Help What are missing

[AllThingsPure]

The Samsung Galaxy S/Android is a very nice phone. However, some basic features which are are used to have on basic cell phones for the last decade are missing from the original manufacturer:

a. Alarm waking up, even if the phone is switched off.
b. A stronger vibrator.
c. A separate ring tone for SMS.
d. A map application that works without needing a data connection.
e. A file browser.

Otherwise it is a very good phone, especially the OLED screen.

Thanks.

 

[nedamdam]

d. A map application that works without needing a data connection.
e. A file browser.
Thanks.

Just to these 2

d. Tell me which phone has this? I know about many with TESTING periods, after which they die off in some functionality. And this is standard with all Android phones? If you want an map application without data connection you have to download one, there are plenty out there even free ones.

e. Again, download one? However I believe there is a file browser... "My files"

 

[swipermusic]

In answer to b. Change vibration intensity in sound notifications.
c. Use zedge/tone picker to select any sms tone you like - simples!

 

[AllThingsPure]

d. Tell me which phone has this? I know about many with TESTING periods, after which they die off in some functionality. And this is standard with all Android phones? If you want an map application without data connection you have to download one, there are plenty out there even free ones.

e. Again, download one? However I believe there is a file browser... "My files"

d. For example the three-year old Nokia E-71. Before I take a plane, I download the map of the city I am going to. Data on roaming is prohibitively expensive. Five minutes of data would allow me to buy a few high-end dedicated GPS navigation devices.

e. My Files can see only some files on the SD card.

 

[AllThingsPure]

In answer to b. Change vibration intensity in sound notifications.
c. Use zedge/tone picker to select any sms tone you like - simples!

b. Vibration intensity is only for Haptic feedback, not for ring tone. Right now, when the phone is in my pocket, I miss the vibration 90% of the time. Didn't happen with any of my Nokia phones for the past ten years, in the same pocket.

c. On my Galaxy S I see only one Notification ring tone for SMS, mail, reminders, SD card, etc. Is there a way to make SMS different?

 

[swipermusic]

Download tone picker and you can use any tone you like for sms, or pick one of the hundreds in zedge.

 

[GalaxyTDM]

c. On my Galaxy S I see only one Notification ring tone for SMS, mail, reminders, SD card, etc. Is there a way to make SMS different?

Go to messaging>menu>settings>select ringtone.

 

[nedamdam]

d. For example the three-year old Nokia E-71. Before I take a plane, I download the map of the city I am going to. Data on roaming is prohibitively expensive. Five minutes of data would allow me to buy a few high-end dedicated GPS navigation devices.

e. My Files can see only some files on the SD card.

And what did you not understand on "download from the market" .... ? Seriously? You can download on your 3 year old nokia phone the map, but the Galaxy is flawed? (Cuz you have to do the same as on the 3 year old nokia phone?)

uf

 

[AllThingsPure]

And what did you not understand on "download from the market" .... ? Seriously? You can download on your 3 year old nokia phone the map, but the Galaxy is flawed? (Cuz you have to do the same as on the 3 year old nokia phone?)

uf

I paid not a small sum for the Galaxy S with a GPS receiver. It wouldn't be too much to expect that Samsung provide maps for the GPS receiver, just like Nokia provide maps for all its phones.

There is a BIG problem with downloading from Market. They are not endorsed by the phone manufacturer, Samsung. I don't know whether they are viruses or trojans. And I can't find one app that provides maps for all major cities like Nokia Maps. I did a search for "offline maps" and I get one for Barcelona, one Hong Kong Explorer, Warsaw Travel Guid, etc. I don't see one for Beijing. Do you expect me to spend three hours searching for something and not finding it? Do you like to use a different application for every different city you go to? The convenience of something like Nokia maps is totally missing. It's not a technology issue. All the maps are there.

The whole idea of GPS and maps is convenience and productivity. I want something that is always there and not a science project. And I don't want to spend $1,000 on roaming data charges per day.

 

[swipermusic]

Sounds to me like you would be better off selling your phone and buying a Nokia, you obviously are not appreciating its qualities.

