A week in the life of an Android user.

[Kaykaykay]

I'm looking forward to checking out ICS on my Galaxy Note. It was delayed for Note, so I'm on Gingerbread. It's not as smooth as my iDevices, like with maybe a second's delay in a few instances, but I think it's because I have the AT&T Note, rather than the international unlocked version, which is supposed to be zippier and have slightly longer battery life.

I try to keep up to date on various OSs. I held out on Android till the devices and OS matured and reached my tech ability level, and it looks to me that at least a handful have arrived. Woot. My husband has a freebie Windows phone that we've been messing with, too. (He's actually using my hand-me-down iPhone 4, though.)

I expect to have more and more choices in Android mobile devices, as well as options in iOS and maybe others.

Choice and competition are all to consumers' advantage, no matter what you end up buying.

 

[Kaykaykay]

But you need to read what I wrote...I said my A500 RUNNING ICS! Totally different than Honeycomb! Ask anyone with a Galaxy Nexus phone & they'll tell you the same. ICS is leveling off the playing field. Now it will only be a matter of what format you prefer...not which is BETTER or SMOOTHER.

I see things going that way, too.

Android inevitably needed more time to mature, because of its varied uses among devices and manufacturers.

iOS vs. Android: I figure it's like societies -- you can live in a homogenous society, which is generally more cohesive and stable, or you can live in a heterogenous society, which is richer in differences as well as bumps in the road. The good thing with devices and OSs -- you can live in both societies at the same time, rather than having to pick one.

 

[mikespe]

I'm looking forward to checking out ICS on my Galaxy Note. It was delayed for Note, so I'm on Gingerbread. It's not as smooth as my iDevices, like with maybe a second's delay in a few instances, but I think it's because I have the AT&T Note, rather than the international unlocked version, which is supposed to be zippier and have slightly longer battery life.

I try to keep up to date on various OSs. I held out on Android till the devices and OS matured and reached my tech ability level, and it looks to me that at least a handful have arrived. Woot. My husband has a freebie Windows phone that we've been messing with, too. (He's actually using my hand-me-down iPhone 4, though.)

I expect to have more and more choices in Android mobile devices, as well as options in iOS and maybe others.

Choice and competition are all to consumers' advantage, no matter what you end up buying.

Also keep an eye on windows 8 probably due out sept/oct...it is supposed to combine mobile & desktop the same way ICS combined tablet/phone

 

[Kaykaykay]

Also keep an eye on windows 8 probably due out sept/oct...it is supposed to combine mobile & desktop the same way ICS combined tablet/phone

Yes, very interested in that. I was reading how Microsoft is whipping out its checkbook, trying to get more apps developed.

 

[bookdoc]

I have an iPad 2 and Color Nook which is dually booted to the Android system and its native Nook. I carry the 7" Nook because its small, for research when writing, but it's light years in operation effectiveness from the iOS which operates smoothly. Using a VPN, which runs fine on the iPad and I consider essential for wifi, is usually problematic with the Android, it often freezing. I'd far rather get a smaller iPad than any Android tablet no matter the price.

 

[Kaykaykay]

I have an iPad 2 and Color Nook which is dually booted to the Android system and its native Nook. I carry the 7" Nook because its small, for research when writing, but it's light years in operation effectiveness from the iOS which operates smoothly. Using a VPN, which runs fine on the iPad and I consider essential for wifi, is usually problematic with the Android, it often freezing. I'd far rather get a smaller iPad than any Android tablet no matter the price.

I don't it makes sense to make sweeping judgements about Android devices based on experience with any specific Android device. Because the OS is used on so many devices in so many versions in so many ways, all you can judge is that device on that version of the OS, however the manufacturer might've implemented it.

 

[seneca18]

I still mess around with my droids (the ones I have left) and enjoy many of the features that iPhone/iPad lack. However, for day to day use I prefer my iDevices, and that is what it comes down to, preference.

 

[zphone]

But you need to read what I wrote...I said my A500 RUNNING ICS! Totally different than Honeycomb! Ask anyone with a Galaxy Nexus phone & they'll tell you the same. ICS is leveling off the playing field. Now it will only be a matter of what format you prefer...not which is BETTER or SMOOTHER.

