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New San Francisco Android User

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Hello everyone

I am now trying to get used to my New San Francisco Android phone. I have gone from a basic phone so finding this quite different.

I have the following questions

- Removing the Orange icons and adding a ROM, which one would you recommend for a newbie. I think I have the TFT model.

- How can I make the keyboard bigger, when phone is upright the keys are very small and show letters and numbers on each key.

- What is the easiest way to add icon to my front screen. For example I want to add WI FI icon but when I go to Menu, and choose Add to Homescreen I only have the Orange Widgets, Android Wedgets, etc and when I try and add an application it says there is not enough space available on the screen.

I am using this phone with Virgin Sim Card so not using Orange at all.

Can you also recommend any useful applications I should install and the easiest way to do this.

Sorry to bombard you all with these questions, but you were so helpful to me at the weekend. I've been reading through the User Guide but am bit lost on loading the shortcuts/icons to the front screen.

Thanks again

D

Thanks in advance for any help.
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Comments

  • nickmack
    nickmack Posts: 4,435 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    debie wrote: »
    I am now trying to get used to my New San Francisco Android phone. I have gone from a basic phone so finding this quite different.

    I have the following questions

    - Removing the Orange icons and adding a ROM, which one would you recommend for a newbie. I think I have the TFT model.

    - How can I make the keyboard bigger, when phone is upright the keys are very small and show letters and numbers on each key.

    - What is the easiest way to add icon to my front screen. For example I want to add WI FI icon but when I go to Menu, and choose Add to Homescreen I only have the Orange Widgets, Android Wedgets, etc and when I try and add an application it says there is not enough space available on the screen.

    I am using this phone with Virgin Sim Card so not using Orange at all.

    Can you also recommend any useful applications I should install and the easiest way to do this.

    Sorry to bombard you all with these questions, but you were so helpful to me at the weekend. I've been reading through the User Guide but am bit lost on loading the shortcuts/icons to the front screen.

    Tons of info here, including ROM's, an IME keyboard mod for SF (which allows you to customise key size/space) plus rooting methods and other tweaks.

    http://android.modaco.com/category/453/zte-blade-blade-modaco-com/
  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Problem is with installing a ROM you break your warranty by doing so .

    However lots do including myself but i have a back up of the original firmware so can revert in case of warranty claim .

    Another good forum is http://forum.xda-developers.com/



    jje
  • MoneySavingUser
    MoneySavingUser Posts: 1,667 Forumite
    Hi guys,

    Just signed up after buying an OSF from Orange - got quite a few questions - would be great if you could help me out (or just answer the ones you know the answers to)

    I'm not going to try putting any custom rom's on for the moment - but I have used 'Universal Androot' to root the phone and installed Titanium Backup - which I have used to remove the standard orange apps

    I also unlocked the phone and tested with a 3 sim card which worked

    1) If I backup an app with Titanium Backup do I just copy the backup files from the SD card to my computer?

    2) I would like to install 'ClockworkMod' but the latest phones don't have the press volume button when powering on option - is there another way to do it? Will this allow me to make a full backup of my current rom?

    3) The standard applications option in settings doesn't seem to have an option to uninstall apps - is this because Titanium Backup has taken over these features?

    4) In the above list I see references to GTalk but it isn't in the menu and I am having trouble finding it on the market: https://market.android.com/search?q=gtalk&c=apps

    It shows inside running services 'Gtalk' and 'Gtalk storage' but isn't in any of the phone menus

    5) I have some notes on my old phone which can be sent via bluetooth as .txt files - where do I save them on the SF so that they open with the Note pad app?

    6) Where do I save any music I want to store on the SF and play through the media player

    7) I connected it via USB and it gave me an option to 'mount' the sd card which I chose and installed some drivers - I have seen this article: http://www.orangesanfrancisco.co.uk/androi...isco-zte-blade/ - are these only needed for installing custom roms?

    8) The wi-fi seems a bit patchy - but the router control panel also shows a short lease time - any tips for this?

    9) The orange signal isn't very good in my house - but the SF doesn't seem as good at keeping a signal as my Nokia 6300 - any ways to boost the signal?

    the Nokia tended to be on Orange more than T-Mobile - the SF prefers T-Mobile it seems

    10) Can I use sound recorder to record calls? I used to record answerphone messages before on my Nokia 6300 so I could listen to them again without having to pay the cost of calling the answerphone

    11) When I open Task manager a lot of apps still seem to be running - how do I tell it to exit apps completely rather than just suspending/running in background?

    12) Which antivirus would you recommend? is one needed?

