Help Any suggestions to replace stock messaging app?

[jboom91]

Hey guys, I'm a couple weeks new to Android and smartphones in general and I'm loving it! Unfortunately I have run into a bit of a snag, I am on the Samsung Galaxy SII T989 (T-mobile) and I am on Jellybean 4.1.2. I enjoy the stock messaging app because it is simple and I assume resource friendly (I like efficiency in my electronics), but I'm having a hard time making a custom message notification when I receive a text message that is forwarded from my gmail using phone#@tmomail.net. It shows up as just *myemail*@gmail.com so when I add as a contact it adds the email and I have the option to customize the tones for messaging but it doesn't work, I assume because there is no phone #. I even tried to find the number that is used to forward an email through sms and all I got from t-mobile was 500, which didn't work either.

I know that non-stock messaging apps like go sms and handcent are capable of doing this easily but I'm weary of moving from stock due to other messaging apps possibly using more resources, but if anyone has any suggestions for other apps I'm all ears.

Thanks!

 

[breadnatty08]

Welcome to the forums, jboom91!
Handcent is the only messaging app I've used since being on Android almost 4 years ago. I've tried a couple others, but always come back to it. Don't see it resource heavy, just far more customizable. Give it a shot.

 

[jboom91]

Thanks! I'll try it out.

 

[LilBit]

Welcome to the forums, jboom91!
Handcent is the only messaging app I've used since being on Android almost 4 years ago. I've tried a couple others, but always come back to it. Don't see it resource heavy, just far more customizable. Give it a shot.

Thanks! I'll try it out.

I'm down with Handcent also, Just to give you another opinion
Personally, I dont do Go, anything.

 

[jboom91]

After further testing you guys were right to suggest handcent! I tried go sms pro and it still wasn't capable of adding custom message tones sent from an email to sms, but handcent does!

Thanks again guys, I know what messaging app I'll be sticking with!

 

[LilBit]

After further testing you guys were right to suggest handcent! I tried go sms pro and it still wasn't capable of adding custom message tones sent from an email to sms, but handcent does!

Thanks again guys, I know what messaging app I'll be sticking with!

Awesome!!

 

[breadnatty08]

I second LilBit's opinion on not using Go apps. Their permissions required and hosting is a bit fishy.

 

[LilBit]

I second LilBit's opinion on not using Go apps. Their permissions required and hosting is a bit fishy.

Plus it loves all your phone/tabs memory. Sorta like Windows does to a PC, Eats up all avalable memory. No Good

 

[funkylogik]

Think i wrote this in another thread but i just disabled notifications for go sms to prevent their spam. I already use Light Flow Pro for my notifications anyway.
Not defending them though and id never buy a theme. No point when nearly everything can be customised manually by me

 

[jboom91]

Unfortunately, an interesting problem has occurred. I am on the T-Mobile network and where I am I get bad service. Due to this fact, I leave data off almost all the time because it is practically useless and it drains battery, instead I use wifi all the time.

Now here is the interesting part, with my stock messaging app I can receive mms messages over wifi, without data on, and I believe it is because I have wifi calling/texting built into my phone which is a t-mobile feature. What I have realized now is that no other messaging app will let me receive an mms message without manually turning my data back on, they don't work like my stock messaging app does with just wifi on.

What do you guys think?

 

[funkylogik]

Thats gona leave u stuck i think man. i think its usually the norm to need cellular data for mms.
Tbh i dont know many people who still use mms nowadays. It isnt even in my monthly allowance. I suppose more people share through messaging apps or fb etc now :thumbup:

 

[saptech]

I've been using Go SMS Pro, but looking to switch, and able to install it on my phone running GB and Tablet (wifi only) using JB. But Handcent and SMS Text Messaging doesn't allow it to install on tablet. Or there any others that will install on wifi only devices?

Thnx.

 

[jboom91]

Thanks for the info. What kind of messaging app?

