No Universal Inbox on homescreen = FAIL

[mgladden2]

Hey guys,

Nearly every feature on my Droid X (OS 2.2.1) is incredible, but this whole business of no Universal Inbox directly on the homescreen is a massive FAIL.

I tried homescreen > long-hold > shortcuts > activities > universal inbox, but on my phone, I don't get an "activities" menu, it's called "applications," and more to the point, there is no "universal inbox" listed there.

Is this really an impossibility on OS 2.2.1? I did run a system upgrade to Version.2.3.340.MB810.Verizon.en.US, so maybe that's why I can't do the above-listed work around. I'll return the phone for a new one if that's the case, but if it's really an impossibility, screw that, I'll get another phone. It will slow me down big time at work.

What's worse, the "Messaging" application that has the "Universal Inbox" in it, won't let you move the "Universal Inbox" icon lower, so you are forced to do a huge thumb stretch to the top left of the phone for that second click to open it.

Why in god's name isn't there an option in "Messaging" to just open directly to the Universal Inbox??? This feels like a no-brainer.

[John.Edwards]

Do you mean SMS/texts, emails, Voicemails and twitter/RSS in a single inbox? I don't think there is a phone to do that, maybe slidescreen might be what you are looking for.

[mgladden2]

Do you mean SMS/texts, emails, Voicemails and twitter/RSS in a single inbox? I don't think there is a phone to do that, maybe slidescreen might be what you are looking for.

Did you even read the post? Of course phones can do this. Blackberry's have been doing it for years, and Androids have the feature (notice the title of this post? "Universal Inbox"), but they put it inside their "Messenger" app, which does not allow you to move it out to the homescreen and/or set the Universal Inbox's position inside the Messenger app. They also default its to the absolute top left corner of the screen, making a one-handed thumb gesture to open it a real pain. Worse yet, apparently some Android phones or OS + System Version combinations allow you to manually create a shortcut to it from the homescreen, but the brand new Droid X Os 2.2.1 with the latest sys version does not allow this. BUNK is what it is.

[John.Edwards]

Yes I read the post. Messenger is for SMS/text messages. I thought you were talking about some new feature of some other phone - obviously not. Serves me right for check this forum...

I think you mean the app called email. The shortcut is called "email". What you are talking about is the combined inbox.

It is not android if it is not there, but moto's skin. Works fine on the Droid 1. But I think you should probably get another phone if you are not happy with your DroidX. Good luck.

unsubscribe.

[BodyBagz]

Do you mean SMS/texts, emails, Voicemails and twitter/RSS in a single inbox? I don't think there is a phone to do that, maybe slidescreen might be what you are looking for.

Did you even read the post? Of course phones can do this. Blackberry's have been doing it for years, and Androids have the feature (notice the title of this post? "Universal Inbox"), but they put it inside their "Messenger" app, which does not allow you to move it out to the homescreen and/or set the Universal Inbox's position inside the Messenger app. They also default its to the absolute top left corner of the screen, making a one-handed thumb gesture to open it a real pain. Worse yet, apparently some Android phones or OS + System Version combinations allow you to manually create a shortcut to it from the homescreen, but the brand new Droid X Os 2.2.1 with the latest sys version does not allow this. BUNK is what it is.

You can do what you want, but it requires running a different launcher instead of the stock launcher. If you download Launcher Pro, you can then make a short cut to the Universal Inbox..bone stock, I do not know of any way to do this...

[mgladden2]

I really don't mean to be rude, but you're wrong again. The Messenger app is for all feeds, including facebook, twitter, email (both my corporate and personal), and text messages. It works perfectly for all of those, and it has an icon called "Universal Inbox" inside of it which puts all of those feeds into a single inbox, similar to what Blackberry's have long done. I've been using it all day with no problems. The issue is getting the dang "Universal Inbox" icon out onto the desktop, and the fact that the "Universal Inbox" icon (inside Messenger) is locked into the absolute top-left of the screen. It's a real pain. I'm only responding here because your post could confuse another reader. Really, it's best to respond to things that you have a matching phone and/or matching experience with, otherwise you get these pages of back and forth corrections and clarifications. Thank you for the effort, though. I do appreciate the good intention.

[harrellj]

Pure messenger widget - Android app on AppBrain might fit then?

[mgladden2]

Pure messenger widget - Android app on AppBrain might fit then?

Thanks, harrellj. It's good to know a third-party app might be an alternative. I'd rather use the built-in Universal Inbox, but if there's no other solution...

[mgladden2]

You can do what you want, but it requires running a different launcher instead of the stock launcher. If you download Launcher Pro, you can then make a short cut to the Universal Inbox..bone stock, I do not know of any way to do this...

Thanks. I guess a third-party solution is looking more and more likely. Any idea why some people report being able to do a manual shortcut from homescreen > long-hold > shortcuts > activities > universal inbox? My phone doesn't list "activities" but calls it "applications" instead, and it doesn't have "universal inbox" under applications.

[harrellj]

One of the posts I found on this was someone who stated that they used LauncherPro (a 3rd party launcher replacement). I can confirm that activities is an option in LauncherPro but not ADW (another launcher replacement).