Droid Does??? Help fix Bluetooth and Voice Dialing!
So.... as many if not all are aware who use the Motorola Droid that the bluetooth and voice dialing is a joke. Phones from 6 years ago and every one since function better than the Motorola Droid does in this aspect.
With over 800,000 units said to be sold(Moto Droid)... the number of stars for this issue are very low.... In fact the overall participation on google code is low i think.
I'm asking everyone to go on Google Code, log in with your gmail account, or do whatever you have to do to be able to 'Star' the issue. Posting replies on their site is not necessary without relevant new info to the issue, and only dilutes the issue. Staring alone is enough and very helpfull!
grrrr at Motorola and Google for neglecting this BASIC functionality! During an argument with a Verizon rep over the issue i was put on hold.... Only to hear an ad for the Droid: "Droid, the fully voice enabled phone.....bleh blah" lolz. fully voice enabled to prompt you 5 times on the screen after!
I know i was surprised the first time i pressed the bluetooth button on the droid and NOTHING happens. A long press on my bluetooth only redials the last called number. I have a Motorola H680 Bluetooth Headset.
I have questions for you!!!
- What happens when you press the button on your bluetooth? Quick press? Long press? Make, Model?
- Does it effect you not being able to dial hands free from the Motorola Droid or HTC Eris?
- Is this issue specific to the Verizon Droids'(Eris, Droid)? Do all android phones lack this basic functionality?
(The Motorola droid is my first Android phone.)
- Last question There are a lot of people who have returned the latest lineup of droids from Verizon (htc and Motorola) because of this issue. Are you already in that group, or going to be in that group?
(...I'm undecided. my 30 days is up on 12/6. 5 days before the 12/11 update. According to a Verizon rep, there is nothing on the 'list' regarding bluetooth or voice dialing.)
Thank you for your time and participation here and on google code!
Personally I don't see this as an issue for me in that my Pioneer DEH-P710MP actually has voice dialing built into it. I simply press a button it asks who I want to call and I say call XX it says call XX say yes to continue. I say yes and poof it connects to the phone and dials. That and streaming pandora while navigating makes for a pretty nice seemless in car experience! Sorry about the BT headset issues.
yeah, i have that one stared as well... i actually have 17 issues stared. I think its a good place to get feedback directly to the builders.
there are definitely more issues on google code that need to be addressed. i chose to highlight that one as it is my biggest gripe about the phone so far. There are other things too, but this one bugs me daily when i use my phone for work.
like i said in my original post.... with 800,000+ sold, i'd like to see more feedback from users on there. i hope this can help bring a few people to it that might not have known that it's there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bthoward
Personally I don't see this as an issue for me in that my Pioneer DEH-P710MP actually has voice dialing built into it. I simply press a button it asks who I want to call and I say call XX it says call XX say yes to continue. I say yes and poof it connects to the phone and dials. That and streaming pandora while navigating makes for a pretty nice seemless in car experience! Sorry about the BT headset issues.
thanks for the feedback on your bluetooth and voice dialing experiences.
y biggest gripe is my desktop computer's inability to connect via BT - but my laptop did just fine.
I'm sticking with the DROID - the hardware alone makes me wanna keep it.
If I could get it to work globally, I'd be set.
with are pc.... are you using bluetooth for streaming audio? syncing?
a lot of bluetooth functionality is lacking or poorly implemented. hopefully the first update addresses some of them! i've read articles of this being fixed in the 12/11 update, but a phone rep told me he didn't see anything in his 'list' for bluetooth. that was a couple weeks ago tho.
I am trying the get the damned thing to PAIR - can't do any of that other stuff without establishing the Pairing first.
I know it does support OBEX, I could care less for that - I just want to be able to easily browse my files without having to be directly connected to my PC....
I am trying the get the damned thing to PAIR - can't do any of that other stuff without establishing the Pairing first.
I know it does support OBEX, I could care less for that - I just want to be able to easily browse my files without having to be directly connected to my PC....
good luck! maybe it is your dongle with the 'custom' system?.... looks like you are getting some good feedback on the issue there. Do you know anyone with another BT dongle you can try on your pc?
my droid paired with my laptop fine. it has built in. i don't have BT on my pc.
lol I have an older IOGEAR dongle I should try - but I have been out of commission for a while now due to a back injury. I should be in bed now, but the flexiril is kicking in and I can't lay straight for a while until I get too tired to stay awake....
