Samsung Galaxy S4 Active feedback thread: now with challenges added!

[AnnMumsnet]

This thread is for the very lucky 20 MNers who were selected from hundreds of you to try out the NEW Galaxy S4 Active handset from Samsung.

To check out the features of this smartphone please see here

Samsung says "We think this new handset would be great for parents. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is specifically designed to handle all aspects of modern family life - including

~ the great outdoors - with a fully sealed design that provides great protection from dust and water - you can even use the device to shoot photos and video underwater, with your results optimised by the new Aqua Mode.

~ everyday family life and all the challenges of modern family life.

~ looks and functionality - the Galaxy S4 Active also shares the Galaxy S4s slick design and useful smart services, so you can enjoy the same great style and convenience"

So testers please share - for the moment - your first impressions of the phone by answering the questions - challenges to come!

~ What handset did you have before and what frustrated you about it?
~ What was most appealing about the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active?
~ What were your first impressions when it arrived and you got it fired up? How was the set up?
~ What features have you used so far? What's your opinion of these?
~ What about how the phone looks and feels in your hand?
~ Any additional comments

Challenges will follow!

Thanks MNHQ

PS We'd love more reviews of smartphones on MN: all welcome!

[DoItTooJulia]

So challenges, finally.

It's been dropped an variety of floors and survived even the tiled floor (gulp)!

The kids dinner was indeed smeared all over the phone. No adverse affects at all, even when I wiped it clean.

Haven't done underwater yet, but I will and will feedback.

The camera is brilliant, great quality pictures. The story album is an interesting feature, like a mini movie maker!

It's been chewed, chucked about and generally at the mercy of the kids and totally survived!

It's been out in the great outdoors too and merrily coped. We took a group selfie in the woods that was a huge facebook hit with our family!

I can't get it work with the gloves on feature though.

I'm loving it, it's a great handset.

[YeahBuddy]

I had a play about with the story album thing today. It's a nice little feature and incredibly easy to use but I can't see me using it that often to be honest. Still, the camera has got to be the best thing about this phone - I no longer need to take a separate camera out with me!

Went for quite a long nature walk with the dts at the weekend and used the phone for geocaching (which I am totally rubbish at as it turns out!) I was secretly hoping it would rain so I could test it but no joy Anyway, will be taking it to the farm next week so I may get a goat to give it a little nibble

I think I have covered all of the challenges now. Oh and just as an add-on, the big screen has been Particularly valuable to me this week for checking out all of the black friday deals on Amazon!!

[magentastardust]

Anyone had any problems with calls-I have had people twice say that they have heard echoing when they call me.

I have googled and people say it is a hardwear or software problem!

I did also find a recommendation to take the case of my phone as that can cover the NR microphone and cause this problem. I have done this and it has seemed to improve but obviously it isn't very handy not to have a protective cover on.

[alemci]

Challenge 1: Take the phone out to enjoy the great outdoors (and take some photos)

Took some photos outside of our house (not feeling well) and it was very easy to use and easy to look at on the gallery. Have also used the storybook feature to group photos together. I like it and again easy to use.

Challenge 2: Take a photo/video underwater/ when wet

I ran the phone under the tap and took a picture then dried it off and it works fine.

Challenge 3: Test it with the kids challenge 1: ask your DC to (for the purposes of this) drop it on the floor (not throw), ask your toddler to give it a chew or even - if you're feeling brave, 'accidentally' drop it in the bath/ (clean) loo*

I have accidentally dropped the phone a couple of times and it is like new. It has no screen saver but the screen is still remarkably clear and clean.

Challenge 4: Test it with the kids challenge 2: ask your DC to drop it into their dinner or smear it with food covered hands

I have used the phone to look up a recipe and then used it instead of a book. It did get a bit gunky but was easy to wipe clean afterwards.

Challenge 5: Story Album: Test out the feature called Story Album, take some photos/videos over the testing period and create a photo album

I photographed the guinea pig and made a story book. He is now a screen saver.

Challenge 6 Use on the go: how well does it cope with a family day out or during every day life for you at work?

I have found the phone very useful. It doesn't keep locking like my old handset. I like the organiser page and have made good use of that. Texting is so easy but I am not sure about the keypad as it is a bit fiddly. I can't work out how to change it. also good to use on ebay for taking photographs and uploading.

i am delighted with the phone. Many thanks.

