Hi there
Am confused. Am running Manila 2.5 and have recently installed an icon set for the Comm Manager. Previously when I went into the Comm Manager the 3G option (which is labeled 'Change to GSM',)was marked as OFF (this was how it was when I first used the phone and I have never had a need to change that). But since I installed the new icon set, strangely, when I now go into the Comm Manager I notice that the 3G option in showing as ON (Green) and I cannot turn it off. I tap the On/Off button but unlike the Wireless or Phone options nothing happens.
I do not believe that I need the 3G functionality to be on (as it was not showing as such until recently, and as far as I know I do not want to 'change to GSM') when I have the Data Connection on, and therefore I would like know how to switch the 3G off (incidentally I can switch the Data Connection on or off at will)?
Can anybody help/advise
Many thanks in advance.
Regards
Balders
Baldrick1 said:
Hi there
....
I do not believe that I need the 3G functionality to be on (as it was not showing as such until recently, and as far as I know I do not want to 'change to GSM') when I have the Data Connection on, and therefore I would like know how to switch the 3G off (incidentally I can switch the Data Connection on or off at will)?
Can anybody help/advise
Many thanks in advance.
Regards
Balders
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What phone do you have and what ROM are you running? If I understand your question correctly you are asking about switching between 3G and EDGE (aka 2.5G) at will or on demand. If so you need to do a registry edit. Using your registry editor go to "HKLM\SOFTWARE\OEM\PhoneSetting" and change value of "ShowUMTSBandPage" to 1. Do a soft reset and this should do the trick.
However my question to you is why would you want to do this? You do lose speed because EDGE is a slower connection. Not to mention you cannot do both data usage and phone calls simultaneously. Only in a few instances could I see this tweak being truly helpful (aka being in an area for extended time where 3G bandwidth is extremely weak and cuts in and out a lot). The one benefit would be possibly better battery life.
Hope this helps.
aybarrap1
aybarrap1 said:
What phone do you have and what ROM are you running? If I understand your question correctly you are asking about switching between 3G and EDGE (aka 2.5G) at will or on demand. If so you need to do a registry edit. Using your registry editor go to "HKLM\SOFTWARE\OEM\PhoneSetting" and change value of "ShowUMTSBandPage" to 1. Do a soft reset and this should do the trick.
However my question to you is why would you want to do this? You do lose speed because EDGE is a slower connection. Not to mention you cannot do both data usage and phone calls simultaneously. Only in a few instances could I see this tweak being truly helpful (aka being in an area for extended time where 3G bandwidth is extremely weak and cuts in and out a lot). The one benefit would be possibly better battery life.
Hope this helps.
aybarrap1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi aybarrap
Thanks for the reply.
Have reviewed the situation and conclude as per what you have said that the gains are outweighed by the losses...so I will stick with 3G.
Regards
Balders
3G eats alot of battery, GSM all the way if you never use HSDPA (WiFi + WEP cracker ftw).
Anyway it's: settings (in HTC slider) > wireless controls (comm manager basically) > press on phone > scroll down to the bottom and choose BAND > change to GSM/WCDMA (3G)
Glad I could help. Just keep in mind that if you are big on battery life this is definitely the tweak for you as mentioned by ArtieQ. I personally use this tweak because my workplace gets low 3G signal and I tend to drop calls if I don't apply this tweak. Not to mention the battery life is eaten super fast by all of the switching back and forth. I turn on EDGE only at work and back to 3G when I get off.
Hey guys, I'm by no means an Android developer, so I could never make my idea a reality. But do you guys think this would be possible?
THE IDEA:
A small program that runs in the background, switching the network between HSDPA and EDGE. It would default to EDGE while idling, but activate HSDPA when a user-defined program is run (such as Opera, google maps, marketplace, etc). This way, you can idle on EDGE (and save power), but still have the speed of HSDPA when you need it!
