Android Apps

[norbs]

Tasker is ace. There's a free one that has similar functionality but isn't quite as full featured but I can't remember the name.

I use Tasker to put my phone into a low power mode at night (switch off wifi, turn volume right down etc.), automatically switch into a work or home mode, and text the missus when I leave work so she knows what time to put the oven on.

I like the gestures too e.g. shake to launch the camera which is useful if you only have one hand free.

One thing I was going to do was use GPS to detect when I was driving (based on speed), then automatically send a text back to any callers to say that. I saw one profile that could log the speed so you automatically send a text to say, "I can't answer because I'm currently driving at 68mph"

Considering I rarely get phone calls when driving it would be a bit pointless.

Looking at what the clever guys do, it is amazing.

I wish I had the time I had 12 months ago to play around with it and get paid.

[durbster]

Of course, the other great thing about Tasker is showing what it can do to iPhone users, and then telling them it's not available for iOS

[Duke]

Holy Crap!!! On Friday I got given a Sony Xperia Z from work, this is my 1st Android handset & what a mind fark it's been all weekend setting it up & coming to terms with it.
I think this is partly due to me being an iOS user for 4yrs & tbh the amount of tweeking involved with Android is just horrendous compared to the iPhone, which was bad enough.
But I can really see the benefits that Android offers especially around the automation of tasks in the background like this tasker app but I'll be buggered if I have the time these days to tinker with so many settings.
Norbs has been a great help over the weekend but he is lucky as having prior experience means he had some clue on the innards of Android, so much so that he tells me the Sony launcher aint that great but for now I'll have to make do.
I'm still trying to find many of the equivalent apps I used in iOS but I'm now finding that I also need to replace the default apps for others in the hope they will perform the way I want. Case in point is the Sony email app is crap!!!.
I do think I will come to terms with Android soon & be better off for it. I am interested to know if there is a comprehensive list /reviews of must have apps or something like http://ninite.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for Android.
Anyway enough of my ranting & over to the A.R.S.E Androidians to guide me....???

[ysu]

I know what you mean flinty.

Add to that; my phone has updated the system on it a week or two ago. Deleted every fucking app and widget from the home screen. And editing them has been changed (you cant just move them) among a bunch of other user-unfriendly changes. I am almost ready to root the fucker, I'm so pissed with google right now. If I could simply go back to the previous android version I'd be happy.

[norbs]

Chatting to Flinty on the weekend I was telling him that Smiss bought he darling wife an Xperia Z and a guy I used to work with got one too.

Barry (not his real name) had a rant to me about 5 minutes ago on the phone. He is a tinkerer. He cant leave things alone. He was ranting away, complaining about the settings and preferences. He told me his wife had told him to give me a message. "NO MORE FUCKING CLEVER SAYINGS!!!!" Apparently he has been telling every one he can that he has been "paralysed by choice" which is how I try and explain it to people joining us from the walled garden that is IOS.

Anyway, after telling me that launchers were far to numerous and how the fuck was he supposed to find the one that worked best for him, I mentioned he could go back to his iPhone 5.

"NO FUCKING WAY!" boomed down the phone followed by a lengthy rant about IOS being for retards (his words, not mine).

Whilst he was ranting away I dug up an email I got from him dated May 2nd. And I quote...

You can stick you're malware infested pretend OS. IOS is and always will be the superior system. FUKC GOOGle!"

He told me to fuck off and hung up! LOL

[Duke]

ROFL!!! That's classic norbs. Our conversation was in a way similar (re: custom launcher's etc) but a lot more polite. I do see benefits to both & honestly will probably like using either eventually.

Yep spoiled for choice is right so much so that's why we have 2 very disparate philosophies with Apple & Google. Variety is the spice of life isn't it...?

[Vilante]

I've just recently had to go back to an iPhone after using a HTC One X for 2 years. It's horrid, everything is so small and boring!! Can't wait to get back on an Android.

[richo]

Droid4lyfe

I just installed Smart Launcher and man its made my s2 a different phone , such simple clean design.

[KNAPPO]

Ive been playing about with Apex Launcher Pro lately.

Re choice of launchers. I use to use Go Launcher a lot on my Desire HD but got the shits with their additional menu system as I wanted the launcher to have the same basic look and feel to the stock Android menu system. So I vowed to not install it on my S4 and try something new so one night when the kids went to bed had a launcher showdown with a few of the top ones on Play and ended up going with Apex. Im loving the additional gestures available on these launchers, especially to open Google Now as its insanely clunky to access on the S4's stock Touch Wiz...

