Android Phones

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

How is the infuse working out?
Also, I'm so excited to get ICS on my tablet. The probability that I'll be able to get it on my Galaxy S Captivate is really slim. :/

[marooko]

It was an online purchase, I'll find out in a couple of days.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

I forget, have you ever owned an Android phone before, marooko?

[marooko]

No previous Android phone experience.

My first smartphone was the Nokia E71x. I enjoyed it, was more of a business phone than a fun toy. Didn't have much app support but I was okay with that, just wanted navigation, which it had.

I stepped it up a little with this 6 MONTH OLD discontinued phone. ha! Has a lot of good features and I can access my email fairly easily. I think I may like it.

Anything I should look forward to or be weary of with Android?

[wmgaretjax]

Number of apps pre-installed on smartphones - iPhone: 24, Nexus S: 72, Evo 4G: 160, Droid X: 161

To put the trend into perspective... Also this: http://theunderstatement.com/post/11982112928/android-orphans-visualizing-a-sad-history-of-support

Some things to keep in mind about android... Much of this becomes irrelevant, to a degree, if you root and remain vigilant.

So far I'm very unimpressed with Android as far as the root user experience goes. But I'll reserve judgment until ice cream sandwich rolls around for me.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Look forward to free apps, unbelievable speed, excellent looking screens, 16 hour battery life, nearly unlimited customization ability, and extremely easy rooting/modding ability. Plus, with google music, you can stream your iTunes library for free. Using different launchers, you can completely customize how your home screen and app drawer behave. It's awesome. Research ADW Launcher EX. That's the one I use. Also, the Swype keyboard is a beast. Fucking awesome keyboard.

The only real complaint is sometimes certain apps will only be available for iPhone, or they will be available for iPhone first. Android sometimes comes second to developers. But no biggie.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Number of apps pre-installed on smartphones - iPhone: 24, Nexus S: 72, Evo 4G: 160, Droid X: 161

To put the trend into perspective... Also this: http://theunderstatement.com/post/11982112928/android-orphans-visualizing-a-sad-history-of-support

Some things to keep in mind about android...

I find those numbers hard to believe. Out of the box, my captivate had maybe a dozen bloatware apps. If Android phones had 161 preinstalled apps, the app drawer would be 20 pages long.

[wmgaretjax]

That's because a lot of preinstalled shit that is running isn't in your app drawer.

oh and I had to end up freezing upwards of 50 apps on my new droid x... i'm sure i've missed stuff as well.

[faxman75]

16 hour battery life

What setting and usage? I have bluetooth and music running pretty constantly and use the web occasionally but I don't get anywhere close to this. I just switched from a Droid to a Droid 3 and i'm not sure i've seen a difference in battery life.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

I use Juice Defender Ultimate. It shuts off data when the phone is locked. My screen is at 50%-60% power. Regular usage. Mostly texting/Facebook/ checking the boards. Maybe 10-minutes talk tome a day. By hour 14-15 I'm at about 15% battery life.

[marooko]

Other than using different carriers, what's the reason for unlocking a phone?

[hawkingvsreeve]

It allows you to put different operating systems on the phone, or use services like tethering without paying for them.

[marooko]

What about getting rid of pre-installed BS?

[wmgaretjax]

you will want to do a fresh OS install... which varies in difficulty depending on the timeliness and popularity of the phone you have.

[marooko]

Damn. I may look in to it. Thank you all.

[LA Forever]

My Samsung Galaxy S' battery life sucks fucking balls.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

My Samsung Galaxy S' battery life sucks fucking balls.

is your phone rooted? Are you running a custom ROM? If so, is it running Gingerbread? Running gb on a captivate makes the battery life shittastic.

[tessalasset]

I love that I don't have to come in here anymore.

[LA Forever]

is your phone rooted? Are you running a custom ROM? If so, is it running Gingerbread? Running gb on a captivate makes the battery life shittastic.
It's a T-Mobile Vibrant unlocked for AT&T. It's running Froyo 2.2 with no ROMS or isn't rooted either.

[mountmccabe]

What setting and usage? I have bluetooth and music running pretty constantly and use the web occasionally but I don't get anywhere close to this. I just switched from a Droid to a Droid 3 and i'm not sure i've seen a difference in battery life.

The bluetooth and music (especially streaming music) will use your battery. That is precisely why you don't get that battery life.

I generally get through the day with no problems. The last time I had an issue was when I streamed music much of the afternoon after having an extra-long bus ride to listen to music in the morning. And, wouldn't you know it, the spare battery I had with me was dead too, haha.

[malcolmjamalawesome]

What is "rooting"

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Rooting is basically giving you developer permissions to tinker with the main (the "root") files of your phone. These files are ones that could brick your phone if you delete or modify the wrong one. Basically, rooting allows you to do things with your phone that one developers have permission to do (such as flashing a new ROM or taking screenshots, or backing up your entire phone/deleting bloatware apps, etc). If you know how to do it, it's highly recommended. Because your phone is at about 40% its potential when it comes out of the box... For example, out of the box, my phone would score *maybe* a 800-900 on the benchmark speed test, but after rooting it, flashing a faster ROM, and flashing an overclock kernal, it has the potential of scoring upwards of 1900.

Make sense?
TL;DR - Rooting lets you do shit to your phone you normally wouldn't be able to do.

[malcolmjamalawesome]

what does flashing a new ROM mean

[chairmenmeow47]

this is probably a stupid question, but do you have to clear cache like you do on your computer? i have a motorola droid 2 global.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

what does flashing a new ROM mean

Flashing a new ROM basically is restructuring the whole framework of your phone. Nearly every single new ROM that you can flash for a phone will be better than the stock ROM your phone came with. Usually they are faster, and they have better battery life. Also, flashing a new ROM usually makes your phone look and behave differently than the stock ROM.

For example, I can make my phone change its look from this:
http://cdn4.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-att-front.jpg

And make it look and behave like it's an HTC phone:
http://cloud.addictivetips.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Sense-on-Samsung-Galaxy-S.jpg


this is probably a stupid question, but do you have to clear cache like you do on your computer? i have a motorola droid 2 global.

You CAN, but it isn't ESSENTIAL. I don't know how to do it unless your phone is rooted.

[faxman75]

The bluetooth and music (especially streaming music) will use your battery. That is precisely why you don't get that battery life.



Yeah so basically if you don't use your smart phone for the cool things a smart phone does, you get a solid battery life. That is why I asked about usage, I was wondering if someone who used in a similar way to me manipulated settings to get a longer battery life than I was getting.

[marooko]

It's kinda like 4x4 trucks off the lot, they're cool unless you take them off road.

[biggfoot17]

Rooting is basically giving you developer permissions to tinker with the main (the "root") files of your phone. These files are ones that could brick your phone if you delete or modify the wrong one. Basically, rooting allows you to do things with your phone that one developers have permission to do (such as flashing a new ROM or taking screenshots, or backing up your entire phone/deleting bloatware apps, etc). If you know how to do it, it's highly recommended. Because your phone is at about 40% its potential when it comes out of the box... For example, out of the box, my phone would score *maybe* a 800-900 on the benchmark speed test, but after rooting it, flashing a faster ROM, and flashing an overclock kernal, it has the potential of scoring upwards of 1900.

Make sense?
TL;DR - Rooting lets you do shit to your phone you normally wouldn't be able to do.

Do you know of any tutorials for this? Think it will be necessary on the Galaxy Nexus?

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Do you know of any tutorials for this? Think it will be necessary on the Galaxy Nexus?

Necessary? Probably not. Helpful and awesome? Yes. You have all pros and almost no cons to rooting.

Yeah, here seems to be the most simple method:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1352413

Remember, I don't own a Galaxy Nexus, so I don't know how easy/accurate this method is, but 99% of things on XDA are correct and helpful.

[marooko]

WTF?! I just went to quote your last post and it was blank, now it's gone.

If the question was directed at me, I don't know. It will arrive today.

Just ordered this.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/150710662866?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

[ManImCool]

By chance, does anyone have a Samsung Captivate and is running a good custom ROM they'd recommend? My girl is still running that dinosaur stock 2.1 ROM on there and haven't gotten around to rooting and flashing hers, probably because I'm too busy flashing the latest and greatest 2.3.5 Sense 3.5 CM7 variants on my HTC, but yeah if anyone has a good ROM recommendation for that Captivate I might go ahead and upgrade her phone for her. I really don't like her 2.1 with no Sense. I suppose I could ask and look on XDA but I'll give you guys a shot first since there are likely so many different options and opinions on there.



99% of things on XDA are correct and helpful.

QFT

XDA is your friend. Especially your phone's friend.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

By chance, does anyone have a Samsung Captivate and is running a good custom ROM they'd recommend? My girl is still running that dinosaur stock 2.1 ROM on there and haven't gotten around to rooting and flashing hers, probably because I'm too busy flashing the latest and greatest 2.3.5 Sense 3.5 CM7 variants on my HTC, but yeah if anyone has a good ROM recommendation for that Captivate I might go ahead and upgrade her phone for her. I really don't like her 2.1 with no Sense. I suppose I could ask and look on XDA but I'll give you guys a shot first since there are likely so many different options and opinions on there.

I know you and I have butted heads on here, but I know a thing or two about this problem.

Plain and simple, Firefly 3.0 is hands down the single best and greatest custom ROM on the Captivate. It's slick, simple, hella fast, amazing battery life, and it's all around excellent. It runs 2.2 though. But that isn't too bad.

Whatever you do, do NOT flash ANY 2.3 Gingerbread ROMs on the Captivate, unless your girlfriend enjoys a 5 hour battery life and a slow performance.

I've used a slew of custom ROMs on the Captivate, including Fasty II (which was fast and had great battery life, but horrid connectivity issues with the cell towers and WiFi (my phone could be resting on top of my router and it only had 2/5 bars of signal).
I've had nothing but horrid experiences with GB roms, including Cyanogenmod 7, Mosaic IV, and one other one I can't remember.

I'd recommend installing ADW Launcher EX for the launcher. It makes your phone's perform faster, especially when getting to your apps if you know what settings to tweak.

[ManImCool]

Thanks. I'll check out Firefly on XDA and probably give it a shot. 2.2 is fine, just have to get her off 2.1

Edit: If she likes it, you may even get removed from my avatar!

[marooko]

So far I'm enjoying my phone. Got my email hooked up, contacts in and checking out what it has installed app wise.

I then found this amazing freaking game called Angry Birds. I don't know if you guys have seen it, but you need to check it out. It's a pretty simple concept but it just freaking cracks me up. I might be hooked.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Angry Birds is the SHIT.

