Droid Eris Questions

[jpzsports]

Hi,

I'm a new HTC Droid Eris user and so far I love it. Unlike most of you though, I am using it on Page Plus Cellular. I have a plan for $30/mo, 1200 min, 1200 txts, and 50 mb data. The data of course is the drawback, but I don't plan on using too much data, and when I need to, I'm usually able to connect to wifi.
Here's some questions that I had that hopefully some of you can help me with.

1. To receive or send MMS messages, does the Mobile network (3G) have to be enabled?

2. Is there any way to use the GPS without data? I suppose we would need some map download such as tomtom for it to work. Any ideas?

3. Does the trackball have multiple colors or just white?

4. Would the program Locale work with data disabled?

5. I'd like to setup Mail and Facebook and Twitter, but I don't want it to automatically update so I won't use up all my data when I enable 3G occasionally. Is that possible?

Since I have 50mb a month of data, I would like to be able to just switch on the Mobile Network when I'm away from wifi and need to access the internet. I want to make sure that when I switch it on, it doesn't start updating everything.
This is why I haven't setup FB or email yet.
Also, does anyone know approx how much data some of these apps use? For example, if I want to Shazam a song, would it use a lot of data? Why about scan a barcode? And what websites are safest to use for news, etc. that use very little data?

Thank You!

 

[Ruben]

1. No
2. No
3. I wish, but no
4. To the extent that I must say no
5. Yes. You can turn off notifications on just about everything. Just press menu -> settings and find your way. My mail update doesn't even work. I have to do it manually or nothing will happen regardless of settings.
6. Long press anywhere on your home screen and select HTC widget then settings. You can get quick toggles for network and WiFi on off.

 

[erisuser1]

#2: No and Yes.

If you want Navigation, no... if you want to record a track (e.g. Google MyTracks), you can certainly record tracks and waypoints with only the GPS active.

As far (Mobile Network) data usage goes, you can get a summary of your usage from Verizon's "My Verizon" app, but I don't think it updates frequently - perhaps no more often than once a day. You'll have to do something quite a bit more complicated than that to figure out how much data is used for a given internet activity - such as inserting a linux router, dumb hub, or switch with a flood port in between your wireless router and your ISP modem and then using a monitoring/packet capture tool to measure traffic (Linux iptraf or Wireshark spring to mind).

I think you will find that FB requires a highly variable amount of data for an update.

HTH

eu1

 

[jpzsports]

Aftering doing some more research and reading your replies, here's some new information that I've learned:

1. It seems that data needs to be on in order to use MMS.
2. CoPilot GPS, RMaps, and MapDroyd all have the ability to view maps offline.
5. I will go ahead and start using all those services now that I know they won't auto update when I enable data.

Couple more questions:
1. If I were to use the Google Voice app and get a Google Number, would that allow me to have unlimited texting when connected to wifi?
2. Does Opera Mini use less data or should I just stick with the built-in browser?
3. Is Handcent SMS worth using over the built-in messaging app? And is it possible to use both at first in order to compare the two or can only one be activate?
4. I installed Advanced Task Killer Free on my Eris and it's been working fine, but I just read some threads on here saying that it's bad for battery life and isn't even needed and actually makes the phone slower. Is this true?

Thanks!

 

[Podivin]

If you turn off the mobile network (the easy way would be to put the widgit on your home screen so that you can quickly toggle it on/off) you'd know for SURE that you're not burning your 50mb when you don't intend to.

 

[andrew8806]

Hi,

I'm a new HTC Droid Eris user and so far I love it. Unlike most of you though, I am using it on Page Plus Cellular. I have a plan for $30/mo, 1200 min, 1200 txts, and 50 mb data. The data of course is the drawback, but I don't plan on using too much data, and when I need to, I'm usually able to connect to wifi.
Here's some questions that I had that hopefully some of you can help me with.

