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So I am a pretty big facebook buy, i dealt with the crappy official Facebook app but now im REALLY sick of it. The Facebook Touch app is slightly better but the developers that made this app really need to wake up, even look at the iPhones facebook app. Why make the app come with the phone and get people to use it but make it a crappy app. Like almost everything redirecting to the web. Maybe even the people that made the XDA app can make a facebook app that relates to the iPhones. Im sure developers on this site could do a hell of alot better. I would even pay for it.
What do you guys think?
I would be willing to pay $10 for an Android Facebook app that matched the functionality of the iPhone Facebook app.
+1million.
I have no clue who the facebook developer team for the official app is but someone should find out and send them an email lol
Trouble is Facebook themselves made the iPhone app, hence why it is so good. I find Bloo is the best we have so far and with chat coming in the next version and a widget soon, it's already better than the 'official' android offering
Wait so the Official facebook app (the one that came on the phone) isn't made by facebook themselves?
however, i like the offical facebook app more, but it shows a photo in mobile facebook instead of showing in it's own apps ... v. sad
Yeah thats what i mean, and on the touch facebook site it doesnm't show picture comments for some reason too. This crap needs to be fixed lol
I've had my Nexus One for quite a few weeks now, and I've made a list of my 'annoyances' from my own experience. These are all to do with Google's own apps, which is a bit disappointing because it is, ultiamtely, their own platform. They are annoyances instead of complaints because none of them hinder me in any significant way, but the length of the list do make me feel that there is no reason for Google to not include these features as soon as possible.
Contacts - Synchronization with Gmail contacts is great, but can't edit Birthdays on an Android phone.
Maps - Can't add an address pinned on the map to an existing contact, can't apply custom labels to starred items, My Maps always gives me "This Community Map could not be displayed because it contains errors."
Calendar - I've got 3 calendars synchronized with Google Calendar, associated with 3 different colours, and while all of them work fine in Day, Week and Agenda views, absolutely no colours show up in Monthly View! This is really annoying.
Browser - Can only recognize US phone numbers, so if I want to call a number on a page which is not in US format, I've to manually copy it and paste it in the Phone app, rather than just a long press or something easier.
Selection of Text - a bit cumbersome given HTC Desire does it better in my opinion.
Account Synchronization - Sometimes doesn't work. I've made changes in a contact and separately in my calendar entry, only to come back and find the change reverted to the original setting. I tried to repeat the change again but it would just revert back again. Finally I had to make the change in my PC browser and force-sync the phone for it to be accepted. Mind you, as I mentioned this has happened only a few times, it works fine most other times.
So as I mentioned, by themselves these issues aren't big. And I do realize in some instances a free 3rd party app is the way to go. But still, surely Google should make sure that their own apps leave as little to be desired as possible.
Thoughts?
A few key apps that aren't even developed yet:-
khaytsus said:
Google should write a good Google Docs
Google Tasks (integrate with Calendar, plus Widget)..
Maybe a nice shortcut forcing the Android browser for Google Reader.. I love Google Reader in the default browser, but if you have Opera set as default it looks horrid.
Google Analytics/Adwords
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TT1986 said:
Calendar - I've got 3 calendars synchronized with Google Calendar, associated with 3 different colours, and while all of them work fine in Day, Week and Agenda views, absolutely no colours show up in Monthly View! This is really annoying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've just realized that the reason nothing shows in Monthly views is because events are all-day rather than during a specific time period on the day. If an event was scheduled for, say, between 1700 and 1800 hours, then a colour would show.
Not that this makes it any better. I still should be able to see something in the Monthly view to tell me that an all-day event is up on that day.
I know you're talking update what they have, but I think they're missing some important things..
Google should write a good Google Docs
Google Tasks (integrate with Calendar, plus Widget)..
Maybe a nice shortcut forcing the Android browser for Google Reader.. I love Google Reader in the default browser, but if you have Opera set as default it looks horrid.
Google Analytics/Adwords
You're quite right. The absence of an editable mobile app for Google Docs, from Google, is mind-boggling.