[ManImCool]

Is this seriously this first time you've ever heard of Angry Birds?

[malcolmjamalawesome]

So far I'm enjoying my phone. Got my email hooked up, contacts in and checking out what it has installed app wise.

I then found this amazing freaking game called Angry Birds. I don't know if you guys have seen it, but you need to check it out. It's a pretty simple concept but it just freaking cracks me up. I might be hooked.

Not sure if srs...

[marooko]

Partially serious.

It is in fact the first time I heard of it, but I am also aware it was very popular. My lady told me about it.

[malcolmjamalawesome]

Marooko, are you in your 40s?

[marooko]

I use my phone for calls, texting and navigation. Now that I can view .pdf files and other documents, it'll be used for business as well.

I don't use it for facebook, game apps and other silly shit, although I'm taking a liking to these angry birds. Does that put me in my 40's?

Although I am getting harassed by my wife to now get a facebook account. Yeah, she's 20.

[malcolmjamalawesome]

How old are her sister wives

[marooko]

12. You trying to take the place of someone else on this board?

[malcolmjamalawesome]

Go on...

[marooko]

I'll feel gross.

I want to watch the UFC prelims on my phone, is that capable? Not sure what I need to do. Whether I use the facebook app or go through the browser (both the default browser and Opera), it just refreshes the page when I click on the link.

Here is the link to the UFC page, the most recent post has a link. when I follow it on my PC it works fine, but not on the phone.

Help?

[malcolmjamalawesome]

More like "Dumbphone" amirite

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

I'll feel gross.

I want to watch the UFC prelims on my phone, is that capable? Not sure what I need to do. Whether I use the facebook app or go through the browser (both the default browser and Opera), it just refreshes the page when I click on the link.

Here is the link to the UFC page, the most recent post has a link. when I follow it on my PC it works fine, but not on the phone.

Help?

Try using Dolphin Browser Mini. You can go through settings and change the internet client from Android (mobile) to Desktop. Maybe that will work. If not, you'll get a great browser in the process.

[marooko]

Thank you for the help, sir, that worked. They're over but I'll catch them next time.

[biggfoot17]

Verizon needs to get off their Google Wallet hate and give me my damn Galaxy Nexus!

[suprefan]

...


Starting today Dec 11th, the following phones will be on sale at Target Mobile B&M. These prices are all with a 2 year CONTRACT. Also don't forget to bring a blank check to sign up for a Target Debit card to save 5%.

AT&T
Samsung Galaxy S2 49.99 W/ upgrade or new account
Iphone 4s 16gb 174.99 W/ upgrade or new account
LG Thrill Free W/ upgrade or new account


Sprint
HTC Evo Design 19.99 new account 49.99 upgrade
Motorola Photon 49.99 W/ upgrade or new account
Samsung Galaxy Epic Touch 4g 99.99 W/ upgrade or new account
HTC Evo 3D 99.99 + $100 gift card if you trade in ANY working phone


Also receive a trade in value of
$100 for an Iphone 3G
$150 for an Iphone 3GS
$200 for an Iphone 4

[suprefan]

Samsung Galaxy Nexus comes out on Thursday

[malcolmjamalawesome]

Ok, it's here. Now the question is, do I really need it, or do I wait for the SECOND phone with ICS?

[jackstraw94086]

Has anyone doing rooted tethering on Verizon gotten a message from them demanding a plan upgrade?

[corbo]

Samsung Galaxy Nexus comes out on Thursday

My coworker bought one today, Awesome screen, The thing looks like a mini tablet.
5 MP camera though? kinda lame...

[tmac]

the screen on the galaxy nexus is amazing. the camera isnt as sharp as the iphone but it snaps pictures so freaking fast.

[suprefan]

My coworker bought one today, Awesome screen, The thing looks like a mini tablet.
5 MP camera though? kinda lame...

they have to save something for the next version?

[biggfoot17]

The 5MP camera was discussed on the previous page. Basically, you don't anything bigger than that for typical use.

I picked mine up this morning and love it so far. The screen blows me away. The only issue I'm having is that I can't get facebook to sync with my contacts.

EDIT: apparently it's a facebook v google issue, with facebook not agreeing to google's terms of being able to export, as well as import, data. i guess this isn't anything new, and the change came about earlier this year.

[malcolmjamalawesome]

Will it be able to fit inside my skinny jeans pockets

[biggfoot17]

More so than an iphone

[hawkingvsreeve]

I've been using mine for a couple days now and....I think it's just too big for me. I can barely operate the thing one-handed. I'm reconsidering. I didn't want an iphone.


God dammit.

[Courtney]

I'm mostly happy about my switch from iPhone to Android, but the one thing I really do miss is the visual voicemail.

[corbo]

....I think it's just too big for me. I can barely operate the thing one-handed. I'm reconsidering.

that's what she said...


I'm mostly happy about my switch from iPhone to Android, but the one thing I really do miss is the visual voicemail.

iphone is better.

can we talk about tablets in this thread?
i bought a Toshiba Thrive at Best Buy on black friday. i wasn't even planning to, it just happened. 275$ was just the right price for a 10" tablet.
i'm mostly happy with it, Android Honeycomb is pretty cool. The tablet is thick, but that doesnt really bother me since its got all kinds of ports
USB, mini-usb, HDMI, and SD. Two things that do bother me though- shitty distracting LED lights on the top left of the screen, and poor audio quality on both the speakers and headphones. Those didn't bother me enough that i would want to return it though...i can't put the shit down. a couple of things i like about Android Honeycomb over iOS - desktop spaces, live wallpapers, app permissions disclosure, flash, and (i'm not sure if the ipad has these) widgets

[biggfoot17]

iphone is better.

Insightful

[suprefan]

that's what she said...



iphone is better.

can we talk about tablets in this thread?
i bought a Toshiba Thrive at Best Buy on black friday. i wasn't even planning to, it just happened. 275$ was just the right price for a 10" tablet.
i'm mostly happy with it, Android Honeycomb is pretty cool. The tablet is thick, but that doesnt really bother me since its got all kinds of ports
USB, mini-usb, HDMI, and SD. Two things that do bother me though- shitty distracting LED lights on the top left of the screen, and poor audio quality on both the speakers and headphones. Those didn't bother me enough that i would want to return it though...i can't put the shit down. a couple of things i like about Android Honeycomb over iOS - desktop spaces, live wallpapers, app permissions disclosure, flash, and (i'm not sure if the ipad has these) widgets


I got an HP Touchpad for $99, and I can install android on it. Much better deal.....

[marooko]

iphone is fucking stupid.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

I'm mostly happy about my switch from iPhone to Android, but the one thing I really do miss is the visual voicemail.

There is an Android app called YouMail that gives you visual voicemail.

[mountmccabe]

Just got my Galaxy Nexus and it is beautiful. It is so light!

[ManImCool]

Hmmm so I can either get a GSII Skyrocket for free right now, or I can try holding out until April for the HTC Elite/Congressional.

I may just get the free GSII skyrocket now, and then when the HTC Elite is released, I can easily sell my GSII for a lot of cash and basically get the Elite for almost free. Even though this won't be a dealbreaker or keep me from getting it, but I wonder what the battery life will be like with a quad-core phone.

[OnlyNonStranger]

I just got a kindle fire and it's the first android I've ever owned. Any suggestions on must have apps?

[malcolmjamalawesome]

I think I'm skipping the galaxy nexus and going over to the evil empire

[suprefan]

I just got a kindle fire and it's the first android I've ever owned. Any suggestions on must have apps?

Angry Birds

[OnlyNonStranger]

Any must have Android specific apps?

[mountmccabe]

Also in the other thread I have mentioned GalaxIR; that is now a "lite" type app and only allows you to play against the world on their servers for 5 minutes on, 30 minutes off. You can play the AI or against a close proximity friend via Bluetooth as much as you want, though. They do have GalaxIR Star as a paid app which gives you unlimited online gameplay. Neither version has ads.

I also just got Wordfeud so let me know if you want to play Scrabble (no TM.) This app is ad supported.

I also have just come across SystemPanel Lite, the free version of an app that is sort of a manual task killer, the fun part being that you can actually see things like Total CPU Time and Memory Usage for each app as well as monitor your overall usage and read the CPU clock and whatnot. Basically if you like playing with the performance tab of Windows Task Manager this app is for you. No ads.


I would play around with it some first to get an idea of what it can do, stock. Make sure you know how to make calls, etc (I know, but I know some people who've had issues.)

Then work on customizing it to your liking. You can do a lot to how it looks and sounds.

Then start loading up with apps. Move as many of them to the SD Card as you can (though of course not every app supports it.)

One thing that may help you find options is AppBrain (http://www.appbrain.com/), which is an app review site. You can get an AppBrain app for your phone so then it'll know what you already have on your phone and can access their reviews, etc from there, too (but other than that I find that app worthless.)

I recommend the Dolphin HD Browser and Handcent SMS for texting, etc. I mean, I'd try the stock browser and messaging apps first then go to these to see what else can be done.

I recommend SystemPanel Lite (actually I recommend the full version but try the free version first,) which does many things. You can use it to install/uninstall apps, you can also use it to create backups of your apps, which can be handy in instances when you don't like an update. It is also sort of a manual task killer, the fun part being that you can actually see things like Total CPU Time and Memory Usage for each app as well as monitor your overall usage and read the CPU clock and whatnot... and eventually you will realize that with Froyo (Android 2.2) killing tasks generally doesn't accomplish anything. Basically if you like playing with the performance tab of Windows Task Manager this app is for you. No ads.

I like GPS Status quite a bit; it can be used to mark a spot (I set it to my camp at Coachella and never get lost) and also works as a level, a compass and various other things.

Do you use Yelp!? Kayak? Flickr (then try Flickr Free, the only Flickr app I've found that's worth a damn.) Barcode Scanner is useful and integrates into various other apps, Astro is the file manager I like.

Rings Extended can make it easier to browse your music for use as ringtones and notifications.

Which brings to mind: make your own ringtones and notifications. I love being able to cut up mp3s and put them on my phone. My goal is to have every contact have a different ringtone and every app that allows custom notifications to have its own notification. My most frequently contacted friends have their own ringtones and I am doing well with the notifications, too.

There are also plenty of games. I found a Solitaire game, Texas Hold 'em (has online play,) Set (like the card came,) Angry Birds, Cestos (can play online, cross-platform even,) Mancala and Armored Strike (an artillery game like Worms.)

I have mentioned GalaxIR; that is now a "lite" type app and only allows you to play against the world on their servers for 5 minutes on, 30 minutes off. You can play the AI or against a close proximity friend via Bluetooth as much as you want, though. They do have GalaxIR Star as a paid app which gives you unlimited online gameplay. Neither version has ads.

