Any Android Fanatics Here?

[trojjanhorse]

Hello (pre)meds,

I'm an Android fanatic. Have been programming android SDK for a while now and I believe it's far more superior than Apple (given the right trained user). I own a galaxy nexus and always tweak my rom and participate in CM9 nightlies with diagnostics. <-- if you know what i'm talking about then you know what I'm talking about ;)

If you're an apple user, please do explain why you are still using an iphone. If you're an Android user, share your experience and what do you like about it?

If you have questions about Android and are shopping around and trying to decide (apple or android), please feel free to ask and i'll try to answer.

I'm not trying to boycot apple. I own an apple laptop myself and i think they are the best laptops (in terms of built quality).

Currently I'm debating between HTC One X and the SIII. Or I might wait and see what motorola decides to release (under Google's wing).

-trojjanhorse.

[Legion]

I'm glad I'm not the only tech-loving pre-med in here :D

I got a touchpad running CM9 and Ubuntu 11.4. Loving the CM9. It runs flawlessly. Ubuntu also runs very good but does have some problems. Would never go back to webOS :p

I got a macbook pro (the only apple product that I really like and spent money on). I hate the UI of IOS, and will stick to android possibly for a long time until apple realizes their UI sucks (IMO). Also iphone is too small for my taste.

I'm not a developer but simply respect all you developers because I realize how hard it is (I actually tried it once but gave up, lol)

How are you liking your Nexus. I'm debating between the Nexus and SIII (coming soon).

[PhoenixFlare500]

I've got a Galaxy Nexus too. If not for your benefit then I'll just try to list some pros and cons for anyone else wondering about current smartphones.

Pros:

Good screen size, people say the iPhone is the perfect size but I disagree. I like the real estate that I have on my phone.
Light, but not too much. This of course is preference. Some people think that having a heavier glass back makes your phone more solid (no comment).
The screen is quite beautiful. However, I currently have a screen protector on my phone 'cause I'm paranoid of scratching the glass (no matter how durable any company says their glass is), which makes it kinda crappier.
I'm running stock Android, it seems to be pretty intuitive. I've never liked the iPhone interface and I found ICS to be decently easy to figure out. I've heard the new Windows phone is supposed to be better than both but I haven't seen one myself.
Apparently unlike previous Android phones, the Galaxy Nexus + ICS is quite snappy.
I'm new to smartphones but man, Google's Navigate app is awesome. Idk if Maps has the same functionality on iOS or others but the voice-directed turn-by-turn navigation is so useful when you have no idea where you're going.
Folders on home screen makes it really easy to organize apps.
I really like the notification light. The stock notification LED system makes it kind of slow but I have an app that allows me to fully customize how it acts.


Cons

My phone has frozen up and required restart a few times since I've gotten it. I don't know if this became less common with updates, hopefully it does.
Regarding updates, the Nexus line was supposed to get updates directly from Google whenever they came out, or so everyone thought. I'm stuck on 4.0.1, the current version is either 4.0.2 or 4.0.3. I've tried contacting my carrier and Samsung and they both deny having control over the updates. I haven't spoken to a Google rep yet but a quick search shows that Google will also deny having control over a certain build of ICS. I'm sure this would easily be solved if I were willing to root my phone and run a mod like the OP but I'm too paranoid about bricking it.
There are times when the phone isn't as snappy as it should be, e.g. pressing the Home button, running certain apps. I think the RAM usage could be optimized to solve this problem.
I did say that I valued the screen size, but on the other hand the spot just up at the top on the far side from your thumb is hard to press. One-handed operation is still completely possible but you may have to sacrifice grip security to hit that one spot.
The media speaker's on the back. It can somewhat muffled if you're watching a video or something with your phone lying on a table, or especially if you have your phone on a non-flat, soft surface e.g. blanket.
Certain apps don't work as well because devs just focus on iOS, understandably so because of the fragmentation of Android, can make it very difficult for a programmer to try to make an app compatible with every phone. Still frustrating. One such app is Medscape, apparently not so compatible with ICS (but works with previous versions of Android). That being said, ICS still does have a wide variety of both fun and functional apps.


My personal experience with Apple products (I'll leave it at iPhone):

iPhones are not that intuitive. If all the Apple fanboys spoke the truth, then I should have been able to just pick one up and easily figure out what I wanted to do with it, but not so.
Apple seems to value high quality screens. I can only imagine the next iPhone will have an amazingly high res screen to match the pixel density of the latest iPad. Then again, what difference does that make on a tiny 4 inch phone (although they might make it bigger according to various internet speculators). The super AMOLED screens that are common on Androids still have pretty good pixel density though, so I don't think you could really make this a deciding factor.
Making a phone entirely out of glass might be stylish, but just makes it twice as fragile. Turns out if you drop an iPhone 4S from a decent height, it tends to shatter. Watch Gizmo Slip drop tests on YouTube. Now they did tests on the Nexus as well, turns out if you drop it directly on its screen it also breaks (glass actually can break, who would have thought?). However, if the point of impact is on the back then it's more likely to survive, and you can't say the same for the iPhone.
My friend has had trouble updating their older iPhone 4 to the newest OS, so Apple's system is clearly not all fine and dandy either.

