[Q]Smart Dialing - Android Software/Hacking General [Developers Only]

Hello guys,
I have a short question for you!
I noticed that in custom roms, developers do not include a smart dialer (with predictive keyboard etc), and when asking about that feature, answers are "download xy apk that do the trick".
However, some manufacturers provide such a feature with their devices, such as HTC with Sense, Samsung with TouchWizz, and... Even ZTE, at least in its Blade. (don't know about other models of that brand)
And I believe (I might be wrong) that ZTE Blade is provided with basic Android OS, no overlayer of any kind.
By the way, the dialer is almost the same than the one in CyanogemMod's roms, as well as the Sony Ericsson devices, and Nexus phones.
Here is my question:
Is it that difficult to implement the smart feature in the phone application, or is just that I represent a tiny minority of users who want that feature, instead of pressing "menu", "research", or scroll down over all the contacts?
(I must say that I know absolutely nothing about development, ... But it's just a question, no animosity! )

I don't know about other ROMs, but I CM7 is basically an ASOP build. The goal is to get as close to the stock android from Google (like on the Nexus phones), so they just use the stock apps.
The manufactures put these special features on their phones (HTC Sense, Motoblur, etc) to try and differentiate their brands of Android each other and get you to buy their phones over the competition.

Thank you for this answer.
I agree with you when you say that CM (for example) get as close as possible to the stock Android, but they also add special functionalities, specific applications etc..
So, why does it seem like it's not possible to add such a basic feature (by basic, I mean "That every smartphone should have, to my opinion" that is the smart dialing?
Is it because it is very difficult to implement to the dialer, or is it something completely different? There are many very talentuous people here on xda, I can't imagine that no one ever succeded, if they tried!

Related

*Generic* Dream ROM

All,
I currently own a stock RC30 UK T-Mobile Dream phone. I have come to terms with the fact that I dont have root access (yet) and have purchased a new ADP1, which hopefully will arrive next year.
When it does finally arrive I plan to make a generic build of RC30/RC8 firmware without all the T-Mobile junk in the ROM (web'n'walk etc) and no default APN's/MMS/etc. I have read through the re-packing sections etc and it seems possible to do without a lot of effort.
My question is; would this be something that other users would be interested in using? If so would you like to see it posted on these forums? Also, please post any comments with any functionality you would like to see added (default apps etc).
i think if you can incorporate new features into the rom such as auto rotate browser or any other tweaks to improve the G1, I'd think it'll be extremely popular. Case in point custom cooked Windows Mobile roms on this forum.
default apps is probably a hit or miss situation. I would stick to the only essentials (ie: Klaxon for alarm clock).
Good idea. We need to start building custom ROM's like all the other WM phones... Here's how I would go about building an Android ROM:
1. Start off with a generic build of android from source. Obviously include all the drivers for the dream.
2. Make a nice, clean skin. If you have knowledge of C/Java, don't be afraid to mess with visual structure of the platform,.
3. Add all the proprietary Google APK's (GMail, Calender, Amazon MP3 etc).
4. Add some 3rd party APK's based on user popularity. (Steel, Power Manager, Locale etc)
5. Add some hacks that require root (auto-rotate, improved tethering functionality)
Yes this will be very interested. All i need is to get bloody root!!! Soon though. Theres alot of smart cookies here
And rework the basic features such as sms's mms's picture viewer. contacts section ( add more input data points. like WM offers )
i guess as any rom you will never please everybody but i agree with "Datruesurfer" steel is a great app.
Onscreen keyboard like in steel or such its not to big and small. but a system wide onscreen keyboard. working in a very dirty industry the onscreen keyboard comes in.
Some other programs i find invaluable and should be an option in the default Android or i at least i really thinks so. are Smspopup, Missed call, Dgaway,Dgprefs, Rings Extender.
Power Manager as well is a good program to help better manage the battery and default network settings.
if there is a way to rework those and remove the default browser and add such options into the android rom itself i would be very pleased.

Gesture Lock / smart Unlock Functionality [Vid Included]

Has anyone heard of this?
Samsung adapted “Gesture Lock” feature, which enables the users to unlock the phone and execute the menu directly as they draw a letter of the alphabet on the screen. Users can set which menu they want to correspond to each letter, from A to Z.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After reading and watching a preview of this technology, I would like this function in my Samsung Galaxy S too.
Even though SGS is the newest phone from Samsung, I heard that they wouldn't have this feature implemented.
Well my question is that is there any way possible to take out from any other Samsung Phones that features this technology and port it into my SGS?
Does anyone know where in the phone does Samsung integrate this feature? (maybe in some specific apk?)
[If we figure this out, we can probably make use to all android phones]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TPCJkxHPDE
As can be seen from this vid, this unlocking feature will take you straight to any applications that you would like.
Thank you.

