Electronics

[pickleslarue]

Offered by both QVC and HSN (check both for the best price at any given time) this Android phone has a lot going for it. In reading other threads it seems many of us have gone the 800 to 840 to 39C route. Being a true smart/Android phone has meant a bit of a learning curve for me this time so I figure I'm not alone. I thought it would be nice to share what we've learned.

My first tip to share, and this may just be dumb for others, but moving the apps and widgets around on the pages was confusing at first. You touch it and get a small beep and vibration that lets you know you "have it" and can move it up to 'remove'. I didn't know if remove meant delete so I used one I was willing to lose, but it turns out it does just remove it from the screen and you can then go back into the other area that houses all the apps and widgets and place them back on a main screen.

Oh another thing I wondered was what is the difference between apps and widgets. Especially because there is one of each for YouTube and Settings. Apps have to be opened, widgets run all the time. The settings app lets you touch it to open the settings. The setting widget lets you make a shortcut to a specific setting. Move then both onto a main screen to see, the widget will prompt you to select a setting and then that is the icon it inserts. I chose apps because that will let you see what's running and stop any you choose to help save battery. It seems even when you close something it lingers.

These things were a bit confusing to me so I hope this helps someone. Mostly don't be afraid of it like I was. I haven't broken it playing around

Please share what you've found.

Here are helpful links, but it's always nice to be able to have back and forth with other users.

tutorials- http://tracfone.deviceanywhere.com/tracfone/home.seam?custId=TFLGL39C&locale=en_US

online manual that came with it- http://www.qvc.com/footers/el/pdf/E225843_UserGuide.pdf

online service guide- http://www.qvc.com/footers/el/pdf/E225843_ServiceGuide.pdf

Obviously I'm a newbie at this smart phone stuff but I know there are others out there. Please share what you've found.

Oh, another thing, is anyone else a bit skeptical about how much access the apps have access to your info...like phone # and files? I can see a photography app needing access to the files, but I went to install a news one but didn't when it also was going to access my files. I think this could be an interesting discussion. I think we get into trouble with this tech stuff when we don't carefully consider these things.

[Big Sister]

OP, I still have the LG800 and hold off on getting anything smarter because of the huge learning curve. Your input will be very helpful to many of us. Thank you.

[Stargazer77]

What a great thread! My first Tracfone a couple years ago was the Samsung S390G and I loved it. It sort of looked like a Blackberry. My next phone was the LG840G and I liked that one, too. It was totally different than the Samsung. Then I decided that I'd like an Android Tracfone and the LG Optimus Dynamic 2 was the one I chose, after watching a lot of YouTube videos for different phones. I bought it in May from the other channel and I really like it a lot.

I find the internet browsing to be slow compared to my iPod Touch, but when there is no Wi-fi connection around, I'll take a slow connection over no connection, that's for sure! I'm loving all the apps and widgets. I put a weather widget on my home screen and Firefox with an Ad-Blocker and a NYC subway app and the TKTS app, which is so helpful if you're wanting to see a show because it updates in real time, so you can see what shows are still available.

One thing I wish Tracfone would do is have texting only cards, like they have data only cards. I hope that's something that will come in the future. So many people communicate via text and it seems silly to keep adding all these talk minutes along with the text minutes, which is what most people really need. I'm not a huge texter, but even my talk/text balance is way off from each other.

I've noticed the permission thing when updating apps, where a certain app will need to access all your files. I don't like it, but sometimes I just have to go with it because I tend to drive myself crazy with these things and sometimes I just get tired of driving myself crazy, know what I mean? I have to stop thinking about it and pretend I don't care. Haha.

I also bought an LG 800 a couple months ago from the other channel. It was 40 dollars for a year's service and I've been wanting a spare phone for a long time now, to give the number out to people who I really don't want to have my primary phone number. I hated the phone so much that I had the minutes and remaining time transferred back to my Samsung S390G that was sitting in my drawer. I'm much happier now. I also like that I have one phone that uses Verizon and one phone that uses AT&T. After Hurricane Sandy I did not have AT&T cell service in my area, but my sister had Verizon service, so it's nice being covered, just in case.

