Apps that don't work with the Charm

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

We all know that the Charm isn't all about screen real estate. Of course, they way it fakes landscape mode means some apps aren't going to work. Lets start a list:

Apps that ARE NOT working on the Charm:
Beautiful Widgets -- Small home widget doesn't display correctly
Launcherpro -- built in widgets display sideways
Twitter for Android -- displays sideways
Twidroyd -- flashes between portrait and landscape mode, making it unusable
Twicca -- open dialogs off screen

Add to the list below please!

 

[sookster54]

Since the Charm and Flipout displays are natively in landscape mode, it can be an issue with alot of stuff, like many apps displaying sideways especially in the settings/options screen and can get really annoying. The older version of Beautiful Widgets looked great, the past couple versions look like ****, and yeah LP widgets need a bit of reworking but looks fine if you resize them and set the screen to 3 row/4 columns. I prefer LiveHome since it's a bit ligherweight than LauncherPro and ADW Launcher and the dock doesn't look like crap.

Here's the LP pic with the old Beautiful Widgets

 

[Tobii1]

BTW, there is a thread about this on Moto's forums as well...

https://supportforums.motorola.com/community/motoblur-android/charm?view=discussions

Maybe I can raise the author of that thread and have it updated.

Besides the screen, the fixed focus camera means no barcode scanning apps as well.

 

[milominderbinde]

This makes no sense. Why would Motorola release a phone that can't run basic apps?

 

[Tobii1]

Some of the basic apps, may I add.

It's a complicated matter somewhat related to "Android Fragmentation".

In short, Android is more open than iPhone, the app market is also more comprehensive, so there are more incompatibilities as well. For once, a developer may not take the time to test or release his/her app in/for every screen resolution and orientation.

Unfortunately it's a trade off, either you have a more limited options and app market (iOS) or more open (Android).

 

[sookster54]

This makes no sense. Why would Motorola release a phone that can't run basic apps?

Because it's Motorola, they're not the greatest in the software department hence Motoblur. The Charm and Flipout runs natively in landscape mode rather than portrait that 99% of other Android phones run in, plus a few other hardware/software differences such as the fixed focus camera. Best thing to do is send an email to the dev of the app that doesn't work to specify the model you're using and hope the dev will address it, it has been slowly improving with some apps.

Also the issue with going on the Market and searching for an app and having it not appear is an annoying problem, however surfing appbrain via the web browser and having fast web installer installed is a workaround since most of the apps that don't show up on the Market are installable and runs just fine.