The app just came out in Switzerland today, probably more countries too. Might explain the servers going down as the load more than likely increased a lot.
Enable developer tools > show pointer location. Then you can see the lines that you draw when you throw the pokeball. Ive found that sometimes my S4 still reads inputs as I pull my hand away. Try pulling your hand upwards off the phone instead.
I want a Warhammer 40k AR game now. Pick a faction, and walk around recruiting allied soldiers that spawn while destroying the enemy spawns. Imperium/Orks/'Nids/Necrons/Eldar/Tau/Dark Eldar/Chaos. Fuck limiting factions; just make it a gigantic clusterfuck of mayhem and fun.