• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

All Things GPS

Did JI5 fix your GPS?

  • Yes, totally fixed my GPS!

    Votes: 15 35.7%
  • No, still having problems with GPS!

    Votes: 21 50.0%
  • Worked at first, then performance declined once again!

    Votes: 6 14.3%

  • Total voters
    42
Here is your shot #2 Samsung Vibrant, I actually lost a bird but gained accuracy. The funny thing is that when I look at my location on google maps, it shows me in house in the room that I'm in. So I don't know if we can rely on the accuracy estimates shown on GPS Test given that they are only estimates. [please read on below photo Sammy]

GPS-Test-2.jpg


Samsung Vibrant (Sammy V) I'm really surprised at your GPS results with the Vibrant yet equally impressed by the GPS performance with the HTC phone. By comparison with the HTC, I HAVE A GPS ISSUE, even though the GPS functions to get me from point A to point B. So hopefully the upcoming fix will take care of all of this. I'm with you 100% and I will be calling into Samsung to raise hell to help the cause.
 
Here is your shot #2 Samsung Vibrant, I actually lost a bird but gained accuracy. The funny thing is that when I look at my location on google maps, it shows me in house in the room that I'm in. So I don't know if we can rely on the accuracy estimates shown on GPS Test given that they are only estimates. [please read on below photo Sammy]



Samsung Vibrant (Sammy V) I'm really surprised at your GPS results with the Vibrant yet equally impressed by the GPS performance with the HTC phone. By comparison with the HTC, I HAVE A GPS ISSUE, even though the GPS functions to get me from point A to point B. So hopefully the upcoming fix will take care of all of this. I'm with you 100% and I will be calling into Samsung to raise hell to help the cause.

Hey Robo, so just for fun I just tested the BlackBerry Bold 9700 outside also. Blackberry doesn't have GPS TEst in their Blackberry Market, so I downloaded their version of GPS test. It gets 7 satellites, in 5 seconds flat for a complete fix!

Go back and look at the photo, I posted it.

PS, it doesn't show the BB accuracy in the photo, but I scrolled down and its as good as the HTC! Now only if Vibrant will be as good as the HTC and Blackberry when the fix is released!
 
So let me get this straight: kbohip posts a snide and accusatory post, basically saying that I'm full of it. You and Samsung Vibrant both "officially Thank" him for that nasty post. Keep in mind that Samsung Vibrant is very frugal with the "Thank You Button."
Nice people here! :rolleyes:

Wow. Doesn't take anything at all to get your panties in a bunch does it?:rolleyes: Just so you know, I was just kidding around when I made my post. How in the world you got "he basically said I was full of it" when I actually said "It's not that I don't believe you" is beyond me. How anyone could take me seriously when I said I was going to print a picture of your screen shot and put it on my phone is beyond me but...whatever. The ;) at the end of the post is a dead giveaway.

Oh and fyi, those shots you took are proof that your gps does in fact, NOT work. 2 (barely) locked sats. with accuracy of 50 ft., lol. I have a beat up 2 year old G1 that can do better than that in 20 seconds in my basement because it's gps actually works. If you want to go around thinking your gps is unaffected by this problem and works fine go right ahead, but please don't belittle the people who are not in obvious denial that the problem exists.
 
I can't answer that I didn't write the ap but it is curious. However if you look at the circular display in the lower left corner it does indicate 4 birds, 2 red and 2 orange are locked.

So let me get this straight: kbohip posts a snide and accusatory post, basically saying that I'm full of it. You and Samsung Vibrant both "officially Thank" him for that nasty post. Keep in mind that Samsung Vibrant is very frugal with the "Thank You Button."

I download and install the GPS Test ap because you guys doubted my veracity, shoot a photo, upload the photo to photobucket and post it here in the forum. And you can't say "thanks" officially or unofficially?

