DROID help?

A mellow place for Bobcats to discuss topics free of political posturing

Moderators: rtb, kmax, SonomaCat

User avatar
coachouert
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 4250
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2005 6:49 am
Location: Bozeman

DROID help?

Post by coachouert » Thu Dec 02, 2010 12:46 pm

Alright Bobcat Nation, time for you to come through yet again for me.

I got a Droid X yesterday and I'm looking to you for things I should add onto it and things I should avoid. Some suggestions I'd definitely appreciate are any apps that help with the battery life, any good free ringtone apps and basically anything else you like. So far I have been doing the bare minimal, although one of the first things I downloaded was Angry Birds...which never gets old.

Help a brother out!


Cat_stache_fever listens to Nickelback...and enjoys it.

Image

RK Cat
BobcatNation Letterman
Posts: 297
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 11:15 am

Re: DROID help?

Post by RK Cat » Thu Dec 02, 2010 1:16 pm

Get tapatalk to view bobcatnation

Sent from HTC incredible



User avatar
rtb
Moderator
Posts: 8027
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2004 12:15 pm
Location: Bend, OR
Contact:

Re: DROID help?

Post by rtb » Thu Dec 02, 2010 1:49 pm

Just for you I can offer some help.

1.) Download Advance Task Killer and run it a few times during the day. A lot of apps run without you knowing it and this app allows you to kill them and save battery.

2.) Download Profiles(by Egg 'n Stone) and set up different profiles for work, home, etc. That way you don't get any annoying audible alerts when you don't want them, but you can hear your phone when you're in a place you want it to ring.

3.) Add the Power Control widget to one of your screens. A quick way to turn off WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and save your battery.

4.) Facebook so you know what cool thing I'm up to

5.) Rather then using any of the stupid contact things set up short-cuts to your most used contacts on one of the screens. One touch dialing or texting for those contacts you use the most.

6.) Get the wallpaper I created even though the 2010 schedule is not needed, having a cat head on your screen is always a good thing

7.) Pandora, DroidLight, Key Ring, My Tracks, NFL Mobile, ESPN Scorecenter, Shazam, TapaTalk. Those are apps I would recommend.


Randy B. - MSU '04 Image

User avatar
HelenaCat95
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 6975
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 1:13 pm
Location: Helena, Montana

Re: DROID help?

Post by HelenaCat95 » Thu Dec 02, 2010 2:07 pm

I just downloaded tapatalk pro. It doesn't seem to work for me. I get the home screen with "search" "favorites" "just in", etc.....but I can't get anything from there.
Am I doing something wrong? I want BN on the go with this.
Ihave a Droid 2



User avatar
rtb
Moderator
Posts: 8027
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2004 12:15 pm
Location: Bend, OR
Contact:

Re: DROID help?

Post by rtb » Thu Dec 02, 2010 2:13 pm

HelenaCat95 wrote:I just downloaded tapatalk pro. It doesn't seem to work for me. I get the home screen with "search" "favorites" "just in", etc.....but I can't get anything from there.
Am I doing something wrong? I want BN on the go with this.
Ihave a Droid 2
Yes, when you get that home screen, go to search and search for bobcatnation.com or bobcatnation.com/bobcatbb

When the search results come back, select BobcatNation and add it to your favorites.


Randy B. - MSU '04 Image

User avatar
HelenaCat95
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 6975
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 1:13 pm
Location: Helena, Montana

Re: DROID help?

Post by HelenaCat95 » Thu Dec 02, 2010 2:16 pm

rtb wrote:
HelenaCat95 wrote:I just downloaded tapatalk pro. It doesn't seem to work for me. I get the home screen with "search" "favorites" "just in", etc.....but I can't get anything from there.
Am I doing something wrong? I want BN on the go with this.
Ihave a Droid 2
Yes, when you get that home screen, go to search and search for bobcatnation.com or bobcatnation.com/bobcatbb

When the search results come back, select BobcatNation and add it to your favorites.
Thanks...I'm trying that, but it is caught in the eternal "sending request to server" loop. I have it connected to my wifi, so it's not a slow verizon connection.
Any tips?



