My thoughts on Android after using 4.0

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Kitty Hello

I didn't like Android. It felt unstable, unfinished and complicated. Like Linux to me.

Now I have played a bit with the 4.0 version on my Touchpad and I am starting to like it. The OS feels quite smooth and the multitasking is much better than on iOS now.
I can find the most important Appd I use on my iPad in the Play store, and installation and such is also easy. The play store feels also quite good. I like the ability to link youtube videos into the app description. Also stopping and deleting apps works fine now.

But! And here's what I totally detest:
-each silly app wants access to about everything (mails, contacts, ...) That's way better in iOS.
-the defaults for the google account syncs everything. I don't want that! By the time I disable it, I'm sure google already has the data.
-the settings are terribly complicated and ill-organized to me.
-I had a hard time finding out how these desktop widgets work. I also miss settings for some of them.
-the app store is full of stuff I really fear. I have the impression they even offer trojans for download.
-I have no idea, but can apps access data on the SD card from other apps? That great - if the App would ask me about it.
-my battery drains quite fast (might be an cyanogenmod problem) when the pad lies there in airplayne mode, sleeping.

but then ...who cares...

erico

I share most of the "But!".

Will get an android phone soon and to this day never quite enjoyed the OS, altough all my family goes on galaxy s2 phonewise.
I haven´t quite enjoyed google´s latest things, like the ads (on the way they show just about what you looked for), youtube is just horrible nowadays (on the way to move to vimeo myself quite soon), and a few others things.

But I guess I will have to glup android, cyanogen mod style most probably.
Tks for the opinions and pre-warning.

Can we get back to c64 already? :P

edit: have been waiting on android to mature for quite a while...It dosen´t quite seem like it is going to get any better from current one?

hardyx

#2
Quote from: Kitty Hello on 2012-Aug-09
But! And here's what I totally detest:
-each silly app wants access to about everything (mails, contacts, ...) That's way better in iOS.
I think many apps use a template that gets all the privileges and they don't adapt later.

Quote from: Kitty Hello on 2012-Aug-09
-the defaults for the google account syncs everything. I don't want that! By the time I disable it, I'm sure google already has the data.
If you use Google software they get your data, it's not free. Google makes money managing data. Steve Jobs said once "We don't sell our users data like Google does".

Quote from: Kitty Hello on 2012-Aug-09
-the app store is full of stuff I really fear. I have the impression they even offer trojans for download.
Is possible that there is many trojans in the Market, because you can make one and upload it without any Google review. I think they must to implement an antivirus to filter the apps or check the apps that want access to the net.

Quote from: Kitty Hello on 2012-Aug-09
-I have no idea, but can apps access data on the SD card from other apps? That great - if the App would ask me about it.
Yes, is like in a desktop computer, the apps don't ask you to access data. I like Apple will made a shared folder in the memory to use documents in many apps. But I think they don't like this.

Quote from: Kitty Hello on 2012-Aug-09
-my battery drains quite fast (might be an cyanogenmod problem) when the pad lies there in airplayne mode, sleeping.
Android has many processes in the background, and allows user processes too. The Java virtual machine executing the apps and all the layers uses more cpu and drains more battery than native apps in iOS.

In the  other hand, Android is growing fast and could superate iOS in the future. But they must to improve many things fist. I think they will do.


Marmor

I also test 4.0 on my touchpad ,because openwebos will not come for the touchpad !! :rant:
I do not trust this OS ,does not matter what version !

bigsofty

I've been running Jellybean on a nexus 7, for the last few weeks. Well put simply, if I didn't need my iPad 2 for development I'd have sold it by now. The OS is silky smooth and extremely sophisticated when I compare it to iOS. The level of customisation and access to the file system has been a real breath of fresh air. I had installed Avast and a firewall but I soon saw that the threat level was pretty low and removed them.

I did need to install certain apps to get things running the way I like though:

ES Task Manager, to remove those pesky background tasks if need be.
The Hackers Keyboard, a OS level keyboard replacement with cursor keys.
ES File Explorer, all the low level file handling, copying to shared network folders for example.
Firefox Beta, this allows me to get my desktop bookmarks into the tablet, nice browser too.
Jota Text Editor, everyone needs a text editor!
MX Player, great hardware accelerated video player, plays a lot of formats, even MKV.
Perfect Viewer, picture, PDF, comic etc, viewer.
GO Launcher, desktop replacement, skin-able, better folders, more virtual desktops etc.