Nice people here! :rolleyes:

If you would have checked your PMs before you wrote this post you would've known I sent you a thank you. I wrote you a thank you PM before I came back and looked at the thread to see the picture. Just to be clear, I wanted to see the GPS test on your phone so I thanked kbohip for asking for it. I think if you put yourself in my position you would understand why I would want to see the picture. I'm certain if you were in my shoes you'd really want to see a pic of a GPS working. I've had 2 of these phones myself so far that do not have fully functional GPS units.

Edited to add- I just went back to give you "Thanks" under your post and saw that SamV also had already given you written thanks when you posted this post. It is located directly under your photo.
 
Wow. Doesn't take anything at all to get your panties in a bunch does it?:rolleyes: Just so you know, I was just kidding around when I made my post. How in the world you got "he basically said I was full of it" when I actually said "It's not that I don't believe you" is beyond me. How anyone could take me seriously when I said I was going to print a picture of your screen shot and put it on my phone is beyond me but...whatever. The ;) at the end of the post is a dead giveaway.

Oh and fyi, those shots you took are proof that your gps does in fact, NOT work. 2 (barely) locked sats. with accuracy of 50 ft., lol. I have a beat up 2 year old G1 that can do better than that in 20 seconds in my basement because it's gps actually works. If you want to go around thinking your gps is unaffected by this problem and works fine go right ahead, but please don't belittle the people who are not in obvious denial that the problem exists.

Well it proves one thing doesn't it? You lack the quality of character to admit when you are wrong. LOL. And your original post was dripping with sarcasm no matter how much you now try to disguise that fact.

Not to worry though, my "panties were never in a bunch." Trust me, I did not do the screen shots for you.

Normally I wouldn't dignify your lame and sarcastic post with a response. It was only because Sammy V and Robinelli wanted to see the results that I did the screenshots. :)

Clearly you are putting too much stock in these free aps like GPS Test if you are basing your entire GPS reality on the accuracy estimates contained therein. In real world GPS tests the Vibrant's GPS in conjunction with Google Maps has worked for me and others. But of course you are in denial. Want proof of your denial? You mention my test accuracy to within 50 feet but overlook the test accuracy on the subsequent screenshot (posted at 9:49PM) to less than half of that (24.4 ft).

Fact: Immediately upon installation and start of GPS Test I got a lock on 4 birds.

Fact: I shot, uploaded and posted a photo of that GPS Test screen.

Fact: I went to Google Maps and the blue arrowhead indicator nailed my position PRECISELY in the location of the room where I was located. I trust the "accuracy" estimates in GPS Test about as far as I can lift my SUV. [Who cares about the accuracy estimate if the indicator matches my location on Google Maps to within inches?]

Fact: On my subsequent running of GPS Test I got an instant lock on 3 birds and the "accuracy" ESTIMATE contained in GPS test was improved by 50% (down to 24.4 ft indicated). HOWEVER, I must point out that in both cases the location indicator on Google Maps nailed my position to within a foot. After all, isn't it most important what the GPS does in real life applications rather than a testing ap?

Fact: In spiz's post of 11:02PM (PST) he's locked onto 2 birds with an indicated accuracy "estimate" of 17+ feet, YET with the indicator on his Google Maps NAILED his location.

Fact: Not once has my Vibrant's GPS failed to lock. Sometimes it locks immediately, sometimes it takes up to a minute. But then the same is true with my dedicated Garmin GPS.

Fact: Not once has my Vibrant's GPS failed to navigate precisely to and from my destination.

Fact: Not once has my Vibrant's GPS dropped connection to the GPS system while in use.

Fact: I have not done any "fix" to my GPS.

And finally, I never said I was "unaffected by the problem," (except in the practical sense that my GPS works whenever I use it), in fact, if you had bothered at all to read my response to Sammy V's post and screen shots of his HTC GPS results you would have seen that I acknowledged that there still must be an issue or I would have had more birds locked. My post at 9:49 PM PST contained the following:
By comparison with the HTC, I HAVE A GPS ISSUE, even though the GPS functions to get me from point A to point B. So hopefully the upcoming fix will take care of all of this. I'm with you 100% and I will be calling into Samsung to raise hell to help the cause.

