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Help Parent Switching Phone - A Few Questions

Does the Pixel 6 not have the option to turn off the gestures and use the old-style buttons instead? My wife's Pixel 5 (running android 12) does, as did my old Pixel 2, so I'd expect the 6 to be the same. Maybe search the settings for "gestures", since that's where it used to be on my Pixel 2.

To be honest I use the buttons myself, simply because it is faster and more reliable than the task switching gesture (swipe up and pause is unavoidably slower, and even as someone who is comfortable switching between UIs I find it more error prone than any other navigation method Android has had in the 12 years I've been using it).

I currently have a Galaxy s21, and I don't have (and have never heard of) this "press where the home button should be" function. It doesn't exist on my phone even if I use Samsung's launcher (I tested that after reading this), and I've never met it on any previous phone (though I've not owned older Samsungs). So I'm not optimistic about this one: my guess is that it may have been a Samsung addition that Samsung have dropped at some point since the Note 8 (they do that).

I've never used the Samsung keyboard, but there are plenty of keyboards which offer theming (including high contrast boards and outlined keys) and height adjustment. Are you sure GBoard can't do that? I don't have it installed currently so can't test myself. I know SwiftKey can, if you want something with a decent predictive text engine and aren't allergic to Microsoft (no worse than Google or Samsung in my book).

Camera wont show the red in the sky

.....
Went into settings - Display and set to LIGHT and VIVID. White Balance set at full on to WARM. Max for R and G and half way for B. Adaptive Brightness is on. Brightness set at 50%.
......
So what you're doing is apparently going into your A52's Settings menu and changing Display options but it's important you keep in mind that this affects your phone's screen. Or in other words, the changes you make affect how everything appears to you on your phone so this may change how your pictures appear but it also involves everything you do on your phone. You're changing the phone's display properties but not correcting the actual photo files themselves (the former can always be changed back again, just re-do what options you changed, the latter will be more involved.)
I'd recommend to instead look into do some color correcting to either a) tweaking your Camera app to make changes in how your resulting photos appear and/or b) use a good, fully extensive photo editor app on your phone or application on a computer. This way, your photos themselves will show more of those reds whether you're viewing them on your phone, or on a different mobile device, or on a computer, or when you send them out to friends and family. When you just try to make the phone's screen different, the photos will look different too, but that's just when you're using your phone. If instead make your photos look different, that makes your photos look that way no matter they're being viewed.

If you do want to optimize your phone's Camera app, use the Settings menu in the Camera app (... just to differentiate that's your Camera app's Settings menu, not your phone's Settings menu. The former will only affect the Camera app, the latter affects your phone's display)
https://downloadcenter.samsung.com/...01083/SAM_A526_EN_UM_OS12_041322_FINAL_AC.pdf
(see pg. 46)
Skip using the preset Modes, those are each set up to meet specific criteria for specific situations that aren't necessarily going to apply to something like bringing up the 'red' tones. Select the 'Pro' mode where all the camera options are at their defaults and it's all on you to manually tweak what options to alter and how much or leave as is. Spend a lot of time experimenting and take lots of test shots to get more familiar with that changes what. A lot of things will require a balancing act on your part -- i.e. if you change the aperture to boost lighter areas that may make the darker ones too light or too muddy.
It's not going to an easy task to make those pictures you take to capture those same images you see out in the horizon. There's a fundamental difference between how a smartphone camera sensor captures photo images and how our eyeballs take in what we see.

S22 Ultra No Voice Text Option

I heard the Pixel phones are much better for this? Any chance you have compared this functionality to the Pixel? I had heard the Samsung doesn't work with speech to text. Maybe it's just that it takes some extra steps to enable it... Thanks,
--Kyle
The option is htere, but it doesn't work as good as the swiftkey option (what i use) or the google voice to text system.
Swiftkey basically works the same from my pixel 4XL to my S22U. That is all I can compare to since i have ONLY used the Swiftkey for the past x-number of years. Never had a desire to try another.

Same, been using swiftkey for 10 years, it got a bit worse after Microsoft bought them out, but it's still my go-to

Accessories Music Player with Android Auto Compatibility 2022

Top 10 Popular Android Music Player Apps (Streaming & Offline) that every Android user must-have on their Phone

We seem to have been able to listen to music using pocketable devices for ages.

It wasn't always from our smartphones, and we used to have dedicated MP3 players, Ipods, and Walkmans for on-the-go music listening.

But it was something that people did, and it has been since Walkmans were popular in the 1980s.

However, almost any phone nowadays allows you to install your favorite music streaming service and even save some tracks on its internal storage.

But if you're looking for something a little more powerful and advanced than just what comes with your modern smartphone. Then this article is a must-read for you.

I'm here with another curated selection of the popular Android apps to provide you with something that focuses entirely on music playback and streaming. Here are some of our top selections for the popular Android music player apps 2022. This is going to be an excellent one, with anything from simple music player apps or music streaming services that allow you to play your locally downloaded music and even apps that do both.

