Apps advice, please

[XV490]

The memsahib has kindly bought me a Samsung Galaxy Mini smartphone, introducing me to a world of 'apps' I find baffling, given my age and fast-failing, analogue-trained brain.

For now, I simply want to be able to read my e-mails on the move - but have had conflicting instructions as to how to go about it from Orange; Samsung's 'help' line people; and the Samsung manual for the phone itself.

It seems that, despite the promises in the manual, I have to download a suitable e-mail app from, for example, Android Marketplace. My question is this: is the recommended/sensible/cheapest method to download the app (and indeed, any app) to my PC direct from the internet before copying it to the phone; or do I have to do it via a slow mobile connection straight to the mobile?

Thanks in anticipation for any tips...

[BOAC]

Firstly, regarding my other thread about Chinese 'clonephones', I took the excellent advice eventually of 'Ancient Observer' and purchased a Samsung Galaxy Apollo and am mighty impressed with my move into the 21st Century/smartphones/the Apollo.

For XV, if it is similar to yours, setting up emails is not too difficult and if you wish to PM I may be able to help. The phone should do it all for you without a 'third party' app, although no doubt evnetually you may decide you wish more options than the Samsung 'built-in'.

Downloading apps (many unbelievably free!) straight to the phone is likewise a doddle and I will offer help if you need.

[XV490]

Thanks, BOAC. I will PM you in due course after I've made a few more attempts to get to grips with this phone. Orange supply it with only basic instructions and, having downloaded the full set from the web, I've yet to trawl through them fully. One problem with this model is that it lacks 3G connectivity, so any app download is likely to be slow (via EDGE, GPRS etc).

[west lakes]

Interestingly I'm having problems with setting this up on a Samsung Europa.
If using Auto set up I get

Setup could not finish
Cannot safely connect to server
(Not trusted Server certificate)

If I try a manual set up I get

Setup could not finish
Unable to open connection to server

This is trying to connect to a @sky.com address

I'm not too bothered but it is one of those "it might be useful to have sometimes" things

[XV490]

I'm slowly getting to grips with the phone after it suddenly 'came to life' near the M25 - where the various GPRS, EDGE and 3G (which it has got after all) signals are strong - and downloading apps became fast and simple.

My issue now is with WiFi. I have a BT HomeHub 2 (which faultlessly provides a wireless signal to our laptop). But the Samsung Galaxy Mini wants to link to the BT Fon or BT Openzone WLANs in preference. Maybe I'm misunderstanding the password requirements to link to the HomeHub - anyone got any ideas/experience linking a phone to this kind of modem?

[OFSO]

XV, I bought an ANDROID system HTC a few weeks ago and yes, it does seem a bit overwhelming at last. But I LOVE the OS.

First thing is to download a full manual for your phone onto your PC. Print the bits you might need, such as a list of on-screen symbols. I just checked, the HTC /ANDROID manual has 186 pages (.pdf file).

Then look at your phone and decide what you will never need. In my case that was Facebook, Twitter, USA news feeds etc, and delete them.

Then browse the list of free ANDROID apps on your PC (faster, easier) make a note of what you will need.

Then download them to the phone, using the phone's Google to find them.

Then go to the appropriate menu and put their icons on screen for instant access.

Here's what I downloaded:

WiFi manager from Kostya Vasilev - vital - you select which network to connect to, or leave it up to the OS.

WiFi Manager | AppBrain Android Market


Skype (of course)

Calender

Beeb Anywhere (BBC text news feeds)

Stocks & Shares

Horares (SNCF trains and info, because we use the French TGV trains a lot).

YouTube expanded


There is a temptation to download everything at first ! and I have probably erased more than I have used. All part of experimentation.

PM me if you have specific queries...

OFSO

[XV490]

OFSO - Thank you very much for the advice. I shall indeed try out the WiFi Manager app.

[west lakes]

Wi-Fi, when mine was fresh out of the box the Wi-Fi was off, so it may need switched on! Mine copes with automatically connecting to any that it has seen before!

[spannersatcx]

is your homehub actually the btfon/openzone that you are connecting to?

[XV490]

Cracked it - hence this message is sent from the phone via the BT Home Hub! Thanks for all tips to date...

[BOAC]

On a different tack, while I find the Apollo excellent, SamsungUK and the Samsung website and support sucks. I cannot use the website in Firefox. Carphone Warehouse told me I need to use IE - that works.

Next, I download 'Kies' the Samsung PC connectivity programme. It does not work. I phone Samsung tech support - have you got MS Active Sync 4.5 - no - you need it. I try to download it - MS say it is only usable on XP SP2 or earlier it. Great - I have SP3. I try to send a message via the website to tech support. My phone (GT-I5800) is not listed as a model. The form can only be submitted with a model number selected. I select a different model and explain the problem with Kies. They reply that they cannot help because they have no control over the shops who sell the phone????? That was it. I have tried again to find someone who can understand English at SamsungUK.

Now that is off my chest, does anyone know of an app with which I can connect my Apollo to an XP SP3 machine? Primary task at the moment is to sync my email WAB (in csv format) to the phone.