Related
Wayfinder offers a free 5 day trial so I decided to give it a test run. Here is my experience:
1: The download was easy but getting it to work was another thing. 3 installs and 2 uninstalls later it finally came up. Pairing it with a GlobalSat BT-359 took a few atempts also before Wayfinder saw it.
2: You need to authenticate prior to first use. Authentication took about 5 attempts including having to ask for the code from tech support which delayed thing 24hrs. The code is supposed to be included according to the Readme but it wasn't. The code sent didn’t work and I finally authenticated when the software asked permission to do so by sending an sms to their server.
3. This application requires an internet connection to download maps, which means that if your connection is slow, good luck. It took over 10 minutes to download the data. If you loose the connection due to drop out or no service you are screwed. If you loose connection, you get a pop-up error message and the software seems to be no longer useable because you close the message but it keeps returning. The only option is to close the application. This actually happened to me about 1/2 mile from my home which is a dead zone. Glad I know how to get there on my own...
4: The search function worked very well. My office is in a good sized city but my home is almost in the middle of no where. It found both locations with no problem the first time. That's an advantage of an on-line service.
5: The accuracy was good and the auto corrections worked well on a 32 mile drive home. I purposely took a different route to see how it would respond and I must say it reacted quickly and accurately.
6: The task bar is at the top of the screen and is very large, too large in fact. I couldn’t find a way to reduce the size or minimize it.
7: I couldn't get the screen zoom to show me the entire route. It wasn't as if I was going cross country, it was only 32 miles.
The bottom line for Wayfinder is that if you have a good signal all the time you are fine. Cingular does not have 100% coverage nationwide which means you may run into problems planning routes and using the system if you are in a low or no signal area. I think I'll stick to a maps-on-board program.
Finally, I previously worked with Rt66 on a Nokia e61 for a work related project. Rt66 supplies all of the maps in the application so you don't need to be on-line at all which is a good thing. Rt66 also plots your course with a line overlayed on the map which I like. Wayfinder doesn’t. Rt66 is not perfect and had some quirks of its own but overall was a much more useable product. Would I buy Rt66? Maybe but I think I need to check out the other map on-board applications first. GPS software may be the most expensive mobile application out there. It would be nice if someone got it right but maybe this type of product is just too complex.
Lyle
Problem is that you can't preload maps onto a Windows Mobile unit, like you can with other units. So if datatraffic fails you are screwed. I used it on an UIQ device and there it is possible to store maps on a storagecard.
Also their new Version 7 is out for many devices but not Windows Mobile...
Hmmmmm...
Rt66 loads maps onto the card and they offer a WM version. I also believe that TomTom5 & 6 do the same.
Lyle
Wayfinder was a good choice for my Sony Ericsson P900 as it gave me full UK GPS which I wouldn't of otherwise got as the memory cards it supported where too small to store national maps. Wayfinder is designed to constantly download tiny bits of maps as it needs.
I did find that the amount of download was very small, but it still cost money in GPRS every time you used it and there was a yearly subscription fee for the maps on top of the software cost.
For the Hermes it seems a bit pointless though, as it supports memory sticks large enough to store full maps and the processing can support more advanced software.
It's a good bit of software for smartphones, it's just that's it's not really designed for Windows Mobile PDA's
Or maybe it would be a better description : locator after theft.
Now I hear you all thinking.. utfs.. I know and I did..
So here is a description of why I want this program and how it should work.
Why
Recently my motorbike has been stolen. At the place where I live I don't have the possibility to stall it indoors,
so it has to stand near the wall of my apartment building.
Of course the cops don't bother and the bike is of to be never seen again.
Now for my next bike I don't want the same to happen again.
So I thought of installing my old Touch Diamond into the new bike, attached to a car power converter directly onto the main battery of the bike
(and if there is space a backup battery). Of course the Diamond would be fitted with a prepaid sim with enough credit.
How
would I like to use the program. (With this info I think it's more understandable then when I tell you what functions I'd like it to have.)
When I get home on my bike I would park and lock it. After this I would send the build in Diamond a message like : "Arm" So the alarm kicks in.
From this moment of the device will :
- Watch its GSensor for movement
- Start to determine its GPS position (if not already done)
- And tart to determine it's location based on cell tower information (for in case the device does not get any GPS signals)
When nothing happens this day or night I will disarm the alarm with a "disarm" message when I want to leave with the bike the next day.
As soon as the device is armed and moved (GSensor) for more then, lets say, 20 seconds (to minimize false alarms).
The device should SMS me that there is movement and start to send me it's location.
Every minute for the first 10 minutes or something and after that only when I send it a message like "location"
Also off course the device should make no noise. Unless maybe a short (not too loud) beep when armed and double beep when disarmed.
And maybe when receiving a message "Alarm" the device would make a lot of noise so I can find it when I'm near to the last known location.
While we're at it the device might also watch for sim card changes and sms me if a new sim is inserted.
And (optional) maybe the program could be cooked into a clean and stable rom so even a hard reset would not mind it at all.
I hope I covered all the basic elements I'm looking for.
