213 replies to this topic

[3sum]

My contract with Optus expires in Sept. and I was hoping to get a HTC Legend, but they dont offer it!
They kept pushing the Samsung galaxy S but I refuse to go near it. I have had and heard too many horror Samsung stories in the past and I wouldn't want to be stuck with a piece of crap for 2yrs.

Anyway, I think I'm going to move over to Vodafone because they have the Legend on $49 cap.
All reviews I have read, including CNET ones, all rave about how good it is and HTC phones seem relatively reliable and well built.

Problem is, no one I know is on Vodafone or 3, so I get no free calls. Everyone is on Optus.
Also, I have no experience with the Vodafone network. Have they got good coverage?

HTC FTW.

[Cide]

Browsing from the nexus is pretty simple. I'm even getting faster at typing

[Cide]

I also want to know where to get a spare battery for this little baby. like Fudd i have wifi on the whole time i am at home and using the net a fair bit on it atm so battery is getting sucked dry in just over a day. also how much is a spare battery?

now onto the important things....Apps! Fuddly, what apps should i download? free preferably but if you recommend some not so free ones explain why it is so awesome and why i should spend my cash. i already have "where's my droid" and "Robo Defense". where's my droid is a fantastic little app. i have my phone on silent during work hours and sometimes forget to switch it to loud afterwards. then if i misplace my phone, finding it again sucks as i cant just ring it to find it (this happens a lot to me). with this app, i just send a msg to my phone saying "where's my droid" the app recognises the password, turns my phone on loud, turns the volume to full and starts ringing so i can find it. AWESOME App!

Robo Defense is a defense tower building game. its ok when you are bored and have nothing to do.

Stone. how is the iPhone going?

[~Spyne~]

Where's My Droid....THAT is a freaking awesome app!

[Captn_Awesome]

^ that is pretty f***ing cool!

just checked - no iphone equivilant. I think I want an Android phone now purely for that app.

[Cide]

yeah man, it is so cool. first app i downloaded. and it does what it promises. simple, yet brilliant!

[Cide]

here is a list of some of the apps i am looking into getting, just in case anyone is interested...

Beautfil Widgets(or equivelant): Widget app. some of the widgets that come with the phone are ugly, so i want some pretty ones, specifically a good looking digital clock widget.

Google Goggles: Google Goggles lets you search Google using pictures from your camera phones. It takes an image as input, and using several image recognition backends, it returns relevant search results from google. just sounds plain handy!

Task Killer(or equivelant): Task manager program. lets you end unused applications that are running in the background and taking up power.

Droid Light: an app to use your phone as a flash light. when i need to find something in the dark i usually use the light from my phone to find it. this takes the same idea and makes it better.

Twitter app: i have HEAPS of credit with my new plan so might get twitter to help me use some of that up.

ESPN Score Centre: not very useful to me atm but during NBA and College Basketball seasons will make it easy to get live updates of scores and stats during games.

Spirit Level app: as it sounds, use all the fancy screen orientation tech in your smartphone so you can use it as a spirit level.

Notepad app: usually if i need to remember something i save it as a draft sms on my phone. that doesn't seem doable on my nexus so just something simple that i can jot notes down on for later reference.

[fuddbutter]

where's my droid is wicked, come in handy a few times haha

ok some cool apps to get.


in alphabetical order - apps i use

App protector pro - good to keep people out of certain app's, i have it on my gmail, settings and a few other progs,

Audio manager - simple widget to show you volumes and such and to adjust

Backup to Gmail - backs up all your sms's, MMS's and call logs to gmail, i only have the first 2 going, handy if you delete everything to keep a record, esp MMS's

ebuddy - works well

foursquare - look it up

ixMAT scanner - scans barcodes and such, handy

keepscreen - keeps the screen unlocked for app's that you choose, use it mainly on google maps when im driving

Photoshop - yes by Adobe, its great for basic fixes

Ringdroid - make your own ring tones from songs (apple still havent caught up with this one!)

