Ask NerdGirl: DROID Dock Dilemma, Long Lost Music, and Introducing Ask Nerdgirl 101!
by n3rdg1rl
Dec 6, 2010 7:00 AM –
Welcome to the re-launch of Ask NerdGirl; same n3rdg1rl you’ve come to love and trust, just improved! If you sent a question in the past that wasn’t answered, please resend it and we will get to it as soon as possible. On to the first batch of questions!
Hi Nerdgirl! So excited to hear you are coming back from hiatus. 
I have an unrooted Motorola Droid, and ever since it updated to Froyo I’ve had a major annoyance with my phone when it is in dock mode. After a while the screen blanks and I get the screensaver with the green digital time readout bouncing over my screen. I can just tap my screen to put it back into the regular dock mode (with time, temperature, charging status, and quick keys to get to my alarm, photos, music, etc). However, I hate having to tap constantly to put it back in that ‘home dock’ mode. Is there anything that can be done to configure this blasted thing to turn off that annoying screensaver? I really miss seeing my notifications at the top.
Thank you so much! Hope you’re able to answer my question, and I LOVE your Q&A’s. Keep them coming!
Beth
One of the people I live with has a Motorola DROID and uses the dock so I got a chance to look into this hands on. The answer I found, like so many answers, is an app.
Alarm Clock PlusV2 is an app that costs $1.79. There is a free version if you can tolerate the ads. It gives you all the features of the stock dock and alarm app with the option to turn off the screensaver. Plus it allows for you to use any sound you would like as the alarm, it can speak the time, and you can configure the display just how you would like it.
I would recommend if you are using a task killer to add this app to the ignore list, just so you don’t accidentally turn off your alarm.
Hi!
I was wondering how to get personalized ringtones onto my LG Optimus S phone. I’m having trouble locating the MP3 files that I downloaded from a website.
Thanks!
The easiest way to get MP3 and other audio files into an easy place for your phone to find it to transfer it to the phone using the computer and a micro USB cable, or, if you’re really feeling brave, via Bluetooth transfer if your computer has it.
If you really want to use something that is on your phone already, but you’re having trouble with this, there are two apps I recommend.
The first one would be to help you locate the file. Astro File Manager allows you to look in your folders on the phone and the microSD card. The app is free, but is ad supported. There is a paid version as well called Astro File Manager Pro that costs $3.99 if you find the ads annoying. It is fairly easy to use and its search feature makes it easy to find those lost files.
To get the MP3 files to be your ringtone, I use Rings Extended. It’s a great free app that allows you to use any sound saved to your phone as a ringtone or a message alert. In my experience, it’s also very good at locating sound files where ever they are on your phone, so this may be good enough on it’s own to accomplish what you are trying to do.
I downloaded K9-mail onto my Samsung Galaxy phone, but don’t know what to do next to start using it….Can you help?
Jan
K-9 Mail is a great free mail app, but it can be difficult to get started with it. The problem with answering a question about this app is that it has so many settings, and can be configured so differently for so many different users with different email needs, that to answer what to do next to start using it is nearly impossible.
We plan to start a new column called “Ask NerdGirl 101” which will be a guide for those starting their journey into the smart phone world. One of the first planned columns will be on K-9 Mail since it is such a popular and wonderful app. Please send your questions about K-9 mail (and anything else) to nerdgirl@androidtapp.com and we will include it in a future column of “Ask NerdGirl 101”.
The normal Ask NerdGirl column will, of course, continue. The “101” feature will be just an added bonus!
~n3rdg1rl