General Android, just wow.

[cynics]

iOS is still much better. Android lacks polish, it does not have effects like bounce-back. It's a small animation but it has a huge effect on the UI, makes it feel much more responsive. Android's edge glow is not good.

Android does not have a centralized audio controls and does not play background audio. If a developer codes a background playing capability it can do that, but it does not have a centralized and standardized api to make it very easy for the devs. And as mentioned it does not have centralized audio controls, which are so, so handy. You can control your music player from the Notification Center, but you cannot control, say, a backgrounded YouTube video. With iOS you can.

iOS has much better and higher quality third party apps, they are more polished and look better too.

Here are couple of examples that I prefer on iOS.

Soulver - Android has no equivalent, awesome calculator.
Notes - Android does not have a simple notes app. iOS' app also syncs/backs up to Yahoo.
Music - iOS' music app is just leaps and bounds better than anything Android has to offer.
GPS - Third party GPS apps are much better on iOS.
Photos - The default app is much better, cleaner without any extra nonsense effects. Also displays pictures on the map.
Tunebox - Dropbox music streamer, couldn't find anything like this for Android.
PhotoSync - Nothing like this on Android. Awesome app.
PinDrop - Again, nothing like this on Android.
SongExporter - Again, nothing like this on Android.
Instacast - None of Android's podcast apps come close.
OPlayer - An awesome video player. DivX, XviD, MKV, etc... plays them all. Also, you can play videos from your SAMBA(Windows) share over the network... i.e. Share a folder with movies from you Windows machine, connected with your iPhone and stream movies. Haven't found a player on Android that does that.
SuperList - There is Mighty Grocery List on Android but it's just not as good.
Converter+ - Awesome converter.
Skype - On iOS it is better.



Android and Android apps feel like such an ax job, they just reek of low quality. I might have ignored it all had Android had centralized audio controls and a background audio, that kills Android option for me.

What Android has is customization... which I do not care about. I love how iOS looks. And this a matter of opinion but customization is a waste of time, you get a phone, customize, customize, modify... then a new version comes out, customize, customize, modify... I want to do things with the device, not waste time on customizing it and making it look acceptable.

So much of this is your opinion it's hard to read.

The photo app is better? You mean the camera roll that is just a chronologically ordered mess with NO DATES? That app? The one you make folders and it keeps pics in the camera roll AND folder?

GPS? There are no good GPS apps in iOS like 'GPS Essentials' on Android. If you mean maps there are no alternatives to Google maps really because nothing can compete.

I prefer android podcast apps for there widgets I can set on a home screen.

Notes? Gimme a break there are plenty of simple ones but most prefer good ones like Evernote.

Video players?! There are what seems to be hundreds. I use moboplayer and it plays anything you throw at it. And like all Android apps you can set it to the default player instead of "open in" then browsing through the player app and opening your file. Such a pita.

Plenty of streaming apps. Twonky, air sync etc. you can stream in a compatible TV, Xbox, ps3, Apple TV, etc etc.

Converter+? I'm not sure if this is serious.

Most apps are made by the same dev cross platform. Usually the app is identical to the iOS version sometimes with more features since apps can access more of the phone.

What do you even mean by background audio? Like me browsing the web while listening to a podcast in the background which I do all the time on Android?

You are obviously just making things up or repeating things you've heard.

 

[theluggage]

Nope in google play click on it and they give a much better way or explaining more in detail on how it works.

Ok, that's the full website - it's different on the Play Store App on the phone - I've checked and you initially get the short descriptions I posted, but you can tap on them to get the longer descriptions from the full website. I'd dispute that they'd be any more helpful to a non-techie user though.

The App version still only talks about USB devices, though, not the SD card (the text is different from the web version).

 

[Cod3rror]

A calculator was your first thought? Seriously? Ahem.

Then Notes? I'd much rather use Evernote than the brain-dead Notes app, thank you very much. Syncs everywhere. (Loved the 2007'ish "syncs back up to Yahoo" by the way.)

But applauding the iTunes-or-the-highway music app really takes the cake.

Oh wait, selectively forgetting the iOS 6 maps disaster and jumping right to third-party... now THAT takes the cake.

Pull up your pants, dude. It's too late to save your shoes.

Yes, a calculator, it is important to me, much more than an animated wallpaper, or some useless widget

And yes Notes too... I tried Evernote(BTW better on iOS) and I did not like it. I want a simple notes app, iOS' is perfect for me. I'd like to be able to add images into the notes but, even without them, I like it.

