Application recommendations (Calendar, email, notifications) - Hero, G2 Touch Themes and Apps

Hello,
I've just recently switched from a Windows Mobile phone to the Hero, and there are a few features I miss from my old phone. I'm hoping that someone can recommend some apps to fill the gap; I've looked around on the forum and not yet found anything that seems like it would do what I want.
Calendar:
The calendar app that comes with the phone works great for everything except one simple feature - it displays all events on the monthly view with the same icon. My old phone used to have different icons for events in the morning, afternoon or 'all day'. This made it a lot easier to tell them apart at a glance. Edit: You also can't flick the screen to the side to scroll through days.
Mail:
This is just a minor annoyance. You can't swap between emails or email accounts by flicking the screen to the side.
Notifications:
If I've missed a call, received a text message or something of that sort, I'd like the phone to vibrate every 5 minutes until I acknowledge that I missed something. Currently all I can find is making the track ball glow, which isn't terribly useful if the phone is in my pocket.
If anyone can recommend some programs to fix those issues, that'd be great. (By the way, I'm using the Modaco custom ROM v2.2) Thanks!
Steve

For text notifications, grab SMS Popup from the Market. Brilliant little app imo

For the calendar get Pure Grid Calendar and turn on the Timeline option in settings

Steven__ said:
Notifications:
If I've missed a call, received a text message or something of that sort, I'd like the phone to vibrate every 5 minutes until I acknowledge that I missed something. Currently all I can find is making the track ball glow, which isn't terribly useful if the phone is in my pocket.
If anyone can recommend some programs to fix those issues, that'd be great. (By the way, I'm using the Modaco custom ROM v2.2) Thanks!
Steve
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Missed call can repeat notifications for missed calls and texts. You can also set the vibration pattern.

For notifications, I use Missed Call. Seems to work well for missed calls and SMS messages which is all I need it for.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I tried SMS popup and it worked fine for texts, but as expected, it didn't do anything for missed calls. I've now installed Missed Call; I'll see how well it works tomorrow.
For the calendar get Pure Grid Calendar and turn on the Timeline option in settings
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As for Pure Grid Calendar, that looks good. However it's a paid app; does it work well? The reviews generally were positive, but I'm paranoid about paying for something that doesn't work quite how I'd like it. In particular I forgot to mention that I need it to sync with Google Calendar - the guy's website suggests it does in some of the comments but doesn't specifically say so. Do you know if that's definitely the case?
Thanks again guys.

Pure Grid Calendar and it's cousin Pure Calendar are paid apps but you do get to use them for about 24 hours for free. If you then install you get a refund. My understanding is that this happens for all paid apps but perhaps someone who knows more about market can confirm.
As to syncing with Google calendar, again my understanding is that it is the device itself that syncs. In each calendar app, including HTC calendar, you just choose which calendars you want that app to display. The pure calendars are the same.
Personally I use Pure Calendar rather than the grid as it shows an agenda style widget in a 4x2 format.
M

martint235 said:
Pure Grid Calendar and it's cousin Pure Calendar are paid apps but you do get to use them for about 24 hours for free. If you then install you get a refund. My understanding is that this happens for all paid apps but perhaps someone who knows more about market can confirm.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read that somewhere else as well, and then went to check the Market. That's indeed what the Google Terms of Service said; you can get a refund within 24 hours as long as you haven't tried downloading the program before.
As to syncing with Google calendar, again my understanding is that it is the device itself that syncs. In each calendar app, including HTC calendar, you just choose which calendars you want that app to display. The pure calendars are the same.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, that does make sense. That way each designer doesn't have to program their own syncing code.
Personally I use Pure Calendar rather than the grid as it shows an agenda style widget in a 4x2 format.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually tried the Pure Grid Calendar yesterday, and I'm happy with it. I particularly like how it brings up a pop-up of the day's events if you tap a day.
I'll have a look at the Pure non-grid Calendar as well later, as I can't access the market from where I am at the moment. I assume its advantage over the basic Android calendar widget is that it displays multiple days?
Thanks to you both for your help.

Recurring Events
I am new to Android from WinMo as well. I am having trouble with recurring events. I work a rotating (2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off; I KNOW!!! ) schedule for 2 wks with one workgroup then repeating for two weeks with another workgoup, then starting over.
This was not a problem with the calendar in my WinMo Tilt. I could "program" my work schedule in my phone and look out as far as I wanted to. I miss my calendar!
Am I missing something, or is the android calendar completely lacking in this area? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Related

[Q] Any way to make Google Now Reminders more noticeable?

