Best Contacts App?

[suberizedwrx@gmail.com]

I'm looking for the best Contacts app substitute that allows me to manually sync to my Google contacts rather than rely on the default app that supposedly syncs (it's giving me issues even when I use it's manual sync function).

I really like Address book by Hotcard but they haven't replied to my emails yet, so there's no way I can use it beyond the 5 initial syncs they give you.

So far I've replaced the Calendar with Business Calendar and Gmail with K9. Both of these apps have a button that allows for manual synchronization to my gmail account. I would prefer NOT to go with something with Ubuntu where I'd have to make a new account for my contacts separate from my Google Gmail contacts. Thanks in advance!

 

[lekky]

checked out youlu? Very good app

 

[suberizedwrx@gmail.com]

Thanks! It looked great with the sync button and all, but I was getting forced closes...and I kinda wanted a Google Contacts syncer....not a whole new account that I'd have to create.

 

[KiwiMark67]

I am having trouble finding a good contacts app - I want one that lets me do what I want to!
What I want: To add notes to many of my contacts
The problem: When I edit a contact the notes field is only one line high - too damned awkward to edit 10 to 20 lines of notes!

I tried youlu and acontact - neither changed the editing of contacts.
Anyone got a good suggestion?

 

[foxhunter]

I also need to edit the 'Notes' section of my contacts regularly and would welcome a better way to do this. I am using 'Go Contacts' which at least searches the entire contacts database INCLUDING the 'Notes' field but it resorts back to the native 'people' app for editing.

 

[KiwiMark67]

I have found a solution to this problem! It seems the problem is actually with HTC Sense rather than with Android, so I have installed a non-sense (not to be confused with nonsense) ROM. Using Cyanogen Mod 7 I have no problems at all, I can edit the contacts and the 'notes' field can take up as much room as needed.

 

[foxhunter]

Thanks for that - unfortunately my HTC Desire S doesn't seem to be supported. Also, the Cyanogen mod looks a bit heavy for me - I guess it 'roots' the phone and I'm not sure my technical ability is up to working in that environment.
I still need a fix though and very much appreciate your input. I'll research further - does the mod you suggest alter the whole contacts view? Can you search the whole contacts database including all the fields (including notes)? Can you see each field in full as you edit it?
I also presume you lose the Sense UI completely and I don't understand what other issues that will give me!
Cheers.

 

[KiwiMark67]

I still need a fix though and very much appreciate your input. I'll research further - does the mod you suggest alter the whole contacts view? Can you search the whole contacts database including all the fields (including notes)? Can you see each field in full as you edit it?
I also presume you lose the Sense UI completely and I don't understand what other issues that will give me!
Cheers.

With Cyanogen Mod 7 or several other options you do indeed lose Sense UI, I'm not too sure myself of all the implications of that (I've been using an Android phone for ~6 weeks). But I've been able to install a lot of apps on my CM7 system and they all work fine, so I'm happy with what my phone can do.

As far as I'm aware the viewing of the contacts info is about the same, the editing is also pretty much the same except that where the 'notes' field for some crazy reason is only 2 lines high on the Sense UI it is as long as it needs to be on the no-sense ROMs.

To change to CM7 you would need to root the phone and then install ROM manager and then use the bootloader to wipe you current ROM and then install the new one. There are numerous guides to this on these forums, but it isn't a simple 5 minute job. You would also need to follow the steps very carefully to avoid bricking the phone.

Maybe we need a few people complaining to HTC so that the next version of Sense UI fixes this particular issue.

 

[foxhunter]

Thanks for that. I think the whole 'people' function is a work in progress and I'm working through lots of issues having just (4 weeks) migrated from a Nokia smartphone.
I reckon there would be a good business opportunity creating apps that could 'mimic' Nokia etc on Android phones - at least while people got used to the new functionality that Android offers. I love the clever stuff it does, but the basic 'business' use (contacts/calendar/PHONE!) are too clever for their own good.
And let's not talk about syncing...........

 

[2ndHalfCor]

I love the clever stuff it does, but the basic 'business' use (contacts/calendar/PHONE!) are too clever for their own good.
And let's not talk about syncing...........

I agree. Coming from long-time Blackberry use, I really felt like I lost control of my contact list. Android does a lot of things with the list, drawing entries from several sources, linking them to other things, sorting in odd ways etc. All my contact info is there, I just don't feel like I have control over it.

 

[KiwiMark67]

And let's not talk about syncing...........

Talking about syncing . . .
I got some advice to use Google for everything, so I exported my contacts from Outlook to a .csv file and imported them into Google. With my Google E-Mail, Google Calendar, Google Contacts, Google Docs & Picasa - everything syncs brilliantly. It's so damned easy, it's ridiculous!
When I wiped my factory ROM and changed to CM7 I just put in my GMail account details and everything synced perfectly - all my contacts with all the notes & everything.

I wont be going back to syncing stuff in Outlook, it's just easier from Google and it makes all my contacts info available from any PC I can borrow that has an internet connection as well as from my phone. I'm afraid I might be on my way to being a Google fanboy, but I do prefer the Google flavoured Kool-aid to the Apple flavoured stuff!