I did not forget the maps, I agree, Apple Maps isn't that good, however, look how much Google wants to put their maps into the Apple ecosystem. It won't be long before iOS has Google Maps, their own maps and third party maps too. Which, yes, are better than Android counterparts.

Dropbox music streaming app is VERY handy.

So much of this is your opinion it's hard to read.

The photo app is better? You mean the camera roll that is just a chronologically ordered mess with NO DATES? That app? The one you make folders and it keeps pics in the camera roll AND folder?

GPS? There are no good GPS apps in iOS like 'GPS Essentials' on Android. If you mean maps there are no alternatives to Google maps really because nothing can compete.

I prefer android podcast apps for there widgets I can set on a home screen.

Notes? Gimme a break there are plenty of simple ones but most prefer good ones like Evernote.

Video players?! There are what seems to be hundreds. I use moboplayer and it plays anything you throw at it. And like all Android apps you can set it to the default player instead of "open in" then browsing through the player app and opening your file. Such a pita.

Plenty of streaming apps. Twonky, air sync etc. you can stream in a compatible TV, Xbox, ps3, Apple TV, etc etc.

Converter+? I'm not sure if this is serious.

Most apps are made by the same dev cross platform. Usually the app is identical to the iOS version sometimes with more features since apps can access more of the phone.

What do you even mean by background audio? Like me browsing the web while listening to a podcast in the background which I do all the time on Android?

You are obviously just making things up or repeating things you've heard.

Yes, Photos app is better.

Yes, GPS situation is better, CoPilot, TomTom, Sygic, NAVIGON are all better on iOS. GPS Essentials? There are tons of apps that are better in the App Store.

Widgets... useless.

Reading comprehension... I wrote, streaming FROM a Windows machine INTO the iPhone. I've searched, RockPlayer, MoboPlayer, Vplayer, QQPlayer. None of them have SMB support.

Converter+ is awesome! Nothing better exists on Android.

Background Audio = Browse the web, and listen to YouTube in the background. Or make your MoboPlayer play a video in the background. And don't forget, not only Android cannot do background audio properly, there are no centralized controls either like on iOS.

 

[balamw]

MOD NOTE: Please take a break from this thread. Go outside and get some fresh air. I will reopen in a while.

EDIT: Please proceed per the forum rules. Please avoid any name-calling.

B

 

[arashb]

I like Android handling of UI code better. Developers don't have to distinguish betw. tablet or phone (unlike iOS). And UI elements in Android scale up nicely unlike iOS (which is total crap when you run a phone app on tablet).



I have the opposite view. In the event, there is no data connection iOS just get stuck. I encounter many iOS apps just dont start without data connection. No such issue with Android. Furthermore, iOS is so dependent on iCloud/itunes that you are basically dead in the water when these services are not available. It is so lockdown there is no way to get stuff in/out of phone.

To us who are free from Apple jail, it is such a relief that we will never get stuck like those who use iOS devices.

Scaling is only an issue for the first few weeks a new resolution is introduced. And I've never ran into a problem with an app not opening without data.

Android does have its advantages, its nice to be able to download a GBA emu from the play store and widgets are cool when you find the right ones but there are also disadvantages..

- My nexus's screen lift is getting much worse.
- And recently I connected the charger to my nexus for around 1-2 hours and I came back to it only to see that it didn't charge at all but was pretty warm.
- Not sure how you're scaling android apps, I'm not able to download any because its not compatible with my tablet... The banners in the play store are scaled just awfully for tablets though.
- And apparently Android thinks that 0% means 10% sometimes
- Apps for iOS are taken much more seriously than they are for Android it seems like, for example YouTube, a Google company, can't do background audio for Android but it can for iOS. Not a big deal but when a Google app is better for iOS than for Android it makes you see where priorities are.

So tomorrow I need to use my tablet in class but I can't leave it charging overnight because I just don't trust it. If my phone ever did not charge, I'd be screwed big time. I rely on that to wake me up in the mornings. I can't blame Google over the tablet not charging, but I can blame Apple for creating something I can rely on when I need it. You can say all you want about Apple products, but there's a reason why everyone is following in Apples footsteps.

 

[Awakener]

- How about auto switching your ring profile based on time/appointment (instead of tediously remembering to flip the silent switch on iphone?
- How about having a multi-clipboard (last X number of clippings + predefined ones)
- How about auto-changing your wallpaper periodically (only when you are using your phone)?
- How about tapping a NFC tag and have phone automatically change settings/start up apps/etc.
- How about auto-upload or download photos/podcasts/files/content/log/sms/links to ANY share providers (without needing to manually start apps one-by-one)?
- How about creating "shortcuts" to any apps/predefined sms/contacts/files/links/content anywhere in the phone and needing just one tap to activate action.
- How about using transparent icons in homescreen (so wallpaper is not obscured)?
- How about having information in widgets that auto-refresh?
- How about having phone performance actions automatically based on events (e.g. auto-send sms for birthday, on-off settings or run apps based on time/location, block calls based on rules)

Does anyone really care about these features, or widgets, or more useless social media integration?

