Android: General Chat

[blandy]

On 13/09/2023 at 19:37, limpid said:

That's the one I use. You install it from the Play Store, click open and there's a card on the new launcher saying "set Niagara is default launcher". I assume you are running an older version of Android than me, but none of that's changed in several years.

As recommended above, Nova launcher might be a better choice. You've chosen a particularly minimalist launcher for your first experience.

The launcher won't get rid of the junkware that your employer has paid for, but you can completely hide any app from the launcher. I assume that for you the "space filling" isn't a problem as you are using external storage.

Nova launcher seems ok. I quite like it. Niagara was troublesome, for whatever reason and the first one I tried was appalling, can’t remember what it was called.

The junkware isn’t paid for by my employer, though presumably Facebook etc pay to have it on the phone. The phone is mine. I got a company phone ages ago, a basic Nokia dumb phone to use abroad, but gave it back because claiming expenses for it every month after I returned was more hassle than the phone was worth. So later when I went abroad again, I used about to expire air miles to get the android phone at the airport, stuck a PAYG Three SIM card in it (recommended to me by colleagues, because back then calls abroad were uk rate on 3, and they still are for me). So that Samsung S8+ phone (chosen because it’s air-mile cost exactly matched how many I had that were about to expire) and that number are my “travel” phone - it’s also had various Telstra and Optus sims put in it and used. It’s ageing a bit, it’s Android 9 and the battery doesn’t last too long, but it’s alright and easily the longest time I’ve kept a single phone. Must be 6 years or more.

[limpid]

1 hour ago, blandy said:

Nova launcher seems ok. I quite like it. Niagara was troublesome, for whatever reason and the first one I tried was appalling, can’t remember what it was called.

The junkware isn’t paid for by my employer, though presumably Facebook etc pay to have it on the phone. The phone is mine. I got a company phone ages ago, a basic Nokia dumb phone to use abroad, but gave it back because claiming expenses for it every month after I returned was more hassle than the phone was worth. So later when I went abroad again, I used about to expire air miles to get the android phone at the airport, stuck a PAYG Three SIM card in it (recommended to me by colleagues, because back then calls abroad were uk rate on 3, and they still are for me). So that Samsung S8+ phone (chosen because it’s air-mile cost exactly matched how many I had that were about to expire) and that number are my “travel” phone - it’s also had various Telstra and Optus sims put in it and used. It’s ageing a bit, it’s Android 9 and the battery doesn’t last too long, but it’s alright and easily the longest time I’ve kept a single phone. Must be 6 years or more.

You must have missed my many posts over the years about buying "anything but Samsung"

I use eSIMs now so it's just scanning a QR code to change SIM.

[blandy]

3 hours ago, limpid said:

You must have missed my many posts over the years about buying "anything but Samsung"

I use eSIMs now so it's just scanning a QR code to change SIM.

At the time, in Doha airport, I was just passing time, looking at stuff in duty free and all the prices were indecipherable to me, so I asked a bod behind a desk what they meant and he said [whatever], I then asked if you could buy stuff with Q miles - he said yes, so I said "how many have I got" and gave him my airline card - he said [however many], but they run out tomorrow" - so I just wandered about a bit and found the phone exactly matched the number, it was the only one that did. At that point, I was in a long haul daze of wine, food, middle of the night....And strangely your posts about Samsung weren't at the forefront of my mind at that point, though I do recall being vaguely wary, but thinking "if it's crap I can sell it when I get back to the UK". Anyways, it's actually a good little phone, but would be better without the junk on it. Though as you said earlier, by putting an SD card in it for music, there's still some room left on the phone for all the other stuff.

I did buy a really cheap Android phone to replace it a while back, maybe a year ago, but it's so painfully slow that I went back to the Samsung and its aged battery. The Newer one is a cleaner OS and Android 13, but when I updated to Android 13 it wiped the SD card (or said it needed reformatting).

The ideal solution would be for my fruit based phone (which does have e-sim capability) but only one physical sim slot to have the Three number and the esim to be my personal number, but my provider doesn't do e sims, yet, sadly. If they did, I could bin the ancient Samsung, and just use 1 phone.

[limpid]

2 hours ago, blandy said:

The ideal solution would be for my fruit based phone (which does have e-sim capability) but only one physical sim slot to have the Three number and the esim to be my personal number, but my provider doesn't do e sims, yet, sadly. If they did, I could bin the ancient Samsung, and just use 1 phone.

