Google Voice workaround for slow WebOS

[mu7efcer]

I know that a lot of people (including me) use their phone primarily as a data device. But I do also use my phone as a phone. And the lagginess of the WebOS is so stark that there are times when I'm trying to answer an incoming call, but the OS won't take the button press. And it doesn't matter if I'm tapping the screen, opening the slider, or pressing the button on my wired headset. Eventually the call goes to voicemail. This happens at least once every day. Sometimes more. And it's infuriating.

But I've got a workaround using conditional forwarding and google voice that gives me a chance to get those calls before they go to voicemail. I thought that perhaps others might find this useful, so here's what I've done:

1. I added three phones to my google voice account
   • Pre - this one is setup as a mobile phone
   • Home
   • Work
   See attached image 01. Completing this required me to validate each phone to google.
   
2. I clicked on "Activate Google voicemail on this phone" for the Pre, and followed the instructions. See attached image 02.
   
3. I went into the setup for the Pre, and selected "Ring my other phones before going to voicemail". See attached image 03.
   
4. I could have stopped here, but it's obvious that I can't be both at home and at work. And when I'm at work, I don't want the phone to ring at home since it's likely that my wife will answer it, preventing me from answering it at work. So I setup custom ring schedules for each of my other phones.
   
5. For work, I set it up so that it will *not* ring on the weekends at all. And on weekdays, it will not ring from 6pm to 8am. See attached image 04.
   
6. For home, I set it up so that it will always ring on the weekends. And on weekdays, it will not ring from 9am to 5pm. See attached photo 05.

So now when my Pre is too busy to let me answer an incoming call, Sprint forwards the call to google. During work hours, google will ring my work phone before going to voicemail. During non-work hours, google will ring my home phone before going to voicemail.

I miss a lot fewer calls now.

[dbdoinit]

Originally Posted by mu7efcer

I know that a lot of people (including me) use their phone primarily as a data device. But I do also use my phone as a phone. And the lagginess of the WebOS is so stark that there are times when I'm trying to answer an incoming call, but the OS won't take the button press. And it doesn't matter if I'm tapping the screen, opening the slider, or pressing the button on my wired headset. Eventually the call goes to voicemail. This happens at least once every day. Sometimes more. And it's infuriating.

But I've got a workaround using conditional forwarding and google voice that gives me a chance to get those calls before they go to voicemail. I thought that perhaps others might find this useful, so here's what I've done:.........

That's some real good work. It's pitiful, the 96 steps we have to take, to make this so-called smartphone workable. The tweaks, the patches, the homebrew, .... etc etc etc.
I wasn't expecting all this.
I thought it would at least be more complete by now.

[hparsons]

I don't mean this to be snarky at all, but I've never had the problem of the phone not answering. That could be because I almost always answer my phone by using my bluetooth headset.

I have a Pantronics Voyager 855. When the phone rings, I slide the boom mic open, and the phone answers every time.

Have you considered using a BT and see if you have better luck?

FWIW, I paid $35 for the headset on Amazon, and it gives me a stereo headset for music, as well as working for the phone.

[mu7efcer]

Originally Posted by hparsons

I don't mean this to be snarky at all, but I've never had the problem of the phone not answering. That could be because I almost always answer my phone by using my bluetooth headset.

I have several BT headsets, but I don't tend to use them. It's just easier to use the wired headsets (which never need charging, and take up less of the Pre's battery) to listen to music @ work and answer the phone when I need to.

That said, I do use one BT headset a lot, and that's the one that built into my car. And I've experienced this problem there, too. I do think it's worth testing to see if any of the other 3 BT headsets that I have would experience this problem.

[wynand32]

I've found the Pre Phone app to be the one thing that 1.3.1 actually improved (I should say: I like my Pre something fierce, but I absolutely despise 1.3.1). I've yet to miss a call, and I typically open the slider to answer. When I use the button, however, that works as well.

I'm wondering if there might be some app or patch that folks are running that's causing them to miss calls, i.e., an app or patch that adds some additional lag that others (like myself) aren't experiencing.

[mu7efcer]

Originally Posted by wynand32

I'm wondering if there might be some app or patch that folks are running that's causing them to miss calls, i.e., an app or patch that adds some additional lag that others (like myself) aren't experiencing.

Yeah, to test that theory, I doctored my pre this week. I'm still missing calls. I'm about to put patches back on because taking them off didn't help at all.

[dannyg417]

That is a nice work-around and very creative. It is just a shame that you need to have work-arounds for answering a phone call.

[eekinsman]

Originally Posted by dannyg417

That is a nice work-around and very creative. It is just a shame that you need to have work-arounds for answering a phone call.

I agree, and this applies to considering blue tooth as an acceptable solution as well. As to the problem itself, I have experienced the problem plenty of times since launch day, but honestly, on average, its probably only once every week or so. Nevertheless, it does make one want to throw the phone against the nearest wall. One thing I have noticed that I think solved the problem, is opening the slider to answer and not fooling with that damnable green virtual ball.


