Messages

1

Astro Slide - Android / Proper backup of the Gemini BEFORE the Astro arrives

« on: August 18, 2022, 03:55:36 pm »

I never would have guessed in May 2020 - buying the Astro Early Bird perk - that I needed to ask this question.

I kind of figured that the Gemini would be outdated and that the battery would be slowly dieing when the Astro arrives.  I would then use a transfer tool to port the Gemini's content into the Astro. That's what I did when my wife needed a new phone

Alas... that was far too positive !

My Gemini is now nearly dead, i.e. it is permanently connected to a powerblock. Worse: it was completely dead for a few days. I plugged in the charger for the 25th time, hoping for a miracle. And suddenly... the Gemini started to charge ! It also became extremely hot and made a siffling sound. Scary stuff ! This machine will not last long... and let's hope it doesn't burn the house.

And absolutely no Astro in sight...

Anway, that was the intro.

Does anyone have a good tool/plan/script that would allow me to make a proper back-up of the Gemini's data and installed apps ? A backup that will then be installed on the Astro ?

2

Astro Slide - General Discussion / Re: Estimation of Astro shipment based on Cosmo Campaign

« on: August 17, 2022, 07:52:33 am »

Well, I ordered a US keyboard + EU-plug and hoped, that that would be relatively rapidly delivered as that is the standard European combination.

Alas...

My order is still not locked. That is in line with update #71, because Planet stated that all US keyboards / EU plugs are to be locked up until number 2700. And I am contributor 2767.
I am still surprised, though, that many other contributors in the ranges up to 4000 have been locked and are receiving their units (be it with other keyboards).

Oh, and my Gemini died yesterday. Who would have expected on May 1st, 2020, that the Astro would arrive after the Gemini's life span ?

3

Gemini PDA - Android / This device is no longer supported by the app. Contact the developer.

« on: June 26, 2022, 04:15:53 pm »

Hello all,

Whilst desparately waiting for my Astro to replace my dieing Gemini, the Gemini developed yet another problem.

Some apps do not longer work as they require an update. Fair enough. But when I want to update them through Google Play, it shows "This app is no longer supported on your device. Contact the developer."

OK, the most logical issue would be the Android version (8.1), but this is not the case.
A recent and rather scary example is Itsme, the app needed to sign into Belgian government websites. Quite critical, I'd say. (For people living in Belgium...).

itsme.be clearly states that it works on all Android smartphones as of version 6.
The Itsme app produces a pop-up that it will no longer work and that an update is needed.
Alas, Google Play states, that this app does no longer work on this device.

Now, itsme.be also says that it is available in the Huawei (!!!) app store. I therefore downloaded the official APK from the Huawei website and registered for the Huawei app store. And lo and behold... it did update Itsme !
And it also fixed some other apps Missing In Action, such as My BPOST.

Itsme seems to work fine, be it this time with some Chinese spyware incorporated.

But more seriously: any idea why Google Play suddenly states that my Gemini is no longer compatible with these apps, even if their developers are happy to support 'any smartphone with Android 6 or higher' ?

I have the eery feeling that Planet yet again fl?nked up some certification, needed for Google Play. Once a new device is being developed, all support to its predecessors immediately stops.

4

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Battery usage on Oreo

« on: September 03, 2019, 02:40:11 pm »

I have the same issues as you have, but I am still wondering if that is Oreo or actually the physical state and age of the battery. My Gemini dates from June 2018.

5

Gemini PDA - Hardware / e-sim for USA visit ?

« on: August 20, 2019, 03:10:33 pm »

How about these people? https://www.airalo.com/united-states. Not used them yet but will shortly when I'm in Spain as a trial run.

Cool stuff ! The data prices are actually much better than those of our (Belgian) normal networks.

Keep us informed how it works.

6

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Random Turn-off when battery is less than 50%

« on: July 09, 2019, 02:10:18 pm »

I experienced these kind of shut-downs on my Gemini as well, both on Android 7 as on 8. I do think, that the battery is getting worn out.

It is getting stranger and stranger. Today the Gemini was at 33%. The screen suddenly went orange (power safe mode) and I saw the battery percentage drop to 0%, followed by an immediate shut-down. This was, therefore, not a sudden black-out, it went 'controlled', be it, that the battery dropped from 33% to 0 in two seconds.

I then restarted the Gemini and it came back on 25%. Euh, ok...
After which the power steeply dropped and within three minutes it was again on 5%, after which I put it on the charger. Now, some 25 minutes later, it is happily at 34% and charging.

I would not be too happy with a battery failing after only one year of service.

7

Gemini PDA - Hardware / Hinge cracks

« on: June 30, 2019, 03:02:47 pm »

Interesting. Did it solve your "random power off"  issue as well ?
How much time did it take to get a working Gemini back again from Planet ?

8

Gemini PDA - Hardware / Hinge cracks

« on: June 29, 2019, 02:26:05 am »

I have now gone through several Geminis that all eventually start getting cracks in the plastic that covers the hinges.

