Electronics

[Moonchilde]

Having so much fun - NOT yet ;-(

I’m having funky issues that I can’t be sure whether it’s Android, my particular phone, my provider, or an app issue, but bigger learning curve than anticipated ☹️

I just ordered the brand new edition of Android for Dummies, and temporarily (I hope) uninstalled the FB app. 

To get back to my home/apps screen I have to swipe up from the bottom of my screen & the button pops up - but it doesn’t when using the FB app and I can’t get out! Others have reported same when videos are involved, so maybe the FB app. 

The screen protector isn’t quite big enough and I’m wondering if where it stops is causing any touch issues with the pop up home button.

Also having issues (this appears to be VERY common) getting MMS messages to send to iPhones. Have tried half a dozen apps and thoroughly checked all settings, permissions, etc. One fix seems to be that you “can” only send MMS with wifi OFF; I did manage to get one to send that way, but I don’t want to use the data all the time.

A trip back to the Verizon store is in order for some help, and to buy a car charger and perhaps a new screen protector.

Any thoughts? I googled the issues I’m having and I guess some of them are common.

[Runner26]

@Moonchilde If you're not able to get the home screen on FB app and it's only happening to FB, then I would attribute the problem to FB app. Have you tried rebooting your phone? Sometimes, uninstall/install works, but FB app is the app that I hear most complaints about from friends/family (but I don't use it).

MMS: You mentioned sending MMS to iPhones - are you sure your recipients don't have their MMS/group texting disabled on their phone? My sis only just got a limited texting plan (she only used to use iMessage). As far as I know, MMS cannot be sent via wifi unless using a third-party messanging app. I always have my data turned on my phone and turn on wifi only when updating but with my wifi and data turned on, I just sent/received MMS on my native messanging app. To test this, send a MMS to yourself which will let you know if not able to send/receive is on your end or not. 

Screen protectors: I was told that the reason the screen protectors (tempered glass) aren't edge-to-edge is so you'll be able to use/fit a phone case (I'm assuming if you choose the Otterbox one) . I didn't like mine since it looked strange with not being edge to edge with the case I was using (minimalist).

If you're keeping an eye on your data, you can set a warning and/or limit on your phone. There's also data saver that you can restricted apps from usage (I personally haven't tried this).

Another function I like is the Smart Lock so you can set up a trusted place, face, voice, or device so you don't have to unlock your phone.

[2blonde]

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@Moonchilde wrote:

THANK YOU, @gardenman 😀 that does indeed answer my question re photos, and yay, simple then. 

I’m very comfortable with iOS, but not wedded to it. I love my iPad to bits, but am done with top prices for iPhones for technology Android has had already. And there are constraints that don’t thrill me.

Anyone - when you use a message app in Android, are there any issues receiving texts on an iPhone? Do you have a favorite Android app for messaging? The people I text with/send photos to have iPhones.

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@Moonchilde  I have an Android phone and all my work friends and boss have IOS.  We have no problems texting, sending photos, or emailing each other.

[NicksmomESQ]

@Moonchilde I recently got the new iPad. Never had an Apple device before.I was concerned how I was going to transfer all of my pictures over from my android device.

   I signed into the google app on my iPad & all of my photos transferred over automatically.I didn’t have to do anything. I may be wrong but I see no reason why that can’t happen in the reverse.

[Moonchilde]

Thank you for your replies, @Runner26 @2blonde @NicksmomESQ!

I went out yesterday and the shopping center I ended up at just happened to have a nice fat Verizon store :-) They were very helpful, thankfully.

The FB thing was the app, but not a “fault” because the CS rep told me that it works the same way with the Youtube app. It’s landscape vs portrait. When you’re playing a vid, the button you need to swipe moves to the side of the landscape - and IS there. Hallelujah! I reinstalled the app, did what he said, and it’s fine. I also installed the other apps (or a Google version, i.e. close to the Apple version) that I had on the iPhone.

He said that a slightly too small screen protector would not be the cause of the issue I thought I was having. 

The messaging - I still don’t know yet. They said I had to turn iMessage OFF, which they did for me. They said it should go with wifi just fine. I sent a photo with wifi and it appeared that evening that it didn’t go; I sent another photo with cell data and it was received. This morning the recipient said they got the wifi photo late last night.... Aieee! Well, at least I know it works in some fashion, and I don’t use it a lot. Texts go fine, it’s just the pictures there’s an issue with. And it could be a setting on their end, too. But I might send 2-3 pics a month, so no real biggie.

I’ve also learned how to get rid of old messages, though it isn’t intuitive in the Verizon app :-(

[Moonchilde]

@Runner26 it is possible that one recipient could have their settings tweaked and that’s an issue; the other recipient is non-techie and wouldn’t even know how to do that - plus it’s their work-provided phone so they would theoretically not want to shut that feature off I’d think.

I have rebooted the phone once. I think it’s a good idea once in a while. I didn’t have to reboot my iPhone very often but I reboot my iPad aaaall the time.

I set up a PIN and fingerprint to open the phone. I’m used to the fingerprint on my i-devices. The fingerprint sensor on the back doesn’t bother me. When I hold the phone in my left hand the sensor is in the perfect spot to use your pointer finger, and natural.

I just have a cheapie case on now (though it protects well) and am not sure what case I’ll end up with. I don’t want anything to possibly interfere with my antenna on this puppy, since that (antenna) was the reason I needed a new phone. The phone is supposed to come in four colors and I wanted the pale lavender-ish one but right now in the US two carriers only carry silver and two carriers also have black. So my case is clear with a rose gold edge. May go with Decal Girl again when they have them.

[Moonchilde]

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@NicksmomESQ wrote:

@Moonchilde I recently got the new iPad. Never had an Apple device before.I was concerned how I was going to transfer all of my pictures over from my android device.

   I signed into the google app on my iPad & all of my photos transferred over automatically.I didn’t have to do anything. I may be wrong but I see no reason why that can’t happen in the reverse.

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@NicksmomESQ, right now I’m using a work-around.  Before I deactivated my iPhone I transferred my pics & Contacts to the Verizon Cloud, then downloaded them from there to the new phone.

I installed Google Photos on both the Android phone and my iPad, but I still have to then transfer pics from Google Photos to my Camera Roll or they don’t show up as an option to send, attach, etc from the iPad - still working on that - there are probably other, better ways.

[Moonchilde]

Upon further googling (and the people at the Verizon store didn’t seem to know this) - all MMS messages must go on the 3/4G connection and will not go on wifi. People often think it goes on wifi, because your messaging app should work internally to automatically send via cell data and not the wifi if your wifi is on, but it doesn’t always function that way. So the easiest/safest way to deal is just turn wifi off when sending photos. And I’m going to be shrinking my file size, you betcha.