 

[foxhunter]

Finally found DEJA OFFICE (free) which includes Deja Contacts. This allow you to edit and view all data without entering the Android database so you can view and edit as many notes on each contact as you like.
You don't need to buy their syncing software as you can just set the app to 'read' the Android contacts on the phone.

 

[autopilot1]

I have tried the Deja Contacts and found it has worked exceptionally well. Still prefer the look and feel of the Android version, but Deja Office has the huge advantage of sort by Company name and excellent area for notes. Thanks for the suggestion Foxhunter.

 

[SoftWyer]

Contact Editor Free is good for editing. Not sure if the free version lets you edit notes, but you can try it. It's based upon the 'vanilla' Android Editor, and yes, the HTC People application is the biggest POS ever. It's useless for editing, and useless for viewing contact data!

 

[litterbug]

I'm another ex-palm user and I hate my HTC DINC's Google People app almost as much as I hate the Calendar app, and would love a simple contacts app that doesn't require me to scroll down and squint to pick the 'edit contact' button (yeah, middle aged eyes) instead of just tapping anywhere on the contact and other Palm conveniences. I don't want to group contacts or sync them with some social network; I just want contacts that are easy to edit and contain numbers, email and physical addresses, and a nice note field. Editor does the latter, but I still need my glasses to find the 'edit' field.

If the Pimlico app doesn't do contacts, does anyone know of contact app that would substitute for the native one and perform the simple datebook functions as Palm's?

 

[SoftWyer]

.. would love a simple contacts app that doesn't require me to scroll down and squint to pick the 'edit contact' button ...
I just want contacts that are easy to edit and contain numbers, email and physical addresses, and a nice note field. Editor does the latter, but I still need my glasses to find the 'edit' field.
...

If you need an alternative to the People app for viewing contact details, then try Contact View Free. It's based on the default Android app from Google and is far clearer. It even has options to increase the size of the font if it's too small.

It's not an editor, but you just click on the name at the top and it'll use the default editor, or Contact Editor if you have that installed.

 

[sgosnell]

Go Contacts does more or less what you want, litterbug. You can't click just anywhere and edit, but there is a fairly large Edit button at the top of each contact's page. Find the contact you want, open it, and the Edit button is at the top of the screen, fairly obvious. It integrates into Go Launcher EX if you use that, but it should work even if you don't. I find it easier to use than the Palm contacts, and I used a Palm for many years.

 

[dvhttn]

I'm another ex-palm user and I hate my HTC DINC's Google People app almost as much as I hate the Calendar app, and would love a simple contacts app that doesn't require me to scroll down and squint to pick the 'edit contact' button (yeah, middle aged eyes) instead of just tapping anywhere on the contact and other Palm conveniences. I don't want to group contacts or sync them with some social network; I just want contacts that are easy to edit and contain numbers, email and physical addresses, and a nice note field. Editor does the latter, but I still need my glasses to find the 'edit' field.

If the Pimlico app doesn't do contacts, does anyone know of contact app that would substitute for the native one and perform the simple datebook functions as Palm's?

Not used Palm, but try this .... https://market.android.com/details?id=com.contapps.android&hl=en .... find the layout very simple and will display lots of notes about a contact. Yeah, you can have lots of social connections but I don't. Just Linkedin. I just sync with Outlook on my PC.

Dave

 

[nycbhh]

I

 

[SoftWyer]

1)Send an email out to all the contacts in a contact group
2) Enables me to save at least two pictures to a contact.

Any suggestions?

Can't help with 2), but for group email, then Contact Lookup Pro or Fast does this. More details here. Groupy can also do group emails.

 

[jefboyardee]

+ Groupy. It’s a bit funky, but its adherence to the same groups I see on my PC is enough for me.

 

[ktchong]

I have DW Contacts & Phone Dialer. At $10, it is probably the most expensive contacts/dialer app on Android, and I was extremely reluctant to pay that price when I can get so many very good alternatives for free. However, I bought it mostly for its dialer instead of contacts. There is a reason why it is sold for $10, and its users still give it a 4.5 rating.

I wrote a review for the app awhile ago:

"...it was ONE particular feature that convinced me to pay for the full-priced version this app: whenever someone *who was not in my contacts* called me, my call history would save the caller's phone number but NOT the caller's name (even if the caller's name showed up during the call.) Later, when I looked through my call history, I would see a bunch of different phone numbers without a name. It was confusing and frustrating.

This is the ONLY contacts/dialer app that saves the names of callers that were NOT in my contacts. No other other contacts/dialer apps offer this particular feature. (I have tried Dialer One, exDialer, TouchPal, and Rocket.) This is the most customizable contacts/phone dialer app I have used. It is also the most complicated. The menus are bewildering and redundant. The options are (too) many. However, it is the *only* app that lets me customize the contact/dialer just the way I want. This app already has "holy-shit" plenty of functions and features. Its future updates just need to simplify and streamline its menus and options."


There is also a free trial version with limited features.

 

[nycbhh]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I've been playing around with Groupy and I'm going to check out the free trial of DW.

 

[jefboyardee]

I've been playing around with Groupy

Seems like 99% of the third-party utility apps I