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So this is sort of a multipurpose post, just saying some of the issue I have had with my Vibrant, and some of the possible solutions or at least information that I believe will help toward finding a solution.
About the GPS, this is what I have noticed:
I am pretty sure this is a software issue and this is why- I've noticed that I only have a problem when I am using the actual GPS and the network based location. I started to notice this first in Foursquare. Even when I could get a lock in Maps (albeit with a blue circle indicating it wasn't terribly accurate) Foursquare would always show where I last checked in... then I realized it wasn't showing where I last checked in, it was showing where I last was located using the GPS. I found that if I turned off the "Use GPS satellites" option, and only used the network location option, Foursquare (and indeed any other GPS program) got my location near instantly. Similarly, when I had only the satellite option checked (and not the network location) as long as I was outside I got a pretty quick and steady lock. When I put both options back on... everything all crappy again. So I've been keeping the actual GPS off unless I'm using navigation, in which case I switch, and I haven't had an issue yet. So I think this is something that they can fix in an update. Any other thoughts would be appreciated.
In regard to Social Network Sync:
It was driving me nuts that half the time I looked in the settings menu it would show that Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter (the Samsung variants) had "errors." Then I realized that for whatever stupid reason, they seem to only run into these errors on wifi. If I turned wifi off and synced... it worked. Turned it back on... didn't work. I tried this a few times. However, that said, the Social Network Sync is kind of broken. For example, even if you have it set to download all of your Facebook friends, after the first time it won't. To add them, you have to go into "Link contact, Get Friends, Facebook" and then check who you want to add .This is kind of annoying, and hopefully will also be fixed with a software update. Again, any thoughts would be appreciated.
About Flash:
This is honestly my biggest issue with the device. If you look in the applications it does have Flash lite. It just doesn't work. Coming from an almost flawless Flash experience on the MyTouch Slide to this is really not fun. The reason this annoys me so much though is because in apps that utilize the browser (for example NewsRob) whenever they load a page that has flash on it, you are kicked into the browser and get an error message (webkit error, file not found or some such.) When I'm browsing through articles in NewsRob it's incredibly annoying to have this stupid error message (which opens the browser, then an error, so it takes three back presses to get back to the article, all of which have a little delay.) Again, this is something that 2.2 should fix, but it's still frustrating. If anyone knows of any possible solution to this it'd be greatly appreciated.
Screen burn in I discovered today.
Much to my dismay, I noticed today that the clock digits were burnt into the screen, much like how the notifications were burnt into the screen on my Nexus One. The difference is that this took awhile to happen on my N1. Not three weeks like I've had the Vibrant. I don't know if this is permanent or just temporary, I have a pure white background open full screen right now, and will run like a color flashing thing next, hopefully this will get rid of it. If not... that's just excessively disappointing. I love love love having what is literally the most advanced screen technology in existence, and having a literally perfect black level, but screen burn in on a few week old device (that has been set at low or auto brightness since day one) is just not acceptable. I will post again after a day or so of white screen/colors and let ya'll know the results. But it's frustrating. Has any one else noticed this yet? Or have any other possible solutions?
Lastly, lag.
I've noticed that the ONLY lag on the device comes from stupid TouchWiz and the Buddies and Feeds widgets. With them disabled the device FLIES. With them on, it's slow and occasionally has to be force closed. For now I have the widgets in question disabled, but this is vastly annoying, and really makes me wish I had my MyTouch Slide back (except with this screen and processor lol.)
So, in conclusion, I generally love this device. But the second T-Mobile announces The MT3GHD, it'll be on eBay faster than you can say Android 2.2 with Espresso lol.
