Net Access With Samsung Galaxy Mini Android Smartphone

[Jayman]

Turning packet data off? Can you give me a clue where that menu item is to toggle that?

Thanks

Assuming your Galaxy menu is similar to my Galaxy Tab menu

Settings .... wireless and network .... mobile networks .... UNTICK use packet data.

In order for you to enjoy always connected data you need to turn the packet data on. This will keep your phone synced for email and allow you to use the internet whenever you want. 2GB is a ton of bandwidth for a phone unless you are downloading LARGE video files on a regular basis. Just normal mail, browsing, and posting on TV doesn't take up that much. The reason you were seeing your balance drain so fast before is cause you were charge via time (per minute) and there are a lot of mins in the day. Now you are being charged per data use so you can keep the packet data on and use it 24/7 and only get charged when packets are flying. Your 2GB is plenty imho.

[Jayman]

Thanks for that. Very helpful. I did manage to login with my uid and pwd but for some reason I could never get past the login page on the wireless point I connected to. Maybe user error, but I have no problem using pages with the metered connection.

I guess I should mention for those reading this horror show learning curve, that given the overhead, etc., I reckon now I should have gone for a higher end phone (larger screen).

I have a huge screen on my sg2 and just love it. Some might think it's too big but not me. The hardest thing was the heavy price tag but since I knew I'd be using it so much and for many years then I decided for me it was worth it. The camera is 8MP. Can do skype video chats. The video recording and pictures as all HD and better than my separate HD video camera and camera. I can connect it to a HDMI Tv to vie stuff in HD. Plenty of on board memory and can also add a 32GB card on top. I absolutely love this phone. It is by far my favorite piece of tech I have ever owned and I would consider myself a techie.

[Jingthing]

Well, maybe next time!

I reckon there are apps I can download to zoom in on my current baby screen. However, I accidentally get the default phone zoom sometimes but don't know how to replicate it. So how do I do that? (I fear I may have run out of my stupid question quota for the year though ...)

[Jayman]

The zoom can be handled a few ways. It kinda depends on the app you are using. For browsing I prefer dolphin . I use the larger HD version but perhaps for you the mini is better https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dolphin.browser

Sometimes you can zoom by double tapping the screen. I think a more generic way to zoom is buy touching the screen with 2 fingers and then moving them farther apart to zoom in and closer together to zoom out.

Here is the dolphin HD https://market.andro...ek.TunnyBrowser

It has voice control and many more features but not sure if it will work on your phone. If so, I would chose it over the mini. I'm not 100% sure what the mini is missing.

Another zooming method on andorid is tilting. you tap and hold two points on screen then tild device back and forth to reduce or enlarge screen. If you phone can do this you can enable it in settings/motion/tilt

Edited March 3, 2012 by Jayman

[Jingthing]

The finger spreading words for web pages.

Anyway, I am not even considering throwing the phone in the ocean any more!

I still think it's funny I've got the phone designed for very young children.

[MJo]

It can be confusing in the beginning

I take now you have 2GB monthly plan and that is plenty. You can keep your mobile data on in the phone 24/7 without worry.

For the unlimited WiFi, it means you have unlimited access to AIS WiFi hot spots. These are usually located in shopping malls etc. and the locations can be found in their web pages. To use these AIS hot spots does not cost anything and does not eat up your 2GB mobile (3G/Edge) data plan so no worries there. Naturally this does not get you access to any hot spot or to your neighbors wifi connection.

For gmail data it is safe to use your existing account. It does not load all those emails in your phone you store in gmail. You can define from settings if you want to see emails from past week, past three days and so on. You can also limit the size of "headers" to be loaded to 5kb per mail etc. So again to use your existing gmail account is recommended. Nothing to worry about with the data amount your phone uses.

The thing with Android phones is that in default settings they connect to the internet all the time. Again from settings you can define if your email is checked every 5 minutes or every hour or only manual. Same goes to any service like facebook and so on that use net access.

What i recommend is to call any friend that has been using Android phone for a while and buy him a beer or two and let him show you the basics on settings. It is not that difficult even if you have no experience in the digital world.

[MJo]

The finger spreading words for web pages.

Anyway, I am not even considering throwing the phone in the ocean any more!

I still think it's funny I've got the phone designed for very young children.

Double tap to the screen (like double click in mouse) will zoom in and zoom out again in most apps.

[Jingthing]

OK, back to the web browsing with wireless connection thing. I tried connecting again to an open network (successfully). Defaults to the AIS login page (uid and pwd in there). Hit the connect button. Then I go to a new page, keying it in or selecting from history. Even sometimes saying OPEN from a menu. The status thingie says its loading. Then all I ever see is the original login page! Look at page views, the pages I entered are not there.

[Jayman]

OK, back to the web browsing with wireless connection thing. I tried connecting again to an open network (successfully). Defaults to the AIS login page (uid and pwd in there). Hit the connect button. Then I go to a new page, keying it in or selecting from history. Even sometimes saying OPEN from a menu. The status thingie says its loading. Then all I ever see is the original login page! Look at page views, the pages I entered are not there.

