Smartphone Apps

[Glenn]

I think they do. Trying to figure out what would work best, on the windshield would put it too far away to use it I think. I may have to make something up to mount it to the top of the dash somehow. I'm also working on hacking my car stereo to use the unused CD changer input as an aux input, so that I can play music from the phone right through the cars speakers.

We just picked up vent brackets for our vehicles over the weekend. I'm thinking it will work well in your German auto if the vents are at the top of the center stack...near the dash.

It's a Bracketron:

 

[bvibert]

We just picked up vent brackets for our vehicles over the weekend. I'm thinking it will work well in your German auto if the vents are at the top of the center stack...near the dash.

It's a Bracketron:

How well does the universal type mount work? I've been leery of them.

 

[o3jeff]

We just picked up vent brackets for our vehicles over the weekend. I'm thinking it will work well in your German auto if the vents are at the top of the center stack...near the dash.

It's a Bracketron:

Also how easy is it to spin so the phone is horizontal? Mine phone has some TV on it, but only plays when sideways!

 

[Glenn]

bvib,
Pretty darn easily. It fit easily in the Grand and easily in the A6. I was actually surprised.

Jeff,
Rotates no problem at all.

We actually grabbed these at TJ Maxx over the weekend. They were at the Keene, NH location. For $12, we figured it was worth the gamble.

I feel like a dork because I have the windsheild mount and the vent mount. I like the windsheild mount, my wife (DJ when we drive to VT) puts her BB in the vent holder and takes care of the tunes.

 

[bvibert]

bvib,
Pretty darn easily. It fit easily in the Grand and easily in the A6. I was actually surprised.

I was more wondering how well it held the phones. I'm assuming you haven't had any problems or you would have mentioned it...

 

[Glenn]

I was more wondering how well it held the phones. I'm assuming you haven't had any problems or you would have mentioned it...

Very snuggly. I actually have to be careful. If I snug it down too much, it'll activate the camera or mess with the volume control (keys for each are on oposite sides of the phone).

 

[Marc]

Thinking about getting a Droid X when they're out soon, but I'm always a little skeeved about new model releases.

I wish Grooveshark had an iphone or droid app. I use that on my computer at work now instead of Pandora.

 

[Greg]

Anyone have any luck syncing up to an Exchange server on their droid? I'm due for a new phone in September, and the droids look pretty awesome, but if there is no OWA support, it's a deal breaker for me.

 

[dmc]

Anyone have any luck syncing up to an Exchange server on their droid? I'm due for a new phone in September, and the droids look pretty awesome, but if there is no OWA support, it's a deal breaker for me.

A friend of mine uses Outlook on the Droid.. I don't think it's an issue..

but yeah... deal breaker for sure...

 

[HD333]

My wife uses her company Outlook on her Droid, no issues.

 

[bvibert]

Anyone have any luck syncing up to an Exchange server on their droid? I'm due for a new phone in September, and the droids look pretty awesome, but if there is no OWA support, it's a deal breaker for me.

I haven't done it, but I see the option for Exchange when setting up new email accounts on my phone. I don't think it will be much of an issue.

 

[BackLoafRiver]

I haven't done it, but I see the option for Exchange when setting up new email accounts on my phone. I don't think it will be much of an issue.

For VZW customers, Outlook sync is another couple dollars a month. $10 maybe? On my Droid, the setup is super easy and they play well together. I would like to see how it works on the Droid X with only a virtual keyboard.

 

[bvibert]

For VZW customers, Outlook sync is another couple dollars a month. $10 maybe? On my Droid, the setup is super easy and they play well together. I would like to see how it works on the Droid X with only a virtual keyboard.

Guess it's a good thing I don't need to sync to Outlook then. I can read my work email from the webmail interface if I need to. I have a neat little application on my desktop that syncs my outlook calendar with my google calendar, so all my work meetings and what not show up on my phone's calendar. That's more important to me than having the emails synced up.

 

[BackLoafRiver]

Guess it's a good thing I don't need to sync to Outlook then. I can read my work email from the webmail interface if I need to. I have a neat little application on my desktop that syncs my outlook calendar with my google calendar, so all my work meetings and what not show up on my phone's calendar. That's more important to me than having the emails synced up.

