scotyboy56 Posted April 22, 2015 Posted April 22, 2015 So after a year and a half of my loving Lumia 1520, I'm thinking of hanging it up and getting a oneplus one, bit disappointed that the Bamboo StyleSwap case is out of order. But I have never had an android phone or device so I am a complete noob when it comes to this. Was just hoping people could give me there personal views on what rooting etc is, and what decent apps you think I should get that can boost my experience or mod it or whatever. Thanks
halbaradkenafin Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 Get yourself SwiftKey and whatever social media apps you use. After that it's a case of "I'd like my phone to do X" -> open Play Store and search keywords and then browse through a ton of apps that do it and pick one you like the look of, if it doesn't do something you want then change it.
Garacesh Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 (edited) Quite a few of us have OnePlus One's, personally I'm on my second as I accidentally trashed my first xD (Broke the screen) There's really no need to root if you're getting a OnePlus. By far the most common reason to root is to either install a custom OS (the most popular being CyanogenMOD, which the OnePlus is supplied with) or to uninstall bloatware (which the OnePlus has none of*), but in tl;dr terms root gives you full admin level access over your device (quite literally, root, Android is built on Linux). This allows you to install apps that do stuff not usually allowed (the most common one used to be screenshot apps until this became a native function of Android). * Apart from Google's 'Games', 'Movies' etc that come bundled with Google Play. As for apps: Straight away get SwiftKey. Android native keyboard is terrible. Any communications you may use (set up emails - Android has a native GMail client but also a generic 'Emails' for other services. facebook/G+/Twitter/etc all have their own apps on Google Play) I personally download a few system tools, a WiFi analyser, EXIF viewer, Speedtest to name a few. Antivirus. Android devices are a huge target now especially if you root. I recommend Avast Antivirus. Find it on the Play store. Free for a year, cheap thereafter. Also can be upgraded (at a one-time cost) to provide anti-theft measures. Games! Every phone needs 'em to kill time. I recommend AaaAaaAaAAaaaAAAAAaaaAAA! For The Awesome and Plague Inc for starters. Android has a tonne of little tweaks and CyanogenMOD just enhances that. You can modify practically everything about the phone so if you've not had Android before you're going to spend a lot of time in the menus. Don't be afraid to 'muck it up', there's always the factory reset option Edited April 23, 2015 by Garacesh 1
abillybob Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 (edited) I can't talk for the OnePlus One as I had some awful experiences with it and I've always owned android, but it seems I got a bad batch, everyone else likes it very much. Be careful though if you do have a problem the support to put it blunt it downright awful. Took them 4 months to reply to me and by then I'd sold the phone out of frustration. I run Cyanogenmod on my Nexus 6 and have even less bloatware than the OPO, I don't use Google Movies, Google Games so I see them as bloatware. My Nexus 6 has Cyanogen and when flashing gapps it actually only installs Google app and Google Play store which is much cleaner. I have all the features the OPO has and some additional one's that came with the OS I even have double tap to wake. @Garacesh explained the term "root" very well and I'd just be repeating what he said although I always think there is benefit of rooting a device, certain apps that I love are; EmojiSwitcher - This allows you to select different Emoji's from different OS' like iOS. I prefer iOS Emoji's so that what I have mine set too. BuildProp Editor - This app is just basically a shortcut to your BuildProp code file. You can add lines of code to this, sometimes manufacturers turn off certain features you have on the phone for example and you can edit build prop to enable them again Flashify - Allows you to easily download and install custom ROMS and Recoveries, makes updating Cyanogen Nightlies so easy! Greenify - Saves loads of battery juice, you can "Hibernate" any app you don't want or need running in the background and trust me this does save a lot of power AppHider - Allows me to pick any apps on my phone that I wish to hide away from prying eyes Titanium Backup - You can make a compressed backup file of every app on your phone and it's current data Root Uninstaller - Allows you to uninstall any app or service including bloatware (be careful though if you don't know what your deleting you could ruin it) Root Explorer - Browse and edit Root Filesystem That's just some of my rooted apps I use. It all depends how much you want to tweak and play with your phone, if you're just going to buy it and never do anything with it, don't Root. Edited April 23, 2015 by abillybob 1
scotyboy56 Posted April 23, 2015 Author Posted April 23, 2015 Thanks for your replies, think I understand Android a lot more now and kind of regretting not making the move sooner, but I have just purchesed my OPO so hopefully will have that and I can start messing about and installing the apps you have suggested 1
Gardinho Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 I started a thread for advice and ended up with the OnePlus One. http://www.edugeek.net/forums/general-chat/150788-new-mobile-phone.html You won't regret it. I moved from iOS and I absolutely love Android!!!
