I've been using Handcent on my Gingerbread device (the HTC INC) and I just got my GNex. I'm wondering if there are any ICS optimized SMS apps (other than the stock, I don't like the options it gives me) out there.
I don't mind Handcent so much, but I don't really like GoSMS or Chomp, just wondering if there were any better ones out there in the world.
handcent is.
I use handcent too, and it doesnt scroll very smoothly. None of the text apps seem smooth on ics yet including stock sms. Hope this changes soon.
I also don't like the new set up for handcent...the three home pages...I always accidentally swipe in one direction.
I haven't seen a way to turn it off (which makes sense to me), but I don't like it!
I've always preferred the stock SMS app.. even the stock keyboard.
Sent from the future.
Related
Hi fellow DHD users Just want to know if there are any fellow handcent SMS users here, and i wiould like to know if using handcent sms would cause my battery to drain faster? because is the phone technically receiving double notifications/msgs as the stock messages app is still running? A little concerned with my battery, though handcent is much better than the stock.
Turn the notifications off in the stock sms by going to settings,and uncheck everything in receive notifications.. Hope that helps..
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App and swype
I use handcent. I backed up the stock messaging app with Titanium Backup, then uninstalled it.
I've not noticed faster battery drain since using handcent.
Been using Handcent for a long while now on my Hero with no problems. Just prefer the variety of available options. Will also be using it on my new DHD.
Wouldn't have thought it would drain the battery any faster. Just make sure you disable the notifications in the stock app to avoid duplicate notifications.
I'm (reluctantly) looking into using Handcent because of HTC's last botched update. The screenshots seem to show a rather tacky interface, with odd-looking speech bubbles used to depict conversations.... Is there anyway to switch to the more traditional look?
Handcent all the way and havent really noticed any faster drain. If its there its slight and the benefits out weigh it anyway.
However, since I began using whatsapp I rarely use SMS. Just seems such an ancient idea now
I don't use anything else but handcent, cracking app
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
mjt said:
I'm (reluctantly) looking into using Handcent because of HTC's last botched update. The screenshots seem to show a rather tacky interface, with odd-looking speech bubbles used to depict conversations.... Is there anyway to switch to the more traditional look?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you can. In Settings you can change it to look flat, without the bubbles.
Handcent or ChompSMS?
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
iAltair said:
Handcent or ChompSMS?
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GO SMS is my choice. Very smooth, and nice convo customizations.
Thanks olivierlee.
With all of these 3rd party SMS apps, do they completely replace the Sense SMS? ie, if you open a contact and create a new sms from there, will it open the 3rd party app, or Sense?
And if you open a contact and look at their SMS history, will you see SMSs sent/received using the 3rd party app?
Thanks again.
mjt said:
Thanks olivierlee.
With all of these 3rd party SMS apps, do they completely replace the Sense SMS? ie, if you open a contact and create a new sms from there, will it open the 3rd party app, or Sense?
And if you open a contact and look at their SMS history, will you see SMSs sent/received using the 3rd party app?
Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you choose to send and SMS from the People app, you'll get to choose which SMS app you want to use. You can also make your choice permanent (this is reversible too).
And in People, the SMS history is shown in the People app itself, and again if you choose to reply from the SMS history list, you'll be given the choice of SMS apps.
I was using handcent sms, I like it, but switched to go sms for a bit. Both are good, go sms might be slightly better, depends what you like. Handcent quick sms thing is pretty cool and the fact it has widgets gives it an advantage.
Thanks for the advice guys... I've installed Handcent now, and it looks excellent. May well stick with it even if HTC ever bother to fix Sense SMS.
mjt said:
I'm (reluctantly) looking into using Handcent because of HTC's last botched update. The screenshots seem to show a rather tacky interface, with odd-looking speech bubbles used to depict conversations.... Is there anyway to switch to the more traditional look?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was reluctant because the baloonish look, but you can easily customize its look and make more "professional". Good app in the end.
Cheers
Burning_aces said:
I was using handcent sms, I like it, but switched to go sms for a bit. Both are good, go sms might be slightly better, depends what you like. Handcent quick sms thing is pretty cool and the fact it has widgets gives it an advantage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just giving a try to Go SMS, aint that bad...
EDIT: memory footprint is bigger than handcent's one (35MB Vs. 24MB), despite a lighter interface. Looks like I'll stay on HandCent
New to this phone and while I enjoy the stock rom, I am growing tired of the cartoony bubbles for MMS/SMS messages. Short of flashing a custom ROM, is there any way to turn that nonsense off?
XD-Android's messaging was a nice and clean threaded text display.
The easiest way to customize your messaging is to download a messaging app. GO SMS and Handcent are the most popular ones that I have been hearing about. With either of these apps (and many other messaging apps out there) you can theme the interface quite extensively. Good luck out there!
