Questions regarding the phone from a first time android user

[Eleffay]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forums and it's my first time creating a topic here. Basically I need a few doubts answered.

I am currently using the stock GB on my Xpria U.

1. Is it possible to change the number of homescreens without using a 3rd party launcher?

2. What differences are there between the stock email app and the gmail app? And similarly, does Wisepilot have anything better to offer than Google Maps?

3. In my previous phone, it had different volume levels for when I plugged in my earphones and when it was on the normal speaker. Is it possible to have the same way on this phone as well? Because I usually keep the volume at full when on speaker mode, but when I plug in earphones it becomes really loud for in-ear levels and I have to turn the volume down. And again when I remove my earphones, I have to turn it back up. Is there a way to avoid this cycle everytime?

4. I am new to the android ecosystem. Could someone explain to me what exactly the firmware version is? For example for newer firmware versions is it a prerequisite that I upgrade to the latest ICS build offered by Sony?

5. Regarding some issues which I read on the forum such as Facebook on timescape not working anymore, and calls being muted if recieved while listening to music, IF Sony does come out with a solution, how do they usually patch it? Will they release newer ICS builds with the problems patched? Because since Timescape isn't really an app, they can't really just put up an "update" for it like other apps, right?

6. I noticed that most after "minimizing" apps, if I go to Running Applications, it sometimes isn't visible there. But if I use the Astro Task Manager, I can see it. Why is this so?

7. I read up most threads regarding ics updates on this forum. I'd like to know why upgrading via flashtool is a more preferred way rather than the "official" way of using SUS?

8. In ICS, how come more than 90% people have complaints of lag and yet some have it running properly without lag? I also read this thread http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/44278?start=0&tstart=0 , from this it seems you basically need to kill off most of the stuff people use android smartphones for, such as auto-sync, and facebook notifications. Though I can agree with the uninstalling of bloatware and live wallpapers. So everyone running ICS without lag has done this?

Thanks for any and all questions I get answered. And finally another question, do I make new threads everytime I have more questions?

[Uliwooly]

1. no
2. the gmail app it's only for your gmail and nothing else, the email app it's for any email account. wisepilot it's not as good as google maps
3. you need a third party app to control this, or use smarttags
4. the latest update it's always recomended as it fix bugs, you don't have to update if you don't want to
5. go to settings > apps > all > facebook > uninstall updates > see if that helps. music will be skipped or paused for a fraction of a second when you get sms/mms/etc
6. when you exit an app press Back until you close it, that way it will close by itself, thus saving battery.
7. updates are not available globally at the same time, so flashtool is the way to go to get it as soon as it's out, also you can debrand and downgrade
8. some people complain about lag but only some

is Sony spying on users in this forum?

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/60197

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[Uliwooly]

do NOT install any of this apps

1. taskillers
2. antivirus
3. battery apps
4. RAM apps
5. boost apps

this apps will drain your battery faster, they will run in the background using up your RAM, and also they will create connectivity issues and make Android unstable. you do NOT need any of those apps.

Update Service (SUS)

http://www.sonymobile.com/gb/tools/update-service/

http://www-support-downloads.sonymobile.com/Software%20Downloads/Update_Service_Setup-2.11.12.5.exe

http://software.sonymobile.com/install_packs/Update_Service_Setup-2.12.12.41.exe

Alternatives on How to backup Xperias

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/36355

is Sony spying on users in this forum?

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/60197

Don't forget to mark the Correct Answers & Helpful Answers

UNRELATED topic, if you have some time please check this thread

http://talk.sonymobile.com/message/244522#244522

[Eleffay]

2. Hmmm, if the stock email app does everything the gmail app does and that too for all email accounts, wouldn't it be redundant to have the gmail app then? Sorry, for being a twerp, I should just try it out myself, I know But just asking around if someone uses it already; like does it notify the same way the gmail app does, etc.?

3. Thanks! Smarttags looks promising, I will try it out. Any other thrird party apps you could recommend?

4. This is what confuses me a bit. The operating system software is android gb/ics etc. right? Where does the firmware come in then? Is it updated with the android os or is it a separate update altogether?

5. A lot of people tried it, didn't really solve anything with it...:/ http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/61239?tstart=0 . Though primarily my question is how does Sony normally fix bugs such as these? For other apps from the play store, they can always update it since it's a separate app, but is it possible to do the same for Timescape widgets?

