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What are your top 3 third party applications that you would love to have on your Windows Phone 7 Series? Most used applications for your daily routines, works, entertainment, what not ... Top 3 applications that you have in mind when asked about mobile applications.
Interesting to know so we could see what users expect to have on WP7 in terms of application.
It does not have to be Windows Mobile 6.x applications. If you think certain iPhone / Android / BB / Symbian apps thats fine.
I start with my top 3:
1. Offline navigation software
- like TomTom, CoPilot, iGo.
2. Opera Mini
- I just love the speed, thats all.
3. Good Facebook client
- Microsoft has one for WM6, but I expect much better than that. I read that iPhone version is better.
I basically use my phone for calls, messages and development... being last one like the only reason why I didn't keep my cheap old Nokia phone. Sometimes I'm using weather, GPS, reading emails or google for this or that but that's all and I'm just happy that I just can do such things whenever I would need them. I'm not really a crazy apps freak....
Got to be iGo as one of them for me!
gogol said:
3. Good Facebook client
- Microsoft has one for WM6, but I expect much better than that. I read that iPhone version is better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The OS comes with great facebook integration already built in, no need for an app!
My top apps are:
FPSeCE (Playstation Emulator)
Spacetime 4.0 (Graphing Calculator Software)
Pandora
I know that, but I have doubt with that Facebook integration.
Not that I am saying it is not good, but from what I saw ... the integration is split into 2 hubs ... People hub where you can see status update of your Facebook friends and Photo/Pictures hub where you can see Facebook photo albums of your friends.
With dedicated Facebook app, all those will come in the same flow of information.
Well, not a big deal really, because I am using http://touch.facebook.com via web browser (Opera Mini).
Kloc said:
The OS comes with great facebook integration already built in, no need for an app!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gogol said:
Not that I am saying it is not good, but from what I saw ... the integration is split into 2 hubs ... People hub where you can see status update of your Facebook friends and Photo/Pictures hub where you can see Facebook photo albums of your friends.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which, IMO, is the best approach possible. Heck, I might even start using Facebook this way. Why would I need that information in a separate application? Why would I want to view photos in anything but a photo viewing app? Or where else do I need contact information apart from the contact app?
Also, this approach theoretically should aggregate information from different networks in a way that makes sense. I mean, if you are a member of both Facebook and, say, Linked-In, would you really want two separate applications to handle data from these networks?
1.Opera Mobile 10
To read 3 different newspapers each morning on my Omnia II and have all my desktop bookmarks synced OTA to my phone. Been using Opera since v3.0 or so, love it.
2.GSPlayer
to listen to somafm.com !
3. Googlemaps
Works good enough, could be done much better (font size can not be set !) and leaks 2 DC's each time you start and stop it. Have to take another look at bing maps soon
Coreplayer!!!!!!!!
IGO
BattClock (used to display battery info)
For me, if I can reduce time spent then I will choose that way.
Instead of going into 2 hubs to read status updates AND photo updates, I would prefer to just go once to look them all
Like I said, this is not a big deal because there is facebook website itself which can be accessed via web browser.
Probably because I use facebook a lot
Oh yes, the idea of multiple social network integration is nice, dont get me wrong. Probably just because of that, I would start using Twitter! Atm I am only using FB.
vangrieg said:
Which, IMO, is the best approach possible. Heck, I might even start using Facebook this way. Why would I need that information in a separate application? Why would I want to view photos in anything but a photo viewing app? Or where else do I need contact information apart from the contact app?
Also, this approach theoretically should aggregate information from different networks in a way that makes sense. I mean, if you are a member of both Facebook and, say, Linked-In, would you really want two separate applications to handle data from these networks?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Top applications: 'Real' Map-reader/GPS, Ebook reader,
Well, I might not be a typical user (and actually one of the things I liked about 'Windows Mobile Classic' was that it had a diverse ecosystem, catering for non-typical users!) but these are the two apps I use most:
1) A GPS/map-reader that works with real maps (i.e. topographic maps such as, in the UK, the Ordinance Survey series)
- so ideally, Memory-Map will port their software to WP7
2) An ebook reader that can read EPUB and TXT formats
- actually this is such an important use-case for me that I wrote a program to do it (see this thread). I expect to start porting it to WP7 just as soon as the SDK becomes available.
Windows Phone 7 is a paradigm-shift in how phones operate. Apps will no longer be individual screens, but will be subsumed into the overall user interface. Facebook is the most obvious example of that. If you take Tomtom, for instance, it will be peppered all over the phone in any of the following ways;
People Hub: Select a person and then hit the menu option to navigate to their home or workplace
Calendar Hub: Select a Calendar Entry and then hit the menu option to navigate to the Location of that entry.
Bing Search: Hit a search result to be navigated to its location if it is a real world place like a pizza restaurant, for instance. Once Tomtom is installed, instead of just the one option to be directed there by Bing Maps, you'll have a second option as well to navigate there by Tomtom.
Only once you're actually on the road will you get the Tomtom screen up with the 3D view of the road. The rest of the Tomtom UI will be embedded into these hubs.
I'd expect Twitter, Google Maps, Flickr etc to all melt into the phone's UI as simply extra menu options.
I think this is largely why the App list accessible from the home screen is so basic - it won't be the usual way to start an app. Normally the app will be called from a menu in part of one of the hubs. In this way, apps will organically feel like just an extension of the phone's usual functionality. Heck, I can even see the Photos hub doing something like footprints and recording the GPS coordinates, so you can use the Tomtom menu item in there to navigate to the place in the photo!
This is going to be totally awesome. And I think it's partly why the question of "Does it multitask" isn't so clear-cut...