I have no idea if this is even remotely possible so please don't flame the noob
I don't know if you searched the forums...but this was 4 threads down from yours. Don't know if it answers your application or what not...also try out Juice Defender
EDIT: oh hi from OCN
bloke226 said:
I don't know if you searched the forums...but this was 4 threads down from yours. Don't know if it answers your application or what not...also try out Juice Defender
EDIT: oh hi from OCN
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea already tried it But I still have the OCN mentality of "the pursuit of performance".. in this case, the pursuit of battery performance
Juice Defender does not switch between EDGE/3G based on the applications you're running AFAIK
I kinda had the same idea as you so last week I created a topic on the Nexus One Themes and Apps: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=678227
Feel free to join the discussion
I believe 3g uses less power while idling than edge
-------------------------------------
Sent via the XDA Tapatalk App
r34p3rex said:
Yea already tried it But I still have the OCN mentality of "the pursuit of performance".. in this case, the pursuit of battery performance
Juice Defender does not switch between EDGE/3G based on the applications you're running AFAIK
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hear ya about the performance. I guess I read your post too quick and missed the part where it would be application based. I can't think of anything on the top of my head that can do that, it would be difficult I would imagine...
I think there are a couple problems here
1) the "context switch" (if you will) from Edge to 3G and back devours battery
2) its slow, so you grab your idling phone to figure out the nearest Starbucks and you miss your exit while it jumps from Edge to 3G
I know on the google api it isn't possible to do this, but I don't think that isn't the problem.
At the moment you have 3 options. GSM only, WCDMA only and GSM/WCDMA. Whenever you switch between the 3 of them, the phone will lose signal for 10 seconds before it can find the best network. So the switcher here is not the best as you will lose connection, and what if you are downloading something at the same time...
What you need is when the phone is on GSM/WCDMA that it knows the best network to pick from depending on the phones lifecycle. GSM/WCDMA loses battery power because it always tries to find the best network to connect to, so for example if you are on GSM it will constantly try to find a 3G network etc (as far as I understand it).
What we need is the ability for the phone to stay on GSM when the phone is idle and then when the phone is woken up to automatically start to search for a WCDMA network and then gracefully switch over like it does now. For this I have no idea if it is possible as I don't know how the scanning of the network works. If it is possible then that would be wicked. But this is what we need.
crachel said:
I think there are a couple problems here
1) the "context switch" (if you will) from Edge to 3G and back devours battery
2) its slow, so you grab your idling phone to figure out the nearest Starbucks and you miss your exit while it jumps from Edge to 3G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THIS.
It's the switch between the two that really eats battery. That said, I'm pretty sure you can do that with Tasker already.
Check out Chainfire's app http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=807989
Curious if other WM migrators have found solutions (probably good apps) for the following:
1. Better reminders from calendar events. Right now I hear a single sound and then my LED blinks. In WM, it was almost an alarm and was more persistent - it would alarm every few minutes until the event occurred.
2. Better snoozing - I liked the ability to choose 5 or 10 or 30,etc minute snooze on reminders/alarms. I've seen a lot of good alarms in the Market, but this is also for event reminders.
3. Exchange address book lookup - I could look up an email address in my global exchange server-side from my phone, very handy if it's not in your address book.
4. Voice command - my touch pro had fairly perfect voice command. The Epic seems to default voice search instead of voice command. Is there some way to remap the long press on the search into voice command instead of voice search?
Thanks in advance fellow WM converts.
2. If you go to the Alarm Clock, press menu then settings. You can change the snooze duration.
4. There is Voice Actions for Android but currently only 2.2 is supported so you have to wait for the Froyo update to use that. In the mean time, try Vlingo from the market. It's free and has some nice voice activated features.
5. a working gps.
J3ff said:
5. a working gps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean by working GPS? I get a lock within 3 seconds, every single time I use it. Are you saying a GPS that is more accurate? Because then I could agree. But it certainly works and works very well for me. I have it set to cold start the GPS, and I have "Use wireless networks" enabled as well as GPS, and its flawless. Just not super accurate.
My GPS rocks as well. I could go for some better battery life though.
muyoso said:
What do you mean by working GPS? I get a lock within 3 seconds, every single time I use it. Are you saying a GPS that is more accurate? Because then I could agree. But it certainly works and works very well for me. I have it set to cold start the GPS, and I have "Use wireless networks" enabled as well as GPS, and its flawless. Just not super accurate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use wireless networks does is not a "working gps" ..
