Noobie help?? Basics...

[GENTANI]

First time droid user, so be patient. I came from a BB bold.

Is there an easy way to get the battery door off? I feel like i'm going to break it?

Is there any other buttom to send messages other than the send touchscreen button, any of the keyboard keys like OK to send texts?

Any app or button to go through silent mode, vibrate, loud, etc?

There is Google location service, standalone GPS services and VZW location services, and sharing picture location? What's the difference between all of these, which ones should I activate for basic google maps?

Also I've had two dropped calls. Not because of service because its usually very clear but like the phone goes to sleep while Im talking and shuts off and I have to wake it up from sleep mode or pocket mode (which is off)?

Thanks

 

[Fr33dom]

First time droid user, so be patient. I came from a BB bold.

Is there an easy way to get the battery door off? I feel like i'm going to break it?

Is there any other buttom to send messages other than the send touchscreen button, any of the keyboard keys like OK to send texts?

Any app or button to go through silent mode, vibrate, loud, etc?

There is Google location service, standalone GPS services and VZW location services, and sharing picture location? What's the difference between all of these, which ones should I activate for basic google maps?

Also I've had two dropped calls. Not because of service because its usually very clear but like the phone goes to sleep while Im talking and shuts off and I have to wake it up from sleep mode or pocket mode (which is off)?

Thanks

There is a small notch at the top of the door. just use your finger nail to pull outward.

I'm not familiar with any but there must be some apps in the market that assign keys to actions.

Google location service uses the location of WIFI hotspots they've found to set your location. I'm not sure of accuracy, but if you're not around lots of WIFI most of the time then I'd choose another. It also requires WIFI to be on all the time which can use lots of battery especially if WIFI is spotty.

Standalone GPS services uses the GPS in your phone and would be the most accurate assuming you get a GPS signal. GPS must of course be on, which drains the battery.

VZW location uses cell tower location to find you. Probably the least accurate and least battery draining provided you have a good cell signal.

The screen normally blanks during the call and the phone stays connected. If yours is falling asleep, take it back to the store.

 

[GENTANI]

Thanks Fr33dom. I checked my brothers phone before I got verizon. He had 2-3 bars at my place, but I get barely 1 bar at my house. Does verizon offer free cell phone boosters....

 

[brad92]

Thanks Fr33dom. I checked my brothers phone before I got verizon. He had 2-3 bars at my place, but I get barely 1 bar at my house. Does verizon offer free cell phone boosters....

No, you have to buy one...

SSX v2.0

 

[Fr33dom]

Thanks Fr33dom. I checked my brothers phone before I got verizon. He had 2-3 bars at my place, but I get barely 1 bar at my house. Does verizon offer free cell phone boosters....

One thing I should clarify on the location services.

You can turn all of these on at the same time. They are only active if the service is active. In other words if you load the Power Control widget, you can turn off GPS and WIFI and it will not use them. I believe it defaults to GPS if it is on and connected.

 

[Fr33dom]

Thanks Fr33dom. I checked my brothers phone before I got verizon. He had 2-3 bars at my place, but I get barely 1 bar at my house. Does verizon offer free cell phone boosters....

No, you have to buy one...

SSX v2.0

Unless he has the same phone, don't trust the bars as an indication of signal strength. In android you can go to Settings, About Phone, Status and look at signal strength. Mine currantly is floating between -83 and -77dbm. You'll have to rely on others to get a full understanding of these numbers though.

 

[Fr33dom]

Thanks Fr33dom. I checked my brothers phone before I got verizon. He had 2-3 bars at my place, but I get barely 1 bar at my house. Does verizon offer free cell phone boosters....

No, you have to buy one...

SSX v2.0

Unless he has the same phone, don't trust the bars as an indication of signal strength. In android you can go to Settings, About Phone, Status and look at signal strength. Mine currently is floating between -83 and -77dbm. You'll have to rely on others to get a full understanding of these numbers though.

 

[GENTANI]

Yea mine is -92...I'll look into it.

How do you guys switch between silent, vibrate only, and noise modes? easy way to do it?

 

[Fr33dom]

The easiest way is on the slide lock screen. The switch to the right of the lock will flip back and forth. I tend to leave mine on silence all day.

 

[The_Rick_14]

The volume system used to work to go from noise to vibrate to silent, but that got changed. I wish they would bring it back because there are times when I want silent and times that I want vibrate and hate having to either go into the settings options for sound to change it or take up homescreen space with a widget to toggle it.

 

[GENTANI]

I agree I used to always use that on my BB. I keep it on vibrate 90% of the time not silent.

 

[btonetbone]

Yea mine is -92...I'll look into it.

How do you guys switch between silent, vibrate only, and noise modes? easy way to do it?

I use an app called Setting Profiles. There is a free version, and a more full paid version. It takes a few minutes to customize, but there is a ton of power in there: a homescreen widget, location/time based profiles, etc. I love it.

 

[Alcapwn89]

I wish they didn't take out the ability to send texts but hitting the enter (or "return") button on the physical keyboard. I threw me off when i changed from my OG Droid to the Droid 3


They should at least have it as an option that you can turn on/off, but i didnt see it in the messages setting menu.

 

[640k]

for the messaging app, you can hit right-arrow, ok to send your messages without "leaving" the keyboard. this has been a huge thorn in my side since being introduced to Blur.

or your can install the AOSP (Android Stock) messaging.apk. i have this, but the avatars don't work for my contacts (not sure why).

 

[bOOm_cORNEr_sHOt]

I use the app Quick Settings. it will show up as a notification item or you can hold down the search key to quickly switch items. Check it out.

Also Timeriffic is a good customization app.