Related
After a lot of trepidation, I finally rooted and upgraded to JF1.5. I really have to thank all the people who have spent sooooo much time discovering and documenting this.
I did a lot of reading before I upgraded. I finally used http://code.google.com/p/android-roms/wiki/TableOfContents , because it's excellently documented and has all the files I need in one place. Thanks Jon Pezz!
I do have some questions and observations
1. I can't seem to get telnetd working after upgrading to JF1.5. I read posts about it being broken in an earlier release, but being subsequently fixed. Is this broken or intentionally turned off? I love the G1 for the physical keyboard, but it's a poor country cousin to my IBM Model M keyboard And I'd rather use my PC for typing any day.
2. One of the best devices I have owned is the Sharp Zaurus. It wasn't a phone, but it was a great Wifi Device. It was Linux too and I could control it completely. I'm surprised that Google is making us jump through hoops to get root access. Also, I don't see samba, vnc server, vpn etc. yet. Some work around, some in progress, but surprisingly not the real thing.
3. I was completely underwhelmed by the multi-touch in the browser. It's performing so poorly, initially I thought it wasn't working at all. It works really well on the iPhone, but on the G1 it's very unresponsive. I tried unchecking "Fit to page", although I think that's so incredibly useful for browsing on mobile devices - in fact, one of the reasons why I think this is a better browser than the one on the iPhone. So maybe it's not really ready for prime time. I found it much faster to use the single touch zooming.
4. While I really like the physical keyboard, like everybody, the soft keyboard is very handy for typing a few letters. But in the two places where I really find myself needing one, it doesn't work - quickly filtering contacts and and in the App drawer to select an app. In the case of contacts, you have to open the menu, select search, click on the text field and then start typing. It's faster to just flip out the physical keyboard. In the Apps drawer, it doesn't work at all. It would be useful to add a button combo that would popup the soft keyboard.
Also, I see a lot of people asking for the HTC T9 keyboard for contacts. You might want to check out SpellDial in the Market. Works really well.
Code:
[url]market://search?q=pname:org.ravelin.android[/url]
Regards
Milind
os2baba said:
I'm surprised that Google is making us jump through hoops to get root access.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not. Root access would wreak havoc on 95% of G1 owners seeing they are oblivious to the phones capabilities and just use it as a phone. Can you imagine the damage some rouge/malicious app on the Market could cause? There isn't a chance in hell Google could pull it fast enough.
os2baba said:
1. I can't seem to get telnetd working after upgrading to JF1.5. I read posts about it being broken in an earlier release, but being subsequently fixed. Is this broken or intentionally turned off?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I'm not mistaken i believe telnetd was disabled b/c of security reasons.
Just imagine if while using a wifi network someone else gained root access of your phone. Not a cool risk worth taking.
uberingram said:
I'm not. Root access would wreak havoc on 95% of G1 owners seeing they are oblivious to the phones capabilities and just use it as a phone. Can you imagine the damage some rouge/malicious app on the Market could cause? There isn't a chance in hell Google could pull it fast enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The way it is currently set with no password, maybe. But if while registering for Gmail, it used the same password for root (or provided advanced users with an ability to use a different password for the phone), would that still be a security issue?
Binary100100 said:
If I'm not mistaken i believe telnetd was disabled b/c of security reasons.
Just imagine if while using a wifi network someone else gained root access of your phone. Not a cool risk worth taking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, isn't this because of the fact that root has no password (or has a fixed password)? Wouldn't this be like any other linux box if there were a user password. From my light browsing on the subject, doesn't look like anyone's got sshd running on the G1 either.
Regards
Milind
you can filter contacts with the virtual keyboard. Hit menu then hit search then start typing with the virtual keyboard.
I can see that Amazon loves giving away free apps, which I don't mind at all.
link for more info.
