Help Is there a pure phone mode?

elwin15208 · Apr 16, 2013

Hello all,

It just struck me that, while I appreciate the S3's many features, I don't need most of them a great deal of the time. Is there an app, a technique or a profile that I can use on a non-rooted S3 to suspend its smartphone features and have it act simply as a phone?

I'm looking for something different from airplane mode, which also shuts down the phone function. I want to leave that on, but I don't need to have it checking email, etc., while I'm at my desk.

Thanks!

GTWalling · Apr 16, 2013

Just turn off Data in Settings. It will still function as a phone including Bluetooth but no E-Mail, SMS or Web access.

neilfries · Apr 16, 2013

An even easier way is to get a data switch widget from the play store. That way you can turn your data on/off as you need it. I got this one to help extend the battery life on my Captivate.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.datalinkswitch&feature=search_result

Rxpert83 · Apr 16, 2013

You will still get SMS with data turned off.
Just no MMS aka picture messages

sherlock5545 · Apr 16, 2013

You can do as they said above but... why do you need such an expensive phone if you're not using it for its intended purposes? Don't get me wrong, it seems a waste money to me, though.

StarMenace · Apr 16, 2013

sherlock5545 said:
You can do as they said above but... why do you need such an expensive phone if you're not using it for its intended purposes? Don't get me wrong, it seems a waste money to me, though.

I was wondering the same thing.

bob60626 · Apr 16, 2013

I haven't found data toggles to work on the few cdma phones I've tried. My Samsung gsm phones and tablet work just fine with them. Anyone else see this?

elwin15208 · Apr 16, 2013

GTWalling, I don't see a "Data" toggle in Settings. Are you referring to the "Mobile Data" checkbox that appears when I press "Data Usage"?

Sherlock5545 and StarMenace, I use the phone's features a lot - especially in creating content for my community news website. For instance, when volunteers built a new playground in my neighborhood Saturday, I tweeted from onsite, posted notes to Facebook, took photos and shot video, which I then uploaded from my phone to YouTube.

But I don't use the smartphone features all day, every day. When I sat down in my office to write the article, I didn't need the phone's full functionality for a while, because I was busy writing, and because I could use my computer. When I know that I won't be using most of the phones features for a while, I'd like to shut them down

funkylogik · Apr 16, 2013

drag down the status bar at the top and you should see a list of toggles at the top, one of them says "mobile data", another says "wifi". Thats the data toggles

Rxpert83 · Apr 16, 2013

funkylogik said:
drag down the status bar at the top and you should see a list of toggles at the top, one of them says "mobile data", another says "wifi". Thats the data toggles

Mobile data is the data he was talking about

bob60626 · Apr 16, 2013

Elwin, what carrier do you have?

Rxpert83 · Apr 16, 2013

Sorry funky didn't ,mean to quote you there :thinking:

funkylogik · Apr 16, 2013

Lol no probs mate

elwin15208 · Apr 16, 2013

bob60626 said:
Elwin, what carrier do you have?

Verizon.

GTWalling · Apr 17, 2013

elwin15208 said:
GTWalling, I don't see a "Data" toggle in Settings. Are you referring to the "Mobile Data" checkbox that appears when I press "Data Usage"?

Yes

Rxpert83 · Apr 17, 2013

sherlock5545 said:
You can do as they said above but... why do you need such an expensive phone if you're not using it for its intended purposes? Don't get me wrong, it seems a waste money to me, though.

StarMenace said:
I was wondering the same thing.

I just saw these responses, so I wanted to take some time to reply.

I know I could go without mobile data 95+% of the time. If I'm sitting in class, or at work the phone is sitting in my pocket. Maybe it'll be used as a timer for some experiment I'm running, but that doesn't require data.

If I NEED data at school/work/home, theres wifi availble. Basically, the only time I'll use mobile data is on the bus to/from school/work. Thats usually only a small amount as I browse the forum or news sites.

Ask yourself if you really need mobile data. If your carrier gave you a large discount (lets say half off) your phone bill if it didn't inlcude data... would you take it?

