The Official Android thread.

I'm waiting for ICE CREAM SANDWICH before jumping into an Android Tablet. Isn't Google supposed to regulate a bit better, stating that the hardware must be able to accept the future OS updates.
 
[quote name='doubledown']I'm waiting for ICE CREAM SANDWICH before jumping into an Android Tablet. Isn't Google supposed to regulate a bit better, stating that the hardware must be able to accept the future OS updates.[/QUOTE]

Ice Cream Sandwich is supposed to bring honeycomb features into smartphones more or less. Won't really bring anything new to their tablets.
 
Bah! The T-mobile roadmap is the father of all lies - the Mytouch 4g slide was supposed to be released today according to a leaked roadmap, but now there's new info saying it won't be out until the END of July.

I'm generally a patient man, but I've been off-contract forgoing upgrading or switching carriers for months continuing to use my aging, spotty-performance G1 BECAUSE of this phone, and their pushing it back is irritating. If the galaxy S II was available through any US carriers, I would switch carriers right now for it.
 
[quote name='blitz6speed']
Its like you arent reading anything i wrote. All the honeycomb android tabs are identical in hardware and software. They all run HC 3.0 and they all run Tegra 2 dual core cpu's. Its the EXACT situation as the IPAD, they're all running the same exact everything. Just support isnt there yet. But prices are much better then apple obviously and will continue to get cheaper all the time.[/QUOTE]

Sure but is every android tablet out there on the market currently that same hardware and Android version?--no just the newest batch are. Will it stay that unified in the future or will it fragment as new chips and OS updates come out and thus be fragmented like Android phones? Time will tell on that one. If they're smart they'll stick with one chipset and one OS and update them annually. But it's harder for them to do that with an open platform like Android since any hardware company can use it.

Prices I still disagree on as those cheaper tablets don't match the build quality or design aesthetics of the iPad2. The only one that comes close currently is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and it costs the same. Xoom costs the same, but is much thicker. Cheaper tablets are out there like the transformer etc., but those just don't match the design quality IMO--and I'm willing to pay more for better design.

Anyway, I'm rambling for little reason here. As I said I have no interest in Android or WebOS tablets. I'll either switch to a Windows 8 tablet/slate if they get them right and I can do more real work on them, or just stick with my iPad since I'm already invested in that OS and app store.

Smartphone I'm more open on and haven't decided at all between Androiid, iPhone or Windows 7 Phone (or I assume Windows 8 will hit phones as well).

So I'll limit my posts to Android phones in the future. :D
 
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[quote name='mtxbass1']Just got my Thunderbolt. Time to read 73 pages of this thread to find out what to download...[/QUOTE]


The Mighty Grocer is a good app for doing food shopping.. I use this a lot when I buy food.

Atomic Bomber is a good distraction and a lot of fun..worth buying.
 
Well damn. Just read about Verizon's new data tiers.

$30 for 2gb
$50 for 5gb
$80 for 10gb

Those are the only options for smartphones, there's a $10 75mb plan available for non-smart phones.

I was really hoping they'd have some $15-20 plan with 200MB or something as I'd mainly use it with wifi and mainly want one to always have apps like the Kindle app, games etc. with me, but I don't think that's worth $30 a month.

I'm pretty much stuck with Verizon as I still talk a lot and need the in-network with Verizon as that's what most of my friends and family are on (including my girlfriend and my parents who are the balk of my talk time).

Oh well.
 
I don't mind the cap, I mind the $30. :D I was hoping for a cheaper plan with a lot lower data usage.

I'm literally in my office or at home (and have wifi both places) the vast majority of the time so I don't really need 3G data enough to pay $30 a month for it. I just want a smart phone for things like the Kindle app and games etc. as it would be nice to have that on a phone I take everywhere with me. But I can't stomach more than $15-20 tops for a data plan since I really don't need mobile internet all that much.

It would be handy for looking up an address or using the gps when walking around the city etc., but otherwise I don't care about having internet and e-mail on my phone as I like getting away from all that noise when I'm out and about.
 
[quote name='ITDEFX']The Mighty Grocer is a good app for doing food shopping.. I use this a lot when I buy food.

Atomic Bomber is a good distraction and a lot of fun..worth buying.[/QUOTE]

Thanks bud. I will look in to the mighty grocer.
 
[quote name='Clak']I think AT&T has a $20 or so plan for the lowest data allowance. If you don't mind AT&T.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, unfortunately I'm pretty wed to Verizon as I need the free in-network calling with them as that's what almost all my friend and family use and I still talk a ton as I'm not much into texting etc.

Otherwise I'd probably make the switch as AT&T is the other carrier I can get my 18% state employee discount with.

