Develop Bugs

Push Chrome / Firefox links to your Android

Engadet just posted how you can push links to android 2.2 running Froyo.
ONLY FOR ANDROID 2.2 FROYO
Full story:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/31/how-to-push-chrome-firefox-links-to-your-android-2-2-froyo-de/
1. download the Google Chrome to Phone Extension application here. Make sure Settings > Applications > Unknown Sources is checked if you're installing over USB
2. Download the latest version of the Chrome to Phone extension from the same page, or get the Firefox version here.
3. In your web browser of choice, log into your Google Account.
4. On your phone, start the Chrome to Phone application
5. In the app, add the Google Account you'd like to share with.
Click on "Register Device" to link your account to the Google Chrome to Phone service.
Finally, open up that web browser, find something you'd like to share, then click the new icon in the toolbar to beam it to your phone. Now you're cooking with fi--we mean, now you can continue your browsing sessions, share YouTube videos and get those Google Maps.

dose anyone think WOW i nead this feature?
i didt.. am i missing somthing?

using push means apps don't longer have to make a connection to the server in order to check for updates. Making updates doesn't come immediately (depends on the update interval) and draining the battery more. Pushing means that the server 'pushes' the changes to the apps when there's an update. So people will receive their updates immediately.

copex said:
dose anyone think WOW i nead this feature?
i didt.. am i missing somthing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you are.
Froyo brings the "cloud to device" functionality to 3rd party apps, essentially allowing application developers to use a lightweight "push" notification service rather than having to do their own thing.
Whilst this particular use of the service may not be of interest to you, I can assure you that this is going to be tremendously useful in the future once developers start getting to grips with it.
Regards,
Dave

copex said:
dose anyone think WOW i nead this feature?
i didt.. am i missing somthing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
one simple example, you are in hurry to go to a company that you don't know where it is, so you just browse their website in your pc, find the location in google maps, and push it to your phone.
I know that we can do that also from the phone, but no matter how good a phone is, for now it is still easier to do that in a pc rather than in a phone.

boge said:
one simple example, you are in hurry to go to a company that you don't know where it is, so you just browse their website in your pc, find the location in google maps, and push it to your phone.
I know that we can do that also from the phone, but no matter how good a phone is, for now it is still easier to do that in a pc rather than in a phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
maybe its just the way i use my phone, i would just pop the post code in google maps on the phone, or use the voice navigate to feature.
i understand cloud/push tech, and when we finally get Firefox on android with Firefox sync i can see me making use of tab syncing.
but the whole push a webpage to my phone - but i am sure there will be other great cloud/push apps.

the firefox extension link is broken - this is working from chrome though. Any idea what happened to the firefox extension?

I'm guessing the Firefox plugin is this one:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/161941/

copex said:
dose anyone think WOW i nead this feature?
i didt.. am i missing somthing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Features
- Send current page with address bar button
- Right click on any link/image to send to your Android phone
- Highlight any text then click address bar button to send to clipboard your phone (Max. 265chars)
Very bloody useful if you ask me!

does anybody know if it also works the otherway around, so from phone to pc?

Google Maps?

Any word on whether Google's working on a WP7 Google Maps app?
There's this: http://dotnetbyexample.blogspot.com/2010/10/google-maps-for-windows-phone-7.html, but of course, Google's TOS won't allow that to become useful.
There's also a suggestion in Google Mobile's product ideas page: http://productideas.appspot.com/#9/e=cf&t=windows+phone+7+maps
Bing is fine in parts of the U.S., but I'm sometimes in Mumbai and other cities around the world, where Bing Maps is atrociously poor.

I am hoping that either Microsoft improve their map service or Google brings their maps service to WP7.

so it's impossible to go to m.google.com/maps on a wp7 device and download google maps?

Doesn't this all look very similar to the anti-trust suites that occurred over Internet Explorer being bundled with Windows? I can't really see how having the MS service embedded into the OS doesn't break the same rules that IE was apparently breaking as a stand-alone but pre-installed program?
Hopefully we'll end up with a choice on first-run between Bing, Google and anyone else that wants to play so we can decide who we have integrated into the OS.

paulrockliffe said:
Doesn't this all look very similar to the anti-trust suites that occurred over Internet Explorer being bundled with Windows? I can't really see how having the MS service embedded into the OS doesn't break the same rules that IE was apparently breaking as a stand-alone but pre-installed program?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it doesn't because Microsoft has nowhere near the marketshare on smartphones that Windows has on desktops. And I think it's possible for Google to write and submit a Google Maps application for WP7 and in my opinion Microsoft will allow the application in the marketplace (because otherwise there will be a long discussion online that may affect the image of WP7 negatively).
paulrockliffe said:
Hopefully we'll end up with a choice on first-run between Bing, Google and anyone else that wants to play so we can decide who we have integrated into the OS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is the most likely scenario.

