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Email Client Frustrations and Samsung Response

I am coming from Blackberry and therefore have high standards for email clients. After trying every workaround that I could find from forums, I sent an email to Samsung with my recommendations for future software updates. I am not surprised by the response. On a side note, I fixed the GAL issue by installing "Swift Contacts" from the market but in my opinion all of these features should be out of the box functionality in a modern smartphone especially if iOS has it. I am running Touchdown in parallel right now to see if it is worth the $20 but this phone should do these things stock. Am I crazy for having these expectations?
　
Subject: Email Client
I have had my Captivate for 3.5 weeks. While I love it for many reasons, and besides my major gripe with the GPS performance, I continue to struggle with the email functionality as a past Blackberry user. The stock email client lacks many basic features that Blackberry and iPhone have. Is there any plan to fix the following basic Smartphone/Activesync functionality in an upcoming software update?
- GAL support (global address list)
- Cut/Copy/Paste
- Move email between folders
- Meeting request Accept/Tentative/Decline w/ or w/o message
- Syncronized draft folder w/ exchange
- Create calendar appt. and choose'show time as' free/busy/tentative/out of office.
If there is a way to do any of these thing now, I would appreciate the instructions. Otherwise will these be addressed in future software releases? I am debating switching back to Blackberry really want to make this phone work for me!
Samsung Response:
Thank you for your inquiry. Unfortunately, we are unable to speculate when/if a software revision with this feature might be available due to the fact that this might lead to inaccurate information and confusion.
Please feel free to check back with us periodically for updates. We hope that you will allow us another opportunity to serve you.
Should you desire additional assistance resolving this, we invite you to call Samsung Customer Support by phone at our toll free number 1-888-987-4357 between the hours 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday, Central Standard Time.
Sincerely,
Samsung Technical Support

- Meeting request Accept/Tentative/Decline w/ or w/o message
- Syncronized draft folder w/ exchange
- Create calendar appt. and choose'show time as' free/busy/tentative/out of office.
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Click to collapse
I'm sure there's an app out there for this stuff, but android is not a business oriented client and as such these are not things "normal" users would need.
I use the gmail app that came on the phone and it has cut copy and paste.
you'll have to define GAL, again the gmail client has access to all your gmail contacts, which is everyone I know since you can easily sync all your contacts with gmail (even phone numbers)
again, a gmail user, but gmail doesn't really have folders it has labels, which is more or less the same from the users point of view, and this can be done, moving labels...
apps are your friend, search appbrain for the things you need, ex: http://www.appbrain.com/search?q=exchange
hope some of that helps

I'm sure there's an app out there for this stuff, but android is not a business oriented client and as such these are not things "normal" users would need.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for your feedback but I do not accept that Android is not business oriented and only for "normal" users. Many companies that are not on AT&T and therefore can't get an iPhone are allowing android phones form Verizon and others. iPhone can do all of these things and many other Android phones have much more client email functionality. For some reason this Samsung version is hobbled. If Android is going to succeed and eventually dominate in the market any new phone platform must have basic business functionality that is expected with any Exchange implementation using Activesync. If an app like Touchdown can do these things then the stock client should be able to. For Android to win it must work for both business and "normal" consumers.
Also, how do you have cut and paste in gmail? Are you rooted? I do't have it and have read many threads complaining about the lack of this feature.

A couple corrections:
1. cut/paste is there and pretty easy to use - if using the samsung keyboard, tap and hold the 123 key. Viola, you get a directional pad with cut/paste functions, that works very well.
2. GAL is available when composing an email. instead of typing a name, hit the search button near the name box; this will search the server - downside; you only get email address, not phone numbers
3. you missed my biggest annoyance: not being able to dial a phone number in a calendar invite/meeting - phone numbers and urls are not recognized as links. You have to "edit" then copy paste.
These are not android deficiencies, they are Samsung's. Other android phones do not have these problems. So hopefully a 2.1 update, or 2.2 will fix all this. If not we should have some Vanilla (Plain Android) Roms to use in the near future.

