Help NEWBIE! Happy to be here!

[glenn71x]

Hi all!
LONNNG Time blackberry user and pretty tech savy too. No idea why I waited so long to go Android. Really with all the customizations and things it is exactly the type of technology I love. I am sure I will be rooting the phone soon since it seems so easy to do.

In the meantime I have a ton of questions building up. It really is like a whole new world. Question I am a gmail user for a long time. I registered with it when I first started up my phone. Now I have an email app icon on my home screen but also a gmail app in my applications. What is the difference? Which should I use? Can the default email icon on the home screen be directed to the gmail app?

I synced my contacts and calendar with my gmail account. I now seem to have doubles of events in my calendar. One is represented by a blue square and the second instance is a red square. What are the colors? easy way to remove duplicates?

Also should I use default browser or Dolphin HD or something better? Best way to import all my bookmarks from my PC to the Galaxy?

I am sure I have a lot more questions on the way...

Thanks all!

 

[Ni Dieu Ni Maitre]

First off, welcome to Android

I just rooted my Galaxy S2 maybe fifteen minutes ago. Took less than five minutes. Here's how I did it on Linux: [Kernel]How to Root AT&T Galaxy S2![CWM][Win/Mac/Linux] *VIDEO WALKTHRU* - xda-developers

Now I have an email app icon on my home screen but also a gmail app in my applications. What is the difference? Which should I use? Can the default email icon on the home screen be directed to the gmail app?

The email app is for other email accounts that you would like to use on your phone. For example, I set it up for my University email account. The Gmail app is strictly for Gmail. If you only use Gmail, you could always remove the Email app icon from the home screen and put the Gmail icon in its place. Tap and hold the Email icon and drag it to the trash. Then open your app drawer and tap and hold the Gmail icon to put it on your home screen.

Also should I use default browser or Dolphin HD or something better? Best way to import all my bookmarks from my PC to the Galaxy?
Try some different browsers and find out which you like most, would be my advice. I just use stock, since it's pretty good. Dolphin is a good browser too though. I don't sync my browsers, but I know you can do it with Firefox. Not sure about importing things with other browsers.

I'm not sure about the duplicate calendar entries. Maybe someone else has some insight.

 

[glenn71x]

Couple of things...
When you swipe on a contacts name to send a text...what number does it default to. First time I tried it, it texted to his home phone, not his cell. Is there a setting for this?

My phone seems to have just shut itself off a couple of times already...strange I had to hold the power button to get it back on and it had to restart. Has anyone seen this or is it defective?

Lastly my wifi connection does not seem as strong as it should be. I am in my home and the signal says fair. Also my ATT signal does not seem as good as I had on my blackberry. Should it say Edge or 3g by the signal strength? That used to show up on my BB.

Thanks

 

[lunatic59]

I synced my contacts and calendar with my gmail account. I now seem to have doubles of events in my calendar. One is represented by a blue square and the second instance is a red square. What are the colors? easy way to remove duplicates?

It looks like you actually imported your calendar twice. The colored squares represent which calendar the event is associated with. If you log onto your Google calendar on a PC, you can see what the color assignments mean and just un-sync one of the calendars. The duplicates will disappear from your phone.

When you swipe on a contacts name to send a text...what number does it default to. First time I tried it, it texted to his home phone, not his cell. Is there a setting for this?

I think it uses the default number. Open the contact and long press the number you want as default and set it.

 

[SGS2]

hi!

as far as calender duplicates, we get 2 for some reason. one is tied to your gmail account, and the other is "my calender".

myself, i use the calender for sunrise/sunset times, and reminders for birthdays/anniversaries, moon and holidays. you can customize the colors in google calender on your pc.

the gmail account has the automatic reminders for birthdays/anniversaries which you can set in google calender.

the "my calender" in light blue, is really of no value, and can be disabled in calender settings in the app.

for me, i don't really use email on my phone, and since we HAVE to have a gmail account, i just have gmail, and do NOT use the stock email account (not gmail). however, the stock email account has a lot more settings than gmail, but it is too much to use 2 email accounts because you have to remove emails from both. it may depend if you want people to use your non gmail email address, or if you use and like using gmail.

hope this helps.. just play around with the settings and you will find your favorite setting and apps just by experimenting.

 

[totah50]

newbie here - what is the definition of "rooting" other than rooting for your home team When I first starting using the phone the battery would last over 1 1/2 days ... now after loading a few apps and having it alarm everytime I get an email it only will last for 18 hrs or so. How do I turn off these apps ao keep from draining the battery?