10 replies to this topic

[kwoodall]

I've reviewed EnCallio, the new enhanced Caller ID system from NikaFX, over on my site at www.gadgetnutz.com - please go and read the review there!

I also mention in the review a few Caller ID screens I developed and decided to post them here for you guys. You'll need EnCallio to try them out. Enjoy!

Kermit Woodall
Managing Editor
GadgetNutz.com

Attached Files

•  NearlyFull.zip   589.65K   480 downloads
•  Shadow.zip   44.94K   353 downloads
•  ss002.gif   49.98K   45 downloads
•  ss003.gif   12.89K   31 downloads
•  ss004.gif   25.15K   33 downloads
•  ss001.bmp   225.05K   198 downloads

Edited by kwoodall, 20 January 2008 - 08:10 PM.

[badbob001]

In the review, it mentions that the problem is that the microsoft routines to store the photo is the cause for the small low-quality photos. It also mentions that the QDZ contact manager will use its own routines to store the photo. And so if I use QDZ to attach the photo, then would the photo look less compressed when viewed in the device's built-in contacts app or when sync'ed back to outlook on the PC? I guess we have to use EnCallio to view the larger photos because the os was not designed to expect the photo to be bigger. But what happens if I use QDZ to import a larger photo and then use the built-in apps? crash? photo is resized in rendering? photo is resized in the database? only part of the photo is shown?

[kwoodall]

badbob001, on Jan 20 2008, 22:22, said:

In the review, it mentions that the problem is that the microsoft routines to store the photo is the cause for the small low-quality photos. It also mentions that the QDZ contact manager will use its own routines to store the photo. And so if I use QDZ to attach the photo, then would the photo look less compressed when viewed in the device's built-in contacts app or when sync'ed back to outlook on the PC? I guess we have to use EnCallio to view the larger photos because the os was not designed to expect the photo to be bigger. But what happens if I use QDZ to import a larger photo and then use the built-in apps? crash? photo is resized in rendering? photo is resized in the database? only part of the photo is shown?

The photo is still shown in a reduced size, however you still get the better compression, and in apps (like the Shadow's NEO) you get better resolutions.

Kermit Woodall
Managing Editor
GadgetNutz.com

[badbob001]

QDZ and EnCallio will allow you to set your contact photo to its native size with no visible recompression (only tried up to 320x240). This makes the contact photo look much better in the standard apps and looks good when neo shows the large photo for missed calls.

One issue is that if you try to activesync a new contact with the larger photo from the phone to Outlook, it'll fail with an activesync error. I think the work around is to first sync the new phone-created contact without the photo, add the photo, and sync again. I'm using Activesync 4.5 on XP with Outlook 2003. Perhaps it's different for vista / outlook 2007.

The EnCallio incoming and outgoing caller screen is an interesting idea but may need a little more development. It doesn't seem to replace the existing incoming/outgoing screen but will attempt to display itself over it. So when I get an incoming call, I will briefly see the old screen before EnCallio pops up. Not a big deal.

The EnCallio studio for designing the screens is nice, but may have issues with designs a little above simple. For example, png images with alpha channels display correctly in Studio but not on the device, and there is some consistency issues with resizing an image and using the alphablend option.

But my biggest issue with EnCallio is that the Incoming screen doesn't appear if the device is locked.  I would say 99.99% of the time when a call comes in, my device is locked so that would make EnCallio a waste. My device was just hard-reset so it shouldn't be a compatibility issue with some other software. I also tried it before and after an application unlock so that is not the issue.

Another thing is that after you accept / make a call, your nice encallio screen is replaced by the standard in-progress call screen (that shows the call duration) with the standard small photo. Would be nice to replace that as well.

Edited by badbob001, 04 February 2008 - 04:35 PM.

[nikafx]

Keypad lock issue fixed.

EnCallio does appear above the regular caller screen because if i mess up with the default operating system caller program you will not be able to receive or perform any calls.

The issue with outlook happens only if you set no resize for the picture you set on the contact

I did everything possible to replace the call duration screens  after the call status changes totalking but didn't work

I ll release the bug fixed version within the day

Edited by nikafx, 05 February 2008 - 09:15 AM.

[nikafx]

Encallio updated released.

you can try it from http://www.nikafx.co...allio/index.asp

Or buy it from smartphone.net or handango.com

Those that have already bought the previous version, just send me an email to verify your order and i will send you the new one.

[kwoodall]

Here's a preview of a skin I did for incoming and outgoing calls using EnCallio. It's for all the iPhone style lovers out there. The skin will be on Nika's site to download soon.

Kermit Woodall
Managing Editor
GadgetNutz.com

 myphone.jpg   18.97K   29 downloads

Edited by kwoodall, 16 February 2008 - 04:27 AM.

[kwoodall]

Here's a preview of a skin I did for incoming and outgoing calls using EnCallio. It's for all the Neo (Shadow) style lovers out there. The skin will be on Nika's site to download soon. You are welcome to alter this, change the hue of the graphics to match your theme, or whatever. This one was a challenge since I had to isolate several sections of the screen precisely. If EnCallio supports PNG w/alpha in the future this will be easier - but this was still fun! It only took me a few hours to create.

Kermit Woodall
Managing Editor
GadgetNutz.com

 NeoPhone.jpg   57.16K   27 downloads

[badbob001]

I had tested the updated version, encountered sometimes that I still wasn't seeing the encallio screen when a call comes in, and so decided to wait until I upgraded to the new rom. Now that I have the new rom, I downloaded the latest demo version again and here is what I'm finding.

I noticed that sometimes when a call comes in, I may briefly see the encallio screen or not at all and then I'm shown the standard incoming call screen. Other times I may just see the 'accept' and 'ignore' buttons on the bottom with my today screen above. This can happen if my device is locked or not. For now, I find that it will always happen after I restart my phone. But if I run the encallio setup app and select 'save and exit', which reloads the app, then it seems to work fine.

So I removed everything from my startup folder except the encallio link and restarted. Same problem. Then removed the encallio link, restarted, waited a minute, and ran the shortcut manually. Works fine. So it looks something in the boot up of the device is interfering with encallio.

I will need to test the phone again later to see if it still works long term.

Other issue is that when I do a 'send and receive' of my email, the outgoing encallio screen comes up, showing unknown person being called.

I'm using the standard encallio screen with the fire in the background.

Tip: you should choose contact photos where the person's face is at least above the bottom 1/3 of the photo since it doesn't look nice with the interface text going over their face. It also makes it easier to crop those same photos to a square to be used in rinku's myfaves dialer hack.

[kwoodall]

badbob001, on Feb 18 2008, 09:36, said:

Tip: you should choose contact photos where the person's face is at least above the bottom 1/3 of the photo since it doesn't look nice with the interface text going over their face. It also makes it easier to crop those same photos to a square to be used in rinku's myfaves dialer hack.

Yeah, actually I use the 'Nearly Full' skin and don't have that problem - but to show off other skins (some of which would require more precise positioning of a contact image) they don't always look right.

Send Nika your bug reports...there's also a log file kept in the EnCallio directory that you should check and send him too.

Kermit Woodall
Managing Editor
GadgetNutz.com

[CaramelBoi]

how do i put this on my shadow? i jsut want to be able to see my contacts picture so if somebody could explain to me how I do this i would greatly appreciate it...