Right now, when I asked my phone to set a reminder for X at X time, it adds it to the Reminders section of Google Now. If the reminder is far away, I won't even see it on my phone unless I click the Reminders button at the bottom of Google Now.
Is there any way to make these reminders more obvious or more persistent?
For ex, if I add an event to my calendar, I can view my calendar events for the next X weeks with my Chronus clock widget right on my homescreen. Is there anyway to have my reminders show up on this widget too?
There's probably a better solution than this, but Google Keep widget displays reminders. You would set the reminder in keep rather than Gnow, but Gnow will still detect the reminder
Sent from my Nexus 10
Similar issue
Hi, I have a similar issue: the reminders are not persistent and intrusive enough. My phone may often bee a room away. When it rings, I'll hear, for sure, and most major Calendar/sms/email reminders too, but, the Google Now reminders are sort of "humble", "quiet", very much gentle and in the background. Also, they are not persistent. They will go off, and, if I'm not near the phone, they'll simply go away after a while. This makes it very unreliable, while I believe Google Now could be an amazing tool! Any way to make the reminders keep nagging with noise until you actually click "quiet" or "postpone"?

Expanded Notifications

Hi all. Was just wondering with notifications, is there anyway to view each notification in full? For example, if I get one text from one person, I can read the entire thing, but if I get 2 or more texts from the same person, they are all grouped together and you end up only seeing the first few words of the text. This is even more noticeable for whatsapp. Is there any way to solve this issue? Thanks.
jalchemyst said:
Hi all. Was just wondering with notifications, is there anyway to view each notification in full? For example, if I get one text from one person, I can read the entire thing, but if I get 2 or more texts from the same person, they are all grouped together and you end up only seeing the first few words of the text. This is even more noticeable for whatsapp. Is there any way to solve this issue? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It all depends on the app supporting wear
Latest couple of whatsapp versions support wear and show each individually (can even reply via voice)
I would like to see more that a title of an exchange email but I think it has something to do with exchange.
It is the same if you have a Pebble, Gear or Android Wear, with Gmail you can read the email, with exchange you can not
AstroDigital said:
I would like to see more that a title of an exchange email but I think it has something to do with exchange.
It is the same if you have a Pebble, Gear or Android Wear, with Gmail you can read the email, with exchange you can not
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It all has to do with how the notification gets delivered by the app itself, nothing to do with the watch

Can't Read Notifications?

Dunno what's up, maybe it's the Pujie black face I installed, but I can't read any of my notifications any more.. I just get a notification that I've received 'messages' or an email, but I can't read them anymore on my watch.
Any one know why?
Ah well I feel a little dumb. It's because I've been using a borrowed Samsung phone, with all of it's crappy goodness... its Messages and Email apps don't support Android Wear.
So I installed Messenger and Gmail and set them up as the default apps. Everything's working as it should now.
Pulse has a lot of settings to check for the notifications. I had the same issue with it when I made one from scratch. I would say fine a preset that you like and change just a couple of things at a time till you get the look you are looking for.

