Messages

226

OESF Announcements / Server outage, forum now back online - EDIT

« on: August 19, 2018, 07:58:54 am »

Maybe the server is overloaded. Perhaps they applied meltdown and spectre patches and it's reduced the performance causing these errors?

No idea, I hope tomorrow to have more news.

Varti

It seems the problem is still there (at least I have trouble getting the pages to load, which also makes it difficult to write this post...).

It has been OK for a while, but tha last few days it has been acting up again. I don't usually get error-messages, the page just doesn't load. And even when the pages DO load a lot of images etc. doesn't!

Just thought you might want to know.

227

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / USA Phone & Data Networks

« on: August 17, 2018, 04:28:46 pm »

@gymbo

I'm not sure why a European bringing an identical device to the US to try the
networks would provide any additional insight into the problems here.

Because if that European device works without any hassle on the Verizon network, then you know it is Verizon deliberately hindering its own clients.

You can't blame  Planet for that.

Then the logical conclusion would be to go to another network.

--------------------
Illogical.

Verizon's network can identify uncertified devices like the Gemini and hobbles them to 3G and messes with SMS as a result.
That happens (not to "hinder" its clients) but as a result of a device like the Gemini lacking all their network's specific bands and frequencies for full voice and text functionality.

Fully functional compatibility necessitates that, at the very least, a phone device's APNs are exactly those of Verizon's USA network.
The Gemini does not have them all.

Verizon's EU? network probably and necessarily has slightly different configurations than their USA network.
Planet, I believe, probably assumed (incorrectly) that configuring the Gemini with same EU settings would therefore work in the USA.
Reality has proven Planet was mistaken (even if their mistake was not intentionally deceptive but rather a gamble they lost).

Ifanafi
--------------------
P.S. I appreciate you coming to Planet's defense. However, your defense is illogical and patently wrong.
I have been deep down the Verizon Gemini incompatibility rabbit hole and the evidence is clear (and presented in more detail elsewhere herein) that the Gemini is incompatible with the Verizon US network. This backer and others relied on Planet's statements of Verizon compatibility which proved wrong (and, I believe, deduced by extrapolation from their very limited, short-term use of a Gemini in (Boston?) USA. RE: GSM vs CDMA, et al.

P.P.S. After six weeks of back-and-forth go-around over this with Planet Support, and in the face of missing certain bands and frequencies info that caused my Verizon SIM Gemini many dysfunctions, Planet eventually, reluctantly admitted the Gemini is incompatible with the Verizon network, and said "sorry" to me (via email).
By then I decided to switch carrier and dropped Verizon so I can use my Gemini.

By this

Verizon's network can identify uncertified devices like the Gemini and hobbles them to 3G and messes with SMS as a result.
That happens (not to "hinder" its clients) but as a result of a device like the Gemini lacking all their network's specific bands and frequencies for full voice and text functionality.

YOU also admit that they ARE stopping devices based on what device it is, and not necessary because they are incompatible as such...

Which was my point...

If a device can function on a network/carrier, although not on ALL their frequencies, why not let it? Yes, give the user some kind of warning that the service may be unstable and unavailable in areas where it doesn't support the right frequencies/bands.

And I would be surprised if there are not quite a few devices that ARE certified for Verizon that doesn't support ALL their frequencies/bands too... (I might very well be wrong, as it is based on solely on my rather limited understanding of the matter... But frequencies/bands seems to change quite often, and there has been 4G phones out there for a while, so it seems unlikely that there are not, at least older phones, that does not support all frequencies/bands that have been approved. And it would seem rather odd if they would then get revoked??)

228

Gemini PDA - Android / Problem with (html) data (cellular)

« on: August 15, 2018, 05:19:15 pm »

I had problem getting data connection (but only html it seems...) without WiFi on my Gemini the last day (and possibly longer; haven't been away from my home WiFi for a few days, and don't think I was using it the last times I was out either...). The kind of strange part was that I still had connection for my mail-program?

For some reason I couldn't get the SMS with settings working either (because the carrier doesn't "recognize" the Gemini??), but looking at the settings for the APN I think I found the problem: It had for some reason got a proxy-server configured/set. Clearing that got me my internet back...

Thought I should just post this for others who might have/get the same problem.

229

Gemini PDA - Android / Apps: Music playing

« on: August 15, 2018, 04:57:30 pm »

I am using Neutron, mainly because it was the only app I found that supported playing mod-files and folders. It seems pretty advanced, but unless you at least connect it with cable to good headphones (don't really know if the DAC in the Gemini is good enough though, and I don't have "high" enough files that I could really test it) I don't think you can truly benefit from all it can offer. And it even supports external DAC's and higher bitrate...!

