7 questions for the experts

[Webmok]

Hi guys,
I'm new to the Windows Phone 8-concept, but I like it

I have some questions though;

1) Is it possible to enable only ringtones for sms, not a facebookchat message?
2) I accidentely hit a button/gesture, where I could see the different windows, that was open. How do I do this "command" again?
3) How can I enable/disable dictionary-function, that automatically suggests words in sms, chat, mails etc?
4) Is there a better browser than IE?
5) When I go to "music", I want it to go straight to Songs - is that possible? (it always starts up in artistssection)
6) When I close an app, or just leave it by hitting the backbutton, does it then actually close or is it still open?
7) In calendar-settings, is it then possible to set an alert (like 15 min. before as standard) before an event?

Sorry for the many questions, I just need to figure these things out

 

[hopmedic]

Hi guys,
I'm new to the Windows Phone 8-concept, but I like it

I have some questions though;

1) Is it possible to enable only ringtones for sms, not a facebookchat message?
2) I accidentely hit a button/gesture, where I could see the different windows, that was open. How do I do this "command" again?
3) How can I enable/disable dictionary-function, that automatically suggests words in sms, chat, mails etc?
4) Is there a better browser than IE?
5) When I go to "music", I want it to go straight to Songs - is that possible? (it always starts up in artistssection)
6) When I close an app, or just leave it by hitting the backbutton, does it then actually close or is it still open?
7) In calendar-settings, is it then possible to set an alert (like 15 min. before as standard) before an event?

Sorry for the many questions, I just need to figure these things out

1. no
2. tap/hold the back key
3. you can't. Whether it works or not in apps depends on how the developer wrote the app, enabling the keyboard.
4. you can't change the default browser, but there are other browsers. "Better" is always going to be subjective, so that is up to you. Try them and decide for yourself.
5. Not sure. I do podcasts more than anything there, and when I play music, I go from artists.
6. If you hit the back button, it is closed. If you hit the start button it is suspended, and not using any resources unless it is an app that uses certain services (i.e. location, background audio, etc.) which are allowed to run while other apps are running. Most apps are suspended and use absolutely no processing time, but are only stored in a suspended state in memory, and if you go back to them they will be exactly as you left them (if the developer did his job right).
7. Yes. Tap More Details and there's a reminder setting.

 

[Coolknight1968]

1. Yes. In the Facebook app you can disable notifications under settings.
2. Keep back pushed for 2 seconds.
3. Under Settings/Keyboard. Click on the keyboard and disable text.
4. No. Try em. But I think IE is the best.
5. No idea.
6. If you leave with back,back back etc. The app is closed. If you leave over the middle windows key, it goes into opened apps. (back two seconds)
7. You can adjust the default reminder or reminder under advanced when you schedule an event.

 

[Jnbs]

1. Yes Settings>Ringtones + Sounds> Change SMS
2. Just hold the back button
3. Settings>SMS>Delete packages
4. Depends what "better" means for you. UC Browser is an option and if you want to save data and have a Nokia device you also have Xpress
5. No
6.Yes it actually is closed. However, with the windows button it remains open
7. Yes tinker a little bit

 

[peachy001]

Not an expert, so can't cover most items.

1 - sorry fella, not on Facebook so not fooled around with those tones.
2 - hold down the back button
3 - not sure you can.
4 - I like IE, but there may be other browser apps available.
5 - I doubt this, not really experimented with music.
6 - I have read several conflicting opinions on this. Some do appear to available for a quicker launch. In settings, scroll sidewards, lets you dictate application settings.
7 - Yes, go in to the time to add your event, at the bottom it has a more details section. It is in there.

 

[Coolknight1968]

Btw. Under Keyboards you can add language specific keyboards and text suggestions and spell checking. WP8 then allows you to swap languages in any txt you create, much much better than iOS or Android. Cause it will not underline nor autocorrect if you previous text was in another language.

 

[hopmedic]

For question number one, everyone who said yes is wrong. The question was:

1) Is it possible to enable only ringtones for sms, not a facebookchat message?

Since facebook chat messages come over as a IM/text, and the applicable setting in Settings | Ringtones + Sounds is "New text or IM", if you shut off facebook you also shut off SMS. You can't have one without the other.

Coolknight1968 was right on question 3 and I was wrong - I didn't realize you could turn off the dictionary. Thanks.

 

[rockstarzzz]

Guys for those who said - "Windows button keeps it open" - the app doesn't actually stay open in background. In WP it is a tombstone state which essentially is "paused" state of that app. It isn't running but paused in memory so that when you use multitasking switcher, it "resumes" on WP7 and it fast resumes (without resume screen) on WP8. So technically nothing is running in background unless it is in the list of "background tasks" in settings.

 

[tk-093]

#6 For the vast majority of apps you don't need to spam the back button to 'close' them. Just about all apps will go into suspend mode when you hit the windows key. This allows you to hold the back button to restore them quickly.

Only apps that are allowed to run in the background will remain open if you hit the windows key. If you want to know what possible apps those are, go into Settings | the swipe over to Applications the select background tasks.

Those are the 3rd party apps that can run in the background, and most of those are probably scheduled ones that maybe fire up once an hour or so depending on what they are and their settings (weather apps, for example.)

The only app that I've ever seen running is Nokia Drive, which obviously you want running non-stop when you're navigating. There are some IM apps that you can set to run all the time so they would probably show up there too. I don't think I've really run into anything that you need to spam the back button for to exit.

 

[hopmedic]

Apps that play background audio could do so as well, and other location aware apps, too. Geocaching comes to mind, but I haven't used it since WP8 came out, so I'm not sure if that one is one that runs in the back or not. I doubt it, thigh, as I don't think it's been updated, and frankly I can't see those people updating it. It was pulling teeth complaining for months last year just to get them to fix the $9.99 app that was broken almost from day one - I can't see them getting excited enough about WP8 to update for it. </rant>

Sorry about that.. I think those are the biggies, though - location aware apps and background audio playing/streaming. And if you didn't realize it, IE will stream HTML5 sites with streaming audio in the background, behind lock, as well.

 

[Coolknight1968]

I am getting SMS ring notifications, but nothing for FB. Now I know why... I did not setup the FB chat! I chat over the app. So I was mistaken.

 

[Webmok]

Hi guys,
Thanks a lot to all of you for taking the time to answer!

Happy new year