Another app you should download
link
Just a warning:
Take a look at their EULA. Clearly states that they collect the information that you type and they cannot be held responsible what is done with this information... Just a little shady.
gbarayah said:
Just a warning:
Take a look at their EULA. Clearly states that they collect the information that you type and they cannot be held responsible what is done with this information... Just a little shady.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Every keyboard saids that.
gbarayah said:
Just a warning:
Take a look at their EULA. Clearly states that they collect the information that you type and they cannot be held responsible what is done with this information... Just a little shady.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Curious if you could explain where you got this information? The EULA posted on Nuance's website (http://www.nuancemobilelife.com/android/EULA-flext9.html) does clearly state that
"As part of the Service, Nuance also collects and uses Speech Data, as defined below, to tune, enhance and improve the speech recognition and other components of the Service, and other Nuance services and products... 'Speech Data' means the audio files, associated transcriptions and log files provided by you hereunder or generated in connection with the Service."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but as far as I can tell this is exactly the same thing Google does with Voice Search, Google Talk Voicemail, etc. They go on to explain that only Nuance and third parties directly under their supervision will have access to such data. Sounds like business as usual to me...
this is an amazing keyboard, beats skype in all aspects
Love this keyboard. I've used Swype for quite a long time and this is much, much better.
.....
I really like how I can easily switch between swiping and typing. Swype and other swiping keyboards don't do this nearly as well as Flex T9.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
I picked up FlexT9 too.
I'm a swype user now and I really want to like it. I do think the keyboard layout itself is better than swype. Feels more responsive and it's definitely much easier to tap out words on it then it is on swype's.
Coming from swype though, I've have things that I'm used to, like swyping ! or ? to the space bar, Sywping the swype icon to 5 to get the numeric keypad and Swyping up after the first character to capitalize.
Those are pretty minor though. A couple of things I really don't like about FlexT9 though are that you can't click on a wrong word to pull up other choices for that word. You have to deleted it and re-swipe it. I think how, with swype, you can type away and then go back and quickly fix a few wrong words at the end like that. Also, I don't like how it won't let you swipe in the url bar. I use Dolphin and use the url bar to enter search queries more than I do urls. That's probably my biggest issue with FlexT9. I have to also get used to hitting space bar at different times from swype. I think if I swype something on swype and then the next I want a number after a space (like I want to write "this 1"), with swype it's swype "this" then hold "1". With FlexT9, you have to hit a space after swiping "this" That'll just take a little getting used to.
The last thing is that, like Swype, it automatically enters anything you type in manually into the dictionary. I hate that. I wind up with hmmm and grrrr in my dictionary. Then, let's say, for some reason, I can't get it to swipe a word and I have to type it and I mis-type it (very common on swype), I get that added. Like if I type out "thief", but I type "thied", then thied is forever in my dictionary. I clear data on swype monthly or so, but that's not a good solution. Why can't they both just add a check box for "automatically enter typed out words into the dictionary". Done, simple.
I've given up on FlexT9 and come back a couple of times. Not sure if I'll clear the hurdle to switch from swype.
Anyone have any idea how responsive they are to changes? I did receive an email back starting they'll review my suggestion. What kinds of things have been changed in recent updates?
@lexluthor: I pretty much have the same feelings with you on trying to like FlexT9 after using Swype. It's so hard to get used to swiping without inserting Swype's shortcuts. If only one of those keyboards would take the good qualities of the other... but might be a bit difficult as I think Swype figures things out location based along your swipe line; whereas FlexT9 takes a guess at your swiped letters and does a predictive dictionary match. That's why if you trace "ELEP" on FlexT9, you can get ELEPHANT as a word choice.
BTW, if you double tap on words with FlexT9, choices pop up. Don't know how you're not seeing it. This is with the version of FlexT9 from the Amazon free app day.
Does anyone know how to get this keyboard in Canada? I've wanted to try for a while but can't find it in android market and amazon app store isn't available here...
I paid for this a while back and haven't seen any updates for it for quite a while. It let me install the (now free) Australian version from the market, it still can't understand the Kiwi accent though
Edit: No, turns out it just hasn't been updated in months.
knightnz said:
I paid for this a while back and haven't seen any updates for it for quite a while. It let me install the (now free) Australian version from the market, it still can't understand the Kiwi accent though
Edit: No, turns out it just hasn't been updated in months.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Says it was updated June 2nd. Nothing in the changelog though and from the comments it looks like the only thing that changed was the permission to read contact data... odd.
