Help Question Thread for Smartphone and Droid Incredible Newbies

[cashX3r0]

Leave Wifi, Bluetooth, and GPS off all the time except when you want to use them.

I leave GPS on all the time. the GPS radio only gets used when an app (maps, c:geo, trapster, etc.) calls it up. then it shows another GPS that has green waves emitting from it. that is when you are actually using GPS and draining battery. when you dont have GPS on through the widget, then your map apps dont use GPS to find you, but rather use the cell towers to triangulate your position, which is good for about 2500m [which is good if you are going to drop a nuke, not so good for driving].
regarding BT: if you leave that on, it will suck up ~25% of your battery between charges. i connect to my car for hands free calling and bt audio for pandora. leave it off if you can to save batt.
quick summary:
1.) leave GPS on forever (you should see the target icon with waves coming out of it which means you are ready to use GPS when called for; you are actually using GPS when the dish icon appears and has green waves emitting).
2.) leave BT off except when you need it.

 

[kayst]

Why can't I pinch zoom my emails?

Doesn't work in the gmail app. I have to put on my magnifying glasses to read emails.

As for leaving GPS on all the time, I don't do this because I like to browse/play in the maps a lot and since I'm just sitting around on the couch, I don't need the maps to know exactly where I am so don't need to be using the extra power for the GPS.

 

[Lars]

Ditch the gmail app and configure the HTC one. More options overall including freq.

 

[Jim Chapman]

how do you add, edit, delete, and re-name photo albums?

This puzzled me at first, as the Android photo viewer doesn't have any organizing functions. I had all my photos organized into several directories on the SD card, which came from my Palm Centro, but the Android photo viewer collapsed everything into one album called "camera shots". It turns out that any sub-directory under a directory named DCIM will be treated that way. The solution was just to make a new directory, "/sdcard/photos", and move all my photo directories into it.

The easiest way to create directories (folders) and move files around on the SD card is to connect the phone to a PC and use the "mount as disk drive" option.

 

[Jim Chapman]

how do you add, edit, delete, and re-name photo albums?

This puzzled me at first, as the Android photo viewer doesn't have any organizing functions. I had all my photos organized into several directories on the SD card, but photo viewer collapsed it all into one album called "camera shots". It turns out that any sub-directory under a directory named DCIM will be treated that way. The solution was just to make a new directory, "/sdcard/photos", and move all my photo directories into it.

 

[Familyguy1]

How is the Sense? Is there perks to it in comparison with the standard one for MotoDroid? If so, then what are the advantages of it?

What does the Sense add exactly?

 

[Lars]

The big thing is the better keyboard and the more integrated email. The other perks are nice. I've used the Droid too and like the inc. No drawback as far as I can see.

 

[alison03]

So today I got an email with a .rtf attachment in yahoo...I tried to open it but it kept failing. How do I get the phone to open that kind of doc? Do I need an app? Does it not already come in the phone? Thanks!

 

[Lars]

Maybe docs to go.

 

[gbagsy3]

Question re Bluetooth ... my phone today has decided it wants to sulk and not play any more. Bluetooth switched on, devices paired, discoverable switched on ... cannot send an mp3 file across to any phone (I've tried a couple including another HTC Desire).
I haven't done anything differently to last week bluetoothing stuff EXCEPT following some advice on here and getting ride of Advanced Task Killer, uploading a couple of text notifications and getting rid of some rather pointless apps.
Any ideas ... please don't say I have to revert back to factory settings and start all over again!!?!?
TIA

 

[alison03]

I'll keep the questions coming:

Is there any rhyme or reason as to how often/at what time Yahoo mail 'pulls' emails and alerts me? I know it isn't instant like push gmail, but is there somewhere I can see this info?

 

[aw1974]

I'll keep the questions coming:

Is there any rhyme or reason as to how often/at what time Yahoo mail 'pulls' emails and alerts me? I know it isn't instant like push gmail, but is there somewhere I can see this info?

Are you using the HTC mail widget? If so then...

mail>menu>more>settings>send&receive>set download frequency

 

[alison03]

ahhhh I swear I looked those settings up and down and never saw that haha. thank you!!