The unlimited wifi is only on 3BB hotspots. The page that comes up for login is not a AIS page but a 3BB page. Not sure what AIS page you are seeing. In any case, to me the free wifi is worthless as the service is much slower than the 3G if you get it. I really only use wifi from my home cause my home internet is fast.

[Jingthing]

It's the AIS login page to use the 30 day uid and pwd they sent me for wireless access. But I get your point about speed.

Edited March 3, 2012 by Jingthing

[Jayman]

oh and just cause a wifi network is OPEN doesn't mean it's free. many (like starbucks) will have you connect via the open network and then you need to pay for usage. To take advantage of the unlimited wifi with your data plan you need to make sure you are connecting to a 3BB wifi network. It must say 3BB in the APN you are connecting to. Not just any OPEN wifi network will do. And there might be other free OPEN wifi around pattaya/jomtien but I find that the 3G service is must faster and more reliable.

[Jayman]

It's the AIS login page to use the 30 day uid and pwd they sent me for wireless access. But I get your point about speed.

I don't remember it saying AIS on the login page. It's not AIS network it's 3BB. Also, the login (your phone number) and 4 dig password they send is not just for 1 month but will keep working as long as your plan keeps auto renewing.

I will pay attention next time I'm out to see what the login page looks like but I'm nearly 100% it doesn't say AIS.

When you connect to the wifi network what is the network name (SSID)? settings/wireless network/wi-fi settings

[Jayman]

Here is what the screen looks like after I am logged into the free unlimited wifi from 3BB

Edited March 3, 2012 by Jayman

[Pakboong]

What part of "1 baht/min" do you have trouble understanding? Are you able to read/comprehend English? You'd probably be better off with a simple telephone. AIS/One-2-Call must just love customers like you.

Call 1175, they should be able to help you.

Yeah, I was expecting the insults. Please be clear, I signed up for the volume data usage plans that they suggested! They weren't about time per minute. They were about data. Of course they love customers like me but of course not for so long. Again, I really want help, not insults.

JT I hope you don't mind me piggybacking on your tread. I am in the same boat and looking for some kind of solution that will not cost a fortune. I don't do much with phones other than make calls so I know much less than you. I would like to get a tablet with 3G but don't have any idea what can be done with 3G much less what it costs. I am following this thread hoping for some good info. If the insults have to be thrown about, I will be first to get them. I know nothing on this one.

[MJo]

What part of "1 baht/min" do you have trouble understanding? Are you able to read/comprehend English? You'd probably be better off with a simple telephone. AIS/One-2-Call must just love customers like you.

Call 1175, they should be able to help you.

Yeah, I was expecting the insults. Please be clear, I signed up for the volume data usage plans that they suggested! They weren't about time per minute. They were about data. Of course they love customers like me but of course not for so long. Again, I really want help, not insults.

JT I hope you don't mind me piggybacking on your tread. I am in the same boat and looking for some kind of solution that will not cost a fortune. I don't do much with phones other than make calls so I know much less than you. I would like to get a tablet with 3G but don't have any idea what can be done with 3G much less what it costs. I am following this thread hoping for some good info. If the insults have to be thrown about, I will be first to get them. I know nothing on this one.

First you need to select your provider based on frequencies you tablet supports. 900MHz for AIS and 850MHz for DTAC and TRUE. If you tablet does not do phone calls (ipad) then TOT 2100MHz could do.

Once you figure it out you need to get a sim card and subscribe a 3G data plan. Unless you are heavy user streaming lot of youtube videos i'd start with the 1GB volume based plan and adjust if you use more or less say in two to three months.

I'm a quite heavy user on email, web browsing and so on and 1GB is plenty. I'm in AIS postpaid 1GB plan and can always buy one off 150MB or 250MB etc if i run out.

But as said which tablet you are buying? Tell us that and we can tell which operator network supports it.

[ludditeman]

JT I hope you don't mind me piggybacking on your tread. I am in the same boat and looking for some kind of solution that will not cost a fortune. I don't do much with phones other than make calls so I know much less than you. I would like to get a tablet with 3G but don't have any idea what can be done with 3G much less what it costs. I am following this thread hoping for some good info. If the insults have to be thrown about, I will be first to get them. I know nothing on this one.

I have the Galaxy Tab, a really nice 7" tablet/phone that does everything I could imagine.

I am doing most of my on-line stuff over wi-fi, home, coffee shops, etc.

Almost all the coffee shops and many of the bars in CM have free wi-fi.

In a month I have only used 6MB of 3G data, as I turn off the packet data unless I really need it.

I can even use skype to make free calls from many places.

My AIS 1-2-call SIM cost 210bht with a 150MB of data that will last for 2 months.

Don't know what to do after that, as extending 'validity' is a bit expensive with AIS.

DTAC do a much cheaper SIM (if your Tab can use DTAC) 69bht + data costs+ 2bht a month for 'validity'

Edited March 4, 2012 by ludditeman

[Jayman]

might not be the place for this but here goes.. https://market.android.com/details?id=com.zdworks.android.toolbox Zdbox is a very handy tool that helps to track data usage as well as many other things. It's free and extremely helpful. You can even use it to kill tasks you don't want running or setting up do not disturb times.

have a look.