I use my phone as a phone and as a PDA so most of what I need is already there (calendar, alarm, agenda, Excel, etc)
1) But I have to have an ewallet. I use SPB at the moment and fully expect them to port it to WP7.
2) I also would like some ereader that handles most file types (EPUB mostly).
Could care less about the whole Facebook/Twitter thing. Just hope they don't get in the way of how I use my phone. Will have to wait to see how the interface can be changed. If I have to have Facebook/Twitter in the middle of my processes I will probably not get a WP7 phone.
donnaw said:
Could care less about the whole Facebook/Twitter thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry that doesn't make sense? Do you mean you could NOT care less?
I would like to see all my apps on it I hope I will be able to port them!
I love opera and youtube
giggles33 said:
I love opera and youtube
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Opera should be made redundant by the new version of IE contained in WP7S. Youtube will become a subsumed service as part of the Pictures & Videos hub in the UI, and will simply be another source of video from the cloud, in the same way that Facebook posted videos are. I would also imagine that the Bing search engine will return Youtube hits.
Basically, be prepared for apps to function in an entirely different way to what you're used to - they will become simply extensions of your phone's functionality - many apps will be able to avoid having their own screens at all and instead rely on the hubs to provide their input/output.
Jim Coleman said:
Opera should be made redundant by the new version of IE contained in WP7S.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not likely that we'll see a version of Opera on WP7S as it's impossible to do a decent browser engine in managed code, because alternative browser makers will be the last to get access to native APIs (if ever), and probably IE will be much better than what we have now, but alternative browsers will not be made "redundant" by this. I can bet IE won't have text reflow, for example, which I personally love and severely miss when I try to use iPhone's Safari.
vangrieg said:
I can bet IE won't have text reflow, for example, which I personally love and severely miss when I try to use iPhone's Safari.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You would lose that bet.
I would like to see Skype on Win Phone 7
Making competitors (Opera must earn a lot of money with their OEM deals) redundant is just plainly impossible nowadays without some sort of "deal" made. It's really very interesting what will happen soon.
so im a winmo expert and wont be switching to android til my hd2 dies.
but since my mom and sis are on vzw i told them to get the incredible since they were bugging for smartphones.
i already got them setup in terms of using sense and setting up accounts, got them advanced task killer and all that
any recommendation for good apps for basic use, not power users obviously.
then in terms of music is it as simple as drag and drop to the sd like with winmo?
and how about data tethering do i have to root the phone for her or is there a simple hack or app to do it for free instead of paying vzw
thanks guys
lbhocky19 said:
so im a winmo expert and wont be switching to android til my hd2 dies.
but since my mom and sis are on vzw i told them to get the incredible since they were bugging for smartphones.
i already got them setup in terms of using sense and setting up accounts, got them advanced task killer and all that
any recommendation for good apps for basic use, not power users obviously.
then in terms of music is it as simple as drag and drop to the sd like with winmo?
and how about data tethering do i have to root the phone for her or is there a simple hack or app to do it for free instead of paying vzw
thanks guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can get doubletwist for MP3 and video playback and theres even a PC program that goes with it, kind of like iTunes, but probably better. You can drop music on your SD card as well.
other apps I recommend
Beautiful widgets
Handcent SMS
Pandora or Slacker Radio, etc.
Google Voice, they can go to google.com/voice and get a free account, you can get free visual voicemail or get another phone number or both
ah doubletwist that came on my hd2 i didnt realize it was a syncing app i might just use that as well, thanks
what videos work on android or do you need different players for codecs like divx and such
being a smart phone and android n00b and a lady hopwefully my list will appeal to your mom and sis
Just a short list of the easy-to-use apps I've really liked so far...
Where's My Droid, fun little app that, at its most basic, will allow you to txt your "lost" phone to turn up the vol to max so you can find it... this seems to happen to me a lot so it is invaluable to me.
Mobisle Notes, simple notes app... lets you make multiple lists, groceries, feelance, what have you... easy to use.
Google Sky Map, self explanatory, amazes my 'rents
Gesture Search, set it up on long-hold of search soft key and draw letters on screen for speedy searching of pics, apps, files, people, etc.
Good Morning, interesting alarm app that will wake you with a custom message, the weather, your choice of song
Some fun and easy to understand games:
Coloroid
Grid Droid
Alchemy
Bonsai Blast
Doodle Jump
dali137 said:
being a smart phone and android n00b and a lady hopwefully my list will appeal to your mom and sis
Just a short list of the easy-to-use apps I've really liked so far...
Where's My Droid, fun little app that, at its most basic, will allow you to txt your "lost" phone to turn up the vol to max so you can find it... this seems to happen to me a lot so it is invaluable to me.
Mobisle Notes, simple notes app... lets you make multiple lists, groceries, feelance, what have you... easy to use.
Google Sky Map, self explanatory, amazes my 'rents
Gesture Search, set it up on long-hold of search soft key and draw letters on screen for speedy searching of pics, apps, files, people, etc.
Good Morning, interesting alarm app that will wake you with a custom message, the weather, your choice of song
Some fun and easy to understand games:
Coloroid
Grid Droid
Alchemy
Bonsai Blast
Doodle Jump
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
some good apps;
paper toss
epic fails
funny jokes
astro file manager
also, there are many soundboards from most movies
Sent from my Incredible using XDA App
Other Useful apps.
yelp: Search for your favorite restaurant, stores, gas station and much much more... along with reviews. Searches by gps location
ziplocal: kind of like yellow pages.. only much better
google shopper (and or barcode): Useful when you want to scan bar codes in stores and see comparative prices online. Can also scan book covers and C/DVD covers
Uninstaller: good program that'll uninstall apps cleanly
Titanium backup: if you want to back up your apps along with user data and system data
guage battery widget: Nice widget that'll show your battery remaining as a gauge
sound manager: good for scheduling/setting ringtone sound, notification sound and vibration setting
Pandora: good for listening music
thanks to all, il forward suggestions to them.
last thing is just the tethering hack, anyone been successful? dont need wifi sharing just usb is fine
lbhocky19 said:
thanks to all, il forward suggestions to them.
last thing is just the tethering hack, anyone been successful? dont need wifi sharing just usb is fine
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PdaNet works fine for tethering.
