build6

Sony forums had a LOT of complaints about this when 4.4.2 rolled out. Consensus is that its a problem with the version of google play services. Solution is to either install a newer or rollback to older version if possible. If not one possible workaround is to disable android device manager (but you lose functionality )

What phone do you use now ? (would be useful to have an idea what's not working for you)

I'd buy it in Thailand just to avoid the 17.5% VAT. And if you're exiting thailand soon you can even claim back most of the 7% Thai tax

You might need to check the phones have been unlocked. Often the actual owners of the phones are mistaken. UK HSPA networks are 900/2100 I believe, so if these are smartphones they may be AIS-only in Thailand (still better than nothing!)

I have flown in and out of BKK with up to 20 phones and multiple computers without issue (long story). I've never been asked to power them up (other poster is correct, its official policy for US flights only), but always have some charge in them just to be safe.

The bad news is this was many years ago when I was new to thailand, I was on a tuk tuk when i saw it (and not to put too fine a point on it, i was slightly drunk), so am unable to give a precise spot. All I can say is this was on Phuket, quite possibly near the touristy spots (I mean, I was heading back to my hotel on tuk tuk from *somewhere*).

I too wish I had a photo.

Sigh now I feel old, so many years have passed.

Great where is this corner ?

if it is not too far I would love to set up a 360 degree camera there and have it do a "spin"

or maybe google maps already did it

I try and tell my buddies at home about 7-11s across the street from each other and get unbelieving stares

this would solve that!

I have some experience with large organizations. Many people who do not ascribe greater competence/awareness to them than I would.

I have no doubt there is a list of the 7-11s and their addresses, management etc available. This would be necessary because otherwise they can't track the money owed (in either direction). What that does not translate, to me, is that there's some kind of pin-up board in 7-11 HQ with the exact locations of every 7-11 they have. At least not a necessarily accurate one. Because this isn't strictly speaking necessary for the HQ from a $ view. If the franchisees suffer because too many 7-11s have opened in too small a location, HQ doesn't need to care because unless actual retail throughput falls with an increase in stores, they make at least the same amount of money, if you go bust its not their problem.

Its entirely likely if you make a request for a GPS map of every store (that they don't ignore), some junior staffer (or even intern?) gets thrown the list of addresses and is told to work it out and have it ready by Monday. Then said junior staffer spends the entire weekend clicking around in google maps. The problem with this is in terms of accuracy. So you get a long list of GPS coordinates in the end. Do you know if its accurate? Do you know how many of them are accurate? Do you know if its complete? It could be off by quite a bit but you'll only find out quite a while later.

All the open crowdsourced mapping databases, you're likewise depending on the diligence and enthusiasm of random people. To a certain extent it's self selecting which is a good sign, but I would not bet money on its completeness and accuracy at least until a lot of time has passed (which introduces additional problems because the number of 7-11s is something of a moving target).

I've seen a junction with four 7-11s, i.e. one on each corner. I'm personally curious if such a map exists (it should be absolutely blanketed with the pins representing them), but in terms of actual utility, I'm not so sure? I mean, if you want a convenience store it shouldn't be difficult at all to find one (since as you'd mentioned there's also family mart etc)

I'd imagine considering the franchising ops, the 7-11 HQ itself couldn't give you such a map (that said, have you tried contacting them?)

In chrome, there should be an icon on the right on the address bar that you can click on to force a translation if it doesn't do it automatically. I don't have my computer with me now so I can't check but you should be able to google how to do this. Worst case just right click everywhere and see if you get an option

(1) Firefox doesn't work for me either. The plugin installs but during the search it can't be detected. I am running windows 7 64-bit but chrome 32-bit works for me. Have not tried chrome 64-bit.

(2) thai-language only map means that you're using one of the lower end models (eg nuvi 40). Don't panic, if the system updated your map at all then you're eligible - what that means is that you need to contact ESRI and they can give you a CD with the English map version. That still needs you to have downloaded the Thai install so you didn't actually waste time.

(3) ESRI Thailand has always replied every mail of mine. What I am thinking is that if your email to them is incoherent or "angry" they may ignore you (and rightly so). Do remember none of the people you will meet are the ones who set policy so shouting at them doesn't do anything other than demonstrate you're an <deleted>.

(3) in my post with screenshots I should have noted that your GPS should already be plugged in, to "mass storage mode" if you have to choose it.

(4) if its asking for an unlock code, what it says to me is that your GPS is not eligible for the map. Not every GPS is sold with a "lifetime upgrade" policy. I may be wrong, you need to contact ESRI with your serial number and ask (NICELY). The lifetime map update may or may not be worth buying. Its also possible to pay for a single update. And another poster has already mentioned that these guys are nice enough that if your GPS is too old to take the latest maps, they may even give you a slightly-older map for free.

The most "in-demand" areas are a "protected national park". That means there are limited slots handed out to the various tour operators, every year. The allocations are probably still too high (i.e. too crowded). The dates that it is open for visitors are actually fixed well in advance. I've been there before and it took a one year advance booking. If you're only now thinking of going for the upcoming season it's probably already too late. I had fun snorkeling and looking down at a LOT of sealife just below us, it felt "worth it" to me, but YMMV.