Question Google Messages vs Samsung Messages? Which to keep

I've seen some threads asking about the google messages apk. but my question is:
My s21 ultra came with google messages by default as SMS app, I also have the Samsung messages app installed (I set it as default instead of the google messages app).
Is there a reason for the google messages app to have come as default? Are there any advantages to it?
p.s. I didn't really find the exact answer around the forum, if there is such answer, can you please point me to it and close this thread?
Regards
joancolmenares said:
I've seen some threads asking about the google messages apk. but my question is:
My s21 ultra came with google messages by default as SMS app, I also have the Samsung messages app installed (I set it as default instead of the google messages app).
Is there a reason for the google messages app to have come as default? Are there any advantages to it?
p.s. I didn't really find the exact answer around the forum, if there is such answer, can you please point me to it and close this thread?
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like google messages mainly for the good integration of RCS and also because it has a web app. The UI is fine, darkmode is cool, so if I had to choose I'd go for Google.
Now on why it's google messages by default, I have no clue...
Personally, I like Google Messages, but Samsung Messages now has RCS too I believe. It just got it recently. But from what I've seen and used, Google Messages is probably the way to go. It's just a better experience overall. It can verify business senders, help you report spam messages, and also just a couple of different things that are convenient, like what Raiz mentioned above. I'd go back to Google if you want something that works better overall.
Thanks mates!
Will switch back to Google/Android Messages and test it out a bit more
I use Messages, the only AT&T bloatware app I use.
Edit, it's Samsung not AT&T
Here I am still using Textra lol
Google messages far superior easier to use, much easier adding gifs, emojis and attachments.
I use Google Messages it's really nice and simple to use.
Wish you could uninstall the samsung contacts, calendar, calc, clock, messages, phone etc.... it's the one thing that irritates me with samsung that they spend all this effort replicating what google already does a perfectly good job of.
highlightshadow said:
Wish you could uninstall the samsung contacts, calendar, calc, clock, messages, phone etc.... it's the one thing that irritates me with samsung that they spend all this effort replicating what google already does a perfectly good job of.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can remove using the adb commands. You can find the package name by using the apk analyzer app.
I was using Google Messages on my previous device, but with the S21 I couldn't set conversations to be mute (roaming messages i receive daily on my 2nd sim).
I can only make the notification silent for that conversation, but I don't even want the notification, which I cannot do.
Samsung Messages have this ability
I use signal. Better than both, has everything plus security and privacy.
S10Plus said:
You can remove using the adb commands. You can find the package name by using the apk analyzer app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Been out of the game for a long time. You can do this without root?
thacounty said:
Been out of the game for a long time. You can do this without root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you can hide apps from the main user (you) with this trick but you can't actually delete the apk file from /system unless you have root.
I personally prefer Samsung messaging app, mainly because of the its UI.
However, the main advantage of Google messages is the availability of RCS by default, no matter where you live or which carrier you have. You can have RCS with Samsung messages but only if your carrier supports it.
mcbyte_it said:
I was using Google Messages on my previous device, but with the S21 I couldn't set conversations to be mute (roaming messages i receive daily on my 2nd sim).
I can only make the notification silent for that conversation, but I don't even want the notification, which I cannot do.
Samsung Messages have this ability
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, really? I haven't had that problem with my S21U whilst using Google Messages. How were you trying to mute them?
NippleSauce said:
Ah, really? I haven't had that problem with my S21U whilst using Google Messages. How were you trying to mute them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In Samsung Messenger the no notifications option (bell icon with a bar on it) will not even show a notification in the Android notifications area (When I open Messages I will see there is unread messages in the silent conversation), while Google Messages it will still show a notification but without sound.
I use Google Messages because for some reason, MMS won't send or receive in Samsung Messeges.
If anyone has a fix for this....
highlightshadow said:
Wish you could uninstall the samsung contacts, calendar, calc, clock, messages, phone etc.... it's the one thing that irritates me with samsung that they spend all this effort replicating what google already does a perfectly good job of.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IMO... Google doesn't really do a good job with most things other than its search algorithms, ad monopoly and data rape....
whitehawk66 said:
IMO... Google doesn't really do a good job with most things other than its search algorithms, ad monopoly and data rape....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly, especially their UI. I have a pixel phone and many years after the launch of material design Google still doesn't use it in all its apps. The apps feels completely separate, each has it's ow design and colors. Some apps have dark mode with full black background (setting app) while others have dark gray background (contacts, messages,...). Let's not talk about YouTube, which still doesn't follow MD 2...
I like how samsung use the same design language for all its apps and they pay particular attention to small details just like IOS

Question Calendar Notification Bar Icon doesn't work ...