bmdixon Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 Antivirus. Android devices are a huge target now especially if you root. I recommend Avast Antivirus. Find it on the Play store. Free for a year, cheap thereafter. Also can be upgraded (at a one-time cost) to provide anti-theft measures. Anti-virus apps on Android are pointless if you pay attention to what apps you're installing. If you don't just wildly accept any app install and you take the 2 seconds to scan the permissions an app requests you will be ok. If you're rooted they're even less use as any app could just hide itself from an antivirus app. The only thing antivirus apps are useful for is scanning for spammy notifications/ads within apps. They have no extra ability to detect issues than any other app so can't really tell you very much. There is a lot of incorrect reporting of android viruses, most are in countries where the Play Store isn't available (Russia and China mostly) and are usually just adverts in apps or things like that rather than actual viruses. See here and here for more info
RichCowell Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 I had a One Plus One for a while while I was waiting to get my Nexus 6 and loved it, it's a great phone... I've been on Android for a few years now and love that too, it's so much better than the others... I always buy SIM-free to avoid the bloatware, and do root, but you certainly don't need to for general use... I sent this to someone recently, so thought I'd just paste it here... Some of the apps I wouldn't be without are: Handcent If you text as much as I do, this is far nicer, far more customisable, lets you set different SMS tones for different people, custom colours etc. Free https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.handcent.nextsms&hl=en-GB Setting Profiles If you use your calendars this is definitely something you want to get – it reads your calendar for keywords (e.g. meeting) then changes the profile of the phone accordingly, so it will switch to silent for a meeting (with an early start & delayed finish if needed too)… It also lets you change profile based on location (GPS / Wifi / Cell) Definitely worth getting – this is the free version, but there’s a paid version too – no major difference for general use: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.probeez.liteprofiles Launch-X Have I shown you the homescreen of my phone with all the much smaller icons? I like quick access to all the apps I use regularly… This is what I use to do it, you create widgets, then add them to the homescreen… This is the free version, can’t remember the difference – I like to support apps I love, so bought it… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.yuvalsharon.android.launchx.free Wifi Analyzer Scans & shows all wifi on channels / strength etc. Nothing like WiSpy, but an invaluable app in work and out… and free https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer Agenda Widget: I don’t like the basic agenda widgets available, so use this one instead, far more compact, though can be fiddly to get just how you like it… I wouldn’t be without it… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.roflharrison.agenda.plus Clipper One of my absolute favourite apps… It doesn’t do a great deal – apart from keep everything you copy, and lets you put it back to the clipboard, so if you copy something to paste later, then forget and copy something else, you can get it back… except this will save hundreds/thousands… It also lets you organise them into groups too… e.g. I have a group called signatures, so when I’m switching phones I can just copy my signature instead of typing it out or emailing it myself… If you get the Clipper Plus with Sync (£1.23) you can access your clippings by logging in online too and add / edit / delete them there… Absolutely awesome, I can’t promote it highly enough… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.rojekti.clipper ES File Explorer Does what it says on the tin again, it’s a file explorer for your phone… also has a download manager thing so if you click links that can be opened, choose the ES download and it’ll save it to your phone… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.estrongs.android.pop Lock Screen App This is simply an icon you can leave on your homescreen that locks the phone… saves pressing the power button all the time, or if you’re not holding the phone (e.g. it’s on your ANME mobile stand) you can quickly switch off the screen by pressing this (I’ve added it as one of the main icons at the bottom of all homescreens) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kennethcheng.com.lockscreen.free Network Mapper Does what it says on the tin – good to see what’s on your network – better on small networks like home lol… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.networkmapper SMS Backup+ Backs up your SMS/MMS/Whatsapp messages to your Gmail account under specific lables… Handy as an archive, also handy to see if you’ve missed any messages if you’ve not got your phone with you… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zegoggles.smssync 2X MDM This lets you access some features of your phone through an internet browser, just browse to the IP:Port of your