Samsung S3 n00b questions

[Dolby]

A few questions I have :

Gmail - I don't have or want a Gmail account ; I do - however - have a Google account and I am logged in. Am I still able to see and edit my contacts online? Where? :/

Gallery - It's showing my album art JPG too, so it seems to be scanning the entire device for images. Is there a way to get it to ignore locations and only scan the Photos? I don't every album art graphic appearing.

Shortcuts - Can I change the bottom lockscreen shortcuts at all?

 

[Ecco]

Cant help you on the first point.

On the second, try an app called QuickPic. I use this as my primary app for viewing my pics etc - very fast, and easy to use. With this app you can exclude folders to scan.

Third, cant help again - i use a pattern lock - cant see any shortcuts.

 

[web]

shortcut, go to settings>security>lockscreen options>shorcuts, you can change your shortcuts there.

 

[opinionhated]

The contact app is one with gmail. You don't need to use the email address if you don't want to.

 

[Dolby]

Thanks guys

 

[backstreetboy]

https://www.google.com/contacts/

 

[Tim182]

A few questions I have :

Gmail - I don't have or want a Gmail account ; I do - however - have a Google account and I am logged in. Am I still able to see and edit my contacts online? Where? :/

Gallery - It's showing my album art JPG too, so it seems to be scanning the entire device for images. Is there a way to get it to ignore locations and only scan the Photos? I don't every album art graphic appearing.

Shortcuts - Can I change the bottom lockscreen shortcuts at all?

1. You have a google account therefore you have a gmail account. Whether you use it is another story, no one is forcing you to...

2. Yes, simply add an empty file called .nomedia into the folders you don't want showing up.

3. Possibly. Look on xda-developers

 

[Dalem44]

How much RAM does your galaxy use when no apps are open?
Mine seems to fluctuate and is different every time I check

 

[opinionhated]

How much RAM does your galaxy use when no apps are open?
Mine seems to fluctuate and is different every time I check

Yes. That's how the android os works. Read up on android and memory use.

 

[Dalem44]

Yes. That's how the android os works. Read up on android and memory use.

Thanks.
I am a new Android convert so don't know too much about it.

 

[opinionhated]

Thanks.
I am a new Android convert so don't know too much about it.

basically all apps are stored in memory in a first in first out stack. When the OS requires memory it drops off the last program in the stack.

There are different priorities for stuff stored in the stack which helps decide what gets canned. E.g. the sms service or whatsapp won't get kicked off.

The reason you shouldn't use a task killer is coz killing all tasks causes the OS to automatically relaunch apps which then uses the processor. Apps stored in memory didn't necessarily consume battery since they're not using the processor.

 

[piranha786]

when is the official jelly bean available

 

[opinionhated]

when is the official jelly bean available

Look in the s3 thread peer.

 

[Twar]

when is the official jelly bean available

Rumours suggest it will be available by the end of August.

 

[Ptashark]

I've heard about the thing that the screen stays on as long as you look at it. Where do I activate this? Does it even work?

 

[Valerion]

I've heard about the thing that the screen stays on as long as you look at it. Where do I activate this? Does it even work?

Settings -> Display -> Smart Stay

It works, but you have to take the limitations into consideration. If you tilt your phone so the forward camera cannot see your eyes, it will stop working. If you put it flat on a table it won't work, as you look at it at an angle. So it works for some and not for others.

Also, glasses may confuse it, though it seems to work for me.

 

[Gamer]

Anybody actually actively using the smart stay feature? How is battery life effected by it?

 

[USZA]

Smart Stay is working sketchy for me; keeps confusing itself because of my glasses.

 

[Valerion]

It works kind-of for me. But if my hands start to get tired, or I reach for something next to my bed it usually switches off the screen, which is irritating. And yes, my glasses also sometimes confuses it. There is a warning icon when it's about to switch off, looking like an eye, but I sometimes miss that.

As for battery life, there is no difference between it on and off. Considering how much power the screen draws, just repeatedly touching the screen to keep it on and SmartStay makes no difference for me.

 

[TJ99]

Anybody actually actively using the smart stay feature? How is battery life effected by it?

The battery works on its own, it doesn't need to be effected by anything.

It's affected however, only as long as the display is on. Battery drain would be the same if you just set the display to stay on.

The video player also has a nice feature which locks the screen and controls so you can't accidentaly press home or back, and the display won't go off until the video is done done playing, even when you don't look directly at it.

I wish the Youtube app had a similar feature since I often touch something when watching a long video and it's abysmal at skipping or refreshing, one thing I hate about ICS since the GB player worked perfectly.