Do Android device handle email and messaging effectively?

[3Dee]

Hello Android Central nation, I'm a long time BlackBerry user who is starting to get a little fed up with the 'app gap' with BB, and I'm a little tempted by the prospect of the HTC One. However, my fear it is that if I give up the BlackBerry, I give up a communication powerhouse that Android might not come anywhere near matching. The (honest) views of Android users, particular commenting in relation to the HTC One (although it hasn't been released yet) would be much appreciated. I'd be particularly interested in the answers to the following:

1. How do you access email on the Android system? Presumably through seperate mailboxes on an icon tray?
2. How are you notified of new messages? Is there a notification led for this purpose?
3. Is there any equivalent of BlackBerry messenger as an integrated instand messaging system?
4. Is there is an easy way to make free calls via wifi using the device (or an integrated messaging system)?

Many thanks all!

 

[Verttex]

Android is much like iPhone when it comes to messaging.

1. How do you access email on the Android system? Presumably through seperate mailboxes on an icon tray?
There are two stock apps that come with the device. Messaging and Email. Both are alright and people use them all the time. There are also replacement ones on the Play Store that you can download and use those too.

2. How are you notified of new messages? Is there a notification led for this purpose?
Every app is given permissions and one of these is for notifications. There is a drawer at the top of Android system which you can view your notifications with. Then you can click on them to switch to the app you need.

3. Is there any equivalent of BlackBerry messenger as an integrated instand messaging system?
There is no instant messaging system intergrated within Android, however you could use WhatsApp or Kik, free apps that do this.

4. Is there is an easy way to make free calls via wifi using the device (or an integrated messaging system)?
Your best bet for VOIP is Google Voice or Facebook Messenger.

Hope this helped.

 

[Chevyracing252]

Neither Google voice or Facebook messenger allow "VoIP calls over WiFi"... However with a Google voice account and an app called GrooveIP," VoIP calls over WiFi" is completely possible.

Google talk is built into Android (at least with many carriers) but the closest I have been able to find to BBM is Kik, which is cross platform and seems to work the best out of the many I have tried...

I don't miss my blackberry but I do miss BBM...

Sent from my SCH-R760 using Tapatalk 2

 

[FuzzyB]

I also miss BBM...but as much as I like android I do miss the speed and efficiency of the way you can email, sms, etc on BB. Dont get me wrong, I have no intention of leaving android anytime soon but there are definitely things I miss about my 7 year love affair with BB.

in the end, my overall experience with droid far outways what I lost with BB.

 

[gxgs]

If you use gmail, the gmail app is light years ahead of any blackberry offering, in terms of organization and features, due to its ability to show labels and ability to create shortcuts to them and keeping all the features of gmail in the browser. I believe the disadvantage in android is that it doesn't have an external dedicated server (blackberry internet service) polling the inbox of other providers for you and pushing the email to your device for any service, android basically relies directly on the provider and whether it offers or not push email.

Due to that, i have pretty much forwarded all my email accounts to gmail and have them filtered to labels that i then administer on the phone easily, and it keeps all the functionality of email sending by address. I receive emails almost instantly from any account and can send from the respective account using their own external server. All neatly organized, getting the same both on the phone and on the browser. There is nothing like that in blackberry, or at least there wasnt in OS 7 or isnt in the latest playbook OS, its either multiple accounts or not being able to distinguish emails if they are forwarded. Its basically using gmail like outlook but better, because its on the web and gets emails instantly.

The notification led depends on the device and whether it has a led or not. There is however a notification center, where all apps post notifications.

 

[_X_]

1. How do you access email on the Android system? Presumably through seperate mailboxes on an icon tray?

This is where android is better in some ways and not so good in others, but with android an app usually fixes that.

With android you get notifications and can get a peek of the text from there or launch your default app from the notification window.
I'm not too crazy about Android's email app it has gotten much better than when I first started using Android but still not as good as bb.
However I use K-9 mail client a third party open source app that is much better than both. K9 has a universal mail box and has a push feature built in, I get my email instantly regardless. Not like Google or BB where you have to be married to their services. It also has a quick preview on my status screen so I don't have to open anything up it shows up and dissappears.

2. How are you notified of new messages? Is there a notification led for this purpose?

Default android supports, notification you can configure any sound (mp3,midi), vibration, led color on email, text, etc... HOWEVER be warned not all phones come with LEDs my first phone did not have LEDs.

3. Is there any equivalent of BlackBerry messenger as an integrated instand messaging system?

Yes, Google hangout, whatsup are pretty good.
Personally I think Google's solution is better than BBM because it's an open platform so you can talk with other folks regardless of their tool of choice, pc, phone(bb, I podemos, iPhone, Android, etc...). I never used BBM because I didn't know anybody who used it. .

4. Is there is an easy way to make free calls via wifi using the device (or an integrated messaging system)?

I know have unlimited calling, but I use to use sipdroid and Google voice, a completely free solution.

=X=

 

[mat jonson]

well information you provided is quit useful
the only reservation i have for Android phone is that Android phones are more pron to malware

Android is much like iPhone when it comes to messaging.

1. How do you access email on the Android system? Presumably through seperate mailboxes on an icon tray?
There are two stock apps that come with the device. Messaging and Email. Both are alright and people use them all the time. There are also replacement ones on the Play Store that you can download and use those too.

2. How are you notified of new messages? Is there a notification led for this purpose?
Every app is given permissions and one of these is for notifications. There is a drawer at the top of Android system which you can view your notifications with. Then you can click on them to switch to the app you need.

3. Is there any equivalent of BlackBerry messenger as an integrated instand messaging system?
There is no instant messaging system intergrated within Android, however you could use WhatsApp or Kik, free apps that do this.

4. Is there is an easy way to make free calls via wifi using the device (or an integrated messaging system)?
Your best bet for VOIP is Google Voice or Facebook Messenger.

Hope this helped.