Infact I'll include your post in the OP. It'll help build a decent list of "Apps to Do or Improve by Google for Android."
Actually the most disappointing thing is that some of those issues are pretty obvious to anyone having used the phone a few days.
Also some were reported years ago ...
For example Google contact sync ridiculous resolution for photos, maps location labels etc ... And it's not like it would take them more than a couple hours work to fix either.
I dont think google will allocate their resources on specific stock apps or them given priority over the development on Gingerbread since with apps they have community resource.
unlike mobileme or exchange, google offers a lot of the cloud services free of charge for our personal use, and we shouldnt take that for granted.
and to answer the op, I too would like to have the listed features applied, but I would categorize them as 'nice to have'.
-Task list (would be very elegant solution to other 3rd party notepad software)
-gtalk video
chuday said:
and to answer the op, I too would like to have the listed features applied, but I would categorize them as 'nice to have'.
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I agree, I'm not too inconvenienced by them, but it would make the platform/apps so much neater and more polished. Some of them are really basic though, and you have to wonder that if Google can include some advanced features in an app (for example - layers or the seemingly defunct My Maps in the Maps app) why not quickly complete the basics?
Here's another thing I've been noticing regarding Gmail's Push mechanism. I've subscribed to this thread and another thread for instant notification and I've received a total of 5 replies, so 5 emails. Two of those emails have been delivered instantly to my phone, but the other 3 emails have had delays, the worst one being 11 minutes.
Again, my Gmail account isn't critical, so it doesn't bother me. However it's a feature which I imagine a lot would like perfected.
TT1986 said:
Contacts - Synchronization with Gmail contacts is great, but can't edit Birthdays on an Android phone.
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I absolutely hate how I can't stop it from syncing auto-added contacts, which should be an option to completely disable in Gmail anyway. It's been almost a year since they changed it but Google apparently doesn't bother paying attention to people's complaints.
I did read somewhere that 2.3 is supposed to be heavily focused on improving the stock design and apps. I certainly hope that's true.
TT1986 said:
I agree, I'm not too inconvenienced by them, but it would make the platform/apps so much neater and more polished. Some of them are really basic though, and you have to wonder that if Google can include some advanced features in an app (for example - layers or the seemingly defunct My Maps in the Maps app) why not quickly complete the basics?
Here's another thing I've been noticing regarding Gmail's Push mechanism. I've subscribed to this thread and another thread for instant notification and I've received a total of 5 replies, so 5 emails. Two of those emails have been delivered instantly to my phone, but the other 3 emails have had delays, the worst one being 11 minutes.
Again, my Gmail account isn't critical, so it doesn't bother me. However it's a feature which I imagine a lot would like perfected.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm? Layers and My Maps work in Google Maps... I have a layer of Star*ucks and Kroger Fuel stations and when I need to fuel up (me or the car ) I fire up Maps, turn Layers, My Maps, click the one I need.
I wish Google Maps could do orientation of travel... Navigator does, but sometimes a flat map is just fine.
I think they said Gingerbread would have major cosmetic changes so I think they will improve google apps, overhall the Music app (which has been near enough the same since 1.0) and the messaging app etc etc.
Θmega said:
I absolutely hate how I can't stop it from syncing auto-added contacts, which should be an option to completely disable in Gmail anyway. It's been almost a year since they changed it but Google apparently doesn't bother paying attention to people's complaints.
I did read somewhere that 2.3 is supposed to be heavily focused on improving the stock design and apps. I certainly hope that's true.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try going to contacts.google.com and set your contacts into separate groups (friends/family/etc) and tell the phone to only sync those groups. Lifehacker had a post about this awhile back with better directions
Google Apps are BY FAR the worst, most incomplete, apps I have installed on my phone.
How about the fact that you can't change your "send as" address in Gmail for Android? They gave us that ability at Gmail dot com years and years ago, but there's been an open ticket on adding it to the Android version for over a year with NO response from Google at all.
I HATE how the contacts app automatically merges similar contacts. My dad and I have the same name, so it adds my Facebook account and all of my email addresses to his contact after every sync.