I use my phone on the boat, I need a real working GPS just like every other windows mobile phone I've used.
J3ff said:
Use wireless networks does is not a "working gps" ..
I use my phone on the boat, I need a real working GPS just like every other windows mobile phone I've used.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I know using the wireless networks is not the GPS. You enable "use wireless networks" so that the GPS can get a lock near instantly. If you enable both, you get locks within 5 seconds every single time. If you enable GPS only, you gotta wait a long time, ESPECIALLY if you have GPS set to cold start. So yea, enable both, and you will get GPS locks instantly, whether you are on a boat or in a car. As long as you are not in the middle of the atlantic, enabling "use wireless networks" alongside GPS will help the phone get GPS locks dramatically quicker.
muyoso said:
No, I know using the wireless networks is not the GPS. You enable "use wireless networks" so that the GPS can get a lock near instantly. If you enable both, you get locks within 5 seconds every single time. If you enable GPS only, you gotta wait a long time, ESPECIALLY if you have GPS set to cold start. So yea, enable both, and you will get GPS locks instantly, whether you are on a boat or in a car. As long as you are not in the middle of the atlantic, enabling "use wireless networks" alongside GPS will help the phone get GPS locks dramatically quicker.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry man, if you have wireless networks enabled its not real GPS. I need real gps.
Where I boat is on the Ocean, there are no wireless networks.
It works fine. I've been using it with cold start set and wireless networks OFF and it locks all the time for me lately.
Well, I was perfectly fine with my GPS because I thought it had to do with where my house was, but my brother got a iPhone 4 and that thing is super accurate and locks on way faster than my Epic. So is this a hardware issue or a software issue? Also, his compass seems to be a lot less jerky than mine. I mean the GPS works for what I need to do but better is always welcome.
crajee16 said:
Well, I was perfectly fine with my GPS because I thought it had to do with where my house was, but my brother got a iPhone 4 and that thing is super accurate and locks on way faster than my Epic. So is this a hardware issue or a software issue? Also, his compass seems to be a lot less jerky than mine. I mean the GPS works for what I need to do but better is always welcome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All of us hope it's a software issue.
We also hope that 2.2 fixes it.
That's yet to be seen!
I know you can change the snooze duration on a global scale - the nice thing about WM is it let you change it when a notification popped up for only that notification.
Does the voice action tie directly to the capacitive button? The point of it is to not be looking at the phone so using widgets/apps etc is not an option if it's not tied to a hardware key.
Poor GPS. I wish it would be fixed so it stops hijacking threads. I'm so glad the 3g upload issue got fixed - the boards are a lot nicer now.
los1223 said:
2. If you go to the Alarm Clock, press menu then settings. You can change the snooze duration.
4. There is Voice Actions for Android but currently only 2.2 is supported so you have to wait for the Froyo update to use that. In the mean time, try Vlingo from the market. It's free and has some nice voice activated features.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
fooo1 said:
Curious if other WM migrators have found solutions (probably good apps) for the following:
4. Voice command - my touch pro had fairly perfect voice command. The Epic seems to default voice search instead of voice command. Is there some way to remap the long press on the search into voice command instead of voice search?
Thanks in advance fellow WM converts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
use vlingo from the market for voice search command. Works really well and has a wide variety of commands like "send message to ___ message hi how are you?" or navigate too pizza hut etc...Also android 2.2 has a incredibly good stock voice command feature which is no use to you right now since sprint and samsung are lagging it
J3ff said:
5. a working gps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read all of the time about bad GPS but my Epic has been working great in Alaska on a business trip...actually better than my Tom Tom. I'm using Sprint Nav.
On my TP2 the battery drain was terrible. I've been using GPS for other programs also with no problems.
I guess different problems for different users...just like my TP2.
J3ff said:
Sorry man, if you have wireless networks enabled its not real GPS. I need real gps.
Where I boat is on the Ocean, there are no wireless networks.
people use this phone with an app that displays a speedometer for when they are riding jet ski's with no problem. you may want to try airplane mode to reset the radio or something. this gps should work anywhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
fooo1 said:
Curious if other WM migrators have found solutions (probably good apps) for the following:
1. Better reminders from calendar events. Right now I hear a single sound and then my LED blinks. In WM, it was almost an alarm and was more persistent - it would alarm every few minutes until the event occurred.
