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Hey guys. I'm a bit new to the whole Android scene. I am an iPhone 3gs user, and I am looking to switch to the EVO 4G when it comes out. The thing is, no matter how many Android sites I visit, I can not really figure out how to switch to Android. Basically, what I'm looking for is a website or information about the basic things. What do I use instead of iTunes (if I need to)?, how do I back up my info?, what is this whole rooting thing?, how do I transfer my information and contacts onto the EVO? So any and all information is appreciated. If there is another forum dealing with this, a link to it would work as well. Thank you, and have a nice day.
First of all your posting in the wrong section, as your question is not about android developing and or hacking, ask your question in this part of the forum, also next time make a little search around the forum, these and many other questions have been answered 1000 of times, and btw welcome to the xda developers community, enjoy your stay.
Sincerly
Rafyvitto
pashok99 said:
What do I use instead of iTunes (if I need to)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Multimedia applications for Android
Multimedia apps for Android
My preferred one is Meridian Media Player Pioneer
pashok99 said:
how do I back up my info? how do I transfer my information and contacts onto the EVO?
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Click to collapse
I don't know anything about how the iPhoney works, but the Gmail help page says:
We support importing CSV files from Outlook, Outlook Express, Yahoo! Mail, Hotmail, Eudora and some other apps. We also support importing vCard from apps like Apple Address Book.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully you can find a way to export your contacts, if you have lots of them.
As far as backing up your contacts, phone numbers, email addresses, etc. A Gmail account is required to activate your phone.
Any changes you make to your contact information, it will sync with your Gmail & your phone. Edit a contact via your phone, it will sync with your Gmail account.
Is this what you were asking for?
How to backup SMS?
I use an app appropriately titled SMS Backup.
I've got SMS backups going back over a year. They get uploaded to my Gmail account for easy archiving.
Back up your apps?
There quite a few. My personal favorite is Titanium Backup root (root required)
pashok99 said:
what is this whole rooting thing?
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Click to collapse
A quick Googling yielded 2.6 MILLION results, with the terms "why root android".
Give it a shot.
I'm just gonna copy & paste from a very old thread.
* You can install a full Linux distribution, like Debian.
* You can run applications that require root, like Screenshot and Auto Rotate your Browser and or any other application.
* You can install the latest Android build directly from the Android source tree.
* Customize your boot image.
* Create full backups of the state of your phone.
* Create custom ROMs.
* Install Applications to your SD Card to save space.
* Use your phone as a tether to connect your computer/laptop to the internet.
* Turn your phone into a wireless router that provides internet access.
I hope I answered your questions.
Please make sure you seach. Bookmark alot of sh-tuff along the way, cause when you get your EVO, due to the fact you ARE HERE, you will probably be seeking root some short time afterwards.
SEARCH SEARCH SEARCH!
You'll get that answer 9 outta 10 times.
Best of luck to you, and Welcome to Android™
pashok99 said:
What do I use instead of iTunes (if I need to)?, how do I back up my info?, what is this whole rooting thing?, how do I transfer my information and contacts onto the EVO?.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Contacts are easy (if you are running a mac) you just sync your address book with your gmail account and it should get passed back down to the phone when you set up that gmail account on your phone. (i havnt done this yet because i dont have a nexus yet but should be getting one soon and the contacts are all showing up in gmail so it should work)
Ok so i know you can use ringo but I was hoping there was a way i can set individual ringtones with out using 3rd party app. I have all my ringtones in ogg and mp3 format but I can't find a way to pick a ringtone based on contact. Anyone know of a way? Thanks
irus said:
Ok so i know you can use ringo but I was hoping there was a way i can set individual ringtones with out using 3rd party app. I have all my ringtones in ogg and mp3 format but I can't find a way to pick a ringtone based on contact. Anyone know of a way? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try this (this works on most other android phones)
1. Create a folder in the root of your SD card called ringtones (lower case r at the front).
2. Put all the mp3 versions of the ringtones you want to use in this folder.
3. Reboot your phone.
4. Now, all the ringtones should show up when you go to select a ringtone for you phone.
5. Go to your contacts and pick the person you want to assign a custom ringtone for.
6. At that person's main contact page, hit the Menu button (the capacitive button at the bottom left of your phone) and select Options
There it should have a spot for assigning a custom ringtone for that contact.
You can also create a folder on the root of your SD card called notifications (also a lower case n at the beginning) and you can put in sounds you want to use for e-mail, SMS and other notications. On my Nexus you usually have to reboot after adding or removing files from these folders to be able to see them, and I would stick with an mp3 format as much as possible.
