Contacts

[SSHGuru]

My wife just got the Droid and she is freaking because she finds it very hard to find a contact when she wants to email or text.

Is there an app or easier way to do it? She's used to the Blackberry Curve.

 

[Corinacakes]

Acontacts is very user friendly it has an A-Z grid as well as favs, contacts, etc.

 

[RoNYC]

Or you can get the Gesture Search app from the market and narrow the search to just the contacts or the entire content of her droid.

 

[cpinto]

My wife just got the Droid and she is freaking because she finds it very hard to find a contact when she wants to email or text.

Is there an app or easier way to do it? She's used to the Blackberry Curve.

What does she find difficult?

She should put the ones she uses most in FAVORITES.

When you start to scroll, grab the little tab that appears on the right and move it down to quickly move thru the list.

On the home screen you can also add a folder with direct dial links to those you call often. Many ways to skin the contact cat. Folders are very handy tools.

While viewing contacts, you can also tap the search soft key and enter the first letter of the contact.

You can hold that button and do a voice search. or Just say "DIAL Home" for example.

 

[SSHGuru]

All good suggestions - any more would be appreciated.

 

[rjax]

Try Dialer One from the Market. When you use it as your dialer, it'll do T9 style contact lookup as you dial.

 

[hookbill]

Tell your wife she can also look up contacts by pressing the search button, then the microphone, and speaking the name of the person you are looking for. It will come up with the name and attempt to dial the number for you.

 

[SSHGuru]

She just found it easier to use the crackberry in her car to call people - with the Droid it involves too many steps (she says).

 

[cpinto]

She just found it easier to use the crackberry in her car to call people - with the Droid it involves too many steps (she says).

I have a few of the contacts that I call all the time, on my home screen. Not a direct dial, but just the contact. I tried direct dial links, and I would accidently call them if I just touched it.

Probably the best thing would be to create a folder on the home screen, and add direct dial links to that. Then she justs taps the folder, and taps the contact. No scrolling required. That works very well.

To do this have two empty spots on the home screen. In one spot add a folder by tapping and holding that spot, and add the folder.

Now in the other empty spot add a direct dial contact using the same method. (Tap and hold > Shortcuts > Direct Dial) Now just drag and drop the direct dial contact over the folder and release. Repeat this with all her favoriites.

You can rename the folder by opening it, and holding the top bar of the folder.

Now to call, she taps the folder, taps the contact, done. Remember to add a direct dials, not contacts. That will save a step to call.

Another helpful hint is when you populate the folder, try use the most common ones as the 5th thru 12th that you enter. That will better align them with thumb. For the same reason, place the folder at a thumb friendly position on the home screen.

I have found that if I put the common buttons, icons, links, whatever, in the center of the screen, it is more thumb friendly.

Try to use the stock apps as much as possible. The more that you use aftermarket products, the slower and more quirky your droid will become. Sometimes an downloaded app is just better.

One final item to make it more car friendly, if you have not already done this. Home screen > Menu > Settings > Applications > Development > Stay Awake.

This will keep the screen awake while charging, so to make a call, no need to unlock.

Hope this helps a little.

Craig Pinto

 

[takeshi]

I tried direct dial links, and I would accidently call them if I just touched it.

I stick my direct dials on one of the side home screens to prevent this.