TIPS for Connecting up with N4M's with Smartphones, Tablets, and Other Devices

[FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW]

Since there are so many devices out there now...I thought it might be a good idea to have a discussion for tips on how to best utilize them with the site. I will start out with the basics of how I use my Android personally and will add more either as I remember (LOL) or find out new things. Please feel free to ask/answer questions and post your own tips.

RESPONDING to EMAILS from my Android:

One issue I see often is, "I can't answer the emails I receive for the content that I follow. I choose,'To view the new comment, visit: (link)' and it takes me to the site but I can't respond. I have to sign in first. Too many steps."

The way I solve this issue is I sign in to N4M's in the AM and stay signed in all day. This way when I do the above it takes me straight to the comment and I can read it and then answer, as I am already signed in.

Once done, I either hit the "back" (looks like reverse arrow) on the phone to go back to my emails or the home button (looks like a house).

Now, this doesn't mean you have to "be" on the site all day...you can still browse the internet etc., it just means that you are already signed in and ready to go!

Just sign out at night before bed...if you can! LOL It is good to sign out once and a while. You can also adjust the settings on your phone to remember passwords if you like.

I have also stayed signed in for several days with no issues. I had one mom with an iPhone say that she has done the same.

How to respond to emails...you can't respond directly to an email (in other words hit reply type and send) from N4M. The email lets you know about postings Groups, Discussions etc. that you are following. Within the email is a link that will take you to the post on this site. When you click that link it should take you to that post on the site and then you can post your reply there. Does that make sense? If not, I will think of a better way to state it :-).

The link looks something like this and should be the first of two or three different kinds of links on an email.:

To reply to this message, click here:

http:/www.navyformoms.com/profiles/message/listInbox...

(and so forth...that one is a partial and the source was an Inbox reply to me...I just did not finish all of the link)

BOOKMARKING the SITE:

N4M's does not have an app. So, what I do to access it is (IOW...not from an email), I Bookmark the site. I can do this with each individual group I am on as well. then the Bookmark takes me straight to that group.

I can also access through the Address bar on my phone...where the URL is located. I can click it and it will bring up the History of where I have been. If the last place was one of my groups...it will "be" where it was when I left it. Refresh the page by clicking the refresh button (mine are two curved arrows) just like you would on your computer.

There is more as far as Windows on my phone, the extent of what I can do, Mobile Optimized view vs. Desktop view etc...but I will add that as we go along.

WINDOWS on my ANDROID:

I can have up to four Windows open on my phone. So I can load four websites at a time.

When I am on the Internet, I hit the "List" tab on my phone (it's next to my Home icon and has three lines) and it will give me a six box menu. Windows is one of them. Then I hit the + sign to add another Window. You can enter a URL OR select one from your History. Just tap the URL box and your History will come up.

MOBILE OPTIMIZED VIEW vs. DESKTOP VIEW:

Well...I personally like Desktop View. It looks on my phone exactly like it does on my Computer. Toolbar works from my phone in this view. Post Links, Images, Media (videos and my fave smileys!), text, file links, fonts and all the do-dads! I have an Android.

I have started new PIR groups from my Phone! Along with an Image for the group as it loads differently.

I can also highlight, copy and paste. Copy URL links (though I cannot edit it to look all pretty and open to another page, but when on the go you do what you can!) and paste them in. I can open multiple windows with the site and load different Groups on them or content and copy from one and then paste on another.

Easy. You just got to play with it Folks!

Mobile Optimized is great if you want simple.

SWITCHING BETWEEN THE TWO:

VIEWING Navy for Moms on your phone, there are two options: Mobile Optimized view and Desktop view.

Mobile Optimized view. When you sign in on your phone it automatically signs you in to Mobile Optimized view. This is a very limited view of the site. Personally do not like it. How you post is limited as well, you don't get the same tabs as you would on the computer.

Desktop view looks just like it would if you were on your computer. You can use all the functions (changing fonts etc) just like on your computer. Love this mode :-)

To switch to Desktop from Mobil Optimized view: 

After you sign on go to the Menu icon in the top right corner of the site.

Click it for the drop down Menu.

Scroll down and click Desktop view.

That's it!

IF you would like to go back to Mobilized view :-( , simply scroll down to the bottom of the page and there is a sign that says, "Switch to the Mobil Optimized View", click it and it should change back.

(Let me know what you like about MO view for those of you who use it!)

I am hoping that helps some and I also hope that we can help each other out with our device usage!