Also, there aren't any ways to add custom notifications for a person that I know of yet, outside of maybe a 3rd party app.
If you have any other general Android questions try searching XDA or Google for the answers. A lot of the google results will link back to XDA, but maybe for another device (but the answer will apply to most Android devices overall).
Kiserai said:
Try this (this works on most other android phones)
1. Create a folder in the root of your SD card called ringtones (lower case r at the front).
2. Put all the mp3 versions of the ringtones you want to use in this folder.
3. Reboot your phone.
4. Now, all the ringtones should show up when you go to select a ringtone for you phone.
5. Go to your contacts and pick the person you want to assign a custom ringtone for.
6. At that person's main contact page, hit the Menu button (the capacitive button at the bottom left of your phone) and select Options
There it should have a spot for assigning a custom ringtone for that contact.
You can also create a folder on the root of your SD card called notifications (also a lower case n at the beginning) and you can put in sounds you want to use for e-mail, SMS and other notications. On my Nexus you usually have to reboot after adding or removing files from these folders to be able to see them, and I would stick with an mp3 format as much as possible.
Also, there aren't any ways to add custom notifications for a person that I know of yet, outside of maybe a 3rd party app.
If you have any other general Android questions try searching XDA or Google for the answers. A lot of the google results will link back to XDA, but maybe for another device (but the answer will apply to most Android devices overall).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply but the problem is Samsung has an UI overlay and when u get to step 6 there is no menu option
Hit the menu button.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
chvybeatsford said:
Hit the menu button.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see the problem now I can't assign ringtones for my google contacts for some reason
irus said:
I see the problem now I can't assign ringtones for my google contacts for some reason
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Click to collapse
Google contacts dont seem to allow it. So I guess the question is how do we convert contacts from google to standard phone contacts.
I can't believe Samsung took out this important feature!
rahlquist said:
Google contacts dont seem to allow it. So I guess the question is how do we convert contacts from google to standard phone contacts.
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Click to collapse
I can answer that...I had the same issue, and figured it out this evening.
Export your contacts in GMail to a VCard file, then dump that file onto the SD card on the phone.
Import/Export while in your address book, and make sure you select "Phone" and not your linked GMail accounts.
Problem solved.
marten.broadcloak said:
I can answer that...I had the same issue, and figured it out this evening.
Export your contacts in GMail to a VCard file, then dump that file onto the SD card on the phone.
Import/Export while in your address book, and make sure you select "Phone" and not your linked GMail accounts.
Problem solved.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats what i did and it worked
marten.broadcloak said:
I can answer that...I had the same issue, and figured it out this evening.
Export your contacts in GMail to a VCard file, then dump that file onto the SD card on the phone.
Import/Export while in your address book, and make sure you select "Phone" and not your linked GMail accounts.
Problem solved.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
awesome! gonna try it now! i've been looking for a way to do this
ok, so i tried this, and it shows a linked contact, the phone and the gmail. but in order for it to work, i'm having to make the phone the default not gmail, and then unlink the contact. does that make sense?
You don't need to import contacts. You can create a new contact on your "phone", not Gmail, with the same name. Afterward, the new contact will automatically linked to the Gmail contact. Then edit that contact and you will see a new tab called "Phone", inside that tab is where you can change the ringtone.
i like having all of my contacts synced to google for quick editing and for backup, will I have to create new contacts twice to assign them a custom ringtone? it seems we are missing a few important features.
this also affects group sms, since the sms program wont look at google groups, only local groups
this seems to be hit and miss for some reason. i was able to move my contacts to the phone, it linked them, and allowed me to edit the phone version to have a custom ringtone. the problem now is that sometimes the ringtone works other times it just goes to default. is there a way to not sync your gmail contacts to the phone and install them manually?
all of these work arounds are pretty stupid. The fact that samsung, disabled this feature, or that android doesn't support it is STUPID. If you do any of these steps you end up having duplicate contacts. Worse yet, on many menus, it will show 4 phone numbers (ie 2 for mobile and 2 for home). I can't belive such a fundamental feature is SOOOOO broke.
Hi everyone,
I'd like to store my contacts on the local phone storage. Unfortunately the contact app doesn't seem to support that. If I remember right the one from "Vanilla ICE v2" did.
Is is possible to just flash the apk from Vanilla/CM9/whatever supports local storage? Can I perhaps change the settings in the current app to support local storage? Or is there a option somewhere and I am just stupid^^?
Thanks for the help.