There are a lot if others like, MAME, STOID, VLC, Adobe Reader that are good to see to.

I don't like that there are a lot of google apps installed by default and that you can't remove them. Fortunately it's quit easy to ignore them as there are so many alternatives to anything that's installed by default. If it bothered me too much I suppose I could look into rooting it and customising the OS at an even lower level.

Anyways I thought I would say a few words for Android as I for one am thoroughly enjoying the freedom it brings to my tablet experience.

Cheers,

Ian.

"It is practically impossible to teach good programming style to students that have had prior exposure to BASIC.  As potential programmers, they are mentally mutilated beyond hope of regeneration."
(E. W. Dijkstra)

Kitty Hello

About file sharing: the "open with" on iOS is very good now. I can write word docs with docs2go (did you notice how close the i is to an o on the keyboard...?) and open them in my samsung print app no problem.

bigsofty

TBH just having an onscreen keyboard that has cursor keys has made my day, Im a man with humble needs!  =D
Cheers,

Ian.

"It is practically impossible to teach good programming style to students that have had prior exposure to BASIC.  As potential programmers, they are mentally mutilated beyond hope of regeneration."
(E. W. Dijkstra)

Wampus

Quote from: Kitty Hello on 2012-Aug-09
I didn't like Android. It felt unstable, unfinished and complicated. Like Linux to me.

That's funny. I think of Android more like Windows, because it tries to do everything for you but you can also take control of the OS if you really want to. Nothing on mobile feels anything like Linux to me, except Linux. :)

Something I can't deny is a significant factor behind my interest in Android is that I'm bored with iOS. I'm guessing its similar for many of you. More specific breakdown:-

What I currently like about Android:-


  • Relative freedom to configure Android how I like, install apps from multiple sources and work with many file formats. It will generally do anything I expect it could, given the hardware capabilities.
  • Its cheap to get started. My underlying feeling is that I'm getting value for money (rather than trying to justify the huge hardware & OS price tag to myself).
  • Newer versions are looking and playing very smart indeed. It feels next gen, whereas every other OS I'm used to has an outdated look in comparison.

What I don't like about Android:-


  • I too find the way Google accounts sync everything to be creepy. I feel like I'm part of the Google bot net whenever I'm online.
  • The 101 ways to do a single thing gets confusing, every device has its own interface idiosyncrasies and you can't recommend someone use an app and know for sure it will work on their device. This is the flip side of that 'relative freedom' I mentioned.
  • I'm also concerned about security. It is a concern, although with antivirus scanners like Lookout I feel fairly well protected).

erico

what do you guys think about the cyanogen mod? is it worth?
Is there any alternatives going on, even to that?

I´d wish for a galaxy note to start my android life, but better check with you guys before. ;)

Wampus

Since CyanogenMod is free its only the time you put into it that counts to whether its worth using. If you install it in on a device with a heavily restricted or obsolete OS then its bound to please. If you use it on a device that has a well customised configuration running already then it won't do that much for you. It might even feel like a step down, depending on what version of Android you're running. There is also the chance you could screw up the installation or some aspects of your hardware won't be supported.

To highlight the above, I love that CyanogenMod is available for my Nook Color. It allows me better use of the hardware features and massively extends what the device is useful for. It turns the Nook from a awkward book reader to a fully capable tablet that can be triple booted into the original OS, Froyo and IceCream Sandwich. However, there would be little point using it on my Galaxy S2 since it already does everything I want it to and does it very well.

The Galaxy Note is a good (large) phone imo. Since the new Note is coming out soon you might be able to get the current one at a discount. The S2 or S3 are also good. If its note just phones you're considering then tablets wise the Nexus 7 is fantastic. Its so impressive for the price I think its going to shake up the tablet market in a big way.

LineOf7s

Just because it got specifically mentioned in your reply,  I use Cyanogenmod on my Galaxy S2 and I find it boots faster,  uses less battery and provides me with a wealth of configuration options that make everything just feel.... better.  :-)

To each their own though,  of course.

erico

Thanks guys, both my father and brother have an s2, I thought to recommend them such, but am not sure of the actuall gains, also considering how much they are actually into messing the hardware to achieve the best.

Also, phone deals around here shovel and change a lot of the on going android, so, if such makes better for battery and speed, it is a great start.

I must get an android phone one way or the other as it will also be a test device :)
The note is big, but I have orango tango super monkey hands, I will be ok! :S