Some speculate it is hardware and won't be fixed. Most of us feel it is software. It supposedly works for some people, but those that can't get it to work are dubious that the ones that work are just not hitting the right circumstances for it to fail. It actually seems to be accurate a high percentage of the time, but when it is off, it is waaaaayyyyy off. Sometimes only for a few seconds. Very inconsistent.
Samsung has indicated it will be fixed in September. Not much time left for them on that commitment.
If they don't make it by then, there will be lots of whining and griping. I'll be doing that in my mind, but plan to refrain from doing so in the forum The GPS problem is probably the single largest issue that has caused a lot of threads, and several contentious posts.
It is a great phone. Hopefully the GPS issue will have true resolution very soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok I got the phone on the way home.
I am likeing it a lot all ready. I used Travel for the GPS app. That thing worked great. I hope maybe I got a good one. Before I did anything on the phone I did the software update. I am going to play with it for a little and see what else if great. I do love the voice activated things. That is great.
veener79 said:
Ok I got the phone on the way home.
I am likeing it a lot all ready. I used Travel for the GPS app. That thing worked great. I hope maybe I got a good one. Before I did anything on the phone I did the software update. I am going to play with it for a little and see what else if great. I do love the voice activated things. That is great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I came from a HTC Tilt, which had HORRIBLE GPS. I was able to get a great Froyo ROM in it and had a ton of time to play with it before I got the Captivate. The learning curve is very low for basic operation. It'll take a bit of research to get the rooting/sideloading etc down. Most everyone here is fantastic at helping out and I've gotten some excellent advice from people on how to mod my Captivate. Coming from a WinMo phone to this one, I HIGHLY doubt you'll be disappointed
Hi,
I need some help to decide.
Should I buy this phone now or wait for later this year, or even maybe 2011(witch is to long time waiting).
Currently I own a Xperia X10(tired of this phone, no software update, captivate has way better screen) on Tmobile, and moving to ATT would be good I think.
Plan difference is not so big besides the cap limit on internet.
Please help, I will sell my Xperia X10, to have money ready for a new phone.
Thanks.
nj777 said:
Hi,
I need some help to decide.
Should I buy this phone now or wait for later this year, or even maybe 2011(witch is to long time waiting).
Currently I own a Xperia X10(tired of this phone, no software update, captivate has way better screen) on Tmobile, and moving to ATT would be good I think.
Plan difference is not so big besides the cap limit on internet.
Please help, I will sell my Xperia X10, to have money ready for a new phone.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well honestly it is really up to you. I don't think the community should decide for you. Would the possibility of having a non working GPS bother you? Would the possibility of having a phone that randomly shut down bother you? ( then you'd have to deal with AT&T warranty and such ) Those are some examples of problems that you should consider about. Samsung is known for having ****ty customer service and lack of updates. You see, the latest OTA update that we received were supposed to fix GPS problems... but it didn't... so... * shrug *
Don't get me wrong, I love my phone. It's just that samsung frustrates me at times because of their incompetence.
How about...would I if I were you...
I don't have the Xperia..but did have the Hero..and they are fairly close..
I look at it like this..as much as I loved my Hero with CM6 over clocked to 768mhz and all the themes and goodies...I wouldn't go back. I don't depend on my gps in my telephone to make my life easier..If you do..then you might want to wait..but..know this..You can copy Walmart's info from the web for the Captivate and go into a ATT store and walk out with one for $59.00.
As too the random shut downs..I'm running bare bones stock...I've had my phone on solid since last Thursday and have loaded and played 5 HD movies on it..talked for about 200 hours and sent about 30 text messages..and not one blip/fc/shutdown or anything else..Also..I told the sales lady I wanted one where it would do the 3 button recovery..She Googled it to see what I was talking about and said ok..no problem..Mine worked first time..but had to open the 7th box to get one that did for the wife.Both of ours works great..and the GPS isn't real bad..I lock on to about 8-10 sats under 10 seconds with mine..the wifes is about the same..
