Looking for enough excuses to move to Android and ditch apple but oh so confused

DavisBXL

Apologies if this is a re-hash of various other threads. I had a search and couldn't find one that answered all of my questions so going ahead and posting:

I'm a long-time iPod Touch owner, with iOS4. Use it religiously as a wifi-only smart-phone as such (push email, rss feeds, browsing, evernote, eirtext, maps, travel apps, etc.) rather than a music player. Been watching Android limp along and always keep holding back on making the change over. I'm absolutely dying to leave Apple behind as am sick of reliance on iTunes (I rarely sync due to its bloat) and various apps not being allowed or being taken off the App Store due to Apple's control-all policy. Anyway, with the Desire HD and Z out I think I could be ready to move as my iPod Touch is on its last legs (and the OS upgrade killed the battery hugely) but am apprehensive about something I've missed:

Availability of specific Apps - this is my biggest worry. If the marketplace hasn't matured enough yet, and is full of crapware, do many of you see iPhone apps and wish you could have it on Android? It strikes me that all but the most tech savy company is always going to move into the app dev world by producing something for iPhone first. For example - Lonely Planet guides - wonder how long it'll be before they make it to Android? Same for Irish Times, etc.

Android-version of common apps continuing to be sub-par / not prioritised - Facebook for example. It's a bit hard to test it out in a shop without setting it up, so I can only go by what I've read. It sounds like Android's official facebook app is always playing catch up with the iPhone version and is bound to feel like a step down for someone using it daily on iOS?
Same for Evernote not offering offline access to notes for so long.
Does Skype now work to an acceptable level, even in the background?

Does the freedom of Android make up for all of this in your opinion? I've read amazing things about widgets, genuine multitasking, Flash capability and things like Tasker that are making me drool. I know I like to tinker with things, hence the claustrophobia of using Apple for a while. It still bugs me to think that I'll make the leap and then every hotel company I stay with, airline, shop and/or programme will all focus on producing an iOS app first, and maybe never think of Android for another few years.

Battery life - is it generally acceptable now on the newer models, even with multi-tasking?

Expansion with SD cards - are people happy that buying a quality SD card will give you almost no difference in running apps/music from the phone and the card?

Google tie-in - I am a big google product user but in fairness you can sync almost everything on an iPhone now anyway. Are things like Google Calendar that much 'better', more beautiful, etc. on Android?

Music - I don't use it much on the iPod but I'm trying to reduce how many things I carry in my pocket. Are there recommended apps which people feel bring up the stock Android music interface up to the level of Apple's (which is very nice admittedly)

Lastly (and thanks for bearing with me if you have!) does anyone know of a decent alternative to the iOS app "Reeder" - for offline downloading and beautiful presentation of Google Reader RSS feeds

Thanks a million in advance

osnola ibax

There is a lot of questions there that really you are not going to answer until you have a tinker with an android phone.

And really with android, tinker is the operative word. Because of its open nature there is a lot that can be done with it particularly when it comes to customisation. I have spent a long time fvcking about with mine much more so than I did with my iPhone. Android has been one big experiment for me and I've spent more time testing custom roms than anything else. If you jailbroke your iPod you could have great fun with android.

A VERY important consideration for me though is stability and I reckon apple are still a Tad more stable and crash less in general although my desire is stable enough and I have fvcked around with it a lot.

Khannie

Two things on the apps: Pretty sure the Irish Times has an android app. Also, you're right about facebook. My youngfella has a HTC hero running 2.1 and the facebook app isn't as good (it has no chat for example). It looks totally fine though. Personally about to make the jump to android from iPhone and couldn't care less about that. From looking around, my own experience is that there's some other app that's just as good, or I don't use the missing feature or whatever.

As a linux geek already, I'm really seriously looking forward to the control that will come with running android.

Lastly, the way I see it, it's only a matter of time before apple falls behind on app range and quality. Android really seems to be gaining traction in the last few months and iOS only runs on Apple kit, while android runs on flippin' *anything*.

