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What is the best lockscreen notification app?

N

NJRonbo

Android Enthusiast
One of the things I miss most about OS X is its use of visible notifications for mail, text, calls, appointments, etc.

Have had the Note II and will be going to Note III on release day.

Have been rather unsuccessful with trying to find the perfect Lockscreen app that neatly tells you everything that is waiting for you once you hit the awaken button.

Either the Lockscreen app didn't like the fact I was still on 4.2.1 or, it didn't like the fact I was using NovaLauncher --- I don't know --- for some reason I couldn't get the damn thing to work.

But now I am looking at Android 4.3. A lot of newer apps are compatible with that device, and, I am hearing that perhaps there are lockscreen apps/widgets that can now properly deliver the information to the screen.

Even DASHCLOCK is something I am considering since there are so many extensions for it. It's not compatible with 4.2.1 but it is with 4.2.2+

Just want to know the absolute best Lockscreen Notification app/widget there is.

(Maybe it actually is Dashclock)

Thanks for the help.
 
Dashclock is very good.

Widgetlocker worth a try too? Lets you put widgets directly on the homescreen.

For me I use Dashclock, but in practice tend to just pull down the notification shade and do things from there.
 
NZtechfreak said:
Dashclock is very good.

Widgetlocker worth a try too? Lets you put widgets directly on the homescreen.

For me I use Dashclock, but in practice tend to just pull down the notification shade and do things from there.
Click to expand...

I have absolutely loved Widgetlocker from the first day I used it. For me, I prefer the notifications not popping up on top of the homescreen, but the great thing about widgetlocker is that it can be customized with widgets (so, you could have widgets with texts, emails, etc. on the lockscreen).

I prefer having access to the notification bar, so whenever I get a message, I just pull the notification bar down, click on the message, and when I'm done reading I just back out and it goes straight back to lock mode. I'm not one to just press the home button to exit, so some don't like the vulnerability of being able to unlock in that manner. I have a protected password on my phone, in addition to the unlock screen, due to work, so when the password activates (after a certain amount of time has passed without activity), the notification bar locks as well.
 
Drex,

Quick question about using widgets with Widget Locker...

How do you know which notification widgets are available for that app?

Are they extensions that you find through the app itself or do I just search for Widget Locker widgets on Google Play?
 
NJRonbo said:
Drex,

Quick question about using widgets with Widget Locker...

How do you know which notification widgets are available for that app?

Are they extensions that you find through the app itself or do I just search for Widget Locker widgets on Google Play?
Click to expand...

All of the widget notifications I have on my phone, can be placed on the homescreen. The only ones that I don't think are available are the touchwiz widgets (which I never use anyway). I just prefer not having visible messages on my lockscreen, but for example, I use Android Pro Widgets on my homescreens and all of those widgets show up as available to put on the lockscreen.

Setup is so easy on widgetlocker. Once you've downloaded the app and enable widgetlocker, it'll show the lockscreen in "customization" mode, where you can edit the lockscreen how you want (much like the homescreens on any 3rd party launcher or even stock UI). Once you've set all your customizations, you just exit out of widgetlocker, lock the phone, and when you bring the phone out of standby, the "edit" mode goes away and it functions exactly as a lockscreen should with widgets that you can set to interact with or not interact with.

Prior to my purchasing Widgetlocker 2 years ago, I was really hesitant and wasn't sure it was worth the money (and it was already pretty intimidating with all the customizations that were available). After biting the bullet and purchasing, even though I do like how Samsung handles their lockscreen, I find myself always loading Widgetlocker back up, as well as restoring my settings (Forgot to mention also, it allows you to "backup" all your settings, so you can just move that backup file/folder over to your new phone and once you've installed widgetlocker again, you can restore most of your settings...with exception to some widgets that might need to be reset).

-EDIT-
Here's the link for Android Pro Widgets. It's my #1 Widget app, for widgets I use on my homescreen, but as I mentioned...they can still be used on the Widgetlocker homescreen. What's great is that you can set the widgets so that they are scrollable (e.g. scrolling agenda/calendar, scrolling text messages, scrolling facebook/twitter/both, scrolling bookmarks).
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rdr.widgets.core

There's another app called Colorize Widget that's no longer available in the playstore, but worked decently as well. I just prefered Android Pro Widgets.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=830593

For email, it's not a widget I use, but there are some out there that are really popular. I just can't recall what they're called.
 
Excellent.

I think you neglected to answer specifically how you find Widget Locker notification widgets?

Is there a list within the app or do I just have to search the Play store with "Widget Locker notification apps" ?
 
NJRonbo said:
Drex,

Are they extensions that you find through the app itself or do I just search for Widget Locker widgets on Google Play?
Click to expand...

Sorry, I just realized I didn't really address your question as thoroughly. For the actual lockers, you can either search through the phone or go through the XDA thread:

[THEMES] WidgetLocker Theme Collection - xda-developers

I also found this app recently, which allows you to the see the themes visually, but the reveiws are a little mixed, so I haven't tried it out (for me, I don't switch up my theme often, so I'm good with the locker I've set up:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.companionfree.WLThemeViewer

Just to give you an idea of how customizable it is, I use the ICS locker that's a built in theme. I have a total of 6 apps as shortcuts (w/ 1 shortcut for plain unlock). Those shortcuts don't show until I tap on the pad lock, which makes for a very clean looking lock screen (without a lot of mess).

And I forgot to mention the newest add on that TeslaCoil integrated (btw, same developer as NOVA Launcher). If you swipe from the left of the screen, there's an extra shortcut menu for apps that you can personalize as your "secondary" apps, that you may not need on your lockscreen shortcuts. If you swipe from the right of the screen, it's a direct shortcut to the camera!
 
Drex,

You have been incredibly helpful to me.

Thank you so much for taking the time to post all that information.

Best to you!
 
NJRonbo said:
Drex,

You have been incredibly helpful to me.

Thank you so much for taking the time to post all that information.

Best to you!
Click to expand...

No problem. Quite honestly, I know it's a subject that's been discussed a ton of times, but like me, it was intimidating reading through pages and pages of information, but still not being convinced it was worth paying for. Ultimately, my decision to buy was just based on overall feel for what it seemed to be able to do.

And the backup/restore function, as long as you save the file backup from your internal storage to an external hardrive, is truly the biggest time saver. Instead of my having to fuss with an OEM's "new" features on their "new" lockscreen UI, I just load up widgetlocker, put the files I backed up form my old phone onto the new phone, go into settings for widgetlocker and click on restore. I only have to re-set the widgets (from other apps), but everything else (that is built into widgetlocker) restores perfectly (without any hassle). It even restores the settings created for time out, lockscreen sound, etc. (of course, all of the sounds would need to be moved over to the phone already for it to work properly).
 
NJ - Were you able to get Widgetlocker to install on your Note 3? I'm showing that it's not compatible with the Note 3 right now. I hope they update it soon. While I like some of the changes Samsung made to the stock lockscreen, I absolutely prefer Widgetlocker still.
 
Nope. Would not install.

I am using DashClock -- and really like it -- despite the fact that it doesn't have all the abilities of WidgetLocker. Have to say, the extensions on DashClock are really damn good.
 
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