New to android, looking for some help

[C LaBelle]

Hello, I recently switched to a Samsung S8+ from my windows lumia 929 3 weeks ago. I'm still getting used to things but I have a few questions that I hope somebody will help with.

1. When using the Samsung message app when I open a group message I am constantly reminded with a bubble pop up "Group conversations will be sent as a multimedia message". The text format is not a problem, but I hate seeing that bubble every single time I open a conversation. Can I make it go away?

2. Auto correct is horrible! It changes words that are spelled correctly to completely different words. Is there a way to add words to the dictionary? Also the swiping to text feature is not very accurate. Will it's accuracy improve the more I use it? When looking at my list of messages if I swipe a message to the left it opens the message, can I change it so that it deletes the message instead like the Mail app does?

3. When I open my Phone app the default screen is the number pad. Can I change it to open to recent calls by default?

4. Bixby. A tremendous downgrade from Cortana. Cant recognize many words I say and from what I can find there is no additional speech training that I can do. Please tell me I'm wrong?!

5. Phone tracking, how do I find my phone if I lose it? Can I log onto a website and see where it is on a map?

6. Every once in a while I get a message about a backup not being able to be performed because my cloud is full. However I cant find any setting or anything on how much storage I have, how to add more, or what data is actually backed up.

Any help with any of these questions would be much appreciated!

 

[anon(238680)]

Mod Note: Thread moved for better visibility.

 

[Wbutchart]

Hello, I recently switched to a Samsung S8+ from my windows lumia 929 3 weeks ago. I'm still getting used to things but I have a few questions that I hope somebody will help with.

1. When using the Samsung message app when I open a group message I am constantly reminded with a bubble pop up "Group conversations will be sent as a multimedia message". The text format is not a problem, but I hate seeing that bubble every single time I open a conversation. Can I make it go away?

2. Auto correct is horrible! It changes words that are spelled correctly to completely different words. Is there a way to add words to the dictionary? Also the swiping to text feature is not very accurate. Will it's accuracy improve the more I use it? When looking at my list of messages if I swipe a message to the left it opens the message, can I change it so that it deletes the message instead like the Mail app does?

3. When I open my Phone app the default screen is the number pad. Can I change it to open to recent calls by default?

4. Bixby. A tremendous downgrade from Cortana. Cant recognize many words I say and from what I can find there is no additional speech training that I can do. Please tell me I'm wrong?!

5. Phone tracking, how do I find my phone if I lose it? Can I log onto a website and see where it is on a map?

6. Every once in a while I get a message about a backup not being able to be performed because my cloud is full. However I cant find any setting or anything on how much storage I have, how to add more, or what data is actually backed up.

Any help with any of these questions would be much appreciated!

Hi welcome. I can't help with some of your questions but maybe with others...

Download Cortana, it works well on android too.

Get SwiftKey, Microsofts keyboard as it's a much better keyboard.

Have a look at arrow launcher, Microsofts own launcher (kinda like an os) that integrates really well into office.

 

[Isaiah Peterson]

4. Bixby does have "teach me" where you type what you meant replacing the word it got wrong. Still can't understand my wife's name so I don't know how well it's learning.

5. Find my device in the app store should help this.

6. This sounds like something I get from Verizon. I don't care that cloud is full in not using it. If you are in the same boat ignore it. Next time it pops up long press the notification and you can block future notifications from it. That works with any other annoying app that's always popping up in your notifications.

 

[Isaiah Peterson]

3. I played with this a bit and I think I have a solution. Not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for, but hopefully it helps. If you have the keypad open then tap the three vertical dots in the upper right part of the screen, you probably see "open to last viewed". Tap that then close the keypad by hitting "hide" in the lower right part of the screen. When you open the phone you should be at recents. If you use the keypad again remember to hide it or it will show again instead of recents. Probably isn't your perfect fix but hopefully it mostly works.

 

[C LaBelle]

Thank you all for the quick response!

I have downloaded Cortana, the functionality is not the same as it was on windows. I'm trying to play with it to see if it will better suit me.

Thank you for the SwiftKey recommendation, I downloaded it and am trying it out right now, so far its way better!

Havent looked at arrow launcher yet, what exactly does that do?

I have seen the teach me function of Bixby, it doesn't do crap. My wifes name is Ciara but it always searches for Sierra and no matter how many times I have "taught her" it will not find her. I have however figured out that if I go into her contact info and add Sierra to her Nicknames field it will find her that way. Lol

Find my device is downloading now. I'll give it a try. Thanks!

I'll try to catch the notification next time, it always seems to appear when my alarm goes off in the morning and I'm still half asleep when I see it. Haha

I set the Phone to last viewed, I think that will be enough for me, I'll try it for now.

Thank you all for the quick responses! You were very helpful!

 

[Indecisi0n]

Android messenger is the best messenging app I found so far.
As far as keyboards , I am hooked on Gboard.

I message like an isane person and that combo has worked really well. I get a lot of typos but with Gboard I changed the keyboard layout to my liking and it's helped.

 

[mary beth hale]

Thank you all for the quick response!

I have downloaded Cortana, the functionality is not the same as it was on windows. I'm trying to play with it to see if it will better suit me.

Thank you for the SwiftKey recommendation, I downloaded it and am trying it out right now, so far its way better!

Havent looked at arrow launcher yet, what exactly does that do?

I have seen the teach me function of Bixby, it doesn't do crap. My wifes name is Ciara but it always searches for Sierra and no matter how many times I have "taught her" it will not find her. I have however figured out that if I go into her contact info and add Sierra to her Nicknames field it will find her that way. Lol

Find my device is downloading now. I'll give it a try. Thanks!

I'll try to catch the notification next time, it always seems to appear when my alarm goes off in the morning and I'm still half asleep when I see it. Haha

I set the Phone to last viewed, I think that will be enough for me, I'll try it for now.

