[jivegirl14]

Great tip, thank you!

[jivegirl14]

Still want to thank everyone for all the tips being posted, even if I've discovered some of them (like the signature) it's very helpful to have them posted here.

[jivegirl14]

Multitasking on the Samsung Galaxy SIII.... is... a breeze.

I've got into the habit of using Tasks Manager to close apps I'm not using and also freeing up memory doesn't hurt. I've also found Task Manager reallyhelps me multi-task - Long press the Home button to get the option to swipe away some or all of apps in use, swiping to the right closes the app. Or you can press Remove All to close them all in a second. When apps are open can swipe up and down to select any running app.

Multi-tasking is so easy.... with the apps you're using open, once you long press the Home button you can switch between any of your open apps from where you left them, by just tapping the app. I find this very helpful in so many ways, used it at length yesterday with the camera and other apps.
Everything is just a touch away

Edit Just updating this because someone asked about it...

To switch between running apps:

Long Press the Home Key.
You will see all your currently open apps down the right side with their names on the left.
Swipe right to remove/close an app or
Tap remove all to remove/close them all
To switch between them simply tap on the app you want to go to (before removing of course). You can switch between as many as you want to. Long Press the Home button again to go to any of your other open apps. Tapping the back button takes you back to your Homescreen.
You have to Long Press the Home Button to get to the Task Manager, make sure it's not a short press, that does something different.

If you have open apps you will also see two options at the bottom of your screen, Task Manager and Remove All. If you tap Task Manager you have options to free up memory, it closes running process and tells you how much memory you're using/have freed up. A nice little housekeeping option.

I am using ICS with Apex Pro Lanuncher, I think the above applies with the stock launcher.

[walgarin]

If you go into Settings > Sounds > Auto Haptic It will enable haptic feedback on your games/apps based on sound, pretty neat!! (note: doesnt work on all games/apps, but does on many)


The wiimote controller successfully pairs and works with our SGS3s!

[Marty_LK]

If anyone buys an S3 - or actually any new phone - and find that it has cosmetic flaws, even very minor ones, make absolute certain to return it before the return period is up. No matter how insignificant the flaw is, if you believe it is something you'll want to resolve at some point, make fully certain to do it within the return period.

I made the mistake of thinking I could safely have my S3 cosmetic flaws resolved anytime in the warranty period and that's not how they are. I bought my S3 at Best Buy and noticed the back panel has some very minor dips along the edge which look similar to dings. Rather than trouble myself with it during the return period of 15 days, I felt secure I could have that simple, plastic back panel replaced at any time, no questions asked. That was a mistake. They will not do anything outside of the return period unless there is something functionally wrong with it. There isn't anything functionally wrong with mine, it just has the cosmetic flaws on the back cover. The flaws aren't all that easy to see but I'm particular about my equipment and am kind of anal retentive about it.

I know from now on when I buy something from Best Buy or AT&T that if I even so much as think there is a cosmetic flaw, straight back to the store it goes. I won't even so much as blink at seeming to be a hassle for them. And if they bark at me bringing it back for even the most insignificant flaw, I'll boldly relate to them my S3 experience.

[jivegirl14]

Folks, hope everyone regularly checks out Android Central...I like this forum, however most of the questions answers and articles are on Android Central. Here's a very useful article on Home Screens on the Samsung Galaxy SIII. I discovered all this for myself, but it's still useful to see the article.

How to add and arrange Home screens on the Galaxy S3 | Android Central

[walgarin]

Launch music apps when headphones are plugged in
With this Task programmed, every time you plug in your headphones, a menu of your music apps will appear.
Tap the + sign to create a new profile. Name it something like "Music" and tap the checkmark. In the Context menu, select State > Hardware > Headset Plugged. In the next screen, just tap the green checkmark.
Next, the Task Selection menu will appear. Select "New Task" and name it something like "Launch music." In the next window, tap the blue plus sign. Basically, everything your phone can do is listed here. For this example, select Alert > Menu.
In the "Items" section, tap the grayed-out "Action" button. Then select App > Load app, and select one of the Music apps you'd like to load. To add another app to the menu, select the green + sign, tap "Action," and repeat the same process.
When you're done, tap the green checkmark.

[OniBerry]

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46IiRyigUH0[/YT]

[jcp007]

If you go into Settings > Sounds > Auto Haptic It will enable haptic feedback on your games/apps based on sound, pretty neat!! (note: doesnt work on all games/apps, but does on many)


The wiimote controller successfully pairs and works with our SGS3s!

The auto haptic feature eats batteries. Disable when done with a game.

[pantlesspenguin]

Just noticed this!! When you plug headphones in, you get some choices on apps/services to use within the notification drawer!