I'm considering just getting an iPod touch for the apps and games. Only hesitation is I'm not sure I'd get in the habit of carrying it around everywhere as it's kind of hassle to take it and a regular cellphone around.
 
[quote name='mtxbass1']Thanks bud. I will look in to the mighty grocer.[/QUOTE]

Yea give it a shot ..the only problem I see with it is that I can't configure it to calculate tax at all :( I don't know about you, but in VA we get taxed 5% on certain items and 2.5 on others. I wish there was a way to configure it to fit in two taxes rather than do 7.5% total.
 
Mighty grocer looks really cool; going to give it a shot.

As for the fragmentation discouraging app development issue, here's my two cents:
My understanding is that android apps are generally pretty easy to make compatible with various devices, at least as far screen sizes. I think if developers shoot for a baseline version of android that's powerful enough for the app (2.2 is probably reasonable enough), resize some art assets and change a few lines of code, you've got a compatible android app, despite all of the fragmentation. Tablet apps would be especially easy to design for since you generally have 7" and 10" and the hardware and software is pretty much the same. Honeycomb 3.1 and 3.0 aren't that different, and any other tablet wwithout honeycomb.. well you're not really developing for a tablet but a phone. A large phone that doesn't make phone calls.

I think the problem is still money. Apples appstore is a proven winner. You've got a user base that buys a lot of stuff. Android has users now but is still not generating a huge amount of sales. When you are developing you want tto make money so you go with what has worked in the past.

Another factor might even be that android apps are written in Java. Most developers don't like Java and so going from objective c (I think that's apples language for apps) to Java is an annoyance for something that might not be worth it. Just my thoughts.
 
[quote name='GrilledWitOnions']
I think the problem is still money. Apples appstore is a proven winner. You've got a user base that buys a lot of stuff. Android has users now but is still not generating a huge amount of sales. When you are developing you want tto make money so you go with what has worked in the past.

Another factor might even be that android apps are written in Java. Most developers don't like Java and so going from objective c (I think that's apples language for apps) to Java is an annoyance for something that might not be worth it. Just my thoughts.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, market size is definitely the biggest factor as the app store is proven. Though I do think--at least for phones--that it's a harder case to make since Android has a larger install base than the iPhone. Granted, I don't think those comparisons count iPod touches so maybe the gap isn't as great if you count those in addition to iPhone users.

So it does seem like there's more too it than that. Be it the development issue you note, or the fragmentation issue on phones may be more difficult that you think since it's several OS versions and lots of different phone hardware out there.

Or it could just be the nature of the user base. Apple fans skew toward higher incomes since their hardware is on the more expensive end, so maybe the Apple iOS base is just a type of consumer that buys more apps in general compared to the Android base. I'd think Android attracted more tech savvy types--do to the openness, ease of customization, easy rooting etc. so they may attract more pirates. Though there are easy iOS jailbreaks and the cydia store and other pirate outlets, so that's a problem on both platforms.

Anyway, what ever the gap, Android has a long ways to go in app availability and marketing if they want to really challenge the iPad in the tablet arena especially. Phones they've got the bigger installed base and just need to get more unified or find some other way to get app sales revenue up.

In any case, it's moot for me since I won't buy an Android tablet and Verizon has priced me out of a smartphone for the time being. So I'll quit posting here and rambling on! :D
 
I don't mind the posts, and I don't think this is OT exactly. I don't want to change your mind on a tablet, just like the conversation.
Anyway, it's definitely strange that such a large user base might be seen as not a source of revenue. I am guessing it's sort of a vicious cycle - people don't believe money can be made so no apps are made, so money isn't made, proving them right.
I've had a tablet for about a week and so far the app store doesn't feel empty. There are a few strange omissions (Facebook recently pulled their app, presumably to make a less crappy version for tablets), and today's amazon app, field runners HD, doesn't work on tablets. But I'm not disappointed in what's there - maybe I would be if I had an ios system - but there have been a lot of recent games ported over, and lately I've just been playing plants vs zombies. The app store doesn't match ios numbers but I think its picking up steam and hopefully we'll see more and more apps ported - or, if I dare to dream - hit android first.

Edit: I thought I'd see if any android developers had discussed fragmentation, and I found this, which says a lot of what I had already heard - android is backwards compatible and easy to develop for multiple screens since it does a lot of the heavy lifting.
 
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Other than f'king with your warranty...is there another reason to root my Droid Charge?

Also can anyone recommend a good usb wall charger that has a longer cable? I could rig my current wall charger with a USB ext cable but it would be nice to have a one piece charger with a LONG usb cable. Are all USB Chargers the same?
 
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[quote name='ITDEFX']Other than f'king with your warranty...is there another reason to root my Droid Charge?

