Help Why are so many capabilities left off this phone?

[MidLife]

Just curious why this phone was rolled out without basic functionality that is generally assumed in the 21st century?
I am a new purchaser for bsiness use and did not know this phone was designed for social networking. It virtually will not perform basic functions related to business or professional office functionality. PDF, WAV, images and most M$ DOC email attachments will not open, nor can you save attachments. There is no file system management of the data storage. However the facebook and twitter functionality is abundant.

 

[milrtime83]

PDF's and MS documents open fine for me. They open with quick office which comes standard on the Droid. Saving attachments is odd as you can't do it from the gmail app but you can do it if you access gmail through the browser.

Astro file manager is a great file system management program.

 

[njKeever]

I don't view it as "designed for" business or pleasure, but as a flexible base system that can be customized to whatever you want. I use my phone extensively for business so I installed Documents To Go to view and edit documents and several other apps to optimize it for my particular needs in business. But I also installed many apps for pleasure to create the best of both worlds. Spend some time in the Market and you should be able to get your phone setup just the way you want it.

 

[nycebo]

PDF's and MS documents open fine for me. They open with quick office which comes standard on the Droid.

Ditto. Opening PDFs works fine for me. I was going to install DocsToGo until I realized that Quick Office worked quite well.

 

[MidLife]

You are the lucky two. This phone was not designed for POP accounts or MS Exchange and limited it's functionality to gmail accounts ONLY. Shame on you Motorola! Pity, as many will be returning these Motorola phones, (including myself if a fix is not issued) during the 30 day period because they wont support NON- google email accounts.
And a shame too, that this was not made "public" knowledge. Sure those will say, just pay for an app to open an email attachment. Buh!
That's insane.
What "professional" would utlize a gmail account and be restricted from using their own domain email account for correspondence.
sigh

 

[skunkpbguy]

The platform is open for use as you need, visit the Marketplace and make it YOUR Droid.

 

[MidLife]

The Market is not the fix for this issue.
If fact, the Market cannot fix this issue!

If you visit the Motorola support forums, it's evident: https://supportforums.motorola.com/message/88485;jsessionid=9E4809FCC3BA5640ABE250791D92B9DA.node0

I love the phone, I'm just a disgruntled new owner that didn't know that they designed this phone to NOT operate with standard POP, IMAP and other email platforms intentionally. Just a Peeve. They will have to convert or lose a significant market, that's all.

 

[mcapehart]

You can set up POP, IMAP and Exchange accounts. It's not only limited to Google accounts.

 

[Pinnacle]

Same here. Not sure why the OP cannot set up email accounts other than GMail.

I have my coporate email account, RoadRunner (2 accounts), and Yahoo all set up along with the GMail.

So I have POP and IMAP both set up.

 

[nycebo]

Moreover, I can open attachments on all of my email accounts. I don't know what the OP or midlife are referring to. If you're having trouble setting up an exchange account or a pop account, let us know. If not, then I suspect you're referring to a supposed inability to open attachments? In case it's the former, go to the app bar and open the 'Email' program. It will guide you through setup from there.

 

[MidLife]

I cannot open email attachments with POP3 mail accounts and exchange acccounts. The phone will only open email attachments from the Gmail account. PDFs, WAV, and someother types will not open. Just fetching attachment then nothing opens. Openoffice is not available on the POP3 and Exchange accts for these file types. it's a known issue.

 

[MidLife]

It appears Motorola is working on the issue. Just not sure how long it will take:

"Dear Valued Customer,

Thanks for reaching out to Motorola. I have reviewed your e-mail and I am ready to help. I apologize for any issues that you are experiencing. Please be advised that the issue you are experiencing is being resolved by our developers. Please be patient while the patch to correct this is released. Until the patch is released please forward the email to Gmail and open the attachment

If you have any other questions you can contact customer care at (800) 331-6456.

Thank you again for contacting Motorola Customer Care. We hope the information provided fulfilled your needs.

Best regards,
Victoria"

 

[MidLife]

Now, I just have to respond to this that the phone will NOT forward emails with attachements!

yikes......