Yes - the 'xx wants to use your location' is fair enough, also AFAIK you can deny it and still run the app.

Android apps, however, typically ask for a laundry list of permissions before you install them - take it or leave it. For example, Bad Piggies - a big name game - asks for:

1. Your Location (approximate network-based location)
2. Network communication (full network access)
3. Storage (modify or delete the contents of your USB storage)
4. Phone Calls (read phone status and identity)
5. System Tools (prevent phone from sleeping)
6. Network communication (Google Play billing service, view network connections, view WiFi connections)
7. Development Tools (test access to protected storage)

There is no way that a non-technical user can make an informed judgement about that lot, especially 3 (why does a game need those? Surely it gets its own sandboxed storage area?) and 7 (nothing that requires this should make it into an App store, at least outside the 'developer' category). As for 6, with a decent security design, all it should need access to is the in-App-purchase API which should have it's own safeguards (such as always requiring user confirmation or asking for a PIN).

If a these are all legitimately needed for a game (even with in-game purchasing) then there is something wrong with the security model. If not, the game shouldn't make it into the store.

As I said - this model might make sense when you're a consenting sideloader, but it should be redundant on an App store.

Android "security" is interesting. Those videos from the op make don't mention negatives. Did anyone think of this when the video reviewer showed how to track his phone (video 4):

http://bgr.com/2012/03/23/google-wants-to-listen-to-your-phone-calls-to-promote-ads/

A quick search will pull up many articles just like it.

 

[Solomani]

Be prepared to be amazed. Be prepared for the controversy. Be prepared for the Apple fanboys to start crying and defending their precious to the end.

I am prepared!!!! Very very prepared!! I stocked up, too. See below!

 

[Oletros]

Does anyone really care about these features, or widgets, or more useless social media integration?

Useless social media integration sharing from any application to any other application?

And yes, people care about widgets and those features.

Android "security" is interesting. Those videos from the op make don't mention negatives. Did anyone think of this when the video reviewer showed how to track his phone (video 4):

http://bgr.com/2012/03/23/google-wants-to-listen-to-your-phone-calls-to-promote-ads/

A quick search will pull up many articles just like it.

Really? A patent filing?

 

[tech4all]

Spoken like someone who has never used widgets. Widgets are almost completely useless. A gigantic widget for weather - a live icon does that in iOS. Widgets for mail? LOL. Calendar widget? Yes, I need to have all my appointments constantly on my home screen.

That describes your entire comment.

Just got the Nexus 7 after selling my iPad 2.

Short and sweet: Android is great, but very unpolished when compared to iOS. I'm happier with it on my tablet than I was with the iPad 2. But for my phone I want something reliable, polished and working just as it should. I would never depend on Android for that.

That's so odd. I have an Android phone that I depend on for, umm, making phone calls. Works great. Go figure!

MOD NOTE: Please take a break from this thread. Go outside and get some fresh air. I will reopen in a while.

EDIT: Please proceed per the forum rules. Please avoid any name-calling.

B

It's sad when a debate about phone operating system get so out of control a MOD has to close it for a while. Good grief people, it's a PHONE. Go outside and live a little. That's why it gets annoying going to forums where fanboys come out like crazy...both iOS and Android. Heck even I get sucked into these silly 'debates.'

Forget iOS. Forget Android. I'm going back to a rotary phone!

 

[matttye]

At least the rotary phone has a bounce back UI!

 

[IFRIT]

Yes, a calculator, it is important to me, much more than an animated wallpaper, or some useless widget

And yes Notes too... I tried Evernote(BTW better on iOS) and I did not like it. I want a simple notes app, iOS' is perfect for me. I'd like to be able to add images into the notes but, even without them, I like it.

I did not forget the maps, I agree, Apple Maps isn't that good, however, look how much Google wants to put their maps into the Apple ecosystem. It won't be long before iOS has Google Maps, their own maps and third party maps too. Which, yes, are better than Android counterparts.

Dropbox music streaming app is VERY handy.



Yes, Photos app is better.

Yes, GPS situation is better, CoPilot, TomTom, Sygic, NAVIGON are all better on iOS. GPS Essentials? There are tons of apps that are better in the App Store.