phone (specified in the app) and you can access it… I use this at my mum’s where the signal’s awful, so leave it near the front door, then I can read/send SMSs from my laptop… it’s also got a file browser and more… worth checking out, and it’s free… disadvantage is that it seems to keep activating the screen whenever you do anything, but I’ve logged that with them as an issue https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tcx.mdm Sophos Free Antivirus They’re not a huge issue atm, but this does other things as well as AV, including remote wipe, checks apps for junk, tells you if they look like they’re just collecting data from your phone etc. and lets you uninstall them straight away… worth getting, and it’s free: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sophos.smsec Microsoft RDP: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.rdc.android SwiftKey Keyboard: Android lets you change the keyboard, one of the original perks I think Apple has recently copied… There are loads out there, most are rubbish… this is the one I’m using at the moment, it lets you have more control over the appearance, / layout… one of the main things I love about this one is that it’ll let you have a separate row for numbers so you don’t have to tap and hold / switch to the number view all the time… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.touchtype.swiftkey Barcode Scanner: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxing.client.android MPG Calculator: Does what it says on the tin really… quite nice to see how much you’re spending on fuel & per mile etc. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.jackdashfrost.mpgcalc Ringtone Randomizer: I have loads of old theme tunes as my ringtones, and love hearing them blast out lol, so this basically changes your ringtone for you after every call… (unless you’ve set ringtones for specific people in Contacts – they’ll always use that)… so this just cycles through a list of the ones you specify... Love it! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hibernate.v2.ringtonerandomizer I've also got ActivDir Manager, Office365 Admin, and Watchlist for VSphere since that, and love those too... 1
Gardinho Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 OnePlus are having a 50% off sale on all accessories for today only!
scotyboy56 Posted April 23, 2015 Author Posted April 23, 2015 OnePlus are having a 50% off sale on all accessories for today only! That's one of the reasons I just brought it as was still debating weather or not to buy it. So have the decent screen protector, clear case and the OTG cable. Still really gutted that the bamboo cover is no longer for sale - - - Updated - - - I had a One Plus One for a while while I was waiting to get my Nexus 6 and loved it, it's a great phone... I've been on Android for a few years now and love that too, it's so much better than the others... I always buy SIM-free to avoid the bloatware, and do root, but you certainly don't need to for general use... I sent this to someone recently, so thought I'd just paste it here... Some of the apps I wouldn't be without are: Handcent If you text as much as I do, this is far nicer, far more customisable, lets you set different SMS tones for different people, custom colours etc. Free https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.handcent.nextsms&hl=en-GB Setting Profiles If you use your calendars this is definitely something you want to get – it reads your calendar for keywords (e.g. meeting) then changes the profile of the phone accordingly, so it will switch to silent for a meeting (with an early start & delayed finish if needed too)… It also lets you change profile based on location (GPS / Wifi / Cell) Definitely worth getting – this is the free version, but there’s a paid version too – no major difference for general use: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.probeez.liteprofiles Launch-X Have I shown you the homescreen of my phone with all the much smaller icons? I like quick access to all the apps I use regularly… This is what I use to do it, you create widgets, then add them to the homescreen… This is the free version, can’t remember the difference – I like to support apps I love, so bought it… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.yuvalsharon.android.launchx.free Wifi Analyzer Scans & shows all wifi on channels / strength etc. Nothing like WiSpy, but an invaluable app in work and out… and free https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer Agenda Widget: I don’t like the basic agenda widgets available, so use this one instead, far more compact, though can be fiddly to get just how you like it… I wouldn’t be without it… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.roflharrison.agenda.plus Clipper One of my absolute favourite apps… It doesn’t do a great deal – apart from keep everything you copy, and lets you put it back to the clipboard, so if you copy something to paste later, then forget and copy something else, you can get it back… except this will save hundreds/thousands… It also lets you organise them into groups too… e.g. I have a group called signatures, so when I’m switching phones I can just copy my signature instead of typing it out or emailing it myself… If