Google Apps that Need Improvement

When 4G was coming to Verizon, I wanted to wait to get what ever phone that was made by Samsung. The biggest reason is the LED Amoled screen that uses less power than comparable LCD screen and is brighter so that it can be seen during the daylight. And so I got the Samsung Droid Charge.

There was a minor problem with Samsung phones in the past in that the GPS location takes forever to be picked up. It was the same for the Droid Charge. I downloaded different GPS tools to help the phone’s GPS lock on faster, but they still took time to get a lock. The phone was not instant like my prior phone the HTC Incredible.

Mapquest finally had an application on the Android Market and I was reluctant to try it since I was so loyal to Google applications, but I am so happy that I did try it. Mapquest would find my location without the GPS being turned on! It immediately enables WiFi when the app comes on and finds me within a 100 yards. And when you turn on the GPS, it finds 8 of 9 GPS satellites within a minute!

Obviously they have found how to locate based on mobile networks faster than Google Maps, so now I ask Google to step up and fix Google Maps. It isn’t a problem with Verizon or Samsung, but how the application accesses the data.

And on to my next problem Google application… Gmail…

I have been happy with Gmail enough to allow my business email to start coming in too. The problem is that I can save a separate signature online, but they don't transfer over to the mobile device and there is no way to set up a separate signature through the mobile app.

That was short enough to talk about one more, Google Talk with Video.

For the past couple of months a Leaked Gingerbread update is available to upgrade your Samsung Droid Charge, but it is not official. This was a big deal because the Netflix application worked with it. Can I emphasis “was” because the Netflix application was fixed and made available for the Droid Charge running Android 2.2 last month.

So why upgrade to Gingerbread? According to Skype, they can not access the front facing camera for video chat on phones with Android 2.2. You can use Skype for video chat, but it is the rear facing camera. That is not video chat!

Last week I downloaded Fringe and it allows me to use the front facing camera on my Droid Charge still running Android 2.2. Later last week, Oovoo also allows me to use he front facing camera on my phone. Skype still doesn’t, but who cares since their application is running all of the time draining your battery anyways. Uninstall Skype!

This past Saturday I was in Staples and was testing out the Asus tablet and it allows Google Talk to video chat. I really like Google Talk for how fast it is and it doesn’t drain your battery. Let’s fix Google Talk to us the front facing camera too and I won’t need to mess with any other applications.

So Google, please fix Google Maps, GMail and Google Talk with video.