messenger13

Just as the title states, when the stock Messaging app wasn't cutting it, I installed Handcent. But it started flaking out on me, so I dumped it and went to the more-reliable chompSMS. I liked it a lot. But to be completely honest, I missed some of the features of Handcent. But reliability is Job 1, so I kept chompSMS for a few weeks.

<fast forward>

Then I heard that Handcent received a major update a few days ago, so I replaced chompSMS with Handcent. So far so good. I got all the features back, and I haven't had one single issue in days of texting. So if you're like me and you left Handcent for chompSMS, you may want to give the new version a spin.

__________________
- Joe

RAZR MAXX ... Love it!

tocticclocks

I read somewhere that you can't customize notification tons with Handcent. Is that true? Its really the only if keeping me from switching to it from Chomp.

messenger13

Umm ... not 100% sure I know what you're referring to. But Handcent has downloadable font packs, and themes that chompSMS does not have. Handcent can also mimic the stock Messaging app, unlike chompSMS.

Can you be more specific?

tocticclocks

Oh woops! I meant tones*.

Hahaha misspelling that added a COMPLETELY different meaning!

messenger13

You can have a unique ringtone, LED color, and notification color for each contact. Doesn't get much more customizable than that. Unless I'm missing your point.

Oh, not to mention bubble settings and signature settings per contact.

Last edited by messenger13; January 22nd, 2010 at 06:07 PM.

CatsTide

yes,you can select notification tones

tocticclocks

Ah yes. Okay. Thank you!

Redflea

Have they fixed the issue where it would always launch to the last conversation, rather than to the conversation list? I remember the issue I was having was they were making it hard to get to the conversation list - very annoying!

messenger13

I had been texting with my daughter, so I was just using the quick reply feature. You know, where the box just pops up and you reply, send, and you're done. For the sake of your question, I just tapped the Handcent icon and the message list popped up. I don't know if that satisfies you, just tellin' the story.

GrandMasterB

Noooooo Joe!!! Its a trick!

__________________

messenger13

I'm tellin' ya man. It is really nice. I am in heaven over here. First, they fix Handcent. Then I find that my K-9 Mail version is way out-dated. And then Sweeter Home gets fixed! This puppy is running like a finely-tuned macheene!!!

ladybadger2007

I had reinstalled handcent, but it would always pop up the first text I recieved that day unsted of the new text bubble so I uninstalled. Has this issue been fixed too? this was only a couple days ago.

square

i never left handcent.

njKeever

+1

Not that I've never had any issues, I just can't give up all the features.

messenger13

Make sure you update if you haven't for more than a few days. This new version is KILLER!

GrandMasterB

When I last used Handcent, a week or two ago, I was having serious lag issues. But based on your endorsement I will give it a go once again.

Thanks Joe!

CatsTide

yeah right...never listen to me

kbayer

In the android market, why the bad reviews for Chomp and Handcent? If I download both and give them a try, are they both easily removed if they give me problems? Based on your recommendations, I don't anticipate any, but just in case...

__________________
Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll sit around in a boat all day and drink beer.

messenger13

It's your avatar Dude! It gives off a bad Aura!

messenger13

Yes, they are easy to uninstall. I wouldn't run both at the same time though. hehe

You'll need to disable notifications from the stock app if when you run either Handcent or chompSMS.

As for the bad reviews ... simple. Users are stupid! They can't figure out how to walk and chew gum at the same time, so they blame it on Juicy Fruit and Nike.

kbayer

Classic line.........
I think I'll print it and frame it!

Last edited by kbayer; January 23rd, 2010 at 11:25 AM.

magnus

Does Handcent still drain the battery? I thought that that was one of the big issues....or am I wrong?

Redflea

OK, Joe...I'm gonna try again. Main reason is that the Chomp pop-up appears but won't allow me to reply when the phone is locked...IRRC the Handcent pop-up worked when the phone was locked.

If you're misleading us, Joe, Grandmaster and I are gonna put juicy fruit in your Nikes!

messenger13

Haven't noticed anything unusual. I'll try to keep an eye on that now that you mention it.

Good! Then I'll have something to blame the next time an app don't work!

JYo

I wasn't receiving picture messages with handcent, and uninstalled it awhile ago. I've been using the stock app on my Droid (yawn, it's boring!), and would love to go back to handcent...
Any ideas on picture messages?

3devious

When you get a text from a contact, does the contact's picture appear or just a graphic of an envelope or something? My non-android phone just gives me a standard image of an envelop, but when people call, it shows their picture. It would be nice if there is a messaging app that does this sort of thing.

Is this available in Handcent or ChompSMS?

messenger13

I received two pics from my wife yesterday in Handcent.

messenger13

Handcent has a popup window for quick responses. I like the feature, some may not. That window contains the contact's pic, name, and a bunch of other icons and options. If you tap the contact's pic, another small window pops up giving you all the options of contacting this person (i.e. phone, view contact info, txt, email, or view location in Google Maps if you have their address) This app is SICK!

doomedromance

What were the problems people were having with Handcent? I've had it since the first week I had my Droiid and the only problem I had was the background pictures but that was fixed like 2 weeks later.
I didn't start using pop up notifications till like a week ago though.