you get the Clipper Plus with Sync (£1.23) you can access your clippings by logging in online too and add / edit / delete them there… Absolutely awesome, I can’t promote it highly enough… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.rojekti.clipper ES File Explorer Does what it says on the tin again, it’s a file explorer for your phone… also has a download manager thing so if you click links that can be opened, choose the ES download and it’ll save it to your phone… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.estrongs.android.pop Lock Screen App This is simply an icon you can leave on your homescreen that locks the phone… saves pressing the power button all the time, or if you’re not holding the phone (e.g. it’s on your ANME mobile stand) you can quickly switch off the screen by pressing this (I’ve added it as one of the main icons at the bottom of all homescreens) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kennethcheng.com.lockscreen.free Network Mapper Does what it says on the tin – good to see what’s on your network – better on small networks like home lol… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.networkmapper SMS Backup+ Backs up your SMS/MMS/Whatsapp messages to your Gmail account under specific lables… Handy as an archive, also handy to see if you’ve missed any messages if you’ve not got your phone with you… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zegoggles.smssync 2X MDM This lets you access some features of your phone through an internet browser, just browse to the IP:Port of your phone (specified in the app) and you can access it… I use this at my mum’s where the signal’s awful, so leave it near the front door, then I can read/send SMSs from my laptop… it’s also got a file browser and more… worth checking out, and it’s free… disadvantage is that it seems to keep activating the screen whenever you do anything, but I’ve logged that with them as an issue https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tcx.mdm Sophos Free Antivirus They’re not a huge issue atm, but this does other things as well as AV, including remote wipe, checks apps for junk, tells you if they look like they’re just collecting data from your phone etc. and lets you uninstall them straight away… worth getting, and it’s free: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sophos.smsec Microsoft RDP: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.rdc.android SwiftKey Keyboard: Android lets you change the keyboard, one of the original perks I think Apple has recently copied… There are loads out there, most are rubbish… this is the one I’m using at the moment, it lets you have more control over the appearance, / layout… one of the main things I love about this one is that it’ll let you have a separate row for numbers so you don’t have to tap and hold / switch to the number view all the time… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.touchtype.swiftkey Barcode Scanner: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxing.client.android MPG Calculator: Does what it says on the tin really… quite nice to see how much you’re spending on fuel & per mile etc. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.jackdashfrost.mpgcalc Ringtone Randomizer: I have loads of old theme tunes as my ringtones, and love hearing them blast out lol, so this basically changes your ringtone for you after every call… (unless you’ve set ringtones for specific people in Contacts – they’ll always use that)… so this just cycles through a list of the ones you specify... Love it! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hibernate.v2.ringtonerandomizer I've also got ActivDir Manager, Office365 Admin, and Watchlist for VSphere since that, and love those too... Wow thanks!! that's loads for me to look at and they sound perfect and really use full so glad I asked now
Garacesh Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 (edited) Anti-virus apps on Android are pointless if you pay attention to what apps you're installing. If you don't just wildly accept any app install and you take the 2 seconds to scan the permissions an app requests you will be ok. If you're rooted they're even less use as any app could just hide itself from an antivirus app. The only thing antivirus apps are useful for is scanning for spammy notifications/ads within apps. They have no extra ability to detect issues than any other app so can't really tell you very much. There is a lot of incorrect reporting of android viruses, most are in countries where the Play Store isn't available (Russia and China mostly) and are usually just adverts in apps or things like that rather than actual viruses. See here and here for more info You're not wrong, admittedly. Part of the main reason I have Avast AV on my phone is to 1) Tell me what app is spamming with with PUSH notifications so I can uninstall it, and 2) the anti-theft capabilities. With Avast AV (and the extra anti-theft bits) if your phone is stolen you can send it a text message from any designated number (which is my housemates) and if you start the text with a pre-set PIN, it will hide the message from showing up in the phone OS and you can issue it commands (from "Take a photo with the front-facing camera the next time the phone is