Going stock Android for first time, what apps are needed?

[whitenack]

Hi all,

My Galaxy Nexus is set to arrive tomorrow. This will be my first "stock Android" device. I am used to Sense and Touchwiz providing little "extras".

What "extras" will I be missing on stock Android that I will need to fill in with other apps? For example, is there clock/alarm/timer functionality on stock Android? I prefer the Android calendar app over the Touchwiz calendar, so I'm happy there.

Just wondering if there is anything out there I need to be researching.

Thanks

 

[VW Maverick]

Welcome to the Jungle.

It is all personal preference.
The phone will have all of the basic Google system apps already there, but nothing else.
That is the beauty of the Nexus, no carrier added crap/bloatware.

Download whatever your heart desires to make it your own.

Mav.

 

[jj14x]

Some of the things I "missed" when I moved from HTC EVO <series> to Galaxy nexus

• Flip To Silence - I ended up buying tasker, and just created a profile for that
• Visual Voicemail - I've started using google voice for my voicemail (not the same as integrating with google voice - this just forwards my voicemail to google voice - and that gives me the ability to listen to my Emails from almost anywhere (phone/PC). It also lets me set up custom voicemails for specific numbers, and throws in voicemail transcription (not very accurate of course)
• Smart Dial - I found a few apps for this, but they added a whole lot of unnecessary stuff, and I uninstalled those. (I miss this)
• Bluetooth MAP profile - No workaround on the stock ROM (this - I miss a lot - allows SMS/Emails to be read aloud on a compatible car multimedia system)
  

Clock/Alarm/Timer - yeah, all those are there in stock android. Works even better on the recently released 4.2.1 (Sprint)

 

[Firefyter]

Clock/Alarm/Timer - yeah, all those are there in stock android. Works even better on the recently released 4.2.1 (Sprint)

I hate the new clock. I want my old clock/alarm.

 

[Lanhoj]

Since there's no toggles "SwitchPro Widget" will come in handy--> https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...apps/details?id=alei.switchpro&token=b9Kr9a2G

If you want a fully customizable Lockscreen I'd recommend "WidgetLocker"--> https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...d=com.teslacoilsw.widgetlocker&token=BHKilfHx

To control the LED Notifications you should get "LightFlow"--> https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...geconsulting.android.lightflow&token=fOvJ2R0n

To backup your SMS & data I'd recommend "SMS Backup+--> https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...tails?id=com.zegoggles.smssync&token=BYwv-WA5
As well as "SOS Online Backup"--> https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...id=com.sosonlinebackup.android&token=UuPGOcTr

If you'd like to customize your Status Bar I'd recommend "StatusBar+"--> https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...com.tombarrasso.android.wp7bar&token=M-fnf3XY

With those, you should be good to go gaining back many features offered by OEM skins.

 

[slinkies]

JB sourcery is all you'll need just get wugs nexus root toolkit and root and unlock and install. It's the best ROM I've tried so far.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[prolongExistence]

I agree with SMS Backup+. After using my GNex for a week or 2, all my msgs mysteriously got erased. After reading here (and in the Verizon version) I found that this is a fairly common bug. I installed SMS Backup+ as a little insurance in case it happened again.

There is a pointless feature(read: bug) in the GNex that won't allow sms over 160 characters. Most phones now a days will just break your msg up into multiple 160 char msgs & let you type till your fingers bleed. Not the GNex, after 160 char you're done. Install a 3rd party messaging app to get around this. On my old POS Moto Admiral I used GoSMS and had also tried Handsent. Didn't like Handsent, uninstalled. GoSMS is nice but kinda bloated. On my GNex I tried chompSMS. Nice free app, much less bloat than GoSMS. All 3 apps btw will allow typing over 160 characters.

Also, Facebook contact syncing is a little odd. It doesn't sync contact pictures. Download Friendcaster and use it to sync contact pics. There are other methods floating around here to do this but I think this is the easiest.

Other than that, I haven't really found any features "missing". What you will be missing is all the lag caused by the tons of carrier bloat on non-nexus devices. Enjoy!

Edit: Also, there is no file explorer/manager. ES File Explorer is a great, free choice.

 

[whitenack]

Thanks for the replies. I'm looking forward to joining the "club".

Some of the things I "missed" when I moved from HTC EVO <series> to Galaxy nexus

• Flip To Silence - I ended up buying tasker, and just created a profile for that
  

Can you tell me if Tasker allows "and" rules when setting up a task? For example, "Do (x) only if both AND (z) happens". I really like Setting Profiles for this reason, but I need more functionality. However, I want to make sure Tasker has this ability before I make the jump.

 

[jj14x]

Can you tell me if Tasker allows "and" rules when setting up a task? For example, "Do (x) only if both AND (z) happens". I really like Setting Profiles for this reason, but I need more functionality. However, I want to make sure Tasker has this ability before I make the jump.

