Talk to Me, Oh Droid

[susu6]

I just switched from a Windows Mobile, HTC Ozone. That phone had a great TTS feature that would announce callers, read SMS messages and announce sender and subject of new e-mails. The best part was, I had it configured to do this only when a bluetooth headset was connected, and it would announce through the headset.

When I got the Droid 2, I didn't even think to check for this functionality, because I figured Droids could do anything (or there would be an app to deliver this exact functionality).

Well, if it can be done, I sure can't figure out how.

I installed Tasker, and programmed it to announce SMS when bluetooth is connected (though, I haven't tested this yet). It looks like I'd have to use the K9 mail client to get e-mails read, and I'd have to get yet another app to announce phone calls. I don't know if these apps would be configurable to only do this behavior when bluetooth is in use, because I don't want my phone announcing to the world every call and e-mail I get.

Am I just making this way more complicated than it is, or have I really come across something that the Droid doesn't do?

 

[hookbill]

There isn't one phone that does everything every other phone does. I don't know if Apps exist for what you're even asking for, there is over 100,00 in the Market so have a look around.

How did the GPS work on that Windows phone you had? Was it able to give you detailed directions when you told it to navigate somewhere? How about doing math by just giving a voice command.

Point I'm trying to make is you've kind of narrowed down to a feature that I haven't seen anybody mention before. So maybe Droid does or doesn't, I don't know. But i do know that Droid isn't for everybody. If it's that important to you the good news is you have 30 days to decide if you want to keep it or not.

 

[susu6]

There's no need to take it to extremes. I'm not saying that I hate the phone because it doesn't do this one thing. If my post sounded like I was complaining, it wasn't meant to. Your reply reads like I made you angry.

By the way, "there is over 100,00 in the Market so have a look around," isn't particularly helpful. What do you think I've been doing? That's why I came here--to see if someone else had the answer.

 

[Dragoro]

There's no need to take it to extremes. I'm not saying that I hate the phone because it doesn't do this one thing. If my post sounded like I was complaining, it wasn't meant to. Your reply reads like I made you angry.

By the way, "there is over 100,00 in the Market so have a look around," isn't particularly helpful. What do you think I've been doing? That's why I came here--to see if someone else had the answer.

Yeah kinda felt like ya were jumped on too.

 

[mslal]

I love Vlingo - reads sms & email, excellent speech to text recognition. "Text person's name mobile message meet me at the mall" will send sms text to person's mobile phone that reads "meet me at the mall" It's very cool

 

[gonnadie4thegov]

i think bill just saw it as people come on here non stop asking, or well mostly complaining about what features their old phones had and then flip out saying they are upset and are going to return the phone.

 

[SID KELLY]

susu6-I've never heard of an app that would do what you described--but would like to know if you find one--

 

[wkearney99]

Also consider that HTC did a lot more to customize the phones than other WinMo providers. I don't recall seeing that range of features on my HTC XV6800. And the rest of the WinMo built-in apps for text and mail most certainly did not have that sort of functionality.

 

[Shadez]

DriveSafe.ly will do most if not all of what you asked..

 

[pool_shark]

There isn't one phone that does everything every other phone does. I don't know if Apps exist for what you're even asking for, there is over 100,00 in the Market so have a look around.

How did the GPS work on that Windows phone you had? Was it able to give you detailed directions when you told it to navigate somewhere? How about doing math by just giving a voice command.

Point I'm trying to make is you've kind of narrowed down to a feature that I haven't seen anybody mention before. So maybe Droid does or doesn't, I don't know. But i do know that Droid isn't for everybody. If it's that important to you the good news is you have 30 days to decide if you want to keep it or not.

Actually I've mentioned it several times. I missed that WM could read my text messages, next to syncing with outlook tasks and notes, that's what I miss most since switching to Droid.

 

[pool_shark]

I love Vlingo - reads sms & email, excellent speech to text recognition. "Text person's name mobile message meet me at the mall" will send sms text to person's mobile phone that reads "meet me at the mall" It's very cool

Just tried it, it's a nice app, but doesn't read over bluetooth.

 

[wkearney99]

Actually I've mentioned it several times. I missed that WM could read my text messages, next to syncing with outlook tasks and notes, that's what I miss most since switching to Droid.

But it wasn't WM doing the work. The default WinMo apps were pretty weak. I've not used an HTC android phone but perhaps their apps for it are more like what you're seeking?

And syncing? ActiveSync failed more often than it worked, and then screwed up the desktop machine in the process (usually requiring a REBOOT to fix). Nearly a month using the D2 and I never have to connect it to a desktop at all.

There may well be things the D2 needs, but don't even try and lay claim that a WM phone did *anything* more reliably.

 

[Quie2Droid]

I love Vlingo - reads sms & email, excellent speech to text recognition. "Text person's name mobile message meet me at the mall" will send sms text to person's mobile phone that reads "meet me at the mall" It's very cool

Just tried it, it's a nice app, but doesn't read over bluetooth.

I believe this will read over bluetooth if your headset supports A2DP or whatever that feature is. I have the new Blueant Q2 and it supports this feature. Comes in real handy when someones leaves me a voicemail and I check Google Voice. It transcribes the vm and reads it to me over my headset.

 

[pool_shark]

Actually I've mentioned it several times. I missed that WM could read my text messages, next to syncing with outlook tasks and notes, that's what I miss most since switching to Droid.

But it wasn't WM doing the work. The default WinMo apps were pretty weak. I've not used an HTC android phone but perhaps their apps for it are more like what you're seeking?

And syncing? ActiveSync failed more often than it worked, and then screwed up the desktop machine in the process (usually requiring a REBOOT to fix). Nearly a month using the D2 and I never have to connect it to a desktop at all.

There may well be things the D2 needs, but don't even try and lay claim that a WM phone did *anything* more reliably.

It was the voice command app that came preinstalled on WM.
Activesync worked for me all the time. I was syncing with my work PC and my home PC and had no problems with either.

It's more than a claim that WM was more functional right out of the box. It did sync my calendar, notes, and tasks without going near anyone's cloud. It announced my incoming text messages over my headset, it had the ability to create and edit word and excel right out of the box (quick office that came with the Droid2 couldn't delete rows in excel), and the default email app deleted my roadrunner emails from the server as expected and I could create alternate folders for saving my emails. None of the email apps for Android can do all of that for pop3.

You can hate WM all you want, but don't tell me what I didn't do for me when I know what it did.

 

[pool_shark]

I love Vlingo - reads sms & email, excellent speech to text recognition. "Text person's name mobile message meet me at the mall" will send sms text to person's mobile phone that reads "meet me at the mall" It's very cool

Just tried it, it's a nice app, but doesn't read over bluetooth.

I believe this will read over bluetooth if your headset supports A2DP or whatever that feature is. I have the new Blueant Q2 and it supports this feature. Comes in real handy when someones leaves me a voicemail and I check Google Voice. It transcribes the vm and reads it to me over my headset.

You are correct. I turned on the safereader and it works with my Motorola SD9 HD headphones.
Too bad it doesn't work over standard BT though. Not many A2DP headsets around. I have the Voyager 510 and the Discovery 975 will arrive tomorrow.