I still want to try this though, I've heard good things about this. It won't show up in the market app and if I try to install online it will say not supported in my country... so how to get it
EDIT:
Okay so apparently there is a free version available in Canada but it's in French.
Can anyone upload the free Australian version apk? (English is pretty much the same .. right?)
Thanks
Anyone have the Apk or not?
So far, I love almost everything about Mango. But there's one thing that's pissing me off. It used to be that you could start a download and just keep right on browsing. I found this VASTLY superior to the experience of the marketplace on iPhone, where you choose an app to install and it dumps out of the market.
Unfortunately, the new Marketplace on WP7 does exactly what the iPhone app store does now, and it sucks. SUCKS! Is there any way to revert it to the old behavior? Of all the features to parrot from iOS, this was the worst!
I think there's no way to revert the old function in Mango. But I think you just have to hit "back" one time to go back to the market? I will try it
Edit: Hitting "back" one time works fine for me In my opinion it's not really annoying.
Yes, back button is a quick workaround. I was annoyed also, but as I don't install a lot of apps at once, this is only annoying at the first configuration.
iOS has back button?
It annoys me a lot more the dissapear of the "tabs" button in the web browser than this.
Just hit the back arrow, it's not that big of a deal.
I'm not sure if iOS / iPhone has got a back button
Wait?! On NoDo there was a button for the "tabs", right? And now we have to slide up the menu and click on it. Am I right?
No, of course no iOS devices have a back button, that's common knowledge. This IS a big deal though, when you factor in that Zune STILL can't simply backup your apps for easy reinstall, making it a giant hassle to get all your apps back. Now it's made worse because you have to back straight up again. Still not as bad as iOS, but definitely a step in the WRONG direction.
I agree about the tabs in IE; the new way to get to them is lame.
I must say I don't tend to install 10 apps at a time, so pressing back if i need to add a second one is not an issue at all.
In other words I think this is a step in the right direction
Personal choice I guess ... but imho nothing to start an entire thread on ..
jasongw said:
No, of course no iOS devices have a back button, that's common knowledge. This IS a big deal though, when you factor in that Zune STILL can't simply backup your apps for easy reinstall, making it a giant hassle to get all your apps back. Now it's made worse because you have to back straight up again. Still not as bad as iOS, but definitely a step in the WRONG direction.
I agree about the tabs in IE; the new way to get to them is lame.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you install your app via Zune, it'll automaically installed when you reflashed / hard reset your phone.
Nope, not a single app I'd installed from Zune automatically reinstalled. On top of that, if you *didn't* install it from Zune to begin with, you can't install it from Zune at all--EVER. It's locked out. No choice but to do it from the phone ad infinitum.
So far I'm loving 95% of Mango, but it's not without its missteps, unfortunately. I agree it's not usually a HUGE deal to have to press the back button, but it's still a step in the wrong direction. Android marketplace has it right, and Windows Phone marketplace used to.
There's another thing which is absolutely broken. You can't reinstall anything from Zune. If you try, it will tell you it's already installed and the install button is greyed out.
People have different tastes, I get it. You might say the back button is a big plus in usability compared to ios.
But I think on ios they rarely screw this kind of functionality.
maybe they haven't update their zune or marketplace according to mango.
I read an article from Microsoft about this before, if i recall correctly, the reason why it dumps you to the application list is to show you where you can find your app once it was installed.
People were not aware of where their app was located once they hit install in the Marketplace. You hit install, the progress bar appears, and then once its done, the app simply disappears with no indication as to where it went. People were confused by this behavior. By visually showing people that their app was being installed into the application list, they now know exactly where to find their app, and they can also launch the app once it is done installing/downloading. Same thing with games, people were not finding the game they installed, so now it shows you that its in the Games hub.
In my opinion, this method is more intuitive. An option to disable it would be nice, because I know where my apps are going, but I think for most people, this method makes more sense and is more fluid.
