Getting used to Android

[Gomtu]

I now have two android thingy-doos, a tablet and a phone, and I'm sure I'm not alone in the learning/frustration curve. I just had to get away from the iPhone, you can't block harassment calls on that phone, and I could not afford an iPad, so another frightful learning experience was inescapable.

The tablet launched me into the arcane world of Android apps, some of which work, (those are the bait to draw you in) and the phone, being that I depend much more heavily on it became the focus of my frustrations. It's radically different from what I was using. I tried to answer a call on it by pushing the answer button, and it would not answer, no matter how many times I pushed it. Okay, I found out you have to swipe it instead. I never would have guessed.

Then I found myself locked out of my voicemail, because it was a new phone, and I didn't remember the passcode I'd put into my iPhone 5 years ago, and so had to take it back to the store where I got it, and be treated like an idiot by the manager who talked down to me with obvious contempt. I did get my voicemail unlocked though.

Next was the GPS thing. Again, radically different from what I was used to. I work as a driver, and I have to drive people to hundreds of places I've never heard of, so GPS is vital. I'd been using an iPhone 3G running Waze, which had been going insane on me. I'd heard Google Maps was the best thing out there so I tried it out. To my amazement I can speak to it, tell it the address, and it gets it! Wow! The disappointment was that it would not shut up!

Gawd what a babbling chatterbox app! It's just like having Nancy McDonald back in my life running her big mouth on and on again about every little thing she can think of. Every turn I have to make that app goes on and on at me about the road, the county road number, how many feet to the turn, and all the places it goes, multiple times before I even make the turn! Please just shut up you stupid thing!

I went into the settings of the app, and there was no way to get her to shut the eff up! I tried turning the sound all the way down on my phone, no dice, she just kept babbling on and I could not even lower the volume. Oh man, Nancy is in my car and won't shut up!

Finally I discovered that there are settings for notifications of each app on the phone, and I was finally able to silence that stupid broad in my phone. Next come the widgets. When I first saw the phone the arrogant pig who sold it to me (the one who so enjoyed talking down to me) swiped things off the screen he would not have wanted on there, but I did. Now I can't get them back. My previous phone didn't have those things, or work at all this way. There was a widget, I guess, in the upper right hand corner of the screen displaying the time. He just deleted that because HE wouldn't have wanted it there. He didn't ask me. There was another little window left of it, and he deleted it so fast I didn't get to see what it was or what it did.

Next comes the screen shut-off. There are times when I don't want the screen going black on me on a timer. I need it to stay on and it's on a charger, so there's no reason for it to shut off on me, but there also seems no way to stop it from doing that. Does anyone know how to do that?

Sorry for the rant, I'm going through a rough patch here....

 

[EarlyMon]

During Google Maps navigation, you can tap the 3 dots and get the pop up to make it shut up.

 

[RazzMaTazz]

Different Android phone models (and Android versions) have different capabilities, just like different iPhone models (and iOS versions) have different capabilities. If you want help, in the future, I recommend that you mention which carrier & model of phone & Android version you have (e.g. Sprint Galaxy S5, Android 5.0). I'd also recommend that you limit your questions to one question per post, with a subject line that would let potential helpers know whether or not the topic is within their knowledge. E.g. "How do I shut up Google Navigation?"

Tap/swipe to answer calls. Depending on your phone, you may have the option (like I do) in your phone's settings to tap or swipe in order to answer a call-- or even to answer by pressing one or more of the phone's physical buttons (like power) or by saying, "Answer". Tapping is convenient, but it also causes people to sometimes accidentally answer the phone when it's in their pocket. I've called many iPhone friends who didn't hear the phone ring (while they were in a restaurant or something) but their pocket accidentally answered the call, so I could hear their muffled conversation but they couldn't hear me.

Voicemail. I'm glad you got that sorted out. But you can't fault Android (relative to iOS) if you can't remember your password.

GPS: Waze is available for Android (free), so if you liked Waze on your iPhone, you should like it on Android. I use Google Maps for maps, but I use Waze for navigation (mostly because I like the cop & hazard notifications).

Widgets & shortcuts: They can always be added and (unlike iPhone) rearranged on your desktop to be the way that you like (not the way that Apple insists). Android is infinitely better than iPhone in this regard. How you add, remove or rearrange shortcuts and widgets depends mostly on your OS version, but possibly also with your phone model. It's typically covered in the instruction manual.