DISCLAIMER

IF READING CRITICAL POSTS ABOUT PALM AND/OR WEBOS WHICH ARE, BY ANY MEASURE, LESS THAN LAUDATORY THUS CONSTITUTING AN OFFENSE TO THE READER AKIN TO AN INSULT TO HIS WIFE OR MOTHER, PLEASE PUT EEKINSMAN ON IGNORE AND UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES OR LEGAL THEORY SHALL EEKINSMAN, HIS FAMILY, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, LICENSEES, OR ASSIGNS, EITHER JOINTLY OR SEVERALY, BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR OTHER LOSS OF ANY KIND, RELATING TO YOUR FRAGILE, UNUSUAL, UNHEALTHY AND ODD PREDILECTION TO PROTECT PALM AND/OR WEBOS FROM NEGATIVE POSTS.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY PRECENTRAL, THE WORDS AND CONTENT OF THIS POST, INCLUDING THOSE IN THIS DISCLAIMER, ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE A RANT AGAINST PALM AND/OR WEBOS AND DO NOT REFLECT THE POSTER’S HATRED FOR PALM.


THE POSTER HEREBY DISCLAIMS AND DISAVOWS AND DOES NOT ENDORSE OR SPONSOR OR AGREE WITH SENSELESS THREADS AND POSTS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, “‘I’M LEAVING FOR THE DROID’ ‘PALM SUCKS’ APPLE RULES’ THE PRE IS THE WORST PHONE EVER’ AND ALL OTHER OF SIMILAR ILK WHICH BY THEIR NATURE TREAT THE PALM PRE AS ANYTHING BUT PRECIOUS.

[dbdoinit]

Originally Posted by eekinsman

I agree, and this applies to considering blue tooth as an acceptable solution as well. As to the problem itself, I have experienced the problem plenty of times since launch day, but honestly, on average, its probably only once every week or so. Nevertheless, it does make one want to throw the phone against the nearest wall. One thing I have noticed that I think solved the problem, is opening the slider to answer and not fooling with that damnable green virtual ball.


DISCLAIMER

IF READING CRITICAL POSTS ABOUT PALM AND/OR WEBOS WHICH ARE, BY ANY MEASURE, LESS THAN LAUDATORY THUS CONSTITUTING AN OFFENSE TO THE READER AKIN TO AN INSULT TO HIS WIFE OR MOTHER, PLEASE PUT EEKINSMAN ON IGNORE AND UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES OR LEGAL THEORY SHALL EEKINSMAN, HIS FAMILY, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, LICENSEES, OR ASSIGNS, EITHER JOINTLY OR SEVERALY, BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR OTHER LOSS OF ANY KIND, RELATING TO YOUR FRAGILE, UNUSUAL, UNHEALTHY AND ODD PREDILECTION TO PROTECT PALM AND/OR WEBOS FROM NEGATIVE POSTS.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY PRECENTRAL, THE WORDS AND CONTENT OF THIS POST, INCLUDING THOSE IN THIS DISCLAIMER, ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE A RANT AGAINST PALM AND/OR WEBOS AND DO NOT REFLECT THE POSTER’S HATRED FOR PALM.


THE POSTER HEREBY DISCLAIMS AND DISAVOWS AND DOES NOT ENDORSE OR SPONSOR OR AGREE WITH SENSELESS THREADS AND POSTS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, “‘I’M LEAVING FOR THE DROID’ ‘PALM SUCKS’ APPLE RULES’ THE PRE IS THE WORST PHONE EVER’ AND ALL OTHER OF SIMILAR ILK WHICH BY THEIR NATURE TREAT THE PALM PRE AS ANYTHING BUT PRECIOUS.

LOL LOL - Eek, u've been on a roll the last coupla days!

[aselvan]

I do the same thing with my google voice to minimize loosing calls on this stupid phone. I have the latest WebOS update and don't have lot of apps other than what it had originally. The only time I am able to take call easily is when I pickup a call using my car's built-in blue-tooth interface. This phone fails miserably to provide the basic functionality of a phone. Like the other poster above, I hate the stupid green ball or the yellow lock ball!.

[misterikkit]

Happens to me to, though not often. Sometimes I can't answer a call because the touch screen is not responding. I don't want to slide the phone open because I have the patch that will go to speakerphone if I do.

[Linkster5]

So what happens when you choose to "ignore" the call (double tap on power button)? Does it still ring your work phone? That would be annoying

[mu7efcer]

Originally Posted by Linkster5

So what happens when you choose to "ignore" the call (double tap on power button)? Does it still ring your work phone? That would be annoying

Just noticed this reply. Yes, it will still ring the phone at work. Haven't come up w/a way to avoid that.