 

[AllThingsPure]

Please read my very original post.

You are avoiding the issues I have raised.

 

[AllThingsPure]

Don't get me wrong. Google can still play Big Brother and have me report to Mountain View every time I move 5 meters when I use Google Maps. But it is not necessary to download the map data every time I scroll the screen. Why can't I download the maps when I am at home and have me report my positions only when I move. That is a fairer price to pay for the "free" software.

 

[goyal.sanchit]

a. Alarm waking up, even if the phone is switched off.
b. A stronger vibrator.
c. A separate ring tone for SMS.
d. A map application that works without needing a data connection.
e. A file browser.

A.) Agreed.

B.) I guess there is a setting to change vibration intenstiy but I would have to double check to see if it is *only* for haptic feedback.

C.) Never faced any problem there.

D.) Agreed. It should have had one just like Nokia or the HTC.

E.) My files work well and I dont know what kind of files are you talking about which it doesnt display!

 

[cooldool]

I don't face any problem with samsung galaxy s I900 , as pre-owner of Iphone, nokia, sonyerricson ...ect , but I think I miss something I loved " no camera flash :S "

Everything else are PERFECT

my opinion

 

[mattuhh]

The Samsung Galaxy S/Android is a very nice phone. However, some basic features which are are used to have on basic cell phones for the last decade are missing from the original manufacturer:

a. Alarm waking up, even if the phone is switched off.
b. A stronger vibrator.
c. A separate ring tone for SMS.
d. A map application that works without needing a data connection.
e. A file browser.

Otherwise it is a very good phone, especially the OLED screen.

Thanks.

hey,
A couple of good points there,

A: I never really turn my phone off, so I didn't know about that but it could be annoying for some.

B: you can adjust the vibration intensity, on froyo it's in menu>settings>sound>vibration intensity.

C: you can change your message ringtone. open text messages then menu>settings>select ringtone

D: The thing you have to understand about maps is that they take up alot of space, and most people either don't have the free space, or don't want to use up the free space to install maps for an entire country when they will only use a few square miles, my old HTC windows phone has Tomtom satnav, and half of the 2 gig memory card in the phone is filled with the maps for the whole of the UK. Obviously I won't use hardly any of these maps, and although it doesn't bother me now as I only use that phone as satnav, it was a bit of a memory hog when it was my main phone.
The way around this is to download the current locations maps 'on the fly', this is helpful in two ways:
1) to save storage space on the handset, and
2) you will get the most up to date version of the maps for the area you are in. Of course the main drawback to this is if you don't have a good data plan you could end up paying alot for this service. It's swings and roundabouts really, and either way you won't ever be able to please everyone.

E: In the applications draw/folder there is a icon of a folder, called 'My files'. This is the built in file/folder browser.

I hope these few things don't put you off the Galaxy S, as pretty much every android phone you can buy will probably have exactly the same issues. The SGS really is an amazing bit of kit, and the pro's certainly outweigh the cons.

 

[AllThingsPure]

D: The thing you have to understand about maps is that they take up alot of space, and most people either don't have the free space,

Thanks Mattuhh for your feedback. I would like to present a different point of view regarding storage. A micro SD card will probably give you $0.003 per MB. Compared with $10 per MB for roaming data charges, that's a 3,000 times price difference. Not to mention that downloading on the fly is repeated costs even for the same area, subject to whatever mercies caching might give you.

Most people don't need maps when they are at home. Maps are most needed when you are out of town, outside your home network, in a foreign place, with a foreign language, where you don't even know where to buy a paper map if you want one.

My previous experience with a Nokia phone is that maps turn it into a very powerful and convenient tool with immense benefits. Hardware wise the Galaxy S is probably 10X better than my old Nokia, but sadly I will have to borrow my daughter's Nokia whenever I have to travel.

 

[nedamdam]

Give it a rest already man. Those theories you present (comparing apples with nasal drops)... and your attitude...if you just would download something already and be over with it?.

As I said earlier. Just download something.

Nokia maps arent free. As I said the die off in functionality. If you wanna do the price/mb thing download pls iGo, or some other gps navigation for android there are plenty of it . They go about 50-60-70 dollars... soo much cheaper as your 3 000 dollar charge...