orb_526 said:
Thanks for your feedback but I do not accept that Android is not business oriented and only for "normal" users. Many companies that are not on AT&T and therefore can't get an iPhone are allowing android phones form Verizon and others. iPhone can do all of these things and many other Android phones have much more client email functionality. For some reason this Samsung version is hobbled. If Android is going to succeed and eventually dominate in the market any new phone platform must have basic business functionality that is expected with any Exchange implementation using Activesync. If an app like Touchdown can do these things then the stock client should be able to. For Android to win it must work for both business and "normal" consumers.
Also, how do you have cut and paste in gmail? Are you rooted? I do't have it and have read many threads complaining about the lack of this feature.
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I am rooted but I doubt that is it, I am running the jh2 update, that may be it, but if I tap and hold,i get the option to cut, copy, and paste. As mentioned above hitting 123 also works, and if you're using swype tap the swype key and swype right, to the "sym" button to get the same thing.
As for the other androids that are more business oriented, they just have different apps, which is why android is awesome, I don't want your features, and you don't want mine, so we just download different apps, and everyone is happy.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

screwyluie said:
I am rooted but I doubt that is it, I am running the jh2 update, that may be it, but if I tap and hold,i get the option to cut, copy, and paste. As mentioned above hitting 123 also works, and if you're using swype tap the swype key and swype right, to the "sym" button to get the same thing.
As for the other androids that are more business oriented, they just have different apps, which is why android is awesome, I don't want your features, and you don't want mine, so we just download different apps, and everyone is happy.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
If you are rooted and on JH2 then I would classify you as a super users. I understand all of your points and this is why Android is so great! But I am also very invested in Android now and want it to be successful in the market for the benefit of all users. A large majority of users are not power users. Buy an iPhone or a Blackberry or even another Android phone and these basic Corporate Exchange features are working out of the box. Most people do not have the skill or patience to try multiple apps until they find one that works. And most people do not want to spend more money to make their phone do the most basic functions. The Captivate is the only Android phone on AT&T that most corporate users would consider. Even if you don't want or need these features, many will, and it is Samsung not Google that messed up. Samsung should provide this high level device with the features to make it competitive out of the box. These basic features would not deter or impact the non-corporate user in any way so why not include them?
Do you have the "Copy Paste It" app installed? I even tried again and I do not have Copy/Paste in Gmail. What I mean is I cannot copy and paste from the quoted text. I can from the text I am adding. I know how to use the keyboard text select features. If I am missing something I would love to be corrected and figure this thing out!

These basic features would not deter or impact the non-corporate user in any way so why not include them?
Do you have the "Copy Paste It" app installed? I even tried again and I do not have Copy/Paste in Gmail. What I mean is I cannot copy and paste from the quoted text. I can from the text I am adding. I know how to use the keyboard text select features. If I am missing something I would love to be corrected and figure this thing out!
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Click to collapse
I would blame att as much as samsung.. perhaps if att had more android phones instead of sticking with the iphone, we would have corporate android.... as it stands I'm just happy we have a high end android at all.
as for copying, no i can not copy from the quoted text, you are correct

alphadog00 said:
A couple corrections:
1. cut/paste is there and pretty easy to use - if using the samsung keyboard, tap and hold the 123 key. Viola, you get a directional pad with cut/paste functions, that works very well.
2. GAL is available when composing an email. instead of typing a name, hit the search button near the name box; this will search the server - downside; you only get email address, not phone numbers
3. you missed my biggest annoyance: not being able to dial a phone number in a calendar invite/meeting - phone numbers and urls are not recognized as links. You have to "edit" then copy paste.
These are not android deficiencies, they are Samsung's. Other android phones do not have these problems. So hopefully a 2.1 update, or 2.2 will fix all this. If not we should have some Vanilla (Plain Android) Roms to use in the near future.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. It is not possible to cut/copy/paste from the quoted text. This is the whole point for me. If somebody sends me an email with information, sometimes I want to copy a subset of that information into another email or app. That is not possible with either the stock email client or gmail.
2. For some reason GAL was not working for me out of the box and believe me I tried mutlitple times. I tried installing Swift Contacts and all of the sudden it worked. I can explain it but at least it works. Too bad it does not show the phone number.
3. I had not noticed this before but now that I have, I have another thing to be frustrated about. Thanks
Hopefully Samsung fixes these issues in an upcoming build otherwise I will be rooting for sure.

[Q] How to deal with user profiles on Android tablet?

