New Eris User - Confuzzled

[NuggetBrain]

So I decided it was finally time to retire my Razr (that I bought when they first came out) for an Eris and I bought it today. It's my first smartphone (obviously). My fiance bought a Droid. I have a few questions on syncing our stuff up.

1) How do we sync our calendars so we can see each other's calendar events and stuff? Do we need to go through g-mail online to do it or can we do it from our phones?

2) I've read up about the battery issues - I was thinking of buying the app that keeps some other apps from loading when you start up the phone (things I don't use like Peep, Footprint, etc). But I don't remember the name of the app, or know if it's worth it. Thoughts?

3) I want to set up a "people" list for texting only, and a "people" list for calling only on some of my other home screens. But it will only let me add my contacts to one of the two lists, not to both. Is there anyway around this?

Thanks!!

 

[rigamrts]

So I decided it was finally time to retire my Razr (that I bought when they first came out) for an Eris and I bought it today. It's my first smartphone (obviously). My fiance bought a Droid. I have a few questions on syncing our stuff up.

1) How do we sync our calendars so we can see each other's calendar events and stuff? Do we need to go through g-mail online to do it or can we do it from our phones?

2) I've read up about the battery issues - I was thinking of buying the app that keeps some other apps from loading when you start up the phone (things I don't use like Peep, Footprint, etc). But I don't remember the name of the app, or know if it's worth it. Thoughts?

3) I want to set up a "people" list for texting only, and a "people" list for calling only on some of my other home screens. But it will only let me add my contacts to one of the two lists, not to both. Is there anyway around this?

Thanks!!

as far as syncing the calander htc sync is the software you need get it from the htc site.

 

[NuggetBrain]

as far as syncing the calander htc sync is the software you need get it from the htc site.

So I do need to go it through our computer, or is that some kind of app we download through the phone? I'm kind of techtarded so talk to me like I'm a five year old.

 

[entelechy3]

So I do need to go it through our computer, or is that some kind of app we download through the phone? I'm kind of techtarded so talk to me like I'm a five year old.

Something you download from the HTC website and install on your computer. Click here for the download page from HTC's support site, and follow the directions. You'll install the software on your computer, then run it, then plug in the phone, and then the magic happens

As to syncing calendars between your fiance and you, since both phones sync so seamlessly with Google, you might want to look into seeing if Google syncs with whatever you're currently using, or just switch to Google calendars if you can--might make things quite a bit easier. (But that's a really uninformed opinion, it should be said. I barely use my calendar for anything but remembering birthdays, doctor's appointments, and deadlines.)

 

[NuggetBrain]

Something you download from the HTC website and install on your computer. Click here for the download page from HTC's support site, and follow the directions. You'll install the software on your computer, then run it, then plug in the phone, and then the magic happens

As to syncing calendars between your fiance and you, since both phones sync so seamlessly with Google, you might want to look into seeing if Google syncs with whatever you're currently using, or just switch to Google calendars if you can--might make things quite a bit easier. (But that's a really uninformed opinion, it should be said. I barely use my calendar for anything but remembering birthdays, doctor's appointments, and deadlines.)

Yeah, he wants me to sync up our calendars so when I make wedding meetings they'll show up on his (or he can see them on mine and load them on his) and to make sure we don't double-book our nights. We don't use calendars at all right now, so whatever we do would be new. So would Google calendars be easiest? How do we get to those from our phones, an app? And how do we sync up our Googles?

 

[rigamrts]

Yeah, he wants me to sync up our calendars so when I make wedding meetings they'll show up on his (or he can see them on mine and load them on his) and to make sure we don't double-book our nights. We don't use calendars at all right now, so whatever we do would be new. So would Google calendars be easiest? How do we get to those from our phones, an app? And how do we sync up our Googles?

the calender app is already installed on the phone but if your syncing to one calander i'd suggest using HTC sync with outlook cause google calanders does not combine 2 accounts it only shows your events then you still could double book by misstake. but in order for both to sync if you load an event on your calander durring the day when you get home you have to sync it to your outlook. it does not do it automatically.

otherwise you can both load up under the same google account so when one adds to the calander the other is updated automatically because of google sync. but you'll both have the same email address so create a dual account so your personal mail does not get mixxed up with bussiness.

and to clairify dual account i mean one account used by 2 people not 2 seperate accounts.

 

[NuggetBrain]

the calender app is already installed on the phone but if your syncing to one calander i'd suggest using HTC sync with outlook cause google calanders does not combine 2 accounts it only shows your events then you still could double book by misstake. but in order for both to sync if you load an event on your calander durring the day when you get home you have to sync it to your outlook. it does not do it automatically.

otherwise you can both load up under the same google account so when one adds to the calander the other is updated automatically because of google sync. but you'll both have the same email address so create a dual account so your personal mail does not get mixxed up with bussiness.

and to clairify dual account i mean one account used by 2 people not 2 seperate accounts.