GrandMasterB

I can never trust you again after the tight back door thread, lmao



The thing you have to realize is that 90% of the 'bad reviews' are clueless users who cant even figure out how to open the app, let alone give it trustworthy review. Its a shame



I am SOooo in on this

Fadelight

I didn't give it chomp a bad review, but I can't send or receive pictures with it. It shrinks the pictures to MMS, and then tries to change them to SMS before sending. I can't figure that one out.

Handcent I have tried 6 times previously, and it just doesn't seem to be stable for me. (didn't. I am going to try again right now.)

__________________
Blogging: Never before have so many people with so little to say said so much to so few.

GrandMasterB

Chomp does the same thing for me. For some reason at the last second before sending it says its changing it to and sms but they still go out just fine. I sent at least half a dozen and recieved 3 the day I posted in this thread before I changed to Handcent.

Just to be clear on my standing for anybody that reads this, Handcent is the better app. Its got more options and a smoother cleaner interface imo. But I get aggravated with the occasional lagging text or stories of texts going to the wrong recipient. That would be disastrous. I am hoping the most recent CatsTide endorsed update targets those problems.

messenger13

Bwahahahah . . .

nice.

mhome

I use chomp on my moto droid wife uses handcent on HTC Eris. Occasionally I'll get double picture messages from her. It's probably something she is doing (double tapping or something ). I haven't been able to recreate, but was wondering if anyone else had the same phenomena when sending pic messages.

When she sends pic message from picture gallery (scroll to picture and select share) the "resize to send" popup window will prompt twice before opening handcent. I thought it might be related to the double pics, nonetheless it seems out of the ordinary.

Thanks

Oh and attaching pic from within handcent does not double prompt.

Kirch21

im happy with stock SMS! dont really like the bubbles just like my SMS simple ive tried both. I would say handscent definatly is better than Chomp though from using them both

Needsdecaf

You can set Handcent to Android format so you have the conversation in lines, not bubbles.

Kirch21

why not just stick with stock then? i havent used handscent all that much is there other better features?

Needsdecaf

There are a lot of ways to customize it. Hell, just for the pop up it's worth it.

Download it and play with it. Only way to tell if it's right for you.

GrandMasterB

The ability to customize both the converation lists and the individual conversation including background pictures. Ability to change the color of the led and rate of flashing , level and duration of vibration, change the notification icon, includes a widget with message counters , includes a nice reminder that can be configured for repeating interval and number of reminders. Thats just of the top of my head, I know theres more....

messenger13

Not to mention better "save" options. Using the stock messaging app is like using WordPad in Windows instead of installing WORD.

mhome

So does anyone else get the double prompt when sharing from Gallery?

Needsdecaf

No.

square

i do.

GrandMasterB

Double resize prompt? I have always had that... in every version of Handcent. No biggie though

PetiePal

I never used Chomp, but I've had Handcent since day one. One I figured out how to get rid of "dual notifications" from the stock messaging app I was pretty happy with it. Just yesterday I finally set up notifications for a different color for SMS. I wish I could change the LED color for other things too though like GoogleChat or Facebook, but the notification tones will just have to do.

I'm assuming voicemail blinks red, and any other notification is green as default?

messenger13

Third party email apps allow you to change the LED color as well. My texts blink blue, my voicemail red, and my email green.

Last edited by messenger13; January 25th, 2010 at 10:23 AM.

ParadingLunatic

I've used Handcent for a really long time until I started having major issues receiving SMS and MMS messages. Eventually I wouldn't receive any MMS messages at all. I didn't even get notifications for them nor would they appear in the stock messaging app! As soon as I uninstalled Handcent, I received MMS messages. As for the missing SMS messages, I would receive notifications for them, it would even show who from, but when I went to Handcent to view them, the messages were gone. I would then go to the stock messaging app, still not there. As soon as I uninstalled Handcent, the original message would magically appear in the stock messaging app.

I loved Handcent while it worked for me because of the voice to text and the ability to customize pretty much everything. But obviously I had to toss it because of disappearing messages. Now I just use the stock messaging app and SMS Popup for notifications and so far so good. I was using Missed Call for notifications but my customizations didn't always stick and it seemed to slow my phone done quite a bit.

messenger13

@ParadingLunatic, I think you should give Handcent another shot since it's latest overhaul.

PetiePal

Joe what app are you referring to?

ParadingLunatic

Tried it after the release on the 19th. Still had the same problem I checked their forums and apparently I'm not the only one with the problem. But seeing others not having this issue that are using the current release I'm starting to wonder if there could be a common app(s) that could be causing the issue. I just did a nandroid backup and I might wipe my phone back to stock, let it automagically push all the google backed up settings and apps back to my phone and try again. I do like what they've done with adding better notification customization. It was nice not having to run a second app just to customize the notifications. Might have to play around a bit.