Why all the hype over Android

[corElement]

So I've been using a windows phone 7 smartphone for a few months and got to play around with some android devices recently and I have to ask..How do people survive with android? the ui is laggy..the os is so cluttered.. the interface is bloated with useless elements and the apps have no linear standard and each one is different. The battery gets guzzled by non standardized apps. No doubt the android app market is huge but 90% of those apps are not the ones people use daily.

How did android even become this popular? It's a resource hog! It takes multiple cores and a lot of ram to perform compared to iOS and WP7. WP7 does with 600mhz and 256 mb ram that android takes dual cores and a gb's of ram. The lower end android devices are so horribly laggy!

I noticed the interface is very laggy compared to wp7 as well. Got a huge headache trying to wrap my head around android's clutter.

Even here surveys show people unhappy with android and needing technical support more than ios or wp7

Mobile Operating Systems - Readers' Choice Awards 2012: Smartphones and Mobile Carriers | PCMag.com

What's making people flock to it? just random word of mouth? It makes me think of a bunch of rats jumping off a cliff at the music of a piper!

 

[iaudio]

Yep, android comes with its share of niggles. As you have rightly pointed out, its a resource hog. What iOs and WP do with a single core, android would need dual core to run things smoothly and probably an extra dose of RAM.

Now what attracts people, generally, to it. I believe, android, is similar, to our Windows PC experience. So the people do not feel like they are leaving their comfort zone. (eg. sideloading apps, lots of free software). You can do pretty much anything, though it may not do it in the most efficient manner. A sense of freedom.

For many guys like me, it is the chance to simply tinker with it. Changing custom ROMs, changing the look and feel of the device, overclocking, underclocking.
I have a 2 year old( ancient in tech world) Samsung Galaxy S. Though Samsung will not officially roll out more updates, a strong dev community means that I have at my disposal a wide variety of custom roms based on the latest updates like ICS or JB.

I can download an mp3 and listen to it if I want, unlike on an iPhone where I wouldnt be allowed to do that. I would have to get another app to just do that.

And with all this freedom and great power( admin/root priveleges) comes great responsibility! You have more chances to screw up the device. Esp because of the fact that quality control in Play store is so bad. Also compared to ios or wp, standardisation, as far as hardware goes, is non existent. Quite hard, then, for app developers to ensure a smooth experience across different devices. And that is the irony, you have variety( unlike iphone, you have umpteen types of androids) but that comes at the cost of stability.

 

[haisaikat]

I was never an Android fan earlier. Had used several Nokia based Smart phones and Symbian was my fav all the time. Started with S40 and then went to S60 and finally S3 with my Nokia C7-00 (lost ?). S3 was a remarkable improvement over S60. On the other hand my wife had a Samsung Galaxy Y Duos with Android OS. Over time the following made me think of Android
1. I had to buy separate app for wifi tethering on Nokia (Symbian S3) which comes built in with Android (saves money)
2. The picture browser is better in Android as compared to S3 unless you are installing some custom app
3. Search Nokia App Store with upnp, you will get no hits, do it on Google Play, lots of hits for clients.
4. The Nokia S3, Play To custom app never worked in my case.
5. Use your phone as hotspot for some time (10 mins), Nokia gets super heated. Android based Samsung is not like that
6. I have a friend who has a Nokia N8 (same OS), he can never install on his memory card, always have to install on his built in memory
7. I was on lookout for foobar 2000 controller on Nokia Store, no results but there are indeed hits in Andrioid app market
8. Lastly I found that on many websites who make custom apps for their shopping cart based system, etc are making for IOS and Android only, symbian or rim (blackberry) are not advertised by default.

 

[sachin_k5]

After using a HTC Radar Windows phone and my better half using an Android, i recommend an Android for any non techie user. Setting up Zune is a big pain...how many can understand 'Synchronization' between Zune and windows phone.

Best..junk both, go for Symbian...There is beauty in simplicity

 

[chirag007]

you have generalized that android phones are laggy!

It is true with various version of OS like 4.0.3 sucks while 2.3.4 was supurb.

However, if you use Samsung Galaxy S2, S3, Note then you will definately admire. Before having S2; I also used to hate all smart phone OSs!!! But its adaptibility!!!!!

 

[iaudio]

As far as support, apps and accessories, iPhone is always at the top and by a very wide margin!
Every company will have an app for iOS if not for anything else. Also there is no dearth of accessories compatible with iPhones.

haisakat, I was very much into Symbian too. I had a Nokia 6630 in 2005. Shifted to Sony Ericsson Walkman, then again Symbian with Nokia N91, Windows Mob 6.1( Htc Touch) and then s40( nokia 5130) and now finally Samsung Galaxy S for the last two years. I am quite happy with the phone and I can live android despite the quirks and niggles.
I will definitely try out something like Nokia 920 or buy an iPhone when I can afford one, but as of now Android is what fits my needs.
I cant do without drag and drop, android lets me do that. It is in similar vein, that I dont use iPods, rather an humble Sansa Clip!

