Recommend An App For Android Phones

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Yes... I've used Groove IP Lite for making calls to the U.S....and had good experience with it.. As has member Lomatopo here... Pib also has used it, but had some problems on his device.

[Digitalbanana]

You were doing OK until Adobe Reader.

50 million downloads, I'm open to alternatives, but cannot find one that can handle some of my more complex PDFs.

[MikeWill]

Yes... I've used Groove IP Lite for making calls to the U.S....and had good experience with it.. As has member Lomatopo here... Pib also has used it, but had some problems on his device.

If I understand correctly, this app requires Google Voice ( https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.googlevoice&feature=related_apps ), which is currently available only in the US. Is there a work around?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Grove IP Lite does indeed work through your Google Voice account.

If someone doesn't already have such an account, I'm assuming use of a proxy or VPN would facilitate that.

[MikeWill]

Grove IP Lite does indeed work through your Google Voice account.

If someone doesn't already have such an account, I'm assuming use of a proxy or VPN would facilitate that.

Though, it's a Google Voice account (Google email), and not the Google Voice app.

[Pib]

Grove IP Lite does indeed work through your Google Voice account.

If someone doesn't already have such an account, I'm assuming use of a proxy or VPN would facilitate that.

Though, it's a Google Voice account (Google email), and not the Google Voice app.

Correct, the Google Voice account is separate from the Google Voice App. You don't need the Google Voice App to use Google Voice on your smartphone via use of the GrooVeIP app which acts as the link between your phone and Google Voice servers. When I first setup my Google Voice account (i.e., got a Google Voice phone number issued/setup) I only used it via my Windows laptop. Later on when I got a Android smartphone phone, I downloaded the GrooVeIP LIte (free version) and later on got the GrooVeIP (paid version).

GrooVeIP is a neat App, but in my case and on my home Wifi (a True DOCSIS plan) unless I use a VPN connection GrooVeIP will stop responding to "inbound" calls after about 10 minutes; if on a mobile 3G connection I don't have this issue. I've even got it to work semi-descent call quality-wise on a good EDGE connection.

[lomatopo]

If I understand correctly, this app requires Google Voice ( https://play.google....re=related_apps ), which is currently available only in the US. Is there a work around?

You need to have a U.S. IP address to enroll with Google Voice. Your ten digit telephone number is associated with a GMail account.

If you can't sign up using a VPN, or have no plans tor return to the U.S. anytime soon I guess you could ask someone in the U.S. to sign up for you?

Google Voice services have been free, but usually we have to wait until December-ish to find out about the upcoming year.

Google Voice has an amazing set of features including SMS (send/receive to a PC or phone via Gmail), voice-mail (speech to text) and of course free in-bound and out-bound calling.

[lomatopo]

More features, sick actually...

[MikeWill]

Please clarify:

Re: Google Voice phone number issued/setup

What this number is like? Is it starts with +001 or something?

I guess, my friend in Canada can sign up for me.

Which tel. number (Thai or US) should be associated with my GMail account.

(Ten digit number Thai format: 081 81X YZAB - this is number for calls inside Thailand)

[Pib]

Please clarify:

Re: Google Voice phone number issued/setup

What this number is like? Is it starts with +001 or something?

I guess, my friend in Canada can sign up for me.

Which tel. number (Thai or US) should be associated with my GMail account.

(Ten digit number Thai format: 081 81X YZAB - this is number for calls inside Thailand)

No, it's a regular number with whatever area and prefix codes are available to choose from...and they have a ton of area and prefix codes to choose from. I chose an area and prefix code that made calling my Google number a local call for a bunch of family and friends that are still have concentrated in one area of the U.S....some of which still only use their landline phones.

I think the number you select to be assoicated with the Google Voice account (i.e., your Google Voice number would forward/ring to) would have to be a U.S. (maybe Canada also) landline or mobile number. I also have a U.S. phone number via my NetTalk account (NetTalk is like the MajicJack VOIP service) which I have my Google Voice number setup to forward to. The NetTalk service costs me $30/year...calls to/from the U.S. is just like the folks are across the soi. What happens when someone calls my Google Voice number my NetTalk number rings here at the house where my NetTalkDuo device is hooked between an ethernet port on my router and my house cordless phone (a.k.a., a VOIP adapter hookup just like having a Vonage-type account/VOIP adapter). Or, if I have GrooVeIP running on my smartphone my Google Voice number rings to my smartphone....calls very clear. And when I do an outbound call using GrooVeIP I am calling using the Google Voice number and that Google Voice number is what appears on some ones caller ID.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Grove IP Lite does indeed work through your Google Voice account.

If someone doesn't already have such an account, I'm assuming use of a proxy or VPN would facilitate that.

Though, it's a Google Voice account (Google email), and not the Google Voice app.

I think that's what I said above... Google Voice ACCOUNT.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

For the recent Christmas buying season, the folks at GSM Arena did a long post on apps in many of the key categories that any new Android user might consider installing on their phone. They typically suggest and evaluate 2 or 3 different apps in each particular category, with feature descriptions and pros/cons for each.

Well worth reading, even for more experienced users, to give you an idea of what's going on out there in the ever changing Android apps world, and what are some of the top choices.

http://www.gsmarena.com/set_up_your_android-review-866.php