[Q] Mass Sms with

Hello, I was searching around for the answer but couldn't find it so here I go.
I got a HTC Desire running Android 4.0.3 (The version where the camera "works")
Core version: [email protected]))
Build: ev_bravo-eng 4.0.3 IML74K.eng
Now there are probably many things around this build that isnt done yet BUT the other 4.0.3 builds have had the same issue.
When you want to send out text messages to several people I cant seem to find the button where I can choose from my contacts?
I am able to search for contacs or write theyr names in the "to" section but under no circumstances will my contact list appear.
I know there are applications to download like "goSMS" or "HandcentSMS" but I am picky and I dont like those.
Is there a way to fix this or is this a part of the "under development" stage for 4.0.3?
Other then that I must say that the latest 4.0.3 build is highly unstable and the version without camera was much more stable, but this is going to become a great OS and you guys are doing some great piece of artwork.
Was this a tricky one or is it just me not seeing the "button"?
Vanilla Android doesn't have a bulk sms feature. In fact it doesn't have half the functionality of what a ten year old Nokia would have.
I believe Sense ROMs allow it although i don't know about Touchwiz et al.
That explains alot, thank you for your help.
Though I am running CM9 (beta) atm and thought maby that would have been a feature CM9 had. Its not really an issue more or less just annoying on new years eve and such.

[Q] SM-P900 'Red Underline' Spell Check?

