Reasons why I should switch to android

[peterbz]

Before you decide to post a reply, please note that I'm looking for constructive and intelligent answers. I'm not trying to start a flame war, so please DO NOT post "IPHONE IS THE BEST SCREW ANDROID" or "iOS is for Apple fanboys" type of replies.

Currently, I own an iPhone 4, and I've heard a lot about Android and might consider switching over for my next phone. I'm just wondering what you people think are the pros and cons of switching to Android from iOS5. What are the features that iOS lack and Android excels in and vice versa.

I've heard that updates for Android are controlled by the phone manufacturer, so can you update to Android 4 if you are running 2.2 or 2.3?

I also really like the widgets in Android, but how does this compare with iOS5's notification center? Can you have a checklist as a widget on the home screen, because that's something I think would be very useful for my phone?

 

[JZAJZZ]

Switching to Android gives you more options.. More power to make your phone the way YOU want it.. The difference between Android and IOS is pretty simple .. Android gives you the tools to make your phone yours... IOS ..tells you this is the way you are going to do things.. and that works for some people who just want everything served to them with less control..

But I've always been my own man.. I like things done my way.. so I go with ANdroid..

 

[peterbz]

Switching to Android gives you more options.. More power to make your phone the way YOU want it.. The difference between Android and IOS is pretty simple .. Android gives you the tools to make your phone yours... IOS ..tells you this is the way you are going to do things.. and that works for some people who just want everything served to them with less control..

But I've always been my own man.. I like things done my way.. so I go with ANdroid..

Can you please elaborate on what can be customized?

 

[Kie]

Currently, I own an iPhone 4, and I've heard a lot about Android and might consider switching over for my next phone. I'm just wondering what you people think are the pros and cons of switching to Android from iOS5. What are the features that iOS lack and Android excels in and vice versa.

I've heard that updates for Android are controlled by the phone manufacturer, so can you update to Android 4 if you are running 2.2 or 2.3?

Well I used to have a 3GS with iOS4 on it. For me, it really lacked customisability. The only way to get it remotely how I wanted was to jailbreak and dl Cydia themes. Some of those themes made it seem like I could do what I wanted, but it was like a breath of fresh air through prison bars. With Android, the home screen is my playground. I can put anything on there, and the themes don't require 'jailbreaking' (rooting) to make it look awesome. It also has better integration with apps and also allows auto app updates. There's about 50 other things as well

You can manually update to newer firmware; you don't have to wait for your carrier. The method depends on your phone, google it. Also, ICS isn't available yet, so no-one's sure about when the updates will be available.

 

[chanchan05]

Can you please elaborate on what can be customized?

Well nigh almost EVERYTHING. The UI, the icons, folder images, the status bar, you name it.

You dont like the Contacts app? Get a new Contacts app. You dont like the Messaging app? Get a new one with more features. You dont like how the default calendar or its widgets look or handle sync? Get a new one.

Even the lockscreens could be changed, sometimes they dont even look like lockscreens anymore, and people show off their pretty customizations on lockscreens and homescreens:
http://androidforums.com/android-th...-lockscreen-screenshots-widgetlocker-etc.html
http://androidforums.com/android-themes/4425-post-your-android-desktop-129.html


EDIT: I forgot to add, the one pro of an iPhone that I would consider over that of an Android is gaming. Since the developers only develop for one specific device, with one kind of chipset and driver and kernel set, the games are excellently optimized for the device. On Android, some games may work well on one device, but not on others. Getting the highest end devices of either brand will only ensure that you only experience lags or bumps on a minimal amount of games (depending on what the dev was using for testing AFAIK), not a total absence of such AFAIK. Of course it may be that the games that may lag on your phones may be games that you will never encounter.

 

[Sixel]

You can also bluetooth files from other phones not just iPhones

 

[peterbz]

Okay I have a few more questions

Does Google filter the apps before they are available for download like Apple does with apps for their App Store to prevent malicious apps?

Can you send files via Bluetooth to other phones?

What are the things that you absolutely dislike about Android or something you wish Android would do better? (I want to know to get a better picture before I decide to switch)

I read in another thread on this forum that keeping thousands of SMS messages can slow down the SMS app. Now I tend to keep all my messages and never delete them. Would this be a problem?

 

[Sixel]

The Market screen apps

I just said that in my previous post

Mostly I would want the update happen simultaneously not be available depending on your country.

My default message app doesn't have a problem, I have about 860+ messages atm, maybe with another app they might have.

 

[aysiu]

Does Google filter the apps before they are available for download like Apple does with apps for their App Store to prevent malicious apps?

No, but if they find malicious apps, the malicious apps are removed immediately.