Quick update, jscreenfix app from market fixes the burn in, I let it run for about an hour. I'm going to do that every week just to be safe.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Would you like some cheese with your wine?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
c0wb0ycliche said:
About the GPS, this is what I have noticed:
I am pretty sure this is a software issue and this is why- I've noticed that I only have a problem when I am using the actual GPS and the network based location. I started to notice this first in Foursquare. Even when I could get a lock in Maps (albeit with a blue circle indicating it wasn't terribly accurate) Foursquare would always show where I last checked in... then I realized it wasn't showing where I last checked in, it was showing where I last was located using the GPS. I found that if I turned off the "Use GPS satellites" option, and only used the network location option, Foursquare (and indeed any other GPS program) got my location near instantly. Similarly, when I had only the satellite option checked (and not the network location) as long as I was outside I got a pretty quick and steady lock. When I put both options back on... everything all crappy again. So I've been keeping the actual GPS off unless I'm using navigation, in which case I switch, and I haven't had an issue yet. So I think this is something that they can fix in an update. Any other thoughts would be appreciated.
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Click to collapse
Even though I personally believe the gps is a firmware/driver issue, your explanation above does nothing to narrow it to that... You say the GPS doesnt work right when it is turned on...
well... yeah.
blink55184 said:
Even though I personally believe the gps is a firmware/driver issue, your explanation above does nothing to narrow it to that... You say the GPS doesnt work right when it is turned on...
well... yeah.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In Location settings, there are two options, Use wireless network and Use GPS satellites. What I am saying is that if BOTH of these options are turned on, it doesn't seem to work properly. If I only use wireless networks, it works (even indoors) but isn't terribly accurate. If I use GPS only, and I am outside, it works, accurately. So I am just saying there seems to be some disconnect between the wireless network location and GPS location working in sync like they normally do.
And (@lemarg) I don't see how my post is whining, I'm just pointing out some observations about the issues I (and other people) been having with the phone. Maybe I misunderstand the point of a forum.
I keep getting the small flashing icon in the bottom right notifcation bar saying "Searching for GPS". I have turned off the GPS capabilities in settings and am still having an issue. Anyone else have this problem? Its sort of annoying when its constantly flashing and I dont want it draining battery or anything.
Lemme know!
Thanks,
Steve
same here. happened when an app need to access location.
Here too, but the GPS doesn't appear to be enabled -- the status just shows that an app wants to use GPS. If set to airplane mode or you've disabled GPS, you won't be wasting battery power.
Hmm thanks for the replys guys, the flashing icon is just annoying, thats all. I guess it doesnt seem to be effecting battery that I know of.
I wonder if theres a way to tell which app is trying to use the GPS?
Open Google Maps, then close it (go to home). It usually stop the searching of GPS sats on my phone with that method.
i came from 4.2.1. updated to 4.2 and now my tablet wont stop saying searching for GPS (i am indoors and no GPS lock can be found).
nothing has changed, i have the same APPs haven't removed or added anything except updating via OTA yet now after the update this searching for GPS wont go away and i have to toggle it off now.
i have always left GPS and Wifi on with 4.2.1 and didnt have this problem and its draining my battery so i disable GPS.
anyone else see this on theirs?
1) turn GPS off
2) download gps status
3) wait until you are outside and stationary
4) turn on GPS and run gps status to see if you are getting any kind of fix on satellites.
Zillow (an app in the Play Store) causes this on my device. If I force closed it, the GPS icon would go away. If you're not using Zillow, maybe another app is the cause. Try force-closing anything you think might be using GPS
while google nav is running in background (searching for gps..) Hit the home button Go to settings . Toggle gps Of then back on..
You might have to then exit google nav off then back on.. Sometimes it will take a few tired..
This randomly happens to me sometimes if i start google Nav with the gps enabled.. Was present in 4.1.2 after the latest maps update .
I had the EXACT same problem.. I had updated in my "bunker" where I work (no GPS signals get in here) and until it finally got a signal it tried for like 2 hours. Once it did it, it was happy.
