Database Info

Vlingo Beta (Voice Typing)

Just received an email with the Vlingo beta apk. I have not tried it yet but since this forum has helped me a ton, I figured I might be able to return the favor. Below are the instructions directly from the email:
Installing Vlingo for Android
1. Check the Unknown Sources item in Settings > Applications
This is required since Vlingo is not yet in the Android Market
Unknown apps screen
2. Open the Browser and browse to *********
NOTE: Please do not share this link with anyone else
3. When the file is finished downloading click on it and then click the Install button
4. Click the Open button when you see the Application Installed message
Add Vlingo to your Home Screen
1. Press and hold in an empty space on your home screen
2. Click Widgets (or sometimes it will be called Android Widgets)
Pick widget
3. Scroll down and click Vlingo
Add Vlingo to your keyboard
Speak anywhere you can type
1. Open Settings > Language & Keyboard
2. Check Vlingo Keyboard
Enable keyboard
3. Press and hold in any text box on your phone and click Input Method
4. Click on Vlingo Keyboard
Setup keyboard
5. You can now press the microphone icon (Speak button) to speak to any text box.
Known Issues
* Vlingo requires Android version 2.0 or higher to work
* While Vlingo should work on most Android 2.0+ devices, Vlingo has only been fully tested on the Google Nexus One and the Verizon Droid

Thanks!
This is a really great App. I really missed not having this when I switched over from the iphone.
.

you are aware that the default AOSP keyboard has this option right? as well as the newest HTC ime keyboard?, and the latest better keyboard?

dmc971989 said:
you are aware that the default AOSP keyboard has this option right? as well as the newest HTC ime keyboard?, and the latest better keyboard?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the default keyboard does do text to type, but Vlingo lets you open apps, call people and a lot more stuff. It is pretty cool.

The Vlingo voice recognition seems to work better and faster then the stock stuff.
What I really like is the voice search widget, it works really well. You can use commands like "find wal mart in Denver Colorado" and it will give you all the results on a map with details and you can call etc.
Works better then the other apps available IMO.
.

jpeepers said:
What I really like is the voice search widget, it works really well. You can use commands like "find wal mart in Denver Colorado" and it will give you all the results on a map with details and you can call etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The voice search that's built into the navigator app does that as well. I can say "Navigate to Wal Mart", it brings me up a list of Wal Marts in the area, and fires up google navigation to guide me there. It's also location aware, so if I simply do a voice search on "Marriott", it brings up the google result for the nearest Marriott hotel to my current location.
Another cool little app is Choice Dialer. It's very good at voice dialing, but it also lets you do things like "Schedule an event for next Wednesday at 2 PM", or "Play music by Motley Crue"....
Definitely going to give this app a try. It'll take A LOT to get me to give up Swype as my regular keyboard.
Regardless of whether I end up using this particular app or not, with all the laws being passed about cell phone use while driving, voice recognition is no longer just a "neat toy", it's becoming a necessity. So I applaud anyone and everyone who is working to advance the state of the art in this field.

I have not been able to install it. They don't specify if there is an Android version requirement, which I am guessing there is. I am running 1.5.
Ceger

Ceger said:
I have not been able to install it. They don't specify if there is an Android version requirement, which I am guessing there is. I am running 1.5.
Ceger
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Says right in the OP that it requires Android 2.0 or higher.

subliminalurge said:
Definitely going to give this app a try. It'll take A LOT to get me to give up Swype as my regular keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 to that. I love Swype. Best app I have dled by far!