[GhostsInSnow]

Challenge 2: Take a photo/video underwater/ when wet

I didn't enjoy this challenge in the slightest because every part of me was screaming 'phones don't go in water!!' I filled the bath (cold water) and attempted to take a few shots under water. They came out brilliantly actually, though it's not an exercise I'll be repeating. Photography in the rain, yes, actual underwater, not that brave twice!

Challenge 5: Story Album: Test out the feature called Story Album, take some photos/videos over the testing period and create a photo album

I've been working in a disused factory this week, which has been incredibly fascinating. I've used the story album feature as I've gone along day to day adding different pictures to it as I've explored different areas of the factory. It's actually taken some outstanding shots. I am lucky enough to have a big SLR camera which I took along with me one day as well and the photos the Active took were easily as good as my Canon, especially in darker areas. Very impressed!

Challenge 6: Use on the go: how well does it cope with a family day out or during every day life for you at work?

As I said above this week I've been dumped into a disused factory where the school I work at recently used one of the outbuildings to house an art exhibition. My job was to pack up the works and catalogue everything. The building I have been in is VERY cold and as the factory originally made pottery it's very dusty as well. I've come home at night with myself and my phone covered in the white dust that coats everything on site. I've been able to take a damp cloth, wipe it down and it's as good as new.
As I've been working on my own all week I've been using the phone to listen to my music and it's been great not to have to take off my gloves to change tracks, text DH etc.
Any other handset I think I'd have been worried about the dust and cold but the Active just seems designed for it. Brilliant!

[HowardTJMoon]

Challenge 1: Take the phone out to enjoy the great outdoors (and take some photos)
It is good outdoors as the screen's nice and bright so you can see it in almost any situation. The GPS is much quicker to get a lock than my old Galaxy S2 as well (which is very handy when I get lost!) The camera's not bad but doesn't cope that well with poor light. The various options for action shots are really useful for keeping up with the DCs.

Challenge 2: Take a photo/video underwater/ when wet (up to one meter under water - please ensure you read about this first)
I had to force myself to deliberately dunk it in the sink - it just doesn't seem right... I think the phone coped better with this than I did!

Challenge 3: Test it with the kids challenge 1: ask your DC to (for the purposes of this) drop it on the floor (not throw)
I thought about this but then I decided I didn't want to encourage my DCs to lob electronic devices around. And, anyway, I'd already dropped it myself onto the stone floor in the kitchen (usually a cause of instant tinkly death for anything at all fragile) and it survived perfectly ok.

Challenge 4: Test it with the kids challenge 2: ask your DC to drop it into their dinner or smear it with food covered hands
They're a bit old for that but it did cope well with being splattered with flour and egg while making a cake and listening to a podcast (it's got a good loud speaker on it). Being able to safely wipe it down with a damp cloth makes it much more practical.

Challenge 5: Story Album: Test out the feature called Story Album
It was ok. I think it needs a bit more flexibility over layout options, background colours etc.

Challenge 6: Use on the go: how well does it cope with a family day out or during every day life for you at work?
It works superbly. I use my phone a lot at work for taking notes, keeping up with emails and checking my calendar. I've also started doing a Masters recently and I've been using Google Keep and Google Drive to keep track of notes and research literature. The ability to have two different apps on-screen at the same time has been a real boon for this. And as an every-day phone to use when out with my DCs it's great, too, as I don't have to worry about if it will get damaged by going anywhere wet.

[BEEwitched]

My phone eats emails - there were a few emails that I needed that contain links, e.g. to the review thread for this phone, and they've gone poof. I know I haven't deleted them.

The 'one week ago' tab contains 3 emails. So that's a lot of emails it has just decided to delete.

Not helped by the fact that for the last month This phone has been my only way to get online. (Grrr, BT)

[DharmaBumpkin]

Challenge 1: Take the phone out to enjoy the great outdoors (and take some photos)
I have done this a lot! As we are an outdoors orientated family. It has coped well with being bashed about in playgrounds, and while biking, running, dog walking and hiking - it's been a bit too cold for kayaking with the kids, but I have a 'phone float' so am looking forward to being able to take it n the water in summer to take photos and videos of the kids, with no fear of killing it if it gets dropped!

Challenge 2: Take a photo/video underwater/ when wet (up to one meter under water - please ensure you read about this first)
I have submerged it in the bath with no harm done to it, but found it had to take a photo while doing this - I suspect user error if I'm honest! But it wasn't as intuitive with this feature as it is to use on all the other modes.