 

[kGr99]

Android - Camping in an open jungle, you can get away with what is available or make it your paradise
iOS/wp7 - Camping in a national park, they make you feel like home with all that you need at your disposal and _strictly_ nothing more

You decide what you'd enjoy more :lol:

PS: symbian/rim - a visit to your local zoo may be?
Sorry for the troll

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

There's a heap of reasons, some rational, some pure prejudice, but pretty-much based on experience, why I have done with microsoft. I don't want them on my desktop, and I certainly don't want them in my pocket. Similarly, I don't want anything to do with Apple either, although, in more practical terms, I would never pay iPhone money for something that might slip out of my pocket and disappear down a drain !

Probably, I would have stayed with Nokia. The last non-Windows Nokia seems to be really, really good, and a really great design too. As for Nokia in the future, see para. 1!

As for Nokia in the past, Isn't Symbian just as much a mess as Android? Is it easy to find stuff in Nokia's weird menu hierarchies? My N82 was certainly a mess. I'd describe Nokia as being sub-microsoft in programming. Two great advantages: Nokia's Maps, and the possibly overwhelming advantage that it was easier and simpler at just being a phone :lol:

So... No to Microsoft, No to Apple, No (slightly reluctantly) to Nokia. I use Linux on my desktop. Moving to Android seemed to make sense ---even though it effectively means putting one's head into the mouth of just another corporate giant, Google, who are probably no less evil than Apple or Microsoft.

Is Android perfect? No. But it is immensely changeable. There is quite a variety of different user interface styles available from the different vendors, and, in the end, I guess we can always choose our own. Too cluttered? Unclutter it. Don't like the apps? Change them! You can do whatever you like with an Android phone, even down to changing the operating system itself.

I never understood the app statistics, though. Does the number of available WP packages make one desktop OS superior to another? Maybe the kiddies might mind the difference between ten thousand games and a hundred thousand!

I've given up carrying a phone. I don't make many calls anyway, so why bother?

I now carry a miniature computer in my pocket. Given its size and cost, it it not surprising if it is sometimes a little slow. It gets called upon to act as a camera (defy+, bad I'm afraid), a GPS unit, a remote control for my Squeezebox and several other things too, even occasionally, a phone!

 

[Oakley]

OP

Two technology giants have given the end users something which was unimaginable few years ago. Lets make full use of them, without being critical.

Each technology has its own pros cons, we are the best judge for which technology suits well.

Personally I use both android and iOS, they excell in their own way.

Thank you giants for technology and products

Oak

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

That's nice. Much nicer than my attitude: Thank you microsoft, for your bad business practice, bad software which you expect us to pay all over again for every time you improve it, and for much of the hassle of my working life.

Well, they certainly reduced the quality of my working life, but they made my career, because it was PCs on every desk that made me the assistant manager of a department, rather than number-two in a two-man team running some servers.

So, it wasn't all bad :lol: But having got out of their pocket, I'm not putting them in mine!

 

[doors666]

What are the alternatives to android? Nothing.

Apple is too expensive, I have much better uses for 35,000 bucks than buy a phone. Heck, I can buy a great amp for that much. What do they provide under 10k, nothing.

Microsoft - see thad's comments. Dont want their OS on a mobile. They cant run a good OS on a PC, what hope does a mobile has.

What else is there?

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Heck, I can buy a great amp for that much.

Best point yet! :lol:

 

[maniac_2004]

What do they provide under 10k, nothing.

Do you also feel (like me) that mobile phones should cost around the 4k mark max .. ?

I just use my phone to receive calls .. not even SMS... hyeah:

I have a BBery but havent as yet used any of those "apps". Do they serve any purpose

 

[corElement]

So much bias everywhere against microsoft...*shakes head in dismay*

Honestly, I really suggest those who have never used WP7 to use a good WP device. Relating the desktop os to the phone OS is a farcry.

Out of all the replies, the most logical and bias free response was iaudio's

Yep, android comes with its share of niggles. As you have rightly pointed out, its a resource hog. What iOs and WP do with a single core, android would need dual core to run things smoothly and probably an extra dose of RAM.

Now what attracts people, generally, to it. I believe, android, is similar, to our Windows PC experience. So the people do not feel like they are leaving their comfort zone. (eg. sideloading apps, lots of free software). You can do pretty much anything, though it may not do it in the most efficient manner. A sense of freedom.