This weekend I started to brew my own themes. This is a 8x6 grid, Klok project icon pack & the UCCW Elegante Skinned clock. Ive got the notification bar hidden away, accessible with a downward swipe.

[NeilPearson]

stop finding all these good icon packs!! damnit.

How did you hide the notification bar?

here is my phone atm. [ugh cant direct link from dropbox website.]

Launcher i am using is Action Launcher pro I like it as you swipe from the left to find all your apps.
Icon Pack is Motif
Not sure where i got the background from.

First page, Eye in the sky widget. when i find another widget i want to use thatll go here.


Second page:


other apps:
sliding messaging great texting app
Ex Dialer
Light Flow For all your LED notification needs!

[KNAPPO]

In Apex.

Apex settings, homescreen settings, hide notification bar (it's at the bottom of the list). It remains in its normal location on the lock screen but fades away when u unlock unless you swipe down for it. I really want to make it transparent but there is no setting for it in Apex.

Some of the stock still and live wallpapers in Touch Wiz supported notification bar transparency but I haven't had much luck latley so I got rid of it this way lol.

[KNAPPO]

Neil, what's ya weather widget and dose it pull it's data from bom?

[NeilPearson]

oops didnt link it

Eye in the sky

and dont know where it gets it from, doesnt seem to say

[ysu]

oops didnt link it

Eye in the sky

and dont know where it gets it from, doesnt seem to say

I'm using Pocket Weather for weather stuff - it is getting the data from Bom. Pretty good; it can give you your pre-set locations' weather and follow your location and give you the weather there. Australia only as far as i know.

[Duke]

Funny story from a drioid n00b!!!
Yesterday I somehow inadvertently must have touch a blank area of my desktop, long enough that it vibrated & went into some funky windowed mode. I'm thinking WTF have I done to my phone.
Then to my surprise I see all the options at the bottom of the screen. Ah I think this is where you can add more pages to your desktop & look there's widgets, apps, wallpapers & themes options as well.
So I started to have a look at the widgets, damn some of them are friggin cool & no need to access the app or even have the icon on the desktop.
Anyway I had to let norbs know of this discovery so I call him. We are both in fits of laughter as I explain what I'd found, he then tells me that I'd just found "widget heaven!!!"
Then I realise ah crap that's just more things to tinker with... I'm still trying to find the best apps & I'm now faced with widgets as well....

[Duke]

oops didnt link it

Eye in the sky

and dont know where it gets it from, doesnt seem to say

I'm using Pocket Weather for weather stuff - it is getting the data from Bom. Pretty good; it can give you your pre-set locations' weather and follow your location and give you the weather there. Australia only as far as i know.

Yep I grabbed Pocket Weather yesterday as it is the same as the one I used in iOS, love it.

[Bauer]

weatherzone for me

https://play.google.com/store/search?q=weatherzone" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[norbs]

weatherzone for me

https://play.google.com/store/search?q=weatherzone" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Me too!

I think Pix uses it as well.

[KNAPPO]

Another Pocket Weather user here, also use Pocket Casts for my podcasting needs. The devs have created 2 very nice apps which work extremely well.
Only thing im not liking about Packet Weather is now im messing with minimalist themes the widget could look much prettier. But base functionality is top notch.

[NeilPearson]

oops didnt link it

Eye in the sky

and dont know where it gets it from, doesnt seem to say

I'm using Pocket Weather for weather stuff - it is getting the data from Bom. Pretty good; it can give you your pre-set locations' weather and follow your location and give you the weather there. Australia only as far as i know.

This one does all that to. Just doesn't say where it gets its information from.

lol flinty. Your only going to fall deeper and deeper

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

[NeilPearson]

And I used weatherzone for 3 years. Time for a change

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

[r8response]

This one does all that to.

Unless I'm missing something, it doesn't have the weather radar

[Duke]

Ok peeps I'm struggling to fund a descent public transport app for VIC. The iPhone PTV app is superb as it encompasses all types from trains to buses & trams. The best I've found so far for droid is Train Trapper. Help?

EDIT: Found this which is not too bad as a start. Melbourne Transport BETA

[NeilPearson]

This one does all that to.

Unless I'm missing something, it doesn't have the weather radar

unless I'm missing something, ysu didn't mention a weather radar... But you are correct it does not have one.

[ysu]

This one does all that to.

Unless I'm missing something, it doesn't have the weather radar

unless I'm missing something, ysu didn't mention a weather radar... But you are correct it does not have one.

hehe. It has some sort of radar thingie, but I'm not sure what it is - I've never used it. What exactly is a weather radar, what do you expect from it?