6. I meant not closing an app and then trying to look it up in the task manager. For eg., I open my Dolphin browser, press the home button, check my running applications and I see it isn't listed, yet when I go back to my Dolphin browser it resumes as it should in a multitasking system. At the same time if I had checked in a 3rd party task manager, it shows the Dolphin browser running as it should.

7. So if an update is available via the "official" Sony method, it's the same as doing it via flashtool then, right? Thanks!

8. Not really sure about it, but most complaints on this forum seem to be related to lags and other problems after upgrading to ICS

[Uliwooly]

the other Email app is if you have something else aside of Gmail, and it's not as nice as the Gmail app.

3. yes

Google Music it's a must

Auto SMS

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.tmnlab.autoresponder&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxL....

Schdule SMS Text Message

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.wlnd.sms.schedule&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDE...

Audio

Four tracks lite

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.nw.fourtracks&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImN....

Tape a talk

https://market.android.com/details?id=name.markus.droesser.tapeatalk&feature=search_result#?t=W251bG...

Voice Recorder

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.tokasiki.android.voicerecorder&feature=related_apps#?t=W25...

SMS app

Handcent SMS

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.handcent.nextsms&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwO.....

GO SMS Pro

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.jb.gosms&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tL....

Chomp SMS

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.p1.chompsms&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY2....

Pansi SMS (Fastest SMS app)

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.pansi.msg&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29t...

Power Control

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=at.abraxas.powerwidget.free&feature=more_from_develope....

My Phone Explorer

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.fjsoft.myphoneexplorer.client&hl=en

http://www.fjsoft.at/en/

BACKUP

Backup

SMS Backup +

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.zegoggles.smssync&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDE...

SMS Backup & Restore

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore&feature=search_result#?t=W251b.....

SMS Backup

https://market.android.com/details?id=tv.studer.smssync&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwi.....

Save MMS

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.schwimmer.android.mmsextract&feature=search_result#?t=W251....

Call Log backup

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.yang.android.ansta

Super Status Bar

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.firezenk.ssb&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwx.....

LOCK SCREEN

WidgetLocker

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.widgetlocker&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGws.....

ICS Lockscreen HD

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dj.golocker.theme.icecream&feature=search_result#?t=W251bG...

https://market.android.com/details?id=dcombl.golocker.ics&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOS...

Lucent Lock Screen

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.whitegorillamedia.lockscreen&feature=search_result....

Extended Controls

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extendedcontrols&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsM.....

QuickPic

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alensw.PicFolder&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGws....

Mobo (Video) Player

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.clov4r.android.nil&feature=search_result#?t=W251bG.....

CALCULATORS

Algeo graphing calculator

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.algeo.algeo#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDUwMSwiY29tLmFsZ2VvLmFsZ2VvIl0.

Function Inspector Lite

https://market.android.com/details?id=de.georgwiese.functionInspectorLite&feature=also_installed#?t=.....

Mathmatiz

https://market.android.com/details?id=gcmath.ui#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDUwMSwiZ2NtYXRoLnVpIl0.

Math Keyboard

https://market.android.com/details?id=will.droid.mathkeyboard#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDUwMSwid2lsbC5kcm9pZC5.....

MathScript Calculator

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.funmath.mathscriptlite#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDUwMSwiY29tLmZ1bm1h.....

Home Switcher

https://market.android.com/details?id=ymst.android.homeswitcher&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSw.....

is Sony spying on users in this forum?

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/60197

Don't forget to mark the Correct Answers & Helpful Answers

UNRELATED topic, if you have some time please check this thread

http://talk.sonymobile.com/message/244522#244522

[Uliwooly · Accepted solution]

4. firmware = software.

5. sony is still working on it

5. I personally don't like Timescape, I find it useless, if you want to see the whole tweet or picture etc you have to tap on it and then open yet another app. and it also drain quite a bit of battery.

6. to see the latest apps running press and hold home for 2 seconds. also go to settings > apps > running > check at the bottom of the list and you'll get another list.

7. it is the same in the sense that you will get the latest update, BUT with flashtool you don't have to wait for your carrier to approve and release the update. in some countries it could void your warranty.

is Sony spying on users in this forum?

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/60197

Don't forget to mark the Correct Answers & Helpful Answers

UNRELATED topic, if you have some time please check this thread

http://talk.sonymobile.com/message/244522#244522

[Eleffay]

Thanks, that pretty much solves all of my questions

[Uliwooly]

anytime