Android phone recommendations/discussion?

[MikeDT]

Originally Posted by 951socal

android "universe" is overrated can't find a damn app that plays videos (unless i want to shell out $5)

battery life is **** unless you download some cobbled together app called advanced task killer, and turn off anything that all the phone manufactueres brag about on commercials.

Sounds like a cheap one running an old version.

 

[951socal]

Originally Posted by MikeDT

Sounds like a cheap one running an old version.

Ya its the older 2.3 version no flash player like the newer 3.0 phones

Don't get me wrong the phone functions great its that this os just fails to live up to the hpe like most things. The best way I can put it is that it was marketed as an "iphone killer" and rated as such by all these tech shows and pc magazines when in reality its just a cheap knockoff of the ios/app store google rushed out.

To get simple features like wifi tethering and to change the skins on widgets I had to get root accsess, something simple in linux right? Well you void the warranty of the phone and break just about every TOS agreement that came with it.

Essentially being thrown into what they consider pirates (root phone torrent paid apps and install or torrent leaked paid apps and install) when you want to use a feature the old palm pres had well over 3 years ago.

I don't know if forcing users to root their phones is a gimick to skirt warranty laws/ void any agreements a salesman pushed whilst comparing it to the superior products (apple and windows) or just another backwards aspect of the cluster **** of an operating system referred to as android.

 

[Jumbie]

Originally Posted by dah328

QQ player


u r doin it rong.

+1

Obviously no clue what he's talking about.

 

[kekrre]

Originally Posted by 951socal

Ya its the older 2.3 version no flash player like the newer 3.0 phones

Don't get me wrong the phone functions great its that this os just fails to live up to the hpe like most things. The best way I can put it is that it was marketed as an "iphone killer" and rated as such by all these tech shows and pc magazines when in reality its just a cheap knockoff of the ios/app store google rushed out.

To get simple features like wifi tethering and to change the skins on widgets I had to get root accsess, something simple in linux right? Well you void the warranty of the phone and break just about every TOS agreement that came with it.

Essentially being thrown into what they consider pirates (root phone torrent paid apps and install or torrent leaked paid apps and install) when you want to use a feature the old palm pres had well over 3 years ago.

I don't know if forcing users to root their phones is a gimick to skirt warranty laws/ void any agreements a salesman pushed whilst comparing it to the superior products (apple and windows) or just another backwards aspect of the cluster **** of an operating system referred to as android.

There are no 3.0 phones--it's their tablet OS. 2.3(.3?) is the latest smartphone version. It does have a flash player. Generally, the manufacturer provides a video player that can play most video files. Using a task killer (and probably a ton of crap like widgets) is killing your battery life; Android "keeps" things in memory to improve performance.

Rooting your phone to access tethering (thus violating your TOS agreement) is only necessary if you don't wish to pay for tethering on your carrier. You have to do the same thing on the iPhone (jailbreak, break TOS agreement, void warranty) if you want to "steal" (I use that term loosely) tethering ability. You don't "have" to root your phone to access the features that you don't "have" to have. You will have to pay for tethering or "pirate" your phone, even with "superior" products like WP7 and iOS. Also, if you attempt to obtain tethering illicitly on the iPhone on AT&T, AT&T has made it clear that they will kindly bump up your monthly rate $20 into the "iPhone data with tethering" plan. So far, AT&T has not complained about me using my phone's 3G for light surfing, from time to time.

Installing pirated apps is piracy. Complaining about it being "necessary" is disingenuous. I rooted my phone and obtained free tethering from a number of different free and legally obtained apps before getting one cooked into a ROM (from a European version of the software for my phone). If you're stealing torrented, illegally obtained apps, you are most likely violating the law; there is no need to steal anything for any of the features you've listed. Free solutions exit for both video playback and tethering, some of which do not require you to violate your TOS agreement.

iPhones are only a single performance category (high), as are most Windows phones. Android spans a range from free to premium. If you get a cheap phone, you'll get **** performance. A bit of cursory research is enough to steer you in the right direction (after all, it's likely a ~$200 down, 2-year contract valued at at least $1200---why would you listen to what a salesperson is trying to sell you without doing your own research?). If you think Android is bad, good luck with a WP7 device in terms of "support", "stability" and "superiority".