1. Sign in with your account myGarmin.

So I find a link to myGarmin and sign in. Communicator is already installed. I attach my Nuvi, it is

OK what 1 should be saying, is warning/reminding that you need to sign in with the password that's registered as at my.garmin.com (not gpssociety). What you should click then is the "next" button. If your plugin is installed correctly then you'll get to a userid/password login. You don't need to leave www.garmin.co.th to go to my.garmin.com. (on my screens I actually don't see a link to my.garmin.com)

I attach screenshots below.

from main website to get to the map update page you click on the box on the lower left here:

You should see this next if you clicked on the right link:

So, obviously, you click "Thailand" and you end up here:

And you then click on the "City Navigator" link.

You'll get to this:

If you're using Chrome you'll get an option to translate the page (I set mine to autotranslate; that's why I used Firefox for the Thai screengrab above)

And then you'll get to here:

For your userid/password. You'll be presented with the map once you clear this.

With all this talk of Garmin I thought I would give mine a go.

I am using the USB cable that came with the device , but when I open up any Garmin plug ins / map installers etc. it goes into search mode and cannot find my device.

What does it show on the screen of your Garmin when the installers etc. say it cannot find your device?

Some units take some time to load up properly into "mass storage" mode, some units actually require the user to tap a selection before it switches (and is "undiscoverable" until you do)

I have been updating my Thai nuvi successfully, including this latest version.

(1) chrome works for me, but likewise I have problems with Firefox. But insofar as I rely on google translate anyway, using chrome isn't such a big deal

(2) you need to be clear that you're doing things relevant for "Garmin Thailand" and not "Garmin worldwide". If you're using Garmin express that says to me you have at some point in time run into instructions relevant for US units. For Thai nuvis and Thai maps, all you need can be obtained from www.Garmin.co.th

(3) if its a password issue, remember that the "gpssociety" website is *not* part of Garmin per se, and any registration/password you have for that site is not what www.garmin.co.th wants.

Is it possible to just buy the Man U SIM and then call the True centre to change your plan? I would imagine if the SIM can get you on their 4G network, the rest is based on how they decide to bill you?

they dowload it for free, because they can't download the latest version in my GPS

That's jolly decent of them. And I'd imagine the 2012 map works acceptably (not THAT much has changed in 2 years). Excellent!

http://arstechnica.com/security/2014/09/android-browser-flaw-a-privacy-disaster-for-half-of-android-users/

"Google's own numbers paint an even worse picture. According to the online advertising giant, only 24.5 percent of Android users are using version 4.4. The majority of Android users are using versions that include the broken component, and many of these users are using 4.1.x or below, so they're not even using versions of Android that use Chrome as the default browser."

I know a bit about this. You need to check that the phone has both CDMA *and* GSM hardware. I'm not familiar with the Samsung models you're looking at, but I do know this is the case for the Verizon iPhone 5S, at least (yup, most people are buying components they'll never use). So yes, you are on the CDMA network in the US, but they did not physically remove the GSM hardware from the iPhone, and once activated/unlocked by Verizon, the GSM bits can work in the rest of the world. The iPhone supports a lot of bands so it works (almost) anywhere. So, likewise, it seems plausible that at least some of the other phones Verizon sells come with both CDMA and GSM hardware incorporated, and can be activated by Verizon for use abroad. I don't know if it really is *every* LTE phone they offer (and anyone with experience with US telcos will know that "just because one of the reps say it, doesn't necessarily mean its true"), but its not automatically untrue. You need to double check the specific model you want (can't help you there, though. Don't have experience with any Samsung's personally)

Many "add on services" that cost money don't use data. As mentioned above, ringtones is one. People calling you get to hear music etc (while you won't notice unless you call yourself from a different line) These can be pretty expensive.

I've found DTAC to be more "english-capable" than True (but both are better than AIS)

So, it's not just up here in CR that they aren't available?

I've read that stores in Malaysia and the UK have not had stock either.

Considering that it has been out in the US for 2 months, you would think they would have had a chance to recover from any unexpected demand there by now and have a reasonable idea and opportunity to ramp production up for the other markets that launched last week.

it's starting to look like they really don't have it in them to compete with Apple, Samsung et al... they either come up with stuff few people want, or if they do make something people want they can't actually meet demand.

I'm not sure true is your only option. I'm happy with dtac, and when I'm at the asok area (eg eating in terminal 21) I get LTE.

(1) multiple boosts are possible, and will be offered by SMS (from my personal experience)

(2) I have to say when you said you were going to watch TV like this, I did think "hrm, that's going to be expensive". I would say its uneconomic, not just here, but everywhere. Mobile bandwidth *is* expensive, that's why landlines/WiFi etc still continue to exist. I've never been to a country where it would be cheap. The countries that have "mobile TV" depend on TV receivers in the phones and not streaming data.

I don't think its safe to make a blanket statement that X telco is better than Y, in relation to their coverage and speed performance. Advertised speeds rarely natch actual speeds. I have SIMs from all three telcos and in the parts of Thailand I've been in, mostly dtac and true are better. I've also been to places where there's no signal for dtac and true, and AIS is the only game in town. I don't think any of us have exactly identical itineraries, so its really pointless to assert this. The good news is that the prepaid SIMs are really pretty cheap and its not that difficult to keep more than one, to try out in the places you go to, to come to a conclusion as to what works best for you.

(In my case, dtac :-)

I've done quite a bit of traveling around the world, and I've never found a roaming data package cheaper than getting a local prepaid SIM. The only time I rely in data roaming is when local prepaid SIMs are problematic (USA for example).

Speaking of USA, T-Mobile has an interesting thing where their subscribers get free 2G data worldwide, which is good enough for instant messaging and the like.

Organizationally I think if you need "immediate" response you need to call 1678; their website isn't fully plugged in to their back end systems I believe.