If it were me..Hell yes..I love this phone..
Mac
The leaked froyo sure is nice though. I haven't had any random shut down issues unless I let the phone stay on the charger to long and then it will only shut down when its sitting without being used.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Um, not to be a hater here but....
This was the only high end android device that ATT had. All the other phone s the carrier offers besides the Aria is a joke.
I feel very lucky that XDA and Design Gears is around or I would have a completely useless device. No way would I recommend this phone to John Q Public.
There are too many awesome devices out that work. Sure the screen is awesome and its fast as hell. But it is laden with bugs and took folks in this community to get it to run.
Couple that with Samsung's track record? I would recommend getting another device. Most likely an HTC.
Of course with all that being said... I love my phone and wouldn't trade it for any other on the market today...... Until the next shiny new device comes out.
With my phone using Cognition, because it just runs better.
avgjoegeek said:
Um, not to be a hater here but....
This was the only high end android device that ATT had. All the other phone s the carrier offers besides the Aria is a joke.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you meaning to tell me that the Moto Backflip is not a quality phone?! /sarcasm
Thanks for all your sugesstions,
A reply to second post: I am not looking for someone to pic a phone for me, I was trying to get information if there is a better choice comparable to Captivate and better than Xperia. And I didn't find any better device at this time or any confirmed device that would be available later. Sorry if I didn't express myself clearly.
As for Gps issue I know, trouth to be told I don't really use it so no big deal there, as for restarts and lag Captivate is not the only one doing that, my X10 does it to, I noticed it based on ever root or updates, mostly I think it's from incompatible software And hardware, even my Windows and Mac does that. My wife's IPhone 3GS does that too when using it too much and having to many apps xD.
So, are there any shortlly upcoming devices I should know? My google research didn't get far, maybe there is anyone with more information about it.
Thank you, I appreciet all your opinions
better but comparable to captivate, hmmm the g2 from t-mobile. thats about it. no other phone has the 3d procesing of a galaxy s. but some are faster at other things. the g2 is very fast across the board.
snapdragon htc phones have bad battery life, the aria has too small of a battery. i had one it had alot of features but the screen was too small and no battery life, its basically a hero with android 2.1. so other than the g2 that leaves motorola phones that are only on verizon and have less performance than the g2.
i like the captivate but i think i would also like a g2.
nj777 said:
Hi,
I need some help to decide.
Should I buy this phone now or wait for later this year, or even maybe 2011(witch is to long time waiting).
Currently I own a Xperia X10(tired of this phone, no software update, captivate has way better screen) on Tmobile, and moving to ATT would be good I think.
Plan difference is not so big besides the cap limit on internet.
Please help, I will sell my Xperia X10, to have money ready for a new phone.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would and did and don't have an ounce of regret. I have learned so much in the past few weeks which is empowering when it comes to choosing and flashing ROMS. My expectations from a $500 device that does so much is very low so I am rarely disappointed.
My GPS works to around 30 meters. Good enough. The Music player is phenomenal even through the stock buds.(and I normally use Westone 3s and ETY 4s) I have never seen such a customizable device and fool proof as well IF you take the time to really understand and follow directions
Read the later parts of long threads so you don't get into the middle error area where issues are resolved. Don't be afraid to ask questions after you look for an answer. It is a very friendly forum. Very few "self appointed forum cops"
I would not wait. get the JH6 and begin playing with ROMS and recovery. When the official 2.2 comes out you won't be afraid to burn a better cooked Cognition ROM of it later.