And I think you need to read what I wrote... I am talking and past and present tense. Not about what might be if... Reality not fantasy.
So I don't understand why you would say that Is fanboyish? I would have thought fanboys typically ignore reality.

 

[EvilMonkey]

Somewhat surprised how non-fanboyish this thread is.

As pointed out, both OS's offer pluses and minuses. The issue with Android is (and always will be) the vast array of devices and hardware. But that's the price you pay for freedom of choice (price, carriers, screen sizes, physical/virtual keyboards, etc). Assuming you buy a decent phone, the experience is just fine. On the other hand, Apple's closed ecosystem is great for consistency, but they also (IMO) cater to the lowest common denominator by dumbing everything down. Great for my wife and parents...not so great for me as every time I pick up my iPad, I am reminded how restricted it is. Apple devices are also decent for accessories (such as stereo docks, etc) since there's the "one size fits all" mindset. For example, I doubt Android will ever see a dedicated aisle in stores for accessories...too wide a range of shapes and sizes for manufacturers.

As said, both have their pros and cons. I personally like both, but just prefer Android for my personal wants and needs (plus, I love to customize it to make the phone work for me....and it might be shallow but I like to show off my phone. No desire to ever look at someone's iPhone since the only thing different about it is the wallpaper and the icons arranged differently....as said, great for consistency from user-to-user, but not for individuality).

I am looking forward to the Google tablet to see what it offers for an Android experience (although it just got delayed).

As for the OP, not sure how Android is to blame for Verizon misleading you about the update.

 

[Kaykaykay]

I am looking forward to the Google tablet to see what it offers for an Android experience (although it just got delayed).

As for the OP, not sure how Android is to blame for Verizon misleading you about the update.

I'm interested in the Google tablet, too, and am wondering whether Google's direct involvement in delivering a tablet to consumers will help Android mature faster, even among non-Google tablets.

I read about the Google tab's supposed price, and hope they're not just shooting for a low price point. A slew of cheap Android tablets hasn't done Android's reputation much good.

Agreed on not blaming Android as a whole for a carrier's probs. The thing with Android is that it is largely at the mercy of carriers and hardware makers with bad customer service, which has done Android no favors.

 

[Kaykaykay]

On the other hand, Apple's closed ecosystem is great for consistency, but they also (IMO) cater to the lowest common denominator by dumbing everything down. Great for my wife and parents...not so great for me as every time I pick up my iPad, I am reminded how restricted it is. Apple devices are also decent for accessories (such as stereo docks, etc) since there's the "one size fits all" mindset. For example, I doubt Android will ever see a dedicated aisle in stores for accessories...too wide a range of shapes and sizes for manufacturers.

I know what you mean by dumbed down -- fewer options, more consistent customer experience, fewer ways to run into trouble. But there are loads of confused users of iTunes and Apple's cloud, so in some ways it's not a simple enough experience. What I see is Apple having lagged much too long in improving iTunes, which customers might have been willing to put up with, given the stability and customer service of iOS as a whole.

I wonder whether that will start to chafe for more consumers as Android gadgets mature, though. As Android becomes smoother and more cohesively implemented, making for a better user experience, the locked-down Apple experience has become less of a worthwhile tradeoff for me, for instance. In some ways, Android can already be easier, depending on the device, because of its open file system.

With the adding of Apple's cloud, you now see even more confusion, with people accidentally losing files, photos, etc., because they're not sure how to navigate. With Android, I see the ease of adding and saving files to a computer and adding it to an Android device as a big selling point. I think a typical user is less likely to lose content, too.

 

[Seadog]

When I was young, the big thing was modifying cars for various uses. I bought a new car and over a short period, modified it to run road courses. But the bulk of cars were bought for generic uses. Reliability and function was the buzzwords that sold them. It is the same with mobile technology today. Apple wants to make its devices for those who are not into complicated modifications. But like cars, even the mom&pop models can be souped up. You just have to take risks.

There is a lot of griping about iTunes, but in what contxt? The iTunes on my computer works very well. I could see room for improvements, but all things considered, it does a good job. It can be hard to get used to, but not any more so than many programs. If you are talking the iTunes store, that is a different animal. The iTunes store suffers from it success. There are so many programs, songs, music, and other items on it, that it is almost unmanageable. Apple is working on the problem, but how to manage such a huge data base is going to be a headache, no matter what they do.

