first android phone (Samsung), first impressions

[manarak]

I had a very crappy phone that I replaced with a Samsung Galaxy Grand

So far I am very pleased and even impressed with functionality and speed of the device.

One thing I am shocked with is how unpractical all the widgets are and how much space gets wasted with too large margins and too big fonts. Yes, I selected "tiny" fonts already, but the phone still displays characters in a size appropriate for people with vision impairment.

I will spend the next days looking for better widgets - I need smaller fonts that display more information on a news item instead of "US Senator says..." and a better dashboard.

Another gripe I have with all phones is that the ringtones are not loud enough.

Other than that, it's fine so far!

Edited June 24, 2013 by manarak

[monty]

It's a result of the relative low resolution for such a big screen.

My old galaxy has the same resolution (480x800) on a 4" screen whereas your screen is 5".

So where my icons etc look just fine, on your phone they look a bit oversized.

It's actually quoted as an advantage by a lot of people with less then perfect eyesight!

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Pib]

Nothing wrong with the ringtone volume; you are just going deaf.

[poanoi]

You will soon find out that the battery last 1-2 days,

and regret you ever bothered with a dumbphone

[manarak]

Typing this on the phone.

I can open the forum in full width inside the browser and still read the text.

I'm not complaining about the size of the icons, but about the text size that is too big in the widgets. And what's the need to include pix in the yahoo headlines? I'd rather have more text instead.

And upcoming events from the calendar... why can't the widget list the next 5 or 10 events?

It's all a bit useless.

And then the need to have a google spy account to use anything...

I love the phone, but its capabilities are poorly used

[monty]

Personalize the phone!

It's the whole idea of Android. Samsungs have a fair few apps and widgets included, but indeed many call them bloatware, just bloating the system without being much useful!

You should Google on "must have android apps" to to quickly find the apps which will make your phone so much more useful/enjoyable. There's even a thread somewhere in this section on this very subject.

As Android is owned by Google it kind of makes sense that you need a Google account to make it run, but there is no actual need to really use that e-mail address for communications.

You can easily let your phone sync your own email address/provider, whether it is a pop/imap account, a Yahoo or hotmail/live account.

In short, it is up to you to try and make the most of your phone, in a way that personally suits you the best,

In my opinion that is the biggest difference with an iPhone,

The iPhone will do pretty much everything out of the box, in a pretty good way. But that's how it stays, not much options in ways of REALLY making it do what you want, the way you want, unless you start jailbreaking etc.

The Android OS is a bare knuckles OS, most phone makers put some stuff on there to make it more useful and/or pretty, but most don't make that good a job out of it. BUT, do a little research, browse some Android forums, and you'll soon find suggestions for apps that make your phone pretty close to what you would consider perfect!

TIP 1: Airdroid. Free on playstore.

Extremely easy to use interface for transferring files, remote controlling your phone etc. Includes locating your phone from your PC (lost/stolen), activating your camera remotely, or if lost/stolen and irrecoverable, you can wipe of all your data remotely!

Gazillion times better and faster/smoother then Kies from Samsung.

[lomatopo]

You could try a different launcher, like Nova. which even in the free format allows a ton of customization. Then there are a ton of icon packs available: Tiny White, MetroStation.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=2294

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUwpoDmvUe8

[manarak]

I will need some time to find what's best for me I guess.

Another big annoyance though are the samsung and google apps stores. They were good (english) as long as I had not inserted a sim card but as soonas I inserted my thai sim, google app store shows me mainly apps for thailand and samsung app store displays partly in thai. Any ideas on how to get the english localisations defaults back?

[lomatopo]

The Play Store "display" may be tied to your gmail account preferences, or maybe some other localization preference.

I assume you have a gmail account? And that you are logged in? And that your gmail account is associate with the Play Store settings?

I don't have this issue, so maybe you'll have to grind through the various location settings, and account settings.

Settings, Location access/Accounts

I have no familiarity with the Samsung store.

Edited June 25, 2013 by lomatopo

[lomatopo]

Assuming you are comfortable rooting the phone you can pretty much do anything you want.

There are probably apps. hacks mods that will allow you to blow out your speaker, if you want a louder ring-tone.

Maybe try Dolphin broswer, and use the ThaiVisa app. There should be many Calendar apps in the Play Store if you don't like the native Samsung app?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgxzbvuHwi0

[Shurup]

Grand is a good phone, its specs are similar to Galaxy S2 which I have and happy with, I would only want to upgrade from S2 because I want a larger screen, dual SIM option wouldn't hurt either.

[raro]

As for rooting, I had my own painful experience and it took hours at MBK to bring it back to live.

When you buy a washing machine you don't fiddle with the software, so no point doing this with your phone either unless you are a really really advanced user.

As for the Thai content in the app store, there must be something in the localisation settings you need to change.

Browsing the app store brought me most of my apps, along with friends' recommendations.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[manarak]

went to the Samsung store to change the settings for the samsung apps store - well, it can't be done. put a Thai SIM inside, and all the Thai stuff gets diplayed. in thai.

For the google apps store, the story is slightly different, google will display everything mostly in english, but for many apps will pretend "that app is not compatible with your I9802L", and then in the details say "that app cannot be installed in the country you are in".

so there is again this country-specific bullshit as it was on DVDs, console games, etc. very very annoying.

thank buddha only a minority of apps are concerned.

and all the apps have access to my location, phone number, etc.

it is high time that a phone manufacturer brings some change in the market by manufacturing phones that do not give out those infos and are even able to spoof them if needed.

Edited June 26, 2013 by manarak

[lomatopo]

but for many apps will pretend "that app is not compatible with your I9802L", and then in the details say "that app cannot be installed in the country you are in".

Can you give an example?