There will be bugs...There are always bugs......
i say get it, i went from the fuze to the captivate and im never looking back, couldnt be happier
If I were you, I will wait probably... X10 is a great device, but i dont know if they are going to release update... I will stick with X10, and change to a better phone next year... samsung is too ****ty, dont get ur hand with them if u can... also, dont even try to get att, they are ****ty too...
if u want, sell ur X10 and buy a vibrant...
im with att because they are the only carrier with rollover... and i have captivate because its the best android on att
Foxy Roxy said:
Well honestly it is really up to you. I don't think the community should decide for you. Would the possibility of having a non working GPS bother you? Would the possibility of having a phone that randomly shut down bother you? ( then you'd have to deal with AT&T warranty and such ) Those are some examples of problems that you should consider about. Samsung is known for having ****ty customer service and lack of updates. You see, the latest OTA update that we received were supposed to fix GPS problems... but it didn't... so... * shrug *
Don't get me wrong, I love my phone. It's just that samsung frustrates me at times because of their incompetence.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tHe OTA update BRICK my phone, and att/samsung are blaming each other... they sucks...
Mac11700 said:
How about...would I if I were you...
I don't have the Xperia..but did have the Hero..and they are fairly close..
I look at it like this..as much as I loved my Hero with CM6 over clocked to 768mhz and all the themes and goodies...I wouldn't go back. I don't depend on my gps in my telephone to make my life easier..If you do..then you might want to wait..but..know this..You can copy Walmart's info from the web for the Captivate and go into a ATT store and walk out with one for $59.00.
As too the random shut downs..I'm running bare bones stock...I've had my phone on solid since last Thursday and have loaded and played 5 HD movies on it..talked for about 200 hours and sent about 30 text messages..and not one blip/fc/shutdown or anything else..Also..I told the sales lady I wanted one where it would do the 3 button recovery..She Googled it to see what I was talking about and said ok..no problem..Mine worked first time..but had to open the 7th box to get one that did for the wife.Both of ours works great..and the GPS isn't real bad..I lock on to about 8-10 sats under 10 seconds with mine..the wifes is about the same..
If it were me..Hell yes..I love this phone..
Mac
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you mind to share your gps configuration?
I am one of the few or possibly not so few people who did not really have any problems with my Captivate on the android 2.1 release, and actually the 2.2 recently leaked os either.
One thing people do not appear to keep in mind that these phone are closer to a PC now than ever before with pound for pound nearly the same power house operating systems on them. With such a customizable OS on a phone like Droid its bound to have some kinks as I think alot can agree on this, most operating systems do.
That said, its not unheard of for there to be lots of updates, firmware fixes etc, and the numbers in this forum who are posting may not seem to be all that many people when you consider that there are probably far more Captivate owners out there with no issues whatsoever.
What I am saying is that this phone may have some kinks for the people posting in here but it clearly is not every captivate owner having a problem. You can go to any other forums from other sites, and even manufacturers and read hundreds of posts about nearly every phone made with problems.
Do not let the people here steer you one way or the other, but heed the notices regarding possible issues. All the reviews for this phone are not that bad at all, and there are alternative phones, but keep in mind that any galaxy s phone will most likely have the same OS and some of the same kinks. All are samsung so.
imo this is a pretty damn decent phone, it is better than my iPhone 3gs was and I am glad I dont have that pos anymore.
The GPS on my phone is pretty fast to get a signal, it was on 2.1 and 2.2 android, but I do find it to be a tad bit sensitive. Gotta leave in stationary in the open the first lock, after that it appears to maintain pretty well, and i have put it through its paces, average for me in my location for a lock on is roughly 10-45 seconds depending on occlusion.
The phones default power saving scheme to be appears to be very aggressive.
My 2 cents
If I were you, I would keep the X10. I just left my ATT Touch Pro and upgraded to a Captivate. At first i was really excited about it. The screen size, brightness, slim form-factor of the phone were awesome. A week later I am looking at the phone going is this really that much better than my Touch Pro?
All I ever used my phone for were to make calls, emails, texts and spreadsheets. Doing the same on the Captivate was better in some area's and worse in the other. Exchange support is no where near where windows phones, but that is to be expected.
I don't have any GPS issues, random shutdowns or reboots or anything, the phone just works great. Yet I still have a little remorse.
