I am trying out different dock interfaces for my newly-acquired vehicle dock and have found that none of them seem to have a decent MP3 player app. The stock one with Google Car Home is just downright unusable (IMO) and the only other Android music app I really use is TuneIn, which is not an option for the car.
Any suggestions?
For the dock itself, I've started using Car Home 3 for its widget support (https://market.android.com/details?id=net.cwfk.ig88.carhome3).
I use google music for all my mp3 player needs (docked and undocked), and use its widget in Car Home 3.
And I use Tune In Radio Pro all the time while driving...don't know why it's not an option. Again, it has a widget that I use in Car Home 3.
After trying 5 different free MP3 players, the winner (for me) is ... Mort Player. Get it here:
Hands down, the easiest to use while on the road and a decent usable interface.
It has folder navigation and playlist support and a nice graphic EQ.
As far as the dock program, CarHome Ultra is definitely the one that has impressed me the most. Get it here:
Excellent layout and customization (6 shortcuts AND the speed/compass/weather) and only $1.99
nunjabusiness said:
As far as the dock program, CarHome Ultra is definitely the one that has impressed me the most. Get it here:
Excellent layout and customization (6 shortcuts AND the speed/compass/weather) and only $1.99
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how about car dashboard pro?
troycarpenter said:
For the dock itself, I've started using Car Home 3 for its widget support (https://market.android.com/details?id=net.cwfk.ig88.carhome3).
I use google music for all my mp3 player needs (docked and undocked), and use its widget in Car Home 3.
And I use Tune In Radio Pro all the time while driving...don't know why it's not an option. Again, it has a widget that I use in Car Home 3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean this Car Home and not Car Home Ultra? Because I don't know of a way to add widget in Car Home Ultra
Yes, that like takes you to the same one I linked. I used Car Home Ultra for a while because it is visually nice, but in the end Car Dock Home v3's support for widgets won me over...and it's free!
I set up the screen with a 4x4 grid. On the main page I put their dashboard widget as 2x1 widget on the first row, Beautiful Widgets superclock 4x2 widget next to it shrunk down to fit in the 2x1 space, two rows of buttons, followed by a 2x1 google music widget and 2x1 TuneInRadio Pro widget.
Attached a screenshot of what I am describing.
nunjabusiness said:
After trying 5 different free MP3 players, the winner (for me) is ... Mort Player. Get it here:
Hands down, the easiest to use while on the road and a decent usable interface.
It has folder navigation and playlist support and a nice graphic EQ.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was likely one of the 5 you tried..... but just in case I use PowerAmp and love it. Has a 4 x 4 size widget and .flac support.
Related
Since there isn't one, what do you recommend? I haven't seem any good ones in the market, and there's too many to search through them all.
I'm a big fan if mixzing. Chris Soyars also has an amazing one for cm6 assuming that gets ported soon.
Pure Music Widget. Is nice, many different sizes and skinnable.
I will check those out, but I ended up just porting over the music apk from CM5 and installing that
Sent from my Samsung Vibrant
'Cubed' in the market rules.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Stock 2.1 Music Player with widget.
While the Samsung Music player app doesn't have a widget, it might have something better - if you're playing music you can control the app even if the screen is locked. When you're screen is locked you'll see a little down arrow that you can drag down to show your music controls.
DoubleTwist also has a decent widget.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
kelmerp said:
While the Samsung Music player app doesn't have a widget, it might have something better - if you're playing music you can control the app even if the screen is locked. When you're screen is locked you'll see a little down arrow that you can drag down to show your music controls.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not only that, you have your music controls from the notification bar. I don't miss the music widget one bit with these 2 options
dublued said:
Not only that, you have your music controls from the notification bar. I don't miss the music widget one bit with these 2 options
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I third the preloaded music app. Why do you need a widget that's always on the home screen taking up space and resources whether your listening to music or not when you can have controls hidden in the notification bar that only show up when you're actually listening to music?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Are the notification bar controls tied to the TouchWiz interface or can you use any home screen customizer, as long as you use the Sammy player, and still get the notification bar controls?