I am expecting Google Maps on WP7 a lot, because I can't deal with Bing Maps.
In France and some european countries Bing Maps is just crap.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=823953

Google just announced it. BTW, why would you want Google maps? I can't stand it compared to Bing on Phone 7.

There are 2 things I want from Google:
1. IE search to be changed from Yahoo! to Google (on the HTC HD7 in the UK), with search as you type and image search.
2. And of course, a fully featured YouTube app.
Bing is a decent mapping platform. The only feature it lacks is streetview.

kenikh said:
Google just announced it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If true, it's great
Bing Maps is slow, terribly slow outside the US
Bing Maps has no Street View
Bing search is inaccurate and uncomplete outside the US. It misses most of the things I'm looking for, and Google finds it immediately.
Google includes images search.

Why doesn't Bing have image search on WP7?

well at least now you can have Google Search on your Windows phone 7. http://www.phonedog.com/2010/11/08/google-search-app-for-windows-phone-7-now-available/

kenikh said:
Google just announced it. BTW, why would you want Google maps? I can't stand it compared to Bing on Phone 7.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As for Europe, Poland, Bing is worse than Gooogle, especially in searching streets etc.

Where are you ppl coming up with Bing Maps for WP7? I have looked and looked all over the web and cannot find where Bing Maps (turn by turn nav) is. It isn't built into the Bing search app on my new HD7 nor is it available at the Market.

Press the Search button at the bottom right of your phone??? Works fine for me...BTW, wanna sell that HD7 you are sending back? Sux AT&T has crap hardware.

scroll to the right (the app list)... do you not have a "Maps" application there? It was built into my phone, it should be there for yours.

Bing would be alright, if they had public transportation built into their maps. That's why i love google maps lets me know when the next bus comes.

f1restarter said:
well at least now you can have Google Search on your Windows phone 7. http://www.phonedog.com/2010/11/08/google-search-app-for-windows-phone-7-now-available/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great that Google search comes to WP7 . At least we will have the option to search for some images (Bing doesn't even include this basic feature).
Hope Google Maps will come soon.

kenikh said:
Google just announced it. BTW, why would you want Google maps? I can't stand it compared to Bing on Phone 7.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No Google maps yet (just a general Google search app).
As for why-- because Google Maps has vastly superior map and point of interest data in many, if not most, parts of the world than Bing Maps.

Apparently, somebody has already compiled Google Maps for Windows Phone 7. You'll still need a developer account to load it though.

day2die said:
Apparently, somebody has already compiled Google Maps for Windows Phone 7. You'll still need a developer account to load it though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On my phone at the moment (and of course WP7 can't do anything with files), but I'd guess that's probably the same deal as this: http://dotnetbyexample.blogspot.com/2010/10/google-maps-for-windows-phone-7.html
If so, that's just pulling map tiles from Google-- not enough to actually do anything useful, and Google's TOS doesn't allow it anyway.

Apps in Demand

Hi,
What apps are you guys missing the most on WP7. Lets make a list.
For starters heres a few
1) Adobe Flash
2) Opera/Firefox
3) Windows Messenger official client
4) Skype
5) Google Maps (Bing sucks)
Any more?

nitroxn said:
Hi,
What apps are you guys missing the most on WP7. Lets make a list.
For starters heres a few
1) Adobe Flash
2) Opera/Firefox
3) Windows Messenger official client
4) Skype
5) Google Maps (Bing sucks)
Any more?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Out of all of those the only one I'd use is Adobe Flash. Bing maps is awesome they just need turn by turn navigation, opera and firefox arent going to be worth a damn once the new version of IE is out (on mobile anyway) Messengers are too impersonal, I call and text. I dont even think I've been on messenger in 4 months or so. Skype... well... I'd prefer windows come up with their own video chat app.

I think Google Maps is critically necessary. Unless you live in the US, Bing Maps is very disappointing. Google Maps is loaded with local businesses around the world, has public transit layers in may big cities, and from my experience has better map coverage (as in purely street names and numbers).
Plus, a vector-based map application is probably a much better idea on a phone, since you can rotate the map according to your orientation without losing quality when you're doing turn-by-turn.
I think Navteq will make a stunning navigation app for WP7, but right now I really need some Google Maps love.