Thank you all for the quick responses! You were very helpful!

As a long time WP user who absolutely loved Cortana, I feel you will be disappointed with Cortana on Android. I now use Google Assistant for reminders, search,texting, email, travel directions etc. Took me awhile to get used to saying "ok Google" instead of "hey Cortana" but I use it multiple times a day now. I've not found Bixby useful so simply disabled it.
Definitely yes to SwiftKey and Gboard is good as well.
Definitely yes to Find My Device app. You can log into Google from your computer to find/lock/ring/erase your phone just like you could using your Microsoft account with WP.
For phone backup I use my Google account. For pics, videos, documents I've always used OneDrive and still do.
The Outlook Email app works for me and I synced my Outlook Calendar to My Google calendar as well.
Hope you're enjoying your phone.
It's a bit of a learning curve coming to Android from WP and kind of disorienting.

 

[mary beth hale]

Also, if you really get nostalgic for WP, there are Windows launchers available. I've not had much luck with them. Have grown to love Nova Launcher.

 

[jlangner]

Came from windows as well (950xl).

Try google assistant-much better than Bixby imo
Keyboard try gboard
Message app - I like googles message app better. was closer to windows

 

[Indecisi0n]

Bixby sucks

 

[Mike Dee]

Bixby sucks

Some people love it

 

[gary gortney]

Will someone to delete storage

 

[Wbutchart]

Thank you all for the quick response!

I have downloaded Cortana, the functionality is not the same as it was on windows. I'm trying to play with it to see if it will better suit me.

Thank you for the SwiftKey recommendation, I downloaded it and am trying it out right now, so far its way better!

Havent looked at arrow launcher yet, what exactly does that do?

I have seen the teach me function of Bixby, it doesn't do crap. My wifes name is Ciara but it always searches for Sierra and no matter how many times I have "taught her" it will not find her. I have however figured out that if I go into her contact info and add Sierra to her Nicknames field it will find her that way. Lol

Find my device is downloading now. I'll give it a try. Thanks!

I'll try to catch the notification next time, it always seems to appear when my alarm goes off in the morning and I'm still half asleep when I see it. Haha

I set the Phone to last viewed, I think that will be enough for me, I'll try it for now.

Thank you all for the quick responses! You were very helpful!

Hi, arrow launcher is well integrated with office. So you can access documents etc from a recents screen. It integrates with outlook in the same way too. Sadly, not so with cortana which continues to have an identity crisis on android. As others said Google assistant is quite good, can't comment on bixby as I have not used it much, saying that through I was at a Samsung experience stall and what they had bixby doing was amazing and I had no idea it could do that!

Swiftkey is awesome. I used gboard in the past but it doesn't autocorrect text as I type. Not sure if that's a feature or option I've missed but manually going back and clicking the right word is a waste of time. Swiftkey autocorrect as I type.

 

[anon(7901790)]

Well howdy! I too am a former Windows Phone user (Lumia Icon). You are one of several people here that have switched from Windows Phone. And yes, I still miss my Icon now and then.

Hello, I recently switched to a Samsung S8+ from my windows lumia 929 3 weeks ago. I'm still getting used to things but I have a few questions that I hope somebody will help with.

1. When using the Samsung message app when I open a group message I am constantly reminded with a bubble pop up "Group conversations will be sent as a multimedia message". The text format is not a problem, but I hate seeing that bubble every single time I open a conversation. Can I make it go away?

Not sure how to fix that. I use Verizon Messages+. There are several people who swear by Textra.

2. Auto correct is horrible! It changes words that are spelled correctly to completely different words. Is there a way to add words to the dictionary? Also the swiping to text feature is not very accurate. Will it's accuracy improve the more I use it? When looking at my list of messages if I swipe a message to the left it opens the message, can I change it so that it deletes the message instead like the Mail app does?

What keyboard are you using. I suggest GBoard. I find that has the most reliable auto correct.

3. When I open my Phone app the default screen is the number pad. Can I change it to open to recent calls by default?

I guess I should have asked. Are you using a branded version or unlocked version. I have the Verizon version. My stock phone dialer opens to the last thing I used. If I was using the number pad, then it opens to that. If I was in recents, then it opens to that.

4. Bixby. A tremendous downgrade from Cortana. Cant recognize many words I say and from what I can find there is no additional speech training that I can do. Please tell me I'm wrong?!

Agreed. ANYTHING is a significant downgrade from Cortana.

5. Phone tracking, how do I find my phone if I lose it? Can I log onto a website and see where it is on a map?

You can either use your Google account from any web browser, or Samsung's https://findmymobile.samsung.com/. To use Samsung's you need to create a Samsung account and register your phone. Both work pretty well.

6. Every once in a while I get a message about a backup not being able to be performed because my cloud is full. However I cant find any setting or anything on how much storage I have, how to add more, or what data is actually backed up.

Who's your carrier and what cloud service are you using? Are you using Google Drive? I only use Google Drive for photos, otherwise I still use OneDrive.

Any help with any of these questions would be much appreciated!

Again, welcome! I hope that helped.

 

[V J]

We don't talk about Bixby. We only refer to it as "you know who".

 

[mary beth hale]

We don't talk about Bixby. We only refer to it as "you know who".

So true... LMAO!

 

[Mark Kaplan]

Is there no way to make Bixby or Google Assistant automatically read incoming texts over bluetooth? I used to use Cortana for this on my WP. Does this functionality not exist nativly on Android?

 

[tobegone]

Bixby button can now be disabled, so no inadvertent touches.. u know the Bixby screen can be removed.

my go-to keyboard is Swype.

i believe going to messages settings will address those group messages has popups.

Google has a 'find/disable my phone' feature- as does Samsung