Related
It was suggested that we start a thread specifically for the apps that run well on the Android port to the HTC Touch/Vogue. I personally own an (Sprint=CDMA) HTC Touch Diamond, but upon seeing the maturity level of Android running on the Touch, I immediately went to eBay and picked up the Touch handset...and I am glad I did. The only reason I boot back to winmo is for work calendar (Lotus), Skype (iSkoot kinda sucks), and Podcasts (hopefully we getting DoggCatcher soon).I've found that battery life with Togga on to be about 8-10 hours which I can live with it, but it's a pain to keep toggling if you really need to conserve (but it could be worse )I plan on posting more battery data soon, but need a few more days of collection. Hopefully we can find a more permanent way of managing the data connection with balance for battery life.
You can find many apps on http://slideme.org/, AndAppStore (both have phone clients - very market-like) and by searching ".apk" on 4shared.com
The apps I have found to run well on my CDMA with dzo/f00bar's (much respect) latest files:
-Scoreboard - I'm not that big of a sports fan, but this app is slick!
-aLastFM - Just got permission to post the link from the developer. Thanks Oleg!!
-Stocker - Simple but effective stock app, but no graphs. If someone could find a better one...
-Weather - Simple, but effective. Multiple Cities, current and forecast, with menu link to detailed outlook including radar from Undergroud Weather.
-AnyCut -Great for making shortcuts to just about any screen in the OS, especially useful for Battery and Sounds&Display
-TextEasy - for sending a text to multiple contacts, until someone can get a hold of ChomperSMS or K9SMS (K9Mail I have not gotten to work either, we need a better mail app, the native client doesn't even recognize URLS, wtf?!)
-OIFileManager - It's the only one I've tried, so can't comment on the others, but there are several out there. UPDATE: I tried out Astro and Glance. I liked Astro, but after a day it stopped working for me and gives me a force quit. I prefer Glance over OI FileManager, it's on 4shared I believe.
-OIFlashlight - amazing how handy this comes in
-OINewsReader - No frills RSS aggregator
-ShopSavvy - Did you say "We'll match any price"?...but be fast with your fingers, camera is not fine enough to capture the barcode
UPDATE:
I wanted to add SMS PopUp as another great app. You can find it along with a bunch of other APKs here. One of the G1 owners that grabbed all of the apps and is hosting them for download.
WANTED:
-DoggCatcher - for my daily podcast fix
-A true Skype client
-HEADPHONE SUPPORT!!
Please post replies with your own favorite apps that run well on this port (with links, please!)
Cheers!
Wow, no replies?!
I'm looking for SMS PopUp if anyone can post a link.
Cheers!
The Meebo app is well worth a look - look for it on 4shared.com. Lets you IM on just about any IM network (Yahoo, MSN, AIM etc). IMs appear in the notification bar while you are in any other program. Great stuff.
I believe im the only person hosting the meebo.apk at the moment.
Meebo Instant Messenger:
http://jonsingh.com/android/files/meebo.apk
I did recieve the "ok" from the meebo!
thanks
Jon
steve98 said:
The Meebo app is well worth a look - look for it on 4shared.com. Lets you IM on just about any IM network (Yahoo, MSN, AIM etc). IMs appear in the notification bar while you are in any other program. Great stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i installed and signed into my MSN account, however, just a white screen shows up. No list of contacts, etc. No menu options other than to add another account or sign off. Not exactly useful (at least this version). Is anyone using this successfully?
EDIT: I received a chat, and that gave me a buddy online, maybe no one on my list was signed on at the time I first checked.
Also, it doesnt remember your username and password, which is annoying because it randomly closed on me after tapping the notification in the bar during a chat session today. I'll keep looking for a better app or updated version.
Ideal2545 said:
I believe im the only person hosting the meebo.apk at the moment.
Meebo Instant Messenger:
http://jonsingh.com/android/files/meebo.apk
I did recieve the "ok" from the meebo!
thanks
Jon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you might be the only one who got the 'ok' from meebo but as i said, it can be found on 4shared.com also.
What about an updated version of Shopsavvy. Mine keeps saying there is a new version, but of course we can't update off the marketplace.
I'm looking for the Locale application. Even though we don't have GPS running, Locale still alows profile switching based on time and days of the week, which would be useful for office vs. non-office settings. If someone could post this I would appreciate it!
how do i install apps i have them saved to the storage card i just dont know how to load them up, sorry if this is a dumb question
thoughtlesskyle said:
how do i install apps i have them saved to the storage card i just dont know how to load them up, sorry if this is a dumb question
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If they are in the AndroidApps folder then they should be installed already. I found that sometimes icons don't show up to launch the program, however. This is where AnyCut comes in handy. Use AnyCut to search in "Activities" to find your app. If you are not seeing it in this list then you may have to "manually" install the app. Open a file browser such as OI File Manager or Glance and navigate to your AndroidApps folder. Click on the .apk file and it should launch teh app installer.
Hope this helps.
Any word on aLastFM?
etx said:
Any word on aLastFM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See the update first post.
Scoreboard.apk
I am very interested in the Scoreboard app, I got it running fine, but the other day the game I added to my favorite never really gave me updates until the game was over by a few hours.
Isnt this application able to provide real-time results?
I am having more success simply by going to www.nhl.com :-S
Thanks for aLastFM!
I was looking around and found another 4shared user with a bunch of APK's!
http://www.4shared.com/dir/11234070/20e0c1f0/sharing.html
Someone in the main topic said something about an ebay app. What is it and is it any good? Is it secure? It'd be nice to have for me.
There's been a couple apps I liked that didn't fit our screen plus having to reinstall android files often I lose all my saved info so it doesn't work out for me. Sprint needs to hurry up with an HTC Android phone.
Maybe a stupid question, not sure... Why can't someone extract the android market application from the G1 to be used on other phones? Seems a bit odd of Google to limit the market to only a specific phone.
There is a discussion about the marketplace on the big long forum. The marketplace is not open source. They're talking about the commands and encryption and such for it. I'd think it's not open because they plan on having pay for apps but I could be wrong
G1 Central
This is a must have for any one with a Grand Central account- G1 Central
http://evancharlton.com/projects/g1central
Allows you to place calls and check voicemail for your GrandCentral account. Pretty much allows for unlimited free calling. Works great on my friends G1.
Still missing a few features.. like the ability to call contacts that are only in your GC account, but still very good.
Heres the problem.. it crashes when trying to dial out on the Vogue!!! Ahhh!
So close to beating the telecoms... If anyone knows anything about error codes or how to get this working, I might have a GrandCentral account invite...
megalewis said:
I am very interested in the Scoreboard app, I got it running fine, but the other day the game I added to my favorite never really gave me updates until the game was over by a few hours.
Isnt this application able to provide real-time results?
I am having more success simply by going to www.nhl.com :-S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I noticed this also. i resolved by changing my time zone in settings. Only problem is that this then modifies your "synced" time with your carrier, it adjusts + or - according to your time zone, so you have to comensate...each time you boot. Not by any means an elegant solution, but if you need realtime scores this is the answer. Probably better off sticking with NHL.com
aven_soulgazer said:
Someone in the main topic said something about an ebay app. What is it and is it any good? Is it secure? It'd be nice to have for me.
There's been a couple apps I liked that didn't fit our screen plus having to reinstall android files often I lose all my saved info so it doesn't work out for me. Sprint needs to hurry up with an HTC Android phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried the "Ebay.apk" from 4Shared, but it doesn't display properly. The tabs extend all the way to the bottom of the other screen which is a common problem for us vogue port users.
So I bought my first non-WM smartphone. Below is documentation of my quest to replace, and surpass, the experience I was used to with my Touch Diamond 2 running Windows Mobile 6.5. I am what you would probably call a windows mobile 'power user'. I've been averaging about one new WM phone every 6 months since 2005, most of them HTC. But I always keep up on what the other platforms are doing. This is just the first time I've taken the leap, and I quickly became aware of what new doors Android opened for me in just the first few hours of using the Nexus One. The OS is nice, but like most people, it really comes down to the apps for me.