Scotty #

DavisBXL wrote: »

Availability of specific Apps - this is my biggest worry. If the marketplace hasn't matured enough yet, and is full of crapware, do many of you see iPhone apps and wish you could have it on Android? It strikes me that all but the most tech savy company is always going to move into the app dev world by producing something for iPhone first. For example - Lonely Planet guides - wonder how long it'll be before they make it to Android? Same for Irish Times, etc.

Google were activating 60,000 Android units per day in February, 100,000 in May, 160,000 in July and currently doing 250,000 per day! It won't be long until Android is the first choice for App developers and iPhone the second (if at all, much the same as PC software).

Apple, now, is selling 270,000 phones per day so it's not going to take long for Android to overtake them.

Iphone apps can ONLY be released through the App store where Apple take 30% commission. Google take 30% commission too but only if you want your App in the official Android Market. You can actually release it anywhere. This is starting to attract some of the big players in Iphone apps away to Android. Don't worry about your fav app not being on Android - it probably already is!

Also, Android is free(Open Source). If you decide to start making mobile phones tomorrow you can ship them with Android and you don't have to pay Google a cent! This makes it extremely attractive to technology developers and manufacturers. I can see TV's, Radio's, heating systems, house alarms, etc, etc, being shipped with Android in the next 10 years.

Android is the future. Not iPhone.

Scotty #

Hmm seems first Android TV is already available.

Google have big plans for Android TV's too...

god's toy

Yep spotted a house phone that runs on Android too.

Colibri

I spotted a house phone with Android, too. I can't wait for Android's future! There'll be threads asking how to upgrade their toyota's firmware :P

squire23

Do it. All the cool kids are.

DavisBXL

Many thanks for the replies.

I am suitably convinced - it's the little things like finding the Irish Times have made an app finally

All I need now is to hold this Desire Z in my hand and I'll be on my way!

bd250110

As someone who has been there, done that my advice is...don't do it. You will most likely be disappointed.
I believe android is a great platform but it's great strength of openers is also it's biggest weakness. It is incredibly diverse across different handsets. This makes support more difficult and apps can be compromised. Not a huge issue. My big grips with android are
1) The variability of apps in the Market. Some are great, but some are unreliable and cause serious system lag and crash.
2) number of system lags and crashes (usually due to a dodgy app, or more regularly, flash)...honestly save yourself the bother and turn off flash.
3) Power management. iOS is quite good at this, it kills wi-fi and other unnecessary connections(GPS) when the screen is not in use. Android does not do this by default. Apps are constantly running in the background (this is almost always pointless if the screen is blank) consuming large amounts of power.
4) User experience. Overall I find iOS a better environment, it's more stable, it's prettier and it's slicker. There is a common logic to all apps, which makes getting around very easy.
HOWEVER. if you can live with these gripes Android does offer a great keyboard, great google integration and a much personalisation as your heart desires. The wi-fi hotspot is a fantastic thing to have available, speeds are really good too.

To be honest the 'slickness' of iOS and battery life were the killers for me. Within a fortnight my desire was left on my desk and I was using my iphone 3G again. If you weren't a heavy iPod touch user I could (and would) wholeheartedly recommend android to you. I fear you may be disappointed and frustrated with android.
The constant natter that android will soon leave apple in the dust is nonsense, I'm not sure anyone believes that soon iPhone developers will move enmasse to iOS. What will happen is more and iOS apps will be ported to android. As said above android is open source, so it makes sense to develop for ios (to conform to apples requirements) and then port it, as necessary

Android and iOS will quite happily co-exist, each has their own target Market. iOS is target to the consumer, android the slightly more tech savvy and blackberry to the enterprise.
The desire Z looks like a great bit of kit, if it is substantially cheaper than the iPhone 4 it's a no-brainer.

