And-Cuffs

[addo]

Have been saddled with Android handset (Nexus S) for work email/MMS/internet - they ignored my protestations that a tablet is better for the chronically shortsighted to view plans/specs.

It's all new to me (plus came without any instructions!) and I will probably have to pose a few questions as I muddle through wrestling with it. So I thank the tech savvy folks here, in anticipation. At least I managed to insist it was data only; phone and text are disabled...

[DickieG]

Good luck with it, my sister asked me earlier today to help her with the HTC no so smart phone as she's had it several months but can't do any more then make calls and receive emails, 1/2 an hour later I wanted to chuck it in the bin, stuff Android, not intuitive at all.

[addo]

Half an hour? I felt that way the moment it was in my paws...

The first odd thing to me, is the lack of a downloadable proprietary support environment - in other words, when you plug it into the PC it doesn't have any real interface other than being recognised as a mass storage device. You'd think that (say) if I've been sent a PDF with large scale plans on it, that once the phone were plugged in to the desktop I would essentially be able to use the monitor as my display... I haven't worked out how to download apps for it either.

I gave away my 32GB iPhone4 unopened; were it not for work I damned well wouldn't have this thing opened either.

[Xaccers]

Half an hour? I felt that way the moment it was in my paws...

The first odd thing to me, is the lack of a downloadable proprietary support environment - in other words, when you plug it into the PC it doesn't have any real interface other than being recognised as a mass storage device. You'd think that (say) if I've been sent a PDF with large scale plans on it, that once the phone were plugged in to the desktop I would essentially be able to use the monitor as my display... I haven't worked out how to download apps for it either.

One of the advantages is that it's a mass storage device. Plug it in, browse to where you've saved the PDF using the computer's mouse (easier to use than a capacitive screen) and open the PDF. That way you can print it, or if you've got a PDF editor, make changes and save.
Most people with PCs know how to use Windows Explorer, so giving them another file manager etc to work with the phone would give no benefit, likewise with those horrible digital camera picture transfer programs, I never install them, there's no need, just plug the camera in and manage the files myself through Windows Explorer.
If you want to show your phone's screen on a TV, look into getting a MHL adaptor and HDMI lead.
You could also use DLNA to play music/pictures/videos on your TV if your TV is DLNA compatible or you've got a PS3/XBOX360 etc.
It's a shame you've got the Nexus as I'm not a fan of the default Android interface, HTC did a much better job with their Sense interface, especially Sense 3.
At least you can install other launchers, such as Launcher Pro.
With Android you've got several options for installing apps.
The easiest way is to set up a gmail account on the phone and use the Android Market.
You don't have to use it for email etc, I don't as I have my own Exchange server at home, so I have all the synchronisation options for gmail disabled.
You can then either use the Market app on the phone and search for what you want, or go to https://market.android.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and search on there. If you log in, you can then pick your apps and have them automatically installed on your phone.
Another option is to download/transfer the .apk file to your phone and run it from there.
One app I find useful is SmartShortcuts.
With it, you can create a new shortcut group, called Apps for instance, scroll through the list of apps on the phone ticking the ones you'll use regularly. Then you can add a shortcut to the "Apps" group on your desktop so with one tap you can get to all the useful applications without cluttering up your desktop with individual shortcuts.
A good file manager for android is ES File Explorer.

[DickieG]

Xac, how do you move the apps around on a HTC so that you can place the one's you use most often at the front?

I take it she'll have to set up an app account to get more than the standard ones it came with?

For weather my sister lives in Seaford which is a reasonably large town yet it's not recognised when you search for it as a location, there's a dozen locations stored in the phone which is great if she lived in Taipei or somewhere in Germany, but she doesn't is there any way around this?

The HTC she's got looks similar to an iPhone but is larger and has about six buttons at the bottom of the screen.

[Xaccers]

Xac, how do you move the apps around on a HTC so that you can place the one's you use most often at the front?

I take it she'll have to set up an app account to get more than the standard ones it came with?

For weather my sister lives in Seaford which is a reasonably large town yet it's not recognised when you search for it as a location, there's a dozen locations stored in the phone which is great if she lived in Taipei or somewhere in Germany, but she doesn't is there any way around this?

The HTC she's got looks similar to an iPhone but is larger and has about six buttons at the bottom of the screen.

On the home screens?
Hold your finger on the shortcut/widget you want to move, after a second or so you can then drag it around with your finger on the screen.
You only need a gmail account if you want to use the Android Market (which is the easiest place to get apps from). There are other places you can get apps from.

If you press the home screen button/softkey it takes you to a zoomed out view of all the screens, you can then tap on a screen and go straight there, or if you hold on one of them, re-arrange their order.

For the weather, use Newhaven.

[DickieG]

Thanks for that Xac I'll let her know.

[myglaren]

Only semi-related to the OP but two of my grandsons got Advent 10" tablets for Christmas, with Android 2.2 on them and they are blown away at how simple and intuitive they are.
The only 'problem' is no Java so they can't plat Minecraft 16 hours a day - my daughter sees this as a bonus

[citronut]

i have the Galaxy S2
i try not to go on the internet with it except whilst at home via wifi and running through my home internet conection,
my son says the safest place for APP's is the Android Market web site,
from which i have only downloaded a couple of the free APP's so far,
in general it seems to opperate quite smoothly to an untechy type like myself,

i have also downloaded AVG security to it,

regards malcolm

[citronut]

samsung have a pre-installed app called Kies air that allows your phone to work as a wifi mass storage device and more.

regards malcolm's son

[addo]

24H later, and I'm still underwhelmed...

How the heck can you change the user tag "Me" and the corresponding plain grey box, for strings of messages?

[citronut]

if you mean as in sending the likes of txt messages,
just touch the area/box for entering the contact or there phone No. and it will put an indicator under the box

regards malcolm

[addo]

It still leaves me cold. The only benefits could have been had with a tablet and then I wouldn't have to do that silly"unpinching" thing to expand screen text. No better reception on the farm either.

[Xaccers]

It still leaves me cold. The only benefits could have been had with a tablet and then I wouldn't have to do that silly"unpinching" thing to expand screen text. No better reception on the farm either.

Well you could install Skype or Fring and give us pommies a call now and again
Or install tapatalk which while is a clunky forum application, it does make attaching photos from your phone to the forum a doddle.
If you're not getting on with the interface then you can always install another one such as launcher pro or if you're feeling flush SPB mobile shell 5.
Personally if I had to use something other than a HTC I'd install SPB mobile shell.

Thing is, if you've got no need for a smartphone's features, then there's no point having a smartphone.
Might as well get a Nokia 3310 (or an iPhone )

[jgra1]

on my htc, i have 'car panel'... anyone know what this is?

Could it be yet another way of using 'naivgation' ... not really sure what 'maps' is either.. i can browse these maps and then get the sat nav to guide me there, but I guess I can do that from 'navigation' anyway? although have not tried..

anyway, still liking my smartphone