What’s on My Phone? A Quick Update

If you had asked me this about 6 or 7 years ago, I would have assumed you were referring to dirt or scratches or something. But now… it means something quite different. The last time I did one of these videos was in January of last year, so it’s time to do a quick update, given the pretty decent response to - and continuous requests for repeats of - last year’s video.

My Current Daily Driver

My current daily driver is a Samsung Galaxy Note 5. And yes, it’s in an Otterbox Defender case again. Not looking much different than my Galaxy S4 in last year’s video, but it’s a much, much better phone. I quite enjoy it, even if I use the note-taking function less than I’d like to admit. But I do still use it. I’m not running a custom ROM or anything like that - just the stock TouchWiz that comes on it. That may turn some people off, but I don’t have time to keep screwing around with customizing ROMs and having a less-than-stable phone experience. I want it to “just work.”

Home Screen Layout

The layout of my home screen is actually exactly stock. I find the Google search bar quite handy, the large clock and date is convenient at a glance, and the weather update is quite handy, given that temperatures can vary by 30 degrees Fahrenheit in any given 12-hour period lately. The bottom row of icons is probably exactly how the phone came - the default phone, messaging, and camera apps, GMail for my main business and personal emails, and then the App drawer. Up above, I have a probably random assortment of what I use most. The “Google” assortment of apps is in the exact same place as when I first turned on the phone - quite convenient, though I did switch out some apps and get rid of ones I’d never use.

The other stock options here are the S Note app - for obvious reasons - the contacts app, and the stock email app. I use GMail for my main Google Account email, and then the stock email app to keep in touch with my work email that I route through a separate Google account. It’s nice to have both. Then we have the usuals - Chrome, Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, Instagram, Skype. I end up having to check on money stuff a lot, so Paypal and Virtual Wallet sit up here for ease of access.

My Router and Other Tools

The “Almond” icon is the app to access my Securifi Almond Router. This is the router I use for my apartment, and it’s something I’ve actually reviewed - so click the YouTube card icon or the link in the description below to see more on that. I don’t often use it to actually manage my router, but rather to check on its status and settings. Oh, and Dropbox for backing up my photos and videos and accessing my files.

AdSense Widget

At the top of this page we also have an AdSense widget. And before people assume they know something that they don’t - only my website and my brand new, just launched social media marketing channel are on AdSense, not my main YouTube channels, so no that’s not an accurate representation of how much money I make.