 

[ayongkot]

Thanks Mattuhh for your feedback. I would like to present a different point of view regarding storage. A micro SD card will probably give you $0.003 per MB. Compared with $10 per MB for roaming data charges, that's a 3,000 times price difference. Not to mention that downloading on the fly is repeated costs even for the same area, subject to whatever mercies caching might give you.

Most people don't need maps when they are at home. Maps are most needed when you are out of town, outside your home network, in a foreign place, with a foreign language, where you don't even know where to buy a paper map if you want one.

My previous experience with a Nokia phone is that maps turn it into a very powerful and convenient tool with immense benefits. Hardware wise the Galaxy S is probably 10X better than my old Nokia, but sadly I will have to borrow my daughter's Nokia whenever I have to travel.

navigon works perfectly on my galaxy.

 

[tempest7]

d. For example the three-year old Nokia E-71. Before I take a plane, I download the map of the city I am going to. Data on roaming is prohibitively expensive. Five minutes of data would allow me to buy a few high-end dedicated GPS navigation devices.

e. My Files can see only some files on the SD card.

Google map it, screen capture, store on your ample 16 Gig storage space and use it like the traditional maps.

 

[AllThingsPure]

Google map it, screen capture, store on your ample 16 Gig storage space and use it like the traditional maps.

tempest7, thanks for the suggestion. This seems like a workable fallback solution. But it wouldn't make use of the GPS receiver. Back to manual navigation skills. But definitely a good backup when all else are down.

 

[Blue1k]

My only question is why would you want GPS maps without a data connection for navigation? Have you tried using a mobile GPS unit without assisted GPS and a wireless conneciton? I remember I tried that on my N95 and E71 and it was brutally slow at responding to direction changes with only GPS enabled (and no wireless connections).

 

[emoshurchak]

d.

e. My Files can see only some files on the SD card.

You can set My Files to display hidden files and show file extensions:
Menu -> More -> Settings -> Show hidden files / Show file extension

You might also download ASTRO File Manager which many people prefer.

 

[Shabibbles]

b. Vibration intensity is only for Haptic feedback, not for ring tone. Right now, when the phone is in my pocket, I miss the vibration 90% of the time. Didn't happen with any of my Nokia phones for the past ten years, in the same pocket.

c. On my Galaxy S I see only one Notification ring tone for SMS, mail, reminders, SD card, etc. Is there a way to make SMS different?

When in the SMS application (the standard one has it) hit the menu button (bottome right) an go to settings.

 

[AllThingsPure]

My only question is why would you want GPS maps without a data connection for navigation? Have you tried using a mobile GPS unit without assisted GPS and a wireless conneciton? I remember I tried that on my N95 and E71 and it was brutally slow at responding to direction changes with only GPS enabled (and no wireless connections).

There is a misunderstanding here.

GPS is more than 20 years old. But GPS on mobile phones is only a recent addition.

GPS uses a very long code to survive under harsh conditions. The bit rate is therefore (relatively) very low. To cut a long story short, the size of the integer used causes the ephemeris data to indistinguishable every 300km. Thus without any external references, ie a cold start, a GPS receiver would under ideal conditions take 12.5 minutes to lock in to the correct satellites in view.

Most GPS receivers ask you to enter something, eg date, continent, country, etc, to shorten the synchronization time.

In mobile phones, the so-called Network Assisted GPS either uses the UMTS location service to get your rough position OR it pings a server using the Internet and your IP address gives the rough position, to speed up GPS synchronization. On my E71, with Network Assist, synchronization takes 10 seconds consistently. Without it, it took as long as 25 minutes.

Once locked, the GPS receiver is, well, a GPS receiver. The accuracy or rate of update depends on the quality of the unit, not on whether there is a data connection or not.

The data connection I mentioned above is for the download of maps, something which I have explained is not technically necessary but which Google chooses to do.

Hope this clarifies.

 

[suuungkim]

If you don't trust any apps on the market, then I suggest you find yourself a new phone.