Strange; I use mine countless times every day, and it's survived a year without any apparent deterioration of the hinges.  How are you treating yours??

The hinges (and associated cables &c) are always the weak point of any clamshell device.  But the scale of your problem does make me wonder whether you're doing anything to exacerbate it.

(BTW, I think they said Cosmo Communicator will have a stronger hinge.)

As for waking-up time; mine has always taken a perceptible time for the screen to turn on after opening it, but it's usually around half a second; I don't think it's ever been more than a second or so.  I don't know what causes the delay, so I can't suggest anythijng there.

Ditto here. But since Android 8 I also note sometimes, that it takes up to 5s. I press On, but 'nothing happens' (well... it still switches on, but after the 5s wait). Given my battery trouble I still have the idea that something is running in the background.

9

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Questions regarding actual real-world usage

« on: June 28, 2019, 06:45:48 am »

I agree with the above post. Typing goes actually quite well on the Gemini keyboard.

My battery usage has worsened the last month. I now only get some 14 hours of battery, which means that I need to plug it in in the evening, get it disconnected at the morning and hope I will make it to the next evening.

Usage is only a few hours of those 14 hours. I do typically use WiFi and/or 4G, as I use it for internet forums (just as I am doing now).

It used to be some 1 1/2 to 2 days.
It looks like Android 8 is one of the reasons, though I fear that the battery is already dying after one year of ownership.

Getting it through the day is slightly discomforting. Things like e-tickets are also on my Gemini and if the battery then fails, that could get "interesting".
Last Wednesday, for example, my plane had a severe delay and I only got the train back on 21h41. I already bought the ticket - it was on my Gemini. Fortunately, the battery survived (perhaps as a result of the prolonged flight mode in the plane...).

The 3a times - 3 month of battery usage on 2 AA's and a warning 1 week in advance - are long gone...

10

Gemini PDA - Hardware / Swollen battery

« on: June 20, 2019, 02:06:28 am »

On the battery issue in general: I notice since about 2 weeks that my Gemini uses more battery than wanted. It only runs on one charge some 20 to 24 hours and I thus need to plug it in every evening.

I am not a heavy user of the Gemini.

It might be that some parasite process is running. I also note - for example - that Bluetooth is suddenly on. No idea why. The Gemini is sometimes warm without an apparent reason.

On the other hand: this thread talks about a swollen battery.
Is the battery of my Gemini also on the way out, after only one year ?

11

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Why buy the Gemini?

« on: May 22, 2019, 07:18:45 am »

Indeed, I entirely miss the concept of "keyboardless smartphone."

Happy to say that I went straight from the Nokia 9300i to the Gemini.

Now people ask me: "Did you buy the Cosmo ?"

Euhm... no... I wasn't ready to change my concept "One phone per 12 years" either, so let's see what will be around in the year 2030.
I do hope it shall be a Planet.

12

Gemini PDA - Android / 8.1 observations

« on: May 22, 2019, 05:14:30 am »

The Gemini switches itself off if the battery is empty. Of course, after a charge it will need a restart with the rotating planets and so on.
That was already the case with Android 7.

However, now with Android 8.1 it also switches back to the UK keyboard (and I have a US keyboard).
I need to run the Gemini keyboard tool at least twice, selecht US English and the US English keyboard.
This Gemini app then deletes the Gemini's default language (Dutch), which I need to add again and select as first option (swipe it on top of US English).

This 'feature' has been reported earlier, by people actually running Android 7 (and needing Norwegian), but I never had it with Android 7.
That's actually strange: the Gemini's seem to share a common list of bugs, but it is never known when those bugs pop up.

The silver button for Google Assistant suddenly stopped under Android 7. Now it works (again). Nobody knows why...

13

Gemini PDA - Android / 8.1 observations

« on: May 14, 2019, 05:25:10 am »

Same here. And the "bedrijfstijd" (operational time) is 2h55 min, as if it were a brand new phone (it isn't...).
I did not even know this was possible. I guessed that the serial was somewhat hard coded somewhere in a chip.

Battery dropped 12% in those 2h55. Hmmm... that could be a challenge. The Gemini ran 2 to 3 days on a charge - I wouldn't like it if charging becomes a daily activity.

My wife has a Huawei with Android Oreo (since she purchased the phone 1 1/2 years ago). That one needs a daily charge.
Is Oreo an energy guzzler ?

14

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Oreo on its way

« on: May 13, 2019, 08:09:08 am »

As of today I have the spontaneous "firmware update" message again and it now does indeed offer Android 8.1

I think I'll wait a few more days to see experiences from other people.

15

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Oreo on its way

« on: May 07, 2019, 10:43:37 am »

Same here.

I saw the promising square and the "Firmware upgrade detected" yesterday morning. But I needed to leave (thus without wifi).
Back home, with wifi, the Gemini states that it has the latest update, Android 7.1.