I might as well get that older dongle and try, eh?
OK, I went and got the old dongle. I also went into Device Manager (or, as my friend calls it, the device Damager) and removed all references to BT (including hidden stuff that is not currently connected) and in addition to that I am going to re-install the Logitech drivers for my G15 KB and MX Revolution mouse - just in case.
After that a reboot and then we'll see what is going on with hte old dongle (hopefully it should find the right drivers and such and work OOB like it did before. If not, then I have a larger issue somewhere.
OK, I went and got the old dongle. I also went into Device Manager (or, as my friend calls it, the device Damager) and removed all references to BT (including hidden stuff that is not currently connected) and in addition to that I am going to re-install the Logitech drivers for my G15 KB and MX Revolution mouse - just in case.
After that a reboot and then we'll see what is going on with hte old dongle (hopefully it should find the right drivers and such and work OOB like it did before. If not, then I have a larger issue somewhere.
Cheers!
i was going to suggest the 'damager' thing... i hope all goes well!
When I try to pair the DROID with the computer, it would never go through. When I tried the computer to the DROID it timed out.
With the old dongle in place it worked - when I tried a 7 digit code. When I tried 4 digits (like 0000 or 1234 as it suggested) it never worked.
I am pretty positive that I was always trying 4 digits from the DROID side, but what made it fail with the newer dongle going both ways?
I dunno. Gonna try it now. If it fails, it is definitely the dongle. If it works, it is definitely a PEBKAC issue (and I hate saying that considering I have 22+ years of computer experience....)
New dongle worked - this time as soon as I put the DROID in discoverable mode, it came right up with a code verification. So, it was not a PEBKAC issue - the was definitely an issue in the Damager that I fixed.
It is what I figured, since I was able to pair with the laptop and not the desktop - either a driver or dongle issue.
So, yeah, I have it paired, and it will connect to use my computer as a speaker for my DROID (I wonder if this works with my alarms on the DROID? Muhahahahahah!) but cannot connect to it to stream music, etc. (Yeah, yeah, I know - no OBEX. At least I am this far!)
So, yeah, I have it paired, and it will connect to use my computer as a speaker for my DROID (I wonder if this works with my alarms on the DROID? Muhahahahahah!) but cannot connect to it to stream music, etc. (Yeah, yeah, I know - no OBEX. At least I am this far!)
kick ass! if you have bluetooth stereo audio capability it should just play out your media/pandora/phone calls no prob.
Contrary to what some think, bluetooth voice dialing has been a solved problem for well over a decade. Some of my engineers worked on the early bluetooth specs and that was a significant part of the standard. Motorola owns the code for one of the solutions that was found in all their early bluetooth enabled handsets. Unfortunately, Google decided to re-invent the wheel. When you do voice dialing on an Android phone it sends it out to the cloud for a google-hosted application to parse and then sends the results back to the phone. The application code for this doesn't support the bluetooth standard. In fact the entire bluetooth standard is poorly support in the OS. There is no excuse for not supporting voice dialing via bluetooth, except technical incompetence or a "not invented here" mentality by the engineers that worked on this part of the OS.
Hands free dialing is not just car-centric. I require it in my workplace as I am on a keyboard or walking between meetings and do not want to go find my phone, pick it up to dial, switch it to hands free so I can talk, etc., etc.. I also use it at home . . . note I am older so texting is not the center of my life so I use all of the features of a phone. My son kept his droid as most of his communication is via text, I have returned mine until this problem is solved and went back to my Moto flip phone. According to contacts in Verizon, there are several thousand returns because of this lack of support.
I've starred everything that mentioned "Bluetooth". Hope the message is getting through.
I find it hard to believe that in this age of state mandated hands free cell phone usage in vehicles that a phone without this basic and essential capability can still be sold. This capability is so basic, in fact, that I did not even think to check specifically for it. My bad.
