The OFFICIAL taking back the Captivate thread

[hayesb2]

I'm returning all 3 of my family's captivate's this week. I simply do not trust anything Samsung says. They have a very long track record of never supporting their products post-sale. Why should any of us here think they will act differently this time?

There are 3 major problems on this phone -
1) GPS
2) MMS
3) Contact Grouping

If this were any other manufacturer other than Samsung I would hold out until the issues were fixed. However, I firmly believe that Samsung is going to do what they always have, and that is simply release the fixes in a newer phone.

So who else has returned or are returning soon as well?

 

[mongstradamus]

I am giving them an week with the gps issues among other things. Yes i am quite skeptical about samsung, they seem to care more about getting galaxy s phones out to market then actually supporting them. The known gps issues has been around since original galaxy phones came out back in june. I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised but not going to hold my breath

 

[porschefan]

I am considering it, but don't want to go back to iPhone which is what I would have to do. I love Android and 90% of the Captivate, but the GPS, signal problems (3G and WiFi), and battery issues are *huge* for me. Everything else seems to work flawlessly and movies on this phone are incredible.

 

[NaplesBill]

The GPS issue is going to be addressed. There is plenty of supporting evidence that the issues are software/firmware related and will be resolved.

The Contact grouping is remedied by making sure you have a linked contact in your phone that matches what you have syncing. This can easily be done by exporting to SD after you have your phone setup and syncing with the services you need. Then you can just import the file back to the phone where it will create a local copy of the contact. This will enable you to use groups, individual ringtones and anything else that doesn't work with SNS contacts. This seems to me to be something that could be resolved but at least there is a workaround for now.

I have not had any issues with MMS at all so not sure what you mean by that. Also, the signal meter may show less bars but this phone is much better than any other phone I have used when I am in my house. It has yet to drop a call where all the others would have lost several by this point.

 

[mongstradamus]

I am considering it, but don't want to go back to iPhone which is what I would have to do. I love Android and 90% of the Captivate, but the GPS, signal problems (3G and WiFi), and battery issues are *huge* for me. Everything else seems to work flawlessly and movies on this phone are incredible.

hmm so i am not only one that has some wifi issues with the captivate. I am standing like 10 feet away from router and signal drops down 1 or 2 bars on wifi, thats really weird.

 

[jas2k9]

I had other issues (in addition to GPS). I exchanged mine for an iphone - with reservations - many in fact.

As it stands, best thing I could have done. I like the Captivate, and I also like the iphone - but I never had a smartphone before, so a lot of what others don't like about iphone, I have not yet experienced. I could easily see myself getting another android phone when both hardware and software are more mature.

 

[thindery]

The GPS issue is going to be addressed. There is plenty of supporting evidence that the issues are software/firmware related and will be resolved.

Could you please provide your evidence that the gps issue is strictly software related?

 

[NaplesBill]

Could you please provide your evidence that the gps issue is strictly software related?

It's very easy to figure out with a little common sense. If this were a hardware issue, loading a rom would not make it work (even only if for a few days). This can be done over and over. This alone points to either a memory leak or something not releasing control of the hardware (also a software/driver issue).

I am not going to argue with anyone about this but the evidence is there and fairly obvious to anyone with experience dealing with configuration/driver/software issues.

I have tested this with my own Captivate via the i9000 rom. I can load this rom on my phone (albeit with some other annoyances) and my GPS works almost flawlessly. As soon as I put the stock rom back on, GPS issues come back. Going back to the i9000 (yes, I have actually gone through all of this) provides a working GPS once again.

If this were a hardware issue, none of this would be the case.

 

[porschefan]

hmm so i am not only one that has some wifi issues with the captivate. I am standing like 10 feet away from router and signal drops down 1 or 2 bars on wifi, thats really weird.

So I was updating my wife's iPhone 3G (non-S) just yesterday and was sitting in a chair in our kitchen with both devices in hand. I have an AT&T MicroCell and a NetGear access point both not more than 50' from that chair. The iPhone showed a full five bars on wifi and 3G and the Captivate was substantially less than that and bounced around a lot while sitting in the exact same chair.

Now with that said and as others have mentioned, I don't seem to drop calls more often than I did with the iPhone (althrough I don't think it's better either), but WiFi in particular is definitely worse and you can tell when updating apps through the marketplace with either data path (lots of pauses and retries). Just like with the iPhone 4 (but not the 3G or 3GS I have), I have noticed hand placement definitely makes a difference as well.