Widgets... useless.

Reading comprehension... I wrote, streaming FROM a Windows machine INTO the iPhone. I've searched, RockPlayer, MoboPlayer, Vplayer, QQPlayer. None of them have SMB support.

Converter+ is awesome! Nothing better exists on Android.

Background Audio = Browse the web, and listen to YouTube in the background. Or make your MoboPlayer play a video in the background. And don't forget, not only Android cannot do background audio properly, there are no centralized controls either like on iOS.

What experience with Android phones do you have? You post reeks of stuff you just made up or heard.

 

[Cod3rror]

What experience with Android phones do you have? You post reeks of stuff you just made up or heard.

Quite a lot of experience.

Enough experience to say that IMO(note I-M-O), Widgets, something Android is so praised for are quite useless.

They drain battery.

And I also realized that even though a widget showed some info, I still usually ended up going into the app, which rendered widgets useless to me, so slowly once the novelty wore off, widget filled homescreen got replaced by icons.

Why do I need to have a gigantic clock on the main screen when there is a clock on status bar?

IMO, if Apple opens up the Notification Center to third party, that will be widgets done well. They won't drain your battery, yet, they'll be instantly available, just a swipe down away.

 

[walie]

Quite a lot of experience.

Enough experience to say that IMO(note I-M-O), Widgets, something Android is so praised for are quite useless.

They drain battery.

And I also realized that even though a widget showed some info, I still usually ended up going into the app, which rendered widgets useless to me, so slowly once the novelty wore off, widget filled homescreen got replaced by icons.

Why do I need to have a gigantic clock on the main screen when there is a clock on status bar?

IMO, if Apple opens up the Notification Center to third party, that will be widgets done well. They won't drain your battery, yet, they'll be instantly available, just a swipe down away.

Fail to see how my bookmark, calendar, music, google tasks, starbucks, custom made tasker transit checker widgets drain battery, but whatever.

I see lots of "They drain battery" statements, fail to see proof backing it up. Every. Single. Time.

lol, IF Apple opens up Notification Center...IF they finally get around to it, it will be limited to the iPhone5 and newer devices, because it will need massive resources to work correctly that only newer apple devices can provide.

 

[dalbir4444]

Quite a lot of experience.

Enough experience to say that IMO(note I-M-O), Widgets, something Android is so praised for are quite useless.

They drain battery.

And I also realized that even though a widget showed some info, I still usually ended up going into the app, which rendered widgets useless to me, so slowly once the novelty wore off, widget filled homescreen got replaced by icons.

Why do I need to have a gigantic clock on the main screen when there is a clock on status bar?

IMO, if Apple opens up the Notification Center to third party, that will be widgets done well. They won't drain your battery, yet, they'll be instantly available, just a swipe down away.

So what you're saying is that once iOS has widgets, only then will they not drain battery and become useful? Yeah, spoken like a true fanboy.

 

[Cod3rror]

So what you're saying is that once iOS has widgets, only then will they not drain battery and become useful? Yeah, spoken like a true fanboy.

It's true though.

iOS' widgets would be hidden away in the Notification Center and hence would not drain the battery.

Even then, I doubt I would use many widgets... I would like music controls in the Notification Center and Toggles, but other than that... no use for me.

----------

Also as mentioned, Android UI is still years behind iOS.

The scrolling physics, UI response, etc... just isn't there. I don't know what techniques Apple uses, is it motion blur? But when you scroll a list in iOS, it's just so incredibly smooth and at the same time responsive... and at the end of the list you get that sweet bounce-back effect. In Android you just run into a "wall" and get that glow effect, meh...

 

[onthecouchagain]

If widgets were first introduced by iOS and wasn't available on Android, every outspoken post against widgets would be singing an entirely different tune.

And those that are against widgets always seem to forget this one simple fact: you don't have to use it. I myself use very few.

Choice -- it's a beautiful thing.

 

[Oletros]

They drain battery.

They drain the battery exactly the same as your notification center widgets

iOS' widgets would be hidden away in the Notification Center and hence would not drain the battery.

Ah, because they are hidden they don't drain battery.

Can you explain me the difference between a calendar widget in the hompage and a calendar widget on ontification center regarding battery drain?

 

[walie]

It's true though.

iOS' widgets would be hidden away in the Notification Center and hence would not drain the battery.

So by your reasoning, my calendar widget would not drain the battery because because its "hidden away" on my second home screen. Is that correct?

 

[wikus]

Pretty much everything the guys says in all 5 videos is spot on. To dispute his talking points is to be delusional.