Screen time-out: Depending on your phone model, you may be able to set it so that the screen doesn't time-out as long as you are looking at it. (My Samsung Galaxy S5 can detect when your eyes are looking at it, and keep the screen on if you choose that option. Not all phones have that capability.) There are several free "automation" apps that can change your screen time-out based on things like whether it's docked or charging or in your car, etc. I use the free app called Llama. It's very intuitive. For example, you can set up an "Event" named "Docked", turns off the screen-time-out whenever the phone is docked. And you can have an "Event" named "Undocked" that turns-on the screen-time-out when it's undocked. You can also setup more complicated "if-then" conditions and actions. For example, if the phone senses your car's Bluetooth stereo and if it's charging then turn off the screen timeout, launch Waze, and launch Pandora. Or if it senses that you're in church (based on the visible cell phone towers, or based on your church's WiFi SSID), turn off the ringer & vibrate, unless it's one of your family members-- in which case vibrate (but don't ring).

 

[Stuntman]

The tablet launched me into the arcane world of Android apps, some of which work, (those are the bait to draw you in) and the phone, being that I depend much more heavily on it became the focus of my frustrations. It's radically different from what I was using. I tried to answer a call on it by pushing the answer button, and it would not answer, no matter how many times I pushed it. Okay, I found out you have to swipe it instead. I never would have guessed.

There will be a learning curve when going from iOS to Android. I experienced similar frustrations as an Android user first using an iOS device. This is to be expected. You will find many subtle and not so subtle differences between Android and iOS.

As for the swipe to answer, I have to do the same on my iPhone. I would think that this would not be such a radical change.

Then I found myself locked out of my voicemail, because it was a new phone, and I didn't remember the passcode I'd put into my iPhone 5 years ago, and so had to take it back to the store where I got it, and be treated like an idiot by the manager who talked down to me with obvious contempt. I did get my voicemail unlocked though.

I don't quite understand the issue here. If you don't remember your passcode for your voice mail from 5 years ago, how would you have been able to access your voicemail from your iPhone the past 5 years?

Next was the GPS thing. Again, radically different from what I was used to. I work as a driver, and I have to drive people to hundreds of places I've never heard of, so GPS is vital. I'd been using an iPhone 3G running Waze, which had been going insane on me. I'd heard Google Maps was the best thing out there so I tried it out. To my amazement I can speak to it, tell it the address, and it gets it! Wow! The disappointment was that it would not shut up!

In my opinion, Google Maps sucks for navigation. It takes too long to launch into navigation mode. I always have to adjust the zoom level. I always have to tell it to not use toll routes on every single drive. It's got some nice features, but overall, it's not as good as Waze.

If you used Waze on your iPhone, I highly recommend you use Waze on your Android phone. That's what I use. It should work the same way on Android as it does on iOS. Use the same Waze login and all of your favourites will be synced. The only annoying thing about Waze on Android is that you cannot rearrange your favourites.

Finally I discovered that there are settings for notifications of each app on the phone, and I was finally able to silence that stupid broad in my phone.

Notifications are controlled at the app level. Most apps use the same notification volume setting in your phone's volume controls. A few apps have their volume set independently like Facebook.

Next come the widgets. When I first saw the phone the arrogant pig who sold it to me (the one who so enjoyed talking down to me) swiped things off the screen he would not have wanted on there, but I did. Now I can't get them back. My previous phone didn't have those things, or work at all this way. There was a widget, I guess, in the upper right hand corner of the screen displaying the time. He just deleted that because HE wouldn't have wanted it there. He didn't ask me. There was another little window left of it, and he deleted it so fast I didn't get to see what it was or what it did.

Can you please, tell us the make and model of your phone as well as the Android version? Different Android manufacturers have some subtle differences in their UI. The same may be for different releases of Android. This information will allow members to better able to help you with this issue.

In general, to add a widget, try tapping and holding on a blank place on your home screen. You will probably get a menu or the screen will change to the list of apps. If you get a menu, one of the options may be to add a widget. If you get a list of apps, look at the top. There may be a tab for apps and another tab for widgets. Tap on widgets and you should get a list of widgets. You will probably have to swipe sideways or up and down to scroll through the list of widgets.

The salesperson should not have updated your home screen without asking you first. It is unfortunate that he did so. Some salespeople actually do not know Android that well and may give bad advice. If he tells you do get an app killer, don't. You don't need one, but in the past many salespeople give this incorrect advice to people.

Next comes the screen shut-off. There are times when I don't want the screen going black on me on a timer. I need it to stay on and it's on a charger, so there's no reason for it to shut off on me, but there also seems no way to stop it from doing that. Does anyone know how to do that?

