Android Phone Information

[JustGav]

People have been mentioning having an android discussion thread for a while.

 

So, lets start this one off nicely

 

With google's new Nexus S phone which is coming to the UK, featuring 2.3

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11930190

 

[edinlexusV8]

I think unlike Nexus One this will be a major success for Google and Android. From the initial reviews the hardware is impressive, search, voice recognition, and other google applications are amazing along with the huge market place, cannot see this phone going for anything but glory. May be this will be the first Andriod phone that might compete with an IPhone 4 until 4.5 comes out.

[JustGav]

A lot of the voice recognition stuff works with a little modification (Ask Graham who just tried it and dialed his house number, missus won't be impressed )

 

Download the latest google search and swap your language to US english. The recognition all takes place over at google, so there isn't that much processing on the phone, which does help with slower phones.

 

Graham bought a ZTE Blade (Orange San Francisco), after having a look at one I brought home, and so far has been chuffed to bits with it. Bear in mind the blade is a £100 pay as you go, 2.2 capable device, so is REALLY cheap, okay build quality isn't great, but bang for buck it is a brilliant device. I'll ask Gray to put up a mini review

 

Network unlocks and rom changes are dead easy to do on it as well.

 

http://www.techmagdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/images/Orange_San_Francisco_Android_Phone.jpg

[Scott]

I think unlike Nexus One this will be a major success for Google and Android. From the initial reviews the hardware is impressive, search, voice recognition, and other google applications are amazing along with the huge market place, cannot see this phone going for anything but glory. May be this will be the first Andriod phone that might compete with an IPhone 4 until 4.5 comes out.

 

You mean other than the desire/desireHD/desireZ/Incredible etc etc? The UK are picking up bubble traits akin to America now. Don't judge how successful a phone is by basing it on what your mates have within 20 yards of you

 

I'd take my desire over an iPhone every single day of the week, in fact I did. They are very similar to use, with pros and cons to each, but the flexibility of the desire puts it wayyyy ahead of the iPhone. Having said that I wouldn't be without my iPod Touch.... saves my phones battery lol.

[johnny g]

iPhone 4 vs Desire = Desire Win

Jailbroken iPhone 4 vs Rooted Desire = iPhone 4 win

(just my opinion)

[Scott]

A lot of the voice recognition stuff works with a little modification (Ask Graham who just tried it and dialed his house number, missus won't be impressed )

 

Download the latest google search and swap your language to US english. The recognition all takes place over at google, so there isn't that much processing on the phone, which does help with slower phones.

 

Graham bought a ZTE Blade (Orange San Francisco), after having a look at one I brought home, and so far has been chuffed to bits with it. Bear in mind the blade is a £100 pay as you go, 2.2 capable device, so is REALLY cheap, okay build quality isn't great, but bang for buck it is a brilliant device. I'll ask Gray to put up a mini review

 

Network unlocks and rom changes are dead easy to do on it as well.

 

http://www.techmagdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/images/Orange_San_Francisco_Android_Phone.jpg

 

That's unreal for a PAYG phone.

[imi]

I think unlike Nexus One this will be a major success for Google and Android. From the initial reviews the hardware is impressive, search, voice recognition, and other google applications

 

 

which other apps are amazing?

 

May be this will be the first Andriod phone that might compete with an IPhone 4 until 4.5 comes out.

 

perhaps, however doubt it - nevertheless they should certainly wipe the floor with WM7...

 

btw: its Android

[edinlexusV8]

My comment about Google Nexus S rivaling IPhone is down to the fact that the previous versions of Andriod are not bad but not upto scratch to compete with iOS from an OS point. Andriod platform has lot of flexibility prob way better than iOS bu they are definitely a bit behind iOS when it comes to getting the best OS and the best out of the hardware. I think Nexus S can go past that with gingerbread 2.3.

[JustGav]

Incredible etc etc? The UK are picking up bubble traits akin to America now. Don't judge how successful a phone is by basing it on what your mates have within 20 yards of you

 

I'd take my desire over an iPhone every single day of the week, in fact I did. They are very similar to use, with pros and cons to each, but the flexibility of the desire puts it wayyyy ahead of the iPhone. Having said that I wouldn't be without my iPod Touch.... saves my phones battery lol.

 

I've had a play with an incredible, and while it is very minor changes, the feel of the device is even nicer than the desire. I'm currently sat with both an iphone 4 and an HTC desire. I got the iphone 4 simply because my boss was saying how much better his was.

 

So far here is my comparison.

