Tracfone Treasure - Answering the Phone! - Page 3

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

One of my much more tech savvy than I friends told me my problem was that as I swipe I lift my finger off the screen. You MUST keep your finger in contact with the screen thru your entire swipe. Now I pay more attention to this and I'm much more successful.

MKR14 · ‎03-09-2010

Never thought of that @151949. I bet that is what I do without realizing I do it.

x Hedge · ‎08-18-2016

My gorilla glass screen swipes easily. But my newer AMOLED screen ignores the same swipe, and only responds if I slow it down to more of a drag.

In all cases, you can get around this with the Accessibility setting. Presumably, the OP will open the Accessibility setting and choose an alternate way of answering the phone.

noodleann · ‎06-10-2015

Thank goodness I'm not the only one. I have not yet answered a call on my Samsung Tracfone, which I bought here last summer as a TSV. I've had to call everyone back. I make and receive very few calls and the phone is off most of the time, but it's still annoying, especially if the number the caller used is outgoing only.

I believe I set up my phone to use the home button to answer, but either that didn't work or the person hung up too quickly.

I don't have apps because Samsung forces you to use Google, and I just won't give them my data. I'm fine on the computer because of blocks I have set up, but not on my phone. I don't understand how people are comfortable with how much information they're giving this company in this way.

x Hedge · ‎08-18-2016

Hi @noodleann.

Your last paragraph is a puzzler. Your smartphone wouldn't function without any apps.

For example, your Home screen, camera, and phone are all apps.

Frankly, it's the pre-loaded, info gathering, Samsung junk apps that annoy me.

As to giving away data to Google, you don't need to give them anything, not even your real name.

I've disabled the Google apps I don't use. I never allow location to be turned on, and I "opt out" of every information gathering option I can.

Getting back to this thread, I text frequently but, like you, I make and take very few calls.

I'm not aware of any calls originating from "outgoing only" numbers except spam/junk calls, which you shouldn't be answering anyhow.

Check your Phone app's settings to verify you're still set to answering via Home key.

Check your voicemail setting if calls are going to voicemail before you can answer.

Yes, a lot of people who don't want to go to voicemail will hang up after only 2 or 3 rings.

noodleann · ‎06-10-2015

My phone functions as a phone and a camera, which is the way it came, out of the box. I didn't have to download anything for that basic functionality. I am referring to connecting to Google to get apps to do anything more--go online, check my minute and airtime balance, etc. (which I do via my computer).

I don't think anyone has any idea how much data Google is retrieving, consent or not, but more than that, I object to one company being the sole source for expanded functionality. It's monopolistic, and that's not right. I can't see any workaround on that phone. It's Google or nothing, so it's nothing.

FYI, many hospitals and medical centers make calls from "outgoing only" lines that don't take calls, only send out appointment reminders and other alert functions. The lines they use for those calls are never answered.

I have not enabled voicemail, although I believe Samsung already had it set up, so people can leave messages. I can't retrieve them so I just return calls, selectively.

I prefer computers for most of the functions people now perform on their phones, including talking--I have VoIP. This works for me.

Nuttmeg · ‎03-09-2010

@noodlean nwrote:
My phone functions as a phone and a camera, which is the way it came, out of the box. I didn't have to download anything for that basic functionality. I am referring to connecting to Google to get apps to do anything more--go online, check my minute and airtime balance, etc. (which I do via my computer).

I don't think anyone has any idea how much data Google is retrieving, consent or not, but more than that, I object to one company being the sole source for expanded functionality. It's monopolistic, and that's not right. I can't see any workaround on that phone. It's Google or nothing, so it's nothing.

FYI, many hospitals and medical centers make calls from "outgoing only" lines that don't take calls, only send out appointment reminders and other alert functions. The lines they use for those calls are never answered.

I have not enabled voicemail, although I believe Samsung already had it set up, so people can leave messages. I can't retrieve them so I just return calls, selectively.

I prefer computers for most of the functions people now perform on their phones, including talking--I have VoIP. This works for me.

If you are concerned about security, Apple makes the most secure products. The company controls everything about the phone. When a security update is needed, it is pushed to the phone.

x Hedge · ‎08-18-2016

@noodleann, you made me chuckle a few times. You and I are in a REALLY small group. I prefer not to activate my voicemail either. I learned 3 phones ago once it's activated there's no way to deactivate it.

There are apps that were pre-loaded onto your smartphone. Camera and phone are just 2 of them. View the contents of your App drawer by tapping the little dotted square on the bottom right corner of your home screen. Several basic, most used apps are already there, just waiting for you.

View your Application Manager for even more apps that are actively operating in your device.

Are you clear on the different between Google (a search engine) and the Internet? If you dislike Google there are many other search engines you could use instead.

By the way, I check my Tracfone balances using an app to connect directly to Trackfone via the internet.

Google is not involved in doing that either.

Yes, I do know Google collects data. Information gathering occurs regardless of whether or not you ever use Google.

But the data collected is on this IP address. A user doesn't have to associate their personal info with a particular IP address.

Thanks for the FYI. I use my Contacts app, so my smartfone shows me who called, from what number, and when. That's including hospitals and medical centers I have to travel to periodically for appointments.