How to get my wife to hear when I call her on her phone?
August 20, 2015 9:45 AM Subscribe
Mrs Maninsuit is hard to reach on her phone. She sometimes turns the volume down and forgets to turn the volume back up. She sometimes has it in her purse or her pocket and doesn't hear/notice its ringing. I want to be able to reach her! And she wants me to be able to reach her (or at least so she says, bless her heart). Are there good solutions? She has a Samsung Galaxy S4.
A few more details:
- Like many people, she uses the phone a lot but mostly for non-phone purposes: Emails, youtube, etc. She texts a lot more than she talks on the phone.
- When she turns the volume down, it's often for the purpose of adjusting the volume for media, not expressly to turn down the ringer.
- Texting yields the same result as phoning: I might hear back from her the next time she looks at her phone. But if I need to reach her with something time-sensitive, it's not like a text will get her attention right away.
- I think that because she's not really in the habit of answering calls on the phone, she's not attuned to listening for its ring.
Open to any solutions: Something that lets my calls ring through louder? A louder ring tone? A setting that lets her turn down media volume without affecting ring volume? Some other way to alert her? Something that turns volume up after it has been turned down? I welcome any suggestions...
A few more details:
- Like many people, she uses the phone a lot but mostly for non-phone purposes: Emails, youtube, etc. She texts a lot more than she talks on the phone.
- When she turns the volume down, it's often for the purpose of adjusting the volume for media, not expressly to turn down the ringer.
- Texting yields the same result as phoning: I might hear back from her the next time she looks at her phone. But if I need to reach her with something time-sensitive, it's not like a text will get her attention right away.
- I think that because she's not really in the habit of answering calls on the phone, she's not attuned to listening for its ring.
Open to any solutions: Something that lets my calls ring through louder? A louder ring tone? A setting that lets her turn down media volume without affecting ring volume? Some other way to alert her? Something that turns volume up after it has been turned down? I welcome any suggestions...
Something like a Fitbit Charge or some other bluetooth caller id bracelet?
That way the phone can be wherever and she'll feel it vibrating on her wrist when the phone rings.
posted by GuyZero at 9:49 AM on August 20, 2015 [9 favorites]
That way the phone can be wherever and she'll feel it vibrating on her wrist when the phone rings.
posted by GuyZero at 9:49 AM on August 20, 2015 [9 favorites]
You could try using the android app Tasker (playstore). You could easily have it set up to always ring loud when only you call, or even set it up so it resets the volume and such when multimedia apps are launched/close. It's literally endless. I have it and use it for so many different things. Best $5 I've ever spent.
Takes a little bit to get used to the "scripting language" but there's tons of guides on-line for specifically these solutions.
posted by mayonnaises at 9:49 AM on August 20, 2015 [13 favorites]
Takes a little bit to get used to the "scripting language" but there's tons of guides on-line for specifically these solutions.
posted by mayonnaises at 9:49 AM on August 20, 2015 [13 favorites]
Media volume and ringtone volume controls are actually two different controls on the G4. It'll be in Settings -> Sound -> Volumes (or something like that, depending on your particular carrier). Turning down media volume should not affect ringtone volume.
posted by Jairus at 9:53 AM on August 20, 2015 [11 favorites]
posted by Jairus at 9:53 AM on August 20, 2015 [11 favorites]
Maybe a different phone? My phone has different volumes for Media and ringtone and has done for about 5 years. I have a Galaxy Note (3 I think but it was the same with the original Note). Its odd that her phone doesn't have that feature tbh
posted by missmagenta at 9:55 AM on August 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by missmagenta at 9:55 AM on August 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
I've been a big fan of this app which turns volume back on automatically after whatever amount of time I choose. I'd also look at increasing vibration amount and a loud ring for calls only from you.
posted by jeather at 9:57 AM on August 20, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by jeather at 9:57 AM on August 20, 2015 [5 favorites]
Small note taped to the back saying "PUMP UP THE VOLUME".