I was initially thinking I'd do a big blog review, but I've run out of motivation. There's plenty of info on the Nexus One hardware and Android out there, so I don't need to rehash that stuff. What I haven't seen a lot of, though, is detailed accounts of people switching and what exactly they found.
There remains a couple major things missing from Android. The lack of an OCS client is probably the biggest one for me professionally, but since it's a Microsoft product, I don't see that changing any time soon. That and the lack of xvid playback will keep me carrying around my TD2 as backup for the foreseeable future. But other than that, I'm extremely happy and will definitely be sticking with the Nexus for a while. The next post will be a comprehensive list of (practically) every app I've installed, what they do for me, and how they compare to their WM counterparts (if there are any).
On to the apps...
Android Apps I've installed and believe I will continue to use.
This is a bit of a brain dump, so I apologize for not editing more thoroughly. Hopefully it will be useful to some, and feel free to suggest other apps you think I should try.
Advanced Task Killer - List of running apps that allows you to easily kill unwanted tasks. Nice to have for an OS that allows background apps, but I don't actually notice it slowing down, it seems to manage memory and close apps as needed.
Aldiko (replacing mobiReader, much better) - eReader with nice UI and quick access to several libraries of free books. Found Doctorow's books right away.
Amazon store - really just easier than using the web browser, but it also does barcode scanning and some other useful stuff.
BeamReader (replacing Adobe's wm reader) - rarely needed, but have to be able to see pdfs on the go sometimes
Beelicious - direct (cached) access to my delicious bookmarks. UI could be better and it's a bit of a pain to wade through them all, but it's useful.
BeyondPod (replacing YomoMedia, HUGE improvement) - It took me years to find a podcast downloader for WM that worked at all, but beyondpod is amazing. The UI is superb and inuitive. The customization is great. I have it setup to download only at night while charging. It remembers my place in podcasts and creates 'smart playlists' to make it easier to start listening. It also integrates with google reader, which is hugely useful because I can add new podcasts I'd like to listen to anywhere from google reader and then import then very quickly into beyondpod later. Also worth noting is the homescreen widget, which gives me access to basic controls and status from my home screen, no need to always navigate back into the app.
Browser (replacing Opera mobile) - Really there's not much difference here. Neither android nor WM have flash or silverlight support yet (although you can sort of get it on WM through skyfire, but that's not performant enough to be an everyday thing). Usability is about the same, but since multitouch zoom isn't enabled on nexus yet (though the hardware can technically support it), you have to use the zoom in/out buttons. This isn't as nice as zooming on the TD2 (zoom bar) or the HD2 (multitouch). Android does links to outside applications better though. It recognizes when you are browsing to a youtube video or RSS feed and will prompt correctly.
Cab4me - Nice little app for finding nearby cab companies making it very easy to see which is rated best, has cars available, and place the call. Not a must-have, but it's one of the little things.
Camera - very fast, 5mp (same as on hd2 and td2 wm phones), the LED flash is certainly better than nothing. Geotagging is default.
Car Home - this is Google's navigation 'car mode'. I think is this very cool, but honestly I won't end up using it much because I have navigation built into my car.
Carr Matey - dedicated app for recording car location so you can find it again. Another little nice thing I didn't have before. Android is just so much better at doing location-aware apps right now.
Documents to Go (replacing ms office mobile) - I'm using the lite version, which does not allow editing, but I have just never had the need to edit office docs on my phone. Sometimes I get one in an email and want to read it though, and this looks to do that fine. I'm happy.
Evernote (replacing Evernote) - I'm using this more and more as a dumping ground for everything that's not in email but I want to remember. This is what I use anytime I want to take a quick note (audio or text), or take a picture of a wine bottle or business card for later reference. It syncs with the cloud immediately and I can search that from anywhere.
Flashlight - not a big deal, but nice to have.
flickr droid (replacing shozu) - i like to have an easy way to upload a picture to flickr, this gives me that. I really like how android allows it to integrate with the normal gallery app. So after I take a picture I just have to view it, select 'share', and then select flickr droid (or other things like email, twitter, etc). It's more centralized than WM.
Flip2Silent and Vibrate During Meeting (replacing WM + HTC ringer management) - The ringer management on android is lacking as compared to WM. I used to be able to have my phone automatically go to vibrate during meetings, and silence the ringer after I pick up the phone (so it doesn't continue to be loud and annoying while I'm deciding whether to answer), AND there was a pocket mode to switch to vibrate and louder ring when the phone detected it was in a pocket. Vibrate During Meeting gives me back the meeting function, but it only works with the google calendar, not the exchange touchdown calendar in which all my actual meetings are stored. My work-around is to sync my exchange calendar with google via desktop outlook, but this doesn't keep it updated unless I have a desktop logged in. The good news is that the developer of this app says he'll look into touchdown. Flip2Silent gives me the option to just lay the phone screen-side-down to mute the ringer/vibrate functions. This will work while a call is coming in and I want to ignore it.
Foursquare - App for checking into various locations. It's treated like a game, you get points, but also get to see where your friends are and if they happen to be near you. Plus people leave tips for places.
g-backup and mybackup (replacing myphone on wm) - MS's myphone app on wm will automatically backup all user data (sms, mms, pictures, video, docs, etc) to the cloud every night. It can also restore these for when you get a new phone or hard-reset your current phone. I got used to having this. All my email and contacts are in exchange or the cloud anyway, but I don't want to lose these other things. MyPhone is also nice because all that data is accessible via the web. g-backup is cool because it will upload all this stuff to gmail, so you have it there, but it can't restore anything. MyBackup will backup and restore most things, but not pictures/video. So I'm using them both, but I'd like a more comprehensive solution.
Gallery (replacing HTC photo gallery) - The nexus gallery is implemented in 3d and is pretty cool, but ultimately it works about as well as the HTC version (which is also flashy). They need to add multi-touch zooming.
GCDroid (replacing gcz) - This is my geocaching app, but only until the official geocaching.com android app comes out (which is soon and it will be cool if their iphone app is any indication). Even though there isn't an official app for wm, the community created apps were pretty good. GCDroid is barely usable, but overall this category will be an upgrade over wm soon.
Glympse (replacing Glympse) - Something I'll rarely use, but it's cool when it applies. You can send a link to anyone that will allow them to track you via a webbrowser for x-minutes. So if you say you're on your way, they can actually see how far along you are.
Gmail (replacing hotmail) - both MS and Google have their email services integrated tightly with their mobile os. I used to forward all my gmail to hotmail so I could easily get it on my phone, so now I just flipped it. I like gmail well enough, and there are certainly features that are ahead of hotmail. I'm just happy to happy to have my personal email pushed to my phone.
Google maps (replacing google maps and bing) - This is definitely better than on WM, but ultimately it does the same stuff. It's smoother and a little easier to navigate (except, again, zooming is more difficult).
Meebo IM - nice to have an app that can log into ICQ, MSN, and GTalk all at once. Likely will rarely use it.
Messaging (replacing txt message HTC app) - this seems to be just what you'd expect. But at least it's very fast and predictable, unlike the HTC app which is sometimes laggy as hell.
Flixter Movies (replacing bing) - MS's bing app was good for finding local theaters and showtimes, this one does it with a bit more flash and some awesome additional features that i just found. It shows the rottentomatoes rating along with every movies. Plus, it has netflix integration, so it checks whether any movie is in my queue and lets me add it while browsing. It also has a list of recent dvd releases, which is great with the netflix thing. It also essentially serves as a mobile imdb. Very impressive.
Mother TED - dedicated app for watching TED talks. It seems ok but not great.
Music (replacing HTC media player) - Nothing special here. I don't know that I'll even use it much since i mostly listen to pandora or podcasts.
OpenTable - for the rare occasions when I make reservations (especially last minute) this will make it easy to find a place with an opening.
Pandora (NOT ON WM) - this is almost a reason to switch by itself. I hate that this isn't on wm yet. Very nicely implemented on android because it has a homescreen widget. I get all the basic controls without even having to go into the app, and I can use other apps while it plays in the background. Sound quality is great too.
