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[Q] Group SMS

So on my iphone I could have group conversations with 3 other people and it would all be in the same conversation window, I but now, on my one x, when I try this it just sends to everyone individually. It works on my friends droid because he has the verizon messaging app which isn't available to att users (I think)
anyways I was just wondering if there was a simple solution to this (I've tried two 3rd party messaging apps with no luck)

Yeah, you're not gonna be able to get that, AFAIK. The "WhatsApp Messenger" app does this, but that's not actual text messaging, it's an IM app that uses your contacts phone numbers to identify them, and can only message other WhatsApp users.
Just for my own curiosity, when you would do this with your iPhone, would all the other participants be iPhone users? Or would it be a mixed bag of BB/Android/WP7/iPhone?

You should check out the app 'GroupMe'.
Great app that can do either real texting or over the internet messages.
The catch is, you have to message a 'Group number' and GroupMe then forwards that message on to everyone else.
This enables you to add/remove people to a conversation.
You can make these numbers private or public
I'm pretty sure they support every os and you can also just use their website to send messages.
It's all free which is the best part.

This is one of my biggest gripes with Android ICS. My Galaxy Nexus wasn't able to do group SMS either and, coming from an iPhone where I had lots of groups, it's a pain in the ass.
Also, using 3rd party apps that require every other person you want to chat with to also have the app is not a real solution. GroupMe is even worse than the rest b/c if someone EVER had the app (and no longer does) it doesn't recognize that and just doesn't deliver the message at all.

NextNexus said:
This is one of my biggest gripes with Android ICS. My Galaxy Nexus wasn't able to do group SMS either and, coming from an iPhone where I had lots of groups, it's a pain in the ass.
Also, using 3rd party apps that require every other person you want to chat with to also have the app is not a real solution. GroupMe is even worse than the rest b/c if someone EVER had the app (and no longer does) it doesn't recognize that and just doesn't deliver the message at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The awesome thing about GroupMe is you don't need the App at all. You can use their service purely through texting.

[email protected] said:
The awesome thing about GroupMe is you don't need the App at all. You can use their service purely through texting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You didn't read what I wrote. If someone EVER had the app and got rid of it then the app doesn't recognize that and simply doesn't deliver the message at all. This is even worse than simply not being able to message people who don't have the app b/c now the sender has no clue whether their messages were delivered to each recipient.

NextNexus said:
You didn't read what I wrote. If someone EVER had the app and got rid of it then the app doesn't recognize that and simply doesn't deliver the message at all. This is even worse than simply not being able to message people who don't have the app b/c now the sender has no clue whether their messages were delivered to each recipient.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I am not mistaken, If the user changed his settings through the web interface he could set it up to be texting only again.
I have never ran in to this issue personally. When I removed the App from my phone I would still get the messages, just not through texts until I switched the settings.
Sorry for not fully understanding the first time.

[Q} KitKat, Google Voice, Hangouts, and number porting

I recently ported the phone number I’ve had for years to Google Voice so I wouldn’t have to worry about losing my number when switching carriers. I read all the pros and cons about porting to Google and thought I could put up with the drawbacks of using the Google Voice app for texting.
After about two weeks of using Gvoice for texting, I miss the “standard way” of texting with the Android messaging app. Not being able to send or receive MMS is a bigger limitation than I thought it would be. Also, I can’t tell when I’m part of a group text, which several of my friends insist on sending quite often.
On a side note, I am selling my Gnex and so I’m temporarily using an iPhone 4S until my Nexus 5 arrives early next week. Here are my questions:
Is functionality of the Google Voice app for Android any different than the iOS version? That is, will any of my issues be resolved when I switch back to Android on the N5?
I have read Android 4.4 features better integration between Google Voice, Hangouts, and messaging. Will that integration affect texting with Google Voice at all? Do I have the option, for example, of using my Gvoice number with Hangouts or the stock messaging app?
If the answer to 1 and 2 above is “no,” what are my options? Port my number to T-mobile and go back to the “old way” of texting?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