Challenge 3: Test it with the kids challenge 1: ask your DC to (for the purposes of this) drop it on the floor (not throw), ask your toddler to give it a chew or even - if you're feeling brave, 'accidentally' drop it in the bath/ (clean) loo
It has been dropped my both DC and myself, all accidentally! In fact that is probably one of the few things I don't lie about the phone is how slippery it was out of the box! I have since bought a Zaggs Invisible Shin and it is now really good to hold. It has survived being licked by a toddler (not bitten thank goodness - she gets pretty hungry!) and being played with in the bath.

Challenge 4: Test it with the kids challenge 2: ask your DC to drop it into their dinner or smear it with food covered hands
This happened while baking cakes - 3 year old decided to check the recipe (on phone) while stirring the cake batter - no prizes for guessing what happened next. Phone survived as good as new after a quick wash, was even able to use a bit of Fairy liquid to make sure it was squeaky clean!

Challenge 5: Story Album: Test out the feature called Story Album, take some photos/videos over the testing period and create a photo album
I have used this but judging by what some of the other posters have written I obviously haven't clicked on how to use it well. I found it easy to put together, but then couldn't change the pages to display as I would have preferred them to. It would have been easier for me to use this on a 'add page by page' basis with the option of choosing the type of page then inserting the photos into it one by one. I will have to go back and try this again I think!

Challenge 6: Use on the go: how well does it cope with a family day out or during every day life for you at work?
It works brilliantly. I love being able to go for a run in the rain and use it as an MP3 player without worrying about it getting wet. I love that if my toddler spills a drink near it I am sanguine. I love being able to answer the phone if someone calls me when it's raining!

It did rather eat batteries when I first started using it, but I have since turned off vibration and it's much much better. I am a heavy user of camera and internet and the battery normally lasts me until 7-8pm - my last phone was dying by 4pm.

I really like it, and am super grateful to be given the chance to test it - many thanks to both Samsung and Mumsnet.

[GhostsInSnow]

I've found a new (addictive) game for mine....

Flow

It's free and one of those you can't put down. DD said 'that looks crap', tried it briefly and is now utterly addicted as well.

I've also found a beautiful live wallpaper (again free) called paperland There is a paid version as well but the free one is just as good.

[emblosion]

Has anyone else had a problem with the usb port? Went to charge phone this morning and the charger won't fit in the socket? Bit flummoxed as it was fine last night and nothing has happened since.

its almost as if something is stuck in there but there isn't. ..

[MoogDroog]

Is anyone else having major battery issues? Mine has never been great, but I'm having to charge it 3 or 4 times a day at the moment. It'll conk out when it has (supposedly) a good amount of battery left and not restart until it's plugged in whereupon it will say is totally empty.

Basically, I can't even rely on it for a full day out - for example, today I unplugged it from charge at 9am, headed out for the day. used it to check the time once or twice during the day and then it shut itself down at 3.30pm when the battery indicator was saying 50%. I'd not made calls, used the camera or anything.

MNHQ - is there anything I can do about this? If I'd got it the normal way I'd definitely be taking it back or seeing an Apple genius or whatever, but as it came direct from Samsung I'm not sure what to do. It's becoming unusable and I've got rid of my old phone.
I really loved it and thought I was a Samsung convert but I'd give my right leg for my duff iPhone back.

[MoogDroog]

Plus it keeps logging me out of MN!

[MoogDroog]

Just in case anyone else has got a dodgy battery - rang Samsung earlier and they were really helpful. Apparently there's a dodgy batch of batteries, which swell up. The guy got me to take mine or and low and behold, it's a funny shape.
Unfortunately, there's no Samsung repair place near so I'm going to have to send mine away for repair (and be without a phone for up to 10 days ) but happy that is going to get sorted.

[MellowMarshmallow]

Glad they're sorting the phone MoogDroog.

Logged on to thread to report that this one went the way of previous phones and got dropped in a sink of water (I am very clumsy with phones).....it survived. Worked fine after drying off for a bit. That would've destroyed my HTC.

[MellowMarshmallow]

Help - phone is dying already. It keeps turning itself off. Even if it has 20% charge or more it will turn itself off then won't turn back on again until it has been recharged. It's done it twice today. What can I do?