NikAmi said:
Are the notification bar controls tied to the TouchWiz interface or can you use any home screen customizer, as long as you use the Sammy player, and still get the notification bar controls?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its part of the Samsung Music app, not the launcher, so you can use it with any Launcher
The notification bar and lock screen players remain in place if you use a 3rd party home screen (ADW, Launcher Pro), so long as your using Samsung's excellent player.
I don't like Samsung's music player. I don't like that when I pick an artist, it opens all albums. I like the stock music players way of showing the albums, then opens just that album when you touch it. I don't want to play the entire discography when I just want one album. I know there is an "Album" category, but I like my music by artist -> album, not just album.
If that's not too confusing to understand lol
I love the music controls in my notification bar when using the Samsung player, but if I get a handscent pop up message from a text it gongs that music player right out of the notification bar. Sometimes if I go back to the music app its still there paused, but sometimes not. Kind of annoying, anyone else noticing this?
Edit: Reboot seems to have fixed this now, sorry should have tried that before posting.
I use bTunes because it actually keeps my playlists when transferred over wifi from iTunes on my PC (with tunesync). I'd like to use the stock player but it only shows all the songs/artists/albums...no itunes playlists
I found out that Lithium player is one of the best out there so far.
Great Music effects also!
Phromik said:
I don't like Samsung's music player. I don't like that when I pick an artist, it opens all albums. I like the stock music players way of showing the albums, then opens just that album when you touch it. I don't want to play the entire discography when I just want one album. I know there is an "Album" category, but I like my music by artist -> album, not just album.
If that's not too confusing to understand lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you click artists, then on the artist, it will still show each album, it just shows them in a list as opposed to icons for each album.
I've been doing some searching on various sites, all of it fruitless so far, so here I am to ask the hive mind.
I need a music player that has a widget with large-ish controls, say 2x or 3x or so the size of the standard music app widget that comes with CM 7.1 stable. It doesn't need to show album art, but it would be a nice touch to retain the repeat mode icon and shuffle icon, in addition to the standard previous/next/play-pause controls.
Why do I want such a widget? For easier control when I have the Nook propped up on the exercise bike at the gym.
Thanks!
You can look to widgesoid, you can make lot of widget personalization including music control. Mix this with a launcher that allow widget resizing like go launcher or launcher pro..
SweetBearCub said:
I've been doing some searching on various sites, all of it fruitless so far, so here I am to ask the hive mind.
I need a music player that has a widget with large-ish controls, say 2x or 3x or so the size of the standard music app widget that comes with CM 7.1 stable. It doesn't need to show album art, but it would be a nice touch to retain the repeat mode icon and shuffle icon, in addition to the standard previous/next/play-pause controls.
Why do I want such a widget? For easier control when I have the Nook propped up on the exercise bike at the gym.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try winamp, it has decent widhets, I ran it for a long time until ICS music apk came out.
sent from space
ianPhillips1 said:
Try winamp, it has decent widhets, I ran it for a long time until ICS music apk came out.
sent from space
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried Winamp's widets, the playback controls were still tiny, as were the stock Gingerbread music players'. I'm running ADWLauncher, and I tried to resize the widgets, but even though I could bring up a resize box, I couldn't get them to scale up.
What about putting the player buttons in the notification power wigets?
Ian
sent from my ereader
Playerpro has really nice widgets even on the lock screen.
Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk
PowerAMP has it, check it out.
ianPhillips1 said:
What about putting the player buttons in the notification power wigets?
Ian
sent from my ereader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I checked the power widget options, and didn't see anything about music player options. Also, I did see the CM options to let the volume button long-presses control the music, but when I tried them, I got no response for several seconds, then the payer went "nuts" skipping forward as fast as it could about 40 times or so.
zires said:
Playerpro has really nice widgets even on the lock screen.
Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
rvpals said:
PowerAMP has it, check it out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately neither of those are legitimately free. Is there a free option that has large widgets?
