[Galaxy S II General] lamensterms:
Hey guys,

Just got my SGS2 last week and have spent the last for days exploring and familiarizing myself with it.

I must say i am so far impressed and disappointed... i previously had a HTC Desire and there are a few things the Desire could do that the SGS2 cannot.

I figured we might as well start listing some things that the SGS2 cannot do, but you feel it should be able to do (with possible solutions if any).

so ill get it started...

1. Default Email Client - should be able to set update frequency by time of day.

The HTC mail app on my Desire had a setting where i could set the send/receive frequency depending on the time of day. For instance... between 8.00AM and 8.00PM i could have it update hourly, and between 8.00PM and 8.00AM it would update every 4 hours. The email setup is use is POP3 with Hotmail.

Solution: Setup hotmail (and other webmail providers?) as an exchange account. This will allow you greater control over your email client and its settings (include advanced update scheduling, folders, max email size, etc. I used this guide

here

.

2. Default Email Client - Be able to forward emails with attachments and the email trail. Seems to be a bug with the stock email app that makes this impossible.

Tested with the default email client on the SGS2 (hotmail with POP3), the attachments will not forward completely, only a portion of the attached file will forward and it will be corrupt when received, cannot open on receiving end. Also tested setting up hotmail as an exchange account, and the app will hang on the "fetching attachment" screen. A second attempt forwarding attachments with an exchange account was successful.

Solution: Setup email as an exchange account (see above) or use 3rd party app - Suggestions on which apps?

3. TouchWiz - Show the default number of 8 apps (rather than 6) in the recent apps list (accessible by long-pressing the Home key)

Solution: Root and install the mod or flash the appropriate ROM that has this feature.

CyanogenMod

is one.

4. Default Web Browser - Hide the notification bar in the Browser app.

Solution: 3rd party app - Dolphin Browser HD can do this in its 'fullscreen' mode - any suggestions on other apps?

5. Default Web Browser - Have

real

text reflow on

any

zoom level in the Browser app. (Like HTCs)

Solution: 3rd party app -

Opera Mobile

,

Boat Browser

and

Boat Browser Mini

have the ability to reflow on a variety of zoom levels by using the onscreen zoom buttons.

6. CRT screen-off animation.

Solution: Root and install the mod or flash the appropriate ROM that has this feature.

7. System/Power management - Better power management when wifi is 24/7 enabled with IM applications, The S1 could last for a close to 1.5 days with that setup the S2 barely lasts 20hrs due to the AOS bug... Iphone3GS/4 can last as high as 3days.

8. System/Network Capabilities - No Near Field Communication (NFC)?

Solution: The SGS2 supports NFC depending on which version of the phone you have. NFC is enabled on some versions, and not on others.

Source

Source

Source

9. System/Notification Settings - There are no repeat audible notifications for missed called and messages.

Solution: 3rd party app -

Vibration Notifier

,

GO SMS Pro

10. System/Notification Settings - Privacy settings in the notification bar. Why can't I turn off the displaying of message content in the notification bar?

Solution: Use Go SMS Pro. You can set that to just say "New Message", instead of showing the content. Go SMS Pro > Settings > Notification Settings > Default Notification Settings > Notification Bar Privacy Mode.

11. System/Connectivity - bluetooth support (proper) so we can use bluetooth controllers like the ps3 and wii one.

Solution: Root and install the mod or flash the appropriate ROM that has this feature.

12. System/Connectivity - Reverse Tether.

Some HTCs ( Desire HD, Sensation) and other devices have reverse tether via USB - feature seems to be missing on SGS2.

13. Application Range - Ability to install some stock Android Apps.

14. System/Notification Settings/TouchWiz - Ability to dismiss notifications individually.

CyanogenMod

had this ability by simply swiping them horizontally.

Solution: Root and install the mod or flash the appropriate ROM that has this feature.

15. Advanced IPSEC VPNs - For whatever reason, Samsung did not include this functionality with their 2.3.x FW.

As a result, VPN compatibility is very limited without hacking.

16. Contacts App - Display

cropped

version of profile picture for contacts when assigned through contact link/sync.

Not sure how to describe this one... HTCs Contacts App would crop a contact photo to suit its app's square frame (maintaining photo's proportions/aspect ratio). Samsung's contacts app will squash the photo to suit the square frame (distorting photo's proportions). Go Contacts will shrink a contact photo to suit the square frame (maintaining photo's proportions/aspect ratio). I would like the Samsung and Go Contacts apps to display their contact photos like the HTCs do. I have attached an image to try and explain my issue.

List is a work in progress - i will continue to build the list and add to it any suggestions anyone has. Also, i will not be able to test all the solutions i post, and many of the comments/solutions will be simply copied and pasted from your posts. So please feel free to test and make any corrections to the problem/solution list.

Hopefully this will help any users with their transitions from their old devices to the SGS2.

I welcome all input, thanks guys.