Android Virgin

[mkline44]

I got my first smart phone 2 years ago, an iphone 4 16GB, and loved it. The only problem I had was having to buy several wall chargers the past few months because after a month or so they stopped being able to charge my phone. I was eligible for an upgrade but didn't want to because I had unlimited data and didn't want to change, since I use over 4GB a month. After the charging issues I was having, I decided to upgrade and try the Samsung Galaxy S3. I'm having a difficult transition to Android and really need someone to help me a bunch! ! I'm extremely open minded and willing to committ to trying to learning all I can, though I am certainly no techno guy. Anyone willing to help me? I'd appreciate any guidance.

 

[funkylogik]

People here will be glad to help with the transition mate and being open-minded is half the battle so it should be easy
Its a very broad request though so its best to start with the main problems, questions you have first :beer:

P.s. first thing id do is fill in your user profile on here because a lot of things are country/carrier specific :thumbup:

 

[mkline44]

Thanks for the quick response. I understand my post is vague, but I'm so lost that I don't really know where to start! Most of my problems are with the basic use of Google Chrome while surfing the web, bookmarking and finding bookmarks, etc. But also problems with understanding practically why my new Android phone is better than my old iPhone. It was SO easy learning the iPhone, and I just don't really see the advantages of Android yet. I kinda need someone to use specific examples to show me what an Android phone can do for me, and not just general stuff , like (admittedly) my original post.

 

[mkline44]

I'm trying to fill in my profile and can't even figure out how to do that!

 

[mkline44]

I'm also having a difficult time navigating through this app. How do I get to the homepage?

 

[funkylogik]

Imo. The first reason why an android based phone is better is that everything: phone dialer, sms app, browser, homescreen..... can be changed from the one that the phone came with so you can find and chose the one you like and make it default so if you dont like how any of these major parts of the phone work, theres 100s of replacements so you have choice.
The second is that android is open source so that allows for developers to create even more choice for us and let their apps fully intigrate with others without having to ask google (apple)

I dont use Chrome tbh mate because i still use Adobe Flash and Chrome doesnt support flash. Id put a post in the Applictions forum asking about Chrome issues if you dont get any help on here.

Yeah iphone is mega user-friendly and easier to learn but you pay a price for that imo. Remember to stay open minded mate :thumbup:

 

[Mikestony]

Welcome mkline44!
Glad to have you here and I see that funky has also greeted you and answered some of your questions

We all like to help, so whatever you want to ask about your device is cool

Just curious tho, what app are you using to access the forums here?

 

[Stuntman]

Most of my problems are with the basic use of Google Chrome while surfing the web, bookmarking and finding bookmarks, etc.

First of all, are you actually using Google Chrome? There is a stock browser that comes with the SGS3. It is not Chrome. You need to install Chrome manually yourself. What does the icon for your browser look like? Does it look like the earth and is it labelled, "Internet"? If so, it is the stock browser. Chrome's icon is a small blue circle surrounded by a larger circle that is red yellow and green.

In general, the bookmarks can be accessed via the menu button. The menu button is the button to the left of the home button below the screen on your phone.

But also problems with understanding practically why my new Android phone is better than my old iPhone.

That pretty much depends on your personal needs. Android provides more control and flexibility than the iPhone. If you want a phone that works exactly like the iPhone, then Android doesn't really give you that. There are things that Android can do that the iPhone cannot. For instance, if you do not like the stock browser and prefer a different browser, you can set that other browser as your default. That way, whenever you tap on any url anywhere, in any app, it will launch that other browser you set as default. On the iPhone, if you tap on a url in your email app, it will always launch Safari even though you prefer Chrome.

It was SO easy learning the iPhone, and I just don't really see the advantages of Android yet.

There is something important that you should understand when switching from the iPhone to an Android phone (or any other one for that matter). Android phones are going to be different. There will be different ways to do things. If you are used to the iPhone, you will find that you will have an adjustment period to learn how to do certain things in Android that is different in iOS. I had some difficulties myself as an Android user and using an iPhone. There were some things that confused me.

In general, long tapping on objects on the screen and sometimes blank areas of the screen will bring up a menu of items that you can do. For instance, long tapping on an icon or other object on your home screen will bring up a menu to do something with that object. Long tapping on a blank area on your home screen will bring up a menu that has other things you can do on you home screen. There is also a menu button that you can use to see menu options as well. The back button (right of the home button) brings you back to the previous screen of an app that you are in.

I kinda need someone to use specific examples to show me what an Android phone can do for me, and not just general stuff , like (admittedly) my original post.

There are many other things that Android can do that the iPhone cannot. Without too much detail on what you need, it is hard to provide you with information that is specific to your needs.