[Legion]

Thanks for the info.

The sad thing is that when it comes to android, updates are a pain in the a$$. Specially if you have a samsung phone, because it takes forever for them to bring out the update for your specific phone (that's one major downfall of android phones together with the less intense app development compared to IOS).

To be honest though, I still believe apple has the best touchscreen quality products out here. It is absolutely fluid and smooth when using the touchscreen on the ipad and iphone. But I'm still gonna stick with my android :D

How long have you had your phone? I understand when you first get a new tablet or phone, you become very hesitant to run custom roms on them. But when time passes, it kind of becomes necessary :p

[trojjanhorse]

I had a tablet (Samsung 10.1) and used it for a month to see if I could integrate it into my daily use between my smartphone and my macbook pro, but i simply couldn't. Android still got a bit of maturing to do on the tablet side.

I'm currently running CM9 nightly on my Nexus and the battery lasts me 2 days (~40 hours). I've got the phone tweaked to perform just for my needs.

I use Light Flow (paid app) to take advantage of the notification lights for various apps. [flash RED for mail, GREEN for SMS, YELLOW for GTALK, BLUE for twitter, and so forth] This way I don't have to constantly check my phone to see if someone has messaged me or not. Furthermore! With the same app, I can customize the vibrate pattern for different apps if the phone is in my pocket and I can't see the notification LED light.

I use Titanium Back-Up Pro (paid app) to simply back all of my apps and settings so that when I play around with other's and my ROMs, I can run a batch operation to reload all my apps and settings as if nothing has happened. I don't have to reenter settings for my apps. Life saver.

SABMobile (paid app) as a remote client for my usenet/NZB. I leave my macbook pro at home and when I'm out, I get notifications via (RSS) of recent TV shows in 720p or new XBOX360 games that are released and I get to decide to download them via the app by asking my macbook to download them and be ready to play in HD when I get home :)

(Game of Thrones, House of Lies, White Collar, and South Park are just a few of my favourite shows).

A lot of people have no idea what usenets/NZBs are, all they know is torrents which are a lot slower and more unreliable.

AdAway: to block all ads in free apps.

Mint.com: app to keep an eye on my financial bank accounts in real time.

SWYPE!!! <-- use this app to type (more like slide) if you want to text A LOT faster or you only have one finger on your hand.

MangaWhat: Read manga

Pocket: Encrypted database to save credit card, debit, licenses, etc.. info.

SMS Backup+: Backs up all your text messages and call history in your gmail (in hidden folders) just in case if you happen to delete it or simply want a back up of your history. Also if you happen to wipe your phone or go to a different phone, you can run this app and it will restore your messages from your gmail to your phone. Amazing tool (Apple doesn't allow this, not even jailbroken iphones).

The list could go on, but the above is what I use the most.

An android phone can be catered so much to your needs that it's ridiculous. I tried an iphone few times but it's so restrictive that it drove me insane (and it was jailbroken). Google Navigation is a God sent. It constantly gives you live traffic info so you get a realistic ETA and gives you directions based on the fastest route based on traffic.

The best part of the Galaxy Nexus is that it's Pentaband (can transmit via all frequencies to be used on all carriers).

I'm quite hesitant on switching phones so quick now since the Nexus is by far the best phone I have owned (and I've owned nearly all leading smartphones, from Nexus one, htc hero, htc magic, vibrant, s2). The HTC One X has a notification light on the top right behind the ear speaker mesh, but not sure if it uses RGB LED to manipulate all colours. Plus the CM9 is coming on nicely on GNexus and the team and I are planning on making it more stable.

[PhoenixFlare500]

Light Flow's the app I use, except I just have the free version. I'll probably pay for it if it ever goes on sale. What exactly is involved in putting CM9 on your phone? And what are the benefits/drawbacks?

[trojjanhorse]

Hey Phoenix, I'll answer that tomorrow after some rest

[megaMooMoo]

Hey Phoenix, I'll answer that tomorrow after some rest

hey man

used an iphone, hated it now using my ancient htc incredible S. loving the android. i have a samsung 10.1 tab as well and you're right, the touch screen really sucks comapred to a 1st gen ipad. only got it bc its alot lighter than my laptop, even with its wireless keyboar attachment.

dont really know what youre talking about, wish i were more techy, but i still luvvvvv it

[holiday1001]

omg I'm having the same dilemma, htc one x or SIII. I'm leaning toward the SIII for one basic reason: bigger, removable battery.

I'm running andromadus beta 3 (Based on the most recent CM releases), on HTC Desire Z (hard to believe I've only had this phone for one year, the sheer number of new androids coming out every month is staggering!)

I used to use "LED me know" but it actually drained my battery quite quick.
One invaluable app I use is DeskSMS. It's just fantastic.