Finally got a chance to play around with this app this morning.
Observations so far... The keyboard seems pretty good, although I won't be replacing Swype with it. Voice accuracy seems solid. It doesn't handle "Navigate to" very well. If I say "Navigate to Wal Mart" it just brings up nearby wal marts in google maps. On the built in voice search, it fires up navigation and handles the request properly. Given that this is still a beta, it could be that they just haven't tweaked it to take advantage of Android's capabilities yet.
Seems about the same speed as google's voice search.
But now the deal breaker. I've been getting frequent "unable to connect to server" errors this morning. I've verified that my data connection is working fine. This may be a beta, but they have versions for other handsets that are in production, so the beta thing is no excuse for their servers being down.
All things considered, this seems like a solid effort, but I don't see where it brings very many advantages to the table in comparison to the built in voice search. And if their servers aren't reliable, I can't really justify putting it into daily use no matter how good it is.

swype keyboard for life, but this vlingo could go somewhere, my only problem is, it didnt give me the widget.
i uninstalled and re-installed. nothing.

keyofhappy said:
swype keyboard for life, but this vlingo could go somewhere, my only problem is, it didnt give me the widget.
i uninstalled and re-installed. nothing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's odd. The widget's working fine for me.
In truth, it doesn't really add much. You can get nearly the same result by just putting the app icon on your home screen. The widget does eliminate one extra button press, but for some unknown reason they made it 4 spaces wide.
Not enough functionality to justify losing that much screen real estate, IMHO.
EDIT: Ah, you can set it to come up when you long press the search button. Accomplishes the same thing as the widget, and doesn't use up 4 spaces on your screen.

Ooh, another annoyance...
They use yahoo rather than google for searches. No place to change it in the settings.

Another observation...
Google's voice recognition cuts me off after a fairly short time. Vlingo has let me compose some pretty lengthy emails all at one shot, whereas creating the same message with the stock voice recognition required me to do it in 4 or 5 chunks.
This almost makes writing email on my phone easier than my desktop with the full sized keyboard.

Do you have to be using it as the keyboard, or can it be used as a stand alone talk to text, or for opening programs and what not?

Negrito said:
Do you have to be using it as the keyboard, or can it be used as a stand alone talk to text, or for opening programs and what not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You do not have to use the keyboard part of it. Everything else will work just the same without using its keyboard.
Mike

crazymike1234 said:
2. Open the Browser and browse to *********
NOTE: Please do not share this link with anyone else
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol nice
10chars

regaw_leinad said:
lol nice
10chars
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey...It said do not share the link. It didn't say anything about the file
Mike

Yet another feature of Android that is only in webs' wet dreams. After overall year after announcement, still no API's for the mic, amazing.

crazymike1234 said:
You do not have to use the keyboard part of it. Everything else will work just the same without using its keyboard.
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool. Got it installed and played with it a bit. Me likey! Thanks for sharing.

Bing Maps needs a directional arrow.

One pretty poor thing about Bing Maps.
I was in London for only the second time today, interview. I had no idea where I was going and had to rely on Bing Maps to get me there. Unfortunately there's no arrow to show which direction you're moving in.
This is pretty bad, or maybe I just got used to it in Google Maps. About 3 times I had to turn around because I was heading in the wrong direction and that wasn't very clear at first.

again... this has been reported in many threads already... refer to...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=836373
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=844117
please do a bit of searching... it's already known and spammed all over that the directions given are just from point A to point B, they are not turn by turn directions as you require them, not yet anyways.

The Gate Keeper said:
please do a bit of searching... it's already known and spammed all over that the directions given are just from point A to point B, they are not turn by turn directions as you require them, not yet anyways.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He's not referring to the lack of turn-by-turn directions, but rather the fact that Bing Maps does not make use of the phones' compass to show the direction you're moving in. Google Maps on other platforms shows a little arrow on the location dot, which is often very useful. It's a separate, valid point.

i would say it's still tied all together. they're updates that only MS can do for Bing Maps. But even so, no real need to start up a different thread just for it.

