New to Android/Galaxy S4 noob questions

[robdam1001]

So my new S4 GPE arrives in 48 hours and I cannot wait to start tinkering, (currently on iphone 5). I purchased a SanDisk 32GB Extreme microSDHC card as well. How can I use the SanDisk card? Can I install apps to the card? I assume/hope that I can store pictures/videos/music on the card as well?

What is a launcher and why would I want one?


I'd like to be able to have email, SMS, Calendar, missed call/voicemail notifications directly on my lockscreen as I do now with my iphone. Notification is displayed and I either swipe or select and then I'm taken directly to that specific application. Is this possible? If so, how do I accomplish this?


Thanks.

 

[Goodspike]

As to the SanDisk card, I hope you purchased it at a reliable source. There have been a number of people buying counterfeit cards lately. Anyway, yes you can have certain programs installed on the SD card--the program has to be written to allow that. And you can store pictures and music on the card too.

A launcher is just a way to further customize your Android experience. I never use them, but a lot of people like them.

For your last question, I like a program called Delayed Lock. It allows you to have a PIN lock for security, but to swipe to unlock when you're connected to a known wi-fi or blue tooth connection, and having a swipe to unlock allows you to have shortcuts on your lock screen (non-pin screen). So you can open apps and texts just by swiping. The settings to do that are in settings/My device/Lock Screen (which will mean more to you later).

 

[Granite1]

Welcome to the forums!

If I'm not mistaken, I believe Touchwiz for Samsung devices has the ability to display notifications and certain app shortcuts on the lock screen built in. No need for any 3rd party apps.

Depending on the android phone, you'll have the ability to save certain data to the external SD card like photos and music. Also any media like wallpapers, notification sounds and ringtones can be saved on it.

When you look at the Android OS, the user interface or UI is essentially a launcher. Stock vanilla android has a certain "look and feel", while Samsung devices place a "skin" over vanilla android via a launcher called "Touchwiz". HTC phones have a launcher called "Sense", etc.

There are a lot of 3rd party launchers that do all kinds of different things like screen transition animations, cool organizational functions and customized notifications. There are really simple launchers, then there are very complex ones that usually cost a few bucks.

If you have any android questions, don't hesitate to ask. We're a friendly bunch, we won't bite....much. LOL

 

[Goodspike]

Welcome to the forums!

If I'm not mistaken, I believe Touchwiz for Samsung devices has the ability to display notifications and certain app shortcuts on the lock screen built in. No need for any 3rd party apps.

Yes, that's the Settings/My Device/Lockscreen item I mentioned, but it won't work with a pin lock (although you may be able to see some things, but not easily access them).

I should also mention lock screen widgets. Certain programs will have a widget appear even over a pin lock. So for example, if you're playing music, you might be able to pause or skip forward/back to the next song while locked.

 

[robdam1001]

Thanks for both of your replies, greatly appreciated. I bought the SanDisk from Amazon Prime. Will I need to create folders and subfolders on the SanDisk? Is this accomplished directly from my phone? I have the Galaxy S4 GPE so no TouchWiz for me. Forgive me but I still don't understand what a Launcher's function is? All I would like is notifications on my lockscreen and the ability to access the app that is associated with the notification directly from the Lockscreen. I don't want any lockscreen security; PIN or security code....nothing. Just a swipe to unlock as I have on my iphone now. Thanks again, great to be here!

 

[Goodspike]

I'm not the best person to explain what a launcher is, because I've never used one. And you're probably not the best person to understand because you're used to the relatively locked down world of Apple. I would suggest getting used to the phone as is before looking into launchers. There's enough to learn as it is.

As to folders, you can create them, but you likely won't have to much. Most are created automatically. The only one I created was for my music, because at the time I had to copy those files manually, so I had to create a place to put them.

If you have the GPE, some of what I told you may be wrong. For example, the ability to move programs to the microSD card might not be built into that version. While not quite a Nexus device, Nexus devices don't typically allow you to store programs on MicroSD, and that ability was taken away from Android sometime after Gingerbread (an older OS). Samsung brought it back, but maybe not for the GPE.

