HTC Desire Tips & Tricks [READ ME]

[GSMGuy]

Also you are missing the GPS satellite icon.

Not on mine (Orange UKsupplied and branded (for now))

Mike

 

[Tuche]

Only "gripes" with Desire so far . . .

1 - I can not seem to save an address i find interesting while in Google Maps . . .

2 - IMAP Folder of Google Mail, i can not set my Desire to do so, that when i delete an email it sends it to the "imap\Deleted" Folder instead of creating a new Folder for Deleted Emails. It also seems, it just checks the "INBOX" folder for new emails, wont autocheck news email on the other imap folders . . .

 

[mikepenton]

great information resource, thank you very much!

If you have both WiFi and data connections turned on, your phone will default to using the WiFi connection as long as you are connected to a WiFi network. So no need to turn mobile data off using home WiFi.

Unfortunately for my HTC Desire supplied by Three this is not the case. Their technical support dept has told me that I need to manually switch off the Mobile Internet in order to use WiFi. I wish you were correct here!

 

[oldnick]

great information resource, thank you very much!



Unfortunately for my HTC Desire supplied by Three this is not the case. Their technical support dept has told me that I need to manually switch off the Mobile Internet in order to use WiFi. I wish you were correct here!

Your must be different to my Orange one - when I turn on wi-fi it auto drops mobile internet. At least, that's what the icons report in the top bar.

 

[lekky]

great information resource, thank you very much!



Unfortunately for my HTC Desire supplied by Three this is not the case. Their technical support dept has told me that I need to manually switch off the Mobile Internet in order to use WiFi. I wish you were correct here!

Are you absolutely certain? This seems very strange as its a phone feature, and I really wouldn't have expected any custom 3 firmware to change this.

 

[Inzanik]

great information resource, thank you very much!



Unfortunately for my HTC Desire supplied by Three this is not the case. Their technical support dept has told me that I need to manually switch off the Mobile Internet in order to use WiFi. I wish you were correct here!

Hi, im with Three and have the Desire, it automatically enables Wi-Fi and then automatically switches back to moblie internet when i leave the area. Has worked out of the box.

Only issue is that Skype can not run over Wi-Fi and will disconnect when you connect to a Wi-Fi network.

Good forum btw

[edit] for CAPS!

 

[mikepenton]

Are you absolutely certain? This seems very strange as its a phone feature, and I really wouldn't have expected any custom 3 firmware to change this.

Very strange, I wouldn't believe me either
I'll have a play once my invoice month is over as I've only 10mb of my "unlimited" allowance left and they can't extend it, just give me a credit! in the meantime I'm going to careful and frugal!

 

[riverboat2001]

Hi, do you know how to switch 2G/3G manually on desire?
I found a problem that my desire use 2G even when I am on the 3G coverage area, in which cause my internet connection to be slow.. It sometimes switch to 3G automatically and then often back to use 2G again.

I have a big problem with this too.
Is it a common issue?

 

[riverboat2001]

Hi, do you know how to switch 2G/3G manually on desire?
I found a problem that my desire use 2G even when I am on the 3G coverage area, in which cause my internet connection to be slow.. It sometimes switch to 3G automatically and then often back to use 2G again.

I have a big problem with this too.
Is it a common issue?
Sorry for double post---internet dropped out!

 

[Quboid]

If you sometimes get 2G and sometimes 3G in an area with 3G coverage. I'd say that the 3G signal just isn't very strong and it's cutting out. There's nothing you can do except complain to your network and let's face it, you're not going to get far with that.

 

[Inzanik]

Very strange, I wouldn't believe me either
I'll have a play once my invoice month is over as I've only 10mb of my "unlimited" allowance left and they can't extend it, just give me a credit! in the meantime I'm going to careful and frugal!

Is this a Three branded version? Again i have a stock HTC on Three and have no issues with this functionality. It might be that they have disabled this on Three branded versions, but i did not think they had shipped any yet.

 

[hermand]

Is this a Three branded version? Again i have a stock HTC on Three and have no issues with this functionality. It might be that they have disabled this on Three branded versions, but i did not think they had shipped any yet.

Hi, I have the standard Three model (Purchased just over a week ago from a store). It doesn't have any branding (So, just stock AFAIK) and it 100% switches between Wi-Fi and Mobile Internet quite happily. I walk into my house and it switches to Wireless, I come to work and it's on HSDPA. I go to the inlaws and it's back on Wifi.

No issues and that was standard functionality for me.

 

[gmarkj]

I've got an Orange branded desire. When I turn WiFi on it seems to override the data connection as the 3g icon disappears. When I turn it off it goes the other way.
Not sure I'd want to leave WiFi on all the time though as it would probably kill the battery!

 

[Pojken]

Here's my hint: When I first got my Desire, I spent a lot of time researching the apps I wanted. Then, I'd go to my Desire and type them in and search for them via the Market. Took a bit of time.