I find it hard to believe that in this age of state mandated hands free cell phone usage in vehicles that a phone without this basic and essential capability can still be sold. This capability is so basic, in fact, that I did not even think to check specifically for it. My bad.
i didn't check either...
good news tho, these two issues(1181 and 1412) have been merged together making it the NUMBER 1 issue on google code! yay!
Contrary to what some think, bluetooth voice dialing has been a solved problem for well over a decade. Some of my engineers worked on the early bluetooth specs and that was a significant part of the standard. Motorola owns the code for one of the solutions that was found in all their early bluetooth enabled handsets. Unfortunately, Google decided to re-invent the wheel. When you do voice dialing on an Android phone it sends it out to the cloud for a google-hosted application to parse and then sends the results back to the phone. The application code for this doesn't support the bluetooth standard. In fact the entire bluetooth standard is poorly support in the OS. There is no excuse for not supporting voice dialing via bluetooth, except technical incompetence or a "not invented here" mentality by the engineers that worked on this part of the OS.
Hands free dialing is not just car-centric. I require it in my workplace as I am on a keyboard or walking between meetings and do not want to go find my phone, pick it up to dial, switch it to hands free so I can talk, etc., etc.. I also use it at home . . . note I am older so texting is not the center of my life so I use all of the features of a phone. My son kept his droid as most of his communication is via text, I have returned mine until this problem is solved and went back to my Moto flip phone. According to contacts in Verizon, there are several thousand returns because of this lack of support.
I've starred everything that mentioned "Bluetooth". Hope the message is getting through.
If you are considering purchasing an Android phone, be aware that all phones using this operating system do not support hands-free voice dialing via Bluetooth headset or "hands-free" kit. This flaw can put you in violation of state and local laws that require hands-free capability while driving, in addition to being a major inconvenience that more primitive phones have addressed for years.
Google has not addressed this issue with a resolution date, so there is no indication when it will be resolved. In addition, the resolution may or may not work on the Android phone and/or headset you buy today.
Yup, the Devour on 1.6 with Blur does BT voice-dial.
No multitouch and a 320x480 screen but it's got something we Droid nitwits don't. Bogus. Motorola Devour (Verizon Wireless)
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The Milestone doesn't run Blur. I'm currently trying to find out how the Milestone is implementing this. I'm prodding Matt on the Moto support forums for answers. I can only guess that they added Nuance vSuite to the Milestone update. That's the app that gives the Devour BT voice dialing.
The potential good news is that maybe some enterprising devs can rip out the code or app from the Milestone update that allows BT VD and make it available for our Droids.
The Milestone doesn't run Blur. I'm currently trying to find out how the Milestone is implementing this. I'm prodding Matt on the Moto support forums for answers. I can only guess that they added Nuance vSuite to the Milestone update. That's the app that gives the Devour BT voice dialing.
The potential good news is that maybe some enterprising devs can rip out the code or app from the Milestone update that allows BT VD and make it available for our Droids.
Hopefully, it does... Unfortunately, after searching through the Motorola website, it appears the Milestone only got a...voice dialing app...with no mention of bluetooth. You would think they would be displaying information like that as a huge neon banner, taking up three quarters of a page.
Again, it would be nice if they got it, but it doesn't appear to look that way.
Unless they pulled it at the last second, it's supposed to be there.
Skip to 2:20 in the vid below (in Italian). There is a proper voice command app added (like MS Sync). The question is whether that works via BT headset.
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No, but the car MS Sync, I am just hoping that they didn't take it out. It won't help me with my headset, but I will take what I can get.
There really wasn't a reason for it not work before, it works with the EnV Touch, Dare, Samsung Glyde but not with our Droids. I tried to just do that from the headset and no go. You know, the more I am typing about this, the less sense it is starting to make...
With my headset, I have a but in my app tray to call my husband and every thing works fine. The phone book is stored in the MS Sync part of my car so it should just call the person, android 2.1 or not... I am not sure what is wrong then... Well, I'll try it anyway this evening.
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3devious - I think you're confused.
What I'm talking about is an update to the Milestone - not the Droid. And this has nothing to do w/ MS Sync. We're talking about Android 2.1 on the Milestone (the Euro version of the Droid), and an update that might allow BT voice dialing w/ voice prompts - similar to the way MS Sync works.
