Nexus 6P - Do any alarm clock apps work on this thing?

[crosspatch]

Re: Do any alarm clock apps work on this thing?

I just happened to read this review of Alarm Clock Xtreme, which confirms I'm right about ACX not working reliably, explains why, and provides a (rather clever) workaround. I'm guessing that all the people saying ACX works for them leave their 6P plugged into a charger for the period of time before the alarm is set to go off. I do not. That seems to be why my 6P goes into "doze" mode or whatever it's called, and ACX doesn't handle this properly.

From a Google Play user named Christopher Pilot:

Alarms do not sound in Marshmallow! Beware this app no longer works reliably due to Marshmallow's doze mode. The app will not wake up the phone to sound the alarm. Until the dev fixes, a workaround is to set an alarm in the stock Android Clock app for a minute prior to your Alarm Clock Xtreme alarm (it can even be a silent alarm). The stock Clock app will wake a Marshmallow phone from doze mode so then your Alarm Clock Extreme alarm will sound. Also, if you charge your phone all night it won't ever enter doze mode. Not wireless charging tho!

 

[eji930]

Re: Do any alarm clock apps work on this thing?

They call it doze for a reason

 

[crosspatch]

Re: Do any alarm clock apps work on this thing?

They call it doze for a reason

Interesting comment. You should go work for AVG if you don't already. They seem to have spots open on the QA and dev teams.

 

[LeoRex]

Re: Do any alarm clock apps work on this thing?

The problem stems from alarm apps that do not properly register their alarms with the system. If you don't have the little alarm clock icon in you status, next to the network icon, it's not properly registered... And Doze will squash the alarm.

 

[Snappy Phoenix]

Re: Do any alarm clock apps work on this thing?

and what is wrong with the built in alarm in the phone?

 

[crosspatch]

Re: Do any alarm clock apps work on this thing?

and what is wrong with the built in alarm in the phone?

I answered this above. It's not a matter of something being "wrong" with it; the native app just doesn't have some features I want.

 

[junglejunkie]

Re: Do any alarm clock apps work on this thing?

Timely.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Lefank]

Re: Do any alarm clock apps work on this thing?

Sounds like a perfect excuse to miss work?! I use boring stock haven't tried anything else yet.

Lefank

 

[crosspatch]

Re: Do any alarm clock apps work on this thing?

Timely.

A bunch of other people have recommended that. I tried it. Didn't like it. But thanks.

 

[anon(321979)]

Re: Do any alarm clock apps work on this thing?

Thanks for posting back this info. I ran into the very issue you describe this morning. The only think I was able to think of was that it had something to do with the fact I unplugged my phone early this morning because it was charged. Went back to sleep, and it never went off! Not cool. Good to know what is happening, and that there is a work-around until AVG fixes their app.

I answered this above. It's not a matter of something being "wrong" with it; the native app just doesn't have some features I want.

And I totally agree with you. ACX is a great clock. When it works.

 

[SDAGGERS]

Re: Do any alarm clock apps work on this thing?

Alarm Clock Extreme still hasn't been fixed for Doze mode (18th Feb 2016). It caught me out twice, with and without Battery optimisation box checked for the app. Simply doesn't work as an alarm. It has been uninstalled from my phone and like you advised, i'm going to try Timely and AlarmDroid. Thanks for the advice.

 

[andip]

Hey guys, Andi from the ACX team here. Two things:
1. We are working on the Android M issue: “alarm not going off”. It took longer than we wanted to, but a new working update should be out soon (+ a cool new feature.)
2. On a different note, we want to hear from you and understand why you chose to download an alarm from the Playstore and not use the stock one. Doesn’t matter if you use our app or another alarm clock app. To make it worth your time, there’s an Amazon voucher for those who talk to us. More details here: bit.ly/1Ufi72A - Please help us make ACX better, we really want to hear what you have to say.

 

[awal1987]

Awesome! Cant wait for the update. Been missing this since upgrading to the 6P.

 

[booboolala2000]

I just use stock.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[PaulQ]

Gentle Alarm. Been using it for years. I like the pre-alarm feature in the mornings.

 

[crosspatch]

Hey guys, Andi from the ACX team here. Two things:
1. We are working on the Android M issue: “alarm not going off”. It took longer than we wanted to, but a new working update should be out soon (+ a cool new feature.)
2. On a different note, we want to hear from you and understand why you chose to download an alarm from the Playstore and not use the stock one. Doesn’t matter if you use our app or another alarm clock app. To make it worth your time, there’s an Amazon voucher for those who talk to us. More details here: bit.ly/1Ufi72A - Please help us make ACX better, we really want to hear what you have to say.

I'm not too sure you're really an AVG rep, but in any case, I'll never return to ACX. How long has M been out, and it's still not compatible? And I'm supposed to believe that it's suddenly a priority?

I had been using AlarmDroid, but the other day, that piece of crap woke me up an hour early due to a bug. Then I found out other users reported the same bug a couple months ago and went ignored by the author. I also tried Timely, and hate the interface (I'm not going to engage in argument over this). There are few alarm apps on the Play store that I have not tried and dismissed for one reason or another.

So, I'm using the stock app, and I may stay with it permanently.

I already answered the question of what I want[ed] out of an alarm app:

I want an app that has skip once functionality, and also shake to dismiss functionality.

On top of that, the interface should be EASY, the first time and every time. I do not want to have to strain to see stupid icons or to remember to swipe left or down or in a Z-pattern to create an alarm. I do not need pretty colors and dew droplets and deer prancing across the screen. (I do appreciate eye candy, but not when it gives a middle finger to usability or quality.) And of course compatibility and reliability are vastly more important than anything else. Not just when the device is plugged in, but all the time. Period. No excuses. And for an AVG support rep to tell me to uninstall/reinstall is a joke.

Yeah, there's an edge to my tone. I'm filthy sick of so few things ever working right.

 

[digitalbreak]

I switch between stock clock app and Timely. Works very well in both the cases.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[drwxrwxrwx]

Always get a chuckle out of folks who make these things out to be such a big deal. We consumers are a tough lot to please...

Here's my view: happy to find a workaround for ACX alarm, going to try it tonight and expect it to work great. Problem solved!!

BTW, what other apps are out there that let you randomize audio files on your phone? That's literally my only alarm requirement.

 

[PaulQ]

BTW, what other apps are out there that let you randomize audio files on your phone? That's literally my only alarm requirement.

Yes, Gentle Alarm does it. I use that feature. It's not the most user friendly app and it hasn't been updated in a long time but it works perfectly. It has a lot of other features too.

 

[crosspatch]

If it hasn't been updated for M then there's no way it can work with M's doze mode. I see quite a few users complaining in the reviews for Gentle Alarm that it doesn't go off...