Noob issues with FP2 // Android Handbook for Dummies?

Ha ha! It’s actually great to hear a proper moan. Though I’m at the “What’s an ‘app’?” stage of learning about smartphones, I totally agree - after a year in ‘EE no signal limbo’, I am at last trying to get my FP2 to do all the things my old Samsung GT-C3350 ‘Tough’ phone did…
I have 2 things that may very well force me to switch my SIM card back into that Samsung - 1) the battery life is WAY WAY shorter than the 3-4 days I’m used to (around 36 hours…) and 2) since when was every text with one person a ‘conversation’??? I can’t delete one silly text from one friend - among several I need to keep for a while - I have to delete the whole ‘conversation’. oh yes 2i) and where the farquon is the ‘forward’ text option??? oh yes and 2ii) how the likewise can I send one text to 4 people?? It’s driving me spare. Fortunately I have another Samsung with a Vodafone SIM that I’ve been using as a back up - that still does all of them things as standard. I do NOT recommend Fairphones to anyone. Not good enough. Agreed. also agreed on the battery charger… Right. Off to watch the Brexit comedy in action… Sigh

Either tapping long on a message is giving you options for it, to forward the message is one of them … Or I’m understanding something wrong maybe.

Start a new blank message (without selecting a contact first), in the address field add a contact, place the cursor behind it, add another contact, place the cursor behind it, add another contact, place the cursor behind it, and add yet another contact?

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Well done AnotherElk ! That’s 2 new tricks I had no idea how to do, sorted! Thanks :laughing: Now I’ve just got to work out how to use me FP2 for regular weeks without 240 volts supply - and delete the text ‘conversations’ that are not. 2/4 is pretty good. Sweet
(Yahoo email does it to - bunch all emails into conversations that are actually seperate questions needing specific answers. Its a disease I tell you. - Back to the Brexit comedy show… :cold_sweat:

Tapping a contact gives you the list of messages from or to this contact, the message options for those single messages include Delete.
But you are right about the grouping thing, I don’t find a setting or something like that to turn it off.

Since I’m kind of new to Android myself, I guess the Android way to solve this would be to replace the standard SMS App with something else :slight_smile: .
Perhaps this thread is a good starting point …

You may consider buying a good powerbank…

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Use k-9 Mail for your Yahoo account (use the imap protocol), then your mail conversations are gone…

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Honestly, most of your frustrations seem to be related to the fact the FP2 is a smartphone, rather than problems related to the FP2.

You will not easily find a smartphone that lasts 3-4 days. It’s the drawback of having a big (touch)screen and a lot of power: basically, you’re carrying a pc with you, not a “dumbphone”, like your Samsung.
It’s true, FP2 battery life is rather short, even for a smartphone. I also would prefer a better battery (making the phone even bigger?). But I don’t expect my phone to last for 3 days…
Of course, you can also look around for tricks to let the battery last longer, like this topic.

Since the invention of the smartphone, I’m afraid :frowning:
Maybe this app would work for you? I didn’t test it, I just searched the web for “sms no conversation”.

The other questions seem to be answered by @AnotherElk. Here too, you’re searching for a function that has nothing to do with the FP2, but are general smartphone problems/questions. So, your conclusion not to recommend the FP2 to anyone, should be corrected to “I do not recommend smartphones to anyone”.

I can imagine the FP2 is disappointing to some people. For me too, some aspects are not as I would like them in my ideal smartphone. But before buying a smartphone, inform yourself. It can’t be a surprise the camera is not as good as the one from the iPhone, because the product details are easy to find on the website. Likewise, it can’t be a surprise the FP2 is a smartphone (with all the benefits and drawbacks).

And finally, I would recommend using this forum to look for solutions. Many issues have been identified, some of them can easily be solved. Just try the magnifying glass at the top of the page and start looking around. It can really save you a lot of frustrations!