But aren't we allowed to only have one gmail account liked to our phones? So how would we be able to have one g-mail account for just the calendar features while keeping our separate accounts for the phone and marketplace and such?

 

[rigamrts]

But aren't we allowed to only have one gmail account liked to our phones? So how would we be able to have one g-mail account for just the calendar features while keeping our separate accounts for the phone and marketplace and such?

that'll be fixed in 2.0. you'll be able to link multiple accounts. but in the mean time it was a suggestion i thought of so you both can sync up without much interaction. it's not perfect since you'll both have to load the same account but it's a temp fix till 2.0 comes out.

 

[rigamrts]

plus you can use the other pop3 mail app built into the phone for your private google mail account.

 

[Chopstick2U]

I use a Mac, so the HTC Sync software is off the table for me. Still, I can do just about whatever I want with my calendar just by playing with the Google calendar settings. Log into Gmail on your PC and check out Calendar. Both of you set your calendars so that they are "shared," and then you can "add a friend's calendar" so their events will show up next to yours.

As for making shortcuts for txting and calling contacts. If you click the + to add an object to your desktop, click "shortcuts" and you can create a shortcut to a person and choose the default action (txt or call) so that it will perform that action with a single press. This might get confusing if you're going to have one icon for txting and one for calling for each person, so you probably should separate the txting from the calling icons by perhaps putting them in separate folders or on separate desktop screens.

Shall I elaborate?

 

[kabbie_mcfeely]

With Google Calendar you can share calendar info. Go to Google Calendar on a pc/mac and share to anyone on your contacts list. It will update on thier device just like yours.

Me and my GF have been doing this since last December.

 

[Chopstick2U]

Also you can become friends using Google Latitude (via the Google Maps app) and then you'll know if he REALLY had to stay at work late or if he's somewhere else!!


Related: Did you know you can download an app to turn your phone into a vibrator?

 

[Nunley]

But aren't we allowed to only have one gmail account liked to our phones? So how would we be able to have one g-mail account for just the calendar features while keeping our separate accounts for the phone and marketplace and such?

Log into YOUR Google Calendar. (do this on your desktop)
Underneath the settings on the left hand side it says Other Calendars.
Click on add. A pop up will say Add a Friends Calendar.
Place the Google/Gmail address of the OTHER person's Calendar you want to add.
This will send them an invitation to share calendars.
Now they have to confirm your invite.
Soon you'll be sharing calendars! Isn't Google great! It's like the busy body Aunt who tells all your business to everyone!
This is how my wife and I keep our sanity with an on call job and 6 kids!

 

[NuggetBrain]

Thank you guys SO much. That's exactly what we needed. Is there anyway to update the Google calendars from the phones (or is that the Calendar's option on the phone)? Or do we have to log onto Google and input any appointments or anything directly through the website? And is there a way to put the Google calendar directly onto our homepages?

We tried doing Google Latitude just because it looked kind of cool, but for some reason we couldn't get it to work - it sent the request and he approved the add, but he didn't show up in my Latitude friends' list. Oh well.

I had no idea that they had an app for that. Gives a whole new meaning to "multitasking."

 

[Nunley]

Any additions or changes made to the phone calender on your Eris will change/upload to your Google calender. The great thing about this is your additions are a different color when viewed in your calender than your OTHER calenders!
-on Google Latitude, I would imagine you would have to both go into
Settings-Location-check Location Setting-check Enable GPS satellites.
This should update your locations in real time but be poor on your battery.

 

[Chopstick2U]

Add the HTC widget "Calendar." You can add a full-screen 31-day view, or a smaller widget that show's your next upcoming event.

So far, IMHO, Latitude is better in theory than in practice. Hopefully it continues to improve. For GPS to get a good fix on your location, you pretty much need to be outside or in a stationary car when you start it up. You really shouldn't leave GPS turned on because it's murder on your battery (I've heard).

 

[NuggetBrain]

I tried, and I don't think I have the GPS (or maybe just not the turn by turn directions). But that should come out with the upgrade on Friday, right?

 

[Chopstick2U]

The Eris has the same GPS receiver as the Droid or a Garmin GPS device. You can add an HTC settings widget to your desktop to easily toggle it off and on, or you can turn it on by going to settings/location/enable gps satellites.

Also, I wouldn't expect to get the google nav program until next year.

 

[DoctorWho]

2) I was thinking of buying the app that keeps some other apps from loading when you start up the phone (things I don't use like Peep, Footprint, etc). But I don't remember the name of the app, or know if it's worth it. Thoughts?

I'm also a new Eris user, and new to the forums as well (Hi everyone! ). I don't think anyone has answered this part of your question yet, and it's an answer I'd love to see as well.

I installed TaskPanel, which is a really slick app that will kill background tasks, and even has a scheduler. But I'd love to know if there's something that prevents certain apps from starting up automatically (Peep, Messages, Footprints, Gmail, etc).

Thanks everyone!

 

[W4LLY]

StartUp Auditor was the one program I found. Have not tested it out yet though....heard the only negative is installing future apps/updates.