I really don't want to take this phone back and am trying to deperately trying to convince myself that Samsung/AT&T will update it quickly, but I am not as confident as others in this forum in either parties ability to do this in a timely fashion.

 

[cabsnow]

So I was updating my wife's iPhone 3G (non-S) just yesterday and was sitting in a chair in our kitchen with both devices in hand. I have an AT&T MicroCell and a NetGear access point both not more than 50' from that chair. The iPhone showed a full five bars on wifi and 3G and the Captivate was substantially less than that and bounced around a lot while sitting in the exact same chair.

Now with that said and as others have mentioned, I don't seem to drop calls more often than I did with the iPhone (althrough I don't think it's better either), but WiFi in particular is definitely worse and you can tell when updating apps through the marketplace with either data path (lots of pauses and retries). Just like with the iPhone 4 (but not the 3G or 3GS I have), I have noticed hand placement definitely makes a difference as well.

I really don't want to take this phone back and am trying to deperately trying to convince myself that Samsung/AT&T will update it quickly, but I am not as confident as others in this forum in either parties ability to do this in a timely fashion.

You do realize the each malefactor shows different bars for different signal strengths? Also ios 4.0 or 4.01? Another change in bar categories. The bars don't mean crap if the phone data speed is good and doesn't drop calls what's the difference in the signal strength?

 

[mongstradamus]

well my view on potential update is its not going to be coming out before epic and fascinate are out for vzw and sprint . They will probably address the gps issues then if they do at all .

 

[s919rider]

I had the Captivate for 3 weeks, returned it, gladly paying the $35 restocking fee. I also have the AT&T Aria and iPhone 3GS.

The GPS debacle on my Captivate was the deciding factor, causing me to return the phone. If the GPS would have worked, I would have kept as my primary handset.

Currently between the 3GS and the Aria, the Aria is my phone of choice. I just side loaded Swype text input onto the Aria this morning, and the Aria's GPS is always spot on.

I have an unlocked HTC Desire arriving in the mail in a couple days. Want to play with it, check it out. I will most likely return the Desire as it will probably not access AT&T's 3G network.

Aria over Captivate was my choice, FWIW.

EDIT 8/15/10 - Bought another Captivate (after taking my first one back). Hoping the first one was just a "lemon" regarding GPS. Nope. This second one, just as bad. News from Samsung, an update to fix the GPS issue is coming out in September.

 

[lwendt33]

If you run GPS Test (which you can get off the marketplace) then open up navigatino, the GPS will work fine. GPS test initials or fixes the software issue. I have tested this several times and it always works.

Could you please provide your evidence that the gps issue is strictly software related?

 

[ranova]

If you run GPS Test (which you can get off the marketplace) then open up navigatino, the GPS will work fine. GPS test initials or fixes the software issue. I have tested this several times and it always works.

that helps get a lock-on quicker, but does not help the phone maintain an accurate lock at all times while in movement..

Yes, there is a GPS problem and I don't think Samsung will drop the ball on releasing an update for it since it affects every Galaxy S user.

The bars for reception and wifi are a different matter; their equation for the number of bars to reception is different than other phones (such as the iphone pre-4.0.1). Even with zero bars, you can still maintain a full call and get fast 3g speeds. I have had zero problems with signal for reception or wifi.

I have not heard of any MMS issue, as I use google voice anyways.

Battery life, for me, is A LOT better now. I can last over a day without charging easily.

I came from 3 years of using every iPhone (including iPhone 4), and the problems are not large enough to make me want to switch back to a walled garden. I am keeping confident that Samsung fixes the GPS issue, as its the primary concern for many people

 

[Jack45]

I simply do not trust anything Samsung says. They have a very long track record of never supporting their products post-sale. Why should any of us here think they will act differently this time?

My question is very basic. In light of the above excerpt from your original comment, why in the world did you get a single Samsung product, no less three?

 

[porschefan]

You do realize the each malefactor shows different bars for different signal strengths? Also ios 4.0 or 4.01? Another change in bar categories. The bars don't mean crap if the phone data speed is good and doesn't drop calls what's the difference in the signal strength?

Yup, absolutely understand that bars don't mean diddley, but failed downloads and retries do and that's what I go by. I even have failed SMS sends fairly often (10% perhaps) sitting not 4 feet from the MicroCell.

On the iOS front, we actually haven't moved to 4.x yet, so it was whatever the last 3.x rev was.

 

[DT]

Could you please provide your evidence that the gps issue is strictly software related?