Dialer - The android dialer is pretty basic, but it seems to get the job done. At least you can add a pause (with a comma) so that dialing conference numbers is somewhat doable (but still WAY harder than it should be, they don't do any smart parsing in meeting invites). This is still hard on WM though too.
PhoneFlicks (replacing official netflix wm app) - This is barely a replacement. Netflix's own app was better, this one is slower and harder to use, but at least I can do basic queue management from my phone, which is really nice sometimes.
SeattleBusBot - This is SO cool, and something I've wanted but couldn't find on wm. Seattle has the gps info of its buses available publicly, but their website is basically unusable on a phone (even on a desktop). This app will tell you exactly when a given bus is going to arrive, not just when it's scheduled.
Seesmic (replacing m.twitter.com on wm) - really good mobile twitter app. There are plenty of wm twitter apps, and HTC even builds one into the os now, but they tended to be slower. I think the HD2 is probably just as good as seesmic.
ShopSavvy - barcode scanning that tells you the closest places to get the given product and for how much. Haven't had a chance to see if this turns out to actually be useful, but I like the concept and test scans in the house have been accurate (which kinda surprises me because I had heard that phone barcode scanning doesn't work, but maybe the 5mp camera and snapdragon is making it more pratical).
TorrentFu (replacing starting torrents via Live mesh mobile) - This is a major upgrade (and rejected from itunes if I remember correctly). I finally switched to uTorrent on my server so I could use this. It uses the utorrent webui to connect, but exposes all the functionality like a local app. You can see progress, search for and start new torrents, and pause/resume. Very cool.
TripIt (replacing tripcase kinda) - I've only started experimenting with these two services, and i don't travel as much as I used to, but they are pretty good at what they do. Just forward your reservation emails and they build up a comprehensive itinerary and keep you updated. having a native app makes using these that much easier. Tripcase is on wm, tripit (which seems to be the better service) is on android.
tv.com - streaming tv from cbs, showtime, and some others. Haven't used this much, but always nice to have some free content.
Google Voice - At first I was skeptical about this because I don't have a real need to create a central phone number that rings all my phones, which was what i thought this service was for. Turns out you don't have to use that feature, and they also provide visual voicemail on android plus they send you transcriptions of the messages to your phone. so you can see who left messages and what they said (approximately) without even listening. So I'm definitely appreciating this feature.
Wapedia - native version of wikipedia. Nice and quick. why not?
y5 - Battery - This app is genius in its simplicity and value. It simply keeps track of where you are when you enable wifi, and remembers that going forward so it can automatically re-enable it when you come back to the same place. The rest of the time, it disables wifi to save battery. The end result here is that I never have to remember to turn wifi on or off when i come home or leave the house.
youtube (replacing youtube) - works well. nothing special to report except google's browser seems to be better at realizing when it should forward you to the youtube player.
yxflash (failing to replace coreplayer) - The only android app that claims to do xvid/divx decoding. I tried it on an xvid torrent that wm's coreplayer had no trouble with and it choked pretty hard. It played, but with extremely jittery video and slow sound. Not usable yet, but at least i know I might get something soon.
Touchdown (replacing exchange activesync on wm) - Saved the most important (and expensive @$22) for last. Without this app I wouldn't be able to sync my exchange data (contacts, email, calendar, tasks) with my phone because Android doesn't support all the required security features by default. (our company, like many these days, will not sync data with a platform that doesn't allow them to force the use of encryption, pin lock, and remote wipe) Beyond that, without the recently added feature of allowing me to flag emails for followup, I would not be able to switch to android because this workflow is too important to my everyday life.
Explanation: I check email on my phone often, and if I can respond then and there, I do, but if I can’t and need to follow up for any reason, I flag it. This creates a task in outlook which I will see the next time at my desk, so i KNOW i won't forget about it.
But there is an additional, more subtle, benefit at play here. And honestly, it's a little unfair to count it, but it makes such a huge difference in my enjoyment of my phone that I can't ignore it. I'm speaking about how the previously mentioned pin lock for exchange only applies (on android) to the touchdown app. I am not required to set a pin to unlock the phone itself. Ever since they turned on that requirement I've been punching in a 4 digit pin every damn time I wanted to glance at my phone, check the time, or even change the stupid volume! Now I'm finally free of that because google didn't bother to properly build in exchange support at the OS level. NICE! seriously though, this saves me so much annoyance it was almost worth the $530 by itself.
For a true windows power-user, it's worth shelling out the <$10 for Remote RDP. It works incredibly well, even when connecting to my Windows 7 PC from 3G across town (or presumably, the world).
The ability to USE MY HOME PC from ANYWHERE WITH NET ACCESS...
Absolutely incredible for a phone..
EDIT: my home net speed is pretty quick, which owes to fast remote access. Wifi will always be fast, though, and that's what this app is really designed for.
Good recommendation. Just downloaded the Remote RDP demo. Seems to work well.
Thank you for the run down... I just made the switch myself and a number of the apps you mentioned helped me fill some of my void from WM. I'm still a little pissed about the exchange issues but the real truth is any company I work for issues me a blackberry and doesn't allow other devices to connect to thier servers. I worked for one midsized company once that let me and that was the only time I was completely in love with my WM device. Since my personal email is through gmail the nexus one is really amazing as my personal phone.
Good Stuff! I'm in the same boat WM to Android and no turning back I'll check out some of the apps u listed...
One thing I'm looking for is a widget with power/memory/storage/sd gauges.
Always had this on the wm home for reference & cool stats!
If you geocache then GeoBeagle is the other main geocaching app. I don't cache much any more, but I have tried GeoBeagle and liked it, though I can't compare it to GCDroid...
Wanted to say thanks for the excellent app list. Touchdown is awesome. A way for me to connect to work without merging my exchange contacts with the rest of my phone. Now thats a win!
@Seraph321 - want to add my thanks for your app info. i'll be getting an N1 soon and knowing there are options to some of my "must haves" apps/features/functionality (e.g., Exchange) will help shorten my learning curve. i'm not going to abandon WM because it will continue to serve as my work phone. the N1 will be my after work/personal phone until i'm comfortable tweaking Android. that's my plan, but once i have the N1 my plan may change!
Great write up, and welcome to Android
A few suggestions
Text Messaging
The two heavyweights are Chomp SMS and Handcent SMS. Both are considerably better than the default SMS app, it mostly comes down to personal preference.
Browser
Dolphin Browser is hands down the best browser on Android right now. Multi-touch zooming, delicious integration, tabs, themes, and much more.
Flashlight
Do a market search for Nexus One Torch. It utilizes the LED from the camera flash to use as a flashlight. Very bright.
Ringer Management
Locale manages your phone based off time and location. Never used it myself, but heard good things, and I believe it was and Android Developers Challenge winner or something.
Backup
I'm simple and only need to backup text messages (most everything else is stored via SD card or synced with Google anyway). I use SMS Backup to backup my texts to Gmail, and it works fantastic. Uploads directly to my mail account, archives the texts, puts them in threads according to contact, tags them, and marks them as read. I can then easily search my text conversations from my phone or desktop browser via Gmail, and don't have to worry about deleting conversations from my phone and losing something. I've never used g-backup, so it may have this function already.
Twitter
I've tried a couple Twitter apps (not Seismic, though I'll be trying that next) and have landed on Swift, which currently is the fastest, and the best looking Twitter app I've used. I'm not a giant twitter user, so I don't know if it supports all the features any other apps might, but it works great for me, and would recommend it.
That's all for now. I don't have my phone next to me or I'd give it a quick run through and suggest something you might be missing, but I'll have to do that another time.
As for getting multi-touch support in google maps, the browser, and gallery... just wait, it's been hacked in for the G1/MT3G, it will certainly be hacked in for the Nexus One.
I'm still up in the air between ASTRO File Manager and Linda File Manager, but a file manager is an important addition to your tools, if you plan on keeping a lot of documents/files on board. Additionally, I know at least Linda has the DownloadCrutch functionality, associating itself with every filetype so that the browser will allow you to download such. To me, this last bit is essential.
Great stuff, I think a lot of people will be going from WM to Nexus because MS have failed to deliver for so long & there is now a great alternative with an OS that can be modded and a really cool handset.