SurlyGnex said:
I recently ported the phone number I’ve had for years to Google Voice so I wouldn’t have to worry about losing my number when switching carriers. I read all the pros and cons about porting to Google and thought I could put up with the drawbacks of using the Google Voice app for texting.
After about two weeks of using Gvoice for texting, I miss the “standard way” of texting with the Android messaging app. Not being able to send or receive MMS is a bigger limitation than I thought it would be. Also, I can’t tell when I’m part of a group text, which several of my friends insist on sending quite often.
On a side note, I am selling my Gnex and so I’m temporarily using an iPhone 4S until my Nexus 5 arrives early next week. Here are my questions:
Is functionality of the Google Voice app for Android any different than the iOS version? That is, will any of my issues be resolved when I switch back to Android on the N5?
I have read Android 4.4 features better integration between Google Voice, Hangouts, and messaging. Will that integration affect texting with Google Voice at all? Do I have the option, for example, of using my Gvoice number with Hangouts or the stock messaging app?
If the answer to 1 and 2 above is “no,” what are my options? Port my number to T-mobile and go back to the “old way” of texting?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in the same boat. Everyone has my Google Voice number. Unfortunately , it STILL isn't integrated with the Stock SMS app aka Hangouts. My Nexus 4 was running Cyanogenmod which did the integration for me automatically and it was perfect. But if you're going to stay on stock, this wont happen until google decides.

I've been looking at porting my number to gvoice as well, but I have a lot of friends that still insist on using MMS when there are tons of better ways these days. That and having to be stuck with the google voice app for texting are the 2 main reasons I'm reluctant on switching to google voice right now. I really hope they integrate all of that really soon.

bilago said:
I'm in the same boat. Everyone has my Google Voice number. Unfortunately , it STILL isn't integrated with the Stock SMS app aka Hangouts. My Nexus 4 was running Cyanogenmod which did the integration for me automatically and it was perfect. But if you're going to stay on stock, this wont happen until google decides.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was planning to root, but didn't realize this integration is standard in CM. Based on your description, it sounds like installing a custom ROM will do the trick. If not, I think I'll be porting my Gvoice number to Tmobile.
Thanks for the replies.

SurlyGnex said:
I was planning to root, but didn't realize this integration is standard in CM. Based on your description, it sounds like installing a custom ROM will do the trick. If not, I think I'll be porting my Gvoice number to Tmobile.
Thanks for the replies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Currently its only supported with full integration on Cyanogenmod, thanks to a nifty app called Voice+ (apk cannot be loaded on another rom, there are dependencies baked in the framework)
This was SMS integration to the Native SMS app on 4.3. Hopefully it still will work with Hangouts.

bilago said:
Currently its only supported with full integration on Cyanogenmod, thanks to a nifty app called Voice+ (apk cannot be loaded on another rom, there are dependencies baked in the framework)
This was SMS integration to the Native SMS app on 4.3. Hopefully it still will work with Hangouts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Has anyone tried Voice+ and Hangouts on 4.4 in CM (or any other custom ROM for that matter)? If so, please post up here and confirm. I would love to keep my number with Google.

SurlyGnex said:
Has anyone tried Voice+ and Hangouts on 4.4 in CM (or any other custom ROM for that matter)? If so, please post up here and confirm. I would love to keep my number with Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Voice+ does not work on any other custom rom. CM11 is currently unofficial so there wont be many users. You may get results by asking on the CM11 thread in the development section of the forums.

I have been using Google Voice as my main line for 1.5 years. The app on the iphone is horrible. Its better on android but still flawed. I wouldn't expect MMS anytime soon. The web interface isn't too bad either.
One thing I do when I want to picture message somebody is upload the image somewhere and then send a link to the image. I do not recommended this for private images though.
Google Voice is pretty much for plain texting and is reliable for plain texting for the most part. Google doesn't seem to care too much about the service being half assed though.
If you could go back to reg texting through T-Mobile I would. I only use GV because it saves me money on not having a text messaging plan through att. Regular texting is much better than Google Voice.
Sent from my Nexus 5

