first time android user - need some help - samsung captivate

[mcgiddin]

my main reason for wanting to root is to get rid of ATT's bullshit (apps they put on there, apps they block, pushing there shitty nav service etc.) I guess secondarily i would want it for custom roms and kernels (thanks for the definitions notposting). If i do root and flash - would i ever be able to go back to stock if i decide i don't like it or mess something up? (i guess by stock i just mean touchwiz and swype, not the ATT apps)

I didn't see any response to the question of going back to the original install on the phone. I'm having problems with my phone when I plug it into my computer, the initializing usb screen pops up then dies then continuously repeats this behavior indefinitely. I'd like to start over fresh and go from there.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[dougp]

I know you're locked in "defend the purchase" mode because the phone is so new and you just bought it, but seriously.. there's no good reason for smartphones to not have a flash these days.. and Samsung is dumb for not including it in all Galaxy S phones.

I never said I disagreed with you dude, but I'm also in the mind set that LED flashes are a waste of space. They wash out photos and the only thing they're helpful for are flashlights. But again, that's my opinion - just like you have yours.

 

[zsdersw]

What the hell is the matter with you? Stop threadcrapping and go away. He's already bought the phone, so calling him stupid for buying a phone without a flash isn't going to help anyone or change anything. You're just being an ass.

God, some people on this forum are just pathetic.

The better question is what the hell is the matter with you. I never called him stupid for buying that phone or a phone without a flash. I did, however, call Samsung stupid for not including it on every Galaxy S phone.

 

[zsdersw]

I never said I disagreed with you dude, but I'm also in the mind set that LED flashes are a waste of space. They wash out photos and the only thing they're helpful for are flashlights. But again, that's my opinion - just like you have yours.

No one said anything but opinions were involved here.

 

[preslove]

The better question is what the hell is the matter with you. I never called him stupid for buying that phone or a phone without a flash. I did, however, call Samsung stupid for not including it on every Galaxy S phone.

You posted 5 times about the phone. He didn't come here to say "look at my nice phone!" He stated clearly that he bought it because it was a "decent android phone on ATT."

He just came here to ask for help with android. Then you started threadcrapping and turned this into a thread about the quality of the phone and not about helping the OP with Android. You should have posted your opinions about Samsung's flash decision here: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2089036

 

[ponyo]

I didn't see any response to the question of going back to the original install on the phone. I'm having problems with my phone when I plug it into my computer, the initializing usb screen pops up then dies then continuously repeats this behavior indefinitely. I'd like to start over fresh and go from there.

Thanks,
Matt

I haven't read anything about undoing the root process. That's why I haven't rooted mine yet. I want to wait for 2.2 froyo update from Samsung next month before I root mine. I don't think you can get OTA updates if you root.

 

[abaez]

Rooting does nothing at all except give apps access to files and folders that they previously did not have read/write access to. You remove the superuser.apk and everything is just like it was. OTA updates and all will work like nothing is changed.

I didn't see any response to the question of going back to the original install on the phone. I'm having problems with my phone when I plug it into my computer, the initializing usb screen pops up then dies then continuously repeats this behavior indefinitely. I'd like to start over fresh and go from there.

Thanks,
Matt

You can do a factory reset. But you may want to see if Samsung has some drivers for the phone on the site.

 

[Raduque]

GPS on the Galaxy S phones seem to be messed up. It also seems to be a known issue, as on Twitter, TMobile_USA posted they were looking into it. There's already a firmware fix out there for the international Galaxy S, we just need to wait for it to trickle down to the Vibrant/Captivate now.

Lets hope all it does is fix the GPS and not break root - though I wouldn't mind too much as I've already deleted the one thing that was pissing me off the most: Telenav.

 

[zsdersw]

You should have posted your opinions about Samsung's flash decision here:

Too bad.

 

[kaerflog]

So you like missing out on great hardware because of something that's not much more than a gimmick? LED flashes blow.