Skip to 2:20 in the vid below (in Italian). There is a proper voice command app added (like MS Sync). The question is whether that works via BT headset.
Well, it appears to be semi handsfree. He still had to initiate the app, and go through like multiple steps before he finally got to the point where the phone dialed out (with the nice blue background).
Or at least, that is how it appeared to me since I do not know Italian. So, that is basically what we have now with the voice dialer?
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Yes he started the app from the phone. Then the phone prompted him w/ questions to make sure it was dialing the correct number - which is how all BT voice dialers work. What we don't know is if he could have started it via BT.
We don't have anything like that that comes standard on the Droid. The app in the vid is similar to Voice Dialer HF in the Market. But VD HF can't be initiated from a BT headset. That's the key. According to the Moto info, the Milestone 2.1 has the ability to initiate a call from a BT headset.
Last edited by Gunner; April 9th, 2010 at 04:22 PM.
Yes he started the app from the phone. Then the phone prompted him w/ questions to make sure it was dialing the correct number - which is how all BT voice dialers work. What we don't know is if he could have started it via BT.
We don't have anything like that that comes standard on the Droid. The app in the vid is similar to Voice Dialer HF in the Market. But VD HF can't be initiated from a BT headset. That's the key. According to the Moto info, the Milestone 2.1 has the ability to initiate a call from a BT headset.
I understand completely. If it was able to be initiated directly from the headset, I am sure it would have been demonstrated in the video.
It is initiating the call, technically, via the BT headset, but only after you open up the app and go through 5 or 6 steps. It should be a simple step process. You say, "call Jane mobile," and the phone responds with, "call Jane?". You say yes, and the call goes through.
Certain BT manufacturers are even offering specific apps to help with the voice dailing process. The Jawbone Icon is one. Yet, even with that installed, I cannot make an outgoing call from my phone.
Long story short, I do not see the video and information as some missing link between true BT voice dialing on the Droid.
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I wouldn't assume the reviewer had the foresight to include BT voice dialing in the review, nor would I assume that he owns a BT headset. Have no idea. I wasn't implying by posting that vid, that the app shown is capable of BT initiation, nor that the app implies BT VD is possible on the Droid. I just found it interesting because it is doing exactly what we want - minus initiation by BT.
Let's be clear - it is not initiating a call via any headset (not in that vid). He is starting up a Voice Command app in the app drawer.
BT voice dialing is this --
- Tap the call button on your headset (you don't touch the phone)
- Phone wakes up and says 'Listening' or beeps
- You say call Jane mobile
- Phone asks you 'Call Jane Mobile?'
- You say 'Yes'
- Phone dials #
You never touch the phone.
The point of me posting all this info is to show that the 2.1 Milestone (per Motorola info) has BT initiated voice dialing, and an app that does what BT voice dialing requires. The Droid is identical hardware to the Milestone, runs 2.1, and thus should be capable of BT voice dialing in identical fashion as the Milestone.
I wouldn't assume the reviewer had the foresight to include BT voice dialing in the review, nor would I assume that he owns a BT headset. Have no idea. I wasn't implying by posting that vid, that the app shown is capable of BT initiation, nor that the app implies BT VD is possible on the Droid. I just found it interesting because it is doing exactly what we want - minus initiation by BT.
The poster of the video WAS using a BT headset. If you look at the video, when the call in progress screen comes up, the background is blue, versus the typical green background. Whenever the voice audio is being directed through the BT, the call screen background changes from the standard green to the blue.
While I didn't sit and watch the entire video (based off the press release you posted), I would assume he would include the BT voice dialing in the review. There are only, what, about ten items listed on the feature list? So, for the video to be over 7 minutes long, I am guessing he went over everything in it.
If your car doesn't have bluetooth support you can always get a bluetooth speaker with built in LCD that supports phonebook transfers. I know walmart sells 2 of these for about 50 bucks, one mount of your steering wheel and the other to your visor. The steering wheel mounted one looks pretty good and has arrow keys allowing you to navigate through your contact/missed calls without taking your hands off the wheel.
__________________ So I'm guessin' there's questions that need addressin' like how he fresh in the adolescence and wreckin em' Rules & Guidelines, Zero Tolerance Policy.
