App Review: Ringo Lite/Pro

Title: Ringo Lite
Developer(s): Electric Pocket
Available: Now, Android Market
Price: FREE (Lite)

Lasting Impression: Ringo takes the guesswork out of wondering who is calling or texting you.  Know who is on the other end without picking up your Android handset.

Nitty Gritty: A common frustration among Android users is not being able to see who sent a text message to you without turning the screen on and looking at the notification bar or opening the messaging client. Ringo addresses this with a simple fix – customizable ring tones and text notifications.

Even though the G1 already comes preloaded with the capability of choosing individual ringtones, Ringo still adds enhancements to your handset.  For starters, it adds a slew of extra tones to your phone.  I found many of them to fit right at home with the others that came installed on my phone – a nice mix of quirky,  fun, and professional.

I found the app to be particularly useful in text messages.  I keep my phone in my pocket for most of the day and prefer to text people over call them if at all possible.  It’s very handy to know who is replying to me before digging into my pocket, especially when I am driving.

Setting up your preferences is a breeze with this app.  One of the things I liked about this app is just how straightforward and simple it was.  Too often, developers try to cram everything onto your screen at once.  Ringo does the exact opposite, giving you just what you need and nothing more.

When you first set up your notifications, you are informed that you will need to set your other SMS tones to silent.  Otherwise, you’ll get 2 sounds playing at once when texts arrive.  Sounds silly to mention, but I am sure people overlook it.

The app includes an option to get even more  ringtones and notifications than those that come with Ringo directly within the app.  You can both preview and download them for free.

Ringo Pro is essentially the same app with a few extras.  Users are able to pick their own MP3 files as ringtones, change the LED light flash, and set specific vibration patterns.  Depending on your market, the Pro version may or may not be available in your area.  There is an expected rollout to other markets so keep checking back if you don’t see it at first.