Also when the 2.2 update does come out for this, expect this to be the last update they ever make. I have had a few Samsung phones and they NEVER release a lot of updates, very few actually.
jev3gs said:
Exchange support is no where near where windows phones, but that is to be expected.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Imagine that.
To the op,
I bought the Captivate, it's not a Cappy, as my first smartphone. I have no regrets what so ever. I must also be outside the norm because I understand that it's a phone first, GPS is a luxury. It works fine for my tastes as well.
If you like to tinker, then you can't go wrong. There is a lot of support and great support at that here.
i would wait. i'm on my 3rd captivate due to either build quality issues, or gps that never fixes. i must just have the worst luck ever to have 3 phones with non working gps i guess. and for those that say its a luxury, yes to a degree it is. but you cant use poynt, places, weather apps, all sorts of things if the gps isnt working right. forget foursquare, twitter locations, geo tagging photos, etc. i depend on my phone for work, and gps is critical to me as my phone replaced my stand alone tomtom unit. and yes i know that its a phone not a dedicated gps, but i never had issues with gps with my iphone 3gs, i left that phone for other reasons however. i like the android os, like the form factor of the captivate, and really like some aspects of the touchwiz interface. but in comparison to some of the other android phones, we really dont have it all that good on ATT. no flash, no led notifications, the capcacitve buttons dont stay on very long at all, and a real lack of accessories for the device in general.
i know that you can root and use custom roms and such, but i just want my phone to work as is. 200 dollars up front plus the cost of the phone over the contract time is a lot of money to spend on a device that i have to void the warranty on in order to get it to do half of what its supposed to. i would wait and try a different phone. problem is i dont think att is too worried about getting any other android phones right now. I would almost get the aria over the captivate at this point. i wish we had a good top line android phone from motorola, or htc to compete with the captivate at this point.
Anytime you buy a product and it has a feature, you expect it to work. To say it is a phone and has GPS but it doesn't work is alright is BS. That is like buying a car and when you take it home the radio doesn't work, the wipers don't work and the dealer tells you to live with it. I don't buy that one bit.
If MFG's can't make something work in a phone when they make it, they better just leave it out then.
I will say though that i have not had any issues with my Captivate.... especially since now I am not running the ESPN widget anymore. Man that always slowed down my phone like crazy!
eclypse3demons said:
I am one of the few or possibly not so few people who did not really have any problems with my Captivate on the android 2.1 release, and actually the 2.2 recently leaked os either.
One thing people do not appear to keep in mind that these phone are closer to a PC now than ever before with pound for pound nearly the same power house operating systems on them. With such a customizable OS on a phone like Droid its bound to have some kinks as I think alot can agree on this, most operating systems do.
That said, its not unheard of for there to be lots of updates, firmware fixes etc, and the numbers in this forum who are posting may not seem to be all that many people when you consider that there are probably far more Captivate owners out there with no issues whatsoever.
What I am saying is that this phone may have some kinks for the people posting in here but it clearly is not every captivate owner having a problem. You can go to any other forums from other sites, and even manufacturers and read hundreds of posts about nearly every phone made with problems.
Do not let the people here steer you one way or the other, but heed the notices regarding possible issues. All the reviews for this phone are not that bad at all, and there are alternative phones, but keep in mind that any galaxy s phone will most likely have the same OS and some of the same kinks. All are samsung so.
imo this is a pretty damn decent phone, it is better than my iPhone 3gs was and I am glad I dont have that pos anymore.
The GPS on my phone is pretty fast to get a signal, it was on 2.1 and 2.2 android, but I do find it to be a tad bit sensitive. Gotta leave in stationary in the open the first lock, after that it appears to maintain pretty well, and i have put it through its paces, average for me in my location for a lock on is roughly 10-45 seconds depending on occlusion.
