OP3 dialer

[speedlever]

The one stand-out thing that I don't like about my OP3 is the stock dialer. Is there any way to create speed dials using the numeric keypad rather than using a favorites page? I like to know my wife is key #2 and just press and hold the #2 key for a speed dial function.

Can this be done on the stock dialer? If not, are there viable dialer apps that work without having to bring up the stock dialer for other default processes? I've tried many dialer apps on my GS4 but there are certain things that always called up the stock dialer, so I eventually just went back to the stock dialer.

 

[B. Diddy]

Not sure if this is an option on your phone, or if you're even interested in it, but how about using Direct Dial widgets on your homescreen? I created a folder on my main homescreen filled with my commonly called contacts as Direct Dial widgets. Tapping any of them immediately makes the call (i.e., you don't have to tap any additional options, like choosing which number, or deciding if you want to call or send a text).

 

[ironass]

There are built-in direct dial widgets under, "Phone", that allow you to have a particular contact on your Home screens and pre-select a particular number for them, (home or cell, say), to direct call and as such, bypasses the dialer. Alternatively, you can download and install the highly configurable Mad Contacts Widget (Free) from the Google Play Store and have it display all or select contacts and direct dial from that.

 

[speedlever]

Thanks for that suggestion to both of you. As I understand it, (I found the direct dial widget under contacts) I would have to have a widget for each of the 8 direct dial contacts I like to keep on my speed dial list. Sigh. That seems rather cumbersome. It's much easier for me to remember to press and hold #2 for my wife, etc., than looking through a group of widgets to direct dial the contact I wish to call.

So to conserve screen space, I'd have to create a phone folder to hold my direct dial contacts. Unless I misunderstand how it works.

I simply want the ability to press and hold a specific number on the keypad to dial a specific contact. That seems a rather basic concept and I'm surprised I need to find a work-around on my OP3 for this.

Edit: I decided to give this option a try. I'll see how it works for me. One thing I like about it is that I can create multiple DD widgets for a contact with multiple phone numbers and the type of phone contact (mobile, home, etc.) shows on the widget.

Perhaps I can adapt to this... and I might even prefer it after a while.

The downside I see is that it's like a digital watch vs an analog watch. With a digital watch, I have to "read" it in order to know the time. With an analog watch, I can simply glance at it and my brain recognizes the time from the hand position without having to read it... if that makes any sense.

In the same vein, using contact widgets, I have to read the contact to remember which one I wish to call whereas with the long press of a number on the dial pad, I simply have to remember which button to long press. If that makes any sense to you guys.

While there's virtually no time difference in one method vs the other, one takes more brain power than the other.

 

[B. Diddy]

Yes, I group all of my Direct Dial widgets in a "Speed Dial" folder on my primary homescreen. It becomes second nature, really. Tap the folder, then tap the contact, and it dials. Before long, you'll get used to your contact layout, so you'll easily remember where in the folder a particular contact is (just like remembering to long-press a digit on the dialer keypad). The number of keypresses may even be less, because with the Dialer, you usually have to tap the Dialer app on the homescreen, then select the keypad (since most dialers default to the contact list), and then long-press the digit -- that's two taps and a long-press. With Direct Dial, you tap the folder, then tap the widget -- that's just two taps!

 

[speedlever]

I didn't realize the stock dialer was AOSP. I thought it was unique to OP, until I saw the dialer on the Nexus 6P yesterday.

 

[Feldon]

I do find the AOSP Dialer to be bare bones in the extreme. Want to view a contact to get someone's address or to read a note you've stored? Gotta open the Contacts app. I tried every permutation of pressing and holding or swiping on a contact, and the app seems only capable of making telephone calls.

If someone can recommend a better dialer/contacts combo app, I'd be very interested.

 

[speedlever]

Coming from a Samsung Galaxy S4, it was my experience that using 3rd party dialers had limited benefit. There were several circumstances where, using a 3rd party dialer app set as default, the stock dialer would be called up instead of the default 3rd party dialer app. I don't remember specifically the circumstances, but it was annoying enough that I gave up on 3rd party dialers and just stuck with the stock dialer. I wonder if stock Android works the same way?