 

[Granite1]

Yes, that's the Settings/My Device/Lockscreen item I mentioned, but it won't work with a pin lock (although you may be able to see some things, but not easily access them).

I should also mention lock screen widgets. Certain programs will have a widget appear even over a pin lock. So for example, if you're playing music, you might be able to pause or skip forward/back to the next song while locked.

Ahhh, I see. I've only had HTC, so I'm not 100% on Samsung.

 

[Goodspike]

I don't want any lockscreen security; PIN or security code....nothing. Just a swipe to unlock as I have on my iphone now.

You might want to re-think that, given the amount of information that is on your phone, and what it can access (email/dropbox/the Play store, etc.).

That's why I mentioned the Delayed Lock program. It allows you to have swipe at home/work and in the car (if your car has BT), places which are relatively safe, but pin elsewhere for security.

 

[robdam1001]

Delayed Lock sounds great, thank you.

You might want to re-think that, given the amount of information that is on your phone, and what it can access (email/dropbox/the Play store, etc.).

That's why I mentioned the Delayed Lock program. It allows you to have swipe at home/work and in the car (if your car has BT), places which are relatively safe, but pin elsewhere for security.

 

[robdam1001]

Fortunately, I have a jailbroken iphone 5 so I'm not locked down.......at all.

I'm not the best person to explain what a launcher is, because I've never used one. And you're probably not the best person to understand because you're used to the relatively locked down world of Apple.

 

[Goodspike]

Ahhh, I see. I've only had HTC, so I'm not 100% on Samsung.

And I'm not 100% on what the OP can and cannot do with the Google Play Edition. That's a good choice of phone, but I needed to stick with Verizon, so not a choice I could make. But I like both Touchwiz and pure Android (and before that Motoblur), so I'm fairly easy to make happy (which is probably why I've never used a launcher).

 

[Goodspike]

One more tip before I go for the night. Folders on the launch screens are great, IMHO. On the top row of my home screen I have four folders. One for apps I use in the car, one for apps I commonly use (but not the most frequently), one for email apps and one for apps that play video. I'm not sure if the GPE edition will have persistent folders or not, but because my folders are now "persistent" if I have the car apps folder open it stays open when I launch an app from that folder, making it act like a car dock of sorts.

Anyway, with folders I have over 40 apps on my main home screen, and my home screen is not even full.

 

[robdam1001]

Are these folders on the Lockscreen? Is there are app that is providing you this functionality or is it inherent to your phone or Android OS? Goodnight, sleep well.

One more tip before I go for the night. Folders on the launch screens are great, IMHO. On the top row of my home screen I have four folders. One for apps I use in the car, one for apps I commonly use (but not the most frequently), one for email apps and one for apps that play video. I'm not sure if the GPE edition will have persistent folders or not, but because my folders are now "persistent" if I have the car apps folder open it stays open when I launch an app from that folder, making it act like a car dock of sorts.

Anyway, with folders I have over 40 apps on my main home screen, and my home screen is not even full.

 

[Granite1]

Are these folders on the Lockscreen? Is there are app that is providing you this functionality or is it inherent to your phone or Android OS? Goodnight, sleep well.

I believe all you need to do is touch and hold an app icon on your homescreen until you feel a slight vibration feed back, then drag it over top of another app and let it go. It should make a folder which contains the two apps. You should be able to rename the folder as well.

 

[robdam1001]

Simple, thanks.

I believe all you need to do is touch and hold an app icon on your homescreen until you feel a slight vibration feed back, then drag it over top of another app and let it go. It should make a folder which contains the two apps. You should be able to rename the folder as well.

 

[Granite1]

Simple, thanks.

No problem!

Don't hesitate to ask if you have any additional questions.

 

[robdam1001]

Is there a limitation to the number of apps that a folder can contain?

No problem!

Don't hesitate to ask if you have any additional questions.

 

[Thom]

I moved this thread form Android Lounge to the forum dedicated to discussing this phone. Here is where most users of this phone visit to share ideas and answer each others questions.

Good luck with you new phone.

... Thom