I love Wordfeud which is Scrabble. The free app is ad-supported; or you can pay a couple bucks and get rid of the ads. Apparently the makes of Words With Friends (for the iPhone) are working on a version for Android and allowing cross-platform play, which would be great.

I wrote these posts a little while ago but those are still some good apps.

On my GN i have just been using the stock text messenger and browser but i'm thrilled with PlayerPro for music.

[mountmccabe]

I also think that was written before the Google Market on the web became so useful. I wouldn't bother with AppBrain anymore.

[biggfoot17]

Any must have Android specific apps?

Gigbox

[BeaverCat]

Can we please get a decent Android app this year?

[marooko]

Write one up.

I've only downloaded a couple of apps so far. I think my favorite one is the dictionary.com app. Serious pocket dictionary.

[Phenomena]

Has anyone mentioned how amazing google music is? The cloud system works really well and the temporary downloading of the songs so they don't stream as much data is a nice touch as well. iphone syncing was always a laggy nightmare for me and with this I do one thing on my computer and it's already waiting for me on my phone. Their store may not have the selection yet but i'm pretty impressed with what they have already and it's cheaper than iTunes.

[the walrus]

Any must have Android specific apps?

get human


instead of calling, pressing 1 for english, and all that shit. this will give you a number to pretty much anywhere, that will take you straight to a real person. its excellent

[TheClares]

I finally submitted to the Google Overlords and picked up a Samsung Galaxy S2 Sprint Epic 4G Touch (jeezus that's a long name). Although I miss the webOS operating system, gestures, etc, I am loving this phone. GPS Navigation better than my Garmin (2 preinstalled apps), 4.52" of awesome screen, 8MP back camera and 2MP front (for perfect skype sessions) and all the Apps that anyone could need. Most of the Synergy cloud syncing is finally up to par with webOS (which has had a lot of these features for well over 2 years). Completely addicted to Words with Friends, so much I'll probably upgrade to the paid version soon. Voice command isn't quite up to SIRI standards, but when it gets it right, I like not having to confirm everything.

Now I just need to protect this thing with a good case and screen protector.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

I finally submitted to the Google Overlords and picked up a Samsung Galaxy S2 Sprint Epic 4G Touch (jeezus that's a long name). Although I miss the webOS operating system, gestures, etc, I am loving this phone. GPS Navigation better than my Garmin (2 preinstalled apps), 4.52" of awesome screen, 8MP back camera and 2MP front (for perfect skype sessions) and all the Apps that anyone could need. Most of the Synergy cloud syncing is finally up to par with webOS (which has had a lot of these features for well over 2 years). Completely addicted to Words with Friends, so much I'll probably upgrade to the paid version soon. Voice command isn't quite up to SIRI standards, but when it gets it right, I like not having to confirm everything.

Now I just need to protect this thing with a good case and screen protector.

I know this may seem obvious, but invest in an Otterbox. I know they are kind of expensive, but if you think about it, if you spent $40 on an Otterbox and you drop your phone (and it doesn't break) just ONCE, the case will pay for itself 20 times over.

[marooko]

I got the Ballistic HC case for my Infuse. Dropped it once already, no problems.

[TheClares]

Thanks for the advice. I'm trying to baby it until I make a case decision. The Otterbox got some poor reviews for this model, so I'm still shopping for one. I would like to retain some of the slimness while still protecting it from the hopefully infrequent falls. I spent two years without a case on my Palm Pre, but it was pretty tough.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Any Commuter series of Otterbox is incredibly durable and very slim. I don't even notice mine.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

My power/lock button suddenly quit working on my phone. Anyone else have this problem?
I've resorted to using three different apps to replace the functions that the power/lock button did.

[Boourns]

http://media.theunderstatement.com/016a_android_orphans.png
http://theunderstatement.com/post/11982112928/android-orphans-visualizing-a-sad-history-of-support

[Phenomena]

Motorola is addressing that by concentrating on certain phones and not releasing as many.

[wmgaretjax]

the current track record with the RAZR doesn't support that.

[weeklymix]

What the hell does the iPhone chart mean? The original iPhone is not running the most current version of iOS, if that's what it implies. It's just updated the hardware and the OS every time instead of releasing updates to the phones itself. It's a really misleading chart.

Edit: I get what it's saying now, but it's still stupid.

[weeklymix]

Comparing iPhone model support to a handful of other manufacturers using Android is moronic.

iPhone : iPhone 4 so we should also compare Garminfone : Evo? This is why people hate other people. Root your phone, learn how to fix shit yourself. It's 2012 for fuck's sake.

[Phenomena]

the current track record with the RAZR doesn't support that.

haha I think they announced that after the RAZR release. I could see why too.

[wmgaretjax]

It's not just about "fixing" things, yeah? It's not just about end-users, but also about innovators and developers that shouldn't have to deal with an absurdly fragmented platform that results from a lack of manufacturer support...

plus on the "fix" front, there are frequently security issues that simply aren't best solved by fixes that have to trickle through secondary channels.

and while your "it's 2012" cry is nice in theory, there are plenty of tech illiterate folks that will never (and in some cases, should never) step outside of manufacturer channels.

[weeklymix]

One is closed source. One is open source. Make it work yourself or don't buy an open source operating system. Comparing the two because they're phones is not good enough in this argument. It's apples and oranges.

If you like Windows and OS X, great, buy the comparable phones. Android became more popular than Linux and people who are paid or at the very least presented as experts in the field don't comprehend open source technology and write bullshit reviews and comparisons without any evidence to make a legitimate point.

[wmgaretjax]

wait... so you are trying to say that an open source platform (that is then distributed through closed channels, for what it's worth), shouldn't be proliferated to consumers who can't leverage the foundational software? what? that's nuts.

the closed/open source distinction is a development paradigm... it has nothing to do with the usability of the devices (and is only indirectly related to the feasibility of sufficient support)

[weeklymix]

No. I'm saying the operating system works. The people to blame are the app developers.

[wmgaretjax]

that's batshit crazy. no one is saying the operating system doesn't work. the development/distribution model of the manufacturers is what is broken... and this is because the incentive structure is fucked... there is little incentive for manufacturers to support the devices for the long term.

[weeklymix]

So the issue with support is what then?

Edit: I responded before you ghost edited.

[wmgaretjax]

the failure on the part of manufacturers, not google, to capitalize on the innovation of the operating system for pre-existing phones and the lackluster proliferation of timely security fixes.

[weeklymix]

Why won't the manufacturers support it though? It's not about incentives.

[weeklymix]

Capitalize with regard to money is nearly mutually exclusive with open source. You're more than stating the obvious.

[weeklymix]

The only money to be made is with new phones. Apple controls every single part of the iPhone. That's why they can afford to help people out with older phones. That's why it's really hard to compare the two. The business models do not present themselves in a way to be compared in an in-depth analysis because of open vs. closed source.

[romanticizer]

My phone wasn't even on that graph, so I must be like 9 versions behind.

[weeklymix]

It's like expecting HP to help you with a Windows 98 install or security fix and getting upset when they tell you to go fuck yourself.

Edit: Or better yet, a Dell that shipped with an older (LTS) version of Ubuntu.

[wmgaretjax]

There is no denying that it is more difficult, in some respects, for android manufacturers. But that's one of the key points that the article (attached to the image above) makes... it's only about support for fixes that have already been proliferated by Google in the first place. The hardware isn't the limitation, it's the lack of any kind of monetary incentive (because of outdated business models that have NOTHING to do with open source and more to do with the control that telecoms have over the proliferation of most phones) to support these phones.

And there is absolutely money to be made outside of the phones themselves (through various kinds of partnerships and content distribution mechanisms)... but the current strain of manufacturers (other than Apple... and maybe in the near future Motorola) have completely failed to effectively do this (and have essentially tried by installing malware on the phones, again a byproduct of outdated business models).

[wmgaretjax]

It's like expecting HP to help you with a Windows 98 install or security fix and getting upset when they tell you to go fuck yourself.


Except that HP doesn't ship with dramatically altered versions of Windows and then fail to provide the proliferated security fixes. This analogy is totally broken.

[wmgaretjax]

It's also worth noting that the author of the article is using the research for two purposes... on one hand he is criticizing the manufacturer business models... but he's also advocating for the hacking communities that solve these problems (this research was attached to EFF's DMCA comment on jailbreaking/rooting).

[weeklymix]

Forgetting the "broken" analogy of how bloated Win98 systems were, causing most Windows versions to differ from one manufacturer to the next, let's look at Ubuntu which is based on roughly the same kernel as Android's.

Ubuntu 10.04 is supported for 3 years.

Ubuntu 11.04 and 11.10 are really only supported for about 6 months to a year.

Ubuntu 12 and every LTS version after that (released every two years) is supported for 5 additional years.

Ubuntu makes zero dollars from the OS. They make quite a bit from charging for customer support.

You know why it's like this? The Linux kernel. Which is what Android runs on and Google has NO control over.

Security flaws, at least the fatal ones, are often something that need patching on Google's end with the kernel, and less with the manufacturers. Android after all, is just a sloppy Java framework on top of a botched Linux kernel. If the kernel goes wrong, manufacturers wouldn't fuck with it because they don't even have the manpower to do it. If it's a problem with their bloatware (Motorola Blur, etc.) they can fix it, if it's with the kernel, forget it.

[weeklymix]

And in the end, Android made 1 billion dollars in revenue last year for Google. Google as a company made close to 30 billion. They want Android to be a tool to get people to use Google services. The majority of what's wrong with it is they're lazy and subsequently the manufacturers are already starting with a deformed piece of software.

[wmgaretjax]

hold up dude... the article/chart is only about fixes that have ALREADY been distributed by Google. that's what the lack of support (in that chart) is pointing to.

i have to get back to work... but i'd like to state this in the positive a bit. i don't think the problem here is Android (although there are other potential problems that some of your arguments are touching on). i think that the problem is that manufacturers either have stamped on old distribution mechanisms (in most cases, residual Windows Mobile approaches) onto the platform, or have treated it like a traditional linux distribution (which is typically either a specific use approach, or niche general computing... not mass-market general computing). one approach is completely mismatched, the other completely underestimates the purpose and challenges of the platform.

i think this problem will start to dissipate pretty quickly. the manufacturers seem to be coming around, and the google folks have been very forthright in their desire to come up with efficient ways of solving this problem from the top down (which will not solve the problem by itself). other than a bit of time for everything to sync up, the only real substantial barrier to a holistic solution to the problem (from a pragmatic point of view) is the belligerent stance of most service providers to demand locked bootloaders from manufacturers.