[walgarin]

Haven't noticed this being addressed but regarding S-Beam it appears that both phones are required to utilize the same app that is involved with the file being transferred. For example, I use "quickpic" as the default image viewer and when I used s-beam to test a pic transfer, the phones connected however my buddy's phone went to the play store and more specifically went to the "quickpic" downlad page. Obviously my buddy's phone required him to dl the app in order to finish the transfer. I then opened the same file via "gallery" and reinitiated the transfer. This time the phones connected and transferred the file without a hitch

[walgarin]

Your contacts. If you have them on your Google account then pat yourself on your back (or get the nearest person to do it).

If you have your contacts on your sim you will have a name and a number and not much else and when something happens to your phone you will lose them unless you saved them some place else.

If you have your contacts on your phone you will have the option to save a lot more information such as birthdays & anniversaries, addresses, other contact details. But if something happens to your phone you will lose them unless you saved them some place else, and you will have to copy them to your new phone.

If you have your contacts on your Google account they are secure in the Google Cloud, they are not stored on your phone per se (you don't need a permanent data connection to access them as they sync to the phone). You will have all the extra details and if something happens to your phone nothing will happen to your contacts. They will sync with any phone you use your Google account on. You can also access your contacts from any PC when you have logged in to your Google account.

You can export your contacts from your sim or phone, them import them to your Google account. You can then either delete them from your sim or phone, or just choose not to display your contacts on your sim or phone.

If you suspect Google are secretly looking at your contacts on your Google account and you prefer to keep them on your sim or phone then there are plenty of apps to backup the details. Just make sure you copy the backup to your PC or cloud storage so if something happens to your phone...

[Marty_LK]

You hit the nail straight on the head. In my lengthy experience with the major systems over the years, Google is the only system that fully, seamlessly and reliably integrates all the functioning of a smartphone. I have never had an easier time with any other system than with Google. All of my information, documents, calendars and agendas are a simple user name/password input away. No need for even thinking about it much less going to other functions for it or trying to understand it all.

You'd think Microsoft's system would be just as capable, but it isn't. It isn't reliable and severely limits your information access/edit. With Google, if I need to change anything about a contact or choose to add or remove a contact/s, I can easily do it on the PC in Gmail or on the handset. And the information syncs reliably and quickly. With Hotmail or Live on Microsoft's side of things, you have to scratch your head wondering how everything works and you can only do things on the handset rather than on the PC.

The same goes for iOS. Compared to Google's system integration, iOS looks like a cripple. But iOS is better than Windows Mobile/Phone.

[CORRECTION] You can edit and add contacts in Hotmail/Live on the PC, but you cannot add contact images on the PC. For that, you have to do it on your handset.

[jivegirl14]

I have my contacts in Google. I did quite a bit of reading before I switched and saw that the way Google integrated things actually could work for me. It made moving my contacts from my BlackBerry seamless. I have never had my contacts on my sim card. Too much risk of them all being lost if I misplaced or lost my phone.
Good update and tip thanks for sharing.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk 2

[walgarin]

You hit the nail straight on the head. In my lengthy experience with the major systems over the years, Google is the only system that fully, seamlessly and reliably integrates all the functioning of a smartphone. I have never had an easier time with any other system than with Google. All of my information, documents, calendars and agendas are a simple user name/password input away. No need for even thinking about it much less going to other functions for it or trying to understand it all.

You'd think Microsoft's system would be just as capable, but it isn't. It isn't reliable and severely limits your information access/edit. With Google, if I need to change anything about a contact or choose to add or remove a contact/s, I can easily do it on the PC in Gmail or on the handset. And the information syncs reliably and quickly. With Hotmail or Live on Microsoft's side of things, you have to scratch your head wondering how everything works and you can only do things on the handset rather than on the PC.

The same goes for iOS. Compared to Google's system integration, iOS looks like a cripple. But iOS is better than Windows Mobile/Phone.

[CORRECTION] You can edit and add contacts in Hotmail/Live on the PC, but you cannot add contact images on the PC. For that, you have to do it on your handset.

I just note that Hotmail is now outlook.com and to think they would have move forward like Google but I guess its to much work for them

[Tre Lawrence]

I would agree that Google does seem to have accessibility locked down... for me at least. I love being able to sign into any web-enabled portal and have access to my data or documents.

Heck, using Google Voice as my telephony service allows me to text from computers. Stuff like that just makes me more productive.

Funnily enough, I doubt Google planned the ineroperablility at the beginning, but they sure figured it out.

[reeneebob]

Grrrrrrrrrr...I have that stupid Samsung cellular radio bug. I can't believe Sammy hasn't fixed that yet, it's why I rooted and custom rommed my SGS 1.

For those who aren't familiar its when the cellular radios suddenly stay awake and drain the battery. Only way to stop it is restart. It's different than the misread of cellular radio use because the algorithm is wrong. It's done it out of nowhere twice and its software related. I don't leave it plugged in all night, I always charge it unplug at 100 before heading to bed. When the delightful bug happens when I wake up my battery is at 2%, cellular radio awake time is 70% or higher (even with wifi on) and its rapid drained the battery in 9 hours.