Multiple Contexts - yes, it does support that - example: I have a profile that checks to see if I am on a call, *and* the phone is placed face down, it will enable the speaker.
There are some instances where it may not be able to do exactly what you want to do (there is usually a different way of doing it) - so, my recommendation would be to use the 7 day trial from the developer's site (Tasker for Android) first, and see if it meets your exact needs. Then, purchase from the Google play store.

Word of caution: It is not extremely user friendly, but it really isn't meant for folks who aren't familiar with basic programming concepts/variables etc.

 

[whitenack]

Multiple Contexts - yes, it does support that - example: I have a profile that checks to see if I am on a call, *and* the phone is placed face down, it will enable the speaker.
There are some instances where it may not be able to do exactly what you want to do (there is usually a different way of doing it) - so, my recommendation would be to use the 7 day trial from the developer's site (Tasker for Android) first, and see if it meets your exact needs. Then, purchase from the Google play store.

Word of caution: It is not extremely user friendly, but it really isn't meant for folks who aren't familiar with basic programming concepts/variables etc.

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I have heard it is pretty advanced, and Locale is more user friendly. I've heard Tasker has more features, though. I'm not sure I would ever need all the features of Tasker, but I would hate to pay for Locale and then find out it doesn't do what I need and have to switch to Tasker anyway.

 

[jj14x]

The developer is fairly responsive if you have a question (that isn't easily answered by just reading the user guide), and there are a lot of users who have published their profiles, and are willing to help you with creating your own. Personally, I found tasker to be incredibly useful (especially now with the free app factory add-on that allows you to create your own apks - I use it to create 'apps' for specific purposes for my other devices that don't need tasker installed) - well worth the cost of tasker (in my opinion).

 

[gnr_2]

There is no note pad. I downloaded Color Note and like it a lot.

The clock does NOT have a timer and I got bored trying to find one I like as much as the Apple clock version.

Definitely need something other than stock text service and Light Flow is great even if you just want to know your phone is charging.

Sent from my totally awesome Sprint Galaxy Nexus, even if I don't know all its secrets yet.

 

[whitenack]

The clock does NOT have a timer and I got bored trying to find one I like as much as the Apple clock version.

Ah, bummer. I use the timer quite a bit. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[gnr_2]

I know. I use it all the time so I have to use the one on my iPod now.

You'll want to change the keyboard too. A.I. was great, but kept crashing my browser (any browser) when I used hotmail.com so now I'm using a new one in beta called Kii. I love it. Just wish it had the undo feature of AI (which wouldn't be necessary if it was just standard on Android. Big -1.)



Sent from my totally awesome Sprint Galaxy Nexus, even if I don't know all its secrets yet.

 

[jj14x]

The clock does NOT have a timer and I got bored trying to find one I like as much as the Apple clock version.

Eh? This is the timer from the (stock) Clock on my (stock) Galaxy Nexus - Or are you still on 4.1.1?





Regarding the keyboard, you may want to clear the data for your keyboard app and see what's going on. The stock keyboard works fine on my GNex (including hotmail - on chrome and on the stock browser). I used swype till I got Android 4.2.1, and am now using the stock keyboard - works fine, but I'll probably try out swiftkey flow once they finish beta testing.

 

[gnr_2]

Eh? This is the timer from the (stock) Clock on my (stock) Galaxy Nexus - Or are you still on 4.1.1?

Regarding the keyboard, you may want to clear the data for your keyboard app and see what's going on. The stock keyboard works fine on my GNex (including hotmail - on chrome and on the stock browser). I used swype till I got Android 4.2.1, and am now using the stock keyboard - works fine, but I'll probably try out swiftkey flow once they finish beta testing.

Yes. I've heard good things about the 4.2 keyboard, but I'm still on 4.1.1. Glad to hear about the timer upgrade! Please tell me they added undo/redo as well.

Sent from my totally awesome Sprint Galaxy Nexus, even if I don't know all its secrets yet.

 

[Cattails_r_Edible]

And then after you download all those apps, you will have more bloatware than an HTC phone! The nexus line of phones is a sham unless you are a developer!

Remember what the doormouse said, feed your head!

 

[Lanhoj]

...
The nexus line of phones is a sham unless you are a developer!

Since when is choice a "sham"?

 

[gnr_2]

Since when is choice a "sham"?

I don't think "choice is a sham" was what he/she meant. What the person is saying is that making you think something is better because it is "clean" is the sham.

For the record, I don't agree one way or the other with the marketing. I just wanted to defend the person's statement. I didn't know what "pure Google phone experience" meant when I got my phone. None of the reviews explain what it is to someone just researching which phone to get, especially if you are new to Android. However, if I could get a laptop or PC that was "clean", that would mean more to me. But, using that example, if you have all of the pre-installed apps or whatever that you don't want and can't or are afraid to delete, when you add the things you do want, it would just be more bloated as you would now have both. Therefore, it still equals less bloat, even if bloated. (If that makes sense.)

Sent from my totally awesome Sprint Galaxy Nexus, even if I don't know all its secrets yet.