I have another question then on top of this. If MMS is supposed be sent/received over data then: how come a month ago when I did not have an android phone but some crappy flip phone with no data on it was able to send and retrieve MMS?

 

[DonB]

Thanks for the info. What kind of messaging app?

I have another question then on top of this. If MMS is supposed be sent/received over data then: how come a month ago when I did not have an android phone but some crappy flip phone with no data on it was able to send and retrieve MMS?

Still takes data to be able to do so, even the crappy old Flip phones can have data, as the carrier can still send OTA's on those phone to keep updated and to update the PRL over the air, you simply got lucky not to get charged for it, unless your plan had it offered but you did not know.

 

[Hadron]

Over here pre-smartphone the MMS would use data to upload/download, but were charged per message, so appeared as a message charge rather than a data usage charge. I suspect many people didn't even realise that they were using a data connection (it was introduced when there was only 2G packet data, when almost nobody had a data plan).

 

[breadnatty08]

You can always try Google Voice for texts as it can use wifi and doesn't need a cell connection.

 

[chanchan05]

I've been using Go SMS Pro, but looking to switch, and able to install it on my phone running GB and Tablet (wifi only) using JB. But Handcent and SMS Text Messaging doesn't allow it to install on tablet. Or there any others that will install on wifi only devices?

Thnx.

Just curious, why would you want an sms app on a wifj only tablet? It doesn't have sms capability in the first place, adding an sms app wont change that. Even if you sideload an sms app, it still wont work to send sms.

 

[funkylogik]

Yeah i take it it was just the Go Chat part of Go Sms u were usin on the tab?

 

[jboom91]

Ok thanks guys that was helpful information, learning more every day!

I've decided to stick with my stock messaging app unfortunately, because it seems to be the only way I can stay on wifi with wifi calling on, and data off, and still receive mms. I do like the stock app, but I wish it had a little more customization.

I still don't know if my stock app just allows the mms over wifi calling, or if its just smart enough to turn on data for a second to accept the mms an then turn it off, either way if anyone can think of a messaging app that might be able to do this I'm all ears, but I've had no luck.

On a side note: I am rooted so when I tried the other messaging apps I did uninstall my stock app (its backed up of course), you guys don't think that has anything to do with the lack of mms for the other apps do you? Like its still needed in the background to work along with the other messaging apps?

 

[chanchan05]

It has. It's actually not advisable to remove the stock messaging app. Even GO SMS has a setting you have to activate for it to work properly if you uninstalled the stock SMS app, and even then they don't promise that it would work properly.

 

[funkylogik]

^^yup.
I remember i froze my stock app and for nearly a week i thought my friends hated me lol! I could send sms fine but not recieve them
As i said i dont use mms so i dont know if thats affected but i think(?) Mms uses an SMS to tell a phone to use data to recieve the image :thumbup:

 

[saptech]

Just curious, why would you want an sms app on a wifj only tablet? It doesn't have sms capability in the first place, adding an sms app wont change that. Even if you sideload an sms app, it still wont work to send sms.

Using GV (with phone #) and Talkatone I'm able to use Go SMS Pro on my wifi only Tab 2. I can make calls & text with it!

 

[Brian706]

Moved over to the Galaxy s2 t-mobile section.

 

[jboom91]

It has. It's actually not advisable to remove the stock messaging app. Even GO SMS has a setting you have to activate for it to work properly if you uninstalled the stock SMS app, and even then they don't promise that it would work properly.

Oh wow that is very interesting, I was wondering why half the messaging apps that were not go sms had problems even receiving messages, thanks for that info that is very helpful.

Now I guess I'll have to re-do my tests and keep my stock messaging app enabled and see if I can do any better, I'll try to update this thread to let you guys know!

 

[jboom91]

It works! I kept my stock app and used it with chomp and now I can receive mms like I did before.

The only problem I have now is that with the stock app on this phone a message icon appears on the lock screen that doesn't work or is necessary anymore with chomp installed, does anyone know how to turn on that lock screen notification with the stock app even though I have notifications turned off on it?

Thanks.