As per title, is there an unread counter for sms/calls/gmail (which works on gmail)?
thanks
https://market.android.com/details?...DEsImNvbS5tb3JlbmEudW5yZWFkQ291bnRXaWRnZXQiXQ..
wgsesq said:
https://market.android.com/details?...DEsImNvbS5tb3JlbmEudW5yZWFkQ291bnRXaWRnZXQiXQ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
as written in the comments, this is not working for gmail since update to 2.3.3
AFAIK there is no working unread counter since GMail changed their permissions for the app.
Stigy said:
AFAIK there is no working unread counter since GMail changed their permissions for the app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's the problem!!!!! :-(
and wonder why google with ics has not included this by design...
Missed It!.
And for the GMail problem, try this workaround.
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.commind.bubbles&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5jb21taW5kLmJ1YmJsZXMiXQ..
It's a livewallpaper but it does work with all the notifications you ask about with Android 4.x .. the wife messed with it for a while. I was fine with the missed stuff being in the pull down so I never downloaded it. She likes/liked it well enough .. don't know if she's still using it.
This is one of Android's most frustrating things: not having a uniform on-icon notification system. Widgets are fine, but I really don't need yet another widget taking up space, when I already have the icon on the desktop.
I hate the way the notification bar is implemented. It's too small, too ugly and it get's so cluttered that it is hard to tell at a quick glance what the notifications are. Frankly, the iOS notifications bar implementation is way better visually (if you agree, check out the app iPhone Notifications in the Market).
On-icon notifications work randomly. Even the stock launcher does not show on-icon notifications for the stock Email app (not GMail). There is not notification for Google Voice (why, is beyond me). The whole scheme is a mess.
I have kind of been able to make things work with ADW Notifier in Chuck Noritz Mode, but ADW Notifier does not seem to be supported much nowadays, so the service FCs multiple times a day.
I wish that someone would bring in good implementation of on-icons notifications, or that Google redesigns the whole notification scheme and streamlines it.
thegios said:
As per title, is there an unread counter for sms/calls/gmail (which works on gmail)?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looking for the same thing, tried NOVA launcher but they left our that most important feature. To me that is #1 most wanted thing in a launcher, before all else.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
If you want it on your lock screen then use WidgetLocker with ADW Notifier. If you want it on your home screen or on your dock then use ADW EX with ADW Notifier.
gomorrah said:
If you want it on your lock screen then use WidgetLocker with ADW Notifier. If you want it on your home screen or on your dock then use ADW EX with ADW Notifier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, ADW Notifier is pretty much the only thing that sort of works, but as I said above, it FCs constantly and it is inconsistent. Go Launcher also has a notifier, but it works with a much more limited number of apps (you can't get notifications for Google Voice or the stock Email app, for instance).
So far, I have not been able to find a reliable on-icon notifier for Android.
MacGuy2006 said:
Yeah, ADW Notifier is pretty much the only thing that sort of works, but as I said above, it FCs constantly and it is inconsistent. Go Launcher also has a notifier, but it works with a much more limited number of apps (you can't get notifications for Google Voice or the stock Email app, for instance).
So far, I have not been able to find a reliable on-icon notifier for Android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't speak to your experience, but I have used ADW EX and Notifier since I got my Nexus and haven't had any FC's or problems with it. That is when applying it to Gmail, the stock messenging app, and the Phone app since that's what the OP inquired about. None of these require the use of Chuck Norris mode, and at least for me none have failed yet. My main reason for switching was the big **** LauncherPro took on ICS, and have been happy with the results since.
ADW Notifier done FC only for some particular aplication not for sms, Gmail, K9, missed call, but for for some sms aplication like go sms and other, a lot sms app in fact adw notifier works until the next reboot
It's the reason why i stopped using it, Missed it is good, personaliy now i use Executive assistant for sms, missed call and K9, Gmail.
There is a free version , try and see.
V.
gomorrah said:
I can't speak to your experience, but I have used ADW EX and Notifier since I got my Nexus and haven't had any FC's or problems with it. That is when applying it to Gmail, the stock messenging app, and the Phone app since that's what the OP inquired about. None of these require the use of Chuck Norris mode, and at least for me none have failed yet. My main reason for switching was the big **** LauncherPro took on ICS, and have been happy with the results since.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, as I mentioned above, many of us use Google Voice for voicemail (instead of what's offered by the service provider). GV requires Chuck Noritz Mode, and it works most of the time, although it often shows "?" instead of the number of vm messages.
Many of us also use email accounts which are not GMail -- the stock Email app also requires Chuck Noritz Mode.
ADW Notifier has not been updated in a long time, I hope the next update is soon and it fixes some of these issues.