SweetBearCub said:
I checked the power widget options, and didn't see anything about music player options. Also, I did see the CM options to let the volume button long-presses control the music, but when I tried them, I got no response for several seconds, then the payer went "nuts" skipping forward as fast as it could about 40 times or so.[/QUOTE
cm settings/interface/notification power widget/widget buttons/ , you should see media:skip(next/previous),medialay pause. kind of limited but may serve your purpose.
Ian
From the couch
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SweetBearCub said:
Unfortunately neither of those are legitimately free. Is there a free option that has large widgets?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I purchased both Player Pro & PowerAmp. In my opinion, they're both worth the money.
Try winamp.
I also need such a full screen widget say with 4 rectangle main playback controls so each one would gets placed on every quarter of screen
Or realize an on screen floating D-pad (pretty missing feature on android) scrolling huge lists etc…
It will be much more delicious being combined with #popup-wigdet app
(Dont suggest me trying root-needing features since every devices aint rooted / rootable)
I'm sure many ex-iphone owners ask this question, but is there an app/widget that gives you play/pause/skip control to whatever app is using the media player?
I use Spotify, Pandora, Google Music & BeyondPod on a regular basis and hate that i have to have 4 widgets each with their own media controls.
Are their any universal media apps that have widgets to control whatever is playing like the iPhone does?
Thanks
griffindodd said:
I'm sure many ex-iphone owners ask this question, but is there an app/widget that gives you play/pause/skip control to whatever app is using the media player?
I use Spotify, Pandora, Google Music & BeyondPod on a regular basis and hate that i have to have 4 widgets each with their own media controls.
Are their any universal media apps that have widgets to control whatever is playing like the iPhone does?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think this is what you're looking for...Phantom Music Control: https://market.android.com/details?id=cz.jhg.musiccontrolwidget
Hope that helps!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA App
Yep that's the type of thing, is that the only one you know of?
Hiding isn't really a deal killer (although it's a nice feature), something that shows album art would be pretty great too.
Thanks for the help
Please delete
Sent from my SGH-I717D using XDA App
get MiUI lockscreen media control
I also was looking for something like this. But to take it a step further, I wanted it accessible from any application just like on the iPhone when you double tap the home button. I don't want to have to stop what I'm doing, switch apps over to the home screen (for a widget) or to the app to change tracks or pause the music.
An easy way (I thought) to have this done would be to have controls in the notification bar. However, it doesn't seem possible on gingerbread, or at least I haven't found anything. I guess ICS has that by default though so at least there's hope for the future.
pj_rage said:
I also was looking for something like this. But to take it a step further, I wanted it accessible from any application just like on the iPhone when you double tap the home button...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check out Quick Desk in the market.
https://market.android.com/details?id=sg.ruqqq.quickdesk
It you double tap Home it brings up a screen where you can add widgets or shortcuts. You can invoke it anytime. Very handy for say volume or music widgets while playing a game.
Sent magically through the air from the mighty Note!
I'm an avid fan of XDA and in particular viperROM (Redline v2.5 RC2); this ROM is amazing and the best I've tried.. smooth, fast and great support.
I don't see many options for Google Music as far as widgets and lock screen widgets are concerned; I'd like to request a Sense version of a Google Music lock screen widget.
Additionally, skipping tracks using volume control would help me keep my hands on the steering wheel and my passengers from b*tching.
Thanks!
carlosesque said:
I'm an avid fan of XDA and in particular viperROM (Redline v2.5 RC2); this ROM is amazing and the best I've tried.. smooth, fast and great support.
I don't see many options for Google Music as far as widgets and lock screen widgets are concerned; I'd like to request a Sense version of a Google Music lock screen widget.
Additionally, skipping tracks using volume control would help me keep my hands on the steering wheel and my passengers from b*tching.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At work now but... I know I've seen an app for a google music lock screen widget and another app (or mod?) that lets you skip with volume controls... I'm not 100% sure on the last one though... if I remember the names or get a chance to look them up I'll let you know.
EDIT: ok, Phantom Music Control is the app for lock screen widget, but is meant to work with widget locker. Still works for google music.
Hello
I'm looking for a music player app that actually looks good on a tablet.
I've tried MixZing, PowerAmp and such, but haven't found any that are tablet optimized and have good features.