An Android smartphone is personal (like your wallet). My Android phone goes where I go, it's mine, I don't pass it around or keep at least one eyeball locked on it if I do. It's like an expensive watch which I protect physically.
While I'm waiting for my Adam tablet I keep wondering: How will I manage it? A tablet really seems more of a family device. I'll pass it around, it may spend most of its time in the living room, like a magazine or a book, ready to be picked up by everyone: Kids, in-laws, visitors.
Chances are, I'll leave it at home to be torn apart by kids and wife, when I drive to work: I already carry my smartphone and my laptop. I might take it along for a business trip, just like a book or a DVD, but when I leave the hotel room for lunch, it will be left behind, while my smartphone will tag along, hopefully sync'ed with all the latest restaurant and sight-seeing info, street map data and e-mails I just collected on the tablet before leaving.
There are issues of personalization, privacy and data/application synchronisation and I wonder what the Android philosophy is in these cases:
1. Do they support the notion of user profiles, preferences, private data, credentials, so regular users of an Android device can have their "own" view on it? While I would want to show off my cool new gadget to just about everyone, I wouldn't want them to browse my e-mails or flip through my browser bookmarks.
2. Is there any idea on synchronizing more than just a minimal set of data manually between an Android smartphone and an Android tablet? Perhaps with a cloud as intermediary?
3. Can private data be encrypted and protected? Actually I'd want the tabelt to detect the presense of my smartphone and serve as a smartphone extender when it does. It could mean things like easy-lock up (unless somebody else is using the device), automatic sync'ing or auto-mounting smartphone storage/data/applications. It should still open up, when my smartphone is not present, using perhaps a somewhat more extensive authentication procedure. But without some kind of authentication all my personal data must be safe and encrypted from any prying eye.

there's a how to
There are instructions on how to set up encrypted user profiles. I'm using it on my Nook Color. xda-developers won't let me post the link because I'm a new member. Go to LTRConsulting dot com and click on the howto link.

try the app switchme

Apps My wife wants

Hi There!
My wife, a doctor who is still studying, is wondering if there is a way she can use her new android phone to take better quality notes at lectures. Previously she was using a WM65 with Word, and taking text notes, but it was not possible or very difficult to add diagrams, or highlight important words, or draw arrows to particular things. Is there a great quality app that handles taking notes easier? Happy to pay.
Secondly, she has a forerunner watch which won't download her running data such as the track she ran, average speed, etc. Can she use her phone for that data collection and find a nice app to transfer it to her PC to view in a usable format?
We are also lastly looking for a cross platform (Windows 7, Android) shopping list application. Happy to pay, but would prefer one off cost. Needs to be simple and able to be shared across 3 devices nicely.

I think Evernote could do the first and last thing, taking notes, with schemes (maybe, not sure) and make a shopping list, which is cross platform, since you make an account on Evernote's site, and you have the Windows' program and the Android application to keep track, and it's off cost up to a certain storage
Hope I've been of help, just look for Evernote on google!

Hoccer for easier file sharing

hi fellow dev's,
i would like to recommend an app which made my life so easier.
Data sharing simplified: Drag or throw any data to other devices
Share your pictures, music, contacts, bookmarks, messages and arbitrary files with simple gestures like dragging or throw n' catch to near by recipients. No setup, no user accounts!
Instantly transmit things between your phone and other Androids, iPhones or our Web App at http://webapp.hoccer.com. There is also http://wall.hoccer.com which will show all pictures you throw at this website.
It feels like NFC connectivity but does not require special hardware. Any kind of internet connection is sufficient.
The technology behind Hoccer is called Linccer and can seamlessly be embedded in other Apps to enable spontaneous connections between near by devices.
Happy sharing..
market link is here: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.artcom.hoccer&hl=en

Wrong forum. Should be on "Android apps and games", this isn't specific for the SGS2.