Note that some apps do have specific SW and HW requirements.

Which Android version is your device currently running?

It is relatively easy to locate apk files and sideload them if you are running into issues on the Play Store.

Edited June 26, 2013 by lomatopo

[manarak]

but for many apps will pretend "that app is not compatible with your I9802L", and then in the details say "that app cannot be installed in the country you are in".

Can you give an example?

It is relatively easy to locate apk files and sideload them if you are running into issues on the Play Store.

for example yahoo finance will not download.

there are a few others too, mostly news related

[lomatopo]

I'm guessing Yahoo does not want to support users outside the U.S. for now? Obviously this is a Yahoo "issue" rather than a Samsung or Google or Android issue.

Quote: Users outside the U.S. will still have to wait a bit to get access to the Yahoo Finance Android App.

http://newrulesofinvesting.com/tag/yahoo-finance

Edited June 26, 2013 by lomatopo

[Shurup]

but for many apps will pretend "that app is not compatible with your I9802L", and then in the details say "that app cannot be installed in the country you are in".

Can you give an example?

It is relatively easy to locate apk files and sideload them if you are running into issues on the Play Store.

for example yahoo finance will not download.

there are a few others too, mostly news related

I've encountered few over the years... Backcountry Nav is one of them.

OP, you can go around it by inserting your western SIM and installing the app you want through WiFi, or there is an option somewhere in the phone to fool APPS into faking your location, not sure how it works exactly (Mock Location??), the trick with SIM is easier.

[lomatopo]

I was able to sideload the Yahoo! Finance apk.

[poanoi]

Cant believe girls are enthusiastic about this crap..

[manarak]

Cant believe girls are enthusiastic about this crap..

they are...

because of the big screen and candy crush saga... and facebook

anyway... the phone itself is good, but I expected more of Android.

When I dosh out 10500 baht I don't expect to have to work so much to get basic stuff to work as expected.

[poanoi]

when i dosh out 10.000 i expect the junk to last over 2 days

without running to charger, worst phone i had in..well for as long as i can remember

[JDGRUEN]

I will need some time to find what's best for me I guess.

Another big annoyance though are the samsung and google apps stores. They were good (english) as long as I had not inserted a sim card but as soonas I inserted my thai sim, google app store shows me mainly apps for thailand and samsung app store displays partly in thai. Any ideas on how to get the english localisations defaults back?

You can log into PlayStor on a PC and download to your phone

[lomatopo]

I will need some time to find what's best for me I guess.

Another big annoyance though are the samsung and google apps stores. They were good (english) as long as I had not inserted a sim card but as soonas I inserted my thai sim, google app store shows me mainly apps for thailand and samsung app store displays partly in thai. Any ideas on how to get the english localisations defaults back?

You can log into PlayStor on a PC and download to your phone

That definitely works for Yahoo! Finance.

Maybe the OP could let us know if that works for the other apps that they've found challenging to install?

[bobbin]

I will need some time to find what's best for me I guess.

Another big annoyance though are the samsung and google apps stores. They were good (english) as long as I had not inserted a sim card but as soonas I inserted my thai sim, google app store shows me mainly apps for thailand and samsung app store displays partly in thai. Any ideas on how to get the english localisations defaults back?

You can log into PlayStor on a PC and download to your phone

That definitely works for Yahoo! Finance.

Maybe the OP could let us know if that works for the other apps that they've found challenging to install?

I recently read that AdBlock Plus was available for Android and decided to try it out. Not found in PlayStore, so went to ABP website where I should have been able to d/l it but it didn't want to do that.

Went back to YouTube and got the tip to install 4Shared, where I found it and installed. I am a bit puzzled by the fact that after only a few days it has accumulated a 60mb cache. Is it saving all the blocked content? I have cache cleaner but I only use it when responding to their prompts to free up space.

[itchybum]

Whats the galaxy 8 like ?

[lomatopo]

I recently read that AdBlock Plus was available for Android and decided to try it out. Not found in PlayStore, so went to ABP website where I should have been able to d/l it but it didn't want to do that.

I am pretty certain any/all ad blocking software has been removed from the Play Store, for what should be obvious reasons. Additionally, most of the decent ad blocking apps. require a rooted device - this may be the number one reason to root your phone. I use Ad Away, and it is brilliant.

Chances are you'll have to root your phone, and side-load any ad blocking apps.

[bobbin]

I recently read that AdBlock Plus was available for Android and decided to try it out. Not found in PlayStore, so went to ABP website where I should have been able to d/l it but it didn't want to do that.

I am pretty certain any/all ad blocking software has been removed from the Play Store, for what should be obvious reasons. Additionally, most of the decent ad blocking apps. require a rooted device - this may be the number one reason to root your phone. I use Ad Away, and it is brilliant.

Chances are you'll have to root your phone, and side-load any ad blocking apps.

My phone is an I-mobile IQ 5.1 and not rooted. Still wondering why it has over 60mb in the cache in just 3 or 4 days....

[lomatopo]

My phone is an I-mobile IQ 5.1 and not rooted. Still wondering why it has over 60mb in the cache in just 3 or 4 days....

Not sure, you'll have to read up on Ad Block Plus...On an un-rooted phone it can only block ads if on a WiFi connection - so it will not block ads if on a mobile data connection, which is probable when you really need it? And it seems like a pretty buggy bit of software...and it won't work with 4.2.2.

[manarak]

the phone is great really!

the poster complaining about its battery life was right though - I nearly depleted the battery after one day of moderate usage :-(

I wonder if there are tougher batteries out there for that phone?

[poanoi]

No there isnt, or i would have fixed it.

There is not a dumbphone around that last more than 2-3 days

Edited June 28, 2013 by poanoi