Gotta love it!

They really rolled this device out about two years early!

 

[nycebo]

I cannot open email attachments with POP3 mail accounts and exchange acccounts. The phone will only open email attachments from the Gmail account. PDFs, WAV, and someother types will not open. Just fetching attachment then nothing opens. Openoffice is not available on the POP3 and Exchange accts for these file types. it's a known issue.

Midlife, I am just puzzled by this. I can open PDFs in open office that were emailed to my EXCHANGE account WITHOUT issue. I just opened up a PDF right now from a new email. If I had a way to videotape the process, I'd post it here. I don't know what 'known issues' you are talking about. Indeed, can I just be that lucky?

 

[MidLife]

Does anyone view the link I posted that documents the issue??????????


I admire those supporters of this phone, and indeed I like it myself, but, there is an issue with openning email attachments that were NOT funneled through the gmail account. Face it folks, this is a Google phone, and anything other than gmail is not supported! How many times do I have to post links to issues on this?

 

[milrtime83]

You say it is not supported which isn't correct, it is. It's just that there is a bug with opening these files for some people (including you.) I've read through the link you posted and from at least one response someone got from Motorola, they are looking into it.

 

[nycebo]

I read it also and midlife, YOU have the problem (as some may), but I'm telling you that I don't. And lord knows there is NO WAY I could keep this phone if it didn't open attachments for me from my corporate exchange server. Face it: you're unlucky. I hope the issue gets resolved for you soon. Indeed, and curiously, when did you get your phone? What build is it? Mine is a 43/09. Not trying to belabor the issue but perhaps it's a config issue on your server? Also, try this: download and install Docs to Go...then uninstall it. See if that 'activates' open office for you.

 

[MidLife]

Firmware 2.0.1
Baseband C_01.3E.01P
Kernel 2.6.29-omap1-g0dd7e0b
Build ESD56

purchased a 01-17-2010

I appreciate the folks offerring "apps" and such, but, this should work out of the box. You know, this phone is $500 plus dollars and it wont even open email attachements! I only paid $199, but, the retail is over $500. I never would have bought the phone if I knew it didn't support "email 101 elementary basics". I mean comeon!

It appears from the threads I read that Motorola's focus is "Facebook".
Again.........sigh.

Anyway, I am done my bickering, moderators, please close this thread and we will move on. I don't want to belabour anymore, and wish to start more constructive threads.
Thanks!

 

[milrtime83]

I think we need a rant section...

You just bought the phone, you have plenty of time to take it back. If you are buying it to use mainly for business you will probably have a better experience getting a Blackberry.

 

[MidLife]

Yes,

This phone is obviously not for me. I thought it was the PC version of the iPhone. Obviously not. It has potential, just not ready for prime time yet. I need something with business power, and this is not the answer. However, like I said, I am done ranting..... the phone is what it is......

 

[skunkpbguy]

The phone is essentially blank 'out of the box' and you are open to make it anything you want. The entire Android experience seems to be based upon this, if you wanted something boring.. the door is that way --->

 

[Pinnacle]

MidLife, I now understand what your issue is. From your initial post it sounded as though you could not set any other email accounts except for Gmail. Now I realize that your frustration has to do with attachments within emails.

I will agree with you that this phone should work right out of the box with emails and attachments, but unfortunately it does not. The stock email software on the phone is complete junk IMO. I had issues with it from day one trying to get attachments. The attachments would show up as 0 byte attachments and would not open at all.

I found an email app that works perfectly and to tell you the truth, I like it a hell of a lot better than the stock crap that came with the phone.

Go to the market and search for "K9" and download K9 mail. The newest version is now posted in the market and it works perfect.

I'm not trying to minimize your frustration in the least bit here, but just a tiny bit of effort on your part will make this phone everything you want.

 

[crankerchick]

So, the first thing is, I read the link.

1. Someone saying "Verizon has confirmed that the droid will not open email attachments for yahoo mail accounts (possibly for no accounts except gmail, not sure about that one)" doesn't do it for me. Post me some proof. Not saying it ain't true, but I need to see it. Especially the part about possibly for no accounts except gmail.