 

[951socal]

I use that app to kill the programs that eat battery life/backround processes. max battery life i can get is 2 days which is pretty ****.

Tethering is an example of feature people mention here, howwever it should be excluded from any comparison due to the fact that enabling it, voids the TOS agreements and warranty of not only the phone manufactuerer but distributor and service provider.

The android market feature is really ust a product of clever marketing, there isn't much substance to the substantal hype the marketing machine backing it creates.

Im just trying to inform someone in the decison making process of the drawbacks of the android marketing system, where he was bringing it up as a direct comparison to other mobile OS options. Android does have some points going for it, but head to head with what the other user was comapirng it agaisnt the draw backs are substantial.

During my research of the phones and service providers prior to my phone purchase i would've appreciated a post like mine that cut through all the bullshit and adressed the realistic drawbacks of the android OS. I know this is the android thread but, clearly misleading someone is the wrong thing to do.

i stand by my reccomendation, the New windows mobile platform is pretty powerful, this coming from someone who started off with the WM2003 prior to moving onto other symbian and non-smart phone platforms. And as a previous iphone owner, i still reccomend the IOS over the android system, until google adress some much needed issues that stem from the diversity of the OS.

I realize this is the android thread, but clearly misleading someone and bringing up a number of features that require a long explanation in how to actually use it, and the risks you are taking when you activate these features is something that makes the OS weaker than it actually is.

 

[Alfa159]

Originally Posted by 951socal

I use that app to kill the programs that eat battery life/backround processes. max battery life i can get is 2 days which is pretty ****.

You do realize that kill program apps are useless for a Linux based OS....Those apps actually do more hurt for the phone than they do good...

 

[951socal]

Originally Posted by Alfa159

You do realize that kill program apps are useless for a Linux based OS....Those apps actually do more hurt for the phone than they do good...

how so?

 

[otc]

Originally Posted by 951socal

I use that app to kill the programs that eat battery life/backround processes. max battery life i can get is 2 days which is pretty ****.

Count yourself lucky that that is plural "days"

Phones these days have terrible battery life...even iphone users are in the habit of charging nightly so I don't know what smart phone you are going to use that does better (unless you stick with some outdated phone from when they actually had batteries)

 

[jemmy78]

obviously sgs2 which "makes other phones cry in shame

" and as compared to even prestigious apple's iphone 4 its lot better. The thing that surprises

me is its cost. It is pretty inexpensive and budget friendly than that of costly iphone 4 andany other new smart phones matching its capabilities. Iphone 4 has 3.5 inch display while samsung galaxy s2 has 4.2 inch. Important is sg2 offers both high resolution camera's 8MP rear and 2MP front

while that lame iphone

with high cost offers both 5MP rear and cheap front camera.

 

[Szeph el raton]

Originally Posted by 951socal

I use that app to kill the programs that eat battery life/backround processes. max battery life i can get is 2 days which is pretty ****.
I get 2 days out of my Samsung Galaxy S. Colleague in the office next to mine gets 2 days out of his iPhone 4. But there's so many people who constantly run with GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi enabled even though they're not actively using it that it's no wonder their batteries are sucked empty in one day.

Tethering is an example of feature people mention here, howwever it should be excluded from any comparison due to the fact that enabling it, voids the TOS agreements and warranty of not only the phone manufactuerer but distributor and service provider.

I have a Samsung Galaxy S running Android 2.2. It's not rooted because I don't need that and... guess what... it comes with Tethering out of the box.

The android market feature is really ust a product of clever marketing, there isn't much substance to the substantal hype the marketing machine backing it creates.

