* For those that got their 2.3.6 update * What do you think? Pros & Cons
GreenRobot
Contributor - Level 3

With every update big and small things will be different, added, removed, and so one. Have you found any new uses or lost functionality? So what's your take on the new update?

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Tidbits
Legend
Google + hangouts worked just no talk with video
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GreenRobot
Contributor - Level 3

Tidbits wrote:
Google + hangouts worked just no talk with video

Looks like you can't start a hang out from the app but you can join one that was started from a pc. I just gave it a try and it worked. 

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bigbelt
Newbie

Just received the update this morning, looks like it was around 119 mb in size.  Don't notice a lot of any differences, other than a few very minor ones.

 

Upload and download speeds were exceptional:  WiFi = Download @ 20,876 Kbps ; Upload @ 6,092 Kbps and on the 4G = Download @ 28,915 Kbps ; Upload @ 9,212 Kbps which is still quite better than most desktops.

 

Not sure what else is new as of yet.

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Tidbits
Legend
You could never start the hangout on the phone. Just join them. Which kind of sucks sometimes.
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DC5_K20Z1
Contributor - Level 3
Haha, nice I covent heard it yet, my barry has been a monster on gingerbread so I nascent recharged yet. It a nice sound?
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DC5_K20Z1
Contributor - Level 3
Covent =haven't
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andrewww
Newbie

Did anyone happen to have a problem with their lock screen? Because everytime i unlock my phone it always goes to the homescreen then quickly to the lock screen, like a glitch. Does anybody have that bug also?

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WTTTT
Enthusiast - Level 1

I noticed that the last screen open will flash onscreen for a fraction of a second between waking it and it going to the unlock screen.  It did not do that before the update, but it does not seem to be a problem.  Is that what you are referring to?

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andrewww
Newbie

Yeah, do you get that everytime? Cause for me, it always happens to me everytime now.

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WTTTT
Enthusiast - Level 1

Yes, every time.  Never before the update.  It is really just a flash and does not seem to impact anything of be a problem for me.  I am not worried about it.  I AM seeing other things I like.  I seem to have more speed going through menus, scrolling, etc.  Apps seem to be faster.  But it has only been a couple of hours so far.  Those things I am noticing may be from doing the hard reset and not the update itself.  I have installed back most of my apps and data now so we shall see going forward. 

 

The main thing I am hoping for is an end to the "No Network Connection" error.  I have permanently turned back on WiFi and tomorrow will drive away from the house and see when I go out of WiFi range if the phone automatically switches back to the data network.  That was my biggest problem with the phone.

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FireCharge
Newbie

I received my update this morning and over 3G it only took about 10 mins. I was nervous about the update since it could mess up my phone. Which usually happens when updates like this take place. When it was finished I had no problems. I notice the change in colors at the top menu and it was much FASTER. Some apps I had that use to take a little bit to open ran much faster. I kept playing around on it didn't see any problems so far. Later on in the day my ipod was charging and I was about to go for my run so I decided to use my CHARGE instead. Right when I was about to start my run, I tried to turn on my music player and notice something. The player would run but the screen would freeze but the music would continue to play. I forced closed it a few times and still the same thing. I decided I would try and see if I could fix it once I returned home. Second problem was as I was running I saw something that i wanted to take a photo of and when I went to tried to use the camera, the picture wouldn't save and I have plenty of room since I've only had this phone for 2 months. The home screen started to freeze for a few seconds as well. When I got back home I sat down and restarted the phone. Once it was rebooted everything started to work perfectly again. I've had no more problems and its been a few hours now so I assume once you download the update. You should restart the phone again to clear any glitches. 

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jbrookley
Enthusiast - Level 3

Here are my impressions of 2.3.6:

 

Looks - Overall, it looks pretty similar.  There are a few changes, updated logos, color menus, color bar when you hit the end of a menu, etc but overall, no huge changes (that said, i use go launcher so this is just my experience and might be different from other people).  one thing that appears to have changed are the number of notifications at the top.  it looks like there are more icons at the top but maybe thats me just noticing a lot more things going on at once.  regardless, i seem to be getting more notifications and I like this.  a lot.  

 

Startup Speed - still loads at about the same speed (ie slow)

 

Loading speed - This is where you feel a significant difference.  Everything seems to load a lot faster, switches pages faster and doesn't seem to be hang up as much.  HUGE difference.  The unlock screen is also a LOT faster (Thank God!  3-5 seconds doesn't sound like much but everytime I unlocked the phone, I had to wait that long and over the course of the day, it got very frustrating, especially since everything else on the phone seemed to feel loaded down as well)

 

GPS - I had initially been concerned when my phone couldn't quite lock on (I was inside and stationary so it was hard to tell).  I turned my wifi on and went to bed and figured if it's an issue, it will still be searching for a menu in the morning but 10 minutes later as I was falling asleep, I was told I need to turn right so I guess it found a signal.  I took it for a drive today and it looks like no visible change was made in GPS from what I can see.  It took quite a while to find my signal but that was the case beforehand as well.  It's odd because when I first got the phone, it was pretty snappy.  Overall, not a huge deal.  

