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Samsung Galaxy S III (new flagship Android phone from Samsung)

P

PrivateWHudson

Member
Saw this thread pop up, and figured GAF may be a better resource than my google searches that are coming up with nothing.

Anyway, I have a Galaxy Express, which I believe is close to a III. The GPS and/or the Compass blow. More than half of the time GPS won't be able to find my location, and all of the sky map apps I've tried give me a compass error. Any idea if there is a fix, and if not will AT&T let me give back this phone. No navigation is a deal breaker for me.
 
D

Dead Prince

Banned
i got an updatei think yesterday or early this morning. the update was like 103mb or so. anyone know what it was for?

EDIT: oh. the multi window stuff.
 
G

Gattsu25

Banned
I have a couple of annoyances that I am not sure are common.

1. I can't set SwiftKey to be my default keyboard permanently. Every time a text field pops up the Samsung keyboard shows up and I have to reselect SwiftKey. I go to language and input and confirm that SwiftKey is the default only to invariably have the Samsung keyboard popup the next time an application has a text input field. This is the only "default" that doesn't stick.

2. While using headphones and the stock music player, if the headphones get unplugged (cord gets snagged on something) then my music starts playing on the loudspeaker for the entire office to hear. I don't like this.

3. When I have a paused podcast on the pocketcast app, if I get a phone call it will randomly resume playing the paused podcast on the headphones (if they are plugged in) or speaker (if headphones are not plugged in). That means that if I am listening to a podcast before work and 4 hours later I get a phone call, when the call ends (either because I hang up or I missed the call) there is a chance that the podcast will start playing on the speaker
 
M

Madness

Member
Gattsu25 said:
I have a couple of annoyances that I am not sure are common.

1. I can't set SwiftKey to be my default keyboard permanently. Every time a text field pops up the Samsung keyboard shows up and I have to reselect SwiftKey. I go to language and input and confirm that SwiftKey is the default only to invariably have the Samsung keyboard popup the next time an application has a text input field. This is the only "default" that doesn't stick.

2. While using headphones and the stock music player, if the headphones get unplugged (cord gets snagged on something) then my music starts playing on the loudspeaker for the entire office to hear. I don't like this.

3. When I have a paused podcast on the pocketcast app, if I get a phone call it will randomly resume playing the paused podcast on the headphones (if they are plugged in) or speaker (if headphones are not plugged in). That means that if I am listening to a podcast before work and 4 hours later I get a phone call, when the call ends (either because I hang up or I missed the call) there is a chance that the podcast will start playing on the speaker
Click to expand...

1. If language and input doesn't work, try uninstalling SwiftKey and reinstalling it. When you boot it up, allow it to make itself the default keyboard etc.

2. I believe that you have the volume for media set high on both settings ie internal speaker and headphone. For example, plug in your headphones, select a song and raise the volume. Then quickly unplug and see if the music plays loudly on the speaker. If so, turn the volume all the way down as the song is playing on the speaker, and then stick the headphones back in and your volume for headphones should be where you left it. Unplug the headphones again and the music should still play, but since you made the internal volume low, it shouldn't play through the speaker anymore.

3. Can't really help you with this. Could be an issue with the app.
 
K

kaskade

Member
Man, I'm not sure if I want to go with the extra smalled batteries and just swap em out before I go somewhere and if I know I'll be out all day just take one. Or just get a larger battery. I don't know if I want to give up the size though. I feel like the bigger one might be a little too bulky in the pocket.
 
The Faceless Master

The Faceless Master

Member
kaskade said:
Man, I'm not sure if I want to go with the extra smalled batteries and just swap em out before I go somewhere and if I know I'll be out all day just take one. Or just get a larger battery. I don't know if I want to give up the size though. I feel like the bigger one might be a little too bulky in the pocket.
Click to expand...

there's also external chargers...

go with the normal size battery, you know you want to.
 
I

Ixian

Member
I got one of those thick Zero Lemon batteries and while it adds a noticeable bulk to the phone, it's not that bad. I only use it when I go to conventions or stuff, though; otherwise I roll with the stock battery and no case since it's fine for my day-to-day uses.
 
K

kaskade

Member
The Faceless Master said:
there's also external chargers...

go with the normal size battery, you know you want to.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I do. I usually easily make it through the day at work. But if I go out at night chances are it won't make it all the way through. It would be nice just to swap it when I get home since I don't usually have enough time to charge.
 
M

McLovin

Member
This latest updates got my phone bugging out. Disclaimer I dropped it in piss water a few days ago, but it was fine until the update
 
The Faceless Master

The Faceless Master

Member
kaskade said:
Yeah, I do. I usually easily make it through the day at work But if I go out at night chances are it won't make it all the way through. It would be nice just to swap it when I get home since I don't usually have enough time to charge.
Click to expand...
There are $20 kits on Amazon that come with 2 batteries and a battery charger. You can have a battery in the phone, one extra with you and one at home on the charger.
 
Rewrite

Rewrite

Not as deep as he thinks
I don't regret my Anker battery. Works like a charm and the added bulk makes it easier to hold on my hand. It is such a nice feeling knowing I don't have to worry about my phone dying if I go out and take a shitload of pictures. I'm a moderate user and it suits my needs.
 
Rewrite

Rewrite

Not as deep as he thinks
I just got an OTA update for Tmobile. Don't have a clue what it did, the only thing I noticed was my 4G symbol changing...
 