If someone know's a program like this or could write it for me this would be awesome. If it is working good and stable I would like to pay some money for it too.
As you've probably seen on my writing If the program is in Dutch it would be awesome. If it is in English however it would still be awesome.
Finally it would be nice if some options could be set through sms (optional) (since the device will be bad accessible) and that I would be able to set some tags myself.
If you have any questions or any additions.. Please feel free to mention them.
With kind regards,
Richard Zondervan
I don't know if this will cover all your needs, as it's based around the phone getting stolen or lost, not something that the phone is attached to, but it may suit...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=594608
If not, how about something made specifically for the task?
http://www.lojack.com/
johncmolyneux said:
I don't know if this will cover all your needs, as it's based around the phone getting stolen or lost, not something that the phone is attached to, but it may suit...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=594608
If not, how about something made specifically for the task?
http://www.lojack.com/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your input. Although the first option does't seem to cover all the needs, and the second seems not to work in the Netherlands.
Hi,
I recently bought from a china website a star a2000 but the gps didn't worked so far, all other funcitons works fine but not the gps.
I entered in the factory mode by turning the phone pressing the buttons power + volume up. When I tested the gps I got the message gps failed! (-8).
The problem is that the phone never get the gps fix.
My colleague that bought the same phone bought the same device and when we tested the gps the issue was the same, gps failed! (-8)
We disassembled his device and in the back top of the phone where usually the devices have the gps hardware but there is nothing there.
If someone has faced an issue like this, or found an workaround, please share.
pics
h_t_t_p:_/_/img692.imageshack.us/img692/2783/110526094210.jpg
h_t_t_p:_/_/img577.imageshack.us/img577/8449/img20110530155342.jpg
Regards
You must go outside, and wait aprox. 10 minutes. For me it worked!
Well Cristivsb, looks like you are the luck one that got the hardware inside your phone, mine a2000 so as my friend's a2000 have not gps hardware inside. I did a trip by car and put it in the console of the car with clear view of the sky, it took more than 2 hours to find satellites but nothing, that is the reason why my colleague openned his one and noticed the gps hardware was not there.
Does anyone has the same issue?
Thanks
Sorry to hear that. Can you please tell me, on the back of the phone package, it is written in English or in Chinese?
> aGPS settings > Select Profile = Google (not Nokia)
It depends which maufacturer you got it from. Looks like a lot of these Chinese manufacturers are cutting corners when putting these things together to either save money or to be able to sell them at a lower price.
There are some A2000's with capacitive screens instead of the resistive screens which is stated on the specs. And there are also some with larger capacities.
The GPS on my A2000 seems to work fine, just having some trouble with the wifi (it works, but only when it wants to) and the 3.5mm jack isn't giving stereo output.
A great phone nonetheless.
Do you mind saying where you got the phone from?
Well, I don't think it is good since mine is without god or capacitive screen. But the problem was the dealer, avoid to buy at chinabuye.com they don't care about customer complaints.
I fixed mine by replacing it by HTC Sensation, more expensive but really works.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using XDA App
I have the same problem!
My phone can't get an GPS fix. I tried it with the A-GPS Nokia server and the A-GPS Google server. I even tried 3rd party software.
Bought it one week ago from ebay, maybe the newer phones come without GPS hardware? I already contacted the seller, waiting for a response.
Star A2000
Hello everyone, i have Star A2000, it works great for me, wifi, gps etc are working... I want to ask is has anyone here know how to improve its performance especially in games? What about custom ROMS? Is it advisable to root this phone? i had read some articles that rooting can improve performance and battery life, can someone tell or teach me how or has someone done rooting A2000? is there a video tutorial about it??
Many thanks...
Nope, i've got a GPS receiver. But it's not very fast! A fake Sirfstar III gps module called: Sirf III. It's working
@jeymund.
I rooted my device today using: "Visionary-R14"
Use the search button on XDA and have fun.
Nope, i've got a GPS receiver. But it's not very fast! A fake Sirfstar III gps module called: Sirf III. It's working
@jeymund.
I rooted my device today using: "Visionary-R14"
Use the search button on XDA and have fun.
EDIT: Ok, here is your link to download visionary: http://www.4shared.com/get/fJ_C7nEx/MoDaCo_Visionary_Plus_r14.html
1. Copy the file to the memory card of your mobile phone.
2. disconnect your phone from the PC.
3. Open file manager on your phone.
4. Go to your file and install it.
5. after installing, go to homecreen and open your menu.
6. Go to settings > applications > Development > and check "USB Debugging"
7. now again, go to homecreen and open your menu.
8. Open the visionary application in your menu.
9. Click on TEMP ROOT NOW and wait.. (Dont do anything)
10 after finishing, wait a few (10) seconds and click: "Attempt Permroot now" Now you'll see a massage. allow root acces, but within 8 seconds. (should take at least 30 sec's, but dont do anything!)