The upside is that you can simply press back to get back to the marketplace. Another positive is the fact that you can now launch your app immediately as it finishes, instead of having to back out all the way start screen, then swiping to the right. I'm sure most people install apps one at a time, rather than a whole bunch at once, so in the long run, this method makes much more sense.
andycted said:
There's another thing which is absolutely broken. You can't reinstall anything from Zune. If you try, it will tell you it's already installed and the install button is greyed out.
People have different tastes, I get it. You might say the back button is a big plus in usability compared to ios.
But I think on ios they rarely screw this kind of functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The back button is a HUGE deal and makes an incredible difference over any iDevice. I'm all about different tastes, of course. I completely agree that the Zune software's ability to reinstall apps is completely, totally, 100% BROKEN. However, that's not an iOS advantage, that's an iTunes advantage (and let's face it, iTunes has so few of them, LOL) and I'd never go back to the crapware that is iOS now that I've enjoyed WP7 and especially Mango.
But that said, yes, there is still work to be done. I'd hoped mango would fix everything, but alas it's failed to do so. I must give it credit, though--it fixes *almost* everything
prjkthack said:
I read an article from Microsoft about this before, if i recall correctly, the reason why it dumps you to the application list is to show you where you can find your app once it was installed.
People were not aware of where their app was located once they hit install in the Marketplace. You hit install, the progress bar appears, and then once its done, the app simply disappears with no indication as to where it went. People were confused by this behavior. By visually showing people that their app was being installed into the application list, they now know exactly where to find their app, and they can also launch the app once it is done installing/downloading. Same thing with games, people were not finding the game they installed, so now it shows you that its in the Games hub.
In my opinion, this method is more intuitive. An option to disable it would be nice, because I know where my apps are going, but I think for most people, this method makes more sense and is more fluid.
The upside is that you can simply press back to get back to the marketplace. Another positive is the fact that you can now launch your app immediately as it finishes, instead of having to back out all the way start screen, then swiping to the right. I'm sure most people install apps one at a time, rather than a whole bunch at once, so in the long run, this method makes much more sense.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get where you're going, but I humbly disagree. it would be better to prompt the user once an app finishes installing: "Would you like to see where we've installed your app?" Let's face it: if you can't figure out that your app is in the *alphabetical list* of APPS, maybe you shouldn't be using a smartphone at all
jasongw said:
I get where you're going, but I humbly disagree. it would be better to prompt the user once an app finishes installing: "Would you like to see where we've installed your app?" Let's face it: if you can't figure out that your app is in the *alphabetical list* of APPS, maybe you shouldn't be using a smartphone at all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well now that is a more annoying solution. That last thing I want is another prompt asking me another question. The old way or the new way is much better than having to go through another prompt. That breaks the fluid flow of the app installation process. The less prompts, the better.
Not to mention, the new method feels more complete. Like a full circle. Find an app -> choose to install it -> see download/installation progress and where its located -> launch and go.
Though I do agree that if you can't find where your apps are to begin with, you've got some issues there, but one of the points of Windows Phone 7 was to be a friendlier and more intuitive phone, and this only reinforces that thinking.
jasongw said:
I get where you're going, but I humbly disagree. it would be better to prompt the user once an app finishes installing: "Would you like to see where we've installed your app?" Let's face it: if you can't figure out that your app is in the *alphabetical list* of APPS, maybe you shouldn't be using a smartphone at all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A prompt will be completelly awful, the current behaviour is very intuitive for all users, but Microsoft usually add things for power users like a lot of key combinations and stuff, so I feel that in this case they are missing like a "Install in background" option if you hold your finger over the install button, or the application, or in a menu.
Also about the tab switch in IE, I also feel that a 2 finger swipe is REQUIRED to switch tabs. WP7 barely uses finger gestures, and in this case flip a tab is a 3-step action...
eried said:
A prompt will be completelly awful, the current behaviour is very intuitive for all users, but Microsoft usually add things for power users like a lot of key combinations and stuff, so I feel that in this case they are missing like a "Install in background" option if you hold your finger over the install button, or the application, or in a menu.
