Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Mobile OSs Windows Phone 8 or Android (if Android's design makes you cringe)?
- Thread starter CyanLite
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
See, that's what I am worried about. I hope they fix that with WP 8.1. Otherwise, I would have no choice but to go with Android..
If by doesn't scale well, you mean the huge typography and waste space then that's not a "problem" with the design. That's just how it is. Some people like it and some people hate it. But one thing you can't argue with is that WP8 is at least consistent with its design. Android's design is all over the place.
And I agree... I love GEL
Yeah, no official Youtube app on Windows Phone but myTube is much better than the official Youtube app on iOS AND Android.
Function for me. It's like scoring in hockey. You could trip over your feet, fall down, flail wildly at the puck and have it bounce off of 3 guys into the net and it's worth one goal. You could also rush end to end, beating all 5 skaters with toe drags, spin-o-ramas and do a between the legs shot into the top corner and it would also be worth one goal. That's just me. I know others such as yourself prefer something more consistent or polished, but I just cannot relate to that. As long as it works well and efficiently, I'm not too concerned about looks.
Yeah the Sense UI does make things better in regards to consistency and touch feedback but that doesn't affect the third party apps.. Only the apps made by HTC.. So the problem described in OP will still remain
I don't think it's OCD to care about design. We use our phones a lot and you want it to be pleasant to look at.
From what I've seen the HTC One has the best Android experience (out of the box ) because they kept the Sense design simple and clean. But the inherent problem with Android is that it feels like you are using multiple OS at once. I hate hate inconsistencies and Android is full if them.
From what I've seen the HTC One has the best Android experience (out of the box ) because they kept the Sense design simple and clean. But the inherent problem with Android is that it feels like you are using multiple OS at once. I hate hate inconsistencies and Android is full if them.
So if you were in my situation, with an OS that is full of inconsistencies but can do everything you need to versus an OS that looks good but can't do everything, what would you pick?
Glad I'm not one of those OCD saps. I don't let little things bother me. I like function over design. Don't care about the blue thing your taking about and not even sure what you are taking about. Your OP pics aren't loading.
The only design I don't care for are glass and aluminum backs.
I love my Nexus 5. Great phone. Very fast, no lag, good size, no bloat, fast updates. Android IMO is just awesome.
My wife has a windows phone. I dont like it much though it does work well. I have a windows 8.1 tablet/ laptop(yoga 11s) and I hardly use the apps as they just aren't that good so I use desktop mode most of the time. I do use my phone much different than my laptop though. Much, much different.
The only design I don't care for are glass and aluminum backs.
I love my Nexus 5. Great phone. Very fast, no lag, good size, no bloat, fast updates. Android IMO is just awesome.
My wife has a windows phone. I dont like it much though it does work well. I have a windows 8.1 tablet/ laptop(yoga 11s) and I hardly use the apps as they just aren't that good so I use desktop mode most of the time. I do use my phone much different than my laptop though. Much, much different.
Last edited:
WP8 is a great work phone. You get the best outlook experience, mobile office and Lync. I would personally never use it for my personal phone.
You'll think it's amazing until you get past the honey moon phase. That's when you start noticing a serious lack of conveniences you've become accustomed to with iOS and Android. Looking for Flipboard? Forget it. Dropbox? Nope. HBO GO? Nadda. Ok how about 1Password? Sort of...it's a poor man's version without edit capability. Oh but wait...what about banking? Good luck. Spotify? Yeah you have to pay premium, unlike the other mobile versions.
Then you realize the YouTube app is just a link to the crappy mobile web page...why? Because Google won't put their apps on windows phone. By the way, forget a decent browser. You're stuck with IE. There's a few alternative browsers but they're running on the IE engine so it doesn't matter. I don't have a problem with IE, it's a fine browser but you'll find half of the sites you use are optimized for webkit..which doesn't work on IE...so that means you either get the desktop experience or barebones ugly basic mobile UI. Hell man even google search on this platform sucks.
If you can get past the limited app store, crippled browsing experience (not Microsoft's fault necessarily), lack of folders and lack of Google support you'll have a great experience. Windows phone 8 is fast, effecient, stable and Nokia makes damn fine harware (as well as some great apps. Without Nokia maps/drive it would be hopeless). Otherwise I'd look past the sex appeal and reconsider android/iOS.
You'll think it's amazing until you get past the honey moon phase. That's when you start noticing a serious lack of conveniences you've become accustomed to with iOS and Android. Looking for Flipboard? Forget it. Dropbox? Nope. HBO GO? Nadda. Ok how about 1Password? Sort of...it's a poor man's version without edit capability. Oh but wait...what about banking? Good luck. Spotify? Yeah you have to pay premium, unlike the other mobile versions.
Then you realize the YouTube app is just a link to the crappy mobile web page...why? Because Google won't put their apps on windows phone. By the way, forget a decent browser. You're stuck with IE. There's a few alternative browsers but they're running on the IE engine so it doesn't matter. I don't have a problem with IE, it's a fine browser but you'll find half of the sites you use are optimized for webkit..which doesn't work on IE...so that means you either get the desktop experience or barebones ugly basic mobile UI. Hell man even google search on this platform sucks.