Information on the make and model and Android version of your phone will allow members to better help you. I'll tell you how my phone works which may be different from yours.

From your home screen, press the menu key. Then select Settings. From here, your phone may be different. Mine has various tabs at the top. You want to find the Display settings item which is in the My Device tab on my phone. It may be in a different tab or somewhere else in your settings. When you find the Display settings, there you should be able to configure the screen timeout. On mine, I have no ability to prevent the screen from turning off automatically. All I can do is set the duration. The max duration for me is 10 minutes.

Sorry for the rant, I'm going through a rough patch here....

It's always an adjustment when switching to a new platform. You have to learn how to do things the new way. Be patient. It will take some time. The members here will try to help you out the best we can. Please, do provide the make and model of your phone and the Android version. It would allow members to better help you out.

 

[starkraving]

^ I agree with the above, post your device models and you can get some specific tips/tricks...I came from Blackberry to Android when the G1 was released so I can relate to learning curve frustration but once you get your footing you'll enjoy it. I've always told people (in the most unbiased manner) Apple and Blackberry are smart phones for the masses, easy to use out of the box and Android is for tinkerer's ... Kind of like comparing Linux to Windows...Android is more hands on...that being said once you get comfortable you'll find it a rewarding experience. At least I did when I migrated all those years ago. Good luck! [emoji106]

 

[Gomtu]

As for the swipe to answer, I have to do the same on my iPhone. I would think that this would not be such a radical change.

I never once had to do that on my iPhone. When the screen was on I just pushed a button that said Answer. On this phone the button has to be swiped. That's not the same.

I don't quite understand the issue here. If you don't remember your passcode for your voice mail from 5 years ago, how would you have been able to access your voicemail from your iPhone the past 5 years?

Because I never once had to use it. When I had voicemail I just pushed a button to hear it. Never did I have to input a passcode.

In my opinion, Google Maps sucks for navigation. It takes too long to launch into navigation mode. I always have to adjust the zoom level. I always have to tell it to not use toll routes on every single drive. It's got some nice features, but overall, it's not as good as Waze.

If you used Waze on your iPhone, I highly recommend you use Waze on your Android phone. That's what I use. It should work the same way on Android as it does on iOS. Use the same Waze login and all of your favourites will be synced. The only annoying thing about Waze on Android is that you cannot rearrange your favourites.

Yes, well here's the thing, Waze would do things like telling me to get off the highway, 75 south on the way to Marco Island, go a quarter mile to Three Oaks, do a U-turn, go back and get on the highway, and continue to Marco Island. At times the map would spin randomly, and I'd be put in places I wasn't in. That's not good when you are driving a customer to a place you have never been. Another time in North Ft. Meyers it ran me in circles until I decided to ignore it. Then too there would be an excessive lag in how it followed my travel, and it would not tell me of a turn until I'd already passed it. So Waze was not working well for me.

Notifications are controlled at the app level. Most apps use the same notification volume setting in your phone's volume controls. A few apps have their volume set independently like Facebook.

Yes, as I said in my post, I managed to figure that out.

Can you please, tell us the make and model of your phone as well as the Android version? Different Android manufacturers have some subtle differences in their UI. The same may be for different releases of Android. This information will allow members to better able to help you with this issue.

This phone is an LG Escape 2. I'm not sure what version of Android it came with. I'm still trying to figure out the "subtle differences" while working 18+ hour shifts trying to make use of this phone as I work.

In general, to add a widget, try tapping and holding on a blank place on your home screen. You will probably get a menu or the screen will change to the list of apps. If you get a menu, one of the options may be to add a widget. If you get a list of apps, look at the top. There may be a tab for apps and another tab for widgets. Tap on widgets and you should get a list of widgets. You will probably have to swipe sideways or up and down to scroll through the list of widgets.

Ah, thank you that's helpful.

The salesperson should not have updated your home screen without asking you first. It is unfortunate that he did so. Some salespeople actually do not know Android that well and may give bad advice. If he tells you do get an app killer, don't. You don't need one, but in the past many salespeople give this incorrect advice to people.

Well he was apparently more interested in talking down to a woman than being helpful. There's a lot of that out there, and I deal with it every day.

Information on the make and model and Android version of your phone will allow members to better help you. I'll tell you how my phone works which may be different from yours.

All I can find out from what came with it and the phone itself is that it's an LG Escape 2.

From your home screen, press the menu key. Then select Settings.