A better way, I eventually found, was to go to Cyrket.com which uses barcodes to identify the app. I'd open a bunch that I was interested in separate tabs and then use Barcode Scanner to simply scan and hit the Market for me. Takes a lot less effort and I can get through them relatively quick. Perfect for massive reinstalls of apps.

Hope that helps.

Tim

 

[Pojken]

Another "hint" is that I use a cheap plastic business card holder as a base for my phone at night. It becomes my sideways alarm clock. Not so great a hint, but I had some left over from work.

Oh, and another one that I always do... In order to know which earphone "L" or "R" belongs in which ear, I put a simple knot in the left cord under the earpiece. That way, I can feel which one belongs in which ear or take a quick look (and not have to search for the tiny letter).

Tim

 

[gmarkj]

Here's my hint: When I first got my Desire, I spent a lot of time researching the apps I wanted. Then, I'd go to my Desire and type them in and search for them via the Market. Took a bit of time.

A better way, I eventually found, was to go to Cyrket.com which uses barcodes to identify the app. I'd open a bunch that I was interested in separate tabs and then use Barcode Scanner to simply scan and hit the Market for me. Takes a lot less effort and I can get through them relatively quick. Perfect for massive reinstalls of apps.

Hope that helps.

Tim

Did you open the website on a pc then? Does the scanner pick up barcodes on the sixteen ok?

Or did you open the site on the phone and "copy" the barcode?

 

[Pojken]

I opened the site on my laptop and used my Desire to scan the image of the barcode using the Barcode Scanner app. The app analyzes it and gives me the option to follow it. Works like a charm.

In fact, what you could do is create a folder on your browser called "Android Apps" and have all the Cyrket pages off your apps bookmarked in case you need to restore. Use "open all in tabs" to get then all at once.

 

[Pojken]

Another hint: Power browsing on the Desire. I really dislike browsing on small devices - using the iPhone was a pain. However, with the Desire and Dolphin HD browser, I can zip through a bunch of sites in no time. For example, we'll use Android Forums.

I bookmark the HTC Desire thread page. Once it loads, if I find the thread titles interesting, I'll click on the "first new" square

and hold. Then, the menu pops up for me to open in background or foreground - set to background (default). Then, I move down the thread page and do the same for all the threads I want. Once I'm at the bottom, I tap on "Next Page".

While that is loading, I check out my other tabs that I opened in the background. I don't have to wait for loading because they're all ready done. Once I'm done reading or responding, I go back to the thread page and check out other threads. Rinse and repeat until I'm done.

What would take about ten minutes to browse normally is cut down to less than half the time. Try it!

Tim

 

[jauhari]

Download 3G Watchdog by scanning the following barcode:

You said SCANNING THE FOLLOWING BARCODE, my question is what's APP that I must use to scan this BARCODE? Did I need download this from Android Market or this barcode is default installation on HTC Desire?

 

[Quboid]

It's just call "Barcode Scanner", it's by ZXing and on the App Market for free:
Barcode Scanner v3.3 Application for Android | Shopping

 

[-V-O-Y-A-G-E-R-]

Nah, its not obvious, just download an app called barcode scanner

It's just call "Barcode Scanner", it's by ZXing and on the App Market for free

For those who have Goggles already installed...you can use it as a barcode scanner too

 

[-V-O-Y-A-G-E-R-]

Yesterday I needed to dial two phone numbers which I copied from a mail and I found no easy way to do it.

I ended up pasting it into Search box where I got dial option, but only for the fist number. I could not successfully repeat the action for the second number.

What I expected was that I'll be able to paste the number at the dial screen (tap and hold at "Enter name or number"). Any easier way to do it in the future?

 

[artymarty]

Power saving tips:

Dont use a live theme
Use a dark wallpaper
Turn off wi-fi & bluetooth when not in use
Stop friendstream, facebook & peep updating every 5mins. Set mine to manual.
Set email app to manual
Set screen brightness to auto or 40% (lower if you can put up with it).

Actually you save power by leaving wifi on all the time... I know it sounds counter intuitive, but once you are on a wifi, it sticks with it and stops looking for 'other ways' to find the internet... this uses less power

Also, go on ebay and buy a few usb cables for computers you use at work/school/home, make sure you have a charger in your car, and by your bed.... then just plug the bloody thing in... its amazing how many people leave posts complaining how much power their phone used overnight... unless you are camping in a tent over night how can your phone battery go down??

 

[GSMGuy]

Yup, I have a USB charger next to my bed, one in the car and one in the office, whenever I am by a lead, I plug it in - Also left on charge all night - Never run short to date, have done this since my N95 8gb days, and then N96, I8910hd etc...

Mike

 

[Pojken]

Another "hint" - put your Desire face out in your pocket. I've made the mistake of putting it face in and had reminders and calls and all sorts of things go on. The reason is that the pocket material is relatively thing - so your thigh acts an equivalent to a palm mash.

Is there any way around that? A different lock screen or some such?

Tim