Help Losing my mind with this new phone - please help!!!!

[chrome1wave]

Hi guys,

I'm praying you guys can help me out here! I'm brand new to Android (just switched from 5 years of blackberry) and can't tell you how much I hate this phone so far! I'm literally 24 hours away from taking it back because I've invested hours trying to get what I think the most basic tasks accomplished via apps that don't work, glitch, etc... As a last ditch effort to stay on my Samsung Epic 4G - I'm hoping the experts here can guide me in the right direction and help solve my issues. So I've compiled a brief list of the most annoying issues I can't seem to solve - please help guys!!!

1. The Calendar! I was so excited to use the "cloud" solution but so disappointed what an elementary and glitchy calendar this phone has! By default - when you enter a new event - it saves it to "My Calendar" which does not sync to your Gmail accounts!!! I goggled this and it's a big issue. Sounds like there really isn't a fix. I've tried everything and can't get it to sync. I can manually select my Gmail calendar when adding the event but that's ridiculous if you use the calendar as much as I do. Also by default it doesn't have a notification and you can't change this - again you can manually remember for each and every event to select the reminder but come on??? Who puts in a reminder/calendar even in their phone and doesn't want to ALWAYS be notified of it??? I tried downloading Gemini and it's glitchy. Long story the notification window comes up blank because it glitches with the Google calendar - I couldn't find a fix on that so gave up. Also the snooze sucks - you can't simply choose to snooze something 5 min., 15 min. or an hour??? Who designed this??? Anyone have a legit calendar solution???

2. The messenger makes a notification of a text message mid-call. I use my phone primarily for business and can't have chimes going off in my ear when my Wife texts me about dinner. Again - no setting for this??? I goggled it and people install Handcent. It allows you to change the setting. The downside - now your factory messenger link remains on your home page. You can't swap that with Handcent. That's a pretty ghetto solution......I then installed ADW Launcher to customize a bit.....again - a ton of work to swap out a shortcut all caused by notifications of text messages! I consider this partially solved but not too happy with it - anyone have a better solution?

3. I'm in the car on my Bluetooth a lot and can't stand the drag to answer. I installed "Easy Answer Buttons" but that program is glitchy. It doesn't work with blue tooth - I.e. - if I answer the call via Bluetooth on my car steering wheel - the program isn't smart enough to know the calls been answered so the screen remains on answer or ignore. It's also very delayed - I see call coming and it takes a couple seconds for the buttons to appear - again - a pretty ghetto fix. Anyone have a better solution?

4. Gmail is frustrating. I have several accounts and hate I can't have separate icons for each of them. I also hate the threaded conversations. I do like the speed and push ability but want a more normal outlook/blackberry solution. Anyone have a legit solution?

5. The screen doesn't time out when you charge the phone - you have to press the sleep button every time - annoying!!! Anyone have a solution?

6. I also noticed the screen stays on when I'm in the car on a call via Bluetooth - I installed "shake to wake" because I couldn't stand the fact that the screen shuts off and I can't hang up a call at the end of a conversation. I set the program to the hardest shake possible and I believe it's supposed to work with the cheek sensor so not sure if the vibration of the car (although it's constantly on when I'm cruising mildly on the freeway) could be causing it. Solution???
Other than that - I've found "patch" fixes to make the phone tolerable - but in my opinion - this phone is a great toy but true business day to day functionality sucks so far! Sorry if I'm so negative guys I've just spent so much time with such poor results I'm turning to you guys. On a side note I do love the web, games, playful apps, etc... But it's gotta function like a core phone/calendar to stay with me! Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Pitbull329]

I'll help you with #2...

http://androidforums.com/1556718-post7.html

 

[didIjustpostTHAT]

1. The Calendar! I was so excited to use the "cloud" solution but so disappointed what an elementary and glitchy calendar this phone has! By default - when you enter a new event - it saves it to "My Calendar" which does not sync to your Gmail accounts!!! I goggled this and it's a big issue. Sounds like there really isn't a fix. I've tried everything and can't get it to sync. I can manually select my Gmail calendar when adding the event but that's ridiculous if you use the calendar as much as I do. Also by default it doesn't have a notification and you can't change this - again you can manually remember for each and every event to select the reminder but come on??? Who puts in a reminder/calendar even in their phone and doesn't want to ALWAYS be notified of it??? I tried downloading Gemini and it's glitchy. Long story the notification window comes up blank because it glitches with the Google calendar - I couldn't find a fix on that so gave up. Also the snooze sucks - you can't simply choose to snooze something 5 min., 15 min. or an hour??? Who designed this??? Anyone have a legit calendar solution???

First...Breathe...Relax....

I don't have this phone yet but I googled your number 1 and found a solution two seconds later from here

After you enter the event in the Epic, scroll down to CALENDAR and select. I don't know how many accounts you have, but under Calendar, I have "My Calendar," then my gmail account. The default (which I am trying to figure out how to change) is "My Calendar." Select your gmail account. Then hit OK. It should upload.


thanks to BillyJ2 for the calendar catch. If you go to your menu in Calendar then select Settings. You can then select Calendars, you must deactivate My Calendar and all of your appointments from that point on will be uploaded to Gmail as long as you have selected your gmail acct and your US Holidays. Yeah!!!!!~



One down..five to go.

 

[unknown zone]

#5 check to see under Settings/Applications/Development "Stay awake" is not checked. This will cause your phone to not sleep while charging.