Furthermore, I also posted in this thread the results of my conversation with the manager of the Tmo store where I purchased my Vibrant. In that post I clearly acknowledged the GPS problem and that the store manager said his phone had a GPS problem but there was an impending fix. How can anyone interpret this as "denial?"

Here's a thought kbo, if your Vibrant is so bad get rid of it!
crazy.gif
Doh...


And good luck with your next phone/GPS! ;)
 
Well it proves one thing doesn't it? You lack the quality of character to admit when you are wrong. LOL. And your original post was dripping with sarcasm no matter how much you now try to disguise that fact.

Not to worry though, my "panties were never in a bunch." Trust me, I did not do the screen shots for you.

Normally I wouldn't dignify your lame and sarcastic post with a response. It was only because Sammy V and Robinelli wanted to see the results that I did the screenshots. :)

Clearly you are putting too much stock in these free aps like GPS Test if you are basing your entire GPS reality on the accuracy estimates contained therein. In real world GPS tests the Vibrant's GPS in conjunction with Google Maps has worked for me and others. But of course you are in denial. Want proof of your denial? You mention my test accuracy to within 50 feet but overlook the test accuracy on the subsequent screenshot (posted at 9:49PM) to less than half of that (24.4 ft).

Fact: Immediately upon installation and start of GPS Test I got a lock on 4 birds.

Fact: I shot, uploaded and posted a photo of that GPS Test screen.

Fact: I went to Google Maps and the blue arrowhead indicator nailed my position PRECISELY in the location of the room where I was located. I trust the "accuracy" estimates in GPS Test about as far as I can lift my SUV. [Who cares about the accuracy estimate if the indicator matches my location on Google Maps to within inches?]

Fact: On my subsequent running of GPS Test I got an instant lock on 3 birds and the "accuracy" ESTIMATE contained in GPS test was improved by 50% (down to 24.4 ft indicated). HOWEVER, I must point out that in both cases the location indicator on Google Maps nailed my position to within a foot. After all, isn't it most important what the GPS does in real life applications rather than a testing ap?

Fact: In spiz's post of 11:02PM (PST) he's locked onto 2 birds with an indicated accuracy "estimate" of 17+ feet, YET with the indicator on his Google Maps NAILED his location.

Fact: Not once has my Vibrant's GPS failed to lock. Sometimes it locks immediately, sometimes it takes up to a minute. But then the same is true with my dedicated Garmin GPS.

Fact: Not once has my Vibrant's GPS failed to navigate precisely to and from my destination.

Fact: Not once has my Vibrant's GPS dropped connection to the GPS system while in use.

Fact: I have not done any "fix" to my GPS.

And finally, I never said I was "unaffected by the problem," (except in the practical sense that my GPS works whenever I use it), in fact, if you had bothered at all to read my response to Sammy V's post and screen shots of his HTC GPS results you would have seen that I acknowledged that there still must be an issue or I would have had more birds locked. My post at 9:49 PM PST contained the following:


Furthermore, I also posted in this thread the results of my conversation with the manager of the Tmo store where I purchased my Vibrant. In that post I clearly acknowledged the GPS problem and that the store manager said his phone had a GPS problem but there was an impending fix. How can anyone interpret this as "denial?"

Here's a thought kbo, if your Vibrant is so bad get rid of it!
crazy.gif
Doh...


And good luck with your next phone/GPS! ;)

Lol, wow this is funny. You post pics of screens of your phone right after I jokingly ask you to (as if I care in the slightest) and then when I call you out on the fact that your phone's gps is as faulty as every other Vibrant you start backtracking saying it now must be the GPS Test app that doesn't work correctly because Maps works fine all the while attacking my character because I can't admit when I'm wrong.:confused: I have no problems at all admitting when I'm wrong. As a matter of fact, here's the perfect example of this:
http://androidforums.com/samsung-vibrant/131300-removed-invisible-shield.html#post1219687

I'm sorry that you thought I was attacking you in my post jokingly asking you to post a screenshot. I think you really need to lighten up a bit. We are after all talking about phones here.
 