The Gate Keeper said:
i would say it's still tied all together. they're updates that only MS can do for Bing Maps. But even so, no real need to start up a different thread just for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's tied together only in that it relates to the Bing Maps application. Otherwise it's a separate issue-- in fact showing a compass pointer is arguably most important when you don't have directions entered and are just trying to find a place on the map.
This would fit best in a feature request thread for Bing Maps, which I have not come across yet.
@brummiesteven: might be worth posting this to the official forum (http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/windowsphone7/threads ), as MS is more likely to see it there.

Windows Phones have a built-in compass, but MS hadn't completed the compass API when they released the OS. I have every confidence that API will make it into the January OS update, and that Bing Maps will utilize it at that time. Third Party apps devs will update their navigation apps to include the new functionality too.
Just wait one more month.

Jim Coleman said:
Just wait one more month.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I heard numerous times that the update will arrive in Feb not in Jan.

001mic said:
I heard numerous times that the update will arrive in Feb not in Jan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would make MS a bunch of liars then!
Although, big corporations lying isn't exactly anything new...*sigh*

lekki said:
That would make MS a bunch of liars then!
Although, big corporations lying isn't exactly anything new...*sigh*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Microsoft has never said that the update is coming in January. It's always been "Early 2011."

Actually, we now know it is coming before Feb.
Apparently, there are signs Microsoft is looking to move another update in Feb.
I am quite sure this update will come in Jan.

Google+ App (not an invite thread)

Please don't ask for invites here as it will only get the thread closed, and other threads already exist for invites.
So what do people think of the app? For a beta product it seems really good (from my limited use). I think a tablet version would be nice but I understand it's in beta
One drawback I think is that Huddle doesn't integrate with Google Talk? Seems a bit weird to me as G+ is integrated with GTalk on the website as it is in Gmail. Hopefully it will change with a future update. Other than that the app looks good. Glad to see there's already been a minor update too

I want to see Hangouts implemented. Otherwise, very solid app. Loving + lol

Loving the G+ app. Definitely well done, seems very clean and fluid.
Loving the Huddle feature, I just wish there was a way to remove users from chats. But that's a minor detail.

I really like it so far, although I'd like the privacy controls to be more transparent and built into the app itself.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

dictionary said:
I want to see Hangouts implemented. Otherwise, very solid app. Loving + lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was looking how to do this earlier...

Unfortunately it will probably be a while seeing as Google Talk still doesn't support many handsets for video chat and Hangouts use the same technology

you can moderate comments from the app, Facebook struggles to even show the damned comments. I cant wait till Google plus gets a bespoke tablet app.

It's inexcusable for this app to not have a layout for tablets.

JCopernicus said:
It's inexcusable for this app to not have a layout for tablets.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is it inexcusable? Google+ isn't even in open beta yet..

The G+ has been known for a loooong time, and 3.0 has been in the works for probably just as long. Hell, they've submitted an iOS app already.
I used to defend the lack of HC apps, but there's onlyg about 5 apps from Google that actually have tablet support, every other google app lacks it. They should be leading by example. We're 6 months into the lifecycle, Google is taking the "Do as I say, not as I do" approach to HC.

I think all the devs are holding off on making tablet specific apps because of Ice Cream Sandwich coming soon. I have a feeling it will make all the other apps play nice with tablets as well as phones.
As for the GOOGLE+ app, I like it and they have left room for improvement so there is sure to be more to come. Within 6 months, this thing is going to put Facebook to shame unless they act fast. They are both on the same track, just starting at different ends. Going to be interesting to watch the next few months.

It still has some glitches (e.g. I couldn't find a way how to add a new person to my circles that is not in my contacts yet), but works well...and is way better than official FB app.

dr0ne57 said:
<snip>
Loving the Huddle feature, I just wish there was a way to remove users from chats. But that's a minor detail.</snip>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just remove the user from the circle you used to start the huddle. Won't that subsequently remove them from the chat?

Not that I've seen. I've since removed someone from a Circle that was in an initial Huddle chat and they still remain 'Invited'.

That's because a Huddle isn't a chat room with heirarchy. It's a meet up where everyone is equal. It's...a huddle.