[weeklymix]

I completely agree that eventually they SHOULD come around. They have the Nazi regime at Oracle dictating the nature of the Java framework which lays on top of the kernel that Google botched in attempting to streamline something developed by a bunch of people who never wanted to really sell a product. Google gave manufacturers an easy way out to compete with Apple and it got too big too fast for anybody to slow it down for quality. App Developers are just as guilty. If they bothered looking into how to make apps run closer to the kernel than off the Java framework, there'd be a lot less people barking about support. They're too lazy to bother looking into the NDK and herp derp some Java out there hoping it'll last 6 months on the current Android cycle.

[mountmccabe]

Quoting from the New board is fucking hideous thread:


The vB4 Default style is more readable but i am not going to scroll down to select that for every new page. Maybe there is a way to select that permanently?


http://www.coachella.com/forum/profile.php?do=editoptions

Does anyone have advice on how to get this to work on my phone's browser? I am using the stock browser what came with my Galaxy Nexus. I tried clearing all data associated with my browser but that did nothing as the browser still seemed to latch onto that default Coachella skin before I had a chance to log in.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

what i did is i selected the secondary format of the forum, and i just created a new bookmark on my browser. It pulls up the new style every time.

[mountmccabe]

That worked! Thanks.


UPDATE: No it didn't! It looks right when I go to the bookmark but if I move to a new page it resets.

[Boourns]

I am up for a contract renewal in March. The Droid 4 is tempting because it has some things I like that the iPhone lacks (slide-out keyboard, 4G, removable battery), but the higher price and the fact that it comes with Android 2.3 instead of 4.0 are both turn-offs. I'm also not confident that it will ever get an upgrade beyond Ice Cream Sandwich.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Just got the Galaxy S2 Skyrocket. Holy flip it's awesome. I rooted it already but haven't flashed a ROM on it yet. Here is my benchmark with the stock rom.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/419204_1820052476743_1703115237_923786_876817547_n .jpg

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Hey fellow Android users.

Apparently you can get 5 free GBs of storage space by trying out this beta version of Dropbox. The instructions are here:
http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/02/03/download-new-dropbox-beta-for-android-v2-0-9-with-automatic-uploads-get-up-to-5gb-of-extra-storage-for-free/

EDIT: Apparently, you get 500mb free with the first sync, and 500mb free for every 500mb of photos and videos you automatically upload.

[wmgaretjax]

while you are at it... you can hand over your data to a company that has repeatedly demonstrated a lack of concern for the privacy and security of its users.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Who, Dropbox, or Google?

[wmgaretjax]

Dropbox. They've had a number of... snafus...

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Anyone want my old phone?
It's a Samsung Captivate, rooted, and unlocked.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250991928458

[NachoCat]

Is there anyway possible to control a master volume output? I DL music from a lot of different sources. Different qualities. I dont even really know how this would be accomplished through an app but is there something out there that will have all my music play at the same level. From song to song it can be a huge difference, its a pain when in rage mode and you gotta run over to turn it up/down

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Is there anyway possible to control a master volume output? I DL music from a lot of different sources. Different qualities. I dont even really know how this would be accomplished through an app but is there something out there that will have all my music play at the same level. From song to song it can be a huge difference, its a pain when in rage mode and you gotta run over to turn it up/down

Hmm... I'd say try DPS Manager or Voodoo Control. Either that or go into iTunes and highlight all your music, and right click and go to "get info." You can set all the songs to play at the same volume, then put the music on your phone (if you are playing music that is ON your phone's hard drive). If you upload it to Google Music and stream from there, I think it uploads at the same level.

[marooko]

I'd say get quality downloads.

[neverlookback]

What do you guys recommend for a Verizon based phone. I currently have a droid 1 and its starting to act up on me. I mostly use my phone for email, twitter, google maps, and occasionally web. Oh and when my music player was working I was using that everyday as well. Is their a phone I should hold out for or anything worth getting now. I've been out of the loop for a while so thanks in advance!

[scenicworld]

I'd get the Rezound. since you listen to music, it has beats audio and besides that it's an all around good HTC phone that will have ICS.

I'm a little partial to HTC, though.

[Boourns]

https://forums.motorola.com/pages/00add97d6c

Ice Cream Sandwich updates are still in the "planning" phase (not development) for the latest clusterfuck of Motorola devices, including the Droid 4 and all the Razr's. So don't expect an update until late 2012, if ever.

[scenicworld]

You'd think that with Google so heavily involved with Motorola now, that they would have better plans for ICS.

First wave: (early 2012/March): Sensation, Sensation 4G, and Sensation XE, and Sensation XL
Soon after that: HTC Rezound, HTC Vivid, HTC Amaze 4G, HTC EVO 3D, HTC EVO Design 4G, HTC Incredible S, HTC Desire S, and HTC Desire HD

[weeklymix]

The Motorola acquisition was solely to bolster Google's patent war chest. Making ICS do anything important for phones they didn't have a hand in creating is legitimately something they have laughed at.

[PotVsKtl]

Chances are you can already run ICS on every one of those phones. I know they've got a CM9 out for the Photon which is in like wave 3 of those plans. Free voluntary developers are free.

[psychic friend]

is there an app for taking screen shots on an android (htc evo) that does not require a rooted phone? yes I googled already. i see some that worked then stopped. or dont work on htc. just thought i would ask here.

[PotVsKtl]

Depending on how much work you're willing to put in

http://www.androidcentral.com/taking-screenshots-without-root

[ManImCool]

Skyrocket owners can now sleep easier at night, we now have an official build of ICS 4.0! I've had it running for about a day and I love it. Can't wait until the devs at XDA customize this shit to my liking.

[SepaGroove]

I have an HTC Incredible and my phone keeps telling me that the internal storage is low and almost out of space when I know for a fact it's not.

Has anyone else had this problem?

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Skyrocket owners can now sleep easier at night, we now have an official build of ICS 4.0! I've had it running for about a day and I love it. Can't wait until the devs at XDA customize this shit to my liking.

I just installed it yesterday. I gotta say, I enjoyed the Rodgers-build running GB a little better to be honest. It allowed me to switch from LTE to HPSA+ and that saved my battery. There are some things on the stock TouchWhiz ICS that I don't like, but hopefully there will be a new ROM built soon that runs faster and smoother than this build. Otherwise, it's pretty good.


I have an HTC Incredible and my phone keeps telling me that the internal storage is low and almost out of space when I know for a fact it's not.

Has anyone else had this problem?

My ex has an HTC Hero and hers had the exact same problem. I would recommend installing App2SD and transfer some of your apps to your SD card to free up some app space inside your phone. Hopefully that helps. If it doesn't, you may have to reset your phone and start over from scratch.

[ManImCool]

I just installed it yesterday. I gotta say, I enjoyed the Rodgers-build running GB a little better to be honest. It allowed me to switch from LTE to HPSA+ and that saved my battery. There are some things on the stock TouchWhiz ICS that I don't like, but hopefully there will be a new ROM built soon that runs faster and smoother than this build. Otherwise, it's pretty good.

Yes, it's buggy. But I choose it over GB. And I enjoy LTE speeds here in San Francisco. Shit's faster than my internet at home. Can't argue against 6 MB/s (not Mb) down and 2 MB up. When the xda rom devs inevitability make a smoother bloat-free rom I'll be flashing and even happier.

[SepaGroove]

I just installed it yesterday. I gotta say, I enjoyed the Rodgers-build running GB a little better to be honest. It allowed me to switch from LTE to HPSA+ and that saved my battery. There are some things on the stock TouchWhiz ICS that I don't like, but hopefully there will be a new ROM built soon that runs faster and smoother than this build. Otherwise, it's pretty good.



My ex has an HTC Hero and hers had the exact same problem. I would recommend installing App2SD and transfer some of your apps to your SD card to free up some app space inside your phone. Hopefully that helps. If it doesn't, you may have to reset your phone and start over from scratch.

I already have App2SD installed and use it regularly to move apps and clear cache. After I do it my phone stops saying almost full for about 2 days but then the message comes right back when I accumulate data from Facebook, or Voxer. It's not really that big of an issue, but I have to constantly clear the cache and clear data which is annoying. I'm buying the iphone after Coachella, I'm over this shit.

[scenicworld]

Just preordered a 32gb Samsung Galaxy S III so I can keep my unlimited data plan with Verizon. it's a little bittersweet because I'm really partial to HTC Sense and was hoping the One line would be released on Verizon. When that didn't happen I was holding out for the Incredible 4g which is basically the One S, but it looks like they are holding back on launch until after 6/28 when Verizon eliminates their unlimited data plans.

Still, it's a really nice phone that I'm looking forward to owning -- although a 4.8" screen might be a bit much.

[nyarlathotoats]

When I got my phone last year from Verizon, they told me they were doing away with unlimited after June 2011. Maybe it varies from state to state.

[scenicworld]

When I got my phone last year from Verizon, they told me they were doing away with unlimited after June 2011. Maybe it varies from state to state.

it's been rumored for a very long time but kept getting delayed. it's finally happening June 28th.

[Boourns]

I just got the HTC Rezound. Really loving 4g and the screen.

[scenicworld]

cool! I was really tempted to get the Rezound, especially with the price drop. one of my girl friends has it, and she loves it!

[Boourns]

I got best buy to price match Verizon's online special. Figure i can sell the ear buds and get half my $ back, too.

[Boourns]

I must second your girlfriend's love of the Rezound, as I am really digging it so far. It's unbelievably fast and the screen is a thing of beauty. Like every monster product, the headphones are highly overrated and overpriced, but they go for pretty good cash on ebay. I just ordered an extended battery because the 4G and the large screen drain the stock one very quickly (3-4 hours of nonstop usage).

[scenicworld]

it's a great phone, but the Rezound just wasn't a big upgrade to my current Incredible 2 and I wanted something that felt like an actual upgrade.

I just read that HTC decided not to upgrade the inc2 to ICS, so now I'm even more happy with my decision to upgrade. it really sucks having to wait until mid July for my new phone though.

[xuclarockerx]

Speaking of the Incredible 2....I took mine swimming in a pool Saturday afternoon. Truly the last thing I need with everything else I have going on. It was actually a recent refurbished replacement due to a buggy touch screen on the original. It was only submerged for a few seconds. When I took it out the screen was blank and the "wake" button did nothing. Forget what order things happened but pretty sure I removed my hard case, the back cover and the battery, hand-dried the phone as much as possible...however I now know I made a tactical error by putting the phone back together and trying to start it up. (There was a faint crackling sound.) Within an hour or so I had it in a bag of rice, which may be useless anyway after perusing the droid forums. It's been sitting there ever since, almost 48 hours. I've read silica packets, place by an air vent, even carefully using an oven. However I feel it may be a lost cause since I tried to turn it on before it was fully dry. I did come across a product called Dry-All that I may look into as a last resort.