If you can get past the limited app store, crippled browsing experience (not Microsoft's fault necessarily), lack of folders and lack of Google support you'll have a great experience. Windows phone 8 is fast, effecient, stable and Nokia makes damn fine harware (as well as some great apps. Without Nokia maps/drive it would be hopeless). Otherwise I'd look past the sex appeal and reconsider android/iOS.
FWIW, I updated the OP with the pictures.
That's what I am concerned about. There are things I do on my phone that I take for granted but when it comes to Windows Phone, those things can't be done. Probably many more than I listed. BTW, the myTube app for YouTube is much better than the official apps on WP8.
As for web browsing, I don't mind using the desktop version. Lack of Google support doesn't bother me either. Microsoft has some neat substitutes.
Last edited:
I'd still go with Android as you can mitigate some of the inconsistencies to a degree. I'm not a fan of Android (but my impatience led me to get one instead of waiting a bit longer for the 5S), but I've been able to tweak it to look a bit better to my liking by using Nova Launcher Prime. I changed up the icons, the animations, etc and now it feels better.
I don't have any experience whatsoever with Windows Phone though so I can't really comment about it
If you use Nova you can change that color. I think. It changes the theme color anyways and what your showing isn't a big deal to me.
GEL is OK but there are some things it lacks like not able to add icons to the dock and the settings are too limited. Nova is still much better and it also gives you full screen with the on screen buttons and notification bar being transparent
GEL is OK but there are some things it lacks like not able to add icons to the dock and the settings are too limited. Nova is still much better and it also gives you full screen with the on screen buttons and notification bar being transparent
You can mitigate the inconsistencies with the System UI but not the apps. The apps will always look the same... (minus the very few apps like WhatsApp where you could theme it).
Nah, Nova can't change something that deep in the system. It has to do with the app and only Google can fix this. Or some developer who would care enough...
I am surprised to see so few people caring about the design at all though... on the iOS forums, people are crying about much more sophisticated stuff like there is no symmetry in the lockscreen which I couldn't care less about.
That's true, I have just learned to deal with that though or avoid using apps that uglify my phone.
iOS users are spoiled when it comes to design. They complain about the dumbest things because the stuff that actually matters already looks good.
Bottom line is how it functions. I dont really care to have the best looking phone out there. For one thing, i almost always have it in a case and i have my Nexus 5 in a Slim Armor case. Sometimes i take it off depending on if it is not slippery or not. Thats why i dont prefer glass or aluminum backs. Glass is much too fragile and the aluminum backs are much too slippery. My Wifes windows phone has an aluminum back and i drop it all the time in the house the few times i even touch it.
iPhone users can say all they want about how great it looks but the bottom line again is that the iPhone is way too small that dosnt function, or do and many things i like that Android does. It sucks that Apple limits you like they do and for that, i give them the middle finger salute.
That said, i think my Nexus 5 is a fine looking device and the front of my GS3 is imo much nicer looking than the iPhone. What good is it to have a device that looks great but is limited in function?
You are referring to the physical hardware. The OP seems to be largely talking about the OS design.
Either way imo the Android OS looks fine to me. I do like the look of Sense better than TouchWiz though i dont have any devices than run Sense. Im using pure Android now but i dont get all worked up about how they look and that doesnt decide what id buy.
Even if i thought iOS looked better, id still prefer Android. I like Apple OS more on Laptops more than their mobile devices as i use those differently. I do like the Macbook a lot. We have a 13".
I find that the inconsistency in the Android apps are due in part to developers who develop iOS versions of the apps first and then make the app work in Android by doing the bare minimum. If there are any inconsistencies in Android apps, the ones that bug me the most are those apps that work too much like iOS apps and not much like Android apps. Most apps are fine, but there are a few that really bug me. I just can't stand when I press the back button and nothing logical happens.
You are also here in the non-iOS section of the forums, so users here are more likely used to Android or other non-iOS operating systems where developers have more flexibility in their UI designs.
Actually, all the Google apps are also inconsistent. I'd rather not go into details though. But some highlights are the drawer that opens from the left look different in all Google apps and and and also that you can't swipe left and right in Google+ when viewing a profile but you can swipe left and right in youtube
To put names on it, I would stay with Android. Google's fixed many inconsistencies in the past. Microsoft has done practically nothing with Windows Phone for the last year, and Metro is getting a bit long in the tooth.
iOS 7 feels like "Android Lite" with a bad theme, so I don't think it will suit you.
Windows Phone is probably the best bet in this case.
Where did we state that we don't care about the design at all? I care about the design.... I'm just not anal retentive enough to make a forum post about google putting a highlight circle 1mm off centre (and it is clear this was done on purpose).
Besides all this, I have no problem with the way Android looks and even if I did, I would tolerate it because of the much greater freedom, flexibility and features when compared to the other mobile OS.
Finally, I seriously question your motives for creating this thread in the first place...are we reacting how you hoped we would?
I'm not sure what you are talking about. I don't see any profile in YouTube. The main screen works the same with the swipe in from the left edge on both apps.
Once you lose the OCD,....if you can, life becomes much easier and simpler. You wont worry about little things that most people consider insignificant.