If your car doesn't have bluetooth support you can always get a bluetooth speaker with built in LCD that supports phonebook transfers. I know walmart sells 2 of these for about 50 bucks, one mount of your steering wheel and the other to your visor. The steering wheel mounted one looks pretty good and has arrow keys allowing you to navigate through your contact/missed calls without taking your hands off the wheel.
A lot of the newer gps units have handsfree capabilities as well. That's what I use my Tom Tom for.
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We have Sync in my car and I am able to use voice dialing with our Droids but I don't think it really addresses the problem because of a couple of things:
1. When you connect the Droid via bluetooth, it asks if you want to upload your phonebook. When you do this, it has the numbers stored for Sync.
2. When you hit the phone button, it asks you what you want to do and you tell it by voice that you're making a call. Then you tell it who you're calling (it prompts for which of that contact's numbers you want to use.)
Sync did all of the work... I guess the only thing the update did was accept the input? I don't understand why that wouldn't have worked before. (I worry that my initial test with 2.0.1 was flawed because I let my husband use the Droid + car unsupervised. I have no way of knowing if it worked before.)
Anyone know of some voice command software so that I can try it with my headset?
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3devious - Yes Sync in your car is doing all the work, not the Droid. Which should be a good solution for you, but isn't really what this thread is about. We're after true BT VD handled by the Droid so that any BT headset can be used to initiate a call. Currently, this is not possible. There are, however, a few headsets on the market that work the same way your Sync does - they have built-in software that handles the call initiation & stores phone numbers.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by icecold
The poster of the video WAS using a BT headset. If you look at the video, when the call in progress screen comes up, the background is blue, versus the typical green background. Whenever the voice audio is being directed through the BT, the call screen background changes from the standard green to the blue.
While I didn't sit and watch the entire video (based off the press release you posted), I would assume he would include the BT voice dialing in the review. There are only, what, about ten items listed on the feature list? So, for the video to be over 7 minutes long, I am guessing he went over everything in it.
I think you're mistaken. I think he had BT turned on, but I don't believe he was using a headset or had a headset connected. If you watch again, you'll see the screen briefly turns blue but then turns green for the remainder of the call. He then presses the end call button w/ his thumb. If I knew enough Italian I'd ask him to redo the review showing a BT headset and how it works w/ the Droid (maybe I'll use Translate and do that).
Anyway, the whole point of me posting that was to show that there may be hope for Droid owners to get a working solution for BT voice dialing, since Moto has essentially said they won't be providing us w/ a solution.
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I suspected as much. While the onus should be on Google to give the Android phones a capability that even "feature phones" seem to have yet these smart phones do not, would anyone settle for an app that did this?
I settled for an app that does this. I bought VoiceDialer HF for $4 and and very happy with it. Oh, I shouldn't have had to buy it and I shouldn't have to be happy with it but I did and I am!
The built in voice dial does not work when there is background noise (in the car) and putting contacts on the home screen was not much help...hands free means hands free!
I have screenmodewidget installed so just hit the camera button to wake the phone when it's in the dock (I hit 'home' as soon as I dock it, I hate the car/navigation stupid screen). Then I hit the Voice Dialer HF icon (docked on all screens w/HelixLauncher) and tell it what to do. It talks back and connects. It's the best solution out there for me right now.
Based on the manual (page 138) I think the Incredible will have Bluetooth-initiated voice dialing.
Manual states that it supports the Handsfree Bluetooth profile.
EDIT: I emailed Verizon and they confirmed, in email and voicemail, that the Incredible will NOT have Bluetooth voice dialing.
Last edited by kenc3dan; April 17th, 2010 at 02:00 AM.
Reason: Totally wrong
The Motorola Droid - the first ever Verizon Android Phone - exploded onto the mobile market with an incredibly successful ad campaign that brough Android to the masses. With a huge and vibrant touchscreen, solid metal body, full QWERTY keyboard, 5M... Read More
Droid Does??? Help fix Bluetooth and Voice Dialing!
I have questions for you!!! 
Issue 1181 is closing in fast on the number one spot! Glad that I'm definitely not alone on this one!
