A problem with the Samsung GT-S5690

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Just had someone pop-in asking for help regarding a bit of kit that something needed to be downloaded from. It's been a while since I've used it and I mentioned that rather than use a CD-R it could be done with a USB Flash Stick "Hell if it and your phone supports it you might be able to download it to that"

At this point he mentions problems with his phone not connecting to his Windows Vista computer to download pictures; it needs a driver. This is where it got strange. He whips out a Samsung Galaxy Xcover GTS-5690 clearly running Android.


"Well it should just work, but it depends on the version there are two ways of connecting one that treats it like a hard drive and another that treats it like a camera" I said trying to keep it simple. "It depends on what version you're running"
I delve into settings and he's running Gingerbread 2.3; odd as I've heard Samsung are normally pretty good at updating. Then his screen rotates to landscape and I try to shake it back to portrait, it's not having it.
"Yeah it does that too" he tells me.
I locate the calibration setting, plonk it on the desk and watch the 'ball' move from the bottom-right corner to the middle. Back to settings and the phone flips about correctly now
"Okay sorted; now what was I doing... oh yeah storage"

No obvious problems so I suggest trying it. I check the connection standard micro-USB by the look of it (as one might expect from anyone other than Apple) and I grab a cable. It falls out.
"Huh"
Turns out that the connection port is recessed so that a standard square type sheath attached to a standard length metallic fastener can't reach far enough. Indeed after checking on the internet it appears their cables have connectors twice as long.

Oh well I can't check it; but what about that update? Back into settings and Update and the standard 'You should do this over Wi-fi or you might get a big bill' I hit okay and then it complains it's not connected to Wi-Fi. Sigh. I go back a screen and turn off the 'Only do this over wi-fi' button and try again. No network data. Again "huh" I'm on exactly the same network and getting full service.

Through a few more screens and I turn on data network; but wait no data symbols? I check the provider - that's correct. I check the data network... wrong network it's still set to the previous one. I change it over and bip up pops the data network symbol. Back to update and... no update.

I check the samsung site and an Ice Cream Sandwich update is available. How do you get it? You need to use Samsung's own KIES (pronounced "kiss"; okay?) software. Really?

And to think I was looking to pick up a Samsung. Then again DaBoss had one a while ago and I do recall hating the software then too, but I thought they'd have ditched it for the Android's plug'n'play mentality.

Anyway that might also explain why it was also demanding a driver. Yeesh!