Canadian & Rogers-specific Apps?

[mjschmidt]

I know there are threads already for "you app ideas" but I wanted to ask something more specific.

What sorts of apps or functionality would you want to see offered by Rogers (either on the phone pre-installed, from Rogers web site, or through the Android Market) if we could convince them to do it?

These could be Canadian-specific or Rogers-specific apps, or perhaps even existing apps we might like to see come pre-installed (like how some US carriers pre-install apps). Maybe this is even a way to get some of the paid apps we can't access if Rogers were willing to buy some of them and pre-install them?

 

[Jay-Eff]

None!

I want to choose what I want to install on my phone!
I simply hate when the provider is installing bunch of stuff that I CAN'T delete afterward. I am losing like 25% of the phone memory right now because of those crappy app that come loaded. (telenav for 10$ a month! wtf!, moxier etc.)

At least if it come empty whatever I install I can delete. So I can use the full memory of the phone.

My phone! My apps!

 

[mjschmidt]

@Jay-Eff

I agree with you, but being realistic we have carriers that want branding on their phones. The ROMs for the Magic and Dream were customized to get their branding on it, and as a result it became a struggle to get updates.

If Rogers insists on getting their branding on a phone, I'd rather have vanilla Android (that will receive updates) with some preinstalled apps, than a custom ROM that makes it harder to get updates.

As Google makes it possible to run apps from the SD card, the lack of memory space will make this less of an issue.

Now, assuming that Rogers was not going to customize or a ROM, or pre-install apps, what sorts of apps would you like to see made available by Rogers?

 

[Jay-Eff]

humm
Anycut
One click widget
Shop savvy or Beetag
wi-fi analyser
task killer
Astro

 

[bunhead]

• Taskiller
• NewsRob
• Seesmic - An AWESOME twitter client
• Live Scores
• and maybe a flight tracker like FlightStats (Lite would be fine)

 

[TriC]

@Jay-Eff

I agree with you, but being realistic we have carriers that want branding on their phones. The ROMs for the Magic and Dream were customized to get their branding on it, and as a result it became a struggle to get updates.

If Rogers insists on getting their branding on a phone, I'd rather have vanilla Android (that will receive updates) with some preinstalled apps, than a custom ROM that makes it harder to get updates.

As Google makes it possible to run apps from the SD card, the lack of memory space will make this less of an issue.

Now, assuming that Rogers was not going to customize or a ROM, or pre-install apps, what sorts of apps would you like to see made available by Rogers?

Rogers needs to stop adding crap to their phones... Look what Tellus did with the Milestone.. they just have a bookmark for their site.. If Rogers puts anything on the phone have an option to uninstall it... This Branding thing is a very bad Idea... they need to leave the android roms alone... they do it with the iphone they can do it with android as well..

 

[KyleB]

Swype should be pre-installed in my opinion. It's pratically mandatory for the HTC Magic, think I'd go crazy without it.

First time I installed it, it was from some developers site and I got a msg one day saying my free trial offer expired. I downloaded the beta version directly from Swype more recently, wonder if I'm going to be cut off one day by them and I'll have to pay. Worth it to pay though if I have to.

 

[GreatBigDog]

Hmmmm, doesn't look like your getting the kind of answers your looking for mike.

1. How about an app to control #Rogers PVR from phone.

2. Preinstall their sportsnet app.

3. Rogers branded multi IM client.

4. How about a Rogers news app.

 

[Brendanmurphy]

Hmmmm, doesn't look like your getting the kind of answers your looking for mike.

1. How about an app to control #Rogers PVR from phone.

2. Preinstall their sportsnet app.

3. Rogers branded multi IM client.

4. How about a Rogers news app.

A rogers self serve app like on the iphone to check airtime usage, data and pay your bill

 

[TriC]

A rogers self serve app like on the iphone to check airtime usage, data and pay your bill

They are already working on this app.. can't wait for it to come out.

 

[GreatBigDog]

They are already working on this app.. can't wait for it to come out.

Same here, I'll check it out as soon as they release it and if it's good I'll go with their paperless billing.

 

[Silvertag]

Best app would be no app at all. Seriously... Apps are has personals as a tooth brush. I hate when i get a bloatware phone full of stuff i don't even use.

What i use is pretty bare bone..

-browser
-wifi
-mail/sms
-gps/maps apps
-weather app

That's it... Don't put a youtube/tweeter/facebook/chat app/music/footprint thingny on my phone or i'll turn into Jekylls . Also spare me the corporate propaganda with all the provider shorcuts pre-installed that i will never use in a life time. If id want Rogers to think for me id stick to a normal lock phone with no escaping. That is not the case. My stock rom on the android lasted for 3 days .. just enough for me to brush up on the doc on xda about modding my phone.