11. After auto-reboot, your phone is rooted.
is your phone also Star A2000? I'm afraid to do rooting because it might bricked the unit, what are the advantages or what have you noticed after you've rooted your A2000?
help plz
Hello, i have a qouestion, i got phone from chine, its look like replica of hTC,
i dont have any sw for him, i canot sync it with my computer because i dont have driver for usb
- i can say only that i have java , it is dual SIM mobile, 3MP kamera, FM, Bluetooth, wifii, touch screen,
on baterry and back case it writen that model is X9, but i search the web and there is no hTC model X9, i tray with chinaphonesuite, and a downloaded many driver but with no succes
so i need help plz, is there someone with similar problem !!!!!!??????
sorry for my bad english
I use Z4 for rooting A2000 and A1000 have had no problems, although some of the Mobile unlce tools (from china) do not see this as root, 99% of tools do like root explorer etc and I have had no problem - my only advice is make sure you always keep recovery or system partition working, never flash recovery then immediately install rom - always test check things out slowly so one partition can fix the other if needed.
Also the only difference between the A2000 and A1000 I know of is the touch screen A2k is resistive and A1k is capactive so the Roms will work on each other as far as I am aware but you need to keep your original kernel as that contains the driver for the touchscreen (the kernel is in the boot.ini file within the rom - so you can usually just swap the boo.ini over)
---------- Post added at 04:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:41 AM ----------
You need to go to a site i am not yet allowed to post a link to, to get software google m44 mobile uncle - use a translator to read about your x9 phone, you will need to create an account (hit use bugmenot.com) as it took me a long time to even manage to log in - you need to open one browser tab translated and one normal (so links can be clicked)
- Can an admin please remove my restrictions, I know I am new - but I know more about these phones than just about any other english speaking person I have met and can offer some supoort, roms and tools for the star a1000, a2000 and maybe shed light on the X8, A3000 and A5000. Thanks
---------- Post added at 05:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:51 AM ----------
Hi guys I have a fix for this - I am currently posting to get my level up before I make a thread covering everything I know on these phones, the roms the recovery, rooting and fixes - keep an eye out!
a2000.......in china.....why I've never heard this device......
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=18046607#post18046607
improved performance?
i m planning to buy a china android phone. i read a review the A2000 has sluggish performance. does EVERYTHING works? does flashing new rom and other updates can improve its performance.
How can I take the 'Android Phone' cover off?
@ Eduardo Logan:
Please tell me how you were able to get the bottom back cover off. The one with "Android Phone" printed on it. I don't like to use a lot of force trying to pull things like this apart.
I need to take my phone apart because I have shattered the glass plate between touch digitizer and LCD...
{edit}
I found somewhere that my A2000 is similar to the A1000, but with resistive touchscreen.
This video: http://youtu.be/8fu8W3HQtSQ shows how to disassemble the A1000, but also the A2000.
{edit}
Mine also doesn't have a GPS chip, however there is already a reserved parking place for it .
The funny thing is that mine without GPS was actually more expensive than the A2000 with GPS, because the box (and Focalprice) states that it has an AMOLED screen. It really is just an ordinary LCD, so don't get fooled!
Another question: I can't seem to find a way to make a complete NAND backup, which I like to do before I start to play with the wonderful tools of Byteshertz:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=18046607#post18046607
I already installed Titanium backup, but it seems to make a backup of the apps. The recovery menu only seems to allow me to restore, but not to save a backup...
How did you guys do it?
BTW: I used z4root to root the phone, which worked flawlessly, the second time...
Thanks in advance,
Hans
Hi,
just wanted to add to this thread
I just got a A2000 phone, paid 111$ USD including shipping to Canada
the screen is resistive, 800x480 (image is very nice, touch is like other resistive so not really the best but very usable once you get the feel for it)
GPS works, locked on position in seconds !
it has an antenna for some kind of TV function but all I get is static, I don't think it works with DVB but not sure
the dual sim function looks likes you have two lines on one phones, you even have separate reception quality meters
the back as a nice little flip stand so you can rest it upright on a table
it came with two batteries 3.7v 1500 mah, you have to remove the battery to change the SIMs or the microsd card which is VERY annoying
for the price it is an excellent phone, especially a business that needs smartphones to every employee
I'm sitting here in bed recovering from a minor surgical procedure (seriously minor, so don't get distracted) and decided to spend some quality time with the TrueSmart in conjunction with my Sony Xperia Z1s. Like many of you, I waited 6+ months for my device (apologies to those *still* waiting - I feel your pain). What I'm *not* certain of, is how many people here were looking at the TrueSmart as a serious training watch. For me, that was as or *more* important than the propeller-head functions of being a real Android device. There *were* some things related to safety and long-range excursions (such as traveling out of range of cell towers and running a BT-connected satellite communication device) but that was more of the nice-to-have variety, as I do that kind of adventure travel once or twice per year. My main use case is regular weekly training on the bike, in the gym and in the pool. The TrueSmart seemed perfectly suited to this, while being an "all-day wearer" and much more versatile than task-specific training watches.