 

Construction wise, the iphone is far nicer, lovely piece of engineering no doubt, the HTC isn't in the same league. The plastic back for the battery is bit cheap and nasty.

 

iPhone UI hasn't impressed me much so far, I don't find it intuitive, and constantly have to poke around the menus to get to the settings I want, the HTC well, I guess is more of a techies phone and laid out as such so I find it more logical. This doesn't mean the apple UI isn't good, it just tries to dumb down the user too much.

 

Media is just a pain with the iphone, itunes is a horrrrribble, nassssty ass piece of software. The HTC you can just drop, okay files maybe not as easily, but I've not suffered with AVIs so far, and the galaxy S even supported 720p mkvs which you can't complain about.

 

Business connectivity, there is nothing in it, as they both support multiple systems.

 

The biggest problem... the back button!! The droid has a back-1-step button, on the iphone this is at the top, the opposite side to where my thumb is usually located.

[Scott]

My comment about Google Nexus S rivaling IPhone is down to the fact that the previous versions of Andriod are not bad but not upto scratch to compete with iOS from an OS point. Andriod platform has lot of flexibility prob way better than iOS bu they are definitely a bit behind iOS when it comes to getting the best OS and the best out of the hardware. I think Nexus S can go past that with gingerbread 2.3.

 

You are thinking of the correct OS yes?

 

I now see why everyone gets on your back with IE. You are either quoting what someone else has written and taken it as gospel, or you have no idea what the capabilities are of the Android OS. The flexibility with Android is FAR superior to iOS, in fact iOS is VERY limited IMO.

[imi]

previous versions of Andriod are not bad but not upto scratch to compete with iOS from an OS point.

 

in what way?

 

Andriod platform has lot of flexibility prob way better than iOS bu they are definitely a bit behind iOS when it comes to getting the best OS and the best out of the hardware.

 

as a user, why do I care?

[Scott]

I've had a play with an incredible, and while it is very minor changes, the feel of the device is even nicer than the desire. I'm currently sat with both an iphone 4 and an HTC desire. I got the iphone 4 simply because my boss was saying how much better his was.

 

So far here is my comparison.

 

Construction wise, the iphone is far nicer, lovely piece of engineering no doubt, the HTC isn't in the same league. The plastic back for the battery is bit cheap and nasty.

 

iPhone UI hasn't impressed me much so far, I don't find it intuitive, and constantly have to poke around the menus to get to the settings I want, the HTC well, I guess is more of a techies phone and laid out as such so I find it more logical. This doesn't mean the apple UI isn't good, it just tries to dumb down the user too much.

 

Media is just a pain with the iphone, itunes is a horrrrribble, nassssty ass piece of software. The HTC you can just drop, okay files maybe not as easily, but I've not suffered with AVIs so far, and the galaxy S even supported 720p mkvs which you can't complain about.

 

Business connectivity, there is nothing in it, as they both support multiple systems.

 

 

Build quality on the iPhone has always been absolutely outstanding. The 4th gen is just fantastic like you say. I also felt the touchscreen was far superior on the iPhone, you can really feel the difference.

 

The battery cover on the Desire really annoyed me. Obviously I'm used to it now but it felt VERY out of place considering the solid feel of the rest of the phone. My Wife has the DesireZ and it has a much improved battery cover, I think the HD is meant to be the same but can't be sure. Still not a patch on the build of the iPhone though.

[edinlexusV8]

You are thinking of the correct OS yes?

 

I now see why everyone gets on your back with IE. You are either quoting what someone else has written and taken it as gospel, or you have no idea what the capabilities are of the Android OS. The flexibility with Android is FAR superior to iOS, in fact iOS is VERY limited IMO.

 

Dude read my post I said the same thing that the flexibility is far superior in Android.

[imi]

I have both and must admit that the HTC does impress me - however I used it for a couple of days and then went back with the iphone4; by far it is better engineered and easier to work with. I for one really like itunes (for the content), love the apps store and it integrates well with my kenwood in my car.

 

iphone4 is a great all round media communication platform.

[Scott]

Dude read my post I said the same thing that the flexibility is far superior in Android.

 

Ahh, apologies I read it as 2 negatives not 1 each way.

 

You're still wrong though

[JustGav]

XBMC remote on the android ROCKS, end of

[edinlexusV8]

perhaps, however doubt it - nevertheless they should certainly wipe the floor with WM7...

