DR KOH KHO KING

I reported that my Samsung Galaxy S is having problem with its camera. The center part of every photos I took is always blur.

I went to the service center (Aeon Bukit Indah, 3rd Floor) to report the problem 3 weeks ago. The salesman is friendly and helpful enough to help me order the camera part from Samsung and promised me that he will call me when the part arrives. Within a week, I received a call from the salesman and the part is ready. I need to bring my phone + warranty card when doing the repair. I told him that I need the phone back ASAP, and he estimated 1-2 hours work to change the camera.

I was really tied up with my schedule and only last weekends I have the time to go there to have my phone repaired. The process is fast, only took around 30 mins to have it done. The salesman said this is the first time he repaired the phone, and it is actually very simple to change the camera inside.

I tested some shots and the camera seems to be working perfectly now.

(I left the mini usb cable in my office, so can only try upload some photos here later)

(uploaded by transferring the image via email from my phone to my computer)

Last night when playing around with Kies (Samsung software for the computer to communicate with Samsung phones), I noticed a notification of Firmware Update is available at the lower right corner of Kies.

New Firmware: PDA:JG4 / PHONE:JG4

I remember two weeks ago when I use Kies, there is no firmware upgrade available. So this must be released only recently.

This is NOT Android 2.2 (Froyo) yet. Samsung has announced in their Korean website that there will be Android 2.2 for Galaxy S in September 2010. Definitely a MUST upgrade later (going through the pains again…).

Since my wife’s Galaxy S is new, I so thought why not upgrade it! (no valuable data inside it yet).

It took around 15 mins to complete the firmware upgrade, depending on your internet speed as it need to actually download the firmware (binary files) from Samsung website. I am on a 4MB/s Streamyx line.

Upgrade will actually DELETE and ERASE everything from your phone, back to factory default. So beware! You need to back up a few things first before attempting the firmware upgrade:

Contacts

• Contacts (if you are using Google Contacts, then just sync it with Google)
• Contacts in Phone (Copy and backup using Kies first to your PC)
• Contacts in SIM (again, can copy and backup in Kies first to your PC)

SMS / MMS

I am not sure how to back this up. Kies seems not able to view my SMS stored in my Galaxy S. A bug in Kies? It should by right…else how am I able to backup my messages?I don’t know and I have tried several times by plugging and unplugging my Galaxy S to my PC, still Kies can’t load or find my messages.

Nevermind, not that those messages are of super important, so I just proceed to upgrade my phone.

Installed Software

I am not sure how to back this up. I don’t think there is any option to backup the installed software. So, manually note down what you have installed and wanted to install, as you will need to reinstall them later.

Upgrade? What Change? New Features?

I am not sure. Samsung did not mention it during the upgrade. One obvious change I saw after the upgrade is a new Apps Running icon, which you can click to see what apps are running in your phone and can choose to kill it as well. Good feature I would say.

Upon searching for the upgrade info in the internet, I saw some mentioning about the improvement in speed and reducing lag time in using the phone. Also improvement in sound quality. I am currently upgrading my own Galaxy S, will know later after upgraded and played around with it for a while.

It is actually GOOD to upgrade the firmware if you want to CLEAN and put your phone back to its original factory condition!

Just bought another unit today…for my wife this time.

Same price, RM2500.

I also learned that there are AP set from Singapore and other countries, selling at around RM1.9k (8GB) and 2.1k (16GB) via Lelong.com. In Malaysia, there is only 16GB version from Samsung Malaysia.

Paying RM2k for a phone, I think it is safer to get an official warranty set.

My old phone…Softbank X01HT. It was an exciting phone when I first got it. Saw my friend using it while I was in Japan, and I have to go get one too. (That was before iPhone came out. My friend later upgraded to iPhone…)

Using Windows mobile OS, installing apps is a pain…which I still not sure how to do it even by now. So my phone becomes a white elephant to me.

The keyboard is really good I must say. Typing sms is fast and furiuos.

Respond of the phone is slow, even though I didn’t install any apps. Really a put off…and have to use stylus to point, or fingernail. Yes, fingernail, not finger as it will not detect if you use finger touching the screen.