Still waiting for Google Profiles to be supported in Google Apps.

I know it's not the app but god the website is terrible on a tablet.. tis really annoying

The app doesn't work for me. I have an account, which I use in Firefox for Windows just fine, but the app asks me which account to connect with. I pick one, then it says "connecting" for a moment, then says I need an invitation. My only options are to close it or get more info.
Edit: sorry I'm currently using it on a Droid X. I discovered this thread from Google search, didn't realize it was the Transformer section.

Force close when I try huddle.

It seems very good or a beta version, but still needs many improvments to beat FB...

How Bixby gonna be useful

I was thinking about removing the hole bixby crap and use the Bixby button to do something else ? what do you think ?

Good ideea! How?

It's entirely up to you. Everybody will have a different opinion and there will be plenty of people that will enjoy using Bixby. I'll probably use it sometimes.
Everybody has different needs. I for example, don't use my phone to purchase anything and I don't have a need for Samsung Pay or Android Pay. Never will and I'll never understand the point of it. That's useless bloatware for me. It's much quicker and easier to use my contactless debit card.
You'll have to decide if it's useful or not to you.

saifullah90 said:
I was thinking about removing the hole bixby crap and use the Bixby button to do something else ? what do you think ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup my thoughts exactly, ditch the crap and make use of the button for something that might actually be useful, although I am not yet sure what (if the virtual home button irritates me then perhaps use it as a home button, or maybe a recent apps button). Don't know if you can do that without a custom rom, I suspect not as Samsung probably wants to force it on people.

ewokuk said:
Yup my thoughts exactly, ditch the crap and make use of the button for something that might actually be useful, although I am not yet sure what (if the virtual home button irritates me then perhaps use it as a home button, or maybe a recent apps button). Don't know if you can do that without a custom rom, I suspect not as Samsung probably wants to force it on people.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that the spirit we will probably find a good use out of it.

Its just samsung take on google. It will probably just be more straight forward. It does the same thing..google translate uses the camera to live translate words.
You can google voice to set alarms etc...
I might use it might not its stuff phones have been doing for a while.

Sounds good
saifullah90 said:
I was thinking about removing the hole bixby crap and use the Bixby button to do something else ? what do you think ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google Assistant is already useful, bixby is just another waste of space imo

I just want to delete bixby and I don't even own one yet
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

I'm sure it will be pretty useless for most of us, but I can see the thinking behind it. It'll be interesting to see if they improve it as time goes on.

Bixby can suck it! I'm going to deactivate that bloat asap.

It seems like voice assistance is being marketed as the future. Personally I don't see myself using it. I'm also wondering how many people actually use Google Assistant and Siri.
Edit: Rereading that last sentence, it seems like I'm questioning the numbers, but I really am interested to know how many people actually use it and for more complex things than checking the weather or asking funny questions.

Yeah I dont see it as a feature I would use. But my understanding is you cant remap the Bixby key to anything.

The main thing for me is the cards part of bixby. That's what actually launches when you press the button. I can put weather, reminders, calenders all right there so I can see it at a moment's notice. That way I don't have to put home screen widgets or ongoing notifications for those.

I think they want to make bixy like from iron man, where he talks to his ai, who is now an avenger. If bixy learns like they say i think itll be cool. Like bixy watch and learn me doing this, learning....then it can do what ever i show it

