Help screen dying - best way to save data?

[bls]

Help! My wife and I both have Epic 4Gs. Mine still runs fine, butin the past 24 hours my wife's phone's screen has started to fail. It started with a loss of colot that made everything seem dim and red-tinted. And it's getting darker by the hour.

So the main concern right now is how I can back up her most important data (pictures, contacts, calendar). Now, I know how to get the photos off the SD by just hooking up with the USB cable to the PC. But I don't know how I can get the contacts or calendar off there. Is there software I could use?

Part of the problem is that with my phone, I put everything on the Google Contacts and Google Calendar and sync all day; while my wife uses the standalone android Calendar and Contacts on the phone. So some of her data only exists on the phone.

Assuming it dies before we can download the data ourselves, can the Sprint store staff get the data off without being able to use the phone's screen?

Any tips (other than, "Gee, you should have backed up periodically before") would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Unforgiven]

For contacts you can back them up to the SD Card and offload them like you would the photos.

People > Menu > Import/Export. Save to SD Card.

I'll circle back on the calandar, but I see you are a little time pressed and figured one out of three wasn't bat to get you started. Sorry about your predicament.

 

[Unforgiven]

Regarding the calendar, can you check http://calendar.google.com under your wifes login and see if her events are there. I have been using the calendar on my phone as well and all of the events are synced. If they are not, you can go to Settings | Accounts and Sync | Your wifes gmail account and click the checkmark for sync calendar.

I hope this helps. And it you need help transferring your photos and exported contacts, let us know, but it looked like you had that part under control.

 

[bls]

Thanks P! I should be able to get the data off, so long as the screen failure slows down. She started out with a red tint to the whole screen yesterday, pulling battery didn't help. And now it is steadily darkening. By the end of the night the data on the phone might not be recoverable since the screen won't be visible (though data on the SD card is obviously easy to get at).

The ironic part is we just discontinued the insurance plan a few months ago, after keeping it for about a year. I wonder if I restarted it today by calling Sprint, if they would honor it? But even then I think the deductible is $100 or something, and a new Epic 4G is listed at $99, so there's probably no point!

 

[Unforgiven]

Thanks P! I should be able to get the data off, so long as the screen failure slows down. She started out with a red tint to the whole screen yesterday, pulling battery didn't help. And now it is steadily darkening. By the end of the night the data on the phone might not be recoverable since the screen won't be visible (though data on the SD card is obviously easy to get at).

The ironic part is we just discontinued the insurance plan a few months ago, after keeping it for about a year. I wonder if I restarted it today by calling Sprint, if they would honor it? But even then I think the deductible is $100 or something, and a new Epic 4G is listed at $99, so there's probably no point!

Sprint probably won't let you back on insurance. I know Verizon won't let me re-add it. I have been in your situation before where it was cheaper to buy a new phone than pay the insurance deductible.

 

[bls]

True. The real question for us, assuming the screen really is dying, is whether she should go with another Epic 4G; a different Android phone; or jump to an iPhone 4S. She's really not into messing around with the phone so she might have a better experience with the iPhone....

 

[Unforgiven]

True. The real question for us, assuming the screen really is dying, is whether she should go with another Epic 4G; a different Android phone; or jump to an iPhone 4S. She's really not into messing around with the phone so she might have a better experience with the iPhone....

You are probably on the right track as far as upgrading the hardware to something more current. How does she do with change and is she familiar with fruit products?

If she is OK with a little different look and feel then any mid-range Android phone could be cost effective and have relatively the same user experience for her so she could settle in quickly and any paid apps she bought for her Epic would be available for download through the Market.

If she is open to drastic change, already uses an iPod or something similar, or really wants an iPhone, that may be the right thing for her. To be honest, I have never used an iProduct for more than a few seconds so I really am not the best person to tell you how different the UI would be from Android.

In the end, get her the right replacement for her, don't let me sway you. But feel free to ask my opinion.

 

[bls]

You are probably on the right track as far as upgrading the hardware to something more current. How does she do with change and is she familiar with fruit products?

We have an iPad 2, which she's used and likes. Side note: we've both found it to be nice but not essential. Convenient for media and reading the web, but less portable than a smartphone and less functional than a laptop.

If she is OK with a little different look and feel then any mid-range Android phone could be cost effective and have relatively the same user experience for her so she could settle in quickly and any paid apps she bought for her Epic would be available for download through the Market.

I hear you. I'll have to check what Sprint's current return policy is, i.e. how hard it would be to return a phone she takes home but dislikes.

If she is open to drastic change, already uses an iPod or something similar, or really wants an iPhone, that may be the right thing for her. To be honest, I have never used an iProduct for more than a few seconds so I really am not the best person to tell you how different the UI would be from Android.

I think her experience learning the Android will actually make it even easier for her to learn the iPhone, if we go that route.

In the end, get her the right replacement for her, don't let me sway you. But feel free to ask my opinion.

Appreciate all the tips!

 

[bls]

Just spoke with Sprint repair shop locally, they may be able to repair it for a flat $35, which is what we will do if possible.

 

[Unforgiven]

Just spoke with Sprint repair shop locally, they may be able to repair it for a flat $35, which is what we will do if possible.

That's good to hear. You probably still will want to back everything up just in case. Good luck.

 

[bls]

Sprint Repair took it in for $35, and since they didn't stock the screen among their spare parts, they had the central Sprint warehouse ship us a replacement phone at no further charge -- total charge $35! Thank you Sprint!

 

[Unforgiven]

Sprint Repair took it in for $35, and since they didn't stock the screen among their spare parts, they had the central Sprint warehouse ship us a replacement phone at no further charge -- total charge $35! Thank you Sprint!

Glad they did right by you. Let me know if you need any help restoring anything.

 

[jessbj0312]

I always back up to SD, clear my cache, and I use Juice Defender Ultimate from the android market place. I purchased it, and it has helped me seriously, with keeping my battery up. I always have a lot of apps running it seems, and doing these 3 things have helped! Good luck!