230

Gemini PDA - Android / Caller's Name for Ringtone

« on: August 15, 2018, 04:47:50 pm »

Mine is reading out "Unknown caller" or the callers name, and I have not installed an app specifically for this, though I MIGHT have set it up in "Saiy" (Which I have mostly installed to NOT have Google directly connected to the silver button).

231

Gemini PDA - Android / How likely is Android 8 really?

« on: August 14, 2018, 09:14:25 am »

I,'ve never had a phone for more than 2 years and i'm not sure I know anyone who does. When I bought this device it was advertised as coming with Android 7 with no promise to upgrade it therefore when I parted with my $500 I had made my choice I was happy with the fact that I have no guarantees of getting 8. I personally don't see I have anything to complain about, it was all upfront.

The question of this thread is will we get 8? Maybe, but I don't think any of us know for certain that we will. But we got what we were promised.

Well, I've been using the Nokia Communicators since Nokia 9500 (and then E90 and E7...)*, and people here have been reporting that they have been using Psion 5MX as their "DEVICE" until getting the Gemini, so a lot of people here have obviously been using their phone/devices for more than 2 years...

So even though I might agree that 2 years is usual for the "lifetime" of a phone, that might be wrong in the case for the average Gemini owner. So wanting support/update for more than 2 years would be essential (or at least desirable) for many Gemini owners...

* (I also, prior to the Nokia 9500, used a Psion 5MX until the cable broke, and was connecting it with the "workhorse" Nokia 6310i (which would last for WEEKS without needing charge...) through infrared, to get internet on it...)

232

Gemini PDA - Android / Write access to external SD-Card

« on: July 27, 2018, 06:58:39 am »

Hello,

(...) this is another point for NOT using TextMaker, in addition to the ones I listed (...)

Heavens, then don't use it. Noone is forcing you.
I do want to use it, and your reply is not helpful concerning the topic. I do have the same problem with a couple of other apps, not just Textmaker. It was just an example.

No offense intended. Kind regards

In my post I implied (although I didn't say it outright) that you could try another program, and see if that had the same problem (like I said, I have no problem in OfficeSuite). And I was considering SoftMaker for my spreadsheet and word-document needs, but the arrow problems, which they apparently have said they CAN'T fix, have made me look elsewhere.

(I just refuse to have to poke repeatedly at the screen like a complete idiot to be able to edit things properly, and it will be especially irritating/difficult in spreadsheets... And it hasn't been updated in a little over a year, and they can't fix an apparent bug??? Do you have a more recent update than the one in the Play Store? The version number for Office HD: TextMaker FULL in Play store is 2016.767.0623. If you HAVE a newer edition, do you have the arrow problem as well? Sorry for off-topic rant/questions!)

Back to topic: Have you tried another office application, and does it give the same error? I do believe a few of the office applications in the Play store lists the ability to save to SD-card as a "Premium" feature, implying that it needs to be supported especially in the app...

233

Gemini PDA - Android / Write access to external SD-Card

« on: July 27, 2018, 06:01:41 am »

It seems this is might be a problem with the program? I have no problems saving to SD-card from OfficeSuite... It did give me a generic "allow this program to access your files and folders" dialog when I first tried saving at all... So unless this is just YOUR experience I would suggest this is another point for NOT using TextMaker, in addition to the ones I listed here, mostly from reading the thread here. Which is kind of sad, because TextMaker also seems to be one of the few programs that interprets "Home", "End", "PgUp" and "PgDn" correctly too...

234

Gemini PDA - Android / GPS not working

« on: July 26, 2018, 09:36:36 am »

if i put it to device only and open maps i get a message that i need to enable google location service. if i ignore this it centers to a location i was yesterday.

looks like the device comes without a build in GPS chip but the specs say it has GPS..

really confused now

Hmm, it definitely has a GPS, I've used it with HERE WeGo a few times already. So either you have a faulty unit, or something has crashed I think. Will a restart fix the issue?

235

Gemini PDA - Android / GPS not working

« on: July 26, 2018, 09:17:57 am »

When i start google maps and press the 'center' icon it goes straight to where i am at that moment on the map.

however when i press 'directions' and then 'start' it says: "waiting for location" and never really finds it.

in settings -> location
i have "location mode" at: high accuracy


could this be a hardware or software problem.. or both?

how to fix it because i used it a lot on my provious phone.

Maybe you should try to change it to "Unit only" (might have the wording wrong, mine is set up in Norwegian)? Might be something it is waiting for from the surrounding WiFi-signals (or cellular)??

And of course, it might be bad reception where you are at the moment?