I'm going to be specific as I see so many answers that circle my problem, yet don't quite nail a solution for me.
DEETS:
Samsung 21S Ultra
Verizon
All the Icon's that pop up in the Notifications Bar for Email, Gmail, Text, WhatsApp, Instagratis and others work just as they're supposed to .... EXCEPT Calendar.
I get the Email/Gmail that a Calendar event has arrived, but nothing on the Notification Bar.
I go into Settings ---> Calendar ---> and see the options for: Show Notifications and it's turned to the "On" position along with: General Notifications/Ringtone Notifications/Other Notifications/App icon badges ... HOWEVER ... the "Show Notifications line is highlighted in Blue as if it's going to be "Copied", and although the switch is turned to "On", it's still in Gray-Scale and not in color.
In addition, the Ringtone Notification line is marked as "On" ... but it's also in Gray Scale and not in Color.
Why is this happening?
What can I do to fix this issue?
Please help!
Gregory
Which calendar app are you using? The Samsung and Google apps have the same name, Calendar.
Can you clarify your particular issue - is the problem that you aren't receiving a particular type of notification? Is the problem that you cannot configure the notification settings? Is it both of these issues?
The description includes mention of receiving a calendar event, but it's phrased in a way that suggests a problem there. However, my understanding is that's the intended behavior. You don't get a calendar notification when you receive an email containing the calendar appointment. That email just causes the event to be added to your calendar, so there is no reason to be notified of that. Rather, you can add notifications to the event itself, and those will trigger when the scheduled time arrives. Is that the entirety of your issue?
KingFatty said:
Which calendar app are you using? The Samsung and Google apps have the same name, Calendar.
Can you clarify your particular issue - is the problem that you aren't receiving a particular type of notification? Is the problem that you cannot configure the notification settings? Is it both of these issues?
The description includes mention of receiving a calendar event, but it's phrased in a way that suggests a problem there. However, my understanding is that's the intended behavior. You don't get a calendar notification when you receive an email containing the calendar appointment. That email just causes the event to be added to your calendar, so there is no reason to be notified of that. Rather, you can add notifications to the event itself, and those will trigger when the scheduled time arrives. Is that the entirety of your issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi KingFatty,
Using the Google Calendar App.
It's seems you understood the problem correctly: I would get an email, but no Calendar Notification in the Notification Bar at the top of the screen. But I don't understand why you think I shouldn't get both. My email has always been separate from my Notification Bar and the rational is obvious ... one is an email to which can be accessed from anywhere and anyone who has access to my emails (secretary/assistant/etc) ... and the other is my phone which no one but me has access to ... so, this way if the email is opened, the notification that an email has arrived and is unopened disappears (see reasons above), yet if the Notification of a Calendar Event was displayed in my Notification Bar, I would still be notified there is an event in my Calendar.
This may not seem that important to you, but for the last 14 years, this is a system that has been working flawlessly and efficiently for my staff and I to sync perfectly and harmoniously.
UPDATE:
I have found a way to get the Calendar Notification to work as is has before I upgraded (not an upgrade as far as I'm concerned, Samsung has **** the bed with this "Ultra") ... and that is to dumb-down the notifications to it's lowest level and change two settings.
As I acclimate myself back to Samsung from LG ... I am getting the gist there is a language conversion/translation issue at play here, more than the things the phone is/isn't doing and/or can't be easily remedied.
If it wasn't for YouTube, this would still be an issue.
Thank you for attempting to offer help KingFatty. It is appreciated.
Regards,
Gregory
It's still uncertain to me - can you clarify what is the calendar notification you want to receive (e.g., in the notification bar at top of screen)?
I offered some speculation to try to illustrate the ambiguity.
But at this point, it sounds like you want to receive a calendar notification to let you know that your calendar has been modified?
Like, if I sent you a calendar meeting today, scheduling us to meet next week, you would want to get a calendar notification today, upon receiving the meeting? You will get whatever Calendar notifications I've set up in the meeting, which usually I like to set two: 1 hour in advance, and 15 minutes in advance. For some appointments I set three: 1 day in advance, 1 hour in advance, 15 minutes in advance. Those types of calendar notifications would come through, but it would happen next week, when we are supposed to meet. Calendar would trigger and send you those notifications.
But think about *how* did I send you that calendar meeting? How did you receive it? For the answer, it's sent and received via email. Google takes it upon itself to automatically add that calendar meeting to your calendar, upon gmail receiving the email without you even opening the email itself.
So that's the crux as far as I can see it: are you desiring that your calendar generates a notification when Google takes it upon itself to add the meeting to your calendar?
KingFatty said:
It's still uncertain to me - can you clarify what is the calendar notification you want to receive (e.g., in the notification bar at top of screen)?
I offered some speculation to try to illustrate the ambiguity.
But at this point, it sounds like you want to receive a calendar notification to let you know that your calendar has been modified?
Like, if I sent you a calendar meeting today, scheduling us to meet next week, you would want to get a calendar notification today, upon receiving the meeting? You will get whatever Calendar notifications I've set up in the meeting, which usually I like to set two: 1 hour in advance, and 15 minutes in advance. For some appointments I set three: 1 day in advance, 1 hour in advance, 15 minutes in advance. Those types of calendar notifications would come through, but it would happen next week, when we are supposed to meet. Calendar would trigger and send you those notifications.
But think about *how* did I send you that calendar meeting? How did you receive it? For the answer, it's sent and received via email. Google takes it upon itself to automatically add that calendar meeting to your calendar, upon gmail receiving the email without you even opening the email itself.
So that's the crux as far as I can see it: are you desiring that your calendar generates a notification when Google takes it upon itself to add the meeting to your calendar?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your concern.
It doesn't matter whether the notification was about a meeting you're scheduling through an email link, my staff added something to my calendar, or there was something already on the calendar ... I was having an issue with getting a Calendar Notification Icon in my Status Bar.
As stated, I've found a solution, so I'm going to bail out of this volley.
Please see the other discussion in this thread - there is an issue with Google Calendar notifications being missed. The cause is unknown, it seems sporadic.
This problem is back again!
Calendar Notifications are an essential part of most people's day ... and Samsung can't get it right?????
I am hating this phone more and more every day!
Video Call Effects doesn't give me options other S21 Ultra's have ... and several other Samsung Apps are either faulty or incomplete. The new update hasn't done anything to help these issues either.
It's as if they (Samsung/Verizon) want you to go to Apple! LOLOL

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