unlocked/woken up" to "wipe the device") so that's handy. This can all be done through Avast's web interface, too. Handcent If you text as much as I do, this is far nicer, far more customisable, lets you set different SMS tones for different people, custom colours etc. Free https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.handcent.nextsms&hl=en-GB +1 if you text a lot. I don't anymore. I have no friends Wifi Analyzer Scans & shows all wifi on channels / strength etc. Nothing like WiSpy, but an invaluable app in work and out… and free https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer Always a good'n. ES File Explorer Does what it says on the tin again, it’s a file explorer for your phone… also has a download manager thing so if you click links that can be opened, choose the ES download and it’ll save it to your phone… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.estrongs.android.pop The OnePlus comes with a decent file explorer built in, but I can vouch for ES being decent. Network Mapper Does what it says on the tin – good to see what’s on your network – better on small networks like home lol… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.networkmapper I'll have to give this a look. Microsoft RDP: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.rdc.android I forgot about this.. Must re-download! SwiftKey Keyboard: Android lets you change the keyboard, one of the original perks I think Apple has recently copied… There are loads out there, most are rubbish… this is the one I’m using at the moment, it lets you have more control over the appearance, / layout… one of the main things I love about this one is that it’ll let you have a separate row for numbers so you don’t have to tap and hold / switch to the number view all the time… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.touchtype.swiftkey Always worth a mention. Fantastic keyboard with a fair bit of customisation too. Edited April 23, 2015 by Garacesh
Arreks Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 With Avast AV (and the extra anti-theft bits) if your phone is stolen you can send it a text message from any designated number (which is my housemates) and if you start the text with a pre-set PIN, it will hide the message from showing up in the phone OS and you can issue it commands (from "Take a photo with the front-facing camera the next time the phone is unlocked/woken up" to "wipe the device") so that's handy. This can all be done through Avast's web interface, too. I'ma let you finish~ But Cerberus has the best anti-theft features of all time.
Garacesh Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 Not heard of it. What makes it better and why should I switch?
Arreks Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 Not heard of it. What makes it better and why should I switch? Because it's named after a three headed dog?! It's a one time fee (couple of quid) and can do all this: [ATTACH=CONFIG]30260[/ATTACH] Also tells you lotsa real-time information. I've never used Avast's android app but if it's anything like it's clunky/ugly desktop software then nty!
bmdixon Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 You're not wrong, admittedly. Part of the main reason I have Avast AV on my phone is to 1) Tell me what app is spamming with with PUSH notifications so I can uninstall it, and 2) the anti-theft capabilities. With Avast AV (and the extra anti-theft bits) if your phone is stolen you can send it a text message from any designated number (which is my housemates) and if you start the text with a pre-set PIN, it will hide the message from showing up in the phone OS and you can issue it commands (from "Take a photo with the front-facing camera the next time the phone is unlocked/woken up" to "wipe the device") so that's handy. This can all be done through Avast's web interface, too. 1) Fair enough, they can be useful for that 2) Good point, that aspect of AV apps be useful. I personally just use Device Manager for locating my devices as it's 'built in' but used to use Prey. I have never needed to use either though so haven't felt the need to pay for this functionality.
Garacesh Posted April 23, 2015 Posted April 23, 2015 Because it's named after a three headed dog?! It's a one time fee (couple of quid) and can do all this: Also tells you lotsa real-time information. I've never used Avast's android app but if it's anything like it's clunky/ugly desktop software then nty! Actually the phone GUI is pretty good. I may have to look into Cerberus though when my Avast expires in.. Whenever it expires.
RichCowell Posted April 24, 2015 Posted April 24, 2015 Actually the phone GUI is pretty good. I may have to look into Cerberus though when my Avast expires in.. Whenever it expires. Sophos's completely free AV has anti-theft features too, including sending an SMS to the phone you lock it from with the GPS coordinates so you may be able to find out where it is... Worth checking out before you spend... An AV that scans and notifies about all Apps installed & updated is a good way to know when Android sneakily updates background apps & the Play store / Play Services etc. as the phone doesn't notify about them, but the AV does...
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