So far I am happy to leave the N1 standard (not rooted) and play with apps - it is a real joy to have so many available & a single source for them.
Never going back !
+1 for Dolphin Browser... definitely a big step up over the default browser IMHO
SpyderMS said:
Great write up, and welcome to Android
A few suggestions
Text Messaging
The two heavyweights are Chomp SMS and Handcent SMS. Both are considerably better than the default SMS app, it mostly comes down to personal preference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally, I find the text bubbles childish and cheesy. I much prefer the stock sms app with sms popup.
bofslime said:
Personally, I find the text bubbles childish and cheesy. I much prefer the stock sms app with sms popup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tend to agree though why doesnt the icon to the app on my home screen tell me how many unread SMS there are?
The Jones said:
I tend to agree though why doesnt the icon to the app on my home screen tell me how many unread SMS there are?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SMS Count
ok, at work with nothing to do, so I browsed through my phone, and here's a couple Apps you may be interested in. Some of these are useful, some are just kind of cool
AudioManager Widget
Nice little app that lets you adjust all your volume levels easily and quickly.
AppControl - Full Version
Best app manager I've used. Really fast, nice interface, and lots of options.
Barcode Scanner
Barcode scanning from the phone is fantastic. It's very pronounced in the Android community as well. You'll see barcodes not only on these forums, but on App websites like AndroLib.com, which let you scan the barcode, and instantly be linked to a website or Android Market page. It's not only useful on the Nexus One's 5mp camera and 1GHz processor either. Worked great on my G1.
Google Goggles
Take a picture of just about anything, and Google will search for relevant results.
Google Sky Map
Virtual Planetarium on your phone.
Layar Reality Browser 3.0
Augmented Reality browser. Displays information about objects in front of you overlayed on the camera display.
Pkt Auctions for eBay
If you use eBay at all, this is a great companion tool.
Shazam
Lets you identify music being played around you by letting your phone listen to and analyze it.
Personally, I find the text bubbles childish and cheesy. I much prefer the stock sms app with sms popup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
handcent settings -> conversation style.
handcent has a ton of settings options, including different settings for individual contacts (conversation style, font, notification tone, etc)
Thanks for all the suggestions. I've already spent too much work time today finding and installing the ones I like.
I don't actually do THAT much texting, so I'm sticking with the stock sms app for now, but I did install sms popup and set my girlfriend to popup. That's convenient.
Someone mentioned SMS backup, and yes, g-backup does the same thing only for more data, but they both need a scheduling option.
I see the nexus one torch app requires rooted access. I'm no stranger to hacking my gadgets, but this app (plus tethering, and maybe installing to the sd card) are the only things I've seen so far that have me interested in doing it. Can anyone provide some examples of why they consider rooting a must?
You mentioned Wi-Fi tethering already, but that reason alone is a pretty big reason. You may also want to theme your phone. Any kind of advancements that developers like Cyanogen come out with will require root as well. Cyanogen is known for pushing the envelope, helping to increase speed, and overall functionality of the G1, and other devices; not to mention you will get features from new versions of Android faster than those without root. I'm sure there are other reasons to, these are just off the top of my head. A lot of people are waiting until someone finds out how to reverse the bootloader unlocking process before they root, in order to preserve their warranty, and that's certainly a good idea if you don't have a lot of use for root at the moment. I did it, like most people that did, just because I can.
I'll make sure to watch the Cyanogen stuff closely. I never followed the G1 enhancements, so I guess I don't know what to expect. Sounds like it's likely I'll do it at some point though.
Is it easy to get all your apps, especially the ones that you paid for, back on your phone after rooting? Does the marketplace just remember it all and let you re-download?
I should just search for these answers.
Hi,
I hope I am adhereing to Forum 'etiquette' here.
I've taken ownership of an X10 on Monday, after having experience of the iPhone. First impressions are 'I hate it' in capital letters... I just can't get used to it and have a number of annoyances.
I'm hoping this is a case of user error as some of this forum users seem to think it walks on water, so apologies for this, but a few questions
1) Is there a recommended set up? It is currently configured as it was out of the box
2) Android App Store - I don't want to register for a google email account that I'll never use, do I have to? Can I not access a full app store online via the web?
3) I find the bundled Sat Nav useless... It can't ever find my current location.
4) I really miss the 'notification' of the iPhone, the little red number when you've got a text, facebook update, missed call etc. Timescape does not replace this as it constantly updates and my phone is always on silent 8-6 every day so I'm missing calls, messages and notifications.
5) Recommended apps?
6) Battery Life... I've hardly used the thing today, yet its used nearly 75% of the battery life and I've made 2 calls, a little bit of Facebook and 4 text messages.
7) Any general recommendations?
At this moment, I really am close to sending this back (7 day trial) and getting a HTC Desire or going back to the iPhone.
Thanks in advance
Stuart
1) Is there a recommended set up? It is currently configured as it was out of the box
Unlike the iPhone, Android allows you to configure and personalize your phone as you like, what recommended setup are you looking for ? I have disabled Timescape and use handcent/K-9 for SMS/Email, though I still find Mediascape the best media player.
2) Android App Store - I don't want to register for a google email account that I'll never use, do I have to? Can I not access a full app store online via the web?
To use Googles Android market you do need a Google ID. I have never used mine to send email and it is only used for the Google applications I have downloaded. I only ever registered an Apple ID to be ableto download apps from the Itunes App store.
3) I find the bundled Sat Nav useless... It can't ever find my current location.
Have you got the GPS switched on ? My X10 locks onto GPS faster than my iPhone ever did. Download Google Maps.
4) I really miss the 'notification' of the iPhone, the little red number when you've got a text, facebook update, missed call etc. Timescape does not replace this as it constantly updates and my phone is always on silent 8-6 every day so I'm missing calls, messages and notifications.
These appear in the 'notification' drag down at the top of the screen. I prefer them to the iPhone as they stay there until I decide to clear them.
5) Recommended apps?
See other thread for this.
6) Battery Life... I've hardly used the thing today, yet its used nearly 75% of the battery life and I've made 2 calls, a little bit of Facebook and 4 text messages.
Wait a week or so, battery does improve and should improve further after the next firmware update in the next week or so. The X10 has a much more powerful processor than the iPhone so does use more battery, but having used the phone for a month I actually find that the battery lasts longer than the iPhone, although it does take longer to top-up and recharge.
7) Any general recommendations?
Use it, play with it, get used to it. Android is so different to the iPhone that it does take some getting used to. I personally love Android as it allows me to customize and personalize my phone far beyond what the iPhone allowed me to do.
At this moment, I really am close to sending this back (7 day trial) and getting a HTC Desire or going back to the iPhone.
The majority of the issues you raise above, you would also find on the HTC Desire.
Thanks for the reply, I just wondered whether there was a standard set up that most users used, seems not.
One final question;
There are far too many apps that I'll never use that I don't seem to be able to uninstall... E.g. I've got the Mail app, Google Mail and Moxier Mail... I'm only ever going to want one of these.
I haven't a clue what the Moxier things do full stop mind you, and I don't want GoogleTalk for example.
Is there a way to un-install or hide the ones I don't want?
And can I re-arrange apps, e.g. bring my Facebook onto the 4 icons you have on the homepage.
Sorry if this all sounds picky, I just want the customisation I'm used too.
"Is there a way to un-install or hide the ones I don't want?"
Not yet. We need to be able to root the device. (Like jailbreak on Iphone)
"And can I re-arrange apps, e.g. bring my Facebook onto the 4 icons you have on the homepage."
Press and hold on whatever icon you want to move.
StuartBrookes said:
Thanks for the reply, I just wondered whether there was a standard set up that most users used, seems not.
One final question;
There are far too many apps that I'll never use that I don't seem to be able to uninstall... E.g. I've got the Mail app, Google Mail and Moxier Mail... I'm only ever going to want one of these.
I haven't a clue what the Moxier things do full stop mind you, and I don't want GoogleTalk for example.
Is there a way to un-install or hide the ones I don't want?