 

[Deleted User]

• Seesmic - An AWESOME twitter client

I'd also like to see the new My Account app come pre-installed *duh*
Opera Mini
Weather Bug *free version*
Google Shopper
Swype (once it is out of beta)
Facebook
Qik

 

[Deleted User]

Over the weekend I'll play around with getting Transdroid configured so I can download torrents through my phone. More or less I like A State of Trance and it would be nice to just download the tracks once they are released from the phone.

Don't need to be at a physical computer, just use Transdroid and setup Transmission on a Ubuntu server at home and wallah!

Automation FTW!

 

[thewhitewizard]

heres what rogers should develope appwise (and stay the (*&# away from the ROM)

- Rogers MyAccount app (currently working on)
<i would expand this to a full account app, that would show all aspects if your a rogers vip member or have multiple services like homephone and cable>

- Rogers channel guide / whats playing app/widget <also connect it to Rogers Record, see below>
- Rogers TV <if your a digital cable subscriber you should be able to play it on your phone>
- Rogers remote app <turn your phone into the remote control for your Rogers PVR>
- Rogers Record <program your PVR to record a show from your phone>
- Rogers Command Center <receive Rogers alerts, your @rogers.com email, updates, home phone calls, favorite TV show alerts, etc... in one spot>

and of course my favorite

- Rogers UNINSTALL <removes all Rogers icons and branding except for one icon... Rogers REINSTALL.

thats my take.

thats using mobile smartly, and not &#*@ing with the phones abilities. Make all these apps run off the base OS and keep your damn custom ROMs and UI's off my phone.

ps- cant they just make skins and themes instead of UI's? i think i saw an HTC Sence theme running on a Winmobile phone somewhere on the net. Why mess with the ROM when you can run an overlay that the user can choose to keep/remove at will?

Why dont they have people who actually THINK at Rogers?

 

[Akkuzo]

I want an app for the rogers on demand online site that streams straight to my phone. The website itself is still in beta so I would think that an app like this would be a long way off but it would be sweet if it happened.

 

[Torontonian]

Wow...so many people on so many forums complain about Rogers "bloatware" yet all I see on my LG Eve are a few shortcuts...hardly bloatware in my opinion. I do not think Rogers put Moxier on there...I think that was an LG idea and it is good. I use Moxier mail everyday and the push mail is INSTANT.

The cellular providers have every right to customize the devices they sell and maintain. If you do not want customization, buy unlocked devices from the manufacturer or one of several stores.

 

[TriC]

Yes Rogers does not an app so we can Contorl our Rogers PVR's away from home like Bell has with there Sat. PVR. and Comcast in the USA has as well.

 

[mjschmidt]

Wow...so many people on so many forums complain about Rogers "bloatware" yet all I see on my LG Eve are a few shortcuts...hardly bloatware in my opinion. I do not think Rogers put Moxier on there...I think that was an LG idea and it is good. I use Moxier mail everyday and the push mail is INSTANT.

The cellular providers have every right to customize the devices they sell and maintain. If you do not want customization, buy unlocked devices from the manufacturer or one of several stores.

Reading the posts above, you will see that there are some who don't want anything pre-installed, but the purpose of the thread is specifically to give Rogers ideas for the sorts of apps we _would_ like to see.

As for buying the phone unlocked from the Manufacturer to avoid this, that would be nice... if we could. I suppose you can buy them internationally, but I don't know how easy that is. It would be nice if someone set up shop in Canada selling un-modified phones.

 

[StormBine]

Same here, I'll check it out as soon as they release it and if it's good I'll go with their paperless billing.

I just grabbed this from the market. Seems to work alright.

 

[RoyalWitCheese]

It would be nice if someone set up shop in Canada selling un-modified phones.

www.ncix.com sells unlocked phones. Not a great selection tho.

You could also just buy a Nexus One from Google.

 

[Deleted User]

SN Traders Canada's leading cell phone provider
Welcome to bongowireless.com

 

[vikingisson]

I personally don't need to see any of the red icons especially when they don't work. If you are on a business account then none of them work. Since they seem to be able to modify the Market selection based on location and carrier then they could simply put their apps if they have any there. I can see their account app in the Market and that is where it belongs. PVR apps et al are fine as long as they aren't preinstalled and non removable. I don't know if any of them are usable these days but after seeing that none of them worked when I had a contract phone I have no interest in using any of them again.

The Craigslist app made it easy for me to find unlocked Android phones and once I found what I wanted I got a few and am now happier without the lockdown. I treat Rogers like any ISP, just give me access without grief and I'll stick around.