Sent from my FroyoEris using XDA App
For tethering I'd recommend EasyTether from the Market. Cheaper than PDAnet and faster to boot. Just don't try playing WoW or Starcraft 2 on it.
Also, task killers kill batteries because of the way Android operates. Android is very efficient at managing resources. Heck, Froyo (the new version of the OS that is rolling out) disables 3rd party task killers.
If battery life is a concern, look into UltimateJuice or Sedio's 1700mah battery. I'm a moderate to heavy user and the combo of those two gets me through the day on a single charge.
Also, they might like the program Foxy Ring. It auto adjusts ringer volume based on ambient noise and a toggle for a "timed" silence mode.
Hope that helps!
apps on the market get around having to pay for vzw's fees for tethering? surprised thats allowed
had no idea task managers did that, so even if 10 things are running in the back they really aren't using power like on winmo?
lbhocky19 said:
apps on the market get around having to pay for vzw's fees for tethering? surprised thats allowed
had no idea task managers did that, so even if 10 things are running in the back they really aren't using power like on winmo?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as you're not using exorbitant amounts of data, it doesn't phase VZW or even come to their attention. So Facebooking and light to moderate YouTube streaming is peachy-keen.
Processes are kept in the background to launch faster and provide better QoS. Unless they are set to sync with the cloud on an interval, they actually aren't doing anything in the background. That's where UltimateJuice comes in with regulating sync and when the APN is on.
Now, if you have programs that came with the phone which you never use, but insist on loading into the background at boot, you can use a Startup Cleaner to nix those, but allow them to be reloaded if they actually are used.
Cheers!
dali137 said:
being a smart phone and android n00b and a lady hopwefully my list will appeal to your mom and sis
Just a short list of the easy-to-use apps I've really liked so far...
Where's My Droid, fun little app that, at its most basic, will allow you to txt your "lost" phone to turn up the vol to max so you can find it... this seems to happen to me a lot so it is invaluable to me.
Mobisle Notes, simple notes app... lets you make multiple lists, groceries, feelance, what have you... easy to use.
Google Sky Map, self explanatory, amazes my 'rents
Gesture Search, set it up on long-hold of search soft key and draw letters on screen for speedy searching of pics, apps, files, people, etc.
Good Morning, interesting alarm app that will wake you with a custom message, the weather, your choice of song
Some fun and easy to understand games:
Coloroid
Grid Droid
Alchemy
Bonsai Blast
Doodle Jump
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny to see a list of apps that most of which I've never heard of. Other than Google Sky map and Doodle Jump. Shows the market is getting more diverse.
Just thought of a couple of apps they might like.
Movies: find movie theatre times, reviews, trailers, and manage Netflix queue.
eBuddy: universal chat client for MSN, aim, Facebook, etc.
Mood Agent: quick temp playlist generator based on mood or song.
So I've finally joined the club and boy am I stoked. So, what are the first things one should do e.g. apps to get, slight customisation, games etc, help your fellow comrade.
I don't know if this thread has been done before, if not, maybe it could be a sticky?
the first advice i could give to you is: read the forums
That's the beauty of WP7. There's no real customization to be done and no real apps to get. You're good to go!
Sent from my GT-I9000M
APPS?
download OEM apps.
download what you need. Marketplace got almost everything
customization? you mean changing the color of the tiles? LOL
radeon_x said:
That's the beauty of WP7. There's no real customization to be done and no real apps to get. You're good to go!
Sent from my GT-I9000M
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How adorable, another android troll. There's also no lag, a good music player, no fragmentation (It's good to know I can't buy a new phone and have it be outdated next week) and hell, gaming has already about caught up with Android. You guys have more, we have better.
z33dev33l said:
How adorable, another android troll. There's also no lag, a good music player, no fragmentation (It's good to know I can't buy a new phone and have it be outdated next week) and hell, gaming has already about caught up with Android. You guys have more, we have better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess the problem is that the more you feed the trolls , they keep coming back for more.
i just realize that he is using a sgs...
eww.
saldawop said:
I guess the problem is that the more you feed the trolls , they keep coming back for more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it's pretty much a greek tragedy how incompetent these android users are "LOL my phone OS is better than yours *tap 3 times before an app finally pulls up then swipe left or right and watch the lag roll in* Yup, totally better, I troll you."
Ha. That wasn't really a troll. I just meant there's no setup or critical apps you need to get the phone running. Just grab whatever catches your eye from the market and you're golden. I like that aspect of the platform compared to Android. Until you want your phone to do something a specific way, it's bliss.
Sent from my GT-I9000M
kappo78 said:
So I've finally joined the club and boy am I stoked. So, what are the first things one should do e.g. apps to get, slight customisation, games etc, help your fellow comrade.
I don't know if this thread has been done before, if not, maybe it could be a sticky?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome to the world of WP7. Care to share which device you acquired?
MartyLK said:
Welcome to the world of WP7. Care to share which device you acquired?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't get it, aren't you the one who was pushing the WebOS users to outvote everything on that poll?
If you only get two games, get...
