Screenshots. Once impossible on a non-rooted android, it’s built into the operating system in Android 4 and above. Just hit a couple of keys and you’re done. For the S4, you need to hit “The Button”, and the power button silmultaneously. Then I simply drop the image into dropbox and I have it on the PC.
Seems the only reason I need to root the phone, is to edit the hosts file.
I’ve also figured out I’ve been barking up the wrong tree as far as accessing files on the phone, PC-Style. Every little app has a confusing place it’s saving files on the phone. I have a hard time getting them onto the SD card – except for the camera. So it’s time to use Dropbox some more, and use *that* as the primary storage item. I’m having an easy time putting videos and books, etc, onto Dropbox and then accessing them via the phones apps.
I was trying to figure out how to add enough content to this post, until I go on a hike with my son. We walk a couple of miles and I sat down on a concrete bench. We head home. And I try to access my phone, and find it cracked. The screen is unusable, except to tell the time. Panic ensues.
It got worse by the time I took this picture. Can’t even read the time at the top.
I head down to the local Verizon store, thinking that they sold me the insurance. But no, they tell me to call a phone number. The conversation goes like this :
“What happened to the phone?”
“It’s cracked.”
“Wow, it can’t just *get cracked* – how did it happen ?”
“I sat on it.”
“Oh, you can’t SIT on it. No wonder.”
Now I’m wondering what in the hell have I bought – a phone so fragile you can’t keep it in your pocket ? What’s the point of having something so fragile ? Seems it’s time to buy a really strong protective case. Either that, or Mr. Verizon is trying to sell me an Otter Box. This case seems perfect – including a slide-out physical keyboard which would seem to make the phone **absolutely perfect** (at least as far as operating it).
So I head to Phoneclaim.com and file a claim. That’s an interesting setup they have, just a series of web forms and your claim is filed. It’s very slick, and easy when it all comes down to it. I was a bit uncomfortable with sending a JPG of my drivers license to them, but after ruminating on it I just said “Screw it” and went ahead and sent it.
They say that I get a new phone by the next day, after the claim is approved. Claim was submitted, and I am supposed to wait for an email or something in the next three hours.
It only took one hour. The automated process claims the phone is being shipped by next day shipping. I think I should expect it by Tuesday.
