Things to do/download with your new phone thread

tauran121 · May 14, 2011

i'll be getting a sgs2 very soon and coming from a htc hero, which i've only used as a normal phone for the last 6 months as its so slow, just wanted to start a thread on things i should do/download/get when i receive my sgs2.

i need all the help i get, and don't want to have to factory reset the phone a week after i get it or be doing anything major, just want it up and running asap.

please copy and paste the list and add things as you go on.

now from the things i've read:
1 - firmwire update via kies
2 - case to protect phone
3 -

Gearu · May 14, 2011

3) Go through the manual 100% no joke, it's worth it.

Cyph3r · May 14, 2011

Gearu said:
3) Go through the manual 100% no joke, it's worth it.

Where's the manual? I only got a crappy quick start guide with mine.

Teknik · May 14, 2011

Cyph3r said:
Where's the manual? I only got a crappy quick start guide with mine.

http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s2/330002-actual-manual.html#post2647562

Scainer · May 14, 2011

Apps I downloaded include....

APNDroid
This turns off the data connections to increase battery life and has a notification icon so you know visually if its on or off.
WARNING: Might best just use the Long Power button options, as the notification seems to cause awake time. This awake time doesn't seem to drain the battery but using the built in option could produce better results.

e.g. Look at awake on graph but look at the time on battery

Apps Organizer
Organise into folders to avoid the mess of the apps menu

WhatsApp
Get your friends to join and then its free SMS MMS with other features

Quick Battery
A widget that is meant to not drain battery by switching off

Cyph3r · May 14, 2011

Scainer said:

How did you get your battery to last 2 1/2 days and still have like 30% left? o_O

Scainer · May 15, 2011

Well.... 3 days 3 hours isn't bad from a single charge.. lol (or is that 3d 7h ???)

TBH, the phone was mainly used as a phone with the odd bit of net surfing. No games, and only a GPS sync test e.g. less than 2 minutes.
I only had about 4 calls on it, and data access was only on when I wanted it.

I guess this goes to show that you have the option to use it as a phone rather than a media device and you get a good weekend from it.

Cyph3r · May 15, 2011

Scainer said:
Well.... 3 days 3 hours isn't bad from a single charge.. lol (or is that 3d 7h ???)

TBH, the phone was mainly used as a phone with the odd bit of net surfing. No games, and only a GPS sync test e.g. less than 2 minutes.
I only had about 4 calls on it, and data access was only on when I wanted it.

I guess this goes to show that you have the option to use it as a phone rather than a media device and you get a good weekend from it.

Wow that's impressive.

I tested it on my phone after I saw your post and just used my phone as a 'normal' phone.

Lots and lots of texting, couple of phone calls, some internet browsing (wifi and 3g), abit of youtube, and a tiny bit of GPS. and It's been on for 20 hours 30minutes and 2seconds and i've still got ~50% battery left O:

loony · May 15, 2011

@Scainer,
is you phone rooted? is that why you get good performance from the battery?

Gearu · May 15, 2011

Mine would be at that too but I've had max brightness & gps on, and doing app stuff. Seems some people got a good battery and some didn't?

For me, The battery in general seems to chew faster from 100%, but as it goes down it consumes less (without auto power saving settings), my last phone had the 3 bars type so I've been getting used to the whole % thing.

Scainer · May 16, 2011

Not rooted. But remember it was light use.

Strangely, At first I was losing 20% during bed time, but now it only seems to be 1 - 2 % per hour.

I guess it does need to be broken in, and it also depends upon its use.
e.g. GPS or GAMING = massive drainage

Also I removed a lot of self updating programs.
e.g. E-mail is only one a day
weather widget is manually

daivik · May 17, 2011

Scainer said:
Apps I downloaded include....

APNDroid

Sorry for going off topic, but is the image above/below a Samsung app?

ukplay · May 17, 2011

hi daivik,

No, you can take a screenshot by pressing the centre 'home' button at the same time as the power button - the image is then kept in 'screenshots' in the gallery.

UKP

daivik · May 17, 2011

ukplay said:
hi daivik,

No, you can take a screenshot by pressing the centre 'home' button at the same time as the power button - the image is then kept in 'screenshots' in the gallery.

UKP

sorry, I explained it wrong. I meant the actual app an app from the market? or one built into Samsung's GSII.

ukplay · May 17, 2011

Ah, maybe i misunderstood!

