Help Droid X - This phone sucks!!

[khsjsilver]

This is my first "smartphone" although I have used a corporate Blackberry and I have used a Palm for many years. I've had this phone for about a month now. While the hardware is ok, the software for critical functions (Calendar, Contacts, Notepad, and Music) absolutely sucks!!

1. I do not want to use Google/Gmail for my calendar and contacts. I don't know about any of you, but I do not feel comfortable having my confidental contact and calendar information sitting on the internet in Google. The company I work for even has a block on Google contacts & Gmail because it is not secure and frought with potential for virus. I want a way to sync calander, contacts and notepad directly from my PC to my phone. Unfortunately, this can't be done. I've tried Companion Link. Besides the fact that it cost $39, I can't even get it to work. This type of functionality should be a basic part of a smartphone. Iphones do it. Blackberry's do it. Palm Pre does it. Why not the Droid?

2. Music - I have been trying to figure out a way that music sync'd to the Droid will play in the proper order. The Droid will only play music in Alphabetical order. I can't find a way to play music in Track # order. I have been on the phone with Motorola for hours. Finally got to Level 2 tech support. They told me that it cannot be done. How stupid is this? Try listening to a Broadway Show album in alphabetical order!!

I would be happy to hear some of your suggestions to solve my problems.

Right now I feel if you just want a fancy toy, buy a Droid. If you want a real "smartphone" look somewhere else.

 

[gobluejd]

This is my first "smartphone" although I have used a corporate Blackberry and I have used a Palm for many years. I've had this phone for about a month now. While the hardware is ok, the software for critical functions (Calendar, Contacts, Notepad, and Music) absolutely sucks!!

1. I do not want to use Google/Gmail for my calendar and contacts. I don't know about any of you, but I do not feel comfortable having my confidental contact and calendar information sitting on the internet in Google. The company I work for even has a block on Google contacts & Gmail because it is not secure and frought with potential for virus. I want a way to sync calander, contacts and notepad directly from my PC to my phone. Unfortunately, this can't be done. I've tried Companion Link. Besides the fact that it cost $39, I can't even get it to work. This type of functionality should be a basic part of a smartphone. Iphones do it. Blackberry's do it. Palm Pre does it. Why not the Droid?

2. Music - I have been trying to figure out a way that music sync'd to the Droid will play in the proper order. The Droid will only play music in Alphabetical order. I can't find a way to play music in Track # order. I have been on the phone with Motorola for hours. Finally got to Level 2 tech support. They told me that it cannot be done. How stupid is this? Try listening to a Broadway Show album in alphabetical order!!

I would be happy to hear some of your suggestions to solve my problems.

Right now I feel if you just want a fancy toy, buy a Droid. If you want a real "smartphone" look somewhere else.

1. Use touchdown. Email IMHO is no different on a BB compared to a Android.

2. No idea do not listen to music on phone.

 

[gobluejd]

Gmail and contacts are secure, not sure where you IT dept heard it's not. Probably safer than your exchange. Granted GMAIL is not a corporate email system, but google apps is stealing away exchange users. And do not get me started on BES.

The only thing you can not do is NOTES on Android from Outlook. Not sure why, but for most it is not a deal breaker.

 

[Gummibands]

Well even though I'll be getting droid and even though I've loaded songs onto my prior phones I've never really used a phone to listen to music. Also I never listen to a broadway album in track order cause I have favorites and well it doesn't bother me. Most times I separate my broadway music as "musical" and all other movie albums as "soundtracks". That way my iTouch never confuses it with other album especially if it's like Little Mermaid The Broadway and The Little Mermaid Orginial Disney Album.

 

[curtisdr]

I want a way to sync calander, contacts and notepad directly from my PC to my phone. Unfortunately, this can't be done.

I can't believe Moto doesn't provide something to do this. HTC does. It's simply ridiculus.

 

[gobluejd]

I can't believe Moto doesn't provide something to do this. HTC does. It's simply ridiculus.

Moto does for Conacts, calendar and email (using activesync for exchange). No android phone natively does notes or tasks. For tasks you can use touchdown.

 

[ad720]

I'll trade you a blackberry 8330 for your X, straight up.

 

[Foxgguy2001]

Ken (who may be in Princeton, and who may enjoy scuba diving),

1. I don't think you did your research before hand if you were not aware of the many parts of the OS that sync with google. I don't think you've to be gravely concerned with some hacker getting ahold of your contacts or calendar and crashing meetings or sales pitches either. It's just not very reasonable an expectation. I don't think google is significantly less secure than any other email/calendar provider out there.

