Any Opinions on the Samsung Impact?

[SimSV]

Wirelessly posted (SAMSUNG-SGH-T746/T746BMIH6 SHP/VPP/R5 NetFront/3.5 SMM-MMS/1.2.0 profile/MIDP-2.1 configuration/CLDC-1.1)

Great news!!

I was able to get Google maps working WITH GPS! You have to manually transfer it to your phone using the USB cable and a program called TKFileExplorer. There are no annoying screens asking for permission, and GPS connects within 30 seconds and is dead on. Installing VIA your computer actually cancels out the permissions set when installing from the mobile browser. (You can read why under the links below)

But I went for a little drive with it today and it was incredibly accurate.

Here are the links and information I used. You actually have to go into the phone admin menus so if you aren't familiar with that make sure you read the information CAREFULLY!

Download Google Maps from this location: http://www.samsung-impression.org/in...p?topic=1332.0 (Scroll Down)

You will receive a JAR, and JAD file to transfer to your phone. (You must register to have access to the files in the posts on the forum)

Read these two pages thoroughly to understand how to install files from your computer.

http://www.samsung-solstice.com/how-...able-tutorial/

http://www.samsung-solstice.com/how-...installed-ota/

This is going to open so many possibilies with this phone!

To access the Admin Menu go to your dial pad and enter... *#6984125*#
To access the Internals menu within that menu enter this Master Key... *#9072641*#

Please feel free to ask me any questions. I will gladly guide people through this but that forum should answer any questions. In fact I would recommend signing up for it.

I followed the instruction in the 2nd link for google map but the touch screen is not responding. i cant go pass the user agreement. any idea?

[Dodge34]

I had no problems installing it, but there's no GPS in this device clearly, don't know why you seem to get something but I was next to a Bell new HSPA tower (I just came back from Subway for a quick dinner) and tried it again and still not able to find where I am, I'm next to Montreal so I'm not in nowhere land and I know GPS is normally working cause my father has one in the car (A Garmin Nuvi)

[SimSV]

I got it to work! Thanks ibanez6. I followed your instruction including installing google map via data cable. The first time I installed via mobile browser and it never recognized the GPS.

Dodge34: I don't know if the phone actually has GPS or not but google map can work off cell towers to get your approximate location. When I first fire up google map it says I am in Mississauga when in fact I am in Toronto (about 30km away) but after about 30sec it picked up exactly where I am. If you want to try it again, make sure you use the JAD and JAR in ibanez6's link.

[ibanez6]

These are the exact steps I took to get Google Maps working with GPS.


1. Download Google Maps from this location:
http://www.mediafire.com/?wnjzgxrmtmm

I uploaded them myself so you don't have to use that forum.
I have edited the JAR file to make full use of the touch screen.

2. Connect the USB cable to your phone and select PC Studio. (You might have to change this setting on your phone)
3. Open TFKE and select the port you want to connect to under setting - COM
4. Connect to the phone.
5. Using TFKE browse to EXE-JAVA-GAMES on your phone.
6. Create a new folder under games called Google Maps
7. Copy the JAR and JAD file I uploaded to the new folder you just made.
8. Disconnect your phone from the computer.
9. Open the dial pad and enter *#6984125*#
10. This will take you to a menu.
11. Click Internals, it will ask for a Master Key... Enter this: *#9072641*#
12. Click on Storage Settings
13. Click Update Java DB, let it finish.
14. Click Update App Database, let it finish.
15. Run Google maps and wait until your location is found. It usually works within 30 seconds.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: I have no idea how well this will work in various part of Canada, but I do know it's working in B.C. for me.

[pb2000]

I can confirm, GPS works fine if you install using the instructions provided above (or on previous page). I get a very accurate fix in less than 30 seconds, even with a-gps turned off in the advanced menu.

[kaybertoss]

Got my 2 gig Micro SD Flash card today and it works great. Phone recognized it right away. It was easy and quick to transfer 1 gig of 160 Bit rate MP3’s and a few pictures to my phone.

I first set my phone to “mass storage” device under the USB settings so my computer would recognize the attached phone as a 2 gig flash card, not a phone.

The built in MP3 player works quite well with the goofy proprietary head phones and the digital pictures looked very good, considering it’s a “dumb” cell phone, big step up from my old Samsung a740.
And yeah it’s nice to be able to select any one of my MP3 songs as a ringtone now.

After an email exchange with Bell I called Bell CS and asked for a credit towards my next bill due to the price drop on my handset after only 2 weeks. They said too bad, 30 days or 30 min, which I was aware of.

Anyhow, the phone as been really good so far.
As a recap, here are a few reviews of the phone. Some already posted earlier in the thread but I thought I’d collect them together for those who may be interested.

First one is from MobileSyrup. Second is from CNET. It’s for the American Samsung Highlight but it looks like the exact same phone as the Canadian Impact. Not too sure about the third and fourth reviews, very similar phones but slightly different apps, however the reviews are for the American Highlight as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9HCZoftNLo

http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/...-33721123.html

http://samsunghighlight.com/samsung-highlight-review/

http://www.phonearena.com/htmls/Sams...ew-r_2232.html

Lastly, I’ve not been able to do a software update as others here have stated as well. Either directly by the phone or hooked up to the computer.