[trojjanhorse]

I use desksms too :)

Phoenix, if you want to put a custom rom on your nexus, you'll need to root the phone first. Rooting is equivalent to jailbreaking. Once rooted, you'll have to flash a custom ROM. All this info can be found via XDA-DEVELOPERS.com (in their forums section). Google/youtube can also help. Give it a go and if stuck, let me know and i can be of help.

Both HTC One X and SIII are dual core (only international versions are quad core). SIII has a removable 2100mAh battery + microSD card slot. I really want to wait and see what motorola has to offer and make up my mind then.

[benhc911]

Apple seems to value high quality screens. I can only imagine the next iPhone will have an amazingly high res screen to match the pixel density of the latest iPad. Then again, what difference does that make on a tiny 4 inch phone (although they might make it bigger according to various internet speculators). The super AMOLED screens that are common on Androids still have pretty good pixel density though, so I don't think you could really make this a deciding factor.


While not super important, I wanted to clarify that the iPhone only has a 3.5 inch screen if my memory serves me correctly...

I'm running a rooted and slightly modded sgs cappy, and have been debating between the sgs3, or waiting for the note2, or next nexus... or an HTC... or who knows... one of the big pros of android is the choice. Flip phone, slider, portrait or landscape keyboard, or a dozen different slates, from the tiny (xperia mini pro) to the massive (note), with kickstands, styluses, dual screens, dedicated game controls and other weird options... and that choice is mirrored in the flexibity and openness of the OS.

[Legion]

Anyone thinks the new iphone will be 4+ inches ? I doubt it myself as apple doesn't like copying others.

If I was on rogers, I would definitely get the HTC one x. It's by far the best android phone in the market right now.

[PhoenixFlare500]

Anyone thinks the new iphone will be 4+ inches ? I doubt it myself as apple doesn't like copying others.

If I was on rogers, I would definitely get the HTC one x. It's by far the best android phone in the market right now.
Some people think iPhones will get bigger just 'cause big Androids have been selling well, but the typical Apple fanboy keeps saying that it's the perfect size. Then again Apple does quite well just by telling people what they want, not by giving them what they want. And Apple has already copied Android in some ways e.g. notifications system.

[holiday1001]

played with a htc one x at futureshop today. the SLCD is actually only a minor improvement upon my SLCD (desire z). can't wait for the sgIII model to arrive on the floor. word is that it's less saturated than the previous iterations of the OLED screen.

[trojjanhorse]

played with a htc one x at futureshop today. the SLCD is actually only a minor improvement upon my SLCD (desire z). can't wait for the sgIII model to arrive on the floor. word is that it's less saturated than the previous iterations of the OLED screen.

I want to play with the SIII as well, but i will have to wait for about 3-4 months until futureshop has it on display. I'm still hoping motorola will release something worthy by then. I also got a chance to tinker with the One X at futureshop: very minimalistic in terms of design and camera is fantastic.

[benhc911]

I want to play with the SIII as well, but i will have to wait for about 3-4 months until futureshop has it on display. I'm still hoping motorola will release something worthy by then. I also got a chance to tinker with the One X at futureshop: very minimalistic in terms of design and camera is fantastic.

Yeah, its that camera that really makes me consider HTC for my next phone, Sammy isn't known for decent phone optics... HTC is about the best outside Nokia

[mm88]

thoughts on the galaxy note? I think it would be too awkwardly large as a phone and too damn small for viewing anything important...

[trojjanhorse]

thoughts on the galaxy note? I think it would be too awkwardly large as a phone and too damn small for viewing anything important...

Galaxy note... It never even crossed my mind. It is pentaband (if you hack it), but it's way too big. But the norm is changing. I don't see myself using a phone to draw sh*t and don't want to use a stylus. The SIII is 4.8inches. Has a miniml bezel so it looks a bit smaller. Wait and see?

[Legion]

I want to play with the SIII as well, but i will have to wait for about 3-4 months until futureshop has it on display. I'm still hoping motorola will release something worthy by then. I also got a chance to tinker with the One X at futureshop: very minimalistic in terms of design and camera is fantastic.

S3 is coming to Bell in about a month. Just go to a Bell store and check it out. It probably won't come on Rogers for another 2-3 months. Damn I wished the One X was on Bell :D

[PhoenixFlare500]

Galaxy note... It never even crossed my mind. It is pentaband (if you hack it), but it's way too big. But the norm is changing. I don't see myself using a phone to draw sh*t and don't want to use a stylus. The SIII is 4.8inches. Has a miniml bezel so it looks a bit smaller. Wait and see?

If you're getting the Galaxy Note you'll probably have to do it with the mindset of using it as a mini tablet (as opposed to mostly a phone) with the flexibility of Android (like if you were thinking of going for an iPad to take on the wards but didn't want to lug around a big 10 inch tablet in your white coat).

And you clearly never discovered the fun but fleeting fad that was Draw Something.

[Legion]

A lot of sources are confirming a 4 inch iphone so I guess Apple has decided to go with the flow.

For whoever is interested, Bell just released the HTC One S today for $99 on 3 year contract. It's a step down from HTC One X but a good phone overall.

[trojjanhorse]

Just found out that there will be 5 nexus devices out this year. I'm definitely waiting to see the 5