 

[alison03]

On the same topic of Yahoo mail, I also can't find the place where I can choose what my notification sound is. I've been looking under the menu while in mail...am I supposed to go somewhere else to change what sound I have? All I've found are:

email notifications
notification sound
notification vibrate

all 3 are checkmarked but i can't find the choose notification sound place.


EDIT: I think I figured it out: I have to click menu, settings, sound and display and it's the *general* notification settings that I need to change.

 

[sontaikle]

I know I have automatic syncing on, but I can't seem to figure this out.

I added a contact while on my phone. I thought that through automatic sync that this person would be added immediately to my Google contacts as well. However, that wasn't the case and I don't see the new contact on the web (she's still in my phone though). I've tried manually syncing which hasn't added the new contact either.

 

[jfunk]

I know I have automatic syncing on, but I can't seem to figure this out.

I added a contact while on my phone. I thought that through automatic sync that this person would be added immediately to my Google contacts as well. However, that wasn't the case and I don't see the new contact on the web (she's still in my phone though). I've tried manually syncing which hasn't added the new contact either.

When you create the contact on the phone, one of the first settings is what type of contact it is. It defaults to "Phone". You have to change this to "Google" if you want it to sync.

As far as I know, there is no way to set the default to Google, you just have to select it from the dropdown menu each time.

 

[sandman423]

is it possible to set up the HTC Mail with my SBC Yahoo Mail and Gmail?

I mostly use Gmail now and Yahoo Mail is paid for because of our DSL...

I want to clear out as many unnecessary files as possible. I have Gmail app, Skype App (Why do people need Skype on a Cell Phone? it seems like it is the same as calling someone).

Also I notice I turn my phone off EVERY Night to charge it fully. I notice whenver I restart my Incredible I load up ATK Pro and EVERYTHING is running so I just say kill all.

I am always looking for the easiest and fastest way of keeping my phone from running ANYTHING unless I want to run it.

Is there a way to stop ALL the crap from loading on Startup?

 

[jprow507]

I have Exchange and share calendars that I can see in Outlook on my PC. On the phone through the HTC Mail app I added my Exchange account and it also set up my Exchange calender but I do not have the ability to see my shared Exchange calendars. Is there anything special I need to do.

 

[alison03]

Ok trying to figure something out, but hard to do with nobody around to help haha. If I'm browsing the web, reading emails, etc, should I get an incoming call? I've been told it goes straight to my vm if I'm doing these things. Nobody can help me test right now, but curious as to if this is normal (doubtful) and how to fix it?

 

[sontaikle]

When you create the contact on the phone, one of the first settings is what type of contact it is. It defaults to "Phone". You have to change this to "Google" if you want it to sync.

As far as I know, there is no way to set the default to Google, you just have to select it from the dropdown menu each time.

Thanks I'll give that a shot

 

[regan80]

Can I change the group names for my contact groups?

 

[dylo22]

Ok trying to figure something out, but hard to do with nobody around to help haha. If I'm browsing the web, reading emails, etc, should I get an incoming call? I've been told it goes straight to my vm if I'm doing these things. Nobody can help me test right now, but curious as to if this is normal (doubtful) and how to fix it?

I just tested this and the call came through while I was loading a page on the browser. So it seems to be fine.

 

[jfunk]

Ok trying to figure something out, but hard to do with nobody around to help haha. If I'm browsing the web, reading emails, etc, should I get an incoming call? I've been told it goes straight to my vm if I'm doing these things. Nobody can help me test right now, but curious as to if this is normal (doubtful) and how to fix it?

Yes, your "voice" service (which includes text messaging) always takes precedence over your "data" service.

So, if you're web surfing and a phone call comes in, your web site or whatever will stop and you'll receive the phone call.

It can't switch back and forth on the fly though. So you can't put somebody on "hold" on the phone and go surf the web. Your data connection is down until you hang up the phone.

This is another reason to use Wifi when you're at home, etc. You can use Wifi for data and talk at the same time.

 

[alison03]

weird. I wonder why mine isn't connecting to the phone calls? I have two phones tonight and maybe will give it some test runs to see what's happening.

 

[kayst]

I forgot where to find the readout that indicates how much time the cell system has been in and out of range. I know I've seen it but now can't find it. Thought it would be under Settings/About Phone. Anyone know where this is?