Home screen general questions

boe · #1 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 01:38 AM

Hello,

I haven't decided if I'm going WP7 or Android. WP7 seems to do everything I need but perhaps Android can as well. I'm still using WM6.5 because the phones I want aren't available on Verizon yet (nexus s, omnia 7 or focus).

I'd like my home screen on Android to be informational like my current WM phone is (using sbp software) or WP7 is (natively). On my current home screen, I see:

1. how many text messages I have
2. how many voice messages I have
3. how many missed calls I have
4. how many emails I have

I also see all my calendar events for up to 2 days on my home screen.

Can I do that with Android? If yes, any screenshots would be great!

**PropagandaX** · #2 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boe

Hello,

I haven't decided if I'm going WP7 or Android. WP7 seems to do everything I need but perhaps Android can as well. I'm still using WM6.5 because the phones I want aren't available on Verizon yet (nexus s, omnia 7 or focus).

I'd like my home screen on Android to be informational like my current WM phone is (using sbp software) or WP7 is (natively). On my current home screen, I see:

1. how many text messages I have
2. how many voice messages I have
3. how many missed calls I have
4. how many emails I have

I also see all my calendar events for up to 2 days on my home screen.

Can I do that with Android? If yes, any screenshots would be great!

Yes you can do all of those things with the proper widgets and is fully customizable. Coming from wm6.5 you will appreciate this. WM7, what you see is what you get. Check out the screen shot threads for the EVO, sense UI does 1 thru 4, widget will do the calendar.

boe · #3 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 02:39 PM

Thanks - I did a search for screen shots but must have missed what you are talking about. I like the big screen of the EVO a lot but the picture quality is much better for me on the Samsung devices. Can I put the sense ui on a Samsung?

**boredandtattooed** · #4 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boe

Thanks - I did a search for screen shots but must have missed what you are talking about. I like the big screen of the EVO a lot but the picture quality is much better for me on the Samsung devices. Can I put the sense ui on a Samsung?

If your debating between an EVO and Samsung(Galaxy S/EPIC), maybe you should look in each's Forum... development for the Galaxy Devices is nowhere near what the EVO's is... and honestly, you cant really go by some pictures posted on the web to assume "pic quality"... youd have to take some yourself in-store then be the judge yourself... also, Galaxy doesnt have 2.2 "offcially" yet... and Gingerbread(2.3) is literally less than weeks away... EVO is likely to have Ginerbread, "offically" and un-offically in the coming weeks/months(months for offical) while the Galaxy will still be waiting on maybe only 2.2 still.... just factors to think about..

and Launcher Pro, a very popular home screen/launcher replacement, shows notifications... as shown(sorry bout the extra pics but its all one pic lol)

and I think you under-estimate android... this isnt winMO where theres maybe only 3 or 4 of this or that.. Android has TONS of home screen replacements, messaging clients, calendars, etc... itll be simple to get what your asking for..

boe · #5 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 04:23 PM

I agree, Android does a ton of things really well that WP7 can't even do - but for my needs it is now more and more looking like WP7 would be a better choice. The only really really important things to me are making calls by BT, excellent support for e-mail with multiple exchange and hotmail acccounts.

As for the screen though, I've played witht he samsung and evo side by side. I like the size of the EVO screen but I really prefer the contrast/brightness of the samsung.

argentinito · #6 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 09:52 PM

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.2; en-us; Sprint APA9292KT Build/FRF91) AppleWebKit/533.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/533.1)

U better make search n stuff. Of what u want man my friend have wp7 n it kinda suck its not that good.. i have a htc evo 4g n its awesome

boe · #7 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 11:04 PM

Thanks - I've played with the EVO and I've played with the focus for some clients who needed to be set up - both have their strengths and weeknesses. I feel that many who participate in this forum are likely to have strong feelings that android is better and I'm willing to bet there are those on the WP7 forum that have strong feelings that WP7 is better. I think whatever one serves your particular needs is the better OS for your phone. I love the iphone but until it started supported Exchange e-mail I didn't see much purpose to it for business users who had exchange servers and didn't want all the limitations of pop.

**boredandtattooed** · #8 (**permalink**) 12-13-2010, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boe

I feel that many who participate in this forum are likely to have strong feelings that android is better and I'm willing to bet there are those on the WP7 forum that have strong feelings that WP7 is better..

you mean the like 10 peolpe in that Forum??? lol

just sayin - devlopment will take a minute to really get going... by then several other models of WP7 will be ready, sure you want the devices out now? things will only get better... if you want WP7, then you want WP7, nuff said.. but it may be in your best interest to see what the 1st quarter brings everyone in the way of WP7...

boe · #9 (**permalink**) 12-13-2010, 12:40 PM

Thanks, I agree. No matter what I'll have to wait for Verizon and Sprint to get phones. By then Android 3.0 may be out, iphone for Verizon may be out and WP7 may have some upgrades as well. I really really want a new phone now but will have to wait anyways. What is the better choice for my needs may change by then but at the moment WP7 is the better choice but since I can't get a WP7 on a carrier with good service for my needs I'll wait with my ancient but fully functional phone. With any luck Sprint will relent on their slash and burn policy and let long term customers keep their legacy plans but that is the least likely out of all scenarios IMHO.

**Johnny.Bravo** · #10 (**permalink**) 12-14-2010, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boredandtattooed

If your debating between an EVO and Samsung(Galaxy S/EPIC), maybe you should look in each's Forum... development for the Galaxy Devices is nowhere near what the EVO's is

Development for the Epic is flying along at light speed - there are custom ROMs coming out every day. The EVO might have been around longer, but from what I have seen the devs spend most of their time trying to overcome the EVO's shortcomings instead of exploiting its performance potential like they are with the Epic.

Regardless, Android is much more customizable and its very user friendly, easy to learn and rapidly evolving. Oh, and if you're worried about email capabilities, check out the K-9 email app for Android. Waaaaaaay better than the stock email app. And GMail syncs instantly with Android phones in both directions.