I have android s7edge, kids (approx 10 years old) have no phones, but do have ipads. I have been using skype to text/video with them when they are home after school or I run out. I have been frustrated with skype for a while, they never seem to get notified unless I video call them. Now lately they don't even get 90% my text messages even though they can see I'm online, I get their texts, and we can video call.
Looking for an alternative....
-has to work 99.9% reliably
-do not want a trendy/anonymous/dating/whatever app of the week. They imessage & facetime with a few close friends, I don't want to open floodgates of chat apps.
-Hangouts, seems perfect but never really caught on. I'm afraid google will axe it at any moment.
-Allo/Duo-why 2 more freaking apps? If google just would have made one new app to refresh Hangouts.... plenty been said on this topic
-WhatsApp-doesnt work since they don't have phones yet
-buy an iPhone8
-or ????
Thanks in advance!
Related
We're still stuck where we cannot send video or photos over a standard text, I always have to download some alternative that never works to be able to send something that doesn't say there is a max file limit. Like why can't it just send through 3G? I have unlimited data, just so annoying that I have to go to the trouble of uploading the thing somewhere else and then sending a link and then they have to go to the trouble to of doing the same.
What really annoys me is where are text message games? They still don't exist...
There is one game for the PC called Frozen Synapse, it's basically like chess where you send your moves in at the same time and then you see the results. The beauty of it is you can send your move in and someone can do it whenever they want. The game isn't played in real time and then you have games like chess where it is one move and then theirs... like why can't we play these games over text message apps?
I know you can download separate apps but it is such an effort to get someone to play a game that way. It would be so easy and seamless to have it built into where you text, so you can send a text like pick up the milk on the way home but also your move in a turned based game.
I'm just so bored with how the software side of things just isn't innovative, it seems stuck like 5 years in the past.
Cell providers want everyone to use data instead. Back when I had only a basic phone, I used to use Dotgo, which serves some website content over texts. I would use it to get the weather, sports scores, and news headlines. It was actually a pretty nice service and is still around. Smartphones have made a lot of the stuff you describe obsolete.
It would be nice to modernize texting to allow for longer messages, better muitimedia support, etc but with all of the legacy devices out there (especially non smartphones) it wouldn't be easy to implement new features.
might be this a reason
since what all the msg can be counted and while data it cannot be counted that much and also it provides more bucks than the msg
Okay, I've been looking for a good solution and haven't found one yet. I'm hoping some of the creative minds out here in the community can help me out.
I'm from the States, and I'm currently working in China. I'll be here for another 5 months or so. I'm a Nexus devotee, so I've got my Nexus 4 and my Nexus 7 here with me. The N4 goes everywhere with me, and the N7 is more of a couch/bed companion and a travel reader/movie player. I'm trying to find a good integrated messaging solution for communicating both with my colleagues and friends here in China as well as my friends and family back home.
When I first moved here, my plan was for Google Voice to be my solution. I had my cell number ported to Voice, and I have continued to use that for texts, voicemail, and VOIP calls using Groove IP. That has been a pretty handy solution, and it's nice that I can also access my messages when I'm sitting at my laptop through the Chrome extension. There are a couple of downsides to Voice though. The first is that it's kind of a clunky piece of software. It's certainly not sleek, and the syncing between devices can be a little hairy. I haven't figured out how to get a nicely functional inbox either. Google refuses to accept my China Mobile number for some reason, so I have to activate the app by using another friend's US number and then deactivating messages to her phone. Also, my friends and family members who are Apple users complain about the app being really poorly designed on Apple products. They don't actually need it of course (the reason I set it up was so my phone number would continue to work for everyone), but I can't control their end of it.
GChat/Talk is one option that I like quite a bit. It syncs really well between devices, and it's really clean and sleek. One issue I have with it is that, when my internet gets spotty at work (which is far too frequently), a message will sometimes arrive on my N7 at home, and I won't see it until I get home from work later that night. Also, once again, the Apple users hate this option because of the terrible choices on iOS.
In doing some research on some other options, I came across Kik, and I instantly fell in love. It's sleek like Talk with quick messaging, but it's more comprehensive with additional features and a better implementation of read/unread messages. I got it all set up on my N7 and was ready to tell everyone to sign up when I installed it on my N4. I looked at my N7, and I was back at the login screen. I logged in again and saw the screen pop up on my N4. The software does not support multiple devices. That's unfortunately a deal-breaker. Unless they fix that flaw, Kik is out the window.