I've ready rooted the phone when it did it the first time in case I decided to rom it to stop the issue if it repeated. Has anyone else had it happen? It's not hardware, it's a software glitch and its irritating.

Anyone who has had a sgs1 will know this issue well.

Here's screen shots of the battery log.






Sent from mah brainzzzzz via Galaxy S III and Tapatalk 2

[walgarin]

Grrrrrrrrrr...I have that stupid Samsung cellular radio bug. I can't believe Sammy hasn't fixed that yet, it's why I rooted and custom rommed my SGS 1.

For those who aren't familiar its when the cellular radios suddenly stay awake and drain the battery. Only way to stop it is restart. It's different than the misread of cellular radio use because the algorithm is wrong. It's done it out of nowhere twice and its software related. I don't leave it plugged in all night, I always charge it unplug at 100 before heading to bed. When the delightful bug happens when I wake up my battery is at 2%, cellular radio awake time is 70% or higher (even with wifi on) and its rapid drained the battery in 9 hours.

I've ready rooted the phone when it did it the first time in case I decided to rom it to stop the issue if it repeated. Has anyone else had it happen? It's not hardware, it's a software glitch and its irritating.

Anyone who has had a sgs1 will know this issue well.

Here's screen shots of the battery log.

Click to view quoted image


Click to view quoted image



Sent from mah brainzzzzz via Galaxy S III and Tapatalk 2

I have the SG1, 2 and 3 and never had an issue even after I rooted my SG1 and 2, ever through it might be a defect and getting it replace?

[reeneebob]

I have the SG1, 2 and 3 and never had an issue even after I rooted my SG1 and 2, ever through it might be a defect and getting it replace?

It doesn't affect everyone but it's a known software bug going back to the sgs1. Over on xda a few others have it and have swapped both hardware and sim cards and it still happens. The frustrating thing is its not a regular thing and can start doing it out of nowhere. Only fix is a custom rom or turning the phone off and restarting.

It did it on both of my sgs1's (original and replacement after the recall bell had) but not doesn't happen on non Sammy phones.

Sent from mah brainzzzzz via Galaxy S III and Tapatalk 2

[Marty_LK]

Grrrrrrrrrr...I have that stupid Samsung cellular radio bug. I can't believe Sammy hasn't fixed that yet, it's why I rooted and custom rommed my SGS 1.

For those who aren't familiar its when the cellular radios suddenly stay awake and drain the battery. Only way to stop it is restart. It's different than the misread of cellular radio use because the algorithm is wrong. It's done it out of nowhere twice and its software related. I don't leave it plugged in all night, I always charge it unplug at 100 before heading to bed. When the delightful bug happens when I wake up my battery is at 2%, cellular radio awake time is 70% or higher (even with wifi on) and its rapid drained the battery in 9 hours.

I've ready rooted the phone when it did it the first time in case I decided to rom it to stop the issue if it repeated. Has anyone else had it happen? It's not hardware, it's a software glitch and its irritating.

Anyone who has had a sgs1 will know this issue well.

Here's screen shots of the battery log.

Click to view quoted image


Click to view quoted image



Sent from mah brainzzzzz via Galaxy S III and Tapatalk 2

Do you by any chance use the stock Android News & Weather widget (Rosie widget)?

The reason I ask is because I installed it on my S3 and one day it used nearly 2GB of data. And my battery drained really low too. The Data Usage menu showed that the rosie widget was the culprit.

[reeneebob]

Do you by any chance use the stock Android News & Weather widget (Rosie widget)?

The reason I ask is because I installed it on my S3 and one day it used nearly 2GB of data. And my battery drained really low too. The Data Usage menu showed that the rosie widget was the culprit.

Nope.

Something is wake locking it while it sleeps. It does it randomly. I can live with it as it's not a frequent occurance but the geek in me wants to know why lol.

Sent from mah brainzzzzz via Galaxy S III and Tapatalk 2

[Blacklatino]

I read on another forum that within the alarm, you can set it to play your alarm alert for a few seconds, then it'll speak the current weather conditions/daily forecast, upcoming calendar events, and a news headline!!

I need to try that out. Thanks

sent from my Galaxy S lll (*_~)

[reeneebob]

Here's a comparison. The first screenshot is the battery log after the rapid drain:



And here's the battery log after I restarted to stop the bug and recharged:



Keep in mind that when it drained, it was sitting on my night stand in standby. No apps were open (I task kill before bed). I wish this wake lock bug had been fixed. Grrrrrrrrrr. I'm just glad it's occasional but it's still frustrating.

Sent from mah brainzzzzz via Galaxy S III and Tapatalk 2

[walgarin]

has anyone done the small update, also it looks like the JB update will be 8/29

[reeneebob]

has anyone done the small update, also it looks like the JB update will be 8/29

I don't have any updates showing, but PLEASE let that 8/29 be true!