If you would have checked your PMs before you wrote this post you would've known I sent you a thank you. I wrote you a thank you PM before I came back and looked at the thread to see the picture. Just to be clear, I wanted to see the GPS test on your phone so I thanked kbohip for asking for it. I think if you put yourself in my position you would understand why I would want to see the picture. I'm certain if you were in my shoes you'd really want to see a pic of a GPS working. I've had 2 of these phones myself so far that do not have fully functional GPS units.

Edited to add- I just went back to give you "Thanks" under your post and saw that SamV also had already given you written thanks when you posted this post. It is located directly under your photo.

Thanks for your response and your patient understanding Robinelli, I apologize you are correct and I was wrong to post that. I jumped the gun and didn't see my PM's.

I guess I felt like I was under attack for having a phone with working GPS and all the questions of my honesty seemingly being raised. I recognize that I am fortunate to have a working GPS. And that some have no connection to any birds.

Also, for some odd reason, I don't get email notification (even though I have my forum options set that way) of either new posts or PM's. Further, I don't get instant pop up of PM's while I'm logged in.

In any case, I'm glad to help. And you are all welcome even kbohip. We are all in this together.

party.gif


And after seeing Sammy V's screenshots there is definitely a deficiency in my Vibrant even though it works well enough to get me from point A to point B. I hope that the upcoming "fix" will indeed do just that. This is an otherwise powerful and useful device. I use mine in my business and it has already been a real asset.
 
Lol, wow this is funny. You post pics of screens of your phone right after I jokingly ask you to (as if I care in the slightest) and then when I call you out on the fact that your phone's gps is as faulty as every other Vibrant you start backtracking saying it now must be the GPS Test app that doesn't work correctly because Maps works fine all the while attacking my character because I can't admit when I'm wrong.:confused: I have no problems at all admitting when I'm wrong. As a matter of fact, here's the perfect example of this:
http://androidforums.com/samsung-vibrant/131300-removed-invisible-shield.html#post1219687

I'm sorry that you thought I was attacking you in my post jokingly asking you to post a screenshot. I think you really need to lighten up a bit. We are after all talking about phones here.

You just don't get it dude. I havn't backtracked at all. I'm simply saying that the accuracy estimates in GPS Test are just that E-S-T-I-M-A-T-E-S! Hello.

Obviously, if the GPS location indicator on Google Maps is precisely indicating my location and Spiz's location then the estimates contained in GPS Test must be crude and based on a mathematical algorithm that is intended as only an approximation. The fact that both Spiz and myself were pinpointed on Google Maps indicates the GPS is, in fact, working and if the accuracy estimate was saying 50 or 24 or 17 feet (the latter in spiz's case) then there must be a problem with the accuracy indicator in GPS Test. Logic would say this is so.

Admittedly, we don't have as many birds as we would like locked up but the fact yet remains that the GPS works to go from point A to point B. And it works well enough to pinpoint our locations on the map.

Therefore, you still won't admit when you are wrong. And I'm done arguing with you. Enough said. :)
 
Admittedly, we don't have as many birds as we would like locked up but the fact yet remains that the GPS works to go from point A to point B. And it works well enough to pinpoint our locations on the map.

:)

This is exactly the point. If the gps is not working correctly, ie not seeing as many satellites and using them as a phone with a gps that works correctly does, it will simply not give as good of results. In real world conditions with trees, tall buildings, overpasses, etc., the more satellites a gps is using the better.

Look, we can go back and forth with this forever but the point is Samsung admits there is a problem with the gps on the Vibrant and is working to fix it. The fact that you're happy with how your's works and I'm not is a moot point as hopefully the problem will be resolved soon anyway. The "some Vibrants have a gps issue" from them doesn't cut it with me either. I have now had a chance to use 4 different Vibrants from 3 different ship dates and all have performed exactly the same when it comes to the gps, which is to say incorrectly.
 
