Possible convert to Android

[ifb-online]

First post here, maybe first of many!

I have some fairly basic questions as a current Windows Mobile user now looking odds-on to be a HTC Desire owner instead of the obvious upgrade to a WM HTC HD2:

1. Outlook (email, calendar, notes, tasks) synchronisation with PC; does this work well (certainly a strength of WM)?

2. Flash support for browsers - sorry if this is obvious - can I watch Web pages with YouTube, etc.?

3. Internet access point priority, is it easily configurable? I really only want my Mobile Internet data to be accessed when I permit it. The default should be wifi (multiple SSIDs) is this easy to configure?

4. Music player and sync with a PC (Windows Media Player on my PC) - is this all covered ok in Android?

5. Anything else I need to know about not so obvious differences between Android and WM?

Thanks!

Ian

 

[grainysand]

1. Outlook (email, calendar, notes, tasks) synchronisation with PC; does this work well (certainly a strength of WM)?

Android with Sense tends to does this pretty well, so yes.

2. Flash support for browsers - sorry if this is obvious - can I watch Web pages with YouTube, etc.?

It's got Flash lite, so yes.

3. Internet access point priority, is it easily configurable? I really only want my Mobile Internet data to be accessed when I permit it. The default should be wifi (multiple SSIDs) is this easy to configure?

Menu -> Settings -> Uncheck mobile data when you don't need it.

4. Music player and sync with a PC (Windows Media Player on my PC) - is this all covered ok in Android?

Yep.

5. Anything else I need to know about not so obvious differences between Android and WM?

At a risk of being obvious: everything. Android lets you customize nearly all aspects of your user experience (though somewhat less so if you're running Sense and don't have root), is much more intuitive, and has been designed from the start for a touch-based interface unlike WinMo6.5. Complete Google integration across the board (you'll never lose your contacts, your calendar entries, etc because it's all stored in the cloud). Open platform. Linux stability.

Pretty much everyone who's switched from WinMo, Blackberries, whatever ends up staying and joining the Android collective.

 

[ifb-online]

Thanks grainysand. Currently I have my laptop and my smartphone and the latter depends on the laptop (running Office 2007). I only use GMail for as a secondary email service in case I can't get to my laptop or phone. I'm a bit worried that Android steers past locally stored data and expects it to be in the cloud?

Ian

 

[grainysand]

?

You can choose to sync your contacts/calendar with your Google account (or facebook account, for that matter), or you can just use the Exchange sync that comes with Sense. You can still store contacts in your SIM card or the handset's phonebook.

 

[ifb-online]

OK, sounds like it won't be much of an issue.

Is there anything about Android that isn't ideal?

For example, I'm interested in the turn by turn GPS maps feature in the latest Android release that the HTC Desire (Adnroid 2.1) will have.

I am a little nervous about how it will work (or not!) if there is no data connection available and how much this will eat into my data allowance each month.

Ian

 

[Anthony1]

Android lets you customize nearly all aspects of your user experience (though somewhat less so if you're running Sense and don't have root).

It's the other way round actually. Sense allows more user customisation than stock Android, even unrooted.

 

[grainysand]

It's the other way round actually. Sense allows more user customisation than stock Android, even unrooted.

In what way? Even the HTC clock/weather widget's not skinnable. Of course, even if you run Sense you can still get Beautiful Widgets and download skins, but that'd defeat the point of having Sense. Even on a rooted device, theming Sense is something of a pain since it's got rather peculiar framework/file locations (ever tried messing around with Rosie.apk? Ow). That launcher is there to stay forever, too, and way more difficult to mod than stock launcher2.

 

[ifb-online]

Is there a way of monitoring your data usage easily? Even better, monitor data usage separately for mobile data and wifi?

Ian

 

[PhippsyB]

Is there a way of monitoring your data usage easily? Even better, monitor data usage separately for mobile data and wifi?

Ian

To monitor my mobile data I use an app called 3G watchdog. It lets you put in the rollover data for your monthly allowance then warns you if you're going to go over. It also turns off your internet usage if you get to something like 99% used in a month.

To monitor wifi usage there is an app called NetCounter (i'm pretty sure it's called that).

 

[grainysand]

NetCounter lets you monitor cell data too, as a matter of fact.

 

[Anthony1]

In what way? Even the HTC clock/weather widget's not skinnable. Of course, even if you run Sense you can still get Beautiful Widgets and download skins, but that'd defeat the point of having Sense. Even on a rooted device, theming Sense is something of a pain since it's got rather peculiar framework/file locations (ever tried messing around with Rosie.apk? Ow). That launcher is there to stay forever, too, and way more difficult to mod than stock launcher2.

If you're talking about skinning and modding stuff then you've probably got a point. I was just referring to the general customisation of the way the phone looks and behaves that any DFU could do after reading the manual.

The extra HTC widgets, live folders and screens from SenseUI gives you more 'look and feel' options out of the box than basic android does, that's why so many people prefer it......others don't of course