posted by Etrigan at 10:02 AM on August 20, 2015
posted by Etrigan at 10:02 AM on August 20, 2015
(Similar to what GuyZero said)
I bought a Pebble Time & one of the benefits is that I now get alerted to my incoming calls & texts. My husband is much happier... now I just need to get one for him.
posted by Laura in Canada at 10:02 AM on August 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
I bought a Pebble Time & one of the benefits is that I now get alerted to my incoming calls & texts. My husband is much happier... now I just need to get one for him.
posted by Laura in Canada at 10:02 AM on August 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
Is her phone set to vibrate as well as ring? My ringer is off 99 percent of the time, but I still hear it if it is in my purse and rings because of the vibration. That doesn't always work so I have a custom vibration pattern assigned to my husband's contact (iPhones have this option). She should assign a weirder ring and text noise to your phone number like quacking ducks.
posted by soelo at 10:04 AM on August 20, 2015
posted by soelo at 10:04 AM on August 20, 2015
There are some credit-card-sized phone phones showing up on the market; 2nding the 2nd phone idea with you being the only person with the number. As a person who perpetually forgets to make her own phone audible. It's the only thing I can think of that would reliably work for me.
posted by kmennie at 10:07 AM on August 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by kmennie at 10:07 AM on August 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
This isn't perfect, but you can use If This Then That to create a recipe where if she misses a call from your specific phone number, it will then automatically turn her ringtone volume to [whatever % you choose]. I haven't tested it, but if it works then you should be able to just immediately redial her number if she doesn't pick up, and she'll hear the ringer for your second call. Obviously this is not a good workaround if she has her ringer turned off on purpose.
posted by gatorae at 10:14 AM on August 20, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by gatorae at 10:14 AM on August 20, 2015 [7 favorites]
I use Llama, which is similar to Tasker, but free and a bit more user-friendly. You set up profiles (I basically use a day profile and a night profile, which turns off most of my alerts between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., but you can do very detailed things like muting it for meetings or having it change settings based on your location), and one of the things you can do in each profile is pick particular contacts -- in this case, you -- that are allowed to "ring through" at the loudest volume. I have my phone set so that when my husband or my mother calls me, they always ring at the loudest volume. (I have to go in and deliberately mute them if I want my phone silent during a movie or a meeting, and it requires me to put in how LONG I want them muted, and then automatically unmute.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 10:24 AM on August 20, 2015 [9 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 10:24 AM on August 20, 2015 [9 favorites]
In my experience, there is no way to get one's wife to remember to turn up the ringer volume, keep the phone close at hand etc., especially if she is not particularly tech savvy. No way at all.
The only way is to figure out how she communicates. My wife uses Line almost exclusively, so that's how I keep in contact with her on her phone.
posted by Nevin at 10:24 AM on August 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
The only way is to figure out how she communicates. My wife uses Line almost exclusively, so that's how I keep in contact with her on her phone.
posted by Nevin at 10:24 AM on August 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Does her phone not have an accessibility option where she can turn on the LED flashing option for when the phone rings? That might catch her attention, even if it's in her bag.
posted by dancinglamb at 10:25 AM on August 20, 2015
posted by dancinglamb at 10:25 AM on August 20, 2015
Yeah, ms scruss and I communicate almost entirely by text these days, and we accept that it's asynchronous. It's important to understand that texts can take some hours to get through, and sometimes they don't at all. Neither side should get bent out of shape by this; mobiles gonna mobile, what can you do?
