Nexus S Facebook, LED, microSD, Email, Text, & Camera Workarounds

[DeCourseyyy]

Re: Nexus S Facebook, LED, microSD, Email, Text, & Camera Workaro

Can anyone confirm or deny that BLN control - Pro works with the Nexus S 4G?

 

[bkrasso]

Re: Nexus S Facebook, LED, microSD, Email, Text, & Camera Workaro

Can anyone confirm or deny that BLN control - Pro works with the Nexus S 4G?

It works if you are using a Custom Kernal that is compatible with it. I know Matr1x and Netarchy both are compatible with BLN and BLN Pro.

 

[Zorachus]

Re: Nexus S Facebook, LED, microSD, Email, Text, & Camera Workaro

I installed Syncmypix, and got most of the pics to show up in contacts. But what about my own pic from Facebook ? I have my dog as my pics on FB, and want that on my phone too, mainly for texting, I like to see that pic as me while texting, when I am texting people with no pic it gets confusing seeing both greyed out boxes.

 

[milominderbinde]

Galaxy Nexus Workarounds

The Galaxy Nexus is a great phone offering a "Pure Android Experience." That purity brings differences a typical Android owner may not have seen before. Here are workarounds for Facebook Sync, LED Blink Rate, microSD, Speed Dial, Smart Dial, Messaging Enter Key, Browser Zoom, FM Radio, Visual Voicemail Photos, etc. Some also "Root" and replace everything with a different "ROM."

Facebook Sync: Is "...removed...from all future 'googlephones'..." The Galaxy Nexus doesn't sync Facebook profile photos, status, messages, phones, events, birthdays, or notifications. Calls don't pop-up with new profile photos.
• Workaround: Friendcaster (free, $5: no ads) or Haxsync for ICS add many sync features back in.

Notification LED Slow Blink Rate: The Galaxy Nexus Notification LED blinks slowly, about once every 10 seconds. To be sure it is not blinking, look at it for a full 10 seconds.
• Workaround: LightFlow Lite let's you customize blink rates, vibrations, sounds, and repeats.

microSD: microSD cards store movies, photos and music, backup texts, alarms, settings, and Nandroid backups. A microSD slot adds 2% to the volume. microSD cards are under $50 for 32GB.
• Workaround: Use free "Cloud Storage" like Dropbox (extra for free), Google Music, Google Docs, etc.


Low speaker/headphone volumes: Some feel that the maximum volumes are too low.
• Workaround: Volume+ Sound Boost (dev website) let's you increase the volume.

Battery Life: The Nexus is a fire-breathing dragon with a big screen, LTE, and six other radios. That takes a lot of power.
• Workaround: Consider an extended battery and see the Battery Life Tips.

Messaging: The Nexus messaging is missing the Return Key.
• Workaround: HandCent or ChompSMS add many texting features.

Visual Voicemail: shows the caller's photo. A slider bar lets you play a certain portion as you would an MP3.
• Workaround: Youmail will show the caller's photo.

Speed Dial: The Nexus Lacks Speed Dial to assign contacts to numbers 1 to 9. Long-press 2 for Voice mail, etc.
• Workaround 1: Get an app like Go Contacts or TouchPal Dialer for Speed Dial.
• Workaround 2: Create Dialer Shortcuts on a home screen for each number.

Smart Dial: The Nexus lacks smart dial. "T9" smart dial lets you type a name such as: 2 for B, 7 for R to see names beginning "Br".
• Workaround: Get an app like Go Contacts or TouchPal Dialer.

Contact Search: The Nexus lets you search names but not city, street, notes, etc. such as, "Who is on Baker street?"
• Workaround: Go Contacts & TouchPal Dialer search names, city, street, etc.

Clock: The Galaxy Nexus Clock does not include a Timer, Stopwatch, World Clock, etc.
• Workaround: Consider one of these full-featured Clocks.

Browser: If you pinch to zoom, the text does not always word-wrap.
• Workaround: Browsers like Dolphin or Opera word-wrap. The manual reflow trick can help too.

5 Home Screen Limit: ICS does not allow Homescreens to be added.
• Workaround: Get a launcher like LauncherPro, ADWLauncher or Nova Launcher to add or remove home screens.

Keyboard Text Predictions: The ICS keyboard is good but some have problems with the text predictions or want more features.
• Workaround: Consider SwiftKey, Swype, or other Keyboards.

Search Window on every Home Screen: The top 1/5 of each screen is now a search bar.
• Workaround 1: LauncherPro, ADWLauncher or Nova Launcher let you use a 1x1 Search icon just on the pages you like.
• Workaround 2: Settings > Manage apps > Google Search > Disable. Download Google Search from the market and use it instead.

FM Radio: The Nexus lacks an FM Radio.
• Workaround: Consider TuneIn (Pro) for local AM/FM stations or Pandora, Slacker, and iheartradio.


ICS Tips & Tricks
These tips are specifically for Android 4, Ice Cream Sandwich. 500 general Android tips are in the Getting Started guide.