Seesmic - twitter app, my fave so far, did use twitroid for a while, but prefer the interface on seesmic, try the free ones of both and see what you think

shazam - everyone should have it

sms quick delete - as it says

Super Tumble - best game i have played on there, and addictive as

TasKiller pro - best on there

TTS Service Extender - makes your phone talk to you

Shead spreet pro - i use this for my excell document of all my subcontracters at work, thats all

MyBackup pro - backs up your phone, settings etc

Klaxon - my alarm, better than the stock one i think, tried all the other paid ones and find this the most reliable and best to work (and has a big snooze button, not 2 small buttons side by side so you accidentally turn off the alarm!)

i have bought a heap of app's that i dont use, either bored with the games, needed more room, havent downloaded again since last time i hacked or there just crap

backup sms - crap
poolog - kinda funny but got over it
skyforce reloaded - fun but finished it
gentile alarm - crap
mini golf wacky world - crap
bugme pro - crap
picsay pro - photo editor - not bad
open home - waste of time
jewlust - fun but finished it
power manager full - good to help with the battery, average interface but handy, need to play agian with it
better keyboard - its not better.

and i can show you how to get some other app's not in the market later

[Cide]

cheers for the suggestions Fudd, downloaded a few last night. Foursquare actually sounds pretty awesome, thinking of getting it. i'm going on a little trip down south tomorrow (4.5 hour drive) so i think i'm gonna download a snes or gameboy emulator. will let peeps know how it goes.

[fuddbutter]

i had one of them emulators, kinda crap me haha, but my magic isnt multi touch... well, it can, but its not, but it is, its confusing really haha


talk to me off here and ill give you some more hints n crap

[Captn_Awesome]

touch him in the pants !

[iffer]

I've just ordered the Samsung GalaxyS (16gb) from Optus..
They have it free on the $49+ plans (I've gone with the $59 - seems to give much better value)

And a heads up - if you can quote an ABN, you can get the business version of the plans, which gives
you free voicemail as well.

excited now..
Jen

[blanketman]

what good droid phones are out there at the moment?

[~Spyne~]

the two most popular seem to be the HTC Desire and the Samsung Galaxy S, at the moment.
There are more due out in the coming months, though none that stand out as being significantly better than these two.
I think i would be waiting for around Nov before buying a new phone, see what is out by that time.

[Cide]

well regardless of what Spyne says about it being old tech, the Nexus One was recently released in Aus and i love it! i'm actually researching the legalities of get married to it. got this cool little voice recognition software that is currently in its beta stage. it's not perfect but for simple little sms's without too many complex words it does brilliant. i use it to text while driving

[Cide]

holy crap! i just got the OTA update for froyo. it upped my available memory from 108mb to 286mb. hells yeah.

[froggy88]

Just got the HTC Legend...android is cool!!!

[Gonadman2]

I had a play with an Android equipped Samsung phone today. It didn't blow me away, nice screen, just felt like an iPhone only with different icons and stuff? Maybe I am missing the point...

[Cide]

you don't have to just do the things that apple want or think you need to do on a phone.

[swanson]

Hey, I haven't read through all of this, so sorry if I repost something people have already said.

First, ROOT THE CRAP OUT OF IT.

For the Magic, and my phone, The Dream (First Android Phone), Google "Cyanogen Mod".

He is a god. There are tutorials everywhere, and he has some amazing things that really push the capabilities of your new phone.