If the phone is truly toast my options appear limited. No insurance, Verizon doesn't offer certified pre-owned Inc 2's, I'm not upgrade-eligible for almost a year. My family has a couple unused Droid 1's but those really don't appeal to me. There's some Inc 2's on Craigslist but obviously it's Craigslist. Or I can just shell out +/- $500 for another Inc 2. I haven't even mentioned things on that phone (ColorNotes, pics, etc) that I may not be able to recover...yeah it's going to be a post-rock soundtrack kind of day.

[scenicworld]

my original incredible also had a run in with water when it fell into the pond in my backyard. I did the same thing you did, took it apart and let it dry overnight but before I put it together, I blasted it with my hair dryer for a while and shook it around to make sure I got all the water out. it worked for another year with only minor problems with the camera. then it fell in the toilet one day (a clean one!!) and that's when I decided it was time to replace it. they sent me another incredible since I had insurance, but that phone had nothing but problems and would shut down randomly so I called and had it replaced as well. since they were out of incredibles, they sent me a brand new incredible 2!! :)

I think your phone is toast. if you turn it on too early and hear a pop (or see smoke) the damage is already done. sorry, to break it to you but rice and silica packets aren't going to save it since it's no longer a water issue, it's now a fried circuit. good luck though.

have you looked into the rezound? the price dropped considerably and I think you can get one for less than $100 with a contract or less than $200 for full price?

[xuclarockerx]

I'd have to look at the specs but the Rezound looks similar enough to the Inc 2 that I'd probably take it. Not a huge fan of battery-draining 4G however. Anyway I'm not eligible for upgrade until next spring so per Verizon's website it's $650. I wonder if I could talk them into extending my contract right now. I also thought about drying the hell out of the phone and simply returning it. It's a refurbished unit and frankly was sort of acting up anyway, freezing up and restarting a few times, etc. If they found water damage though I suppose I'd be fucked. Oh well, thanks for the feedback.

[scenicworld]

you could always claim it was lost or stolen rather than damaged and see if they would be more accommodating towards replacing it early. usually they give one of the crappy loaner phones though.

[scenicworld]

I'd sell you my incredible 2 pretty cheap, but I need to keep it around at least until I get my new phone on the 11th. I'll probably keep it as a wifi device until I can root it and retrieve some of the data that isn't on the sdcard - namely all my angry birds progress hahaha.

unfortunately I have 2.3.4 and it can't be rooted unless I downgrade to 2.3.3 which in turn wipes my phone and defeats the purpose of rooting it. le sigh.

[ManImCool]

Aren't there apps in Google Play that can back your apps up for you without requiring root? I know TiBu is the gold standard that all root users users use but obviously TiBu won't work with your unrooted phone, but I like to think that there are non-root options out there to back your shiz up

[scenicworld]

there are a lot that let you back up stuff that you can easily back up manually without root, but you have to use TiBu for the other stuff. if you (or anyone else) knows of a backup program that can back up from /usr without root, I'd love you forever! :)

I did find this app (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pt.samp.angryBirdsBackup) but I'm not sure if it will work. I have a lot of other stuff in other apps that I'd prefer not to lose too.

[M Sparks]

I'm loving my new Droid Razr and with the Smart Actions tweaked, I'm actually getting better battery life than I got on the Droid X. The screen is beautiful. I'm waiting until ICS comes out next week to really customize it.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

I must second your girlfriend's love of the Rezound, as I am really digging it so far. It's unbelievably fast and the screen is a thing of beauty. Like every monster product, the headphones are highly overrated and overpriced, but they go for pretty good cash on ebay. I just ordered an extended battery because the 4G and the large screen drain the stock one very quickly (3-4 hours of nonstop usage).

I find that installing a data toggle widget helped double my battery life. I just keep the data off until I want to check FB or my email.

[scenicworld]

another way to accomplish that is to turn off synchronization. you can still get data on demand when you open whatever app needs data and you can still get push notifications, but it won't update everything else in the background.

[xuclarockerx]

Speaking of the Incredible 2....I took mine swimming in a pool Saturday afternoon. Truly the last thing I need with everything else I have going on. It was actually a recent refurbished replacement due to a buggy touch screen on the original. It was only submerged for a few seconds. When I took it out the screen was blank and the "wake" button did nothing. Forget what order things happened but pretty sure I removed my hard case, the back cover and the battery, hand-dried the phone as much as possible...however I now know I made a tactical error by putting the phone back together and trying to start it up. (There was a faint crackling sound.) Within an hour or so I had it in a bag of rice, which may be useless anyway after perusing the droid forums. It's been sitting there ever since, almost 48 hours. I've read silica packets, place by an air vent, even carefully using an oven. However I feel it may be a lost cause since I tried to turn it on before it was fully dry. I did come across a product called Dry-All that I may look into as a last resort.

If the phone is truly toast my options appear limited. No insurance, Verizon doesn't offer certified pre-owned Inc 2's, I'm not upgrade-eligible for almost a year. My family has a couple unused Droid 1's but those really don't appeal to me. There's some Inc 2's on Craigslist but obviously it's Craigslist. Or I can just shell out +/- $500 for another Inc 2. I haven't even mentioned things on that phone (ColorNotes, pics, etc) that I may not be able to recover...yeah it's going to be a post-rock soundtrack kind of day.

So long story short I have a new Inc 2. The old one is pretty much toast. However the micro SD card seems to work in an old phone I had access to. Is it OK to put the SD card in the new phone? Or could it potentially cause damage due to any prior contact w/ water? It seems dry now.

[scenicworld]

there aren't any circuits or moving parts in the sdcard so as long as it's dry you'll be fine. how did you come up on a new Inc2?

[xuclarockerx]

I'm on a family plan so we added an "extra line" which made the Inc 2 (last one in stock) available for the discounted price. The Verizon rep also informed us about a current promotion that would discount the monthly bill such that everything seems to cancel out basically. It better all work out (should know by today) but if for some reason it doesn't I'm still getting the phone for less than full retail. :shrug: I just like that phone. I'm getting the insurance this time too.

[scenicworld]

cool! if you went that route, you probably should have taken the plunge into 4g so that you can keep unlimited data but I guess with the family plan you'd have to upgrade all the phones, so it's probably not feasible.

2 more weeks until my S3 ships! I will get it the day before my birthday!! happy birthday to me :dumbo

[nyarlathotoats]

Okay. I have some serious noob questions regarding my Thunderbolt:

I've had it for a while, and it works for what I need it to, (web browsing, music download, etc.)
I hate the fucking battery life. Should I root this bitch? It is easy to do? Will i lose anything? I've looked into juice defender, and skimmed through most pages on this thread, so any feedback is welcome.

[scenicworld]

The early 4g phones use a ton of battery since there are 2 separate radios involved. you can go into the admin/secret menu and turn off the 4g radio if you don't find yourself doing much data intensive tasks or if you're in an area that has weak 4g coverage and always finding yourself in bad coverage. here's a link (http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-20046412-285/how-to-disable-4g-on-the-htc-thunderbolt-for-battery-savings/) that describes more about it.

I had mixed opinions of Juice Defender and I really don't think it saved me any more battery life than me simply using a widget to easily turn location, sync and data on and off depending on what I needed to do. some even say that Juice Defender used more battery than it saved, so YMMV.

another option is to get an extended battery, but make sure it's 100% compatible. if the new cover doesn't ground the antennae you'll have really bad signal and drop a lot of calls.

ETA: Rooting won't necessarily help you with battery life by itself, but if you remove a lot of the built in aps that run in the background it could save you a little bit of battery. some of the custom roms are better than others at managing battery life, but none of them are huge differences.

[mountmccabe]

The HTC Thunderbolt has a removeable battery; I recommend picking up one or two spares (readily available at Amazon, etc) and maybe a charger.

Beyond that, yeah, shutting off things you are not using/don't want, which may include Bluetooth, GPS, wireless, data syncing (but, really, at least some of those are why you have an advanced smartphone so it seems silly to shut it all off). Your display is a big battery hog, turning down the brightness will help, too. The often stock widget Power Manager can give you easy access to control all five of these (I've loved it on both my phones though a friend of mine reported that the widget made his phone run wonky so ymmv).

Things like active wallpaper and constantly updating widgets can be fun and convenient but they also work the battery so consider that when adding them.


If/when you get upgraded to Android 4 there should be a battery monitor built-in so that you can occasionally glance at it and see what is using your battery.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7122/7454097784_a378c23f73.jpg

I got up and unplugged my phone two hours ago. Mediaserver and Grooveshark were from me listening to music on my ride in to work. I had the screen on because I was reading things in the browser, etc. So in this case it doesn't tell me anything actionable but it could give you ideas, especially over longer periods of time.

A non-Android 4 option is SystemPanel App/Task Manager (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nextapp.systempanel.r1&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiw ibmV4dGFwcC5zeXN0ZW1wYW5lbC5yMSJd) ($2.99). I recommend this app anyway for the Installer (create backups of apps you like; revert to them if updates are terrible!), etc but the following feature is great


System Monitor: The system monitor can be enabled to record device usage history over a period of time (up to one week), such that you can determine what applications and usage patterns have the greatest impact on battery life. This feature is commonly used to help track down which applications are having major negative effects on battery life. The system monitor records CPU usage for each process, overall CPU usage, display usage, battery level, and battery charging status.

(The free/lite version does not have this feature though it will tell you how much RAM and CPU time open apps are using/have used).

[mountmccabe]

ETA: Rooting won't necessarily help you with battery life by itself, but if you remove a lot of the built in aps that run in the background it could save you a little bit of battery.

This is another thing that Android 4 will help with; you (should) be able to disable and hide (most of) the bloatware.


Also: Android 4 should be coming your way in the next month or two.

[lehorne]

Sister told me to download Whatsapp (free texting) and Viber(free calls and text/pictures) to help communicate with her internationally, but not sure if they will work on my HTC windows phone and don't really like communicating that much anyway

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

The HTC Thunderbolt has a removeable battery; I recommend picking up one or two spares (readily available at Amazon, etc) and maybe a charger.

Beyond that, yeah, shutting off things you are not using/don't want, which may include Bluetooth, GPS, wireless, data syncing (but, really, at least some of those are why you have an advanced smartphone so it seems silly to shut it all off). Your display is a big battery hog, turning down the brightness will help, too. The often stock widget Power Manager can give you easy access to control all five of these (I've loved it on both my phones though a friend of mine reported that the widget made his phone run wonky so ymmv).