The Google Voice App gives you the options to "Never call with GV", "Always call with GV", "Use GV for international calls", or "Always ask"... Why can't you set the option on a per-contact basis? I wan't to call half the people in my phone book with GV and half without it, but I have to tell it which is which for every single call. I opened a ticket on this months and months ago with NO response from Google.
The list goes on... I just can't believe how long some of these tickets have been open, and how many "+1" responses they have, but Google just ignores them. It really makes me wish they'd release paid versions of their software so that maybe we'd have a voice (nevermind the fact that I gave Google $575 for my Nexus One).
The other frustrating part is that Google's "novelty apps" seem to be more complete than their "productivity apps". Maybe it's because I don't use them every day or because I don't rely on them, but does anybody have any complaints about the My Tracks app? Or Google Goggles?
Anyway, thanks for letting me vent!
Billy
Another one of my rants, regarding the Gallery app: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=738590
harrellj said:
Try going to contacts.google.com and set your contacts into separate groups (friends/family/etc) and tell the phone to only sync those groups.
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Click to collapse
Would you _please_ stop this, it's causing me utter agony
My Samsung Galaxy S is deprived of this functionality by Samsung (!). Groups sync but just don't show... To prove they indeed sync, just create a group in goole with the name "test". Then sync. Group does not appear on phone. Now try to create a group "test" on the phone -> Error "Group name already in use".
Samsung really f... up the contacts management
Customizable snooze times and volume per alarm would be nice.
Is google also responsible for the youtube app? It sucks too ^^
No comments possible for example...
That is def.ly a good topic to debate and I def.ly would say yes they should. It looks like those apps will def.ly be redefined come gingerbread time (3.0). Even the gmail apps is not as defined as it should. At least there should be an unread mail count by default in the app among other things.
TT1986 said:
You're quite right. The absence of an editable mobile app for Google Docs, from Google, is mind-boggling.
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I gotta agree with this. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever.
Gmail: needs the ability to send to a group.
YouTube: needs a setting to tell it what resolution of video to default to. It's a pain to load the video and then select "high quality" every time.
And lets not talk about everything that needs to be done to make the Market app not suck.
I think they should. While Sense is nice (even though I'm not using it lol) I think it would be a lot better if Google's stock UI was much better. There's a lot of rumors going around that Gingerbread has Google focused on a much better user experience so that they don't need things like Sense, MotoBlur, etc...And I hope so. I think Google should stack it's main stock options, and then if people want to be able to add extra stuff by putting on some kind of skin/extra UI then they should have the option. Just my 2 cents
OP you read my mind. I really do think google should spend some time upgrading the overall look and feel of the stock apps. I mean they have added about every feature you can possibly need but some basic things they have seemed to overlook. Especially their music, email, youtube, and other almost daily used apps should be more pleasing to use. But as someone mentioned earlier, their 3.0 gingerbread might sexy things up a bit.
THe HTC desire being my first HTC phone I had never used the sense UI or any of its features previously, so had only had experience with the official facebook for android app from the Market.
Ive just set up facebook for htc sense with the friend stream etc and I'm rather impressed by it. Just wondered what your thoughts are on both these apps? here are mine.
Facebook for Android:
Pros
Has the chat function
Official app from facebook so gets updated (eventually) with new features, although still way behind the iphone app apparently.
Cons
Doesnt allow tagging of photos
Doesnt allow you to remove/delete a post/comment or that you have made or un-like something.
Facebook for HTC Sense
Pros
Allows tagging of photos
Allows multiple upload of photos to albums etc..
Integrates extreemely well with the rest of HTC sense UI, and the phone features such as the people app, gallery etc..
Cons
(most of these are things that I am not 100% sure on, so they are more like a question than a statement)
Not sure if the app gets updated when new features come out on facebook, or being as the app is shipped with the phone is it pretty much that what you get now is what it will always be, and no changes, or do HTC release updates for the sense features?
I dont think the check in feature is available with this?
I also dont think this app allowed you to delete a comment/post, althought I havent tried it yet, if it is possible, how is it done? Same with un-like...
What are you guys thoughts on both of these apps? Which do you prefer out of the 2?
