Dave-in-Decatur

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Thanks, STSVA. It would be soooo nice if Verizon would let its users know about the substance of pending updates. But no. That would lessen the confusion, panic, and dread, and who wants a thing like that?

Annnywayy.... I'm looking forward to trying out the Optical Reader. From Samsung itself: "The Optical Reader application utilizes the camera to recognize text and extract information. You can point it at words, contact information, and QR codes. In addition, you can detect text in a different language and have it translated to a language of your choice." Take a look at that link for operating info on it. Should be way cool if it actually works.

Also, I notice among the "Device Enhancements" in the article to which STSVA linked something called "eSE Removal." Anyone know what that is?
 

Dave-in-Decatur

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I got the update (VRUDMI1) this morning in metro Atlanta. I want to say a word about the process, in case others also run into issues.

The notification screen had a link to a Verizon support page with a bit of information about what would be updated (nothing about "eSE Removal"). That page had a link to detailed update instructions, but trying to actual download that PDF failed on several attempts. Your basic Verizonism.

So then I tapped Install update on the update notification screen. The phone restarted, and that's when the real issue occurred. I got an alarming and confusing screen with some tiny blue text and a kind of broken Android image on it. Looking closely and squinting (I should have used my camera to take a picture!), I made out something about "Manual mode," followed by a series of options that included Restart system, Update from ADB, and various other inscrutable update options. I chose Restart, fortunately. The restart was normal, and ended with a notification that the update had been unsuccessful, and an offer to try again. Plucking up my courage, I tried again. This time it began by downloading the update, with a typical download progress bar in the notifications. I think that must have been the problem in the first place: it tried to install the update before downloading it.

Once the update was actually on board, the install proceeded smoothly. During the automatic restart after the installation of the update, there was a process in which apps were converted or conformed or something. That also went smoothly, and everything seems to be OK.

So, the moral of my tale: If you get the update notice, see if there's a way to make sure it downloads before you accept the installation. If you get that alarming text screen, select Restart.
 

Dave-in-Decatur

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Let me add a couple of notes about the content of the VRUDMI1 update.

First, I thought I saw a new icon in the status bar, as others have also mentioned (the first one attached below), and that this might be a new version of the E911 GPS icon, as is sometimes reported online. But the E911-only GPS icon is the second one attached below. The first one actually reflects the fact that I recently started using Google Now and allowing Access to my location in Settings > More > Location services, which produces that icon.

At least, that's the situation since the update. Neither of these icons is mentioned in the phone's icon glossary or the Samsung User Manual, and only the E911 one appears in the Verizon User Guide. The online Samsung S4 icon FAQ says that the first icon below means GPS is turned on, which is what I thought it meant before the update. The correct info, since the update at least, actually seems to be as in the Stratosphere (!) FAQ. So maybe this did change with the update.

Secondly, I wanted to try out the Samsung Optical Reader right away. However, I learned that you have to have a Samsung account in order to use it, an account that is also needed for Samsung Hub and S Translator. I'm not ready to give yet another tech company access to my life. In the end, though, I may do it just to use Optical Reader.
 

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