What’s on My Phone? A Conclusion

That’s… about it, really. My priority with my phone is it doing what I want when I want - which is way more than can be said for my craptop laptop of a 3-year-old Chromebook that I wrote this video on, so I will NOT be doing a “What’s on my Laptop?” video until I can get a new laptop. So, comment down below - what’s on your phone? Anything crazy or special that you use that I should know about? Let me know. Otherwise, thanks so much for watching this video, smash the like button if you like it, don’t forget to subscribe, and otherwise I’ll catch you in the next one.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enWhat’s on my phone?If you had asked me this about 6 or 7 yearsago, I would have assumed you were referringto dirt or scratches or something.But now… it means something quite different.The last time I did one of these videos wasin January of last year, so it’s time todo a quick update, given the pretty decentresponse to - and continuous requests forrepeats of - last year’s video.For starters, my current daily driver is aSamsung Galaxy Note 5.And yes, it’s in an Otterbox Defender caseagain.Not looking much different than my GalaxyS4 in last year’s video, but it’s a much,much better phone.I quite enjoy it, even if I use the note-takingfunction less than I’d like to admit.(But I do still use it.)I’m not running a custom ROM or anythinglike that - just the stock TouchWiz that comeson it.That may turn some people off, but I don’thave time to keep screwing around with customizingROMs and having a less-than-stable phone experience.I want it to “just work.”The layout of my home screen is actually exactlystock.I find the Google search bar quite handy,the large clock and date is convenient ata glance, and the weather update is quitehandy, given that temperatures can vary by30 degrees Fahrenheit in any given 12-hourperiod lately.The bottom row of icons is probably exactlyhow the phone came - the default phone, messaging,and camera apps, GMail for my main businessand personal emails, and then the App drawer.Up above, I have a probably random assortmentof what I use most.The “Google” assortment of apps is inthe exact same place as when I first turnedon the phone - quite convenient, though Idid switch out some apps and get rid of onesI’d never use.The other stock options here are the S Noteapp - for obvious reasons, the contacts app,and the stock email app.I use GMail for my main Google Account email,and then the stock email app to keep in touchwith my work email that I route through aseparate Google account.It’s nice to have both.Then we have the usuals - Chrome, Facebook,Messenger, Twitter, Instagram, Skype.I end up having to check on money stuff alot, so Paypal and Virtual Wallet sit up herefor ease of access.The “Almond” icon is the app to accessmy Securifi Almond Router.This is the router I use for my apartment,and it’s something I’ve actually reviewed- so click the YouTube card icon or the linkin the description below to see more on that.I don’t often use it to actually managemy router, but rather the z-wave connectedsmart outlet that controls a light and powerstrip by my front door.Very convenient to control that from my phone.Lastly on this page is my combination of GoogleKeep and Google Calendar.I’ve finally ditched my giant desk calendarsthat I used heavily throughout college andnow rely quite heavily on my Google Calendarto keep me organized for my personal and businesslife - I keep quite a detailed video uploadschedule, which you can actually check outon my website by clicking the card icon orlink in the description!I post all videos across all of my channelsto that calendar so they’re all in one place.Google Keep serves as my ultimate note-taking,todo list, grocery list, video notes, work-bookmarksapp to keep me organized in my own specialway.Because I never adopted a proper system andsomehow work best by keeping everything inone giant continuous list.Yeah.Okay.And before I get people leaving angry commentson how I didn’t address it - my wallpaperis found by just searching “rainy day phonewallpaper” - that’s what I did to findit.If you’re a photographer or artist and wantto potentially get your stuff as my wallpaper,feel free to let me know, just know this cliche“pretentious abstract” stuff is what I’minto.Moving on.Swiping left simply reveals a full-page calendarwidget so I can see everything going on withinthe upcoming days in my favorite form - agiant list.It has a couple of view modes, but I leaveit on this.Annoyingly, I actually bought the Today Calendarwidget for this purpose - as that’s whatI used on my Galaxy S4 - only to find outthe normal Google Calendar Widget worked perfectly.Thankfully, by uninstalling it before evenopening the app I was automatically refundedfor my purchase - really cool stuff.Swipe over to the right and you have the restof the junk I use on a regular basis.Games that I have guilty pleasures for likeNeko Atsume, Jelly Splash, Candy Crush, andPeggle Blast, the Play Store, more socialmedia tools for my Vessel App - which I willhopefully start using to make “threads”with them soon - and Periscope and Latergrammefor scheduling Instagram posts.I have my Amazon Shopping app because I’ma shopaholic, Amazon Seller to look up priceswhile I’m in the store and sometimes resellstuff when the deal is good.I have Capital One because again - alwayschecking on money, and then My TWC app becauseI’m constantly having internet problemswith one of the worst monopolizing ISPs inthe country and have to use the app to chatwith support and demand they fix my connection.Oh, and Dropbox for backing up my photos andvideos and accessing my files and Google Analytics.At the top on this page we also have an AdSensewidget.And before people assume they know somethingthat they don’t - only my website and mybrand new, just launched social media marketingchannel are on AdSense, not my main YouTubechannels, so no that’s not an accurate representationof how much money I make.Just to be clear.And that’s… about it, really.My priority with my phone is it doing whatI want when I want - which is way more thancan be said for my craptop laptop of a 3-year-oldChromebook that I wrote this video on, soI will NOT be doing a “What’s on my Laptop?”video until I can get a new laptop - so Ikeep a fairly stock experience.I have a ton of other random junk apps andgames installed, but these are all I reallyuse on a regular basis.So comment down below - what’s on your phone?Anything crazy or special that you use thatI should know about?Let me know.Otherwise, thanks so much for watching thisvideo, smash the like button if you likedit, don’t forget to subscribe, and otherwiseI’ll catch you in the next one.\n"