Best
Teorax
PS: I am not really keen on syncing my contacts with google or anyone else so thats not really a solution...more of a dealbreaker. :/
There should be an option to Import/Export from storage in contacts.
Go to Contacts > press menu button > Import/Export
You'll then get the options to:
Import from Sim card
Import from Storage
Export to Storage
Share visible contacts
If the options are not there, then it must be a bug in BlindIce v8.
Oh, and be sure to turn off Google's contacts sync!
Sent from my HTC Desire S
Teorax said:
Hi everyone,
I'd like to store my contacts on the local phone storage. Unfortunately the contact app doesn't seem to support that. If I remember right the one from "Vanilla ICE v2" did.
Is is possible to just flash the apk from Vanilla/CM9/whatever supports local storage? Can I perhaps change the settings in the current app to support local storage? Or is there a option somewhere and I am just stupid^^?
Thanks for the help.
Best
Teorax
PS: I am not really keen on syncing my contacts with google or anyone else so thats not really a solution...more of a dealbreaker. :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
may i ask why u dont want to use google to sync as trillions of people use it ?
Hi,
@miz_pimp
Thanks for the help. If I understand you right, I should just use the Google account but not sync it. I already thought of that but hoped there would be a real local storage (like in other roms I have used).
@htc-phones
I just not comfortable with Google constantly integrating my contacts into my other web activations. And also I find it kind of rude that they use this data for there business.
And also I don't think the masses are a good adviser...
To precise my original question: is there a possibility for "real" local storage like some roms are able to (without the fear of accidental sync)? Does it depend on the contact app used?
Thanks again.
Teorax
sent from XDA
Maybe I misunderstood you. I have my contacts saved to my SD card, and do NOT have it synced with Google. Every time I flash a new ROM, I just restore my contacts from my SD card, but before doing so, I do not sync my Google account yet.
While my account is syncing, I quickly turn off "Sync Contacts", before any of my contacts are synced with my Google account.
Sent from my HTC Desire S
I think I understood what you meant, but if I got you right your still linking your contacts to your Google-Account (the one you e.g. log into the market with), you just don't update (sync) the contacts within its "online address book".
But what I am infact looking for is the possibility to NOT link the contacts. In Endymion for example (but I remember correctly Vanilla as well) you can select "phone storage" as location to import your .vcf to. That option I am missing.
The workaround you suggested might work, but after flashing most roms auto sync is on and you have to be quick.
The point is since you can not really take back any mistakes in that field (since leaked informations can not be retrieved) I would really prefer a local solution.
But thank you for your help!
Best
Teorax
PS: Perhaps I would not be so "paranoid" if I had not received a mail from Google congratulating me to my new Galaxy Nexus after flashing Vanilla >.<. Or if I would be able to delete the serial of my old DesireS which I returned after fried eMMC...
I'm not so sure then, as I don't recall seeing that option, sorry.
Sent from my HTC Desire S
here's my fix http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1808037
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idea.backup.smscontacts&hl=en
Hope it helps!
I don't sync my contacts with Google either, all my contacts are backed up with TB then restored after a new Rom by just restoring data not app and data, as a backup I export to sd card.
Swyped from my desire s running blindIce
hey guys I need two apps
1. An app that imports contacts that are on my google account or in a go contact vcf files and puts it in my S3 phone storage. Purpose, I want a hard secure back up of my contacts on my phone. Let's say for security reasons (theoretical) I don't want to sync with google servers at all
.I tried an import app or two from android market but I don't see it in any of the various phone apps as reading under my phone (ie dw contacts, go contacts). I have the contracts backed into google csv and a vcf file. How can I import and export it easily to my external sd card?
I would typically use go contacts on my bravo, but it bring up a reoccuring (and annoying) error message on S3s, but there doesn't seem to be a dialer out there that imports/exports contacts in a vcf/csv (i'm open format) and doesn't force you to sync to google servers?
So for instance under DW dialer If I check show phone...my contact list is empty, but if I check my gmail account it populated EVEN if I import the vcf from go contacts or the newly created google csv into my phone using an app like import contacts
Any recommendations appreciated
2. I don't use touchwiz and I'm not sure this is a feature for it, but what if I want to easily control the brightness on different apps on my phone. For instance I do most of my kindle reading in the dark, but it requires a good amount of backlight for it...moreso than say browsing or gaming. I know on my cousin's Nexus 7 he can do a 'two finger' up and down to control brightness. Is there a way I could get these apps to control brightness through an easy swipe and or have another app remember the brightness of individual apps?
zetsui said:
hey guys I need two apps
1. An app that imports contacts that are on my google account or in a go contact vcf files and puts it in my S3 phone storage. Purpose, I want a hard secure back up of my contacts on my phone. Let's say for security reasons (theoretical) I don't want to sync with google servers at all
.I tried an import app or two from android market but I don't see it in any of the various phone apps as reading under my phone (ie dw contacts, go contacts). I have the contracts backed into google csv and a vcf file. How can I import and export it easily to my external sd card?