Ilomilo
Aphajax
Both will blow your mind into little wobbly pieces of grey blancmange and raspberry sauce. And all will be well in the world.
Wait! Someone's just put QUORUM down on a TW! Bastard!
radeon_x said:
That's the beauty of WP7. There's no real customization to be done and no real apps to get. You're good to go!
Sent from my GT-I9000M
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends on how you look at it.
Lacking the need for customization at a low level is good (Rooting to uninstall bloatware, etc.), but there are tons of instances where you have to hack the system up just to achieve trivial tasks. Adding Ringtons to you phone, accessing Camera Shutter options, changing the default Search Engine in the Browser (T-Mobile sets it to Google, and some Euro Carrier sets it to Yahoo!). Things like that. You can't even set a home page in the browser (so even though I can't stand searching through Google, there's no way to Set Bing as the home page and just open a new tab and search from there). The OS is literally devoid of options/settings that matter. Can't even toggle between EDGE and 3G to save battery without hacking the phone (and that hack doesn't even work for some phones).
These aren't deep customizations on any other smartphone platform, but for WP7 it requires going beyond rooting or jailbreaking an Android phone. It makes Android a bit easier to use than WP7 when you factor in OneClick Root apps and the ability to sideload applications without scouring threads/the internet for information to get this done (and installing a ridiculously big SDK on your computer - nevermind the fact that it requires a Windows PC as well).
Microsoft got it wrong.
The issue with Android settigs is not that there were too many. It's the way they are presented to the user. They're generally (especially in third party applications from independent devs) just thrown in the user face on one huge page. Decently organized options in groups or tabs... there's nothing wrong with that. They need to add tons of options for the system and stock applications, because making even trivial changes to some behaviors is impossible without going through more work than loading a custom ROM on an Android phone is right now.
Minimalistic is good if you do it right (iOS). Microsoft took it to the extreme and all it does is create a ton of usability faux pas.
z33dev33l said:
How adorable, another android troll. There's also no lag, a good music player, no fragmentation (It's good to know I can't buy a new phone and have it be outdated next week) and hell, gaming has already about caught up with Android. You guys have more, we have better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, you're trolling him.
He means that the stock functionality in the WP7 system is above and beyond Android and iOS. And it is. Everything comes from Microsoft, integrates nicely, and performs well. Aside from Microsoft and Manufacturer Apps (i.e. HTC, LG, Samsung Apps), there aren't that many apps that you need on a WP7 device to be functional - besides games. Twitter is missing in the People Hub, so that's a biggie, and the Facebook integration doesn't include all functionality, so you need that.
I suggest Twitter, Seesmic, Facebook (Seesmic because it includes both and is a nice hub to use when you don't need heavy duty FB/Twitter functionality). Microsoft has a ton of free apps that are useful. Your manufacturer (especially if HTC) will fill in many of the other gaps. Foursquare is in the Market.
Adobe Reader is in the market. Amazon and Amazon Kindle is there. eBay has a very nice App in the market. Messenger by Miyowa sadly I have to recommend it because it's the best of any Messenger app in the market at the moment.
If you have an HTC phone you don't need a weather app. The HTC Hub Tile is Live for Weather. If not, I recommend Weather bug or Microsoft's little weather app. Weather Channel is a 9MB app and I can't see how that ridiculous size is justified given how WeatherBug and Microsoft's weather app are both < 2MB (if not 1 or below).
Microsoft has a few free games to try out. AlphaJacks is like Words With Friends for Windows Mobile ("Try It" version is free forever, but Ad Supported). Haypi Kingdom is a nice strategy game that is multi-player (also available for iOS and Android, so there is no shortage of people to play with/against).
Office Apps aren't needed (Office Mobile)
NoteTaking Apps aren't needed (OneNote Mobile)
Exchange Clients aren't needed (In-Built Functionality)
Music Players aren't needed (Zune)
Radio Apps aren't needed (Zune)
Slacker and Last.FM exist for Internet Radio.
Shazam is available with Unlimited Tagging.
Microsoft has a List App in the market (and HTC has one in their Marketplace).
Poynt, AP Mobile, IMDb, Fandango are all there.
But there aren't many needed apps, TBQH. Most apps are slower to use than the web browser because they tend to take excessive amounts of time "Updating..." Loading a web browser or performing a voice search often outperforms them, IME.
I'd get the biggies. Personally I'd avoid crap that you don't necessarily need and use the space for stuff that matters (Music, Pictures, Documents, etc.).
You can save documents from SkyDrive to your computer by opening them up from the Office.Live.com website and saving them to your Office Hub in Office Mobile. OneNote Mobile Syncs perfectly. There is an option to keep your Camera Roll in Sync with SkyDrive (this can use a lot of data if you take lots of pictures).
N8ter said:
Actually, you're trolling him.
He means that the stock functionality in the WP7 system is above and beyond Android and iOS. And it is. Everything comes from Microsoft, integrates nicely, and performs well. Aside from Microsoft and Manufacturer Apps (i.e. HTC, LG, Samsung Apps), there aren't that many apps that you need on a WP7 device to be functional - besides games. Twitter is missing in the People Hub, so that's a biggie, and the Facebook integration doesn't include all functionality, so you need that.
I suggest Twitter, Seesmic, Facebook (Seesmic because it includes both and is a nice hub to use when you don't need heavy duty FB/Twitter functionality). Microsoft has a ton of free apps that are useful. Your manufacturer (especially if HTC) will fill in many of the other gaps. Foursquare is in the Market.
Adobe Reader is in the market. Amazon and Amazon Kindle is there. eBay has a very nice App in the market. Messenger by Miyowa sadly I have to recommend it because it's the best of any Messenger app in the market at the moment.