 

btw: its Android

 

Tbh I have though the same that WP7 is late to the market and would be no where good enough to compare with iOS4 and Andriod. But after using the WP7 device for the last 6 weeks I am def sure that WP7 devices can compete with iOS and Andriod in terms of the available feature set. When it comes to missing feature, yes there are a few but the big update coming in Jan should fix a few. I know you prob have not used a WP7 device so have a look at this link I posted on the other thread.

 

iOS Vs WP7

 

 

Posted by edinlexusV8

Andriod platform has lot of flexibility prob way better than iOS bu they are definitely a bit behind iOS when it comes to getting the best OS and the best out of the hardware.

 

in what way?

 

as a user, why do I care?

 

What you dont care as a user that the OS, build quality, hardware (camera), keyboard and iTunes are much superior in iOS4?

[JustGav]

and iTunes are much superior in iOS4?

 

In a phrase- 'You are shitting me, right?'

[Scott]

In a phrase- 'You are shitting me, right?'

 

Hence why I didn't bother following any of what he said previously up.

 

Hardware(Camera)...... erm.... how? Both exactly the same now.

Keyboard?? You mean the touchscreen? If so I will agree, if not it makes no difference. DesireZ has an actual keyboard making it even better, for that sort of user.

Build quality - Yes, definitely. Without doubt.

OS - God no.

[edinlexusV8]

So you are saying a photo taken from 5 MP camera on the iPhone and a photo taken from an android based HTC or Samsung with 5MP are just one and the same? I dont think so. The camera and the procesisng software on an iphone is superior to anthing HTC or samsung can throw at it, even with dual LEDs or 8MP cameras.

[JustGav]

So you are saying a photo taken from 5 MP camera on the iPhone and a photo taken from an android based HTC or Samsung with 5MP are just one and the same? I dont think so. The camera and the procesisng software on an iphone is superior to anthing HTC or samsung can throw at it, even with dual LEDs or 8MP cameras.

 

This one side of a phone I'm not able to comment on really, as I don't use phones for that. Maybe the odd snap but nothing I really care about, and in fact my 3.2mp crackberry is the phone I've taken the most pics with. If I want a decent shot I'll use a camera, a phone simply just isn't the device I'll reach for when taking pictures.

[edinlexusV8]

iTunes is way better than anything Android can offer. Yes you can bug songs from Amazon, but the library, available songs and services offered on iTunes is better than anything Android can offer. You might disagree but you have to show me an alternative on Android platform.

 

Overall, Zune membership is WAAAAAAAY better than both iTunes and what Android has to offer when it comes to music and video.

[JustGav]

iTunes is way better than anything Android can offer. Yes you can bug songs from Amazon, but the library, available songs and services offered on iTunes is better than anything Android can offer. You might disagree but you have to show me an alternative on Android platform.

 

Overall, Zune membership is WAAAAAAAY better than both iTunes and what Android has to offer when it comes to music and video.

 

I'm not referring to iTunes for purchasing, I'm referring to the way in which it locks itself into your phone, as such you are pretty much forced to use it for any activities.

 

On my android, I plug it in, it appears as a drive, drag and drop, unplug, walk away. iTunes just makes it so incredibly difficult to do things any other way than apple's way with their software. (Across pretty much any host, windows, linux or mac)

[edinlexusV8]

This one side of a phone I'm not able to comment on really, as I don't use phones for that. Maybe the odd snap but nothing I really care about, and in fact my 3.2mp crackberry is the phone I've taken the most pics with. If I want a decent shot I'll use a camera, a phone simply just isn't the device I'll reach for when taking pictures.

 

Yes I agree a phone cannot be compared with a camera but you are deviating from my initial argument that iOS4 with iPhone's hardware got a better platform overall than any Android based devices can offer. And I said in another post that this might change with Google Nexus S.

[JustGav]

Yes I agree a phone cannot be compared with a camera but you are deviating from my initial argument that iOS4 with iPhone's hardware got a better platform overall than any Android based devices can offer. And I said in another post that this might change with Google Nexus S.

 

Yeah, I'd agree with you on that. It goes with my initial comment about build quality and engineering are definitely better. Software wise, Android is more suited to the way I think the internet is heading with things such as html5 and web video, the iphone falls into more of an offline device. No doubt it will change as the market does. An android device definitely has more a 'connected' device feel to it, even down to the voice actions linking into sat nav and all that sort of thing which is done on the backend system and not in the device, so upgrading a device doesn't become so much of an issue. WinMo7 follows this ethos as well by the looks of it.

 

Given that I have already got an android 1.6 iphone 2, I'd be happy as hell with a iphone physical phone running 2.2.