Some tips for avoiding malicious apps:
http://androidforums.com/android-ap...ps-avoid-viruses-guide-those-new-android.html

What are the things that you absolutely dislike about Android or something you wish Android would do better? (I want to know to get a better picture before I decide to switch)

Oh, a number of things:

1. On some screens the only thing on there is a text input box, and if you don't have a hard keyboard to slide out, you'll still have to tap in the text field to get the virtual keyboard to pop up. Granted, that's only on some screens, but it shouldn't happen at all--that is, the keyboard should pop up by itself based on context.
2. It's difficult to find a good music player that allows you to create smart playlists on the fly. You can find some convoluted (and costly) apps for syncing with iTunes (thus inheriting those smart playlists), though.
3. If you don't have a Nexus phone or if you aren't willing to root your phone, you'll have to wait a long time for updates when the new version of Android comes out. I'd highly recommend rooting your phone or, if that makes you squeamish, buying a Nexus phone.
4. The iPhone always gets new popular apps sooner or better versions sooner than Android. That's true for Facebook, Netflix, Zipcar, and a number of other apps. If you have a little patience, no worries, there.
5. If your contacts are in Address Book, your calendar is in iCal, your music is in iTunes, and your photos are in iPhoto... well, your life will be a hell of a lot simpler with an iPhone. If, however, your contacts are in Google Contacts, your calendar is in Google Calendar, your music is in Google Music Beta, and your photos are in Picasa, your life will be a hell of a lot simpler with an Android phone.
6. Unless you install an app to change the system volume, the noise for the shutter sound when you take a picture is extremely loud (I don't know if this is true for every Android phone, but it's true at least for the MyTouch 3G, the MyTouch 4G, and the original Motorola Droid).

I read in another thread on this forum that keeping thousands of SMS messages can slow down the SMS app. Now I tend to keep all my messages and never delete them. Would this be a problem?

Use Google Voice for SMS, and you'll never run out of room to store SMS. Best part is you can message from your phone or your computer.

 

[chanchan05]

For making "smart" playlists on the fly, I find Jukefox pretty up to the task IMO.

 

[aysiu]

Jukefox looks great, but that's not what I mean by smart playlist. I'm talking about songs most frequently played that are longer than two minutes and have the word love in them.

 

[eddiesox]

I find the total integration of apps awesome. For example there are at least three ways to post a picture to Facebook or to call or text someone. Similarly contacts are integrated. You click on a persons name it gives you everything, call them, text, Google voice, Skype, Facebook, etc. Can't do that with ios. Something that's missing is screenshots, but this can be done if you root or have ics. Micro SD support is also handy.

 

[chanchan05]

Have you tried it? If you shuffle all songs, and press skip, the system is smart enough to skip related songs to the first one you skipped. For example if after about playing 10 songs where you skipped all songs that didnt have love in them, it will start playing only songs that are on the same genre as the ones you did not skip.

 

[rui-no-onna]

After using an iPhone, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, I bought a $150 LG Thrive to test drive Android and to check for app availability. I've found Android to be much nicer compared to iOS. The apps integration is awesome. Being able to choose the default application for tasks is great. Google Voice (free texting + universal phone number) is probably my favorite app on Android although Maps/Navigation is a close second.

After 3 months of putting the LG Thrive/Android through its paces, I like Android enough to buy myself a Samsung Nexus S (AT&T) and a Samsung Galaxy S 4G (T-Mobile). Will likely get a Samsung Galaxy Nexus when a GSM version becomes available.

 

[Clevo89]

I'm going to give you a philosophically intelligent reason..... because you can.

 

[JZAJZZ]

Can you please elaborate on what can be customized?

It's not about just customization .. for example .. form factors.. Maybe I like Hardware keyboards.. I can go with that . .maybe I like a large screen or a smaller screen .. I can purchase whatever suits my need.

Now as far as customizations go .. It's more than just theming your phone to look a certain way.. It's about adapting your phone to yo u.. Again Apple tells you this is what "easy to use" is .. .Android tells you " the way you want to use it is what makes it "easy for you"

Let's say you bought an android phone because you wanted a keyboard but you like the grid icons of the Iphone home screen and you don't want widgets. You can always set up your Android homescreen in a iOS type of way if that's your cup of tea.

Last but not least something people always miss in most of these ios vs Android battles..
3rd party integration within Android. 3rd party system apps. Someobody else made the phone that I'm using everyday .. I might like the phone overall but there are many other thigns that I might not like about it ..software wise. There are thousands of third party system apps that fill the void that Google left. Many times Google ends up using those functionalities in a late version of Android.

y

 

[psychotron]

Before you decide to post a reply, please note that I'm looking for constructive and intelligent answers. I'm not trying to start a flame war, so please DO NOT post "IPHONE IS THE BEST SCREW ANDROID" or "iOS is for Apple fanboys" type of replies.

Currently, I own an iPhone 4, and I've heard a lot about Android and might consider switching over for my next phone. I'm just wondering what you people think are the pros and cons of switching to Android from iOS5. What are the features that iOS lack and Android excels in and vice versa.

I've heard that updates for Android are controlled by the phone manufacturer, so can you update to Android 4 if you are running 2.2 or 2.3?

I also really like the widgets in Android, but how does this compare with iOS5's notification center? Can you have a checklist as a widget on the home screen, because that's something I think would be very useful for my phone?