If you have an HTC phone you don't need a weather app. The HTC Hub Tile is Live for Weather. If not, I recommend Weather bug or Microsoft's little weather app. Weather Channel is a 9MB app and I can't see how that ridiculous size is justified given how WeatherBug and Microsoft's weather app are both < 2MB (if not 1 or below).
Microsoft has a few free games to try out. AlphaJacks is like Words With Friends for Windows Mobile ("Try It" version is free forever, but Ad Supported). Haypi Kingdom is a nice strategy game that is multi-player (also available for iOS and Android, so there is no shortage of people to play with/against).
Office Apps aren't needed (Office Mobile)
NoteTaking Apps aren't needed (OneNote Mobile)
Exchange Clients aren't needed (In-Built Functionality)
Music Players aren't needed (Zune)
Radio Apps aren't needed (Zune)
Slacker and Last.FM exist for Internet Radio.
Shazam is available with Unlimited Tagging.
Microsoft has a List App in the market (and HTC has one in their Marketplace).
Poynt, AP Mobile, IMDb, Fandango are all there.
But there aren't many needed apps, TBQH. Most apps are slower to use than the web browser because they tend to take excessive amounts of time "Updating..." Loading a web browser or performing a voice search often outperforms them, IME.
I'd get the biggies. Personally I'd avoid crap that you don't necessarily need and use the space for stuff that matters (Music, Pictures, Documents, etc.).
You can save documents from SkyDrive to your computer by opening them up from the Office.Live.com website and saving them to your Office Hub in Office Mobile. OneNote Mobile Syncs perfectly. There is an option to keep your Camera Roll in Sync with SkyDrive (this can use a lot of data if you take lots of pictures).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Eh, no real apps to get doesn't exactly sound right. It makes it sound like anything released on this platform is bad.
To OP though, Ilomilo and Twin Blades are the only games I have that live up to my XBL expectations (and sadly I have most of them) there are other good games but Ilomilo overall. other than that Netflix is the only other one I'd deem necessary.
I knew exactly what he means when I read the post. Perhaps English isn't his first language, but it wasn't a hard statement to decipher...
Netflix is useless if you're not a subscriber, so I wouldn't deem it necessary at all. No one is going to subscribe to Netflix just to watch movies on a phone. Just doesn't make sense, IMO. If you're a subscriber, though, have it's nice to have...
The only necessary apps are those for social networking, and XBox Live Extras.
The Manufacturer Hub Apps (some/most of them) are a given.
TBQH, most smartphone OSes are like this. If the platform is missing something, like Android is, the Manufacturers usually add it in (ThinkFree Office, Amazon MP3, MobiTV, Exchange support, etc.).
One thing most of us forgot is Navigation Software. At this point if you want decent navigation with Turn-By-Turn directions, you're basically required to pay a subscription fee for TeleNav or whatever the phone comes with.
I've tried A-to-B Navigation. It's useless for all practical purposes.
Social Networking and Navigation Software are the only ones I'd say are necessary.
Also the Carriers are allowed to change the default search provider in Internet Explorer, so if you're a Bing user like me the usability of in-browser search is... terrible. T-Mobile Maps the Search button (and address bar search) in IE to Google and some Euro Carriers change it to Yahoo. Severely inconsistent and bad considering most people use the address bar to perform searches.
There is no option to change the default search provider. And performing that hack requires more manual labor than rooting and installing a custom ROM on an Android computer (and involves making registry changes, etc. on your Windows PC).
N8ter said:
I knew exactly what he means when I read the post. Perhaps English isn't his first language, but it wasn't a hard statement to decipher...
Netflix is useless if you're not a subscriber, so I wouldn't deem it necessary at all. No one is going to subscribe to Netflix just to watch movies on a phone. Just doesn't make sense, IMO. If you're a subscriber, though, have it's nice to have...
The only necessary apps are those for social networking, and XBox Live Extras.
The Manufacturer Hub Apps (some/most of them) are a given.
TBQH, most smartphone OSes are like this. If the platform is missing something, like Android is, the Manufacturers usually add it in (ThinkFree Office, Amazon MP3, MobiTV, Exchange support, etc.).
One thing most of us forgot is Navigation Software. At this point if you want decent navigation with Turn-By-Turn directions, you're basically required to pay a subscription fee for TeleNav or whatever the phone comes with.
I've tried A-to-B Navigation. It's useless for all practical purposes.
Social Networking and Navigation Software are the only ones I'd say are necessary.
Also the Carriers are allowed to change the default search provider in Internet Explorer, so if you're a Bing user like me the usability of in-browser search is... terrible. T-Mobile Maps the Search button (and address bar search) in IE to Google and some Euro Carriers change it to Yahoo. Severely inconsistent and bad considering most people use the address bar to perform searches.
There is no option to change the default search provider. And performing that hack requires more manual labor than rooting and installing a custom ROM on an Android computer (and involves making registry changes, etc. on your Windows PC).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not only that, but I wouldn't subscribe to any version of Netflix because of the cost. I watch maybe 2 to 4 rented movies a month. And some months, none. To have to pay a fee just to use Netflix is wasteful. Yet that's how NF works. I would, however, subscribe to NF if there was no fee. The only cost would be the rental charge.
I have to say the best game for Xbox Live is the Harvest. Feels like diablo with a sci fi twist. The bad thing though is if your a typical Xbox console gamer, you won't find much that will interest you on WP7.
