Related
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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'.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
I've been working on this app for some time. I'm aware of the risks in using non-public API parts eg. Android calendar, but I needed the app features myself and so did many of my friends. So I've published it as a free app on Android market and it's been well received, but every now and then I get another error message. As I don't have any information on the phone or OS in question it's really hard to figure out what could be wrong. I typically test apps on 3 phones that I have readily available (HTC Hero, LG Optimus, SE X10 Mini Pro) and with Android 2.1 & 2.2. It would be great to hear if this app works as it should on your phones and if it breaks where/how it happens.
Your app looks quite useful.
Here's a clickable market link.
Do you mind adding some screenshots to your original post so we can get a better picture (pun intended)?
Edit: In case you don't add pics yourself, I've attached three from your market entry.
Edit 2: Here's the market description (for the lazy)
Android Market Description said:
ClickCal is a perfect blog tool, personal, family and work calendar app that allows you to create events and tasks by taking photos and/or via voice recording. No typing is required to create an event. Snap a photo of a document and save - your event is ready. Use your phones built-in camera to scan your paper invitation, dentist appointment note, screen of an e-mail/web page and your event is ready. You can record a voice message to add to the event as well. Optionally you can select event type, choose the calendar, set date and time, and if you really want to type you can add a description and location.
Adds an icon that allows to quick add an event from the desktop.
Syncs with Google calendar. Note: event images and audio can not be viewed in other calendar applications as they do not support this feature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The background of creating this app is that I got really tired of trying to manage our kitchen bulletin board. Full of paper docs of kids school stuff,sports events & other activities and naturally no sync with phone or other calendars. Typing in the info sounded like a nightmare. So I was thinking how I could get those digitalized easily. ClickCal solves that problem. Later a friend asked how she could handle taking notes of customer meetings while driving back from the meeting. I proposed adding an audio recording feature to ClickCal. Next feature coming up is being able to log the GPS/Wlan -based location with the event.
But I've been having some issues with sporadic error reports coming in - and I can't reproduce the errors as the app works fully on my 3 phones.
I installed it to my epic 4g but will not open, say that i need to setup my google account (which i have) on my phone before using Clickcal???????
Oh, and as a side note, I have featured this nice app on the XDA home page.
I'm getting error messages a couple of times per week. Previously they were usually caused by Motorola having a different calendar provider address. Took me a while to figure out that they changed it back to the standard one when they moved from 2.1->2.2. That was finally solved with ClickCal version 1.6.2.
Samsung with 2.2.1 not working is news to me. The error message is probably caused by the app not finding Samsung's calendar provider. Haven't been able to test on 2.2.1 yet. So there's clearly more to the story. App testing is really the biggest issue with Android - many phones with variable screens and OS-versions.
Thanks for the testing. One step ahead.
Just got an idea: some phones like Samsungs come with the manufacturers own calendar app. They might not be 100% compatible with the Google Android calendar.
Was the test with the pre-installed Samsung calendar or the Google standard one?
Thanks - but a little bit too soon I'm still trying to figure a couple of reported issues.
HTC Thunderbolt, 2.2 Stock
downloaded, installed, opened-- "No Calendars Available. No google calendars were found on your phone. you need to setup your google account on your phone before using ClickCal". application then closes. can't get past that text box.
i have at least 8 Google Calendars & have been using this phone since launch day 3 weeks ago, so my gmail account is setup on the phone successfully & all calendars can be viewed on the phone through the stock Calendar app.
Dev, please fix--i'm pretty curious about this app & its capabilities.
Ok, thx for the feedback. Will work on this over the weekend. I was wondering that the retention rate was pretty low for an app I consider useful. Not wondering anymore if it doesn't even start up on some phones...
Anyway, I'm happy I found this site - without it I'd still be deep in the woods.
If you need note taking with the camera and/or audio recordings, but without the calendaring part I've also published ClickNote on android market. Based on the same principles, but no calendar. I haven't had any issues with ClickNote so far from any users.
The Samsung calendar
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA Premium App
I'm getting the no google calendar message then its exiting too.
On sony Ericsson x10.
Sent from my wolf 2.2 X10i using XDA App
Ugh - Sony Ericsson as well. I've actually developed this app for the SE X10 Mini Pro.
Ok, but based on the feedback on this board and a little more research I think I've discovered the problem. It's due to the manufacturers eg. built-in calendar which is not 100% compatible with the standard Android calendar. Now I can finally fix this issue. I'll develop a check for the calendars on the phone to test that they function correctly with ClickCal. On some phones it will probably mean that ClickCal will only work with the Google calendars.
Here is the logcat from my xperia x10. Hope it helps.
Finally got it! Thx for the X10 logcat output you sent. It showed that ClickCal was considering your phone as having Android 2.1.