Things like active wallpaper and constantly updating widgets can be fun and convenient but they also work the battery so consider that when adding them.


If/when you get upgraded to Android 4 there should be a battery monitor built-in so that you can occasionally glance at it and see what is using your battery.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7122/7454097784_a378c23f73.jpg

I got up and unplugged my phone two hours ago. Mediaserver and Grooveshark were from me listening to music on my ride in to work. I had the screen on because I was reading things in the browser, etc. So in this case it doesn't tell me anything actionable but it could give you ideas, especially over longer periods of time.

A non-Android 4 option is SystemPanel App/Task Manager (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nextapp.systempanel.r1&feature=more_from_developer#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwMiw ibmV4dGFwcC5zeXN0ZW1wYW5lbC5yMSJd) ($2.99). I recommend this app anyway for the Installer (create backups of apps you like; revert to them if updates are terrible!), etc but the following feature is great



(The free/lite version does not have this feature though it will tell you how much RAM and CPU time open apps are using/have used).

And if you don't feel like paying for the app (cause really, WHO DOES??) google search "SystemPanel App/Task Manager apk" and download/install it on your phone.

[mountmccabe]

The sale of Galaxy Nexus phones have been banned due to Apple's lawsuit (http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/07/galaxy-nexus-android-phone-banned-in-apple-samsung-patent-case/).

We should be getting Jelly Bean next week and along with the improvements it will take away the ability to search the phone via the Google Search bar (it will still search the web)

[scenicworld]

which is really lame since google had integrated search long before anyone (google desktop search) but I guess since they didn't patent it specifically for mobile, the patent trolls at Apple saw their opening.

They tried to extend the ban onto the Galaxy S3 but the judge tossed it out and told them they couldn't add devices to an already existing ruling/injunction.

Apple, I love you dearly, but you really need to get over yourself on this patent trolling thing. you didn't invent touchscreens, you didn't invent integrated search and the iphone is not really all that original to begin with.

[Boourns]

I flashed one of the leaked ICS roms onto my Rezound and it's so much better. Like the task managing and being able to disable the bloatware, but I do wish it had the blue text found in pure ICS. Maybe I'll flash such a ROM in the future. Also got an extended battery, which helps a lot because I was having to charge the thing twice a day:
http://i47.tinypic.com/2s1vfc8.png

Seems the blue bits on the graph are when the phone was actually being used, so I've gotten a lot of use out of this charge. I can't imagine using a phone with a fixed battery. Fuck that.

[mountmccabe]

I don't understand that usage pattern; why was the screen on that much if you weren't doing anything?

[scenicworld]

yay! My preordered GS3 finally shipped today and should be here on monday! I can't wait!!

[scenicworld]

This is a really nice phone. I thought I would miss Sense a lot, but the Galaxy S3 is making me forget all about it.

[Down Rodeo]

Mine just shipped today. I can't wait to check it out.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

This is a really nice phone. I thought I would miss Sense a lot, but the Galaxy S3 is making me forget all about it.

I have the S2 Skyrocket and love it to death. Samsung > HTC.

[phonographer]

Android 4.1 aka Jellybean (http://www.android.com/whatsnew/)

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

I am running a JB ROM on my Asus Transformer. Even though my tablet is a year and a half old, it's running JB flawlessly. Excellent battery life, smooth, fast, everything. I just hope Jelly Bean is available for my Skyrocket soon.

[ManImCool]

I just hope Jelly Bean is available for my Skyrocket soon.

Samesies. Currently running this ICS rom (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1763195) from XDA developer seanzscreams. I've been flashing his roms ever since I switched to the Skyrocket. He's currently working on getting JB to the Skyrocket.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Samesies. Currently running this ICS rom (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1763195) from XDA developer seanzscreams. I've been flashing his roms ever since I switched to the Skyrocket. He's currently working on getting JB to the Skyrocket.

How do you like it? I am hesitant to flash an ICS rom because the one I did before was buggy and the battery life was terrible.

[ManImCool]

My battery life is definitely much better than stock rooted. When ICS was first leaked for the Skyrocket yeah there were a bunch of buggy roms out with the devs still working out the kinks but especially now that ATT released their official ICS update and then the devs tweaked the shit out of that, it's been running super smooth. I remember several roms flashes ago my Skyrocket, if fully charged 100% in the morning, it still wouldn't make it until my head hit the pillow in the evening, needing some sort of maintenance charge in the middle of the day to stay alive. Now with seanzscreams later ICS roms, they easily make it the entire day, if not to the next morning. This is with moderate usage, playing music, Pandora, emails, facebooking (probably too much), ESPN, youtube, occasional Google Maps using GPS, and of course being in an LTE area it drains the battery even more getting that LTE signal. So yeah, at least in what I've had the Skyrocket lasting before, it performs much better now.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Can you tell me what improvements/benefits there are for flashing the ICS ROM over Gingerbread? When I flashed the leaked ICS rom, I didn't really care for the look and feel of it terribly much. I can tell a big improvement between ICS and Jelly Bean (with my tablet), but I need *just* a little convincing to flash a new upgrade.

Most importantly, if there is a battery life improvement (I'm at 14h 5m, with 36% battery life left), that may just be enough to convince me.

EDIT: What radios/mods would you recommend flashing for that ROM?

[ManImCool]

That leaked ICS rom was such a long time ago. After official releases it's smooth as butter. If you really need convincing to make the switch ask the nerds over on XDA.

For me personally I just like having the latest and greatest on my phone. Right now my GS2 Skyrocket is almost identical to the GS3 in all software categories. Only difference is some of the hardware inside.

As with all radios/modems/kernels, there is no correct answer for that. The best one to flash depends on your phone, where you live, other factors, etc.

[RotationSlimWang]

The sale of Galaxy Nexus phones have been banned due to Apple's lawsuit (http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/07/galaxy-nexus-android-phone-banned-in-apple-samsung-patent-case/).

We should be getting Jelly Bean next week and along with the improvements it will take away the ability to search the phone via the Google Search bar (it will still search the web)

This is fucking ridiculous. Apple has a copyright on a "universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system?" Are you fucking kidding me? Anybody on the programming side know more about this, 'cause it sounds to me like they're referencing Spotlight as being their brilliant invention that is somehow copyrighted. How the fuck can you copyright the idea of searching both locally and web simultaneously?

[ManImCool]

Just updated/flashed another new ROM on my skyrocket complete with the new Google Now preinstalled (Google's version of Siri that comes in Jelly Bean) and it is awesome. Google Now blows away Siri away. Sorry apple, but everything google touches turns to gold.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Just updated/flashed another new ROM on my skyrocket complete with the new Google Now preinstalled (Google's version of Siri that comes in Jelly Bean) and it is awesome. Google Now blows away Siri away. Sorry apple, but everything google touches turns to gold.

Which ROM? How is the battery life?

[ManImCool]

The latest version from that same developer seanscreamz. Should be that same link a few posts of mine ago, post #674. Battery life is always hard to judge because it's always at it's worst when you first flash a new ROM, and I just flashed it this afternoon. Need to do a few complete charge cycles before I can judge that, but seanscreamz's roms have always had relatively great battery life for ICS. Just getting google now was worth the flashing of the new rom. Youtube any video of "google now vs siri". So much better, faster, accurate, and a much less robotic sounding natural voice.

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Apparently, there is a way that you can put Google Now on your ICS phone by replacing a file or two using AbsoluteSystemRoot. I haven't done it, obviously since I'm still on GB.

I have Google Now on my tablet. Couldn't be happier with it.

[ENluv12]

I just did the new update for the HTC inspire. My phone seems to be working better. We will see.

[scenicworld]

I stil haven't rooted my S3 yet because the bloatware hasn't really been an issue for me and FoxFi meets my hotspot needs, but I'm still anxiously awaiting jellybean. at first I heard it would be released OTA in august or september, but now I'm hearing October/November.

I'm in the market for a tablet, but I'm waiting for the ICS/JB designed tablets to get released. no sense dropping a few hundred on a table that can't take advantage of NFC or beam. has anyone played with the new galaxy note yet?

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

I've messed with a Galaxy Note before. They are gorgeous but too damn big.

[TallGuyCM]

Hi guys,

I just got the new Galaxy SIII. It's my first full-on smart phone (my last was a shitty Motorola phone that had a fraction of the capabilities/apps as this does)...what apps would y'all recommend?

[mountmccabe]

Do you use Yelp? Flickr? Last.fm? Spotify? Grooveshark? Netflix? Skype? PayPal? Ticketmaster? Kayak? DropBox? They all have official apps which can be quite useful/fun. Your bank(s) and/or credit card companies may have apps, too.

I recommend getting the Google Voice app and a GV number; you can set it up so it does your voicemail which means you can check VM in the app, on the web and/or have it email you transcripts (often hilarious but generally useful).

PlayerPro Music Player (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tbig.playerpro&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS50Y mlnLnBsYXllcnBybyJd) will play mp3s, wma, ogg, flac, m4a files. Similarly MX Player (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mxtech.videoplayer.ad&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5te HRlY2gudmlkZW9wbGF5ZXIuYWQiXQ..) has played every video format I've thrown at it.

I like Handcent SMS (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.handcent.nextsms&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5oY W5kY2VudC5uZXh0c21zIl0.) for texting but your stock app may be fine.

With AirDroid (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sand.airdroid) you can transfer files between a computer and your phone as long as they are on the same wireless network.

GPS Status (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2) is a multifunction app (spot marker! compass! level!)

ASTRO File Manager (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.metago.astro) is the one I use, I am not sure how others are. Palmary Weather (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.palmarysoft.forecaweather) is the best weather app I've used (The Weather Channel's one was nice but is now a mess). I quite like Aldiko (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aldiko.android) as a bookreader though if you're already reading Kindle files or whatever they have their own apps. I like Virtual Recorder (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ix.com.android.VirtualRecorder) but I am sure there are others.

[mountmccabe]

Oh and I would also get a security app. I am not talking Kaspersky or Norton, I mean one so that you can find and control your phone remotely if you lose it or have it stolen from you.

[TallGuyCM]

Yeah, I have a few of those apps already. Love the last.fm one.


Oh and I would also get a security app. I am not talking Kaspersky or Norton, I mean one so that you can find and control your phone remotely if you lose it or have it stolen from you.

Which one do you use?