I swear its a new puzzle or tower defense game ever week.
you can of course customise your lock screen, you could also install "pin to start" which apparently offers customised live tile (don't have it myself, not my type of thing". Apps wise, get the HTC You tube app if you have an HTC device, would also recommend pdf reader and the amazon kindle app (if you like books) beyond that, there are nearly 9000 apps to choose from - I think there are even a couple of "fart" apps if that floats your boat...........
I've already mentioned Adobe Acrobat Reader X and Amazon Kindle.
Not all applications have Live Tiles, and TBH without a Live Tile an app would have to be very important to merit a spot on you home screen (no one wants a home screen that scrolls for miles). I have issues keeping Seesmic/Twitter/Facebook on the Home Screen, for example, without a Live Tile. Games like AlphaJax are good cause the Tile is Live (tells you when it's your turn and how many games you have waiting on you, for example).
The HTC YouTube app is good, but it's only for HTC devices (I already said the Manufacturer apps were a given since they fill in obvious gaps in functionality i.e. YouTube, NotePad/List App, Flashlight, Attentive Phone, Live Weather Tile (HTC), Sound Enhancer, etc.).
The customization that I say is missing isn't really "customization" in the XDA-Developers sense.
Setting a Home Page in the Browser, Setting the Default Search Engine in the Browser, and Options for things like how long you want Toast Notifications to stay on the screen aren't any type of deep customization. It's simply a trivial setting that Microsoft needs to add. These things are missing all over the OS and need to be added in ASAP. It acually makes the OS a chore to use in many instances.
They also need to make carriers unable to alter the default search engine. It sucks for people who use a certain search engine, and makes it take 3x longer to perform searches if you don't want to go through Google. There just need to be an option for the three biggies (Bing, Yahoo, Google) or the ability to allow the bing homepage to set itself as the default search engine (or Yahoo, or Google).
Hi,
Coming from symbian/winmo phones, the S2 will be my first android phone, what would the best apps to install right away -input, launcher, navigation, etc. (I don't care about games, and I don't mind paying for my apps).
Thanks in advance for your help.
Pulse is the best news app.
Google Maps is the best nav app.
Launcher Pro is my favorite home replacement.
Google Goggles
Opera Mini
Callmeter NG (data count calls sms..)
Astro (file manager)
Barcode Scanner
Bit useless question to me, although understand that your asking for it, Ill try to give an impression what apps are needed for me and why
adfree: no more adds, even in paid games etc.
astro: mentioned before, best file manager
chrome to phone: send stuff from your chrome browser directly to your phone (note: works with both chrome and firefox!)
dropbox: send files directly from your pc to your phone
google maps: navigation etc etc
msn talk pro: best msn client
root explorer: file manager with root acces, nice if your a bit more comfortable with your phone and you want to place stuff in system folders
simi folder: nice free folder manager (very customizable)
launcher pro plus: best home replacement/launcher
skype: not the best app, but hey, skype on your phone.
soundhound: best music recognition app (similar to shazam, but a bit better)
google talk: nice messenger app from google, will soon work with video calling
thinkfree office: nice office package (also reads pdf)
titanium backup: best backup app for me
google translate: handy if your abroad all the time (like me)
whatsapp: free message app, similar to ping! or blackberry messenger
widgetsoid: (all in one widget creater, place nice toggles and shortcuts easily, very customizable)
Games:
ashpalt 6: good racing game
eternal legacy: good ff replacement
fruit ninja: just try to beat my highscore! (987)
Illusia: nice 2d adventure
JetCarStunts: really addictive platformerish game
Modern Combat 2: nice fps
Speedx 3d: strange reflex game, highly addictive
I have some more stuff, but these are my recommendations!
Thanks tennis11, okorn and stitch !
I understand your point stitch, it is a little bit like if I was asking "what would be the qualities I should be looking in a GF ?" We are all different, and our choices in anything including what we install in our phones directly reflect who we are, what are our personal interests, etc.
Still, if I could avoid going through 3454 web sites and 234 threads to discover what's the best rss reader or nav app, I would be very happy
Therefore merci beaucoup for the time you spent answering me guys !
and on the top of it, you will see a fair share of complete android noobs (like me) who juste made the move because of THIS phone !
Sorry in advance for the large number of basic questions we will ask the seasoned android warriors over here...
i'm one of these noobs too
thanks for asking JohnDoe01, and thanks for answers
JohnDoe01 said:
and on the top of it, you will see a fair share of complete android noobs (like me) who juste made the move because of THIS phone !
Sorry in advance for the large number of basic questions we will ask the seasoned android warriors over here...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I do understand, as I mentioned, thats why I gave my complete list. For rss reader you might want to try BeyondPod podcast manager, its the best rss feed reader imo.
I see that your French, you might want to check out the ratp and sncf apps as well.
Pulse news reader has a nice layout. Free aswell
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA Premium App
On games add Angry Birds, but be careful...dont give the phone with Angry Birds installed to your GF, she wont five it back
Tx Stitch! !
You helped me a lot and spared me a lotta time searching.
These are the apps I will definitely need too ..........
Lemme ad:
Ulysse Gizmos (level meter, compass etc.)
Ulysse Speedometer (nice app for drive-tracking)
Stitch! said:
ashpalt 6: good racing game
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
where did you get this? i can only find Asphalt 5!
Dickie
Never mind, was being a 'tard, forgot about GLs site lol
We are all differennt so here is my list of apps that I use:
General
LaunchPro
Fancy Widget (Pretty clock on screen + date weather etc)
Productivity
Android Agenda Widget
Astrid (and then integrated into Android Agenda Widget)
K9 Mail
APG (Gnu PGP encryption for K9 Mail)
Games
Pew Pew
VideoPlayer
mVideoPlayer
AudioPlayer
MIUI player (don't think that this is in the Market, but there is a link for it on this forum)
News and affairs
BuzzBox
Connectivity
ConnectBot (SSH/Telnet)
Torrents
tTorrent (lite). The paid version allows unlimited d/l whilst the free one allows a max 250kB/ps, which is quite adequate.