1. To receive or send MMS messages, does the Mobile network (3G) have to be enabled?

2. Is there any way to use the GPS without data? I suppose we would need some map download such as tomtom for it to work. Any ideas?

3. Does the trackball have multiple colors or just white?

4. Would the program Locale work with data disabled?

5. I'd like to setup Mail and Facebook and Twitter, but I don't want it to automatically update so I won't use up all my data when I enable 3G occasionally. Is that possible?

Since I have 50mb a month of data, I would like to be able to just switch on the Mobile Network when I'm away from wifi and need to access the internet. I want to make sure that when I switch it on, it doesn't start updating everything.
This is why I haven't setup FB or email yet.
Also, does anyone know approx how much data some of these apps use? For example, if I want to Shazam a song, would it use a lot of data? Why about scan a barcode? And what websites are safest to use for news, etc. that use very little data?

Thank You!

You only have a 50MB data limit? How much do you pay? its 29.99/month for "Unlimited" data. 50MB wouldn't be worth having a smartphone

 

[thetomlin2]

You only have a 50MB data limit? How much do you pay? its 29.99/month for "Unlimited" data. 50MB wouldn't be worth having a smartphone

I use between 15 and 20 MB a day ... granted I dont have any reason not to. Even using Wi-Fi more frequently I would have a hard time staying under 50 MB for a month.

 

[jpzsports]

You only have a 50MB data limit? How much do you pay? its 29.99/month for "Unlimited" data. 50MB wouldn't be worth having a smartphone

Well I pay $30/month total for 1200 min/1200 txts/ 50mb data. Although the data is weak, I get a pretty good deal for the voice and messaging.

I use between 15 and 20 MB a day ... granted I dont have any reason not to. Even using Wi-Fi more frequently I would have a hard time staying under 50 MB for a month.

I don't use much data. I only need it for occasional use. The rest of the time I can use wifi.

 

[jajsmom]

I too use page plus cellular. I have the $40 month plan for unlimited call/text. But only 20MB of Data which stinks. I don't use the data much when I'm out anyways. Hopefully they'll come out with a plan with more data. We just couldn't justify paying an extra $30 a mth for me and then my husband on top of what we were already paying with verizon. My husband set me up for wifi at home. I tried testing with FB but wasn't connecting me.

 

[jpzsports]

I too use page plus cellular. I have the $40 month plan for unlimited call/text. But only 20MB of Data which stinks. I don't use the data much when I'm out anyways. Hopefully they'll come out with a plan with more data. We just couldn't justify paying an extra $30 a mth for me and then my husband on top of what we were already paying with verizon. My husband set me up for wifi at home. I tried testing with FB but wasn't connecting me.

Glad to see a fellow PPC user! I agree that there should be a plan with more data. And I also agree that it's crazy to pay an extra $30 a month. PPC is a great deal.

I just have to try to find the most data efficient apps and websites so that when I do enable 3G, I won't use it up quickly.

 

[tispectrum]

Try the Dolphin browser. Many more features than the stock browser. I haven't tried Opera on the Eris, but I found it difficult on my Blackberry.

 

[jpzsports]

ok thanks!

Quick Question: I can't find Ringdroid in the market on my Eris. What happened?

 

[Ruben]

Try the Dolphin browser. Many more features than the stock browser. I haven't tried Opera on the Eris, but I found it difficult on my Blackberry.

Opera on windows mobile is the BEST, but on Android it is the worst. I have not found any browser better than the default.

 

[jpzsports]

Thanks for all the advice. I have one more issue that I was wondering if I could get some help with. When I turn it on, it often reboots 2 or 3 times. The part where it loads the Verizon Wireless logo sometimes completes and shows the little Android, and then it happens again. Is this normal?

 

[hrbib21]

^Absolutely not normal. Mine never automatically reboots, EVER.

 

[dusthead]

your question about google voice texting. it will give you unlimited texting, but it will use your data connection or wifi....whichever is connected.