IMPORTANT UPDATE: I HAVE RESOLVED THIS ISSUE BY DOING THE FOLLOWING:
1) Root the SM-P900 using ODIN. (it's a breeze to do - just follow the directions!)
2) Install TWRP recovery and then do a full TWRP backup of your device.
3) Download & Install the new "Hyperdrive Note Pro 12.2 KK RLS1.1" ROM from here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-note-pro-12/development/rom-hyperdrive-kk-rls1-tab-s-t2986949
Follow the directions for installing this ROM very closely. As recommended, FULLY WIPE your device - everything except the external SD card - BEFORE installing the new ROM.
4) Download the AOSP "MAIL" APK and "Exchange Services" APK from here: *SEE NOTES BELOW
http://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/exchange-services/exchange-services-6-2-1158763-apk/
http://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/email/email-6-3-1218562-apk/
These are "Exchange Services 6.2-1158763" and "Email 6.3-1218562", respectively. (These are the last stock, Android versions before the forced upgrade/merge to Gmail)
5) Install (side-load) the Exchange Services APK and then Email APK - from whatever folder you downloaded the files to.
* NOTES:
A) Side-loading is necessary because the Play Store will recognize that you have an SM-P900 and won't allow the install. It has nothing to do with compatibility, but rather agreements made between Samsung and Google (and likely Apple, as well), to prevent you from doing this.
B) Replacing the Samsung Email with AOSP Email is required for a complete fix because the Samsung app seems to side-step the re-enabling of the red-underline spell-check. In other words, your new, working spell check will work nearly everywhere - except inside the stock Samsung Email app!
C) These are NOT the most recent versions of Exchange and Mail, but they are the last ones before GMAIL swallowed MAIL - and I prefer the stock AOSP MAIL. If you install a higher version, you will be forced to 'upgrade' to the GMAIL app during installation. It's up to you, of course.
I'M SURE YOU WILL BE AS HAPPY AS I AM - FINALLY!
PLEASE DONATE TO THE DEVELOPER, sbreen94 - HE'S DONE SOMETHING REALLY GOOD AND INVESTED A LOT OF TIME FOR A VERY ESOTERIC DEVICE - THE P900 - WITH A SMALL USER-BASE.
THE ROM PROVIDES MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN A SPELLING-CORRECTION FIX - THAT'S JUST MY THING. OUT-OF-THE-BOX, THIS ROM IS STOCK TOUCHWIZ - EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE USED TO, INCLUDING FULL S-PEN SUPPORT AND ALL THE SAMSUNG APPS (OR WHICHEVER ONES YOU WANT - YOU CAN CHOISE DURUNG JNSTALL).
HOWEVER, IT 'UNLOCKS' TW AND ALLOWS YOU TO TWEAK MANY VISUAL AND FUNCTIONAL ASPECTS, TO YOUR LIKING. AS THE DEVELOPER SAYS ABOUT THE ROM...
"Touchwiz how I think it should be: The latest Samsung Tab S Software features as well as a Fully Customizable User Interface on the fly as well as excellent performance and battery life."
LASTLY, BE AWARE THAT THIS ROM IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SM-P900 NOTE PRO 12.2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm desperate! I can type faster and with fewer mistakes on my puny, 5-year-old iPhone 3GS than I can on my HUGE Note Pro 12.2 horizontal keyboard. Predictive text is retarded. I'm tired of fighting with auto-replace. All I want is a little red line under each of my misspelled words, like in the old days - before Samsung crippled Android. I've tried Anysoft, Hacker's, Google,... as Gordon Gecko once said, "different dog, same fleas".
I've stock-rooted the tablet with CF. What next? I'll install any mod or keyboard that does this simple thing. I don't care about the warranty, or if the UI ends up looking like Windows 1.0 and sharp pins jump out at every virtual key-press, puncturing my fingertips as I type - just show me the misspelled words before I click 'Send'!
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Pretty sure that apps handle misspelled words like MS Word does using Windows. So you need to find a android word processor that handles spell checking. Maybe someone here has a recommendation for you.
Proper keyboard spelling check....
treetopsranch said:
Pretty sure that apps handle misspelled words like MS Word does using Windows. So you need to find a android word processor that handles spell checking. Maybe someone here has a recommendation for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your timely reply. In the context of a Windows PC, for example, I would wholly agree with you - that spell check is provided by the host application; however, it seems that in the mobile world, a different approach was taken, with the 'keyboard' providing a unified spelling correction that behaved identically within all applications. This is very evident in iOS, and is well documented as a mysteriously disappearing keyboard option ("Underline Misspelled Words") in fairly recent Samsung distributions of Android. KitKat seems to be where the trouble really started, and some claim that this was among the casualties of the Apple-Samsung patent wars. Placing a red line under an unrecognized word, after the spacebar is pressed or navigating away from it, seems well within the means of a keyboard app. That simple red line is all I'm looking for.
Other (non-Samsung) Kitkat devices appear to still have it....
...Owners of HTC devices, running KitKat, claim to still have the 'Underline misspelled words' option in their keyboard options.
No underlines for you!
treetopsranch said:
Pretty sure that apps handle misspelled words like MS Word does using Windows. So you need to find a android word processor that handles spell checking. Maybe someone here has a recommendation for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've always understood that if I failed to ‘fix' this deficiency, I would have to find an email client with its own spelling correction, "like MS Word does using Windows", either utilizing its own dictionary or one of the two already installed in the tablet - stock Samsung or Anysoft.
Last night, I did some research and landed on ‘MailDroid', having a true spell checker among its many other impessive features. So, I installed the ad-paid version to test it out, fully prepared to fork over $22 for the ‘Pro' version. Email is my main concern, so I was getting excited! Installation was a breeze and within 2 or 3 minutes I was up and running with 2 accounts. And, yes, misspelled words were immediately underlined in red!!! Yipppeeeee!!!! Such a feature-rich, $22 app surely comes with its own dictionary, right?
So, just for fun, I disabled WIFI and tried to compose an email, offline. Then I felt something happening around my feet. I looked down and saw a Google API flopping around on the carpet, gasping for air. It was tring to say something, so I got closer and I could hear it muttering "feed me, feed me".
When I bought this tablet 6 months ago, I just expected it to work at least as well as my 5-year-old Apple 3GS. For a couple of months, I just figured that I wasn't understanding something, that I just needed to find that one setting - it was just hiding somewhere in unfamiliar Android territory. Some folks would say things like "No, it's not like that. Just play with the auto-replace and word prediction settings, or try another keyboard." Well, I did all of that and I'm sorry - Apple does a way better job with automatic correction - even identifying and separating words that are both misspelled and conjoined with errantly typed letters from the bottom row! And the few mistakes that do get past this magic are UNDERLINED IN RED! All applications that require text entry enjoy this unified writing tool... and all of it works even in ‘Airplane Mode' - offline!
There are two installed, accessible, LOCAL dictionaries on my tablet - including stock Samsung... Asking why an email client ]needs to go online for a dictionary is entirely rhetorical - especially when Google is involved.
One of the reasons I bought an Android tablet (and ultimately rooted it) - as well as being a protest vote against Apple's authoritarian control over what I do with MY mobile device - was to gain at least some control over unnecessary permissions, personal data leakage and data mining...
But, it feels like there's a trap - or a beaten-down conformist holding a sign that says "That's just the way it is" - everywhere I step. :crying:
WOW! You did a great job explaining this android dictionary stuff to me. I suspect the app 'Maildroid' didn't have a dictionary installed because of memory concerns. Dictionaries take up lots of space in memory. But, Hey, Word had one for XP in the days when we had very little memory on our machines 10 years ago. So that is really no excuse. A major fault for android devices in my book.
swiftkey keyboard app
Phuyuk said:
I'm desperate! I can type faster and with fewer mistakes on my puny, 5-year-old iPhone 3GS than I can on my HUGE Note Pro 12.2 horizontal keyboard. Predictive text is retarded. I'm tired of fighting with auto-replace. All I want is a little red line under each of my misspelled words, like in the old days - before Samsung crippled Android. I've tried Anysoft, Hacker's, Google,... as Gordon Gecko once said, "different dog, same fleas".
I've stock-rooted the tablet with CF. What next? I'll install any mod or keyboard that does this simple thing. I don't care about the warranty, or if the UI ends up looking like Windows 1.0 and sharp pins jump out at every virtual key-press, puncturing my fingertips as I type - just show me the misspelled words before I click 'Send'!
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Swiftkey key board app allows you to use a physical bluetooth key board and still have spell check for the win. AWSOME!!! Get the app at play store for free.
Swiftkey? Are you serious?
samsunggoliath said:
Swiftkey key board app allows you to use a physical bluetooth key board and still have spell check for the win. AWSOME!!! Get the app at play store for free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Swiftkey? You think i haven't already tried that? And adding a physical keyboard - defeating the purpose of having a physically-simple, stand-alone communication device - to this [email protected]!%& top-of-the-line, most-expensive-Android-tablet-in the-world - that I paid over $800 for with a memory card? Really?
I have a better idea: Invest not one more penny in this mistake, cut my losses, and get a different kind of keyboard - one that comes with a screen and does what it was designed to do, correctly.... and I will not have to patch it up with goofy solutions because it will also have Windows or Ubuntu built-in- at no extra cost! Wait a second... I already own one - this isn't going to cost me a cent!
BTW, since I first posted on this topic, I bought - directly from China, a new Android Kitkat phone - made by Foxconn. I had it in 5 days and Including shipping, it cost me less than $200, has a lovely 5" 300ppi screen, quad-core Snapdragon, all of the sensors known to mankind, a decent camera (front and back), and a real FM radio! Oh, and you know what else it has?!? Oh, c'mon... you know what's coming.... AN INTEGRATED, UNIVERSAL, ANDROID SPELLING CHECKER WITH RED LINES UNDER EVERY SPELLING MISTAKE! I don't need to get a keyboard or pay for more software because it already does what it's supposed to do! I can type an error-free paragraph, with confidence, more than twice as fast on that little phone than I can on this overpriced piece of TouchWiz.
And that is the problem - TouchWiz. Samsung lost a lawsuit and quietly crippled the OS with Touchwiz. Sadly, since this tablet is so overpriced to begin with, not many people bought it, not many accessories have been made for it, and more importantly, no front-end, TouchWiz-replacements have been developed for / ported to it as has been done for nearly every other Samsung device.
Like I said in an earlier post... it feels like there's a trap - or a beaten-down conformist holding a sign that says "That's just the way it is" - everywhere I step.
Problem FIXED!!!
Please read the EDITED FIRST POST in this thread.
-