"I noticed many users comment, ‘I don't enjoy streaming my music over the internet, and I don't want any fancy features that will slow down my phone, take up valuable space or resources, or consume my valuable internet data extremely quickly." "All I need is something to play my Music files.’ that is why I also add offline or local music player apps as well in the list


#1 Spotify

Spotify is continuously at the top of our popular music player app list, and for a valid reason: it is one of the best music streaming apps available right now.

I have so many good reviews about Spotify that it's difficult to keep them all straight. It's my favorite streaming service for a reason.

You can use the app to play locally stored music as well as stream music from the web, making it the only app most users would need on their phones.

Spotify is available in both free and paid versions and includes a bunch of features as well as simple but effective features such as an incredibly large library, amazing suggestions based on what you listen to and what's popular in your area, and support for podcasts, which very few music streaming apps include.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spotify.music

#2 Muzio | Music Player - MP3 Player

If Spotify isn't your thing, one of the most well-known alternatives to other branded apps like Apple Music and YouTube Music is "Music Player - MP3 Player" which might be a better fit.

Music Player - MP3 Player has undoubtedly more beautiful and modern UI and way more unique, powerful and advanced features than Spotify, YouTube Music, or any other music app.

This app exceptionally enhances your music listening experience by multiple times. It allows users to listen to PODCASTS and AUDIOBOOKS as well.

Advance Equalizer and Sound Booster, Reverb Effect, CrossFade Support, and Music Virtualization, Themes, Screens, and Skins customization, Smart Music Cutter and Ringtone Maker, Intelligent Drive Mode, Smart Sleep Timer, Advanced Audio & Video Codec Supports (Play any audio or video file on the go), Smart Live Lyrics and Lyrics Auto Synchronization, LAST.FM Scrobber, Integrated YouTube Player, InBuilt Powerful Video Player (perfect MX player alternative), High-Resolution music playback and sound output,Missing Album Arts Download and many more useful features and tools are available for free in this app.

The only drawdown of this app is that it can only play music or video files that you already stored or downloaded on your android smartphone's local/internal storage. but still one of the most perfect music player alternatives for your default player or any other music player or media player apps. It offers both free and paid versions.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shaiban.audioplayer.mplayer

#3 Deezer

Another option is Deezer, which has a feature set extremely identical to Spotify, down to the number of features available in the Premium version, and it also has an ad-supported free version.

Both are relatively decent, with features such as downloads, suggestions, and a great collection of music and podcasts to choose from.

If you're looking for one of the best music player apps available, this could be a contender to Spotify and Muzio.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=deezer.android.app

#4 Tidal Music

Tidal Music has an advantage that only a few other streaming services have: it offers lossless audio. It will face competition from none other than Spotify, which just announced the launch of Spotify HiFi.

Tidal Music pioneered the concept of streaming lossless music, and getting CD-quality music without owning CDs or downloading FLAC files is quite awesome.

Once we get passed the lossless element of things, Tidal Music remains a tempting package with access to a supposedly 70 million music collection.

We believe it is one of the biggest music player apps on the market due to the lossless quality, which is ideal for audiophiles.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aspiro.tidal

#5 YouTube Music

YouTube, the digital video network, is regarded as "the king of free apps" since it provides access to a massive library of media, including music.

However, YouTube Music, while employing the same platform like YouTube, is entirely different.

The biggest part of the YouTube name is that all of your favourite music from the past is carried over, so you can easily indulge in nostalgia.

The premium tier nullifies advertisements and grants access to features such as background playback.

The free version, however, leaves a few items to be desired, so if you aren't ready to pay, you should choose a different alternative from this list.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.youtube.music

#6 Musixmatch

Musixmatch has long been a well-known app, not just because it functions as a standalone music player for playing back locally downloaded tracks, but also because it provides additional functionality to other apps.

It focuses on live lyrics and does an excellent job of it. It allows you to play locally downloaded music and displays the lyrics to whatever you're listening prominently.

Don't you have any locally downloaded or stored music? Then, using something called FloatingLyrics, you can use it to display live lyrics on apps like Spotify. It's one of the most versatile and excellent music player apps on the market.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.musixmatch.android.lyrify

#7 Apple Music

We're still amazed Apple made Apple Music available on Android after all these years. It's unquestionably among the best music player apps for Android.

To gain access to this service, you must pay a monthly membership of $10 for an individual package, $5 for students, or $15 for a family plan, which allows you to share your subscription and Apple's massive music collection with up to six people.

It even has Apple's new lossless audio function, so with the correct hardware, you can enjoy high-quality audio with Apple Music on your Android phone.

Many people blindly promote Spotify to everyone else, but I tried Apple Music for a few months and found it to be a really attractive bundle as well.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apple.android.music

#8 iHeartRadio

iHeartRadio is not your typical streaming app; instead, it focuses on streaming something a little different - radio stations!