Would also rather use a "proper" GPS-application, with offline maps, like HERE WeGo, than Google...

236

Gemini PDA - Android / Which Office App to use?

« on: July 26, 2018, 09:03:53 am »

I use MS Word, because it came preloaded and so I thought that Planet had already figured out that that is the best option for a Gemini.

But then again... Planet's own Agenda is not the best for an agenda, so Planet seemed not to have pre-selected the software.

Question about the 'rental' thing: isn't the Word app for Android totally free ? Money is only needed if you want to have a Windows version.

I do believe you need to pay for some of the more "advanced" features (what those are I don't know, I try to steer clear of Microsoft when I can...)?

And I don't mind BUYING software, but I don't really get the "apps as service"-attitude/mentality...

(Why should I pay continuously for software instead of buying them?? If they UPDATE significantly, I would be happy to pay again, or just keep my current version. But for bugs and security vulnerability they should offer those fixes for free... If you need cloud support, and space, THAT is a service, and as such it is OK to have it as a service. But it should be possible to get it WITHOUT "bundling" with some software too...)

237

Gemini PDA - Android / Which Office App to use?

« on: July 26, 2018, 07:54:34 am »

Hi, SoftMaker`s Office programs are definitely worth a try. They have desktop features, work nicely in landscape mode, maintain a high MS Office compatibility
and are availabe in free versions.
Regards Nils

Yeah, but they apparently have a bug that gives two letters/rows jump when using the arrow keys (see another thread on this board, don't know where at the moment, but a search for "textmaker" should find it). And it even seems they don't have the ability (or are not willing) to correct it either, according to communication with one of the members on this forum...

I have installed AndrOpen Office, which says it is a Apache OpenOffice "clone", but the GUI is a bit "cumbersome" with a physical keyboard in Android. I do believe it supports most keyboard shortcuts, but navigating in the menus kind of require the use of the "virtual" mouse (or a real one i suppose). (You can use the touchscreen, but the elements are quite small, which is a problem more or less throughout the application... You CAN make things bigger, but then you end up with less real estate for the document itself too.)

So have installed OfficeSuite, as that, as far as I can see, is the only solution (at least of the bigger ones), alongside Docs To Go, that lets you BUY the application, and not just rent it... (There is a buy option for AndrOpen too, but like I said, it has other problems.)

There was one (office suite) option that allowed you to open several documents at once, but don't remember which at the moment, and I do believe you couldn't buy it "properly" either. (Again, it seems AndrOpen supports that as well, but changing them is through the menus, at least I can't figure out how to do it with shortcuts...)

Will have to see how OfficeSuite will work out (using the trial for now), but have used it before on a tablet, and will probably end up with that. The only problem I had sometimes earlier was trouble with some docx- and xlsx-files, but believe they have sorted that now...

238

Gemini PDA - Hardware / My last post here

« on: July 19, 2018, 11:21:10 am »

Wow. Your predicament is UNACCEPTABLE, IMHO.

What has Planet said about your dead device?

Somewhere herein another's Gem became fubar and unusable.

They posted that Planet said to ship the brick to them for repair or replacement.

I believe s/he got it back repaired and posted a picture of it working (on).

Were I you, I would pursue that tactic hard by email to support AND to[size=] robin @ planetcom.co.uk[/size]

No backer of the Gemini 1.0 project should have no other option but to accept your shite-uation.

Ifanafi

He also posted the same message here, and had apparently been waiting just a few days (including a weekend), before blocking their mails. And it is a bit difficult to understand, but it also seems he DID get answers, but didn't like them??

239

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Gemini PDA Gen 2 Features Request

« on: July 19, 2018, 05:01:41 am »

The reversible and removable hinge is something that has worked well for Microsoft and several other laptop OEMs. Having a removable screen that fits perfectly with the phone portion is also far more desirable than some giant, ungainly Bluetooth keyboard that doesn't match the Gemini size.

The Gemini II would be far more attractive to consumers with a removable keyboard. It also becomes much more versatile for those of us who love the keys. This idea would also increase the battery life.

OK, when was the last time you carried your laptop in your trouser pocket?? A phone will get far rougher treatment than a laptop, so just because it works on/for laptops (and tablets, for that matter), doesn't mean it will work for a phone. And the added  battery life would of course come at the expense of more bulk...

240

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Gemini PDA Gen 2 Features Request

« on: July 18, 2018, 06:58:05 pm »

I believe that any kind of hinge that allows for that kind of use will be too weak for any serious use... And if you make it removable and reversible you could just get a standalone keyboard. You couldn't use the keyboard anyway, when it is "reversed", and with the way the Gemini is designed you would need another battery (on the screen side) to be able to swap it around when it is powered on...