[Ainhisg]

I appreciate this thread, too. I just activated this phone last Monday and love it. I ported from a Straight Talk LG840G to this android Tracfone as I just didn't need even the smallest plan Straight Talk has anymore. I am retired and have had a lot of time to read different forums,research the phone, and learn how to operate it. If I can, I would be glad to help anyone who has any questions.

My initial advice would be to turn off data and wi-fi unless you need them as they will drain your battery quickly. You also need to download an antivirus app before downloading anything else. There are many free versions as well as paid. I downloaded Norton as that is what we use on our other devices.

[BlueTopazGem]

I also have this phone and agree that they should offer a separate text card. I text more than I call. The issue I have with the text messages is that there is no option to "Reply to All". This just doesn't make sense. The LG840G model had the "Reply to All" option. Why wouldn't they have the "Reply to All' option on the LG39C?? Duh -- you wonder who forget to put in that option on this cell phone. Also it would have been helpful to have the home, menu, settings, etc. keys to light up. They should have a focus group test these cell phones before rolling it out to the public - because I'm sure someone would have thought to have a "Reply to All" option and to have the home, menu, settings, etc. keys to light up.

[Ainhisg]

On 9/14/2014 BlueTopazGem said:

I also have this phone and agree that they should offer a separate text card. I text more than I call. The issue I have with the text messages is that there is no option to "Reply to All". This just doesn't make sense. The LG840G model had the "Reply to All" option. Why wouldn't they have the "Reply to All' option on the LG39C?? Duh -- you wonder who forget to put in that option on this cell phone. Also it would have been helpful to have the home, menu, settings, etc. keys to light up. They should have a focus group test these cell phones before rolling it out to the public - because I'm sure someone would have thought to have a "Reply to All" option and to have the home, menu, settings, etc. keys to light up.

I definitely could be wrong, but from what I've read, no android has the "reply to all" option. Many recommend using a Verizon texting app, but then you use your data or have to turn on wi-fi, which isn't really practical. I, too, hope that they offer separate texting cards in the future.

[pickleslarue]

On 9/13/2014 bigsister said:

OP, I still have the LG800 and hold off on getting anything smarter because of the huge learning curve. Your input will be very helpful to many of us. Thank you.

I could have skipped the 840 and it wouldn't have made any difference adapting to the 39C. So if you're considering it go for a true Android. You will be amazed and can adapt to and adopt the new features at your own pace.

[pickleslarue]

Stargazer I can understand your reaction to the 800.

I'm glad you mentioned Firefox. I also got Opera, which I have not used before. I need to chill out on the permission paranoia

[betteb]

Oh thanks so much for this thread. I am ready to replace my 840G and have been on the fence about this.

I did read on a Tech Blog that Tracfone will soon get an even better, newer Android. I wish I knew when "soon" is.

[pickleslarue]

Tgbtg, I'm glad you brought up AV. I went with Avast because I'm familiar with it, and also Malwarebytes. I am in awe of this little device compared to the pretend-to-be-smart-phones I had in the 800 and 840.

Blue, I'm not much of a texter (yet?) and with what I ported over I can't imagine needing a card but can see why someone else would like a separate card. I imagine I may need to add data at some point but I'm transferring A LOT to begin with. I didn't know about the reply all feature, I guess I didn't know you could text more than one person with a single text. And the keys not lighting up seemed strange to me too!

So what I have to add is wowy....the voice to text feature. Memos, contacts, texts....it's very cool. I have to look into it more but you can set a gesture to unlock the phone and also or only a PIN. I need to figure out better how to end apps, or if just going back to home is always enough. Also I want to be able to access apps settings more efficiently.

Thanks my fellow (mostly newbie) Android users. I really think a few of us sharing can help each other get maximum use of our phones.