Ok guys, stop arguing. Can't we all just agree that there is a GPS problem? We don't need to bicker over how big the problem is. It's big enough that Samsung has acknowledged it, and that's all that matters. My sources have confirmed to me that this is indeed a problem and they're working on this nonstop to get it sorted out.

My sources also mentioned that this is literally the top priority on their list right now, so we'll likely see a fix for this before anything else. Unfortunately, there is no time frame, but it will be happening.
 

Hey Robinelli, if you read that sentence carefully, it seems Samsung picked their words very carefully. The term "update" can have two meanings. It can mean, they will update us on the situation, or it can mean they will provide an over the air (OTA) update fix.

The more I read Samsungs statement, the more I believe that people are reading it out of context. I think they wisely chose their words to mislead people, what they meant was that they will update us, in terms of updating the "latest news" on this issue.

I guess its all in how you read it. I'm sure legal had the final okay on that statement before it was released. Techinically they never promised any over the air update firmware fix, they only promised to update us.
 
Well, exchanged my Vibrant and the GPS on the replacement is performing better. The date on the box is 10 days later than that of my original phone (not sure it matters) but the baseband version is the same.

The most satellite locks I could achieve on the old one was 2. The replacement, 6 locked with a a couple of minutes. So far, it locks on at least 3 or more at any given time.

While I am happy it is performing better (I am still skeptical and will be checking the performance over the next several days), I certainly hope the fix is coming soon (or at all :rolleyes: ).

I had to call T-Mobile to double check some info before I shipped back the old phone and got into a discussion about the GPS issue with the customer service rep. I lamented that Samsung has been tight lipped about what is wrong and when it will be fixed which prompted her to mention Samsung's stellar history of supporting their phones....:eek:...whatever she is smoking...I want some!!!!
 
Well, exchanged my Vibrant and the GPS on the replacement is performing better. The date on the box is 10 days later than that of my original phone (not sure it matters) but the baseband version is the same.

The most satellite locks I could achieve on the old one was 2. The replacement, 6 locked with a a couple of minutes. So far, it locks on at least 3 or more at any given time.

While I am happy it is performing better (I am still skeptical and will be checking the performance over the next several days), I certainly hope the fix is coming soon (or at all :rolleyes: ).

I had to call T-Mobile to double check some info before I shipped back the old phone and got into a discussion about the GPS issue with the customer service rep. I lamented that Samsung has been tight lipped about what is wrong and when it will be fixed which prompted her to mention Samsung's stellar history of supporting their phones....:eek:...whatever she is smoking...I want some!!!!

I don't use drugs of any type at all, ever, but ya I think i'll have to make an exception and try some of what she is smoking also. She sounds like she is smoking the same stuff the t-mobile rep who told me in her minnesota accent "ohh noo these phones are purrrrfect, never heard of any gps issues, ohh nooo"
 
Ok guys, stop arguing. Can't we all just agree that there is a GPS problem? We don't need to bicker over how big the problem is. It's big enough that Samsung has acknowledged it, and that's all that matters. My sources have confirmed to me that this is indeed a problem and they're working on this nonstop to get it sorted out.

My sources also mentioned that this is literally the top priority on their list right now, so we'll likely see a fix for this before anything else. Unfortunately, there is no time frame, but it will be happening.

Thanks Spiz. :) As I previously stated I'm done arguing. There are some who will defy logic. And yes I agree there is an issue that needs to be fixed. I'm just lucky, as you are, that the GPS is functional in the meantime.
 
I have a twitter question. I'm trying to follow SamsungService on twitter at Samsung Service (Samsungservice) on Twitter
but I don't understand how twitter works. All i see are responses from samsung, but I don't see the original questions asked by the twitter customers. Seeing just samsungs response makes no sense when you have no clue what the person was asking.
 
