Android noob...a little lost.

[vshah]

I don't knwo if it's part of the Samsung version or not, but the voice key placed next to the "." is incredibly annoying. I activate it nearly 40% of the time, and unlike with swyping all the other keys and the software singling out words from those patterns, the voice key is an instant activation when you swype over it. very annoying.

That's my only complaint with swype.

i also wish they would replace the completely useless language button with a larger space bar.

 

[KeithTalent]

I agree on both counts; the space bar should be larger (eliminating the language key) and the voice key is an annoyance. I tried to find a place to at least disable it, to no avail.

KT

 

[zinfamous]

I'm not sure, I don't have an SGS2 nor have I heard of Kies Air.

It is Samsung's native media syncing app. You activate it on the phone, then enter the url into any browser on a PC (can use FF, IE, Safari, Chrome), and it brings up menus of all of the media on your phone to organize and download onto the PC. I haven't tried--but I'm pretty sure you can add files to the phone, this way.

You have to be on the same network, though--i.e., you can't have the phone using Wi-Fi that is not part of the same network being used by the PC. (PC can be physically connected and phone can be on Wi-Fi, as long as it is the same network)

 

[zinfamous]

Sorry for doubting you; just tried this and it's extremely cool and useful.

KT

My co-worker was showing this to me the other day...I was rather meh on it. I might have to try it out for myself, though. I don't think I really got the point of it at the time.

he kept trying to find my contact listing and whatever with the first letter of my name, but it only worked 50% of the time, heh.

 

[KeithTalent]

My co-worker was showing this to me the other day...I was rather meh on it. I might have to try it out for myself, though. I don't think I really got the point of it at the time.

he kept trying to find my contact listing and whatever with the first letter of my name, but it only worked 50% of the time, heh.

I actually did just try and find a contact and it did not work for whatever reasons. It seems to pull up a lot of settings and whatnot, but the contacts are hit and miss. The first time I tried it, it found the media I was looking for without issue, but for some reason contacts seem to be dodgy.

KT

 

[zinfamous]

Here's a video of Kies Air:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4_hYKscYI4&feature=related

I forget that you also use it to update firmware and such, and assume this is where the ICS update for Samsung will be distributed.

it does need a java update, or something, to allow you to download more than one file at a time. Highly annoying, and for some reason, I feel that I wasn't able to get that update working. Could be browser-specific, I don't know (FF)

 

[poofyhairguy]

Is there a way to have the screen stay on while plugged in?

Samsung purposefully disables this because that is how you get burn-in on AMOLED screens.

 

[KeithTalent]

Samsung purposefully disables this because that is how you get burn-in on AMOLED screens.

I just use it for when I am listening to music in my office. So off and on for a few hours intermittently. I can't imagine it will burn in that quickly just from doing that.

KT

 

[Red Storm]

I actually did just try and find a contact and it did not work for whatever reasons. It seems to pull up a lot of settings and whatnot, but the contacts are hit and miss. The first time I tried it, it found the media I was looking for without issue, but for some reason contacts seem to be dodgy.

KT

Go through the settings of the app (menu button while it's loaded up) and mess with the settings. You can specify things you don't want it to search, if it should be more about accuracy or speed, etc.

My biggest use for it is to quickly get to contacts by drawing the first letter in their name. I dunno, it hasn't failed me yet.

 

[KeithTalent]

Do people use anything different to monitor battery life? I had a weird thing happen yesterday; the phone was showing a full green battery when I left the office and about five minutes into my walk home, I pulled the phone out and it was completely dead. I assume the battery icon was lying to me, so looking at using an alternative. Any recommendations?

KT

 

[vshah]

Do people use anything different to monitor battery life? I had a weird thing happen yesterday; the phone was showing a full green battery when I left the office and about five minutes into my walk home, I pulled the phone out and it was completely dead. I assume the battery icon was lying to me, so looking at using an alternative. Any recommendations?

KT

i don't use them, because any app or widget that is constantly polling the battery sensor will be....drumroll...using more battery to do that. "battery monitor widget" seems to be a favorite though.

some battery saving tips:
- use a dark wallpaper. amoled screens use less power displaying black pixels.
- be on wifi whenever you can. it's much easier on the battery than mobile data.
- gps is a killer. keep it disabled unless you actually need it for navigation or something. keeping wifi enabled and using wifi location is faster, easier on the battery, and it works indoors. apps like yelp/foursquare will use it automatically if gps is disabled.

of course, with all the android phones i've ever used, i've given up and simply put a charger on my desk at work.

 

[KeithTalent]

i don't use them, because any app or widget that is constantly polling the battery sensor will be....drumroll...using more battery to do that. "battery monitor widget" seems to be a favorite though.

some battery saving tips:
- use a dark wallpaper. amoled screens use less power displaying black pixels.
- be on wifi whenever you can. it's much easier on the battery than mobile data.
- gps is a killer. keep it disabled unless you actually need it for navigation or something. keeping wifi enabled and using wifi location is faster, easier on the battery, and it works indoors. apps like yelp/foursquare will use it automatically if gps is disabled.

of course, with all the android phones i've ever used, i've given up and simply put a charger on my desk at work.

This is excellent, thanks. I do have a charger at work and home, but I was getting concerned about weekends where I am often away from the house/office for the entire day.

Never even thought about the GPS. As a movie guy I have just started using the Flixster app and am loving it; if I disable GPS, you are saying most of these apps can still kick it in when I fire them up? Or maybe there is a fast way to turn it off/on, like a widget or something? I don't need it all that often, but it is useful for certain apps like Flixster and Poynt.

KT

 

[poofyhairguy]

I just use it for when I am listening to music in my office. So off and on for a few hours intermittently. I can't imagine it will burn in that quickly just from doing that.