All these app are available for free on the Market (bar MIUI player, which is freely available). however some have paid versions that offer better features. LauncherPro comes to mind. I bought this.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=827898
Doom Live Wallpaper works perfectly and looks great on the SGS2 screen.
Stitch! said:
Bit useless question to me, although understand that your asking for it, Ill try to give an impression what apps are needed for me and why
adfree: no more adds, even in paid games etc.
astro: mentioned before, best file manager
chrome to phone: send stuff from your chrome browser directly to your phone
dropbox: send files directly from your pc to your phone
google maps: navigation etc etc
msn talk pro: best msn client
root explorer: file manager with root acces, nice if your a bit more comfortable with your phone and you want to place stuff in system folders
simi folder: nice free folder manager (very customizable)
launcher pro plus: best home replacement/launcher
skype: not the best app, but hey, skype on your phone.
soundhound: best music recognition app (similar to shazam, but a bit better)
google talk: nice messenger app from google, will soon work with video calling
thinkfree office: nice office package (also reads pdf)
titanium backup: best backup app for me
google translate: handy if your abroad all the time (like me)
whatsapp: free message app, similar to ping! or blackberry messenger
widgetsoid: (all in one widget creater, place nice toggles and shortcuts easily, very customizable)
Games:
ashpalt 6: good racing game
eternal legacy: good ff replacement
fruit ninja: just try to beat my highscore! (987)
Illusia: nice 2d adventure
JetCarStunts: really addictive platformerish game
Modern Combat 2: nice fps
Speedx 3d: strange reflex game, highly addictive
I have some more stuff, but these are my recommendations!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was a nice collection. Allow me to add more.
In alphabetical order:
1Mobile Market: As great as the normal Android market, has some additions IMHO.
aMetro: Subway maps for various countries.
App Update Notifier: As the name says. You can also schedule updates check.
AppRemover: Best uninstaller out there.
BatteryCalibration: As the name says.
Cache Cleaner: As the name says.
Dual File Manager: Best file explorer IMHO (Root Explorer is great too if you want to access the system, but this one has a better interface).
FasterFix: A fix for applying fast GPS lock.
HD Wallpapers: As the name says.
JuiceDefender: Best battery saver out there, truly makes a difference.
Maxthon: An excellent browser indeed. As well as xScope.
MoboPlayer: Best flv videos player (Am not sure if SGS2 plays flv by default).
Mp3TaggerPro: Best tags editor for your music tracks.
MultiTasking Pro: Visual task switcher (Something like the good old task manager, back in WinMo days ).
PhoneUsage: Statistical reports for your usage (calls, SMS, and data).
Plume: The very best Twitter app out there.
PowerAMP: The very best music player out there.
SD Speed Increase: As the name says, makes a difference in reading/writing speeds.
Smart Keyboard: Best one IMHO, as well as SwiftKey.
Where's My Droid: Excellent one, if you lost your phone, just SMS it & it will ring.
NoLED is pretty handy - it shows a little sprite on your screen if you have a missed call or unread text etc, and uses very little power because of the SAMOLED+. A bit like the glowing trackball on the Nexus One.
can i download the apps on the pc and then install it on my phone?
If yes how?
and where can i get the apps to download from?
Try market first.
I personally think spark 360 is an excellent app for xbox live costs about a pound but well worth it if u have xbox
Sent from my X10i using XDA App
Music downloader and other requests
I've just arrived at Android, having spent the last 18 months with the HTC HD2 and would like to try to find some similar apps to Winmo ones that I particularly miss (I don't miss the phone though...).
My wish list is for the best Android versions of;
Scilor's groovedownloader - absolutely superb free mp3 downloads
SPB Backup - saved my sanity on many occasions
iGo Primo - Great offline sat nav
That will do for now, if there are any suggestions out there.
I am loving this phone.
There have been posts about this here and there, but most of them are just asking for advice on how to do it. I plan to follow through and document the solutions I find.
Why, you ask? I don't like Google having so much data on me. I used to not care but in today's environment with SOPA and new NSA data centers and whatnot, well... maybe I'm paranoid but I don't necessarily want anyone to so easily have such a complete profile of all my searches, contacts, location history, etc. Anyway, if you think it's dumb, ok, got it, move along please.
So if I don't like Google then why use Android? Well, a couple of reasons. First of all, Google is not Android. Android is maintained by the Android Open Source Project, which in turn is made up of members of the Open Handset Alliance. Yes, Google is the lead member of the Open Handset Alliance, and yes most of the developers working on the Android Open Source Project are Google employees. But I've been following Android for long enough now to know that Google and Android are for all practical purposes separate entities.
The second reason is because Android is simply the best mobile operating system on the planet right now, and it is free open-source software. I use Ubuntu on my laptop, and I'm not interested in switching to Windows or Mac, so that pretty much rules out iPhone or Windows Phone right there.
But isn't Android really Google's OS? Yes and No. As I mentioned, Google does pretty much run the AOSP, along with device manufacturers. But AOSP is very "provider agnostic." Much of what you see on your phone is not from AOSP. The Galaxy Nexus is a GOOGLE device, not an AOSP device. Gmail, Maps, Market, Location Tracking, etc are all GOOGLE ADDITIONS and are NOT a part of AOSP! When you build AOSP from source (or Cyanogenmod), you end up with an agnostic, neutral device that has practically no mention of anything Google whatsoever.
