Wow, I've got a lot to learn

[reinbeau]

I feel like I've jumped into a Ferrari without ever having driven a standard before. I'm coming from a Palm PDA and Nokia phone world. I don't even know where to start with this new Captivate! I can use the phone, I can send text messages, I can web browse, but - first question is do you back up this phone like you do a PDA? Via USB, I assume, if you do. I'm really overwhelmed, with having read several Android forums and not finding a beginner's guide somewhere (I must have missed it). Any pointers so I can get myself oriented would be appreciated. I'm rambling because I just don't know where to begin

 

[sprintgirl]

First and foremeost make a google name and password! It's the most important thing about having a google phone! It backs up your contacts and callendar and any paid apps that you have downloaded (not free ones). If you are worried about backing up your free apps check out Astro File Manager (the free one from the market). In Astro press Menu, Tools, Application Manager/Backup then select your apps and click backup. Then if something happens to the phone and you have to start from scratch ever just download Astro and do the same thing but click the tab at the top that says "Backed up apps" select and install...What else can I tell you...? That's really all I back up. As long as I have my contacts I'm good. Just DO NOT LOSE YOUR GOOGLE NAME AND PASSWORD!!! Not sure about this phone but to set songs as your text notification you have to make "special" folders on your SD like this:

Media
-notifications
-alarms
-ringtones

and then copy music from your computer into the folder you want to use it as. That's a common question...

Oh! And when downloading apps...don't go crazy. Download maybe one a day or so, that way if an app makes ur phone act strange you will be able to easily identify which one is causing the problem.

And my advice pertaining to task killers... NO NO NO! LOL they are bad for your phone IMO...do some reading about them and decide for yourself before you decide to download one. But you really DO NOT need them. And as far as virus protection/backing up your phone online...if you feel the need the only one I reccomend is Lookout...it's available on the market and has a little green castle icon.

Hope that helps! Don't want to overload you with too much info. If you need anything feel free to PM me with general android questions. I'm on Sprint and deal mostly with HTC and Sense but I can answer most general questions.

 

[ardoreal]

Another thing too is that you don't sync your contacts via USB. The concept of a "sync" is different now. Your gmail contacts are now your address book and changes sync over the air as needed. You can sync your computer's address book to your gmail account as well, if you want your pc to be your source for that.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[reinbeau]

Thank you both. Hmmm, I didn't realize the Android OS was so dependent on Google, I'm so used to Palm and having a desktop, I'm just so leery of depending on a website to keep things 'safe'.

I've had a Google name for years, but I don't use gmail as my main e-mail, and I really don't want to check that account at all. How do I turn off that checking?

Now I've created a shortcut to an e-mail address on my home screen that I don't want - how do I get rid of it?

Thanks for such basic advice, sorry to be such a noObie!

 

[reinbeau]

Ok, I got rid of that contact (long press and drag it to the trash can). Now if I could figure out how to customize my home pages I'd be happy. I'm getting there!

 

[reinbeau]

Just to show you how much I have to learn (and I feel like a real dope admitting this, but I feel I have to) I had no idea how to answer the phone. I kept pressing the green button on the screen without really *looking* at it - of course it was telling me to slide it to the right to answer.....doooh. It is all so foreign - but learning keeps the mind nimble

 

[Zorro1]

Yep, same as you, I came from Palm world. Look, I don't use the cloud either, and I still sync direct to Palm Desktop. CompanionLink has what you want, it's the USB version. So it works like it used to, you have all your desktop stuff and it's on the phone. Works great.

 

[sprintgirl]

If you don't want to check your gmail you can just go to menu, settings, accounts & sync, click on your gmail and uncheck what you don't use...options will be calendar, contacts, and gmail. Just don't uncheck contacts or you may lose any you save if you forget to manual sync.