Also about the tab switch in IE, I also feel that a 2 finger swipe is REQUIRED to switch tabs. WP7 barely uses finger gestures, and in this case flip a tab is a 3-step action...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A prompt might not work, it was just a thought. However, having an option in settings to be able to choose the preferred behavior would be ideal.
prjkthack said:
I read an article from Microsoft about this before, if i recall correctly, the reason why it dumps you to the application list is to show you where you can find your app once it was installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This actually makes sense. I did have this exact problem in NoDo, where I wasn't sure if an app had downloaded, or where it could be located. Dumping the user into the application list is not a problem when the system has a "back" button.
two finger swiping to change tabs would be awesome. Even pinch zooming right out like with the pictures.
jasongw said:
No, of course no iOS devices have a back button, that's common knowledge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe for you as you had an iDevice before. But why should I know this? I don't care about iDevices
The methods mentioned in this thread sound great I'd like to be asked whether to use a "tabs" button or the "two finger swipe". An option in the settings would be perfect.
And I also like how an app is installed
But the best solutions are to provide options so that the user can choose his favourite way
Hi all,
Thanks in advance for answering some questions I have.
I've watched a ton of vids, done a pretty good amount of research so far, but still have a few unanswered questions about WP7.5. I will be looking at getting a Lumia 800 as that's what my carrier is offering in Canada. I'm sick of Android being flaky due to the fragmented ecosystem and am looking forward to the 'closed' nature of WP7.5 - I just want it to work. Period.
So, on to the Qs:
Can you enable a number row over the QWERTY keys on the keyboard? Alternatively, can you long-press those keys to pop up the numbers, even if they don't show?
Can you go into the settings to force the phone app to start with the dialpad as opposed to the call log/history?
Like in Smart Keyboard on android, does the first suggested word in the suggestions when typing get auto-selected when you hit the spacebar?
Are there alternative apps for StumbleUpon or Feedly available? (I couldn't find them, but I use these 2 apps reasonably often) Suggestions for similar, if no?
Functionality of the phone in Canada vs US? (ie which functions don't work: Local Scout, Bing Vision, Music search, etc etc)
Is there any quick way to change settings without having to pin them all to your home screen?
Can you make the calendar app start with Agenda view?
Thanks, I'll add more if I think of them.
O
>> Can you enable a number row over the QWERTY keys on the keyboard? Alternatively, can you long-press those keys to pop up the numbers, even if they don't show?
There is a Key which shows up all the numbers and other characters but its not like a popup and no long press.
>>Can you go into the settings to force the phone app to start with the dialpad as opposed to the call log/history?
Nope but there are apps which are purely number pads you can use.
>>Like in Smart Keyboard on android, does the first suggested word in the suggestions when typing get auto-selected when you hit the spacebar?
No, You need to tap and select the word.
>>Are there alternative apps for StumbleUpon or Feedly available? (I couldn't find them, but I use these 2 apps reasonably often) Suggestions for similar, if no?
Functionality of the phone in Canada vs US? (ie which functions don't work: Local Scout, Bing Vision, Music search, etc etc)
No Idea on then but what do you use Feedly for ?
>> Is there any quick way to change settings without having to pin them all to your home screen?
You need to use the shortcut apps for that.
>> Can you make the calendar app start with Agenda view?
No
wpxbox said:
>
You need to use the shortcut apps for that.
>> Can you make the calendar app start with Agenda view?
No
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WRONG!
It remember the last view you were in. if you leave in agenda view, when you go back, that is the view you will see 1st.
@ROCOAFZ Never Knew that so thanks a ton for that.
>>Like in Smart Keyboard on android, does the first suggested word in the suggestions when typing get auto-selected when you hit the spacebar?
No, You need to tap and select the word.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats not true, it does auto select and use it.
Been using WP from sometime but not sure how this works if at all possible.