Helping an old-timer

Hi.
As you can see from my profile, I've been a forum member since the days of O2 XDA devices (2007) and I used to flash other folk's home-baked ROMs often to improve the handsets and remove bloatware. As Android improved I found less need to muck about with what the manufacturers provided and my skills, no longer being used, became rusty.
Enough backstory though, I'm here today because I have a need to find a solution that is affecting the handsets we use in my company, and I suspect that flashing a custom ROM may be the solution.
I work for a small company who operate care homes. We use an app to record our notes, actions, medication administration etc. The app is on a 'ruggedised' android smartphone, with a remote management platform looking after our interests by locking down most of the phone's functions. I adminster this platform and manage the handsets and the software we use.
The problem we're experiencing, is that the handsets keep getting 'factory reset'. We're not sure if this is happening maliciously, or is the result of some kind of software incompatability. Disabling the factory reset option in the Android settings doesn't provide enough protection as the handsets can still be 'hard-reset' using the power+vol key combo.
The two handsets we use are:-
Wheatek BV6300
Oukitel WP5
Neither manufacturer is listed on the forum, so I'm hoping they are other devices that have been rebranded.
Questions.
How do I find out if any of the ROMs on the foum are compatible?
If they aren't compatible, how do I go about sourcing a custom ROM?
Any other suggestions/advice greatly appreciated.
TIA
Maybe limit devices to only vetted employees.
and/or
Pen/paper records then transcribed.

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