I'm using mysms right now, and it's got potential, but I'm still not completely sure. I haven't really figured out the best settings to get it most effectively working with my China Mobile number and my Google Voice number. It's not as sleek and fast as Kik or Talk, and I've gotten some complaints from the Apple crowd about it not being very intuitive. But it does sync pretty well between devices, and I can access it easily on my Windows 7 laptop. So far, though, I'm not thrilled with it.
I would like to hear from the community any tricks with settings, additional apps to try, or other creative solutions to this. All ideas are welcome, and I'll be happy to try anything out to see how it works, so please don't be shy about any ideas. Thanks in advance for your help.
Ok, so after having worked with this for a while, I thought it was time to share my findings
I love the idea of a smart watch and a smart phone working together
I've had a Pebble with my iPhone, but for me, there were a few things missing,
YouTube has had some great videos and on the back of these, I've found that the iPhone can in fact do quite a few things with the Gear 2
After first pairing the watch with the iPhone (turn off and then on the Bluetooth option, and then check the box marked 'Make visable', then your iPhone can find the device.
So, with that done:-
Phone calls work between the devices ( find someone with a Samsung device, ensure your contacts etc are on that device, even temporarily, and you'll get your contacts and contact photos on your Gear2)
Notifications unfortunately don't work....BUT, Siri does...kind of!
If the devices are connected and Siri is activated, the sound comes through the Gear speaker.
So, with the new 'Hey Siri' feature, you can activate Siri by speaking into your watch and using it that way.
I find that I can ask Siri to read my text messages, send text messages etc etc etc. now bear in mind, 'hey Siri' only works if there's power to your iPhone, and I have a juice-pack and so my device has power. Yes, a long winded way of using it, but it works for me.
I use my gear 2 for all the fitness elements and heart rate, and it works for me.
Also, The official Google app works through the watch, Google Maps reads out your directions to the gear 2 too.
Now you may say that Apple are making a watch, and you'd be right....but I don't want to pay £300 for a watch!. I was lucky enough to get a mint condition gear2 for £70, and the added bonus is the battery is getting me a good 2 days battery life.
So, if you're interested in having a go, all this also works with the Gear 1 which can be picked up even cheaper.
I'd welcome your comments
Ok....you sold me on it. I too, have and iPhone 5S and was considering a Gear 2.
Nice one
Let me know how it goes
You can, of course, always sell it!
One thing I meant to add was that I use the camera an awful lot too.
Yes, again there's lots said about cameras and mega pixels etc etc blah blah, but, I find it very handy for 'quick' pictures, and the 720p videos cool!
I periodically connect it to my computer to put/change music etc and that's when I drag the pics & videos of it.
They then automatically fly upto to Dropbox ready for distribution whenever I wish.
I use the Dropbox Carousel app for photos ( just can't get on with Apples Photos Cloud thing...it's still too flaky for me), and so I've got pictures wherever I need them!
I was even on the Samsung website today looking at the additional watch bands and picked me up a bargain strap for just £14!!
They have some nice designer ones too
So for me, it's working nicely right now
pglandscapes said:
Nice one
Let me know how it goes
You can, of course, always sell it!
One thing I meant to add was that I use the camera an awful lot too.
Yes, again there's lots said about cameras and mega pixels etc etc blah blah, but, I find it very handy for 'quick' pictures, and the 720p videos cool!
I periodically connect it to my computer to put/change music etc and that's when I drag the pics & videos of it.
They then automatically fly upto to Dropbox ready for distribution whenever I wish.
I use the Dropbox Carousel app for photos ( just can't get on with Apples Photos Cloud thing...it's still too flaky for me), and so I've got pictures wherever I need them!
I was even on the Samsung website today looking at the additional watch bands and picked me up a bargain strap for just £14!!
They have some nice designer ones too
So for me, it's working nicely right now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love it but it is a pain in a way because when I pair it with my iPhone using the bluetooth tap trick, the time zone is always 2 hours ahead of my time zone ( I am in the Eastern Time Zone )
Other than that, besides the limited functionality due to me having an iPhone 5S, I still love it. Hope someone figures out how to make them talk to each other in the near future. :highfive:
Hmmm not sure in the time zone thing
I'm in the UK and all I did was ask someone to pair the gear initially to get the right time
As daft as it may sound, you could always pick up a beat up old S3 to use as a'hub' for your gear..