[scenicworld]

congrats on the S3, it's a great device!! I'm still discovering features after a month.

last.fm only streams on premium accounts now, but I think the service is worth the $3 a month especially compared to what Pandora and Spotify charges. I also prefer the library that last.fm has compared to the others since I tend to hear less repeats. that said, spotify is free on android now with the exception of albums, so if you prefer spotify radio to the others, it's free.


Oh and I would also get a security app. I am not talking Kaspersky or Norton, I mean one so that you can find and control your phone remotely if you lose it or have it stolen from you.

unfortunately, Verizon thought it was best to disable the out of the box remote access features that are in the S3. I haven't exactly liked any of the 3rd party apps either.

the amazon app store offered free paid apps everyday, but lately the apps have been terrible. still, it's probably worth it to install the app and check for freebies from time to time. I also like an app called Pulse that is basically a front ended rss feed without actually being rss.

Foxfi lets you have free wifi hotspot, if you want to automate some tasks, pick up some NFC tags and program them to suit your needs. I didn't care for the built in keyboard since I'm so used to swype, you can sign up for the free beta on their site.

[mountmccabe]

Ahh, Swype! I forgot about that one!

Also I would like to hear more about the NFC tags. What is this? My Galaxy Nexus does have NFC and I have used it to pass website URLs beween GNs (and am looking forward to getting Jelly Bean so it will also transfer pictures, etc) but I haven't used NFC beyond that bit of playing around.



Also I am impressed by how many apps I used to recommend no longer add anything. There was an off-line maps app that I liked... but now Google Maps does that straight up. Stock browsers, texting apps, camera apps and such have also gotten better.

When I first got my Droid task managers seemed to be the big thing everybody insisted on... then Froyo made them irrelevant. In this thread I have recommended System Panel a few times but ICS now does everything on its own.

[scenicworld]

I'm not using NFC as much as I thought I would, but I have 3 tags set up. One in my car, one at home and one in my office. I just tap the tags to configure basic settings on my phone.

In my office, it puts my phone on vibrate, turns off wifi and puts me in dock mode.
In the car it puts my ringer on loud, turns off wifi, turns on bluetooth, and opens maps
at home, it puts my ringer at half volume, connects to wifi.

I have another one at my desk that used to check you into foursquare, send a tweet and update your facebook status as a kind of joke with my coworker, but that got old really quick, lol.

[mountmccabe]

Ahh, I think I understand.

Tags are physical objects that you can stick wherever. You swipe your phone and it activates pre-programmed commands. Huh. I think I can find some uses for that.

[scenicworld]

oops, I guess I should have mentioned that part. :)

yeah, they are just little stickers that you can stick on some surfaces and then tap to configure settings or run basic scripts/launch apps.

http://www.mobileburn.com/media/samsung/tectiles/page_tectiles_hero.jpg

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

The security app I use is SeekDroid. You can find your phone with GPS (remotely activated from your computer) on Google Maps, lock the phone, make it chirp, and display a message like "lost phone. If found, call ###-###-####"

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

ManImCool, ya didn't let me down. I upgraded to that SkyICS ROM you mentioned, and I couldn't be happier. The battery life is really good so far (even though it is the first full day of using the ROM). My ONLY complaint is typing on the keyboard is a bit sluggish, but if I use Swype it isn't as noticeable. Having Google Now on there is a godsend. Love it love it love it.

[ManImCool]

Glad you like it. I rarely type on the keyboard, I pretty much always use Swype. Only time I have to actually use the Swype keyboard without actually swyping is when I'm typing in passwords.

[menikmati]

Can anyone with an android device (preferably a later Samsung Galaxy, or HTC, or whatever - though I guess it really doesn't matter) go load up http://m.coachellarecordings.com on their browser and take a screenshot of the home page (portrait mode) and email it to me at info@coachellarecordings.com? Pretty please?

[Boourns]

sent

[menikmati]

Thank you.

[phonographer]

Shit just got REAL.

Google Has Had Enough: Files Lawsuit To Ban Multiple Apple Products (http://www.androidpit.com/google-vs-apple-android)



The gloves are off.

[nyarlathotoats]

Okay, so I have tunewiki to open music files, but are there other apps that do this?

[Riggins33]

Just ordered iphone 5, so long shitty ass droids.

[mountmccabe]

Okay, so I have tunewiki to open music files, but are there other apps that do this?

What do you mean, "open music files"?

I have used Ring Droid (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ringdroid) in the past to edit mp3s or whatever in the past but it was mostly just seeing that I could.

The best music player I've used is Player Pro (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tbig.playerpro) which will play a wide variety of formats: mp3, ogg, flac, wma, wav, m4a, mp4

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

Okay, so I have tunewiki to open music files, but are there other apps that do this?

I use Play Music cause I have all 14,000 of my songs backed up on the Google cloud server. The stock Music Player app works too.

If you want to listen to podcasts or radio shows that you've downloaded, I'd recommend MortPlayer Audio Books. It saves your place, no matter what.

[nyarlathotoats]

The best music player I've used is Player Pro (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tbig.playerpro) which will play a wide variety of formats: mp3, ogg, flac, wma, wav, m4a, mp4

I guess i should've specified what I meant in my earlier post, but this points me in the right direction. Thanks.

[mountmccabe]

Jelly Bean hit my GN this morning.

[Boourns]

I've been using the Apollo player ever since I switched to the cyanogen mod.

[mmsk123]

PowerAMP is the best imho. I love the built-in crossfade.

[ManImCool]

PowerAMP is the best imho. I love the built-in crossfade.

2nd this. I love poweramp. I know this is hardly the only audio player with an equalizer, but with all those preset settings and tinkering around a bit and I can get my above average priced earbuds to sound like top of the line best ear buds money can buy. I love all the shortcuts to everything too.

[McDunnough]

I have to put in a vote for Poweramp as well. Found out about it because it was the only one reviewed that seemed to have decent gapless playback, but I love the equalizer and other features.

[mountmccabe]

I don't really remember why I didn't like PowerAmp. I posted in this thread almost a year about about moving on from cubed and trying out options; I don't think PowerAmp lasted on my phone more than a day.

The native 5-band equalizer seemed good enough for me but because y'all are talking I will try out the DSP pack and see how it does.

[santasutt]

Thinking of upgrading to Droid Razr Maxx.

Anybody have any useful advise re: this phone?

Appreciated.

[Boourns]

I downloaded PowerAmp last night out of frustration of the low-resolution artwork that Apollo downloaded. So far so good. It certainly has a lot of options.

[ManImCool]

I now have Jelly Bean on my skyrocket. The new features are really nice, and best of all it runs much much faster and smoother than ICS, thanks to project butter.

This will easily hold me over until I get my hands on a Galaxy Note 2.

[nyarlathotoats]

My Thunderbolt took a major shit last night, and I cant get the damn thing to power up. It goes to the opening HTC logo screen, then it shuts it self off, and repeats. I called Tech Support, and they basically wanted to sell me a new phone. Am I completely fucked?

[ManImCool]

Can you boot into recovery? You may still be good. I'd ask for specific help on XDA, those guys can fix pretty much everything if it's a software problem.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=940

[nyarlathotoats]

Can you boot into recovery? You may still be good. I'd ask for specific help on XDA, those guys can fix pretty much everything if it's a software problem.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=940
Thanks for the heads up. It was stuck in a bootloop then got itself out of it. It then went into another bootloop, but didn't last as long. It might have been a glitch cause there was thread on that message which listed the same problem on the east coast.

[scenicworld]

Verizon pushed the OTA update to 4.1.1 to the Galaxy S3 this morning. there was much rejoicing :)

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

I now have Jelly Bean on my skyrocket. The new features are really nice, and best of all it runs much much faster and smoother than ICS, thanks to project butter.

This will easily hold me over until I get my hands on a Galaxy Note 2.

Me too. I am using SlimBean and it works really well on it. SkyICS was nice, but it was becoming a bit buggy for my taste. I like JB a lot better anyway, especially with how customizable the options are (like adding a Screenshot option to your power menu, and adding the ability to turn on your flash from the lock screen).

[chairmenmeow47]

i'm due for a new phone. i have verizon. i do not want an iphone.

i like having a QWERTY keyboard and a removable battery; however these seem to be archaic technologies. i probably need to just get a touchscreen only phone and learn the hard way how to text properly using one. the droid razr maxx looks pretty cool because it has super long battery life. does anyone have one?

what sort of smart phones do y'all have and do you like them? i feel like with mein (droid 2 global) there are a lot of delays between pushing buttons and having things happen. i want something fast and easy to use. i'm going to jamaica in about a year, so i'd like to have a global phone if possible, but it's not absolutely necessary.

[psychic friend]

i just had this exact conversation yesterday. bummed about qwerty choices gone and not wanting an iphone etc. good luck on your quest. i will be making a choice in a march.

[ENluv12]

i'm due for a new phone. i have verizon. i do not want an iphone.

i like having a QWERTY keyboard and a removable battery; however these seem to be archaic technologies. i probably need to just get a touchscreen only phone and learn the hard way how to text properly using one. the droid razr maxx looks pretty cool because it has super long battery life. does anyone have one?

what sort of smart phones do y'all have and do you like them? i feel like with mein (droid 2 global) there are a lot of delays between pushing buttons and having things happen. i want something fast and easy to use. i'm going to jamaica in about a year, so i'd like to have a global phone if possible, but it's not absolutely necessary.

My best friend has the razor... and LOVES it. You will meet here next weekend, so you can pick her brain about it then if you'd like :)

[SepaGroove]

I just bought the iPhone 5 and I love it so far, but I miss the Android Market.

[chairmenmeow47]

what made the iphone a better choice for you than an android?

and good luck, PF! QWERTY REPRAZENT!

enluv, can't wait to see her phone :)

[Tubesock Shakur]

Coming to an android phone soon.A7ldnbLyr9s&desktop_uri

[SepaGroove]

what made the iphone a better choice for you than an android?

and good luck, PF! QWERTY REPRAZENT!

enluv, can't wait to see her phone :)

The ability to easily sync it with other Apple devices, how fast it is, face time, aesthetics.

I also had a ton of problems with a previous Android phone. (Incredible)

[HAIRYGOOMBA]

I have a Galaxy S 4 Relay that has a touch screen and a slide out keypad. I like it, though it's pretty bulky.

[mountmccabe]

I was completely against using an onscreen keyboard and exclusively used the slide-out on my Droid 1. But then I wanted a Galaxy Nexus so I tried the onscreen keyboard for a week, eventually using Swype (http://www.swype.com/). I never went back.