    13) Titanium backup was complaining it didn't have root anymore - tried restarting phone - had to kill it from the task manager and start it again for it to have root again - is this a common issue?

    14) I read that Skyfire browser can be used to play iplayer as they decode the flash on their servers - what other video sites does it work with?

    15) I selected 'silent mode' but some apps still make noises - how do I make it totally silent?

    14) Also at times it seems almost randomly to switch to landscape and other times when I want it to it doesn't

    15) I installed androirc and it seems whenever the phone 'locks' itself the wi-fi cuts off and irc gets disconnected - how can I get the wi-fi to stay on?

    16) I am trying to pair an old bluetooth headset with it: http://www.orangeaccessories.co.uk/vibe_bl...th_headset.html

    But when I scan for devices it doesn't have any results (it worked with my 6300 - it is also able to find my 6300 if I turn it on)

    17) I have seen some cases mentioned on this forum but I think I would rather a pouch - any recommendations?
  • Rusty!
    Rusty! Posts: 2,076 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Holy hell :rotfl:

    1. Yes
    2. I believe the Blade is support by ROM Manager now, so grab that from the Market, and yes it will allow you to make a full NAND backup.
    3. Tap on the app you want, and hit the uninstall button. If it's greyed out, then it's a system app
    4. See if you have an app just called 'Talk'
    5. Somewhere on the SD card, install a file manager to find them
    6. Anywhere you please
    7. Yeah you wont need ADB or Fastboot for everyday use
    8. Blade Wifi Fix from the Market
    9. Not really no
    10. Recording calls and Android don't really go together at the moment, you can try it though, but you need to make the call on speakerphone
    11. Don't worry about it, Android knows how to manage it's memory efficiently
    12. Try Lookout
    13. Not on mine. Normally when it says it doesn't have root it means it can't find Busybox. Did you tick the allow always box in the SU request?
    14. Everything, apparently
    15. Go into the sound settings and drop the Media volume down too (or just hold vol down when something is making noise you don't want)
    16. Er dunno, don't own one of them. Does it find other Bluetooth things OK?
    17. Pass
  • MoneySavingUser
    MoneySavingUser Posts: 1,667 Forumite
    Thanks Rusty! - very helpful

    2. Just installed Rom Manager

    4. No app called just 'Talk'

    was thinking to download some rom and grab the .apk file for Gtalk from it - would this work?

    8. Installed wifi-fix - but it says
    Wifi doesn't always come back on after the phone wakes up from being locked or asleep.
    what if I want is for it to stay on all the time even when locked/asleep (what is the difference?)

    14. Didn't work on a few sites just gave a message 'you need to install flash' and took me to the adobe site and offered me flash for mac! lol

    16. I turned bluetooth on on my old phone and it found it ok - I think I need to press some buttons to put it into pairing mode but I don't have the manual anymore
  • Rusty!
    Rusty! Posts: 2,076 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    4. Yes that should work
    8. In the wifi options, press menu then advanced, and you can change the sleep policy
    16. Often it's done by holding the power button
  • MoneySavingUser
    MoneySavingUser Posts: 1,667 Forumite
    edited 3 March 2011 at 8:49PM
    4. Downloaded from: http://androidforums.com/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10/220682-xperia-x10-google-talk-apks-please.html and now it is working :)

    8. Yes! (didn't know about advanced - thanks!)

    16. yeah - but it doesn't seem to be working - I think it requires some combination of the volume buttons but can't remember so well - I think I'll just buy a new one probably

    In regards to skyfire and iplayer - I tried going to the website in it as described in http://www.brighthub.com/mobile/google-android/articles/107853.aspx but it just brings up a bbc message saying your mobile doesn't support iplayer

    The other option on the page MyPlayer shows on the market website but if I try the link on the phone it says not found

    edit: also getting not found when visiting market place on phone with https://market.android.com/details?id=org.mozilla.firefox&feature=search_result
  • MoneySavingUser
    MoneySavingUser Posts: 1,667 Forumite
    8. The wi-fi staying on doesn't seem to work (other threads have suggested too) - fix seems to be to upgrade to 2.2 CM rom

    The skyfire app - in settings the option for 'plugins' is greyed out so maybe that's why it is having problems with flash

    Downloaded apk for an older version of MyPlayer and iPlayer is working now
  • Rusty!
    Rusty! Posts: 2,076 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    You still need the Blade Wifi Fix app even with it set to never sleep :)
  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    The other option on the page MyPlayer shows on the market website but if I try the link on the phone it says not found


    Its removed you need to Google a download link .

    jje
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