No, not an app - Settings>About Phone>Battery Usage> touch the graph at the top of the screen.

Cheers!

daivik · May 17, 2011

ukplay said:
Ah, maybe i misunderstood!

No, not an app - Settings>About Phone>Battery Usage> touch the graph at the top of the screen.

Cheers!

cheers...

wanted something like that for my desire. :/

Cooky · May 23, 2011

Scainer said:
Apps I downloaded include....

APNDroid
This turns off the data connections to increase battery life and has a notification icon so you know visually if its on or off.
WARNING: Might best just use the Long Power button options, as the notification seems to cause awake time. This awake time doesn't seem to drain the battery but using the built in option could produce better results.

e.g. Look at awake on graph but look at the time on battery

Apps Organizer
Organise into folders to avoid the mess of the apps menu

WhatsApp
Get your friends to join and then its free SMS MMS with other features

Quick Battery
A widget that is meant to not drain battery by switching off

Hi Scainer

Please forgive my ignorance, but when you say 'may be best to use Long power button options' what does this mean? Im having less than outstanding battery life and owuld like to try your suggestion.

Thanks

Beards · May 23, 2011

Cooky said:
Hi Scainer

Please forgive my ignorance, but when you say 'may be best to use Long power button options' what does this mean? Im having less than outstanding battery life and owuld like to try your suggestion.

Thanks

Referring to when you long press on the Power button a window will pop up giving you options for:-
Silent Mode
Data Network Mode
Flight Mode
Power Off

XplosiV · May 23, 2011

Something to do, change the default launcher to something better, like launcher pro or adw launcher.

Cooky · May 23, 2011

Beards said:
Referring to when you long press on the Power button a window will pop up giving you options for:-
Silent Mode
Data Network Mode
Flight Mode
Power Off

Thanks, i see what you mean. So is turning off data network mode the same as disabling 3G? Or is that soemthing different?

XplosiV · May 23, 2011

I think they are the same, easyest way (unless you are on call for some reason) is to just enable airplane mode at night, and disable when you wake up. That will turn off 2g&3g so you wont even receive calls, much less any data alerts.

Turning off data/3g will still save you a ton of battery tho, if you do need to receive calls at night.

Cooky · May 23, 2011

XplosiV said:
I think they are the same, easyest way (unless you are on call for some reason) is to just enable airplane mode at night, and disable when you wake up. That will turn off 2g&3g so you wont even receive calls, much less any data alerts.

Turning off data/3g will still save you a ton of battery tho, if you do need to receive calls at night.

Thanks XplosiV,

If i download this launcherpro and install it, will it automatically replace the default one?

Also, today my battery has gone from 100% to 20% in just over 5 hours. Ive hardly used it (one 2 min call, a twitter update & push mail on). Its lasted much longer than this before. My battery usage app (default one) says Wi Fi sharing is 26% but ive had Wi Fi off all day....

Social Hub is also 26%. Any thoughts on how this could happen? I have push mail enabled but it doesnt usually eat up that much power....

Any thoughts from anyone would be much appreciated.

XplosiV · May 23, 2011

By default, if I'm not using my phone, I have data off, and background data off but I have a different phone to you, but I still get much better battery life.

And as for a different launcher, no it will not replace your default one. However to remove your default stock browser, you will need ROOT access.
Also you can go into your application management, and select your launcher, and there will be a button to "clear defaults" the next time you press home button, you will be asked which launcher you want to be default. Rinse and repeat if you want to go back to stock launcher, just clear defaults again.

xmjox · May 23, 2011

XplosiV said:
Something to do, change the default launcher to something better, like launcher pro or adw launcher.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but what's a launcher? :thinking:

daivik · May 23, 2011

xmjox said:
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but what's a launcher?

not dumb, just novice-like. (I was at that stage, this time last year).

Just search on youtube for ADW Launcher or Launcher pro.

Basically, the lock screen stays the same but the ENTIRE homescreens are different. Launchers allow for MORE customizability. For example on your GSII, where the 4 icons are at the bottom -a launcher called Launcher Pro will allow you to have a mini scrollable dock that can display up to 12 applications (4 on each scroll)

Launcher Pro also allows you to have a 3D app drawer amongst many other things.
Scrolling animations can also be changed. To be honest, just download Launcher Pro and run it. IT's so simple and it can't damage your phone in any way because the phone sees it as an "app" so you won't be messing around with any settings. If you don't like it, you can just uninstall it.

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