Greg2k said:
I think Google Maps is critically necessary. Unless you live in the US, Bing Maps is very disappointing. Google Maps is loaded with local businesses around the world, has public transit layers in may big cities, and from my experience has better map coverage (as in purely street names and numbers).
Plus, a vector-based map application is probably a much better idea on a phone, since you can rotate the map according to your orientation without losing quality when you're doing turn-by-turn.
I think Navteq will make a stunning navigation app for WP7, but right now I really need some Google Maps love.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doubt they'd give in to the competitor like that...Not to mention I'd rather not have google spying on everywhere I go.

I like bing maps, but it needs turn by turn navigation. I do believe this is coming up in some update eventually. I did like the google maps for android though. Some needed apps are:
TELNET
SSH
FTP
RDP
VPN
However, im pretty sure the OS is the reason why we dont have these. I think they are opening those options in the coming update?

Havent we done this before?

Mainly:
- Google Maps
- A good GPS navigation software (Navigon or other)
But also:
- A nice translation software (Robert Collins or other)
- Last.fm app allowing to scrobble my music (the Last.fm app isn't even available in france)
- A simple flashlight using the led flash (I don't have a HTC)

Google Maps.
My experience on WM6.1 with Google was far better than I have had with Bing (so far). Pushpins (Can't find them on Bing though they're supposed to be there) that stay on the map (I work all over the place and need to navigate from and to different locations every day) especially.
Most of all though, I want the phone to automatically stay ON when navigating with what ever Map App I use. I know that there is a possible issue with Screen Burn but this is an imperative when driving.

Why do you need Opera/Firefox？
The stock browser works better than Opera Mobile/Firefox on Android

Unfortunately I believe we will not have Google Maps quite soon.
And I think I understand why Google refuses to release Google Maps for WP7.
Recently a developer told me that its app (similar too Google Maps for WP7) takes a very long time to display the map graphics because WP7 basically forces him to use Microsoft's web components to load the map images (i.e. the maps app provides URLs and then wait for the OS to get the images).
I think Google will never accept that the Google Maps experience on WP7 can be ruined this way, with map images taking too much time to load, just because it is forced to use Microsoft's web components instead of more efficient methods.

It's funny, since having Bing as default on my phone I've switched to Bing on my desktop and I much prefer it now. IE9 desktop is awesome too so I wouldn't be hasty to wish a 3rd party browser with a new IE mobile in the pipeline.
Bing maps could do with an update for outside of the US but I get on alright with it in the UK. Besides with the amount of legal spats / falling outs Google appear to be having of late I wouldn't expect them to be doing anything to help an MS platform regardless of their business strategy being built on advertising.
Messenger client with proper notifications would be great.
Flash may have it's uses but i'll see what develops with HTML5.
The one I really miss from WM6 is a decent turn by turn nav. Igo8 was superb.. better than any stand alone tomtom / garmin i've used.

provided the nokia deal stays firm, anything Ovi Maps covered will get integrated into Bing Maps making it a lot more viable option.
For those complaining about Google Maps, blame Google not Microsoft. Microsoft and 3rd party developers are not allowed to make a Google Maps API due to Google's restrictions. Google themselves have to do it. Till they do, we won't be seeing any Google love. So stop complaining that MS doesn't do it or 3rd parties don't do it, blame Google.
Also... as mentioned, this is like deja vu, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=844117 contains a lot of this already...

Any instant messenger that can work in the background. ANY! #1 on my list
A better map that can do navigation
anything else
flash

nitroxn said:
Hi,
What apps are you guys missing the most on WP7. Lets make a list.
For starters heres a few
1) Adobe Flash
2) Opera/Firefox
3) Windows Messenger official client
4) Skype
5) Google Maps (Bing sucks)
Any more?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mmm. Only thing i would need is the ability for the browser to bring you to the youtube app and show you the video on the app (like it does on Android instead of playing it on the page eating up the battery and making it slow like hell)
Otherwise than that
MORE GAMES
That is all

arturobandini said:
Unfortunately I believe we will not have Google Maps quite soon.
And I think I understand why Google refuses to release Google Maps for WP7.
Recently a developer told me that its app (similar too Google Maps for WP7) takes a very long time to display the map graphics because WP7 basically forces him to use Microsoft's web components to load the map images (i.e. the maps app provides URLs and then wait for the OS to get the images).
I think Google will never accept that the Google Maps experience on WP7 can be ruined this way, with map images taking too much time to load, just because it is forced to use Microsoft's web components instead of more efficient methods.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
are you blaming google for microsoft's ruining of google maps ? (not sure i follow here)