I would typically use go contacts on my bravo, but it bring up a reoccuring (and annoying) error message on S3s, but there doesn't seem to be a dialer out there that imports/exports contacts in a vcf/csv (i'm open format) and doesn't force you to sync to google servers?
So for instance under DW dialer If I check show phone...my contact list is empty, but if I check my gmail account it populated EVEN if I import the vcf from go contacts or the newly created google csv into my phone using an app like import contacts
Any recommendations appreciated
2. I don't use touchwiz and I'm not sure this is a feature for it, but what if I want to easily control the brightness on different apps on my phone. For instance I do most of my kindle reading in the dark, but it requires a good amount of backlight for it...moreso than say browsing or gaming. I know on my cousin's Nexus 7 he can do a 'two finger' up and down to control brightness. Is there a way I could get these apps to control brightness through an easy swipe and or have another app remember the brightness of individual apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BUMP
zetsui said:
How can I import and export it easily to my external sd card?
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Click to collapse
Doesn't the stock contacts app (at least in CM9) already import/export vcf? It looks like it exports in version 2.1 whereas gmail exports in v3.0,
why don't you export your google contacts on your computer and transfer it to your sd card? or upload it and download it on your phone.
as for the brightness, if you want to root and mod/install custom roms you can have brightness controls through the status bar.
sent from my I747
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1944921
custom auto brightness
TecQuality said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1944921
custom auto brightness
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tech I played around with app all of last night, but I don't get it. It say it sets the lums by 'environment' That's a very general term. It doesn't seem to do it by app. I'm wondering if this is possible. I put on automation and then turned it off and set custom lums by app, but it just stuck to the last lum selected.
Any quick idea on what I'm missing here. I feel like its something simple. I read through the tutorial and setup multiple times
I tried to import my google contacts as csv but they don't show up in the phone.
I can't believe this isn't more in demand. To have a hard secure copy vcf/csv of your google contacts. I don't want to sync my personal info with google servers.
How do I change the default Contacts app on Pixel 4a running Android 11??? Aftering searching for the answer, I can tell you:
1. It is not under Apps & Notifications / Default Apps. (Yes, some apps are listed, but Contacts is not listed.)
2. It is not by Apps / Contacts / Open by default. (It says, "No defaults set")
3. I don't want to run a different launcher. I just want to use a different Contacts app.
It seems like a simple thing, I just can not figure it out.
Any help would be appreciated...
Try installing a new contacts app, then when you try an operation that normally would invoke the contacts app, it should pop up a dialog to select which contacts app should be the default (the built in one or the new one you installed).
Also, it might say "no default app" if there is only one contacts app installed on the device (so there is nothing to choose between), so trying the above will test that theory.
JohnC said:
Try installing a new contacts app, then when you try an operation that normally would invoke the contacts app, it should pop up a dialog to select which contacts app should be the default (the built in one or the new one you installed).
It might say "no default app" is there is only one contacts app (so there is nothing to choose between), so trying the able will test that theory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, should have included that info. Phone has both standard Contacts and a second app "Smart Contacts".
bvote said:
Sorry, should have included that info. Phone has both standard Contacts and a second app "Smart Contacts".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe I figured it out. Loaded third contact app and got the choice for default! Apparently Smart Contacts does not register as a Contacts app... Thanks for the help.
Then certain apps, like the built-in phone app might be hard-coded to use the built-in contacts app for certain functions (but not all contact functions), just like the built-in camera app is hard-coded to use the built-in photos app to preview just taken pictures.
But for things like clicking on a phone number in an email should display a "Select Contact app" if you have two contact apps installed (and you have not selected a default contacts app after installing the second contacts app)
bvote said:
Maybe I figured it out. Loaded third contact app and got the choice for default! Apparently Smart Contacts does not register as a Contacts app... Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So when that "select contact app" dialog box finally did appear (after you installed the third app), are you saying that "Smart Contacts" wasn't in that list?
yup. When I loaded "Simpler Contacts" app and triggered the contacts, I got a choice between "Contacts" (Google's installed app) and Simpler. Smart Contacts did not appear in the list. (I know Smart Contacts was functional. It would load my contacts when opened.)
I really appreciate the help with this...