Since the calendar provider is different (calendar vs. com.android.calendar) between 2.1 and 2.2 I'm doing a check on the OS version of the phone. Well my nice version string match was against "2.1". I think 2.2.1 might also match this
Just published version ClickCal 1.7 on Android market. Several fixes, but most importantly should work with Androdi 2.2.1 and hopefully Samsung stock calendar setup.
spfoo said:
Just published version ClickCal 1.7 on Android market. Several fixes, but most importantly should work with Androdi 2.2.1 and hopefully Samsung stock calendar setup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't have time to test it fully at the moment but i have installed the update and it recognises the google calendar and appears to work properly. I'll test it over the weekend fully hopefully.
Thanks for your quick response.
Ok i have tested it now ... i have a couple of things.
It only shows the main calendar that i have on my phone, not my holidays or birthdays calendar (these are both listed on the dropdown list at the top) it just doesn't pick up any appointments from them.
Is there a way to get it to add and appointment by long pressing at the correct time? I can't get used to having to go to the top and click new event.
Also can you get it to swipe left and right for next/previous day in the day view and not just the monthly view?
Also i know this is minor but can you move the save button to the bottom of the page? Or change its colour slightly? It is really hard to see.
Other than that i really like the app.
THanks
indesisiv said:
Ok i have tested it now ... i have a couple of things.
It only shows the main calendar that i have on my phone, not my holidays or birthdays calendar (these are both listed on the dropdown list at the top) it just doesn't pick up any appointments from them.
Is there a way to get it to add and appointment by long pressing at the correct time? I can't get used to having to go to the top and click new event.
Also can you get it to swipe left and right for next/previous day in the day view and not just the monthly view?
Also i know this is minor but can you move the save button to the bottom of the page? Or change its colour slightly? It is really hard to see.
Other than that i really like the app.
THanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are those holiday/birthday calendars internal phone calendars or google calendars? If you can do a few selections on these calendars and send me the logcat I can check what's happening.
Long-click to add event is a good idea - was thinking to enable long-click from the monthly view eg long click on a day to add event. But it's trivial to add to the day/agenda views as well. It may be hard to hit the exact right time though - the rows are narrow when there are no events on them.
Swiping to move days back/forward on day view is in the plans.
The Save button is on the bottom on some phones, but not all. Depends on screen sizes. I tried to optimize the view for the smallest screen eg the X10 Mini Pro. Perhaps a good idea would be to make the button full width and change the color?
Thx for the feedback. Will look into those items for the next release. Priority on the missing calendar data.
I have one google account with multiple calendars.
I can see the calendars etc but it only give info from one.
I tried to swap between them here. (logcat added)
Hope this helps
SWBMO has recently got a One S, cracking phone! Noticed something odd last night in that i didn't see new calendar entries she's been putting in. For years we have used a shared calendar on google no problem but with the one S she can only add events to her own google calendar. Although the shared one appears in the drop down it won't select ( PC Sync will )
Quite frustrating, more so as trying to work around it I managed to delete the shared calendar!
Anyone found this?
Had a response from htc support.apparently you can only sync the primary google calendar not secondary ones,.new one on me, our shared calendar has been working fine until now!
The one s will see multiple calendars she just can't add events to others!
I await the next update!
Same issue here. Disappointing that a feature that worked and was heavily used on my 2-year-old Vibrant doesn't work on my brand new One S. I hate to have to buy a replacement app for one that should work as expected, but I can't wait for a fix.
HTC have come back and said it is an interesting issue and they are investigating.
I have done some more testing though. I created a new calendar and shared between our accounts. After sync I can see it in the multi calendar menu in the normal calendar app. When I add an event on her phone I go to the drop down at the top and see it listed.
Select the new calendar and it does go in the right place. But the issue seems to be the field at the top doesn't change from Google to reflect the calendar name so you don't actually know where you are entering it, could be any of the google calendars. They seems to have removed the variable part of that if it's a google calendar.
Don't know if it's the effect of creating the new calendar makes it kind of work or whether it just wasn't obvious before.
I reported a bug to HTC, who kept replying that "you can't add events to Google calendars other than your 'main' Google calendar". Then I did some more digging and figured out the same thing Scoop940 reported: you *can* add events to calendars other than your "main" calendar; the drop-down list just doesn't show the calendar you've selected.
One thing you still can't do, however, is "move" an existing event from one calendar to another. That ability wasn't present on my Vibrant running Froyo either.
Still ongoing with HTC this one, I have now sent endless screen shots from my sensation and wifeys One S to demonstrate the problem. It has now been passed to someone in the HTC Written team whatever that means and they now have the software info from the One S.
At the moment it feels like they are listening just hard to get through to them the problem. Change the static Google name back to a variable showing the calendar name, someone made the assumption that people only use one google calendar.