I'd prefer one with a widget that could take up an entire home screen on the Prime (8x5 I believe?) and one that has a lockscreen player.
I hope someone can help me out
- Moon
I'm curious about this too. The one thing google needs to do a better job with is these native Android apps, it should be fairly easy to make something that competes with "iPod" app in iOS, it's not like it's something special
I think the best one is "musicXmatch"
I really like the look of it and you can see the lyrics of nearly every song!
Stocki96 said:
I think the best one is "musicXmatch"
I really like the look of it and you can see the lyrics of nearly every song!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just tried MusixXMatch, and there are literally about 8 options, 5 of them are related to headsets.
The biggest widget is 3x1 and is just pause and next track buttons, and there is no lockscreen player at all.
Thanks for your idea, but I'll keep looking.
IMO the best player with plenty of options & settings (inc equalizer), decent widget (even if not full screen - if there are any full screen widgets?), plays many file types and has the lock screen controls you want is Poweramp.
I don't know if there is a difference between the free and paid versions but I have the paid and it's been worth every penny.
TremF said:
IMO the best player with plenty of options & settings (inc equalizer), decent widget (even if not full screen - if there are any full screen widgets?), plays many file types and has the lock screen controls you want is Poweramp.
I don't know if there is a difference between the free and paid versions but I have the paid and it's been worth every penny.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried PowerAmp trial version off the play store, and the lockscreen player forced it into portrait mode (horrible), and the good looks and properly sized/fitted buttons that I know from having it on my phone is completely DESTROYED on my Prime tablet.
If the full version works otherwise, or I've missed something, could you please post a screenshot or two of your PowerAmp on your tablet?
I don't have an app to take screenshots of the lock screen but the player takes up a decent space on the left of the screen with album art and controls with your unlock slider etc to the right of the screen.
I use my Prime docked mostly and the lock screen displays landscape as normal for me.
I have attached other screenshots of the app...
TremF said:
I don't have an app to take screenshots of the lock screen but the player takes up a decent space on the left of the screen with album art and controls with your unlock slider etc to the right of the screen.
I use my Prime docked mostly and the lock screen displays landscape as normal for me.
I have attached other screenshots of the app...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I saw in the PowerAmp options, there are 2 different lockscreen players.
There's 1 where it makes it own lockscreen, with quite beautiful buttons and art, and cover art pictures, and its own little button to press for unlocking the device (This one was forced into portrait mode for me when I tried it)
And then there's the other one, smaller one, where it adds an overlay to the left of the center in the normal lockscreen, with a little box where the cover art / simple buttons are in. (works fine in landscape mode)
Which one are you using?
And a little side question, what Launcher are you using on the 4th screenshot you posted? Nova? Trebuchet? Or?
Moonbloom said:
From what I saw in the PowerAmp options, there are 2 different lockscreen players.
There's 1 where it makes it own lockscreen, with quite beautiful buttons and art, and cover art pictures, and its own little button to press for unlocking the device (This one was forced into portrait mode for me when I tried it)
And then there's the other one, smaller one, where it adds an overlay to the left of the center in the normal lockscreen, with a little box where the cover art / simple buttons are in. (works fine in landscape mode)
Which one are you using?
And a little side question, what Launcher are you using on the 4th screenshot you posted? Nova? Trebuchet? Or?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use the ICS lock screen option which displays landscape. I tried Poweramps built in lock screen and it did as you said and switched to portrait. I like the ICS lockscreen option though - just places the album art and basic controls on the left of the screen with the time and date.
The launcher I am using is ADWLauncher Ex.
PowerAmp will give you the best sound in Android, by far.
If your issue is only the lockscreen, you could try Widgetlocker. I have it on my Android phones and it is AMAZING. It has an ICS locker (look 100% the same, but let you customize Widgets on it and extra options for the unlocker.)
It drains no battery at all, but I have not tried it on my Prime. I will try it out and report back
I prefer PlayerPro. It has all the options you could wish for, has several skins you can choose to make it look the way you want and it is able to use the stock android lockscreen widget. Widgets for homescreens come in various sizes, the biggest is about one quarter of a page imho.
