Ok, smart phone junkies, my phone is in need of repair

[RedheadedDisneyFreak]

Currently I have a Samsung Fascinate that I really do like. But here recently I cannot get the battery to charge with most of my chargers, just one that I have. I thought it was the battery so I ordered a new one from Ebay and it will hardly charge either. So now I know it is the phone.

1. Does the fact that I have over the past year charged this phone with
numerous different types of chargers damaged the phone. Currently it
will only charge with an LG charger.

2. Will a car charger damage the phone?

3. Can a cell phone repair store fix it? There is one in the town below me I
can take it to.

4. Anyone else have this happen?

I have had this phone for around 14 months and I like it. I really do not need to upgrade to another phone right now.

 

[msmayor]

If you have a charger that works with the phone...one that charges the battery...then why is there a problem? Just use the charger that works.

 

[RedheadedDisneyFreak]

Well that one charger that will work, I do have trouble with it getting it to connect. And when I do get it to connect it will charge, true. But then the battery will only last maybe 5 hours max. So I do know something is wrong, I am sure it is the phone. I am really wanting to know as well what is causing this so I will know in the future will other smartphones.

 

[cart-mom]

I don't have a smart phone but I know lots of people that do. Batteries don't last long with most of them. They even admit it in commercials now. I too have an LG phone while my husband has a samsung rugby. My charger does fit his phone but doesn't always charge it 100%. You didn't say if you still have the charger that came with the phone from Samsung. Sometimes these phones are very specific and the after market accessories just won't work well. My suggestion, since you are still happy with your phone is to go to Samsung for a Fascinate specific charger and see if that works. You are outside of your warranty but Samsung is known for problems with some of their products. Have you searched the web to see if this is maybe a known problem?

A car charger should not damage the phone. A cellphone repair shop scares me. Once they start working on it you don't know what is going to happen. If the worst problem you have right now is it has to be recharged every 5 hours or so you might want to just deal with that rather than open a new can of worms. My luck it would come back with 5 other problems or not working at all.

 

[Fire14]

I had similar issue with my previous semi smartphone it was the phone as I swapped batteries w dh who had same phone as i and mine wouldn't charge or not fully charge battery in my phone. it was something w connecter in phone not getting good connection. might be worth it to get a charger that doesn't require battery to be in phone. My battery worked fine if i used Dh's phone to charge it and than put in my phone but if i tried to charge battery in my phone forget it.

 

[crazelion]

My friends on the phone boards says that android devices have poor battery life. I think they use something call juicer to save on the battery. Be sure cut off any apps that have running to save on the battery to.

 

[katman2540]

Has a similar problem with my wifes phone recently after much testing (yeay working in tech support) I found the true culprit was the cable she was using. She kept moving her same cable between the different chargers. Once we swapped out the cable it started charging fine again.

Battery life will diminish over time though so if once you fix the charging issue you still arent getting the life you want just order a new battery.

p.s. Our chargers are the type with a wall connector and a separate cable YMMV

 

[msmayor]

My friends on the phone boards says that android devices have poor battery life. I think they use something call juicer to save on the battery. Be sure cut off any apps that have running to save on the battery to.

I have an android phone...Samsung Galaxy...and I can go two days without charging. Worse than my previous phone, but then that older phone wasn't a smartphone. I've heard two days is pretty good.

I have it set so the phone does NOT check for email. I can still get and read it, but only when I want it (the default was checking every 15 min.). That was the only factory setting I changed.

 

[mrodgers]

Battery life is completely based on the usage. I see people who can never put their phones down, constantly texting someone, looking at something on the internet, playing games, whatever. My phone can have a full battery when I go to bed, last only 8 hours at work, or need charged halfway through my work day. It all depends on how much I am using it.

I don't have email set up on it (can't get work email working on it and I don't have a personal email address,) I am on wifi except for my drive to/from work, so it's not hunting for wifi all the time, and I don't usually spend more than about an hour combined on the phone except when I'm at home if I happen to be watching TV.