User avatar
rtb
Moderator
Posts: 8027
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2004 12:15 pm
Location: Bend, OR
Contact:

Re: DROID help?

Post by rtb » Thu Dec 02, 2010 3:11 pm

No, as I was explaining it to you I thought I should try and also got stuck in that loop. Maybe some issues with Tapa today?


Randy B. - MSU '04 Image

User avatar
HelenaCat95
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 6975
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 1:13 pm
Location: Helena, Montana

Re: DROID help?

Post by HelenaCat95 » Thu Dec 02, 2010 3:14 pm

rtb wrote:No, as I was explaining it to you I thought I should try and also got stuck in that loop. Maybe some issues with Tapa today?
Thanks...I'll try it later.
Not a very good experience for my first time.


Cue the Michael Scott quote. :lol:



User avatar
rtb
Moderator
Posts: 8027
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2004 12:15 pm
Location: Bend, OR
Contact:

Re: DROID help?

Post by rtb » Thu Dec 02, 2010 3:16 pm

:rofl:

Once you get the hang of it, you'll like it!!


Randy B. - MSU '04 Image

User avatar
HelenaCat95
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 6975
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 1:13 pm
Location: Helena, Montana

Re: DROID help?

Post by HelenaCat95 » Thu Dec 02, 2010 7:59 pm

Ok. I got it to work now. Im posting this during my daughters school band concert.
I really think I am Homer Simpson.
doh

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk



BozCatFan
BobcatNation Letterman
Posts: 327
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2005 10:50 pm

Re: DROID help?

Post by BozCatFan » Thu Dec 02, 2010 8:33 pm

I am an IT professional, which by no means makes me an expert....but here are some suggestions. I have the Droid X, and you will love it! Its a great device.

1. DO NOT use a task killer for the following reason-the phone is going to restart those programs in the background again and it takes up more resources to do that than it does to just let them run. They are not going to hurt anything. The Task Killers are really hard on the device and I would not use them.

2. IMO the best web browser is Dolphin HD (free). It has tabbed browsing and lots of functions that the stock browser lacks.

3. Download LauncherPro (free). It offers a ton of customization and speeds up the phone and makes the overall interaction smoother.

4. Don't run live wallpaper, it kills the battery.

5. ESPN Radio is a great app for $3.

6. Other good apps...barcode scanner, DroidLight, Google Earth, HistoryEraser, Paper Toss, Solitaire, TuneIn Radio, TV.com, and StopWatch & Timer. They are all free.

7. ACT1 is the best video player if you want to rip movies to the X. DVDFab and Handbrake are great for getting movies from a DVD to the phone. Google search this for instructions.

PM or post back if you have any other questions. Welcome to the Droid family. TI was holding out for an iPhone but finally got tired of waiting..don't think I'd get an iPhone if I had the choice now.



User avatar
kmax
Site Admin
Posts: 9823
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:23 pm
Location: Belgrade, MT
Contact:

Re: Re: DROID help?

Post by kmax » Thu Dec 02, 2010 9:03 pm

BozCatFan wrote: 1. DO NOT use a task killer for the following reason-the phone is going to restart those programs in the background again and it takes up more resources to do that than it does to just let them run. They are not going to hurt anything. The Task Killers are really hard on the device and I would not use them.
This! Thank you, completely agree.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk


“Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game because they almost always turn out to be—or to be indistinguishable from—self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time.” -- Neal Stephenson, Cryptonomicon

User avatar
HelenaCat95
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 6975
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 1:13 pm
Location: Helena, Montana

Re: DROID help?

Post by HelenaCat95 » Thu Dec 02, 2010 9:42 pm

Any advice on extending the battery life? I've had my Droid2 for about a week. I'm not a heavy user...but my usage will pick up soon, and I'm consistently down to about 20% of battery by the time I turn it off at night.
Any tips?



BozCatFan
BobcatNation Letterman
Posts: 327
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2005 10:50 pm

Re: DROID help?