I ended up leaving three as they kept promising eSIMs would be available "soon". I got two bargain renewal prices though by playing up to this.

[dubbs]

My Xiaomi did an update Monday and since then the weirdest thing started happening.  I've been using it as a hotspot in my car for a while but since Monday when I try to use it where I work I can't turn it on. Keeps saying error.  Yet as soon as I get home it works fine again.  I'm stumped!  Tried all the usual things, airplane mode, turn phone on then off, WiFi on off.  Not a major issue but it just means I can't stream stuff to my car screen anymore, and it could have been used as a backup of android auto stopped working for me.  Anyone else having any issues.

[limpid]

12 hours ago, dubbs said:

My Xiaomi did an update Monday and since then the weirdest thing started happening.  I've been using it as a hotspot in my car for a while but since Monday when I try to use it where I work I can't turn it on. Keeps saying error.  Yet as soon as I get home it works fine again.  I'm stumped!  Tried all the usual things, airplane mode, turn phone on then off, WiFi on off.  Not a major issue but it just means I can't stream stuff to my car screen anymore, and it could have been used as a backup of android auto stopped working for me.  Anyone else having any issues. 

Doesn't it connect to your car using Bluetooth?

[dubbs]

44 minutes ago, limpid said:

Doesn't it connect to your car using Bluetooth?

No it won't let me share data via Bluetooth.  I usually use it to watch prime or YouTube at lunchtime so it's not a killer but just frustrating that it worked and now it doesn't.  And very strange that it works at home (tested again tonight) but not at work using exactly the same process.

[dubbs]

On 27/09/2023 at 19:45, dubbs said:

No it won't let me share data via Bluetooth.  I usually use it to watch prime or YouTube at lunchtime so it's not a killer but just frustrating that it worked and now it doesn't.  And very strange that it works at home (tested again tonight) but not at work using exactly the same process.

This has been resolving by setting it up to turn on and off when my Bluetooth connects to the car.  Either that or it's just resolved itself.

[Anthony]

Right then kids, I had this idea of getting a tablet to use as a remote control for stuff. Specifically, putting widgets on the home screen, so youtube music, tv streaming apps, tapo smart home stuff, and the control for my amp. 

You'd think it was straightforward, but oh god, no. 

I bought a crappy amazon fire thing, used the toolkit to change the home launcher, but it keeps changing itself back. And the tablet is utter shit. Sometimes it'll take three or four minutes to open an app, then the same for every button you want to press. 

So, what does the VT massive suggest? Is there a general remote app that actually works and has widgets? Is there a tablet that isn't shit that doesn't cost a fortune? The pixel tablet might do what I want, but it's 600 notes, so can get in the **** sea. 

Over to you. 

Edited January 23 by Anthony
Typos

[limpid]

1 hour ago, Anthony said:

Right then kids, I had this idea of getting a tablet to use as a remote control for stuff. Specifically, putting widgets on the home screen, so youtube music, tv streaming apps, tapo smart home stuff, and the control for my amp. 

You'd think it was straightforward, but oh good, no. 

I bought a crappy amazon fire thing, used the toolkit to change the home launcher, but it keeps charging itself back. And it's utter shit. Sometimes it'll take three or four minutes to open an app, then the same for every button you want to press. 

So, what does the VT massive suggest? Is there a general remote app that actually works and has widgets? Is there a tablet that isn't shit that doesn't cost a fortune? The pixel tablet might do what I want, but it's 600 notes, so can get in the **** area. 

Over to you. 

I use Google Assistant for all this (I don't know "tapo").

The Pixel tablet is £600 but does include a really good speaker doc (and has extra things it can do if you have a Pixel phone).

[Genie]

On 23/01/2024 at 15:14, Anthony said:

Right then kids, I had this idea of getting a tablet to use as a remote control for stuff. Specifically, putting widgets on the home screen, so youtube music, tv streaming apps, tapo smart home stuff, and the control for my amp. 

You'd think it was straightforward, but oh god, no. 

I bought a crappy amazon fire thing, used the toolkit to change the home launcher, but it keeps changing itself back. And the tablet is utter shit. Sometimes it'll take three or four minutes to open an app, then the same for every button you want to press. 

So, what does the VT massive suggest? Is there a general remote app that actually works and has widgets? Is there a tablet that isn't shit that doesn't cost a fortune? The pixel tablet might do what I want, but it's 600 notes, so can get in the **** sea. 