And can I re-arrange apps, e.g. bring my Facebook onto the 4 icons you have on the homepage.
Sorry if this all sounds picky, I just want the customisation I'm used too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many of the pre-installed apps are not possibile to un-install. But if you load other mail apps then it will ask you which is the default mail app you want to use. The apps themselves take up such a small amount of space that you don't need to worry too much if you don't want to use them. Moxier etc are primarily used to access work/exchange email. There are many on here who are desperate to delete them but I have no real problem with them.
To add apps to your homescreen, just select he app in your app menu, hold onto it and drag it upto your homescreen. With default Android you have three homescreens to organise and you can add app shortcuts to any of these. From any homescreen, press and hold in an empty space and it will then ask which shortcut/app or widget you need to place there.
My own Android app whinge is that I cannot reorganize the apps in my app page, they are always displayed in the alphabetical order of whatever the developer has decided to name them.
Once we have root (jailbreak for android phones), we should be able to get rid of most of the unwanted apps that came pre-installed.
If those are the annoyances you are talking about, then the Desire won't fix anything because almost all of those "problems" are with android itself.
Battery life isn't much better on the Desire and the GPS is insanely quick to get a lock on almost everyone else's handsets.
I also wasn't aware that the iPhone was customizable...
Use Navigon for GPS navigation. Its by far the best for Android, similar to iGo & Tom Tom. Its also free if you know where to look! ;-)
Also make sure you turn GPS on and off when its used from the settings menu as it can drain battery. A-GPS also helps lock on as it uses the internet to track satalites positions for start up.
So im finally there, i have to switch to Android. I was using a windows mobile device before, so i probably expect a lot of functionality wich Android might not offer. But there are a lot of questions left i hope some of you can answer me:
General usage:
- is it possible to remove that "slide to unlock" thingy, i dont see its use, the phone has one button to toggle it that wont get pushed in my pocket
- battery symbol, i see a lot of people having an additional battery symbol with the exact percentage of the remaining power, i think thats bull****, i dont need 2 battery symbols, just one thats working the right way, is it hard to change the battery symbol in the noticication bar?
- can i bind the hardware keys, for example long press of a button starts the recording for voice control, short press opens a taskmanager
- is the copy and paste working 100% and is avaiable in all programs?
- can i have the device in USB mass storage as standard setting (not asking everytime i connect it)?
- can i have a shortcut that would check all my registred mail accounts when i click it (no automatic checking, i decide when the device connects to the internet)?
- can i create shortcuts to html, doc or excel files?
- can i use java programs in android?
- is there a program that would display a symbol for calls, sms and emails that would change their apperance when i have a missed call, new message or mail?
- is it possible to active bluethooth or wlan by shortcut or voice command?
- are there USB host drivers so i could connect USB mass storage devices?
Applications needed:
- i would like a simple task and program manager, to switch between them and close them if i want to, i thing it would be best suited in the drop down bar (since its there..why not use it)?
- SMS, call time and data counter for incoming and outgoing, is there something like that? I suppose i could put it as widget on one of the homescreens
- backup software for settings, SMS messages, emails and installed programs and their settings, is there something like that, are there backup programs that work after updating to a newer Android version?
- my device will have a Snapdragon CPU, what about a CPU speed manger that underclocks when in standby and has profiles for programs so i could run it at half speed in general but for some specific programs get the full CPU power?
- TMC data for navigation: i think there is no such thing yet, right?
- a decent file explorer with all features expected from a good explorer (it should be able to create shortcuts for html, word or any other file that the phones software can handle)
- a program that insertes local holidays into my calender, with support for birthdays wich are not in my contacts
- a good serious photoeditor: with serious i mean i dont need any effects bull**** wich comes with most camera applications, i need the ability to open large files, crop them, maybe even display tifs with layers, something like a pocket version of Photoshop
- videoplayer is there something like VLC is for windows PCs and CorePlayer is for windowsmobile? A player thats is capable of playing everything
applications i allready found and will probably use:
- as office solution i suppose i can use the programs from Softmaker, dont know if there are android drivers for my BT Freedom Keyboard
- multimessenger with MSN, ICQ, Jabber, Facebook: maybe palringo, at least it was good on windows mobile
- navigation: i think there is TomTom and Igo
- calendar that can display a whole month with visible icons for appointments: should work with pocket informant, because it does on windows
Dumb questions?
General usage:
- is it possible to remove that "slide to unlock" thingy, i dont see its use, the phone has one button to toggle it that wont get pushed in my pocket
I believe this is only possible if you have root
- battery symbol, i see a lot of people having an additional battery symbol with the exact percentage of the remaining power, i think thats bull****, i dont need 2 battery symbols, just one thats working the right way, is it hard to change the battery symbol in the noticication bar?
again, I believe you need root
- can i bind the hardware keys, for example long press of a button starts the recording for voice control, short press opens a taskmanager
pretty sure you can do things like this with root
- is the copy and paste working 100% and is avaiable in all programs?
it's always seemed fine to me.. just try it out for yourself.
- can i have the device in USB mass storage as standard setting (not asking everytime i connect it)?
I don't know of any way to do this.
- can i have a shortcut that would check all my registred mail accounts when i click it (no automatic checking, i decide when the device connects to the internet)?
go to settings-> accounts & sync. then click on the account and disable "sync gmail". Then, when you open up gmail, you can manually refresh.
- can i create shortcuts to html, doc or excel files?
I don't think so.
- can i use java programs in android?
I believe htc sense phones can but it is not included in AOSP
- is there a program that would display a symbol for calls, sms and emails that would change their apperance when i have a missed call, new message or mail?
there's lots on the market. Personally, I use launcher pro (homescreen replacement) that includes this by default. I highly recommend it.
- is it possible to active bluethooth or wlan by shortcut or voice command?
have you tried the power control widget?
- are there USB host drivers so i could connect USB mass storage devices?
It's certainly possible but it might require a custom kernel or something. I'm not sure. It depends on your hardware as well though. Many/most android phones cannot output power through their usb port, which makes this impossible. USB drives need power.
Applications needed:
- i would like a simple task and program manager, to switch between them and close them if i want to, i thing it would be best suited in the drop down bar (since its there..why not use it)?
task managers really shouldn't be necessary. android can handle it just fine itself. I do have one just in case. I like "Advanced Task Manager". As for switching between apps, just long press the home button. if it's not there, just open it from the app drawer again.
- SMS, call time and data counter for incoming and outgoing, is there something like that? I suppose i could put it as widget on one of the homescreens
phonalyzer does what you're asking for, I think.
- backup software for settings, SMS messages, emails and installed programs and their settings, is there something like that, are there backup programs that work after updating to a newer Android version?
I really like mybackup pro. However, it's impossible to backup app settings without root access. You can backup apps but not their data (progress in games for example).
- my device will have a Snapdragon CPU, what about a CPU speed manger that underclocks when in standby and has profiles for programs so i could run it at half speed in general but for some specific programs get the full CPU power?
setcpu is great. requires root.
- TMC data for navigation: i think there is no such thing yet, right?
no idea. google navigation has traffic updates of some sort.
- a decent file explorer with all features expected from a good explorer (it should be able to create shortcuts for html, word or any other file that the phones software can handle)
I use astro file manager. I don't think it can create shortcuts though. I have no idea why you would ever want this..
- a program that insertes local holidays into my calender, with support for birthdays wich are not in my contacts
google calendar can do this by default. I have no idea what you're talking about with birthdays though. Just add them to your calendar...
- a good serious photoeditor: with serious i mean i dont need any effects bull**** wich comes with most camera applications, i need the ability to open large files, crop them, maybe even display tifs with layers, something like a pocket version of Photoshop
never had an urge to do this. "Adobe Photoshop Express" might be a good place to start though.
- videoplayer is there something like VLC is for windows PCs and CorePlayer is for windowsmobile? A player thats is capable of playing everything
I don't really watch videos on my phone so I don't know.
applications i allready found and will probably use:
- as office solution i suppose i can use the programs from Softmaker, dont know if there are android drivers for my BT Freedom Keyboard
never even heard of softmaker. documents to go is supposed to be good
- multimessenger with MSN, ICQ, Jabber, Facebook: maybe palringo, at least it was good on windows mobile
I like meebo, personally.