Then it happened - you all know the drama around the IPx7 rating. Omate went from showing demo videos of Laurent stepping out of the pool with his device and later posting that the watch is "IP67+" - indicating higher resiliency versus the standard -- to abandoning the water resistant aspect of the device completely. This is more than an academic/marketing issue for me. This is a major design goal failure in my view, and it's pretty much a deal-breaker for my central use case for this device. So it is with some trepidation that I put any more effort into this device than it takes to update the firmware and post it for sale on eBay/Amazon/whatever.
What kept me interested? ...the work of Lokifish Mars, Daniel Ortiz, Kurt Huwig, Dee's Troy, Cyril Preiss and others... including some serious discussion in this forum about improving the water resistance of the device. That's all pretty heartening stuff. But at the end of the day it comes down to how it's suited to *my* use - even if the goals change, so I set about to put both Lokifish's and Dee's ROMs on my TrueSmart and try them out. I started with Runkeeper and Ride with GPS, and found both to be beyond acceptable - nearly exceptional. I had brought my bike into my bedroom before my surgery (set up on a trainer from my days when I was recovering from knee surgery last year) and was already beginning to fit the TS onto the handlebars in a way that I could use the camera "facing forward" with Ride with GPS - to be able to grab snapshots as I go along my route. Pretty. Freaking. Cool. I expected the Runkeeper app to look/perform well - but RWGPS was a pleasant surprise. And even though the screen is small, it's much brighter/more readable than the screen of my Sony Zperia Z1s in daylight. This encourages me greatly.
Then I started to look into Cyril Preiss's "SWApps" suite, and things got REALLY interesting. I grok the concept of a companion device versus a standalone device that plays well with others at arm's length. I've done quite a bit of work in mobile tech, and even have an inkling of how things work "on the metal". Both approaches have their uses, but I always thought of *my* use case as being in the standalone-without-a-SIM variety, since I was generally looking for capture of training data with occasional Wi-Fi tethering/sync of that data back to the web apps. So the "tell me why my pocket is buzzing" aspect of companion usage never really felt that compelling to me. That has somewhat to do with the fact that unless I'm expecting contact I just let chatter go to voice mail/inbox/whatever and clear it later. With all of that said, Cyril seems to have done something I never thought anyone would bother to do - split the difference between the two functional core cases for wearables, and perhaps create a super-set of those roles while doing so in a fairly elegant manner. It makes a really strong case for the TrueSmart - at least in *my* mind. Because of this, I started to seriously re-think my purpose for the TS, from focusing on it as a glorified training watch to something that really covered many more bases.
Enter Sony.
[cue Taiko drums]
When I made the switch from the iPhone 4S, it was to the Sony Xperia Z. I really liked it. In fact I *loved* it. One of the things I really enjoyed about the device (other than it was a fairly well-executed Android platform) was the water-resistance that allowed me to keep it by the edge of the pool. "Why?" you ask? Good question. Right now I swim with a Polar FT1 armband and coded HRM strap (their GymLink protocol transmits/receives at 5kHz which goes through water). Every few laps I pause to take a picture of the FT1. Later I go through the images and record the timing/heart rate measurements to create a graph of my performance. Yup - OLD SCHOOL DATA COLLECTION. It actually took a bit of work to get the phone to STAY THE F*CK ON and leave the device running, so I could just pick it up, take a snap and get back to paddling. But yeah - I'm nerdy about data like that. Some people collect baseball cards. Whatever. So I upgraded to the Z1s essentially for Android 4.3 and BTLE. This allowed me to capture cycling data from the cadence meter by Topeak (Panobike - highly recommended) and HRM data while in the gym using the Polar HR7 (also highly recommended). Awesome, right? Well, I'm getting tired of spending more time processing the data from my swims that the actual amount of time I spend in the pool (this is partly because I'm really not that strong of a swimmer yet, but I digress). So I really, really want to be able to get seamless data into *a* device that can just record/correlate the data and I can get on with my day. Is that too much to ask?
Evidently so... but I'll stay with the Sony saga for a bit longer.
So I'm working with Lokifish's ROM, connected to the Z1s via Wi-Fi tethering. SWApps is cool - like - really cool. I'm beginning to think this is going to work... until it doesn't. Bear in mind, I don't know what the Z1s "thinks" is data as in "oh, you need the Internet through me? Let me get that for you..." versus device-to-device chatter via Wi-Fi that doesn't require outside connection - but the Z1s seems to think that it can shut down its HotSpot tethering functionality completely when it thinks there's no traffic for ten minutes. I mean, I get it - this is a strategy to save the battery, but when you turn that 'feature' off you run head-long into a battery drain issue. I happen to believe this is lazy/sloppy programming in T-mobile's Wi-Fi management stack, but that's based more on my experience with T-mobile than knowledge of the Sony Xperia line.
And to be honest I'd like to have the watch *just run* for a few days in this mode when needed. I don't mind heavy (or nearly complete) drain of the device while it's doing data capture during training. But when it's just a watch - why turn it into a focus/distraction by burning down the power source so far you're spending more time plugging and unplugging it from the charger than clearing notifications? So, what to do? Why, try Bluetooth tethering of course. Seems logical, right? Run the watch in "airplaine" mode, so so need for (relatively) battery-draining Wi-Fi, and the bandwidth limitations of Bluetooth is not so much of an issue in this case. This is device comms, not Netflix, right? So, easy-peazy-lemon-squeezy I put Dees_Troy's BT ROM on the device and set about to tether it to my Z1s...