2. A random email response, probably auto-generated, also means nothing to me. That response from Motorola references nothing specific in it and wouldn't surprise me if it was canned text. I don't know why people assume just because something comes from a manufacturer that it must actually be true. I can't begin to count the number of times a manufacturer has provided me with outdated, canned, or just plain incorrect information.

3. To say that a phone is a facebook phone or a social networking phone is pretty dramatic and reminds me of someone playing the drama queen role in a play. And to say something isn't supported is also false. The phone does SUPPORT email attachments across all the accounts mentioned. Now maybe it doesn't work right all the time, but to say it isn't supported is just flat out wrong.

ANd I'm no droid fangirl by any stretch of the imagination. I'm capable of being rational and having real discussions about the pros and cons of the device. As it stands, nothing is ever perfect for everyone and worthwhile discussions on where things can be improved is never a bad thing.

I've never had my attachments not come through or not go out, but i just did some quick tests anyway and my exchange server is retrieving my attachments fine. It also forwards my attachments fine. Now what I don't see is a way to save my attachment. I only see 'open' in the Email app (exchange acct) and 'preview' in my gmail account (i forwarded mail with attachments to this acct).

I haven't tested with a pop account because pop is lame to me. imap and exchange are where its at. I am a business user, so I like my mail synchronized across all my platforms. And the Droid DOES for me in that respect. Wow, imagine my social networking phone satisfying my business needs (see what I mean about being a drama queen?).

I see in the pdf viewer that the file can be saved. When i let open office preview the word and excel files, i of course can't save the file from that app anyway. But Docs2Go of course allows me to svae the file.

I guess my long post is to just say its totally not fair to rant how the Droid (or any device for that matter) doesn't support various functionality that it does indeed support, albeit possibly with issues. Ranting narrow-minded and incorrect assertions doesn't usually get a poster the support they are looking for, nor does it promote constructive conversation on said topic.

 

[MidLife]

1. "Post me some proof"
I did. I posted that it didn't work.
2. "That response from Motorola references nothing specific"
Yes, it does. It says to forward email to the gmail account.
3. "Now maybe it doesn't work right all the time, but to say it isn't supported is just flat out wrong."
Okay, working "sometimes" means that it is a supported functionality? I don't think so.
4. "I haven't tested with a pop account because pop is lame to me."
Ahem.....so, you cannot comment on the issues I am having with my POP3 accounts.
5. "But Docs2Go of course allows me to svae the file"
Like I said, the phone should support rudimentary email functionality out-of-the-box.

Okay, Horse Dead. Time for burial.

 

[crankerchick]

1. I meant the person in the forum making the following statement needs to present some proof.

Verizon has confirmed that the droid will not open email attachments for yahoo mail accounts (possibly for no accounts except gmail, not sure about that one)

2. That response from motorola does indeed sound canned. Anyone can say, "we are working on the issue, in the mean time use gmail." If I represented a multi-million dollar company, I would tell you that too. Doesn't mean they have really identified a problem, or that they really are working on a fix.

3. I'd like to point out that in your posts you referenced imap, pop, and exchange as not working, and that you are being forced to use gmail to have those features. So I tested my imap and exchange accounts.

Bottom line is the phone does have the feature you are griping about and it does indeed work for some people, myself being one. But, just because I'm anal and need to make sure things work in case i ever need to use them, I loaded up my 3 pop accounts last night on the phone. I saw the exact same behavior with POP as I saw for my exchange account, I guess because they are all using the 'Email' app. My attachments opened and forwarded fine, but I didn't see an option to save the attachment.

I wonder if the issue with fetching the attachments might have something to do with who the account is provided through.

I don't disagree that it should support basic functionality out of the box. I never said it shouldn't. Most have agreed with that statement. I think people disagree with your overly dramatic way of proclaiming in blanket fashion that something isn't supported just because it isn't working right all the time.

I thought this thread might actually be a constructive conversation on what Android is missing, or how it could be better. But it seems you are just as hesitant to "get it" as you are accusing the rest of us of being.