Over to you. 

I made the same mistake of buying a fire tablet and then forcing it to behave a bit more like a regular android tablet.

It’s always worth a cruise through hotukdeals. Search tablet and see what it throws up. 

Edited February 6 by Genie

[Genie]

Does anyone have the Pixel 8? I’m seriously thinking about taking a break from iPhone and giving Android another whirl.

[limpid]

10 hours ago, Genie said:

Does anyone have the Pixel 8? I’m seriously thinking about taking a break from iPhone and giving Android another whirl.

I have a 7 pro, but couldn't see the value in upgrading. Is there anything specific you want to know?

[Genie]

2 minutes ago, limpid said:

I have a 7 pro, but couldn't see the value in upgrading. Is there anything specific you want to know?

I have been with Apple for ages and looking for a change. The pixel 8 looks amazing. I’d go Pro if it didn’t come with a bigger handset, 6.2” is perfect for me.

I think I know the answer and was just looking for some reassurance. As I mentioned before I do quite a bit of video recording and editing for my sons football team and from what I can tell the Pixel is miles ahead of what ios can do (things like editing out wind noise).

[limpid]

10 minutes ago, Genie said:

I have been with Apple for ages and looking for a change. The pixel 8 looks amazing. I’d go Pro if it didn’t come with a bigger handset, 6.2” is perfect for me.

I think I know the answer and was just looking for some reassurance. As I mentioned before I do quite a bit of video recording and editing for my sons football team and from what I can tell the Pixel is miles ahead of what ios can do (things like editing out wind noise).

And I can't help with that as I don't do anything with video

[Genie]

I’ve taken the plunge, ordered myself a Pixel 8 256gb. 

[PieFacE]

21 minutes ago, Genie said:

I’ve taken the plunge, ordered myself a Pixel 8 256gb. 

Nice choice. I have a Pixel 7 which I think is a cracking phone, unfortunately my 2 year old has thrown it about a few times and it's cracked on the front and the back. So have been thinking about upgrading to an 8 as i'm not sure how much life my 7 has left.

Intrigued by your thoughts once you've had time with it. 

I do wish Google would do a Pixel with a smaller form factor. The size of the Pixel 5 was perfect. Not a huge fan of how big phones have got. 

Edited February 16 by PieFacE

[Genie]

40 minutes ago, PieFacE said:

Nice choice. I have a Pixel 7 which I think is a cracking phone, unfortunately my 2 year old has thrown it about a few times and it's cracked on the front and the back. So have been thinking about upgrading to an 8 as i'm not sure how much life my 7 has left.

Intrigued by your thoughts once you've had time with it. 

I do wish Google would do a Pixel with a smaller form factor. The size of the Pixel 5 was perfect. Not a huge fan of how big phones have got. 

I’m exactly the same re phone size and why I stuck with apple for so long. 6.1/6.2” is plenty big enough imo. So many phones now are standard at 6.7”. I’d have been tempted to go for the Pixel 8 pro if it didn’t come with a bigger screen.

Looking forward to getting my hands on it tomorrow, although I know it’ll be a long process to setup as apple passwords and stuff won’t come across. Things like banking apps which seamlessly opened with a face id check will be a pain to get going I’m sure.

I’m looking forward to not having to deal with iTunes.

[limpid]

59 minutes ago, Genie said:

I’m exactly the same re phone size and why I stuck with apple for so long. 6.1/6.2” is plenty big enough imo. So many phones now are standard at 6.7”. I’d have been tempted to go for the Pixel 8 pro if it didn’t come with a bigger screen.

Looking forward to getting my hands on it tomorrow, although I know it’ll be a long process to setup as apple passwords and stuff won’t come across. Things like banking apps which seamlessly opened with a face id check will be a pain to get going I’m sure.

I’m looking forward to not having to deal with iTunes.

Pixel (Google) doesn't sell enough devices to do more than the the three current variants. Samsung would sell a small form factor flagship if they thought there was sufficient demand and they'd know. Perhaps the Flip would be a better form factor?

[Genie]

27 minutes ago, limpid said:

Pixel (Google) doesn't sell enough devices to do more than the the three current variants. Samsung would sell a small form factor flagship if they thought there was sufficient demand and they'd know. Perhaps the Flip would be a better form factor?

The Pixel 8 is the right form factor, I just don’t want anything larger.