chaunceyd

What is it?
Texdro, according to the developer's website, "is an Android/desktop application which makes it possible to receive a popup window on your computer as your phone receives a text message. You can easily read the message and send back a response to the sender, all from your computer."
Basically your getting notifications on your PC whenever you get a text message on your phone - and from the PC you'll be able to read the messages and reply to them.

Features/Performance
There is pretty much only 2 things this app does but it does them extremely well. I feel more than comfortable leaving my phone charging in its dock in the other room, while I work on my computer in the living room... all without any fear of missing a text message. And the fact that I can also reply to them without having to get up and grab the phone makes it all the better!
All the notifications were very snappy, and if you watch the video you can tell that the notification alarm on the PC went off at nearly the same time as the phone did. One thing that I do wish is that the phone would thread conversations/texts from a single contact like an instant-messaging client (MSN, AIM, etc.).


Pop-up Notification as shown - I've blocked out the name

UI
On the phone, its clean and simple! Though I wish there was a widget available that allowed me to enable it right from the homescreen. On the PC side it feels pretty stripped down even with the different themes but it gets the job done. It would be nice in future releases if the notifcations could somehow includes the contacts picture - and the developer might already be trying to add this by the sounds of it.


MSN-like window where you can read/reply to message

Conclusion
For me its one of those useful apps you'll find yourself using every single day. Its also very refreshing not to be tied to my phone when I get home, since I feel glued to it the other 14 hours of my day. And for an application that is only in beta, it operates both very smoothly and without any problems to speak of. And because the app is still in development it will only get better - just take a look at the developer's website (http://crackedsun.com/texdro/) where they've listed several very cool things they'll be adding in the future.

Pros:

• You won't miss a text if your phone is in the other room (and your on your PC)

• You can reply to texts without having to use the phone itself

• Relax - not being tethered to your phone after you get home from work

Cons:

• Wish it would thread messages like an instant-messaging clientthough it will in the future according to developers website!

Rating:
4-4.5 out of 5

ahmedfromriyadh

the application look good but how can i download the desktop version, i have the phone version installed and running but i need the desktop

can you help

thanks

BeccaScott

SMS2PC is betta

fortisi876

Is it safe to assume wifi is needed on the pc for this to work?

crackedsun

First of all, thank you chaunceyd for this awesome review!
Texdro has been updated a lot since this review, check out the new features such as contact list and conversations!

Hi Scott Astraughan, or should I say "Irfan"? Sweet with a little competition! However you don't need to poison everything that has to do with Texdro on the internet. If people want to pay £2.5 for the same thing, I'm sure they'll come to you Good luck!
For now, yes. Well, the PC may be cable connected, but the phone will need the WiFi in the same network. However I'm going to add USB support later this week.

Johnny Cakes

It is unseemly to bash a competitor's product. Drawing specific distinctions between products is helpful to the consumer. Just saying that a product is "better" is not.

Having said that, can I initiate a text from the computer using Texdro? When I try, I get a box which says "Connect first!"

crackedsun

Yes you can. You'll need to push the big "T" icon on your phone to connect to the desktop application first. When both icons are green, you're good to go!

8Ball

I personally use SMS2PC just for the reason that textdro connects by IP address and my router assigns them dynamically. So i have to reinput the IP everytime the computer starts up.

SMS2PC works every time.

I have no links to the author of either software by the way.

Johnny Cakes

That may explain why I got my "not connected" error even though I had Textdro set to connect on power-up. My router assigns IP addresses dynamically also.

So how does SMS2PC connect?

palpacino

I am a developer (use that term lightly ) and I want to add my own interface for Texdro on my computer because I do not like the Java interface.

Does anyone here have any advice on how it would "intercept" the data that is being sent from the phone to the computer and then act on it? Perhaps even send data back to the phone so that I, effectively, could be writing a replacement for the windows app portion?

I am developing in VB6 or VB.Net (either one) if that helps. I know nothing about Java or serialized data.

PS - I freakin' LOVE texdro. I use it all day at work.

Thanks for any advice!

pWndYke

Very nice review 5/5.

willmott1992

I just discovered sending texts from my computer using my phone today. I have tried them all now and texdro is definitely better!!! It always has a good solid connection, whereas SMS2PC disconnected every few minutes and i have to restart it constantly