[Q] Android M has arrived: here's what you need to know

The Android M developer preview was launched today at Google I/O 2015 in San Francisco. Sundar Pichai, senior vice president of products at Google, introduced the conference and said that the company had "gone back to basics" with the new version of Android. While Android Lollipop introduced a brand new design and aesthetic, Android M is bringing some much-needed stability and usability improvements, which might not be as immediately arresting, but may prove to be significant long-term additions.
Dave Burke, vice president of engineering at Google, followed Pichai on stage to outline six of the major new features you can expect to see in Android M.
Which phones will get the Android M update first?
1. App permissions
First up, app permissions. As had previously been speculated, app permissions have been overhauled in Android M, with users now being able to choose to accept or deny individual permissions as they see fit. Permissions have also been simplified.
Permissions will now be requested the first time you try to use a feature, not at the point of installation. "You don't have to agree to permissions that don't make sense to you," Burke said, and used WhatsApp to give an example of how this works.
If you want to record a voice message, WhatsApp will prompt you with a one-time request for permission to use your mic: if you still wish to give it access and record the message, you can, but you don't have to. Android M is giving users greater control of the information apps can access, and this is a truly positive step forward for Android.
You can modify the permissions granted to apps at a later date in your Settings, or you can view permissions by type and see which apps have that permission granted. It's all about giving the user complete control over their Android.
2. Web experience
Google has been exploring trends in the way web content is consumed to provide a better user-experience when interacting with websites and apps. "Chrome Custom Tabs is a new feature that gives developers a way to harness all of Chrome's capabilities, while still keeping control of the look and feel of the experience," said Burke.
Chrome Custom Tabs will allow apps to open a customized Chrome window on top of the active app, instead of launching the Chrome app separately. This will provide a faster and more intuitive user-experience when navigating between apps and the web.
Chrome Custom Tabs supports automatic sign-in, saved passwords, autofill, and multi-process security to assist the integration of the app and web experience. So, for example, a Pinterest custom tab will have a Pinterest share button embedded in it, can include custom overflow menu options and doesn't require the Pinterest developers to build their own web browser.
3. Fingerprint support
Google will "standardize support" for fingerprint scanners on phones running Android M. The new functionality will allow fingerprint scanners to be used not only to unlock phones, but to make purchases shopping in real-life or within Play Store apps.
Of course, your device will need a hardware fingerprint scanner to begin with, but with Google's full support, expect to see these appear on many more devices in the future.
4. Mobile payments
Android Pay is Google's new mobile payments system designed to make the checkout process easier and faster. Google is aiming to provide "simplicity, security, and choice," with Android Pay, allowing you to use your existing credit cards to pay for products in more than 700,000 stores in the US.
Compatible with any device housing NFC capabilities (and running 4.4 KitKat or above), the Android Pay platform is being supported by American Express, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, as well as carriers such as AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Google's response to Apple pay is here.
5. App links
"When a user selects a weblink from somewhere, Android doesn't know whether to show it in a web-browser, or some other app that claims support for the link," this was the problem facing the Google developers before Android M.
You may be familiar with the "Open with" dialogue box which appears when you try to open a link within an app on Android. You might be asked if you want to open a link with YouTube, or with Chrome, for example.
App links are being changed in M so that Android has a greater awareness of which apps can open content directly, instead of stopping users every time with the dialog box. If you tap a Twitter link in an email, for example, the Twitter app will open automatically instead of prompting you to ask if you want to use Twitter to view it.
This is almost a blink-and-you'll-miss-it improvement, but it's representative of Google's attention to detail: Android M is probably going to feel more usable without the user ever understanding why.
6. Power and charging
Android M makes use of a new function known as Doze to improve device standby time. By using motion detectors, Android will recognize when devices haven’t been interacted with for a while, such as when a person is asleep or a device has been left on a table, to reduce background processes.
Burke said that Google tested two Nexus 9 devices, one running Lollipop and one running the Android M preview, and learned that M will provide up to two-times longer standby time. Even in Doze mode, your Android can still start alarms or notify you of priority notifications.
Android M also supports USB Type-C which provides faster charging, and lets users charge other devices with their phone.
Android M release date
The Android M Developer Preview is available today for Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and Nexus Player, and the final version is due to launch in Q3, 2015.
What else is in new in Android M?
Auto Backup and Restore for Apps
Possibly the most interesting aspect of Android M not discussed in Google’s I/O keynote speech was Android Auto Backup and Restore for Apps. This feature will be used in conjunction with Google Drive to automatically backup app data and settings with a file size of 25 MB or less.