My favourite advantages of Android over iOS:

- No need to use iTunes to transfer music, movies, etc. Any computer on any platform can transfer all files back and forth between my phone. None of this 'locked down' crap
- 3rd party keyboards catered to MY liking
- notifications pull down menu with shortcuts for wifi, data, gps, etc. love it.
- contact shortcuts on homescreens that give menus, kind of acting like simple widgets
- custom roms (MIUI and CyanogenMod)

There are a ton more small things that make a world of a difference between Android and iOS (like being able to put in more than 12 apps in a folder). I currently run MIUI on Android 2.3.7 on an old HTC Glacier and this device still packs more features and functionality than even a jailbroken iPhone. MIUI's notifications are awesome. I cant wait to upgrade my phone and run MIUI on ICS.

 

[IFRIT]

It's true though.

iOS' widgets would be hidden away in the Notification Center and hence would not drain the battery.

Even then, I doubt I would use many widgets... I would like music controls in the Notification Center and Toggles, but other than that... no use for me.

----------

Also as mentioned, Android UI is still years behind iOS.

The scrolling physics, UI response, etc... just isn't there. I don't know what techniques Apple uses, is it motion blur? But when you scroll a list in iOS, it's just so incredibly smooth and at the same time responsive... and at the end of the list you get that sweet bounce-back effect. In Android you just run into a "wall" and get that glow effect, meh...

Be specific of your experience because you still smell of someone who played with a phone for 5 minutes in a shop and think they know it all.

----------

Quite a lot of experience.

Enough experience to say that IMO(note I-M-O), Widgets, something Android is so praised for are quite useless.

They drain battery.

And I also realized that even though a widget showed some info, I still usually ended up going into the app, which rendered widgets useless to me, so slowly once the novelty wore off, widget filled homescreen got replaced by icons.

Why do I need to have a gigantic clock on the main screen when there is a clock on status bar?

IMO, if Apple opens up the Notification Center to third party, that will be widgets done well. They won't drain your battery, yet, they'll be instantly available, just a swipe down away.

Widgets are not useless, i can pick up my phone and within seconds i can see updates on my social media, see how my shares are doing, when my favorite T.V shows are next being shown and also the weather. If i wanted to see the same on iOS i'd have to go into umteen apps. Widgets only drain battery if they update automatically and even then if they update every few hours the battery usage is going to be negligible.

 

[Tinmania]

Quite a lot of experience.

Enough experience to say that IMO(note I-M-O), Widgets, something Android is so praised for are quite useless.

And that is where I wrote off your post as being completely clueless.

Toggle widgets are without question useful and something you can only come close to after jailbreaking on an iPhone.

I really don't think you are serious though. So bravo for tro.... trawling with such stinky bait.



Mike

 

[NT1440]

lol, IF Apple opens up Notification Center...IF they finally get around to it, it will be limited to the iPhone5 and newer devices, because it will need massive resources to work correctly that only newer apple devices can provide.

What exactly are you talking about? Why in the world would that require massive resources?

 

[walie]

What exactly are you talking about? Why in the world would that require massive resources?

In the same way Siri and turn-by-turn directions are too intensive for older iOS devices

 

[NT1440]

In the same way Siri and turn-by-turn directions are too intensive for older iOS devices

So first you make a technical based post, then you make a marketing one.

Which is it?

I'm trying to figure out if you thought this through in good faith, or if you're trying to find something to complain about.

 

[Cod3rror]

And that is where I wrote off your post as being completely clueless.

Toggle widgets are without question useful and something you can only come close to after jailbreaking on an iPhone.

I really don't think you are serious though. So bravo for tro.... trawling with such stinky bait.



Mike

The moderators are watching this thread, why don't you let them decide whether I am trolling or not.

The accusation of trolling gets throwing around way too easily... somebody does not agree with you? Troll...



I used Android and found widgets useless. Take a bookmarks widget for example. Why do I need bookmarks displayed on the homescreen when upon tapping on them the web browser is going to open anyway... I'll just have a web browser icon, tap that and open a bookmark.

Or why do I need a Calendar widget that displays the whole month when to change something, I need to open the Calendar app.

Or my favorite places widget, why do I need that whole list on the homescreen? Just open the Maps app and it's there.

Why do I need a messages widget? The messages are already displayed in the Notification Center.



One way or the other you end up with the full app anyway, widgets seems like a battery draining, oversized shortcut.

I also like how you guys conveniently ignore everything I wrote about iOS being much, much more responsive and smoother with a bounce back effect. It's a small thing, but it makes a big difference in the touch UI.