Samsung i780 Experiences

I’ll use this blog item to note the issues I have with my i780. Not that expect to have a lot of issues, but everything has it’s quirks and the i780 will be no difference. I already anticipage far bigger lists than this one, of programs that does not (or does) work with the 320*320 screen.

Charging over USB wire

I left the charger at work, when I went home the day I got it, only bringing the USB cable with me. I attach the cable when I get home and set up the sync. And leave the phone in for maybe a couple of hours. I use it moderady. Then I notice a strange thing – it says the battery is charging, but it really isn’t. It stays at about 60%.

I hunt down the relevant USB device in [Start menu]->[Right click, My Computer]->[Manage]->[Device Manager]->[Universal Serial Bus controllers]… somewhere. And the i780 is only drawing 100mA from the USB hub it’s attached to.

I don’t spend any more time on it, but also notice that it never really shuts down, even if it’s set up to do that even when on external power. Running with backlit on and everything could probably make it use around 100mA…

Now I installed the game Kevtris – which managed to get stock in state where the taskmanager couldn’t kill it. So I reset my i780 for the first time.

Shortly after that I ran out of battery, and attached it the USB Cable. And when I came back half an hour later, the screen was black, and after a keypress I could see that the battery had gone from 20% to 40%! I promptly checked the USB Power usage and it’s at 500mA! It’s charging.

Not sure what did it, but it was probably the reset (reset hole on the side, kind of reset). So if you need to charge over the USB Cable and nothing happens, try reseting. Remember to close down all programs first (hold down the OK button for a few seconds, then select “Close All”).

Please note that turning on the device while attached means that it will draw no power at all! Until you detach and then re-attach it – then it draws 500mA.

Software with issues

– Kevtris 2.0 – more or less crashed while I tried to browse the pre-game menu. Had to reset to make it go away.

claunch 12.04 – Wonderful program that I used on my x51v, but the set-up dialog-boxs are to big on the i780, making it impossible to click any on the buttons. I’ve contacted the author of cLaunch and asked him about it…

QMAIL 3.0.4 – Mostly works, small issues with the setup dialog boxes. Crashes when the phone goes out of hibernation (or standby or whatever it state it takes when it’s ready to take calls, but aren’t really on), when run from storage. Doesn’t crash when run from the internal memory (\program files\)

Software nearly that works

Vade Mecum – Plucker reader. Has small issues with the add/remove buttons in the setup, but that’s it.

Magic Button – My favourite task manager which makes the close button actually close applications. Seens to compress the icons in the start bar a bit, and display the phone application as a blank icon. Usable.

Software that works

Google Map – Mapping and gps.

Cantris – Tetris clone

S2U2 – Cool iphone like keyboard/phone locker (similar to holding down the red lock button). I wanted something that would tell me the time while the phone was locked. I used the “button” application to associate it with the “MessageĀ  hold” button, as I couldn’t reprogram the “real” lock button. Anybody?

I’ll do a running update of this page…

11 thoughts on “Samsung i780 Experiences

  1. Michael Pedersen

    How is batterylife on yours?
    I got mine a few days ago and it hardly has power enough for 24 hours with minimal usage…

    Reply
  2. TC Post author

    I tried keeping it off the charger just to test. It was down to 30% after 36 hours, with mixed usage, 5-10 minutes talk, half an hour gps, 1 hour web/wifi, 1 hour reading. Are you sure it is hibernating correctly?

    Do you have a danish version? I may need some help getting some keyboard setting from your registry, as I selected english on install and that makes it really hard to do the danish characters…

    Reply
  3. Johnny

    Hi there! I just got my i780 and I can’t seem to find the Mac Address/ WLAN address so I can add it to my router, does it even have one?

    Thanks!!!

    Reply
  4. Braam Grobler

    Is there really no way to find your unit’s MAC address??? A friend has an HTC TYTN II and he can see this under Device Information but the Samsung i780 does not have this icon in the Settings/System ‘folder’

    Reply
  5. Shivin

    hi i am have just bought i780. its take lots of time to get charged by USB cable. …….. can Windows mobile 6 pro of i780 be updated to Windows mobile 6.1 ( Free update)

    Reply
  6. Kiruba

    I am having a harrowing experience with my i780. i really miss my nokia e61. I dont know if its the samsung or windows issue, but it totally crashed once, then again today and still its just 60 days old. i am seriously looking at moving to a non windows mobile soon. Nokia e71 was my alternate choice and i regret getting a samsung i780… maybe blackberry too would be a good bet. any suggestions?

    Reply
  7. Warwick Soar

    Press Windows key, select Settings. Click System tab and scroll down till you find the Version icon and click on it. You’ll find the MAC for your Blue Tooth and WiFi in there

    Reply

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