"What's that? I can't do that? But I just read on a web page that all I have to do is go to the HotSpot management page and enable the Bluetooth tethering option, right? I'm sorry, what? As of Android 4.3 Sony has disabled Bluetooth tethering for anything but their own devices?"
Seriously. This is "classic" Sony, and by that I mean the Sony *I* knew when I first started working for them back in 2003. The Sony *I* knew refused to put a product they owned (Sonic Foundry's Vegas, probably the best video editor on the Windows platform) in lieu of a product they did *not* own (Pinnacle software, a company that doesn't exist any more - which tells you all you need to know). This is the same Sony that told Steve Jobs to go screw himself when he suggested they might do well to put his OS on Sony machines (doh!). This is the same Sony that decided to create a horribly designed music service years after iTunes, when they had multiple chances to jump in before Jobs created the market - and now that application/platform doesn't exist any more (which again is all you really need to know about that). I could go on - BUT - when I took a look at the Xperia line, I saw a Sony mobile device group that was interested in participating in open-source, showed an inclination to respond positively to notes from outside developers, and generally was more open and participatory in nature. I thought "well, they must have finally grown up"...
Then today I see the same old Sony, closing down their features to only be available on other Sony products. (cue the sad trombone) What I guess happened, and I'm pretty certain of this, is that some empty-shirt exec saw the spike in sales of the Xperia phone line, and then saw that the tablet sales were flat and said "Hmmm, I bet if we do 'tighter integration' with our phones and tablets that we'd sell more to our phone users" and promptly ordered the lock-down of BT tethering on their phones. I'm not a conspiracy nut - I've actually been in meetings where Sony execs have intentionally knee-capped their own products in order to look like they're "doing something" without actually doing anything. Adding by taking away is the kind of failure at basic math that only a huge company like Sony can manage for so many years. I'm sure that same person is being considered for CEO of the company some day.
Believe it or not, it even gets better, or worse depending on your perspective. I'm pulling Dee's ROM and the connection keeps failing. Mind you, I tether via WiFi through my phone because I get really solid 4GLTE data rates to/from the device because I'm basically line-of-site with the tower nearest me. That, and the other 'dedicated' Internet services are pretty weak, and it's a no-brainer for most situations. However the ROM download is at 143MB and I look down at my phone to see the "SONY" logo on the front screen - it was restarting. I picked up the device and it was hot, and I mean HOT. Not so much that I needed to drop it but enough that I wondered if I had placed it somewhere it had picked up ambient heat from an outside source. Nope. This is all Sony's doing. So I try a few more times, each with progressively more aggressive temperature management. I put the phone in the freezer for a minute (yup, you read that right) and then brought it back out, set up the HotSpot and started to download the ROM again. And again the Z1s reset itself (with no warning) as the ROM got to about 180MB. Damn.
I put my hand under the Z1s and found that a spot above the NFC chip on he back panel as just as hot as it was before. The rest of the phone felt cool as a cucumber. So I did the freezer again, this time for a few minutes - and brought with it a gel pack that had been sitting behind a pack of ice cubes since I recovered from my knee surgery. I used that as a 'pillow' for the Z1s, and started the process once more. And the phone failed yet again, with little or no residual heat near the NFC chip. So now I'm starting to get really frustrated - because this is a major hardware issue that's not related to the environment. I've done file up/downloads before with fairly sizable assets - video and audio files for projects (my latest was the "Incredibly Fit" video series for FerrignoFIT - you can find demos on YouTube and Vimeo) and this *never* happened to me before. And then it dawned on me - I was using Wi-Fi both directions. On my large studio computer I always connect via USB tether, because that machine is never online unless I'm moving a file (or doing an update, etc). I thought to myself "nah - this can't be true" so I connected the phone to the laptop via USB without chilling it down, set everything up and started the the file download once again.
BOOM! Downloaded it without a hitch.
So here we have what I consider to be a major design flaw - one device making one connection to the Internet and moving a file a few hundred MB in size - causing the device to restart without warning. The mobile hotspot functionality is supposed to handle up to ten devices. I have a hard time believing that either Sony and/or T-Mobile didn't test this to the point of seeing that failure that occurs early and often. It's kind of astonishing, really. I can understand a fledgling company like OMate dropping the ball (to a point) but two large companies like Sony and T-Mobile missing something like this? What's the point of T-Mobile holding back updates for six months if their device/infrastructure is going to crash their devices at the first sign of solid throughput? Sony made a bad design choice, and T-Mobile was lazy and stupid for allowing it on the market with such fragile capability. But at least the Z1s actually water-proof.