Also can anyone recommend a good usb wall charger that has a longer cable? I could rig my current wall charger with a USB ext cable but it would be nice to have a one piece charger with a LONG usb cable. Are all USB Chargers the same?[/QUOTE]

You can always unroot your device by flashing the stock ROM back to it.
 
[quote name='Sinistar']Won't run on my rooted OG Droid. Just goes to blank screen.[/QUOTE]

Same issue on my EVO 4G running the OTA update of Gingerbread.
 
[quote name='ITDEFX']Other than f'king with your warranty...is there another reason to root my Droid Charge?

Also can anyone recommend a good usb wall charger that has a longer cable? I could rig my current wall charger with a USB ext cable but it would be nice to have a one piece charger with a LONG usb cable. Are all USB Chargers the same?[/QUOTE]
Most chargers are just adapters with a USB plug on them it seems. I'd just get a longer cable.
 
[quote name='Anexanhume']You can always unroot your device by flashing the stock ROM back to it.[/QUOTE]

cant you just use Super One Click to unroot it? But I guess thats assuming if you havent flashed a ROM on it already.
 
[quote name='Clak']The old one? They must be trying to get rid of those things.[/QUOTE]

I dunno the rules said the ARV was $499, and that's the price of the new one, I thought the old ones have been discounted to $200?
 
Hey does anyone know how to remove Lookout from my droid charge? It won't uninstall period... :( I don't want to root my phone because of it...and I already went to the web site to unprotect it (I guess that is a protection feature in case someone does try to unauthorized remove it
 
[quote name='Clak']Did it come pre-installed? Probably can't remove it without rooting if so.[/QUOTE]


nah..it didn't come pre-installed... I double check their web site and found how to remove it.
 
Arg! Splashtop HD has been $5 forever and I've been debating picking it up. Check today and its gone up $2. It is supposed to be ten eventually so I went ahead and played right into their hands, bought before another price hike.
 
Is there any noob guide to basic Android stuff? Not really as far as using it, I can feel my way through that as far as configuring it and downloading new apps. Just basic recommended apps to get and/or good online resources for info. Already have a task killer, guy who sold it recommended I get some virus scanner as well, haven't done that yet.

Sorry for my ignorance here, the last time I bought a phone was right before the first Android/Droid phones hit, so I've been stuck with a piece of shit until just yesterday...bought a Samsung Galaxy Indulge. I know that's not exactly the top end of Galaxy phones but I got a pretty good deal on it and wanted to get the fuck off of Verizon.
 
[quote name='KaneRobot']Is there any noob guide to basic Android stuff? Not really as far as using it, I can feel my way through that as far as configuring it and downloading new apps. Just basic recommended apps to get and/or good online resources for info. Already have a task killer, guy who sold it recommended I get some virus scanner as well, haven't done that yet.

Sorry for my ignorance here, the last time I bought a phone was right before the first Android/Droid phones hit, so I've been stuck with a piece of shit until just yesterday...bought a Samsung Galaxy Indulge. I know that's not exactly the top end of Galaxy phones but I got a pretty good deal on it and wanted to get the fuck off of Verizon.[/QUOTE]


Yea the android has a bit of a learning curve to it..Took me about a week to figure things out with it.I remember the first day my gf had it she was like "You got to sit down with me and show me how to work this thing.." and we both got the same phones (Droid Charge)
 
Anyone know if any B&M stores carry the Asus Transformer in stock? Was thinking about gettin' one but didn't want to just blind-buy one without seeing one first. :)
 
[quote name='Sinistar']Anyone know if any B&M stores carry the Asus Transformer in stock? Was thinking about gettin' one but didn't want to just blind-buy one without seeing one first. :)[/QUOTE]

My brother and cousin both got their Transformers from Frys B&M.

The nook color CM7 just got a HUGE update with all new wifi driver, all new OMAP libraries (its been using snap dragon libraries till now) and more fixes. Should be a huge boost, we'll see when the nightly hits in the morning.
 
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[quote name='Sinistar']Anyone know if any B&M stores carry the Asus Transformer in stock? Was thinking about gettin' one but didn't want to just blind-buy one without seeing one first. :)[/QUOTE]

Best Buy has in IN STOCK right now: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+...0&skuId=2475916&st=asus transformer&cp=1&lp=1

You can check store stock also.

Although, my Best Buy did not have any on display. Supposedly Toys R Us carries them also....go figure.


I'm still waiting for Ice Cream Sandwich before I take the tablet plunge. My 5" Dell Streak will work for now.
 
[quote name='doubledown']Best Buy has in IN STOCK right now: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Asus+-+...0&skuId=2475916&st=asus transformer&cp=1&lp=1

You can check store stock also.