Well there is always this thread here...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gear-2/help/tizen-mod-3-time-zone-option-t2989414
Maybe we can figure out how to get it working for each other. LOL!!!!!!
Others have said that they have gotten the gear to work with Caller ID with their iPhones but I have not figured it out. Any ideas PG?
Hey guys,
I use Whatsapp pretty heavily and was wondering if you can record whatsapp voice msgs over the Gear 2? I know from what I've read, it was a possibility, however that was an article published a couple months back.
Can anyone give me some insight on that? Also, what other features do you find beneficial? I am on the fence, I am a watch fanatic and wondering if this would be a good purchase for me. My main apps are music for while at the gym (which I use bluetooth headsets anyhow), whatsapp, phone, text, and email. Which, from my understanding the Gear 2 handles all of these things (including phone calls?)
I'm sitting at the checkout screen and considering it, please help me decide! Thank you
My wife bought me one for Christmas, but I was like you, on the fence. I've had it for 5 days now, and I can definitely see the convenience in having it. Although it's early days for tizen development, there is (in my opinion) a bright future for it. Eventually there will be more and more app integration, just like those that adopted android way back in the day, and look where we are now.
The most important thing, in my eyes, to remember is that the gear is infact, a companion to your phone, and not a replacement. Keeping that in mind, together with realistic expectations of what you can do on it, it should be a wonderful experience.
Hope that helps you.
Love it
It's all about personal usage cases!
I have one and after a couple of months, would not be without it.
True, for full on features, you need your phone, but i often use it on its own. Loaded with music for the gym, Notepad ++ for memos etc, S-Alarm for the obvious alarms, calculators, watch faces, sleep monitoring, voice memos,calendars, fitness logging...and not forgetting the camera for those quick shots and videos, this little device really is a device which can be used on it's own!!. None of the above require the phone to use them!
Then of course when you begin to introduce the phone to the watch....even more is possible!
I really hope you're enjoying your new watch and look forward to hearing how you get on with it in the coming weeks
I find the Neo and the 2 have a good basic notification balance and not trying to replace your mobile - for me I like it, but a shame you can only reply template or S Voice to texts and not WhatsApp and email.
I very much doubt there will be any further app integration for us Gear owners.
But I still bought my Gear 2 knowing that
Sent from my SM-G900F using XDA Free mobile app
I'm not a WhatsApp user, but you can definitely reply to emails u using templates
I've added plenty of my own custom template for just this reason, and for me it works well.
I do however use the Samsung email app, and I know that if I received a gmail message, the option to reply using templates isn't available
@Manic9803
Seen your post earlier and seen this Whatsapp for gear 2 in app and themes.
Make sure to Thank the developer.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gear-2/themes-apps/wip-whatsgear-whatsapp-wrist-t2947807
It's a great little gadget...but don,t expect to change your life. It's nice, convinient, you can see "SOME" notifcations, although I wish you could see full notifications and not the stupid "open phone to view". The battery life is great, about 4-5 days on a charge. I def use it many times a day to reject calls (because the speaker is not loud enough to take calls unless you're in a quiet room). There are some useful apps, I can shazam music, use a calculator, use GPS navigation and see my route directly on the watch.
It's an accessory, it's nice to have, but I could def live without it.
Maybe this is just frustration on my part, but I just don't understand why Google doesn't push hangouts more. Just today, my kids are at a friends house and they wanted to video chat, so my friends have an iPhone. They say lets just Facetime, and I tell them I have an Android, so that's not possible. Then I get the, well maybe you should switch then comment. I have them download Hangouts, and then they attempt to give me their email address and they are not getting my Hangout's request. Which just makes them more persistent on saying, see... you wouldn't have this issue if you have an iPhone. Of course they gave me the wrong email address which caused the issue in the first place, and after that was corrected, everything worked pretty much as it should. Only issue right now is on the IOS side with the notification of the video call. Apparently this broke in the latest update. Needless to say, there are a ton of advantages for Google to push this, more so that it is cross-platform and everyone can video chat.
It's the only thing that drives me crazy with Android, (minus updates...) but not enough to make me switch back to IOS. Not that there is anything wrong with IOS, but it isn't for me. UGH!!!
Any thoughts why Google would not want to push this?