Like when I type HAV it shows me Have but when I hit spacebar, it does not auto complete but adds a space.
nilsk123 said:
Thats not true, it does auto select and use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are some words that it will auto fill in but they have to be the only possible thing you would be typing in context with the sentence. Most words have to be chosen from bar right above the text. (i like it this way)
No problem on the agenda view. Mine is always in that view so that's what i always see
1: To add to what others have said, you can tap-and-slide to add just a single number or punctuation in one motion. From the standard keyboard, put your finger down on the number/punctuation mode key, slide it to the number or punctuation you want (the keyboard will temporarily switch modes when you touch the key initially), and release. The key your finger was on (in the alternate mode) will be typed, but the keyboard will be in the original mode. Very handy.
Alternatively, you can add some registry values that will create press-and-hold options for the top keys to have numbers. I added a press-and-hold list to my comma key; sometimes it's a lot nicer than switching modes even briefly! (I use a lot of semicolons.)
3: For some reason, nobody has mentioned this yet. If the phone will auto-correct (including auto-complete), then the suggested word/completion will be bold. Pressing the Spacebar when there's a bolded suggestion will use that suggestion automatically.
If none of the suggestions are bold (because what you typed is already a valid word, or because it isn't sure what you meant to type), then you can tap on a suggestion to use it. The phone does have a setting to automatically add a space after you do this.
4: There's an app that comes up when you search for StumbleUpon, based on keyword match (it's not actually a stumbleupon app, but it targets the same kind of user). I haven't tried it (but then, I don't use SU either).
5: Vision and Music Search should both work just fine (they're not locale based at all, so far as I know). Scout... I think it works in Canada? I've never tried (I live close to the border, but not *that* close, and international data costs money so I always have it disabled). I assume Zune Pass and Directions both work as well, and those are the other two locale-sensitive features I can think of that might care.
6: Not really, but how often do you need to mess with settings? There are some apps that let you quickly reach the ones you use most often, or let you quickly reach ones that are normally a few levels deep, but no one-tap toggles yet that I'm aware of.
However, I really don't find it required to enter settings much at all. See a new WiFi network? The phone will prompt you. You'll only save a very small amount of power by leaving WiFi off when not in use; the phone is very good at putting it in a power-saving mode. I almost never need to touch any of the other settings.
Didn't notice the bold... good post ... i'm always learning something new in Windows phone
So, I have a new keyboard phone, the LG Enact. I had an Moto Razr M, and while it was a good phone, the screen was a bit too tiny. I could not type that well on it. Long story short, the new phone, the Enact, has a few issues with it's auto-correct.
And, please, don't ask me to simply turn it off. I dun type shorthand, and I like my words to be spelled... at least halfway correct.
So, with my Razr, if I typed a word, and the phone corrected my spelling, all you would simply have to do is tap delete once, and the phone would revert to whatever I typed, and would even underscore the word. If I wanted to be free of ever seeing the underscore again, I'd simply tap the word on the screen, and add it to my dictionary.
This new phone... well, needless to say, the software needs help.
The Enact reminds me of... I donno, just evil. Lemme give an example. I would type 'same' and it actually tried to replace it with 'sname'. You think, 'Hey, I just tap backspace, and it'll fix itself.' ..no, it doesn't. You have to tap delete to wipe out the word, and re-type it your way... only to auto correct it -again- as soon as you tap space. The only way to fix it is to back out of the messenger app, go over to Settings>Input>Dictionary, and add the word, then go back to the conversation, then it'll allow you to type the word you meant in the first place.
I am wondering, like, with some Windows software, you can add a configuration file, or the like, and it'll read it, changing the way it understands what you type, or at least learn from you, something. I would love to get something like that on my phone.
I did try a new app called 'User Dictionary Plus' that simply imports how you send to other people, but, the aggression of that auto-correct is -very- frustrating.
So, any advice? Any ideas how I could get my phone to be a little more... I donno, humanized? I would just install something random else from the Play store, but, the hardware keyboard is a dying breed... I rather not spend hours, and likely cash, just to get a keyboard that doesn't work with it. I am sure someone out there uses a hardware keyboard that knows a solution. Please help!
-Haz
Bumping; it's been over 24 hours. Anyone?
-Haz