Although, my Best Buy did not have any on display. Supposedly Toys R Us carries them also....go figure.


I'm still waiting for Ice Cream Sandwich before I take the tablet plunge. My 5" Dell Streak will work for now.[/QUOTE]


Yeah I happened to go the other night.. Tablet was pretty cool, though they didn't have it available on display with the keyboard addon so I could see what that looked like.
 
[quote name='KaneRobot']Is there any noob guide to basic Android stuff? Not really as far as using it, I can feel my way through that as far as configuring it and downloading new apps. Just basic recommended apps to get and/or good online resources for info. Already have a task killer, guy who sold it recommended I get some virus scanner as well, haven't done that yet.

Sorry for my ignorance here, the last time I bought a phone was right before the first Android/Droid phones hit, so I've been stuck with a piece of shit until just yesterday...bought a Samsung Galaxy Indulge. I know that's not exactly the top end of Galaxy phones but I got a pretty good deal on it and wanted to get the fuck off of Verizon.[/QUOTE]
First, remove the task killer. Android manages tasks and memory on its own, so it's not needed.
Pulse is a cool news reader, and I use Google voice for handling text and voicemail. Es file explorer is nice for transferring files from network to phone and vice versa.
 
[quote name='ITDEFX']Although I have played around with a tablet before in stores, is there any point of owning one?[/QUOTE]

As an owner of an iPad, I say yes. It's still my go-to device for many things. The fact that I can take it most anywhere, pull it out any time, and have a large enough screen to read anything is a plus for me. It's much more manageable than a laptop IMO.
 
Yeah, I still use my iPad a decent amount.

It's just much more comfortable form factor wise than a laptop for things like:

-reading PDFs (which I do a ton of for work)
-reading newspapers, magazines, comics (e-books too, but I prefer my Kindle's e-ink screen for those)
-surfing the net on the couch (not counting forum posting as I still want a real keyboard for any serious typing)
-Playing simple games like solitaire, words with friends etc.
-Watching streaming video in bed
-etc.

So a tablet isn't a "needed" device for me by any stretch of the imagination. But it is a nice luxury to have as I like it over my laptop for a lot of things. And as mtxbass1 mentions, being a lot thinner and lighter makes it easier to carry around to the coffee shop, when traveling etc. which is a plus.
 
Tablets essentially replace a laptop at home. Smaller, lighter, no heat burning your legs, better battery life, and does most of the essential tasks you do on a laptop already. There is a reason that MS is doing a promo where you get a free xbox 360 when you buy a windows laptop deal, its because laptop sales are going down every month in favor of tablets (of course its usually a IPad rather then a android tablet for now).
 
Yep, with the caveat that a tablet can only replace the laptop if you have a desktop.

Point being you still need a computer at home to do work on on, store all your media etc. But unless you need a laptop to work on business trips like I do, there's not much reason to have a desktop, a tablet and a laptop.

Though I do have to say that I still use my laptop at home a good bit. But just because I'm such a forum addict that I'm usually posting on forums while watching TV etc. (like currently) and I can't do that on my iPad (need a keyboard) or desktop (it's in a room without a TV). :D

Of course, if I didn't already have the work-provided laptop I could just get a keyboard case for the iPad and use it for forum posting.
 
If you need a physical keyboard, then you've already failed, sadly. The onscreen keyboards you can get on android (Swype, Thumb Keyboard, etc) are amazing and you will never need a physical keybaord again unless you are just incapable of learning something new. Which might be the case since you do have an ipad. Just kidding, sorta =)

p.s. - Try out the voice to text features built into android, they will blow you away with their accuracy.
 
Yeah, I'm old and stuck in my ways! :p

Anyway, I can type around 100 wpm on a real keyboard, I doubt I'll be able to ever match that on any type of on screen keyboard even with swipe etc. I know some can do it though. But you're dead on that I don't have much patience for learning new stuff like that vs. just sticking with what I know and what works for me.

On screen keyboards have other issues though, like obscuring nearly half the screen when typing, which is a pain (IMO) for working on word documents etc. Not a big deal for forum posts etc. though.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Yeah, I'm old and stuck in my ways! :p

Anyway, I can type around 100 wpm on a real keyboard, I doubt I'll be able to ever match that on any type of on screen keyboard even with swipe etc. I know some can do it though. But you're dead on that I don't have much patience for learning new stuff like that vs. just sticking with what I know and what works for me.

On screen keyboards have other issues though, like obscuring nearly half the screen when typing, which is a pain (IMO) for working on word documents etc. Not a big deal for forum posts etc. though.[/QUOTE]

When Swype came out, people were typing at 60 wpm off the bat. It's not as fast as I can type either, but it's more than adequate, even for posting on forums.
 
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