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Nexus S 4G Tips & Tricks

Galaxy S™ 4G Tips & Tricks

  • Published: May 18, 2011

With faster downloads, uploads and web browsing at 4G speeds, plus a number of new Android features, there's a lot your Galaxy S 4G smartphone can do. Here are some tips and tricks to help you take advantage of everything this phone has to offer.

Gogo® Inflight Internet

Gogo Inflight Internet lets customers enjoy the web while traveling by plane.

Using Gogo Inflight Internet

  • To use this function, touch and drag the top of the screen to open the Notifications bar
  • Turn Wi-Fi on by touching the icon until it turns blue, then close the Notifications bar
  • Touch Applications > Gogo
  • Enter the phone number to create a new account, or touch Sign In to login to an existing Gogo account
  • Follow the onscreen prompts to connect to the Gogo service

Amazon MP3™

Browse and buy music right from the Galaxy S™ 4G with the Amazon MP3 store.

Using Amazon MP3

  • Touch Applications > Amazon MP3
  • Search for a song by typing a keyword in the search box, or browse by genre or through best-selling albums and songs
  • Touch the song name to listen to a 30-second preview, or to buy a song, touch the price and then Buy
  • Enter Amazon account information and touch Sign In—the download will begin immediately

Camera

In addition to video chatting, the front-facing camera can be used to take self-portraits. When using the front-facing camera, the user can preview the shot on the screen and immediately adjust for better framing and composition.

Shooting a Self-portrait

  1. Touch Applications > Camera.
  2. Touch the tab at the left side of the screen and open the Camera menu.
  3. Touch Front to switch from the default rear camera.
  4. Compose the photo and touch the Camera button on the right side of the screen to capture the self-portrait.

microSD™

The hit movie INCEPTION comes preloaded on the inserted microSD card. This microSD card can be used in another device but the movie INCEPTION will only play on this device. Reformatting the card will erase any preloaded content such as the movie.

Social Networking and Contact Integration

Feeds and Updates enables users to view and interact with their Facebook®, Twitter™ and MySpace™ accounts all within one application.

To set this up:

  1. Touch the Menu key > Add > Widgets > Feeds and Updates.
  2. The Feeds and Updates widget will appear on the screen.
  3. Press the Settings icon.
  4. Select the service to include: Facebook, MySpace, and/or Twitter.
  5. Once a service is selected, a green checkmark will appear in the box. If the user is not already logged in, they will need to log into each service.

Once that is completed, press Auto refresh to determine automatic update settings.

Synchronizing multiple accounts

The Galaxy S™ 4G can synchronize with multiple accounts (such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, work email, Google™ or TMobile®). When the phone is synchronized with those accounts, each account creates a separate contact entry in the Contacts list. However, it’s easy to combine one person’s various accounts into one contact entry.

  1. Touch the Contacts icon from the Home screen.
  2. Select a contact name.
  3. Press the Menu key > Join Contact.
  4. Touch the second contact entry (the entry to which to link). The second contact will then be linked with the first, and the account information will be merged into one screen.
  5. Touch the main linked contact to view the contact information that has been linked. The contacts and information will have an icon next to the contact name to indicate what type of account information is contained in the entry.

Tethering

When the phone is tethered to a computer to share its Internet connection, the microSD card cannot be mounted on the computer at the same time.

Wi-Fi® Calling

Switching Between Wi-Fi and Cellular Networks

Wi-Fi Calling does not support network handoffs, so users cannot switch between a Wi-Fi network and a cellular network during a Wi-Fi call. During a Wi-Fi call, if the customer moves out of the Wi-Fi area, the call will automatically end.

Visual Voicemail

How to Set up and Use Visual Voicemail

Visual Voicemail lets users view, play, reply to and delete voicemail messages without calling their voicemail. Touch Applications > Visual Voicemail > Next to set up the inbox. Press Done and it will be ready to use.

When voicemails are received, open Visual Voicemail and they will be ready to view under the Messages tab. From here, users can choose which voicemails to listen to, while skipping others.