2. Better snoozing - I liked the ability to choose 5 or 10 or 30,etc minute snooze on reminders/alarms. I've seen a lot of good alarms in the Market, but this is also for event reminders.
3. Exchange address book lookup - I could look up an email address in my global exchange server-side from my phone, very handy if it's not in your address book.
4. Voice command - my touch pro had fairly perfect voice command. The Epic seems to default voice search instead of voice command. Is there some way to remap the long press on the search into voice command instead of voice search?
Thanks in advance fellow WM converts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All of these issues can be addressed with the right apps and settings. it's just not in the same places you are use to. This phone will kill your wm phone in functionality and possibilities. hands down.....
J3ff said:
Sorry man, if you have wireless networks enabled its not real GPS. I need real gps.
Where I boat is on the Ocean, there are no wireless networks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then go out and buy a friggin REAL GPS then...geez and stop whining. There ARE folks whose Epic GPS work just fine for them, like me. I use it with CoPilot and Navigation, locks in secs and never fails. No complaints here.
I do miss TomTom like i had on my Treo Pro.
fooo1 said:
3. Exchange address book lookup - I could look up an email address in my global exchange server-side from my phone, very handy if it's not in your address book.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do this without any additional apps and without changing settings.
Start your new message, click in the To box and click the search button. You should be on a screen titled "GAL Search." That searches the global address book.
Edit: I'm talking about the search button that is in the group of buttons under the Bcc field not the magnifying glass button at the bottom of the phone.
J3ff said:
5. a working gps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My gps locks on fast....after the last update it now locks on while inside my home
ultra78721 said:
My gps locks on fast....after the last update it now locks on while inside my home
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL, the last update made no changes to GPS or aGPS, so your observations are just based on bad testing.
muyoso said:
No, I know using the wireless networks is not the GPS. You enable "use wireless networks" so that the GPS can get a lock near instantly. If you enable both, you get locks within 5 seconds every single time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is 100% FUD, "use wireless networks" has no affect whatsoever on the aGPS function of Epic. NONE. No affect at all on accuracy, number locked or Time To First Fix.
I have three epics and spent weeks with controlled tests.
muyoso said:
. If you enable GPS only, you gotta wait a long time, ESPECIALLY if you have GPS set to cold start.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completely and totally untrue.
Hi,
A strange request for a strange scenario.
In my office 3G / EDGE etc etc do not work. Reason is uknown but believed to be a problem with a local mast and infterference within the office.
How do you switch of all the high speed networks so that the phone purely picks up GPRS.
Everyone is having the same problem, i.e. I PHones, but they are able to switch of all the high speeds.
Some one with an old Nokia 5110 has full service, so thoughts are if I can revert to only this capability I can use my phone in the office.
Note : I would really need a solution that is quick and user friendly, as would want to set back to high speed when leaving the office.
Thank you.
Comm manager 3g button
There's a little cab called HTC_HD2_CommManager_3G which adds a 3g on/off button to the comm manager
see:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=600732
tarkboffin said:
There's a little cab called HTC_HD2_CommManager_3G which adds a 3g on/off button to the comm manager
see:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=600732
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you,
I'll give it a go and let you know how I get on in a couple of days when next in the office.
I was wondering if there was an option on the phone or an app to auto disable the network if wifi was enabled??? This would GREATLY safe on battery life as the HSPA uses wayyyy more battery power than wifi!
One of the biggest drainers for me is having it go between EDGE and HSPA and NONE due to my house and where I live. Just walking around the house kills it.
And when I leave home it stays on, when i get to work, same issue.
So would be nice to have such an app!
edit:
Well kinda answered my own question, i posted this as installing my first ROM MC7.... looks like the power control widget has this ability
Or someone, you can disable the UTMS and HSPA and only use EDGE/GMS, which is good enough for me!
Looks like i will be keeping this ROM, only ONE dislike, the USB teather option is not in the normal pull down spot :{ Have to go to settings...
I'm sure you can create a shortcut to it in ADW settings.