We really only call one another after confirming an "okay to call at __:__?" text.
posted by scruss at 10:31 AM on August 20, 2015
We really only call one another after confirming an "okay to call at __:__?" text.
posted by scruss at 10:31 AM on August 20, 2015
Using the vibration settings is probably your best bet as she'll be more likely to feel the call/text coming in. My other half keeps his ringer on silent with no vibration, and, over the years, has missed some urgent calls from me that way. But, his texts are set to vibrate, so now I text him if he doesn't pick up and that usually is a better way to get his attention. He also has the LED flash notification for texts set up, so he can glance at his phone and see if there's a message waiting.
posted by quince at 10:38 AM on August 20, 2015
posted by quince at 10:38 AM on August 20, 2015
Ringly. If the idea of jewelry appeals to her (it doesn't to some...), this is a nice option - highly configurable, reasonably stylish.
posted by judith at 10:41 AM on August 20, 2015
posted by judith at 10:41 AM on August 20, 2015
Mod note: A few comments deleted. Please skip the suggestions of "don't" or "people these days with their always wanting to be in contact." AskMe's not a debate/discussion space; please stick to answering the question and if you don't want to help OP achieve this goal then just pass it by. Thanks.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 10:49 AM on August 20, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 10:49 AM on August 20, 2015 [3 favorites]
If she's regularly at a computer, and text-based communication is an option, Telegram might be an option. It's cross-platform - messages go to and from phone/tablet/computer. I'm your wife in this scenario - I mute my phone at work, and 99% of the time forget to turn it on when I head home, so I miss texts and calls all the time. Since my boyfriend and I started using Telegram, though, I miss his texts less, because I see the browser flashing if I'm at/near the computer, even if my phone is silent and/or elsewhere.
posted by okayokayigive at 11:00 AM on August 20, 2015
posted by okayokayigive at 11:00 AM on August 20, 2015
Nthing Llama. It works great, and if you lock your profile on say, Silent, it will nag you until you unlock it.
posted by getawaysticks at 11:02 AM on August 20, 2015
posted by getawaysticks at 11:02 AM on August 20, 2015
Android or iPhone, get a watch device that vibrates upon text or call.
posted by rhizome at 11:12 AM on August 20, 2015
posted by rhizome at 11:12 AM on August 20, 2015
Recommended it on here before, but the miband.
It's the cheapest fitness tracker thing that also has a vibration motor for notifications. Even without any tweaking, if it's paired, it will vibrate when you get a call. It also has great range, and automatically repairs when it gets close enough to your phone.
I didn't even realize that was a function of this thing when i originally ordered some. It works great though.
posted by emptythought at 12:17 PM on August 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
It's the cheapest fitness tracker thing that also has a vibration motor for notifications. Even without any tweaking, if it's paired, it will vibrate when you get a call. It also has great range, and automatically repairs when it gets close enough to your phone.
I didn't even realize that was a function of this thing when i originally ordered some. It works great though.
posted by emptythought at 12:17 PM on August 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
I've had a lot of success with CritiCall for this sort of thing, myself.
posted by CrystalDave at 12:54 PM on August 20, 2015
posted by CrystalDave at 12:54 PM on August 20, 2015
Seconding the miband! Seriously cheap ($15) and totally useful for this. I actually got mine for this exact reason; I can't hear my phone (or feel it vibrating) when it's in my purse, and was tired of missing calls. There are a few inexpensive apps (I use Mi Band Tools for Android) that let you customize notifications so that you can get different colors or vibration patterns for different programs--gmail, SMS, Hangouts, etc. Works great with my LG Nexus, and supposedly will work with any phone running Android 4.4 or above.
posted by Jemstar at 1:28 PM on August 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Jemstar at 1:28 PM on August 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
I could be your wife. I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 and I am constantly missing calls and texts. Here's a hint: it's not always my fault. Yes, I sometimes forget to turn up the ringer when I leave work, so I'll take the hit for those. But otherwise, here are some real issues:
1. the vibration is very soft, both in feeling and in sound. I can have the phone in my pocket and get a call and never feel the vibration. Same for if the phone is sitting on the desk. If I'm right next to it, I might notice it vibrating, but otherwise I can't tell. I've tried all the settings to make it strongest, and I've tried setting it up to a different pattern - doesn't matter. It's too soft. Google it - lots of S4 owners have this problem.
