Help Cannot feel vibration in my pocket

[SteveH647]

Hi everyone,


I would like to ask a favor from as many of you as possible, especially those of you that think your phone is "perfect." Please try the following steps.

1. Turn your Verizon GN on vibrate
2. If you have a case on the GN, take it off
3. Put the GN in your SIDE pocket with the screen facing your leg
   (do NOT put it in a holster and do NOT just hold it in your hand. It HAS to be in your SIDE pocket)
4. Have a friend call you or call yourself with another phone
5. Can you feel it vibrating against your leg?

I have found that I can easily feel the vibrate when it's in my hands, but it is impossible to feel in my pocket. When I perform the synthetic test above, I cannot not feel the phone even if I am expecting the call. This is all while standing or sitting still. I also had a tech at a Verizon corp store perform the same test on some GNexes there and he couldn't feel any of them. You can see my post about it at Issue 23397 - android - Galaxy Nexus vibration intensity poor, can barely feel - Android - An Open Handset Alliance Project - Google Project Hosting (quoted below)

Went to my local corporate Verizon store today (Framingham, MA). They tested 3 phones (1 was a floor model and 2 were owned by employees). All 3 had similar vibration intensity to mine and felt great in the hand. One of the employee's tested the two employee owned phones in his pocket and could not feel the vibration at all against his leg, but when he put his hand in his pocket to check he could clearly tell the phone was vibrating. Based on this, the store reps and I agreed that it is a design flaw with all Galaxy Nexus phones and not just an isolated incident.

Based on being able to feel it in your hand but not in your pocket, I believe the FREQUENCY of the vibration is too high. As most engineers know, higher frequencies do not penetrate as far. When it is in your pocket, the higher frequency vibrate is being absorbed by the fabric separating the phone from your leg.

I seriously hope that this can be fixed in software but have a real fear that it is a hardware issue. If it IS, in fact, a software issue, I would think it is at the driver level. I'm curious whether Google is responsible for low-level drivers or if that's actually Samsung's job.

 

[Deleted User]

I can feel it without a problem. Actually, my ringer is never on so if I couldn't feel it in all of my pants and in most scenarios, I would miss calls constantly. I can even feel it standing up so that my pocket is not pressed right against my leg.

 

[jkc120]

What if you put it in your pocket with the screen away from your leg? I had the same problem when I had the screen facing my leg, but putting it the other way, it was a bit better. Still hard for me to feel and I did miss a couple of calls and notifications but it wasn't a big deal for me. I think it is easier to feel with smaller pockets/tighter pants, too. I had baggy cargo pants on and that was the worst. But with jeans I could feel it, but barely and if I was otherwise preoccupied, I wouldn't feel it. :/

 

[SteveH647]

What if you put it in your pocket with the screen away from your leg? I had the same problem when I had the screen facing my leg, but putting it the other way, it was a bit better. Still hard for me to feel and I did miss a couple of calls and notifications but it wasn't a big deal for me. I think it is easier to feel with smaller pockets/tighter pants, too. I had baggy cargo pants on and that was the worst. But with jeans I could feel it, but barely and if I was otherwise preoccupied, I wouldn't feel it. :/

You're right, turning the phone around does help when sitting. Once I stand up, it's still extremely weak. Turning it around is also a problem for me because I keep my keys in the same pocket. And yes, the pants I wear are relatively baggy because I find that's what's most comfortable for me.

 

[SteveH647]

I can feel it without a problem. Actually, my ringer is never on so if I couldn't feel it in all of my pants and in most scenarios, I would miss calls constantly. I can even feel it standing up so that my pocket is not pressed right against my leg.

Are you wearing baggy pants?

 

[tarponbeach]

are you wearing baggy pants?

lol

 

[Deleted User]

Are you wearing baggy pants?

I wear clothes that fit. Not tight, but they fit me.

 

[ska.t73]

I just tried this and had no problem feeling the vibration. I will agree it isn't as strong as some other phones I've had (let's be honest the TBolt could use a bit LESS vibration lol), but I was able to feel it. I always have my phone on vibrate and will occationally miss a notification or a call, however this has happened to me accross all phones and I attribute it to me mentally blocking it out.

 

[jkc120]

I always have my phone on vibrate and will occationally miss a notification or a call,

I felt the vibration on the Incredible was quite strong, too, but I would STILL miss calls from my wife when I had it on vibrate.

however this has happened to me accross all phones and I attribute it to me mentally blocking it out.

Yep, that's exactly how I feel. If I'm preoccupied or otherwise engaged with something else, even a strong vibrate can be missed. No amount of vibration (short of a 1.0 on the richter scale) is going to snap me out of it! heh

 

[sperho]

Restraining...from...cracking...wise.....ugh.

whew!

 

[nycebo]

SGN and DX both have weak vibrations. Last phone that had a good vibration was the Blackberry Curve.

 

[jkc120]

What I just recently noticed is the vibrate is much less noticeable both in the pocket and even on my desk when I have the extended battery in the phone. It's quite a bit less "violent" if you want to call it that with the extended battery. I can definitely tell the difference in pocket and out between the two. Guess it's just a trade-off when using the extended battery

 

[HuskyKMA]

The thinner the phone, the less room they have for the little motor that makes the vibrations. Smaller motor = less vibration.

 

[Deleted User]

What I just recently noticed is the vibrate is much less noticeable both in the pocket and even on my desk when I have the extended battery in the phone. It's quite a bit less "violent" if you want to call it that with the extended battery. I can definitely tell the difference in pocket and out between the two. Guess it's just a trade-off when using the extended battery

I suspect it's because of the increased mass/weight. Heavier phone = more energy to move it. It'll probably be even worse with giant battery packs like the Seidio.

 

[AJ McKay]

I'm guessing with all the emphasis on SIDE POCKET! that the OP is wearing loose-fitting cargo pants. In which case, he could have said "put your phone in a bag across the room and I bet you can't feel it vibrate."

 

[Caveman419]

I have a large numb spot on the side of my leg from a bulged disc in my back and cannot feel any phone vibrate in my pocket. I just have to constantly check the phone when it is on vibrate.

 

[jkc120]

I'm guessing with all the emphasis on SIDE POCKET! that the OP is wearing loose-fitting cargo pants. In which case, he could have said "put your phone in a bag across the room and I bet you can't feel it vibrate."

The vibrate is significantly "worse" with the extended battery, so I suspect the OP has that and it's just something he/she will have to live with. If it bugs them enough, they can always just use the standard battery.

 

[Slayer01]

Put CM9 on your phone when it comes out. You can change the pattern of the vibration that helps a lot.

 

[johnnybirdman]

This has been my #1 complaint since I got this phone opening week. Can't feel vibration notifications or ring for crap. And my work requires it be on silent.

 

[Gunner]

Have to agree that the vibration energy is pretty weak from the GN. I could have my D1 in my inner coat pocket and feel my coat vibrating if a msg came in. Not so much w/ the GN. With the D1, I could hear it vibrating on my kitchen counter, even if I was sitting in the living room w/ the TV on. Can't do that w/ my GN.