 

Bluetooth - When I first used it, I didn't get sound but I remembered I had my auxilary plugin attached to the phone so that might be why.  I unplugged it and made another call and had no issues (but I hadn't had issues before either so it's hard to say if any changes were made).  

 

Vibrate function - This seems to be a lot stronger (maybe it was me but it woke me up this morning from vibrating on the bedside table and I'm a pretty heavy sleeper).  

 

Data signal - This seems to have be a lot better.  When I lost signal beforehand, it never seemed to wake back up until I ran an app like "Restart Connection", toggled back and forth between airplane mode or toggled on and off the data signal, or restart the phone.  Even then sometimes it wouldn't come back.  I am currently running juicedefender to extend battery life and with froyo, when it disabled data when not using the phone, it would never come back.  Now, it pops back within a reasonable amount of time (which is anywhere from instant to about 10 seconds or so, which I'm happy with). 

 

Things I haven't been able to test but have heard have improved are the speed of the camera loading and the battery life.  

 

So yeah, these are my impressions.  Honestly, it's too bad it took so long to get this update because I can honestly say if this phone had been like it is right now, I'd have been very happy with the phone from the start.  I was still ok with the phone within reason but not for the price we paid, and not with (what seems like) every other phone on the market having at least gingerbread, some moving towards ice cream sandwich!  

 

I doubt we'll see ice cream sandwich on this phone but if this phone stays just like it is for the next year and a half, I'll still be happy with it.  overall, I'm very pleased with the update.  feels like the phone i thought i had bought six months ago.  :smileyhappy:

 

 

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trparky
Contributor - Level 1

I really don't classify the store representatives as the sharpest knives in the drawer, if you catch my drift.  Most of the representatives aren't what many people classify as geeks.  They don't eat, sleep, and breathe this stuff.

 

Oh sure, they know how to sell, fix account issues, etc.  But anything beyond basic troubleshooting they don't know anything.

 

That's why a lot of people who own Android (and for that matter, iOS) based devices, turn to the community for help.  More often than not you're going to find that the community can help you in ways that no store representative is going to be able to help you.

 

I know that Verizon representatives don't like people mentioning anything about the rooting/ROM scene but it's there that I learned how to fix, tweak, and make this phone better.

 

I had an issue with my brother's phone in which it bootlooped, for no good reason.  No store representative knew what to do.  They wanted to exchange it.  I said no and that I'd try doing some research into a fix for myself, sure enough, the Android Community came to my rescue and saved the phone and told me how to use tools like ODIN, Android Developer/Debug Bridge, etc. to fix the phone.  Yep... still have that same phone, didn't get it swapped, and I was able to fix it in less than five minutes with some handholding from some good people in the Android Community.

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jj515789
Newbie

Well I dont know if the guy meant this week or the following week, but I am going to give it till next weekend, see if I actually get an update that works, if not I will go back to the store and see about an exchange or something

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Richs10
Enthusiast - Level 3
I too have a problem deleting more than one photo at a time from the picture gallery. I can delete one at a time, but not batches. The gallery freezes and I have to use the program manager to get out of it.

Minor problem given the overall improvements. Btw, the improved Cut and Paste is awesome!

Rich
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Tidbits
Legend
Have you guys tried clearing your gallery data. No it won't delete all your pictures :smileyhappy:
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Richs10
Enthusiast - Level 3

Thanks, tidbits.

 

Clearing the photo gallery data seems to have taken care of the problem.  

I just took six screen shots and deleted them all as a batch.

 

And how the heck did you know to suggest that???  (glad you did!)

 

Rich

 

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Tidbits
Legend
Been around the block more than a few times. Often its just bad caching that causes force closures. Deleting the cache and letting the OS remake the cache helps.
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Richs10
Enthusiast - Level 3
Good to know.
I'm gonna remember that in similar situations.
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Tidbits
Legend
Keep in mind certain apps like games for example will clear your progress if you clear the cache or data.
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chornelium
Newbie
Unhappy with update. Phone previously was able to connect to my in-car receiver (Pioneer DEH-2600BT) via USB (mass storage), and now it won't. After some research, I figured it was because the GB update featured encryption for USB and SD card...

This irritates me because the system I set up in my car to use the phone as a mass storage device (could control and toggle songs/albums through the receiver) while simultaneously charging through the USB cable, call connection via Bluetooth through receiver and utilize GPS all at the same time has been rendered inoperable :smileysad:

Is there a way to "un-encrypt" mass storage settings? This would fix the only negative issue I am experiencing.

Another downfall is the spotty connection.. my 4g and 3g cut out intermittently.. not happy about that.

Also the text input seems slower and a bit laggy compared to how it was before.

I think this update was a big step in the wrong direction for this device and am disappointed in its overall performance. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
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