Dat Noob said:
It seems like voice assistance is being marketed as the future. Personally I don't see myself using it. I'm also wondering how many people actually use Google Assistant and Siri.
Edit: Rereading that last sentence, it seems like I'm questioning the numbers, but I really am interested to know how many people actually use it and for more complex things than checking the weather or asking funny questions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I honestly didn't think I would use Google Assistant as much however was I wrong.... I'll try to explain how it's useful on the pixel.
1st... The assistant kind of works in the background through other apps like photos, I was rotating some old downloaded photos because they were sideways however I didn't finish, next day when I first went in my photos the assistant randomly notified me of all the pics that were sideways and asked did I want it to rotate them which I clicked yes. Also the google cards bring news, sports, stock etc based off things you normally search like if I've been googling Samsung S8, I will start to see news, info regarding the S8 each day on my daily feed/ cards (Hard to explain but it's very convenient because it will show whatever you've been interested in such as new games, cars you've look at etc).
2nd... There's actually using the assistant voice features which are absurdly accurate even when I misstate a word. The assistant learns who people are so I don't always have to say names instead I can say call my cousin, mom, wife etc at home, on speaker phone. I can also say go to bestbuy.com or any other website. Set my alarm for 10am, add bananas to my grocery list, remind me to take out the trash when I get home, play a specific song on YouTube or in music player. All of this is not only accurate but considerable faster than doing it manually. In addition you don't need a physical button to activate the assistant, you just say "ok Google" and it knows your voice even if your phone was locked so it's truly hands free. As I'm getting ready for work I ask "how is the traffic to work". A few minutes ago I was just streaming a movie from my phone to my tv and got up to get my clothes out the washer so I told the assistant to pause video, then resume when I sat back down.
3rd.... I honestly felt Bixby functioned a little slow in relation to Google Assistant/ Siri however it's still kind of beta until the phone is released. I can see where Samsung's is trying to bridge the gap while also trying to get their foot in the door but only time will tell if it will flop or stand however I can definitely see voice assistants becoming a bigger footprint in all phones.

Dat Noob said:
It seems like voice assistance is being marketed as the future. Personally I don't see myself using it. I'm also wondering how many people actually use Google Assistant and Siri.
Edit: Rereading that last sentence, it seems like I'm questioning the numbers, but I really am interested to know how many people actually use it and for more complex things than checking the weather or asking funny questions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought I wouldn't use it either but I'm warming up to it - primarily for replying to text's while driving, getting directions, finding restaurants, etc. Pretty handy in that respect and for me, it's more accurate than my typing on the screen keypad, which I find horrible to use (Samsung's keyboard).

But the point is google now/ assistant does this already. This video below is a perfect response to bixby.
By the way, you can disable bixby and you can reasssign google now or google assistant (or any other app you want) to the bixby button.
https://youtu.be/xfG15i_uQvc

Totally Agree, there was no point in Samsung spending time & resources on something that already exists and has since 2012 i believe.
But great that it can be remapped as now that button becomes useful.......[emoji3]
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Unfortunately from the hands on videos I've seen, you can't remap the button. Not sure if you would even be able to disable it in software without root.

Remap Bixby Button!
Use "All In One Gestures" App to remap the Bixby Button. Search YouTube!

Bixby - Anyone use it, if so, what for?

Well, the title covers it. I can't actually find a reason to use or like it. Anyone use it? If so, for what?

TCPDump said:
Well, the title covers it. I can't actually find a reason to use or like it. Anyone use it? If so, for what?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's completely disabled on my phone.

I can see it honestly being as good as google assitant if not like 10% better. But currently its pretty mediocre, and that is being generous. From the most simple tasks it screws up. If samsung wants it to succeed, they really need to put tons of R&D into it. Because as of right now, it cannot compete with google assistant.
The only thing that I like about it is the fact it can actually wake from voice while screen is off. Something the S8+ cannot utilize with "okay google"

TCPDump said:
Well, the title covers it. I can't actually find a reason to use or like it. Anyone use it? If so, for what?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I got my device in April, i really
looked forward to get Bixby up and running.
However i since then, lost interest in Bixby.
I used to to use, voice wake up to wake phone (re S voice installed, but disabled ) on my other devices Note 4, Note 5 etc.
However with S8 you need Bixby activated, to work. Thats all I'm interested in.
If you look at Bixby (as whole)
Bixby cards is basic very limited
and boring.
Bixby vision is a waist of time. Nearly always wrong in identifying objects.
I use Google Assistant. with Nova Prime.
I can call up Google Assistant in any app
or web page that i am currently in.
Bixby button is aso configured to G. A.
My view is Bixby, will eventually become
just like S voice.
Not worth using after
novelty wears off..!

