Just found out that Globe is offering its own Android phone too with the Samsung i5700 Galaxy Spica. Now I didn’t see that coming considering Globe has its hands locked on the iPhone OS, a competing platform, for years.
The Samsung Galaxy Spica looks promising and from the specs alone, it seems better than my HTC Hero (recently crowned Mobile Phone of the Year at Mobile World Congress 2010 ).
Samsung i5700 Galaxy Spica
3.2 inches @ 320 x 480 pixels
800MHz Samsung processor
180MB internal storage
up to 32GB on microSD
3G/HSDPA 3.6 Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth 2.1 w/ EDR
GPS (SGPS only, no A-GPS)
3.15 MP autofocus camera
Android OS v1.5 or v2.1
1500mAh Li-Ion battery
I think it’s the cheapest (or best bang for the buck, if you will) Android phone locally available — about Php14,995 on Globe Prepaid, Php10,900 on Globe 500 and totally free on Globe Plan 1800 (with free 1 month Super Surf). The speedy processor here is essential as Android handsets tend to slow down over time (the perils of multi-tasking).
As a comparison, Smart is also offering the Android-powered HTC Magic for free on Plan 1800.
Update: Went to a Globe Business Center and they could not verify the Android version. I had to wait in line for my turn but did not have the patience so I left. Found an un-locked unit being sold for Php14,900 but they would not un-box the handset unless I pay for it first (bummer). Already sent inquiry to Samsung and Globe but no response yet.
Update: Got SMS from a Samsung rep that told me it’s Android Donut out of the box and upgrade-able to Eclair.
My GT I5700 says “this could be a temp. problem or your phone may not be provisioned for data services. if continues, call custo. services”. please help.
Twitter: hex614
says:
i cant use my spica’s gprs/3g connection thru my globe’s prepaid sim pero sa smart sim ok naman, please help me, by the way my sim is a 9yr old globe prepaid sim. pero sa ibang phone like nokia working naman ang connection.
please help. ano ba setting dapat?
thanks
guys, pano ba maginstall ng apps sa sd card instead na sa phone memory? pano ba ginagawa un root? un guy kasi sa samsung hindi marunong… thanks
Twitter: NemOry
says:
sir YUGA…I need help…..my galaxy spica i5700 is from globe…and is not openline….can you help me how to open line??maybe you know how???huhuhuhuh…..chaka android 1.5 palang xa….gusto ko sna ma upgrade sa 2.1….I hope somebody can help me….
Twitter: NemOry
says:
Sir yuga pareho pala tayo prob….gusto ko tlaga ma upgrade….I hope if you apgraded it…can you inform here…and how….im stock sa 1.5,,,,huhuhuhuhuhuhu….. nemoryoliver@gmail.com email nyo me guys talk tayo
can anyone help…need to save my market apps on sdcard…thanks
“can anyone help…need to save my market apps on sdcard…thanks”
you can download Astro File Manager from the Market. It’s an owzum file manager plus it has a ulitity to backup all your applications onto your SD card.
thanks monkeyboner….another thing is can i change qwerty keypad to alphanumeric keypad?
Twitter: willyyu
says:
got a spica, I think this is not from local, checked and it has no APN, does this mean no data service will be used? afraid kasi baka sjy high ang bill ko dahil sa data, sahil din dito walang ’3G’ logo sa signal bar ko? I have tried to turn off ‘use 2G only’ but still no ’3G’ logo.
also I have a problem, when it sleep, I can’t connect to wifi when it woke up, if I turn off the wifi-sleep naman, parang lakas sa battery,
is there any tutorials for dummies? parang bobo tuloy ako when I holding this phone, nakakahiya,
but its a great phone, after 24 hrs, I already have itch for a bigger screen Android phone, iPhone 4G skipped my upgrade plan already,
@dongv
sorry mejo nakakalito yung post mo but ill try to help ya :
If you’re using Android 1.5 (Cupcake), upgrade to the latest OS (Eclair is the latest for Spica) ASAP.
Twitter: willyyu
says:
@monkeyboner, sorry, pati myself hilo na rin,
its on 2.1 update 1 already, also napansin ko wala siya samsung keyboard installed only 1 keyboard which is android kb, I tried swype but can’t really get use of it,
ano maganda kb for spica?
@dongv: ah ok. well i only use the android keyboard. i got used to it after a while na. yea the gesture type keyboard never worked for me either.
about your other problem, so when the phone display goes off tapos when you wake it up your wifi wont connect? im confused, how do you know the wifi works for you in the first place? anyway i find the spica slightly picky with wifi AP. minsan my netbook gets a healthy signal while my phone which is sitting right beside it can’t even find the signal.
sorry i said i’d help you pero reklamo din ako hehe
Twitter: willyyu
says:
thanks, will try to get use to the android kb instead, does your spica comes with other kb like samsung kb?
what I means with the wifi is the wifi-sleep, I have to set to never or it will automatically disabled when spica slept and when it wake up after 30 minutes or more, the wifi can’t be connected again but have to off then on the wifi in order to connect
@dongv: I had a samsung kb when i bought it nung V1.5 pa sya. once upgraded nawala yung option for it. I don’t remember it being great anyway.
about the wifi-sleep: actually i’ve never had to leave my Wifi on that long so I actually don’t know if it disconnects when it sleeps.
one other option is to get the TASKER app. binili ko to kasi its the best productivity app ive used. (http://tasker.dinglisch.net/) you can make a task/profile na when your phone sleeps keep the wifi on or whatever you can dream up. try it. galing sobra. mejo mahal sya to buy though but its free to try
@dongv: have you tried htc ime? I like it than the android kb.
Hello, i hope someone could help me on how to download apps on my sd card instead sa phone memory… mejo small kasi un memory ng phone… thank you so much
i cant use my GPRS on my samsung spica. can anyone help THX
@eugene: even when you’re connected to a wi-fi spot or internet plan?
i have the same problem with eugene.. this is just the first time i used the net via wifi and even though i got connected still i can’t open pages on the web.. plss help..
Twitter: Alyssa
says:
Paano po gumamit ng internet sa galaxy spica na hindi gumagamit ng wifi, ung gumagamit lng ng load?
Twitter: hex614
says:
@alyssa
gumamit ka ng apn ng globe or smart.
anyone have news on stable froyo update for spica?
@everyone: has anyone have news on stable froyo ROM for the spica?
Twitter: sylv3rblade
says:
@GlobeSpicaUser
CM 6.1 alpha 7.3 is stable but still an alpha build.
cno po meron alam ng unlock codes ng samsung I5700?nkalock po sa globe?salamat