[Kev95lx]

I've received my Impact yesterday and I have two gripes with it:

- the screen locks too quickly, and my big thumbs are constantly shifting over to unlock it.

- installed Google maps but there doesn't seem to be a GPS

Lastly..I need to have it checked/returned as the phone constantly reboots itself. I tried to reset all the settings and now I'm prompted with the touch screen calibration procedure...

[Dodge34]

Now the GPS is working, don't know what happened but it works, maybe that's because I rebooted the phone (turned off then turned on again) and now I've tested it, will even work with bus and metro system, it give even the price of the whole trip the exact time to get to the metro station to grab the next one and to get to the bus stop on time (I'm at exactly 10 min walking distance from the local metro station and Google Maps was right about it, wow this is amazing) I just hope there won't be any charge for this.

Anyway gotta leave home for a full week (christmas vacations) and even maybe more, be back on the Internet around January 3-4.

[ibanez6]

I've received my Impact yesterday and I have two gripes with it:

- the screen locks too quickly, and my big thumbs are constantly shifting over to unlock it.

- installed Google maps but there doesn't seem to be a GPS

Lastly..I need to have it checked/returned as the phone constantly reboots itself. I tried to reset all the settings and now I'm prompted with the touch screen calibration procedure...

You have to install Google Maps using the instructions provided above (in bold) or it will not work. If you just download it from their website and install from your mobile browser you will not get GPS functionality.

In regards to the screen lock, I have mine set to only lock when I actually press the lock button. This way I can lock it before I put it in my pocket and no worries, and when I take it out I just unlock it myself.

Not sure what to tell you about the re-booting, but If you reset everything then that's why you got the calibration screen. When does it usually reboot? Are you doing the same thing every time it reboots? Or is it just randomly?

[ibanez6]

Now the GPS is working, don't know what happened but it works, maybe that's because I rebooted the phone (turned off then turned on again) and now I've tested it, will even work with bus and metro system, it give even the price of the whole trip the exact time to get to the metro station to grab the next one and to get to the bus stop on time (I'm at exactly 10 min walking distance from the local metro station and Google Maps was right about it, wow this is amazing) I just hope there won't be any charge for this.

Anyway gotta leave home for a full week (christmas vacations) and even maybe more, be back on the Internet around January 3-4.

Glad to hear you got it working! If you have the unlimited data plan then there should not be any charges. I used Google Maps on my old phone and I never received a charge on the unlimited data plan. Anyways, I should have some more information to share on this phone by the time you get back. Have a good one.

[Kev95lx]

Not sure what to tell you about the re-booting, but If you reset everything then that's why you got the calibration screen. When does it usually reboot? Are you doing the same thing every time it reboots? Or is it just randomly?

For the rebooting, I just went back to the vendor and had it exchanged. I had the phone for less than 24hours + it's on a corporate plan so it was easy to just exchange for a new one and return the rebooting one to Bell.

Where do I change the setting for the lock function?

As for Google Maps - I get a CRC error whenever I try to unzip the file.?

[ibanez6]

For the rebooting, I just went back to the vendor and had it exchanged. I had the phone for less than 24hours + it's on a corporate plan so it was easy to just exchange for a new one and return the rebooting one to Bell.

Where do I change the setting for the lock function?

As for Google Maps - I get a CRC error whenever I try to unzip the file.?

For the screen settings: Menu - Settings - Phone Settings - Auto Keypad Lock: Off

Not sure why you are getting a CRC error. Are you using an actual zip program or just the windows built in one? It works fine with winrar. You are using this link? http://www.mediafire.com/?wnjzgxrmtmm

[Kev95lx]

Not sure why you are getting a CRC error. Are you using an actual zip program or just the windows built in one? It works fine with winrar. You are using this link? http://www.mediafire.com/?wnjzgxrmtmm

I'm still getting CRC errors on the JAR file.

Testing ...
Testing GoogleMaps.jad OK
Testing GoogleMaps.jar CRC check failed

I have tried winzip, winrar and 7-zip to decompress the file but no luck.

[ibanez6]

Sorry about that everyone I will sort this out as soon as possible. I'm currently visiting some family. Thanks for your patience. Kev95lx I have sent you a PM.

[Dodge34]

Something got bad this weekend and maybe I'm the luckiest person on earth.

I can confirm this phone can be dropped into a toilet and works fine, I guess I'm pretty lucky, I dropped it (from my front pocket of my jeans, it wasn't intentional) before I used the toilet so i got it out quickly and removed every parts of it (my uncle knows everything about eletronics so he got the phone totally dried of the water) we got it back on and everything is fine, guess they must do the test at least once for Samsung quality test, I know I'm safe cause the water where I was is a private natural water, there's nothing in this water that could damage the phone except some minerals that are normal.

Can someone confirm that there's a red sticker on the battery, my brother think its a safety system that is normally white and turn red if the phone is dropped in water so that would void any warranty, can I just purchase a new battery and expect everything to work with my warranty (I pay 8$/month for Bell Warranty so if its already screwed by this I will cancel the warranty quickly), there doesn't seem to be another thing to detect water on this phone.