2.

 

[LaZeR]

Damn, I haven't got past the title of the thread yet. I mean I know this phone does a lot but never knew it sucked!

I'll be right back. taking my X into the shower...

 

[darreno1]

This is my first "smartphone" although I have used a corporate Blackberry and I have used a Palm for many years. I've had this phone for about a month now. While the hardware is ok, the software for critical functions (Calendar, Contacts, Notepad, and Music) absolutely sucks!!

1. I do not want to use Google/Gmail for my calendar and contacts. I don't know about any of you, but I do not feel comfortable having my confidental contact and calendar information sitting on the internet in Google. The company I work for even has a block on Google contacts & Gmail because it is not secure and frought with potential for virus. I want a way to sync calander, contacts and notepad directly from my PC to my phone. Unfortunately, this can't be done. I've tried Companion Link. Besides the fact that it cost $39, I can't even get it to work. This type of functionality should be a basic part of a smartphone. Iphones do it. Blackberry's do it. Palm Pre does it. Why not the Droid?

2. Music - I have been trying to figure out a way that music sync'd to the Droid will play in the proper order. The Droid will only play music in Alphabetical order. I can't find a way to play music in Track # order. I have been on the phone with Motorola for hours. Finally got to Level 2 tech support. They told me that it cannot be done. How stupid is this? Try listening to a Broadway Show album in alphabetical order!!

I would be happy to hear some of your suggestions to solve my problems.

Right now I feel if you just want a fancy toy, buy a Droid. If you want a real "smartphone" look somewhere else.

First, Google will prefer you use their cloud based service to sync. However I do understand the apprehension some feel towards cloud based systems. I do believe Google is very secure though.


1. Go here Home | syncdroid.net - because Androids need a good Outlook sync. The product you need might be Mylink Advanced. I haven't used it so I can't say how well it works.

If you need an Exchange sync solution, Touchdown is the best IMO. It may not sync notes though.

2. Create and use playlists. I don't know what you're using to sync your music but Doubletwist or Motorola Media Link (the one I use) will both let you create playlists and even import ones from itunes. You can create lists for your albums and shuffle the songs in any order you want before or after syncing. The player will play them in whatever order they appear in the playlist. If you want to create lists right on the device, download a music player like Mixzing.

 

[Billswood]

If you go to album or artist>album it will play in track order, but if you are just in songs its alphabetical. Just like on ipods, zunes, or almost anything else. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it sucks, its all subjective my friend

 

[kenn]

Just as an FYI, not all droid phones are lacking outlook (personal, not exchange) sync. The Incredible syncs very fast and very clean with outlook on your desktop. If you are talking exchange, the Droid X will do it with touchdown...

 

[gobluejd]

Just as an FYI, not all droid phones are lacking outlook (personal, not exchange) sync. The Incredible syncs very fast and very clean with outlook on your desktop. If you are talking exchange, the Droid X will do it with touchdown...

HTC Incredible can sync with exchange without Touchdown. TD provides a little more versatility and is more robust.

 

[prophet of doom]

This is my first "smartphone" although I have used a corporate Blackberry and I have used a Palm for many years. I've had this phone for about a month now. While the hardware is ok, the software for critical functions (Calendar, Contacts, Notepad, and Music) absolutely sucks!!

1. I do not want to use Google/Gmail for my calendar and contacts. I don't know about any of you, but I do not feel comfortable having my confidental contact and calendar information sitting on the internet in Google. The company I work for even has a block on Google contacts & Gmail because it is not secure and frought with potential for virus. I want a way to sync calander, contacts and notepad directly from my PC to my phone. Unfortunately, this can't be done. I've tried Companion Link. Besides the fact that it cost $39, I can't even get it to work. This type of functionality should be a basic part of a smartphone. Iphones do it. Blackberry's do it. Palm Pre does it. Why not the Droid?

2. Music - I have been trying to figure out a way that music sync'd to the Droid will play in the proper order. The Droid will only play music in Alphabetical order. I can't find a way to play music in Track # order. I have been on the phone with Motorola for hours. Finally got to Level 2 tech support. They told me that it cannot be done. How stupid is this? Try listening to a Broadway Show album in alphabetical order!!

I would be happy to hear some of your suggestions to solve my problems.

Right now I feel if you just want a fancy toy, buy a Droid. If you want a real "smartphone" look somewhere else.

mine plays in order... tap the play list widget then click the album you want to play.

not trying to be a dick but if you think it sucks take it back.