It is more than a cm thick…in today’s standard, that’s called a BRICK. Can be a good weapon when thrown at bad guys…knock the head sure fainted…

Now this is my new toy…time flies…technology advances so fast. Samsung Galaxy S.

Using Adroid system. Installing apps is just click and click. No complication.

Even though the phone comes with 1Ghz processor, I must say that it is still not ultra smooth in respond. Sometimes the screen does delay by a second or two, and the back button on the phone (lower right), can be like no respond. I don’t like the lower middle button design, it can be improved more. Dirt tends to go in between the edges of that button.

Ok, that’s all for now. More in future after I use the phone more.

Got my new toy today.

Called Samsung Mobile shop in Johor, they said no stock and most probably new stock will only arrive today last afternoon. I told them to call me when it arrived.

The Samsung blue…

Got a call at around 3pm, then straight away I drove to Jusco Bukit Indah and got some cash from the ATM machine there and walk to the shop at third floor. It is at the right wing if you enter from the main door of Jusco Bukit Indah.

This is NOT the first time I see a Galaxy S. The first time I saw it was like 2 weeks back, at PIKON PC Fair in JB. I was not impressed with it, find the interface to be quite dull and boring. I am undecided between iPhone 4 (which don’t know when will be available…), HTC Phone (Legend or Desire) and Samsung Galaxy S.

I decided to drop iPhone from my list, as I don’t like to stick to iPhone Tune or iPhone software. Yes, I have a macbook myself, which I hate when I first received it, but later can accept but still not loving it. (the HDD in the macbook died on me, and I lost quite a lot of important data)

HTC Legend…kinda out dated a bit…so out.

HTC Desire…I kinda like the rubberised body. My last phone was a HTC, and I kinda hate it for its slow in respond. Yes, a touch screen HTC, early model I guess and was quite expensive back then.

Yesterday I spent quite some time checking and reading reviews online on HTC Desire versus Samsung Galaxy S. From what I read (never believe everything you read)…HTC seems to be better on the software while Samsung is better on the hardware. HTC is using AMOLED and Samsung is using Super AMOLED. Samsung screen is 4″ while HTC is 3.7″ (Since I hope to use the phone often as a WIFI device, so the bigger screen size does sounds attractive to me). From some reviews online, Galaxy S seems to be faster on WIFI than Desire too.

HTC Desire is RM2199 while Samsung is RM2599. RM400 difference.

Finally, set. I am hoping that Samsung can improve on the software part later, and using Android system…that is quite possible (though many said Samsung support sucks…).

I paid RM2500 nett today for the Galaxy S. No free gift except a small cheap cloth pouch (worth less than RM10). Ok lah…at least I can still use it to protect my Galaxy S when putting it in my pocket. Avoid coins and keys scratch my “expensive” phone. RM2500 is quite a lot, but since I will be using it daily…so I think (or hope) the investment is worth while.

Got home…played with it a little, connected to my house WIFI. Samsung Aps sucks. Only one game there (car racing…quite nicely designed). In total only 8 Apps at the moment. Went to Android Aps, wow…a lot! Many free one too! Powered by Android (or Google) seems like a brand now…

Try downloading them…”Download Unsuccessful”. All the time…got fedup…google for answers…seems like a common problem that many have experienced with Android phone (not just Galaxy S). Found many suggestions…finally this one solved it.

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Android+Market/thread?tid=71fc08c34b0a48dc&hl=en

SETTINGS > APPLICATIONS > MANAGE APPLICATIONS

Once in manage applications, click the menu button and select filter and filter by all.

Now delete the data AND cache for the following applications (if you only get the option to delete one or the other, then do what is available):

Download Manager
Google Apps
Google Talk Service
Google Talk Storage
Internet
Market
Talk

Apps can be downloaded and installed successfully!

There is NO accessories for Samsung Galaxy S in that Samsung shop. The supplied accessories are earphone, USB cable and USB 3-pins charger. Got the free pouch.

Youtube is brilliant on the phone. Very clear movie and very good sound. I haven’t used it for talking yet…

Ok…that’s all for the rambling on my new toy…it is more than a phone (I hope) and hopefully can work well for what it is, a phone.