I'm not sure what the menu key is on this phone, but I can get into settings having put that on the front screen.

From here, your phone may be different. Mine has various tabs at the top. You want to find the Display settings item which is in the My Device tab on my phone. It may be in a different tab or somewhere else in your settings. When you find the Display settings, there you should be able to configure the screen timeout. On mine, I have no ability to prevent the screen from turning off automatically. All I can do is set the duration. The max duration for me is 10 minutes.

Ah, I think I found it, there's a setting for "keep screen turned on".
Thank you for the advice, you have been of great help

 

[baytyry]

You can find the model number by going to Settings-About Phone and you should see it

 

[Gomtu]

In general, to add a widget, try tapping and holding on a blank place on your home screen. You will probably get a menu or the screen will change to the list of apps. If you get a menu, one of the options may be to add a widget. If you get a list of apps, look at the top. There may be a tab for apps and another tab for widgets. Tap on widgets and you should get a list of widgets. You will probably have to swipe sideways or up and down to scroll through the list of widgets.

Okay, I did this, and I got five screens full of icons I can make no sense of at all. None of them seem to have anything to do with what I want. Some are for things already on the front screen, but the rest I have no idea of. So I still have no idea what the manager at the AT&T store deleted from my front screen.

 

[Gomtu]

You can find the model number by going to Settings-About Phone and you should see it

That gets me a model number: LG-H443

 

[EarlyMon]

Duplicate threads merged, please note earlier answers that you may have missed. I did part right off with how to silence Google navigation. Razzmatazz has some excellent points as well.

From About phone, you ought to have some bars that are just information, others like Software information ought to be there as a button - that reveals your Android version.

Pass codes for voice mail ought to be device optional. I don't need one. I presume that some setup isn't right.

 

[Stuntman]

Okay, I did this, and I got five screens full of icons I can make no sense of at all. None of them seem to have anything to do with what I want. Some are for things already on the front screen, but the rest I have no idea of. So I still have no idea what the manager at the AT&T store deleted from my front screen.

I managed to find the manual for your phone. You can download it on this page: http://www.lg.com/us/support-mobile/lg-H443 . Just scroll down to the section called Manuals & Downloads and you will see the link on this page where you can download the manual. The section covering home screens is on pages 22-24. Widgets are covered on page 23.

The instructions for adding a widget is as follows:

Adding items on your Home screen
1 Touch and hold the empty part of the Home screen.
2 Tap the Widgets tab and select the item you want to add. You then see this added item on the Home screen.
3 Drag it to the desired location and lift your finger.

The manual did not show a picture of what the widgets in that screen look like. What you see may not necessarily what will appear once you added the widget to your home screen. You will likely have to play around and add various items to your home screen to see what they actually look like. I recommend you go to a blank home screen and add a few widgets to see how they actually look. I tend to do this to try out different widgets.

 

[RazzMaTazz]

The voice mail pass-code issue seems mostly likely to be dependent on the carrier, not the OS, app, or phone model. Typically when you set up an account with a new carrier (or maybe set up a new phone with the same carrier) you have to input the pass-code one time. Sometimes the carrier gives you the option of whether or not you want to enter a pass-code every time. Having used different phones & OSes on Sprint, I don't think I've ever had to input a voice mail pass-code except when I originally became a Sprint customer.

 

[funkylogik]

About the screen staying on while the phone is plugged in, there is an option hidden in settings, "developer options"
If that menu isn't shown on your device you have to activate it by going to settings, "about phone" or "about device", scroll down to "build number" and tap it 7 times. This will add developer options to your settings menu so hit "back". Open developer options and turn the switch at the top on, then find "stay awake" and turn that on

 

[RazzMaTazz]

Based on the user manual for that phone (page 73) it appears that such screen-timeout/docking settings are available in the "Display" settings.

 

[funkylogik]

Woo well thank you manual boy

 

[EarlyMon]

Woo well thank you manual boy

You're just jealous he did that.

 

[funkylogik]

Dammit stop knowing me!

Tbh though, have you ever known me to bother googling something lol?
I just guess or ask a smartass

 

[Stuntman]

Woo well thank you manual boy

I remember when phones actually came with a paper manual and you can read it to find out how to use the phone. Now, there is just a quick start guide that is only a few pages long. For anything more comprehensive, you have to download it. As much as people expect devices to be intuitive to use, not everyone has the same expectation on how a device works. Manuals are still helpful, if written well.

 

[funkylogik]

Lol my dad always reads the manual. I just wing it