 

[ericnail]

hmm... I rather like Google apps... and they're pretty secure imo.


perhaps you could use itunes to rename the song titles with the track before the name? (i.e. "Song Name" with a track number of 5, rename it to "5 Song Name".)

 

[sorka]

Mine plays in track order using either the native music app or MixZing. Never heard of the problem of playing only in alphabetical order.

BTW, I've completely stopped using my ipod as the sound quaility out of MixZing puts the ipod touch to shame.

 

[TMack]

This is my first "smartphone" although I have used a corporate Blackberry and I have used a Palm for many years. I've had this phone for about a month now. While the hardware is ok, the software for critical functions (Calendar, Contacts, Notepad, and Music) absolutely sucks!!

1. I do not want to use Google/Gmail for my calendar and contacts. I don't know about any of you, but I do not feel comfortable having my confidental contact and calendar information sitting on the internet in Google. The company I work for even has a block on Google contacts & Gmail because it is not secure and frought with potential for virus. I want a way to sync calander, contacts and notepad directly from my PC to my phone. Unfortunately, this can't be done. I've tried Companion Link. Besides the fact that it cost $39, I can't even get it to work. This type of functionality should be a basic part of a smartphone. Iphones do it. Blackberry's do it. Palm Pre does it. Why not the Droid?

2. Music - I have been trying to figure out a way that music sync'd to the Droid will play in the proper order. The Droid will only play music in Alphabetical order. I can't find a way to play music in Track # order. I have been on the phone with Motorola for hours. Finally got to Level 2 tech support. They told me that it cannot be done. How stupid is this? Try listening to a Broadway Show album in alphabetical order!!

I would be happy to hear some of your suggestions to solve my problems.

Right now I feel if you just want a fancy toy, buy a Droid. If you want a real "smartphone" look somewhere else.

Nothing like an ignorant rant from someone who'd rather bitch than learn a thing or two about the incredibly powerful device he just purchased. Sheesh! Oh, and welcome to Android Forums.

 

[Merovingiann]

you want secure? grab a pen and one of those fancy scheduler books. you want music in a specific order? make a playlist.

there is almost nothing this phone cant do, either find the app for it or do some research and learn how your phone works.

that 600 dollar piece of hardware in your hand is pretty much a laptop computer, just alot smaller.

 

[bobomatic]

If you go to album or artist>album it will play in track order, but if you are just in songs its alphabetical. Just like on ipods, zunes, or almost anything else. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it sucks, its all subjective my friend

what he said..

And i also agree. the stock music player sounds better then my touch, and i use bluetooth with no EQ options.. i hope they fix that ..

 

[The Faceless Rebel]

Like every other music player on Earth (including the iPhone/iPod), by default the Droid X plays songs in the track order assigned by the ID3 tag.

If you want a particular order which isn't the track order, create playlists. Sheesh.

 

[Deleted User]

I simply don't understand the issue with the music.

It most certainly does play music in track order. Virtually all I listen to are full albums and every single one of them is stored and plays back in track order.

 

[kenn]

HTC Incredible can sync with exchange without Touchdown. TD provides a little more versatility and is more robust.

I was specifically speaking to the ability to sync with outlook desktop (no exchange server). I went from an Incredible to an X because of signal problems and terrible battery life... I "discovered" that the X can't do Outlook (local PC) sync like the Inc can so I had to switch to google calendar and contacts. I was VERY disappointed but shame on me for assuming all phones at this point could do that cleanly. (and free right out of the box).

 

[mazz0310]

Gmail and contacts are secure, not sure where you IT dept heard it's not. Probably safer than your exchange. Granted GMAIL is not a corporate email system, but google apps is stealing away exchange users. And do not get me started on BES.

The only thing you can not do is NOTES on Android from Outlook. Not sure why, but for most it is not a deal breaker.

I don't think it's blocked BECAUSE it's not safe. He's just assuming that's why they block it.

For someone that works in IT, we block gmail because there is no way for us to monitor the emails being sent or received. And I believe almost all other major corporations do the same thing.

 

[Zumi]

The only complaint I have about this phone as that it doesn't dispense beer.

 

[JimmyRayBob]

Windows Phone 7 can't be too far away if you can wait another month or two. I don't know anything specific, but i can't imagine Microsoft would forget good support for all of MS Office. Also, it will probably be very much like a Zune player for the music ...