- navigation: i think there is TomTom and Igo
I don't know why you would pay for these when you can just use google navigation for free..
- calendar that can display a whole month with visible icons for appointments: should work with pocket informant, because it does on windows
what's wrong with google calendar?
smaskell said:
General usage:
I believe this is only possible if you have root
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dont care what it takes as long as its possible.
smaskell said:
- can i have the device in USB mass storage as standard setting (not asking everytime i connect it)?
I don't know of any way to do this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it seriously asking everytime?
smaskell said:
- can i have a shortcut that would check all my registred mail accounts when i click it (no automatic checking, i decide when the device connects to the internet)?
go to settings-> accounts & sync. then click on the account and disable "sync gmail". Then, when you open up gmail, you can manually refresh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only gmail? I would like to check severy pop3 accounts.
Didnt know there is a taskswitcher included, alawys thought id had to go the long way via homescreen.
I will check phonalyzer out thanks.
Will also check out mybackup, even though apps come from the market and a re probably newer version than in the backup, saving settings would seem more logical.
SetCPU, thanks again.
smaskell said:
- a decent file explorer with all features expected from a good explorer (it should be able to create shortcuts for html, word or any other file that the phones software can handle)
I use astro file manager. I don't think it can create shortcuts though. I have no idea why you would ever want this..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because there are some excel and word files i often use and of course in want them fast. So shortcuts on Homescreen or where the other applications are. Speaking of that list. Is there some way to organzize it? Change the order, put some in subfolder? The way they are now it sucks.
For the birthdays i need to remember some birthdays of people that dont have phone, mail or anything. So creating a contact would be pointless. But i want to see their birthday everyyear with the info how old they get.
Will look at Adobe Photoshop Express.
smaskell said:
- TMC data for navigation: i think there is no such thing yet, right?
no idea. google navigation has traffic updates of some sort.
- navigation: i think there is TomTom and Igo
I don't know why you would pay for these when you can just use google navigation for free..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because online navigation sucks if i am out of my country and have to really pay for datatranfers.
smaskell said:
- calendar that can display a whole month with visible icons for appointments: should work with pocket informant, because it does on windows
what's wrong with google calendar?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It just doenst show me what i want to see.
As far as i understand google voice command (even if it would understand anything else than english allready) decodes the spoken commands online. So when i tell it to open my excel file i would first have to wait till my phone connects to the internet. Is there any voice command software that works on the device and not in the cloud. Like voice command for windows mobile did?
i recommend the app Trapster.
I switched from WM to android not that long ago, so I kanda know where you're coming from. You do have to unmount your storage from your phone every time you want to transfer things, I usually just send things over the air and avoid plugging in. WM loved to be attached to your computer, but android would rather be connected to the internet. I think if you're running sense you can transfer stuff with HTCsync without unmounting every time, not 100% though as I flashed sense onto my N1 a couple times but never downloaded HTCsync.
I think you'll want a rom with sense on it. Sense has the 'sync all' button that you can put on your home screen to sync all of your accounts on demand. They also have a partnership with TomTom for offline navigation. There's also a nice calendar widget, and unread counts for your messages, etc. If you were using touch flo on WM, HTC have kept a lot of the nice features in sense on android.
Android isn't as friendly for key mapping as WM was. You can get onscreen toggles for most things, though. there was one rom I had on my N1 for a while, I think it was CM6, where there were toggles on the drop down menu. This made it possible to switch settings in-app, which I missed from WM. For app-switching, just long-press home to bring up your MRU list. One of the other things I miss from WM is having the battery bar that runs all the way across the top of the screen, just on the top few pixels. Only 1 rom I tried, the MIUI rom, was able to do this. It was a lot easier to mess with in WM.
Programs:
file manager - Astro
IM - IM+, nimbuzz, fring, etc. there are lots of them. im+ does skype
backup - I used SMS backup&restore for SMS, Titanium takes care of everything else.
Calendar - google calendar lets you set a repeating event for birthdays, automatically adds the holidays you tell it to.
Also, USB host is possible, but you need to use a powered USB hub to power the device you're plugging in. Doesn't seem to be another way to get power to the port. If USB host is really important, a hacked kernel and a powered port should get the job done.
I hope this helps, and don't worry. Once you've used android for a while, you'll see that it's really user-friendly. I'm sure you'll grow to love it.
Try Jorte calendar if your don't like the Goggle one.
If you get a phone that's rootable, try Root Explorer for file explorer.
________________________________
http://ron-droid.blogspot.com
Jorte isnt bad for displaying texts each day in monthview, but symbols would be better.
Never cared much for Sense, to much graphics to little information.
IM+ sounds good, all in one +Skype would be great.
What me really bothers is that USB thingy, cant it unmount in backgroud without bothering me, even winmobile was able to do that.
Another question: Would trying out a lot of apps polute my OS like it happens with windows (leftover files and registry settings after uninstalling). Or ist Anrdois perfect in this matter.
If not i guess i would have to test a lot of apps till i find the ones i like, then hard rest and make a clean install, or wont this be nessesary in Android?
From what I can tell, if you uninstall an app, everything is cleaned up with the exception of maybe a folder on your sdcsrd. And this generally only happens if the app has an optional setting that allows you to specify that the sdcard be used for backups or downloads, etc.
________________________________
http://ron-droid.blogspot.com
rigman said:
From what I can tell, if you uninstall an app, everything is cleaned up with the exception of maybe a folder on your sdcsrd. And this generally only happens if the app has an optional setting that allows you to specify that the sdcard be used for backups or downloads, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty much true.
the sd card thing is really frustrating. sometimes apps add stuff to seemingly random folders on your sd card so you don't know if you can delete it or not. Apps should be forced to only create folders with the same name as the app. Also, I think you should be able to implement an "onUninstall" method or something in your app, with which you could delete all of the files that you created.
Not everyone has data...
smaskell said:
- navigation: i think there is TomTom and Igo
I don't know why you would pay for these when you can just use google navigation for free..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The best way to stumble upon an interesting app is to see what other folks are using. Using the app "List my apps" linked at the bottom of this list and using the "bbcode" option inside it I generated the following list of apps which are installed on my Idol 3. In most cases the link will take you directly to the app no matter where it came from...some will kick you to a google search which should find them fairly easily as well. Many of the pay apps have free versions available. Feel free to reply back with YOUR list of apps and if you find an interesting app from someone's post hit the thanks button to let them know! I look forward to seeing what some of you use. List my apps is open source and available on both F-Droid and Google Play.