I really, really wish there were some way to see GPS usage history. There has got to be a way to do that. A log of what apps used the GPS, how long, etc
Same here. I also noticed this today and the battery drained quickly. It looks like the Weather Channel app was causing it in my case. It had an unusually large share of the battery consumption (according to the Android battery monitor) and uninstalling it seems to fix the issue (will take another day to confirm). This was working fine on 4.1.2.
Mine also has gone AWOL. I tried the on-off trick, all styles, but no joy (and waiting 2 hours was not a possibility... I needed it there and then).
I'll try the apps suggested, but as Gps is a core service, and one Google relies upon, it's disappointing that this crops up after an update to 4.2.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
szeiger said:
Same here. I also noticed this today and the battery drained quickly. It looks like the Weather Channel app was causing it in my case. It had an unusually large share of the battery consumption (according to the Android battery monitor) and uninstalling it seems to fix the issue (will take another day to confirm). This was working fine on 4.1.2.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for bringing this up. I was having this problem, and I have The Weather Channel too so I went to uninstall it and right when I did the GPS notification went away. It's looking like it may be a problem with the app then and not the GPS. Maybe something changed in the background and they have to make some modifications to the app to fix it.
I reinstalled TWC and when telling it to find me through GPS on the first run, it doesn't seem to want to get my location. I did it indoors before so I don't know why it wouldn't pick it up now. But at least it doesnt seem to be constantly accessing the GPS. I was going to do a factory reset to figure out if it was a problem with the system update itself but I'll just chalk it up to an app problem right now.
It's strange though, in 4.1.2 I don't remember getting any notification that the GPS was searching\locked on unless it was Navigation or Maps doing something. Either way, I dislike this new GPS notification thing overall. On the other hand, it's a good thing that we know the GPS was being used improperly. I hope they update The Weather Channel app soon. Weather Underground is slow even on the Nexus 7.
I'm having the same trouble after the update.
I left The Weather Channel uninstalled and had the GPS on again... still a lot of usage so I've just turned the GPS off until I need it. This is very unnecessary though. It has to be something in the operating system (I don't have any apps running in the background that should be using it so much when fine location isn't required).
Has anybody else tried a factory reset to see if this alleviates this problem? I really don't want to be the first and then lose important things I have saved to memory. :/
In 4.1.2 when using Navigation, GPS would be lost at times. Firing up GPS Test Plus would show no satellites, then rapidly find them, and suddenly Navigation would work again. I sometimes had to toggle GPS, sometimes didn't.
In 4.2 so far, I've had GPS vanish in Navigation, and stay vanished in GPS Test Plus. Toggling GPS doesn't seem to help. Rebooting is required to locate the satellites. Annoying.
About to delete 5gb of data to see if my 16GB model will magically speed up from the constant heavy lag.
A factory reset seems to have fixed my GPS problem.
same problem.i found a advertisement module in heywire caused it.as i force closed heywire,it is gone.before that,it continues for 7 hours.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
zhj said:
same problem.i found a advertisement module in heywire caused it.as i force closed heywire,it is gone.before that,it continues for 7 hours.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
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Sorry for the bump but it seems even after uninstalling The Weather Channel and the factory reset I still get GPS activation for a long time from time to time. I seem to have found the process in the battery usage that's causing it. "Fused Location". Not sure what uses this or what it is, it has an android icon. I force closed it and GPS stopped searching. Probably not a permanent fix. I sent feedback from the OS on this process.
I've seen this in 4.2 on my Nexus 7 AND my Galaxy Nexus.
Not nailed it yet, one culprit was Shazam (turned off Location in the settings for that and it went away)
Checking my Battery stats again, Shazam is on 12% and I've not even run it! Gonna remove the homescreen widget, see if that helps.
jmbillings said:
I've seen this in 4.2 on my Nexus 7 AND my Galaxy Nexus.
Not nailed it yet, one culprit was Shazam (turned off Location in the settings for that and it went away)
Checking my Battery stats again, Shazam is on 12% and I've not even run it! Gonna remove the homescreen widget, see if that helps.