The phones default power saving scheme to be appears to be very aggressive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No you are one of the VERY VERY few....5 million sold. The "issues" people are having are directly related to their expectations. I bought two..One to experiment with and one to use while giving my wife the N97. Once I realized they were both ok and I could not brick it I loaded froyo on both , gave her one and retired the N97......
I don't expect a $500 device to lock on to GPS within a minute with 10 feet of accuracy....a few minutes and 100 feet is ok and it EXCEEDS those expectations for me....at the end of the day it WILL get you home. I made some settings adjustments and dialed it in as best I could get it. I am confident Samsung will "fix" things that are broke.
I did not expect this phone to deliver the quality of natural lighting pics and videos it does.....bat my expectations.
There is no area where this phone did not at least meet my expectations.
But then again I took what the open device gave me.......did some leading and learning and MADE it what I WANT....not what ATT or Samsung wants. At least they gave me the choice to so, JB an Apple is a joke compared to what can be done with this OS. Been there done that..
My Nokia N97 cost the same and was 1/2 the device this is.....The iPhone is a toy compared to this OS and what can be done with it.
The people who are having issues usually are not following the directions SPECIFICALLY to do things. I know because I too have been guilty of missing a step here and there and panicking LOL
The carrier is fine...T Mobile's 3G is faster...Sprint 4G is faster...Verizon is Apple's sister in control freaky......The iPhone on Verizon will be a lock down on lock down But for those who want to press and play iPhone is perfect....fast and easy.
ATT is not the best nor the worst..they are what they are. You either stay wth them or leave...Simple choice. They give some and take some...
jev3gs said:
Anytime you buy a product and it has a feature, you expect it to work. To say it is a phone and has GPS but it doesn't work is alright is BS. That is like buying a car and when you take it home the radio doesn't work, the wipers don't work and the dealer tells you to live with it. I don't buy that one bit.
If MFG's can't make something work in a phone when they make it, they better just leave it out then.
I will say though that i have not had any issues with my Captivate.... especially since now I am not running the ESPN widget anymore. Man that always slowed down my phone like crazy!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just saying it has "GPS" does not entitle it to be a good a GPS as a standalone! LOL It requires a phone to eventually lock on a satellite and get you to a destination. Which this phone does. I have Garmins in my cars. They SHOULD and do get immediate locks and tracking is perfect. They cost almost what this phone does. They don;t take video,pics, make calls...on and on.....
Some phones may have a real issue. But most of them have working hardware and SW is fixing many as well, It is just that people are fixing them themselves.....while waiting for an official fix. I fine very few posts where GPS does not work at all. More of people having to wait too long for a lock. That issue depends on so many factors it's silly to compare. Another brand may have a better GPS implimentation but be poor in other areas....
You choose a device based on it's STREGNTHS based on YOUR NEEDS...If you want a great camera you buy a Nokia N8, If you want geat GPS you buy a G2 or another camera with such.
It's not like this issues has been "hidden" I knew about it reading threads before I bought the phone but I also knew I could live without the GPS...and in all likelihood (as always) it would not be as bad as people claim......
It wasn't perfect..but it is not as bad as people claim either. It is exactly the same on both my Cappys.....when both are set the same and on the same ROM.
My two cents, get it now while you can still unlock it.
The 2.2 update will remove the file that gives you the codes for sim unlocking.
jev3gs said:
Anytime you buy a product and it has a feature, you expect it to work. To say it is a phone and has GPS but it doesn't work is alright is BS. That is like buying a car and when you take it home the radio doesn't work, the wipers don't work and the dealer tells you to live with it. I don't buy that one bit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. It may not be "broken" but the quality is definitely "sub-par" IMO.
To the OP. If you can live without having quality GPS performance and willing to spend a few hours with ATT warranty department if Samsung releases a phone with a fix (if it is hardware) then I say get it now. That's my current plan. But I've never had much trouble with AT&T's warranty department.
Despite the GPS issues, the Captivate is still my favorite Android phone. One the few I've even liked.