95% of the Apps in the iTunes App Store, which I use with my iPad, are complete waste of server space. If I look at my colleagues' iPhone, 80% of the apps they have installed are used once a month or never. How much of this App nonsense do people need? At least I can have functionality directly on the home screen with Android, with the iPad I always have to go to the settings screen to enable or disable 3G or WiFi.

I don't see all the hate for Android you spill. Android or iOS? Same same, just different.

 

[951socal]

Originally Posted by Szeph el ratón

I get 2 days out of my Samsung Galaxy S. Colleague in the office next to mine gets 2 days out of his iPhone 4. But there's so many people who constantly run with GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi enabled even though they're not actively using it that it's no wonder their batteries are sucked empty in one day.

I have a Samsung Galaxy S running Android 2.2. It's not rooted because I don't need that and... guess what... it comes with Tethering out of the box.

95% of the Apps in the iTunes App Store, which I use with my iPad, are complete waste of server space. If I look at my colleagues' iPhone, 80% of the apps they have installed are used once a month or never. How much of this App nonsense do people need? At least I can have functionality directly on the home screen with Android, with the iPad I always have to go to the settings screen to enable or disable 3G or WiFi.

I don't see all the hate for Android you spill. Android or iOS? Same same, just different.

i don't hate it, i still use it 3 months in, its just it has significant drawbacks that just aren't addressed in forums and threads like this.

most of the apps in the "free" section are just downloadable shortcuts which open up the browser and have you visit a website that has the features advertised as the functions of the acual app.

best example of this, all of the TV on android apps.

its just a fair warning for those who are considering the system.

 

[Pilot]

FWIW, I've never downloaded an app that took me to a webpage to buy it.

 

[Alfa159]

Originally Posted by 951socal

how so?
Here is a summary

Android is different to most other phone operating systems. It's closer to Linux than any other type of operating system. Lots of services and applications constantly run in the background just like they do on Windows. However, and this is important, they do not have to use up a ton of resources. A service or app can be loaded, yet use almost no additional memory, and 0% CPU until it actually has to do something. In general, killing off stuff is a waste of time. Android automatically asks apps to close that aren't needed when it needs more memory. Killing off some of the processes you are killing off also means it'll slow your phone down, as these processes only need to reload, and when you do need to use them it means the phone will be slower for the few seconds it takes to reload them.

 

[951socal]

Originally Posted by Pilot

FWIW, I've never downloaded an app that took me to a webpage to buy it.

That's not what I said
Please re read the post then this clarification


Most free apps are just website shorcuts you download

Cooking recipes usually are just webpage links that open up the broswer

There are no free apps that take you to. A website requesting you buy something where do you read that?
Pm me and ill link you to an app that shows you what I mean if you still don't understand.

 

[MikeDT]

Originally Posted by 951socal

i don't hate it, i still use it 3 months in, its just it has significant drawbacks that just aren't addressed in forums and threads like this. most of the apps in the "free" section are just downloadable shortcuts which open up the browser and have you visit a website that has the features advertised as the functions of the acual app. best example of this, all of the TV on android apps.
Now I've never seen any of what you describe at all. Possibly be a regional thing? Do these 'TV on android apps' take you to Hulu, Comedy Central, CBS, etc, (all USA only) or similar? I've been using an unlocked UK version Samsung Galaxy S running 2.2 Froyo' since October 2010 phone both in the UK and China. Cant ever recall seeing these 'shortcut' apps either in the Market.

Originally Posted by 951socal

its just a fair warning for those who are considering the system.
There is a hell of a lot of **** and some really quite nasty stuff in the Android Market, Useless flash-light, tip calculators and wallpaper apps which demand GPS position, camera, SMS, phone calls, email, full internet access etc,. Google really needs to do something about this 'malware'. Maybe take the Apple iOS approach and start curating and approving apps. BTW I bought the Android Samsung phone after considering the iPhone 4, but the iTunes requirement and non-standard SIM size killed that idea. The Samsung phone has actually worked out great for my uses. But I tend be extremely careful, and only install the apps I actually need and trust.