In this regard, it is more akin to listening to AM or FM radio than to streaming music. So, if you prefer doing things the old-fashioned way, this is it.

It is, as the name implies, a radio streaming app where users may listen to a variety of stations based on their unique preferences. It features radio shows, podcasts, news, and sporting events. AM and FM radio stations are also included.

The best part is that it is completely free!

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.clearchannel.iheartradio.controller

#9 Shuttle Music Player

I have another alternative option for users who do not wish to listen to music online.

Shuttle Music Player is a good alternative to your default music player if you have locally downloaded music.

It doesn't get much easier (or, thankfully, any more complicated) than that. It has folder browsing, tag editing (for altering MP3 tags), and, most notably, Modern Design.

It keeps things simple and precise, which is why it's on this list of the popular music player apps for Android.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=another.music.player

#10 PowerAMP

Last but not least PowerAMP. We couldn't do a music app roundup without mentioning Poweramp.

Poweramp is, well, an ugly duck when compared to the other apps on this list. But appearance isn't the point. The whole purpose of this app is to perform above its design.

It supports a variety of codecs, high-resolution audio when the device supports it, and inbuilt 64-bit processing, and that's only a sampling of the things Poweramp offers. It truly is that good.

If you can look past the app's basic UI and pay a one-time fee for the full version.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.maxmpz.audioplayer

Conclusion

If you're into streaming, you can't go wrong with any of the big names.

Spotify and Apple Music provide a relatively similar list of features as well as costs.

Deezer and Tidal are also decent alternatives in this category, while iHeartRadio keeps things old school by letting you listen to actual radio stations.

Don't want to listen to your music online?

Then Muzio | Music Player - MP3 Player is a better choice compared to Musixmatch and Shuttle Music Player but they both are also excellent choices.

Check them all out and let me and others know which one is your favourite in the reply and comment section below.

Mobile data being used while on wifi?

Thank you. This was the problem.

Check your developers options settings to see if mobile data is set to remain on at all times.

As far as I know, there is no way to use both at the same time- only one or the other.

Whatever setting you were thinking of is most likely only going to use whichever one has the faster connection.

The setting I am referring to should do the same, but it exists to allow faster transition between networks when moving around.

View attachment 162992

Strange missing person SMS (NOT Emergency Alert)

That wasn't the actual address just my example of how it was formatted. I didn't save the screenshot of it.

There's a similar type of SMS alert but it seems specific to Australia, but the formatting was quite similar to mine. I don't think the USA does SMS-amber alerts like this unless something changed recently:

sw821w9283931.png


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Unless the U.S. has started doing Geo-Targeted Alert System like AUS, then I'm unsure if it's a scam or the way my quite outdated phone is interpreting emergency alerts.

SD card as internal storage?

Professional photographers that use these things in their line of work are the ones to ask about SD cards.
They lose big money if a card crashes with a customer's content on it.
(Think about wedding photographers and such.)
But no professional photographer is using microSD cards, which is what phones use (and which we often refer to here as SD cards for short). Although they are electrically compatible, they aren't actually identical, and I doubt that their failure rates are the same (I remember reading that microSD is worse, which matches my anecdotal impression, but I don't have hard data on it).

Of course many pros aren't using SD at all these days. Most pro-grade cameras these days use CFexpress cards, and they are increasingly common even in enthusiast-level cameras (my own camera has one of each). Even CFe cards aren't invulnerable, but they are both faster and more robust than SD. But they are also bigger and more expensive, so SD will be around for a while yet (while microSD's only real competition is storage soldered to the motherboard...).

Help, no phones work correctly for 7 plus years now

I think it's because of the updates...
What, the OP got hacked because of updates? That doesn't seem likely.

(BTW I get updates monthly on my Samsung, with annual major updates. The same was true on the Pixel before it. Never had a problem with updates on either, apart from one month when Google released an unstable update for the Pixel, but that was fixed after a few weeks. Even my ancient Note 10.1 tablet was improved by the few updates it got. There's a lot of mythology about "updates make phones worse", but that's never been my experience).

Whay can I not block certain texts?

Never reply to any of those spam messages, all that does is notify the jerk who sent it to your that your phone number is a valid, in use number. Most of those idiots just use scripts to send out their junk messages in bulk, dozens or thousands at a time, and if they get even a 1 or 2% reply that's all they need.

But if you don't do any text messaging to begin with, there's no need to even have that Messages app enabled. All it's doing is wasting your phone's system resources and needlessly increasing your online exposure. Personally I can't get by a day without text messaging but if you are more disciplined and can simply do without it, go into the Settings >> Apps menu, find and open the Messages app entry, tap on Force stop, then find and then tap on the Clear data button (that wipes the app's config and settings files, and the app's cache). Now tap on the Disable button. That will stop the app from running, actively and in the background. If the Disable button is greyed out and not accessible, you might need to go the Default apps menu and un-select the Messages app, now try to Disable it again.

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