My Apps:
AdAway
Agenda Widget Plus
Amazon Kindle
Android Pro Widgets
App Redirect
App Settings
AppOpsXposed
Appstore
Barcode Scanner
BootManager
BusyBox Free
Connection Stabilizer Booster
ES File Explorer
ezPDF Reader
F-Droid
Fake Wifi Connection
[*] Fix Lollipop Memory Leak
Flipboard
Gas Guru
GeekBytes
Goodreads
GoodRx
Google Voice
GoogleOfflineVoice
GravityBox [LP]
GreenPower Premium
Hangar
Hangouts Dialer
HERE
IVONA Amy UK English beta
IVONA Text-to-Speech HQ
Jango Radio
KeePassDroid
LBE Security Master
Lenovo Camera and Gallery
Lightning
List My Apps
Lolistat
LPThemer
Lux
MDScan
MinMinGuard
Mint
[*] MobileActiveRadioFix
Moon+ Reader Pro
MortPlayer Audio Books
n7player
Nandroid Manager
NetEase Music
Network
Network Speed Indicator
NotifyClean
Nova Launcher
Nova Launcher Prime
Pandora
Pandora Patcher
PaperKarma
Play Store Fixes
PlayPermissionsExposed
RDMissedCall Patcher
RebootManager
Remove Battery Saver Warning Color
Rocket Blocker
RocketDial
RocketDial Theme Neon Black
ROM Toolbox Pro
[*] RootCloak
Screebl Pro
Screen Off
Secure Settings
Servicely
Smart Unlock
Smoked Glass Digital Weather Clock Small
Spotify
Statusbar download progress
StopSwitchDelay
Super Star® Rewards
SuperSU Pro
SwiftKey Keyboard
Syncthing Silk
Talkatone
Tapatalk
Tasker
Titanium Backup
Titanium Backup PRO
Torque (free)
Totally Free VPN
Truecaller
TuneIn Radio Pro
Universal Init.d
Wakelock Detector Free
Waze
WeFi Pro
XBlast Tools
XInstaller
XInternalSD
xKindleMod
Xposed Installer
XVoice+
ZIPme
List made using List My Apps
That's a long list bro.. All are good apps. Let me add some of my favourites that's not in that list :
- Office Suite Premium
- Poweramp
- Musixmatch
- Aldiko Book Reader Premium
- Manga Rock
- Root Cleaner
- Greenify Pro
- Recently Pro
- Solid Explorer Pro
- Canvertpad Plus
Those are great apps! Try them and u'll love them
snugroho3 said:
That's a long list bro.. All are good apps. Let me add some of my favourites that's not in that list :
- Office Suite Premium
- Poweramp
- Musixmatch
- Aldiko Book Reader Premium
- Manga Rock
- Root Cleaner
- Greenify Pro
- Recently Pro
- Solid Explorer Pro
- Canvertpad Plus
Those are great apps! Try them and u'll love them
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. Please consider using list my apps so it will provide links for folks. I personally prefer Moon Reader Pro over Aldiko especially since I use the text to speech option to have it read ebooks as audiobooks in the car with the IVONA Amy UK tts voice. I use es file explorer over solid explorer(I'm not fond of apps that provide crippled free versions or in this case "14 day trial software") and Servicely (written by francisco franco if you recognize the name) as an alternate to Greenify that may interest you. Did you mean "Convertpad?"
famewolf said:
Thanks for the reply. Please consider using list my apps so it will provide links for folks. I personally prefer Moon Reader Pro over Aldiko especially since I use the text to speech option to have it read ebooks as audiobooks in the car with the IVONA Amy UK tts voice. I use es file explorer over solid explorer(I'm not fond of apps that provide crippled free versions or in this case "14 day trial software") and Servicely (written by francisco franco if you recognize the name) as an alternate to Greenify that may interest you. Did you mean "Convertpad?"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Servicely is very good app and of course I know Sir Francisco with his famous Franco kernel but somehow Greenify in boost mode (need root and Xposed) works better (at least for me) because you can still received all notification from apps without the apps awaken.
Also you can use Greenify together with Nova launcher to add DT2S+greenified apps. You just double tap the home screen to put the phone in sleep + greenified all running apps.
Ahh.. yes, it's convertpad. It's the easiest to use multi-converter
---------- Post added at 11:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:52 AM ----------
Btw, do you know Xposed module to make battery circle icon and remove carrier name in lock screen that works for Idol 5.5?
Among those I use (not including a bunch of widely used apps):
Action Launcher 3 - Minimalistic launcher that gives me what I want and doesn't include a bunch of things I generally don't use. I like having one home screen with a minimum of clutter. This optimizes that preference with some unique features.
AdAway
AppDialer Pro - Number/QWERTY keypad that "dials up" whatever installed app (and, optionally, contact) you want. Its useful widget does the same.
Draft - Dropbox friendly, searchable notes app that seems abandoned by the dev. I'd like a better alternative, but I don't know that there is one that specifically matches my usage. I prefer this to something like Evernote for privacy reasons, not that Dropbox is ideal.
ES File Explorer - I use Solid Explorer, too, but this does more. Its FTP server is an approach I often use to transfer files onto the device from a computer.
Ghostery Browser - Gives the same shield from tracking and such that the Chrome extension does on a computer.
GMD Gestures - Adds a layer of usability to my minimalistic approach. On a larger screen, like a tablet or even a Nexus 6, I don't use it as much. Still, this is a major part of my user experience, one of the first things I install.
Javelin - Good, clean, alternative browser with popup feature
JotterPad - Stylish, non-programming, writing oriented text editor.
Link Bubble - Popup browser. Javelin does this, too, but I like Link Bubble's implementation a little better.
MessagEase - Out of the ordinary keyboard that offers all sorts of features that most don't (keyboard shortcuts/macros, forward delete, easy access to special characters, pretty much every functionality you'd ever find in a keyboard). Takes getting used to, but I use it more than any other.
Minuum Keyboard - Sort of like Fleksy, but I find it more usable. It was my main keyboard for awhile, but I haven't used it much, lately.
Moon+ Reader - Another staple, well tended to by its dev. By far my favorite book reader. I stopped even thinking about the rest long ago.
Music Folder Player Full - Simple, straight forward music player. Old school approach. Direct and to the point. Once in awhile, I'll try one of the flashy ones, but find that their "features" are no more than eye candy to me and delete them.
Pocket - Read articles saved from websites.
Popup Widget - I don't use this all that often, but it's very helpful when I want it. I don't want widgets permanently on my screen that I rarely use. This allows me to tap an icon or execute a gesture (via GMS) to popup a widget when I want it temporarily (weather, calendars, etc.)
Titanium Backup
TweetCaster
Viper4Android - Sound quality enhancement that I didn't realize how much I needed until I tried it.
Wallpaper Saver - Great for getting wallpaper from ROMs, launchers, wherever. Though I find that I tend to prefer wallpaper from sources other than those places.
I've used and liked both Greenify and Servicely, too. I also like Recently and bought it.
maigre said:
Among those I use (not including a bunch of widely used apps):
Action Launcher 3 - Minimalistic launcher that gives me what I want and doesn't include a bunch of things I generally don't use. I like having one home screen with a minimum of clutter. This optimizes that preference with some unique features.
AdAway
AppDialer Pro - Number/QWERTY keypad that "dials up" whatever installed app (and, optionally, contact) you want. Its useful widget does the same.
Draft - Dropbox friendly, searchable notes app that seems abandoned by the dev. I'd like a better alternative, but I don't know that there is one that specifically matches my usage. I prefer this to something like Evernote for privacy reasons, not that Dropbox is ideal.
ES File Explorer - I use Solid Explorer, too, but this does more. Its FTP server is an approach I often use to transfer files onto the device from a computer.
Ghostery Browser - Gives the same shield from tracking and such that the Chrome extension does on a computer.
GMD Gestures - Adds a layer of usability to my minimalistic approach. On a larger screen, like a tablet or even a Nexus 6, I don't use it as much. Still, this is a major part of my user experience, one of the first things I install.
Javelin - Good, clean, alternative browser with popup feature
JotterPad - Stylish, non-programming, writing oriented text editor.
Link Bubble - Popup browser. Javelin does this, too, but I like Link Bubble's implementation a little better.
MessagEase - Out of the ordinary keyboard that offers all sorts of features that most don't (keyboard shortcuts/macros, forward delete, easy access to special characters, pretty much every functionality you'd ever find in a keyboard). Takes getting used to, but I use it more than any other.
Minuum Keyboard - Sort of like Fleksy, but I find it more usable. It was my main keyboard for awhile, but I haven't used it much, lately.
Moon+ Reader - Another staple, well tended to by its dev. By far my favorite book reader. I stopped even thinking about the rest long ago.
Music Folder Player Full - Simple, straight forward music player. Old school approach. Direct and to the point. Once in awhile, I'll try one of the flashy ones, but find that their "features" are no more than eye candy to me and delete them.
Pocket - Read articles saved from websites.
Popup Widget - I don't use this all that often, but it's very helpful when I want it. I don't want widgets permanently on my screen that I rarely use. This allows me to tap an icon or execute a gesture (via GMS) to popup a widget when I want it temporarily (weather, calendars, etc.)
Titanium Backup
TweetCaster
Viper4Android - Sound quality enhancement that I didn't realize how much I needed until I tried it.
Wallpaper Saver - Great for getting wallpaper from ROMs, launchers, wherever. Though I find that I tend to prefer wallpaper from sources other than those places.