Palringo
Skype (front facing camera phones as well)
Pandora
File Explorer
Opera

nitroxn said:
Hi,
What apps are you guys missing the most on WP7. Lets make a list.
For starters heres a few
1) Adobe Flash
2) Opera/Firefox
3) Windows Messenger official client
4) Skype
5) Google Maps (Bing sucks)
Any more?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. recent survey says that over 60% of internet is html5 compliant. I'll take flash as long as its done well (no flash adds, only click to start flash content).
2. I think IE9 will blow those out of the water (it already does on the desktop).
3. Sure, why not, don't use it, but I understand there are a lot that do.
4. No FFC so no need yet. I would rather have a skype app than a MS propietary one like apple has.
5. I think MS partnering with ovi-maps is the reason we don't have a bing tbt yet. I think once that gets integrated, it will be the top data based map app out there.
Greg2k said:
I think Google Maps is critically necessary. Unless you live in the US, Bing Maps is very disappointing. Google Maps is loaded with local businesses around the world, has public transit layers in may big cities, and from my experience has better map coverage (as in purely street names and numbers).
Plus, a vector-based map application is probably a much better idea on a phone, since you can rotate the map according to your orientation without losing quality when you're doing turn-by-turn.
I think Navteq will make a stunning navigation app for WP7, but right now I really need some Google Maps love.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think ovi-maps from nokia will solve a lot of that. I don't know how long though.
efjay said:
Havent we done this before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
probably 8 or 9 times.
nickallison said:
Google Maps.
My experience on WM6.1 with Google was far better than I have had with Bing (so far). Pushpins (Can't find them on Bing though they're supposed to be there) that stay on the map (I work all over the place and need to navigate from and to different locations every day) especially.
Most of all though, I want the phone to automatically stay ON when navigating with what ever Map App I use. I know that there is a possible issue with Screen Burn but this is an imperative when driving.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That can be added to any of the apps. The devs just need to add it.

ohgood said:
are you blaming google for microsoft's ruining of google maps ? (not sure i follow here)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I'm blaming Microsoft.

Navigation in Bing...
Bank of America
American airlines
U-verse for more than just at&t
Pandora
Fring or palringo
Skype
Engadget...
And then I'd be happy ....
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App

Stop moaning. You should have done research before.
The fact is that alot of apps that you are looking for needs time to make.
One little document to change something has to be signed of by way too many people and this slow the process down.
Be patient

Google Docs and desktop webpages

Is there a way to use desktop Google Docs on the GN, within the Google Docs app? And if there isn't, could you go on the Google Docs website, use desktop version, and tell me how well it works? On my iPhone the screen gets messed up, the toolbar gets weird, and you can't really do much. Editing any of the text is laggy and hard
Also, when you use the "Request desktop version" feature, does it only do it for that page, or does it change your user agent until you turn it back off? For example, if I want to do ALL of my browsing on the normal version of sites. Thanks in advance! I appreciate the help

Yumunum said:
Is there a way to use desktop Google Docs on the GN, within the Google Docs app? And if there isn't, could you go on the Google Docs website, use desktop version, and tell me how well it works? On my iPhone the screen gets messed up, the toolbar gets weird, and you can't really do much. Editing any of the text is laggy and hard
Also, when you use the "Request desktop version" feature, does it only do it for that page, or does it change your user agent until you turn it back off? For example, if I want to do ALL of my browsing on the normal version of sites. Thanks in advance! I appreciate the help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't know about the first question, as I don't have the Galaxy Nexus, but users have said that the "Request Desktop Version" feature is only applicable for the webpage you are currently on.
Hope that helps,
Mosh

mohitrocks said:
I wouldn't know about the first question, as I don't have the Galaxy Nexus, but users have said that the "Request Desktop Version" feature is only applicable for the webpage you are currently on.
Hope that helps,
Mosh
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, that sucks. Thanks!

Open maps direction on Google Maps?

When I clicked a link like this:
http://www.google.com/maps/dir/....
It opens in Chrome.
How can I make it to open in Google Maps by default?
It used to open in Google Maps, but not anymore.
And I cannot remember that I changed anything on my phone.

gogol said:
When I clicked a link like this:
http://www.google.com/maps/dir/....
It opens in Chrome.
How can I make it to open in Google Maps by default?
It used to open in Google Maps, but not anymore.
And I cannot remember that I changed anything on my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe see if chrome is set to default by chance. Then clear the defaults. Can't explain why it happened, just a possible solution is all.