Post by BozCatFan » Thu Dec 02, 2010 9:48 pm

Keeping the screen on auto bright will help as will lengthening the interval between checking email. These phones are just hard on batteries. I keep a usb cable at home and work to charge when I'm in one place for a while. The battery improves after a few furl drains and charges. Also dont leave gps on unless you are using. Gps drains it fast.



User avatar
gocats
2nd Team All-BobcatNation
Posts: 1198
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 11:35 pm
Location: Bozeman

Re: DROID help?

Post by gocats » Thu Dec 02, 2010 10:02 pm

Thanks guys. I had alot of the same questions. I just got my droid last week, and have tocharge the battery about every 12 hours.

I was seriously thinking of switching to Blackberry when alltel switches to AT&T. But i am really starting to enjoy my Droid.


Alcohol doesn't make you fat, it makes you lean.... on chairs, tables and random ugly people....

User avatar
coachouert
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 4250
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2005 6:49 am
Location: Bozeman

Re: DROID help?

Post by coachouert » Thu Dec 02, 2010 10:14 pm

gocats wrote:Thanks guys. I had alot of the same questions. I just got my droid last week, and have tocharge the battery about every 12 hours.

I was seriously thinking of switching to Blackberry when alltel switches to AT&T. But i am really starting to enjoy my Droid.
Agree with gocats, thanks a ton everyone! This was very helpful. I'm going to keep playing around with mine, but so far I really like it. Definitely need to get used to typing on it and the touch screen, but so far so good.


Cat_stache_fever listens to Nickelback...and enjoys it.

Image

BgCATfan
BobcatNation Team Captain
Posts: 477
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:23 am
Location: Belgrade, Mt

Re: DROID help?

Post by BgCATfan » Thu Dec 09, 2010 1:11 pm

HelenaCat95 wrote:Any advice on extending the battery life? I've had my Droid2 for about a week. I'm not a heavy user...but my usage will pick up soon, and I'm consistently down to about 20% of battery by the time I turn it off at night.
Any tips?
Keep the GPS off unless you're using it.

Turn off background data.

Sync through wi-fi only, and turn wi-fi off until you need it.



User avatar
kmax
Site Admin
Posts: 9823
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 6:23 pm
Location: Belgrade, MT
Contact:

Re: DROID help?

Post by kmax » Thu Dec 09, 2010 2:08 pm

BgCATfan wrote:
HelenaCat95 wrote:Any advice on extending the battery life? I've had my Droid2 for about a week. I'm not a heavy user...but my usage will pick up soon, and I'm consistently down to about 20% of battery by the time I turn it off at night.
Any tips?
Keep the GPS off unless you're using it.

Turn off background data.

Sync through wi-fi only, and turn wi-fi off until you need it.
I'll be the first to admit I'm more on the side of a "power-user" of my phone and I know people are going to use their phones differently....but I guess if you are going to do that, what's the point of having a smartphone? By turning off sync and background data you lose the biggest advantage of a smartphone...always on connectivity. To each his own, but in suggesting this to someone asking about battery life they need to understand also that this means you are adding a $30 a month data plan to basically have a really small wifi only tablet computer.


“Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game because they almost always turn out to be—or to be indistinguishable from—self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time.” -- Neal Stephenson, Cryptonomicon

Platinumcat
BobcatNation Hall of Famer
Posts: 3656
Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2005 3:11 pm
Location: Bozeman

Re: DROID help?

Post by Platinumcat » Fri Dec 10, 2010 5:43 pm

Would somebody please start speaking English on this thread? I'm soooooooo stupid. I think they need to have Adult Ed through the Rec Dept. on this kind of thing. :D


Oh, and I'm Jason Wiers, Platinum Property Management

User avatar
wbtfg
Golden Bobcat
Posts: 14411
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 12:52 pm

DROID help?

Post by wbtfg » Tue Dec 14, 2010 9:54 pm

I like the blood alcohol calculator app. I'm pretty sire it would hold up in a court of law.



Post Reply