I've been facing this same issue for past 24 hours. I needed batch upload for photos. I assumed, oficial fb app should be able to do that. Well, horse hockey. It's not even able to move photos from album to album or delete album. Before I discovered that Fb for sense is able to do that, I uploaded it via email. All in all, fb app from fb lackes many features, some even included in web version for phones (touch).
well you can always choose between the two, you dint have to just use one
persinally i think sense is amazing! (wish i had it on my sgs2)
the android fb is mediocore, so i use it mainly fir chat.
so i use the facebook mobile site mainly! it has the most info on news feed etc.
I personally still use the m.facebook.com website for facebook interaction on the phone. I found the facebook application a little too limited and clunky.
Although didn't know that it could enable FB chat, until I read the posts above...so thanks.
This way I don't get constant Facebook notifications, but get the ones that I have choosen to get through my FB settings as alerts through new emails. I use both Yahoo and Google mail applications.
I have still enabled Facebook for Sense, so that I still get the status updates, birthdays etc which then add value to my users from Google contacts...
take a look at FriendCaster
Hi all Android and Google user.
Was just curois, since i cant get my head around why Gmail is better. I hear every Google user talk about that so i was kind of wondering why the fuzz is about, with todays standards that is.
Yes, i have a Gmail account, yes i use Live instead. Love the PC services they introduced now witch gives such a nice Outlook feeling (Better according to me) for free.
But i was kind of wondering why everybody is sweet talking so much on Gmail? I see them as 2 services offering the same and cant see why i should switch when i got a well known mail adress sincew many years back.
It´s a hounest question, so plz, no foul mouth talking. This is a thread for trying to get me, and maybe others to understand why Gmail is being regarded as superior, or basicly just better.
So, educate me, maybe you win me over even, who knows.
You don't have to download anything. Gmail works.
Hmmm, kind of short to give anything. Ofcause you dont need to download anything for Live if you dont like. It just works also. But there is some wonderfull tools as a compliment. Just try the Live Hotmail if you like. Think its great.
Anyone else could enlighten me more ?
Gmail is fast, when you have Google account has acces to many sites, like Youtube
Rafal.Sw said:
Gmail is fast, when you have Google account has acces to many sites, like Youtube
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What do you mean by access to many sites? YouTube is a no brainer, but what is the other services?
Live also have access to a lot of services straight away, thats why im asking.
I.e. when you have phone with android you need to have google account, if you want to use Market
gmail quick and clean. havent found anything better.
on hotmail, the default first screen you see when you log in is some kind of advertisement screen with parts of your inbox.
On gmail, the first screen is your inbox - which is exactly what you want to see. Simple.
Threaded conversations on gmail are easier to read and keep track of than individual emails on hotmail.
on hotmail, the default first screen you see when you log in is some kind of advertisement screen with parts of your inbox.
On gmail, the first screen is your inbox - which is exactly what you want to see. Simple.
Threaded conversations on gmail are easier to read and keep track of than individual emails on hotmail.[/QUOTE]
Ahaa, nice points, thnx for the reply. On being fast, do you guys mean ots loading faster or somthing? The threaded thing is only possible with Live Mail on the PC.... i think, never thought about it, mostly use the nice client and there threaded there.
The advertisment i cant agree to on the startscreen for Hotmail. But the Inbox thing is a taste then i belive and maybe the thing maing it more likble to some?
One of the advantages i found with the start screen on Hotmail/Live is that it dedicates to what actully is happeing and from who you got a mail etc , so you can skip going to inbox if you like me have a lot of mails, and just sort through what you have that is new.
Also, you can if you just press your inbox from start screen sort mails from different categorys so you can look and delete FB notifications only directly for example.
Im getting to understand what your saying thouh. You like its just straight in to the mail box, not a mult purpose screen, and maybe other things? Except for the threaded thing that may be clearer to read in your browser, once in your inbox i see no difference between the 2, maybe for me who likes coulors have a bit more graphic ... or am i missing somthing again?
Anyways, included a pic for you to look at what i am meaning, thnx for the input guys, dont stop, keep em coming, slowly starting to get it. More details plz.