These backups occur no more than once per day, and run only when the device is idle and connected to Wi-Fi and power. The uploaded data does not count towards your Google Drive storage quota, and is encrypted.
If you lose your device or delete the app, your previous progress will be restored the next time you install it, and it even works with apps which are side-loaded or accessed through a third-party app store.
New app drawer
One of the most immediately noticeable visual changes to Android M is the new app drawer. This now scrolls vertically instead of horizontally, and is held against a white background, rather than a muted shade of your homepage wallpaper. Across the top of the menu you will see your four most recently used apps, and down the left-hand side are the letters of the alphabet.
Android M RAM manager
Google has introduced a new RAM manager to Android M with the aim of providing users with more accurate and comprehensible information regarding the maximum and average RAM usage of apps.
The menu can be found in Settings > Apps > Options (three dots button) > Advanced > Memory. Though it's a little hard to navigate to, the page offers a far clearer insight into app demands, and the overall effect they will have on your device.
With a reading of an individual app's RAM consumption, as well as how often it is running in the background, users will be able to better determine which apps should be removed in endless bid to increase device performance and battery life.
Android M even includes a simple bar at the top of the page displaying the current performance status of a person's handset; if it says "good performance", you're likely running an efficient set of apps.
Adoptable Storage Devices
Though Google has in the past tried to step away from external storage use (the reason why none of its Nexus devices house a microSD card slot), it appears that Android M is striking a compromise.
Adoptable Storage Devices is Google's new storage feature which essentially takes an external storage source (such as an SD card or USB drive) and formats it like an internal storage space. This means that app and personal data can be moved freely between a devices internal storage and its "adopted" storage source.
Adopted storage devices are wrapped in a layer of encryption to soothe security concerns and both microSD cards and USB OTG drives are currently supported.
Google Now
Google Now has been improved upon once again in Android M. Focusing on three key ares: being aware of different contexts, providing answers and helping you take action, Google Now is now smarter than ever.
Google Now's context awareness understand over 100 million different places, so when you ask ''How far is it to there?'' Google Now know exactly which ''there'' you're referring to. This awareness is compounded by Google's Knowledge Graph, which understands one billion different entities, from sports teams to gas stations, TV shows to recipes.
Google Now is also rolling out a pilot program called ''Now on Tap'' with 100 popular apps. Now on Tap provides Google Now-like content right where you are, without having to leave the app you're in. So if you're in Spotify and say ''Ok Google, what is his real name?'' Now on Tap will know you're talking about the musician you're listening to and provide search results right there an then.
The same goes for content in emails. If someone asks you a question about a restaurant and to not forget something on your way home, Now on Tap can automatically pop up a restaurant card with Maps info, Yelp, OpenTable and the dialer, as well as offer to set a reminder for whatever it was you were supposed to not forget.
Google Chrome
Chrome is also leaner and faster than ever before. Initially revamped with Android One devices in mind, where stable and speedy internet connections are not always possible, Chrome's new optimizations are set to arrive for everyone.
Chrome is now aware of network strength and can modify what you see as a result. For example, if your connection is bad, you might see colored squares rather than preview images in Search results. Optimized web pages will load four times faster and use 80 percent fewer bytes. You'll also see a memory usage reduction of up to 80 MB. Chrome will also support offline mode.
Google Photos
As expected, Google pulled the wraps off its new Google Photos service. Previously a part of Google+, Google Photos is now standalone photo and video storage and sharing service that provides unlimited free storage for up to 16 MP photos and 1080p video. That is seriously impressive.
The Google Photos service stores high-quality compressed versions of your photos and movies but doesn't store anything on your device, so you can search through thousands of photos at high speed and without bogging your device down with gigabytes of photos.
Popular features like Auto-Awesome and Stories are a key highlight, accessible through a new Assistant feature, which will automatically suggest creative uses of your images and footage. Through simple pinch gestures you can see tiled images for particular days, weeks, months or even years and then zoom right back in at any point you like.
Google Photos is also powerful for search, as you'd expect. You can search by People, Places, Things and Types, which are all automatically created, and you can drill down in each of those categories to see, for example, every picture you have of a particular person, all without ever tagging them.
Sharing is also a breeze. You don't even need you contacts to have the Google Photos app. You can simply share a link that they can view in Chrome. If they are logged in they can easily download an entire album in seconds.
Are you impressed by what Google has been up to in Android M? What would you have liked to have seen?

First off, if you're going to copy & paste something from another Android site, it helps to at least give credit to the original writer of the article (I have supplied a link to the original article below). Second, please post in the correct forum. The Apps & Games forum is the wrong place for this sort of post.
http://www.androidpit.com/android-m-release-date-news-features-name
Thread closed.