I don't want to look like I'm giving OMate a pass on their other failures with the TrueSmart. It's easy to point to their most glaring failure - to live up to their specs, as they spent a great deal of time prancing around about how design is more than a department. Well, I have news for Laurent Le Pen, supply chain is more than making sure the paperwork is signed. Maybe some of the glaring deficiencies in the casing/hardware will get sorted, but you still have to deal with Mediatek. That failure is probably the most problematic for me when looking at Omate. Given that Laurant Le Pen's background is supposed to be in supply chain, his failure to properly evaluate and actively manage a partner is a cardinal sin. There may have been Herculean efforts to correct that, but the results have left everyone wanting - especially those here who have thrown so much "good money after bad" in trying to compensate for those failures. Maybe this isn't the end of that story and they pull a rabbit out of a hat with this device. Maybe it all gets corrected with the *next* TrueSmart, whatever that might be. But one thing I know for sure, I'll never put money in one of these projects again, and Kickstarter/Indiegogo can thank Laurent Le pen for that. They're welcome to "fail forward" as much as they can afford, but it won't be with any more of my money.
As for whether I'll continue to manage the failure of the TrueSmart with my time, that remains to be seen. I see a LOT of talent here - and see certain folks pulling back while others are still pouring it on. I wish I could be more optimistic. But even with that, I may keep the TrueSmart and continue to use it as a high-consumption Wi-Fi tethered device, and who knows - maybe I'll throw a SIM in it and leverage more of the SWApps features. If the aftermarket waterproofing effort comes to fruition I may actually get back to my core use case. But then again, as I've said nearly every place I've decided to enter the conversation, I'm much more likely to just go to the real pros in this arena - Polar or Garmin, and just make the move to a wearable that won't remind me of its status as an unwelcome distraction.
The one thing I'm *certainly* going to do is take this Z1s back to T-Mobile and get either an HTC One M8 or Samsung S5. That's one failure that can be handled with relative ease.
Quick update - just replaced the Z1s with an HTC One M8 and it is a freakishly nice device. Thank you, Sony.
So - another update: I decided to reverse course and hold on to the TrueSmart. I've added a SIM and picked up the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 that T-Mobile was pimping out. I know they've got me by the nads on data plan, but that's the cost of doing business.
Aside from the garden-variety uses, I'll be taking Cyril Preiss' "SWApps Link" through its paces. I'll still end up with a V800 when they come out, but I'll have to find a way to manage multiple wrist-worn devices. Maybe I should have been born with more arms like Lokifish. ?
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
After messing around since christmas day trying to use my Gear S as a standalone to use for running i have finally given up and are putting up for sale . The fact that the GPS is super fast one day then no luck the next day just doesnt work for me . After the latest firmware which seemed to fix it , it now after a few days worse ? I have tested and tested everything / rebooted / turned things off that may confuse it but still no joy . I wanted to use one simple function that when working " was superb " but standing around in the cold waiting upto 40 mins for a fix is nuts . My old method of getting first fix then making sure battery never dies doesnt always work now ? Lastly i would like to thank those who have kindly offered help on this journey vis this forum . Ebay here i come
Sorry to hear that man... I recently bought Gear S hoping to have standalone device but most of all for my all day fitness/laziness tracker. I have run just once so far with it and finding GPS fix wasn't that bad... maybe a minute of stretching and I was good to go.
Have you tried (probably you did.. silly question) reset gear in settings? Like a... reflash?
Actually, now I remember, before I went run i left Gear S on the window with GPS on just to catch position - I always did it with my previous running device - 5 y/o nokia
I have mate . Re-set a hundred times . Kept watch unaltered etc and still good and appaling days . Tried a 1000 combinations and gave up . I was happy when i bought to lose functions but it is not consistent enough for running . Best of luck !
stick with it
sorry to hear that - I've struggled with mine for a couple of weeks also, wasted $200AUS buying an incompatible Samsung phone (my stupidity), re-entered my contacts and diary events 2/3 times after having to do a hard reset / re-pairing, have been underwhelmed & frustrated by the Samsung / Galaxy / Gear ecosystem (and the quality of their phones) but I still think this is the best device in it's class
have look at LPX Studios on youtube etc
I hope Samsung, the developers and the phone providers will address some of the problems (from what I've read, best not hold your breath)
I've decided to adopt a wait and see approach - this device almost satisfies my personal use case need (phone calls & texts on my wrist - plus cool extra functions like fitness essential email replies etc) decoupled from always-on temptations to check social media notifications, personal, work & junk emails etc, & to reduce the personal & financial costs of data consumption
I've not experienced "it just doesn't bloody work" - but I understand your frustrations.