Rewrite

Rewrite

Not as deep as he thinks
Toki767 said:
4.1.2 rolled out today. You should have multi-window support now.
Click to expand...
Yep, I saw it on the toggles. Sweet! However I don't know how to access it. Maybe because I'm using Nova Launcher?

Never mind, found it. You have to press and hold the back button.
 
V

VanWinkle

Member
Oh man, finally got that 4.1.2 firmware with Verizon. Installing now. SO pumped to be able to browse web and watch Youtube at the same time.
 
The Faceless Master

The Faceless Master

Member
Verizon had 4.1.2 Jellybean for a couple of months now... this is the Premium Suite Upgrade that adds multi-window and those other 'premium suite' things like the new gallery. still 4.1.2 yes.


Toki767 said:
To be fair, I don't think the international S3 has 4.2.2 yet either do they?
Click to expand...

only if leaks count.
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
Hey yall, I need some help. My phone's performance has dropped dramatically over the past month, and I don't know what to do. It runs like molasses. It sputters and slows all the time. I find myself force quitting all the programs to clear up RAM several times a day. I've had it since September, and only just recently started having these issues. What could be causing it?
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
The Faceless Master said:
Well, for starters, just running thru and force closing apps left and right is bad. You need to figure out what app is actually causing the issue.
Click to expand...
How? I know next to nothing about this stuff. Are some apps notorious for causing this kind of slow down? I guess I figured it was some type of malfunction, but it could be a poorly designed app, I guess.
 
A

AndyD

aka andydumi
kittens said:
How? I know next to nothing about this stuff. Are some apps notorious for causing this kind of slow down? I guess I figured it was some type of malfunction, but it could be a poorly designed app, I guess.
Click to expand...

One thing to look at is whether something is keeping your phone awake all the time.

To start, download something like Battery Monitor Widget. It will keep track of what's running when and doing what. Then after a few hours or days you can get a good idea of what is running and when and you can see any troublesome apps.
 
R

rocketknight

Member
I might be taking a trip to Thailand in the next couple of months. What's the easiest and least scary (for someone who has never messed with rooting or anything) way to get my stock Verizon GS3 ready to be used for voice and data abroad? Most stuff that Google turns up is old-ish and fairly involved, and I'm wondering if the process has improved recently.
 
The Faceless Master

The Faceless Master

Member
rocketknight said:
I might be taking a trip to Thailand in the next couple of months. What's the easiest and least scary (for someone who has never messed with rooting or anything) way to get my stock Verizon GS3 ready to be used for voice and data abroad? Most stuff that Google turns up is old-ish and fairly involved, and I'm wondering if the process has improved recently.
Click to expand...
Voice should just work. Data is all 'scary' stuff. You need root and an APN editor.
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
AndyD said:
One thing to look at is whether something is keeping your phone awake all the time.

To start, download something like Battery Monitor Widget. It will keep track of what's running when and doing what. Then after a few hours or days you can get a good idea of what is running and when and you can see any troublesome apps.
Click to expand...
Sweet, I'll look into that. Expect another post from me in a day or two asking for more help, though, lol. I'm pretty clueless when it comes to cell phones.
 
R

rocketknight

Member
The Faceless Master said:
Voice should just work. Data is all 'scary' stuff. You need root and an APN editor.
Click to expand...

Is there a non-scary way to root the phone? I'm happy with the official version of Samsung Android it has, and don't really want to lose data/preferences/whatever. If that's what I have to do I guess that's what I have to do, though.
 
The Faceless Master

The Faceless Master

Member
RuGalz said:
So even with the global mode you still don't have data using foreign sim card?
Click to expand...

nope.
why?

Verizon(TM)



rocketknight said:
Is there a non-scary way to root the phone? I'm happy with the official version of Samsung Android it has, and don't really want to lose data/preferences/whatever. If that's what I have to do I guess that's what I have to do, though.
Click to expand...

it's always scary, even when you've done it a hundred times.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2046439

oh, and rooting just gives you total access to the filesystem. the act of rooting alone doesn't wipe data or change the OS to some other variant of Android.
 
M

MMBosstones86

Member
ok. Got the update from Verizon a week or so ago....and now I seem to be having brutal data connection issues. Currently, I have no 4g (in the same spot i've had 4g since I got the phone).

When I restart the phone...4g shows for about 30 minutes or so, then goes to 3g. Earlier today I lost data all together. Tried toggling Mobile Data and it didn't help. GPS has been off the past few times as well.

Anyone else having similar 'data connection' issues since the update? Suggestions?

edit : guess i'm not crazy : Source

After updating, users are having issues even connecting to LTE, and are finding their phones either stuck on 3G or without a signal altogether. For some, the device can connect to 4G LTE, but should it drop back to 3G, it will get stuck their indefinitely until the phone is either rebooted or Airplane mode is toggled on and off. Some have had some success by changing the network settings to LTE/CDMA instead of Global (Settings>More settings>Mobile networks>Network mode), but this seems to only help with getting a 3G connection back, not necessarily stabilizing 4G LTE. It’s a mess for many.
Click to expand...
 
K

kaskade

Member
I think I'm having an audio jack problem. If I don't have it in a specific position my audio pretty much cuts out to be really low with no low end at all. Tomorrow I'm going to check to see if it's dirty. If it isn't it looks like the part is pretty cheap and easy to fix. My phone is rooted so I don't know if I should even bother with warranty.
 
Rewrite

Rewrite

Not as deep as he thinks
Carrier?

Never mind. It's Verizon.

Maybe it's a stability fix so you guys don't have those issues.
 
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