stelv said:
I have been using Google Voice as my main line for 1.5 years. The app on the iphone is horrible. Its better on android but still flawed. I wouldn't expect MMS anytime soon. The web interface isn't too bad either.
One thing I do when I want to picture message somebody is upload the image somewhere and then send a link to the image. I do not recommended this for private images though.
Google Voice is pretty much for plain texting and is reliable for plain texting for the most part. Google doesn't seem to care too much about the service being half assed though.
If you could go back to reg texting through T-Mobile I would. I only use GV because it saves me money on not having a text messaging plan through att. Regular texting is much better than Google Voice.
Sent from my Nexus 5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read in an article (no link handy) that Google Voice is expected to be integrated with Hangouts, much like SMS/messaging was recently integrated with Hangouts, and that MMS support will be added. No date given by Google, but the article said no later than early 2014.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I use my Google Voice number with hangouts. I just link the weird number that Google gives me when I text via Google Voice to that person and use that to text. It's been working fine for almost 2 years now.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I tried on an CM11 kang for d2vzw and it isn't working. I'm looking for fixes right now but no luck so far. I may have to go back to 4.3.1...

Ulver said:
I use my Google Voice number with hangouts. I just link the weird number that Google gives me when I text via Google Voice to that person and use that to text. It's been working fine for almost 2 years now.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I do too. Been using it for about 4 years this way. I've finally converted most of my friends and family to hangouts though. So for me this isn't a huge deal any more.

I've been wondering how much longer text will last? A lot of people I know have dropped it since smartphones are getting so ubiquitous now. Was thinking of doing the same myself. I guess where I'm going is that I was wondering if the seeming lack of concern for voice is based on the fact that it's going to be folded into hangouts and gutted along the way. Rumour has it all the carriers are starting to plan for how to make up for the lost revinues from the death of texting. A lot of free money they were taking in that they're going to miss.

One of the CyanogenMod developers recently fixed voice+, most builds will probably see the changes.
https://plus.google.com/110558071969009568835/posts/9Mg1NYRHL1f
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[Q] Hangouts and IPhone

Does anyone know how to disable SMS from going to the Hangout app on an IPhone? Since I have an Nexus 5 now and all SMS,MMS go through Hangouts. When I send a text to my wife they go to her Hangout app instead of her default messaging.. She doesnt want them to the Hangout app she wants them to go to here regular messaging app like it did on my SGSIII. We have Hangouts so we can be able to video chat when Im at work.

milleirish said:
Does anyone know how to disable SMS from going to the Hangout app on an IPhone? Since I have an Nexus 5 now and all SMS,MMS go through Hangouts. When I send a text to my wife they go to her Hangout app instead of her default messaging.. She doesnt want them to the Hangout app she wants them to go to here regular messaging app like it did on my SGSIII. We have Hangouts so we can be able to video chat when Im at work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't you just use another app for your texting? Handcent is nice. You can probably even find the ole standard Messages app easy enough.

Landara said:
Can't you just use another app for your texting? Handcent is nice. You can probably even find the ole standard Messages app easy enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess I could but I wanted to get the full google experience.. I will keep looking and trying.

milleirish said:
I guess I could but I wanted to get the full google experience.. I will keep looking and trying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know if there is a solution to this, I've been checking a little on google just now, but to no avail.

Landara said:
I don't know if there is a solution to this, I've been checking a little on google just now, but to no avail.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its strange that this issue would even exist. if i use hangouts to message my wife, and she's using the stock android messenger, my texts don't go arrive via the hangouts app on her device. i dont know why it would be different on an iphone. i wonder if its a setting on your wife's iphone hangouts app. you check? the issue is definitely with the app/device on her end. i'll do some looking around.

xBeerdroiDx said:
its strange that this issue would even exist. if i use hangouts to message my wife, and she's using the stock android messenger, my texts don't go arrive via the hangouts app on her device. i dont know why it would be different on an iphone. i wonder if its a setting on your wife's iphone hangouts app. you check? the issue is definitely with the app/device on her end. i'll do some looking around.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My best guess is that this has something to do with iMessaging. But I don't know what or how, if so.