 

[chrome1wave]

Thanks for the attempted help but unfortunately neither work. As far as the messenger fix - that just turns of the vibrate part of th notification in the factory messenger app - not the audible notification during a call. As for the suggested fix in the calendar - that doesn't work either. As frusterating as it is - I've determined this to be an outright glitch. Disabling "my calendar" does NOT make your calendar entries come up by default to your selected gmail calendar account. The app is so dumb - it still attempts to add your new entries by default to the disabled account! Any other takers? Try it on your epic if you have it and you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

[taylormah]

As for #2, here is a thread about Using HandCent (almost) Seamlessly with Touchwiz. Dont know if this will be of help or not but I tried.

 

[Pitbull329]

Thanks for the attempted help but unfortunately neither work. As far as the messenger fix - that just turns of the vibrate part of th notification in the factory messenger app - not the audible notification during a call. .

Use handcent. Youll get the option to turn on/off sound notification when you are on the phone. You can also turn on/off vibration notification during a call too.

 

[Flaspeneer]

Chrome:

Didn't you say you were using Handcent already, and were annoyed that you had to use a custom launcher to swap the preinstalled SMS app and icon via a shortcut? If so, then why are you using the "factory messenger app"? Pitbull gave you a solution to #2 within Handcent, not the stock SMS client.

Since you're asking for diagnostic help, your problems are most easily addressed when your responses are specific. What was it about the suggestions that "didn't work," and when you say "neither," to which two suggestions out of several are you referring?

Also: If you find that endless customization and tweaking are getting in your way, then I'm not sure why you should stick with an Android phone. The Evo's UI would provide a slightly slicker experience, but neither of Sprint's 4G flagships are going to be as corporate-synced as a blackberry or as seamless as an iPhone. Most of us put up with glitches because we want deeper choices: to play with shortcuts, icons, deep settings, etc., etc. We're aware that Android's a new OS and will have quirks, and that the additional layers imposed by other companies on top of Google's (Samsung, HTC, Motorola) will be even quirkier. I use my phone for business, too, but not one that relies on my syncing perfectly to MS Office.

I feel your pain, but what's your incentive for working through it?

Thanks for the attempted help but unfortunately neither work. As far as the messenger fix - that just turns of the vibrate part of th notification in the factory messenger app - not the audible notification during a call. As for the suggested fix in the calendar - that doesn't work either. As frusterating as it is - I've determined this to be an outright glitch. Disabling "my calendar" does NOT make your calendar entries come up by default to your selected gmail calendar account. The app is so dumb - it still attempts to add your new entries by default to the disabled account! Any other takers? Try it on your epic if you have it and you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

[Frisco]

Thread moved to the Support area for you, Chrome.

 

[badankles]

to be honest, the OP was just too long, too many questions, so i skipped it. if it was broken out to one post per question/issue, it would be easier (at least for me).

 

[MisterDisney]

There is a reason why business people use BB. It's not to watch movies or record movies, play games and spend hours customizing the UI and experimenting with capabilities. I know that's not helpful, but it does seem to fit this situation.

 

[dbpaddler]

1. If you turn off stock notifications for sms you get zero (audible or visual) notifications from the stock app. You can then setup handcent as you see fit.

2. Jorte calendar defaults to gmail. Choose the day, create event, see details if you need confirmation. It also has a real nice month view widget.

And BB sucks as bad for webmail as android does. If you go BES you can move emails to folders, but web based mail via BIS is a no go. Can't report spam or save mail to folders. Pretty lame. For the longest time there wasn't even threaded sms, and their answer was to use bbm if you want it. No phone or OS is perfect (well PalmOS was) so you have to weigh out your needs and wants and go with what fills #1 best. At least with google you know 3rd parties will make up for shortcomings in a rather young OS.

 

[chrome1wave]

Thanks uknown zone! That was a legit setting fix I couldn't find. That's crossed off the list!

 

[chrome1wave]

Unfortunately, I added one more frusterating thing to my list today though.

- When adding a contact - you have to select where to save it. By default it's my phone. Just like the calendar glitch - my phone doesn't sync with my gmail. So everytime I add a contact if I want it synced/backed up I have to manually remember to add it to my gmail and not my phone???

 

[chrome1wave]

Thanks dbpaddler for the Jorte tip. The calender functions well - meets my requirements. Not crazy about the design and montly layout/alternate layout options but I'll get used to it and find one that works best for me. But it's functional and works so I'll take it at this point!

 

[chrome1wave]

One more annoying issue I found is some of the other utilities I've downloaded like Emergency Apps don't auto start if you shut your phone off. Anyone have an app to auto start selected apps upon restart if they aren't already running?

 

[chrome1wave]

I'll also cross handcent off my list for a solution for #2. I've got the settings and the ADW launcher rigged where it all works.

 

[Flaspeneer]

This might or might not help you, Chrome, but I happened to chance on this article and thought of you. The best part might be the blackberry/android users commenting just below the article.

Apparently, Exchange support will be better in Froyo, which we should see in the next few months.

Jumping from BlackBerry to Android? Here's What You Need to Know!

 

[Sedan_Clan]

My issue with the calendar is that I don't want to see info from Facebook, etc. on my calendar. I ONLY want it to display the information that I input for any given day, but even after selecting only my gmail calendar (..and de-selecting My Calendar), all of the other b.s. still shows up. Any suggestions?