But what about what you DONT have in AOSP? No Market??? No Gmail??? How can you possibly use Android without these things? Well that is exactly what I intend to find out.
Please feel free to contribute to the discussion with ideas and questions. Hopefully this thread can eventually be helpful for someone else who comes along and wants to do something similar.
More posts to follow as I progress....
EDIT: I should add, I also will try to avoid other "free" services like Yahoo! and Hotmail-- basically anyone who wants to run bots through your mail to sell you ads or sell your data to others who want to sell you ads, etc. I will be trying to use open-source or for-pay services where possible (if it's "free" then YOU'RE the product!).
I commend your ambition, but this is nothing new. There are already non-Google Android handsets an tablets on the market. The Kindle Fire, for example, is non-Google.
You can do the same with a GNex. Just don't add a Google account or use a ROM without the gapps. Install the Amazon App Store, change your default search, and away you go.
please...stay safe
Personally the only Google apps I use are Gmail and the Play store, with an occasional use of maps and goggles.
Having a market is really just for convenience, you could install with APKs like on Windows you have to install from EXEs or MSIs. And if you're that against google you could just use the Amazon marketplace for stuff, though I've heard they take longer to receive updates.
In all honesty I don't know what to suggest except flashing 100% and not signing into Google services in any way or form. What you are asking is not possible unless you use apks from non market source and using Hotmail or something.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus expect possible typos.
If somebody figure out how to use Calendar, without creating google account for at least one time, or tell me the alternative calendar (not just widget) that will not sync with google, it would be nice. For example Smasung TW Launcher has it's own calendar, that you can choose, without google, but pure ICS does not have.
I have tryed many alternative, such as Jorte, Pocket Informant, etc, but they are far away from stock ...
I use:
1mobile.net
4shared.com (You also get 15gb cloud space free)
appbrain.com (get app from 4shared)
I absolutely love Google and all of their services. You're crazy! Good luck with it though.
Somebody needs to come out with a tinfoil hat edition ROM.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
sashavegas said:
If somebody figure out how to use Calendar, without creating google account for at least one time, or tell me the alternative calendar (not just widget) that will not sync with google, it would be nice. For example Smasung TW Launcher has it's own calendar, that you can choose, without google, but pure ICS does not have.
I have tryed many alternative, such as Jorte, Pocket Informant, etc, but they are far away from stock ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THIS is the point of the thread. Replacing Android Market with Amazon App Stores is completely simple and obvious. Getting contacts and calendar syncing, things like that are not so obvious. Mainly because I am not only going to avoid Google, but other services like Yahoo! or Hotmail, etc (anything that's "free" so they can monetize your data).
Stay off the grid bro
Sent from my francoPhone
ChongoDroid said:
Stay off the grid bro
Sent from my francoPhone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly! Lol.
Once you're connected to the internet, you're pretty much open to everyone... You can go offline if you don't want any of these... It's not only google... There's ways you can go anonymous like using proxy.... Using search engine that don't track search data... Google has an option for you to opt-in or opt out... Just like the previous responses, you can use amazon but don't think amazon doesn't track you also... How would they know what to recommend you... Google don't force users to stick only to them... And that's why I like google for this reason only...
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4g with Beats Audio
matt2053 said:
THIS is the point of the thread. Replacing Android Market with Amazon App Stores is completely simple and obvious. Getting contacts and calendar syncing, things like that are not so obvious. Mainly because I am not only going to avoid Google, but other services like Yahoo! or Hotmail, etc (anything that's "free" so they can monetize your data).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There should be some third party app that will do these things, well you use linux, you should know that there's a lot of alternatives... Try if the software you use in ubuntu are available for android
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4g with Beats Audio
Try this one, if you use thunderbird. Seems decent...
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.callicia.birdiesync
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4g with Beats Audio
AndroidNeophyte said:
Once you're connected to the internet, you're pretty much open to everyone... You can go offline if you don't want any of these... It's not only google... There's ways you can go anonymous like using proxy.... Using search engine that don't track search data... Google has an option for you to opt-in or opt out... Just like the previous responses, you can use amazon but don't think amazon doesn't track you also... How would they know what to recommend you... Google don't force users to stick only to them... And that's why I like google for this reason only...
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4g with Beats Audio
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The point isn't really to be 100% anonymous. That would require a dumbphone with prepaid sim or VPN/Proxy setups etc, and that's not what I'm look at. The point is to make an experiment and see how "non-Google" AOSP really is and how useful it is as a mobile OS on its own, without Google proprietary add-ons. Many people say you "have to have a Gmail account to use Android," or "you have to sync your contacts through Gmail" etc and I want to show people how they can do it without Google if they so choose.
AndroidNeophyte said:
Try this one, if you use thunderbird. Seems decent...
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.callicia.birdiesync
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4g with Beats Audio
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I saw that one and I plan to try it out. I do use Thunderbird, thanks!
AOSP + open source Exchange alternative for syncing Calendar/Email/Contacts hosted on your own server (ie Zimbra)
Sideload all apps
Voila!
matt2053 said:
THIS is the point of the thread. Replacing Android Market with Amazon App Stores is completely simple and obvious. Getting contacts and calendar syncing, things like that are not so obvious. Mainly because I am not only going to avoid Google, but other services like Yahoo! or Hotmail, etc (anything that's "free" so they can monetize your data).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
XDA monetizes your data. Every website does; that's how they pay for hosting and bandwidth.
Use a different calendar app and sync your contacts to Outlook, or just back them up somewhere.
Alright, but you should really start off removing the antenna from your smartphone. Then compile AOSP, don't flash GApps, sideload all APK files.
There, now you're off the grid. Enjoy boredom and next to no convenient functionality.