Landara said:
My best guess is that this has something to do with iMessaging.
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Click to collapse
agreed. i kow nothing about apple stuff except that when my wife finally switched from apple devices, it was a total pain in the ass. her phone, even with the sim card out, would intercept her text messages. this prevented her from getting any texts on her android. had to straighten that out. what a joke.
there must be something in her system settings, imessage settings or hangouts, etc. i'd start looking there.

I fixed the problem, I need to text to her number not her email. Email is for hangouts, number is for standard texting on IPhone. Thanks for the help guys.

[Q] MMS in Apps other than Hangouts

Hello all,
For starters, some preliminaries:
ROM: ViperRom 3.2.1
Firmware: Latest (4.4.4)
Kernel, radios: Stock
Has anyone been having trouble with group MMS beyond the Hangouts app? The Hangouts app works like silk when it comes to group MMS - I can send/receive to all my friends (regardless of whether they have a smartphone or cell phone), it can play GIFs within the thread and it doesn't deliver messages at the wrong time (a 5:09pm message gets delivered before a 5:06 pm message). The problem with Hangouts is that it is slow and has odd kinks that drive me insane (when you send a message it doesn't show it unless you exit and reenter the message thread, three second delay to display contact when searching for number). The glaring issue is that it is an app that I simply do not use for it's native purpose - which is to create Hangouts and not use SMS. Nobody I know uses Hangouts, so I only use it for SMS.
I have tried literally every SMS app there is - Handcent, GOSMS, 8SMS, Hello, Textra, ChompSMS, Evolve SMS, Messaging (stock KitKat modified), HTC Messaging.
These apps all have a consistent problem - I cannot communicate with my cell phone friends in group chats. They receive blank messages and cannot read my replies. I've tried modifiying my APN but I am unable to create a new profile in Settings>Networks>APN. This is honestly strange to me because Hangouts works so flawlessly compared to all these other apps. Any suggestions?

genheals said:
Hello all,
For starters, some preliminaries:
ROM: ViperRom 3.2.1
Firmware: Latest (4.4.4)
Kernel, radios: Stock
Has anyone been having trouble with group MMS beyond the Hangouts app? The Hangouts app works like silk when it comes to group MMS - I can send/receive to all my friends (regardless of whether they have a smartphone or cell phone), it can play GIFs within the thread and it doesn't deliver messages at the wrong time (a 5:09pm message gets delivered before a 5:06 pm message). The problem with Hangouts is that it is slow and has odd kinks that drive me insane (when you send a message it doesn't show it unless you exit and reenter the message thread, three second delay to display contact when searching for number). The glaring issue is that it is an app that I simply do not use for it's native purpose - which is to create Hangouts and not use SMS. Nobody I know uses Hangouts, so I only use it for SMS.
I have tried literally every SMS app there is - Handcent, GOSMS, 8SMS, Hello, Textra, ChompSMS, Evolve SMS, Messaging (stock KitKat modified), HTC Messaging.
These apps all have a consistent problem - I cannot communicate with my cell phone friends in group chats. They receive blank messages and cannot read my replies. I've tried modifiying my APN but I am unable to create a new profile in Settings>Networks>APN. This is honestly strange to me because Hangouts works so flawlessly compared to all these other apps. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried Verizon Message+ ? That is what I am using and works well for me. I'm usually not a fan of Verizon Software, but the messaging app has a lot of options and doesn't seam to lag.

jsaxon2 said:
Have you tried Verizon Message+ ? That is what I am using and works well for me. I'm usually not a fan of Verizon Software, but the messaging app has a lot of options and doesn't seam to lag.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried that app. Super clunky, definitely looking for a better alternative.