In fairness, it is not really ADW's fault. It sounds like the Android notification system is a complete mess, with no clear standards for developers to follow.
It is simply amazing that even two of the main Google apps, Google Voice and Email, cannot handle notifications properly, like Phone or Messenger. Very sloppy.
I was wondering if anyone changed their SMS/text messaging app. I know that with the preloaded samsung text messaging app when I'm in the convo I can bring it up to my ear and it starts dialing. I honestly love this feature as I can tired of texting a lot and then I just called the person up if the texting gets too long. However, I'd like to use an alternative SMS app because the default one to me is extremely ugly. I hate looking at it a lot. So I was hoping to use something like chomp or panzi or something with a better looking theme and better support for emoji with my friends are relentless and not giving it up. So Does anyone have any ideas on keeping this feature? Any sms apps that work with this? I know it's a throw in the dark but what the heck. Thought I'd ask anyway.
etherealglimpse said:
I was wondering if anyone changed their SMS/text messaging app. I know that with the preloaded samsung text messaging app when I'm in the convo I can bring it up to my ear and it starts dialing. I honestly love this feature as I can tired of texting a lot and then I just called the person up if the texting gets too long. However, I'd like to use an alternative SMS app because the default one to me is extremely ugly. I hate looking at it a lot. So I was hoping to use something like chomp or panzi or something with a better looking theme and better support for emoji with my friends are relentless and not giving it up. So Does anyone have any ideas on keeping this feature? Any sms apps that work with this? I know it's a throw in the dark but what the heck. Thought I'd ask anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The motion features, like the one your talking about are cool, but alas they seem to only work within the stock applications. I personally use GoSMS and I can not lift the handset to my ear and it call the contact unless I use the default messaging app (I switched mainly because of the way it slideshows any MMS - very stupid)
Another feature is the double tap the top of the phone to go back to the top of the page, but I use enhanced email (not the default email apps) and that feature doesnt work either.
If anyone finds a way to merge the motion features with 3rd party sms apps, I'd be interested.
Araltd said:
The motion features, like the one your talking about are cool, but alas they seem to only work within the stock applications. I personally use GoSMS and I can not lift the handset to my ear and it call the contact unless I use the default messaging app (I switched mainly because of the way it slideshows any MMS - very stupid)
Another feature is the double tap the top of the phone to go back to the top of the page, but I use enhanced email (not the default email apps) and that feature doesnt work either.
If anyone finds a way to merge the motion features with 3rd party sms apps, I'd be interested.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Shucks, I feel the same way. The motion features are great but these default apps stink! lol. I prefer the alternatives way more. sigh.
I don't remember having this problem last year, but for awhile now it's been an issue.
When my phone is locked and I get a text message, the popup comes up like it's supposed to. But when I go to quick-reply, the keyboard pops up and coveres the Handcent text window. So I can't see what I'm typing.
Any ideas? Looks like a few on the net have had the issue but I haven't seen anyone post a fix yet.
Hancent or Handcent Pro Beta (both had same issue)
Any AOSP based ROM I've tried over the last couple months
Nova Launcher Prime
Hi mate,
Same problem here, but in my particular case, i can see half of Handcent text window... This is not happening in Go SMS, so it's a Handcent SMS related bug .
I tried find a workaround, but until now nobody comes up with a workaround...maybe it's better email the devs, to let them known about this issue (but i guess, they already know it)
CZ Eddie said:
I don't remember having this problem last year, but for awhile now it's been an issue.
When my phone is locked and I get a text message, the popup comes up like it's supposed to. But when I go to quick-reply, the keyboard pops up and coveres the Handcent text window. So I can't see what I'm typing.
Any ideas? Looks like a few on the net have had the issue but I haven't seen anyone post a fix yet.
Hancent or Handcent Pro Beta (both had same issue)
Any AOSP based ROM I've tried over the last couple months
Nova Launcher Prime
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There may not be a fix as it is most likely the limitations on what can be done on top of the lockscreen.
Weird.
I installed the Handcent [free] version on an AOSP ROM. It might have been Vanilla Rootbox. And the popup worked GREAT!
Now I am back on LiquidSmooth and it has the same old problem.
I just said screw-it and am now using the spam-fest known as GoSMS.
I just installed LiquidSmooth and I'm seeing this. I think this is caused by new Swype behavior.
The typing area is actually visible until I start swiping. Then, the guesses pop up and extend the keyboard up to block the typing area. Previously, the Handcent popup would scoot up enough to make room for the entire thing. This is a replacement phone for an S3 with a cracked screen, and I'm not sure which ROM and version of Swype I had on the previous phone.
I use the SwiftKey keyboard and don't swipe.
GoSMS has better themes, IMO. But if Handcent would work properly, I'd change back to it in a heartbeat. It's just "better" and less "spammy".