One thing that I recommend is trying alternate keyboards. SwiftKey and Swype are amongst the most popular Android keyboards. You may be having some difficulty adjusting to a new keyboard as it is different. If you don't like the stock keyboard, I suggest you give these two a try.

SwiftKey has the best text prediction I have ever used. It analyses your typing patterns to better predict what you want to or mean to type. I find I type the fastest using this keyboard in landscape mode.

Swype has the best gesture based keyboard. Instead of pecking at each key individually, you just touch the first letter of the word and then drag your finger across the other letters you want to type and then release when you finished typing the word. For instance, if you want to type, "hello," you touch the 'H'. Then without taking your finger off the screen, drag your finger to the 'E' on the keyboard. Then drag it to the 'L' and then to the 'O' and then release. Your finger does cross over a bunch of other keys, but Swype is able to figure you you want to type, "hello." I find that this method of typing is best when wanting to type one-handed in portrait mode.

Android also has what is called widgets. They are extensions of an app that is part of your home screen. The widget can provide some information and/or can provide controls that you can access without having to launch the app first. They can also provide some eye candy if you are into that. For instance, I have an app called TheScore. It provides info on sporting events like the scores and news. It has a widget that can display scores for games on the home screen. There are controls on the widgets that allows me to scroll through each game. Another widget I use controls the sound settings on my phone. When I go to bed, I don't want to hear email or text notifications. I do want to hear my ringer if I get a call or my alarm. Normally, I would have to go into the sound settings and turn down the notification sounds. With a widget, I can just with one tap turn off notification sound and when I wake up, turn them back on with one tap.

One thing about widgets that I find is that like apps, there are a lot of crappy widgets that I consider to be a waste of space. There are a few that I find are excellent. You will have to judge for yourself if you like them or not.

I hope this information helps. Play around with your phone. If you have any more specific questions, feel free to ask them here.

 

[MasterCylinder]

I'm also having a difficult time navigating through this app. How do I get to the homepage?

That big button at the bottom of the phone takes you to the Homepage. That's the Home button.

I'm fairly new as well, and the way I got aLOT of info was by using the internet from my PC. Reviews, comparisons, there are hundreds, maybe thousands of YouTube videos out there showing how to use the phone and all of it's features, as well as how to customize it in every conceivable way. Just Google Samsung Galaxy S3 and off you'll go!

Of course you can also use your phone to do this.

 

[funkylogik]

Lol i ?think? he means home on Chrome. Not sure if Chrome really has a home?

 

[sherlock5545]

As the others said, but let me add my two cents. You got used to the iPhone because, as with many others, it was the first smartphone you tried. However, iPhone being more user friendly is probably a myth. When you get used to something, it's difficult to move on to something else.

When I first used the iPhone (and I still have it today) I couldn't do anything with it, and because of lack of back buttons and other stuff, you need to get accustomed to it. Now, after about two years with Android phones, I find it much easier to use it compared to the iPhone. I am pretty sure in a couple of months you will think the same, because Android isn't a love at first sight, it's a love that gets deeper and deeper as you get to know more about it

 

[funkylogik]

Wow that was poetic bro. Beautifuly put
Must admit ive never spent any real time on an iphone, before android it was Nokia Symbian OS and wow was that unintuative lol. Iphone never really appealed to me and i duno if that was some kind of geek snobbery on my part or the fact that my Nokia at the time blew the 1st iphone right out of the water. I get that apple make beautiful hardware and that the apps are REALLY polished but just as one example.. the official android Youtube app only allows true HD playback over wifi, over 3g/4g youre stuck with much lower resolution than your display is capable of... WTF.. so a dev took the Youtube app and modded it so we can now get HD over cellular data AND he added a feature so we can listen to youtube while multitasking or with the screen off (things that should really be in the official app but arent) and let everyone download his modded youtube app for free!
To me, thats the beauty of android and its community :beer:

 

[Ramer84015]

Like it was said above, unless you downloaded Google Chrome from the Playstore, you're probably using the default Internet app. Chrome's advantages depends on whether you use Chrome as your default browser on your PC/Mac. If you do, then you are probably syncing your bookmarks to your Google account. That's the advantage to Chrome on your phone, your bookmarks are automatically synced across all platforms.

Welcome to the Android community. Most of us like to help and no one bites, just the occasional nibble. :smokingsomb:

 

[funkylogik]

Well im a bit of a biter lol
Yeah Chrome for android (imo) isnt good enough yet but as Ramer says, if youre a desktop Chrome user then its probs the best option. Same with Firefox or Opera for android if you use the desktop versions :thumbup:

 

[sherlock5545]

On desktop, I use Firefox and Chrome, but I prefer Dolphin over them when using Android.

 

[funkylogik]

I dont use a desktop but i love Dolphin on the phone