You think flash is a gimmick ??
Look at the 2 pictures below one with flash and one without taken with a HD2.
Both of these were taken inside a gameroom at 1pm.
Now try taking a pic without flash at a bar or club.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

I didn't see any response to the question of going back to the original install on the phone. I'm having problems with my phone when I plug it into my computer, the initializing usb screen pops up then dies then continuously repeats this behavior indefinitely. I'd like to start over fresh and go from there.

Thanks,
Matt

for me the problem was the default setting wants you to use samsung kies wjem you plug in the USB. go to settings>applications>usb settings and choose either ask or mass storage. Also once you have it set it mass storage you have to pull down the notification bar and mount the drive.

Forgive me if you already tried this, but this was my problem when i first plugged in my USB.

 

[Raduque]

You think flash is a gimmick ??
Look at the 2 pictures below one with flash and one without taken with a HD2.
Both of these were taken inside a gameroom at 1pm.
Now try taking a pic without flash at a bar or club.

Look at how horribly washed out those pictures are.

Night Mode vs LED Flash

LED flashes suck.

 

[dougp]

You think flash is a gimmick ??
Look at the 2 pictures below one with flash and one without taken with a HD2.
Both of these were taken inside a gameroom at 1pm.
Now try taking a pic without flash at a bar or club.

I'm sorry but there's no way you can tell me the difference there is an LED flash. No LED flash could provide that amount of light in such a large range.

 

[kaerflog]

Look at how horribly washed out those pictures are.

Night Mode vs LED Flash

LED flashes suck.

Wow, totally missing the point.
I can actually see my niece's face with a flash.

 

[kaerflog]

I'm sorry but there's no way you can tell me the difference there is an LED flash. No LED flash could provide that amount of light in such a large range.

Are you calling me a liar ??
So you think I would put 2 pictures from my HD2 just to BS ??
I actually took the first picture thinking there was enough lighting in the game room. I turned on the flash and that was the result.
People are missing the point.
Flash isn't gonna make the picture any better.
Flash will work in certain situation where the object is close enough to make a difference like the ones I posted above.

 

[archetypaul]

I store all my contacts on Google now. That way I have them in my Gmail account when logging in from a computer. I don't have to worry about syncing since it happens automatically. The only problem was that I got tons of duplicate and triplicate contacts when I tried migrating from the internal phone memory to Google. So it's probably better to decide on one way to store contacts and use that from the start.

Open up your gmail contacts in your browser.
1. Click on "My Contacts" at the top of the group list
2. Select "Find duplicates" in the right pane
3. There's an option to merge anything that's duplicate.


This helped me out a lot as I was having the same problem. However, from the little testing I did it seems like this only works with the "My Contacts" section. However that's just a matter of Select All> Add to My Contacts> Remove when done.

 

[theeedude]

Are you calling me a liar ??
So you think I would put 2 pictures from my HD2 just to BS ??
I actually took the first picture thinking there was enough lighting in the game room. I turned on the flash and that was the result.
People are missing the point.
Flash isn't gonna make the picture any better.
Flash will work in certain situation where the object is close enough to make a difference like the ones I posted above.

Maybe the HD2 also automatically changes the ISO exposure setting if you turn the flash on. I agree an LED flash is not what's making the difference here. LED flashes are much weaker and more directional, no way they are filling the background with that much more light. Also, quality is much better in the first shot, look at the wall on the right, you can see every brick, while second shot it's all washed out.

 

[kaerflog]

Please refrain from calling me a liar as I can replicate the results all day long or ask anyone with a HD2.
The pictures below were taken about 5 feet away.
Sorry but this has gone so off subject so I'm not going to debate the merit of flash any more.
On another note, a co-worker got a Vibrant today and I was very very impress. Looks even better in person.
And I like the Capivate design more.

 

[dougp]

Those are more believeable, and you can tell the range is less. Quite honestly, maybe it's the camera on the HD2?