I could pretty easily. I use a smartphone for the processing power and apps it can run, not necessarily because its connected to the internet. Most budget feature("dumb") phones can do that. Texts and phone calls don't use data (unless you specifically have it set up for it).

Captain Sexy · Apr 17, 2013

Rxpert83 said:
I just saw these responses, so I wanted to take some time to reply.

I know I could go without mobile data 95+% of the time. If I'm sitting in class, or at work the phone is sitting in my pocket. Maybe it'll be used as a timer for some experiment I'm running, but that doesn't require data.

If I NEED data at school/work/home, theres wifi availble. Basically, the only time I'll use mobile data is on the bus to/from school/work. Thats usually only a small amount as I browse the forum or news sites.

Ask yourself if you really need mobile data. If your carrier gave you a large discount (lets say half off) your phone bill if it didn't inlcude data... would you take it?

I could pretty easily. I use a smartphone for the processing power and apps it can run, not necessarily because its connected to the internet. Most budget feature("dumb") phones can do that. Texts and phone calls don't use data (unless you specifically have it set up for it).

I would love to see a smartphone with WI FI only option (no 3g 4g) I think that would be cool, although you could get the 1 gig option verizon has and save some money, I'd love to see another option for 500mb. I'd kill both of these but still like the idea.

funkylogik · Apr 17, 2013

Totaly agree with Rxpert although im different. All of my internet comes through my phones mobile data. I use like 60Gb a month lol

pappcam · Apr 17, 2013

This seems like a completely useless and time wasting endeavour to me. IMO of course.

funkylogik · Apr 17, 2013

Or a money and battery saving endevour

Rxpert83 · Apr 17, 2013

pappcam said:
This seems like a completely useless and time wasting endeavour to me. IMO of course.

You'd be surprised how much battery drain your radios cause. Especially if you're going to be in a low signal area.

If you dont need it for a while, flip off mobile data or turn on airplane mode and you'll barely lose any battery

Ghost10bxl · Apr 17, 2013

Captain Sexy said:
I would love to see a smartphone with WI FI only option (no 3g 4g) I think that would be cool, although you could get the 1 gig option verizon has and save some money, I'd love to see another option for 500mb. I'd kill both of these but still like the idea.

That's a stupid idea to be honest (no offence). Because then it wouldn't be called a smartphone then would it? Mainly what separates smartphone from a normal phone is it's smart features, internet is one of them. Firstly, you could just buy an iPod touch. If you still want an android, then just buy a phone and turn off Mobile Data, simple as that? Why make a special phone without this handy feature?

Rxpert83 · Apr 17, 2013

Ghost10bxl said:
That's a stupid idea to be honest (no offence). Because then it wouldn't be called a smartphone then would it? Mainly what separates smartphone from a normal phone is it's smart features, internet is one of them. Firstly, you could just buy an iPod touch. If you still want an android, then just buy a phone and turn off Mobile Data, simple as that? Why make a special phone without this handy feature?

Internet capabilities do not define a smartphone.

http://shop.sprint.com/mysprint/sho...0159&flow=AAL&planSKUId=&ptn=&tabId=dt_phones

http://shop.sprint.com/mysprint/sho...0135&flow=AAL&planSKUId=&ptn=&tabId=dt_phones

I think we'd be hard pressed to have anyone call those a "smart phone". Sprint agrees, and calls them basic phones. They have 3G connectivity.

To play devils advocate here, if all you want is internet connectivity I'd say its "stupid" and a waste of money to get a smartphone

.

funkylogik · Apr 17, 2013

Even my 1st mobile phone in 2000 had internet (wap 1.0). I define smart by bein able to replace the core apps, apps being able to integrate with each other etc..

bob60626 · Apr 17, 2013

When I do Army reserve stuff, the phone is usually on vibrate with data off. I can still get important calls and texts, use my data toggle to check emails and such, and still end the work day with 70ish% battery life on my S2. There's no point to having constant connectivity if you're not using it!

Help Is there a pure phone mode?

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