Basics

Home: To see your home screens with your apps and widgets.

Menu (Technically "Action Overflow"): Tap to see Menu options.

Settings: The fast way to Settings is to swipe Notifications bar down and taps the settings icon.

Back: The Back button moves you back.

Recent Apps: Swipe up or down to view open apps. Swipe left or right to close an app.

All Apps: Tap to see your all of your apps and widgets.

Home screens
• Add an App: To add an app to a homescreen - Tap

All Apps > Drag the app where you want it..
• Add a Widget: Place a widget On a home screen - Tap

All Apps >Widgets > Drag the widget where you want it.
• Folders: Drag and drop one icon on top of another to start a folder.
• Settings Shortcuts: To place a settings shortcut on a home screen, tap My Apps > Widgets > Settings shortcut
• Show more icons: Get a launcher like LauncherPro, ADWLauncher or Nova Launcher.

Settings
• Turn LTE Off: To save a lot of battery, go to

Settings > More > Mobile networks > Network Mode> CDMA.
• Animation Speed: To change speed, go to

Settings > Developer Options > Window / Transission animation scale

Apps
• Download a New App: Tap

All Apps > Market, and find a new app.
• Remove Bloatware without Rooting: Disable apps you can't remove in

Settings > Apps > {app} > Disable.
• Uninstall an App: Fast way is to tap

All Apps and drag the app icon to the word Uninstall at the top.

Sync
• Sync Photos with Picasa: Go to Settings > Accounts & sync > Google > Sync Picasa

Camera/Video
• Take a Photo While Video Recording: Just tap the screen while recording a video.
• Take a Photo From Lockscreen: Drag ring to Camera icon to instantly open camera.
• Take a Screenshot: Press Power and Volume down at the same time.

Notifications/Unlock
• Unlock Options: Go to

Settings. Security > Screen lock to select None, Slide, Face Unlock, Pattern, etc.
• Facial Recognition: You can have multiple reference photos with a beard or makeup and without or for 2 people.
• Clear a Notification: Fast way is to swipe down Notification and swipe left or right on the notification to clear.
• Immediate Response: If you use Slide to Unlock, swipe down on the Notification bar to respond directly.

Phone
• Text Reply To A Call: When a call comes in drag up and choose which message to use.
• Phone Settings: In the Phone app, tap

Action Overflow > Settings.

Clock
• Blue Clock: Open the ICS Clock app, long-press anywhere to dim and turn the display blue.
• Set an Alarm: The fast way is to tap your clock widget and you are there!

Browser
• Browser Quick Controls: Browser

Action Overflow > Settings > Labs > Quick Controls. In a website, press on side of screen.
• Tabs: Tabs are browser windows. Tap Settings to open a tab. Swipe up/down to view. Swipe left/right to close.
• Browser History: As in Gingerbread, long-press

Back in the ICS browser.
• Save a webpage: In the browser, tap

Action Overflow > Save for offline reading.

Other
• Google Wallet: Get Google Wallet on your Galaxy Nexus with no hackery

Thanks to terpitude71, mclarryjr, Cyber Warrior, and so many others for help in preparing this.

Resources
• Nexus S Workarounds
• ICS Highlights
• Android Ice Cream Sandwich: 11 awesome tips and tricks
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Tips and Tricks [VIDEO]
• Complete Guide to the Galaxy Nexus 4G LTE [Verizon]
• Ice Cream Sandwich tips & tricks | The Verge Forums
• Ice Cream Sandwich: Hints, Tips and Tricks
• A User's Guide to Android Ice Cream Sandwich
• Ice Cream Sandwich Google Apps tip: long press any icon for its ...
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich: 8 Essential Tips and Tricks
• Tips and tricks for your new Galaxy Nexus

 

[cabrone]

I stumbled upon this in the market and it can be used instead of / in conjunction with No Led. https://market.android.com/details?id=com.rrsllc.flashlightAlerts

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[Paul627g]

Re: Nexus S Facebook, LED, microSD, Email, Text, & Camera Workaro

I stumbled upon this in the market and it can be used instead of / in conjunction with No Led. https://market.android.com/details?id=com.rrsllc.flashlightAlerts

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

Also if you root your device you have BLN from the Market or NSTools which does the same basically..

 

[giograves]

Re: Nexus S Facebook, LED, microSD, Email, Text, & Camera Workaro

Is the Nexus S really limited to 512 MB "Internal"? How does that affect the fatter ICS update?

Speaking of which, does ICS improve anything in the OP?

 

[jeffrok]

Re: Nexus S Facebook, LED, microSD, Email, Text, & Camera Workaro

In the original post of the thread, the OP discusses the Nexus S' 512MB of Ram,and advises people to move apps to SD if this is an issue..

I don't see how the RAM and internal flash memory have anything to do with one another, and besides, in addition to the 512MB RAM and 16GB of onboard flash memory, isn't there another dedicated 1GB onboard for OS?

that party of his post just doesn't seem right.