Well, according to a couple of sources, the GPS is integrated into a Broadcom 4751, which is also a variant of the chip in use on the iPhone 4 (BCM4750).

I think given that the hardware implementation is pretty common, it's something between the hardware and OS/software layer.

I also have some experience with instrumentation software (waste water systems), and it's pretty easy to build in scales/tolerances or have poorely implemented APIs that cause issues that appear to be hardware related.

 

[BigCiX]

No matter if the GPS gets fixed or not.....I'm not going back to apple. The captivate is a fun phone and I'm sure samsung will put out an update. This phone is to important for them to loose consumers.

 

[DT]

No matter if the GPS gets fixed or not.....I'm not going back to apple. The captivate is a fun phone and I'm sure samsung will put out an update. This phone is to important for them to loose consumers.

Yeah, I mean at this point in time, if you want an extensible, fun, flexible smartphone, the options are Apple/iOS or Android and for me (since my GPS seems pretty solid), going back to closed/constrained/iTunes/Apple isn't really an option so I'm OK with hanging tough with this Samsung product (on AT&T).

I'm able to customize, send/receive email (and gmail), sync my calendars, get nav/maps and make use of a couple of dozen other services.

 

[Terrigno]

No matter if the GPS gets fixed or not.....I'm not going back to apple. The captivate is a fun phone and I'm sure samsung will put out an update. This phone is to important for them to loose consumers.

I have to agree. Im sure they will drop a release for a fix. If its one thing customers wont complain about, its another. Im sure if the GPS, MMS and other things all were fixed, we are going to be looking for something else to pick at. Point blank, the phone is awesome. Thats the bottom line. And no, Stone Cold didnt say so lol

 

[skinien]

My question is very basic. In light of the above excerpt from your original comment, why in the world did you get a single Samsung product, no less three?

hahahaha... VERY good point.

 

[Intervenient]

It really is a shame that Samsung produced such an amazing phone, and doesn't have the desire to support it. I look at my Captivate all the time and think how sad it is that I have to take it back, because it truly is a great phone. Hopefully AT&T will get some HTC phones next year, and all my problems with Android will be fixed by then.

 

[skinien]

How is everyone coming to the conclusion that they aren't supporting the phone? They have dedicated accounts JUST to support the Galaxy S line of phones and they have also confirmed that they are working on the GPS issue and will provide a software update asap.

Twitter: SamsungService
Twitter: GalaxySsupport
Samsung Galaxy S - Help

Considering this phone is world wide, is available for the big four carriers in the US, and Samsung isn't exactly a mom-n-pop phone manufacturer, I believe that they're serious when they say they are working on it.

Software isn't exactly trivial to fix. Even if they already have the GPS fix at hand, it is likely that they are wrapping more than that one fix in a software update. Even if they are not, it takes thorough testing to release the fix. The WORST thing they can do is release a software update that didn't necessarily correct all of the GPS functionality.

 

[mongstradamus]

How is everyone coming to the conclusion that they aren't supporting the phone? They have dedicated accounts JUST to support the Galaxy S line of phones and they have also confirmed that they are working on the GPS issue and will provide a software update asap.

Twitter: SamsungService
Twitter: GalaxySsupport
Samsung Galaxy S - Help

Considering this phone is world wide, is available for the big four carriers in the US, and Samsung isn't exactly a mom-n-pop phone manufacturer, I believe that they're serious when they say they are working on it.

Software isn't exactly trivial to fix. Even if they already have the GPS fix at hand, it is likely that they are wrapping more than that one fix in a software update. Even if they are not, it takes thorough testing to release the fix. The WORST thing they can do is release a software update that didn't necessarily correct all of the GPS functionality.

I think the hesitancy people have with samsung is their promise of supporting the behold II , which was an android phone , and they didnt. Also the phone has been out outside US before it was released on ATT and Tmobile, and samsung never addressed the issue.

 

[CrimsonPride]

im just going to say it, i am tired of people crying. yes there is a gps problem, samsung admitted it, they gave an official statement saying they will fix it, i believe they said in september. if you cannot wait that long then by all means return it, dont feel the need to tell us all.

now part 2, from what i hear the mms problem is not from samsung its an att problem, go to att and tell them you cannot send mms and see if they can do anything, if not and you play to use it alot then by all means take it back, dont feel the need to tell us all.

and finally i have no clue what the contact grouping problem is, but if you use it alot and have a problem then by all means return it, do not feel the need to tell us all