KT

From what I read the main problem is keeping the backlight up 100% then leaving the screen on for hours. You burn in the status bar.

 

[KeithTalent]

From what I read the main problem is keeping the backlight up 100% then leaving the screen on for hours. You burn in the status bar.

That makes sense. Ideally I would like to leave it at around 50% brightness while plugged in for music; I just like to be able to see what it playing by glancing over and I don't need 100% brightness in order to do this. I do not see an option to do this however.

KT

 

[poofyhairguy]

That makes sense. Ideally I would like to leave it at around 50% brightness while plugged in for music; I just like to be able to see what it playing by glancing over and I don't need 100% brightness in order to do this. I do not see an option to do this however.

KT

The toggle widget lets you easily control brightness. I don't know any way to script it though (aka "When I play music, go to 50% brightness").

 

[KeithTalent]

The toggle widget lets you easily control brightness. I don't know any way to script it though (aka "When I play music, go to 50% brightness").

That's ok. I'll take a look at that; maybe there is a "go to 50% brightness when plugged in" option.

KT

 

[zinfamous]

This is excellent, thanks. I do have a charger at work and home, but I was getting concerned about weekends where I am often away from the house/office for the entire day.

Never even thought about the GPS. As a movie guy I have just started using the Flixster app and am loving it; if I disable GPS, you are saying most of these apps can still kick it in when I fire them up? Or maybe there is a fast way to turn it off/on, like a widget or something? I don't need it all that often, but it is useful for certain apps like Flixster and Poynt.

KT

I generally leave GPS off and while I don't do it, most recommend turning Wi-fi off while on the move, as the phone will constantly scan, draining the battery.

There is is much talk about the accuracy of the battery notification, native or 3rd party, and how best to optimize them. It's its own field in the world of Android, and I just wandered off a bit too befuddled to figure it all out.

Also, you can use this:
http://www.appbrain.com/app/power-puddle/com.appetitesoftware.batterywallpaper

lol

more of a gimmick than it is useful, I imagine. I've actually been using it for a few days and I like the simplicity of the background--I had been on one of those nifty galaxy backgrounds (shadow galaxy, I think), which while nice, can really drain battery and ends up being a bit too busy.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Look like if you are willing to buy this app:

https://market.android.com/details?id=net.dinglisch.android.taskerm&hl=en

It will work for that:

http://tasker.wikidot.com/automatic-display-brightness-change

 

[zinfamous]

That's ok. I'll take a look at that; maybe there is a "go to 50% brightness when plugged in" option.

KT

You shouldn't need a widget for brightness on SGS2--just hold on the pulldown bar at your home page and slide left to right for instant brightness adjustment.

or maybe that is what PHG is talking about?

 

[vshah]

This is excellent, thanks. I do have a charger at work and home, but I was getting concerned about weekends where I am often away from the house/office for the entire day.

Never even thought about the GPS. As a movie guy I have just started using the Flixster app and am loving it; if I disable GPS, you are saying most of these apps can still kick it in when I fire them up? Or maybe there is a fast way to turn it off/on, like a widget or something? I don't need it all that often, but it is useful for certain apps like Flixster and Poynt.

KT

the apps won't enable gps, but if you have wifi enabled, they will failover to wifi location automatically.

 

[KeithTalent]

Wow, that app looks insane. I like the idea of it, but I'm kind of an idiot, so it may be too much for me. I'll have to do more reading on it.

Heh, zin, I actually like that wallpaper, looks cool, but I love the picture on my phone right now and don't want to change it yet. It does look simple enough to change the brightness, but it would be even simpler if it was automated! :awe:

KT

 

[KeithTalent]

the apps won't enable gps, but if you have wifi enabled, they will failover to wifi location automatically.

Hmm, ok, well I'll have to think about that, or maybe the other app will help with that. I'm only really near wi-fi at home, or in Starbucks or Whole Foods I guess, so I would be toggling it back on all the time. :hmm:

KT

 

[poofyhairguy]

Hmm, ok, well I'll have to think about that, or maybe the other app will help with that. I'm only really near wi-fi at home, or in Starbucks or Whole Foods I guess, so I would be toggling it back on all the time. :hmm:

Sounds like Tasker is a home-run for you. I just rooted mine to add a billion toggles (really 12) to the notification area. I toggle all day.

 

[KeithTalent]

Sounds like Tasker is a home-run for you. I just rooted mine to add a billion toggles (really 12) to the notification area. I toggle all day.

Yeah, it's kind of sounding like it. Sorry, last question (for now); do I need to be rooted to use that app? I just saw you mention it in your post, so thought I should ask.

KT

 

[s44]

Do people use anything different to monitor battery life? I had a weird thing happen yesterday; the phone was showing a full green battery when I left the office and about five minutes into my walk home, I pulled the phone out and it was completely dead. I assume the battery icon was lying to me, so looking at using an alternative. Any recommendations?

There are two things here besides battery-sucking stuff.

(1) The battery icon is really crude and unhelpful. You really should flash a custom ROM with percentage # icons.
(2) You need to calibrate the battery on a new device so the system knows how full/empty it *really* is. The classic method is to charge to full while off, turn on, unplug and bump-charge to full again, wipe the battery stats, and let it drain all the way to off before recharging. (Preferably two-three times after every big flash.) I'm not sure what to do if you *haven't* rooted and installed a custom recovery, though -- I think just doing this same thing without the wiping stats should work OK.

Yeah, it's kind of sounding like it. Sorry, last question (for now); do I need to be rooted to use that app? I just saw you mention it in your post, so thought I should ask.

No, Tasker is designed to work without root. There is some special stuff it can do if you have root (and the Secure Settings plugin makes it even more powerful), but it's not really necessary.