New user probs with SMS, Batt life & 'Car' mode

[jbsf]

Hi I'm a new Photon user, came from Windows Mobile. Have been 'androiding vicariously' on my girlfriends' EVO 4g for about a year, so am familiar with it..
Some questions though about 'missing' stuff on the photon:

1) Threaded SMS messaging, it only shows either what I sent, or received, but not both on the same page?

2) 'Car mode' - the EVO 4G [and maybe this is part of HTC Sense] has a really cool 'car mode' for quick access to apps/GPS etc.. is there something like that on the Photon? I'm not seeing anything like it on the list of apps... and don't really want to trawl through the market..

3) Battery life is appalling. I'm using ATK, and downloaded Watchdog just today to take a look so will monitor for rogue stuff, I'm not really using many widgets at all. The battery life is incredibly bad compared to my GF's EVO 4g...

 

[kmcochran]

My SMS messages are threaded. When I first go into the messaging app, there's a list of all my contacts that I've messaged or have messaged me, and then when I tap on one of them, then the messages show threaded.

I believe car mode only works with the Car Dock that you purchase separately. I don't think you can get to it any other way.

My battery life is great! I'm getting 40+ hours on my battery since the last OTA update. I think it's that and a combo of moving to a new ISP and router. I was getting around 15hrs before those two things happened.

 

[japark]

Car mode is not available from the stock launcher but can be accessed from other launchers.

I'm using ADW. Car mode is available as a custom shortcut: custom shortcut-> activities->CarDock->CarDock(.main.CardockMainActivity)

This creates a widget to initiate car mode.

 

[gollyzila]

I like to use Tasker to automatically launch Vlingo InCar when I charge my phone in my car.