Or have we hit the spot here with just various tastes if it goes straight to inbox or a multi purpuse window?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/picture.php?albumid=4275&pictureid=14090
They are both very good, I just started with a gmail account has all my contacts saved google talk/voice google+ youtube marketplace etc but live is equally as good.
Gmail is quick, clean and reliable. Also you will need a google account to access other google services like android, youtube, maps etc so its a good idea to have one.
Other email services are also equally as good so its just a matter of personal preference.
I have been using gmail since it first arrived, and I like it. It is personal preference. I have a yahoo account and that isn't too bad either, and you get access to flickr and yahoo groups with that account. I have used hotmail too and it isn't too bad. I have not used live, but I have used outlook for years at work. Outlook is ok, but I am not able to access all of my email from anywhere on the net with outlook. Not sure about Live. With gmail or any web based email I can get to my email from pretty much anyplace, anytime, anywhere without downloading any application.
Gmail = instant emails + no spam, for me best
Gmail is quick, it has calendar, syncs contacts from your phone without you having to set or download anything and if u accidentally happens to remove all your contacts in the phone, then you have a restore function in gmail/google contacts.
Also Gmail has antispamservers running all the time, Hotmail/windows live mail doesn't (or atleast it seems not) . Gmail is more secure, reliable and user friendly, and combined with all other Google applications they have managed to get everything working together really smooth
I used to be a hotmail junkie too.
Gmail just seems to connect with all my services better.
I use both on a daily basis on my WP7 device, both are good however Live/hotmail has an advantage in the it is better for sending attachments.
Try sending an attachment using gmail with an attachment that is not natively supported by the device, its not there, however with hotmail/live it is. This is particulalry useful when emailing something to yourself (to your device) that you may wish to forward on for someone whjo is using a pc for example.
I once tried to email a cert using gmail, couldn't get it to open/save, however live worked no problem.
Just a small thing and it is purely subjective like many things in this world
lovly to see you taking your time to answer. Fun and intressting reading, and kudos to you typing it up a bit, im pressing the like buttons on you... if you care about it ^^
Mr ace56, since it seems you like to tryout new things, try downloading the new Live Mail thats inc in the Live Essential package and give it a spin, might like it since its free and pretty much a Outlook but better. But you need Win 7 to take full advantage of it. Maybe vista will work to, but any sane person wouldn´t use that =)
Do Gmail have the possibillity to use a client also of some kind?
Agree with a earlier post..... It just works......nuff said!
You are correct, I like trying different software, so I switched from Windows XP to Mac OS in 2009, so I guess I can't try out the Live email.
Integration. I can edit and sync my contacts to phone straight from my gmail account.
Simples.
I'de like to know some of the best things about wp updated.
I'm thinking to try wp, I've already had android and I want to try wp.
I'm thinking about Htc Titan what do you think about this phone?
Nokia is better?
Thanks
WP.
Sent from my TITAN X310e using Board Express
best thing about wmp is that it's not wmp
If you are into Facebook and Twitter, one of the best things is that in the People hub, you can see all the feeds together in one place. And if you want to follow a specific person or persons, you can put that person on your home page and then you will see their updates right in the tile (icon). And for many programs, the connection to Facebook and Twitter is built in and you can easily post things to those places.
It doesnt freeze
It doesn't lag
It doesn't need a reboot for in some cases even a year
It doesn't have malware issues
It doesn't have spyware issues
It remains fast every time you use it (even after a year)
It doesn't need 2-3 cores to run
It isn't heart rippingly expensive
It has Facebook integrated
It has Facebook Chat integrated
It has Windows Live Chat integrated
It has Twitter integrated
It has LinkedIn integrated
It has XBOX games
It has Zune subscription services
It has Office integrated
It has Bing search integrated
It has Bing Maps integrated
It has Music recognition integrated
It has QR-code and barcode reader integrated
It has Skydrive (25GB) cloud storage
It has Live tiles so you dont have to open apps
It has a dedicated camera button
It doesn't "need" custom ROMs
It has excellent handset design choices
It just works!