Your phone will run much faster switching from the Droid 2 to the Droid Razr Maxx (or similar) just due to the faster CPU and more RAM. My Galaxy Nexus is starting to be sluggish at times but I bet it would run quicker if I cleaned it up, getting rid of or disabling apps, etc. I never use. Hell, my Droid 1 is basically bare now except for Spotify and it runs a lot better than it used to (but of course if I tried doing a lot with it it'd bog right down).

[mmsk123]

i'm due for a new phone. i have verizon. i do not want an iphone.

i like having a QWERTY keyboard and a removable battery; however these seem to be archaic technologies. i probably need to just get a touchscreen only phone and learn the hard way how to text properly using one. the droid razr maxx looks pretty cool because it has super long battery life. does anyone have one?

what sort of smart phones do y'all have and do you like them? i feel like with mein (droid 2 global) there are a lot of delays between pushing buttons and having things happen. i want something fast and easy to use. i'm going to jamaica in about a year, so i'd like to have a global phone if possible, but it's not absolutely necessary.

What about the new blackberry Q10? It's not coming to the states until like May or something but you should be able to get it from an importer in April. Unfortunately it probably won't be on Verizon if you do that since it will probably be GSM.

[chairmenmeow47]

yeah i went to a Verizon store after work and played with the RAZR maxx hd and it was pretty fast. mein gets slow trying to open the keyboard and such. i wish the Google nexus was available on Verizon, bit the RAZR seems to have a lot of the same cool features as my nexus tablet. the phone is pricey, but i think i'm going to get it eventually. when i got home i found the top part of my phone is torn off, so that's a sign this needs to happen soon :-)

[chairmenmeow47]

What about the new blackberry Q10? It's not coming to the states until like May or something but you should be able to get it from an importer in April. Unfortunately it probably won't be on Verizon if you do that since it will probably be GSM.

i was curious about the blackberry, but yeah, it's Verizon or nothing for me. i get a 20% discount thru work and the coverage is unbeatable

[RedHotSgtPeppers]

i'm due for a new phone. i have verizon. i do not want an iphone.

i like having a QWERTY keyboard and a removable battery; however these seem to be archaic technologies. i probably need to just get a touchscreen only phone and learn the hard way how to text properly using one. the droid razr maxx looks pretty cool because it has super long battery life. does anyone have one?

what sort of smart phones do y'all have and do you like them? i feel like with mein (droid 2 global) there are a lot of delays between pushing buttons and having things happen. i want something fast and easy to use. i'm going to jamaica in about a year, so i'd like to have a global phone if possible, but it's not absolutely necessary.

I have zero complaints about the Galaxy series of phones. The Galaxy S4 is supposed to be coming out in a few months. Just a thought.

Also, whatever you do, DO NOT GET AN LG PHONE. They suck so hard. I went through 3 in less than a year.

[chairmenmeow47]

omg my phone takes forever to place a call, then i push the button a few times. and by "button" i mean, stupid touch screen. then when it finally goes through, it keeps trying to call. EVEN AFTER I AM IN THE CALL OR HAVE HUNG UP.

[mountmccabe]

It's really frustrating, waiting for a phone to do something!

Your phone is (belatedly!) repeating the action because you're repeating your button presses. Hit it once and wait.

And also delete any apps that you installed but don't use. And disable (or if you don't have Jelly Bean uninstall updates & turn them off) for any apps you don't use that came with the phone.

[chairmenmeow47]

thanks, i just broke down and ordered a the razr maxx hd (such a stupid name) lol. i've tried removing apps and stuff before. i don't keep any files on there except pictures, and i clean that out pretty regular. oh well, new phone time!

[thetello]

i've had my galaxy s3 for about 2 months now, no problems so far, ice cream sandwich is a great little os. looking forward to getting jelly bean on here soon, would be fun to play with the picture sphere at the fest :)

[chairmenmeow47]

lots of questions and my google-fu is weak.

how do i use an MP3 as a text-message ringtone? it's short. it's been my text message sound (star tours) for like 7 years and i ain't backing down now!!!
how do i uninstall retarded apps that came on the phone that i will absolutely never use (NFL Mobile, i'm looking at you)?
how do i make it so my gmail & facebook only provide a visual notifications and not an audio ones?
if not, is there a way to make different applications (text, email, facebook) make different audio tones? my school application and words with friends somehow do it, there has to be a way!

thanks to anyone who can help :)

[mountmccabe]

Answers based on how my Galaxy Nexus running Jelly Bean works; yours should be very similar if not the same.


1. Under settings one option should be Sound. From there you should be able to modify your ringtone and system notification. The latter notification will be for all things on your phone that want to make noise (other than phone calls) for which you haven't set an alternate notification sound.

2. Under settings you should be able to find Apps. Slide over to All (rather than just Downloaded or whatever). Click on NFL Mobile. You should be able to hit either Uninstall or Disable. The latter does not get rid of the app but it does mean it won't run. [As a note be careful about what you Disable. When I first got my phone I disabled what I thought was some Verizon bullshit bloatware and all of a sudden I had no phone service, data connection, etc.]

3a. Open Gmail. Open the menu (probably via the 3 vertical dots in the lower right corner). Select the account you wish to change settings for (e.g. mountmccabe@gmail.com) This will have options for Notifications, Sound & vibrate, etc.

3b. Open Facebook. Open the menu (3 vertical dots again). You can modify various notifications settings (like set your Notification ringtone to "Silent").

4a. I like Handcent (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.handcent.nextsms&feature=nav_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDMsImNvbS5oYW5k Y2VudC5uZXh0c21zIl0.) for texting (I really like their pop-up and you can easily set a text-specific notification (Star Tours, etc.), different notifications for different texters, etc.) If you do install Handcent be sure to disable the stock Messaging app.

4b.I found Rings Extended (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.angryredplanet.android.rings_extend ed&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5hb mdyeXJlZHBsYW5ldC5hbmRyb2lkLnJpbmdzX2V4dGVuZGVkIl0 .) helped me navigate the music on my phone for setting ringtones and notifications but it may not be necessary anymore.

[nahuatldream]

I love swype.

[shakermaker113]

how do i use an MP3 as a text-message ringtone? it's short. it's been my text message sound (star tours) for like 7 years and i ain't backing down now!!!


1. Under settings one option should be Sound. From there you should be able to modify your ringtone and system notification. The latter notification will be for all things on your phone that want to make noise (other than phone calls) for which you haven't set an alternate notification sound.

I found I had to copy the mp3 to the "Notifications" folder on the phone first.

[shakermaker113]

I had forgotten this thread existed. I just recently got my first smartphone and I am pretty happy with android. I am a little disappointed with the google voice sms integration. call integration is seamless. I don't understand why the sms integration is so poor. wtf google.

[chairmenmeow47]

I had forgotten this thread existed. I just recently got my first smartphone and I am pretty happy with android. I am a little disappointed with the google voice sms integration. call integration is seamless. I don't understand why the sms integration is so poor. wtf google.

yeah, i have been trying the talk text thing and it's weird. apparently "chairmenmeow" isn't a thing. wtf.

[shakermaker113]

yeah, i have been trying the talk text thing and it's weird. apparently "chairmenmeow" isn't a thing. wtf.

I haven't really played with the talk text feature. I was referring to using my google voice account to send & receive text messages.

[chairmenmeow47]

oh ok. the talk to text thing is kind acool when it works

[HAIRYGOOMBA]

I love talk to text. It makes such funny mistakes!

[Coachella Bound]

just got a Galaxy III and have absolutely no idea what im doing.... What are some must have apps, games, etc? And whats with the Flipboard? Love that DFA has their own little radio player.

[scenicworld]

love the GS3! it comes preloaded with swype, so I'd definitely switch your primary input method to that unless you like hunting and pecking. it should be a notification option whenever the keyboard is open, but you can also change it in the settings (Language and Input).

if you want to use the NFC tags, there are a couple apps that you can get. NFC Task Launcher is my favorite, but samsung tiles is the one made specifically for the galaxy series.


Airdroid can be used for wireless syncing over wifi.
Amazon app store (availble from amazon.com) offers a free app of the day, but it's been pretty terrible for the last several months.
Dropbox/Skydrive/Google drive come in very handy for keeping the same files availble across devices.
Evernote is a favorite of mine so that I can always jot something down or take a pic to put into a note.
Currents is FAR better than flipboard, but if you really want something that turns your facebook and twitter into something that looks like a magazine, flipboard is the way to go. if you install currents, make sure you also put the widget on one of your homescreens.
Foxfi can be useful if you don't have a hotspot subscription with your data plan
light manager can be used to control some notification lights (needs root access for some lights)

and then of course there are things like Netflix, Spotify, Last.fm, HBO Go, and other personal preference apps that are only must haves depending on your preference.

[chairmenmeow47]

Answers based on how my Galaxy Nexus running Jelly Bean works; yours should be very similar if not the same.


1. Under settings one option should be Sound. From there you should be able to modify your ringtone and system notification. The latter notification will be for all things on your phone that want to make noise (other than phone calls) for which you haven't set an alternate notification sound.

2. Under settings you should be able to find Apps. Slide over to All (rather than just Downloaded or whatever). Click on NFL Mobile. You should be able to hit either Uninstall or Disable. The latter does not get rid of the app but it does mean it won't run. [As a note be careful about what you Disable. When I first got my phone I disabled what I thought was some Verizon bullshit bloatware and all of a sudden I had no phone service, data connection, etc.]

3a. Open Gmail. Open the menu (probably via the 3 vertical dots in the lower right corner). Select the account you wish to change settings for (e.g. mountmccabe@gmail.com) This will have options for Notifications, Sound & vibrate, etc.

3b. Open Facebook. Open the menu (3 vertical dots again). You can modify various notifications settings (like set your Notification ringtone to "Silent").

4a. I like Handcent (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.handcent.nextsms&feature=nav_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDMsImNvbS5oYW5k Y2VudC5uZXh0c21zIl0.) for texting (I really like their pop-up and you can easily set a text-specific notification (Star Tours, etc.), different notifications for different texters, etc.) If you do install Handcent be sure to disable the stock Messaging app.

4b.I found Rings Extended (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.angryredplanet.android.rings_extend ed&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5hb mdyeXJlZHBsYW5ldC5hbmRyb2lkLnJpbmdzX2V4dGVuZGVkIl0 .) helped me navigate the music on my phone for setting ringtones and notifications but it may not be necessary anymore.

yay, all these things helped! the rings extended was necessary; i had already downloaded it, but was confused cause it doesn't show in my app folder or whatever it is called. thank you so much :)

now we've got star tours, the mario 3 warp whistle, and the mario coin noise. i've gone back to a normal phone ringing for my phone though. the ringtones for calls were making me hate certain songs and i also hate other people (guys) knowing who is calling me. i got ho's in different area codes.