 

[FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW]

If the picture is saved "sideways" on your phone Photo Gallery then you have to correct it there first...then upload it.
On your Android go to your Gallery app.
Go to All photos.
Find the picture... If it is sideways when you are looking at your phone in "Portrait" view...in other words don't turn the phone lengthwise...then you need to correct it.
Touch the photo so it opens onto the screen by itself.
Now touch the screen anywhere. At the top of my Android I get something like "4/231" pic number 4 out of 231. At the bottom I get a toolbar with several icons. Gallery (four squares in a square shape), Edit(reminds me of a magic wand), Share (two arrows connected), Delete, (trash can) and Camera.
Click Edit...the magic wand.
I get a list with: Crop, Effects, Rotate left, Rotate right.
Click one of the rotates to turn the picture right side up. Wait a few seconds for the tools to go away.
Go back to your Gallery...it should be saved like that.
Now try to upload.
I hope that works...I am experimenting!

[Lisa ship12 DIV285]

i need help with phones for my Sailor going to Japan for 4 years sprint and comcast are so expensive

[lemonelephant]

Have you considered Skype?  Using Skype internet calls can be way cheaper for your Sailor and you than international calling plans. Your Sailor can call anywhere in the US and Canada for $2.99 a month. They can make unlimited calls to any landline or cell phone for that from a computer, laptop, iPad, or iPhone. They also get a US number that you can call from any phone.  When my Sailor was in Japan, it worked well for us.  If I needed to talk to him, I would type a message on Skype and have him call back when he could. You can also Skype for free, but having him have that account has been wonderful.

[loca4cherry]

THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION

[Steph Proud AG Mom]

Hi all,  I have a new phone- android- i connect to the site through google- sign in- and the page keeps closing.  Also- I have tried to respond to emails- with me signed in- and I get mailer demons- Help!  Thanks!

[FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW]

Sorry, just saw this. Has it gotten better or have you figured it out? As far as the page closing. I'll have to look into it a bit to see.

If I am reading it right about responding to emails...you can't respond directly to an email (in other words hit reply type and send) from N4M. The email lets you know about postings Groups, Discussions etc. that you are following. Within the email is a link that will take you to the post on this site. When you click that link it should take you to that post on the site and then you can post your reply there. Does that make sense? If not, I will think of a better way to state it :-).

The link looks something like this and should be the first of two or three different kinds of links on an email.:

To reply to this message, click here:

http:/www.navyformoms.com/profiles/message/listInbox...

(and so forth...that one is a partial and the source was an Inbox reply to me...I just did not finish all of the link)

[FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW]

Yes, my directions are for if you are already signed in (which Liz said she was). Just like B said you have to be already signed in to N$M's. I have that in the Body of the Discussion up above under "Responding to Emails"...please go up there to read about staying signed into N4M's for easier phone/email access. :-)

[BunkerQB]

The emails your are getting are notifications to your REGULAR email system that you have a N4M message. You have to log on to N4M first in order to reply.  If you find you are getting too many email notifications, you can go to settings and change your default. I typically do not want to get an email notification whenever a comment has been posted on one of my groups; however, I always want to know when someone post a comment to my personal page, when I get a friend request or when I get a private message. Of course, since you son/daughter is at BC, you probably don't want to miss out on anything.

Good luck.

[B'sMomLa(ship 11 div 090)]

HI! My son arrived at RTC this past Wednesday and a friend told me about this site on Thursday.  I have a Samsung Galaxy tablet that I use and I'm having problems viewing the videos.  I can respond to comments and do most other things but I can't get the videos to play.  I'm currently using Chrome as the browser.  Does anyone have any advice on how to fix this?

[BunkerQB]

I have been having problem viewing videos for the last two weeks, ever since I updated the something - just don't know what at the moment. Frustrating. I use Mozilla Firefox.

[lovemynavygirl]

Help! I am using a tablet and a phone to access this site and have tried both desktop and mobile view but am having issues. Is there a discussion with instructions and simple steps for using this site? I click my discussions (4) and says I have no discussions under started and replied to, which is incorrect. I click My Page and it always looks the same, the new comments aren't showing. I received emails but I just deleted them because I thought I could access everything from My Page but I can't figure out how. And is there a way to arrange discussions or comments when I am browsing groups so that the most recent are the ones showing, I seems to get a mix showing on my screen some from this week and some from years ago. Also, sometimes when I click on a members name I get their My Page so that I can request as a friend but other times I get a page that shows their discussions and I can't find where to request as friend or view their info. Lastly, I have minimized the two chat windows that appear but can't figure out how to disconnect or close them. I click the green spot but nothing happens. What am I doing wrong?

[Dawn b's mom]

Thanks for doing this wish I had found it when I first joined. I had a very hard time since I don't use Facebook. I sure it will help a lot