I have the beta and used it for about two days then stopped. The ONLY advantage is the fact it can wake up from a locked screen, which Google Assistant can do on every other Android phone out there, except Samsung.
My main issue was searching for simple things. If I ask Bixby where the nearest Starbucks is, it gives me a link to the Wikipedia article for Starbucks. Google Assistant shows me a list of the three closest Starbucks and the option for directions to each one.
Bixby CAN be awesome, and it may be one day, but for now it's too lacking to compete. But it is still a beta.

I only use it occasionally for the photo thing. Kinda hit or miss but promising. Awaiting the release of the Note 8 so they go full on with bixby.

Oyeve said:
I only use it occasionally for the photo thing. Kinda hit or miss but promising. Awaiting the release of the Note 8 so they go full on with bixby.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IF they go full on with Bixby. There's still a chance it won't be ready when the N8 releases.

So far I've found it to be pretty useless in comparison to Google Assistant. If Samsung isn't going to make it exceptionally better and worth using I hope they remove it in an update and make the dedicated button do something else.

It's not great so far, but I've found it a bit useful for setting alarms and reminders when I hold down the button. In that context it feels pretty intuitive to me. Otherwise, meh. The voice recognition when you try to wake it from sleep is borderline embarrassing.

All voice control is a complete gimmick in my eyes. I can never look past it and would never be seen dead uttering voice commands into my phone like James Bond. I don't want my phone limited and bloated with software all catering to (most of the time at the detriment of other features) some suspiciously hyped up way of using a phone that only applies to about 10 percent of the market. I should be able to fully remove every aspect of any software that openly listens to my voice on my device. That is not okay that Samsung should try and prevent this from happening. Voice control used in datafarming I bet.

I just tell it to rap for me. Entertains me for a minute.

I've used it for some basic functions like turn on/off hotspot, wifi, screensaver & play music, other than these, I haven't tried others.

You cant say its complete gimmick, Bixby is promising as samsung have put a lot of hardwork,
We should be giving time for it to mature and compete with other hardcore assistants like google assistant or siri or alexa

Yeah! Totally right!!
willcor said:
When I got my device in April, i really
looked forward to get Bixby up and running.
However i since then, lost interest in Bixby.
I used to to use, voice wake up to wake phone (re S voice installed, but disabled ) on my other devices Note 4, Note 5 etc.
However with S8 you need Bixby activated, to work. Thats all I'm interested in.
If you look at Bixby (as whole)
Bixby cards is basic very limited
and boring.
Bixby vision is a waist of time. Nearly always wrong in identifying objects.
I use Google Assistant. with Nova Prime.
I can call up Google Assistant in any app
or web page that i am currently in.
Bixby button is aso configured to G. A.
My view is Bixby, will eventually become
just like S voice.
Not worth using after
novelty wears off..!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google Assistant is Floyd Mayweather, perfect as a whole and Bixby, is Conor Mcgregor, a UFC fighter who is an alien in a boxing ring.

i rather bixby. i can unlock the device with voice

I can't see the point in Samsung's own assistant on Android platform when Google has one for years. Another stillborn, I'd say. Wasted manhours in developing something that users will reject. Sometimes I wonder how the world still hasn't collapsed if biggest companies have that stupid managers. No sane person wouzld authorise work on assistant in a world where there's Google, Siri and Alexa. And adding the button dedicated to Bixby is the stupidest thing they've done. Luckily it can be disabled. I barely use Google Assistant, as someone wrote, all these voice apps are just a gimmick. No way I'm gonna use some half baked Samsung assistant.