I use Google Voice for all of my texting, and I communicate more via IM than anything else. Most of the Smart Actions seem to save battery life via disabling the cellular radios, which would mean I don't get IMs or GV texts. This renders a lot of the Smart Actions useless for me, unless I'm missing something.
I really wish there was an option to switch from 3G to 3G/4GLTE. I run in 3G most of the time and get great battery life with it (even though I have a pretty good 4G signal where I live and work). I would love to set actions to switch the radios, but the option just isn't there (again, unless I'm missing something).
Google Voice nor IM use cell data. Cell data <> cell radio. Your phone can still send and receive text messages without cell data. Google Voice works on whatever data it can get (including WiFi) as long as Background data is on, which is unaffected by Smart Actions. As long as you're in a WiFi hotspot you're fine both ways. The IM should work regardless. It's MMS that has a fit, but I gave suggestions to that below. In my opinion MMS should be a dead tech by now.
I just did a video about the RAZR. I posed this question: Do you REALLY need 4G on all the time, or do you just think you do? Is it more likely that you need 4G only when accessing the Mobile Hotspot or large downloads? Isn't it then more practical to just leave it on 3G for battery's sake and enable 4G when you need the rush?
When I turn "cellular data" off because I'm on one of my designated Wi-Fi networks, the RAZR won't let me send pictures via text (MMS), complaining that I need to turn cellular data on first. I don't see how to turn cellular data on without changing the smart action.
What's the best way to handle this? Seems like a waste to have 4G on while also on Wi-Fi. Thanks!
This might seem a bit prehistoric, but have you thought about just sharing your picture via email or Twitter or Flickr or Picasa or even DropBox? Email seems the more logical candidate, followed by Twitter.
Also I modified one Smart Action and created another.
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[TD]Begin Wireless Scanning
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[TD]Triggers at a time I should be home every day during M-F
[/TD]
[TD]Wi-Fi enable;
Send Notification (so I know I'm running late)
[/TD]
[TD]This will turn on Wi-Fi which I generally leave off during business hours. Currently I only have my home hotspot enabled. If I'm home, this should automatically pick up and connect to that hotspot, triggering my Home Smart Action. I did this for a cleaner transition between 3G/4G and Wi-Fi. I don't connect to my work's guest wireless because (A) it's slower than dirt and (B) they technically have the right to analyze packets.
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]In Car Other = In Car Music
[/TD]
[TD]Triggers by headphones plugged in
[/TD]
[TD]Everything disabled except 4G/3G and GPS, longer display timeout, auto brightness;
Launches Amazon MP3
[/TD]
[TD]I don't do the auto song download on the RAZR because I wasn't sure if I was keeping it, so for now I stream everything from Amazon Cloud Player. I do this frequently and would always manually run the music app, but since the Smart Action can handle this for me, I figured I would take advantage of it. It's also nice that it closes the app after it's finished.
[/TD]
[/TR]
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