Google Mobile™ Services

Users should set up a Google account when they first get the Galaxy S™ 4G to fully enjoy such features as Gmail™, Google Play™, Google Talk™ and Google Calendar.

Setting up a Google Account

  1. To add a Google account, touch Applications > Accounts and sync > Add Account > Google > Next.
  2. To create a new account, touch Create. Or to sign in to an existing Google account, touch Sign In.
  3. Touch Front to switch from the default rear camera.
  4. Follow the onscreen prompts to enter login information.

Task Manager

The Task Manager dialogue box provides an overview of recent applications and allows the user to jump to any recent app, or to open the Task Manager to view or end current applications.

Accessing the Task Manager

  1. To access the dialogue box, touch and hold the Home key.
  2. To jump to a recent app, touch its icon. Or, to open Task Manager, touch the Task Manager icon.
  3. Within Task Manager, touch End All to close all open applications or End to close a single application, or choose a tab to view other application statistics.

Shortcuts and Customizations

Users can add up to seven Home screens to the Galaxy S™ 4G to store widgets, shortcuts and folders.

Customizing the Phone’s Home Screens

  • To add or remove a Home screen, touch Menu > Edit. Touch the + (plus sign) to add a screen, or drag a screen to the onscreen trashcan to remove it. Drag and drop screens to reorder them.
  • To add items to a screen, touch Menu > Add. Touch Widgets, Shortcuts or Folders to see available items. Touch an item name to add it to the Home screen.

Amazon™ Kindle™

Users can browse 750,000 books within the Amazon Kindle store and download them to their Galaxy S™ 4G. The app also lets users bookmark, make notes and sync ebook content among other compatible devices, such as a Kindle or computer.

Using the Amazon Kindle eReader

  1. Touch Applications > Kindle.
  2. Enter Amazon account information and touch Register.
  3. Touch the Menu button to access the Kindle Store, download archived items, or sync with another Kindle-compatible device.
  4. To purchase an ebook while in the Kindle app, touch Menu > Kindle Store.
  5. Search or browse for a book, and touch Buy Now with 1-click.
  6. Follow the onscreen prompts to enter purchase information.

Google Voice™ Search

Accessing Google Voice Search

The Home screen has a preloaded Google search bar shortcut on the display. To Access Google Voice Search, touch the Microphone icon next to the search field on the shortcut. Speak the search terms and the appropriate web searches will appear.

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance of phones may vary. Screen images simulated. Android, Android Market, Google Talk, Gmail and Google Calendar are trademarks of Google, Inc.
The above content is provided for information purposes only. All information included herein is subject to change without notice. Samsung is not responsible for any direct or indirect damages, arising from or related to use or reliance of the above content.

We'd love to hear from you.Write a comment
  • love all those tips and tricks that were mention on this article keep the good work up

    SOCIOPAPI April 25, 2012
  • Overall, a great phone. Do not like that I cannot uninstall any app without a re-root. Don't use Facebook, doubletwist, drivesmart, layer, etc. These apps take up space! Additionally, the touch screen does not lend itself well when using the dialer to enter numbers into an automated phone service. I cannot use my phone to call companies which require me to enter information via of the key pad. The phone double enters numbers so a number string of 5506743 becomes 555006774433. Will move to a phone with a true querty keyboard if this glitch is not fixed. This is a primary phone and I need the functionality to use the phone dialer keypad!

    Androit2012 April 6, 2012
  • hi, I have had my Samsung Galaxy S4G for less than a year now, and all of a sudden the vibrator isn't working. I thought it was the fact that my firmware was 2.2.1, but I just finally updated it to 2.3.6 and still no vibrating! I seriously don't know what to do. My phone makes the sound as if it is vibrating but still doesn't vibrate. Also, I have settings set to always and I have the intensity set all the way. It doesn't just not vibrate for texts, it doesn't vibrate at all. Also, haptic feedback doesn't work. I don't know what is going on, please help!

    April 1, 2012
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