KennyLegend

I made the switch.from iphone 3gs to the.galaxy s a.few.days ago. Initially i was disappointed but now im happy enough. Apps can be dodgy enough be careful of the ones you use cause some tend to crash.

Theres a few tweaks needed to get the galaxy s as smooth and fast as the iOs. Im sure its the same with other android handsets.

My opinion is that out of tge box the iphone is still streaks ahead. Its smoother and quicker and more stable.

If you are into modding, theres much more potential on android if ur willing to dive in

just my two cents worth

Scotty #

bd250110 wrote: »

1) The variability of apps in the Market. Some are great, but some are unreliable and cause serious system lag and crash.
2) number of system lags and crashes (usually due to a dodgy app....

It's the price you pay for having an open and free market... anyone can produce any kind rubbish. Plus it's soooo easy to produce an App.

bd250110 wrote: »

The constant natter that android will soon leave apple in the dust is nonsense.

Nonsense? Read any of the sales figures? It's already happened!

On Wall Street Journal... here
Android 44% of all smartphone sales
iPhone 23% of all smartphone sales (down from 34% at last report)

Android have seen an 886% rise in 12 months.

kippy

As a matter of interest what is the battery life like on an Iphone 4 for general useage?

I see a couple of people here talking about android not shutting off background services to conserve power (however I believe this to be untrue). If this is the case surely the iphone would have far better battery life (which I also believe to be untrue)
(Dont get me started about Iphone and not being able to change battery)

MGMTea

Do eeeet !, Have made the switch from iOS and am impressed. iOS is too restricted imo and you can do so much on Android

bd250110

Scotty # wrote: »

Android have seen an 886% rise in 12 months.

Easy when volumes of android handsets were pretty small twelve months ago. Of course apple are loosing market share, they were the first company to bring smartphones to the consumer market, so that says nothing really. The other point is that these customers are, in the main, brand new to smart phones. Most are coming from "dumb phones" (and symbian/BB to a lesser extent).

There has been an explosion of android handsets, of very good quality at all price points. There are many more apps available now on great devices. About twelve months ago it was 100k for iOS and 10k for android. But google really needs to do more to ensure that apps are worth downloading and actually work as described. iOS is not just iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. There are over 120 million devices in the wild, thats a considerable Market, before you consider that iOS is a more profitable platform for developers.

Please don't think I hate android, that is not the case. I see strengths and weakness in both platforms. There is no doubt that android is coming up rapidly, this is great for both platforms, iOS and android.

evolutionqy7

Yeah well most apps on android are absolute garbage. Out of all the apps on Android 90% of them are useless crap. Wallpaper changing apps or ringtones or clocks. Something that has been annoying me for ages.

Once I get my hands on windows phone 7 ill see is android actually worth it

NewApproach

Could someone tell me if there are these specific apps on Android please?

Racing Post
Sky Mobile TV
Irish Times
Betfair
Sky News
RTE News
Sky Sports News


Thanks!

edit: Also does Android have GPS? Does it have an app like Tom Tom?

axer

NewApproach wrote: »

Could someone tell me if there are these specific apps on Android please?

Racing Post
Sky Mobile TV
Irish Times
Betfair
Sky News
RTE News
Sky Sports News

Google them.

NewApproach wrote: »

edit: Also does Android have GPS? Does it have an app like Tom Tom?

Yes, Android supports GPS and comes with a google navigation built in which uses google maps thus never needs to be updated.

evolutionqy7

NewApproach wrote: »

Could someone tell me if there are these specific apps on Android please?

Racing Post
Sky Mobile TV
Irish Times
Betfair
Sky News
RTE News
Sky Sports News


Thanks!

edit: Also does Android have GPS? Does it have an app like Tom Tom?

Racing post no
sky TV is only to watch the guide and set to record programmes
Irish times yes
Betfair yes
Sky news+ just reading
Rte news yes.

Either way full flash can bring you to any website