Andriod Apps

Redsteve · October 21, 2011

Hello Guys.

My wife's phone has just expired and she is going to have to invest in a new one. She likes the idea of getting and Andriod OS one so she can have Apps on it. My question is;

Where do we get these Apps from? Is there a main site or do we just have to trawl the net and see what is out there?

I think she just wants a few simple games and maybe some books.

Let me say from the off, I don't intend this thread to become an Android vs apple discussion, as far as I am concerned it is each to their own.

Thanks in advance.

Steve.

Parthiban · October 21, 2011

Everything you need is in the Android market - link will be on phone already, click it, search for whatever you want and download away!

Very similar in concept to the apple app store, except the majority of apps are free :)

Redsteve · October 22, 2011

Thanks Parthiban, for that little nugget of info.

We should be going into town today to try and get the new phone sorted.

I hope most of the Apps are free or I can see where my hard earned cash will be going for a few weeks!

Steve.

Parthiban · October 22, 2011

Thanks Parthiban, for that little nugget of info.

We should be going into town today to try and get the new phone sorted.

I hope most of the Apps are free or I can see where my hard earned cash will be going for a few weeks!

Steve.

Yep they are, I've been using android for over 3 years now and think I've only actually paid for 2 apps.

Which handset are you thinking of going for? Can highly recommend the galaxy s2 if your budget stretches to it :)

Redsteve · October 23, 2011

She ended up with a Galaxy Ace as our budget was so small.

The phone seems nice enough...but we can't seem to connect it to the PC via a USB cable.

I don't have Wi-Fi of Bluetooth capabilities so they are out of the question.

I have downloaded Kies but the phone will not connect when using it. I have tried downloading and using the PC Suite, again no luck there either.

I tried to just use the phone as a Mass Storage Device but although the PC acknowledges that I have plugged something in when I try to open the device I just get a message saying "Insert disc into drive K" or something like that.

Do you have any ideas where I might be going wrong?

Steve.

Rory · October 23, 2011

the galaxy ace requires a memory card to be inserted as its own internal storage is limited, there should be one in the box

Redsteve · October 23, 2011

the galaxy ace requires a memory card to be inserted as its own internal storage is limited, there should be one in the box

I did find that in the box and it is installed.

It is working OK as I have sent a picture from my phone via Bluetooth to my wife's new phone and I have checked that it saved it to the SD card.

Thanks for the idea though, no doubt it is just a setting on the phone that I need to change but I just can't figure it out. I have downloaded the instructions direct from Samsung but they don't go into enough detail.

One thing that is a bit worrying is, when you open the Kies page it doesn't say;

"If you have a problem connecting your phone..."

It says;

"When you have a problem connecting your phone..."

I hope we can get it sorted otherwise it kind of ruins the phone experience.

Steve.

Rory · October 23, 2011

Off the top of my head I can't think exactly how I do it (we use a device at work for data transfer) but it involves changing settings to do with usb de-bugging, and 'staying awake'

Parthiban · October 24, 2011

That sounds like the drivers haven't installed properly - I'd try uninstalling and installing again as a starting point.

Even if the Kies connect doesn't work (Kies is a horrible piece of software that I generally avoid, and luckily with android you really don't need to plug in), the mass storage should work no problems (that's the only way I ever connect my phone, to transfer music or videos)

Redsteve · October 24, 2011

Off the top of my head I can't think exactly how I do it (we use a device at work for data transfer) but it involves changing settings to do with usb de-bugging, and 'staying awake'

If you could get that info I would appreciate it.

Thanks.

Steve.

Redsteve · October 24, 2011

That sounds like the drivers haven't installed properly - I'd try uninstalling and installing again as a starting point.

Even if the Kies connect doesn't work (Kies is a horrible piece of software that I generally avoid, and luckily with android you really don't need to plug in), the mass storage should work no problems (that's the only way I ever connect my phone, to transfer music or videos)

I have installed the drivers 3 times now. If I don't really need to use Kies do you think I should remove it from my PC, maybe it is causing a issue with connectivity behind the scenes.

Thanks to you and Rory for the advice so far.

Steve.

dj0nes · October 24, 2011

Steve, I strongly recommend joining the Andriod forums. I'm just a lurker at the moment but the amount of info there is gold. They will def sort you out.

http://www.androidforums.com

Daz

Parthiban · October 25, 2011

I think the drivers are part of the Kies install so you'll probably need it on there, but I don't actually ever use Kies, just use it as a mass storage device and drag and drop stuff on or sync music with winamp.

Check on the Samsung website as to whether you have been provided with the latest version of Kies, if not download the latest one and try that.

LINK

Btw, you don't need USB debugging, that's for when you want to do more advanced tinkering with the software

Forgive me if I'm asking a silly question, but when you plug in and switch to mass storage, do you get the screen with the android and the "connect to PC" button at the bottom of the screen?

In any case I really think this is a driver issue, I had almost exactly the same problem with my last phone (a galaxy S) and needed to get the latest Kies off the Samsung website before it worked.