Will keep updated.
Well been recognised as a fault and escalated, although reading between the lines it says don't hold your breath!.;-)
Sent from my HTC Sensation using XDA
Thanks for the heads up on this. I am also able to create events in other calendars, the app just does not display the currently selected calendar at the top as you mentioned, so it's a pretty simple workaround.
Still, it's a bit annoying and it seems like a relatively easy fix, although I doubt it's high on the priority list.
Scoop940 said:
Well been recognised as a fault and escalated, although reading between the lines it says don't hold your breath!.
Sent from my HTC Sensation using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any movement on this problem yet?
I have been searching all over and have been unable to find a solution to sync google tasks with the stock android calendar app. I am able to sync multiple google calendars.... but not tasks. I can view the tasks on my google calendar via the web, however there is no option for tasks when using the stock android calendar app. Anyone have suggestions for this? Thanks in advance.
there are various tasks apps that sync with google tasks. Astrid is one that I use.
No native app from google at this point.
Jorte works as a calendar and task app and you can have more than 1 task list I believe.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 2
If you want tasks to show in calendar, you have to add them as events rather than Google tasks. This is because they are isolated items from the point of view of Google (I disagree) and this is why the calendar only shows events and not tasks.
If you don't want to install 3rd party software, you will have to go that route.
This is personally what I do too... For some reason android users have this strange fetish for getting apps for everything even though it should be native.
Sent from my I727
I agree that it would be nice if that functionality was built-in.
Another option is Tasks Free by Team Tasks (I'd search the dev in the store, the app title is too vague). Its more bare-bones than Astrid (but I don't have much experience with Astrid). I've only been using it for a couple of days, but it seems good.
Thanks all for the input. ill give astrid a try.
Ugh. This drives me nuts. I don't understand Google's logic on this one. If 'Tasks' are a part of 'Calendar', then they should be accessible in the same way as calendar events. I shouldn't have to have separate apps/widgets to view tasks and events. That's just plain stupid. They are both in my Calendar.
Adding Tasks as an event is annoying at best, and at worst you can't mark them complete or see overdue tasks. Using a shortcut to the web based version doesn't help and is an even worse workaround. No notifications or even a visible homescreen widget? No Thanks.
People recommend Jorte like its the best thing since chocolate and peanut butter. I've tried it twice and it comes off as Windowsy and way more complicated than necessary.
So I am left with a bunch of crummy choices, most of which involve me having to use a 3rd party app. Why can 3rd parties figure this out and not you Google? Thanks.
I hawe same troubles. Now I use CalenGoo - it's so usefull calendar with a task support. It have a separate widget for calendar (very usable and customisable) and for task (so ugly for me) but inside yhe mail application sinchrinise and show task and calendar relativelu good.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using XDA
I started using agenda widget calendar and Astrid and they show up. Not bad....
Krakozawr said:
I hawe same troubles. Now I use CalenGoo - it's so usefull calendar with a task support. It have a separate widget for calendar (very usable and customisable) and for task (so ugly for me) but inside yhe mail application sinchrinise and show task and calendar relativelu good.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, I was having exactly this same problem and your post led me to Calengoo. It perfectly syncs Google Tasks and Google Calendar and both are visible on the same calendar on your android, and both sync instantly to your google account and show up on your desktop google calendar. The widgets are good too.
Cannot believe Google has not implemented this, there are so many posts on their own forums complaining about it all the way back to 2009.
Ok, I just switched from HCT AT&T Tilt II to SGS2 Skyrocket. I went and got Pocket Informant for Android thinking that it would be the same app as with the WM6.5 -- WRONG! I am VERY dependent on having my calendar color-coded for events so I can make plans at a glance. This was great with the WinMo version (and my wife's iPhone, too) but will only show bare month calendar view on Android. Anyone know why? Can anyone suggest a better calendar app?
Below is what I'm looking for from my Tilt II.
(I know this may have been covered somewhere, and I'm still going through threads. But I'm on page 13 of 75+....)
You should make an quick search on Google Play>
Here is the one that I use (Business Calendar Free) is kinda similar to your snapshot:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...=W251bGwsMSwxLDIxMiwibmV0Z2VuaXVzLmJpemNhbCJd
I looked at a kazillion, and was hoping for someone like you, who may have been using one and could recommend. I will try it. Thanks!
...I'm not used to doing the multiple calendars thing, but I guess I'll have to learn.
quote 'Alex Kac - CEO/Founder'
Showing events in Month View grid can be done by enabling Minitext in PI Settings -> Events -> Month View.
Adding event to a day in Month View can be done by using context menu on Month Grid (long tap on a day)
No day coloring though.
I like Jorte ...I know it does multiple calendars & supports Google calendar.
Sent from Tapatalk 2
^^^
This