Apps-wise, my market has been broken for the better part of a year, due to a dodgy repair (accelerometer doesn't register properly either).
That said, I can still download many apps. As far as gaming goes, I'm currently playing World War. As you've probably already found, there are many crossovers between the iPhone and Android, but most of them are dumbed down versions of their "i" counterparts. This is no exception. It's a strategy game, text-based (i.e. no actual character control, similar to mobsters, or the like on Facebook/MySpace). Apps I have found invaluable: SOUNDHOUND! Leaves Shazam in the dust. It costs a little bit (around $5 I think), but it is brilliant. Needs only 2 seconds or something crazy, and can pick up songs based on humming/whistling.
HelixLauncher2: Don't know if you can use this until you root, but it adds a sort of dock to you homescreen, next to your menu pull, for four apps that you can place in. Also allows for live wallpapers (still don't think they have these on the iPhone), where you can have a pond that reacts to your touch, or stock quotes constantly updating, or, for me, I have Maps, and it displays where I am in realtime on the map.
Footy Scoreboard: Don't know if you guys are into sports, but this app is pretty good for checking scores. It was made by an Australian, as well, who is active on Whirlpool forums. Follows scores for League, Union, AFL and Football (Soccer), which shows for the A-League. I only really use the Union one, and it updates perfectly. Can't vouch for the others, though.
SMS Popup: ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. As the name suggests, it just gives you a little notification when you receive a text, which you can view the text in, or go to the actual message, or reply to it without exiting your current app, or dismiss it completely.
Wireless Tether: If you have a data-plan, this is a freaking amazing app. Allows you to create a wireless network (can be secured, if you want) that will broadcast your phone's internet connection. I.e. you connect to the phones wireless, and use that to get onto the internet (from laptops, iPhones ) Unfortunately only available once you root you device.

I wrote this whole thing, then noticed original post date was nearly a year ago, but I'm going to post it anyway, because a) it took me a little while to write, b) it might still be useful to i) you or ii) others.


Swanson (david)

EDIT: Just read Cyde's post. What phones is everybody using? I'm still using my nearly 2-year-old T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream), which, while capable of running froyo will be very slow.
I am going to upgrade to a Moto Milestone, just as soon as they figger out how to run CM on it I refuse to upgrade to anything that is NOT a majority-mobile brand, or something without a full qwerty keypad.

Edited by swanson, 02 August 2010 - 11:52 PM.

[Cide]

Nexus One! i love it... if only the mini usb input was a little bit bigger...

cheers for the info on Footy Scoreboard, i just downloaded it!

p.s. my Nexus can already tether without having to root my phone...BOOM, i win!

[swanson]

bahahahaha,
yeah, mine is the FIRST ever android phone. i'm a pioneer! without my personalized input to google, you phone would never have existed

[iffer]

I'm now in my 4th week with the Samsung Galaxy S - and its a classy package!
Love it!
Jen

[Cide]

official Fruit Ninja app from Halfbrick is gonna drop in the marketplace on the 15th (US time) so should be sometime tonight/tomorrow that we finally get it. YaY!

[calais_cruzin]

Yay, but ill still play it on my iphone, i find the touch on my desire to be not as sensitive

[Cide]

Just bought Fruit Ninja for .99¢. Its just downloading. I'm off to ninja the crap outta some fruit. Ill let you know how it goes.

[fuddbutter]

http://www.engadget....first-hands-on/

http://www.engadget....-rest-of-world/

ah, my future phone

http://blog.vodafone...vodafone-and-3/
and coming on a network i want!

[mad89]

Fudd, i hate you!

I got my HTC Desire two weeks ago... And now you link me to that? Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaark!

I was happy with my Desire, but now im not, knowing i could have got the HD.

Edit: That said, coming from an iPhone, to the Desire, i think that 3.5" and 3.7" screens are pretty much spot on in size for a phone and single handed use. I did use the Galaxy S before buying the Desire and found it to be a little harder to handle single handedly. Noting that the Desire HD has a 4.3" in screen, where is the line drawn between hand held phone and iPad imitation? LOL...

Either way, i probably wouldnt say no a Desire HD given the opportunity, but the Desire is sweet too. Will be better when i update it to Froyo. Not really a fan of the camera bulge on the Desire HD either...

And how long until Australia gets it is another story too...

Edited by mad89, 16 September 2010 - 12:38 AM.

[SQXPRT]

Ordered my Galaxy S - should be in this week.

[Louie]

I got my Galaxy S yesterday, got the last one in the store (score!). Definitely a huge step up from the i900/Winmo. Just searching through threads like these for apps. Definitely glad I upgraded. If others have more suggestions for games/apps other then what's in this thread keep them coming, free is preferable but I may pay if some are worth it.