New GS5 user - need major help!

[globalexpresspilot]

New Verizon GS5. Not rooted or hacked in any way. All software updates done. Many apps installed off Google Play.

Guys, I really need some help to make this phone work the way I would like it to. I am coming from iPhone so I am used to things working in a certain way. I have tried the switch to Android several times in the past and keep going back to iPhone.

So far, I really like the large screen and the "water proof" capability of this phone, but am already having several issues: configuration, apps launching that I did not launch, error messages, etc, that the iPhone did not suffer from. I really want to keep this GS5 and give Android a fair shake.

1. I have tried some "launchers" like Smart Launcher and Themer. They are pretty slick, but I have not found a way to make them give me a Lock Screen that is useful. After all, what's the point of having to unlock the screen to see what notifications you have? And then since android does not use the red badges on app icons I must use notification center to see what apps gave me the notification. It is tedious to do so, and this fingerprint scanner is not nearly as good as the iPhone, so I have disabled it and gone back to a swipe pattern unlock instead.

2. The phone will show different keyboards at different times. Very strange. I have installed no extra keyboards, but want to use the Swipe keyboard because of all the great reviews. And I want to use the voice input as well. So is there a way to tell the phone to only use one keyboard? Yes, I have selected a keyboard in settings.

3. I use iTunes on my Mac and have tried MANY syncing apps (iSyncr, Missing Sync, KIES, etc etc) and all of them are garbage. They either stop working or crash or don't sync properly, too slow, etc etc. So I have tried Google Music and uploaded my library to Google. The app on the phone works fairly well, but of course, the Bandintown app does not see any of the music downloaded onto the phone SD card so it cannot scan my library to give me concert info. Anybody know how to make these two apps work with eachother?

4. Why is there no LTE toggle switch on this phone? Battery life on LTE is not too impressive and it was something I did on iPhone especially when I travel overseas since its all GSM there anyway. Is there a decent app that can enable this capability for me?

5. I like Podcasts and tried one podcast app, but it dumped the podcast into Google Music app, and I don't want it showing up there. Any ideas?

6. How do I make the home button on this GS5 activate Google Now Voice search without me having to press anything else? Right now I hold it and all it does is pull up the Now app, I still must use another hand to reach all the way to the top of the screen to press the microphone button to make it listen to me. I like the Now features so I am not really interested in using the S Voice instead.

Again any help is much appreciated folks. Cheers and thanks in advance!

 

[zach_roberts]

I had the same questions about the keyboard too. In the beginning it switched from Samsung keyboard to the swype it did this automatically but Is easy to fix. Just pull down the notification bar and you will see "choose input method" press it and it shows voice, the swipe keyboard, or the Samsung keyboard (I suggest samsung). Sorry but I'm still working with it too, don't know about the rest. Agree about the fingerprint sensor tho. It's very difficult, especially with an otterbox.

 

[ItsMeMandi]

I can help a little bit:
I've never had an iPhone but there are little red badges on the icons when I have unread messages/missed calls/facebook alerts. As for the lock screen if you want notifications, SlideLock is a good one.

I haven't seen any keyboard switching, but I download SwiftKey immediately and make that my default through language and input in settings.

To make the home button activate Google Now (or more like you're thinking Voice Search) download Home2 Shortcut. It's awesome.

 

[psp1232171]

That's a lot of thoughts.
First I set up SwiftKey keyboard as as my default for years now and it doesn't ever change on any Samsung galaxy.
For lockscreen there are options but first how secure do you want the screen. I use handscent&whatsapp for text w popup over the lockscreen which I have a pattern lock. If you want a swipe lock screen then you can get texts. For itunes I like Google play music and Double Twist. Double Twist has a desktop app to use as well. I use Neutron Music player for my every day player from the SD card.
For LTE, you can download the battery guru by snapdragon and it has a mobile data toggle. They don't have that toggle since the S2 I believe. You can just do cdma and wifi when over sees.
Home button, S-Voice needs to be disabled/turned off in the application management settings. Then automatically a long press of the home button will bring you Google Now.
Not sure about podcasts, but try double twist, Neutron Music player, power amp, and now Google let's you put any music on the SD carddrom the cloud and it's all free. Works pretty good for me.

Good luck and Enjoy

Posted via Android Central App

 

[kooritsuki]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rechild.advancedtaskkillerhttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rechild.advancedtaskkillerI'll try to help on some issues... I haven't used the iphone before, so I might not know what exactly it is that you want to achieve, so apologies in advance.

1) Launchers are only launchers, they do not change your lockscreen. You'll need another app to change your lockscreen. I heard Widget Locker is good, but it's difficult to navigate at first: Play Store link here for Widget Locker I don't think the lockscreen replacement apps now supports finger print unlock yet though (I know you said you've switched that off, but...). BTW, have you read this thread? It might help you with the finger print thingy in the future. There are 3 slots for finger prints. I use one for my right thumb (scanned it 1 time normally, then 7 times in different angles with a single hand hold), use another one for my left thumb (did the same thing) and then the 3rd one I just scanned each of my other 8 fingers. Now the finger print unlock works just fine for me.

2) Not sure what you mean by showing different keyboards if you only have the stock keyboard. Can you post a screenshot (hold power + home button) of your settings for languages and input? Here's mine:


I haven't experienced any issues with keyboard switching around. BTW, friendly reminder, when you install Swype, make sure you have "Show Voice Key" checked off in settings, since you want to use voice input as well.

4) I haven't done this before, so I can't guarantee anything, but there's an option under Settings -> More Networks -> Mobile Networks -> Network Mode. It seems like a lot of work just to toggle between LTE and GSM, but I think that's the way to do it. Can someone confirm that it works?


BTW, if you are worried about batteries, have you tried a task killer? I find that helps a lot. I personally use Advance Task Killer.

6) Once you long press the home button to launch Google Now, you should be able to say "Ok Google" for it to start listening to you. You shouldn't have to touch the mic icon. Just make sure the Google Now's "Ok Google Hotword Dection" is on. (Access: Google Now -> Setting (long press the button left of home button) -> Voice -> "Ok Google" hotword detection).

Side note, I use both Google Now and S Voice and often have them open the other app. Google Now is far superior for searching for information (since S Voice end up launching Google Now when it searches, which takes extra time). However, it's not that great for tasks. For example, when I tell Google Now to play a song that's already in my phone (not purchased from Play Store/iTunes) it keeps giving me the link to purchase it from Play Store, whereas S Voice plays the song right away. Google Play also can't do complex calendar event settings as well as S Voice. For example, if I tell each of the 2 apps "set calender for meeting on Saturday at 2pm with Mr. X for 3 hours", Google Now will set the event but does not recognize that it should be from 2-5pm, whereas S Voice has no problem doing so.

So I use Google Now only for searches and then tell it to switch over to S Voice when I need complex non-search related stuff done. Both apps are quite good at recognizing what I'm staying though.

 

[paulinejsmith]

The screen has various perfect traps, too: It works really well with styli, including utilizing the tip of a graphite pencil on the screen as a stylus. While there was still a minor bit of slack, the Gs5 indicated much better accuracy when tapping with a little stylus than other VoIP app for mobile Android telephones I've attempted, aside from the Galaxy Note line.

 

[here4kids]

change is hard. I spent a month trying to get mine to behave like a blackberry when I made the switch. it doesn't, but I feel in love with all the other things it does better. give it the 30 days is my advice.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using AC Forums mobile app

 

[ry1206an]

For Google Now, just say "OK Google" when you are on the home screen and it should pop up letting you say a command. (And sorry for the late reply. I just got a GS5 as well and switched from an iPhone so I wanted to check out your post)