I'm like "it's really great but yes it is a bit sh!te". I don't want to learn or be locked into yet another ecosystem but imho the Gear S has been worth a degree of patience / perseverance
in your use case fitness scenario (forgive me if i misread) I think the device does a half-decent job which is probably enough good enough. Why would you need GPS? Apologies if I've confused you with someone else whose UCS was to be able to send discrete messages to friends and family during meetings - but again thats the joy of a smart watch over a smartphone - one can't tap away so one won't tap away
If I can buy an apple watch with a simcard, and a macbook air with a simcard then i'm in, but I don't think thats going to happen. (I think i read some of the newer iPads in some locations have some kind of universal Sim but I don't want an iPad - I need a laptop & a phone and see the obvious use case for a watch phone - current minimal number of devices 3 .... ideal number 1 - the laptop workhorse - (I wear a wristwatch anyway) So I can check emails & notifications later at home or back at work tomorrow if I really need to - the untethered device is retro liberation from contemporary distraction
What I'd really like would be an old school Toshiba Toughbook (the one with a handle and strap), dual sim card slots, 2 massive hot-swappable hard drives & batteries and a Toshiba Smart Watch (with a sim) - I think they had something like that (without the watch) .... so your briefcase is your computer and your phone is your watch - versus say having get out your iPhone iPad & everything else at the airport or simply going for a coffee (but then I'd still have to go back to Windows and relearn that in its latest iteration)
vinceremos
Hi . I need the GPS to track and moniter my runs . I dont have a phone paired with this and as i said . When it works its spot on but usually it just doesnt pick a GPS fix unless i wait upto 30 mins . This applies to wherever i am ? Since i started this thread the bloody thing is now working ? Still selling it . Having to try again and again is madness
GPS is very handy when running. If it wouldn't work I would be &*:angel:*&
My medieval Nokia works with endomondo + gps so why newest toy which is worth x20 more (seriously) wouldn't?
Even if I wouldn't need it, for it's price it must work - I payed for it! And its also what Samsung promised.
Although, the thing is that... it works for everyone else. So maybe you have a defective one? Warranty? :good:
Its a South Korean one from Ebay . I actually believe its not technically defective . Other users reported dodgy GPS for serious runners . I did contact Samsung UK service and they are not interested in non European models . I really think for runners its simply not upto the job . However i could be wrong .......
I just got my gear s last week and I agree the gps sucks. I love everything else it does but to botch gps on a fitness tracker is a real stumble on their part.
Sorry to hear your bad experience, I've had mine with my note 4 and everything has been good for me. After the latest update I did completely uninstall and reinstall and it's been pretty awesome with good battery.
Hi . So are you saying when not paired and working standalone that your GPS works fine when running ?
Thanks
I agree the GPS takes forever on the S Health app to connect. I'm not giving mine up tho because I'm a bit of a Samsung fanboy and love all their products.
Have anyone tried to run without GPS on? It should count steps as a run + more less give you a distance.
I bought the Gear S for the same reason: I wanted something with GPS to track my runs, plus a Sim card slot so I don't have to run with my phone any more, and BT, so I can listen to audio over my LG Tone Plus.
(I actually also needed something with a camera and full Android, so I can put some apps I use for running on it., which is why I ended up buying a Galaxy Gear and flashing Null on it.)
I agree that the Gear S GPS does not always work and I am really mad standing around in the freezing snow waiting for the signal to lock.
On my last few runs, I had to run without GPS because no amount of waiting made a difference. On one run, the signal came on but only after 30 mins or so. It's really infuriating, but, as someone else said, there no competition in this space.
I have been thinking about trying my luck with an Android Chinese watch-phone from aliexpress, but who knows if the battery on any of those would last me through a run with GPS, phone, mobile data and BT on.
Anyhow, Tim, if you find something better, it would be great of you could post here. It sounds like we have the same use case for it.
eclipse05x said:
Have anyone tried to run without GPS on? It should count steps as a run + more less give you a distance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yah it still gives you distance and time ran without the GPS.
Nike plus
Guys, have you tried to run with Nike Plus app? Is it better with GPS in this app in comparison with S? How is synchro after finish the run then right to Nike plus server- any problems? Can someone compare GPS accuracy between Garmin Fenix and Gear S? I' m on the edge of decision wheter to go with Gear S. I need it primary for running and standalone SIM activities as my private phone.
Thanks!
Dan
aeon101 said:
Guys, have you tried to run with Nike Plus app? Is it better with GPS in this app in comparison with S? How is synchro after finish the run then right to Nike plus server- any problems? Can someone compare GPS accuracy between Garmin Fenix and Gear S? I' m on the edge of decision wheter to go with Gear S. I need it primary for running and standalone SIM activities as my private phone.
Thanks!
Dan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Someone over on Android Central compared it with the Fenix and other trackers. Here's the post. Since I don't use Nike+ (I don't want to have to sign up for yet another service I will forget my password for), I only ever track with S Health.
Many thanks Xendula, very useful!
xendula said:
I bought the Gear S for the same reason: I wanted something with GPS to track my runs, plus a Sim card slot so I don't have to run with my phone any more, and BT, so I can listen to audio over my LG Tone Plus.
(I actually also needed something with a camera and full Android, so I can put some apps I use for running on it., which is why I ended up buying a Galaxy Gear and flashing Null on it.)
I agree that the Gear S GPS does not always work and I am really mad standing around in the freezing snow waiting for the signal to lock.
On my last few runs, I had to run without GPS because no amount of waiting made a difference. On one run, the signal came on but only after 30 mins or so. It's really infuriating, but, as someone else said, there no competition in this space.
I have been thinking about trying my luck with an Android Chinese watch-phone from aliexpress, but who knows if the battery on any of those would last me through a run with GPS, phone, mobile data and BT on.