Yeah, I decided against keeping it since our school department has an exchange address so I can check stuff using the browser. I didn't see the need for the extra $10. I put all my calendar stuff on Google Calendar which is syncd with my phone.

 

[bvibert]

Yeah, I decided against keeping it since our school department has an exchange address so I can check stuff using the browser. I didn't see the need for the extra $10. I put all my calendar stuff on Google Calendar which is syncd with my phone.

Are you sure that they still charge extra to sync to Exchange. I didn't see anything about it on their website??

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

BVI what phone do u have? Look into the weather apps they are real good, i have weatherbug and i know you spend alot of time outdoors, the free version updates the weather ever 2hours, however u can update it as often as u want by hitting the button, the radar is spot on, really helpful if your out biking, kayaking, golfing etc. Only problem with the droid phones the battery is just sucked, defidently as someone said before get the task killer, also the main reason the battery life sucks is SMS text msgs the phone never sleeps, get a alternative sms text msg app instead of using the one that cmae wiht the phone and the phone will actually sleep and save alot of juice, lower the screen brightness to 10percent, u will hardly notice a difference,turn off gps unless u actuallly need it, thats the #1 battery drainer, hope this helps..

 

[bvibert]

BVI what phone do u have? Look into the weather apps they are real good, i have weatherbug and i know you spend alot of time outdoors, the free version updates the weather ever 2hours, however u can update it as often as u want by hitting the button, the radar is spot on, really helpful if your out biking, kayaking, golfing etc. Only problem with the droid phones the battery is just sucked, defidently as someone said before get the task killer, also the main reason the battery life sucks is SMS text msgs the phone never sleeps, get a alternative sms text msg app instead of using the one that cmae wiht the phone and the phone will actually sleep and save alot of juice, lower the screen brightness to 10percent, u will hardly notice a difference,turn off gps unless u actuallly need it, thats the #1 battery drainer, hope this helps..

Thanks for all the advice. I have a LG Ally. Right now I have the weather channel app installed, it's been okay, but keeps sending weather alert notifications which is annoying sometimes. I'll look at the other ones too. I have noticed that the battery doesn't last an especially long time, but I haven't had much trouble getting through the day with it yet. I'll definitely be using your suggestions though to get a little extra life out of the battery.

 

[BeanoNYC]

Games: Air Control and Homerun Battle 3D

Communication:

Fring (Video chat between cell phones)
Chomp SMS

Other:

TrailMaps Pro: (Every Skier should have this app)
Bic Concert Lighter
c:geo (if you geocache)
cardstar (not impressed)
craigsphone (for craigsbook)
Flight Track (excellent for travel)
Frequently Called Remover
Kindle App
Google Sky Map (everyone should have this app)
Mablio Ring Tones
Mint.com
Ringdroid (turn mp3s into ringtone)
Google Voice (must have for voicemail)
Zillow
Shazzam

 

[mlctvt]

Anyone have any luck syncing up to an Exchange server on their droid? I'm due for a new phone in September, and the droids look pretty awesome, but if there is no OWA support, it's a deal breaker for me.

Some people have issues and some don't. There seams to be a few more issues with Exchange Server 2003 than with 2007 or 2010.
Supposedly according to google and Motorola many issues will be fixed with the new operating system update to Android 2.2 (Froyo) due in the next month or two.

Either way nobody is reporting problems if you use the touchdown app from Nitrodesk. This seems to be the most trouble free method..

I'm going to wait for ver2.2 to link up my new Droid X to our company's server.

By the way the Droid X is awesome!!

 

[bvibert]

Some people have issues and some don't. There seams to be a few more issues with Exchange Server 2003 than with 2007 or 2010.
Supposedly according to google and Motorola many issues will be fixed with the new operating system update to Android 2.2 (Froyo) due in the next month or two.

Either way nobody is reporting problems if you use the touchdown app from Nitrodesk. This seems to be the most trouble free mehtod.

I'm going to wait for ver2.2 to link up my new Droid X to our company's server.

By the way the Droid X is awesome!!

I guess there's some security settings that won't work with Android. I tried to link up to our server at work and it told me that it required security settings that aren't supported by my phone. I wasn't surprised based on the level of security they try to have here.