These threads always make me laugh. Why would you let a forum full of users and fans of a particular OS try to convince you how to spend YOUR money? Go down to your local carrier store and play around with different phones, compare them to what you have and see what works best for YOU. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks is best.

 

[aysiu]

These threads always make me laugh. Why would you let a forum full of users and fans of a particular OS try to convince you how to spend YOUR money? Go down to your local carrier store and play around with different phones, compare them to what you have and see what works best for YOU. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks is best.

The two aren't mutually exclusive. The best thing to do is get input from people who've used said phones and then try them out yourself in the store. It's not one or the other--you can (and should) do both.

 

[psychotron]

The two aren't mutually exclusive. The best thing to do is get input from people who've used said phones and then try them out yourself in the store. It's not one or the other--you can (and should) do both.

Other peoples opinions and input mean zero to me. I could have a thousand people telling me till their blue in the face a certain phone was amazing and I need to buy it now but if I go play with it and don't like it, I couldn't care less what they say. When I look to buy a new phone, I go down to the store and demo it. What other people think of it has no effect on whether I buy it or not.

 

[jerofld]

Other peoples opinions and input mean zero to me. I could have a thousand people telling me till their blue in the face a certain phone was amazing and I need to buy it now but if I go play with it and don't like it, I couldn't care less what they say. When I look to buy a new phone, I go down to the store and demo it. What other people think of it has no effect on whether I buy it or not.

You made that rather apparent in the thread about switching from Android to iPhone 4S, until you ended up with your E4GT. But what works for you may not work for other people. Those other people may like to take others' opinions and try it out themselves.

For the OP: There's not much I can add. Even without rooting, you can change just about every aspect of your phone. Every Google app that does one function usually has 3-4 good alternatives. You can choose what type and style of hardware you want. Physical keyboard or no, AMOLED screen or LCD, etc. I'm still learning about Android and I have 3 devices running different versions of Android.

And if you love to tinker, Andriod is definitely better than iOS. Cydia didn't seem to do much for me, but with Android, there's no end to what I am adding into the phone.

 

[Slug]

What are the features that iOS lack and Android excels in and vice versa.

Android Forums.... 'nuf said! Moving to Android is worth it just to be part of this wonderful community.

Other peoples opinions and input mean zero to me

Then you probably shouldn't be responding to a member who specifically asks for the opinions of others. Especially when that member is new both to AF and to Android.

 

[aysiu]

Other peoples opinions and input mean zero to me.

But you're not peterbz. You're you. peterbz started this thread and cares about other people's opinions. You don't.

 

[peterbz]

Thanks for all your input guys!

So I guess the best way to have full customization of your phone and get all the newest updates is to root it.

 

[Stuntman]

Currently, I own an iPhone 4, and I've heard a lot about Android and might consider switching over for my next phone. I'm just wondering what you people think are the pros and cons of switching to Android from iOS5. What are the features that iOS lack and Android excels in and vice versa.

For me, I want a phone with a physical keyboard and no iPhone has that. I found a Nokia and then later an Android phone that has this feature.

Other features of my Android phone I like are widgets. Some provide information without having to open the app. Others allow me to toggle things like auto-rotate, brightness, sound settings, etc. without having to go into the settings and changing it. These settings tend to be a few levels deep in the settings menu. I believe others have covered a lot of other features.

I've heard that updates for Android are controlled by the phone manufacturer, so can you update to Android 4 if you are running 2.2 or 2.3?

Each phone has some customisations to the Android version. Also, other phones have some customised UI on top that would need to be coded properly with any new version of the OS. That is why each handset has its own schedule for updates.

I also really like the widgets in Android, but how does this compare with iOS5's notification center? Can you have a checklist as a widget on the home screen, because that's something I think would be very useful for my phone?

I'm not sure about notification centre. A widget basically is a portal into an app. The widget can provide some info such as tweets in a Twitter widget. It can also be controls such as my sound widget. My sound widget allows me to program 3 different sound profiles. I have normal, sleeping and loud. Sleeping turns off notification sounds, so I'm not awaken by an email notification while asleep while phone calls and my alarm still sounds. Loud is for loud environments where all sounds are maxed. I can just tap on the widget to change the sound profile. If I had to manually change the sound profile, it would take many taps of the screen.

What are the things that you absolutely dislike about Android or something you wish Android would do better? (I want to know to get a better picture before I decide to switch)

Personally, I want to be able to calibrate the auto-brightness setting on my phone. My phone can control the brightness of the screen according to the ambient light. When outside, it is on max brightness which is fine. However, when indoors and in dark conditions, I think the brightness is too bright. I would like to be able to calibrate it so that in indoors and dark conditions, it is not as bright while keeping outdoor brightness the same at max. I have made a request to some developers for such a feature, however, the have told me that Android does not allow this.

I would also like to change the notification sound when I receive a voice mail. For many apps, the app allows me to select a custom notification sound. For voice mail notifications, there does not seem to be a way to change the notification sound to something other than the default. I can change the default sound, but then all other apps that need to use the default notification sound will use the same sound.