 

[AQ_OC]

Typical fanboy! Your loss!

AQ_OC...It's the TegraOwners ICS ROM. Ice Cream Sandwich is the game changer when it comes to comparing iOS to Android. I also have a Galaxy Nexus phone running ICS and it's like night & day when comparing older versions of Android to this. All kidding aside it is smoother than my friend's iPhone. He could NOT believe an Android device could be like that. Battery life isn't as good as the iPhone BUT the iPhone is 3g...4g just EATS batteries and will do the same on the iPhone 5 (look at the 4g iPad compared to the WIFI iPad & see the difference)

The A500 is supposed to get the OFFICIAL OTA sometime this quarter and Acer is actually quite good at pushing out updates...unlike Motorola which takes FOREVER! If you're into rooting & can't wait for the OTA then try the TO ROM (Thor is the developer managing the rom). He even incorporated something called Cornerstone which is an addon for Android...kind of a sidebar that you can add 2 apps you frequently use into the windows...basically like having 2 windows open in Windows! But he also has a version without cornerstone...

I can't reiterate enough that BOTH OS's have a lot to offer & I am so sick of people bashing one or the other (and from my perspective most of the bashing comes from Apple fanboys than Android users...yet Android DOES have it's share of bashers.)...People are really missing out by not embracing both OS's...it's like ONLY using Windows or Mac...learn both & take advantage of what both have to offer...you can NOT say one is better than the other...it's all relative to the task you need to do.

Thanks for the report. Can't wait! It will be nice to the the Iconia fly. Its expansion options are nice, so all it needs is a better OS.

 

[Kaykaykay]

When I was young, the big thing was modifying cars for various uses. I bought a new car and over a short period, modified it to run road courses. But the bulk of cars were bought for generic uses. Reliability and function was the buzzwords that sold them. It is the same with mobile technology today. Apple wants to make its devices for those who are not into complicated modifications. But like cars, even the mom&pop models can be souped up. You just have to take risks.

There is a lot of griping about iTunes, but in what contxt? The iTunes on my computer works very well. I could see room for improvements, but all things considered, it does a good job. It can be hard to get used to, but not any more so than many programs. If you are talking the iTunes store, that is a different animal. The iTunes store suffers from it success. There are so many programs, songs, music, and other items on it, that it is almost unmanageable. Apple is working on the problem, but how to manage such a huge data base is going to be a headache, no matter what they do.

For my uses, I'm not interested in customizing; I want reliability and ease of use delivered to me out of the box and I'm willing to pay for it.

As for iTunes complaints: You're able to see the same posts as I am on the forum -- people who've lost files or photos, some people (including a moderator, lol) who avoid iTunes at all costs, to the extent of not backing up, just because iTunes has confounded them. With the cloud, there's been additional confusion. If Apple's key selling point is ease of use, then those are big issues to consider. It's not sexy to say, hey, we're going to fix iTunes and the cloud by making them more easily navigable and transparent to users, but I think that's what Apple should do to maintain its edge.

As for me, I don't consider myself technical, but I've been able to at least maintain all my content, contacts, photos, etc., through multiple firmware upgrades and juggle about a dozen iDevices (mine, my husband's and ones I've gifted) despite iTunes, lol. It's a pain to be limited to iTunes for adding a lot of content, though, and as Android devices mature, Apple can much more easily keep me buying by making that kind of functionality more streamlined. Otherwise, Android devices will have an increasingly better shot at my money.

 

[zphone]

I'm very comfortable with various file systems so apples refusal to enable an advanced mode in their idevices is a real downer. I would not even mind iTunes that much if it worked. But to play music videos in sequence I have to trick iTunes into thinking they are tv Shows, however try dragging them there and that does not work. It just copies them as movies. So you have to play tricks with it. Then there is the lack of codecs. Then there is the tricks you need to play with documents.

There is nothing unfixable about iTunes and I am sure apple will have to fix it to compete with windows 8. Those kinds of obvious flaws are something microsoft would not let out the door these days. Though a few years ago they probably would have (zune).

That said iTunes is still easier to use for 80% of people out there than any file system. Sad but true.