I've used and liked both Greenify and Servicely, too. I also like Recently and bought it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This looks like you used list my apps but didn't save it as bb code (share it to email and email to yourself)....the bbcode would contain links to the apps your mentioning whether they are on f-droid, amazon appstore or google play...I mention this to make it easier on others as for example some of the apps I use are xda only version and it uses a google search which should take the user to them. I have not seen a need for "recently" as I use a combination of the built in "recents" and my most popularly used apps in notification area via the app "Hanger". See Screenshot.
In place of Action Launcher 3 I'd probably use Lucid Launcher (Pro) which is what I use on my devices with less memory. (http://www.xda-developers.com/lucid-launcher-a-unique-launcher-made-from-scratch/)
Instead of dropbox you may prefer syncthing which is an opensource alternative to bittorrent sync...I use it to keep folders in sync between my pc and my phone unless you actually have a need to access your files from the net somewhere via dropbox. You actually have viper4android installed on your idol 3? I'm assuming you flashed the zip...and disabled the built in JBL audio enhancements? Does it strictly work on headphones or improve sound on the speakers as well? (I used it a long time ago).
why is this thread in idol3 forum? it has to be in main forum, because it has nothing to do with idol3
DallasCZ said:
why is this thread in idol3 forum? it has to be in main forum, because it has nothing to do with idol3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Practically every device has a thread with "favorite apps to use on my xxx device" so no it doesn't HAVE to be in the main forum. Among my apps are a list of xposed modules that work on our specific version of lolipop...thats pretty relevent. Apps that work around quirks such as reboot manager which gives us "reboot to bootloader and reboot to recovery" from in the rom are very idol specific. Rootcloak can be used to make the system update checker work..thats pretty relevant and why it's in bold among the other bug fix modules.
If you must, report it to a mod and they can decide where it goes.
no apps you are listing are device specific .. reboot manager is not idol specific... Almost none device with stock rom have reboot to bootloader or recovery option.
and anyway here is subforum called "Onetouch Idol 3 Themes and Apps" (where you allready started many dead threads), so i think its better to move it there.
famewolf said:
This looks like you used list my apps but didn't save it as bb code (share it to email and email to yourself)....the bbcode would contain links to the apps your mentioning whether they are on f-droid, amazon appstore or google play...I mention this to make it easier on others as for example some of the apps I use are xda only version and it uses a google search which should take the user to them. I have not seen a need for "recently" as I use a combination of the built in "recents" and my most popularly used apps in notification area via the app "Hanger". See Screenshot.
In place of Action Launcher 3 I'd probably use Lucid Launcher (Pro) which is what I use on my devices with less memory. (http://www.xda-developers.com/lucid-launcher-a-unique-launcher-made-from-scratch/)
Instead of dropbox you may prefer syncthing which is an opensource alternative to bittorrent sync...I use it to keep folders in sync between my pc and my phone unless you actually have a need to access your files from the net somewhere via dropbox. You actually have viper4android installed on your idol 3? I'm assuming you flashed the zip...and disabled the built in JBL audio enhancements? Does it strictly work on headphones or improve sound on the speakers as well? (I used it a long time ago).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't use any app to list the ones I mentioned. I just used the forum's list format. I'll try and get to doing it as you would like so that the links will be there for those who might want them.
I've played around some with SyncThing and more secure alternatives to the usual cloud storage. The problem in the case of my notes is that they're synched to my Mac, too, and the program I use there is close to perfect for how I use it. And it won't sync to my own server or some of the more secure public ones. But I may migrate in those directions at some point. I'd just need to find an another Mac program that would work for me.
I didn't install V4A on the Idol 3. I put it on my Nexus 6. V4A addresses sound quality on the phone speakers, ear buds/headsets and bluetooth speakers. USB connected speakers, too. It doesn't do anything for phone call audio. It takes some playing around to get it right, a process I'm still in the midst of. But the difference is striking compared to the stock audio processing, at least when I've got it configured to my comfort. I don't know what would happen on the Idol 3. Disabling the JBL audio would be wise if you play around with JBL. As you know well, you'll want a good backup in case you want to dump V4A and restore a good working JBL. But maybe the JBL processing compares favorably.
DallasCZ said:
no apps you are listing are device specific .. reboot manager is not idol specific... Almost none device with stock rom have reboot to bootloader or recovery option.
and anyway here is subforum called "Onetouch Idol 3 Themes and Apps" (where you allready started many dead threads), so i think its better to move it there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It sure would be nice if you were as diligent about policing your own threads as you are about policing mine. The mod's don't agree with you. I was told general conversation like this belongs in general. Discussing installing viper4android on the idol3 is idol 3 specific. Instead of pretending to be a mod how about responding to the 5 day old request for posting @petrov.0's corrected TWRP link to the 1st post of your twrp thread?
Now I'm going to stop responding to you...report it to the mod's and Mod's if you agree this is the appropriate location for general discussion of apps to be used on the idol then please remove his posts AND my replies so this thread can stay on topic.
maigre said:
I didn't use any app to list the ones I mentioned. I just used the forum's list format. I'll try and get to doing it as you would like so that the links will be there for those who might want them.
I've played around some with SyncThing and more secure alternatives to the usual cloud storage. The problem in the case of my notes is that they're synched to my Mac, too, and the program I use there is close to perfect for how I use it. And it won't sync to my own server or some of the more secure public ones. But I may migrate in those directions at some point. I'd just need to find an another Mac program that would work for me.
I didn't install V4A on the Idol 3. I put it on my Nexus 6. V4A addresses sound quality on the phone speakers, ear buds/headsets and bluetooth speakers. USB connected speakers, too. It doesn't do anything for phone call audio. It takes some playing around to get it right, a process I'm still in the midst of. But the difference is striking compared to the stock audio processing, at least when I've got it configured to my comfort. I don't know what would happen on the Idol 3. Disabling the JBL audio would be wise if you play around with JBL. As you know well, you'll want a good backup in case you want to dump V4A and restore a good working JBL. But maybe the JBL processing compares favorably.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There was another user interested in running viper4android on the idol 3...I may get around to making a backup and trying to install it to see how it does on the idol 3. I use the speakers to play music when travelling and it's got great sound/volume already in my opinion but always willing to try options. I use syncthing to backup my TWRP and Titaniumbackup folders among others.....if you set your titaniumbackup to run on a schedule it keeps pretty well in sync. You will have to either patch your platform.xml to see that syncthing has full rights to write to the external sdcard or use an xposed module to accomplish the same thing.
Hmm I guess I should add xposed module "Sticky Location Icon Fix [LP]" to the list..It stops the location icon from always showing up in notification bar even when location is not being used. The dev released it "yesterday" since it's now after midnight even in pacific time.
famewolf said:
There was another user interested in running viper4android on the idol 3...I may get around to making a backup and trying to install it to see how it does on the idol 3. I use the speakers to play music when travelling and it's got great sound/volume already in my opinion but always willing to try options. I use syncthing to backup my TWRP and Titaniumbackup folders among others.....if you set your titaniumbackup to run on a schedule it keeps pretty well in sync. You will have to either patch your platform.xml to see that syncthing has full rights to write to the external sdcard or use an xposed module to accomplish the same thing.
Hmm I guess I should add xposed module "Sticky Location Icon Fix [LP]" to the list..It stops the location icon from always showing up in notification bar even when location is not being used. The dev released it "yesterday" since it's now after midnight even in pacific time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The V4A installation is pretty quick and easy. It's what becomes of the JBL stuff that is the potential greater issue. But, there's always that backup. I found the speakers on the Idol 3 to be one of its surprise nice features, too. I had no quarrel with the sound as is. But I didn't on the N6, either.
A couple of other apps that I use: Smart Unlock and Simple Reboot. The former has been covered here, IIRC. I used to use Llama (sort of like Tasker) to perform the same thing and it worked great for a couple of years. But it became problematic. On my wife's phone, she actually got completely locked out at one point. We almost had to wipe it clean and start over again. Smart Unlock and Lollipop's similar functionality are an adequate, if inferior substitute to when Llama worked right. Simple Reboot is Franco's implementation of a common feature set — a boot menu that'll allow you to reboot to recovery, bootloader, etc.