Anyhow, Tim, if you find something better, it would be great of you could post here. It sounds like we have the same use case for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Xendula . Since yesterday i tried a few more attempts / tests and the reallity is this watch is ****e ( sorry Samsung Fans ) but i'm gutted . As of 20.00 pm UK time today it is on Ebay . Personally after messing around since Christmas day i cannot wait to see it go . Hopefully get a good price ? Nice talking to you guys . All the very best for the future
Tim
UK
i believe that children are the future
today i was accosted by a dozen eagle-eyed little kids (ages maybe 5-10) walking home from school (them not me) "hey mister is that thing a phone?"
I'm like "yes its a phone and a watch - let me show you the sad cat watch-face .... but you still need another samsung phone back at home, its a bit buggy, i'm told the charging cradle will break anytime soon, i don't understand the android / samsung / galaxy / tizen / gear S ecosystem, but I am a bit jaundiced by Apple, think this thing has potential and am persevering with it blah blah blah"
They were like "whatever dude - that thing is seriously cool!"
I related this little vignette to my work colleagues
" yeah see I've been telling you for the last two weeks but this is the proof - you can't fool kids - put your iPhone 6 on ebay and get one of these"
"Well you shouldn't go flashing it around - next thing one of them kids will be breaking into your house to steal it"
I'm like I wasn't flashing it around i was walking down the street just wearing it . Like any of my new six year old Galaxy S fanboys/fangirls are going to turn into cat burglers, break into my house and prize it from my wrist while I'm asleep?
I already told them "it can check how much exercise I've done, and I can wear it in bed to make sure I'm getting enough sleep - yeah like a fitbit but a phone & a watch too "
until Apple or Motorola or Sony or whoever put a sim in their smart watch I'm keeping mine
ideally i think more laptops should come with a sim card slot too
I''m disappointed i still need a proper phone to make the Gear S work, but would in practice still need one anyway for tethering the laptop when not at home. I'm no expert but would not a simcard in the laptop offer big battery and big ariel advantages compared to phone tethering ? (no i don't want to carry round or have a dongle sticking out - that's the point)
Several astute reviewers have commented positively on the back-to-the-future retro simplicity of the smartwatch concept as implemented by the Samsung Gear S (whilst highlighting problems in the current execution of that - as also clearly highlighted on these forums & elsewhere) Whatever
"after a few days I was really liking the freedom of not checking my emails & notifications every 5 minutes"
Imagine the freedom of a smartwatch connected (if necessary) to your laptop or whatever other larger device - phablet, iPad or whatever you use for work or pleasure. That's like two devices not 3 or more (smartphone, work phone, tablet, kindle, laptop etc) - in fact actually only one extra thing to carry if / when you need to because the phone is like already on your wrist.
Advantages
• Less economically zero-sum consumer consumption
The guy on the production line gets nothing. I pay several hundred dollars for the device, it jumps out of my pocket and i pay another guy in a mall $150 to fix the screen. Am i contributing to some kind of trickle-down / trickle-up dissipation or redistribution of wealth?
maybe locally to the screen-fixer and his family.
There is (but wasn't always) built in obsolescence in technology but designed to break technology is a really big con that is not (like indeed BIO) an inevitable or essential feature of capitalism & global trade.
To use an obvious example & pertinent example
I think I can understand Mr Steve Jobs drive & achievement in coming back (I'll show them [email protected]) and making Apple the biggest company in the world - but at what price?
Wage slaves in Asia committing suicide in Hi-tech sweat shops.
Drive down margins like everyone else, create the most expensive have-to-have consumer devices ever, choose form over function, lock people into an ecosystem originally justified by quality and consistency considerations now simply a lock-in. Make things designed to break.
Ok he was an ex-hippy not a socialist - he couldn't change the world but might have eventually leveraged his personal power and that of his company maybe a little more e.g.
"I believe our products are great and worth the money - they are not produced in sweatshops in Asia. The suicide rate amongst our subcontracted workers is no higher than the local average and we insist the wages are substantially better. We are not Nike (or whoever) we are Apple."
Sorry the iPhone and iPad screens shatter so easily - that wasn't the case with my first iPhone iteration.
I've spoken to my good friends Sir Bob Geldof, Bill Gates , Sir Elton John, Sir Bruce Springsteen and Bonio from U2 and have decided to create a legacy of value and enduring social change not shiny expensive useless f*cking toys
From Bill Nelson's Red Noise
The posters on your wall mark every fashion's rise and fall
Why try to keep the past alive
And though I know the time is almost 1984
It feels like 1965
from Michael Wincott playing Rene in the the 1996 film Basquiat
when you first see a new picture, you don't want to miss the boat. You have to be very careful because you may be staring at Van Gogh's ear.
• er less confusion
• less drowning in a sea of devices, chargers, wires, peripherals etc
Do samsung make laptops?
Alan
Remote Western Australia
all of the above did really happen today
Hey, I run with this nearly every morning. It's perfect.
I pull the sim card out of my Galaxy S5 and pop it in my gear S.
The NIKE ap does a good job tracking the gps.
And if something bad happens on my run I can call someone.
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