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Thanks Danielsjohan. I needed a slap on the wrist - because you’re right. It’s all smartphones not just the FP2 that have the battery life issues. I will, no doubt, eventually find out how to charge from a 12v leisure battery (which I recharge with a large solar panel) for my weeks working in the field in the summer. If not, the sim goes into my dumbphone - until I do.
I never bought an iPhone because I hated the corporate Apple thing of limiting where you could buy/keep music etc and particularly their environmentaly awful ‘just bin it and get a new one’ answer to repair problems. So I’m starting from scratch learning the Fairphone.
That’s what the Forum is for. Hopefully we’ll get a ‘Handbook’ for all of those little tricks - like ‘press and hold’ on a text to get the options to forward texts. All of that. I’m happy for now. (Now to search for ‘Error 21’ as my texts won’t send…) Enjoy :grinning:

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I use an app called Textra for text messaging. You can easily delete single messages, send group messages and forward messages make group messages etc. The app comes in a free version with ads, and a payed version without ads.

Battery life on smartphones are shorter than dumbphones. There are many threads here at the forum discussing how to save battery life. Consider a second battery or a power bank.

Now take a deep breath. Everything will be just fine with your new phone :innocent:

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I don’t think there will be a handbook ever.
Some issues may be Fairphone issues, some Android issues, some smartphone issues.
There is tons of info here on the forum. You should also go to youtube and do an Android or Android Lollipop search and you will find lots of info and little tricks there.
There are many solutions to the same problem. People like different solutions and different apps. You have to find out what works for you.
Welcome as a Fairphone user.

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I’d like a Handbook - on the Forum - with the basics of smartphone use. ie holding a finger on a text brings up options such as forwarding. I didn’t know that. or selecting start a new text without selecting a person first - allows several people to be addressed for the text. I didn’t know that either (after 13 months…) How to sort the Proximity sensor (black screen) problem… You know, basics. Like “What’s an ‘app’?” which I actually asked last year. :blush: so WHY NOT?

Personally, I don’t think it’s the task of Fairphone to compile a “Smartphones for dummies”. Besides, there is a lot of information already available. For example, the #meta:dictionary on this very forum is very useful (although it is not really explaining “basic” stuff yet - but everyone can add stuff, so feel free!).
On the internet, you also find interesting links. This website could maybe be of interest? Or just google “android basics” or something like that: you’ll find tons of information answering questions you didn’t even realise you could be asking :slight_smile:

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Especially when there’s a book already :slight_smile:

I think many people coming from “feature phones” have problems at first because a smartphone simply is much more a real computer with an OS and all related quirks than those feature phones pretended to be.
Long-tapping a thing is an example of this, because it simply is the equivalent of the right-click in most desktop OSes, it’s bringing up the context menu translated to touch input.

It always helps not being alone with a certain device, having someone around who can simply show you stuff because he/she has the same or a similar device and knows stuff already … but if all else fails, we’re here for you :wink: .

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I split this discussion from the original thread as the thread went in two directions and it was hard to keep up which post belonged to which discussion.

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I have to agree about the battery time. I’m not a smartphone noob – I’ve had three before this and NEVER had such a short battery life, despite having the same apps on all of them. I don’t know if the FP2 just has a crappy battery or if it’s got some massively heavy stuff going on in the OS. I always keep the roaming and location services switched off and I still need to recharge every day. Never had to do that with my Xperia or HTC.

Regarding texting and e-mail apps – I can recommend AquaMail (I had Kaiten, which I think is a later evolution of K9, for a long time, but it became increasingly hard to configure the settings. AquaMail is much easier) for e-mail and Chomp SMS for text messages. Chomp is fun because you can download all sorts of skins for it and make it seasonal.

type any question into google such as “how do i address a text to several people on Fairphone2?” and you get loads of answers. it’s how i’ve learned at 65 to use a smartphone.

you don’t need to delete the whole conversation

1/ open the text conversation you want to change
2/ hold finger on the text you want to delete for several seconds
3/ “message options” opens
4/ at the bottom it says “delete” tap. that deletes just the message you want to get rid of

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Sadly, though I’ve learned a fair bit over the last 2 weeks on the Forum, I’ve had to drop off using the FP2 for a while… I’m off into Devon countryside, with no mains - or solar - where my old dumbphone lasts nearly a week. So Ive shifted my sim - and relaxed, because it all works fine.
My FP2 left behind till my ordered solar charger shows up. Then I’ll take it out off mains and try again. Battery life is crucial

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