So, if I had an Android device, and were sufficiently geeky, would I be able to equip it with a system-wide keyboard that had cursor keys?
With the “Gingerbread” iteration of Android, touch anywhere in a text input area and a slider appears to let you drag the cursor wherever you want it. Similar to the iphone, except you don’t have to hold your finger down to get another tool.
Ok, that’s extremely cool. I wouldn’t get much utility out of it, but I can certainly see how many other people would vs. an iPhone. It’d be very cool if there were an AppleTV+Android hack to get that to work with AirPlay (I’m guessing Androids link up with things like Google TV?).
One thing I know was a concern on earlier Androids was touch-response. I haven’t seen any of the new droids - has that been improved? There was always a *little *bit of a lag when touching the screen.
Just don’t lump iPhone owners under that camp and we’ll get along fine.
If anything, I feel my Galaxy S2’s screen is even more responsive than my 3Gs was. My finger barely has to touch the screen, and sometimes it kinda doesn’t (like a hair’s width away), and the screen responds anyway. I find the keyboard with the slider to be far easier to use, it’s more responsive, and way easier to edit text. I’ve had this Samsung since October (the day after the disappointing iPhone announcement), and I don’t regret dumping the iPhone one bit. I hated iTunes with the heat of a thousand suns.
DoubleTwist (Android music/movie player) supports AirPlay.
I can appreciate this very slight possibility, but the difference between the odds of it happening with the phone-store battery and the one bought online is too slight to make it worth paying seven times as much. Over the course of three phones, and about twelve batteries, nothing like this has ever happened. Igniting cell phone batteries are extremely rare, counterfeit or not–I might as well buy tornado insurance in California. Call me an insane, devil-may-care risk-taker, but I strongly suspect, however, that the “authentic” batteries that you buy in the phone store that cost $25 are probably manufactured by the same factories–that the 'authentics" and the “counterfeits” are actually the same things. They are indistinguishable by appearance and performance. (However, I have seen “no-name” batteries for sale on-line too, which are obviously not the same thing.) This is really more about how phone stores sell accessories at ridiculous mark-ups–slapping their name on the packaging of the exact same products so that people will spend more money to feel more secure. It’s just not a rational way to spend one’s money, if you ask me.
The batteries may be made in same factory, but it is perfectly possible that the ones sold on ebay are the ones that didn’t pass the quality control tests. I don’t suggest buying batteries at the phone store, but you can at least pay a couple extra bucks and buy it from someone that you can sue.
I’d suggest reading the book “Poorly Made in China”. Frankly a lot of the things that happen in China today remind me of the United States during the late 19th century. Did anyone else read “The Jungle” while they were in high school?
But the market has dictated that they are fine with the amount of choices Android offers (and likewise, they’re fine with what Apple offers). Most casual consumers don’t care about the new “hot shizz”, and are content with their given choice, once it satisfies their criteria. I’d safely say most people have the slightest clue as to what new hot phone is out, and don’t really care until they walk into a store to make a purchase.
In all honesty, more than any other company, it’s Apple that gets all the buzz and craze whenever a new device is released (and there is nothing wrong with this). Even your top of the line Android phones don’t create some insistent need to have the phone, by any relative comparison.
At the end of the day, choice and competition are wonderful things for the consumer.
Choice is good, too much choice dilutes the market. Yeah, I realize the cream will rise to the top, but how do the lower 40% of the android market make any money? If they don’t make money, how does the customer expect to get any after sale support?
the wireless carrier handles that.
My turn to say “not sure if serious or…”
But do they? (And wouldn’t it be the manufacturer, not the carrier?) I honestly have no idea how well the various cell manufacturers handle after-sale support for an android a year after its launch. Apple still supports the 3GS, which is 2.5 years old.
Honest question, but how or where has it been established that the availability of Android devices has crossed the threshold into “too many choices”?
As to making money, my guess is that these companies make money from the consumer who can’t or chooses not to pay for premium devices (though I’ll note, these same companies also make premium devices and other hardware, so it’s not like it’s mutually exclusive). Someone has to cater to this segment, and once again, it seems to work, otherwise the investment wouldn’t be there. Both Apple and Android had a notable holiday season this year, so it appears to be a non-issue.
As to after sale support, what exactly are you referring to? OS updates? If so, that depends on a number of factors, but I don’t directly relate them to being “overburdened” by choices, at the time of purchase.
I switched from a dumb phone to an iPhone 4 in June 2011. The reason I chose the Apple product was that I know a lot of people who have been using iPhones for years, which means I have lots of people to compare experiences with and to get pointers from. This has made the process of getting the phone to do what I want it to do much simpler for me. It seems to me that the wide range of phone choices in the Android market makes it far less likely that I would find a friend with the exact phone I have.
In the small cadre of nerds I hang with, I’m the sole iPhone holdout. Frankly because they haven’t pissed me off enough to want to change, and I like a LOT of that Apple does do right…unfortunately, it means I get to hear the unending ‘nevermind the apple fanboy over there’ jabs.
For me personally Android is much better. I like the options to customize the screens with widgets; for example I really like having a calendar widget on my home screen with my upcoming appointments. The icon-based screens on iOS seem rather limiting. Also the iPhone at 3.5 inches is too small and I greatly prefer the larger size of some of the Android phones.
why wouldn’t I be serious? If you get a smartphone from Verizon, in most cases Verizon would and should be the first party one would contact for support.
it’s just one of those things that Apple fans like to repeat in hopes that it comes true.
I should hope so, seeing as they still sell the 3GS.
I’m currently in the market for either an Android or an iPhone. I’ll be purchasing one or the other in the next week or two. I’ve read through this entire thread and I still have no clue which one I want.
Android:
I think the biggest plus has to be its seemless integration with all of Google. I use gmail. My wife keeps prodding me to use Google calendar more and I think having it on my phone would greatly help my organizational and scheduling issues.
Downsides: Battery life sucks. I’m amazed at how often my wife is charging hers. I also don’t see the difference between 4g and 3g, except that 4G costs $10 more a month which means an extra $120 a year for very little functionality difference (in my experience).
iPhone:
Familiarity with the interface because of my iPod usage. I can easily transfer stored apps rather than losing them to the Droid. Haven’t really tested the camera capabilities. Siri seems ok, but I doubt I’ll use it after the novelty’s worn off. It’ll also sync well with my home computer and laptop (both Macs).
Downside: Less apps to choose from. I doubt I’ll run into Malware problems with the Droid as I’m not one to seek out new must-have apps that just hit the market so any I stumble across will already be peer-vetted. . Facebook’s interface on my iPod blows and I can imagine the same to be true using an iPhone.
So still undecided.
Couple points/questions:
- Yes, Google integration on an Android is seamless. But it’s extremely good on an iPhone as well. Mail, calendar, docs, talk, reader, etc. are all quite functional.
- There are more apps on the iPhone, not less.
- When was the last time you updated your Touch’s facebook app? That’s been improved in the last month or so (though it’s still a little shitty - no idea how good it is on Android).