It also downloads Pictures for you artists automatically that makes the player look really nice. I guess its on par with PowerAmp but underrated
clouds5 said:
I prefer PlayerPro. It has all the options you could wish for, has several skins you can choose to make it look the way you want and it is able to use the stock android lockscreen widget. Widgets for homescreens come in various sizes, the biggest is about one quarter of a page imho.
It also downloads Pictures for you artists automatically that makes the player look really nice. I guess its on par with PowerAmp but underrated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What makes PowerAmp stand out is the AMAZING audio quality it has. If you turn on EQ, apply the correct settings the sound is mind blowing. It does consume CPU tho, quite a bit if you put it to sound how it was made to, but totally worth it.
Player pro is better than power amp imo. Has a fantastic equalizer and just works.
I'd say go for PlayerPro, its really well worth the money
I've only seen on truly "tablet UI/UX optimized" music player... Hive Player... Google Play Music is the next best when it come to "tablet UI/UX optimized"...
I personally use Google music and nothing else. On my phone and my prime. Love it. Works great. Looks great. ALL my music is there and sounds bomb too. I've tried poweramp and others but ever since Google music came out...I've been stoked.
This is not a paid endorsement nor do I work for Google blah blah blah
Modded by MBOK
Soooo, reporting back!
Widgetlocker works wonderful on the Prime, so your issue with the Lockscreen could be solved just using it it will let you add ANY Widget to the lockscreen and set up whatever you want in the unlock Ring.
Tried PlayerPro, the UI is REALLY good I must say, and how it set ups band pictures for the bandlist is amazing! (Actual band pics, not Albums)
Downloaded the DSP Pack and did the EQ set up, and tested it side to side with PowerAmp, and I gotta say PowerAmp sounds better imo.
OMW to test out Hive Player
I've now tested the various music players people mentioned in this thread and these are my results:
MusicXMatch:
Looked very bad on my Prime, and i don't have any usage for the "Lyric" part of it, which is basicly it's biggest selling point.
Hardly any widgets, and no lockscreen player, and almost no options to customize it.
PlayerPro:
A decent competitor to PowerAmp, but again, no lockscreen player and the look of it, along with the button placements didn't appeal to me.
Also has alot of skins on the Play Store.
Hive Player:
I tried the "evaluation" version (author's own words), and it is indeed optimzed for tablets. I like the widgets.
But it lacks many features, and it doesn't automatically download album art. And the "evaluation" version stops playing after 1min in every song, which is kind of lame, even for a trial version.
PowerAmp:
At first i didn't enjoy it that much, but after testing other music players, it seemed to be the best looking one with the most features.
Decent widget packs, alot of skins off the Play Store.
Lockscreen player is either ICS's default one, or a lockscreen player that only works in Portrait mode. (I'm gonna try WidgetLocker to replace it)
I've bought PowerAmp Full Unlocker, and now i'm gonna test WidgetLocker as a lockscreen player replacement (based on what Zephyrot posted)
Moonbloom said:
[...]
I've bought PowerAmp Full Unlocker, and now i'm gonna test WidgetLocker as a lockscreen player replacement (based on what Zephyrot posted)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Be sure to set it up right, it has A LOT, and I mean A LOT of options
There is another free app that can download extra Lockscreen themes for it, in case you want to try out new ones.
Zephyrot said:
Be sure to set it up right, it has A LOT, and I mean A LOT of options
There is another free app that can download extra Lockscreen themes for it, in case you want to try out new ones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried WidgetLocker, and excuse me if this is a stupid question.. But isn't there any way to use other kind of lockscreen players other than simply one of the widgets from PowerAmp?
I very much like the PowerAmp lockscreen (the one forced to Portrait), and my ideal lockscreen player would simply be that one.. In Landscape mode (of course some changes would have to be made, in order for it to fit properly).
EDIT: As you said you tested PlayerPro VS PowerAmp with optimal settings, could you please share those "optimal" settings for PowerAmp? I'm not currently using the equalizer at all, because I simply don't know how to set it up to sound better than standard settings.