2. If you use the volume bar on the left side of the phone to turn down the ringer, there are 2 low levels - the very lowest is no ring and no vibration, and the next one up is no ring but yes vibration. It took me a while to realize that I can't just hold the slider down while it goes from loud to silent - I need to make sure to stop at vibrate (or go back up if I slide too far)
3. There is a separate volume for media (including games) and ringer (including texts). You can use the slider to set either one, but you have to be in the correct type of app to access it. So, if you are in a game or an mp3 player or whatever, the slider turns down the media volume. If you are in the other parts of the phone, the slider turns down the ringtone volume.
4. in my area, the connection status is terrible - I very rarely have more than 1 or 2 bars, even if someone sitting right next to me on the same service (Sprint) has 5 bars on their Sprint phone. I have been sitting at my desk literally looking at my phone when I know someone was calling me and it never made any kind of indication - no lights, no sound, no vibration, and it didn't show up on the call log - except later when I look at the call log there it is. I googled this too, and found some stuff about the antenna on the S4, but I'm not sure if that's valid.
My husband got tired of me complaining about how I never get notified of calls/texts, so we just agree that it's asynchronous and I'll follow up later. I'll be looking at the other suggestions in this thread to see if any of them work.
If it's truly an emergency, you can use one of those find-my-phone apps like Where's My Droid or LookOut, which will send a piercingly loud screech to the phone. She can then look for your text message asking her to call you immediately. Make sure she is in a location that won't bother others if you do this.
posted by CathyG at 1:33 PM on August 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
1. the vibration is very soft, both in feeling and in sound. I can have the phone in my pocket and get a call and never feel the vibration. Same for if the phone is sitting on the desk. If I'm right next to it, I might notice it vibrating, but otherwise I can't tell. I've tried all the settings to make it strongest, and I've tried setting it up to a different pattern - doesn't matter. It's too soft. Google it - lots of S4 owners have this problem.
2. If you use the volume bar on the left side of the phone to turn down the ringer, there are 2 low levels - the very lowest is no ring and no vibration, and the next one up is no ring but yes vibration. It took me a while to realize that I can't just hold the slider down while it goes from loud to silent - I need to make sure to stop at vibrate (or go back up if I slide too far)
3. There is a separate volume for media (including games) and ringer (including texts). You can use the slider to set either one, but you have to be in the correct type of app to access it. So, if you are in a game or an mp3 player or whatever, the slider turns down the media volume. If you are in the other parts of the phone, the slider turns down the ringtone volume.
4. in my area, the connection status is terrible - I very rarely have more than 1 or 2 bars, even if someone sitting right next to me on the same service (Sprint) has 5 bars on their Sprint phone. I have been sitting at my desk literally looking at my phone when I know someone was calling me and it never made any kind of indication - no lights, no sound, no vibration, and it didn't show up on the call log - except later when I look at the call log there it is. I googled this too, and found some stuff about the antenna on the S4, but I'm not sure if that's valid.
My husband got tired of me complaining about how I never get notified of calls/texts, so we just agree that it's asynchronous and I'll follow up later. I'll be looking at the other suggestions in this thread to see if any of them work.
If it's truly an emergency, you can use one of those find-my-phone apps like Where's My Droid or LookOut, which will send a piercingly loud screech to the phone. She can then look for your text message asking her to call you immediately. Make sure she is in a location that won't bother others if you do this.
posted by CathyG at 1:33 PM on August 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
iPhone has a setting where the ring and alert volume can't be changed by the buttons. You just set the level in the sounds menu and then it can't get messed up as long as it's not on silent. I googled and it seems possible on a galaxy but I'm not sure. See if you can set the ringer volume in Sounds and Notifications and then try to change it with the regular volume buttons. You could also try to set a different ringtone for just your calls.
posted by artychoke at 5:41 PM on August 20, 2015
posted by artychoke at 5:41 PM on August 20, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Iris Gambol at 9:48 AM on August 20, 2015 [5 favorites]