I have a twitter question. I'm trying to follow SamsungService on twitter at Samsung Service (Samsungservice) on Twitter
but I don't understand how twitter works. All i see are responses from samsung, but I don't see the original questions asked by the twitter customers. Seeing just samsungs response makes no sense when you have no clue what the person was asking.


Yes, it can be confusing. So, here is an explanation.

say somebody asks Samsung a question. Say you do and your username is samsungvibrant.

samsungvibrant@ samsung so when are you slow moving people going to fix the GPS issue and give us 2.2 Froyo?

Their response to you will look like this

samsung @samsungvibrant so when are you slow moving people going to fix teh GPS issue and give us 2.2 Froyo? >> We are working on it and it will be very soon.

The >> being their answer.

Hope that helps. I must point out that this is how it works on the mobile App. If your doing it on your PC, yes it is more of a pain to figure out.

Personally i like the Tweetcaster App better than the regular Twitter App. Never had an issue with Tweetcaster and the notifications are fast. Tweetcaster has a free and a pay App. Only difference is you dont get the real small banner ads in the free version but like i said, it is small and it dont bother me.

I didnt use regular Twitter much because i have two accounts and it dont let you use two accounts and i can get notifications for both accounts too so i dont really know if regular twitter is as good as far as fuction of the App.
 
Their response to you will look like this

samsung @samsungvibrant so when are you slow moving people going to fix teh GPS issue and give us 2.2 Froyo? >> We are working on it and it will be very soon.

The >> being their answer.

QUOTE]

ok, that helped a little. However, if you visit their twitter site via your computer, you will notice it just shows their response, it doesn't show the original question... Meaning its not in the >> format you showed.
 
ok, that helped a little. However, if you visit their twitter site via your computer, you will notice it just shows their response, it doesn't show the original question... Meaning its not in the >> format you showed.

Right, it is actually easier to follow on your phone. But then, if you follow people that tweet a lot, then you will be checking it often and use more power unless you dont use the notifications.

And im no expert at Twitter. Somebody else may be able to give more insight. Im not really sure if they person responding to you adds your question in themselves or not because on my PC, im seeing the >> in some. Not in all.
 
My GPS works flawless...it works just as well as my Nexus and X10i. I have a lauch date phone and I dont know if it means anything but date on my box is 7/12/10. I use it everyday and no problems ever! My phone is not rooted (yet) and I didnt do the so-call GPS fix. Sorry to those whose doesnt work but an update will happen just give it time. It hasnt been out a month yet. I got my Nexus on release date and my radio would go in and out and I can go on and on from the all of the phones ive owned. No device is has escape the.launch bug. Especially now days since our devices are doing more and more than ever.before. I purchase many of my hi end smartphones phones on launch date for the last 8 years ( SE's P800, P910, rest of P series, SE X1, Nokia early N-series) and I cant think of one that didnt have problems after initial release. I know its hard and easy for me to say since mine works..but be patience a fix will come soon.

Just trying to help with some of the mood and moral with some of you and also to let you know that its not all of the devices. A exchange might be benificial for some of your cases however you also take the risk of getting a worst device. So if you can live with for now try to hold out...if not, return it, you might get lucky.
 
So I know this doesn't help anyone's cause in terms of their GPS not working, but it was working flawlessly today. Typically it would work okay, but I'd have that stupid blue circle around my arrow, indicating that it "sort of" knew where I was within a certain distance. Annoying.

Well today was the first time I used navigation after flashing BH_MAN's latest rom AND applying the two fixes at XDA. It found me within seconds, and I never once I had the blue circle around me. It also found and locked onto 10 satellites earlier. I should have taken a screen shot, but I didn't think about it. :(
 
Wait, am I the only one who picked up on this? You're the only who has successfully locked onto more than 3-4 satellites, and you are reporting you had a lock on no less than 10 of them?!

I guess that means this can be fixed with software. Who'd a thunk?
 
Back
Top Bottom