Interesting.
I have been running Viper also ( until yesterday actually).
I have been using Handcent and group messaging seems to work fine. At least no one has told me otherwise.
I do notice, with Handcent that from time to time SMS/mms messages seem to get hung up for quite a few minutes( see the spinning wheel next to message). I always though that was a network issue. You have me thinking otherwise now..
I have never tried hangouts for SMS. I might give it a whirl.

genheals said:
I tried that app. Super clunky, definitely looking for a better alternative.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Super clunky, okay. That's one way to describe it. lol. But did it work for group messaging? Have you tried a different rom? Viper is an international rom that has changes made for Verizon to work. Maybe there is a setting or library missing from Viper. Have you asked in that thread to see if anyone else has the same issues on Verizon?

jsaxon2 said:
Super clunky, okay. That's one way to describe it. lol. But did it work for group messaging? Have you tried a different rom? Viper is an international rom that has changes made for Verizon to work. Maybe there is a setting or library missing from Viper. Have you asked in that thread to see if anyone else has the same issues on Verizon?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used CleanRom before this...really have no interest in switching ROMs but I see what you mean about it being international. I always had used Hangouts without compliant but it took a serious speed hit when it got updated/I updated to Viper

Tried many of them and constantly been sticking with Textra.

MoNsTeReNeRgY22 said:
Tried many of them and constantly been sticking with Textra.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recently discovered this app. Love it, its like what the new google messaging app should have been.

MoNsTeReNeRgY22 said:
Tried many of them and constantly been sticking with Textra.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 on Textra. I had group messaging problems too until this app. There is an option under settings to use MMS for group messaging. I think it's off by default. Try switching it on and see how it goes. It fixed my probs, particularly when texting to/from iDevices.
Sent from my Gunmetal Grey M8

Does textra have gif support in the message threads?

madzozs said:
Does textra have gif support in the message threads?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like it does. Successfully sent and received one.
Sent from my Gunmetal Grey M8

Textra does not work on Viper, tried that one as well

genheals said:
Textra does not work on Viper, tried that one as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
UPDATE: Some of the issues I have were actually due to me disabling animations in Developer Settings. Once I re-enabled animations, the issues with Hangouts "hanging" at the second to last message, rather then displaying my newly sent message, went away. The app also seems much smoother on the whole. I guess that disabling animations is a bigger detriment than benefit when it comes to Hangouts.
I still have the same group MMS issues in apps other than Hangout (people with basic feature phones only receive blank lines, rather than text). Hangouts remains the only texting app that works flawlessly with group MMS. It's a shame, because Textra is such a beautiful app.

Stock SMS app vs. 3rd party ones on Nougat, pros and cons?

I did the Nougat update, and was wondering the pros or cons of using a third party SMS app. I've used Handcent for very long, and more recently Textra, but I see the stock app is rather good and has many options.
Just looking for feedback, thanks in advance.

I use google messenger. Fast, simple. Can change chat colors.

I'm a big fan of Google Messenger and Yaata. I've always disliked Textra, and I can't stand that the stock client doesn't open links in a browser, but in a preview window.

entropism said:
I'm a big fan of Google Messenger and Yaata. I've always disliked Textra, and I can't stand that the stock client doesn't open links in a browser, but in a preview window.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reading about both, and Google Messenger seems like a good option.

I use Android Messages. Google just changed the name of their messenger app. But I love it because it's fast easy to use and handles everything I need.

Anth0ny229 said:
I use Android Messages. Google just changed the name of their messenger app. But I love it because it's fast easy to use and handles everything I need.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just out of curiosity, does any 3rd party messaging app support texting over WiFi? I know the stock Samsung one does, but would something like Android Messenger or Textra work using T-Mobile? I never knew if this was an app-specific feature or if it was related to the network.

mpeclipse03 said:
Just out of curiosity, does any 3rd party messaging app support texting over WiFi? I know the stock Samsung one does, but would something like Android Messenger or Textra work using T-Mobile? I never knew if this was an app-specific feature or if it was related to the network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some do, but as far as I know it's carrier dependent.
As to my original post, I still haven't decided on an app. Textra was real good on my old phone, so it's either it or Google Messages.

No one mentioned it but I've used Chomp for years. Texting over wifi works 90% of the time. Not sure why it doesn't work all the time but my wife uses the stock app while I use Chomp. Neither of us have any complaints.