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Click to collapse
i suggest you to to Settigs -> Apps -> Running (Tab)
Individuall kill/stop the application that you think might have caused the problem..
You will eventually know which Apps has caused it because the GPS icon goes away after you killed the erring application...
This worked for me. The problem App was "Perfect World Clock"
That solution is rather clunky. I have created a couple of simple Tasker profiles to get rid of this annoying notification. Works flawlessly for me. What it does is it shuts off GPS when the screen turns off, and restarts it after a short delay when the screen turns on. The delay is the real key here, as it circumvents the initial GPS search and, hence, no annoying message. Google Maps and Google Nav are not affected, as the GPS is always on when the screen is on, i.e. GPS is on whenever it is actually needed and off only if it is not needed. And, these profiles do not significantly impact battery, as they are Event triggered rather than State triggered. In fact, it probably saves battery, given that it turns GPS off when it's not needed. There are two profiles needed, which I have called "GPS Suspend" and "GPS Restart." Their associated tasks both utilize the Secure Settings plug-in which is needed to turn GPS on or off. As you will see, I have also added "If" conditions to each task's GPS command, to ensure that the command is executed if and only if the screen is in the correct (on/off) phase.
Here are the profiles and their associated tasks...
Profile: GPS Suspend
Event: Display Off
Enter: GPS Suspend
A1: Secure Settings [ Configuration:GPS Disabled Timeout (Seconds):0 ] If [ %SCREEN ~ off ]
Profile: GPS Restart
Event: Display On
Enter: GPS Resart
A1: Wait [ MS:0 Seconds:3 Minutes:0 HConfiguration:GPS:enabledours:0 Days:0 ]
A2: Secure Settings [ Timeout (Seconds):0 ] If [ %SCREEN ~ on ]
Try it and see!
modestdave
A few times in the past couple days, I've noticed that a few seconds after opening maps or an app like gps status, the gps symbol in the status bar simply disappears and the app I'm using stops updating.
I thought it might be a problem with maps until I caught it doing the same thing on the gps status app (and the gps test app as well). So it doesn't seem like an app problem. I have location accuracy mode set to high under location settings, and no power savings type modes or apps running. I have the at&t version of the s5.
Any ideas what's going on here or how to fix?
This is driving me nuts - it hasn't happened to anyone else? It seems like it generally happens when the GPS is 'cold' - like first thing in the morning. I'll open maps, or try to navigate, or one of the gps apps, and the gps indicator in the status bar simply turns off after a couple seconds and whatever app I'm in stops updating my location. If I close and reopen one of the apps, it'll do the same thing again. Eventually, after say 3-10 times of this - suddenly the gps status indicator will either stay on or might come back on a couple seconds after having turned off. After that, it seems to have 'warmed up' and works normal even after closing/opening apps to test it. I've also tried clearing maps data, as well as resetting agps data. Anything else I can try short of a factory reset?
Anyone else having an issue where when using Android Auto, the Waze app won't get a correct location until I switch to the Google maps app first and then go back and everything is fine. I've tried reinstalling all apps involved and still same outcome. Not deal break but still annoying
Yes, I do the exact same thing to "fix" the problem. I originally had the problem, it went away for a period of time, now it's back again. It seems Waze wants to use GPS but is in the background/goes to sleep - due to Android auto where the phone screen is off.
As a side note, my Waze also looks like it's got green hues everywhere now both in day and night modes. It makes the map background seem less crisp around roads and road names.
Same here for waze
This only happens to me when I connect the device when its asleep.
Dark Nightmare said:
This only happens to me when I connect the device when its asleep.
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Hmm I've only ever connected it while its asleep. I'll try and see if connecting with it awake fixes it.
I've also tried having Waze and android auto being ignored by the battery optimization and still no luck.
I have also this problem... Still... It's very annoying as Google maps is working so I guess it has something to do with waze itself and not Android auto. I hope they fix this problem. I use waze for speedtraps etc...