Redsteve · October 25, 2011

Steve, I strongly recommend joining the Andriod forums. I'm just a lurker at the moment but the amount of info there is gold. They will def sort you out.

http://www.androidforums.com

Daz

That is a damn fine idea, I don't know why I didn't think of that.

I will do it ASAP.

Thanks.

Steve.

Redsteve · October 25, 2011

I think the drivers are part of the Kies install so you'll probably need it on there, but I don't actually ever use Kies, just use it as a mass storage device and drag and drop stuff on or sync music with winamp.

Check on the Samsung website as to whether you have been provided with the latest version of Kies, if not download the latest one and try that.

LINK

Btw, you don't need USB debugging, that's for when you want to do more advanced tinkering with the software

Forgive me if I'm asking a silly question, but when you plug in and switch to mass storage, do you get the screen with the android and the "connect to PC" button at the bottom of the screen?

In any case I really think this is a driver issue, I had almost exactly the same problem with my last phone (a galaxy S) and needed to get the latest Kies off the Samsung website before it worked.

Hello again,

I have dowmloaded the latest version of Kies from the link you provided and, good news, it worked...once.

It won't reconnect now, the icon at the top left of the Kies screen just keeps spinning.

As for your "silly question" when I plug the phone in I don't get any options on the PC or on the phone! I don't get a screen with an Android on it or any connection messages.

I am going to have a look on the Android Forum to see if anyone else is having a similar problem, I will report back with news.

Thanks for everyone's input and ideas so far.

Steve.

Parthiban · October 26, 2011

Which version of Android is the Ace running? If you look in settings, then "about phone", scroll down and the version should be somewhere in the form of 2.x.x.

Also when you go into settings, and then "wireless and network", what options do you have for USB, and what's in those when you select them?

Redsteve · October 28, 2011

Which version of Android is the Ace running? If you look in settings, then "about phone", scroll down and the version should be somewhere in the form of 2.x.x.

Also when you go into settings, and then "wireless and network", what options do you have for USB, and what's in those when you select them?

Hi,

I have just checked the phone, it is running Android Version 2.3.3

The only thing I can find with anything to do with a USB connection in the Wireless and Networks tab is in the Tethering and Portable Hotspots submenu. With no USB cable connected the next menu page has USB Tethering greyed out and "No USB device connected" displayed. When I connect a USB cable the USB Tethering writing turns white and the message underneath now says "USB connected. Tick to tether." There is also now USB icon at the top of the phone screen. The PC has just chimed to acknowledge something has been plugged in and on the My Computer page it is showing Removable Disks F G H I J K all of which say "Please insert a disk into Drive" when I open them.

If I tick the box on the phone that says "Tick to tether" the PC chimes again and Removable Disk K disappears from the My Computer page.

There are no new icons displayed on my PC near the clock as I would expect if someting was connected in either setting.

Sorry if this is a bit confusing.

Thanks for your help and advice so far.

Steve

Redsteve · October 28, 2011

Hello again chaps.

I think we have solved my connection issues.

I spent a bit of time on the Android Forum at the suggestion of Daz and read a few threads about USBs and connection problems.

I then read about pulling down a menu from the Idle screen. I tried it and it worked, I got the option to connect as a Mass Storage Device and when I ticked the box I got the Android icon just as Parthiban said I should.

Happy days.

Thanks guys for all your help and advice, I wouldn't have got it sorted without you.

Steve.

Parthiban · October 28, 2011

Glad you got it sorted!

Going back to the earlier point though, in the wireless and networks menu, do you not have an option called "USB settings"?

In there you should be able to specify how the phone reacts when it is connected to USB - the choices are Samsung Kies, Media Player, Mass Storage or Ask on connection.

I think your phone was on "ask on connection" which is why you got the USB logo in the notifications bar - which as you've found means you have to drag down the notifications screen and select it to choose which method of connection you want. As an example if you switch it to "mass storage" then anytime you connect the phone it will automatically switch to mass storage mode.

Either way happy it's fixed, hope you can get on with enjoying the phone now! :)

Redsteve · October 28, 2011

Hi Parthiban,

in the Wireless and Networks menu there is no option of USB Settings, all I have are;

Flight Mode

Wi-Fi Settings

Bluetooth Settings

Tethering and Portable Hotspots

VPN Settings

Mobile Networks.

I am guessing you have a different phone to me.

Steve.

Parthiban · October 28, 2011

Hi Steve, yep my phone is different, on mine that option is called "USB Utilities" so different again!

Got this off a quick google search, seems yours doesn't have the same menus as in this document either:

LINK

Sounds like whichever network you're on has disabled that option to choose how the phone responds to a USB connection which is odd, but perhaps simplifies things.......

Redsteve · October 28, 2011

Not sure what has happened but your link isn't working for me. I notice from the URL that it is something to do with Orange, my wife's phone is with Vodafone.

Steve

Parthiban · October 29, 2011

Not sure what has happened but your link isn't working for me. I notice from the URL that it is something to do with Orange, my wife's phone is with Vodafone.

Steve

Yep it was basically a menu map for the galaxy ace off the orange site.

Having had a number of android phones they all have that option, so it seems like Vodafone have disabled it for some reason. In any case glad it's all sorted now :)