How to quickly make a phone call

[Darin]

I just got a Droid today. The biggest challenge for me with smart phone is quickly making phone calls.

For example, with my old LG flip phone, I did this:
1) Open the Phone
2) Click contacts
3) Type first few characters
4) Click Send

I would be clever and put spaces in front of some names, so when I clicked contacts, I could just scroll to their name (which was at the top of the list). I could find just about any record and be making the call in about 3 seconds (maybe 4 if I had to key in 2 letters to find the contact).

What's the fastest way to make a phone call with the Motorola Droid?

I've been playing with it, and this is what I've found:

1) Click Power Button
2) Swipe for security
3) Click Search Button
4) Click Voice Dial
5) Say Name
6) Wait for list of numbers with that name (home, mobile, work, etc.)
7) Tap number

Takes me about 7 seconds

Side note: I wish there was a way to turn on the phone using one of the side buttons, getting to the top-right power button one-handed is awkward for me.

I tried not using the Voice Dial, and because I have 220 contacts, it took too long to scroll through. Then I tried using the little keyboard to type some characters...works, but the on-screen keyboard isn't on my team yet.

Anyone have any other suggestions on how to quickly make a phone call?

p.s. I also know about putting the contact icons on the home screen.

Looking forward to suggestions, or ways I should try in order to be faster at making a call. Right now, it seems like with practice I could get to the point of making a call a little quicker, but does it have to take so much effort (read steps)...I gotta be missing something.

Thanks!:motdroidhoriz:

 

[Darin]

Well, after playing with the Droid for a couple days now, here's the fastest way to make a call:

1) Setup a contact icon on the home screen
2) Star the Contacts you call most often, then click Phone and Favorites

I like #2 best so far.

 

[godanigo]

Hold down the search button and voice dial.

 

[thetastelingers]

This is what I was worried about.
With my curve, I just started typing a name and the contact popped up. I hit send.
Ugh.....
well it is suppose to arrive today. If it is too annoying, I will send it back and get a tour.

 

[jcstarr]

Well, after playing with the Droid for a couple days now, here's the fastest way to make a call:

1) Setup a contact icon on the home screen
2) Star the Contacts you call most often, then click Phone and Favorites

I like #2 best so far.

You can actually add a folder widget that has all star contacts in one folder. When you tap the folder, it brings up a list of your starred contacts without every having to go into the phone menu.

 

[godanigo]

This is what I was worried about.
With my curve, I just started typing a name and the contact popped up. I hit send.
Ugh.....
well it is suppose to arrive today. If it is too annoying, I will send it back and get a tour.

You can actually do that in the google search box.

 

[bamfsig45]

I just tried this. From the home screen I slid out the keyboard, typed Mom and it popped up her contact. tried it again to make sure, typed my sisters name and there I was looking at her contact info.

 

[aka_rob]

I just tried this. From the home screen I slid out the keyboard, typed Mom and it popped up her contact. tried it again to make sure, typed my sisters name and there I was looking at her contact info.

same here. but it did seem to take a few days for it to work which was odd. I went to show my friend that it wasn't showing my contact info and complaining that I might have to type in the number each time and it just started working.. I have to type the first two letter of the name of the person I want to call or text..

 

[DroidFan]

How about setting up direct contacts on your home screens? That's what I've done...

While on a home screen...
Menu > Add > Direct Contact > choose the contact # you want to store.

An icon will show up. Hit that icon when you want to call that individual.

Hope this helps!

 

[xliderider]

use direct dial shortcuts

From your Home screen, or one of your side screens, do a long press on the screen, choose Add, Shortcut, Direct Dial. Choose your contact, a shortcut icon appears on your desktop. Pressing this icon calls your contact, kind of like having a speed dial.

So you are looking at:

Press Standby/Power button
swipe to unlock
press direct dial icon
add one more step if you have to swipe to a side screen. : )

 

[Diablo2112]

If you've synced your contacts with facebook, the icon on the home screen for direct dial (or messaging) will be their facebook portrait! Very cool!

I've used the "right" home screen to put up a series of one-button instant dials and instant messages. Everybody's portrait is right there, makes it super-easy to know who's who.

 

[RayPaganJr]

Unfortunately, I see no way of just speed dialing by assigning a number like all my other phones. But I do use the shortcut because there's only four people I do talk to on a regular basis besides my office. So this works for me.

 

[Mauly]

Google gesture

Try an app called Google Gesture. You open the app, use your finger to draw a starting letter and all contacts (and applications) starting with that letter appear. Just select the one you want.:icon_ banana:

 

[hookbill]

Try an app called Google Gesture. You open the app, use your finger to draw a starting letter and all contacts (and applications) starting with that letter appear. Just select the one you want.:icon_ banana:

It's still faster to you press the search button/microphone/give contact name and let it dial - or as someone else stated set up a shortcut .

Google Gesture is cooler however.

 

[RW-1]

I'd say that in terms of speed:

Direct dial contact

Gesture search

Voice search

Personally I just hit the phone and then fav's, although I haven't set any, my most frequently called people are typically whom I'm calling anyway.