For many guys like me, it is the chance to simply tinker with it. Changing custom ROMs, changing the look and feel of the device, overclocking, underclocking.
I have a 2 year old( ancient in tech world) Samsung Galaxy S. Though Samsung will not officially roll out more updates, a strong dev community means that I have at my disposal a wide variety of custom roms based on the latest updates like ICS or JB.

I can download an mp3 and listen to it if I want, unlike on an iPhone where I wouldnt be allowed to do that. I would have to get another app to just do that.

And with all this freedom and great power( admin/root priveleges) comes great responsibility! You have more chances to screw up the device. Esp because of the fact that quality control in Play store is so bad. Also compared to ios or wp, standardisation, as far as hardware goes, is non existent. Quite hard, then, for app developers to ensure a smooth experience across different devices. And that is the irony, you have variety( unlike iphone, you have umpteen types of androids) but that comes at the cost of stability.

 

[rud3dawg]

Hehe.. Kudos Thad E Ginathom for your success using Open source!!!! .


As far as the OS Android :: WP7:: IOS I have used Symbian s40, s60 , Win5, 6 and checked out 7 , IOS ,right from the first one till the latest .. I agree there are some versions of Android which are more bugged that others.. but personally I ve seen the drastic improvement in this beautiful open source OS unlike the expensive corporate OSs (Call me prejudiced .. but so are many around here if you happen to observe.... ). I also know with Open source OS comes the fear of Virus and Malware etc.. but come on!!!.. its everywhere.. like IOS has very few loop holes along with very few advantages The compatibility factor is amazing...personally I find few reasons which make an Android OS more potent in my practical experience

1. IOS in comparison has good support but really.. how many different devices does the IOS support team work on ??? lets see Iphone 2,3, 3g(s),4, 4s, 5 in comparison to the lets see.. about 100s or close to 1000 different devices using Android and again.. WP7 is only used in recent devices.. The old Win OS phones are not really up to the test even. :indifferent14:

2. I have used WP5 which sucked in comparison to the Android 2.x.x even... my HTC touch pro didnt even support skype with its factory installed WIN OS (dont remember which 1 exactly it was definitely < 6)

3. I feel if I IOS is taken into consideration its only on I phones and no other phones..to put it plainly.. iphones+iso is a bit like Bose in an Audiophilic world (Expensive for the features delivered and a lot of useless hype..)

4. file support and pairing support.. is not up to mark in the new windows OS.. I checked mango where a Windows phone refuses to pair with Android where are older Windows phone was pairing fine which I had seen long time ago. Lets leave out IOS from this concept completely.

etc etc.... In my experience Microsoft didnt change its attitude much in mobile sector but Android was already there... If corresponding Linux would ve been released before Win 3.11 or so... I feel PC market would ve been different... With high priced products tagged are some benefits but I feel there are many such products which are not worth the price...I use Win 7 (PC) because of the compatibility with several apps and games.. mostly GAMES . If linux had all the support that Windows had ....may be a few less apps and tools I would ve been happy with Linux and pay a bit extra for some premium apps and tools even.

In summary I am just showing how a Prejudiced speaker can always make the PROs shine too bright and the cons to fade away behind the glare ... Ain't I !!!



Just my experience. Hope this helps more than anything else to some one at least

 

[rud3dawg]

I am still supporting Android because I see a lot more features and apps to my convenience in it and also as I see it to be much more powerful in the future than any other current OS..

Forgot to add this point.. !!!

 

[doors666]

android is not buggy or slow. its the manufacturers packaging the OS, configuring the OS, installing and bundling apps that make it so.

 

[rud3dawg]

android is not buggy or slow. its the manufacturers packaging the OS, configuring the OS, installing and bundling apps that make it so.

totally agree to that.. and also if you have noticed there are a large number of devices that are supported by that same OS.. hehhe...

 

[corElement]

Android - Camping in an open jungle, you can get away with what is available or make it your paradise
iOS/wp7 - Camping in a national park, they make you feel like home with all that you need at your disposal and _strictly_ nothing more

You decide what you'd enjoy more :lol:

PS: symbian/rim - a visit to your local zoo may be?
Sorry for the troll

Quite a nice comparison if I may say so. I did indeed feel like I was "Lost in the jungle" when using android. So many things on the UI which I will never use and I dont want. While with iOS and WP7 things were a lot more "linear" and more user friendly compared to non standardized interfaces and apps in android.

This is my Samsung Focus S windows phone 7.5 device that I got for 10k inr

Samsung Focus S Hands-On - YouTube

 

[aneelr]

android is not buggy or slow. its the manufacturers packaging the OS, configuring the OS, installing and bundling apps that make it so.

Compared to iOS, the Android (ICS) is a bit sluggish. I've seen this in the S3. Just scroll through the contact list and see how it struggles to refresh it self as opposed to the smoothness in iOS. It may not be too evident, but it's there. Android is yet to catch up with iOS interms of OS operating smoothness.